saith the Gallant I confesse these fashions are fooleries but what shall I doe out of fashion with the world the Text saith fashion not your selves after the world but the truth is I know not how to get out and how to get in it is a strict passage art thou informed of a duty and convinced of it and is thy heart perswaded of it and wilt thou not set about it where is grace then Civlitie will reforme Hypocrisie will reforme Nature will reforme Reason will reforme a man in outward things but if a man will not part with an apish fashion a foolery how will he part with all sinne that will not part with the shadow the appearance of sinne I conclude thus he that is informed and convinced what is sin and ought to be avoided and will not addresse himselfe to reforme it that man is not under the power of the Word and therefore hath no power of grace but hee that knowes the Word of God requires this and that God exacts this and is convinced of it and will not submit to that word hee is not under the power of the Word therefore hath no power of grace Lastly as hee is willing to know what he should doe and is easily convinced of what he is informed and doth endeavour to doe that whereof he is convinced so in the last place his heart is content to take up the hardest meanes the sharpest medicines that God hath appointed for the killing and slaying of his corruptions if there bee any medicine in the world more keene then other any meanes more sharpe then other that may cut off his base distempers a gracious heart will be content to take up that that it may serve his turne that there might bee reformation made I expresse it thus take an arme or a legge that hath a Gangrene the nature of the sore is that it will infect and spread and kill the whole man now the Chirurgion comes and tells the patient either you must lose your legge or your life either you must have your arme cut off or you will cut off your dayes there is no other remedy why then if the patient say hee will abide the worst every man will say he doth not purpose to live if he did purpose to maintaine life hee would take away that which will take away life So it is here with some kinde of baser sinnes I meane grosser opener notoriouser crimes that I may so say are scandalously vile there is no way in the world but there must be some sharpe corrasive applied or else the soule will never bee separated from these there must be some strong corrasive and sharpe medicine applied now if the soule will not take that corrasive and medicine he doth not purpose to part with sinne because hee will not use the meanes that may take away sinne as for instance a man hath gotten an estate by theeverie and couzenage and the like now when the Word of God comes home to his conscience and informes him and tells him he must satisfie every man that is the thing he must make satisfaction for hee should humble himselfe and bemoane his estate with teares that will not serve the turne nothing will cure him but satisfaction that is the Gangrene that must be cut off but then hee will say most of his estate was gotten by this meanes and if hee make satisfaction hee shall beggar himselfe but if hee bee content in good earnest to part with his sinnes he will take this course because nothing else will doe the deed a Broker in London that had gotten much by couzning when the Word came home unto him and discovered his sinnes hee was content to make satisfaction till it came to five and ten pound but when it came to an hundred pound he flew off I will passe no judgement upon him but his course was base before and so it was afterwards a man that deales falsely this is the medicine this is the corrasive that must cure him thus Zacheus did If I have wronged any man saith he by forged cavelation let him come I will restore him fourefold A gracious heart that is truly wrought upon will apply this medicine the other instance is this imagine a man that lives in the bosome of the Church a great professour hath beene either openly drunk or hath beene a knowne adulterer there is no cure for this man let him fast and pray and humble his soule and cry and howle I know not how this mans conscience can be quieted unlesse he make publicke confession in the Congregation hee must not onely satisfie his owne conscience but hee must satisfie the Congregation the Church of God hath beene wronged and the Church of Christ dishonoured and discredited hee must therefore undergoe publick pennance as his offence was publicke this is a sharpe medicine and corrasive but a good heart will take it up as an antient spake hee lay at the Church doore and said spit upon me cast me out of your Congregation so God cast not my soule out of heaven I care not Thus much a good heart will doe and then he is content in good earnest to part with his corruptions hee is willing to know what is sinne he yeelds when hee is informed and readily embraceth what hee yeelds to nay he will take the sharpest medicine to doe him good but if yet the sinner findes that hee cannot be rid of his corruptions and distempers then he goeth to God and intreats him to doe that for him which he cannot doe himselfe and that appeares in three things The first passage is this it lookes unto the truth of God and it wisheth and welcomes those truths that are in reason most powerfull to prevaile with his soule and most likely to worke most effectually for the subduing of his sinnes that when he cannot doe what hee would and master his sinnes as he desires he wisheth that the Lord would direct some man by some powerfull truth to plucke these rebellions out of his soule hee wisheth and hee wellcomes and he takes those truths that may be powerfull and effectuall this way so that the soule makes his moane to God and complaines as David did ye are too hard for mee yee sonnes of Zerviah Oh Lord these corruptions sticke too fast they are too strong they are too mighty for me I am not able to remove them but Lord take them thou away from my soule take away the way of iniquitie from me nay teare them from me nay doe what thou wilt with my soule onely remove them from my my soule this is a gracious heart now nay the Lord takes this as his proper worke and speciall prerogative I take away the heart of stone and I give the heart of flesh this is his perogative royall none meddles with it but he therefore the soule argues thus Lord thou hast said that thou takest away the heart of flint thou hast promised to subdue a stubbourne spirit
and to master a malicious vaine spirit Lord doe this for the soule of thy servant take away these distempers and in thy faithfullnesse answer the desires of the soule of thy servant helpe me Lord against the rage of these sinnefull distempers and when the truth of Christ layes battery against a mans heart and that it brings and sets up another frame and disposition of heart the soule lies under the blow and closeth with that truth more of that Lord oh there againe Lord. A man that is troubled with the toothach if the Tooth-drawer apply his instrument and hee find hee hath hold of it hee saith that is it pull it out leave nothing behind So when the soule is under the stroake of strong distemper if hee make conscience of these things when the word comes home to his soule and meetes with that distemper he saith Lord plucke out all of it that I may never see that pride more that I may never see that malice more leave not a stumpe behinde Lord that I may be freed from that cursed distemper of spirit this is the difference betweene a varnished hypocrite and a sound heart a wretched unsound heart it feares least the Word should come home to it it feares the blow when hee seeth it comming hee wisheth he were ridde of the place or the Minister ridde of that point but a sound heart feares least the Word should not come close enough it is conscious to it selfe and knowes and sees I have heard such Sermons and such terrors and such mercies revealed and I am still to this day stubborne to this day rebellious so that I feare nothing will prevaile with mee nothing will get ground against this rebellious spirit of mine I feare the Word will not touch me nor master this rebellious spirit this is somewhat you meane in good earnest that you and your sinne will part it is a fine passage Zach. 13.6 One meetes him and askes him where hadst thou this wound I was wounded in the house of my friend a gracious heart counts the Minister a friendly Minister and a friendly Word that cuts his heart to the quicke and goeth to the coare of his corruptions oh the wound was the wound of a friend it was a friendly reproofe the Minister spake friendly to mee that wounded my corruptions I saw the coare comming why this is somewhat when the soule can wellcome such truths as are for the a wakening of it Secondly as the soule wisheth and wellcomes those particular truths that may awaken and overpower a distemper and leave a contrary grace so it is restlesse before God be pleased for to worke this before it see every corruption mastered and the frame of sinne tottered at a restlesly looking to God and restlesly waiting upon God why when will it once be such a mans heart is broken and such a mans conscience awakened and such a mans spirit brought low and Lord shall nothing prevaile with me He is restlesse in seeking unto the Lord till he see every sinne mastered and every corruption overpowred so that though it be inherent yet it is not regnant The Irish man being malitious and fearefull he never thinkes his enemy killed till he hath cut off his head hee will be sure to make him past recovery so a gracious heart never thinkes his sinnes are slaine till hee see the strength and power thereof subdued in every particular more or lesse till hee see the very bloud and life of his corruptions removed this is that a gracious heart is restlesse and intreats at Gods hand from day to day therefore it is a fine passage Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death marke the weight of his complaint hee doth not say deliver mee from the stroake of sinne or the action of sinne but from the body of sinne there is a body of pride there is a body of malice a body of anger a body of the cursed distempers of a mans soule now a gracious heart is not content to be freed onely from the tongue of pride that hee may not speake proudly but Lord deliver mee from the body of pride from the body of malice from the inward frame of my distempers in a word looke what Haman said concerning Mordecay when hee had all the cappes in the country and all knees bowing to him What availeth this saith he so long as I see Mordecay sit in the Kings gate So saith a gracious heart what availes it me that I am not a theefe or a drunkard or an adulterer if yet this proud heart prevailes this proud heart and carnall confidence of mine will bring my soule into everlasting destruction the soule is restlesse till the Lord looke upon him and deliver him from his corruptions The third thing is this that the soule is content that God shall doe what hee will with his corruptions take them away after what manner hee please though it bee upon the hardest tearmes in the world as it welcomes those truths that may worke as it is restlesse till they doe worke so it is contented that the Lord should worke upon sinne and subdue it upon the hardest tearmes in the world A covetous man if nothing but beggery will loosen his heart from the world then hee will pray the Lord to make him give away all and leave himselfe a beggar so hee may have a liberall heart So if a man bee notable to subdue the pride of his heart a man hath great parts and abilities and hee prankes up himselfe therein if there bee nothing will cure this timpany if nothing will doe the deede unlesse God knock off the wheels and leave him in the dust and make him the off-scouring of the world yet a gratious heart though this be hard saith Lord let mee have an humble heart whatever it costs me this man now is in good earnest content to part with his corruptions For the use of the point wee have first here a matter of lamentation and I know not whether wee are to condemne the evill of the world or mourne for the evill that appeares in the hearts and lives of men but this is sure that if this be the behaviour of a sound heart then there is little soundnesse and uprightnesse in the world not to hover in generall but to pitch upon particulars which is the life of application let me make it appeare in these three particulars this is a bill of inditement and falls heavy and foule upon these three sorts the first is the prophane person the second is the indulgent hypocrite he is very loath to part with his corruptions if this be true if this bee the frame of heart which David expresseth and is in the soule of every good man then judge you I will say nothing but judge you set downe the sentence what doe you thinke of those that are content rather to part with their blood and with their hearts then with their
base corruptions I meane the prophane carnall wicked of the world they are so farre from being content to have their sinnes taken away that they are not willing to heare of it they are not willing that the Minister should meddle with them or that any man should touch them or come neare them nay there is no power outwardly that can prevaile no abilitie in any meanes that is able to teare these distempers away from their soules and plucke the cup from the drunkard or the dalliance from the adulterer or a fashion from the fashion-monger they are up in armes presently nay observe it men must beware it they meddle with these things they will take away mens credit and liberty and life many times rather then they will suffer their corruptions to bee remooved and their soules humbled by the power of the Word Iohn must rather lose his head then Herod his incestuous adultery Nay the league of these men with their lusts it is everlasting Ier. 18.12 when the Prophet came early and late speaking to the people this is the good and ancient way walk in it mark how they answer we will walke in our owne wayes and as they resolved so they did Ier. 8.5 the Text saith when the Prophet came to speake to them and informe them of their wicked wayes and plucke away their corruptions they tooke hold upon their deceits the phrase is strange this is all the quarrell in the world betweene the Minister and the hearts of the people we come to plucke away your sinnes wee would pull downe your proud heart and subdue your cursed distempers and you take hold of your lusts you take hold of pride and will continue proud still you take hold of malice and you will be malicious still in despight of God and Ministers and counsels and directions and what ever comes to the contrary looke as the Philistims dealt with the Arke so these prophane carnall hearts deale with the Word of the Lord when it comes to take away their distempers 1 Sam 4.9 when the people of Israel brought the Arke into the Campe they began to be amazed and said there was never such a thing before therefore say they strengthen your hand O yee Philistims and quit your selves that yee be not servants to the Hebrewes The Arke was a type of Christ now if they would have beene ruled by Christ and have received him they might have beene blessed by Christ but all is gone when the arke comes to take away their sinnes therefore they joyne hand in hand and strengthen themselves against him so it is with a naughty and carnall heart when they see the word of God close that the ministery of the Gospel is keene and pierceth when a man shall not hover in the generall that a man may bee a Christian and prophane a swearing lying prophane Christian but the word will pluck away every corruption and master every lust when they finde the ministery thus strong and the Word thus keene and the worke of Gods Spirit thus mighty they arme themselves and say Play the men O yee Philâ—stines they bend head and hand and heart together looke either to master the power of the Word or to lay downe the power of your corruptions therefore take heede of the nice precise curious course that the word reveales and the ministers would presse upon you The resolution of these men is that of Ruth and Naomi they say to their sinnes as they did nothing but death shall part us the contentious man will part with his estate before hee will part with his brangling so the ambitious man will be content that God shall take away his Word and Spirit but shall not take away his vaine glory you will not part with your sinnes untill death why you shall live in your sinnes here and you shall bee damned for ever for your sinne wee have now done with the carnall Gospeller and prophane person Wee will now trade in the second place with the indulgent hypocrite I use this terme because it fits the passage of the point in hand and he is cashered and cast out as not sharing in as not partaking of the least dramme of uprightnesse of heart this indulgent hypocrite I compare to a fond cockering father that never loves to have his child out of his sight but if hee die hee will die with him almost So this hypocrite hee is not willing to see an everlasting divorce betweene sinne and his soule he hath some secret haunt of heart and distemper of spirit and hee will leave them now and then a little but hee will not part wholly with them the soule of the hypocrite is hankering after those secret distempers of spirit and though sometimes the Word doth overpower him and the worke of conscience doth make him not dare to live with his sinnes yea hee will meete with his sinnes as occasion serves and they will mainetaine their old league and friendship in this case as it is with a cockering father when sometimes the friends perswade him and necessitie forceth him and hee seeth hee must put out his child to schoole or else hee will be spoiled loath he is to have him goe out of sight but goe hee must therefore goe he shall but his conclusion is this hee will see him once a quarter or every good time or looke as it is with servants in a family that intend marriage before the master be acquainted with it though the master turne one of them out of the house that they doe not dwell together yet they will meete one another and conferre with one another as occasion serves So it is with this indulgent hypocrite he is very tender over his old ancient darling distempers privie pride and secret selfe-love and carnall confidence and earthly mindednesse he is not able to part wholy with these but if reason force him and conscience presse him and he must part with his profit if he be covetous then with a sad heart hee parts with his base profit away you must I must couzen no more and ease away you must I must suffer for the cause of Christ but though he puts them from under his wings thus for the present yet he will not have them goe farre but he must heare of them and see them at some seasons so the Tradesman he hath his fingers knockt off from base dealings and false weights and measures but when the faire comes and advantage comes hee will send for couzening againe so hee that prizeth his liberty more than the Gospell and truth and he that prizeth his honour more than Gods honor yet saith he must abandon all and forsake al if dangers approach and miseries are at hand then he can send for securirie and shift for himselfe and by base dealing maintaine his owne quiet this I take to be the indulgent hypocrite and mee thinkes it is like Pharaohs dealing when Pharaoh was battered with the hand of God and the
person and profession of a godly humble lowly man and he acts the part marveilous curiously and hee speakes bigge words against his corruptions and he humbles himselfe before God and he heares and prayes and reades but when God pluckes him off the stage of the world and his body drops into the grave and his soule goes to hell then it appeares that he had not the power of gâ—dlines he was onely a stage-player a stage professour When Saul went to the witch to raise him up Samuel the devill tooke upon him the guise of Samuel but he was the devill so many hipocrites though they have the guise of holinesse and the forme of godlinesse yet there is no soundnesse there is nothing but dissimulation within Hence note this That godlinesse hath a forme Doctr. 2 or more clearely thus Sound godlinesse alwayes shewes and discovers it selfe where it is in the life and conversation of him that hath it For it is not a meere fancy as some thinke And they thinke when wee talke of godlinesse and inward moving c. what say they will you have us Saints and Angels as if godlinesse were some secret thing that never saw the Sunne the Apostle doth professely oppose these and sayes they are reall thing and it is really in your hearts that have it and it doth not keepe close but appeares and discovers it selfe in a holy conversation outwardly Psal 45.13 The Text saith The Kings daughter and that is not all but her cloathing is of gold The Kings Daughter is the Church of God the Saints that God hath soundly humbled and powerfully converted they are the Daughters of God they are sanctified and purged and the Image of God is stamped upon them and what is their rayment outwardly it is of gold they have golden speeches golden conversations not durty filthy conversation as the wicked hâ—ve Act. 4.20 See how prevalent grace is where it is it was also the resolution of the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.13 it is also said of David he beleeved inwardly and therfore spake outwardly so must we or if wee rest upon God we will expresse the power of his grace in the course of our lives Looke as it is with a clock if the wheeles run right the clocke cannot but strike so it is with the trees of the field if there be sap in the roote it will discover it selfe in the branches by the fruit and greenenesse of them though it be hidden in the Winter yet it will appeare in the Spring and in the Summer so it is in the Soules of Gods Servants the frame of a mans heart that is like the wheeles of a clocke if a man have an humble heart he will have a holy life it will make the hand worke the eye see the foote walke and the actions be proportionable unto the disposition of the heart So if there be the sap of godlinesse and holinesse and meekenesse and patience in a mans spirit it will appeare in the blossome and fruites in good speeches actions and an holy conversation If there be sound grace in the heart and godlinesse within wee must not thinke godlinesse wil make a monster but it will make a comely decent proportionable Christian that is foure square in all good duties at all good duties at all times in all places upon every occasion I conclude with Iohn the Baptist Luk. 3.8 Worthy the word in the Original is fine Let your fruite be worthy that is answerable let them hold weight for weight with amendment of life if there be obedience in the heart it will answere such obediences outwardly lay obedience in one ballance and then repentance will poyse that obedience in the other scale But you will say how comes this to passe Object may not a man have a gracious good heart may not a man have a soule truely humbled and converted and yet be a retyred Christian and not expresse it Answ outwardly I answer no if there be holinesse in the heart it will shew it selfe without From the power of grace Reason 1 where ever it is imprinted upon any soule it will breake through and make way for it selfe what ever maketh opposition against it Mat. 6.22 The meaning is the eye is the Conscience the sincere eye is the sincere conscience now if a man have a good conscience inwardly his whole conversation will bee proportionable to the same Mat. 13.33 The grace of God is compared to leaven it will never leave leavening till it hath leavened all the whole lumpe if the heart be leavened with grace and godlinesse never thinke to keepe godlinesse in a corner and contrive it into a narrow compasse no no it will never leave leavening till the eye lookes holily and the hand workes mercifully Nay observe this in particular first let corruptions be never so strong in a gratious heart the power of godlinesse will over power all and worke out it selfe and get ground in conclusion Look as it is with the Moule put her into the ground and stop her up she will worke her selfe out one way or other so it is with a gracious frame of spirit though there be a great deale of earthly corruption yet a gracious heart will worke under ground and worke it selfe out of all these It is observed by naturall Philosophy when a Shippe is cast away the Sea vomits on the shore the dead persons and the Sea will not fetch them in againe so there is a Sea of grace in the soules of Gods servants there is but a beginning of grace indeede but there is abundance of life and vertue and power in the graces of Gods children so that though there be many corruptions much deadnesse and untowardnesse yet if this gratious worke be there it will vomit out all it will fling out those dead bodies but never take them in againe Ier. 20 4. observe when Ieremy out of a kind of discouragement and pride of spirit because he could not find that successe and some despised it and some scoffed I will preach no more saith he but even then the word of the Lord was as burning fire this was the power of this gratious frame of heart we speake of Matt. 12.35 Bring forth good things the word in the Originall is All cast out good things and it implies a kind of copulsion so that a holy man out of the treasure of holines casts out holy things that is how ever many corruptions hang about him and would hinder him from doing what hee should yet a good heart will cast out all and break through all Looke as it is with sire let it be raked up never so close yet there will be fire it will heate and burne and consume all into it selfe so it is with the sire of grace in a mans heart though there be many clogging corruptions yet if this grace be there though a man have a great deale of filthy noysome humors of vanity and coller and anger and carelessenesse yet this
willing to be informed he will not cast off counsell and reproofe with matter of scorne and say I know as well as you let every tubbe stand upon his owne bottome meddle you with your owne matters and doe not you come in another mans Diocesse no a gracious heart will not doe this but what I know not teach thou me if I have done iniquitie I will doe it no more a gracious heart when he cannot see himselfe will be suspicious what courses are unlawfull and will seeke direction from God that he may clearely perceive it and reforme it and avoid it the heart of man is deceitfull above all things therefore a good man when he hath searched what he can if hee heare of any tricke and device that a carnall hypocrite may have he searcheth and seekes am I such a one and hee lookes up to heaven and saith Lord thou knowest the heart let mee know it thou knowest the windings of this soule of mine let me understand it that I may not be couzened The second is this when the sound heart is informed of the sinne with evidence of reason it yeelds quietly and sits downe convinced and submit it selfe to the authority of the power of the truth this is another thing a gracious heart as it will not when there is no reason to gainsay a truth so it will not invent trickes to defeate the power of the truth when it is evident and plainely brought home to the judgement this is certaine though a man out of a carnall minde because flesh will have his bouts although a gracious heart sometimes when it is informed and Reasons are sound and Scriptures undeniable it will a little quarrell and wrangle for the while yet when it seeth it cannot answer the argument it will be content to embrace the reason and be framed thereby and submit to the rule thereof Iob 40.4 when the Lord came to schoole Iob and had informed him of his owne exellencie and his basenesse he yeelds up the bucklers presently once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further as who should say I have spoken foolishly and said unadvisedly but I will say it no more and famous is that of the Cananitish woman when Christ was hot upon her and called her dogge truth Lord saith shee yet the dogges may eate of the crummes that fall from their masters table as who should say I confesse I am as bad as thou speakest I deny not what I am I am a dog I yeeld it yet the dogges lye under the table that is all I crave and aske that I may lye under the table and waile for crummes of mercy you know how it was with Peter when he had denied our Saviour he doth not wrangle it out colour it over but the very looke of our Saviour was enough to make him got out and weepe bitterly if the arguments be plaine and reason good it will not cast them behinde his backe and winke with his eyes and will not see the truth but a gratious heart yeelds easily and comes on comfortably to receive the truth I confesse this and experience hath taught as much in this nature in point of conscience it is possible for the soule partly out of weakenesse of judgement not being able to perceive the truth or else out of a selfe wild distemper which blinds the judgement it will wrangle against the truth but in my experience I have observed this is the issue it will never leave inquiring and disputing about the businesse till it fall that way the bias of the soule will runne directly towards the truth it is with a good heart though a weake one as with a sound stomack though distempered take hot water into a windy stomacke the winde will stirre on one side and the water on another side and distemper the stomacke but let the party take a little Methridate the Methridate closing with the stomacke will ease a man and refresh a man in this kinde so a good man hath a weake judgement in this kinde and sometimes a distempered heart but when the good word of the Lord the Cordiall water the Methridate when that comes into his minde and is taken into his soule a man will quarrell with profit and ease and carnall reason but yet the soule will bee the better and will close with it for its everlasting good Thirdly when a sound heart hath taken notice and is informed and upon that information sits downe convinced then in the third place it will set it selfe immediatly to the duty whereof it is informed and convinced when the judgement stands cleare and the heart yeelds the floodgate is set open and the water will flow if there were any evill before committed the soule sets upon the reformation of it if any duty not before performed it now sets upon the performance thereof consider of it it is true I doe not say that when a man is informed and convinced what is the course God requires and what is the duty God commands a man can then doe the duty as hee ought but hee will doe what he can and labour for ability to doe that which for the present he cannot Gen. 22 3 it was a hard taske that God enjoyned Abraham to sacrifice his beloved and darling sonne Isaack now when the thing was plaine though it was never so hard Abraham set about it he got up betimes in the morning and he and the child went and the servants and all and he addresseth himselfe to the performance of the duty and hee prevents all occasions that might hinder him his wife was not acquainted with it his servants knew nothing of the matter so if a man be the sonne of faithfull Abraham if thē Lord commands it though it bee the killing of a darling secure tender beloved lust if the Lord say it must bee done this sinne must bee abandoned this corruption must bee reformed though it bee never so profitable and bring never so much contentment hee will rise betimes in the morning that is hee will use all meanes and imploy all helpes for the accomplishing of it A gracious heart if his minde be informed and his conscience convinced of a duty he will set upon the duty it is a thing I would have you remember it is a marvelous distemper of Spirit when people speake thus I confesse it is a thing that ought to bee avoyded the word forbids it the Lord condemnes it and my conscience goes against it but what would you have me doe I cannot set into the worke I cannot goe on in the worke why then lay all aside lay sincerity aside for it cannot stand with sinceritie that I should be informed and convinced of a duty which the Lord requires at my hands and I not set upon it I doe not say a found heart will not doe it as he ought but he will strive to get abilitie to performe that God requires Alas