are given over to their owne corruptions to commit grosse sinnes which even many civill men would not commit What fearefull sinnes did David moyle himselfe in when the spirit withdrew himselfe the sinnes of adultery carnall pollicy and shifting out of one sinne into another and falling from evill to worse How was Peter given up to lying swearing and forswearing for the time that a Iew might have beene ashamed on him notwithstanding all his former holinesse and gracious confession 4. Change Whereas the spirit being cherished there was a continuall feast in the soule and unspeakable glorious joy now being in part quenched hee brings a racke into the conscience of Gods childe and that conscience which before excused and justified now accuseth and terrifieth the burden of which is so heavie as all the mountaines of the world are light in comparison These terrours of conscience were the deepes out of which David even hopelesse and almost swallowed in the pit of despaire cryed to the Lord Psal. 130.1 5. Change Even the child of God quenching his spirit shall feele the smart and shame of his sinne which shall pursue him and vexe him and hee shall know what it is to exasperate the spirit Davids childe shall dye his daughter shall be defloured Ammon shall be slaine his wives ravished by his owne sonne himselfe driven out of his kingdome by Absolom Oh miserable change by quenching the spirit Fifthly Most men have the spirit of God and some motions but great is the difference betweene a godly man and an hypocrite in the one they are quenched quite in the other for the most part they are cherished and at last perfected As for example First hypocrites have knowledge as well as the godly but they quench it and fight against it therefore all good knowledge quite leaves them in the end but the godly carry their knowledge to heaven with them therefore the one is compared to the light of the Sunne which lasteth all day the other is like a flash of lightning suddenly appearing and suddenly vanishing Secondly hypocrites may be grieved for sin but it is onely and chiefly because of punishment not because of offence and they quench this griefe not willing to torment themselves before the time they runne into merry company and turne off sorrow lest they should disquiet themselves too much with such melancholy whereas the godly nourish godly sorrow and never cease sowing in teares till they reape in joy Thirdly hypocrites pretend great love to God but it is for his goodnesse to them not his goodnesse in himselfe for wages not for service but they utterly quench this love by the love of the world or pleasure or sinne and being grounded on earthly things when they faile it failes If Saul love God for his Kingdome when his kingdome failes his love quaileth too If Iudas love Christ for an Apostles place when that place will not holde him with further credit hee will for gaine betray his Master But the godly love him when he crosseth them and if he kill them they will trust in him much water cannot quench their love Fourthly an hypocrite hath many good motions the worst man living is not without some Balaam hath good desires but covetousnesse quencheth them Saul acknowledgeth his sinne and his sonne David to be better than himselfe but it was a blaze in straw suddenly quenched But the godly for the most part goe from motions to resolutions and so to practise many practises grow to habits and so to perseverance Well is it so such as have any assurance that the spirit is in them must have a speciall watch that they quench him not Then let Christians carefully avoid the meanes of quenching the spirit Quest. Which be they Answ. Three especially I. Fire is quenched when it is suffered to die of it selfe so is the fire of grace quenched 1. whē we use not our graces but let them be idle neither by them procuring glory to God nor good to men As iron let it be as bright as christall cast it by in a corner and not use it it will grow rusty and unprofitable even so will grace And the drowsie Christian though indued with good graces if he waxe idle his heart shall be like Salomons field of the sluggard all overgrowne with mosse and weedes which choake the good seede The health of the body is preserved by exercise so is the health of the soule by the exercise of grace the moth frets the finest garment when it is not worne standing water is sooner frozen than the running streame Secondly as fire dieth of it selfe when wee prepare not or adde not fit matter for the fewell and feede of it so suffer wee our graces to decay when wee neglect such meanes as God hath set apart for the strengthening and confirming of grace the case being with the soule as with the body which is in a continuall decay and needes daily repast or else it dies If a man forbeare his ordinary meales the naturall heate will decay and vigour and health and life and all so will the Christian if hee neglect the word the Sacraments meditation prayer watchfulnesse and the like Thirdly as fire must needes die of it selfe when we take away the fewell by which it should be nourished so is it in the matter of grace looke into the places where the word hath beene powerfully preached but is now removed and see if good things begun be not quite overthrowne and if ordinarily and for the general such people be not more profane than any other Many thinke they can walke many dayes without the strength of a Sermon But it was a miracle that Moses fasted forty dayes and forty nights and let Moses be away but a few dayes he shall surely finde a Calfe made Marke them that absent themselves from the assemblies of Gods people whether they doe not wither or no and fall by little and little into flat Atheisme If thou keepe not thy watch in the Temple if thou look not to the holy lights and fire morning and evening how will the Spirit be kept will thy graces in so great security be still lively While Thomas was absent from the company of the Apostles did hee not lose that manifestation of Christ which might have strengthened his weake and tottering faith and not so onely but grew hee not into a peevish infidelity that hee would not beleeve but upon his owne carnall conditions II. Another meanes of quenching the Spirit that is to be avoided is when the fire of grace is violently smothered by the contrary Sinne is as water to quench the grace of God both our owne and those of others For our owne sinnes First our sinnes of nature doe choake grace for our naturall corruption which the Apostle calls flesh doth ever lust against the Spirit and by reason of this there is never a grace of God in us but it conflicteth and is
Satan if he cannot hinder us of our inheritance will surely give us as little peace in the way as he can and therefore hee will and doth often terrifie Gods people with hellish temptations with which he brings them so low that they see nothing lesse than peace of heart sometimes they be as men in a swone who live and yet know not they doe live Therefore how had wee need keepe on our armour to keepe our peace 4. Doe all duties sincerely and uprightly Marke and behold the upright man his end is peace Psal. 37.37 Be it never so weakely or imperfectly yet doe things uprightly humbly in respect of thy selfe and heartily in respect of God approving thy selfe to him 5. Suffer all affliction and hard measure joyfully for well-doing and good conscience rather than lose thy peace So did the Saints of God suffer joyfully the spoyling of their goods Heb. 10.34 and so did our owne Martyrs 5. This is a comfort for Gods children as Christ intimates Ioh. 14.27 My peace I give unto you let not you hearts be troubled Their God is a God of peace for the godly heart will say you speake of peace which is the onely portion of Gods people but alas who have lesse peace than they Sure I am will some say I have so many and so great afflictions in the world that I can scarce stand upright under them what may I thinke of my selfe Answ. 1. Is thy expectation of a peace outward in outward things if so where hath God promised thee such a peace without exception of the crosse 2. Is thy lot and portion other than the Disciples of Christ or Christ himselfe had they this outward peace No In the world saith he yee shall have tribulation but in mee ye shall have peace 3. Whatsoever or how great soever thy afflictions be thou hast the God of peace with thee and for thee yea and in thee and shalt not want a strengh to deliver thee out of all Object Yea but were my trialls onely outward from the world I could rejoyce but Satan molests me and disquiets the peace of my conscience by such strong and violent temptations as wound my soule and by such motions and thoughts as seeme to be brought out of the bottome of hell Answ. 1. Let not thy heart be troubled thou maist be at peace that Satan is thy enemy thou art not yet in his power 2. Thou maist have peace that thou seest and sorrowest for the uglinesse of these temptations and outstandest the violence of them thus they shal be thy exercise but not thy sinne 3. Thou hast a God of peace whom thou servest this God of peace will shortly tread Satan under thy feete Rom. 16.20 Object But neither the world nor the Divell could hurt me without my owne sinne but that which grieves my heart my owne sinnes doe daily disturbe my peace and grow to such a number and strength that I doubt I shall lose it quite Answ. Sinne indeede is the great trouble-house and enemy to peace But 1. know this to thy comfort that no sinne shall destroy peace but that sinne which hath peace 2. Consider that of the Prophet Esay 54.10 The mountaines may fall but Gods covenant of peace shall stand This God of peace hath made an everlasting covenant of peace and that must stand Lastly if God be the God of peace then godlinesse makes not any man unpeaceable or turbulent though the world condemne the godly as authours of dissention and the world would be quiet were it not for them But indeede the cause that they are unpeaceable in the worlds eye is because they will not lose their peace nor offend the God of peace nor exchange the peace of God and good conscience with the peace of the world But let such as love this God of peace labour to shew themselves sonnes of peace and shew this worke of God in their love of peace to which they are called Col. 3.15 shunning as rockes brawlings and contentions and fury and fiery affections with all pevish and sowre behaviours And if for not running with the world and for standing for the peace of God they shall bee accounted unpeaceable the God of peace will justifie them and they shall take their enemies booke of accusation and binde it on their shoulders and weare it as a crown on their heads Iob 31.36 Now to the petition 1. For full sanctification 2. For finall sanctification The former is set downe 1. In generall sanctifie you throughout 2. In speciall enumeration of parts spirit soule and body blamelesse For the meaning of the words we are to search and finde out foure things 1. What is this sanctification prayed for 2. What it is to be sanctified throughout 3. What be these parts enumerated spirit soule and body 4. How the Christian in all these parts may be kept blamelesse For the first Sanctification is the abolition of our naturall corruption and the renovation of Gods image in beleevers by the Spirit of God begun by grace in this life and perfected by glory in the life to come Here wee have foure things to be further explained First the Authour of this grace God himselfe Levit. 20.8 I am the Lord that sanctifieth thee And especially or more immediatly the Spirit of God whose peculiar worke it is 1 Cor. 6.11 and therefore hee is called the Spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 and it selfe the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2.13 1. Because it is an effect of the Spirit who is the immediate worker of it 2. Because it is a signe and note of the Spirits presence even as the beames argue the presence of the Sunne And good reason for 1. in the beginning of this worke man is meerely passive for what can a dead man doe to his owne quickning and raising Eph. 2.1 2. Who can repaire nature depraved but the Authour of nature who can bring backe Gods image but he that at first made man in it This is to be borne of God and who begets the childe but the father 3. Our Apostle goes to God for it from which Ocean all streams come Secondly the Subject of this grace the elect onely for this worke is peculiar to such as shall attaine the perfection of it in glory It is true there is somewhat like sanctification in the hypocrite and reprobate some work of the Spirit by which they are said to be sanctified Heb. 6.4 and 10.29 But wee must know that sanctification is twofold 1. Externall in outward calling outward profession of Doctrine and administration of the Sacraments the very best of which is generall illumination and some slight reformation and this is common to reprobates 2. Internall a speciall renovation or a change of the whole man raising up the heart to holinesse by which gracious worke the true Christian is separated from all the profane and hypocrites of the world therefore 1 Pet. 1.2 hee calls the beleevers elect
to the sanctification of the Spirit so as this is a sanctification appropriate to the elect Thirdly the forme of sanctification And that is 1. in putting off of corrupt qualities 2. In bringing in new and inherent holinesse which daily changeth the beleever into the image of God as Col. 3.10 Seeing yee have put off the old man with his workes and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him This new quality created in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God whereby they can in some measure truly hate and forsake sinne and truly love the Law of God with an indeavour to keepe it is the very being of sanctification Fourthly the processe of sanctification It is begun in grace here and not perfected till hereafter in glory Which is added 1. to distinguish it from justification which is perfect in one act 2. To note the toughnesse and strong heart of sinne which is slowly weakned here and never here perfectly subdued for in the most perfect the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 3. To shew that the matter of sanctification is to be in perpetuall motion as a living water Hee that is righteous must be righteous still Rev. 22.11 4. To shew that sound holinesse never gives over till it attaine perfection perfection is a fruite of soundnesse in grace The way of the righteous shines more and more untill perfect day Prov. 4.18 For the second What it is to be sanctified throughout Answ. 1. These Thessalonians were already sanctified and therefore the Apostle prayes that they might happily proceede to full sanctification 2. This full sanctification is partly in this life partly in the life to come the Apostle intendeth both the former first as a way to the latter The through sanctification in this life is the imperfect sanctification of parts the other is the perfect sanctification in degrees The former is 1. in respect of the whole rule of sanctification which is the Law of God when a beleever can truly say with David that hee hath respect to all the commandements Psal. 119.6 and 18.22 for all his lawes were before mee and I did not cast away his commandements from me 2. In respect of all sinnes it is a through change from all sinne not a turning out of one sinne into another nor a turning from all sinnes save one as Herod but an hating of all appearance of evills yea of darling and bosome sinnes yea of right eyes and hands Matth. 5.29 3. In respect of all gifts of sanctification which the Spirit gives in part to every beleever not onely knowledge faith love which are eminent but other inferiour also as patience meeknesse temperance peace with every other fruite of sanctification 4. In respect of all the parts of the man in which the Spirit of God putteth forth this noble worke as Cant. 4.1 c. the Church is described to be faire in all parts eyes hayre teeth lippes temples c. the sanctified person must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly perfect The latter i. full and through sanctification in the life to come stands in the perfection of degrees and in these particulars 1. An utter abolishing of sinfull flesh 2. A perfect freedome from all the causes and workes of repentance 3. Perfect and speciall communion with God and Christ and good Angels and elect men 4. Perfection of all graces both in kinde and in measure 5. A perfect exercising of our graces in glory and happinesse And all this our Apostle seemes to ayme at in the last words where he mentions the comming of Christ in which he shall attaine through and full sanctification For the third What be these parts mentioned spirit soule body Answ. 1. Some by Spirit understand the third person in Trinity as Ambrose Some a third part of man But the Scripture speakes but of two namely a body and a soule and Aquinas saith the spirit and the soule differ non secundū essentiam sed potentiam not in essence but as divers faculties Others by the spirit understand the whole man regenerate so farre as hee is opposed to flesh the man considered not according to the parts of nature but according to the parts of grace So Athanasius said Spiritus est donum quod jam per baptismum accepistis the Spirit is the gift of God received in baptisme for keep this gift saith he and both soule and body wil be unblamable This exposition is not unfit yet I take another to be fitter thus It is common in Scripture for our better apprehension of our duty to distinguish those faculties which God hath put in the soule of man that we might take notice of the worke of sanctification in the severall faculties There be two parts of man a soule and a body Of the soule there are two noble faculties under which all the rest are comprehended 1. the spirit 2. the will here called the soule by a Synecdoche of the whole for the part By spirit in this and all places where the spirit and soule are mentioned together is meant that noble and eminent faculty of mans soule called the understanding or minde the Philosophers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader and ruler of all other parts and faculties and the most noble of all Vnder this is the conscience included which being renewed is called also by the name of Spirit Rom. 8.16 The spirit witnesseth to our spirits and Eph. 4.23 Be renewed in the Spirit of your minde 2. The other superiour faculty but not so noble is that whereby we doe will affect or desire that which wee understand and conceive to bee good This they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under which is comprehended the will and affections So these words are used elsewhere Luke 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour 1 Sam. 18.1 The soule of Ionathan was knit to David that is his heart affections desires 3. The body is that part of man which is the house of the soule consisting of flesh bones humours and the like Now then the whole man is sanctified throughout 1. When the minde thoughts cogitations and conscience are pure and holy wisely to think and meditate and guide safely by wise discerning of things profitable and pertinent 2. When the heart affections and desires are rightly composed and given up to the guidance of right and renewed reason when a sound heart and a sound minde meete together 3. When the whole body as the soules instrument is in all the members of it obedient to act and effect good actions according to the dictate of right reason and the command of renewed will when the members are weapons and servants of righteousnesse Or more briefly when the spirit thinkes nothing the will affects nothing the body effects nothing contrary to the will of God For the fourth Quest. Here is perfection of holinesse
and holy things adde prayer to keepe them in temper 2 Chron. 18.29 Fourthly The memory must be made and kept unblameable And that is two wayes 1. When we keepe in fresh memory our sinnes and declinings so farre as to be humbled for them A corrupt memory is the corruption of the whole man Deut. 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the wildernesse The memory is Gods register and officer and though now there be none in office yet in the day of Christ it will bring forth the records which seemed to be lost a prelude and taste whereof wee see in such as are distressed in conscience 2. When we keepe good lessons in our memory Rev. 3.3 Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent II. Directions to keepe the soule unblamable Every man may holde himselfe bound in conscience and charged by God with the safe custody of his owne soule under God Deut. 4.9 Take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently A man would be loath to forfeit a joynt of his body by heedlesnesse how carefully doe men looke to their eyes heads hands and every member and the least part of the body and yet more carefully to the whole body and this nature teacheth every man But is not the soule that better part that calls for so much more care and circumspection and this grace teacheth us to keepe our soule above all for if a man lose his soule what recompence shall he give for it Now because that in the soule is included 1. the heart 2. the will 3. our affections all these faculties in the soule must be kept safe as the soule it selfe and layes upon us a necessity to watch them narrowly First for the keeping of thy heart the precept is â—eep thy heart with al diligence for thence issueth life or death the chiefe part of the body is heart the fountaine of life and the chiefe care is to keepe that sound so the soule the heart desires and choyces are to be chiefly intended for thence are the issues of life or death And indeed according to the well tending or neglect hereof the constant course of holinesse is either furthered or hindered Besides nature in the framing of mans body begins with the heart and the liver and other inward vitalls and comes last to the face and other outward parts teaching us the method in grace where to begin our frame keepe the heart well and unblameable and all will be well And for this end observe some rules Fist therefore if thou wilt keepe thy heart unblameable thou must keepe it humble it must be an humble and contrite heart that God will not reject and a broken heart is a sacrifice of Gods delight the soundnesse of the heart is the through breaking of it the plow of the law must rend up the fallowes of our hearts and fit it for seede this must helpe both the rotting and rooting of the weedes Ier. 4.4 This is called a melted heart in Iosiah for as golde can never be approoved and purified before it be melted no more can the heart till it be a melted heart It is called the circumcision of the heart with circumcision not made with hands Col. 2.11 wherein the foreskinne of the heart is removed sinfull flesh and beloved lusts are wounded the party put to paine and made sore as the Sichemites in parting with a peece of his owne flesh This exercise of painefull mortification of sinne is the entrance into possession of a good heart and the grounds of all soundnesse in religion whereas they onely prove unsound and rumous in religion who never were soundly humbled nor traded in selfe-deniall as that building when the foolish builder would not be at paine to diggge deepe whereby to lay a firme and sure foundation Secondly then see thy heart be not onely an humble heart but a cleane heart Blessed are the pure in heart Matth. 5. striving after inward purity as well as outward For these an hypocrite can resist an hypocrite can wash the outside and may seeme to others to be pure and blamelesse But an heart desirous to free it selfe from blame deadly hates naturall pollutions filthinesse of heart vile thoughts and lusts and because it cannot be cleane without faith which is an inward purifier it labours for the increase of faith in the meanes to apprehend Christs merits and holinesse And because the word is a meanes of purifying and cleansing the heart as Psal. 119.9 and Christ saith they are all cleane by the word he will shew himselfe in embracing the word in heeding of it and framing himselfe according to the rules of it and apply his heart unto it And because a fusty vessell is not fit for sweete waters he will still and still be cleansing his heart that it may be capable of the word And because by nature the heart is foule and doth every day contract some filthinesse wash it with the blood of Christ and get neare unto Christ to have part in his holinesse and get the beesome of the Law to sweepe it daily and by the exercise of repentance and mortification daily part with the uncleannesse of flesh and spirit Thirdly see it be a single and sincere heart called a true heart Heb. 10.22 Let us draw neere to God with a true heart void of guile of deceit of dissimulation with such an heart as Nathaniels was commended by Christ a true Israelite in whom was no guile This is the heart of Gods delight 1 Chron. 29.17 Now you shall know the singlenesse of it 1. By this it is not one heart in one estate in one company and another in another but the same in sicknesse and health on the Saboth and on the weeke day the same in tryall as in peace but if there be any difference a single heart will be better in a bad age and most carefull among a most carelesse generation true grace is like light it shines brightest in the darkest roome and like fire hottest in the coldest and sharpest weather 2. You shall know a good heart by this it cares rather to bee good than seeme so it is more carefull to have grace than seeme to have it it doth not onely abstaine from evill but abhorre it Rom. 12.9 True godlinesse and soundnesse of heart consists in the power of godlinesse it doth not onely forbeare the sinne it loved but loathes it as the sicke stomack-doth loathe that meate most that it once surfeited on and what once cast up it ever hateth it 3 It will be religious alone and if it cannot get company it will be singular â— good heart will walke to heaven alone if it cannot get company it would rather have company but if it cannot it will rather goe alone to heaven than any where else with company Ioshuah saith I will goe my way if you will not goe with me I will not goe
must delight thy selfe in the Lord which goes beyond love Psal. 37.4 delight thy selfe in the Lord make him thy chiefe seeke God himselfe the peace of God the favour of God the glory of God with most fervent affections Secondly love and affect all things in God and for God and God onely for himselfe thou must love nothing like him much lesse above him and least of all against him in all his creatures in all his actions in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse Psal. 34.8 true love of the word is to love God in his word the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour c. Thirdly get your affections more to heaven than earth as an higher and more noble object Col. 3.2 it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections Set your affections on things above and not on things below that is comparatively for two Masters cannot be served with like affection we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely as being simply good and to be affected and asked whatsoever become of other things but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation as being but conditionally good at the best IIII. Hate the worst things most The worst thing of all is sinne it is simply evill and so is nothing else wee must then hate sinne more than punishment sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory so doth not punishment makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne count nothing so shamefull as that and thy selfe for it feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment because evill of sinne is more evill V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne the righteousnesse of Christ the favour of God and that thy name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10.20 Get Gods image into thy affections frame thy affections to God for matter manner and measure to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth for so doth the man after Gods owne heart First God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand Secondly God loveth his word dearely as himselfe being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes so must thou love the word as God himselfe nothing so dearely nothing in comparison Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word all the day long it is my delight Thirdly God loveth the congregation and assemblies of his people the places of his worship he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob Psal. 87.2 so must thou dearely love his house and the place where his honour dwelleth esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere Fourthly God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image and in imitation of God On the contrary the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred yea his soule abhorres it so must thou avoid and hate every evill way even all the wayes of falshood yea the appearance of evill and the very garment spotted by the flesh 2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men they shall not come into his presence so must we hate the company and society of wicked men Psal. 26.5 3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine Revel 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate 4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men though never so much approved and applauded amongst men so must thou hate the works of them that fall away they must not cleave to thee Psal. 101.3 Thou that lovest the Lord must hate all that is evill Psal. 97.10 VI. Bring thy affections often before God appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them Ioh. 21.15 Lord thou knowest I love thee thou knowest I love thy word thy servants thy house thy glory So Lord thou knowest I feare thee as Ioseph feared to sinne against God and Nehemiah I feare God Lord thou knowest I hate sinne and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure but the measure of all our love to other things is so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo that is above all it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy The word will measure our anger and confine it to a small time the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath it alloweth us to be angry but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it Doe this the rather because our affections must be presented before God one day Now let us examine our selves and try our affections by these rules before named First Aske we our selves what it is wee love or hate whether our affections are set on the right objects and carried towards God or against evill as they ought to be 1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike but to an utter hatred of all sinne none is so bad but hateth some sinnes The prodigall hates covetousnesse The Iew can hate a Samaritane and mixt worship The Pharise can say I thanke God I am no extortioner no adulterer But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne as the lambe hates all wolves and we hate all serpents none excepted The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse to touch none but that defiled onely the body the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man 2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill but out of the love of good to which it is contrary Aske we our selves then whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it for many can dislike many foule evills and yet be farre from good Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it the law of men condemne it rulers punish it shame attends it a gracelesse man can doe it So to love religion love the truth because the law favours it the kingdome embraceth it and for the present it is the safest all this is but pollicie an Atheist can doe it But grace embraceth truth because it is so because the Truth himselfe honoureth promoteth and prospereth it and commendeth it to our love and trust 3. For the manner doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth as he loves not vices for persons sake so hee hates not persons but vices Wee know what workes are hatefull to God but not whose persons belong unto him therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away but
of salvation And besides for such as have opportunitie and leisure from their callings it must needs be an unanswerable sinne to neglect or contemne the offer of the meanes of their owne good while they can spend that or more time idly or sottishly or in gaming sporting vaine companionship complement or the like For here is not only a vaine sinfull expence of precious time but a prophane despising of the most sacred ordinance of God which is now as a prize in the hand of a fool but he wanteth heart Were there a true knowledge of Christ offered in the means he would be thankefully received at any time Were there any true love of Christ it would alwayes enioy him whom the soule loveth and delight at any time to beholde him through these grates but he loves him not on the Sabboth that hates him on the weeke-day Were there any hunger after Christ it would find the need of this bread of life on the week-day as hunger findeth need of foode for the body on the Saboth day hunger after Christ wold force him out of his tent to gather this Mannah in the due season of gathering if it were every day to be had Were there a true taste of Christ he would be as sweete to the soule one day as another Did ever man that truly tasted Christ on the Sabboth day preferre earthly things before him in the weeke-day or did ever man prosper by the meanes on the Sabboth that despâ—sed them in the weeke-day Were there true sence of a mans selfe it would not suffer him to bee lesse holy any day than the Sabboth onely it must be more publikely expressed it would not suffer him at any time in the middest of his earthly businesse to be earthly-minded and much lesse to bee so wedged and rivited into earthly distractions as not to bestow an houre in a weeke when God offers a publike helpe to the winding up of his heart towards heaven The objections are idle and of idle men As that there is too much preaching If it be made by Preachers themselves I should marvaile the more because I never heard men of any other trade complaine of too much trading If of private men a man might waite to wearinesse before he should heare them complaine of too much money too much land too much gaine Which plainly evidenceth that Gods word is undervalued and rejected below base profits whereby men pull the brand of Esaus profanesse upon themselves preferring every measse of broth before the birth-right and exchanging with the Prodigall for very huskes the bread of their Fathers house But so much preaching bringeth preaching into contempt say some Yea but what infant contemnes the milke because it sucketh often every day or who contemnes his meate because hee eateth every day who falls out with his apparell because he puts it on every day or who despiseth his wealth because he increaseth it every day and is not Christ in his word propounded our foode our wealth our apparell and all in all unto us Let them also make us beleeve that the light of the Sunne is made contemptible because it shineth every day Or that Daniel brought prayer into contempt when he prayed thrice every day Or David when hee prayed seaven times a day Why may they not as well perswade us that the publicke prayers appointed foure dayes in a weeke brings publicke prayer into contempt as well as preaching once in a weeke But I have no leisure saith the rich man I have many weighty occasions and employments it is for poorer men who have no such distractions to runne after Sermons To whom our Saviour makes a full answer That one thing is more necessary than they all in comparison of which Mary neglects all other things and who dare say that Mary did more than she was bound to doe or that shee did heare onely because shee had nothing else to doe or that shee was blame-worthy whom our Lord commendeth in that for the love of the word shee did neglect all other things 2. It is not indeede want of leisure but want of love and taste of the word that makes this objection for love of any thing will finde time and leisure to enjoy it 3. It is not want of time for no man but hath much more time than he useth well and none but hath much time which he spendeth worse but want of judgement to give priority to things of greatest weight and worth Is any worldly businesse of greater importance than the seeking of Gods favour and the assurance of a mans owne salvation Would any employment never so weighty make a man wholly neglect for a weeke together all meanes of preserving his body and is any so necessary as to make us neglect the health and welfare of our precious soules or canst thou with reason be straiter to thy owne soule on the weeke day than the Lord is to thy body on the Sabboth day He allowes thee to consult with a Physitian for thy body in case of necessity even upon his sabboth and doest not thou allow thy selfe an houre among so many houres in a weeke to consult with thy spirituall Physitian for the helpe of thy soule Might a Iew make a journey on the Sabboth to consult with a Prophet and may not a Christian steppe out of his doores for counsell in the week-day Nay more may a Iew performe a worke of mercy to a beast on the Sabboth day as to helpe it out of a pit or to drive it to water and must not a Christian doe so much for his soule on the week-day as they for the body of a beast on the Sabboth 4. It is not want of time but want of well husbanding the time that gives rise to this objection for he that employeth his time wisely shall never need to complaine for want of time especially for the maine businesse of his life A good husband will be sure to set out time for the chiefe points of husbandry and so will a good husband for his soule but hee that trifles out his time in unnecessaries must needes want it in necessaries And indeede they be not such necessary duties as they are pretended which engrosse and eate out mens time but for the most part unnecessary and lombersome employments such as Christ reproves in Martha which for a great part of them might be pared off and parted with were men so wise as to lighten the overburdened ship for the safety of the passengers But if men will grapple and pull upon themselves all the employments they can any way reach and then complaine that they are so distracted with many things as that they have no time left for the one thing necessary It is all one as if a man should roule and moyle himselfe in the clay and then complaine that hee cannot get out his feete 5. Canst thou finde no time for the Lords worke what
time hopest thou to finde for his wages hast thou leisure for every thing but to be saved what time wilt thou attaine the end that hast no time for use of the meanes or art thou all body without an immortall soule or is there is no further use of thy soule but to be as salt a while to keepe thy body sweete Is all thy care for a ruinous house and never mindest the tenant within I marvell not to heare our Lord say that it is a very hard thing for a rich man to enter into heaven but I never heard him say that it is impossible for a man to be rich and religious too Object And I saith the poore man can spare no time as the rich may doe I am oppressed with a great charge and must intend my family c But art thou poore and wantest many necessaries there cannot be a stronger motive to attaine this one thing necessary Art thou poore in earthly blessings and wilt thou not therefore be rich in heavenly and spirituall graces Hast thou no house land nor inheritance to rejoyce in Thou shouldst so much the more make Gods testimonies thine heritage for ever and the joy of thy heart 2. It is true men of meaner estates had need be good husbands of their times and estates but yet they must conceive that piety and seeking of God is an enemy to thrift and good husbandry Mary was no bad houswife in sitting downe at the feete of Christ and it was the blot of Marthaes houswifrie that she did not so too Is godlines great gain fearest thou it wil only bring want poverty Must onely that hinder our thrift and prosperitie that hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come and which onely gets blessing on our labours from him who onely gives power to get substance How farre is this from trusting God on his word who hath assured us that whosoever feare him rich or poore they shall want nothing that is good for them By all which that hath been said we may conclude that it is not the strength of any argument made against this holy care but strength of corruption that removes unsetled and unstable mindes from the practise of it This I have set downe for the use and direction of such as heartily desire to be led in the right way and for the incouragement of such as seeke the Lord constantly in his ordinances on all good occasions hoping that it may somewhat confirme them that no blast or objection of prophane persons may either blow them away or weaken their frequent and reverent use of Gods most sacred ordinances And now Christian Reader I commend thee unto God this booke to thy godly use and my selfe unto thy godly prayers Aldermanbury London Novemb. 17. 1630. Thine in Christ THO TAYLOR THE PROGRESSE OF SAINTS TO FVLL HOLINESSE 1 THESSAL 5.19 Quench not the Spirit THE holy Apostle in this Chapter setting downe and enforceing a number of rules for true sanctification addes this also as a principall part of holinesse Not to quench the Spirit Here wee must inquire and finde out 1. What is the Spirit 2. What it is to quench the Spirit I. By the Spirit in Scripture is meant 1. The blessed Spirit of God promised by Christ to be given us Ioh. 14 16. and dwelling in the elect as his owne temples 1 Cor. 6.19 inspiring them with all good thoughts motions and affections 2. The gifts and graces of the Spirit such as wisedome knowledge counsell the feare of the Lord peace joy long-suffering called the fruites of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 So it is said that Iohn Baptist was filled with the Spirit Luk. 1.15 that is the graces of the Spirit 3. The motions of the Spirit in the minde stirring up good desires and purposes Psal. 51.10 Renew a right Spirit within me This is called the leading of the Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God All are here meant even the presence of the Spirit in us for gifts and operations and motions presuppose the presence of the Spirit II. Quench not This is a Metaphor taken from fire which giving heate and light in great measure is quenched or extinguished In which respect the Spirit and his graces are compared to fire Mat. 3.11 So in other respects also 1. Fire enlighteneth darke places so the Spirit is a shining lampe in the darknesse of this world and therefore called the Spirit of Illumination 1 Ioh. 1.5 6. 2. Fire heateth and warmeth yea reviveth and quickeneth so the Spirit warmeth the Christian heart with love of God and of men inflameth it with zeale and makes it burne within us as the Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.32 and he revives us in the wayes of God 3. Fire consumeth straw and stubble so doth the Spirit consume noysome lusts Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit ye shall live 4. Fire purifieth mettalls so the Spirit purgeth the heart from the drosse of sinne seperates pure from impure truth from falshood 1 Cor. 6.11 5. Fire ascendeth upward kindles our sacrifices and makes them also to ascend so the Spirit kindles our prayers and makes us ascend toward heaven in holy affections and holy conversation Againe fire is quenched two wayes First by putting it out quite as by casting water upon it violently extinguishing or smothering of it And secondly by slacking or lessening the heate and light of it when yet some fire remaineth So the Spirit of God and his graces are quenched either when grace is wholly lost which formerly seemed clearely to shine and burne or when grace is lost in part and any grace suffered to decay and die in us Quest. Can grace be wholly quenched or decay where it is Answ. Consider here a twofold distinction first distinguish of persons some are hypocrites or wicked and obstinate sinners who may well lose all the grace that ever they have as Saul and Iudas did who had many excellent graces Some are godly who have received true faith true hope c. and these may lose some fruites and effects of the Spirit by security and as it were slake the heate and light and warmth and comfort of the Spirit but they doe never wholly quench the Spirit for the Spirit abideth in them for ever Ioh. 14.16 And the seede of God remaineth in them 1 Ioh. 3.9 else could it not be an immortall seede as 1 Pet. 1.23 Secondly distinguish of graces both for their kindes and for their degrees I. For the kindes of graces wee are to know first that some graces are of absolute necessitie and serve to the being of a Christian without which salvation cannot be as faith hope and love these maine graces are like the fire of the Sanctuary which never went out these can never be lost quite they may be lessened and decay but can neither wholly nor finally be
in thy estimation doe now seeme lesse and lesse dangerous if sometimes thou couldest not be comforted in the sence of sinne and the same sinne now move thee nothing at all thou couldst not abide cursed speaking in others now thou fallest to it thy selfe thou couldst not away with idle and gracelesse companions now thou canst now hast thou quenched the spirit 2. If thou be apt to rush into sinne once conquered thy strength is abated 3. If thou be unwilling to heare any of thy sinnes reproved the spirit is quenced because he rebuketh sinne 4. If the word and rodde preserve thee not from sinne the spirit is not present in thee 5. If after sinne committed thou doest not more hate it and sorrow for it than before thou lovedst it and rejoycedst in it if thou hast not a more constant care to avoid sinne than before yea if thou hast not a greater zeale in doing good know for a certaine that some sinne in thee or other is as water cast upon the spirit Fifthly and lastly examine thy selfe concerning the worke of Gods Spirit on thy affections thus If thy love of heavenly things be abated or be more to earth than to heaven if thy joy be troubled if thy conscience be perplexed with accusations if there be in thee an excessive feare of death or the like certainly the spirit is now quenched looke well unto it Object Alas I have found my affections more fiery than now they be I have had a great measure of zeale for God much indignation against sinne fervent affection in Gods service joy in God comfort in my selfe and in good duties but now it is not so with me I could never attaine the like affections as at first what may I thinke of my selfe Answ. We must wisely distinguish of the diffusing of grace from the decaying of it In earthly marriage love will be more vehement at first because lesse diffused but afterward is rather more extended than languishing so it is in the heate of grace But how may I know it thus 1. If thou be displeased that thou canst not get thy heart to the highest pitch of delight in grace 2. If thou still hungrest after grace and a further measure as one that hath tasted hony desireth more so having tasted of the spirit doest earnestly desire a greater measure of it 3. Stickest thou to the meanes in publicke and in private and wilt not be driven off still lying at the Poole where the spirit mooveth then discourage not thy selfe but goe on comfortably this small affection toward the Lord and his grace be it but as a graine of mustard seed it shall outgrow all choke weedes and master and kill whatsoever affections would overtop it So much for the second use Thirdly seeing negative precepts include the affirmative every Christian must hence be stirred up to stirre up the gift of God that is in him and not suffer it to decay 2 Tim. 1.6 A fit lesson even for Timothy himselfe For first the Spirit is ever working something in Gods children worthy the stirring up he is no where idle but still beautifying perfecting his own dwelling 2. Every Christian hath some graces to stirre up else were there no difference betweene him and a naturall man who wants the Spirit 3. No Christian hath any grace so perfect but it needes stirring up where growth is there is no perfection 4. Without stirring the fire dies so the Spirit for which cause the Apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up Quest. What meanes may wee use to blow up the Spirit Answ. 1. The word of God in the publicke and private use of it First the preaching of the word as it begets so it nourisheth grace The Ministry is instituted and gifts given to men not onely to lay to foundation of our happinesse but to build us up till we meet together in a perfect body Ephes. 4.11 12 13. Naturall food strengthens the body by the daily use of it spiritual food strengthens the soule by the continuall use of it Those that say they know as much as they neede or as much as the Preacher can tell thē never truly saw their great weaknesse for let any good conscience say if it neede not the word continually David a man of singular grace yet lay fouly in his sinnes till Nathan came and stirred him saying Thou art the man Despise Prophecy and quench the Spirit where vision faileth grace perisheth Secondly the word must be privately read and conversed in for such is the excellency and power of it that it transformes the minde conversant in it unto it selfe and to be affected as the pen-men were holily and graciously Besides it begets and furthers found judgement whereas others erre not knowing the Scriptures and it stirres up good affections and gracious desires Againe the word must be meditated on in private without which hearing and reading are to little purpose Psal. 1.1 Blessed is the man that meditates in the law of the Lord continually And here is mutuall helpe for hearing and reading doe feede meditation and meditation doth fasten them Why else hath God given man a reasonable soule but to meditate upon his word and workes Or why else hath he set apart a whole day in seaven especially for meditation if it were not a notable meanes to excite grace Or why else did our Lord take all occasions from the workes of God to teach and instruct us but for our example that we should tread in his holy steppes We see the first meanes 2. The Sacraments were instituted to strengthen our faith which in it selfe is weake and to keepe in continuall memory the covenant betweene God and us with the meanes thereof yea the very preparation to them includeth a speciall meanes of stirring up our graces of repentance of renewing our faith of obedience thankfulnesse and all the meanes of growth in the covenant And much more strength doth a good heart finde in the celebration of them Therefore to forbeare them of contempt argues no member of Christ and of negligence to forbeare is to cast ones selfe into the judgement of God 3. Prayer sets all graces on worke as faith in Gods promises charity toward our brethren hope which lookes for the performance of that we pray for humility in confession of sinnes and sense of wants thankfulnesse for supplies and leave to pray and by exercise in prayer wee get the spirit of prayer Luke 11.13 Our Father will not deny his Spirit to them that aske him 4. Company or commerce with the godly doth exceedingly sharpen our graces One candle lights another and one sticke of fire kindles another A lesser sticke may kindle a billet so the strongest Christian may receive furtherance from the weakest Paul himselfe might be comforted by the Romanes chap. 1.12 And when Silas came Paul burned in the Spirit But how can one coale alone by it selfe keepe it selfe glowing Yea evill men
Gods part as well as their owne When Minâ—sters are diligent in doctrine careles in life they hold some good but not all Private men that carry themselves soberly and civilly and are fully content with the name of honest men holde some good but they reforme not their family nor walke religiously in the midst of their houses and so are farre from holding all good This is in matter of practise So in matter of judgement The truth and every part of it is our birth-right saith Cyprian wee must not lose a foote of it but hold the least truth Many hold fast the maine grounds and articles of religion but in things of lesser moment are altogether regardlesse as Bishop Latimer thought at first that the cause of the Sacrament was rather to be dissembled than suffered for but considering better that hee must holde all that is good himselfe happily suffered in it Nay we must not onely hold truth in sense but even the words wherein the Spirit of God hath conveyed it to us not departing easily from them for wee shall finde what great mischiefe hath oppressed the Church by taking liberty to depart from the very words of Scripture and in stead of them using other improper speeches to expresse the same thing As for example The Fathers used to expresse the Pastors of the Church by the name of Priests whereupon the Romish Church builds and backes her order of Priesthood Doctour Fulke in his sixth chapter of his defence of the translation against Gregory Martin hath these words It is a folly to thinke that a sacrificing office externall can be established in the new Testament which never calleth the Ministers thereof Sacerdotes or Priests They often call the Table of the Lord an Altar and the celebration of the Supper a Sacrifice and gave a reasonable good sence but had they kept to the words of the Scripture they had prevented much mischiefe springing thence For the Romanists make advantage of their speeches wrested out of their sense to set up that blasphemous doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse And the word Masse what Papist knowes whence it comes being neither Hebrew Greeke nor Latine nor taken from any other language of any Nation but raked out of the bottomlesse pit without all signification unlesse it agree with our English word masse that is an heape a lumpe a chaos of blasphemies and abominations The like of the word Pope a strange unknowne and mysticall name the learned Papists knew it not but confounded themselves in the Etymologie of it some from Pape the interjection of admiration some from Papa which Latine children used to call their fathers by answering to our infants dad some from the Romane abbreviation of Pater Patriae expressed by pa pa and a pricke betweene some from the Siracusans word Papas signifying a father Such follies and ridiculous and childish dotages are they faine to wander in to seeke and finde their holy father the Pope who as himselfe is a beast rising out of the earth in whose forehead is written MYSTERIE so his name is mysticall and from men not from heaven not from the Scriptures yet is the name as ancient as Cyprian and used by the Fathers Wherein we may see how dangerous it is as Beza observes to decline from the word an hayre-breadth and not to hold all that is good even the least An arrow set a little awry at first makes a great errour before it fall at the marke How happy had it beene if the ancient Fathers otherwise godly and learned men had held them to the very names termes and proper words of Scripture rather than by departing therefrom have opened a flood-gate to Antichrists delusions who as Satan creepes in the darke and getting in his toe will shove in his bulke for give sinne an inch it will take an ell and so of the Man of sinne 4. Rule Hold most carefully the chiefe good things for so men doe in earthly matters Now there be three things worth most care in keeping 1. Gods favour presence and loving countenance Psal. 4. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us let others keepe corne and wine keepe thou this feare sinne most of all as that which would most dangerously robbe thee 2. Thine owne sincerity uprightnesse and first love Iob 27.6 I will never lose my innocency till I die 3. The Crowne of life is promised to him that is faithfull to death Hold the kingdome fast in the meanes and so strive as thou maist obtaine As the Martyrs who apprehended it through fire and flames 5. Rule Hold all that is good stiffely and stoutly against with-holders and opposers for a man shall never hold good if he doe coldly approove it Hold it as one firmely glued to it for so the word signifies Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleave to that which is good things glued are not easily disjoyned God hath by this phrase glued every Christian to every truth in judgement and practise and no man must separate himselfe from it Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against gain-sayers Take hold with both hands against hereticks tyrants false-teachers flatterers that have laid hold to snatch it from us or as men in perill of drowning lay fast hold upon any thing they can catch to save themselves and will not let it goe 6. Rule Hold the truth constantly to the death whatsoever the issue be Rev. 2.25 Hold fast that thou hast till I come as the renowned Saints and Martyrs who have rather parted with their lives than their depositum 2 Tim. 1.14 Let us therefore labour to see into every truth and seeing it let us hold it As that famous souldier Cynegrius held the shippe first with his right hand till that was cut off then with his left hand till hee lost that too and last of all with his teeth till his head and body were severed So let us resolve every one with himselfe That which I see to be good I will holde it so long as I live or breathe my hands my heart and soule shall cleave unto it I will carry it to heaven with me The second thing proposed is the meanes of holding that which is good I. If wee would hold things approoved to be good let us avoid carefully such things as would hinder us in holding them And they are of two sorts 1. Some shut out good things 2. others thrust them out or choake them The former are 1. Presumption of our owne wisdome and knowledge Humility stands porter at the doore of discipline Psal. 25.9 God teacheth the humble Ier. 13.15 Heare and give eare and be not proud Men of conceits will heare whom they list but an humble man will receive good even from the meanest though it be an earthen vessell Naaman from his servant and Iob from his hand-maid 2. Distempered affections as rash conceit
against the teacher which is an usuall bait of Satan to make all good things carelesly rejected Micaiah for this was turned out of dores as no fit Counsellor for King Ahab So the itching eare which is still desirous of novelties as the young man having heard the olde commandements would still heare more new And a tediousnesse in hearing the same things often which the Apostle calls a safe thing The latter are 1. Hardnesse of heart cast as much seede as you will among stones and cover them therewith no fruite followes for the stones hinder the rooting as we see in Pharaoh Mollifie the heart throughly and the word wil abide in it 2. Cares of the world which are as thornes to choake it All seede sowne among thornes getteth no strength but perisheth The Pharisies mocked Christ in his doctrine because they were covetous Luke 16.14.3 Voluptuous living makes men heare onely for fashion and to be like those widdowes which are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. or at least not to joyne vertue to their knowledge as the intemperate patient that heares the physitian but will not follow him II. Provide and furnish the soule with helpes to hold that which is good These helpes respect 1. Intention 2. Attention 3. Retention First the Intention must must bee cleane and sincere we must not heare for envie as the Pharisies and Iewes in Paules time nor for newes as the Athenians nor for gaine or curiosity as Felix but to receive as babes the sincere milke of the word to grow in grace thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 This intention shall be the better furthered by premeditation of the force use and efficacy of the word that it is the power of God to salvation the incorrupt seede the word of life the instrument of faith the sword of the spirit the bread and water that preserveth eternall life Secondly Attention must be used Acts 8.6 the people of Samaria gave heede to the things that Philip spake This attention is a keeping of the heart and affections to the word deliuered Acts 16.14 when Paul preached Lydia attended and the Lord opened her heart When Christ preached all the peoples eyes were fastened upon him Luke 4. Attention is the doore by which the word enters It is much furthered by a due estimation of the word Thy word saith David is wonderfull therefore my soule keepeth it Men will attend to their learned counsell when their free-hold is in question so here conceive aright of the word as a matter of life and death a matter that concernes thy inheritance in heaven thou wilt carefully attend it Thirdly Retention must follow In the body there are two nutritive powers one Attractive to draw meate into the stomacke the other Retentive to hold it there till it be turned into nourishment so in the soule And if the former draw too little the latter holds little and so the body pines and if the former draw too much that the body is not able to hold it the body pines still So here the soule must be still drawing but it must also forcibly holde it till the soule be refreshed Now this Retentive faculty is strengthened by 4. meanes 1. Meditation cleane beasts chew the cud Deut. 11 2. Consider the workes of the Lord Psal. 1.1 Meditate in his Law both day and night The acts of God must be in the mouthes of them that feare him Psal. 149. and 39.3 while David mused his heart was warmed Phil. 4.8 whatsoever things are honest just and pure thinke on those things men have therefore evill thoughts because they nourish not the good 2. Conference which is a whetting of holy lessons both on our selves and others Deut. 11. the Iewes are commanded to conferre of the word early and late Acts 17. The Bereans are commended for comparing the Apostles doctrine with Scripture 3. A full purpose of heart to practise good things Psal. 119.106 I have sworne to keepe thy law and 50.16 Why takest thou my word into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed 4. Fervent and constant prayer which is the key of knowledge gets the hearing eare and the soft heart it is a key to open the coffers of God out of which we may take those treasures which are not from our selves but from above our reach III. Chuse sure and safe places to hold good things in First in memory we must remember good things we heare Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes have seene Psal. 119.16 I will not forget thy word and ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts because by them thou hast quickened me Secondly keep them in the faith of thy heart else all is unprofitable Heb. 4.2 for that onely gives them rooting in our hearts Col. 2.7 Prov. 4.21 Keepe them in the midst of thy heart then shall they be as alight in the lanthorne shining through every part of thy life This was the coffer that Abraham locked up the promises of God in and held them fast without reasoning though it was difficult and seemed impossible Rom. 4.20 and David Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart Thirdly keepe it in the affections of thy soule love earnestly the word of God and all good things for the things that wee like not or affect not we care not for keeping The great commandement is to love the Lord with all thy heart And every Christian ought to appeale to the Lord himselfe as Peter to Christ Lord thou knowest that I love thee Iohn 21.16 And the tryall of our love to him is to keepe his commandements chap. 14.15 Fourthly keepe them in the practise of thy life and whole conversation 1. By professing good things as Christ himselfe professed a good profession before Pontius Pilate 2. By promoting all good causes to thy utmost power 3. By maintaining and defending all good things and causes 4. By suffering for good things and every way giving testimony and setting seale to them if neede be with thy dearest heart blood IV. If we would hold good things let us furnish and arme our selves against theeves and robbers 1. Our owne carelesnesse Many times we care not to understand the things of God vanity of minde worldly lusts and desire of riches partly take up the roome partly choake good things so as they are neither received nor held But if we understand not let us not be ashamed to enquire and seeke out till wee doe understand 2. Satans slynesse who steales the word and good purposes out of mens mens hearts strangely even while they looke on and consent Doe as Abraham who drave away the birds that troubled him in sacrificing Gen. 15.11 so doe thou drive away these ravenous birds that are sent by Satan 3. Temptation and persecution Much ground keeps the seede till the heate of persecution comes and in persecution falls away and
with the broth and much lesse the uncleane meate hee knowes the broth is uncleane too the least sinne is infectious and contagious The difference then is this One loves the appearance of good more than goodnesse it selfe the other hates for the evils sake the very appearance of it 5. The fruite of this dutie commends it to our care 1. It commends our feare and zeale for God which riseth up against all sinne As by nature we hate all serpents yea the picture of an ugly viper so grace raiseth up the spirit against sinne indifferently and all resemblance of it 2. It is excellent for the satisfying of a mans owne conscience for suppose a thing be never so good yet if it appeare to me evill I sinne in doing it and must avoide it because it appeares to me so 3. It commends our charity which respects the conscience of our brother and is as loth he should fall by our hand as by himselfe 4. It is the honour of our profession and the glory of the Gospel when men cannot justly challenge us with appearances of evill for wicked mouthes are stopt and we adorne the holy profession of God which must needes suffer in us if wee avoid not shew of evill both for the safety of our good name and a good conscience We must be so far from loving liking any evil as we must utterly dislike it be disparate and separate from it whether in Doctrine or manners I. In Doctrines which have but a shew of evill we must abstaine and reject them as carefully as manifest false Doctrines for wee may easily suppe up poyson and heresies if wee can digest Doctrines which carry some shew of evill in them As for example Nestorius a wicked hereticke and as Evagrius calls him officina blasphemiae a very shoppe of blasphemy did not distinguish but separate the two natures of Christ and made one Christ not of two natures but of two distinct persons one the Sonne of God by which person all his egregious and miraculous workes were performed the other the sonne of Mary by which without the Sonne of God he wrought all those actions of infirmity as eating drinking sleeping weeping and the union of natures being dissolved for one Christ he gives us two but neither profitable for us Hee holds that wee are saved by the flesh not of the Sonne of God but of the Sonne of man and that the flesh not of the Sonne of God but of the Sonne of man is vivificall and quickening Now this negative makes it apparantly false from which we must not onely abstaine but also from such speeches as although they may have a right interpretation yet carry a shew of evill vâ—gr It is a true speech that we are saved by the blood of the Sonne of man but we must abstaine from it because of the cognation of it with Nestorius his heresie and say plainly by the blood of God as the Apostle speakes Acts 20.28 or of Christ God and man we are saved To say we are saved by workes may be truly explained but better to abstaine from it because it hath an appearance of Popish merit To call Evangelicall Ministers Priests may be truly expounded but it were better to avoid such phrases of speech because of the shew of Popish Sacrifice and Priesthood The words of heretickes saith one are to be feared and say the Rhemists if we will keepe the faith of our fathers wee must keepe the words of our fathers so say we of the faith of the Scriptures II. In practise and behaviour we must shunne such things as carry evill shewes The Iewes in their course of life must not onely not goe into uncleane houses but must not come neere them and Christians are commanded not to touch any uncleane thing Therefore all such are here to be reproved as think all Christianity stands in this if they doe no unlawfull things and so runne headlong never looking quà m malè colorata sunt what evill shewes they carry Magistrates who whatsoever they see president for in their predecessours venterously undertake it and so referre their authority to private use forgetting themselves to be publike men Ministers seeking their owne not Christs they may be idle non-residents cast up their calling and turne excepting their habit meere secular Paul refused lawfull maintenance at Corinth to avoid suspition of mercenary and covetous affection in preaching Christians in private converse must shew dislike of all appearance of evill First avoid all filthinesse and suspition of it as is said of Cesars wife such as are minced oathes adulterous lookes needlesse company with profane ones Secondly put no coulours upon sinne to digest it easier Object I may company with such and such persons to winne them Answ. Thou art liker to lose thy selfe by hazard of infection if without calling thou frequentest loose company 2. Thou art liker to lose than to winn them by intimate familiarity which is fitter to harden them Thirdly thou art in way to lose thy owne reputation as being a favourer of them and their courses Object But I may weare this and that fashion of apparrell my heart is humble and I detest pride Answ. If it were so thou wouldest avoid the shew of evill in overcostlinesse and excesse of attyre a lowly heart and a lowly habit goe together Object But we may straine at gnats and small things are not to be stucke at Answ. Little sinnes have great consequents Secondly they commonly draw greater after them Thirdly many little sinnes proove ponderous and pernitious Fourthly none are little if the shew of them be not little as our text implyeth III. Let us see this 1. In respect of Idolaters 2 In respect of profane persoÌ„s First Wee must avoid all conformity with Idolaters In service In Ceremony In neere society First In service To be present at idolatrous service is an appearance yea a kinde of approbation of idolatry And where all idolatry is forbidden all shew and appearance of it is forbidden also Besides wee must shew in our appearance our hatred of the very appearance of evill Quest. May not a man be at idolatrous service and keepe his heart to God Answ. No 1. God is but one man is but one and there is but one faith and God requires the body as well as the soule because they are both his 2. It is a deniall of Christ a dissembling of religion a betraying of truth where we ought to professe it an approbation of idolatry an hardening of the enemy by presence and silence 3. The very practise condemneth it selfe The man holds consent of heart evill then be must hold appearance of consent evill too 4. It is a reconciling of abhorring natures light and darknes God and Belial the Temple of God and the Temple of idols An impossible disioyning of the soule and body as if the one could be in heaven and the other in hell Origen said he could
indeede Did ever any or can ever any attaine to this perfection Answ. This question brings us to the explication of the fourth thing in the Text How a man may be said to be blamelesse in spirit soule and body in this life Whereto we say No man ever attained to this unblameable perfection of degrees in this life except the first Adam in his innocency and the second Adam who had sanctification in all parts and degrees for Paul a most holy man after regeneration confesseth how farre hee was from perfection Rom. 7. and Phil. 3. But a man regenerate may be said to be blamelesse and throughly renewed 1. In respect of his relation with Christ his head who is made to him sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and in whom hee is perfectly holy and unblameable Ezek. 16.14 Thy Beauty was made perfect by my Beauty 2. In respect of open and grosse crimes which might impeach the honour of his profession so Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods ordinances without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so did Samuel and Iob and other holy men For though no man can be without sinne yet a man may be without crime when after his conversion hee carries himselfe so uprightly as he cannot be noted for any reigning sinne before men 3. In respect of Christian indeavour and inchoation when the beleever labours and aymes at full sanctification in all his faculties and parts for sanctification produceth holy motions in the soule and holy actions in the body See it 1. In the spirit 1. In the soule First the spirit i. the minde and understanding of a sanctified man is indued with a sound and distinct knowledge of heavenly things and he still indeavours to a further measure Psal. 119.33 34. Teach mee give mee understanding c. Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome not to others And it is joyned with a speciall faith applying the promises which maketh his person and worke acceptable Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Vnder the spirit include the conscience in the purging of which the beleever striveth and loseth not his labour For 1. it is a tender conscience and remorsefull for sinne 2 Chron. 34.27 Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law 2. It is calme and peaceable it blameth not nor accuseth seth it selfe but giveth good witnesse first that the person may be assured of his reconciliation with God Rom. 5.12 and 8.36 And secondly that he walketh with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimony of a good conscience that in simplicity and good sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world 1 Ioh. 3.21 If our heart condemne us not we have boldnesse with God The second faculty called the soule here includeth the will and affections in both which this worke of sanctification is begunne and increased 1. In the will when being renewed it is now subject and pliable to God in all things Rom. 7.18 To will now is present with mee not onely in doing but in suffering as 1 Pet. 4.9 in suffering it can commit the soule to God in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour 2. In the affections herein is a change being guided and carried by the minde and will renewed His love is not the olde carnall love of himselfe and the world but a new affection Love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 His hatred which was against God and his Saints is now against the haters of God and things which God hates Psal. 139.21 His joy which was sensuall and earthly is now delightfull in doing the will of God yea in suffering it Rom. 5.3 We rejoyce in tribulation His sorrow which was for worldly losses crosses c. is now for sinne and for the afflictions of Gods people His delights which were in carnall profits pleasures corne wine or prosecuting his lusts are now in Gods countenance in Gods Law in Gods house in Gods Ordinances the Word and Sacraments and in Gods children above all persons as those that are excellent on earth His desires are answerable what ever his former desires were now he desires the presence of God the pleasing of God pardon of sinne softnesse of heart the constant fruition of the meanes of salvation with a blessed successe of them Hee desires the prosperity of Zion the salvation of the Israel of God and the comming of Iesus Christ to his full redemption Thus we see how a sanctified man profiteth and prospereth in the whole inner man But fire within will breake out and so will grace which is like fire and the body shall be a weapon of righteousnesse his outward actions shall be done in an holy manner his whole life is changed 1. For the matter of his actions Gods word is the rule of them all Psal. 119.35 Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight 2. For the manner they are done first in humility Mich. 6.8 Walke humbly with thy God Luke 17.10 Say thou art an unprofitable servant Secondly in sincerity without guile of spirit Psal. 32.2 Thirdly with cheerefulnesse delighting greatly in his commandements Psal. 112.1 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man wisheth in his heart The Lord loves a cheerefull giver Fourthly with courage and stoutnesse Dan. 3.17 We are not carefull â—f this matter our God whom we serve will deliver us Acts 4.19 Peter and Iohn said to the Rulers Whether it be meet to obey God or men judge yee Gal. 2.11 I withstood him to his face 3. For the end first hee will approove his heart to God and lookes not so much to men for his praise is not of man but of God Secondly hee desires to please God in that hee doth Acts 11.23 wâ—th fall purpose of heart cleave unto God Thirdly he doth not good things for his private ends as ease profit credit but even against all these if he be called thereunto The 4. respect in which a beleever may be called unblameable even in this life is in Gods account and gracious acceptation Where himselfe workes and sees such beginnings proceedings and indeavours it is accepted as perfection by meanes of Christs merit promise and intercession Thus Paul saith Rom. 7.17 It is not I that doe evill Whence our Lord pronounceth of his Church that she is all faire and that no spot is in her 5. In respect of that perfect sanctification in all degrees which is growing unto and shall attaine in the day of Christs second comming when every beleever shall be free from all blame and staine and set into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God which now they have onely in desire in in faith in promise in an earnest and inchoation the Lord mercifully accepting them for that they are growing unto And thus we have expounded this worthy petition of the Apostle The summe and substance whereof is this
his full harvest in perfect sanctification Paul himselfe being justified presently attained not perfection but laboured hard towards it Phil. 3.12 And an inseparable note of a justified person is that he longeth waiteth and sigheth to put off all corruption and misery and to put on fulnesse of grace and glory Rom. 8.23 We that have received the first fruites of the Spirit doe sigh waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our body 2 Cor. 5.4 Wee desire to he cloaâ—hed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life and verse 8. Wee love rather to remoove out of the body and dwell with the Lord. This Doctrine thus prooved unto us serves for the reproofe of sundry sorts of people First those are reprooved who content themselves with some illumination as if it were sanctification For 1. A man may be enlightened may come to a great measure of knowledge in the mysteries of the Gospell and make a profession among the Saints as Iudas and Simon Magus yet his heart and life remaine foule and uncleane 2. Through sanctification is indeede no such thing it is entire as the blood in all veines of the body so is it in all the powers of the soule and every part and member of the body 3. It is not enough to praise a Sermon or speake well of points in Divinity for wee heare the Divell speake well sometime of Christ Marke 1.28 4. Knowledge is either literall without reformation onely enlightening or spirituall enlightening and changing 2 Cor. 3.18 Therefore deceive not thy selfe sanctification begins in the understanding and minde but goes on to renew the thoughts the desires affections speeches and whole life Secondly such are reprooved as thinke civill life to be holinesse and content themselves with it as sanctification the world generally embraceth this shadow for the body and this image and livelesse carkasse for the life and being of sanctification betweene which there is as great difference as betweene a man and an ape 1. Sanctification orders the whole way and every steppe of it by the light of the word for the image of God is renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 Civility goes not so high for the rule but depends on the reputation of men and estimation in the world he would neither be too forward nor yet of no religion It is too strict to take the word with us to guide every word every fashion of apparrell every thought than which what is more free 2. Sanctification is most conversant and chiefly carefull in religious duties which concerne God and his worship and his owne salvation this is the one thing necessary Luke 10. and the good part yet will it not be negligent in the workes of his speciall calling Civility is most in things for the naturall and civill life there is his spirit his soule his body and all and yet he must not be an Atheist he must sometimes doe religious duties but how seldome or how coldly tediously and of custome 3. Sanctification labours against the roote of sinne kills it in the birth blasts it in the budde draines the fountaine and renewes the spirit of the minde the eye of it spares no sinne but avoides the sinnes of the time of the trade his naturall and darling sinnes pluckes out eyes and cuts off hands Civility makes no great matter of the rooted and originall sinne it would stoppe some foule issues but it is loath to meddle with the fountaine it would not be noted for great sinnes foule adultery manifest theft noted lying drunkennesse c. but some gainfull or pleasurable sinne it cannot be without and as for smaller sinnes as idlenesse vaine talking evill speaking gaming lesser oathes and the like hee takes no notice of them nor is ever humbled for them 4. Civility may cover sinne but cures it not it may wrappe a clout on a wound but layes no plaister on it But sanctification is healing as well as cleansing as was shadowed in the Law concerning leprosie which was then pronounced to be cured when the uncleannesse was confessed and went no further 5. Sanctification is busie both to stocke up sin and enlarge the stocke of grace to get more strength against corruption more power to obey God in all things it markes the increase of grace and is thankfull for it it conscionably useth meanes of repairing graces decayed it renewes daily warre against the reigne of sinne and riseth to full sanctification in a most glorious victory and conquest over it Civility lets sinne alone to see if it will die it selfe it is too pittifull to kill it It is afraid of too great a stocke of grace because it is afraid of mortification it knowes a man cannot dye without paine no more can the olde man it observes as little increase as it cares for it holds it no conquest to get victory over secret lusts and so continues a willing slave unto them 6. Sanctification in all the good it doth in all the evill it abstaines hath a pure end and aymeth to please God with the displeasure of men and deniall of his owne corrupt heart will and affections Civility cares more for the offence of such men as in whose favour he would live than the offence of God is more strict in mans lawes than Gods must not displease or deny himselfe hath more care to be thought good than to bee good And thus wee see how civill men who seeme to themselves to outrunne others to heaven are quite out of the way and never set foote in the path of holinesse that leades to happinesse A civill man seemes a sheepe of Christ by his fleece but his liver is rotten Thirdly those are here reprooved who thinke this Doctrine needlesse perhaps impossible they meane not to be Saints till they be dead and never looke after full sanctification till they come to heaven and so they frame their lives as if it were absurd to thinke we could be Saints upon earth But no Saint on earth none in heaven such as shall attaine perfect sanctification in heaven are described to be such as must be written among the living in Ierusalem Esay 4.4 Thou must be such a one as must feele the power of the Spirit renewing thy soule body and spirit by which if thou findest not a mastery of all coruptions yet thou shalt finde a weakening of them all and a desire and indeavour to subdue them all with some successe so as this full sanctification shall be thy ayme and so as it shall come forward every day more than other Lastly those are reprooved who seeme to come to some measure of sanctification but either fall backe or rest in these beginnings caring for no increase in spirituall things There is no comfort at all in such standing for 1. Saving grace is alway growing 2. As covetous men never think they have golde enough so Gods children must and doe thinke they have never grace enough Therefore let us stirre up our selves
By their instructions and exhortations 1 Thess. 5.11 Wherefore exhort and edifie one another One Christian stirres and whets up another by gracious and edifying speech Eph. 4.29 and the lippes of the wise feede many as one sticke kindles another Pro. 13.20 hee that walketh with the wise shall be wise He that is in the Sunne shall be coloured though hee finde it not and he that sits long in a sweete shoppe shall carry away some smell 2. By their prayers making mention one of another wherein were there not much force the Apostles would not with such instance every where call for the prayers of meane Christians that by them they might get increase of holy graces as here after the Text verse 25. Pray for us 3. By their example we are commanded to marke the upright man and behold the just in his proceedings and end for this is a notable meanes to stirre up our selves Psal. 37.37 Heb. 13.7 Remember them which haue the oversight of you whose faith follow considering what hath beene the end of their conuersation Pro. 2.20 Walke in the way of good men sort thy selfe with such as fight against the corruptions of the world V. Meanes Afflictions and corrections in their holy use Heb. 12.10 Hee chasteneth us for our profit that wee may be partakers of his holinesse Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest in thy Law Dan. 11.25 Some that are of understanding shall fall to try others and purge them and make them white Now afflictions doe set forward sanctification sundry wayes 1. When they are as touchstones and set us on the worke of searching and examining our selves Zeph. 2.1 Search your selves search I say before the decree come forth Iosephs brethren could finde out a sinne that was unrepented of many yeares when they were troubled in Egypt So when the mariners in the shippe were troubled for Ionas they went to a narrow search for whom the trouble was Ionas his sinne had not beene found out but for the tempest 2. When they are as bridles to pull us backe from sinne Psal. 119.71 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I doe keepe thy statutes Therefore the Prophet Hosea calls afflictions an hedge of thornes set before Ephraim Hos. 2.6 3. When they are as Vshers to teach us many lessons which wee are loath to get and ready to forget Psal. 119.71 It is good for me to be afflicted that I might learne thy statutes They make a man humble and fit him to be taught for God teacheth the humble And many things which a man will not learne by the vocall word hee shall be taught by this reall word 4. When they are as whetstones to put an edge in our prayers for in afflictions the worst will seeke God diligently Esay 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was on them Hard-hearted Pharaoh while the plague is upon him will begge prayers of Moses Much more will David feeling the hand of God and terrour of conscience for his two sinnes upon his repentance exceede himselfe in holy and fervent prayer Psa. 51.1 and Paul finding the prick in his flesh will pray the Lord thrice that is often and earnestly 5. When they are as fire to purifie the golde and burne up the drosse of their corruptions 1 Pet. 1.7 Yee are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious than golde might be found to your glory and praise Gods flaile purgeth wheate and drives away the chaffe As we doe with our vessells so doth God with his vessells of honour oyle and soyle them but all to make them brighter When is the time for starres to shine but in the darke night so doe graces in the darkest night of adversity Wee see the Meanes Now wee come to the Markes whereby wee may know whether wee grow up to full holinesse or no. These Markes are five The first is Separation if wee finde our selves separated from the profane courses of the world gathered out of the world and dedicated to good and holy services Come out from among them and separate your selves saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you For sanctification consists in three things 1. The imputation of Christs holinesse who of God is made to us sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 His sanctified nature healeth our corrupt nature 2. The infusion of morall holinesse into our natures peculiar to the elect a receiving of his fulnesse by meanes of union 3. Separation from the common courses of the world unto speciall service this is made a marke of such as are made partakers of the divine nature to fly the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 The farther thou gettest thee from the evill fashions of the world the farther thou proceedest in holinesse The second Marke of full holinesse is an Alteration and change in thy selfe both in thy spirit and soule and body 1. The spirit is altered first when the minde having a sound and distinct knowledge in heavenly things and the light of renewing grace doth grow brighter and brighter till perfect day Secondly when the conscience is tender and peaceable as we heard before 2. The soule is altered when the heart the will and affections are ordered as before 3. The body is altered first in respect of the members when the same that the flesh most abused doe most glorifie God in some speciall manner Zachary by his mouth sinned in distrusting God therefore so soone as hee could speake with the same mouth hee glorified him So the woman Luke 7. that had abused her eyes haire and lippes to wantonnesse now takes them from Satan to wash and wipe and kisse her Saviour Christ. So in Bishop Cranmer that hand that subscribed was first burnt Secondly in respect of the outward fashion there will be a change if the body have abused meate and drinke for surfetting and drunkennesse if garments and apparell for pride and wantonnesse if sports and recreations in excesse or for covetousnesse you shall see even in the outward man a checke of all such excesses and a manifestation that they be not the men they were before sanctification Thirdly in respect of the deedes to be done by the body both for matter manner and end as wee heard before The third Marke of full holinesse is sound Affection and singular love of grace which affection where it increaseth holinesse increaseth accordingly This love and measure of it we may know 1. By striving not onely to preserve the measure of holinesse received but to grow daily to the measure that is wanting accounting that as yet he hath not attained Phil 3.12 13 I count not my self that I have attained but one thing I do I presse hard to the marke c. Keepe still in thee a thirst after the water of the well of life and Christ will give it thee freely
not all is well when thou hast gotten grace righteousnesse and holinesse but keepe thy selfe pure for know it is no lesse vertue to keepe grace than to get it Iude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God and againe Keep that thou hast obtained lest another take thy crowne And the rather First because this is the effect of true religion for true religion unspotred and undefiled before God is to keepe a mans selfe blamelesse and unspotted without just crimes in the world and this is to keepe himselfe blamelesse Secondly no part of man can be kept blamelesse without great care and industry Adam in innocency could not keepe himselfe blamelesse as hee was created and much lesse the sonnes of Adam now in corruption No watch is sufficient against that subtill Serpent that windes himselfe into us insensibly every faculty as an eare and every sense as a window lets him into us to come in and spoyle us and therefore it is necessary wee should labour to keepe that we have gotten 3. Excellent and precious things are to be kept most charily mens gold silver jewells and treasures are carefully kept but their lives much more because they are precious unto them But of all treasures our spirits soules and bodies are of most incomparable value nothing so worth keeping as this First what a precious blood was shed for to redeeme them Secondly if these be lost what price can recover them what shall a man give for the recompence Nothing but the blood of Christ tread that under foote nothing can recover it a treasure must be kept most carefully but a godly mans heart is a good treasurie sending out good things A worldlings treasure is without him and that he holds fast but the godly mans treasure is within him he layes hold upon faith and grace in Christ and these hee holdes worth the keeping but for the things of the world they are not worth the keeping in safe custody If they be not kept till the day of Christ they are lost eternally there is no time of keeping them but the present neglect that there is no salvation 4. The necessity of keeping our selves blamelesse is exceeding great 1. If we looke upon our selves in our naturall inclinations to soyle and blacke our selves or whether we looke upon our whole or parts First the whole frame of mans heart is evill the whole naturall spirit imagineth evill continually Gen. 6.5 Secondly and for the parts 1. The conscience is darkened by the blacke darknesse of ignorance and impured by a thousand sinnes of most ugly hue 2. The thoughts which in the day of Gods appearing shall either accuse or excuse Rom. 2.15 are naturally vaine roving and stragling from God 3. The affections which are of great force to good or evill If they be sinfull they are as wings to carry us as slaves to the most barbarous and unnaturall evills and ever pulling us aside to the world and lusts As Cain to hate and murder his innocent brother C ham to lay open his fathers nakednesse Iudas to betray the most righteous Sonne of God But if they bee rightly ordered they are powerfull instruments of excellent duties and as wings to carry us to the high pinnacles of Christianity All excellencies have beene brought out of the strong affections of grace Thirdly Looke upon our selves in the presence of grace the cleanest house will gather soyle if it be not daily swept the brightest vessells take rust if not often scoured and oyled enemies chased will turne head againe trees lopped will grow againe nature expelled returnes againe fire quenched will kindle againe and therefore all watch is little enough Fourthly Looke on our selves in that to which we are called and set apart by grace to be sonnes of God Temples of the Spirit of God mansions for God and Iesus Christ to come into us and suppe with us How carefull are we to cleanse our houses from all filth when we are to give entertainment to an honourable friend whom wee are sure will be ready to pry into every corner as the Lord will surely doe when hee commeth into us This serves to discover the generall errour of men who if they had innocency it selfe could not stand by themselves without watchfulnesse yet can keepe any thing better than themselves their horses their swine cattle their money their wares but very few thinke they neede to be so carefull to keepe themselves They keepe no watch over their thoughts they are free nor over their words words are but winde nor did they ever see their soules and therefore care not to keepe them How carefull are wise men to keepe themselves out of the lurch of the law lest by word or deed they should forfeit any of their outward estate much more their liberty lives c But how carelesse are the same men of keeping themselves out of the lurch of Gods law and out of the actions which forfeit the whole estate of grace the liberty and life of their soules And yet 1. Is not thy charge straighter to keepe thy soule than any thing else 2. Is any thing so exposed to robbers and spoylers so many so vigilant so resolutely bent to mischiefe thee 3. Is any losse so irrecoverable so irrepairable 4. Can any thing thou keepest so fast doe thee good when thou hast lost thy selfe whatsoever thou most carefully keepest else that thou receivest not for thy selfe but for others and wilt thou fondly save all for others with the losse of thy selfe Alas our folly that needes so many warnings and motives for the keeping of our selves Be we incited to keepe our selves blamelesse Wherein observe 1. The generality 2. The time 3. The order 4. The rules First for the generality our Apostle saith the whole man consisting of soule body and the whole spirit soule and body for bonum est ex causis integris malum ex quolibet defectu if any part be blemished the whole is blamed Secondly keepe all or none God will have all or none no polluted part shall get into his presence hee will have no part of a divided man Thirdly the Saints tooke themselves bound to keepe all Above all David will looke to his heart and looke to his thoughts and hee will have an eye to his will I have vowed and will performe and then to his mouth he will keepe that as with a bid and bridle and to his wayes Psal. 39.1 Then he will lift up his hands to the Law and then refraine his feete from every evill way Fourthly The danger of not looking to the whole a thorne in the foote may fester a gangrene in one part is deadly one poyson in the body one part without armour is the ruine of the whole 2. For the time We must now keepe our selves Men thinke they can never be Saints till they come to heaven and professe they cannot bee blamelesse here But our Text saith we must be blamelesse till
curse but blesse and pray nor walke in their way for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us if we enter not into their way and walke Consider the praise the comfort of all religious duties Yea First that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire Christian perfection is in affection not in action much lesse speculation and contemplation and hence receives his denomination Iob 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisdome All wise and religious walking is included under the affections of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob. Secondly the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action Art thou a Minister whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith love zeale hatred of evill and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them If I had all gifts and want love saith Paul I were nothing knowledge puffeth up but it is love that edifieth Art thou a hearer and wouldest have comfort of hearing what doest thou affect in hearing to censure the Preacher curiously to feede thy judgement or to enable thy discourse this will not doe it But to heare with pure intentions of feeding the soule of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified our affections whetted our obedience bettered and to get the power of godlinesse and the power of the life to come within us all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few Thirdly the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule yea where the action was gloriously performed the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection as in many of the Kings of Israel Such a one did such and such good things but not with all his heart and affection and then all the labour is lost the reward perisheth and thy expectation is frustrate And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect by the sincerity of the affection Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it for First As one disordered affection drawes on another pride begets anger anger begets envie and envie begets hatred and so murther So one good affection begets another love begets feare feare begets humility and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues So good affections beget good actions good actions good habits good habits a good unblamable life Secondly this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts if the matter of our joy love feare desire and delight be God the fruite is internall and eternall this joy none shall take away But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects so they lose both affections and objects Thirdly looke what way we will the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse 1. Looke at God it holds Gods affection to us how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull when we walke in love as he hath loved us when his affections are the rule of ours and so are framed to his will for all his affections flow from his righteous will 2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen from her first love and yet a little sparke was left shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke at least if shee recover her affection And this is our case the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke and holde up our light and peace and the Gospell above all Countries about us surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones which holds life and soule in us and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans for by the blessing of God the body of the kingdome the lawes and doctrine of the kingdome hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke But let us quicken our hatred more for as our first love is in great part gone so if our hatred of evill goe to all is gone God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke 3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances it kindles and keepes in us love feare zeale in his service which is the life of our service and soules and in all these the affection is more respected than the action It holds us fast to the truth What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate what is the truths keeper but love what else but love makes us labour for it suffer for it die for it 4. Strong and earnest affections to God make us profitable to men provokes us to mercy compassion beneficence helpefull to all that neede us 5. It makes us enjoy our selves by patience wee possesse our soules love holds God in possession charity makes us possesse our brethren and patience puts us in possession of our selves Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and leade a man happily to an happy estate 6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God as to become like him when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth nor hate but what hee hateth and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth III. Now after the spirit and soule we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12 Be examples unto others in conversation and in communication the outward man must exercise inward grace First for conversation that is either private or publicke and in both a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation in Gods house thine owne house in thine owne closet and privacy Psal. 101.2 David walked wisely in the midst of his house Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth Gen. 24.63 yea the women must be in such behaviour as becommeth holinesse 2 Tit. 2.3 Rules for conversation are 1. Generall 2. Particular The generall rules are five Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20
Spirit renewes us onely within and not without doth he make us beleeve as Christians and not live as Christians doth the sappe and juice of a tree onely quicken it within and not cause it produce fruites outwardly Thou hast not received the Spirit of Christ if it be not unto thee life unto righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 that is make thee lively and active in all the wayes of godlinesse Faith is not as a light under a bushell therefore shew mee thy faith by thy workes Grace is as a light in a cleare lanterne which from within enlighteneth without Now the rather must we labour for renovation without as well as within 1. Because flesh and blood unrenewed shall not enter into heaven 2. The disorder of the outward man and members argue a sinfull and disordered soule seeing the body is but a servant of the soule and doth nothing but by the Masters direction and appointment an evill eye issueth from an evill minde and a corrupt tongue moveth according to the abundance of the heart 3. No outward deformity is comparable to this of sinne in the members which makes the body to God indeed vile and contemptible as a dead and loathsome corpes is to man Fourthly to keepe the outward man blamelesse beware of all unchastity and impurity of body and on the contrary watch unto chastity and civill honesty 1 Cor. 6.13 The body is not for fornication but for Christ the Lord and the Lord for the body That is the body is ordained for the Lords use and ought to be imployed to his glory And the Lord for the body to redeeme and sanctifie the body as well as the soule and consequently to rule the body and command that as well as the soule being the Lord of the body as well as of the soule And the same Apostle saith the body is a member of Christ as well as the soule Shall I take a member of Christ and make it a member of an harlot verse 15 Can any thing be more opprobrious unto Christ than to transforme him into an harlot Can any thing derogate more from his glory and majesty or be more contrary to his most holy nature Againe Christs body was Gods Temple Ioh. 2.21 Destroy this Temple because the Deity dwelt in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily and of this Temple Salomons Temple was but a type So thy body is Christs Temple in which he dwells by his Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtually Now the light of nature teacheth to preserve Temples pure and cleane but grace much more to preserve spirituall Temples cleane and holy And therefore as Christ when he went into his Fathers Temple made a whip and whipped out buyers and sellers and money-changers who had made his house a denne of theeves so doe thou in Christs Temple which is thine owne body beate it downe and overthrow the wanton and stragling corruptions of it whip out those roving lusts which make the house of Christ as a denne of harlots and filthinesse Coloss. 3.5 Mortifie your earthly members fornication uncleannesse and all inordinate affections Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleannesse let it not once be named as becommeth Saints The fifth Rule Magnifie Christ in thy body both by life and death this was the Apostles care Phil. 1.20 As alwayes so now Christ shall be magnified in my body Thy body is mortall fraile fading yea a vile body Col. 3.21 yet in this body Christ will and must be magnified Quest. How Answ. 1. By keeping the heavenly treasure of the knowledge of God and the attendant graces in these earthly vessels as Paul 2 Cor. 4.7 We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God 2. By holding out the word of life and carrying the name of Christ in an holy undaunted and constant confession and profession in the place where thou livest as Paul did through the world 3. By expressing in this frail body not the doctrine only but the life of Iesus Christ conforming thy selfe to his blessed example in humility holinesse charity piety patience and other vertues that all men may see and say surely this man is a member of Christ he lives the life of Christ he resembles the patterne 4. In this weake body of thine carry about the mortification of Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 4.10 suffer afflictions for the name of Christ and beare in thy body as Paul did the markes of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 fulfill in thy body the rest of the sufferings of Christ carry the badge of a true Disciple yea if God call thee offer up thy body and life a thankfull sacrifice not in life onely but unto death if thereby thou maist magnifie Iesus Christ. Thus did the faithfull Saints and Martyrs offering themselves the sweetest sacrifice of all others Yea our Lord himselfe comming into the world Heb. 10.5 said Burnt offerings thou wouldest not have that is now after the comming of Christ but a body hast thou given me that in this my body I might offer that expiatory sacrifice of all which the other were but shadowes Even so say thou Burnt offerings God calls not for but he hath given me a body to offer unto him and give up unto him in life and death in way not of a Propitiatory but of an Eucharisticall sacrifice of praise thereby to magnifie his name 5. Thou magnifiest him in thy body when thou magnifiest him in his body as when thou admirest the graces of his servants honourest his members delightest in them that excell in vertue helpest and releevest the poore Saints all which he taketh as done to himselfe These are the generall Rules now of the speciall for speciall parts To keepe the severall parts of the body blamelesse the word is plentifull in severall precepts but especially injoynes a strait watch over the senses which are the windowes of the soule But that the discourse may not swell beyond a reasonable proportion I will onely cull out 1. two principall senses and 2. two principall organes and members of the body and give some short rules concerning them and in them we shall see it is no easie thing to keep the body blamelesse neither in them nor in the rest which I must be silent in The two senses are the sight and hearing the senses of discipline and the other two members are the hand and tongue the which being well ordered by the word much blame would be cut off from the lives of men which they now stand guilty of First for the eye to keepe it unblamable We must watch it well for you must know that of all the sciences there is none so quicke a messenger to the heart and soule as the eye by reason whereof it requireth a strait watch God hath given to the eye power to see every thing but cannot looke into it selfe and therefore hee hath given to man understanding that he may looke into himselfe by
pleasures of it too well Demas forsooke the truth to embrace the present world Iudas by the same corrupt affection fell from the Apostleship Ioh. 12.41 Many chiefe Rulers beleeved Christ but durst not confesse him because of the Pharises for they loved the praise of men more than God Oh that we did not so cleerely see the strength of this lett in these dayes wherein so many baulke the way of holinesse and fall backe almost to open profanesse because they neither see many men nor great men yeeld approbation or countenance to such strict courses 2. Shunne lewd society and familiarity with profane persons if we would not fall from our owne stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3.17 18. there is not more strength in any infectious pestilencious ayre to poyson the body than in this poysoned ayre to kill the soule Society with gracelesse men is a very blasting of grace fire is not more apt to burne than we to learne their wayes 4. The labour and paines of holinesse and mortification makes many weary of the good way but consider it is not in vaine to serve the Lord and there is profit in walking humbly before him thy paines shall be abundantly recompenced a small measure of holinesse with an upheaped measure of happinesse Every man will be contented to swallow much paines for a little earthly profit and is the state of heaven worth no labour 5. Persecutions drive many away much seed which comes up faire when the sunne of persecution ariseth withereth away But against this wisdome must cast the costs and prepare to defray the charges of this great building and the same Sunne that dries and burnes up the shallow seede shall set and ripen ours Many heare holinesse reviled and spoyled of her vaile and value they heare this sect every where spoken against and would as farre forget themselves as Peter to heare that voice Thou art one of them and perhaps renounce Christ and profession and all for if even the very Disciples of Christ and all they leave him and fly when afflictions comes neare Matth. 26.56 what marvell if they that want soundnesse shrinke in the wetting 1. But here remember and looke upon Christ Heb. 12.2 who endured such speaking against of sinners not for himselfe but for thee lest thou be weary 2. Hee that is now ashamed of Christ Christ will one day be ashamed of him and then he that will no◠beare the reproach of a blast of words for him shall be filled with an everlasting reproach before men and Angells 3. Sound judgement esteemes it the greatest honour to be highly dishonoured for Christ and his causes Matth. 5.12 Blessed are yee when men revile you and speake all manner of evill against you for my sake rejoyce and be glad great is your reward in heaven Object I could better endure mens words but I shall also sustaine great losse if I should be so precise I should lose my custome trading and profits Answ. Wilt thou receive a religion and not know it to be truth or knowest it to be so and wilt not be ready to confesse and professe it according to thy place and calling even in the middest of the different conceits of men 2. The Saints knowing this to be truth did for it joyfully suffer the spoyling of their goods 3. Put together in the ballance the losse of the world and the losse of thy soule and consider whether is fitter to save if thou cāst not save both For the losse of the world is an abundant recompence promised by a sure pay-master but what recompence is there for the losse of the soule Matth. 16.26 Nay if thou shouldest venture and give thy life for thy profession if God call for it it is no lesse than thou oughtest who oughtest to strive unto blood Hebr. 12.4 and yet this greatest losse were the greatest gaine Thus to lose thy life is to save it and to save it in this case were to lose it III. Procure to our selves and exercise the helpes of perseverance and keepe them neere us as our continuall companions And for this end First let the word of God be deepely rooted in our hearts for this is a speciall preservative from declining Psal. 119.102 I declined not from thy statutes for thou didst teach me Now the word sundry wayes keepes us As first by inlightening us to see our way both to chuse the right way and decline the wrong Psal. 119.105 Thy law is a light and lanthorne to our paths Secondly by comforting and incouraging us in the good way Rom. 15.4 Through consolation of the Scripture wee receive our hope Thirdly by preventing sinne in us Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne Fourthly by keeping out of sin and redressing our way Psal. 119.9 Secondly labour to preserve in thee a love of grace and holinesse let thy scope be in all the meanes of holinesse to gaine not knowledge and illumination onely but sound affection also to grow up in this as well as in that For first as a tree low and deepe rooted is stablished and continued in fruitfulnesse so when faith and grace is deepely rooted in the affection of the heart there will be perseverance Secondly it is not good words good actions or good knowledge that holdes out but good affections will Thirdly what other is the cause of so generall backsliding in the world which is the proper punishment of not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thess. 2.11 Thirdly feare God This is a wellspring of life to make us escape the snares of death Prov. 14.27 and 19.23 Anchora mentis pondus timoris Feare holds the heart steady as the anchor the shippe and joyne thy selfe to such as feare God delight in such as excell in vertue and grace these are able to encourage strengthen direct uphold raise and comfort thee in thy difficulties wearinesse and weaknesse and set thee forward not by their gifts onely but by their example Fourthly be instant in prayer for perseverance so our Text teacheth for it is the Lord that both beginneth and finisheth his owne worke hee not onely sets us in the way but leades us in the way and at length brings us into Canaan Fifthly looke still to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ as a good servant hold thy selfe in expectation of the appearing so the Text Luke 12.36 Blessed is that servant whom the Master shall finde so doing Doest thou expect him from heaven and is not thy conversation there doest thou expect his comming in glory and meetest not him in grace lookest thou for him as thy head and wilt thou not as a member holde an happy union and fellowship with him expectest thou thence a Saviour and continuest thou not unto the end seeing onely such shall be saved Matth. 10.22 Now the motives to the meanes of perseverance First this is a true signe of a true friend of God who loves at all
and make some offers but to purchase the pearle what ever it cost he heares this voice not to taste onely some sweetnesse of Christ and the heavenly gift which an ineffectuall calling may doe but to digest it and live by it Ineffectuall calling may enlighten many may affect many but this perswades the heart and justifieth many Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many That may consent to the word and and receive it with joy but not with faith not with love That may taste it but digest it not as beleeving Christ rather the Saviour of others than their owne or if they say their owne they cannot prove it but this mingles all with faith assenteth and truly applieth and constantly retaines it when all the other blaze is quite put If God speake in the Sacraments hee heares his voice there First in Baptisme to obey his first call to be gathered into the Church as the creatures into the Arke But with this difference Hee heares this voice to be admitted not onely into the externall society of the Church among true beleevers as Simon Magus may Demas and Iudas and every uncleane beast but to put on Christ and to be justified by faith to be set into the head and so are both in the Church and of it He heares the voice effectually not onely to the washing of his body with water but to the washing of his soule with the water of regeneration and first fruites of sanctification He heares this voice not onely to make a profession but an actuall renunciation of Satan of lusts of the fashion of the world and to binde himselfe an houshold servant of Christ all his dayes Secondly in the Sacrament of the Supper hee heares the voice and discernes it to feede not his body onely with the Lords bread but his soule with the bread which is the Lord. He heares the voice to renew his Covenant and set his seale unto it to eate and drinke worthily the flesh of Christ which is meate indeede and the blood of Christ which is drinke indeede and so growes up in the Covenant as a true member of Iesus Christ. He feedes his faith by this Sacrament the hypocrite feedes his hypocrisie The second way of Gods externall calling is by the voice of his mercies and crosses The heart effectually called heares the voice of his mercy 1. To inflame it selfe with the love of God but not as hirelings for wages but as children for himselfe and his goodnesse Psal. 116.1 2. To make him cleave to his worship not outwardly onely as Cain and the Pharise but inwardly and sincerely 3. To frame him to cheerefull obedience whereas ineffectuall calling can make men say Lord Lord but they doe not things commanded 4. To make him zealous for religion and hate corruptions not in others as Iehu but in himselfe and that not by a fit as a burning ague but with a constant temperate heate against all evill because of love of good 5. To make him thankfull to God and mercifull to men as God hath beene to him Secondly when the Lord calls by afflictions and crosses this heart heareth the voice of the rod to open keep open the door that is the eare which was sealed It is the Lord as saith Eli and not as Pharaoh Who is the Lord Hee heares this voice to make him stoope and inquire and hearken further as Manasseh and as Paul stricken downe Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Hee heares it to make him feare the more but not servilly and slavishly by the spirit of bondage as the Israelites at the giving of the Law lest they should be stricken through with darts but with a childlike feare lest they further offend him He heares the voice of the Spirit purging and cleansing him by afflictions as by the Lords fanne and whitening him by this sope of afflictions Dan. 12.10 II. The Lord speakes inwardly by a still voice in the heart sometimes by the motions of his Spirit when the elect heare the voice behinde them saying this is the way they heare the voice cherish and foster the motion and walke in the way Many are the motions of ineffectuall calling but they are not followed but either resisted or neglected and at last utterly quenched Sometimes the Lord speakes by the secret checkes of their owne conscience which the hypocrite by all meanes would choake and stifle but effectuall calling listens to this voice to the humbling of the heart making the sense of one or more grosse sinnes to be as a weight of lead on their hearts to keepe them under to the shunning of them and terrifying of them from the like for time to come so as by sinne a way is made out of sinne and a passage made to reconciliation and grace which is given to the humble Thus have we described the first and most assured and infallible note of effectuall calling namely the true discerning of every voice and call of God with a gracious fruite and effect following the same A second infallible note of effectuall calling is a manifest and continuall change by this voice great and wonderfull is the change in a man truly called He is not the same man he was before Gods voice and calling makes things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 Was there not a great change in Lazarus when he was called out of the grave yet the difference betweene Lazarus dead and alive is not more than betweene a man effectually called and uncalled God hath quickened a dead man This change will bewray it selfe sundry wayes I. In respect of sinne Before effectuall calling oh how did he delight and joy in his sinne who was a more busie actour in sinne than he he could runne to excesse of riot as fast as any hee was a loving partner and companion of evill men hee hated none so much as those who would have reclaimed him from his sin or if sometime he were stung and pricked in conscience he could confesse and sorrow for sinne but not hate it not leave it Perhaps some sinister respects might cause him to restraine himselfe as Haman but to a thorow reformation he could never attaine But now he is called not onely out of the curse and guiltinesse of sinne but out of the bondage and service of sinne that now hee serves not in the oldnesse of the letter but in newnesse of spirit the more dearely hee loved his lusts the more deadly hee hates them as Ammon did Thamar Now he hates that which he doth Hee dearely accompts of him now whom God useth as an instrument to helpe him out of his sinne so the Iaylour Act. 16. He gives his sinnes a passe and saith as Ephraim to his Idols Get yee hence hee loathes his beloved sinnes past hates the present and avoides sinne to come with all the occasions be they never so secret gainefull and pleasant II. In respect