sustaine and keep it from relapsing into its former fits it would soon be reduced into its former station and be visited with its old disease wherein it was seated and wherewith it was infected before grace entered into it and the ground is because of the abundance of strong corruptions inherent and accompanying the best regenerate for the flesh is still warring against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for there was ever a strong antipathy between these two Now Christ who is the Captain of our Salvation make his graces powerful in his Saints that so they may not give ground but stand fast in that condition whereunto he hath called them for the Saints are kept through faith unto salvation by that power of grace which is given unto them of God the Father and and our Lord Jesus Christ otherwise were it not powerful all the grace the Saints had received was but in vain and so Christs death and resurrection had been to little purpose for one end of Christs death was to kill sin and so of his resurrection to raise us up to newness of life and so to keep us there that we should never be surprised and conquered by the old man but contiue in the new and walk as a people ransomed by the Lord. Reas 8 That by this power the soul might act for God for Christ the Gospel and the Saints in the performance of its duty to all that it might honor the Father with that honor that is due unto his name that it might suffer with and for Christ and that it might love embrace and defend the Gospel and the Saints against all oppositions whatsoever for had not the graces of the Spirit of Christ come into the soul with power the soul could never have performed any duty acceptable to God for God accepts of nothing unless it come first from his Spirit for its the voice of his own spirit whereby the Saints cry Abba Father for as on the one hand every good and perfect gift cometh from God who is the Father of lights so on the other hand no man of himself without this power is able to think a good thought or speak a good word much less do any good action man through his lost ability in Adam is spiritually dead but carnally living nothing that he can own or lay claim unto as his act but sin but when godliness comes into a soul with power O then the faculties of the soul are resuscitated and made alive again and the members of the body are regulated brought into conformity unto the spirit and made by it to act for God who before acted against God that before were the weapons of unrighteousness unto sin are now become the weapons of righteousness unto the glory of that God who by his power cast into the soul did change that vile and sinful body and made it glorious and instrumental for his praise hereby the understanding is unvailed it s now brought unto new discoveries its carnal foolishness is sanctified wisdom it 's now able to discern and know the wonderful mysteries of godliness this power of godliness is the Eye-salve of the soul which takes off the condense film of ignorance and works a sensible illumination in that faculty of the understanding also this is the restorer of the will it brings it from nature to grace from willing the things of the flesh to will the things of God it disingageth the affections it stops their pursuit after the world and causeth them to run after God and the things of God nay further this power of God is a new Heaven created in the soul it s the new birth it s the regneration it s the new nature it s the death of the first and the life of the second Adam it s the extirpation of nature and sin and the renovation and transplanting of grace and life in the soul hereby the eyes can see for God the ears hear for God the tongue speak for God and the feet walk for God in a word the whole man by vertue of this power is made serviceable for God which it could never have been had not this godliness come into the soul with power Reas 9 That the Saints might be made fit for a suffering condition Phil. 1.29 for it s not onely given to Saints to beleeve but also to suffer for his names sake The Saints they are Christs witnesses on earth against the world Act. 5.32 Rev. 11.3 how have the people of God stood as a wall of brass in witnessing for the truth of Christ in the times of those ten persecutions what wicked cruel and barbarous dealing did they finde and receive from this world was not all maner of cruelty exercised against them that hell and men could invent and yet by this power of godliness they were enabled to indure all yea and with rejoycing also that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ O ineffable support O glorious conquest the sense of pain was swallowed up of the sense of joy the torments of hell vanquished and slighted by the thoughts of Heaven whilest burning burnishing while extinguishing reviving whilest crucifying enjoying Paradise Do but look into the book of Martyrs and see what sawing asunder roasting ailve putting into boiling oil eyes burning out and what not and yet by this power God made them stand strong and oppose his and their enemies to their own shame and confusion so that the Saints slaughterings at length became their persecutors sufferings they were wearyed and tired out with afflicting and butchering of the Saints and as God by his Power did then make them couragiously to stand so is he still the same God nor is his hand shortned that he cannot help but still will continue this power unto his people that they shall stand for Christ and undergo any kinde of suffering with joy for we fight against principalities and powers yea against spirituall wickedness in high places and this is another end why godliness comes into the soul with power That it might make the Saints live above the world that is might elevate their affections and make them live in Heaven where Christ their head is that it might dispossess worldliness and enthrone heavenly-mindedness that it might glorifie the soul and take it off from poring on this dunghil the world and the seeming glory thereof and fix it upon a Kingdom Pecuniam quae permaneat ac continuo duret gloriam quae semper floreat Basil and the real and permanent glory thereof to be enamored of the ravishing beauties of God the King of that glory that so the temptations allurements of the world being slighted and the glory and excellency thereof counted as dirt and dung the eternal glory of God may be advanced and onely aimed at in that soul for it is the glory of the Church here to have the Sun upon her head and to be crowned with a crown of
godliness dwels in thee and thy estate to be good and that thou art walking in the way to Eternal life O give God the glory of the riches of his grace and mercy in his Son for ever but on the contrary if none of these be found in thee but rather their contraries then there can be no godliness dwelling in thee and so thou remaining in a miserable estate and condition As first if thou art in that estate of nature wherein thou wert born and that thou never sawest any change or alteration from that conditionn or never endeavouredst after any but restedst contented and thoughtest thy self to be in a good and happy estate let men say what they will or can yea let God Christ and the Scriptures testifie the contrary as is most cleer they do as you may see in these ensuing places of Scripture John 3.3 Verse 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God now what birth is this but the new birth of the water and of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the water of Regeneration and the Spirit working effectually in us for our conversion as water doth cleanse the filth of mens bodies so the water of regeneration the souls of men from sin now the Spirit of God is that whereby we live to God through grace 1 Cor. 15.4 5. The first Adam was made a living soul but the last which was Christ was made a quickning Spirit that is such a man that is regenerate lives supernaturally above the sphear of nature that is another maner of life then a natural man can live now this word Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiro ut spiritus à spirando 2 Cor. 13.5 both in the Greek and Latine properly signifieth Breath and therefore Christ compareth the working of the Spirit to the Winde That bloweth where it listeth no man knoweth whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one which is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 Again Know you not if Christ be not in you ye are reprobates now Christ lives in no soul but where godliness dwels if Christ be in a soul there will be a conversation suitable to Jesus Christ now no natural man can know or partake of Christ or of his Spirit Rom. 8. For he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If sin raign in thee that thou obeyest it in the lust thereof if thou art a Drunkard a Swearer a profane Person an enemy to the Saints and the wayes of God and that thou takest delight in all maner of sinning O know that thou art far from godliness thou art still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity If thou livest suitable and conformable unto this world unholily and unsanctifiedly in thy conversation so as thou canst like and approve of any thing better or as well as holiness thou hast no power of godliness in thee If thou art ignorant what communion with God is and canst not speak by experience what sweetness is in Christ nor canst prize it at an high rate because thou knowest not what it is nor the worth thereof If thou canst not rest upon God in a streight but fleest to the creature and usest any indirect means to deliver thy self or else thou sinkest under thy affliction when thou placest confidence in outward means and forsakest the God of life If thou have no love to God Gospel the wayes of God and the Saints nor seest no excellency in them and yet hast an eye to see and admire an excellency in the things of the world as in profits pleasures riches honors good bargains and such in which indeed no excellency is it is to be feared that there is not the least spark of godliness in thee If thou couldest be content to live and enjoy the world for ever with all that it can afford and in thy thoughts couldest wish that all things in the world were at thy command and that thou wouldest willingly take them for thy heaven and for thy portion that thou hadst rather have thy Tabernacle here on earth then to enjoy the mansions of heaven that thou hadst rather associate and hold fellowship with the men of this world then be a companion to and with the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven O this speaks thee carnal this renders thee worldly if men would but examine their hearts and awake their benummed consciences it would be found to be the condition of millions of men and women in this world and it is for that they are of the earth and have nothing to do with any acquaintance or familiarity with God or the things of God For the natural man knoweth not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned If thy thoughts and affections be set upon the things of this world in the general course of thy life so that the god of this world hath taken the whole possession of thy heart and hath blinded thy eyes do but ask thy conscience what thy affections run after and what thy soul is most taken up with if thou art a carnal wretch then it will speak pure world The first thing wherewith thy minde is agitated in the night when thou awakest and in the morning when thou arisest is What must I do this day where shall I first pitch upon my imployment where shall I light upon a good bargain how shall I put off such and such a bad commodity what wile shall I use what stratagem shall I invent what way shall I go to work to pull a thorn out of my own foot and put it into my neighbors to advantage my self and over-reach my friends to ease my self and burden others such as these will be thy Soliloquies these will be thy reasonings and machinations and having through these night-studies accomplished thine ends O how will thy heart rejoyce O what a perfect man art thou in thine own wisdom thy onely joy is in the increase of thy Corn Wine and Oyl but as for God Christ and his wayes and for the graces of his Spirit they are not at all in thy thoughts O this is a lamentable sign that thy portion is in this world and that thou hast no part of that Inheritance which is given to the Saints If thou findest a certain antipathy or opposition in thy spirit against those Scriptures or Ministers that meet with thy sin couldst thou wish that the Scriptures were all compliances to thy will wouldst thou that God himself were not so holy as in his Word he is held forth to be and that there were less preaching more recreation then now there is on the Lords Day other dayes would one Sermon in a day yea in moneth please thee better if thou mightest have but Common Prayer with it well know that these things demonstrate a deadness to grace and godliness in the soul Vse 3 A third use
it was God that chose thee thou didst nor couldst not choose him O that an incomprehensible God should be comprehended by a poor wretched creature that he should bestow himself upon him and give him the riches of his grace O let the Saints for ever breath out thanks and praise to this gratious God and begin that work on earth which shall be their work for ever in the highest Heavens From the consideration of your redemption 3. Redemptio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is no less then a glorious redemption as being bought with a glorious price not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ of more worth and excellency then all the created powers in heaven and earth Consider what you are Redeemed from First From the curse of the Law Secondly From the wrath of an infinite God Thirdly From the power of sin Fourthly From a vain conversation Fifthly from the second death Sixthly Out of the jaws of Satan that great red dragon even from hell and condemnation What you are Redeemed to First To be in an estate of Son-ship to be the Sons of God Secondly To be heirs and joynt heirs with Jesus Christ Thirdly To have a sweet communion with God Christ and the Spirit of grace Fourthly To have communion with Saints Fifthly To enjoy life glory for ever where you shall sin no more where all teares shall be wiped from your eyes where you shall reign with God Christ Saints and Angels to all Eternity O this cals for thankfulness render unto him therefore the praises due unto his name 4. Justificatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est propria ipsa judicis de innocente reo pronunciatio significatione nimirum activa The consideration of your justification which is done by the merits of Christ that is to be fully acquitted of all sin as if a man had never sinned to stand right and just in the sight of God Christ having paid the debt to Divine Justice and blotted out the hand-writing against you so as now it s with the Saints as if they had never been defiled with sin you and onely you are they which stand justified in his sight in that fift to the Romans are these three words used viz. Justifying Justification Justice and they are thus distinguished The first Signifieth the merit of Christs Justice whereby the Saints are Justified The second The action it self of Justification whereby Christs Justice is communicated to the Saints The third the Justice it self which is imparted and communicated to the Saints you know by sin every man is bound over to the Judgment Seat there to answer before God for all things done against him in the flesh and to pay that debt that the Law requires now Christ is the Saints surety and in their behalf hath taken this debt upon himself and hath paid the utmost farthing that can be exacted by the Law he hath loosed the chains of darkness broken the strong holds and hath enlarged and set free the Saints in the sight of God so that neither the Law sin nor the devil can lay any charge or accusation against them they have their pardon written on their breast declaring there is no condemnation unto us because we are in Christ Jesus let the Saints therefore never cease to magnifie and praise the name of the God of their Salvation From the consideration of your vocation 5. Vocatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your calling out of darkness into the marvellous light whereby you can rejoyce in God your Saviour whereby your soul enjoyes the manifestation of all its comforts yea of its communion with God and Christ while its in the body God might have called his Saints at the last hour of their departure out of this life and so they might have lived without God in this world as every man doth before his calling and so without comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost now then if one hours communion with God be more worth then thousands of worlds O how are the Saints bound to bless God for so great a mercy as their enjoyment of communion with him here in this life for many days and yeers after they are called praise God therefore for your Vocation 6. Sanctificatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the consideration of your Sanctification and holiness a godly man ought to be as truly and really thankful that his sins are purged as that his sins are pardoned it is one of the greatest mercies that a soul can partake of to be purified washed and cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to receive of Christs communicated holiness to be imputed holy for Christs sake so that he who hath this robe of righteousness is made pure yea so pure and holy as if he had never sinned the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and this holiness and purity of spirit is a soul invested with by vertue of the blood of Christ flowing to it in the Covenant of Grace O this must needs be a strong motive to inlarge your hearts with gratitudes for so inestimable a mercy to be made pure as Christ is pure and holy as he is holy and for that this your holiness and Sanctification is not only universal but its perfect in its parts in every part of soul and body God doth not sanctifie one part now and another part at another time but he sanctifieth the soul thorowly at one the same time Therefore know that if thy heart be sanctified then thy judgment thy will thy understanding thy affections yea all the members of thy body and all the faculties of thy soul are sanctified also Yet you must know likewise that no man is perfect in the degrees of holiness on this side heaven yet bless God who ever thou art who knowest that sanctifying grace doth rest upon thy spirit here for though now it be in part yet it shall be made perfect in heaven for ever The seventh and last motive to stir up the Saints to thankfulness is this that thou who art a partaker of the power of godliness shalt be preserved to Eternal Life in spight of sin devil hell or any thing that can gainsay thou mayest slip and fail but never totally fall thou hast the spirit of God to guide and sustain thee thou art already passed from death to live with God eternally thou shalt never miscarry concerning thy eternal being thy trips and slidings shall but set thee forwarder on thy journey God will be thy God for evermore thou art safe for eternity and thy soul lieth in the bosome of Christ thou art given to Christ of the Father and those the Father hath given him he hath promised that none shall take them from him O bless the God of Gods whose mercy endureth for ever whose love is permanent whose purpose immutable and whose power All-sufficient to preserve thy soul and body unto eternal life Vse 6
none in his family that shall out of tenderness of conscience start disputations concerning matters of Religion nay there must be no reasonings no disputings no fightings nor contendings for the truth but as much as you will for the maintenance and defence of outward and formal Ceremonies this man is resolved to love quietness and ease he will not break his sleep nor trouble his thoughts with the mystery of the power of godliness yet let such as these know that this is a damnable security and that they will drop into hell before they are aware Quest .. 2 But those sins of pride blasphemy c. mentioned in the former Verses are such sons of the Gyant that the garment of hypocrisie though it be to the heels will hardly hide or cover them from the eyes of men how then can these great sins stand with a form of Religion Answ 1 A form of Religion serves for a Canopie to cover all these abominations it is one of the Fig-leaves to cover poor sinful mans nakedness it s made up by Satan and mans own base heart and it s of a crimson colour died in grain Isai 1.16.18 it s a crimson sin and double died Wo unto you Hypocrites Answ 2 A form of godliness is the Commander in Chief of all other sins other sins march after its Colours it s the devils Master-piece to make a man a grand hypocrite for he knows that an hypocrite is his principal Agent his Advocate his Apologist he shall have more service done by this man in one year then by open common profane persons which have not this form in many you know that which oft times cannot be obtained by force is gained by policy hypocrisie is the devils Fort-Royal it makes all other sins stoop to it Answ 3 It so blindes a mans eyes that it will not let him see that guilt that lies upon his spirit though his abominations be never so great and never so many yet this will keep all close from his eyes yea it will make a man believe he is in a good condition and walking in a good way when there is no such matter those wounds and sores which are fairly filmed over and have specious and visible appearances of sound and perfect cures are must desperate and incurable alas within they are full of festering and poysonous putrifections which will secretly exulcerate the flesh and corrode and eat into the bones and cause and precipitate a lingering death Answ 4 Hypocrisie or a form of godliness keeps the soul from self-inquisition and examination and so makes it insensible of its deplorable condition your formal professors eyes are alwayes abroad judging censuring and condemning others but never questioning themselves Luke 6.41 the Hypocrite in Lukes Gospel had two eyes to spy the Mote that was in his brothers eye but had not one eye to discern the Beam in his own eye they always lay heavy burthens on others Mat. 23.4 but will not touch them themselves with one of their fingers Answ 5 Fifthly Those that have onely a form of godliness walk in the broad way to condemnation and are in the same Center with all other damned sinners Hypocritae pierumque severissimi sunt eorum exactores quae ipsi maximè negligunt 1 Tim. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the ones sins go before to Judgment and the others follow after but the end of both is destruction and condemnation is their portion therefore he that is an hypocrite is not to be looked on to be in a better condition then open profane persons but in a worse for he that seems to others to be sound and yet within is nothing but rottenness eternal wretchedness will be his end so that thesâ— men are not onely guilty of all those greâ—â— abominations before mentioned but they take up this form to cover all their other sins withall so that they are both guilty of profaneness and hypocrisie for at the same time when the Apostle saith they are guilty of these sins he joyns this to the rest and that in the Present Tense Having a form of godliness they being guilty of that sin as of the former A form of godliness without the power of it may well be called the Devels Sin-Mould wherein he doth cast many sins at once do but read the former Verses and besides those the other sins that they are guilty of are innumerable If now we will suffer this Truth to speak to us it informs us of the deceitfulness and treachery of the hearts of men O take heed of your own hearts it is a dangerous thing to harbor a Traytor within your brest if thy heart be deceitful all thy actions wherein thou pretendest godliness will be so can ye expect good fruit of an evill Tree do men use to gather Grapes of Thorns or Lillies of Thistles can ye expect crystall Streames from impure and muddy Fountains a good heart produceth a good conversation and a bad heart an evill conversation there is nothing sooner discovers the heart then the life it is not that which goeth into the man defileth the man but that which cometh from within For out of the heart cometh blasphemies c. If thy heart be wicked so will all thy duties be thy Prayers thy Reading thy Conference about heavenly things all thy duties whatsoever to God and man will be abominable defiled corrupted and sinful A deceitful heart renders a man uncapable of receiving good and this is a most desperate condition that a man is not onely made unfit for doing any good but for receiving any good all the means of grace are inavailable to do him good the Word cannot reach him Prayer cannot fasten upon him the Spirit of God can finde no entertainment with him Mercies Judgments Corrections all are lost and he himself is lost so long as a deceitful heart dwels in him thus doth this leaven in the heart sowre and imbitter all good things to the soul Object If any question how if a deceitful heart be uncapable of receiving good from God and all men by nature have a deceitful heart then can any man be converted and saved Answ God did never nor ever will convert a deceitful heart for when God works upon any soul to conversion then and not till then doth he take away the decitfulness and uncleanness of the heart and immediatly gives a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit also I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes c He that hath onely a form of godliness doth not onely deceive others but himself his Saint seeming is his soul-damning his possessing of others with a false belief bereaves himself of true belief whilst he appears glorious to the worlds eye he remains most deformed and loathsome in the
Salomons the King of Kings estimate the greatest things in the world nay the power of the whole world to be nothing yea less then nothing who of nothing raised the world and all created Beings therein and to the same nothing can reduce them at his will and pleasure This I say is that God which sendeth godliness with a power into the soul of his Saints The next thing that we must consider is The ends why God sends godliness into the souls of his people with such power By the way taking notice of godliness as it is observable in its Cause and Effect for godliness in this place is Metonimically spoken the Effect for the Cause now Grace is the cause of godliness and godliness is the effect of Grace for Grace is that which makes a man a godly man and its Grace that comes with power into the soul whereby the life of man is acted and carried on in the wayes of godliness These things thus premised we shall proceed to the aforesaid Ends or Reasons Reas 1 The first End or Reason that God hath in sending godliness into the soul with power is because of the great opposition it must encounter withall and that is from the devil the world the flesh and spirit of men The devil he is the strong man and hath taken possession of the soul and alwayes stand upon his guard to keep his ground with all the powers of hell and all the strength that he can possibly make yea he bids defiance against Heaven Satans plea. Men and Angels and maketh this or the like plea for himself This soul is mine it was born mine We were by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.2 3. c. yea it hath lived mine I have had the possession of it these twenty or thirty years yea it may be forty or fifty years what power now shall snatch him out of my hands he is my bounden servant he is my ancient souldier he hath covenanted to fight under my banner he is a loyal subject of my Kingdom he is true to his trust he will oppose my opposers he will defend my right and interest he will not have me lose any footing he will rather perish then have me dispossessed why then should not I actuate all my power and force for him to keep him still my faithful servant rather die then part with him Now Christ he comes and laies claim to this soul and saith This soul is mine Christs plea. and it was given me of my Father yea Joh. 17.6.9.29 24. I have loved him more then mine own life I have shed my pretious blood for him that I might redeem him out of the jaws of hell and deliver him from the power of Satan I am the Captain of his deliverance yea Heb. 2.10 I have bought him at a dear rate and paid more for him then heaven and earth it self yea 1 Pet. 1.18 then all the createed power in both and I will have him and Christ enters this Fort binds the strong man and doth cast him out by the strength of those weapons which are not carnal but spiritual yea mighty through God to cast down strong holds this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Saviour that can that will ransom and deliver his People maugre all oppositions whatsoever this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Anointed one Ephes 4.8 that victorious King of Kings that leads captivity captive and gives gifts to men of whose power the Saints receive power 1 Joh. 2.13 and grace for grace whereby they are inabled to wrestle against pincipalities and powers Ephes 6.12 against the Rulers of the darkness of this world yea against spiritual wickednesses in high places As it must be powerful to stand in opposition against Satan so against the world for if Grace and Godliness were not powerful the world would soon repel and overcome it it would exclude and bar the door of the soul against them for the world doth as really fight against the soul as the devil doth now what is the world certainly all that is in the world that is the lust of the flesh 1 Joh. 2.16 the lust of the eyes and the pride of life the first and strong invaders of our first Parents that did invade and overcome that laid siege unto took possession of the strong-fortified and enabled-to-resist faculties of the soul of Adam and in him do still smite his loyns and ensnare and seize upon the power and strength of all his seed they plead a right and possession by antiquity and they will keep their hold until they be evinced and cast out by the power of Grace which is the onely weapon we have to ward off the assaults of these spiritual wickednesses 1 Joh. 5.4 Rev. 15.2 this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith and by the power that God put into those glorious Martyrs they overcame the world in all its persecutions imprisonments yea and death it self It comes with power that it might beat down the corruptions of flesh and spirit that daily rebel and rise up against the Saints and that made Paul say I beat down my body I club it down 1 Cor 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vi subjicio corpus meum I beat it black and blue as the Original word signifies and all yet all was little enough for Naturam expellas furcâ licet usque recurrit there are such imperfections in the perfectest Christians such reliques of Nature that there will be still continual buffetings and conflicts between the Spirit and the Flesh though the Spirit doth oppose and sometimes get ground yet the Flesh will be returning and getting head again so long as we are in the body little doth the world know what ado Grace hath with the Flesh and Spirit of the Saints there will be such reluctances such combates such heavy burthens upon the soul that oft times it makes the Saints go very heavy and sad most part of their dayes And therefore the Apostle exhorts us To cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Rom. 7.23 24. and this makes him cry out Who shall deliver me from the body of this death well I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that is by that power of Christ that he sends into his soul he was delivered and by that power alone are all the Saints delivered from these three great capital Enemies Reas 2 That it may make us stand strong against all our enemies that oppose whatsoever Stand fast saith Paul in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free Gal. 5.1 1 Cor. 16.13.15.57 Watch you stand fast in the faith and quit you like men and be strong for God he hath given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord and ye are kept by the power of God through faith to eternal salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Now the reason why the
and arguings of the soul I may call the spirit of bondage under which the soul sinks and sees no way of hope of recovery but now Christ intervenes and darts the raies of his glory into such a lost soul resolves its doubtings calmes its frettings and disputings and come and makes his abode in that soul and takes it by the hand and saith Is there no deliverer for thee I will deliver thee I have satisfied divine justice I am thy surety and the propitiation for thy sin At this the soul begins to startle it s recovered from its lethargy now it ariseth from death to life and saith What voice is that I here What mercy for me A Christ for me for such a sinfull wretch as I am O how sweet is this voice how welcome is this Gospel How excellent is this Christ O the sweetest of ten thousand now the soul is humbled to purpose its fit to receive any impression to do to suffer any thing that Christ cals for now the soul flies to Christ as to a rock hangs about him like a burre closeth with him in what ever Christ commands Christs voice is a soul-humbling and a soul-melting voice more excellent then the law Object But some may say that surely many have believed that never came in such a legal way to Christ as Matthew Lydia and others Answ I answer that though it be not recorded of the grief and spirit of bondage that these underwent yet it s not safe to conclude they did not come to Christ that way seeing others came that way as the Jews at Peters Sermon Act. 2.37 the Jailor the woman that washed Christs feet with her tears and many others as David Peter c. Look upon that to the Romans where the Apostle saith ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Rom. 8.15 which shewes cleerly that once they had received it before they came to Christ in their preparation to conversion And again Christ comes to call sinners to repentance yea those that finde sin to be a burden to them and such as are weary and heavy laden and prest down to hell in their own apprehensions by reason of their sins that they are guilty of The whole needeth not the Physitian but such as are sick saith Christ such as are sick at the heart of sin as are sensible of the pain and horror of sin I am somewhat the larger in this point because there is a generation of men in these days that deny the use of the moral law to be any means of driving the soul to Christ yea or so much as the use of it in any sense to the Saints that are brought to Christ let these remember that the Apostle saith the Law is a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ not onely the Law Ceremonial but moral also See Rom. 3.31 Where he saith Do we make void the Law behold we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 And I suppose none dares say but he speaks there of the moral Law and again the Law is Just holy and good what then is there no use to be made of that which is just holy and good by beleevers under the Gospel surely yes and then Christ himself justifies maintains the Law moral in that of Matthew Mat. 5.17 18 19. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law no no I am come to fulfil it Therefore whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments and teach men to do so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven The Law first breaks and kills us with the fight of sin before Christ cures us and binds us up The Holy Ghost worketh and maketh faith effectuall by these three acts It puts a power and authority in the Law whereby it makes a man poor in spirit Now blessed are poor in spirit What 's the reason Mat. 5. O it makes the soul in a fit temper to receive Jesus Christ in the Gospel preached for the spirit of bondage doth make the law effectual as the spirit of adoption maketh the Gospel The second work in the soul is to receive Christ being revealed in the Gospel O here he shewes the unsearchable riches of Gods love in Christ to poor creatures yea here he shews what is the hope of his calling and the glorious inheritance of the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to them that believe certainly the Saints of God need the Spirit of God to shew these glorious mysteries Thirdly The Spirit testifies with the Spirits of the Saints First that these are true Secondly that they belong to them O when the Spirit of Christ shall say These things are thine Christ is thine God is thy father that thou art now an heir and joynt-heir with Christ and hast right to life and glory by vertue of free grace then is the soul brought into a sweet and happy condition But I would not here be mistaken I do not say that the spirit of bondage works alike upon and in all that come to Christ but in some more and in some less neither dare I limit the Holy one of Israel who is tyed to no means or wayes to call home his Saints to himself But this I say that first its Gods ordinary way of working in and with his Saints Secondly it s a safe way for the Saints to know their estates by it being that way in which the Saints have been called home to Christ in general This may inform us if that godliness have such a power in it then there are but few in the world that are acquainted with it for godliness cannot lie hid but it will break forth wheresoever it cometh there is no fire but there will be some smoak there can be no moving or acting without life its impossible for a godly soul to be a liveless soul but the generality of men are ignorant of it because they are naturally dead godliness is an herb that grows not in every mans Garden a flower not in every mans garland a Crown not set upon every mans head a garment not fit for every mans wearing No no it s that which is onely given to Saints that are redeemed from the earth by the bloud of the Lamb Christ Jesus yea it s for those that are called and chosen and faithful O how few great men and rich men in this world participate of these high priviledges or are made possessors of these riches these onely true riches which neither Moth nor Rust can corrupt Mat. 6.19 nor theeves break thorow and steal How few come to have a taste or to meddle with the Saints joy which is communicable to none but them in Christ Where is the Wise 1 Cor. 1.20 21 22 26. where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world Not many wise men after the flesh not many noble not many mighty are called hath not God made foolish the wisdom
Sixthly Let this be also of terror to all wicked and ungodly men who are so far from having this power of godliness wrought in their heart that they resist the offers of it and quench the motions of the Spirit of Grace who are bound up under the power of sin in whose mortal bodies sin reigneth such as these are ruled by the Prince of this world Satan is their Lord they are his Slaves and Vassals they do his work they follow his imployment By this they may know they are of their Father the Devil for his children they are to whom they obey they fight for his Kingdom and are the subjects thereof O tell me you sinners what will become of your souls another day your end of dayes hastens on and the day of account is at hand when you must stand at the Bar of Jesus Christ to answer for things done in the flesh what answer will you make what plea can you have 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous shall scarcely be saved who then dares plead your cause And this will not onely be the condition of notorious wicked and ungodly sinners but of all such as have not the power of godliness wrought in their hearts let them carry themselves never so upright and holy in the eyes of men O the civil honest man though never so well qualified and gifted with natural endowments with Moral vertues with loving and affable carriages this man is in that condition which will prove woful to his own soul for ever for where no power of godliness is there is no Christ and where there is no Christ there must needs be a devil do but consider you must shortly come to lie on your death-beds thou dost not know how soon O then it may be thou art tormented in thy body in thy spirit and in thy conscience thy conscience then comes to be awakened which in thy prosperity was asleep and stupified now it opens her mouth wide which before was dumb now it flashes the very flames of hell into thy face now thy sins come into thy minde which thou hast committed twenty thirty nay fourty years ago now they stand in array before thee now they strike horror and amazement into thy wounded soul there is no cessation of Assaults no parle to be admitted there is none come to thy relief thy friends forsake thee thy God forsakes thee that is thy unrighteous Mammon thy riches thy gold thy silver thy lands nay thy wife thy children and all things in the world cannot administer one drop of comfort unto thee but on the contrary they are as fuel to thy torments thy sight of the want of help in them aggravates thy woes at length thou sendest for Physitians to prolong thy days well they come to thee and tell thee there is no hope thou art a dead man all the means in the world are inavaileable what sad tidings is this what duplication of thy pain is here well maist thou truly say My sins are become a burthen too heavy for me to bear and cry out Was ever sorrow like unto my sorrows what must I die O that I had never been born O that I had been abortive from the Womb that I had never drawn the first breath of life now thy soul sits on thy trembling lips ready to take her flight for Eternity then comes the devil to claim his Interest Give me thy soul I am sent for thee thou art mine thus he sets upon thee like an armed man he will weary thee like a mastive Dog and will not leave thee whilest thou hast breath do but consider what a woful time this will be whilest thou art here and do but weigh these several aggravations First When thou comest to Judgment as thou shalt stand at Christs left hand when on his right hand thou shalt see many that were inferior to thee for breeding and education for estate and for parts yea them whom thou didst despise as fools and silly men men of no account or esteem in the world O I say when thou shalt see these on Christs right hand whom he doth own and embrace for his people and thou left to misery and destruction will not this be an aggravation to thy misery When thou shalt see them which lived in the same parish with thee under the same Ministery and thou hadst the same means of grace preached to thee as they had and yet they are saved and thou art damned will not this cut thee to the very heart yea it may be thou mayest see some of thy servants there whom thou hast checked and rebuked nay whom thou hast despised and hated for their forwardness in Religion and following the means of grace calling them Fools Sectaries and Separatists O how wilt thou be amazed astonished and confounded how will this terrifie thy soul when thou shalt see them united and joyned to Christ their Saviour and accompanied with holy and blessed Spirits and thou separated and cast out into utter darkness amongst the devil and his cursed angels When thou shalt see those who have told thee from the Lord that thou shouldest not come to life and glory but that thou wert a castaway and couldst not be saved for that thou rebelledst against God Christ Gospel and the light of thine own conscience yea thou that wouldst trust to thy morality and good dealings with men thou that lookest for some excellency in thy self but didst see none in Christ nor his ways O now these men are come to witness against thee to thy wo and it may be thou wilt think and say with thy self of such a man as Ahab said of Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy O this will heighten thy misery this will heap coals of fire upon thy head When thou shalt be convinced that hadst thou made as good use of the mercies that were offered thee had God given thee an heart so to have done as those that stand before thee did thou mightest have been as happy as any of them thou mightest have enjoyed the like sweetness of God excellency of Jesus Christ with them but when it shal be said unto thee thou enjoyedst thy good things in this world thou rejectedst the proffers of grace thou wouldst none of the counsels of God but didst cast his Laws behind thy back therefore art thou punished and they blessed now do thy repentings come too late now are thy thoughts fruitless O into what a gulf of horrors will this plunge thy soul When Christ now shall call thee by thy name and say Soul in what place of the earth didst thou dwel peradventure thou mayst say Lord I lived in London now why may not Christ say in a place where my word was as powerfully preached as in any place of the world where the Sun-shine of the Gospel shined as bright as any where under heaven where my mercy was extended as largely my goodness flowed as abundantly as in no place more what at