perswadeth vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance by alleadging that the times wherein we liue and the persons among we dwell are so euill and wholly corrupted with sinne that there is a necessitie laide vpon vs of conforming our courses to the example of others seeing if we purge our selues from the sinnes which commonly raigne and make conscience of those vices which others commit we shall not onely expose our selues to the scorne and obliquie of all that obserue vs as being more strickt and precise in our courses then we neede but also as the Prophet speaketh make our selues a common prey For the defeating of which Esa 59. 15. deceipt let vs know that we must be of the little flocke of Christ if euer we meane to be in their number vnto whom his fathers pleasure is to giue a Kingdome that we must not Luke 12. 32. follow a multitude in doing euill vnlesse we thinke also to be partakers in their punishments that we must not fashion Exod. 23. 2 our selues to the example of the world if we would not perish Rom. 12. 2. Ioh. 15. 19. with it but must be transformed by the renewing of our mindes and be seuered from the world and culled out of it if we would be in the number of Christs Disciples or become true members and subiects of his kingdome That it is better to goe into heauen alone then to goe into hell and haue all the world to beare vs company Let vs remember that we must through good report and euill report goe on in 2 Cor. 6. 8. our Christian course with the blessed Apostle if we euer meane to accompany him in heauen That it is no great matter to suffer ascoffe for Christ who hath for our sakes suffered the bitter death of the crosse that we must not refuse to be the sheepe of Christ nor alter our nature to a woluish condition because wee would not be iniured by wolues and goates vnlesse we would with them be set at Christs left hand and heare that dreadfull sentence of condemnation denounced against vs. That wee shall in the Mat. 25. end ouercome by suffering and receiue a crowne of our patience which without all comparison will exceede our paines Let vs further consider that no man is carelesse of the health of his body because the ayre is infected and the country full of contagious sicknes but doth so much the more carefully vse all good preseruatiues to keepe him from these Epedemical diseases and the like care we would haue of our soules if we loued them as well as we doe our bodies In regard whereof the Apostle vseth this as an argument to make vs more watchfull and diligent in redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Finally let vs know Eph. 5. 16. that neither time nor place in which we liue will excuse vs before God if we liue in our sinnes seeing as the best time or place will not priuiledge vs from falling into sinne no not Paradise it selfe and the society of the Angels as we see in Adam so neither will those times and places which most abound with euill poison vs with the contagion of sinne if wee haue about vs the preseruatiue of a good conscience and haue sincere and vpright hearts which make vs with Enoch in the middest of worldly destructions to walke with our God Yea rather when wee are Gen. 5. on all sides compassed about with wicked men the heate and zeale of our godlinesse as it were by an antiperistasis will be intended and increased As we see in the example of Noah who continued iust when all the world were wicked Of Abraham who was vpright in his wayes among the wicked Cananites of Lot whose soule was righteous though he liued among the filthy Sodomites Of Ioseph and Moses in the Court of Pharaoh Dauid in the Court of Saul and of Nehemiah Daniel the three children and many others who feared and serued the Lord though they liued yea bore office in the Court of the Kings of Babylon §. Sect. 7. The sixt policie of the flesh in perswading vs to continue in our sins because god is mercifull A sixt pollicy which the flesh vse h to perswade vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance is to tell vs of Gods mercy which is so endlesse and infinite that notwithstanding we goe on in our owne courses yet we shall be saued With which that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that it is an horrible abuse of Gods mercy when we take occasion thereby to continue in our sinnes which in the Scriptures is offered vnto vs as the maine argument whereby wee are inuited vnto repentance So the Psalmist saith that there is mercy with the Lord that hee may Psal 130. 4. Rom. 2. 4. be feared and the Apostle telleth vs that the riches of Gods goodnes his patience and long-suffering doe inuite vs to repentance It is a notable motiue to perswade a rebell to yeelde and submit himselfe to his Prince because hee is gratious and mercifull but if any will goe out or continue in his rebellion vpon this ground his presumption alone would make him worthy to bee hanged because the grace and goodnesse of his Prince should worke in him loue and obedience and make him loath and euen ashamed to offend and displease so gracious a soueraigne Secondly let vs knowe that howsoeuer Gods mercy in it selfe is infinit and incomprehensible yet in respect of the obiect and exercise of it it is limitted by his truth which appropriateth it only to repentant sinners because such onely doe lay hold of it and apply it vnto themselues by a liuely faith without which application the mercy of God can doe vs no more good then a soueraigne salue can cure a wound which is cast behind the doore and neuer applied vnto it Lastly let vs know that as God is infinite in mercy so also in iustice yea in trueth these are all one in God his mercy being a iust mercy and his iustice a mercifull iustice onely they seeme to differ in respect of the obiect and diuers maner of exercising them towards his creatures In which regard notwithstanding it may truely be saide that hee is iust in iustifying a sinner because beleeuing in Christ his sinnes Rom. 3. 26. are satisfied for by his merits and obedience and that he is mercifull towards the wicked in bearing with them so long and affording vnto them so many meanes to bring them to repentance But if these meanes be contemned then the acceptable time and day of saluation being past there is no more place for mercy but onely for iustice in the manifestation whereof towards the wicked and reprobate God is no lesse glorified then in the declaring of his mercy and trueth towards the faithfull and Elect. Neither must we thinke it any disparagement to Gods mercy that it is not effectuall for the saluation of all
of perfection there could be no conflict because there could be no flesh nor yet in the state of corruption because there could bee no spirit yet they may when their degrees are abated and their vigour and full strength is somewhat blunted and deadded In which respect this residence of the flesh and spirit is fitly compared to the residence of the light and darkenesse in the ayre in the twilight or dawning of the day when as there is not one part of the ayre darke and another light but the whole ayre partly light and partly darke he darkenesse and light being mingled together or of heate and colde in the same luke-warme water where they are not diuided in place but the whole water is partly cold and partly hot or of water and wine in the same vessell in which there is not one part wine and another water but the whole mixture is partly water and partly wine or of sicknes and health in those which we call weake and sickly through some spice or reliques of an Ague or Feauer of whom it cannot be saide that hee is sicke in one part and sound in another but that he is partly healthy in his whole body so far forth as he is recoured and partly sicke so farre forth as the reliques of his sicknes remaine in him In all which these contrary qualities doe not friendly conioyne themselues nor agree one with another neither doe they communicate their properties vertues and contrary qualities to produce this mixture but both of them stand still in hostile tearmes in the same subiect labouring continually to get the victory and wholly abolish his enemy opposite CHAP. IIII. Of the Combate it selfe and the manner how it is fought in vs. § Sect. 1. When wee are called by God to this conflict WEe haue shewed what are the causes of this conflict and now we are in the next place to speake of the combate it selfe of the manner how it is fought in vs. To which purpose we are to know that the acceptable time and day of saluation being come when as the Lord is purposed to deliuer vs eternally out of the hands and power of sinne and Sathan raigning and ruling in our hearts as Kings yea Gods as the Scripture speaketh holding the Rom. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 26. whole man with all the powers and faculties of his soule and body in subiection to doe their will that for the time which remaineth we may be his seruants and souldiars to obey him in all things and to make warre vnder his standard against the spirituall enemies of our saluation it pleaseth him by the ministry of his word made effectuall by the operation of his spirit to open our blinde eyes that we may see and plainly discerne that wretched bondage vnder sinne and Sathan in which we liue the innumerable miseries into which it plungeth vs for this present life and that hellish condemnation and euerlasting torments which if we liue die in this thraldome doe attend vs in the life to come Thereby is discouered vnto vs the tyranny of the diuell whereby he raigneth and rageth in vs working our hearts to his will and inclyning vs to drudge in his seruice for no other reward but the vncertaine pay of worldly vanities which shall be accompanied with endlesse destruction the vglinesse and intollerable waight of sinne which as an heauy burthen presseth vs downe to hell the terrible wrath of God inflamed against vs by our sinnes and the curse of the lawe ready to attach vs. Finally that our liues be momentary and vncertaine and therefore also the pleasures of sinne can bee but alike vnsure and of short continuance but the life to come and both the pleasures and ioyes and the paines and torments of it are euerlasting and there is no hope to enioy the one and escape the other if wee liue and dye in our present condition And thus when by the ministery of the word wee are brought to a sight and sense our damnable and wretched estate our sleeping consciences are awakened our hard and flintie hearts are throughly humbled and softned bruised and made contrite so as our former carnall securitie being shaken of we relent and mourne in the sight of our sinne and misery Being thus cast downe and humbled the Lord by the preaching of the Gospell maketh knowne vnto vs his loue in Christ the infinitenesse of his mercy and goodnesse together with that singular pledge there of his deare and onely sonne giuen to the death for our redemption the sweete promises of the Gospel assuring all of the mercy forgiuenesse of their sins deliuerance out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies whom Christ by his death hath vanquished and subdued and of eternall life and saluation of body and soule if wee will lay hold vpon Christ and his righteousnesse by a liuing faith and bring forth the fruits thereof by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto God by vnfained repentance Which meanes of comming out of our present misery and of attaining to a better estate being made knowne vnto vs we begin to conceiue that there is some possibilitie of comming out of the thraldome of sinne and Sathan and of attaining to saluation the which inflameth our hearts with an earnest to come out of our bondage and to this ende to be made partakers of Christ and his righteousnesse who alone can helpe vs and a firme resolution to deny our selues and all other meanes as vaine and vnprofitable and to cast our selues wholly vpon our Sauiour Christ for our iustification and saluation From hence ariseth a constant endeauour in the vse of all good meanes to attaine vnto faith whereby we may be assured of Christ and his benefits and particularly apply them vnto our selues for our owne vse which being likewise wrought in vs by the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell and we thereby perswaded of the pardon of our sinnes of Gods loue and our owne saluation in the next place we desire to haue our assurance confirmed more and more by a liuely sâ—nâ—e and feeling and an experimentall knowledge Phil. 3. that wee are by Christ our redeemer deliuered out of the hands of our spirituall enemies To which ende we desire the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit by which wee may be actually deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and Sathan that they may no longer haue dominion ouer vs and to finde and feele the vertue and power of Christ Iesus his death as effectuall or our sanctification as our iustification for the inriching vs with sauing grace as for the assuring vs of eternall glory for the mortifying and subduing of the corruption of sinne as for the fâ—â—â—ng of vs from the guilt and punishment § Sect. 2. The second summons to this conflict Which desires are no sooner wrought in vs by the ministery of the word made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods
apply not or misapply they either apply all vnto others or apply falsely vnto themselues arrogating all the promises of life and saluation though they doe not all belong vnto them Fourthly the knowledge of the regenerate drawes them neerer vnto God and vnites them more firmely vnto him in loue true obedience first in loue of God and of that truth which he hath reuealed vnto them for when he hath made knowne vnto them not onely his infinitenesse in all perfection but also his goodnesse and mercy towards them then this flame of Gods loue kindleth in their cold hearts the fire of loue towards God againe which maketh them to thinke nothing too much or enough which they can doe or suffer for his sake whereby they are moued to make an holy vse of all they knowe both for the auoyding of all which God hateth whom they so loue and the embracing and practising of all which he loueth and and requireth But the knowledge of the vnregenerate is a light onely without heaâ—e which driueth them further from God and alienateth their hearts from him because they cannot apply to their owne vse his sauing attributes but rather are terrified with his wisedome power and iustice whereby he is able and willing to punish and take vengeance on all sinners Neither doeth it stirre them vp to any obedience vnlesse it be for seruile feare but rather enableth them to rebell and disobey more securely whilest by their great learning their subtill shifts and nice destinctions they can more cunningly vntwist the cords of Gods Commaundements which should bind them to their dutie and so winde themselues and slip their neckes out of the yoke of Gods Lawe that it cannot hold them and whilest thereby they are enabled to defend their sins with their subtill sophistry and to preserue themselues from iust censures their names from deserued shame to stoppe the crye of their consciences that they may not checke and accuse them for their sinnes Finally the knowledge of the regenerate bringeth them to true humilitie and the better and more clearely they conceiue of Gods goodnesse power and glorious maiestie and of their owne misery sins and imperfections the more they abase themselues and become vile in their owne sight as we see in the example of Abraham who when he most neerely and familiarly conuersed with God had the meanest conceipt of himselfe acknowledging that he was but dust and ashes in Dauid who hauing attained vnto a greater measure of spirituall Gen. 18. 27. knowledge then his teachers confesseth that hee was but a worme and no man in Iob who hauing come vnto psal 22. 6. a more cleare knowledge of God by seeing him with Iob. 42. 5. 6. his eyes abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes and in Agar who being inlightened with a large measure of heauenly Pro. 30. 2. wisedome professeth that hee was more brutish then any man and had not the vnderstanding of a man But contrariwise the knowledge of the vnregenerate puffeth them vp with pride according to that of the Apostle knowledge puffeth 1 Cor. 8. 1. vp loue edifieth and causeth them to vilefie and contemne others in comparison of themselues as wee see in the example of the Pharisees who despised all them who confessed the trueth concerning our Sauiour Christ as ignorant and simple ideots But this people who knowe not the law Ioh. 7. 48. 49 are cursed And the reason is because their knowledge is onely speculatiue confused and generall and doeth not bring them to any sense and feeling of their sinne and misery or to a liuely and experimentall apprehension of Gods sauing attributes § Sect. 6 The second effect of the spirit is to prepare our heartes for faith then to worke it in vs. A second effect of the spirit whereby we may be assured that it dwelleth in vs is the preparing of our hearts to receiue the grace of a liuely and iustifying faith and the effectuall working of it in vs being thus prepared It prepareth them first by enlightening our mindes and by shâ—wing vnto vs our sinne and misery by the lawe of God and that in respect of our selues wee are brought into a damnable and desperate condition out of which wee cannot recouer by any meanes of our owne nor by all the helpe of men and Angels And when her by it hath throughly humbled vs and made vs despaire of all our owne abilities then it reuealeth vnto vs the infinite mercies of God his free grace and eternall loue in his sonne and the al-sufficient merits of Christ together with the sweete promises of the Gospell made in him offring grace and mercy for the forgiuenesse of sinne and the saluation of our soules to all that will receiue them by the hand of faith and will turne vnto God by vnfained repentance vnto which truth of God reuealed in the ministery of the Word the holy spirit by a secrete operation worketh an assent as being most infallible seeing it proceedeth from him who is trueth it selfe and cannot lye which assent being effectuall worketh in our vnderstandings a perswasirn that our sinnes though many and haynous are yet pardonable and in our iudgements a most precious esteeme of Gods mercies and Christs merits from and by which alone we receiue remission In our hearts also this effectuall assent worketh an earnest and constant desire that they may be pardoned and to this ende an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse in our willes a firme resolution to rest vpon Christ alone for iustification and saluation and in our actions a conscionable endeauour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may be more and more assured that we shall haue our part in the mercies of God and the merits of Christ And these are the first degrees of iustifying faith which who so want are destitute of it the which being wrought in vs the Lord blesseth the meanes of saluation which the beleeuer conscionably vseth with a desire to profit by them as the word Sacraments Prayer and the rest for the encreasing of these first degrees in vs vntil they growe from a graine of mustardseede to a great tree from an assent to an apprehension and application of the promises with some assurance that Gods mercy and Christs merits belong vnto vs. Vnto which degree the most Christians who labour after it doe attaine if death preuent them not and hinder them from comming from their spirituall infancy to their riper age in Christ Now this faith being come to application of Christ and the promises and some assurance that they belong to the beleeuer it groweth daily in the carefull and diligent Christian to more strength by his often feeling and experience of Gods loue by his acquaintance with him in his holy ordinances by testifying and approuing of his loue towards God againe in his continuall fruits of new obedience the exercises of a Christian life in good workes and by his
Of speciall fruites of the spirit whereby wee may know that it dwelleth in vs. The last effects which are infallible signes of the spirits dwelling in vs are all the sauing and sanctifying gifts and graces which it worketh in vs as first a liuely faith apprehending the promises and applying vnto vs Christ Iesus and all his benefits of which I haue already spoken The second fruite of the spirit is vnfained loue of God not onely for his benefits receiued or expected present prosperitie the confluence of worldly benefits and euerlasting saluation but also in his owne nature and in respect of his 2 Tim. 1. 7. goodnesse mercy iustice holinesse and all other his sauing attributes In which the faithfull in their loue resemble children who loue their parents out of naturall affection simply and sincerely when as they haue no other outward motiue euen when they crosse them in their desires and doe correct and chastise them for their amendment For such is the loue of Gods children free and generous although their loue may be encreased and made vnto them much more sensible by temporall benefits and heauenly hopes in which respect they are saide to haue receiued a free spirit and so serue God in the libertie of it Whereas contrariwise if there be any loue towards God in the wicked it is onely seruile and slauish not for his owne sake or out of their owne disposition and naturall affection but onely for the hyre of worldly prosperity honours riches pleasures peace health ease and such like temporary benefits the which when he doeth at any time take from them and inflict vpon them the contrary crosses then the cause of their loue ceasing their loue it selfe also ceaseth as we see in the example of Saul Iehu Iudas Demas and many others Thirdly the spirit bringeth with it peace of conscience Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 5. 17. which is a fruite of faith that the spirit worketh in vs assuring vs of the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God for so the Apostle saith that being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore hee also reckoneth it among the fruits of the spirit Fourthly by this assurance of faith and inward peace it also worketh in vs inward comfort and consolation which maketh vs with patience to indure all afflictions and to stand against all the temptations of our spirituall enemies in which respect our Sauiour Christ calleth Ioh. 15. 26. the holy spirit the Comforter because he is the authour and fountaine of all consolation Fourthly from this peace and comfort he raiseth spirituall ioy and reioycing in God our hearts being rauished in the assurance of his mercy and the sense and feeling of his loue and fauour in Iesus Christ in the freedome out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and our assured hopes of heauenly happinesse the which also is a fruite of the spirit as the Apostle reckoneth Gal. 5. 22. it in the same place and is so to be seene in the faithfull not onely when their wine and oyle aboundeth in which Psal 4. 6. 7. the wicked also may reioyce but also when in the absence of these the light of Gods countenance doeth shine vpon them which causeth vs to ioy and reioyce euen in the middest of crosses and tribulations as the Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 5. 3. Fiftly from all these ariseth thankefulnesse vnto God from whom wee haue receiued all these benefits the which is shewed not with our lippes alone but by our conscionable care and zealous endeauour to glorifie God in all our thoughts words and actions and our earnest desire to approue our selues vnto God in all things and to retaine his loue and auoide his displeasure in louing and practising whatsoeuer he loueth and requireth and in hating and forsaking all that he abhorreth and forbiddeth § Sect. 13. Of other speciall fruiâ—tes of the spirit respecting our neighbours Vnto which duties immediately respecting God the Apostle also ioyneth as fruits of the spirit diuers others respecting our neighbours and our owne persons As first long suffering when as considering how the Lord hath borne with vs when he might haue consumed vs with his wrath we doe also beare with our brethren and when the wrong and iniure vs indure it with patience or else at least deferre and put off our anger or restraine and moderate the rage and heate of it according to that of the Apostle Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued bowels of mercies Col. 3. 12. kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe yee The second is gentlenesse whereby a man carryeth himselfe courteously and affably in his words and friendly and kindely in all his actions vnto all men mildely to his inferiours and reuerently and respectiuely to his superiours And this the Apostle requireth that we should be no brawlers Tit. 3. 2 but gentle shewing all kindnesse vnto all men The third is goodnesse whereby we are ready by all meanes wee can to doe good vnto our neighbours both in the duties of iustice and mercie vnto their persons and states soules bodies and name And this we are bound vnto by Gods commandement namely that we should by loue serue one another Gal. 5. 13. and also by that bond of the Spirit which vniteth vs together in our body vnder one head Christ which should cause vs to demeane our selues towards one another as it be commeth members of the same body The fourth is faith or fidelitie whereby in our words we keepe all our lawfull promises and couenants though it be to our owne hinderance and in our actions carrie our selues truely and honestly without falshood lying and deceipt The fift is meekenesse which consisteth in two things the first patience in forbearing Mat. 5. to reuenge by our owne priuate meanes wrongs and iniuries from which our Sauiour would haue vs so farre that wee should rather offer our selues to beare new iniuries then reuenge the old and the other lowlinesse whereby laying aside all proud conceipt of our own worth and excellencie wee thinke better of others then of our selues and in giuing honour striue and labour to goe before them 2 Sect 14. Of some other speciall fruites of the spirit respecting our owne persons In respect of our owne persons the fruits of the spirit are principally two the first whereof is temperance whereby a man rightly ordereth ruleth and moderateth his appetite in his meate drinke and apparell pleasures and recreations according to the rules of Gods Word hating and forsaking gluttonie and drunkennesse excessiue brauerie and strange fashions sinfull delights and vnlawful and excessiue pastimes The other is sobrietie which especially teacheth vs the right vse of all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall and spirituall And for the