§ Sect 5. The 5 meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pellution The fifth meanes to nourish and cherish the spirit in vs is to preserue our bodies and soules which are his temples in their cleannesse and puritie from all pollution of sinne and wickednesse for as a good ayre and sweete habitation doeth much refresh and strengthen our naturall and vitall spirits and preserue our bodies in health so no lesse doeth it comfort our comforter and cheare and cherish the spirit of God in vs if wee prouide for him a holesome and pleasant lodging cleansed and purged from all noisome filth of sinfull impuritie and sweetned and adorned with the incense and odours of our prayers and the flowers and fruits of our good workes and holy obedience § Sect. 6 The 6 meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise The sixth meanes to preserue and strenthen the spirit and to increase in vs the graces and giftes thereof is to keepe them in continuall exercise and to cause these habits to shew themselues in their functions and operations For no more necessary is breathing and mouing for the preseruing the life of our bodies then fruitfull working and holy walking in all Christian duties is for the preseruing and cherishing the life of the spirit according to that of the Apostle If wee liue in the spirit let vs also walke in the Gal. 5. 25. spirit And as in naturall things the causes are preserued by producing their effects and habits and qualities confirmed and strengthened by their functions and operations so is it also in the spirit and spirituall graces We finde by experience that the sight is bettred by seeing and much weakened when it is depriued of fit obiects The habituall memory is much strengthened by the practical and made feeble and vnfaithfull when as it hath no exercise or imployment the vnderstanding becommeth more intelligent by minding and conceiuing and iâ— much impaired when it is not vsed the strength of the arme hand legge and the whole body is much strengthened and increased by action and exercise and decaieth and is greatly enfeebled by sloth and idlenesse And thus it is also with the spirit and spirituall graces let vs vse them and we shall haue them let these rootes of holinesse bring forth their boughes and branches their leaues of profession and their fruits of practise and they will liue and prosper spread inwardly and spring and sproute outwardly but if wee hinder them from bearing their leaues and rootes and bee still cutting and lopping of their boughes and branches they will in a while dye and perish Let this fire of the spirit haue fit vent to send out its flames of holy and righteous actions and it will still liue burne and blaze but if once wee beginne to stop this vent it will presently dye and turne to cold embers Let faith exercise it selfe in apprehending the promises in waiting for the performance in fighting against doubting and in bearing the fruits of good workes and from a graine of mustardseede it will growe to a great tree from smoking flaxe to a burning flame and from a feeble assent to a firme and full perswasion So let loue be exercised in doing and suffring for Gods sake in performing vnto him all holy seruice and Christian duties and in the workes of mercy and charitie towards our neighbours and of a litle sparke it will increase to a great fire let the shoulders of patience be inured to bearing of the Crosse and suffering afflictions in putting vp wrongs and ouercomming euill with good though they bee weake and tender at the first they will in a litle while become hard strong and so it is in all other graces by exercise they are increased by sloth and ease they are weakned and wasted And therefore Dauid no sooner thinketh of receiuing grace and strength from God then he resolueth to exercise them to the vttermost I will runne saith he the way of thy Commaundements when thou shalt inlarge my heart And againe teach me O Lord the way of thy Psal 119. 32. 33. 34. statutes and I will keepe them vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart § Sect. 7 The last meanes is frequent and feruent prayer The last principall meanes of strengthening and cherishing the spirit is earnest and effectual prayer vnto God that he will strengthen our weaknesse and quicken our dulnesse and support our faintnesse by continuall renewing his spirit in vs and sending fresh supplies of his sauing graces to re-enforce and refresh our decaied bands that by these new aides wee may be enabled to stand in the day of battell and to get the victory ouer all our spirituall enemies for it is this holy fire descended from heauen which kindleth this spirituall fire in vs whereby wee offer incense sacrifices and oblations acceptable vnto God the smoake whereof driueth away the enemies of our saluation His eternall spirit is the liuing fountaine of these cleare cristalline waters whereby our thirsty soules are refreshed in the spirituall conflict and our hands and eyes all other parts when they are wearied and tired doe receiue renewed Psal 144. 1. strength It is he that teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight and giueth vnto vs full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory And therfore when we see the battell hot against vs 1 King 22. and ourselues weary and weake to make resistance let vs imitate the good King Iehosaphat and crie aloude vnto the Lord to succour and strengthen vs when wee see our graces spent and our spirituall strength wasted and weakened in making resistance let vs call vnto him for fresh aides and renewed strength whereby wee may bee enabled to hold oâ—t and ouercome § Sect. 8. The conclusion of the booke And thus haue I through Gods mighty and most mercifull assistance finished also this last part of the Christian Warfare a worke so much the more difficult because the flesh which is the enemy against whom I intend it holdeth a strong party in my selfe darkening my vnderstanding that I might not discouer its slights and subtilties malice and might nor discerne the best meanes for the defeating of its pollicies and subduing of it power The Lord make me euer truely thankefull vnto his holy Maiesty for this mercie and giue me grace alwayes to esteeme it as one of his his chiefest benefits in this life that hee hath vsed mee the weakest and vnworthiest of many hundreds of my brethren as his poore instrument in so good an imployment and stirre vp in his good time some other of his choysest and chiefest Worthies for the further perfecting of that which I in my mediocritie haue begun hitting the marke at which I haue but aymed and training exactly the Christian Souldiour in the feates of spirituall armes whom I as I was able haue but in some little measure acquainted with the knowledge of the Christian Warfare And the Lord giue his grace vnto vs all both strongest weakest that we may not onely instruct others in this spirituall art of fighting against the enemies of our saluation but that wee our selues muy put on the spirituall armour and fight continually with courage and resolution vnder the standard of the Lord of Hoasts and because we are vnskilfull and knowe not how to fight and exceeding weake and feeble in our strength and vnable to stand in the incounter and beare the brunt of the battell that hee will teach our hands or rather our hearts to warre and our fingers or rather our affections to fight and that hee will continually renew our strength and send vs dayly fresh supplyes of his spirituall and sauing graces whereby wee may be enabled vvith constancy and perseuerance to maintaine the fight vntill hauing gotten a full and finall victory wee be like conquerours crowned with glory and immortalitie the which he vouchsafe vnto vs euen for his Christs sake the Sonne of his loue and the author continuer and finisher of our saluation to whom with the blessed Father and holy Spirit be ascribed of vs and his whole Church all praise and glory power and dominion from this time forth and for euermore Amen FINIS
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
seeing the fault is in themselues who despise it neither is the infinitenesse thereof at all limited or shadowed because it is not extended to those who reiect it no more then the mercy of the Prince is ecclypsed who sendeth his pardon to a malefactour with this condition that he shall haue the benefite of it if he will receiue and pleade it and for the time present be sorry for his fault and for the time to come endeauour to amend and yet afterwards hangeth the offender when he refuseth to receiue it and withall professeth his resolution to continue in his wicked courses Besides the infinitnesse of Gods mercy is not onely manifested by the number which he forgiueth but also by the quality and greatnesse of the debt which he pardoneth and remitteth In which regard the infinite grace and goodnesse of God would clearely shine in the saluation of one sinner though there were no more then he because he forgiueth the infinite guilt and punishment of his sinne whereby he hath offended his infinite maiestie §. Sect. 8. The seuenth pollicie of the flesh in perswading vs to deferre our repentance Lastly if the flesh cannot drawe vs to a resolution of liuing in our sinnes without repentance then it allureth vs to deferre it from time to time because it will neuer be too late to performe this duty though it were delayed to the last houre of our liues which deceipt that we may defeate let vs know that this is a like abuse of Gods infinite mercy and goodnesse when as by our presumption we make it serue as a reason to continue vs in our sins which should be the chiefest motiue to hasten our repentance Secondly let vs consider that we haue no assurance of our liues for the space of one houre nor that we shall haue power to repent if we despise Gods present grace though our liues should be prolonged for many yeeres Thirdly that without repentance there can be no saluation which being the chiefe thing deserueth our first and best endeauours and what folly is it to seeke first for vaine and momentary trifles and to defer this greatest and most important businesse to our last and vncertaine times seeing if we be preuented by death there is no hope but that we shall goe vnto hell Fourthly let vs knowe that the longer we deferre our repentance the more hard and difficult shall we finde it to be done for if we cannot shake off our sins when like strangers they are first entertained much lesse shall wee bee able to doe it when they are of familiar acquaintance yea by long custome become habituall and as it were turned into a second nature Finally let vs remember that this late repentance is commonly false and counterfaite not springing out of faith and the loue of God but out of selfe-loue and feare of approaching iudgements The which lamentable experience maketh too manifest seeing few among many hundreds performe that which they promised when the hand of God correcting them is pulled backe but after their recouery out of those sickenesses which they thought mortall returne to their former courses yea become more worldly and wicked then euer they were before But of this argument I haue largely intreated in the first part of this Christian warfare and therefore will content my selfe heere to haue so briefely touched it CHAP. XVI Of the pollicies of the flesh which it vseth to hinder vs from performing holy duties and vertuous actions § Sect 1. Of the first policie of the flesh in blinding our mindes and corrupting our iudgments that we may not discerne betweene good and euill WE haue heard of some notable deceipts which the flesh vseth to drawe vs vnto sinne and being fallen to make vs lye in it without repentance now let vs consider of some chiefe pollicies which it vseth about holy duties and vertuous actions And these are of three sorts the first it vseth to hinder vs from embracing and practising them The second to disturbe and inturrupt vs in them the third to alinate our hearts and withdrawe vs from them For the first it vseth many deceipts to keepe vs from embracing vertue and bringing forth the fruits of new obedience As first of all when wee haue some inclination to embrace vertue and to practise Christian duties in the generall it cunningly indeauoureth to dazle the eyes of our minde and to corrupt our iudgements that wee may mistake vertue for vice and good for euill To which ende it either moueth vs to iudge of them according to common error and the false opinion of worldly men who by selfe-loue are easily brought to condemne that as naught which is most contrary to their carnall appetite or else it disguiseth vertues beautie with the foule and vgly vizard of vice and sinne or so besprinkleth and besmeareth them with the blacke colours of false imputations that wee are ready to abhorre and reiect them at the first view without any further triall or examination Thus it brandeth a Christian conuersatiō with the name of a malancholick or monkish life deuotion with the name of superstition and a conscionable care to approue our hearts and all our wayes vnto God it tearmeth nice scrupulositie and needlesse yea peeuish precisenesse Thus a religious care to sanctifie the Sabbath it calleth Iudaisme zeale fury and madnesse or at best rashnesse and indiscretion humilitie it tearmeth basenesse magnanimitie pride bounty lauishnesse frugalitie niggardlinesse meekenesse cowardize and Christian courage and fortitude it intitleth with the name of desperate and audatious boldnesse Now the meanes to preserue vs from being ouertaken with this deceipt is to pull of these deformed vizards and to behold vertue and all Christian duties in their owne natiue beauty by the neuer deceiuing light of Gods word And not to listen to the false opinion of the world and the flesh which make light darknesse and sweet sower but to examine by the Scriptures what God approueth and what he disliketh and condemneth To which purpose wee must daily exercise our selues in the study and meditation of Gods word which will so enlighten rectifie and informe our iudgements that we shall neuer be deceiued by those foggy and false mistes which the diuell the world or our owne corrupt flesh doe cast before them § Sect 2. The second policy in alledginge difficulties that are in christian duties A second deceipt which the flesh vseth to discourage vs from seeking after vertue and endeauouring to practise Christian duties is to perswade vs that the house of vertue is scituated on so high an hill that wee shall be out of breath and quite tyred before we can clime vnto it and that there is so much difficultie and so many discouragements in a Christian life that it would be but in vaine to enter into it it being impossible that we should goe forward and that better it were not to giue the onset then in the first skirmish to bee foyled and forced to make
reade some good booke that so they may neglect to ioyne with the rest of Gods people with vnanimitie and vniformitie in the publique seruice of God thus it moueth men to prefer the outward rest of the Sabbath before the workes of necessitie or mercy which God requireth as speciall parts of the sanctification of it as helping the distressed visiting the sicke indeauouring to preuent some great and emminent daunger either to our neighbours or our selues the which was the sinne of the hypocriticall Pharises which our Sauiour so sharpely reprehendeth teaching them and vs that the Lord preferred mercy before sacrifice and such was Martha Mat. 9. 13. her sinne in neglecting Christs Sermon the foode of her soule that she might minister vnto him foode for his body For the preuenting of which deceipt we must labour to haue our iudgements rightly informed out of Gods word Luke 10. â—0 not onely in the knowledge of that which is good and to be embraced of vs but also in what degree of goodnesse euery Christian duty is that euery thing in due order may be esteemed chosen and practised by vs the highest degrees before the meane and the meane before that which is inferiour vnto it The duties which we owe vnto God in the same ranke and degree before those which wee owe to our neighbour the ende dutie and seruice it selfe before the meanes whereby we are enabled thereunto As for example the obedience and seasonable practise of the things we knowe before hearing and reading which are the meanes of knowledge when as of necessitie the one must giue place to the other And the loue and true seruice of God before the loue which we owe to our neighbours when as they will not stand to geather And finally honest recreations which are the meanes whereby we may be the better Dut. 13. 1. 2. fitted for the workes of our callings must giue places vnto duties them selues which they inable vs vnto § Sect 6. The sixt policie is to moue vs to performe good duties vnseasonably Like vnto this is an other deceipt of the flesh whereby it moueth vs to doe that good which wee resolue to doe vnseasonably and to our great hinderance in our course of godlines as when to distract vs in prayer it putteth into our mindes good meditations and profitable instructions which we haue formerly heard and learned or to hinder vs from hearing the word it causeth vs to thinke of some dutie or worke of mercy which is not pertinent to the present purpose or to keepe vs from sanctifying the Sabbaoth and consecrating it wholly as an holy rest vnto God it moueth vs to thinke vpon the duties of our particular callings and of prouiding for our children and familes Now the meanes to frustrate this pollicy is wisely to discerne it and to obserue and set a watch ouer our hearts that they may seriously and onely intend the well performing of those duties about which we are employed that so wee may doe them with all our might for as the prouerbe is hee that huntetb after two hares at once shall catch neither and as nature intendeth not many things at once so neither doeth grace because the vertue and powers either of body or minde being distracted by diuers obiects doe like the riuer diuided into many streames but weakely performe their functions and operations and being vnited are much more strong and actiue And not vnlike to the former is that other deceipt wherby it moueth vs to neglect the doing of some present good vpon the pretence of doing some other and greater good afterwards whereby it not onely defeateth our present good purpose but commonly doth also wirhdraw vs from doing that future good for the performance whereof the other was neglected And thus when wee are purposed to pray vnto God it perswadeth vs to delayes vnder this colour that we may afterwards performe this duty more effectually when wee are not so dull and heauy so troubled with distractions nor so assaulted with temptations And thus generally it diswadeth vs from performing any seruice vnto God pretending that wee may haue afterwards better meanes and fitter opportunitie and so may doe it in such manner as may bee more acceptable vnto God And thus also it moueth vs to neglect the workes of mercy all our life long pretending that we may doe them much more amply and liberally by our last will which taketh not effect till after death For the defeating of which pollicy let vs knowe that we cannot performe seruice vnto God till hee calleth and enableth vs by his spirit thereunto and that we are called when the Lord offers meanes and opportunitie which if we neglect we knowe not whether hee will afterwards honour vs so much as to appoint vs to these holy seruices which we haue carelesly causlesly omitted Let vs remember that the time present is ours therfore at our pleasure to be vsed for al good purposes but the time to come is out of our reach and we knowe not whether we shall catch hold of it yea or no. That it is better to doe a certaine good though not so great and excellent then to neglect it in hope of doing that which is vncertaine though in it owne nature more eminent and commendable Finally consider that if we vse well the time present for doing God that seruice which we are able he will with the inlarging of our desires inlarge also our meanes and opportunity of doing greater good in the time to come CHAP. XVII Of he pollicies which the flesh vseth to inturrupt vs in the doing of good duties and to alienate our hearts from them § Sect. 1. How the flesh interroseth when we are exercised in doing good duties ANd thus the flesh hindereth vs from the performance of all good duties In the performance of them it dealeth also no lesse deceiptfully and that either to inturrupt and distract vs that wee may doe them onely formally and to no purpose or else so to corrupt and poyson our best graces and most vertuous actions that they may become vnprofitable yea hurtfull vnto vs. For the former when we endeauour to seeke the Lord in his holy ordinances and set our selues to performe the pious duties of his seruice if it cannot by the former deceipts wholly hinder vs from doing of them it will like Dauids false friend accompany vs to the house of God as though it likewise were delighted in these holy exercises but to no other ende but that it may frustrate and defeate our holy desires For when we labour to heare Gods word to call vpon his name or singe his praises this sinne that hangeth on vs and presseth vs downe doeth either make vs dull and drowsie lumpish and heauy so that we cannot attend these holy exercises with any chearefulnesse and alacritie of spirit but offer vnto God dead and carrion-like sacrifices which hauing no heart nor life in them are loathsome vnto
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
God who is displeased with them So Austine There is no sinne so little which being neglected doth not increase and we must not consider what we haue done Nullum enim peccatum adeo paruum quod non creseat neglectum Non enim considerandum quid fecerit led quem offenderit August de peniten vera et falsa cap. 8. T. 4. Col. 1042. Aug. de contrit cordis Cap. 4. T. 9. col 837. but how great he is whom we haue offended Let vs consider further that the eternall Sonne of God suffered the bitter death of the crosse as well for the least as the greatest sinnes and can wee thinke any sinne small which could not otherwise bee purged away but by the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ Perhaps saith Augustine thou esteemest some sinne to bee but small but alas doth not euery sinne by preuarication dishonour the person of our Lord how dare then a sinner call any sinne small when as the Sonne of God gaue his life for it aboue which nothing in the world can be esteemed § Sect. 2. The greate euills which come of the least sins Secondly let vs consider the great euils which come of the least sinnes For first euen our smallest sinnes defile our persons and leaue such blots and staines behinde them as make vs vgly and loathsome in the sight of God especially when as we giue vnto them voluntarie entertainment and willingly liue in them against knowledge and conscience Now how ill doth it become vs who are the temples of the Holy Ghost to haue in vs such sluttish corners and noysome filth as is odious and abominable to this blessed guest How ill beseemeth it vs who are espoused vnto Christ to come into his presence spotted and blemished with loathsome defilements We will not as neere as we can suffer our faces to bee sprinckled with the least speckes of stinking channell dirt nor to haue our apparell bespotted with noysome excrements and shall wee make more esteeme of our apparell then of our persons and take more care for our corruptible faces then for our immortall soules to present them to our bridegroome without spot or wrinckle holy and vnblameable that hee may present vs such to his heauenly Father Againe the least sinnes doe wound and beeing often committed doe seare the conscience euen as slight labours being continuall doe brawne and bring an hard thicke skin vpon the hands many little drops doe dint the hardest stone and many small blowes cut downe the strongest Oake and as they seare the conscience so they harden the forehead make the countenance to become impudent and take away all shame fastnesse Chrysost in Act 19. Homil. 41. T. 3. c. 716. and blushing According to that of Chrysostome by often sinning the soule is made impudent for euery sinne when it is committed and is come to his perfection doth leaue behinde it Cum per leuiâ— delicta deflectimus vsu cuncta leuigante non timemus postea grauiora committere Gregor in morall lib. 10. cap. 14. a poison in the soule And so being fleshed in wickednesse we are make more bold to venter vpon the committing of those which are more haynous For as one saith when we bend from the right course by lighter faults wee afterwards feare not to commit those which are greater vse and custome smoothing the way that leadeth vnto it And the Heathen Satyrist could say Who hath made an end of sinning when as they haue giuen ouer their blushing Of whom hast thou Nam quis peccandi finem posuit sibi quando recepit eiectum semel attrita de fronte ruborem quisnam hominum est quem tu contentum videtis vno flagitio Iuuenal Satyr 13. in fine obserued of these men to rest contented with one crime Furthermore if we would know how much euen those sins which in the world and according to the iudgement of the flesh are esteemed small doe prouoke the Lords wrath against vs wee may easily discerne it by those seuere and grieuous punishments which hee hath inflicted on offenders in this kinde Nadab and Abihu because they did offer strange fire in stead of that which was continually to haue beene preserued in the temple were presently deuoured with fire sent from God Because Vzzah put out his hand to stay the Arke in the cart which he with the rest of Leuit. 10. 1. 2. his Brethren should haue carried vpon his shoulders vvas smitten with present death Because Achan tooke of the 2 Sam. 6. 6. spoile of his enemies a Babylonish garment a wedge of gold and two hundred shekels of siluer which in it selfe had beene lawfull inough had not God forbidden it diuers of the people were slaine with the sword of their enemies Ios 7. and hee with all his were stoned to death and burnt with fire Because the sonne of the Israelitish woman in contempt of Gods commandement gathered sticks on the Sabbath day he likewise by expresse order from God was put to death Because Ananias and Sapphira in the hypocrisie Act. 5. of their hearts kept backe part of the price of their owne possessions after it was dedicated to the common vse of the Church they both dyed for it in a fearefull manner But aboue all most dreadfull and terrible is the example of our first parents who by eating of the forbidden fruite a sin very light and small in the estimate of worldly men although in truth it were not so all circumstances beeing rightly considered brought death the curse depriuation of Gods image and their owne happinesse all the miseries and punishments of this life and eternall condemnation in the world to come So that no small euils and mischiefes doe come of those which seeme to the world but small sins but although our sinnes when they are repented of become Haec peccata etsi parua sint per dei misericordiam fiunt magna peccatoribus negligentia August de paenit vera et falsa cap. 8. T. 4. Col. 1042. Mat. 5. 22. small veniall and nothing through Gods infinite mercie yet they are made great vnto sinners through their negligence and impenitencie What lighter offence and lighter esteemed then to bee vnaduisedly angry with our brother and in our heate to call him Racha and Foole and yet this alone as our Sauiour teacheth vs will in danger vs to iudgement and our bodies and soules to be cast into hell What seemeth to the iudgement of flesh and bloud more slight and veniall then to vtter now and then some idle words and yet euen of these we shall giue an account at the day of Mat. 12 36. iudgement and those that are accountants are sure to bee cast into the prison of vtter darknes if our Sauiour Christ Si paruum tibi videtur aut modicum fratri dicere faâ—ue vel geheona ignis videatuâ— tibi magna c. August in psal 129. T. 8. c. 1â—07 who hath forewarned vs of