It was not any accident or externall temptation which was the roote and ground of these my sinnes but I was a transgressour from the wombe I had the seedes of adultery and murder sowne in my very nature and from thence did they breake forth in my life When men shall consider that in their whole frame there is an universall ineptitude and indisposition to any good and as large a forwardnesse unto all evill that all their principles are vitiated and their faculties out of joynt that they are in the wombe as Cockatrice egges and in the conception a seed of â—…pers more odious in the pure eyes of God then Toads or Serpents are in ours this will keepe men in more caution against sinne and in more humiliation for it Lastly from the consideration of this sinne we should be exhorted unto these needfull duties First to much iâ—…alousie against our selves not to trust any of our faculties alone nor to be too confident upon presumptions or experiences of our owne strength â—…ob would not trust his eies without a covenant nor David his mouth without a bridle so strangely and unexpectedly will nature breake out if it feele it selfe a little loose as may cost a man many a cry and teare to set himselfe right againe Though a Lyon seeme never so tame though the Sea seeme never so calme give them no passage keepe on the chaine look still to the Bulwarkes for there is a rage in them which cannot be tamed Venture not on any temptation bee not confident of any grace received so as to slacken your wonted zeale count not your selves to have apprehended any thing forget that which is behinde presse forward to the price that is before you and ever suspect the treacherie and tergiversation of your owne hearts Ioseph flung out and would not trust himselfe in the company of his mistresse He hearkened not to her to lye by her or to bee with her company might easily have kindled concupiscence a little of Satans blowing might have carried the fire from one sticke unto another David would have no wicked thing in his house nor in his sight sinne is a plague hee knew how full of ill humours and seeds of alike evill his heart was how apt to catch every infection that came neere it and therefore he tooke care to decline the very objects and examples of sinne God would not suffer any people or monuments of Idolaters to bee spared lest they should prove temptations and snares to his owne people and their hearts should runne after the like sinnes Keepe thine heart saith Salomon with alâ—… diligence never let thine eye bee off from it hide the word and the spirit alwayes in it to watch it for there is an adulterer ever at hand to steale it away Therefore the Lord would have the Israelites binde Ribbands upon their Fringes and the Law on the Posts of their dores that by those visible remembrancers their mindes might be taken off from other vanities and the obedience of the Law more reviv'd within them And Salomon alluding to that custome shewes the vse and the fruites of it Bind them saith he continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy necke make the Law of God thy continuall ornament when thou goest it shall leade thee when thou sleepest it shall keepe thee when thou awakest it shall talke with thee in all thy wayes and conditions it shall be thy safegard thy companion and thy comfort Secondly To warre and contention against so strong and so close an enemie Our flesh is our Esau our elder brother and we must ever be wrestling with it The flesh and the spirit are contraries one will ever be on the prevailing side and the flesh is never weary nor out of work to improve its owne part therefore the spirit must bee as studious and importunate for the Kingdome of Christ. But you will say To what end serves any such combate it is impossible to vanquish or to ouercome lust The Divell may bee put to flight there is hope in a conflict with him but lust may be exasperated by contention it cannot bee shaken of To this I answer in the generall first that it is our dutie to fight with sinne and it is Christs office and promise to overcome it Wee must performe that which hee requireth of us and trust him with that which hee promiseth unto us Besides by this meanes the bodie of sinne is first weakened though not quite destroi'd For as in the Leviticall Law when a spreading leprosie was in a house the walls were first scraped round about the dust throwne out new stones and new morter put to the old materials and then last of all the house upon the uncureablenesse of it was broken quite downe and dissolved so in our present leprous and corrupted condition wee are to deface to weaken to scrape of what wee can of the body of sinne and leave the rest for God to doe when hee shall be pleased to dissolve us Secondly It is by this meanes captivated likewise though like the Gibeonites and the Moabitish maides it bee not slaine yet it is kept under and subdued Thirdly however by this meanes it is discover'd and it is a good part of warre to know the latitude of an enemies strength to prie into his stratagems and contrivances For the knowledge of sinne will make us more earnest in mourning for it more importunate in our prayers against it more humble in our consessions of it more unquiet till wee be acquitted by the blood of Christ and his spirit from it more urgent to lay hold upon the victories and promises of Christ against it This is the sum of all and a most sufficient encouragement The grace of Christ in us will weaken much the grace and favour of Christ unto vs will forgive the rest and the power of Christ at the last will annihilate all Thirdly To patience and constancy in this spirituall combate Wee are beset and compassed about with our corruptions the sinne hangs on with much pertinacy and will not be shaken of therefore there is neede of patience to runne the race that is set before us to doe the whole will of God to hale perpetually our clog after us to pull on and drive forward a backsliding and a revolting heart to thrust still before us a swarme of thoughts and affections through so many turnings and temptations as they shall meet withall When the spies returned from the holy Land they disheartned the people because they had seen giants the sonnes of Aâ—…ak so when the spirit of man considers I am to enter upon a combate that admits no treatie of peace or respite with an old man full of wisedome furnished with a whole Armorie of weapons and with all the succors and contributions which principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses can bring in an enemie full of desperate rebellion and unwearied rage
after all death it selfe For though these things may be where there is no guilt imputed and so properly no punishment inflicted neither the blinde man nor his parents had sinned that he was borne blinde as in the same ship there may bee a malefactor and a Merchant and to the one the voyage is a trafficke to the other a banishment yet to the wicked where they are not sanctified they are truely punishments and fruites of Gods vindicative justice because they have their sting still in them For the sting of death is sinne Secondly Spirituall and those threefold First Purishment of losse separation from the favour and fellowship with God expulsion from Paradise the seat of Gods presence and love Aliens forreiners farre from God Secondly Of sense the immediate strokes of Gods wrath on the soule wounds of Conscience scourges of heart taste of vengeance implanting in the soule tremblings feares amazements distracted thoughts on a cleare view of the demerit of sinne evidences of immortality and presumptions of irreconciliation with God This made Cain a runnagate and Iudas a murtherer of himselfe yea some touches of it made David cry out that his bones were broken and marrow dryed up and his flesh scortched like a potsheard It is able to shake the strongest Cedars and make the mountaines tremble like a leafe The sonne of God himselfe did sweate and shrinke and pray against it and with strong cries decline it though the suffering of so much of it as could consist with the holinesse of his person were the worke of his office and voluntary mercy Thirdly of sinne when God in anger doth forsake the soule and give it over to the frenzie and fury of lust to the rage and revenge of Satan letting men alone to joyne themselves unto idoles and to beleeve lies Now as the operation of the sunne is strongest there where it is not at all seene in the bowels of the earth or as lightning doth often blast and consume the inward parts when there is no sensible operation without so the Iudgements of God doe often lie heaviest there where they are least perceiv'd Hardnesse of heart a spirit of slumber blindnesse of minde a reprobate sense tradition unto Satan giving over unto vile affections recompencing the errors of men with following sinnes are most fearefull and desperate judgements But doe we then make God the Author of sinne God for bid In sinne we may consider the execution and committing of it as it is sinne and this is onely from man for every man is drawne away and enticed by his owne lust and the Ordination of it as it is a Punishment and this may be from God whose hand in the just punishment of sinne by sinne in obstinate contemptuous impenitent sinners may thus farre be observed First Deserendo by forsaking them that is taking away his abused gifts subtracting his despised Graces calling in and making to retire his quenched and grieved spirit removing his candlesticke and silencing his Prophets and giving a bill of divorce that either they may not see nor heare at all or hearing they may not understand and seeing they may not perceive because they did not see nor heare when they might Secondly Permittendo when he hath taken away his own Grace which was abused unto wantonnesse he suffers wicked men to walke in their owne wayes and because they like not to retaine him in their knowledge nor to live by his prescript therefore he leaves them to themselves and their owne will Thirdly Media disponendo ordering objects and proposing meanes not onely to Try but to punish the wickednesse of men and to bring about whatever other fixed purposes of his hee hath resolved for the declaration of his wonderfull wisedome to execute and as it were to fetch out of the sinnes of men as the conspiracie of Pilat Herod and the Iewes which their former wickednesse had justly deserved to have them given over unto was by God order'd to accomplish his determined and unchangeable counsell touching the death of Christ. Excellent is the speech of Holy Austin to this purpose The Lord enclineth the wils of men whither soever pleaseth himselfe whether unto Good out of his mercie or unto evill out of their merit sometimes by his manifest sometimes secret but alwayes by his righteous judgement and this not by his patience onely but by his power Fourthly Perversas voluntates non invitas flectendo sed spontaneas suo impetu faciles ulterius Satanae praecipitandas tradendo By giving over perverse wilfull rebellious sinners to the rage and will of Satan to hurry and enrage them at his pleasure unto further sinfulnesse When Iudas had listued to the Temptation of Satan to betray Christ had set himselfe to watch the most private opportunitie had been warned of it by Christ and that upon a question of the most bold and impudent hypocrisie that was ever made Master Is it I though it is not an improbable conjecture that Iudas at that very time upon the curse that was pronounced might secretly and for that time seriously resolve to give over his plot and upon that resolution to aske the question then at last Christ by a sop did give Satan as it were a further seisin of him and the purpose of Christ was that that which he was to doe hee might doe quickely He was now wholly given up to the will of Satan whose temptation haply before though very welcome in regard of the purchase and project of gaine which was in it had not fully silenc'd nor broken through all those reluctancies of Conscience which were very likely to arise upon the first presentment of so hideous a suggestion but now I say whether out of a sinister Construction of our Saviours words That thou doest doe quickly as if they had been not as indeed they were a giving him over to the greedinesse of his owne lust and to the rage of Satan but rather an allowance of his intention as knowing that hee was able to deliver himselfe out of their hands unto whom he should bee betraide and so his treason should onely make way to Christs miracle and not to his crosse or whether it were out of a secret presumption that notwithstanding Christ had made him know how his conspiracie was not hid from him yet since he was of all the company singled out whom Christ would Carve unto therefore his conspiracie was not so vile but that Christ would redâ—…re in gratiam countenance and respect him after all that and that as by the plot hee had not so lost him but that hee had gain'd him againe so also hee might doe after the execution too Now I say after that soppe and those words without further respect to the strugglings and staggerings of his Conscience hee goes resolvedly about that damned businesse for he was now delivered unto the will of Sathan The like libertie and commission was that which God gaue to
inquire who they are unto whose right and possession a man may belong and then examine the Evidences which either can make for himselfe To sinne wee know doth appertaine the primitive right of every naturall and lapsed man for we are by nature the Children of wrath A purchase then there must come betweene before a man can passe over into anothers right this purchase was made by Christ who bought us with his blood And the treatie in this purchase was not between Christ and sinne but betweene him and his Father Thine they were and thou gavest them me for the fall of Man could not nullifie Gods Dominion nor right unto him for when man ceased to be Gods Servant he then began to be his Prisoner and though Sinne and Sathan weâ—… in regard of man Lords yet they were in regard of God but Iaylors to keepe or part from his Prisoners at his pleasure Besides though Christ got man by purchase yet Sinne and Sathan lost him by forfeiture for thâ—… prince of this world seizing upon Christ in whom he had â—…o right for he found nothing of his owne in him did by that meanes forteite his former right which hee had in men of the same nature Wee see then all the claime that can be made is either by Christ or Sinne by that strong man or him that is stronger A man must have evidences for Christ or else hee belongs unto the power of Sinne. The evidences of Christ are his Name his Seale and his Witnesses His Name a new Name a name better then of sonnes and daughters even Christ formed in the heart and his Law ingraven in the inner man As it is fabled of Ignatius that there was found the Name of Iesus written in his heart so must every one of Gods House bee named by him with this new name Of Him are all the Families in Heaven and in Earth named The Seale of Christ is his Spirit witnessing unto and securing our spirits that we belong unto him For hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his and by this we know that he dwelleth in us and we in him because hee hath given us of his Spirit The witnesses of Christ are three The Spirit the Water and Blood The Testimonie of Adoption Sealing the Fatherly care of God to our Soules saying to our Soules that he is our Salvation and Inheritance The Testimonie of Iustification our Faith in the blood and price of Christ and the Testimonie of Sanctification in our being cleansed from dead workes for he came to destroy the workes of the Devill hee came with Refiners fire and with Fullers sope and with healing under his wings that is as I conceive under the preaching of his Gospell which as the beames of the Sunne make manifest the savor of Him in every place and by which he commeth and goeth abroad to those that are a far off and to those that are neere It was the Office of Christ as well to Purifie as to Redeeme as well to Sanctifie as to Iustifie us so that if a man say hee belongs to Christ and yet bringeth not forth fruite unto God but lives still married to his former lusts and is not cleansed from his filthinesse hee makes God a lyer because hee beleeveth not the Record which hee gives of his Sonne for Hee will not have either a barren or an adulterous spouse yea he putteth Christ to shame as if he had undertaken more then he were able to performe Besides Christ being a Light a Starre a Sunne never comes to the heart without selfe-manifestation such evidence as cannot be gainesaid unto him belongs this royall prerogative to be himselfe the witnesse to his owne Grace And when the Papists demaund of us How wee can bee sure that this Testimnoy of Christs Grace and Spirit is not a false witnesse and delusion of Sathan wee demaund of them againe If the flesh can have this advantage to make such Objections against the unvalueable Comforts of Christs Grace and the heart have nothing to reply If Christ witnesse and no man can understand it If the Spirit of Christ be a Comforter and the Divell can comfort every jot as well and counterfeit his comforts to the quicke and so cozen and delude a man what is any man the better for any such assertions of Scripture where the Spirit is called the Spirit of Comfort the strengthner of the inner man and the heart said to be established by Grace Certainely the Comforts of the Spirit must fall to the ground if they bring not along a proper and distinct lustre into the Soule with them And this Ambrosiuâ—… Catharinus himselfe a learned Papist and as great a scholler in the Trent Councell as any other was bold to maintaine against the contrary opinion of Dominicus Soto in a publike declaration unto whom Bellarmine dares not adhere though it bee his custome to boast of their unanimitie in point of Doctrine Besides sinne is of a quarrelling and litigious disposition it will not easily part from that which was once its owne but will bee ever raysing sutes disputing arguing wrangling with the Conscience for its old right Christ came not to send peace but a sword perpetuall and unreconcileable combats and debates with the flesh of man If a man hold peace with his lusts and set not his strength and his heart against them If they bee not in a state of rebellion they are certainely in the throne It is impossible for a King to rebell because hee hath none above him and so as long as lust is a king it is in peace but when Christ subdues it and takes possession of the heart it will presently rise and rebell against his kingdome Heere then is the triall of the Title If a man cannot shew the evidences of a new purchase the Spirit the Blood the Water the Sonneship the Righteousnesse the Holynesse Conversation and Grace of Christ If he be not in armes against the remnants of lust in himselfe but live in peace and good contentment under the vigor and life of them that man belongs yet unto the right of sinne For if a man be Christs there will bee Nova regalia extremely opposite to those of sinne A new heart for the Throne of the Spirit New members to bee the servants of Righteousnesse New Counsellors namely the Lawes of God A new Panoplie The whole armour of God New lawes The law of the minde and of the heart A new Iudicature even the government of the Spirit Thoughts Words Actions Conversations All things new as the Apostle speakes Now let us in the next place consider the power whereby sinne makes its commands to bee obeyed wherein it is more strong and sure then a Tyrant who ruleth against the will of his Subjects The particulars of this strength may be thus digested First sinne hath much strength from it selfe and that
THREE TREATISES OF The Uanity of the Creature The Sinfulnesse of Sinne. The Life of Christ. BEING THE SVBSTANCE OF SEVERALL SERMONS PREACHED AT LINCOLNS INNE BY EDWARD REYNOLDES PREACHER to that Honourable Society and late Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford GAL. 2. 20. Not I but Christ liveth in me LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head 1631. HONORATISSIMO ET CELEBERRIMO DOCTISSIMORVM Iurisprudentium Collegio Hospitij Lincolniensis Magistris Uenerabilibus Socijsque universis Auditoribus suis faventissimis EDWARDVS REYNOLDES EIDEM HETAERIAE A SACRIS CONCIONIBVS Tres hosce Tractatus De Rerum Secularium vanitate De Peccato supra modum peccante De Christi in Renatis vitâ ac vigore MINISTERII IBIDEM SVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaedam Exile quidem perexiguum perpetuae tamen observantiae Summaeque in Christo Dilectionis pignus Humiliter Devotè D. D. D. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS The first Treatise The Vanity of the Creature ECCLES 1. 14. PRoportion and Proprietie the grounds of satisfaction to the soule Pag. 3 The Creature insufficient to satisfie the Desires of the soule 4 The Ground hereof The vast disproportion betweene the soule and the Creature 7 The Creature vaine 1. in its nature and worth 9 Therefore wee should not trust in it nor swell with it 11 The Creature vaine 2. in its deadnesse and inefficacie 15 Therefore we should not relie on it nor attribute sufficiency to it 19 How to use the Creature as a dead Creature 1. Consider its dependence and subordination to Gods power 22 2. Sanctifie and reduce it to its primitive goodnesse 24 How the Creature is sanctified by the word and prayer 26 3. Love it in its owne order 34 The Creature vaine 3 in its duration 36 The Rootes of Corruption in the Creature 38 Corrupt mindes are apt to conceive an immortalitie in earthly things 46 The proceedings of Gods providence in the dispensation of earthlie things wise and iust 48 Correctives to be observed in the use of the Creature 1. Keepe the intellectuals sound and untainted 52 2. By faith looke through and above them 55 3. Convert them to holy uses 58 Great disproportion betweene the soule and the Creature It is vexation of spirit 59 Caresare Thornes because first they wound the spirit secondly they choak and overgrow the heart thirdly they deceive fourthly they vanish 59 Degrees of this vexation 1. In the procuring of them 62 2. In the multiplying of them 64 3. In the use of them Discovered 67 1. In knowledge naturall and civill 68 2. In Pleasures 70 3. In Riches 72 4. In the Review of them 74 5. In the disposing of them 75 The Grounds of this vexation 1. Gods Curse 76 2. The Corruption of nature 78 3. The deceitfulnesse of the Creature 80 It is lawfull to labour and pray for the Creature though it vex the spirit 84 We should be humbled in the sight of sinne which hath defaced the Creation 86 Wee should be wise to prevent those cares which the Creatures are apt to breed 89 Irregular cares are both superfluous and sinnefull 90 How to take away or prevent Vexation 1. Pray for that which is convenient to thy abilities and occasions 94 2. Take nothing without Christ. 95 3. Throw out every execrable thing 97 4. Keepe the spirit untouched and uncorrupted 98 What it is to set the heart on the Creature 99 The spirit is the most tender and delicate part of man 100 A heart set on the world is without strength◠Passive or Active 1. Vnable to beare temptations 1. Because Satan proportioneth temptations to our lusts 101 2. Because temptations are edg'd with promises and threatnings 105 3. God oftē gives wicked mē over to belieue lies 107 2. Vnable to beare afflictions 108 3. Vnable to performe any active obedience with strength 110 How to use the Creature as a vexing Creature 113 The second Treatise The sinfulnesse of Sinne. ROM 7. 9. NAturall light not sufficient to understand the Scriptures 118 How the Commandement came to Saint Paul and how hee was formerly without it 119 A man may have the Law in the Letter and be without it in the Power and Spirit 121 Ignorance doth naturally beget blind zeale and strong misperswasions 122 Saving knowledge is not of our owne fetching in The Spirit by the Commandement convinceth a man to be in the state of sinne 123 Nature teacheth some things but it cannot thorowly convince 125 The Spirit convinceth first by opening the Rule which is the Law 129 The strength of sinne twofold to Condemne us Operate or stirre in us It hath the strength of a Lord. 129 Husband 129 How sinne hath its life and strength from the Law by the Obligation of it 130 Irritation of it 130 Conviction of it 130 The Spirit by the Commandement convinceth us 1. Of Originall sinne either imputed as Adams sin 134 Or inherent as the corruption of Nature 135 In naturall corruption consider 1. The universalitie of it in Times 136 Persons 136 Parts 136 Corruption of the Minde 139 the Conscience and Heart 140 the Will 141 the Memory and whole man 142 2. The closenesse and adherency of it to nature 143 How the body of sinne is destroyed in this life 144 Why God suffereth the remainders of corruption in us 147 3. The contagion of it on our best workes 149 4. The fruitfulnesse of it bringing fruit suddenly 151 continually 151 desperately 151 unexpectedly 151 5. The temptations of it 155 6. The warre and rebellion of it 157 7. The wisedome and policies of it 161 8. The strength and power of it 164 9. The madnesse of it and that twofold 1. Fiercenesse and rage 167 2. Inconsideratenesse and inconsistency of reason 184 10. The indefatigablenesse of it 185 Being naturall and 186 Unsatisfiable 188 11. The propagation of it 193 The great error of those who either mitigate or denie originall sinne 199 In our humiliations for sinne we should begin with our evill nature 212 We should be iealous of our selves and our evill hearts 213 We should hold warre with our corruptions 215 We should be patient under the weight of our concupiscence 216 Wherein the strength of lust lies 218 How to withstand concupiscence in all the wayes thereof 221 The Spirit by the Commandement convinceth us 2. Of actuall sin with the severall aggravations thereof 226 The Spirit convinceth 2. by discovering the condition of the state of sinne 1. It is an estate of extreme impotency to good 233 because of our naturall Impuritie 234 Enmity 234 Infidelitie 234 Folly 234 In the wicked there is a totall impotency 237 Whether all the workes of naturall men are sinfull 237 How God rewardeth the good workes of wicked men 244 How the good workes of wicked men proceed from Gods Spirit 245 Whether a wicked man ought to omit his almes prayers and religious
services 246 In the best there is a partiall impotency 250 What a man should doe when he finds himselfe disabled and deaded in good workes 253 2. It is an estate of extreme enmitie against God and his waies 255 How the spirit by the Commandement doth convince men to be in the state of sinne 258 The spirit by the commandement convinceth men to bee under the guilt of sinne 260 There is a naturall conviction of the guilt of sinne and 260 There is a spirituall and evangelicall conviction of the guilt of sinne 261 What the guilt and Punishments of sinne are 262 ROM 6. 12. Sinne will abide in the time of this mortall life in the most Holie 273 Our death with Christ unto sinne is a strong argument against the raigne of it 275 Difference betweene the regall and tyrannicall power of Sinne. 277 Whether a man belong unto Christ or sinne 279 Sinne hath much strength from it selfe 282 from Satan and the world 285 from us 285 What it is to obey sinne in the lusts thereof 286 Whether sinne may Raigne in a regenerate man 288 How wicked men may be convinc'd that sinne doth raigne in them Two things make up the raigne of sinne 1. In sinne power 290 2. In the sinner a willing and vncontroled subiection 290 Three exceptions against the evidence of the raigne of sinne in the wicked 291 1. There may be a raigne of sinne when it is not discerned 292 Whether small sinnes may raigne 293 Whether secret sinnes may raigne 294 Whether sins of ignorance may raigne 295 Whether naturall concupiscence may raigne 296 Whether sinnes of omission may raigne 296 2. Other causes besides the power of Christs Grace may worke a partiall abstinence from sinne and conformitie in service 1. The power of restraining grace 298 Differences between restraining and renewing Grace 2. Affectation of the credit of godlinesse 302 3. The Power of pious education 304 4. The legall power of the word 305 5. The power of a naturall illightned Conscience 305 6. Selfe love and particular ends 307 7. The antipathy and contradiction of sinnes 309 3. Differences betweene the conflicts of a naturall and spirituall conscience 1. In the Principles of them 310 2. In their seates and stations 313 3. In the manner and qualities of the conflict 314 4. In their effects 316 5. In their ends 317 Why every sinne doth not raigne in every wicked man 317 2. COR. 7. 1. The Apostles reasons against Idolatrous communion 321 The doctrine of the pollution of sinne 322 The best workes of the best men mingled whith pollution 325 The best workes of wicked men full of pollution 237 What the pollution of sinne is 328 The properties of the pollution of sinne 1. It is a deepe pollution 329 2. It is an universall Pollution 330 3. It is a spreading Pollution 330 4. It is a mortall Pollution 332 Why God requireth that of us which he worketh in us 335 How promises tend to the dutie of cleansing ourselves 1. Promises containe the matter of rewards and so presuppose services 337 2. Promises are efficient causes of purification 1. As tokens of Gods love Love the ground of making fidelity of performing Promises 338 2. As the grounds of our hope and expectations 340 3. As obiects of our faith 342 4. As the raies of Christ to whom they lead us 345 5. As exemplars patterns and seeds of puritie 346 3. Many promises are made of purification itselfe 347 Rules directing how to use the Promises 1. Generall Promises are particularly and particulars generally appliable 350 2. Promises are certaine performances secret 352 3. Promises are subordinated and are performed with dependence 357 4. Promises most usefull in extremities 359 5. Experience of God in some promises confirmeth faith in others 360 6. The same temporall blessing may belong to one man onely out of providence to another out of promise 361 7. Gods promises to us must be the ground of our prayers to him 364 ROM 7. 13. The Law is neither sinne nor death 368 The Law was promulgated on Mount Sina by Moses onely with Evangelicall purposes 371 God will doe more for the salvation then for the damnation of men 372 The Law is not given ex primaria intentione to condemne men 385 The Law is not given to iustifie or save men 386 The Law by accident doth irritate and punish or curse sinne 386 The Law by itselfe doth discover and restraine sinne 387 Preaching of the Law necessary 388 Acquaintance with the Law strengthens Humility Faith Comfort Obedience 392 The third Treatise The Life of Christ. 1. IOH. 5. 12. ALL a Christians excellencies are from Christ. 400 1. From Christ wee have our life of righteousnesse 401 Three Offices of Christs mediatorship His Payment of our debt 401 Purchase of our inheritance 401 Intercession 401 Righteousnesse consisteth in remission and adoption 402 By this Life of righteousnesse we are delivered from 1. Sinne. 403 2. Law as a Covenant of righteousnesse Law full of Rigor Curses Bondage 2. From Christ we have our life of holinesse 407 Discoveries of a vitall operation 407 Christ is the Principle of our holinesse 409 Christ is the patterne of holinesse 410 Some workes of Christ imitable others unimitable 410 Holinesse beares conformity to Christs active obedience 412 How we are said to be holy as Christ is holy 413 Holinesse consists in a conformitie unto Christ. Proved from 1. The ends of Christs comming 415 2. The nature of holinesse 416 3. The quality of the mysticall body of Christ. 418 4. The vnction of the Spirit 418 5. The summe of the Scriptures 419 The proportions betweene our holinesse and Christs must be 1. In the seeds and principles 419 2. In the ends Gods glory the Churches good 420 3. In the parts 4. In the manner of it Selfe-deniall 421 Obedience 422 Proficiencie 423 What Christ hath done to the Law for us 423 We must take heed of will-holinesse or being our owne Rule 425 Christs life the Rule of ours 427 3. From Christ wee have our life of glorie 429 The attributes or properties of our Life in Christ 1. It is a hidden life 432 2. It is an abounding life 437 3. It is an abiding life 438 No forrsigne assult is too hard for the life of Christ 439 Arguments to reestablish the heart of a repenting sinner against the terror of some great fall from 1. The strength of Faith 442 2. The love and free grace of God 446 3. Gods Promise and covenant 448 4. The obsignation of the spirit 449 5. The nature and effects of Faith 449 THE VANITIE OF THE CREATVRE AND VEXATION OF THE SPIRIT By EDWARD REYNOLDS Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inne PAX OPVLENTIAM SAPIENTIA PACEM FK LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostock 1631. Christian Reader Importunitie of Friends hath over-rul'd me to this Publication and importunitie of businesse crossing me in the putting of these pieces together hath made
lawfull endeavours which he hath commanded and allowed The third thing proposed was the consideration of that Vse which we should make of this vexation of the Creature And first the consideration thereof mingled with faith in the heart must needes worke humiliation in the spirit of a man upon the sight of those sinnes which have so much defaced the good Creatures of God Sinne was the first thing that did pester the earth with thornes Gen. 3. 17. 18. and hath fill'd all the Creation with vanitie and bondage Sinne is the ulcer of the soule touch a wound with the softest Lawne and there will smart arise so though the Creatures be never so harmelesse yet as soone as they come to the heart of a man there is so much sinne and corruption there as must needs beget paine to the soule The palate prepossest with a bitter humour findes it owne distemper in the sweetest meate it tastes so the soule having the ground of bitternesse in it selfe finds the same affection in every thing that comes neere it Death it self though it be none of Gods works but the shame and deformitie of the Creature yet without sinne it hath no sting in it 1. Cor. 15. 55. how much lesse sting thinke we have those things which were made for the comforts of mans life if sinne were not the Serpent that did lurke under them all Doest thou then in thy swiftest careere of earthly delights when thou art posting in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes feele a curbe privily galling thy conscience a secret dampe seizing upon thy soule and affrighting it with dismall suspicions and trembling pre-occupations of attending judgements see a hand against the wall writing bitter things against thee Dost thou in all thy lawfull Callings finde much sweat of brow much toyle of braine much plunging of thoughts much care of heart in compassing thy just and lawfull intendments Doe not lose the opportunitie of that good which all this may suggest unto thee take advantage to fish in this troubled water Certainely there is some Ionah that hath raysed this storme there is some sinne or other that hath caused all this trouble to thy soule Doe not repine at Gods providence nor quarrell with the dumbe Creatures but let thine indignation reflect upon thine owne heart and as ever thou hopest to have the sweat of thy brow abated or the care of thy heart remitted or the curse of the Creature removed cast thy selfe downe before God throw out thy sinne awake thy Saviour with the cry of thy repentance and all the stormes will be suddenly calmed Certainely the more power any man hath over the corruption of his nature the lesse power hath the sting of any Creature over his heart Though thou hast but a dinner of herbes with a quiet conscience reconciled unto God thou dost therein finde more sweetnesse then in a fatted Oxe with the contentions of a troubled heart When ever therefore we finde this Thorne in the Creature wee should throw our selves downe before God and in some such manner as this bewaile the sinne of our heart which is the roote of that Thorne Lord thou art a God of peace and beauty and what ever comes from thee must needs originally have peace and beauty in it The Earth was a Paradise when thou didst first bestow it upon me but my sinne hath turned it into a Desert and curs'd all the increase thereof with Thornes The honour which thou gavest me was a glorious attribute a sparkle of thine owne fire a beame of thine owne light an impresse of thine owne Image a character of thine owne power but my sinne hath put a Thorne into mine honour my greedinesse when I look upward to get higher and my giddinesse when I looke downeward for feare of falling never leaves my heart without angvish and vexation The pleasure which thou allowest mee to enjoy is full of sweet refreshment but my sinne hath put a Thorne into this likewise my excesse and sensualitie hath so choaked thy Word so stifled all seeds of noblenesse in my minde so like a Canker overgrowne all my pretious time stolne away all opportunities of grace melted and wasted all my strength that now my refreshments are become my diseases The Riches which thou gavest me as they come from thee are soveraigne blessings wherewith I might abundantly have glorified thy Name and served thy Church and supplyed thy Saints and made the eyes that saw mee to blesse mee and the â—…ares that heard me to beare witnesse to me wherewith I might have covered the naked backe and cured the bleeding wounds and filled the hungry bowels and satisfied the fainting desires of mine owne Saviour in his distressed members but my sinne hath put in so many Thornes of pride hardnesse of heart uncompassionatenesse endlesse cares securitie and resolutions of sinne and the like as are ready to pierce me thorow with many sorrowes The Calling wherein thou hast placed me is honest and profitable to men wherein I might spend my time in glorifying thy Name in obedience to thy will in attendance on thy blessings but my sinne hath brought so much ignorance and inapprehension upon my understanding so much weakenesse upon my body so much intricatenesse upon my employments so much rust and sluggishnes upon my faculties so much earthly-mindednesse upon my heart as that I am not able without much discomfort to goe on in my Calling All thy Creatures are of themsâ—…lves full of honour and beauty the beames and gliâ—…pses of thine owne glory but our sinne hath stained the beauty of thine owne handy-worke so that now thy wrath is as well revealed from Heaven as thy glory we now see in them the prints as well of thy terrours as of thy goodnesse And now Lord I doe in humblenesse of heart truly abhorre my selfe and abominate those cursed sinnes which have not onely defiled mine owne nature and person but have spread deformitie and confusion upon all those Creatures in which thine owne wisedome and power had planted so great a beauty and so sweet an order After some such manner as this ought the consideration of the thornynesse of the Creature humble us in the sight of those sinnes which are the rootes thereof Secondly the consideration hereof should make us wise to prevent those cares which the Creatures are so apt to beget in the heart those I meane which are branches of the Vexation of the Creature There is a two fold Care Regular and Irregular Care is then Regular First when it hath a Right end such as is both suteable with and subordinate to our maine end the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Secondly when the meanes of procuring that end are right for we may not do evill to effect Good Recovery was a lawfull end which Ahaziah did propose but to enquire of Baalzebub was a meanes which did poyson the whole businesse nay Saint Austin is resolute that if it were possible by an
heart upon it They will not set their heart upon us say the people to David for thou art worth ten thousand of us that is they will no whit regard us in comparison of thee so then a mans heart is set on the Creature when he prizeth it above other things and declareth this estimation of his heart by those eager endeavours with which he pursueth them as his God and Idoll Thirdly to relie upon to put trust and affiance in the Creature and this is imported in the word by which the Prophet expresseth riches which signifieth strength of all sorts vires and propugnaculum the inward strength of a man and the outward strength of munition and fortification therefore saith Salomon the rich mans wealth is his strong city and rich men are said to Trust and Glorie in their riches examples whereof the Scripture abundantly gives in Tyre Babylon Ninive Edom Israel c. Now a man ought not thus to set his heart on the Creature first because of the Tendernesse and delicacie of the spirit which will quickely be bruiz'd with any thing that lies close upon it and presseth it As men weare the softest garments next their skinne that they be not disquieted so should we apply the tenderest things the mercies and the worth of the bloud of Christ the promises of grace and glory the precepts and invitations of the Spirit unto our spirits And now as subterraneous winde or ayre being pressed in by the earth doth often beget concussions and earth-quakes so the spirit of a man being swallow'd up and quite clos'd in earthly things must needs beget tremblings and distractions at last to the soule The word heere which we translate Vexation is rendred likewise by Contritio a pressing grinding wearing away of a thing and by Depastio a feeding on a thing which makes some render the words thus All is vanitie and a feeding upon winde That as windie meates though they fill and swell a man up they nourish little but turne into crudities and diseases so the feeding upon the Creature may puffe up the heart but it can bring no reall satisfaction no solid nutriment to the soule of man The Creature upon the spirit is like a worme in wood or a moth in a garment it begets a rottennesse of heart it bites asunder the threads and sinewes of the soule and by that meanes workes an ineptitude and undisposednesse to any worthy service and brings a decay upon the whole man for cares will prevent age and change the colour of the haire before the time and make a man like a silly Dove without any heart as the Prophet speakes Secondly because the strength of every man is his spirit Mens cujusque is est quisque Now if the Creature seize on a mans strength it serues him as Dalilah did Sampson it will quickely let in the Philistines to vexe him Strength hath Two parts or offices Passive in undergoing and withstanding evill and Active in doing that which belongs to a man to doe Now when the heart and spirit of a man is set upon any Creature it is weakned in both these respects First it is disabled from bearing or withstanding evill We will consider it First in temptations Secondly in afflictions First A man who hath set his heart inordinately upon any Creature is altogether unfit to withstand any temptation In the Law when a man had new married a wife he was not to goe to warre that yeere but to rejoyce with his wife One reason whereof I suppose was this because when the minde is strongly set upon any one object till the strength of that desire be abated a man will be utterly unfit to deale with an enemie so is it with any lust to which a man weds himselfe it altogether disables him to resist any enemie after Hannibals armie had melted themselves at Capua with sensualitie and luxurie they were quite strangers to hard service and rigid discipline when they were againe reduc'd unto it The Reason hereof is first The subtiltie of Satan who will be sure to proportion his temptations to the heart and those lusts which doe there predominate setting upon men with those perswasions wherewith he is mos likely to seduce them As the Grecians got in upon the Trojans with a gift something which they presum'd would finde acceptance The divell dealeth as men in a siege casts his projects and applies his batteries to the weakest and most obnoxious place Therefore the Apostle saith that a man is tempted when he is led away of his owne lust and enticed the divell will be sure to hold intelligence with a mans owne lusts to advise and sit in counsell with his owne heart to follow the tyde and streame of a mans owne affections in the tempting of him Adam tempted in knowledge Pharaoh by lying wonders the Prophet by pretence of an Angels speech Ahab by the consent of false prophets the Iewes by the Temple of the Lord and carnall priuiledges the heathen by pretence of vniversalitie and antiquitie When Dauids heart after his adultery was set vpon his owne glory more then Gods how to saue his owne name from reproach we see as long as that affection preuailed against him as long as his heart was not so throughly humbled as to take the shame of his sinne to himselfe to beare the indignation of the Lord and accept of the reproach of his iniquity hee was ouercome with many desperate temptations he yeelds to be himselfe a temper of his neighbour to unseasonable pleasures to drunkennesse and shame to bee a murtherer of his faithfull seruant to multiply the guilt that hee may shift of the shame of his sinne and provide for his owne credit Peters heart was set upon his owne life and safetie more then the truth of Christ or his owne protestations and Sathan fitting his assault to this weakenesse prevailes against a rocke with the breath of a woman They that will be rich saith the apostle who set their hearts upon their riches whose hearts runne after their couetousnesse fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and hurtfull lusts Such a heart is fit for any temptation Tempt Achaâ—…s covetous heart to sacriledge and hee will reach forth his hand to the accursed thing Tempt Iudaes his covetous heart to treason and he will betray the pretious blood of the Sonne of God which is infinitely beyond any rate of silver or gold for a few pieces of silver the price of a little field Tempt Gehazies covetous heart to multiply lie upon lie and he will doe it with ease and greedinesse for a few pieces of money and change of rayment Tempt Sauls covetous heart with the fattest of the Cattell and hee will venture on disobedience a sinne worse then witchcraft which himselfe had rooted out Tempt the covetous heart of a Iudge in Israel to doe iniustice and a paire of shooes shall spurne righteousnesse
of us the other from the predominancy of lust which overswayes the heart unto evill Good motions and resolutions in evill hearts are like violent impressions upon a stone though it move upwards for a while yet nature will at last prevaile and make it returne to its owne motion Secondly a Heart set on lusts mooves to 〈◊〉 ends but its owâ—…e and selfe-ends defile an action though otherwise never so specious turnes zeale it selfe and obedience into murder hinders all faith in us and acceptance with God nullifies all other ends swallowes up Gods glory and the good of others as the leane Kine did the fat as a Wenne in the body robs and consumes the part adjoyning so doe selfe-ends the right end Thirdly the Heart is a fountaine and principle and principles are ever one and uniforme out of the same fountaine cannot come bitter water and sweet and therefore the Apostle speakes of some that they are double-minded men that have a heart and a heart yet the truth is that is but with reference to their pretences for the Heart really and totally lookes but one way Every man is spiritually a married person and he can be joyned but to one Christ and an Idoll as every â—…ust is cannot consist he will have a chaste spouse he will have all our desires and affections subject unto him if the Heart cannot count him altogether lovely and all things else but dung in comparison of him he will refuse the match and with-hold his consent Let us see in some few particulars what impotency unto any good the Creatures bring upon the hearts of men To Pray requires a hungry spirit a heart convinc'd of its owne emptinesse a desire of intimate communion with God but now the Creature drawes the heart and all the desires thereof to it selfe as an ill splene doth the nourishment in a body Lust makes men pray amisse fixeth the desires onely on its owne provisions makes a man unwilling to be carried any way towards heaven but his owne The Young Man prayed unto Christ to shew him the way to eternall life but when Christ told him that his riches his covetousnes his bosome lust stood betweene him and salvation his prayer was turned into sorrow repentance and apostacy Meditation requires a sequestration of the thoughts a minde unmixt with other cares a syncere and uncorrupted relish of the Word now when the heart is prepossest with lust and taken up with another treasure it is as impossible to be weaned from it as for an hungry Eagle a Creature of the sharpest sight to fixe upon and of the sharpest appetite to desire its object to forbeare the body on which it would prey as unable to conceive aright of the pretiousnesse and power of the Word as a feaverish palate to taste the proper sweetnesse of the meate it eates In Hearing the Word the heart can never accept Gods Commands till it be first empty a man cannot receive the richest gift that is with a hand that was full before Now thornes which are the cares of the World filling the heart must needs choake the feede of the Word The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsell of God against themselves because their pride would not let them yeeld to such a baptisme or to such a doctrine as requires emptinesse confession of sinnes justifying of God and condemning of themselves for these were the purposes of Iohus Baptisme and of the preaching of repentance That man comes but to bee rejected who makes love to one who hath fixt her heart and affection already A man must come to Gods Word as to a Physitian a meere patient without reservations or exceptions he must set his corruptions as an open marke for the word to shoot at hee must not come with capitulations and provisoes but lay downe the body of sinne before God to have every earthly member hewed of Till a man come with such a resolution as to be willing to part from all naughtinesse hee will never receive the ingrafted Word with meeknesse and an honest heart a man will never follow Christ in the wayes of his Word till first he have learned to denie himselfe and his owne lusts Nay if a man should binde his devotion to his heart With vâ—…ws yet a Dalila in his bosome a lust in his spirit would easily nullifie the strongest vowes The Iewes made a serious and solemne protestation to Ieremie that they would obey the voyce of the Lord in that which they desired him to enquire of God about whether it were good or evill and yet when they found the message crosse their owne lusts and reservations their resolutions are turned into rebellions their pride quickly breakes asunder their vow and they tell the Prophet to his face that hee dealt falsly between God and them a refuge which they were well acquainted with before Some when then conscience awakens and begins to disquiet them make vowes to bind themselves vnto better obedience and formes of godlinesse but as Sampson was bound in vaine with any cords so long as his haire grew into its length so in vaine doth any man binde himselfe with vowes so long as he nourisheth his lusts within a vow in the hand of a fleshly lust will be but like the chaines and fetters of that fierce â—…unatick very easily broken asunder This is not the right way First labour with thy heart clense out thy corruptions purge thy life as the Prophet did the waters with seasoning and rectifying the fountaine T is one thing to give â—…ase from a present paine another thing to roote out the disease it selfe If the chinkes in a ship bee unstopt 't is in vaine to labour at the pumpe so long as there is a constant in let the water can never be exhausted so is it in these formall resolutions and vowes they may ease the present paine let out a little water restraine from some particular acts but so long as the heart is unpurged lust will returne and predominate In a word whereas in the Service of God there are two maine things required faith to begin and courage or patience to goe through lust hinders both these How can yee beleeve since yee seeke for glory one from another Ioh. 5. 44. when persecution arose because of the word the Temporary was presently offended Matth. 13. 21. Thirdly and lastly in one word A man ought not to set his Heart on the Creature because of the Noblenesse of the heart To set the heart on the creature is to set a diamond in lead None are so mad to keep their Iewels in a cellar and their coales in a closet and yet such is the profannesse of wicked men to keepe God in their lips only and Mammon in their hearts to make the earth their treasure and heaven but as an accessorie and appendix to that And now as Samuel spake unto Saul set not thine
side Love of lusts and pride of heart can never consist with obedience to the word Nehem. 9. 16. Ier. 13. 17. 43. 2. Thirdly converting and saving knowledge is not of our owne fetching in or gathering but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine that comes unto us and is brought by that sacred blast of the spirit which bloweth where he lifteth We doe not first come and are then taught but first we are taught and then we Come Ioh. 6. 45. Esai 55. 5. 65. 1. we must take heed of attributing to our selves boasting of our owne sufficiencies congtuities preparations concurrencies contributions unto the word in the saving of us Grace must prevent follow assist us preoperate and cooperate Christ must be All in All the Author and the Finisher of our faith of our selves we can doe nothing but disable our selves resist the spirit and pull downe whatever the word doth build up within us Ever therefore in humility waite at the poole where the spirit stirres Give that honour to Gods ordinances as when hee bids thee doe no great thing but onely wash and be cleane heare and beleeve beleeve and be saved not stoutly to cast his Law behinde thy backe but to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God and to see his name and power in the voyce which cryes unto thee Fourthly though sinne seeme dead to secure civill morall superstitiously zealous men in regard of any present sense or sting yet all that while it is alive in them and will certainely when the booke shall be opened either in the ministry of the word to conversion or in the last judgement to condemnation reviue againe All these points are very naturall to the Text but I should be too long a stranger to the course I intend if I should insist on them I returne therefore to the maine purpose Here is the state of sinne sinne revived the Guilt of sinne I died the Conviction of it by the spirit bringing the spirituall sense of the Commandement and writing it in the heart of a man and so pulling him away from his owne Conclusions The Doctrines then which I shall insist on are these two First the spirit by the Commandement convinceth a man to be in the state of sinne Secondly the spirit by the Commandement convinceth a man to be in the state of death because of sinne To convince a man that he is in the state of sinne is To make a man so to set to his owne seale and serious acknowledgement to this truth That he is a sinner as that withall he shall feele within himselfe the qualitie of that estate and in humility and selfe-abhorrencie conclude against himselfe all the naughtinesse and loathsome influences which are proper to kindle and catch in his nature and person by reason of that estate and so not in expression onely but in experience not in word but in truth not out of feare but out of loathing not out of constraint but most willingly not out of formality but out of humility not according to the generall voyce but out of a serious scrutinie and selfe examination loade and charge himselfe with all the noisomenesse and venome with all the dirt and garbage with all the malignitie and frowardnesse that his nature and person doe abound withall even as the waves of the sea with mire and dirt and thereupon justifie almighty God when he doth charge him with all this yea if he should condemne him for it Now we are to shew two things First that a meere naturall light will never thus farre convince a man Secondly that the spirit by the Commandement doth Some things nature is sufficient to teach God may be felt and found out in some fence by those that ignorantly worship him Nature doth convince men that they are not so good as they should be the Law is written in the hearts of those that know nothing of the letter of it Idlenesse beastiality lying luxury the Cretian poet could condemne in his owne countrey-men Drinking of healths ad plenoscalices by measure and constraint condemn'd by Law of a heathen prince and that in his luxurie Long haire condemn'd by the dictate of nature and right reason and the reason why so many men and whole nations notwithstanding use it is given by Saint Hierome Quia à natura deciderunt sicut multis alijs rebus comprobatur And indeede as Tertullian saith of womens long haire that it is Humilitatis suae sarcina the burden as it were of their Humility so by the warrant of that proportion which Saint Paul allowes 1. Cor. 11. 14. 15. We may call mens long haire Superbiae suae sarcinam nothing but a clogge of pride Saint Austin hath written three whole chapters together against this sinfull custome of nourishing haire which hee saith is expressely against the precept of the Apostle whom to vnderstand otherwise then the very letter sounds is to wrest the manifest words of the Apostle unto a perverse construction But to returne these Remnants of nature in the hearts of men are but like the blazes and glimmerings of a candle in the socket there is much darknes mingled with them Nature cannot throughly convince 1. Because it doth not carry a man to the Roote Adams sinne concupiscence and the corrupted seeds of a fleshly minde reason conscience will c. Meere nature will never Teach a man to feele the waight and curse of a sinne committed aboue five thousand yeeres before himselfe was borne to feele the spirits of sinne running in his bloud and sprouting out of his nature into his life one uncleane thing out of another to mourne for that filthinesse which he contracted in his conception Saint Paul professeth that this could not bee learned without the Law 2. Because it doth not carry a man to the Rule which is the written Law in that mighty widenesse which the Prophet David found in it Nature cannot looke upon so bright a thing but through vailes and glosses of its owne Evill hateth the light neither commeth to the light cannot endure a through scrutinie and ransacking left it should be reproved When a man lookes on the Law through the mist of his owne â—…usts he cannot but wrest and torture it to his owne way Saint Peter gives two reasons of it because such men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 3. 16. 1. Vnlearned men namely in the mysterie of Godlinesse have not been taught of God what the truth is in Iesus till that time a man will never put off his lusts but defend them and rather make crooked the rule coine distinctions and evasions upon the law it selfe then judge himselfe and give glory to God 2. Fickle unstable men men apt to be tossed up and downe like empty clouds with every blast never rooted nor grounded in the love of the truth unstedfast in the Covenant of God that lay not hold on it
waite for the Lord any longer If this be all the reward we haue for waiting and calling upon God to what purpose serve our humiliations and fastings what profitablenesse at all is there in his seruice Thus we find the hypocrits challenging God for afflicting them upbraiding him with their humiliations and the fruitlesnesse of his service Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest not wherefore haue wee afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit iâ—… it that wee haâ—…e kept his ordinance and that wee haue walked mournâ—…fully before the Lord of hoasts c And thus Saul when hee found himselfe forsaken by God and should haue humbled himselfe and sought his face he proceeded in a further rage to inquire of the witches which himselfe had commanded to be destroyed These things should teach us all to labour with God in prayer that what ever evill hee sendeth upon us hee would not suffer his strength and spirit to forsake us nor giue us ouer to the rage and madnesse of our owne nature O what hearts should men see in themselues if they would looke upon their owne faces in other mens lives See â—…ulian dye with revenge and rage against Christ Iudas bursting asunder under the weight of Gods wrath The cursed persecutors putting of their power retiring to a priuate life pining away with vexation because the Gospell of Christ was too hard for them Achitophel dispatching himselfe for very madnesse because his oracle was not beleeved One despaire another blaspheme another wrestle with his affliction as a beast in a snare till the part swell and rancle and grow too bigge for the punishment which is upon it How could not this chuse but make men out of loue with themselues and labour to haue more holdfast of the Spirit of Christ that this madnesse of our nature may thereby betained and our equanimity and moderation made knowne to all men Fifthly and lastly In the Ministery of the Word when thy bosome sinne is met with and the plague of thine owne heart discouer'd when thou art prick't in thy master veine when the edge of the sword enters to the quicke sacrificeth thee crucifieth thy lusts cuts off thy earthly members ransackes thy conscience and shewes thee the inside of thy foule soule heere by all meanes looke unto thy heart never so likely a time for madnesse and fierce opposition to set up it selfe as when a man is driven into a corner and cannot flie Sinners are all cowards and cannot indure the brightnesse of Moses face are not able to abide the scrutinie of the Word but would faine turne their backes upon it not onely out of scorne but out of feare too Many a sturdy sinner will seeme to contemne the plainenesse and power of the Word as an illiterate rude foolish thing to scorne undervalue the persons companies discourses of faithfull Ministers as of despicable or supercilious or schismaticall fellowes but the truth is and they in their owne consciences know it too that though there bee indeede much stoutnesse and contempt yet there is more cowardice Scorne is the pretence but feare is the reason they cannot indure to bee disquieted and gall'd as a diseased or wounded horse cuâ—…vets and pranceth and is very actiue and impatient at first sight a man would thinke it pride and metall but the truth is t is paine and smart that causeth it Well then sinners are all cowards and would faine fly but even cowards themselves when they are shutin and surrounded will fight with more fiercenesse then other men even for very feare The basest vermin almost that is when shut out of all his refuges and holes will trie his strength before he will perish and leape in the face of his pursuer And this now is the property of the word to 〈◊〉 men in The Scripture saith the Apostle hath shut up all under sinnâ—… Gal. 3. 22. And we shall ever finde that the deeper the conviction hath been the more likewise hath beene the preiudice and the fiercer the Opposition against the word see Ier. 5. 5 12. 6. 10. 43. 1 2. Nehem. 9. 29 30. Ioh. 8. 48 59. Ioh. 11. 47 53. Act. 5. 33. Act. 6. 10 11. 7. 54. 57 58. Ier. 36. 23. 2. Chron. 36. 15 16 17. As in the meeting of two contrary streames if one prevaile not to carry away and over-rule the other there must needs arise a mighty noyse and rage in the conflict so is it in the wrestling and strife betweene the Spirit of God in the Word and the current of a mans owne corruptions the greater strength and manifestation of the Spirit the Word hath in it and the fewer corners and chinkes it leaves for sinne to escape at the more fierce must needes the opposition be if the word be not prevalent enough to turne the current Let us therfore beware whatever we do of snuffing or rebelling against the warnings which are giuen us out of the Word It is hard to kicke against the prickes there is no overcomming Gods Spirit a man may fall upon the stone but hee shall be broken by it if he be so strong and lift so hard as to move the stone it shall fall upon him and grinde him to powder Let us not resolve to baffle the ministers and to despise their message It is a sinne that leaves no remedy for a man to throw away the physicke to trample under foote the playster that should heale him Let us not thinke to blow away the Words of God as if they were but so much empty winde for the Lord saith that they shall become fire to devouâ—…e the adversaries Let us not distinguish Scripture to our owne humours nor accept or reject Gods Truth as will best consist with our owne resolutions but as it is the power of the Word to Captivate even rebelliousthoughts to the obedience of Christ so let us resolve to accept of every one of Gods righteous Commandements and to hate every false way to heare Christ and his Ministers in all things to answer to Gods severest cals even then when they make us tremble and doe astonish us as Saint Paul did Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe Even when the word affrights thee yet giue this honour to it not to reject it nor fly from it not to smother and suppresse it but to endure it to search thee and to submit thy selfe unto it This is a notable way to abate the Originall madnesse which is in thy heart Secondly as there is furor in madnesse so there is Amentia too A distemper in the Intellectuals as well as in the passions Every man that is throughly mad is a foole too And therefore the same originall word is translated in one place madnesse Luk. 6. 11. and in another place follie 2. Tim. 3. 9. Now this distemper is Twofold for either it is an universall privation
any holy thoughts the flesh will quickly cast in other suggestions to make him weary and faint under such unwelcome speculations Therfore it was that David prayed Vnite my hart to feare thy name Keepe it alwayes in the thoughts of the heart of thy servant c. This was the businesse of Paul and Barnabas to the Saints to exhort them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto God And hence that phrase of Scripture to ioyne a mans selfe to God and to lay fast bold upon him And this every man that sets about it will finde to bee a very hard worke It will give every man just cause to cry out against the intrusions of a naughty heart This is that which makes many mens righteousnesse like the morning Dew now the Grasse seemes drunken with wetnesse and an houre after even gapes for drought now a vow and resolution anon a relapse and returne againe now an â—…are to Christ presently another open to sinne now offers and tender of peace anon retreates and exceptions now a skirmish with sinne and presently a truce like Penelopes Web wrought in the day and untwisted in the night Tenthly consider the Indefatigablenesse of this sinne how unwearied it is in all the mischiefs that it is bent upon It is said of Satan that he goes about seeking whom hee may devoure as it was of Christ That he went about doing good I thinke wee shall never in the Scripture finde the Divell at a pause or sitting still like one that were spent and tir'd But yet I finde that for a season he hath departed when hee had such a terrible foyle as put him out of all hope of victory I finde that hee may bee driven away and put to flight Resist the Divell and hee shall flie from you But now the fleshlie heart of a man will never be made sound a retreate but sets on indefatigably upon the spirituall part It is as I said like the Thiefe when it is nail'd and crucified it will still revile like a wounded woolfe it runnes about to doe mischiefe or as a tyred Oxe it treads with more weight upon the soule As the Historian said of Carthage that Rome was more troubled with it when it was halfe destroy'd then when it remain'd whole and entire so the man that hath in some measure overcome his lusts will bee farre more sensible of their stirrings and strugglings then another in whom they rule without disturbance Wee may observe in some froward men when their causes are tried and prove desperate in right they will yet still create perverse matters to molest their neighbors and the more they sinke in the maine the more clamorous they will be to proceed as eager gamesters the more they loose the deeper game they play and the harder they set to it so is it with the lusts of men the more they are subdued the more rebellious and headstrong will they be so farre as their power goes against the spirit of Christ. Lime is kindled by that which quencheth all other fires and surely Grace which 〈◊〉 other temptations or at least abateth thâ—…m doth occasionally and by antiperistasis enrage the flesh though in regard of exercise and actuall power it dye daylie The reason hereof is First that which is naturall can never be chang'd neither is any thing ever tir'd in its naturall motion The motion of a stone upward growes fainter and fainter because carried by a violent impression but downeward stronger and stronger because it gathers strength even by sympathie to the place whereunto it moves Now originall sinne is the corrupt nature of a man and the motions therefore of it are not violent but altogether naturall and that naturall motion is set on and made the easier by the impulsions of Satan as a stone throwne or hurried downeward moves the swifter because the naturall weight thereof is improv'd by the accessory impression Who ever knew the Sea give over raging or a streame grow weary of running Now the motions of corruption are as naturall as the estuations of the sea or the course of a river Though there may be difficulty in fullfilling lusts there can never be any in the rising and sprouting of lusts As there may be paines in drawing water out of a Fountaine but there can be no paines in the waters swelling or rising out of the Fountaine It is no paines to conceive seede though it bee to bring it forth in a birth so in the begetting of sin there is no paines requir'd for the heart to lust for thoughts to arise though the finishing of sinne may bee oftentimes painefull as well as deadly Originall sinne is call'd by the Aposile a Law in the members which putteth a byas into them a forwardnesse and propension to all evill Now as a Bowle moves not with any difficultie when it followes the sway of its owne bias so neither doth the heart in following lusts which are the weights and bias of the fleshlie soule And therefore the longer any man lives in sinne the sweeter 't is to him Wearinesse and propension are termes inconsistent Secondly Nothing is weary while it workes all De Suo of it selfe that which tyres a faculty is the fetching in of subsidiarie spirits which being exhausted and spent the faculty giveth over working and is said to be wearie The eye is never weary with the act of seeing which is it owne worke but it is said to bee weary meerely because of the deficiency of those animall spirits which are from without sent in unto it to assist it in its owne worke which if they did in the same measure and strength without decay flow to the facultie it could never be tired in its owne operation So the locomotive facultie when the hand worketh or the foote walketh would never be wearied in it selfe if those spirits which are requisite to strengthen it in its exercise did not lessen and faile and breath out in the motion But now our lusts make us flesh all over in them wee worke all de nostro of our owne It is as naturall to the heart to lust as it is to the eye to see and in this respect more too for though the Act of seeing bee the eyes alone yet the eye stands in need of forraine assistance from the heart which is the forge and seminarie of spirits to continue the exercise of this Act But the Heart is wholly within it selfe furnish'd with all the strength and principles of lusting or if it were not yet those spirits which the temptations of Satan or the world infuse to assist it doe never faile nor waste away but as waters drawne out of a fountaine the faster they are cald in the more plentifully they come Thirdly Originall sin is Indefatigable never wearie of warring of tempting of raging of intruding of bringing forth oâ—… polluting all we do because it is unsatisfied The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the
by better promises and therefore respect none of the wages of Lust consider that God is the Fountaine of life that thou hast more and better of it in him then in the Creatures that when thou wantest the things of this life yet thou hast the promises still and that all the offers of lust are not for comforts but for snares not for the use of life but for the provisions of sin and there is more content in a little received from God then in whole treasures stollen from him and all sinfull gaine is the robbing of God Fourthly for the law of lust setup the law of the spirit of life in thy heart It is a royall Law and a Law of liberty whereas lust is a law of death and bondage and where the spirit comes a man shall be set free from the law of sinne and of death Keepe thy selfe alwayes at home in the presence of Christ under the eye and government of thy husband and that will dash all intruders and adulterers out of countenance Take heed of quenching grieving stifling the Spirit cherish the motions thereof stirre up and kindle the gifts of God in thee labour by them to grow more in grace and to have neerer communion with God the riper the Corne growes the looser will the chaffe be and the more a man growes in grace with the more ease will his corruptions be sever'd and shaken off Fifthly when lust is violent and importunate First be thou importunate and vrgent with God against it too when the Messenger of Satan the Thorne in the flesh did buffet and sticke fast unto S. Paul hee reiterated his prayers unto God against it and proportion'd the vehemency of his requests to the violence and urgency of the enemy that troubled him and he had a comfortable answer My Grace is sufficient for thee sufficient in due time to cure and sufficient at all times to forgive thy weakenesse In the Law if a ravisht woman had cried out shee was esteemed innocent because the pollution was not voluntary but violent And so in the assaults of lust when it useth violence and pursues the soule that is willing to escape and flye from it if a man with-hold the embraces of his owne will and cry out against it if he can say with Saint Paul It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me though in regard that the flesh is something within himselfe he cannot therefore be esteemed altogether innocent yet the Grace of God shall bee sufficient for him Secondly when thou art pursued keepe not Lusts counsell but seeke remedy from some wise and Christian friend by communicating with him and disclosing thy case unto him sinne loves not to bee betrayde or complained on mutuall confession of sinne to those who will pray for a sinner and not deride him or rejoyce against him is a meanes to heale it Thirdly when thou art in a more violent manner then usuall assaulted by sinne Humble thy selfe in some more peculiar manner before God and the more sinne cries for satisfaction denie it and thy selfe the more as Salomon saith of children so may I say of lusts Chastice and subdue thy lusts and regard not their crying Sixthly cut off the materials and provisions for lust weane thy selfe from earthly affections love not the World nor the things of the World desire not anything to consume upon thy lusts pray for those things which are convenient for thee turne thy heart from those things which are most likely to seduce thee possesse thy heart with a more spirituall and abiding treasure hee who lookes stedfastly upon the light of the Sunne will be able to see nothing below when he lookes downe againe and surely the more a man is affected with heaven the lesse will he desire or delight in the world Besides the provisions of sinne are but like full pastures that doe but fatten and prepare for slaughter Balaam was in very good plight before able to ride with his two servants to attend him but greedinesse to rise higher and make provision for his ambitious heart carried him upon a wicked businesse made him give cursed counsell against Israel which at length cost him his owne life Lastly for the instruments of lusts make a covenant with thy members keep a government over them bring them into subjection above all keepe thy heart establish the inward government for nothing can be in the body which is not first in the heart keepe the first mover uniforme and right all other things which have their motions depending there must needs be right too Having thus opened at large the life and state of originall sinne it remaines in the last place to shew how the spirit by the commandement doth convince and discover the life of actuall sinne in omitting so much good in committing so much evill in swarving and deviating from the rule in the manner and measure of all our services And this it doth by making us see that great spiritualnes and perfection that precise universall and constant conformitie which the Law requires in all we doe Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Perfection and perpetuitie of obedience are the two things which the Law requires Suppose we it possible for a man to fulfill every tittle of the Law in the whole compasse of it and that for his whole life together one onely particular and that the smallest and most imperceptible deviation from it being for one onely time excepted yet so rigorous and inexorable is the Law that it seales that man under the wrath and curse of God The heart cannot turne the thoughts cannot rise the affections cannot stirre the will cannot bend but the Law meets with it either as a Rule to measure or as a Iudge to censure it It penetrates the inmost thoughts searcheth the bottome of all our actions hath a widenesse in it which the heart of man cannot endure They were not able to endure saith the Apostle the things which were commanded and Why tempt you God saith Saint ' Peter to those that preached Circumcision and put a yoake upon the brethren which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare Circumcision it selfe they were able to beare but that yoke which came with it namely the Debt of the whole Law was by them and their fathers utterly unsupportable For this very cause was the Law published that sinne might thereby become exceeding sinfull that so Gods grace might bee the more magnified and his Gospell the more accepted Let us in a few words consider some particular aggravations of the life and state of actuall sinne which the spirit by the Word will present unto us First in the least sinne that can bee named there is so much life and venome as not all the concurrent strength of those millions of Angels one of whom was
men change their glory for that which doth not profit forsake the Fountaine and hâ—…w outbroken Cisternes which will hold no water â—…owe nothing but winde and reape nothing but shame and reproach Our Saviour assures us that it is no valuable price to get the whole World by sione and Saint Austen hath assur'd us that the salvation of the World if possible oughtâ—…ot to be procurd by but an officious lie But now how many times doe we sinne even for base and dishonourable endâ—… lie for a farthing sweare for a complement swagger for a fashion flatter for a preferment murder for a revâ—…ge pawne our soules which are more worth then the whole frame of nature for a very trifle Seventhly all this evill hitherto staies at home but the great scandall that comes of sinne addes much to the life of it the perniciousnesse and offence of the example to others Scandall to the weake and that twofold an active scandall to mis-guide them Gal. 2. 14. 1. Cor. 8. 10. or a passive scandall to grieve them Rom. 14. 15. and beget in them jealousies and suspitions against our persons and professions Scandall to the wicked and that twofold also the one giving them occasion to blaspheme that holy Name and profession which we beare 2. Sam. 12. 14. 2. Cor. 6. 3. 4. 1. Pet. 2. 13. The other hardning and encouraging comforting and justifying them by our evill example Ezek. 16. 51 54. Eighthly the evill doth not reach to men onely but the scandall and indignity over-spreads the Gospell a great part of the life of sinne is drawne from the severall respects it hath to Gods will acknowledged When we sâ—…e not onely against the Law of Nature in our hearts but against the written Law nor onely against the truth but against the mercy and Spirit of God too this must be a heavy aggravation O what a hell must it bee to a soule in hell to recount so many Sabbaths God reached fâ—…rth his Word unto me so many Sermons he knock'd at my doore and beseeched me to be reconciled he woâ—…d me in his Word allured me by his promises expected me in much patience enriched me with the liberty of his owne pâ—…etious Oracles reached forth his blood to wash me poured forth his teares over me but against all this I have stopped the â—…are and pulled away the shoulder and hardned the heart and received all this grace in â—…ine and not withstanding all the raine which fell upon me continued barren still God might have cut me off in the wombe and made me there a brand of hell as I was by nature a Childe of wrath he might have brought me forth into the world out of the pale of his visible Church 〈◊〉 into a corrupted Synagogue or into a place full of ignorance atheisme and profanenesse but he hath cast my lot in a beautifull place and given me a goodly heritage and now hee requires nothing of me but to doe justly and worke righteousnesse and walke humbly before God and I requite evill for good to the hurt of mine owne soule Ninthly the manner of committing these sinnesis is full of life too Peradventure they are Kings have a court and regiment in my heart at best they will be Tyrants in mee they have been committed with much strength power service attendance with obstinacy frowardnesse perseverance without such sense sorrow or apprehension as things of so great a guiltinesse did require Lastly in good duties whereas grace should bee ever quick and operative make us conformable to our head walke worthy of our high calling and as becommeth godlinesse as men that have learned and received Christ how much unprofitablenesse unspiritualnesse distractions formality want of rellish failings intermissions deadnesse uncomfortablenesse do shew themselves How much flesh with spirit how much wantonnesse with grace how much of the world with the word how much of the weeke in the Sabbath how much of the bag or barne in the Temple how much superstition with the worship how wuch security with the feare how much vaine-glory in the honour of God in one word How much of my selfe and therefore how much of my sinne in all my services and duties which I performe These and a world the like aggravations serve to lay open the life of actuall sinnes Thus have I at large opened the first of the three things proposed namely that the spirit by opening the Rule doth convince men that they are in the state of sin both originall and actuall The next thing proposed was to shew what kinde of condition or estate the state of sinne is And here are two things principally remarkeable first it is an estate of most extreme impotency and disability unto any good Secondly of most extreme enmity against the holinesse and wayes of God First it is an estate of impotency and Disability to any good Paul in his pharisaicall condition thought himselfe able to live without blame Phil. 3. 6. But when the commandement came he found all his former moralities to have been but dung Our naturall estate is without any strength Rom. 5. 6. so weake that it makes the Law it selfe weake Rom. 8. 3. as unable to doe the workes of a spirituall as a dead man of a naturall life for wee are by nature Dead in sinne Eph. 2. 1. and held under by it Rom. 7. 6. And this is a wofull aggravation of the state of sinne that a man lies in mischiefe 1. Ioh. 5. 19. as a carkasse in rottennesse and dishonour without any power to deliver himselfe He that raised up Lazarus out of his grave must by his owne voyce raise up us from sinne The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and they that heare shall live Ioh. 5. 25. All men are by nature strangers to the life of God Eph. 4. 18. and sorreiners from his household Eph. 2. 19. Able without him to doe Nothing no more then a branch is to beare any fruit when it is cut of from the fellowship of the roote which should quicken it Ioh. 15. 4. 5. In me saith the Apostle that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. a man is as unable to breake through the debt of the Law or his subjection to death and bondage as a beast to shake of his yoke Act. 15. 10. or a dead man his funerall clothes Ioh. 11. 44. In one word so great is this impotencie which is in us by sinne that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thing 2. Cor. 3. 5. not able to understand a good thing nor to comprehend the light when it shines upon us 1. Cor. 2. 14. Ioh. 1. 5. Our tongues unable to speake a good word How can yee being evill speake good things Matth. 12. 34. Our eares unable to heare a good word To whom shall I speake and give warning that they may heare behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken Ier. 6. 10. our whole man
strong nor our hearts endure in the day when hee will have to doe with us How can wee choose but send forth an Embassage especially since he is not a great way off as it is in the Parable but standeth before the dore and is nigh at hand and will not carry an embassage of repentance to give up our armour to strip and judge our selves to meete him in the way of his judgements to make our selves vile before him and be humbled under his mighty hand and sue forth conditions of peace to meete him as the Gibeonites did Iosua and resolve rather to be his servants then to stand out against him This is certaine God is comming against his Enemies his attendants Angels and his weapons fire And if his patience and forbearance make him yet keepe a great way off that hee may give us time to make our peace O let the long suffering of God draw us to Repentance least wee treasure up more wrath against our selves Consider the great aggravation of that spirituall Iezabels sinne I gave her space to repent of her fornications and she repented not Consider that the long suffering of God is Salvation and therefore let us make this use of it Labour to bee found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse The last thing in this first point proposed was How the spirit by the Commandement doth thus convince men to be in the state of sinne To this I answere briefly First by quickning and putting an edge upon the Instrumentall cause the sword of the Spirit For the word of it selfe is a dead letter and profiteth nothing it is the spirit that puts life and power into it I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord to declare unto Iacob his transgressions saith the Prophet Mic. 3. 8. As the Spirit is a Spirit of life so hath he given to the Word to be a Word of life quicke and powerfull Phil. 2. 16. Heb. 4. 12. Secondly by writing it in the heart casting the heart into the mould of the Word and transforming the spirit of man into the image of the Word and making it as it were the Epistle of Christ bending and framing the heart to stand in awe of Gods Word for writing his Law and putting his feare into the heart is the same thing with God In which respect amongst others men are said to bee Sealed by the Spirit because that Spirituall Holinesse which is in the Word is fashioned in the hearts of the Saints as the image of the seale is in the waxe As the light of the Sunne doth by reflection from the Moone illighten that part of the earth or from a glasse that part of a roome from which it selfe is absent So though the Church bee here absent from the Lord yet his Spirit by the Word doth illighten and governe it It is not the Moone alone nor the glasse alone nor yet the Sunne without the Moone or the glasse that illightneth those places vpon which it selfe doth not immediately shine but that as the principall by them as the instruments so the Spirit doth not and the Word cannot alone by it selfe convince or convert but the Spirit by the Word as its sword and instrument So then when the Spirit turnes a mans eyes inward to see the truth of the Word written in his owne heart makes him put his Seale unto it frameth the will to search acknowledge and judge the worst of its selfe to subscribe unto the righteousnesse of God in condemning sinne and him for it to take the office of the Word and passe that sentence upon it selfe which the Word doth then doth the Word spiritually Convince of sinne Which should teach us what to look for in the ministry of the word namely that which will Convince us that which puts an edge upon the Word opens the heart makes it burne namely the spirit of Christ for by that only we can be brought unto the righteousnesse of Christ we are not to despise the ordinances in our esteeme when we find them destitute of such humane contributions and attemperations which we haply expected as Naaman did the waters of Iordan for though there bee excellent use of Humane learning when it is sanctified for opening the Word as a baser colour is a good ground for a better yet it is the Word alone which the Spirit worketh by the flesh and fleshly accessions of themselves profit no more nor adde no more reall vertue or lustre to the Word then the weedes in a field do unto the Corne or then the ground colour doth unto the beautie of that which is put upon it We should therefore pray for the Spirit to come along with his Word It is not enough to be at Bethesda this house of mercie and grace unlesse the Angell stirre and the Spirit move upon these waters It is Hee that must incline and put the heart into the Word or else it will remaine as impotent as before But of this point also I have spoken at large upon another scripture Having then thus shewed at large that the Spirit by the Commandment convinceth men to be in the state of sin both Actuall and Originall imputed and inherent what kinde of state that is A state of Impotencie and Enmity How it doth it by quickning the Word and opening the heart Now we are very briefly to open the second point That the Spirit by the Commandment convinceth a man to be under the guilt of sin or in the state of death because of sinne I died for which we must note First that there is a two fold Guilt First Reatus Concupiscentia which is the meritoriousnesse of punishment or liablenesse unto punishment which sinne brings with it and Reatus personae which is the actuall Obligation and obnoxiousnesse of a person vnto punishment because of sinne Now in as much as nature is not able to discover without the Spirit the whole malignity and obliquity that is in sinne therefore it cannot sufficiently convince of the Guilt of sinne which is a Resultancie therefrom and is ever proportionable thereunto In which respect the Iudgements of God are said to be unsearchable Rom. 11 33. And the wicked know not whither they goe 1. Ioh. 2. 11. cannot have any full and proportionable notions of that wrath to come which their sinnes carry them unto Secondly wee may note that there is a Twofold Conviction of this Guilt of sinne A naturall Conviction such as was in Cain Iudas Spira and other despairing men which ariseth from two grounds First the Present sense of Gods wrath in the first fruits thereof upon their consciences which must perforce beare witnesse to Gods â—…ustice therein and this is that which the Apostle calls Torment 1. Ioh. 4. 18. which though it may arise from naturall principles for wee know even heathens have had their Laniatus and Ictus as the Historian speakes their scourges and rendings of Conscience yet is it
much set forward by the Word because therein is made more apparant to the Soule the Glory and the Power of God therefore the Two Prophets are said to Torment the inhabitants of the Earth and the Law is said to make men guilty and to kill to hew smite and destroy those whom it deales with all Secondly such a faith as the Divels have begotten by the Word and assented unto by the secret suggestions of the heart witnessing to it selfe that it hath deserved more then yet it feeles and this begets a fearefull expectation of being devoured surpriseth the heart with horrid tremblings and presumptions of the vengeance to come which the Apostle calls the Spirit of bondage and feare But all this being an Assent perforce extorted for wicked men confesse their sinnes as the Divels confessed Christ more out of Torment then out of Love to God or humiliation under his mighty hand amounts to no more then a Naturall Conviction Secondly there is a Spirituall and Evangelicall Conviction of the Guilt of sinne and the damnation due thereunto arising from the Law written in the heart and tempered with the apprehension of mercie in the new Covenant which begets such a paine under the Guilt of sin as a plaister doth to the impostumation which withall it cures such a Conviction as is a manuduction unto righteousnesse And that is when the Conscience doth not onely perforce feele it selfe dead but hath wrought in it by the Spirit the same affection towards it selfe for sinne which the word hath is willing to charge it selfe and acquit God to endite accuse arraigne testifie condemne it selfe meete the Lord in the way of his Iudgements and cast downe it selfe under his mighty hand That man who can in secret and truth of heart willingly and uncompulsorily thus stand on Gods side against sinne and against himselfe for it giving God the Gloâ—ie of his righteousnesse if he should condemne him and of his uâ—searchable and rich mercie that hee doth offer to forgive him I dare pronounce that man to haue the Spirit of Christ. For no man by nature can willingly and uprightly Owne damnation and charge himselfe with it as his due portion and most just inheritance This can never arise but from a deepe sense and hate of sinne from a most ardent zeale for the Glory and Righteousnesse of God Now then since the Conviction of sinne and of the death and Guilt thereof are not to drive men to despaire or blasphemie but that they may beleeve and lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ which they are then most likely to doe when sinne is made exceeding sinfull and by consequence death exceeding deadly give mee leave to set forth in two words what this Guilt of sinne is that the necessitie of righteousnesse from Christ may appeare the greater and his mercie therein bee the more glorified Guilt is the Demerit of sinne binding and subjecting the person in whom it is to undergoe all the punishments legally due the reunto This Demerit is founded not only in the Constitution Will and Power of God over his owne Creatures of whom hee may justly require whatsoever obedience hee giveth power to performe but in the nature of his owne Holinesse and Iustice which in sinne is violated and turned from and this Guilt is after a sort Infinite because it springeth out of the aversion from an Infinite Good the violation of an infinite Holynesse and Iustice and the Conversion to the Creatures infinitely if men could live ever to commit adultery with them And as the Consequence and reward of obedience was the favour of God conferring life and blessednesse to the Creature so the wages of sinne which this Guilt assureth a sinner of is the wrath of God which the Scripture calleth Death and the Curse This Guilt being an Obligation unto punishment leadeth us to consider what the nature of that curse and death is unto which it bindeth us over Punishment bearing necessarie relation to a command the trangression whereof is therein recompenced taketh in these considerations First on the part of the Commander a will to which the Actions of the subject must conforme reveal'd and signified under the nature of a Law Secondly a justice which will and thirdly a power which can punish the transgressors of that Law Secondly on the part of the subject commanded there is requir'd first Reason and free-will originally without which there can be no sinne for though man by his brutishnesse and impotency which he doth coÌ„tract cannot make void the commands of God but that they now binde men who have put out their light and lost their libertie yet originally God made no law to binde under paine of sinne but that unto the obedience whereof hee gave reason and free-will Secondly a debt and obligation either by voluntarie subjection as man to man or naturall as the creature to God or both sealed and acknowledged in the covenants betweene God and man whereby man is bound to fulfill that law which it was originally enabled to observe Thirdly a forfeiture guilt and demerit upon the violation of that Law Thirdly and lastly the evill it selfe inflicted wherein we consider first the nature and qualitie of it which is to have a destructive power to oppresse and dis quiet the offender and to violate the integritie of his well being For as sinne is a violation offered by man to the Law so punishment is a violation retorted from the Law to man Secondly the Proportion of it to the offence the greatnesse whereof is manifested in the majestie of God offended and those severall relations of goodnesse patience creation redemption which he hath to man in the quality of the creature offending being the chiefe and lord of all the rest below him in the easinesse of the primitive obedience in the unprofitablenesse of the wayes of sinne and a world of the like aggravations Thirdly the end of it which is not the destruction of the creature whom as a creature God loveth but the satisfaction of justice the declaration of divine displeasure against sinne and the manifestation of the glory of his power and terrour So then Punishment is an evill or pressure of the Creature proceeding from a Law giver just and powerfull inflicted on a reasonable Creature for and proportionable unto the breach of such a Law unto the performance and obedience whereof the Creature was originally enabled wherein is intended the glory of Gods just displeasure and great power against sinne which hee naturally hateth Now these punishments are Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Temporall and those first without a man The vanitie of the Creatures which were at first made full of goodnesse and beautie but doe now mourne and grone under the bondage of our sinnes The wrath of God revealing it selfe from heaven and the curse of God over-growing the earth Secondly within him All the Harbingers and Fore-runners of death sicknesse paine povertie reproach feare and
the evill spirit against Ahab and his Prophets that hee should goe forth with lying perswasions and should bee beleeved and prevaile according to that of the Apostle that God giveth over those that beleeve not the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse to strong delusions that they may beleeve a lye and that the God of this world doth blinde the eyes of those which beleeve not Lastly the Punishment of sinne is Eternall That wrath which in the day of the Revelation of Gods righteous Iudgement shall bee powred forth upon ungodly men The Saints are redeemed already in this life and are said to have Eternall Life but yet that great day is by an excellency called the day of Redemption because then that life which is here hid shall be then fully discovered So on the other side though the wrath of God be revealed from Heaven already against all unrighteonsnesse and Abideth vpon those that beleeve not yet after an especiall manner is the last day called a day of wrath because then the heapes treasures stormes and tempests blackenesse and darkenesse of Gods displeasure shall in full force seize upon ungodly men And this wrath of God is of all other most unsupportable First In regard of the Author It comes from God Now we know a little stone if it fall from a high place or a smal dart shot out of a strong bow wil do more hurt then a farre greater that is but gently laid on How wefull then must the case of those be who shall have mountaines and milstones throwne with Gods owne arme from Heaven upon them for though God in this life suffer himselfe to bee wrestled with and even pressed downe yet at last he shall come to shew forth the glory of his Power in the just condemnation of wicked men Secondly in its owne nature because it is most heavie and invincible All conquest over an evill must proceede either from Power which is able to expell it or from Faith and Hope that a man shall be delivered from it by those that have more power then himselfe what ever evill it is which doth either keepe downe Nature that it connot rise or hedge it in that it cannot escape is very intollerable Now Gods wrath hath both these in it First it is so great that it exceedes all the power of the Creature to overcome it heavier then mountaines hotter then fire no chaffe nor stubble shall stand before it and it shall be All within a man folded up in his very substance like the worme in the wood on which it feedes And secondly as it is heavie and so excludes the strength of nature to overcome it so is it infinite too and thus it excludes the hope of nature to escape it The ground of which infinitenesse in punishment is the infinite disproportion betweene the Iustice of God which will punish and the nature of man which must suffer Gods Iustice being Infinite the violation thereof in sinne must needes contract an infinite demerit and debt because in sinning we robbe God of his Glory which we must repay him againe Now the satisfaction of an Infinite debt must needes be Infinite either in degrees which is impossible For first nothing can bee Infinite in Being though it may in duration but onely God And secondly if it could yet a finite vessell were not able to hold an infinite wrath or else in some other infinitenesse which is either infinitenesse of worth in the person satisfying or for defect of that infinitenesse of time to suffer that whith cannot bee suffered in an infinite measure And this is the reason why Christ did not suffer infinitely in time because there was in him a more excellent iâ—…finitenesse of person which raised a finite suffering into the value of an infinite satisfaction though Scotus and from him some learned men have rendered another reason hereof because hee suffered onely for those who were to breake off their sinnes by Repentance Now then to conclude all In as much as sinne is by the Law made exceeding sinfull and death exceeding deadly not to legall but evangelicall purposes not to drive men to blaspheme or despaire but to beleeve not to frighten them from God but to drive them unto him in his Sonne for the Law comes not but in the hand of a mediator And in as much as this is the accepted time and the day of Salvation that now he commandeth All Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will Iudge the World in righteousnesse whom hee doth now invite and beseech in mercy We should therefore be wise for our selves and being thus pursued and cast in the Court of Law flie to that Heavenly Chancery that Office of Mercie and miâ—…gation which is set up in the Gospell and that while it is yet called to Day before the Percullis bee shut downe before the blacke flagge be hung out before the Talent of Lead seale up the measure of our wickednesse and the Irreversible decree of wrath be gone forth for we must know that God will not alwayes bee despised nor suffer his Gospell to waite ever upon obdurate â—…ners or his Sonne to stand ever at our dores as if he stood in need of our admittance But when there is no remedy but that we judge our selves unworthy of Eternall Life and stand in contempt and rebellion against his Court of Mercie he will dismisse us to the Law againe O Consider what wilt thou doe if thou shouldest bee dragg'd naked to the Tribunall of Christ and not bee able with all thy cries to obtaine so much mercie from any Mountaine as to live for ever under the weight and pressure of it When thou shalt peepe out of thy Grave and see Heaven and Earth on fire about thine eares and Christ comming in the flames of that fire to revenge on thee the quarrell of his Covenant Whither then wilt thou fly from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne Let us therefore learne to Iudge our selves that wee may not be condemned of the Lord to fly to his Sanctuary before wee be haled to his tribunall Hee requires no great thing of us but onely to relinquish our selues and in humilitie and sincerity to accept of him and receive that redemption by beleeving in him which hee hath wrought by suffering for us this if in truth and spirit we doe all the rest will undoubtedly follow namely the life of our Faith here in an universall obedience and the end of our faith hereafter even the falvation of our Soules THE RAIGNE OF SINNE ROM 6. 12. Let not sinne therefore Raigne in your mortall bodiâ—…s that you should obay it in the lusts thereof AFter the doctrine of the state and guilt of sinne It will be needefull for the further Conviction thereof that sinne may appeare exceeding sinfull to shew in the next place the Power and the Raigne of sinne from which the Apostle in
childe may be borne a king and be crowned in his cradle so sinne in the wombe may raigne And indeed Concupiscence is of all other the sinning sinne and most exceeding sinfull So that as there is virtually and radically more water in a fountaine though it seeme very narrow then in the streames which flow from it though farre wider because though the streames should all dry up yet there is enough in the fountaine to supply all againe so the sinne of nature hath indeed more fundamentall foulâ—…nesse in it then the actuall sinnes which arise from it as being the adulterous wombe which is ever of it selfe prostituted to the injections of any diabolicall or worldly temptations and greedy to claspe cherish and organize the seeds of any sinne So that properly the raigne of sinne is founded in Lust for they are ouâ—… lusts which are to be satisfied in any sinfull obedience All the subsidies succours contributions which are brought in are spent upon Lust and therefore not to mourne for and bewaile this naturall concupiscence as David and Paul did is a manifest signe of the raigne of lust For there is no medium if sin which cannot be avoided be not lamented neither it is undoubtedly obeyed The last Question is Whether sinnes of omission may be esteemed raigning sinnes To which I answere That the wicked in Scripture are Character'd by such kinde of sinnes Powre out thy vengeance upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not upon thy name The wicked through the pride of his heart will not seeke after God God is not in all his thoughts There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land I was an hungred and you gave me no meate thirsty and you gave me no drinke a stranger and you tooke me not in c. As in matters of governement a Princes negative voyce whereby he hinders the doing of a thing is oftentimes as great an argument of his royalty as his positive commands to have a thing done nay a Prince hath power to command that to be done which he hath no power to prohibite as Iosias commanded the people to serve the Lord So in sinne the power which it hath to dead and take off the heart from Christian duties from Communion with God from knowledge of his will from delight in his word from mutuall Edification from a constant and spirituall watch over our thoughts and wayes and the like is a notorious fruit of the raigne of sinne So then as he said of the Romane Senate that it was an assembly of kings so we may say of sinfull lusts in the heart That they are indeed a Throng and a people of kings The second Exception where with the more moderate sort of unregenerate men seeme to shift off from themselves the charge of being subject to the raigne of sinne is that sinne hath not over them an universall dominion in as much as they abhorre many sinnes and doe many things which the rule requires All these things saith the young man in the Gospell have I done from my youth And Hazael to the Prophet Is thy servant a dog to rip up women and dash infants to piâ—…ces He seemed at that time to abhorre so deteâ—…able facts as the Prophet foretold Come saith Iâ—…hu and see my zeale for the Lord of hoasts Ahab humbled himselfe Herod heard Iohâ—… gladly and did many things the foolish virgins and apostate abstained from many pollutions of the world and from such abstinencies and performances as these men seeme invincibly to conclude that they are not under an universall raigne of sinne For clearing this Exception we must know that there are other causes besides the power and kingdome of the spirit of Christ which may worke a partiall abstinence in some sins and conformitie in some duties First the Power of a generall restraining Grace which I suppose is meant in Gods with-holding Abimelech from touching Sarah As there are generall Gifts of the Spirit in regard of illumination so likewise in order to conversation and practice It is said that Christ beholding the young man Loved him and that even when he was under the raigne of Covetousnesse He had nothing from himselfe worthy of love therefore something though more generall it was which the spirit had wrought in him Suppose we his ingenuitie moralitie care of Salvation or the like As Abraham gave portions to Ishmael but the inheritance to Isaac so doth the Lord on the children of the flesh and of the bond woman bestow common gifts but the Inheritance and Adoption is for the Saints his choisest Iewels are for the Kings Daughter There is great difference betwixt Restraining and Renewing Grace the one onely charmes and chaines up sinne the other crucifies and weakens it whereby the vigor of it is not withheld onely but abated the one turnes the motions and streame of the heart to another channell the other keepes it in bounds onely though still it runne its naturall course the one is contrarie to the Raigne the other onely to the Rage of sinne And now these graces being so differing needs must the abstaining from sinnes or amendment of life according as it riseth from one or other be likewise exceeding different First that which riseth from Renewing Grace is Internall in the disposition and frame of the heart the law and the spirit are put in there to purifie the Fountaine whereas the other is but externall in the course of the life without any inward and secret care to governe the thoughts to moderate the passions to suppresse the motions and risings of lust to cleanse the conscience from dead workes to banish privie pride speculative uncleannesse vaine emptie impertinent unprofitable desires out of the heart The Law is Spirituall and therefore it is not a conformity to the letter barely but to the Spiritualnesse of the Law which makes our actions to be right before God Thy Law is pure saith David therefore thy Servant loveth it And this spiritualnesse of obedience is discerned by the Inwardnesse of it when all other respects being removed a man can be Holy there where there is no eye to see no object to move him none but onely hee and the Law together When a man can be as much grieved with the sinfulnesse of his thoughts with the disproportion which he findes betweene the Law and his innerman as with those evils which being more exposed to the view of the World have an accidentall restraint from men whose ill opinious we are loth to provoke when from the Spirituall and sincere obedience of the hart doth issue forth an universall Holinesse like lines from a center unto the whole circumference of our lives without any mercenary or reserv'd respects wherein men oftentimes in steade of the Lord make their owne passions and affections their ends or their feares their God Secondly that which riseth from Renewing grace is
equall and uniforme to all the Law It esteemeth all Gods precepts concerning al things to be right it hateth euery false way Whereas the other is onely in some particulars reseruing some exceptions from the generall rule and framing to it selfe a latitude of holinesse beyond which in their conceits is nothing of realitie but onely the fictions and chimaeraes the more abstract notions and singularities of a few men whose end is not to serve God but to be unlike their neighbours I deny not but that as oftentimes it falleth out in ill affected bodies that some one part may be more disordered and disabled for seruice then others because ill humors being by the rest rejected doe at last settle in that which 〈◊〉 â—…aturally weakest so in Christians likewise partly by the temper of their persons partly by the condition of their liues and callings partly by the pertinacious and more intimate adherence of some close corruption partly by the company and examples of men amongst whom they liue partly by the different administration of the spirit of grace who in the same men bloweth how and where he listeth it may come to passe that this uniformitie may bee blemished and some actions be more corrupt and some sinnes more predominant and untamed in them then others Yet still I say Renewing Grace doth in some measure subdue all and at least frame the heart to a vigilancie ouer those gaps which lie most naked and to a tendernes to bewaile the incursions of sin which are by them occasioned Thirdly that which riseth from Renewing Grace is constant growes more in old age hath life in more abundance proceedeth from a heart purged and prepared to bring forth more fruite where as the other growes faint and withers an hypocrite will not pray alwaies a torrent will one time or other dry vp and putrifie Water will mooue vpward by art till it be gotten levell to the spring where it first did rise and then it will returne to its nature againe So the corrupt hearts of naturall men how euer they may fashion them to a shew of holinesse so farre forth as will 〈◊〉 even to those ends and designes for which they assum'd it yet let them once goe past that and their falling downe will make it appeare that what ever motions they had screwed up themselves unto yet still in their hearts they did bend another way and did indeed resist the power of that grace whose countenance they affected Euen as Scipio and Annibal at Scyphax his table did complement and discourse and entertaine one another with much semblance of affection whereas other occasions in the field occurring made it appeare that euen at that time their hearts were full of reuenge and hostility Lastly that which riseth from Renewing Grace is with delight and much complacencie because it is naturall to a right spirit it desires nothing more then to haue the law of the flesh quite consum'd whereas the other hath paine and disquietnesse at the bridle which holds it in and therefore takes all advantages it can to breake loose againe For while naturall men are tampering about spirituall things they are out of their element it is as offensiue to them as aire is to a fish or water to a man Men may peradventure to coole and clense themselves step a while into the water but no man can make it his habitation a fish may friske into the aite to refresh himselfe but he returnes to his owne element wicked men may for varietie sake or to pacifie the grumblings of an unquiet conscience looke sometimes into Gods law but they can never suffer the word to dwell in them they are doing a worke against nature and therefore no marvell if they finde no pleasure in it nay they doe in their hearts wish that there were no such law at all to restraine their corrupt desires that there were no such records extant to be produced against them at the last and as soone as any occasions call them unto sensuall and sinfull delights they stealâ—… away the law from their owne consciences they suppresse and imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse they shut their eyes by a voluntary and affected ignorance that they may more securely and without checke or perturbation resigne themselves to their owne waies Secondly a deepe desperate hypocriticall affectation of the credit of Christianitie and of the repute and name of holinesse like that of Iehu Come â—…ce my zeale for the Lord of Hoasts And this is so farre from pulling downe the raigne of sinne that it mightily strengthens it and is a sore provocation of Gods jealousie and revenge The Prophet compares hypocrites to a deceâ—…tfull Bow which though it seeme to direct the arrow in an even line upon the marke yet the unfaithfulnesse thereof carries it at last into a crooked and contrarie way And a little after we finde the similitude verified Israel shall crie unto me my God we know thee Here seemes a direct ayme at God a true profession of faith and interest in the covenant but obserue presently the deceitfulnesse of the Bow Israel hath cast off the thing that is good though he be well contented to beare my name yet he cannot endure to beare my yoke though he be well pleased with the priviledges of my people yet he cannot away with the tribute and obedience of my people and therefore God rejects both him and his halfe services The enemie shall pursue him They haue sowed the winde and they shall reape the whirle winde saith the Lord in the same Prophet My people are like a husbandman going over plowed lands and casting abroad his hands as if he were sowing seed but the truth is there is nothing in his hand at all but winde nothing but vaine semblances and pretences the profession of a leedsman but the hand of a sluggard and now marke what an Harvest this man shall have That which a man soweth that also shall he reape he sowed the wiâ—…de and he shall imhâ—…rit the windâ—… as Salomon speakes Yet you may observe that there is some diffâ—…rence As in Harvest ordinarily there is an increase hee that sowes a Pecke may haply reape a Quaâ—…ter so the hypocrite here sowes winde but he reapes a whirle winde he sowed vanitie but he shall reape furie for the furie of the Lord is compar'd to a whirle winde God will not be honored with a lie shall a man lie for God This argument the Apostle useth to proove the Resurrection because else saith he we are found false witnesses of God and God doth not stand in neede of false witnesses to justifie his power or glory Why takest tâ—…ou my Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed We reade that in one of the States of Greece if a scandalous man had lighted upon any wholsome counsell for the honor and advantage of the countrie yet the Common-weale rejected it as from him and
his government For when we mention uncontrolednesse as an argument of sins Raigne we meane not that a bare naturall Conviction which the Apostle cals an Accusation which imports a former yeelding to the lust and no more but that a spirituall expostulation with a mans owne heart ioyned with true repentance and a sound and serious Lusting against the desires and commands of the flesh are the things which subdue the raigne of sinne The whole state then of this point touching the Roialtie of siâ—…ne will be fully opened when we shall have distinctly unfolded the Differences betweene these Two Conflicts with sinne the Conflict of a naturall Accusing Conscience and the Conflict of a spirituall Mourning and Repenting Conscience First they Differ in the Principles whence they proceede The one proceeds from a spirit of feare and bondage the other from a spirit of love and delight An unregenerate man considers the state of sinne as a kingdome and so he loves the services of it and yet he Considers it as Regnum sub graviore regno as a kingdome subiect to the scrutinies and enquiries of a higher kingdome and so he feares it because the Guilt thereof and day of accompts affrights him so that this Conflictâ—…iseth â—…iseth out of the Compulsion of his Iudgement not out of the propension of his will not from a desire to be Holy but onely to be safe and quiet he abhorreth the thoughts of God and his Iustice whereas the faithfull hate sinne with relation to the purity and righteousnesse of God desire to walke in all well pleasing towards him hunger after his grace are affected with indignation selfe-displicencie and revenge against themselves for sin mourne under their corruptions bewaile the frowardnesse of their slipperie and revolting hearrs set a watch and spirituall iudicature over them crie out for strength to resist their lusts and prayse God for any grace power discipline severitie which he shewes against them In one word a naturall conscience doth onely shew the danger of sinne and so makes a man feare it but a Spirituall conscience shewes the Pollution of sinne the extreme contrarietic which it beares to the love of our heart the rule of our life the Law of God and so makes a man hate it as a thing contrary not only to his happinesse but to his nature of which he hath newly beene made partaker A dogge will be brought by discipline to for beare those things which his nature most delights in not because his ravine is changed into a better temper but the following paines makes him abstaine from the present baite so the conflict of the faithfull is with the unholynesse of sinne but the conflict of other men is onely with the Guilt and other sensuall incommodities of sinne And though that may make a man forbeare and returne yet not unto the Lord They have not cryed unto me saith the Lord with their heart when they howled upon their beds Their prayers were not cries but howlings brutish and meere sensuall complaints because they proceeded not from their hearts from any inward and sincere affection but onely from feare of that hand whith was able to cast them upon their beds As a sicke man eates meat not for love of it which he takes with much reluctancie and disrellish but for feare of death which makes him force himselfe a. Saul said to Samuel against his will whereas a healâ—…y man eates the same meate with hunger and delight so a naturall conscience constraines a man to doe some things which his heart never goes along with onely to avoide the paine which the contrary guilt infers In a Tempest the marriners will cast out all their wares not out of any hatred to the things for they throw over their very hearts into the Sea with them but because the safety of their lives and preservation of their goods will not stand together not sub intuitu mali sed minâ—…ris boni not under the apprehension of any evill in the things but onely as a lesser good which will not consist with the greater and therefore they never throw them over but in a Tempest whereas at all other times they labour at the pumpe to exonerate the ship of the water which settles at the bottome not onely for the danger but stinch and noysomnesse of it too Thus a Naturall conscience throwes away sinne as wares and therefore never forbeares it but in a Tempest of wrath and sense of the curse and quickly returnes to it againe but a spirituall conscience throwes out sinne as corrupt and stinking water and therefore is uniformely disaffected to it and alwayes laboureth to be delivered from it A scullion or colliar will not dare handle a coale when it is full of fire which yet at other times is their common use wheras a man of a more cleanly education as he will not then because of the fire so not at any time because of the foulnesse so here a Naturall conscience for forbeares sinne somtimes when the guilt and curse of it doth more appeare which yet at other times it makes no seruple of but a Spirituall conscience abstaines alwayes because of the basenesse and pollution of it The one feares sinne because it hath fite in it to burne the other hates sinne because it hath filth in it to pollute the Soule Secondly these conflicts differ in their seates and stations The naturall Conflict is in severall faculties as between the understanding and the will or the will and the affections and so doth not argue any universall renovation but rather a rupture and schisme a confusion and disorder in the soule But a spirituall conflict is in the same facultie will against will affection against affection heart against heart because sinne dwels still in our mortall body Neither doe the spirit and the flesh enter into covenant to share and divide the man and so to reside asunder in severall faculties and not molest one anothers governement there can be no agreement betweene the strong man and him that is stronger Christ will hold no treatie with Beliall he is able to save to the uttermost and therefore is never put to make compositions with his enemie he will not disparage the power of his owne Grace so much as to entertaine a parlie with the flesh So then they fight not from severall forts onely but are â—…ver struggling like Esau and Iacob in the same wombe They are contrary to one another saith the Apostle and contraries meete in the same subject before they exercise hostility against one another Flesh and spirit are in a man as light and darkenesse in the dawning of the day as heate and cold in warme water not severed in distinct parts but universally interweav'd and coexistent in all There is the same proportion in the naturall and spirituall conflict with sinne as in the change of motion in a bowle A Bowle may be two wayes alter'd from that motion which the impressed violence
but their sins that though our words bring fire and fury with them yet they are still in the hand of a Mediator that the Law is not to breake them unto desperation but vnto humiliation not to drive them unto furie but unto Faith to shew them Hell indeede but withall to keepe them from it if we doe not by these meaneâ—… save their Soules yet we shall stop their mouths that they shall be ashamed to blaspheme the commission by which we speake Secondly The people likewise should learne to rejoyce when the Law is preached as it was published that is when the Conscience is thereby affrighted and made to tremble at the presence of God and to cry unto the Mediator as the people did unto Moses Lâ—…t not God speake any more to us lâ—…st we die Speake thou with us and we will heare For when sinne is onely by the Law discovered and death laid open to cry out against such preaching is a shrewd argument of a minde not willing to bee disquieted in sinne or to be tormented before the time of a soule which would have Christ and yet not leave her former husband which would haue him no other king then the stump of wood was to the frogges in the fable or the moulten Calfe unto Israel in the Wildernesse a quiet idol whom every lust might securely provoke and dance about As the Law may be preached too much when it is preached without the principall which is the Gospell so the Gospell and the mercie therein may bee preached too much or rather indeede too little because it is with lesse successe If wee may call it preaching and not rather perverting of the Gospell when it is preached without the appendant which is the Law This therefore should in the next place teach all of us to studie and delight in the Law of God as that which setteth forth and maketh more glorious and conspicuous the mercy of Christ. Acquaintance with our selves in the Law wâ—…ll First keepe us more loâ—…ly and vile in our owne eyes make us feele our owne pollution and poverty and that will againe make us the more delight in the Law which is so faithfull to render the face of the Conscience and so make a man the more willing and earnest to be cleansed Their heart saith David is as fat as grease but I delight in thy Law The more the Law doth discover our owne leannesse scraggednesse and penurie the more doth the Soule of a Holy man delight in it because Gods mercie is magnified the more who filleth the hungrie and refrâ—…sheth the weary and with whom the fatherlâ—…sse findeth mercie Secondly It will make us more carefull to live by Faith more bold to approach the throne of Grace for mercie to cover and for Grace to cure our sores and nakednesse In matters of life and death impudence and boldnesse is not unseasonable A man will never die for modesty when the Soule is convinc'd by the Law that it is accursed and eternally lost if it doe not speedily pleade Christs satisfaction at the Throne of Grace it is emboldned to runne unto him when it findes an issue of uncleanenesse upon it it will set a price upon the meanest thing about Christ and be glad to touch the hemme of his garment When a Childe hath any strength beautie or lovelynesse in himselfe he will haply depend upon his owne parts and expectations to raise a fortune and preferment for himselfe but when a Childe is full of indigence impotencie crookednesse and deformity if he were not then supported with this hope I have a father aâ—d Parents doe not cast out their Children for their deformities he could not live with comfort or assurance so the sense of our owne pollutions and uncleanenesse taking off all conceits of any lovelynesse in our selves or of any goodnesse in us to attract the affections of God makes us râ—ly onely on his fatherly compassion When our Saviour cald the poore woman of Syrophenicia Dogge a beastly and uncleane Creature yet shee takes not this for a deny all but turnes it into argument The lesse I have by right the more I hope for by mercy even men afford their Dogges enough to keepe them alive and I aske no more When the Angell put the hollow of Iacobs thigh out of joynt yet hee would not let him go the more lame hee was the more reason hee had to hold The Prodigall was not kept away or driven of from his resolution by the feare shame or misery of his present estate for he had one word which was able to make way for him through all this the name of Father He considered I can but be rejected at the last and I am already as low as a rejection can cast me so I shall loose nothing by returning for I therefore returne because I have nothing and though I have done enough to bee for ever shut out of dores yet it may bee the word Father may have rhetoricke enough in it to beg a reconcilement and to procure an admittance amongst my fathers servants Thirdly It will make us give God the Glory of his mercy the more when wee have the deeper acquaintance with our owne miserie And God most of all delighteth in that worke of Faith which when the Soule walketh in darknesse and hath no light yet trusteth in his Name and stayeth upon him Fourthly It will make our comforts and refreshments the sweeter when they come The greater the humiliation the deeper the tranquillitie As fire is hottest in the coldest weather so comfort is sweetest in the greatest extremities shaking settles the peace of the heart the more The spirit is a Comforter as well when he convinceth of sinne as of righteousnesse and judgement because he doth it to make righteousnesse the more acceptable and Iudgement the more beautifull Lastly acquaintance with our owne foulnesse and diseases by the Law will make us more carefull to keepe in Christs company and to walke according unto his Will because he is a Physitian to cure a refiner to purge a Father and a Husband to compassionate our estate The lesse beautie or worth there is in us the more carefully should we studie to please him who loved us for himselfe and married us out of pittie to our deformities not out of delight in our beautie Humilitie keepes the heart tractable and pliant As melted waxe is easily fashioned so an humble spirit is easily fashioned unto Christs Image whereas a stone a bard and stubborne heart must bee hewed and hammered before it will take any shape Pride selfe-confidence and conceitednesse are the pâ—…nciples of disobedience men will hold their wonted courses till they be humbled by the Law They are not humbled saith the Lord unto this day and the consequent hereof is neither have they feared nor walked in my Law If you will not heare that is if you will still disobey the Lords messages my Soule shall weepe in
to the Soule a Spirit of Adoption and of a sound minde which sayes unto the Soule that God is our Salvation settles the heart to rest and cleave unto Gods Promises teâ—…ifies seales secures certifies our inheritance unto us Secondly to stoppe the mouth and drive out of Gods presence and leave utterly unexcusable that a man shall have nothing to alledge why the curse should not be pronounced against him but shall in his conscience subscribe to the righteousnesse of Gods severity In stead whereof we have in Christ a free approach into Gods presence words put into our mouthes by the spirit of supplications to reveale our requests to debate and plead in Gods Court of mercy to cleere our selves from the accusations of Sathan to appeale from them to Christ and in him to make this just apologie for our selves I confesse I am a grievous sinner and there is not a Soule in Heaven Christ onely excepted which hath not beene so though I the chiefe of all In Law then I am gone and have nothing to answere there but only to appeale to a more mercifull Court But this I can in truth of heart say that I deny my owne workes that I bewaile my corruptions that the things which I doe I allow not that it is no more I that doe them but sinne that dwelleth in me that I am truly willing to part from any lust that I can heartily pray against my closest corruptions that I delight in the Law of God in mine inner man that I am an unwilling captive to the Law in my members that I feele and cry out of my wretchednesse in this so unavoydable subjection that I desire to feare Gods Name that I love the Communion of his Spirit and Saints and I know I have none of these affections from nature in that I agree with Sathan these are spirituall and heavenly impressions and where there is a piece of the spirit where there is a little of heaven that will undoubtedly carry the soule in which it is to the place where all the Spirit is If God would destroy me hee would not have done so much for my Soule he would never have given me any dramme of Christs Spirit to carry to hell or to be burnt with me No man will throw his jewels into a sinke or cast his pearles under the feete of swine certainely God will send none of his owne graces into Hell nor suffer any sparkle of his owne holynesse and divine nature to be cast away in that lake of forgetfulnesse If He have begun these good works in me He will fiâ—…sh them in his owne time and I will waâ—…e upon him and expect the Salvation of the Lord. Thirdly to terriâ—… and 〈◊〉 the Soule with a fearefull expectation of fiery 〈◊〉 and execution of the curse In stead whereof the soule is calm'd with a spirituall serenity and peace which is the beginning of Gods Kingdome armed with a sweete securitie and Lion-like boldnesse against all the powers and assaults of Men or Angels crowned and refreshed with the joy of Faith with the first fruites of the Spirit with the clusters of the Heavenly Canaan with the earnest of its inheritance with the prefruition and preapprehension of Gods presence and Glory This is the Life of Righteousnesse which we have from Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Redemption and deliverance from sinne and the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Priviledge right and interest in the purchased possession Secondly He that hath the Sonne hath Life in regard of Holinesse as he hath received Christ Iesus the Lord so he walketh in Him we are in Him created or raised up from the first death unto good workes that we should walke in them Of our selves we are without strength without love without life no power no liking no possibilitie to doe good not any principle of Holynesse or Obedience in us It is Hee that strengthens that winnes that quickens us by His Spirit to His Service Wee should here consider Holinesse something more largely and shew when good workes are Vitall and so from Christ and when onely mortall earthly and upon false principles and so from our selves But having done this before in the doctrine of the raigne of sinne I will onely name some other discourses of a Vitall Operation and so proceede First Life hath ever an Internall principle a seede within it selfe a naturall heate with the fountaine thereof by which the body is made operative and vigorous and therefore in living Creatures the heart first liveth because it is the forge of spirits and the fountaine of heate So Holynesse which comes from Christ beginnes within proceedeth from an ingraffed and implanted seede from the feare of God in the heart and the Law put into the inner man The Conscience is cleansed the spirit of the minde is renewed the delights and desires of the heart are changed the bent and bias of the thoughts are new set Christ is formed and dwelleth within the whole man is baptized with the Holy Ghost as with fire which from the Altar of the heart where it is first kindled breaketh out and quickneth every facultie and member Fire when it prevailes will not be hidde nor kept in Secondly Life hath ever a nutritive appetite ioyned with it and that is most set upon such things as are of the same matter and principles with the nature nourished so where a man is by the spirit of Christ quickned unto a Life of Holynesse he will have a hungring thirsting and most ardent affection to all those sincere uncorrupted and Heavenly Truths which are proportionable to that Spirit of Christ which is in him Thirdly Life is Generative and Communicative of it selfe all living Creatures have some seminarie of generation for propagating their owne kinde so that spirit of Holynesse which wee have from Christ is a fruitfull spirit that endeavours to shedde multiply and derive himselfe from one unto another Therefore he descended in fiery tongues to note this multiplying and communicating property which he hath The tongue is a member made for Communion and nothing so generative of it selfe as fire They that feared the Lord spake often to one another saith the Prophet Many people shall gather together and say come yee and let us goe to the Mountaine of the Lord c. Lastly where there is perfect life there is sense too of any violence offered to it so where the Spirit of God is will bee a tendernesse and griefe from the sinnes or temptations which doe assault him As that great sinne which the Scripture calls blaspheming of the Holy Ghost and despighting of the Spirit of Grace is after a more especiall manner called the sinne against the Holy Ghost as being a sinne which biddeth open defiance to the Truth Grace Life and Promises which
Divels to confesse him and God will have sinne to be felt and seene but as a dutie not as a temptation in his owne Word not in Satans false glasses to draw us unto him not to drive or deterre us from him When the spirit convinceth of sinne it is to amend us but when Satan doth it it is onely to affright and confound us And commonly hee drives to one sinne to cover another Againe the spirit opens sinne in the soule as a Chirurgian doth a wound in a close roome with fire friends and remedies about him but the divell first draw's a man from the Word from Christ from the promises and then strips the soule and opens the wounds thereof in the cold aire onely to kill and torment not to cure or releeve In such a case therefore the Soule should lay the faster hold upon Christ and when there is no light should trust upon the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Thirdly In spirituall desertions exercise faith to see God when Hee is absent goe into the watch Tower review thine owne and other mens experiences of Gods dealing resolve to trust him though he kill thee resolve to cleave to him as Elisha to Eliah though he offer to depart from thee resolve to venture upon him when he seemes angrie and arm'd against thee resolve to runne after him when hee hath forsaken thee endure rather his blowes then his absence therefore he removes that thou shouldst crie after him therefore he hides from thee not that thou shouldst lose him but onely that thou shouldest seeke him And there is most comfort in a life recovered Difficulties sweeten our fruition and there is a fulnesse in Chtist which will at last be an ample reward of all preceding discomforts Secondly the life which we have by Christ is a plenteous and aboundant life I am come saith he that they might have Life and that they might have it more aboundantly Hee that beleeveth on mee out of his bellie shall flow rivers of living water like the waters of Ezekiels vision which swelled from the ancles to the loynes and from thence to an unpassable Streame So the Apostle saith that the Lord had shed forth the spirit aboundantly in the renewing of his Saints And it is an observation which you may easily make that sundrie times in the Apostles writings the Graces of the Gospell are called the riches of Christ and the riches of his Grace and the riches of his mysterie and the riches of his Glory and the riches of his reproaches and the treasure of a good heart By all which is expressed the pretiousnes and the aboundance of the Spirit which wee have from the Life of Christ. Therefore the Spirit is compared unto water and that not onely to sprinkle and bedew men but to wash and baptise them ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost As water knowes no bounds within it selfe is onely limited by the vessell which holds it so the Spirit is of a very spreading and unlimited propertie it selfe and is onely straitned by the narrownesse of those hearts unto which it comes Yee are not straitned in us saith the Apostle or in our ministery wee preach aboundance of Grace unto you but ye are straitned in your owne bowels you are like narrow mouthed vessels though floudes of knowledge fall downe The Earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea yet but drops fall in This is a great grieving of the Spirit of Life and indignitie done to the springing and abounding vertue which he brings for us by our supinnes and securitie to damme up this fountaine to let this garden of spices be over growne with weedes to nippe stifle and keepe under the Graces of Christ not to receive a proportionable measure of growth to those meanes and influences which hee affords us Lastly the Life which we have from Christ is a Safe an Abiding an Eternall Life the longer it continues the more it aboundes It is such a life as runnes not into death Our earthly life is indeede but a dying and decaying life but our Spirituall life is a growing life It is called in the Scripture our abiding in Christ to note that our estate in him is a fixed constant and secure estate Life can End in Death but upon two reasons either by an inward principle and proponsion carrying it through slow and insensible progresses to a dissolution or by the assaults and violence of outward oppositions either it must be a naturall or a violent death Now the life which we have from Christ hath no seedes of mortalitie in it selfe because it comes from Christ and as hee saw no corruption so nothing that riseth from him doth of it selfe tend to corruption for Christ dyeth no more death hath no more power over him He now liveth ever not onely by himselfe but over his members not onely as man but as a member of his owne Bodie which Body of it selfe and as it is His Body in that Spirituall and Heavenly Constitution and under that denomination can no more die then Christ suffer againe For the Body of Christ quà tale hath no seedes of corruption in it from him For the Apostle saith that the seede by which we are regenerated is Incorruptible seede All the danger then must be from forren assault and externall violence But against all this we have the power and strength of Christ himselfe to oppose He is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by Him Let us consider more particularly the violences which may be offered to our Life in Christ. First the world assaults us with manifold tepmtations On the left hand with skorne misreports persecutions and cruell mockings with Giants and sonnes of Anak On the right hand with allurements objects promises dalliances and 〈◊〉 with midianitish women How shall wee secure our lives against such a siege of snares Our Saviour quiets us in that case be of good cheere I have overcome the World Alas may the Soule answere If Sampson should have seene a little childe under the paw of a Lion and should thus comfort him be of good cheare for I have overcome a Lion what safety or assurance could hence arise to him who had not the strength of Sampson But wee must know that Christ overcame not for himselfe but for us and as hee hath overcome the world for us so he doth it In us likewise by his Grace This is the victorie which overcommeth the World even your Faith Secondly nay but Sathan is a more powerfull subtill deepe wilie working adversarie then the world Where shall I have protection and securitie against him I answere in that promise to man and curse to the Serpent The seede of the woman shall bruize thy head and thou shalt bruize his heele He thy Head Hee shall teare out thy sting and crush thy
condemne But it may here further be objected How can I beleeve under the weight of such a finne Or how is Faith able to hold mee up under so heavie a guilt I answere the more the greatnesse of siâ—…ne doth appeare and the heavier the weight thereof is to the Soule there is the Grace of God more aboundant to beget Faith and the strength of Faith is prevalent against any thing which would oppose it To vnderstand this we must note that the strength of Faith doth not arise out of the formall qualitie thereof for Faith in it selfe as a habit and endowment of the Soule is as weake as other graces but onely out of the relation it hath to Christ. Faith denotates a mutuall Act betweene us and Christ and therefore the Faith of the patriarcheâ—… is expressed in the Apostle by saluting or embracing they did not onely claspe Christ but he them againe So that the strength of Faith takes in the strength of Christ because it puts Christ into a man who by his Spirit dwelleth and liveth in us And here it is worth our observing that the reason why the house in the parable did stand firme against all tempests was because it was founded upon a Rocke Why may not a weake superstruction ofrotten and inconsistent materials bee built upon a sound foundation As a strong house fals from a weake foundation may not in like manner a weake house by a tempest fall from a strong foundation Surely in Christs Temple it is not as in ordinary materiall buildings In these though the whole frame stand upon the foundation yet it stands together by the strength of the parts amongst themselves and therefore their mutuall weaknesse and failings do prejudice the stabilitie of the whole But in the Church the strength of Christ the foundation is not an immanent personall fixed thing but a derivative and an effused strength which runnes through the whole building Because the foundation being a vitall foundation is able to shed forth and transfuse its stability into the whole structure What ever the materials are of themselves though never so fraile yet being once incorporated in the building they are presently transformed into the nature and firmenesse of their foundation To whom comming as unto a living stone saith Saint Peter ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house to note unto us the transformation and uniformitie of the Saints with Christ both in their spirituall nature and in the firmenesse and stabilitie of the same More particularly the strength of Faith preserues us from all our spirituall enemies From the Divell Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth Him not Above all take the shield of Faith by which you shall be able to quench all the furie darts of the wicked From the World This is the victorie which overcommeth the World even our Faith From our fleshly corruptions The Heart is purified by Faith The Law of the Spirit of Life in Iesus Christ that is the Law of Faith hath made mee free from the Law of Sinne that is the Law of the members or fleshly concupiscence And all this is strengthened by the Power of God not by Faith alone are we kept but yee are kept saith Saint Peter By the power of God through Faith unto Salvation and that not such a Power as that is wherewith he concurreth in the ordinarie and naturall operations of the Creature which proportioneth it selfe and condescendeth unto the exigencie of second causes failing where they faile and accommodating the measure of his agencie to those materials which the second causes have supplyed as we see when a Childe is borne with fewer parts then are due to naturall integrity Gods concurrence hath limited it selfe to the materials which are defective and hath not supplyed nor made up the failings of nature but that power whereby hee preserves men unto Salvation doth prevent bend and carry the heart of man which is the secondary agent unto the effect it selfe doth remove every obstacle which might endanger his purposâ—… in saving the Creature and maketh his people a willing people But you will say Faith is indeede by these meanes stronger then sinne when it worketh but not when it sleepeth and the working of Faith being dependant upon the faculties of the Soule which are essentially mutable and incostant in operation must needes bee uncertaine too that sinne though it bee sarre weaker then Faith may yet when by our security Faith is fallen asleepe surprize and kill it even as Iaâ—…l a weake woman upon the same advantage killed Sisera a strong Captaine But though Faith fleepe yet Hee that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe and we are kept not onely by Faith but by His Power which Power worketh all our workes for us and in us giveth us both the Will and the Deede the Gift of continuing in His Feare and the Will so to continue The heart of the king saith Salomon that is the most soveraigne unconquerable peremptorie and unsubjected will in the World is in the Hand of God even as clay in the hand of the Potter So that though our hearts in regard of themselves bee not onely at large and indeterminate to any Spirituall operations but have an extreme reluctancie to all the motions of Gods Spirit yet considering their subordination to Gods mercifull purposes to the Power of His Grace to His Heavenly Call according unto purpose to the exceeding greatnesse and working of his mighty Power manifest it is that they are vndeclinable mightily by a hidden wonderfull most effectuall power yea by an Omnipotent facilitie and yet most sweetly and connaturally moved unto Grace They are all the frequent words of Holy Austin that Champion of Grace whose unvaluable industry in that behalfe all after ages have admired but hardly paralell'd Now then for the further establishing the heart of a man seriously and searchingly humbled with the sense and consciousnesse of some great relapse for what I shall say can yeeld no comfort to a man in an unrelenting obdurate and persisting apostafie Let him consider the safety and firmenesse of his life in Christ upon these grounds First Gods Eternall Love and free Grace which is towards us the Highest linke of Salvation both in order of time nature and causalitie Whom He predestinated those also He called and whom He called those He Iustified and whom Hee Iustified those also Hee glorified It is not those He will glorifie but hath glorified To note that glorification is linked and folded up with justification and is present with it in regard of their Eternall coexistencie in the predisposition and order of God though not in effectu operis in actuall execution Now this Eternall Love and Grace of God is not founded upon reasons in the Object for He Iustified and by consequence loved the ungodly He
of holinesse and grace which in Christ wee haue receiued For as sense of sin as a cursed thing which is legall humiliation doth arise from that faith whereby wee beleeve and assent to the truth of God in all his threatnings which is a legall faith so the Abominating of sinne as an uncleane thing and contrary to the image and holinesse of God which is evangelicall repentance doth arise from evangelicall faith whereby we look upon God as most mercifull most holie and therefore most worthie to bee imitated and served Secondly Renovation and that two fold First inward in the constitution of the heart which is by faith purified Secondly outward in the conversation and practice when a man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and as he hath received the Lord Iesus so walketh in him Now in all our obedience wee must observe these three Rules First that binding power which is in the law doth solely depend upon the authority of the Lawgiver who is God Hee that customarilie and without care of obedience or feare of displeasure or antipathy of spirit breaks any one Commandement ventures to violate that authority which by one and the same ordination made the whole law equally binding by consequence is habitually in praeparatione animi a transgressor of the whole Law And therefore Obedience must not bee partiall but vniversall as proceeding from that faith which hath respect equally to all Gods will and lookes upon him as most true and most holy in all his commands Secondly As God so his Law is a spirituall and a perfect Law and therefore requires an inward universality of the subject as well as that other of the Precepts which wee walke by I meane such a spiritual and sincere obedience of the hart as may without any mercenary or reserv'd respects uniformely sway our whole man unto the same way and end Thirdly In every Law all matter Homogeneall and of the same kind with the particular named every sprig seede originall of the Dutie is included as all the branches of a tree belong unto the same stock And by these rules wee are to examine the truth of our obedience Before I draw downe these premises to a particular Assumption and Applycation I must for Caution sake premise that faith may be in the heart either habitually as an actus primus a forme or seede or principle of working or else actually as an actus secundus a particular Operation and that in the former sense it doth but remotely dispose and order the soule to these properties but in the later it doth more visibly and distinctly produce them So then according as the heart is deaded in the exercise of Faith so doe these properties thereof more dimly appeare and more remisly worke Secondly we must note that according as faith hath severall workings so Satan hath severall wayes to assault and weaken it There are two maine workes of Faith Obedience and Comfort to purifie and to pacifie the heart and according unto these so Satan tempts His maine end is to wrong and dishonour God and therefore chiefly hee labours to disable the former vertue of Faith and tempts to sinne against God But when hee cannot proceede so farre hee labours to discomfort and crush the spirits of men when hee prevailes in the former he weakens all the properties of Faith when in the later onely he doth not then weaken all but onely intercept and darken a Christians peace For understanding this point we must note that there are many acts of faith Some direct that looke outward towards Christ others reflexive that looke inward upon themselves The first act of faith is that whereby a man having beene formerly reduced unto extremities and impossibilities within himselfe lookes upon God as Omnipotent and so able to save as mercifull and in Christ reconcileable and so likely to save if he be sought unto Hereupon growes a second act namely a kinde of exclusive resolution to be thinke himselfe of no new wayes to trust no inferiour causes for salvation or righteousnes to sell all to count them all dung not to consult any more with flesh or blood but to prepare the heart to seeke the Lord To resolve as the Lepers in the famine at Samaria not to continue in the state he is in nor yet to returne to the Citie to his wonted haunts and wayes where he shall be sure to perish and from this resolution a man cannot by any discomforts bee removed or made to bethinke himselfe of any other new way but onely that which hee sees is possible and probable and where he knowes if he finde acceptance hee shall have supplyes and life enough and this act may consist with much feare doubt and trembling The Syrians had food and Samaria had none therefore the Lepers resolve to venture abroad Yet this they cannot doe without much doubting and distrust because the Syrians whom they should meete with were their enemies However this resolution over-rul'd them because in their present estate they were sure to perish in the other there was roome for hope and possibilitie of living and that carried them co Esters resolution If we perish we perish such is the Act of Faith in this present case It is well assured that in the case a man is in there is nothing but death to bee expected therefore it makes him resolve to relinquish that It lookes upon God as plenteous in power and mercie and so likely to save and yet it sees him too as arm'd with Iustice against sinne as justly provoked and wearied in his patience and therefore may feare to bee rejected and not saved alive Yet because in the former state there is a certainty to perish in the later a possibility not to perish therefore from hence ariseth a third act a conclusive and positive purpose to trust Christ. I will not onely deny all other wayes but I will resolve to trie this way to set about it to go to him that hath plenty of redemption and Life If I must perish yet He shall reject me I will not reject my selfe I will goe unto Him And this act or resolution of faith is built upon these grounds First because Gods Love and free Grace is the first originall mover in our salvation If God did beginne His worke upon prevision of any thing in and from our selves we should never dare to come vnto Him because wee should never finde any thing in our selves to ground His mercie towards us upon But now the Love of God is so absolute and independant that it doth not only require nothing in us to excite and to cal it out but it is not so much as grounded upon Christ himselfe I speake of His first Love and Grace Christ was not the impulsive cause of Gods first Love to mankinde but was Himselfe the great gift which God sent to men therein to testifie that Hee did freely love them before God so
and unitie of natures with him in his spirit and having this Spirit of Christ He thereby worketh in us the will and the deed and thus our sealâ—… is put unto Gods covenant and wee have a constat of it in our selves in some measure whereas jnfidelitie makes God a lyer by saying either I looke for life some other way or I have nothing to doe to depend on Christ for it though God have proposed Him as an all-sufficient Saviour Now then when man hath experience of Gods working this will in him when he findes his heart opened to attend and his will ready to obey the call when hee is made desirous to feare Gods Name and prepared to seeke His face ready to subscribe and beare witnesse to all Gods wayes and methodes of saving That Hee is righteous in His Iudgements if He should condemne wonderfull in His patience when He doth forbeare mighty in His power wisedome and mercie when Hee doth convert unsearchable in the riches and treasures of Christ when he doth Iustifie most holy pure and good in all His commands the soveraigne Lord of our persons and lives to order and dispose them at His will on the sense and experience of these workes doth grow that conclusion and resolution to cleave to Christ. Lastly because this act of Faith is our dutie to God As we may come to Christ because we are called so wee must come because wee are commanded For as Christ was commanded to save us so we are commanded to beleeve in Him From these and the like considerations ariseth a purpose to rely on Christ. But yet still this purpose at first by the mixture of sinne the pragmaticalnesse and importunitie of Satan in tempting the unexperience of the heart in trials the tendernesse of the spirit and fresh sight and reflexion on the state of sinne is very weake and consisteth with much feare doubts trepidation shrinking mistrust of it selfe And therefore though all other effects flow in great measure from it yet that of comfort and calmenesse of spirit more weakly because the heart being most busied in sprituall debatements prayers groanes conflicts struglings of heart languishing and sighing importunities of spirit is not at leisure to reflect on its own translated condition or in the seeds time of teares to reape a harvest of Ioy. As a tree new planted is apt to be bended at every touch or blast of winde or children new borne to crie at every turne and noyse so men in their first conversion are usually more retentive of fearefull then of more comfortable impressions The last act then of Faith is that reflexive act whereby a man knoweth his owne Faith and Knowledge of Christ which is the assurance of faith upon which the joy and peace of a Christian doth principally depend and hath its severall differences and degrees according to the evidence and cleerenesse of that reflection As beautie is more distinctly rendered in a cleere then in a dimme and disturbed glasse so is comfort more distinct and evident according to the proportions of evidence and assurance in faith So then to conclude with this generall rule according as the habits of faith are more firme and radicated the acts more strong constant and evident the conquests and experiences more frequent and successefull so are the properties more evident and conspicuous For the measure and magnitude of a proper passion and effect doth ever follow the perfection of the nature and cause whence it proceedes And therefore every man as he tenders either the love and obedience he owes to God or the comfort he desires in himselfe to enjoy must labour to attaine the highest pitch of Faith and still with Saint Paul to grow in the knowledge of him and his resurrection and sufferings So then upon these premises the heart is to examine it selfe touching the truth of faith in it Doe I love all divine truth not because it is proportionable to my desires but conformable unto God who is the Author of it Can I in all estates without murmuring impatiencie or rebellion cast my selfe upon Gods mercie and trust in Him though He should kill me Doe I wholly renounce all selfe confidence and dependance all worthinesse or concurrence of my selfe to righteousnesse Can I willingly and in the truth and sinceritie of my heart owne all shame and condemnation and acquit God as most righteous and holy if He should reject me Doe I not build either my hopes or feares upon the faces of men nor make either them or my selfe the rule or end of my desires Doe I yeeld and seriously endeavour an universall obedience unto all Gods law and that in the whole extent and latitude thereof without any allowance exception or reservation Is not my obedience mercenarie but sincere Do I not dispense with my selfe for the least sprigges of sinne for irregular thoughts for occasions of offence for appearances of evill for motions of concupiscence for idle words and vaine conversation for any thing that carries with it the face of sinne And when in any of these I am overtaken doe I bewaile my weaknesse and renew my resolutions against it In a word when I have impartially and uprightly measured mine owne heart by the rule doth it not condemne mee of selfe-deceite of hypocrisie of halting and dissembling of halfing and prevaricating in Gods service I may then comfortably conclude that my Faith is in some measure operative and effectuall in mee Which yet I may further trie by the nature of it as it is further expressed by the Apostle in the Text That I may know him Here we see the nature of faith is expressed by an act of knowledge and that act respectively to justification limited to Christ This is eternall Life to know thee and him whom thou hast sent where by knowledge I understand a certaine and evident assent Now such assents are of two sorts some grounded upon the evidence of the object and that light which the thing assented unto doth carrie and present to the understanding as I assent to this truth that the Sunne is light by the evidence of the thing it selfe and this kinde of assent the Apostle contradistinguisheth from faith by the name of sight Others are grounded upon the authoritie or authenticalnesse of a narrator upon whose report while wee rely without any evidence of the thing it selfe the assent which we produce is an assent of faith or credence Now that Faith is a certaine assâ—…nt and that even above the certaintie of meere naturall conclusions is on all hands I thinke confessed because how ever in regard of our weaknesse and distrust wee are often subject to stagger yet in the thing it selfe it dependeth upon the infallibilitie of Gods owne Word who hath said it and is by consequence neerer unto him who is the fountaine oâ—… all truth and therefore must needes more share in the properties of truth which are certainty and evidâ—…nce then any proved
in the Church of Rome yet I doubt whether they have yet enough to conjure themselves out of that circle which the agitation of these questions doe carry them in But secondly there are sundry lights there is light in the Sunne and there is light in a blazing or falling starre How shall I difference these lights will you say surely I know not otherwise then by the lights themselves undoubtedlie the spirit brings a proper distinctive uncommunicable Majesty and luster into the soule which cannot be by any false spirit counterfeited and this spirit doth open first the eie and then the Word and doth in that discover not as insit as veritatis those markes of truth and certainty there which are as apparant as the light which is without any other medium by it selfe discerned Thus then we see in the general That saving faith is an assent created by the word spirit We must note further that this knowledge is two fold first Generall mentall spâ—…culative and this is simply necessary not as a part of saving faith but as a medium degree passage thereunto For how can men beleeve without a teacher Secondly particular practicall Applicative which carries the soule to Christ and there â—…ixeth it â—…o whom shall wee go thou hast the words of eternall life wee beleeve and are sure that thou art that Christ. I know that my Redeemer liveth That yee being rooted and grounded in Love may be able to comprehend and to know the Love of Christ. I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me By his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie many This saving knowledge must bâ—…e commensurate to the object knowne and to the ends for which it is instituted which are Christ to be made ours for righteousnesse and salvation Now Christ is not proposed as an object of bare and naked truth to bee assented unto but as a Soveraigne and saving truth to do good unto men He is proposed as the Desire of all flesh It is the heart which beleeves With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and Christ dwelleth by faith in the heart If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou maist be bapâ—…ized And the hâ—…art doth not onely looke for truth but for goodnesse in the objects which it desireth for an allsufficiencie and adequate ground of full satisfaction to the appetites of the soule such a compasse of goodnesse as upon which the whole man may test and relie and unto the which he may have a personall propriety hold-fast and possession So then in one word faith is a particular assent unto the truth and goodnes of God in Christ his sufferings and resurrection as an allsufficient and open treasurie of righteousnesse and salvation to every one which comes unto them and thereupon a resolution of the heart there to fixe and fasten for those things and to looke no further Now this faith is called knowledge First in regard of the principles of it The word and spirit both which produce faith by a way of conviction and manifestation Secondly in regard of the ground of beleeving which is the knowledge of Gods will revealed for none must dare demand or take any thing from God till hee have revealed his will of giving it He hath said must be the ground of our faith Thirdly in regard of the certainty and undoubtednesse which there is in the assent of faith Abraham was fully perswaded of Gods pow'r and promise now there is a twofold certainty a certainty of the thing beleeved because of the power and promise of him that hath said it and a certainty of the minde beleeving The former is as full and sure to one beleever as to any other as an Almes is as certainly and fully given to one poore man who yet receives it with a shaking and Palsie hand as it is to another that receives it with more strength But the mind of one man may bee more certaine and assured then another or then it selfe at some other time sometimes it may have a certainty of evidence assurance and full perswasion of Gods goodnesse sometimes a certainty onely of Adherence in the midst of the buffets of Satan and some strong temptations whereby it resolveth to cleave unto God in Christ though it walke in darkenesse and have no light Fourthly and lastly in regard of the last Reflexive Act Whereby we know that we know him and beleeve in him And yet both this and all the rest are capable of grow'th as the Apostle here intimates we know heere but in part and therefore our knowledge of Him may still increase The heart may have more plentifull experience of Gods mercie in comfotting guiding defending illightning sanctifying it which the Scripture cals the learning of Christ and thereupon cannot but desire to have more knowledge of Him and Communion with Him especially in those two great benefits His Resurrection and sufferings And the power of His resurrection The Apostles desire in these words is double First that he may finde the workings of that power in his soule which was shewed in the resurrection of Christ from the Dead that is the Power of the Spirit of Holynesse which is the mighty principle of Faith in the heart That Spirit of Holynesse which quickned Christ from the Dead doth by the same glorious power beget Faith and other graces in the Soule It is as great a worke of the Spirit to forme Christ in the heart of a sinner as it was to fashion Him in the wombe of a virgin Secondly that He may feele the resurrection of Christ to have a Power in Him Now Christs resurrection hath a twofold Power upon us or towards us First to apply all His merits unto us to accomplish the worke of His satisfaction to declare his conquest over death and to propose himselfe as an All-sufficient Saviour to the faithfull As the stampe addes no vertue nor matter of reall value to a piece of gould but onely makes that value which before it had actually applyable and currant So the resurrection of Christ though it was no part of the price or satisfaction which Christ made yet it was that which made them all of force to His members Therefore the Apostle saith that Christ was Iustified in Spirit In His Death Hee suffered as a malefactor and did undertake the guilt of our sinnes so farre as it denotes an obligation unto punishment though not a meritoriousnesse of punishment but by that Spirit which raised Him from the Dead Hee was Iustified Himselfe that is He declared to the world that Hee had shaken of all that guilt from Himselfe and as it were left it in His Grave with His Grave clothes For as Christs righteousnesse is compared to a robe of triumph so may our guilt to a garment of Death which Christ in His Resurrection shooke all of to note that Death
his favour reconciled unto us nor reunited by his Blessing unto the Creature but onely in and through Christ. So then the minde of a man is fully and onely satisfied with the Creature when it findes God and Christ together in it God making the Creature suteable to our inferior desires and Christ making both God and the Creature Ours God giving Proportion and Christ giving Propriety These things thus explained let us now consider the Insufficiencie of the Creature to conferre and the Vnsatisfiablenesse of the flesh to receive any solid or reall satisfaction from any of the workes which are done under the Sunne Man is naturally a proud Creature of high projects of unbounded desires ever framing to himselfe I know not what imaginarie and phantasticall felicities which have no more proportion unto reall and true contentment then a king on a stage to a king on a throne then the houses which children make of cards unto a princes palace Ever since the fall of Adam he hath an itch in him to be a god within himselfe the fountaine of his owne goodnesse the contriver of his owne sufficiencie loth hee is to goe beyond himselfe or what hee thinkes properly his owne for that in which hee resolveth to place his rest But alas after hee hath toil'd out his heart and wasted his spirits in the most exact inuentions that the Creature could minister unto him Salomon here the most experienc'd for enquirie the most wise for contrivance the most wealthy for compassing such earthly delights hath after many yeeres sitting out the finest flowre and torturing nature to extract the most exquisite spirits and purest quintessence which the varieties of the Creatures could afford at last pronounced of them all That they are Vanitie and vexation of spirit Like Thornes in their gathering they pricke that is their Uexation and in their burning they suddenly blaze and waste away that is their Uanitie Vanitie in their duration fraile and perishable things and Vexation in their enjoyment they nothing but molest and disquiet the heart The eye saith Salomon is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Notwithstanding they be the widest of all the senses can take in more abundance with lesse satiety and serue more immediately for the supplies of the reasonable Soule yet a mans eye-strings may even cracke with vehemencie of poring his eares may be filled with all the varietie of the most exquisite sounds and harmonies and lectures in the world and yet still his Soule within him be as greedy to see and heare more as it was at first Who would have thought that the favour of a prince the adoration of the people the most conspicuous honours of the court the liberty of utterly destroying his most bitter adversaries the sway of the sterne and universall negotiations of state the concurrency of all the happinesse that wealth or honour or intimatenesse with the prince or Deity with the people or extremitie of luxurie could afford would possibly have left any roome or nooke in the heart of Haman for discontent and yet doe but observe how the want of one Iewes knee who dares not give divine worship to any but his Lord blasts all his other glories brings a damp upon all his other delights makes his head hang downe and his mirth wither so little leaven was able to sowre all the Queenes banquet and the Kings favour Ahab was a king in whom therefore wee may justly expect a confluence of all the happinesse which his dominions could afford a man that built whole cities and dwelt in Ivorie palaces and yet the want of one poore Vineyard of Naboth brings such a heavinesse of heart such a deadnesse of countenance on so great a person as seemed in the judgement of Iezabel farre unbeseeming the honour and distance of a prince Nay Salomon a man every way more a king both in the minde and in the state of a king then Ahab a man that did not use the Creature with a sensuall but with a criticall fruition To finde out that good which God had given men under the sunne and that in such abundance of all things learning honour pleasure peace plenty magnificence fortaine supplies roiall visits noble confederacies as that in him was the patterne of a compleat prince beyond all the plat-formes and Ideas of Plato and Zenophon and yet even he was never able to repose his heart upon any or all these things together till he brings in the feare of the Lord for the close of all Lastly looke on the people of Israel God had delivered them from a bitter thraldome had divided the sea before them and destroied their enemies behind them had given them bread from heaven and fed them with angels foode had commanded the rocke to satisfie their thirst and made the Cananites to melt before them his mercies were magnified with the power of his miracles and his miracles crowned with the sweetenesse of his mercies besides the assurance of great promises to bee performed in the holy land and yet in the midst of all this wee finde nothing but murmuring and repining God had given them meat for their faith but they must have meate for their lust too it was not enough that God shewed them mercies unlesse his mercies were dressed up and fitted to their palate They tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel saith the Prophet So infinitely unsatisfiable is the fleshly heart of man either with mercies or miracles that bring nothing but the Creatures to it The ground whereof is the Vast disproportion which is betweene the Creature and the soule of man whereby it comes to passe that it is absolutely impossible for one to fill up the other The soule of man is a substance of unbounded desires and that will easily appeare if wee consider him in any estate either Created or Corrupted In his Created estate he was made with a Soule capable of more glory then the whole earth or all the frame of nature though changed into one Paradise could haue afforded him for he was fitted unto so much honour as an infinite and everlasting Communion with God could bring along with it And now God never in the Creation gave unto any Creature a propercapacitie of a thing unto which hee did not withall implant such motions and desires in that Creature as should be some what suteable to that capacitie and which might if they had beene preserved intire haue brought man to the fruition of that Good which he desired For notwithstanding it be true That the glory of God cannot be attain'd unto by the vertue of any action which man either can or ever could haue performed yet God was pleased out of Mercie for the magnifying of his name for the Communicating of his glory for the advancement of his Creature to enter into Covenant with man and for his naturall obedience to promise him a supernaturall reward And this I say was even then out of Mercie in
Romane Games wherein men kill'd one another to make sport for the people and yet resolving though hee went with his body to leave his heart behind him and for that purpose to keepe his eyes shut that he might not staine them with so ungodly a spectacle yet at last upon a mighty shout at the fall of a man he could not forbeare to see the occasion and upon that grew to couple with the route and to applaud the action as the rest did In another place of the same booke wee reade of Monica the mother of that holy man that she had so often used to sip the wine that came to her fathers table that from sipping shee grew to loving and from thence to excessive drinking which particulars are by him reported to shew the deceitfulnesse of sinne in growing upon the conscience if it can but win the heart to consult to deliberate to indulge a little to it selfe at first for it is in the case of sinne as it is in treason qui deliberant desciverunt to entertaine any the modestest termes of parley with Gods enemy is downe-right to forsake him And if it bee so in any thing then much more in the love of the World for the Apostle tels us 〈◊〉 that is a Roote and therefore we must expect if ever it get 〈◊〉 in us partly by reason of its owne fruitfull qualitie partly by reason of the fertile soyle wherein it is the corrupt heart of man partly by reason of Satans constant plying it with his husbandry and suggestions that it will every day grow faster settle deeper spread wider in our soules By which meanes it must needs likewise create abundance of vexation to the spirits of men For as Manna in the Wildernesse when the people would not be content to have from God their daily bread but would needs be hoarding and multiplying of it bred wormes and stanke so when men will needs heape up wealth and other earthly supplyes beyond stint or measure they do but store up wormes to disquiet their minds that which will rot and annoy the owners They pant after the Dust of the Earth on the head of the poore saith the Prophet of those cruell oppressors that sold the righteous for shooes it notes how the fiercenesse of a greedy and unsatiable desire will weare out the strength of a man make him spend all his wits and even gaspe out his spirits in pursuing the poore unto the dust sucking out their very livelihood and substance till they are faine to lye downe in the dust Woe unto him saith the Prophet that encreaseth that which is not his enlarging his desires as Hell and death that loadeth himselfe with thick clay that is in other expressions that storeth up violence and robbery that heapeth treasures against the last day the words shew us what the issue of vehement and indefatigable affections is they doe but create vexations to a mans owne soule and all his wealth will at length lye upon his conscience like a load and mountaine of heavy earth The third Degree of vexation is from the enioyment or rather from the use of earthly things For though a wicked man may be said to use the Creatures yet in a strict sense he cannot be said to enjoy them The Lord maketh his Sunne to shine upon them giveth them a lawfull interest possession and use of them but all this doth not reach to a Fruition For that imports a delightfull sweet orderly use of them which things belong unto the blessings and promises of the Gospell In which respect the Apostle saith that God giveth unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things richly to enioy This is the maine sting and vexation of the Creature alone without Gods more especiall blessing that in it a man shall still taste a secret curse which deprives him of that dearenesse and satisfaction which he lookes for from it False joy like the crackling of Thornes he may find but still there is some flie in the oyntment some death in the pot some madnesse in the laughter which in the midst of all dampes and surprizeth the soule with horrour and sadnesse there are still some secret suggestions and whisperings of a guilty conscience that through all this Iordan of pleasure a man swimmes downe apace into a dead Sea that all his delights do but carry him rhe faster unto a finall Iudgement Ressevera est verum gaudium True joy saith the Heathen Man is not a perfunctory a floating thing it is serious and massy it sinkes to the Center of the heart As in Nature the Heavens we know are alwayes calme serene uniforme undisturbed they are the clouds and lower regions that thunder and bluster The Sunne and Starres rayse up no Fogges so high as that they may imprint any reall blot upon the beauty of those purer bodies or disquiet their constant and regular motions but in the lower regions by reason of their nearenesse to the earth they frequently raise up such Meteors as often breake forth into thunders and tempests so the more heavenly the minde is the more untainted doth it keepe it selfe from the corruptions and temptations of worldly things the more quiet and composed is it in all estates but in mindes meerely sensuall the hotter Gods favours shine and the faster his raine falles upon them the more Fogges are raised the higher Thornes grow up the more darkenesse and distractions do shake the soule of such a man As fire under water the hotter it burnes the sooner it is extingvished by the over-running of the water so earthly things raise up such tumultuary and disquiet thoughts in the minds of men as doth at last quite extingvish all the heate and comfort which was expected from them Give me leave to explane this Vexation in some one or two of Salomons particulars and to unfold his enforcements thereof out of them And first to begin with that with which he begins The Knowledge of things either naturall in this present text or morall and civill vers 17. of both which he concludeth that they are Uanitie and vexation of spirit The first argument he takes from the weakenesse of it either to restore or correct any thing that is amisse That which is crooked cannot be made strait Wee may understand it severall waies First All our knowledge by reason of mans corruption is but a crooked ragged impedite knowledge and for that reason a vexation to the minde for rectitude is full of beauty and crookednesse of deformity In mans Creation his understanding should have walked in the strait path of truth should have had a distinct view of causes and effects in their immediate successions but now sinne hath mingled such confusion with things that the minde is faine to take many crooked and vast compasses for a little uncertaine knowledge Secondly The weakenesse of all naturall knowledge is seene in this that it cannot any way either
prevent or correct the naturall crookednesse of the smallest things much lesse make a man solidly and substantially happy Thirdly That which is crooked cannot be made straite It is impossible for a man by the exactest knowledge of naturall things to make the nature of a man which by sinne is departed from its primitive rectitude strait againe to repaire that Image of God which is so much distorted When they knew God they glorified him not as God they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned It is the Apostles speech of the wisest heathen Aristotle the most rationall heathen man that the world knowes of in his Doctrine confesseth the disability of moral knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature and made it good in his practice for he used a common strumpet to satisfie his lust Seneca likewise the exactest Stoick which wee meet with then whom never any man writ more divinely for the contempt of the world was yet the richest usurer that ever wee read of in ancient stories though that were a sinne discovered and condemned by the heathen themselves A second Ground of vexation from knowledge is The Defects and Imperfections of it That which is wanting cannot be numbred There are many thousand conclusions in nature which the most inquisitiue Iudgement is not able to pierce into nor resolve into their just principles Nay still the more a man knowes the more discoveries he makes of things which he knowes not Thirdly in much wisdome is much griefe and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow In civill wisdome the more able a man is the more service is cast upon him the more businesses runne through him the lesse can hee enjoy his time or liberty His Eminence lodes him with envy jealousies observation suspicions forceth him oftentimes upon unwelcom compliancies upon colours and inventions to palliate unjust counsels and stop the clamors of a gainsaying Conscience fills him with feares of miscarriage and disgrace with projects of honour and plausibility with restlesse thoughts touching discoveries preventions concealements accommodations and the like in one word is very apt to make him a stranger to God and his owne soule In other learning let a man but consider First The confusion uncertainty involvednesse perplexities of causes and effects by mans sinne Secondly The paines of the body the travell of the minde the sweate of the braine the tugging and plucking of the understanding the very drudgery of the soule to breake through that confusion and her owne difficulties Thirdly the many invincible doubts and errors which wil stil blemish our brightest notions Fourthly the great charges which the very instruments and furniture of learning wil put men to Fifthly the general disrespect which when all is done it findes in the world great men scorning it as pedantry ordinary men unable to take notice of it and great schollers faine to make up a theater amongst themselves Sixthly the Insufficiency thereof to perfect that which is amisse in our nature the malignant property thereof to put sinne into armour to contemne the simplicity and purity of Gods Word And lastly the neere approach thereof to its owne period the same death that attendeth us being ready also to bury all our learning in the grave with us these and infinite the like considerations must needs mingle much sorrow with the choisest Learning Secondly let us take a view of pleasure There is nothing doth so much disable in the survey of pleasure as the mixture either of folly or want When a man hath wisdome to apprehend the exquisitnes of his delights and variety to keepe out the suâ—…fet of any one hee is then fittest to examine what compasse of Goodnesse or satisfaction is in them First then Salomon kept his wisedome he pursued such manly and noble delights as might not vitiate but rather improve his intellectuals Chap. 2. vers 1. 2. 3. Secondly his wisedome was furnish'd with variety of subjects to enquire into he had magnificence and provisions suteable to the greatnesse of his royall minde Sumptuous and delicate diet under the name of wine vers 3. stately Edifices vers 4. Vineyards and Orchards yea very Paradises as large as Woods vers 5. 6. Fish-ponds and great Waters multitudes of attendants and retinue of all sexes Mighty heards of Cattell of all kindes vers 7. Great treasures of silver and gold all kinds of musick vocall and instrumentall Thirdly Salomon exceedes in all these things all that ever went before him vers 9. Fourthly As he had that most abundant so likewise the most free undisturbed unabated enjoyment of them all Hee with-held not his heart from any joy there was no mixture of sicknesse warre or any intercurrent difficulties to corrupt their sweetnesse or blunt the tast of them Here are as great preparations as the heart of man can expect to make an universall survay of those delights which are in the Creature and yet at last upon an impartiall enquirie into all his most magnificent workes the conclusion is they were but vanity and vexation of spirit vers 11. Which vexation he further explanes First by the necessarie divorce which was to come betweene him and them Hee was to leave them all vers 18. Secondly by his disability so to dispose of them as that after him they might remaine in that manner as hee had ordered them vers 19. Thirdly by the effects which these and the like considerations wrought in him they were so farre from giving him reall satisfaction as that First he Hated all his workes for there is nothing makes one Hate more eagerly then disappointment in the good which a man expected When Ammon found what little satisfaction his exorbitant lust received in ravishing his Sister Tamar he as fiercely hated her after as he had desir'd her before Secondly He Despaired of finding any good in them because they be get nothing but travell drudgery and unquiet thoughts Lastly let us take a view of Riches the ordinarily most adored Idol of all the rest The wise man saies first in generall neither Riches nor yet abundance of Riches will satisfie the soule of man Eccl. 5. 10. This he more particularly explanes First from the sharers which the encrease of them doth naturally draw after it vers 11. and betweene the Owners and the sharers there is no difference but this an emptie speculation one sees as his owne what the other enjoyes to those reall purposes for which they serve as well as he Secondly from the unquietnes which naturally growes by the encrease of them which makes an ordinarie drudge in that respect more happy vers 12. Thirdly from the hurt which usually without some due corrective they bring vers 13. either they hurt a man in himselfe being strong temptations and materials too of pride vaine-glory couetousnesse luxurie intemperance forgetfulnesse of God love of the world and by these of disorder dissolutenesse and diseases in the body or else at least
Grace is sufficient for thee and hee confesseth it elsewhere I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens me Christs head hath sanctified any thornes his back any surrowes his hands any nailes his side any speare his heart any sorrow that can come to mine Againe have I a great estate am I loden with abundance of earthly things this takes away all the Vexation that I have Christ with me his promise to sanctifie it his wisedome to manage it his glory to be by it advanced his word to be by it maintained his Anointed Ones to be by it supplied his Church to be by it repaired in one word his poverty to be by it relieved For as Christ hath strength and compassion to take of the burden of our afflictions so hath he poverty too to ease that vexation which may grow from our abundance If thou hadst a whole wardrobe of cast apparrell Christ hath more nakednesse then all that can cover if whole barnes ful of corne and cellars of wine Christ hath more empty bowels then al that can fill if all the pretious drugs in a country Christ hath more sicknes then all that can cure if the power of a mighty Prince Christ hath more imprisonment then all that can enlarge if a whole house full of silver and gold Christ hath more distressed members to be comforted more breaches in his Church to be repaired more enemies of his Gospel to be oppos'd more defenders of his faith to be supplied more urgencies of his Kingdom to be attended then al that wil serve for Christ professeth himself to be still hungry naked sick and in prison and to stand in need of our visits and supplies As all the good which Christ hath done is ours by reason of our communion with him so all the ◅vill wee suffer is Christs by reason of his compassion with us The Apostle saith that we sit together with Christ in heavenly places and the same Apostle saith that the suffrings of Christ are made up in his mēbers Nos ibi sedemus et ille hic laborat We are glorified in him and he pained in us in all his honor we are honored and in al our affliction he is afflicted Thirdly cast out thy Ionah every sleeping and secure sinne that brings a Tempest upon thy ship vexation to thy spirit It may be thou hast an execrable thing a wedge of gold a babylonish garment a bagge full of unjust gaine gotten by sacriledge disobedience mercilesnes oppression by detaining Gods or thy neighbours rights It may be thou hast a Da◅la a strange woman in thy bosome that brings a rot upon thine estate and turnes it all into the wages of a whore what ever thy sicknesse what ever thy plague be as thou tenderest the tranquillity of thine estate rouse it up from its sleepe by a faithfull serious and impartiall examination of thine owne heart and though it be as deare to thee as thy right eye or thy right hand thy choicest pleasure or thy chiefest profit yet cast◅ out in an humble confession unto God in a hearty and willing restitution unto men in opening thy close and contracted bowels to those that never yet enjoy'd comforts from them then shall quietnesse arise unto thy soule and that very gaine which thou throwest away is but cast upon the waters the Lord will provide a Whale to keepe it for thee and will at last restore it thee whole againe The last direction which I shall give to remove the vexation of the Creature is out of the text and that is To keepe it from thy Spirit not to suffer it to take up thy thoughts and inner man They are not negotia but viatica onely and a mans heart ought to be upon his businesse and not upon accessories If in a tempest men should not addresse themselves to their offices to loose the tacklings to draw the pumpe to strike sailes and lighten the vessell but should make it their sole worke to gaze upon their commodities who could expect that a calme should droppe into such mens laps Beloved when the Creatures have rais'd a tempest of vexation thinke upon your Offices to the pumpe to powre out thy corruptions to the sailes and tackling abate thy lusts and the provisions of them to thy faith to live above hope to thy patience It is the Lord let him doe as seemeth good to him to thy thankfulnesse the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away Blessed be the name of the Lord. If Iob should have gazed on his children or substance he might have been swallowed up in the storme but God was in his heart and so the vessell was still safe But what is it to keepe the Creature from the spirit It is in the phrase of Scripture N◅t to set the Heart upon riches Apponere cor to carry a mans heart to the creature the Prophet gives a fit expression of it when hee saith That the heart doth g◅t after covetousnesse when a man makes all the motions of his soule waite upon his lusts and drudgeth for them and bringeth his heart to the edge of the creature for the world doth not wound the heart but the heart woundeth it selfe upon the world And it is not the rock alone that dasheth the ship without its own motion being first tossed by the winde and waves upon the rocke so it is a mans owne lust which vexeth his spirit and not the things alone which he possesseth To set the heart on the Creature denotes three things First to pitch a mans thoughts and studies to direct all the restlesse enquiries of his soule upon them and the good he expects from them This in the Scripture is expressed by Devising Consulting Thinking within ones selfe being tossed like a Meteor with doubtfulnesse of minde and carefull suspence Ioyning ones selfe making Provision for lusts c. Secondly to care for to employ a mans affections of love delight desire upon them to set a high price on them and over-rate them above other things For this cause covetous men are call'd Idolaters because they preferre monie as a man doth his God before all other things When the women would have comforted the wife of Phineas with the birth of a sonne after the captivitie of the Arke it is said she regarded it not the Text is she did not put her heart upon it though a woman rejoyce when a man childe is borne yet in comparison of the Arke she no more regarded the joy of a sonne then a man would doe if the sunne should be blotted out of heaven and a little starre put in the roome and therefore though children be the glory of their parents yet shee professeth that there was no glory in this to have a sonne and lose an Arke a starre without light a sonne without service a levite borne and no Arke to waite upon and therefore she did not set her
the Divell threaten Demas with persecuâ—…ion and presently hee forsakes the fellowship of the Apostles and imbraceth this present world And as it was heretofore so is it still If a mans heart be not set on God and taught to rest upon his providence to answer all Satans promises with his All-sufficiencie to reward vs and all his threatnings with his All-sufficiency to protect us how easily will promises begvile and threatnings deterre unstable and earthly minds Let the Divell tell one man All this will I give thee if thou wilt speake in a Cause to pervert judgement how quickly will men create subtilties and coine evasions to rob a man and his house even a man and his inheritance Let him say to another I will doe whatsoever thou sayst unto me if thou wilt dissemble thy conscience divide thy heart comply with both sides keepe downe the power of godlinesse persecute zeale set up will-worship and superstiâ—…ions how quickly shall such a mans religion bee disgviz'd and sincerity if it were possible put to shame If to another thou shalt by such a time purchase such a Lordship out such a neighbour swallow up such a prodigall if thou enhance thy rents enlarge thy fines set unreasonable rates upon thy Farmes how quickly will men grinde the faces of the poore and purchase ungodly possessions with the blood of their tenants If to another beware of laying open thy conscience of being too faithfull in thy Calling too sâ—…rupulous in thy office least thou purchase the dis-favour of the World lest the times cloud overthee and frowne upon thee lest thou be scourged with persecuted names and make thy selfe obnoxious to spies and censures how will men be ready to start backe to shrinke from their wonted forwardnesse to abate their former zeale to coâ—…ple in with and connive at the corruptions of the age in one Word to tremble when Ephraim speakes and not to tremble when God speakes So hard is it when the heart is wedded to earthly things and they are gotten into a mans bosome to beare the assaults of any temptation Lastly this comes from the just and secret wrath of God giuing men over to the deceitfulnesse of sinne and to the hardnesse of their owne hearts to beleeve the lies and allurements of Satan because they rejected the counsell of God and the love of his truth before In the influences of the Sunne we may observe that the deeper they worke the stronger they worke the beames nearer the Center meeting in a sharper point doe consolidate and harden the very Element so the Creatures by the justice of God when they meete in a mans Center reach as farre as his heart doe there mightily worke to the deceiving and hardning of it the eye nor any other outward sense can finde no more in the Creature then is really there it is the heart which mis-conceives things and attributes that Deity and worth to them which the senses could not discover If men then could keepe these things from their spirits they should ever conceive of them according to their owne narrow being and so keepe their hearts from that hardnesse which the Creatures destitute of Gods blessing doe there beget and so worke in the soule a disposition suteable to Satans temptations Secondly a Heart set upon any lust is unfit likewise to beare any affliction The Young man whose heart was upon his riches could not endure to heare of selling all and entring upon a poore and persecuted profession First Lusts are choice and dainty they make the heart very delicate and nice of any assaults Secondly they are very wilfull and set upon their owne ends therefore they are expressed by the name of concupiscence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wills of the flesh and wilfulnesse is the ground of impatiency Thirdly they are naturall and move strongly to their owne point they are a Body and our very members no marvell then if they be sensible of paine from afflictions which are contrary unto nature The stronger the water runnes the more will it roare and some upon any opposition lust is like a furious beast enrag'd with the affliction the chaine that binds it Fourthly Lusts are very wise after a fleshly and sensuall manner and worldly wisedome is impatient of any stoppage or prevention of any affliction that crusheth and disappoints it Therefore the Apostle doth herein principally note the opposition betweene heavenly and carnall wisedome that the one is meeke peaceable and gentle the other divelish and full of strife Fifthly Lusts are proud especially those that arise from abundance of the Creature and pride being set upon by any affliction makes the heart breake forth into impatience debates and stoutnesse against God a proud heart growes harder by afflictions as Metals or Clay after they have past thorow the furnace It is said of Pharaoh that he did not set his heart to the Iudgements of God but exalted himselfe against his people Pride grew stronger by Affliction Besides pride in earthly things swallowes up the very expectation of Afflictions and therefore must needs leave the heart unprepared against them Sixthly Lusts are rooted in selfe-love and therefore when Christ will have a man forsake his lusts he directs him to denie himselfe Now the very essence of Afflictions are to be grievous and adverse to a mans selfe Seventhly Lusts are contentious armed things and their enmity is against God and therefore utterly unfit to accept of the punishment of sinne and to beare the â—…ndignation of the Lord or to submit unto any afflictions Eighthly Lusts resist the truth set up themselves against the Word and thereby utterly disable men to beare Afflictions for the Word sanctifies and lightens all Affliction the Word shewes Gods moderation and intention in them an issue out of them the benefits which will come from them the supplies of strength and abilities to beare them the promises of a more abundant exceeding weight of glory in comparison whereof they are as nothing Lastly if wee could conceive some Afflictions not contrary to lust yet Afflictions are ever contrary to the provisions of lust to the materials and instruments of lusts such as are health pleasure riches honours c. And in all these respect a Heart set upon lust is weakened and disabled to beare Afflictions Secondly when the Heart is set upon the Creature it is utterly disabled in regard of its active strength made unfit to doe any duty with that strength as Gods requires First because Bonum fit ex causâ integrâ A good duty must proceede from an entire Cause from the whole heart Now lust divides the Heart and makes it unstedfast and unfaithfull unto God There is a twofold unstedfastnesse one in degrees another in objects the former proceeds from the remainders of corruption and therefore is found in some measure in the best
and are therefore altogether undisposed to Continue or hold fast the truth A man in his lusts is like a man in a disease not long well in one way but is ever given to changes and experiments and as he changeth so doth he ever new shape the scripture and dragge it downe to the patronage of his owne wayes So that the Law in a wicked mans heart is like a candle in a foule lanterne or as a straight oare in troubled water or the shining of light through a color'd glasse wried and chang'd into the image of the corrupted minde wherein it lies The Law in it selfe is Perfect right pure sure and faithfull holy just and spirituall lively and operative and men by nature are unlike all this degenerate and crooked wavering and unfaithfull deceiving and being deceived unholy carnall and impure fleshly minded dead and reprobate to every good worke Such a great disproportion is there betweene Nature and the Law 3. Because it doth not Drive us out of our selves for a Remedie The sublimest philosophie that ever was did never teach a man to denie himselfe but to build up his house with the old ruines to fetch stones and materials out of the wonted quarrie Humiliation confusion shame selfe-abhorrencie to be vile in a mans owne eyes to be nothing within himselfe to be willing to owne the vengeance of almighty God and to judge our selves to justifie him that may condemne us and be witnesses against our selves are vertues knowne only in the booke of God and which the learnedest Philosophers would have esteemed both irrational and pusillanimous things 4. Because naturall judgement is so throughly distorted and infatuated as to count evill good and good evill light darkenesse and darkenesse light to perswade a man that he is in a right way when the end thereof will be theissues of death that he is Rich and in need of nothing when in the meane time he is miserable poore blinde and naked Platoes community Aristotles Vrbanitie and magnanimity Ciceroes blinding the eyes of the Iudges and his officious dissimulation and compliancie the Stoicks apathie and officious lies that so much admired stoutnesse or rather sullennesse of those rigid Heathen that puld out their owne eyes that they mighy bee chaste and kild themselves to be rid of evill times nay more the Pharisies strictnesse the zeale and unblameablenesse of Paul the devotions of obstinate Iewes all the strength of civill morall formall shewes and expressions of goodnesse though specious in the eyes of men yet in the eyes of God that seeth not as manseeth they are all but sinfull and filthy losse and dung Lastly because nature in particular men never knew nor had experience of a better estate and therefore must needs bee ignorant of that full Image in which it was created and unto which it ought still to be conformable As a man borne in a dungeon is unable to conceive the state of a Palace as the Childe of a Noble man stolne away and brought up by some lewd Begger cannot conceive or suspect the honour of his blood so utterly unable is corrupted nature that hath bin borne in a wombe of ignorance bred in a hell of uncleannesse enthrall'd from the beginning to the prince of darkenesse to conceive or convince a man of that most holy and pure condition in which hee was created the least deviation where-from is sinne unto him Now then since Nature cannot thus convince the spirit in the Commandement must We have no inward principle but these two We grant there is a difference to be made betweene the illumination and Renovation of the spirit men may be illightned and yet not sanctified as a false Starre or an ignis fatuus may have light without influence or heate yet withall it is certaine too that it is impossible to know sinne in that hatefulnesse which is in it with such a knowledge as begets hatred and detestation of it or to know divine things with such a knowledge aâ—… is commensurate to them such as in their spirituall and immediate purity they are apt to beget but that knowledge must worke admiration delight love endeavours of conformity unto so heavenly truths No comprehension of things divine without love Ephes. 3. 17. 18. the reason why God gives men over to strong delusions to beleeve lyes is because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved 2. Thes. 2. 10. 11. This conviction then of sinne the spirit worketh First by revealing the Rule Secondly by opening the condition of the state of sinne Thirdly by giving a heart experimentally and reflexively to understand all or by shaping and framing the heart to the Word and so mingling them both together The Apostle saith that By the Commandement sinne revived By the life of sinne I understand the strength of it and that is twofold A strength to condemne and a strength to operate or worke in a man obedience to it selfe a strength to hold a man fast and to carry him its owne way Sin is a body and hath earthly members Col. 3. 4. which are very active vigorous the Apostle speaketh of a holding propertie which it hath Rom. 7. 6. and this strength hath the sinewes of all strength in it It is a Lord and so it hath the strength of power to command and it is a husband and so it hath the strength of love to perswade and prevaile First it is a Lord and Master in which respect it hath these tyes upon us First a Covenant there is a virtuall bargaine betweene lust and a sinner Esay 28. 15. we make promise of serving and obeying sinne Ioh. 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16. and that returneth unto us the wages of iniquitie and the pleasures of sinne 2. Pet. 2. 15. Heb. 11. 25. Secondly love unto it as unto a bountifull and beneficiall Lord. Sinne exerciseth authority over us and yet we account it our benefactor Hos 2. 5. 12. 13. Iob 20. 12. 13. Thirdly an easie service the worke of sinne is naturall the instruments all ready at hand the helpers and fellow-servants many to teach to encourage to hasten and lead on in the broad way Fourthly in sinne it selfe there is a great strength to enforce men to its service First it is edg'd with malice against the soule arm'd with weapons to fight against it and enmity is a great Whetstone to valour Secondly it is attended with fleshly wisedome suppported with stratagems and deceits hastened and set on by the assistance of Satan and the world Eph. 4. 22 Heb. 3. 13. Thirdly it hath a Iudicature and regiment in the heart it governes by a Law it fâ—…nds forth lusts axnd temptations like so many edicts into the soule and when we object the Law of God against the service
that is requir'd then as that Persian King who could not find out a Law to warrant the particular which hee would have done found out another That hee might doe what hee would so sinne when it hath no reason to alleage yet it hath Selfe-will that is all Lawes in one Gen. 49. 6. 2. Pet. 2. 10. Rom. 7. 23. In one word the strong man is furnished with a whole Armour Secondly sinne is a Husband Rom. 7. 1. 5. and so it hath the power of love which the wise Man saith is as strong as death that will have no deniall when it comes S. Paul tels vs there is a constraining power in love 2. Cor. 5. 14. Who stronger then Sampson and who weaker then a woman yet by love she overcame him whom all the Philistimes were unable to deale with Now as betweene a man and a strumpet so betweene lust and the heart there are first certaine cursed dalliances and treaties by alluring temptations the heart is drawne away from the sight of God and his Law and enticed and then followes the accomplishment of uncleannesse Iam. 1. 14. 15. This in the generall is that life or strength of sinne here spoken of Wee are next to observe that the ground of all this is the Law The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law 1. Cor. 15. 56 1. Ioh. ◅ 4. from the Law it is that sinne hath both strength to condemne and to command us or have dominion over us Rom. 6. 14. Now the Law gives life or strength to sin three wayes First by the curse and obligation of it binding the soule with the guilt of sin unto the Iudgement of the great Day Every sinner hath the sentence past upon him already and in part executed He that beleeveth not is condemned already the wrath of God abideth on him All men come into the world with the wrath of God like a talent of lead upon their soule and it may all be pour'd out within one houre upon them there is but a span betweene them and judgement In which interim First the Law stops the mouth of a sinner Shuts him in and holds him fast under the guilt of his sinne Secondly it passeth sentence upon his soule sealing the assurance of condemnation and wrath to come Thirdly it beginneth even to put that sentence in execution with the spirit of bondage and of feare shaking the conscience wounding the spirit and scorching the heart with the pre-apprehensions of Hell making the soule see some portion of that tempest which hangeth over it rising out of that sea of sinne which is in his life and nature as the Prophets servant did the Cloud and so terrifying the soule with a certaine fearefull expectation of Iudgement Thus the Law strengthens sinne by putting into it a condemning power Secondly by the Irritation of the Law Sin tooke occasion saith the Apostle by the Law so by the commandement became exceeding sinnefull Rom. 7. 8. when lust finds it selfe universally restrain'd meets with Death and Hell at every turne can have no subterfuge nor evasion from the rigor and inexorablenesse of the Law then like a River that is stopt it riseth and fomes and rebels against the Law of the minde and fetcheth in all its force and opposition to rescue it selfe from that sword which heweth it in pieces And thus the Law is said to strengthen sinne not perse out of the Intention of the Law but by Accident antiperistasis exciting and provoking that strength which was in sinne before though undiscern'd and lesse operative For as the presence of an enemie doth actuate and call forth that malice which lay habitually in the heart before so the purity of the Law presenting it selfe to concupisence in every one of those fundamentall obliquities wherein it lay before undisturb'd and way laying the lust of the heart that it may have no passage doth provoke that habituall fiercenesse and rebellion which was in it before to lay about on all sides for its owne safety Thirdly by the conviction and manifestation of the Law laying open the widenesse of sinne to the conscience Man naturally is full of pride and selfe-love apt to thinke well of his spirituall estate upon presumptions and principles of his owne and though many professe to expect salvation frō Christ only yet in as much as they will be in Christ no way but their owne that shewes that still they rest in themselves for salvation This is that deceite and Guile of spirit which the scripture mentions which makes the way of a foole right in his owne eyes The Philosopher tells us of a Sea wherein by the hollownesse of the earth under it or some whirling and attractive propertie that sucks the vessell into it ships use to be cast away in the mid'st of a calme even so many mens soules doe gently perish in the mid'st of their owne securities and presumptions As the fish Polypus changeth himselfe into the colour of the Rock and then devoures those that come thither for shelter so doe men shape their mis-perswasions into a forme of Christ and faith in him and destroy themselves How many men rest in pharisaicall generalities plod on in their owne civilities moralities externall Iustice and unblameablenesse account any thing indiscretion and unnecessary strictnes that exceeds their owne modell every man in Hell that is worse then themselves I am not as this Publican and others that are better but in a fooles paradise and all this out of ignorance of the Law This here was the Apostles Case when he lived after the strictest sect of the Pharisies sin was dead he esteemed himself blamelesse but when the Commandement came discoverd its owne spiritualnes the carnalnesse of all his performances remou'd his curtald glosses and presumptuous prejudices opened the inordinatenes of natural concupiscence shewd how the lest atome doth spot the soule the smallest omission qualifie for hel make the conscience see those infinite sparkles and swarmes of lust that rise out of the hart and that God is all eye to see and all fire to consume every unclean thing that the smallest sins that are require the pretiousest of Christs blood to expiate and wash them out then he began to be co◅vinc'd that he was all this while under the Hold of Sinne that his conscience was yet under the paw of the Lyon as the Serpent that was dead in snow was reviu'd at the fire so sinne that seemes dead when it lies hid under the ignorances and misperswasions of a secure heart when either the Word of God which the Prophet calls fire or the last Iudgement shall open it unto the conscience it will undoubtedly revive againe and make a man finde himselfe in the mouth of Death Thus wee see that unto the Law belongs the Conviction of sinne and that in the whole compasse of evill that is in it Three hatefull evils are in
sinne Aberration from Gods Image obnoxiousnesse to his wrath and rejection from his presence Staine Guilt and miserie which is the product or issue of the two former Now as wee say Rectum est sui index obliqui The Law is such a Rule as can measure and set forth all this evill Ir is Holy Iust and Good Rom. 7. 12. Holy fit to conforme us to the image of God Iust fit to arme vs against the wrath of God and Good fit to present us unto the presence and fruition of God According unto this blessed and complete patterne was man created An universall rectitude in his nature all parts in tune all members in joynt light and beauty in his minde conformity in his will subordination and subjection in his appetites serviceablenesse in his body peace and happinesse in his whole being But man being exactly sensible of the excellency of his estate gave an easie ◅are to that first temptation which layd before him a hope and project of improving it and so beleeving Satans lye and embracing a shadow he fell from the substance which before he had and contracted the hellish and horrid image of that Tempter which had thus deceiv'd him Having thus consider'd in the generall how the Law may be said to quicken or revive sinne by the obligation Irritation and Conviction of it Wee will in the next place looke into the life of those particular species or ◅ankes of sinne which the spirit in the Commandement doth convince men of Wherein I shall insist at large onely upon that sinne which is the subject of this whole Chapter and if not solely yet principally aim'd at by the Apostle in my Text namely those evils which lye folded up in our originall concupiscence Here then first the Spirit by the Law entiseth vs to Adams Sinne as a derivation from the root to the branches As poison is carried from the fountaine to the Cisterne as the children of traytors have their blood ◅ainted with their Fathers treason and the children of bondslaves are under their parents condition We were all one in Adam and with him In him legally in regard of the stipulation and covenant between God and him we were in him parties in that covenāt had interest in the mercy were liable to the curse which belonged to the breach of that Covenant and in him naturally and therefore unavoidably subject to all that bondage and burden which the humane nature contracted in his fall And though there be risen up a sect of men who deny the sinne of Adam to be our sinne or any way so by God accounted and to us imputed yet certaine it is that before that arch-heretick Pelagius and his disciple Caelestius did vex the Churches never any man denied the guilt of Adams sinne and guilt is inseparable from the sinne it selfe being a proper passion of it to belong to all his posterity This then is the first charge of the spirit upon us participation with Adam in his sinne And in as much as that Commandement unto Adam was the primitive Law so justly required so easily observed therefore exceeding great must needs be the Transgression of it Pride Ambition Rebellion Infidelity Ingratitude Idolatry Concupissence ◅heft Apostacy unnaturall Affection Violation of covenant and an universall renunciation of Gods mercy promised these the like were those wofull ingredients which compounded that sinne in the committing wherof wee all were sharers because Adams person was the Fountaine of ours and Adams Will the Representative of ours The second charge is touching universall corruption which hath in it Two great evils First A generall defect of all righteousnesse and holinesse in which wee were at first created and secondly an inherent Deordination pravitie evill disposition disease propension to all mischiefe Antipathy and aversation from all good which the Scripture calls the flesh the wisdome of the flesh the body of sinne earthly members the Law of the members the workes of the Divell the lusts of the Divell the Hell that sets the whole course of nature on fire And this is an evill of the through malignity whereof no man can be so sensibly and distinctly convinc'd as in the evidence of that conviction to cry out against it with such strange strong and bitter complaints as Saint Paul doth till his understanding be by Christ opened to understand the Spiritualnesse penetration and compasse of that holy Law which measureth the very bottome of every action and condemneth as well the originals as the acts of sinne And hence it is that many men pleade for this sinne as onely an evill of nature rather troublesome then sinnefull That concupiscence was not contracted by nature de novo in the fall but that it is annexed to nature by the Law of Creation that it belongeth to the constitution and condition of a sensitive Creature and that the bridle of originall and supernaturall Ri◅hteousnesse being remou'd the Rebellion of the fleshly against the spirituall that is as these men most ignorantly affirme of the sensuall against the reasonable part which was by that before suspended did discover it selfe It will not bee therefore a misse to open unto you what it is to be in the State of originall sinn◅ and what evils they are which the Commandement doth so discover in that sinne as thereby to make a man feele the burden of his owne nature smell the sinke and stinch of his owne bosome and so as the Prophet speakes abhorre himselfe and never open his mouth any more either proudly to justifie himselfe or foolishly to charge God but to admire and adore that mercy which is pleas'd to save and that power which is able to cure so leprous and uncleane a thing First consider the universalitie of this sinne and that manifold Vnivers◅litie of Times from Adam to Mos◅s even when the Law of Creation was much defaced and they that sinned did not sinne after the similitude of Adam against the cleare Revelation of Gods pure and holy will For that I take to be the meaning of the Apostle in those words Untill the Law sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed where there is no Law Though the Law seemed quite extinct betweene Adam and Moses in the wicked of the world and with it sinne because sinne hath no strength where there is no Law though men had not any such legible Characters of Gods will in their nature as Adam had at first and therefore did not sinne after the similitude of his prevarication yet even from Adam to Moses did sinne reigne over all them even the sinne of Adam and that lust which that sinne contracted And if sinne reigned from Adam to Moses in that time of ignorance when the Law of not lusting was quite extinct out of the minds of men much more from Moses after for the Law
the branches yet the rootes are so fastened to the joynts and intralls of the wall that till the stones be puld all asunder it will not be quite rooted out As that house wherein there was a fretting and spreading Leprosie though it might bee scrap'd round about and much rubbish and corrupt materialls removed yet the Leprosie did not cease till the house with the stones and timber and morter of it was broken downe so originall concupiscence cleaveth so close to our nature that though we may bee much repair'd yet corruption will not leave us till our house be dissolved As long as Corne is in the field it will have refuse and chaffe about it as long as water remaines in the Sea it will retaine it saltnesse till it be defecated and clensed in its passage into the Land and so is it with the Church while it is in the world it will have the body of sinne about it it will bee beset with this Sinne. In the Apostle it is for this reason call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an encompassing sinne a sinne that will not be cast off that doth easily occupate and possesse all our members and faculties a man may as easily shake off the skin from his backe or poure out his bowels out of his body as rid himselfe of this evill inhabitant It is an evill that is ever present with us and dwelling in us But it may be objected Doth not the Apostle say that by being baptized into Christ or planted into the likenesse of his death our old man is crucified the body of sinne is destroyed we are freed from sinne as a woman is from a dead husband we have put off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the Circumcision made without hands that is by Baptisme and the Spirit Doth not the Apostle Saint Iohn say He that is borne of God that is he that is Regenerate by Water and the Spirit sinneth not neither can sinne To this I answer in generall with the same Apostle If we say wee have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us More particularly wee must distingvish both of Death and of sinne There is a twofold Death an Actuall or Naturall Death when the essentiall parts of a living Creature are taken asunder and the whole dissolved and a Virtuall or Legall Death when though the party bee naturally Alive yet hee is Dead in Law and that notes two things First a designation unto a certaine Death at hand and ready to bee executed Secondly a disabilitie unto many purposes which lay before in the mans power as a man condemn'd though hee have his life out of indulgence for a short space yet hee is then set apart and appointed for death and in the very sentence disabled to order or dispose of any thing which was then his owne When a woman is divorced for adultery from her husband though she bee Alive naturally yet Legally and to the purpose of marriage she is Dead to her husband so that though shee should live in the same house yet she should have nothing to doe with his bed or body And thus the Apostle speaketh of sinfull Widowes that they are Dead while they Live 1. Tim. 5. 6. In sin likewise we may consider The guilt of it whereby it makes us accursed and the dominion of it wherewith it bringeth us into bondage in these two principally consists the life and the strength of sinne which it hath from the Law Now by being baptized into Christ wee are delivered from the Law Rom. 6. 14. Gal. 3. 25. First from the covenant of the Law Christ hath put an utter period to the Law quoad officium Iustificandi hee is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Wee are righteous now by Grace and Donation not by nature or operation by the righteousnesse of God not that whereby God is righteous but that which God is pleased to give us and stands in opposition to a mans owne righteousnesse which is by working Secondly from the Rigor of the Law which requires perfect and perpetuall obedience Gal. 3. 10. Though the Gospell command holinesse Matth. 5. 48. and promise it Luk. 1. 74. and worke it in us Tit. 2. 10. 11. yet when the Conscience is summon'd before God to bee justified or condemned to resolve upon what it will stand to for its last triall there is so much mixture of sinne that it dares trust none but Christs owne adequate performance of the Law this is all the salvation the maine charter and priviledge of the church Wee are not therefore rigorously bound either to a full habituall holinesse in our persons which is supplied by the merit of Christ nor to a through actuall obedience in our services which are covered with the Intercession of Christ. Wee are at the best full of weakenesse many remnants of the old Adam hang about us this is all the comfort of a man in Christ that his desires are accepted God regards the sincerity of his heart and will spare his failings even as a man spareth his Sonne that desires to please him but comes short in his endeavours that he will not looke on the iniquitie of his holy things but when he fals will pitty him and take him up and heale him and teach him to goe thus wee are delivered from the rigour of the Law which yet is thus to be understood That though wee bee still bound to all the Law as much as ever under perill of sinne for so much as the best come short of fullfilling all the Law so much they sinne yet not under paine of Death which is the rigour of the Law And therefore Thirdly wee are delivered from the Curse of the Law from the vengeance and wrath of God against sin Christ was made a curse for us Lastly from the Irritation of the Law and all compulsorie and slavish obedience we love by Christ all the principles and grounds of true obedience put into vs. First knowledge of Gods will the spirit of Revelation wisedome and spirituall understanding Secondly will to embrace and love what wee know Thirdly strength in some measure to performe it And by these meanes the Saints serve God without feare with delight willingnesse love liberty power the Law is to them a new Law a Law of liberty a light yoke the Commandements of God are not grievous to them Being thus Dead to the Law we are truly Dead to sinne likewise and sinne to us but not universally Dead in regard of its strength but not in regard of its beeing To apply then the premisses Sin is Dead naturally quoad Reatum in regard of the gvilt of it that is that actuall guilt of sin wherby every man is borne a child of wrath and made obnoxious to vengeance is done quite away in our regeneration and the obligations cancell'd Col. 2. 14. Secondly sinne is Dead Legally
humanity I must change natures with fierce and bloody Creatures that are not capeable of pitty before I can do such facts as these Is thy servant a Dog Yes and worse then a dog when pride ambition selfe-projections the probabilities and promises the engagements and exigencies of a Kingdome shall enliven and rouse up that originall inhumanitie that is in a man he will then be not a Dog onely but a Woolte and a Lyon I will not denie thee I will dye for thee though all should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended They were the words of a great Disciple Alas Peter thou knowest not thine owne hearâ—… 't is but like a quiet Sea when the winde the Temptation shall blow thou wilt quickly be troubled and finde an alteration thy tyde will turne and an ebbe of thy zeale will follow Who could have expected or feared adulterie from such a man as David after such communion with God Impatiency from such a man as Ieremie after such revelations from God Idolatry from such a man as Salomon after so much wisedome from God Fretfulnesse and frowardnesse of spirit in such a man as Ionah after such deliverances from God Fearefulnesse in such a man as Abraham after so much protection from God Cursing from such a man as Iob after so much patience and experience from God O in such examples learne thy selfe and feare thyself The Disciples could say Master is it I that shall betray thee Peter did not aske Master is it 〈◊〉 â—…or Iohn Master is it Thomas but every one Is it I True indeed I have a deceitfull flesh a revolting heart a Traytor in my bosome It may as soone bed as another man If anyone fall Restore him with the spirit of meeknesse saith the Apostle considering thy self that is doe not rejoyce against thy brother nor insult over him doe not despise him in thy heart nor exalt thy self thou art of the same mould thou hast the same principles with him that God which hath forsaken him may forsake thee that temptation which hath overcome him may happen unto thee that enemy which hath sifted him may winnow thee and therefore in his fall learne compassion towards him and jealoufie to thy selfe Restore him and consider thyselfe Fifthly consider the temptations that arise from this sinne the daylie and hourly sollicitations wherewith it setteth upon the soule to unsettle it in good and to dispose it unto evill Satan is emphatically in the Scripture cald a Tempter and yet as if his were but halfe-temptations S. Iames saith that a man is indeed tempted by his owne lusts when he is drawne away and enticed First drawne away from God out of his sight and presence and then sollicited unto euil either evill simplie or evill concomitantly in doing good duties formally blindly unzealously unconstantly unspiritually If a man shoote an arrow against a rock it may be broken but it cannot enter no more can Satans temptations preuaile against the Soule without something within to give them admittance Therefore though he tempted Christ yet he prevailed not and our Saviour gives the reason He hath nothing in me nothing to receive his darts But now in us the flesh holdes treacherous compliancie with Satan and the world and is ready to let them in at every assault This is a great part of the cunning of wicked Angels to engage and bribe over a mans owne concupiscence to their party Seed will never grow into a living Creature without a wombe to foster it there must be 〈◊〉 cordis as well as Seminarium Hostis the conception of the heart as the temptation of Satan Temptations may vex but they cannot corrupt us without our owne sinnefull entertainement as a chaste woman may be sollicited by some base ruffian but yet no whit in danger while shee retaines her chastitie It may grieve her but it cannot defile her Many points of temptation the Divell can compasse alone Suggestions perswasions arguments instigations injections of blasphemous or Atheisticall notions but all these are at the worst but as the violence of a man that ravisheth a Virgin If wee can wholly keepe in our hearts from affording their embraces and accepting the offers of Satan if wee can with all the strength of our soule cry out like the Ravished woman in the Law they are the sinnes of Satan and not ours But here is the miserie Satan knowes how ouâ—… tyde stands he searcheth out our dispositions and thereunto sorteth his temptations and taketh ingredients of our own to temper with them and to sweeten them As Agrippina when she poisoned her husband Claudius temper'd the poison in the meaâ—…e which he most delighted in One man hath lust and wit Satan tempteth him to scorne and slight the humility of the waies of God and the simplicitie of the Gospell another hath lust and monie Satan tempteth him to pride and oppression to earthly mindednesse and trust in his strong tower another hath lust and poverty Satan tempteth him to murmuring discontent rebellion another hath lust and youth Satan tempteth him to vanitie and intemperance another hath lust and learning Satan tempteth him to vaine-glory and ambition There is in every man much need of spirituall wisedome to observe where hee lies most obnoxious where Satan doth most plant his forces and direct his attempts and ever to apply our strongest watch our most importunate prayers to those gapps of our calling which are most naked to those lusts in our nature which are most predominant Sixthly consider the War and Rebellion of this sin I find a Lawin my members warring against the law of my mind The flesh lusteth against the spirit Fleshly lusts warre against the soule Which passages are not so to bee understood as if when lust doth fight it fights against nothing but the spirit but yet it may be so dishartned and crush'd that it shal not alwaies rebell which is the late wretched and ignorant glosse of our new Pelagians who expressely contrary to the doctrine of S. Paul and the Articles of the Church of England with the Harmony of other Reformed Churches deny the sinfulnes of originall concupiscence or that it alwayes lusteth against the spirit but the meaning of them is that while wee are in the Militant Church we shall have hourely experience of this traytor in our bosome and whensoever we go about any spiritual worke this evill will be present with us and fight against us And this warre is not at a distance but it is an intimate and close contrariety in the same part like the combate betweene heate and cold in the same water no roome nor space to hold a Mediatour or to entertaine a Treaty or to shift and evade the conflict The same soule that commands obedience doth it selfe resist it In the same minde the wisedome of the flesh which is sensuall and divelish fighting against the wisedome of the spirit which is
the holy Ghost takes notice of often in the nature of wicked men that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implacable men whom no bounds not limits nor covenants will restraine or keepe in order and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fierce headstrong violent rash they know not where not when to stop Therefore the Scripture compares it to a breaking forth or violent eruption like that of fire out of an Oven or of mire and dirt out of a raging Sea Men flattet themselves in their sinnes and thinke when they have gone thus or thus farre they will then give over and stop at their pleasure Sed modo modo non habent modum as Austen said of his counterfeite and hypocriticall promises sinne can never finde a center to rest in a fit place to stop at These are but like the foolish conceits of children who not being able to discerne the deception of their owne senses and seeing the Heavens in the Orizon seeme to touch the earth resolve to goe to the place where they conceive them to meete and there to handle and play with the Starres but when they are come thither they finde the distance to be still the same so is it with the foolish hearts of men they conceive after so much gaine or honour or pleasure I shall have my fill and wil then give over but as long as the fountaine within is not stopt the pursuites of lust will bee as violent at last as at first As he in the Fable Expectat dum defluat amnis at ille Labitur labetur So though men thinke that their lusts will at last grow drie and they shall easily step over them unto God yet the truth is the cutragious desires of men will grow stronger and stronger even as a river the farther it goes from the fountaine doth of ten times spread it self the wider The heart is strongly set upon its owne sinne as any Creature is upon its owne motion They set their heart saith the Prophet on their iniquity the heart of the sonnes of men saith Salomon is fully set in them to doe evill As impossible it is for lust to stop it selfe as for the Sea to give over swelling or the fire devouring the matter that is before it The man possest with a Legion of Divels is a notable Emblem of a mans sinfull nature for indeed sin makes a man of the Divels blood yee are the children of your Father the Divell Ioh. 8. 44. He is conversant with nothing but death dead workes dead companions death the service and death the wages He is full of hideous affections he cuts and teares his owne soule the presence of Christ is horrible and affrightfull to him and if hee worship him 't is out of terror and not out of love his name may well bee called Legion for the swarmes the services the strength the warre of lusts in the heart 'T is a torment to lust to come out of a man and to a man to be dispossest of his lusts there will be paine at the parting of sinne the uncleane spirit will teare when he must come out but in this principally was he the picture of our evill nature in that hee was exceeding fierce and untameable no man durst passe by him no chaines were strong enough to hold him and this is the character of wicked men To breake bands and cords asunder and to bee their owne Lords Examples of this fiercenesse of nature the Scripture doth give us abundantly The Iewes are for this propertie compar'd to a swift Dromâ—…dary or to a wilde Assefull of desires that snuffeth up the winde as the use of Horses is in their lust and cannot be turned To a Horse rushing into the battell 't is a similitude from the inundation and precipitancy of torrents that carry downe all before them To a backesliding Heiser whom no bounds can hold but he will breake forth into a large place and have roome to traverse his wayes To a wilde Aâ—…se that goes where his owne will and lust carries him alone by himselfe no Rider to gvide him no bridle to restraine him no presence of God to direct him no Law of God to over-rule him but alone by himselfe as his owne Lord. With very fiercenesse they did even weary themselves in their way Notably did this rage shew it selfe in the Sodomites they reject Lots entreaties they revile his person they grow more outragious and pressed in even to teare open the house Like where unto was the rage of the Pharisies and Iewes against Christ when he had fully convinc'd them of their sinne and his owne innocency and they could hold dispute to longer with him they run from arguments to stones and raylings Thou art a Samaritane and hast a Divell And elsewhere it is said That they were filled with madnesse at the sight of the Miracles which Christ wrought Such was the rage of those which stoned Stephen they gâ—…ashed their teeth they stopped their eares they shouted with their voyce they ran with one accord and stoned him and Saul who was one of them is said to have breathed out threatnings like a tyred Wolfe unto which some make the Prophecy of Iacob touching Beniamin of which Tribe Saul was to allude and elsewhere to have wasted the Churches and to have dragg'd the Saints into prison and to have been exceeding mad against them And such measure himselfe afterwards found combinations uprores assaults draggings wrath clamors confusions rushings in casting off of clothes throwing of dust into the aire any thing to expresse rage and madnesse But you will say All these were at the time wicked men what is that to nature in common Have the Saints such fierce and intemperate affections too Surely while we carry our flesh about us wee carry the seeds of this rage and fury Simeon and Levi were Patriarches of the Church and Heads of the Congregations of Israel yet see how Iacob aggravateth and curseth their fiercenesse In their anger they slew a man in their wrath they diggeâ—… downe a wall Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell Peter was a holy man yet when the windes blew when the sluces were open and the water had gotten a little passage see how it gathers rage how fierce and mad it growes even against the evidences of his owne heart against the conscience of his owne promises a deniall growes into an oath and that multiplies into cursings and damnings of himselfe for so the word imports an imprecating of Gods wrath and of separation from the presence and glory of God upon himselfe if he knew the man Ionah was a holy Prophet and one whose rebellion and fiercenesse against God might in reason have been quite tam'd by the Sea and the Whale yet looke upon him when his nature gets loose
adultery The thiefe on the Crosse had as good a will to crucifie Christ to naile him and pierce him as any others but hee was fast enough for doing this yet his malice will finde a vent into his tongve to revile and raile upon him Balaams tongve could not execute the office to which hee was hir'd yet it will have a vent and shew it selfe in journeying counselling and consulting how the people might draw a curse upon themselves As a dogge may have his stomack cram'd usque ad vomitum and yet his appetite unsatisfied for hee presently returnes to his vomit so though a man may lode and weary himselfe in the acting of sinne yet lust it selfe is never satisfied and therefore never wearied What a watch then should we keepe over our evill hearts what paines should wee take by prayer and unweariednesse of spirit to suppresse this enemy If there were any time wherein the flesh did sit still and sleepe wherein the water did not runne and seeke for vent wee might then haply slacken our care but since it is ever stirring in us wee should bee ever stirring against it and using all meanes to lessen and abate it since the heart is unwearied in evill we should not faint nor be weary of well-doing Since the heart is so abundant in evill wee should abound likewise in every good work of the Lord alwayes considering what advantage this labour will give us against the toyle of sinne in lust a man wearieth himselfe and hath no hope but here our labour is not in vaine in the Lord wee shall reape if wee faint not and a little glory in heaven nay a little comfort in earth though neither one nor other may be called little will be a most plentifull recompence pressed downe and running over for any the greatest paines that can bee taken in this spirituall watch Yee have need of patience saith the Apostle to goe through the will of God to bee in a perpetuall combate and defiance with an enemy that will give no respite nor breathing time The temptations of Satan the solicitations of the world are not so many nor heauie clogs to men in their race as that to which they are fastned this weight that presseth downe this besieging sinne which is ever enticing clamouring haling rebelling intruding with love with strength with law with arguments with importunities calling a man from his right way From this consideration the Apostle immediately inferres this duty of patience Lay aside every waight saith the Apostle and the sinne that doth so easily beset us and runne with patience unto the race that is set before us And we must not cast our eye alwayes to the clog which wee draw that may much dis-hearten us but looke unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith hee that can carry us through all these difficulties that gives us weapons that teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight that is our Captaine to leade us and our second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our fellow-Combatant that fighteth against sinne in us by his grace Looke what hee did what contradiction hee endured lest yee bee wearied and faint in your minds Looke what he promiseth a victory against our lusts and a Crowne after our victory Looke when he commeth 't is yet but a little while The comming of the Lord draweth nigh the Lord is at hand Call to him he is within the voyce of thy prayer hee will come to strengthen thee waite upon him he is within the eye of thy Faith he will come to reward thee Looke upon the Cloud of witnesses those that are now the Church of the first-borne and have their Palmes in their hands they all went through the same combate they were all beset with alike infirmities they were all men of the same passions with us let us bee men of the same patience with them Now lastly consider the Propagation of this sinne Which may therefore well be called an old man because it dies not but passeth over from one generation to another A mans Actuall sinnes are personall and therefore Intransient they begin and end in himselfe but originall sinne is naturall and therefore with the nature it passeth over from a man to his posteritie It is an entaile that can never be cut of it hath held from Adam and will so continue to the worlds end holding al men in an unavoidable service and villanage unto Satan the Prince of this world In Humane Tenures if a man leave a personall estate to all his children indefinitely without singling out and designing this portion to one and that to another though it bee true to say that there is nothing in that estate which any one of the children can lay an entire clayme unto as his owne but that the rest have joynt interest in it for the children though many in persons are yet but one proprietarie in regard of right in the estate of their father till there be a severance made yet notwithstanding a Partition may be legally procur'd and there is a kinde of virtuall or fundamentall severance before which was the ground of that which is afterwards reall and legall But now in this wretched Inheritance of sin which Adam left to all his posterity we are to note this mischiefe in the first place that there is no virtuall partition but it is left whole to every childe of Adam All have it and yet every one hath it all too Soe that as Philosophers say of the Reasonable soule That it is whole in the whole and that it is whole in every part so wee may say of originall concupiscence It is Tota in Genere Humano and Tota in quolibet homine All in mankinde and all in every particular man There is no law of partition for one man to have to him in peculiar the lusts of the eye another to him the lusts of the tongue another to him the lusts of the eare c. but every man hath euery lust originally as full as all men together have it Secondly we are to note a great difference further between the Soule sin in this regard though all the soule be in every member as wel as in the whole body yet it is not in the same manner and excellency in the parts as in the whole For it is in the whole to all the purposes of life sense and motion but in the parts the whole Soule serves but for some speciall businesses All the soule is in the eye and all in the eare but not in either to all purposes for it sees onely in the eye and it heares onely in the eare But originall sinne is all in every man and it serves in every man to all purposes Not in one man onely to commit adulterie in another idolatry in another murther or the like but in every man it serves to commit sinne against all the Law to breake every one of Gods commandements A whole thing may belong wholly
some present exigencies it makes them seeme necessary and â—…avoydable Fifthly Its violence and importuniâ—…e for sinne is so wilfull that as he once answered the Persian king when it cannot finde a law to warrant that which it requires yet it will make a law to command what it will and it will beset and pursue and importune the soule and take no answere Balaams ambition was sufficiently nonplusd by the severall answeres and parables which God put into his mouth and yet still it pursues him and will put him upon all experiments make him try the utmost of his divelish wit to curse Gods people and promote himselfe Ioâ—…h his fretfulnesse had beene once put to silence and could reply nothing when God charged him yet upon a second occasion it gathers strength and becomes more headstrong even to dispute with God and to charge him foolishly Dalilah we know was an Allegorie or type of lust and wee know how violent and urgent she was with Sampson till she grieved and vexed his soule with her dayly importunities Sixtly its provisions those subsidiary aâ—…des and materials of lust which it fetcheth from abroad those things of the world with which the heart committeth adulterie for the World is the Armorie and store-house of lust Lastly its instruments which willingly execute the will of sinne and yeelde themselves up as weapons in the warre In these things principally doth the strength of lust consist Having thus discovered wherein the strength of lust lies set your selves against it in these particulars thereof First for the wisedome and deceite of lust First set up a spirituall wisedome which may discover and defeate the projects of the flesh Christs teaching is the onely way to put off the old man and to be renewed in the spirit of the minde Secondly mutuall exhortation is a great helpe against the deceitfulnesse of sinne Exhoâ—…t one another while it is called to day lâ—…st any of you be hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sinne Silence is the best advantage an Enemie can have when one doth not warne nor give notice to another If a Cheate or cunning Spie should come to a place and apply himselfe with severall insâ—…nuations unto severall persons for the better managing his purposes and sifting out those discoveries which he is to make the best way to disclose the plots and mischiefes of such an Enemie would be to conferre and compare his severall passages and discourses together so Christians mutuall communicating of the experiments temptations conflicts victories which they have had in themselves to one another is a sure way to discover and prevent the deceit of lust Rahabs hiding and concealing the spies did much advance their project against Iericho and so the keeping of the divels counsell and stifling his temptations and the deceits of lust is one of the greatest advantages they can have Thirdly receive the Truth with love for lies and delusions are the doome of those men who receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved Secondly for the perswasions and suggestions of lust entertaine no Treatie have no commerce with it be not in its company alone let it not draw thee away sit not in counsell with it Qui deliberant desciverunt if it prevaile to get our eare and make us listen unto it it will easily proceed further As soone as ever Saint Paul was called he immediately refused to conferre with flesh and blood which relation elsewhere making he useth another expression Whereupon O King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision intimating thus much that but to hold a conference with the flesh is a beginning of disobedience If our first mother Evah had observed this rule not to deliberate or admit any dispute with the Serpent but had at first offer rejected his motion with this peremptorie answere We have a Law given us and servants must be rul'd by their master and not by their fellowes It is fitter to obey God then to dispute against him to execute his commands then to interpret them she might have prevented that deluge of sinne and calamitie which by this one over-sight did invade the world Therefore the Lord strictly commands his people that when they were to succeed the nations whom God would cast out before them and should dwell in their land they should take heed that they were not snared by following them neither should they enquire after their Gods saying How did these nations serve their Gods The very acquanting themselves with the formes of other mens idolatries might ensnare them Therefore as soone as lust stirres and offers to perswade thee start away from it as Ioseph did Come not nigh the doore of a strange womans house though the first allurements seeme modest and moderate yet if the Serpent get in but his head he will easily draw in the rest of his body and if he should not yet his sting is in his head Thirdly for the promises and threats of lust first beleeve them not for lust is a Tempter and it is given to all Tempters to be liers too When God hath said one thing let no arguments make thee beleeve the contrarie As we are to beleeve above hope so above reason too for though sophistrie may alledge reasons for a false conclusion which every understanding is not able to answer or evade yet there is a voyce of Christ in all saving truth which his sheepe are apt to heare and subscribe unto in which there is an evidence to make it selfe knowne and to difference delusions from it though haply a man have not artificiall logick enough to distinguish it from every captious and sophisticall argument If an Angell from heaven saith the Apostle preach any other Gospell let him be accursed we know what it cost the man of God when he gave credit to the old Prophet of Bethel though pretending an Angels warrant to goe backe and eate with him contrary to the commandement which he had received before Secondly get security of better promises for all the promises of the flesh if they should bee perform'd will perish with a man learne to rest upon Gods All-sufficiencie see thy selfe rich enough in his wayes there are more riches in the persecutions much more in the promises and performances of God then in all the treasures of Egypt Lust can promise nothing but either thou hast it already and the same water is farre sweeter out of a fountaine then when it hath passed through a sinke the same monie farre better when it is a Blessing from God then when a bribe from Lust when it is the reward of a service then when 't is the price of sinne when it is given by the Owner then when deposited by a thiefe or else thou art farre better without it thou walkest amongst fewer snares hast an over-plus of spirituall goods for thy earthly defect hast thy poverty sweetned and sanctified
in one night able to stay so many thousand men had been able to remove More violence and injustice against God in a wandring thought in an idle word in an impertinent and unprofitable action then the worth of the whole Creation though all the Heavens were turned into one Sunne and all the earth into one Paradise were able to expiate Thinke we as meanely and slightly of it as wee will swallow it without feare live in it without sense commit it without remorse yet be we assured that but the guilt of every one of our least sins being upon Christ who felt nor knew in himselfe nothing of the pollution of them did wring out those prodigious drops of sweat did expresse those strong cryes did poure in those wofull ingredients into the Cup which he dranke as made him who had more strength then all the Angels of Heaven to shrinke and draw backe and pray against the worke of his owne mercy and decline the businesse of his owne comming Secondly if the least of my sinnes could doe thus O what a guilt and filthinesse is there then in the greatest sinne which my life hath been defiled withall If my Atomes be Mountaines O what heart is able to comprehend the vastnesse of my mountainous sinnes if there bee so much life in my impertinent thoughts how much rage and fury is there in my rebellious thoughts In my thoughts of gall and bitternesse in my contrived murthers in my speculative adulteries in my impatient murmurings in my ambitious projections in my coverous worldly froward haughty hatefull imaginations in my contempt of God reproching of his Word smothering of his motions quenching of his spirit rebelling against his grace If every vaine word be a flame that can kindle the fire of Hell about mine eares O what vollies of brimstone what mountaines of wrath will be darted upon my wretched soule for tearing the glorious and terrible name of the great God with my cursed oathes my crimson and fiery execrations What will become of stiâ—…king dirty carrion communication of lies and scornes and railings and bitternesse the persecutions adulteries and murthers of the tongue when but the idlenesse and unprofitablenesse of the tongue is not able to endure this consuming fire 3. If one great sin nay one small sin be so full of life as not all the strength nay not all the deaths or annihilations of all the Angels in heaven could have expiated O how shall I stand before an army of sinnes So many which I know of my selfe swarmes of thoughts steames of lusts throngs of sinfull words sands of evill actions every one as heavie and as great as a mountaine able to take up if they were put into bodies all the vast chasmâ—… betweene earth and heaven and fill all the spaces of nature with darkenesse and confusion and how infinite more secret ones are there which I know not by my selfe How many Atomes and streames of dust doth a beame of the Sunne shining into a roome discover which by any other light was before imperceptible How many sinfull secrers are there in my heart which though the light of mine owne conscience cannot discover are yet written in Gods account and sealed amongst his treasures and shall at the day of the revelation of all things bee produc'd and muster'd up against me like so many Lyons and Divels to flye upon me Fourthly if the number of them can thus amaze O what shall the roote of them doe Committed out of ignorance in the midst of light out of knowledge against the evidence of conscience out of presumption and forestalling of pardon abusing and subordinating the mercies of God to the purposes of Satan not knowing that his goodnesse should have led me to repentance out of stubbornnesse against the discipline out of enmitie against the goodnesse out of gall and bitternesse of spirit against the power and purity of Gods holy Law Fifthly not the roote onely but the circumstances too adde much to the life that is in sinne See how notably Saint Austen aggravates his sinne of robbing an Orchard when he was a Boy that which others lesse acquainted with the foulenesse of sinne might be apt enough but to laugh over First it began in the will and the members follow'd I had a minde and therefore I did it Secondly I did not doe it for want of the things but out of the naughtinesse of my heart and my inward enmitie to righteousnesse Thirdly I did it not with any aime at fruition of the fruite but onely of the sinne it was not my palate but my lust which I studied to satisfie Fourthly the apples I stole were very unapt to tempt no rellish no forme in them to catch the eye or allure the hand but the whole temptation and rise of the sinne was from within Fifthly I did it not alone there were a troope of naughty companions with mee and wee did mutually cherish and provoke the itch of each others lust Sixthly it was at a very unseasonable time of night when at least for that day we should have put a period and given a respite unto our lusts Seventhly it was after wee had spent much time before and should now at least have been tired out in pestilent and foolish sports Eighthly wee were immodest in our theft we carried away great loades and burdens of them Ninthly when wee had done we feasted the Hogs with them and our selves â—…ed upon the review and carriage of our owne lewdnesse Lastly the chiefe sport and laughter which wee had was this that we had not only robb'd but deceiv'd the honest â—…en who had never so bad an opinion of us as that wee should doe it and thus another mans losse was our jest And after all this his meditations upon it are excellent with David hee goes to the roote Ecce cor meum Deus meus ecce cor meum O Lord what a nature and heart had I that could commit sinne without any 〈◊〉 without any incentive but from my selfe and againe What shall I returne unto the Lord that I can review these my sinnes and not be afraid of them Lord I will love thee I will prayse thee I will confesse to thy Name it is thy Grace which pardoneth the sinnes which I have committed and it is thy Grace which prevented the sinnes which I have not committed Thou hast saved me from all sinnes those which by mine owne will I have done and those which by thy Grace I have been kept from doing If every man would single out some notable sinnes of his life and in this manner anatomize them and see how many sinnes one sinne containeth even as one flower many leaves and one Pomegranate many kernels it could not but be a notable meanes of humbling us for sinne Sixthly not evill circumstances onely but unproâ—…ble ends adde much to the life of sinne when men spâ—…d mony for that which is not bread and labour for that which satisfieth not when
unable to obey the carnall minde is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. The Reasons hereof are these First Our universall both naturall and personall 〈◊〉 wee are by nature all flesh children of the old Adam Ioh. 3. 6. Children of Gods wrath Eph. 2. 3. and so long it is impossible wee should doe any thing to please God for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. a man must first be renewed in his mind before he can so much as make proof of what will be acceptable unto God Rom. 12. 2. This naturall Impurity in our persons is the ground of all impurity in our workes for unto the 〈◊〉 every thing is uncleane Tit. 1. 15. and all the fruit of an evill Tree is evill fruit Math. 7. 18. And Saint Paul gives the reason of it Because our fruit should be frâ—…itunto God Rom. 7. 4. and fruit unto holinesse Rom 6. 22. Whereas these works of naturall men doe neither begin in God nor looke towards him nor tend unto him God is neither the principle nor the object nor the end of them Secondly Our naturall 〈◊〉 ie the best performance of wicked men is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of an enemie and the sacrifice of fooles It proceedeth not from love which is the Bond of perfection that which keepeth all other requisite ingredients of a good worke together Col. 3. 14. which is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 8. and the principle of obedience and all willing service and conformity to God Gal. 5. 6. Ioh. 14. 15. and ever proceedeth from the spirit of Christ Gal. 5. 22. for by nature we are enemies Rom. 5. 10. Thirdly Our naturall infidelity for the state of sinne is an estate of unbeliefe The spirit shall convince the world of sinne because they beleeve not Ioh. 16. 9. Now infidelity doth utterly disable men to please God without faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11. 6. There can no good worke be done but in Christ we are sanctified in Christ 1. Cor. 1. 2. we are created in Christ unto good works Eph. 2. 10. we must be one with him before wee can be sanctified Heb. 2. 11. and this is the reason why faith sanctifies and purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. and by consequence the whole man for when the fountaine was clensed all the waters were sweete 2. Reg. 2. 21. because faith is the bond which fastens us unto Christ. Eph. 3. 17. Fourthly Our naturall ignorance and follie For the state of sinne is ever an ignorant estate Evill men understand not judgement Prov. 28. 5. The usuall stile that the Scripture gives sinners even the best of sinners those who keepe themselves Virgins and escape many of the pollutions of the world as Saint Peter speakes 2. Pet. 2. 20. is fooles Math. 25. 2. though they know many things yet they know nothing as they ought to know 1. Cor. 8. 2. Now the roote of our well pleasing is wisedome and spirituall knowledge Col. 1. 9. 10. that is it which makes us walke worthy of the Lord and fruitfull in good works Whereas want of understanding is that which makes us altogether unprofitable that wee doe no good Rom. 3. 11. 12. And now what a cutting consideration should this be to a man to consider God made me for his use that I should be his servant to doe his will and I am utterly unfit for any services save those which dishonour him like the wood of the vine utterly unusefull and unmeete for any worke Ezek. 15. 4. what then should I expect but to be cast out as a vessell in which is no pleasure If I am altogether barrâ—…n and of no use what a wonderfull patience of God is it that suffers mee to cumber the ground and doth not presently cast me into the fire that 〈◊〉 me like a noisome weed to poison the aire and choake the growth of better things If I drinke in the raine and bring forth nothing but thornes how neere must I needs be unto cursing And this conviction should make men labour to have place in Christ because thereby they shall bee enabled to please God and in some measure to bring that glory to him for which they were made For this is a thing which God much delights in when a creature doth glorifie him actively by living unto him He will not loose his glory by any Creature but fetch it out at the last but when the Creature operates out of it selfe to Gods end and carries Gods intention through its owne worke then is hee most honored and delighted Herein saith Christ is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit Ioh. 15. 8. and herein did Christ glorifie his father in finishing the worke which he gave him to do Ioh. 17 4. What an encouragement should this bee for those who have hitherto liv'd in the lusts of the flesh to come over to Christ and his righteousnesse and for others to goe on with patience through all difficulties because in so doing they worke to that end for which they were made they live to God and bring forth fruit unto him who hath in much patience spared and in infinite love called them to himselfe How should we praise God that hath given us any strength in any way to doe him service that is pleas'd to account himselfe honoured when he is obeyed by us who spoile all the works we do with our owne corruptions And how should we husband all the pretious moments of our life to the advantage of our master whose very acceptation of such unworthy services should alone bee both encouragement and reward enough unto us The more profitably any man lives the more comfortably he shall die Now to consider more particularly this disabilitie which comes along with sinne we may note that it is either totall when a man is all flesh as by nature we are or at best partiall in proportion to the vigor of concupifence and life of sinne in the best of us To touch a little upon both of these First in a wicked man who is totally in the state of sinne there is a Totall and absolute impossibility and impotency to doe any thing that is good Every figment and motion of the heart of man is onely and continually evill Gen. 6. 5. But though his heart be evill may not his actions or his words be good No for that is the fountaine whence all they issue and impossible it is that sweete water should proceed from a bitter and corrupted fountaine Matth. 12. 34. Iam. 3. 11. Looke on the best actions of wicked men If they pray to God their prayer is an abomination Prov. 28. 9. If they sacrifice God will not accept nor smell nor regard any of their offerings he will esteeme them all abominable and uncleane as a dogs head or swines bloud Amos 5. 21. Esai 66. 3. Seeme things never so specious in the sight of men
matter of which is commanded may yet be made in the doing of them evill when that due respect and conformitie which the Law wherein it is commanded requireth is not observed If a man build a wall with pâ—…etence to keepe out the Sea or an enemy and yet leave a wide gap and entrance open to admit them though hee who sees nothing but firme wall may admire the worke yet he who viewes the whole will but deride it so though a maâ—… doe very much though hee proceede so farre as to offer up the children of his body and bestow mountaines of cattell upon God and his service yet omitting righteousnesse and iustice and humiliation before God though to men it may seeme very specious yet unto God it is both abominable and ridiculous As a piece of silver or gold may be shaped into a vessell of dishonor which shall be destin'd unto â—…ordid and uncleane uses so may a worke be compounded of choyce ingredients the materials of it may be the things which God himselfe requires and yet serving to base purposes and directed to our owne ends it may stinke in the nostrils of God and bee by him reiected as a vessell in which there is no pleasure A cup of cold water to a prophet as a prophet shall bee rewarded when a magnificent almes with a pharises trumpet shall be rejected As a small thing which the righteous hath so a small thing which the righteous giveth is better then great riches of the ungodly Fourthly wee are to note what things are requisite unto the doing of a thing so as that it may bee an Act of obedience and thereupon acceptable unto God First then it must have a new principle the Spirit of Christ and the Law of the Spirit of Life and Faith purifying the Conscience from dead workes Secondly in regard of the manner it must bee done with the affection of a childe not out of bondage but in love 2. Tim. 1. 7. In voluntary service and resignation of all the members unto righteousnesse Rom. 6. 19. In universall respect to all the Commandements Psal. 119. 128. In obedience to God the Law-giver for he never obeyes the Law even when he doth the workes therein contained but when hee doth it with all submissiue and loyall affections towards him that commands it Iam. 2. 10 11. this onely is to live unto God and to bring forth fruite unto him Thirdly it must be directed unto holy ends and those are principally foure to which others are to be subordinate but not repugnant First the glory of God we must bring forth fruit and finish our workes and doe all that we have to doe with respect unto his glory Ioh. 15. 8. Ioh 17. 4. 1. Cor. 10. 31. Secondly the Edification Service comfort of the Church that nothing redound to their offence but to their profit and salvation 1. Cor. 10. 3â—… 33. Col. 1. 24. 2. Tim. 2. 10. 2. Cor. 1. 6. Thirdly the Credit honour and passage of the Gospell that it may be furthered and not evill spoken of 2. Cor. 6. 3 4. 1. Cor. 9. 19. 23. Phil. 1. 12. Fourthly a mans owne salvation that he be not after all his paines a cast-away but that he may save himselfe 1. Cor. 9. 27. 1. Tim. 4. 16. 1. Pet. 1. 9. Fourthly all the meanes unto that end must be regular and sutable Evill must not be done to bring good about Rom. 3. 8. and all the circumstances which accompany the action must be right too For as in the body there is not onely requir'd beauty but order and proportion Let the face be of never so delicate and choice complection yet if any part be mis-plac'd it will cause a notable deformitie and uncomelinesse to it so in duties an excellent worke may be so mis-plac'd or mis-tim'd or attended with such incongruous and unsutable circumstances as that it may prove rather a snare of Satan then a fruit of the Spirit Lastly to make it completely acceptable It must passe through the Incense and Intercession of Christ who as he doth by his Merits take away the Guilt of sinne from our persons so by his Intercession he hideth the pollution and adherencie of sinne that is in our services and so giveth us accesse and maketh all our duties acceptable by him to God Ephes. 2. 18. 1. Pet. 2. 5. He hath made us to be priests unto God and our Prayers and good workes as spirituall sacrifices come up before God But it is not sufficient that there be a Priest and an offering except there be an Altar too upon which to offer it for it is the Altar which sanctifieth the offering Now Christ is the Altar which sanctifieth all our spirituall sacrifices Their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar and they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar Esai 56. 7. 60. 7. These things being thus premised we conclude first A wicked man cannot doe those things at all which are so essentially and inherently good as that the very opâ—… operatum or doing of them is from the spirit of Christ as to love God to trust him and depend upon him for as there are some things in nature which cannot be counterfeited or resembled the shape of a man may bee pictur'd but the life cannot nor the reason nor any thing that doth immediately pertaine to the Essence of man so there are some things in grace which cannot by hypocrisie be done neither in the thing it selfe nor in the manner of doing it because sincerity spiritualnesse and filiall respects belong to the very substance and matter of the duety Secondly other workes whose Goodnesse doth not cleave necessarily to the doing of them but to the manner of doing them wicked men may performe but then they doe them onely ethically and in conspectu hominum with relation to men and manners not spiritually as unto God nor in obedience or respect to him For first the Spirit of Grace is Christs spirit Rom. 8. 9. Gal. 4. 6. and our flesh is quite contrarie unto it Gal. 5. 17. and none have this spirit but they who have fellowship with the father and the sonne and are united unto him 1. Ioh. 4. 13. none of which dignities belong to wicked men Secondly every thing that is spirituall is vitall for the spirit quickneth the spirit of Holinesse never comes but with a Resurrection Rom. 1. 4. Ro. 8. 10 11. 2. Cor. 3. 6. and therefore he is called the spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. but now as the persons of wicked men so their workes are all dead Heb. 9 14. and therfore not being done spiritually obedientially impossible it is that they should in any sense please God Rom. 8. 8. whos 's pure eyes can endure nothing which beareth not in some though most remote degree proportion to his most holy nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. But it may be objected doth God use to doe good to those that hate him and that even for
the Saints perfect and testifie of some that they served God with their whole heart yet that is onely in opposition to Corde duplici a double heart denoting such an integrity onely as doth not admit a purposed division of the heart betweene God and sinne Therefore wee meete still with exhortations to grow and abound and with promises of bringing forth more fruite and mention of proceeding from faith to faith and from glory to glory and of supplies of the spirit and growing to the measure of the stature of Christ and the like expressions all which denote the admixture of Impotencie in the best And this Impotencie is so great that of themselves they can never doe any thing but returne to their wonted coldnesse and dulnesse againe for it is nor their having of Grace in them barely which makes them strong but their Communion and fellowship with Christs fulnesse I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens me The branch can beare no fruite nor preserve or ripen that which it hath but by its unity with the roote light continues not in the house but by its dependance on the Sunne shut out that all the light is presently gone Take water away from the fire and its nature will be presently stronger then the heate it borrowed and suddenly reduce it to its wonted coldnesse So wee can doe nothing but by the constant supplies of the Spirit of Christ he that begins must finish every good worke in vs Phil. 1. 6. He that is the Author must be the finisher of our faith too Heb. 12. 2. Without him we cannot will nor doe any good Phil. 2. 13. Without him when we have done both we cannot continue but shall faint in the way His Spirit must lead us Rom. 8. 14. Esai 40. 11. His arme must heale and strengthen us Hos. 11. 3. Ezek. 34. 16. Aâ—… we have received him so we must walks in him without him wee cannot walke Col. 2. 6. God is the God of All Grace to him it bolongeth not onely to call but to perfect not onely to perfect but to strengthen stablish settle us 1. Pet. 5. 10. Secondly this Impotencie is seene in this that the good things they doe cannot fully please God by themselves but stand in neede of further purification from Christ and pardon from God Even when wee are Children we must be spared and borne withall Mal. 3. 17. Deut. 1. 31. The use which we should make of this point is first to keepe us Humble in regard of this thorne in our flesh which disables us to doe any good and when wee have done our uttermost yet still makes us unprofitable servants Lay together these considerations First remember the long time that thou wert utterly barren and didst live nothing but a life of sinne how much of the flowre of thine age hath bin dedicated unto Satan and thine owne lusts how thy childhood youth hath beene all vanity and why thinke we did God require the first fruits in the Law but to shew that wee were all his and therefore that he ought to have the first and best of our life devoted unto him and submitted unto his yoke Secondly consider even now when thou art at best that thou art not sufficient of thy selfe to thinke a good thought that in thee that is in thy flesh in thee from thy selfe dwelleth no good thing the originall of all the good thou dost is without thee By the Grace of God thou art what thou art and all thy sufficiency is in his Grace Thirdly when this Grace doth call knocke quicken put thee onto any good how averse and froward how dull indirigible undocile is thy evill heart like a filly Lambe never findes the way it selfe and when it is led is every step ready to stoppe and to start aside Fourthly when it prevailes to set thee indeede a worke how exceedingly dost thou faile in the measure of thy duties How little growth in strength How litle improvement in spirituall knowledge or experience How much wearinesse and revolting of heart How evill and unprofitable hath thy life beene in comparison of those worthies whom thou shouldest have followed and in proportion to those meanes of grace which thou hast had Fifthly in thy progresse How often hast thou stumbled How many notorious and visible sinnes even in great Characters have oftentimes stained if not thy profession by a publike scandall yet thy soule in private by a consciousnesse unto them And how thinke wee did Davids murther and adultery pull downe the pride of his heart when ever it offered to rise in any Heavenly action Secondly in this point it will bee needefull to give direction in a case of dayly occurrence what a man should doe when he findes his naturall impotencie dead him in Spirituall workes when he findes stupiditie benumbdnesse of spirit and many defects which hee cannot overrule nor subdue in Gods service whether it were not better to for beare the very dutie then to grieve the spirit with undue performances To this I answere First omit not the dutie though thou art never so ill affected for that is to give place to the Divell and to yeeld to the flesh and the Divell is pleased either way when by his allurements he can perswade us to evill and when by discomforts hee can discourage us from good Besides by doing spirituall things a man growes more spirituall and gathers strength even in the action as water which comes hard at first flowes very plentifully after it hath beene a little drawne They that beginne in teares may end in ioy David began to pray with no comfort much sore vexation and weakenesse of spirit under the sense of Gods heavie displeasure and yet hee ends with much faith peace and triumph The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer Let all mine enemies be ashamed c. Psal. 6. 1 2 3 8 9 10. Secondly take Saint Pauls advice to stirre up the gift that is in thee awaken revive thine owne spirit by communing and debating with thine owne heart by consulting with God in his Word diligent acquaintance and right knowledge of his Will by fruitefull and seasonable conference borrowing light from thy brothers candle rebuking or rectifying thy selfe by his example this is that which the Scripture cals whetting the Law upon one another Deut. 6. 7. By renewing thy Covenant comming afresh to the Fountaine of Grace which is in Christ As iron is quickned by the Loadstone and the Earth moves swiftest when it is neerest to its place so the Soule approaching neerer to Christ renewing repentance recounting errors reviving covenants dedicating it selfe afresh to his service must needes be much sharpned and encouraged anew Thirdly when thou canst not doe a thing with life yet doe it with obedience when not in Comfort yet with feare and trembling when not as thou wert wont yet as thou art able God loves to bee sought when hee hides Tell me
in these regards First it is very wilfull it is as it were all will Therefore it is called in the Scripture The will of the flesh and the will of the Gentiles and the will of men And the will is the seate of strength especially seeing the will of man and the will of sinne or the flesh are in the Scripture phrase all one If a man had one will and sinne another mans will drew one way and sinnes another peradventure his power to resist might be stronger then sinnes power to command but when the will of sinne is in the will of man as a bias in a bowle as a flame in smoke as a weight or spring to an engine as spirits in the body to actuate and determine it to its owne way how can a man resist the will of sinne who hath no other then a sinfull will to resist by Secondly as sinne is wilfull so it is very passionate and lustfull which addes wings as it were to the commands of sinne The Apostle cals them passions and those working passions when we were in the flesh The motions of sinne did worke in our members There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lust and passions of lust which the Apostle cals vile lusts and burning lusts and affections and lusts that is very lustfull lusts Lust is in the best but these violent passions and ardencies of lust are shrewd symptomes of the raigne of sinne To be fierce implacable head-strong like the horse in the battaile and that not upon extraordinary distemper or surprizall as Ionah and Asa were but habitually so as on any occasion to discover it is by the Apostle put in amongst the Characters of those that denie the Power of Godlinesse For sinne must not hold its power where Godlinesse hath any Thirdly it hath Lawes and Edicts full of wisedome and cunning edg'd and temper'd with many encouragements and provocations to those that obey which as I said before the Scripture cals the Wages of sinne and pleasures of sinne by which Balaam was enticed to curse Gods people A Law is nothing else but a Rule or Principle of working which orders and moderates the course of a mans life And so sinne hath a way to carry men in and Principles to governe men by which Saint Paul cals Seculum the course of the world Such as are Rules of Example Custome good intentions Gods mercy taken by halses without respect to any conditions which it brings with it the common frailâ—…e of our nature that we are All men and that the best have their infirmities distinctions evasions justifications extenuations partiall strictnesse in some particulars the opus operatum or meere doing of dueties requit'd and many like most of which things I have spoken of more largely heretofore upon another Scripture Fourthly it is full of flattery to entice and woe a man cunning to observe all the best seasons to surprize the soule And though enticements be base yet they are very strong like a gentle showre or a soft fire they sinke and get in closer then if they should be more violent That which is as soft as oyle in the touch may be as sharpe as swords in the operation And therefore as a man is said in one place to be enticed by lust so elsewhere he is said to be driven and thrust on by lust Take heede to your selves lest you corrupt your selves lest thou lift up thine eyes to heaven and when thou seest the sunne and the moone and the starres shouldst be driven to worship them and serve them The Objects themselves have no coactive or compulsory power in them for they worke but as Objects which is the weakest way of working that is for Objects aâ—…e never totall Agents but onely partiall they doe never any more then cooperate with some facultie and power unto which they are suteable yet such is the strength of those lusts which are apt to kindle by those Objects that a man is said to be driven to idolatry by them All which false prophets can doe is but morall and by way of cunning and seducement yet such is the strength of those lusts which they flatter and worke upon by their impostures that they are said to Thrust a man out of the way which the Lord commanded him to walke in For as we use to say of the requests of a King so we may of the flatteries and allurements of sinne That they doe amount unto commands In one word sinne is throughly furnish'd with all sorts of Armour both for defence and opposition all strong holds all reasonings and imaginations and thoughts which can be contriv'd to secure it selfe and therefore no marvell if it have much strength from itselfe Secondly it hath much strength from Satan and the world which are the counsellers and aides of sinne which bring in constant supplies and provisions unto it Therefore lusts are said to be of the World and to bee earthly and divellish because the world and the divell supply them with constant fuell But lastly and principally lust hath much strength in and from us First because they are naturall unto us A mans sinne is himselfe it is call'd by the name of our Old man And therefore to be carnall and to walke as man to live after the lusts of the flesh and after the lusts of men are all one To live to sinne in one place is to live to our selves in another To crucifie fleshly affections in one place is to mortifie our earthly members in another To deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts in one place is to deny our selves in another To lay aside the sinne that doth so easily beset us in one place is to cast away our right eye and our right hand in another And therefore the wayes of sinne are call'd our owne waies and the lusts of the flesh our owne lusts and being our owne we love and cherish them No man ever hated his owne flesh neither can any man by nature hate his owne lusts unto which he is as truly said to be married as the Church is to Christ. And this serves much to set forth the power of sin For the love of the subject is the strength of the Soveraigne a king shall then certainely be obeyed when he coÌ„mands such things as it were difficult for him to prohibite Secondly lust hath from us weapons to set forward its strength The heart a forge to contrive and members instruments to execute the heart a wombe to conceive and the members midwives to bring forth lusts into act Lastly sinne must be very strong in us because we are by nature full of it So the Apostle saies of naturall men that they were filled with all unrighteousuesse and full of envie debate deceite c. and S. Peter that they have Eyes full of Adultery that
cannot cease from sinne Now where there is All of a strong thing that must needes be exceeding strong If all the foure windes should meete together in their full strength what mountaines would they not roote up by the foundation What a mighty rage and strength is there in the sea onely because it is full of waters and All water belongs unto it Who is able to looke upon the sunne or endure the brightnesse of that glorious Creature onely because it is Full of light the same reason is in fleshly lusts they are very strong in us because our nature is full of them and because all their fulnesse is in our nature Now this strength which is thus made up of so many ingredients doth further appeare in the Effects of it which are these Three all comprised in the generall word of Obeying it in the Lusts thereof which denotes a full uncontroled Power in sin First the somenting entertaining cherishing of lust shaping of it delighting in it consenting unto it when a man doth joine himselfe to sin and setle himselfe upon it set his heart to it and respect it in his heart and studie consult it and resolve upon it Secondly Executing of it and bringing into act the suggestions of the flesh thus conceived yeelding to the commands drudging in the service drawing iniquitie with cords and cartropes resigning both heart and hand to the obedience of sin Thirdly Finishing it going on without wearinesse or murmuring without repenting or repining in the waies of Lust running in one constant chanell till like the waters of Iordan the soule drop into the dead lake All these three Saint Iames hath put together to shew the gradations and the danger of fleshly Lusts. Euery man is Tempted when he is drawne away of his owne Lusts and enticed Lust when it hath Conceiued bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is Finished bringeth forth Death First there is the Suggestion Lust draweth away and enticeth Secondly the Conception and formation in the delight and consent of the will Thirdly the Execution and bringing into act Fourthly the Consummation and accomplishment of Lust filling vp the measure going on vnweariedly to the last till there is no hope and so abusing the patience and long suffering of God unto destruction Sinne growes till it be ripe for the slaughter now if men in the interim cut off their sinnes and turne to God before the decree be sealed before he stirre up all his wrath and will suffer his Spirit no longer to strive if they cōsecrate that litle time strength they have left to Gods Service then the kingdome of sin is pull'd downe in them To this purpose is the Counsell of Daniel to Nebuchadnezar That he should breake off his sinnes by righteousnesse and his iniquities by shewing mercie to the poore that is he should relinquish those sins which were most predominant in him his unjustice and oppression and tyrannie against poore men thus Paul preached of righteousnesse and temperance and judgement to come to Felix a corrupt and lascivious Governor by that meanes his tranquillitie should be lengthened not by way of merit for a theefe deserves no pardon because he gives over stealing but by way of mercie and favour Hitherto I have but shewed that sin is a strong king But this is not enough to d◅ive men to Christ which is my principall scope It is further required that men bee Convinc'd of being under this power of sinne The first use then which I shall shew you may bee made of this Doctrine is for Conviction and tryall of the raigne of sinne in our selves for the more distinct expediting whereof I shall propose these three cases to be resolved First whether sin may raigne in a Regenerate man so as that this power and kingdome of sinne shall consist with the righteousnesse of Christ Secondly How wicked men may be Convinc'd that sinne raignes in them and what difference there is betweene the power of sinne in them and in the regenerate Thirdly why every sinne doth not raigne in every unregenerate man For the first of these we must remember in the generall that sinne doth then raigne when a man doth obey it in the lusts thereof when he doth yeelde up himselfe to execute all the commands of sinne when he is held under the power of Sathan and of darkenesse And for the regenerate wee must likewise note what Saint Paul and Saint Iohn have spoken in generall of this point Sinne shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace saith Saint Paul when a man is delivered from the Obligations of the Law he is then delivered from the strength of sinne for the strength of sinne is the Law And he that is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne saith Saint Iohn that is cannot obey sinne in all the lusts and commands thereof as a servant to sinne from which service hee hath ceased by being borne of God for no man can bee Gods Sonne and sinnes servant for we are to distinguish betweene doing the worke of sinne and obeying sinne in the lusts thereof As a man may doe divine workes and yet not ever in obedience to God so a man may be subject as a Captiue in this or that particular tyrannie of sinne who is not obedient as a servant to all the governement of sinne for that takes in the whole will and an Adequate submission thereof to the peaceable and uncontroll'd power of sinne Let us then inquire how farre the power of sinne may discover itselfe in the most regenerate First the best have flesh about them and that flesh where ever it is worketh and rebelleth against the Spirit of Christ so that they cannot doe the things which they would Secondly this flesh is of itselfe indifferent to great sinnes as well as to small and therefore by some strong temptation it may prevaile to carrie the Saints unto great sins as it did David Peter and others Thirdly this fleshis as much in the will as in any other part of regenerate men and therefore when they commit great sinnes they may commit them with consent delight and willingnesse of heart Fourthly this flesh is in their members as well as in their wills and therefote they may actuate and execute those wills of sinne which they have consented unto Fifthly we confesse that by these sinnes thus committed the Conscience of a regenerat man is wasted and wounded and overcome by the power of sinne and such a particular grievous Guilt contracted as must first bee washed away by some particular repentance before that man can be againe qualified to take actuall possession of his inheritance or to be admitted unto glory In which case that of the apostle is most certaine that the very righteous shall scarsely be saved For wee are to note that as some things may indispose a man for the present use or dispossesse him of the
Comforts and Emoluments which yet are not valid enough to devest him of the whole right and state in a living so some sinnes may bee of so heavie a nature as may unqualifie a man for an actuall admittance into Heaven or possession of glory which yet doe not nullifie his Faith nor extinguish his Title and interest unto it Thus we see that sinne may in the most holy have great power the examples whereof are all written for our learning to teach us what is indeede within us how circumspectly wee should walke how watchfull over our hearts how stedfast in our Covenant lest wee fall after the example of those men and so breake our bones as David did For one great sinne presumptuously committed will bring either such a hardnesse of heart as will make thee live in a wretched securitie and neglect of thy service and peace with God Or such a wofull experience of his wrath and heavie displeasure against sinne as will even bruise thy Conscience and burne up thy bowels and make thee goe drooping and disconsolate it may be all thy dayes But yet though sinne may thus farre proceede against a regenerate man all this doth not amount to a complete raigne Though sinne may have a victorie in the faithfull and that even over their wills yet it hath not a kingdome which imports a complete and universall resignation of the whole will and man to the obedience of it It is one thing to have the whole consent of the will unto some one sinne stollen away by some particular temptation and another to be whollie addicted and devoted to the waies of sinne to have the whole heart universally married to Lust and filled with Sathan whereby it bringeth forth fruite unto deaâ—…h Into the former of these we grant the faithfull may fall and yet even in that case the seede of God which abideth in them though it did not operate to prevent â—…inne will yet undoubtedly serve to supplie repentance in due time and though Consent went before to conceive sinne yet it shall not follow after to allow it being committed but they review their sin with much hatred and selfe-displicencie with affliction of spirit humiliation of heart admiration of Gods patience and forbearance with renewing their Covenant with Complaints and heavie bewailings of their owne frowardnesse with a filiall mourning for their â—…ngratitude and undutifulnesse unto God But that a regenerate man should totally addict himselfe to the wayes of sin is repugnant to the Scripture and extremely contrarie to that Throne which Christ hath in the heart of such a man For the second Case how unregenerate men may bee convinc'd that sinne doth raigne in them wee must observe that the complete raigne of sinne denotes two things First that strength power soveraigntie and dominion of sinne which hath beene already opened Secondly A peaceable uncontroled willing universall subjection of all the members vnto the obedience of that King Now to measure the unregenerate by this Adequate Rule wee must know that they first are of severall sorts and stampes Some are apparantly and in conspectu hominum outragious sinners upon whom every man that sees them and is well acquainted with the trade and course of sinne which they live in may without breach of Charitie passe this sentence there goes a man who declares himselfe in the eyes of the World to bee a servant of sinne I speake not this for liberty of censuring but for evidence and easinesse of discerning onely Every man that thinkes it basenesse and below the straine of his spirit to tremble at Gods Word to feare judgements against sinne denounced who with a presumptuous and high hand rejects the warnings which God sends him who in his practise and sinfull conformities makes more account of the course of the World then of the curse of God of the fashions of men then of the will of the Spirit of the estimation of men then of the opinion of Christ and such is every one that allowes himselfe in the same excesse of rage and riot of swearing swaggering and uncleannesse with his divelish associates in the name and authoâ—…itie of the Lord Iesus I pronounce that man to be a servant of sinne and if he continue sinnes servant he shall undoubtedly have sinnes wages The wages of sinne is Death even the everlasting vengeance and wrath to come and if hee despise that warning the word which I have spoken shall rise against him at the last day Others there are of a more calme civill composed course men much wiser but not a dramme holyer then those before And here mainely stickes the inquirie and that upon Three exceptions with which they may seeme to evade and shift off this power of sinne First in those men there appeareth not so soveraigne and absolute a dominion of sinne as hath been spoken of in as much as they seeme to live in faire externall conformitie to the truthes which they have learned To which I answere first in generall that there may bee a raigne of sinne where it is not perceived and that Insensibility is a maine argument of it For this is a certaine rule the more tenderly and seriously any man is affected with sense and sorrow for the power of sinne the more hee is delivered from it The young man in the Gospell was fully perswaded that hee had kept the whole Law and little thought that his owne possessions were his king and that he was a vassall to his owne wealth till Christ convinced him of a mighty raigne of covetousnesse in his heart A ship may in the midst of a calme by reason of a great mist and the negligence of the Marriners to sound and discover their distances from land split it selfe against a rocke as well as be cast vpon it by some irresistible storme and so that man who never fathams his heart nor searcheth how neere he may be to ruine but goes leisurely and uniformly on in his wonted formall and pharisaicall securities may when he thinkes nothing of it as likely perish under the power of sin as he in whom the rage thereof is most apparant As there is a great strength in a River when it runnes smoothest and without noyse which immediately discovers it selfe when any bridge or obstacle is set up against it so when sinne passeth with most stilnesse and undisturbance through the heart then is the raigne of it as strong as ever and upon any spirituall and searching opposition will declare it selfe The Pharises were rigid demure saint-like men while their hypocrisie was let alone to runne calmely and without noyse but when Christ by his spirituall expositions of the Law his Heavenly conversation his penetrating and convincing Sermons had stopt the current and disquieted them in their course wee finde their malice swell into the very sinne against the holy Ghost It is the light of the Sunne which maketh day when it selfe lies shut under a cloud and is not seene so in every
naturall man there is a power and prevalencie of sinne which yet may lie undiscovered under some generall moralities Thus as the Serpent in the fable had a true sting while it lay in the snow though it shewed not it selfe but at the fire so there may be a regall power in sinne when upon externall reasons it may for a time dissemble it selfe Ahab and Ieroboams wife were as truely Princes in their disguise as in their robes and a Sow as truely a Swine when washed in a spring of water as when wallowing in a sinke of dirt The heart of man is like a beast that hath much filth and garbage shut up under a faire skinne till the Word like a sacrificing sword slit open and as it were unridge the Conscience to discover it All the wayes of man saith Salomon are cleane in his owne eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits He is a discoverer of the secrets and inâ—…rals of every action For the more paâ—…ticular opening of this point it will be needefull to answere some few questions touching the raigne of some particular sinnes which haply are seldome so thought of And the first is Touching smallsinnes whether they may be said to be raigning sinnes unto which I answere That it is not the greatnesse but the power of sin which makes it a king We know there are reguli as well as reges kings of Cities and narrow territories as well as Emperours over vast provinces Nay many times a sinne may be great in Abstracto as the fact is measured by the Law and yet in Concreto by Circumstances it may not be a raigning sinne in the person committing it and on the contrary a small sinne in the nature of the fact may be a raigning sinne in the commission as in a Corporation a man not halfe as rich as another may bee the chiefe magistrate and another of a farre greater estate may bee an underling in regard of Governement As a small stone throwne with a strong arme will doe more hurt then another farre greater if but gently laid on or sent forth with a fainter impression so a small sinne committed with a high hand with more security presumption and customarinesse then others will more waste the conscience then farre greater out of infirmitie or sudden surprizall As wee see drops frequently falling will eare into a stone and make it hollower then some few farre heavier strokes could have done or as water powred into a Sieve with many small holes or into a bottomlesse vessell is equally cast away A Ship may as well perish upon sands as rockes Dayly small expences vpon lesser vanities may in time eate out a good estate if there be never any accompts taken nor proportion observ'd nor provision made to bring in as well as to expend so a man otherwise very specious may by a course of more civill and moderate sinnes runne into ruine The second Question is Whether privy and secret sins which never breake forth into light may raigne To which I answere That of all other sinnes those which are secret have the chiefest rule such as are privy pride hypocrisie selfe-justification rebellion malitious projects against the Word and worship of God c. The Prophet compares wicked mens hearts to an Oven Hos. 7. 6 7. As an Oven is hottest when it is stopp'd that no blast may breake forth so the heart is oftentimes most sinfull when most reserv'd It was a great part of the state and pride of the Persian kings that they were seldome seene by their subjects in publicke and the kingdome of China at this day is very vast and potent though it communicate but litle with other people so those lodging thoughts as the Prophet cals them which lie stifled within may be most powerfull when they are least discover'd First Because they are ever in the throne for the heart is the throne of sinne and every thing hath most of it selfe and is least miâ—…ed and alter'd where it first riseth Secondly because they are in the heart as a stone in the Center freest from opposition and disturbance which breaking forth into act they might be likely to meete withall And this may bee one of the depths and projects of Sathan against the soule of a man to let him live in some faire and plausible conformitie for the outward conversation that so his rule in the heart may be the more quiet both from clamours of conscience and from cure of the Word The third Question is Whether sinnes of ignorance may be raigning sinnes To which I answere That it is not mens knowledge of a king which makes him a king but his owne power Saul was a king when the witch knew not of it For as those multitudes of imperceptible stars in the milkie way doe yet all contribute to that generall confused light which wee there see so the undiscernâ—…d power of unknowne sinnes doe adde much to the great kingdome which sinne hath in the hearts of men A letter written in an unknowne language or in darke and invisible Characters is yet as truely a letter as that which is most intelligible and distinct so though men make a shift to fill their consciences with darke and unlegible sinnes yet there they are as truely as if they were written in capitall Characters Saint Pauls persecution was a sinne of Ignorance that was the only thing which left roome for the mercy of God so he faith of himselfe I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly through unbeliefe Which words we are not to understand causally or by way of externall motive to Gods mercy as if Saint Pauls ignorance and unbeliefe had been any positive and objective reason why God shewed him mercy but only thus I was so grievous a persecutor of the Church of Christ that had it not beene for my ignorance onely I had beene a subject uncapable of mercy If I had knowne Christs spirit and beene so conuinc'd as the Scribes and Pharises to whom hee used to preach were and should notwithstanding that conviction have set my selfe with that crueltie and rage against him as I did there would have beene no roome for mercy left my sinne would have beene not onely against the members but against the Spirit of Christ and so an unpardonable sinne His persecution then was a sinne of ignorance and yet we may know what a raigning sinne it was by the description of it That he made havocke of the Church and haled men and women into prison And indeed Ignorance doth promote the kingdome of sinne as a thiese with a vizard or disguise will be more bold in his outrages then with open face For sinne cannot be reproved nor repented of till some way or other it be made knowne All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light The fourth Question is Whether naturall concupiscence may be esteemed a raigning sinne To which I answere That as a
with his skirt doth touch fl◅sh shall it be uncleane saith the Lord in the Prophet and the Priest answered no. But if one who is uncleane by a dead body touch any of these shall it be uncleane and the Priest answered it shall be uncleane So is this people and so is this nation before mee saith the Lord and so are all the workes of their hands before me they are uncleane They thinke because they are the seed of Abraham and dwell in the land of promise and have my worship and oracles and sacrifices not in their hearts but only in their lips and hands which are but the skirts of the soule that therefore doubtlesse they are cleane but whatever they are before themselves in their owne eyes and estimation yet before me neither the priviledge of their persons Abrahams seede nor the priviledge of their nation the land of promise nor the priviledge of their meere outward obedience the workes of their hands nor the priviledge of their ceremonies and worship that which they offer before me can doe them any good but they and all they doe is uncleane in my sight Offerings and sacrifices in themselves were holy things but yet unto them saith the Lord to a revolting and disobedient people they shall be as the bread of mourners that is uncleane and the Prophet elsewhere intimate the reason I hate I despise your feast dayis I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though yee offer me your meate offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts Your burnt offerings arae not acceptable nor your sacrifices sweete unto me Though the things done be by institution Gods yet the evill performance of them makes them Ours that is sinfull and uncleane Mercie it selfe without Faith which ought to be the roote of all obedience is a sinfull mercy mercy in the thing but sinne to the man Sixthly the sway and bias of selfe-love and particular ends When a mans disposition lookes one way and his ends carry him another that motion is ever a sinfull motion because though it be sutable in outward conformity to the Rule yet it is a Dead motion like that of puppets or manimate bodies which have no principle of motion in themselves but are carried about by the spring or weight which hangs unto them for a mans ends are but his weights and so the Obedience which comes from them is but a Dead obedience which the Apostle makes the attribute of sinfull workes and Saint Iames of a diabolicall saith The act of Iehu in rooting out the house of Ahab and the Priests of Baal was a right zealous action in it selfe and by God commanded but it was a meere murther as it was by Iehu executed because hee intended not the extirpation of idolatry but onely the erecting and establishing of his owne throne To preach the Word is in it selfe a most excellent worke yet to some there is a Reward for it to others onely a Dispensation as the Apostle distinguisheth and he gives us as there so else where the reasons of it drawne from the severall ends of men some preach Christ out of envie and others out of good will To give good counsell for the prevention of approching danger is a worke of a noble and charitable disposition as we see in Ionathan towards David but in Amaziah the priest of Bethel who disswaded Amos from preaching at the Court because of the kings displeasure and the evill consequences which might thereupon ensue of all which himselfe was the principall if not sole author this was but a poore curtesie for it was not out of love to the Prophet but onely to bee ridde of his preaching To seeke God to returne to enquire early after him to remember him as a Rocke and Redeemer are in themselves choice and excellent services but not to doe all this out of a straight and stedfast heart but out of feare onely of Gods sword not to doe it because God commands them but because he slayes them this end makes all but lying and flatterie like the promises of a boy under the rod. To feare God is the conclusion of that matter and the whole dutie of man but not to feare the Lord and his Goodnesse but to feare the Lord and his Lions as the Samaritans did this is indeede not to feare the Lord at all Lastly the very Antipathie of sinnes must necessarily keepe a man from many For there are some sinnes so dissident and various that they cannot consist together in the practice of them Though the same Roote of originall corruption will serue for both yet the exercises of them are incompatible As the same roote will convey sap to several boughes which shall beare fruits so different as could not grow out of the same branch The Apostle gives a distinction of spirituall and fleshly filthinesse betweene many of which there is as great an opposition as betweene flesh and spirit Ambition pride hypocrisie formality are spirituall sins drunkennesse uncleannesse publike sordid notorious intemperance are fleshly sinnes and these two sorts cannot ordinarily stand together for the latter will speedily blast the projects disappoint the expectations wash of the dawbe and varnish which a man with much cunning and paines had put on Pilat and Herod did hate one another and this one would haue thought should haue advantaged Christ against the particular malice of either of them against him as in a case something paralell it did Saint ' Paul when the Pharises and Sadduces were divided but their malice against Christ being not so well able to wreake it selfe on him during their owne distances was a meanes to procure a reconciliation more mischievous then their malice Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim but both against Iuda one sinne was put out to make the more roome for another Many men have some master sinne which checks and abates the rest The ancient Romans were restrain'd from Intemperance Iniustice violence by an extreame affection of glorie and an universall soveraigntie As many times men cure heates with heates and one flux of blood with another so some sins though not cur'd are yet forborne upon the predominancy of others The Pharises hated Christ and feared the people and many times this feare restrain'd the manifestatiō executiō of the other The Third and last Exception is this Vnregenetate men of a more calme and civill temper may conceive themselves delivered from the raigne of sinne because they have many conflictes with it and reluctancies against it and so afford not such a plenarie and resolved Obedience to it as so absolute a power requireth To this I answere That this is no more sufficient to conclude an overthrow of the raigne of sinne then the sudden mutinie of Cesars souldiers which hee easily queiled with one brave word could conclude the nullifying of
from the arâ—…e did direct it to sometimes by an externall cause a bâ—…ke meeting and turning the course ever by an internall the sway and corrective of the Bias which accompanies and slackens the impressed violence throughout all the motion So is it in the turning of a man from sinne A naturall man goes on with a full consent of heart no bias in the will or affections to moderate or abate the violence only sometimes by chance he meetes with a convicted judgement or with a naturall conscience which like a banke turnes the motion or disappoints the heart in the whole pleasure of that sinne but in another where haplie he meetes with no such obstacle he runnes his full and direct course But now a spirituall man hath a Bias and Corrective of Grace in the same facultie where sin is which doth much remit the violence and at length turne the course of it And this holdes in every sin because the Corrective is not casuall or with respect onely to this or that particular but is firmely fix'd in the parts themselves on which the impressions of sinne are made Thirdly they differ in the manner or qualities of the conflict For first a naturall conflict hath ever Treacherie mixed with it but a Spirituall conflict is faithfull and sound throughout and that appeares thus A Spirituall heart doth ever ground its fight out of the Word labors much to acquaint it selfe with that because there it shall have a more distinct view of the enemy of his armies holdes supplies traines weapons strategems For a spirituall heart sets it selfe seriously to fight against every method deceite armor of lust as well against the pleasures as the guilt of sinne But a naturall heart hath a secret treacherie and intelligence with the enemy and therefore hates the light and is willingly ignorant of the forces of sinne that it may have that to alledge for not making opposition There is in every naturall man in sinning a disposition very suteable to that of Vitellius who used no other defences against the ruine which approached him but onely to keepe out the memory and report of it with fortifications of mirth and sottishnesse that so he might be deliver'd from the paines of preserving himselfe Thus the naturall conscience finding the warre against sinne to be irkesome that it may bee deliver'd from so troublesome a businesse labours rather to stifle the notions to suppresse and hold under the truth in unrighteousnesse to strive resist dispute with the spirit to be gladly gull'd and darkened with the deceites of sinne then to live all its time in unpreventable and unfinishable contentions Secondly a naturall conflict is ever particular and a spirituall universall against All sin because it proceedeth from hatred which is ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher speakes against the whole kinde of a thing A naturall man may be angry with sinne as a man with his wife or friend for some present vexation and disquietnesse which it brings and yet not hate it for that reacheth to the very not being of a thing And for a naturall man to have his lusts so overcome as not at all to be would doubtlesse be unto him as painefull as mutilation or dismembring to the naturall bodie and therefore if it were put to his choice in such termes as might distinctly set forth the painefulnesse and contrarietie of it to his present nature he would undoubtedly refuse it because he should be destitute of a principle to live and move by and every thing naturally desires rather to move by a principle of its owne then by violent and forraigne impressions such as are those by which naturall men are moved to the wayes of God And therefore the naturall conscience doth ever beare with some sinnes if they be small unknowne secret or the like and hearkens not after them But the spirit holdes peace with no sin fights against the least the remotest those which are out of sight Paul against the sproutings and rebellions of naturall Concupiscence David against his secret sinnes as Israel against Iericho and Ai and those other cities of Canaan it suffers no Accursed thing to be referâ—…ed it slayes as well women and children as men of warre lest that which remaines should be a snare to deceive and an engine to induce more The naturall conscience shootes onely by aime and levell against some sins and spares the rest as Saul in the slaughter of the Amalekites But the spirituall shootes not onely by levell against particular notorious sinnes but at randome too against the whole army of sinne and by that meanes doth peradventure wound and weaken lusts which it did not distinctly observe in it selfe by complaining unto God against the bodie of sinne by watching over the course and frame of the heart by acquainting it selfe out of the Word with the armour and devices oâ—… Satan c. The opposition then betweene the naturall conscience and sinne is like the opposition betweene fire and hardnesse in some subjects the conflict betweene the spirituall conscience and sinne is like the opposition betweene fire and coldnesse Put mettall into the fire and the heat will dissolve and melt it but put a bricke into the fire and that will not melt nor soften because the consistencie of it doth not arise Ex causâ frigidà but siccâ but put either one or other into the fire and the coldnesse of it will be removed and the reason is because betweene fire and hardnesse there is but a particular opposition in some cases namely where a thing is hard out of a dominion of cold as in mettals not out of a dominion of dry qualities as in bricke and stones but betweene fire and coldnesse there is an universall opposition So a naturall conscience may peradventure serve to dissolve or weaken in regard of outward practice some sinnes but never All whereas a spirituall reacheth to the remitting and abating every lust because the one is onely a particular the other an universall opposition Thirdly the naturall conscience fights against sinne with fleshly weapons and therefore is more easily overcome by the subtiltie of Satan such as are servile feare secular ends carnall disadvantages generall reason and the like but the spirituall conscience ever fights with spirituall weapons out of the Word Faith Prayer Hope Experience Watchfulnesse Love godly Sorrow Truth of heart c. Fourthly they differ in their Effects First a natural conflict consists with the practice of many sinnes unquestioned unresisted but a spirituall changeth the course and tenor of a mans life that as by the remainders of the flesh the best may say We cannot doe the things which we would So by the first fruits of the spirit and the seede of God it may be truely said They cannot sinne For though they doe not attaine a perfection in the manner yet for the generall current and course of their living it is without eminent
visible and scandalous blame Secondly the naturall is onely a combate there is no victory followes it sinne is committed with delight and persisted in still but the spirituall diminisheth the power and strength of sinne Thirdly the naturall if it doe overcome yet it doth onely represse or repell sinne for the time like the victory of Saul over Agag it is kept alive hath no hurt done it but the spirituall doth mortifie crucifie subdue sinne Some plaisters skinne but they do not cure give present ease but no abiding remedie against the roote of the disease so some attempts against sinne may onely for the present pacifie but not truely clense the conscience from dead workes Fourthly the naturall makes a man never a whit the stronger against the next assault of Temptation whereas the spirituall begets usually more circumspection prayer faith humiliation growth acquaintance with the depth and mysteries of sinne skill to manage the spirituall armour experience of the truth power and promises of God c. Lastly they differ in their end The naturall is onely to pacifie the clamors of an unquiet conscience which ever takes Gods part and pleads for his service against the sinnes of men The spirituall is with an intent to please and obey God and to magnifie his Grace which is made perfect in our weakenesse Now for a word of the third Case Why every sinne doth not raigne in every wicked man for answere whereunto we must First know that Properly it is originall sinne which raignes and this king is very wise and therefore sends forth into a man members and life as into severall provinces such viceroâ—…es such actuall sinnes as may best keepe the person in peace and encouragement as may least disquiet his estate and provoke rebellion Secondly we are to distinguish betweene the Raigne of sinne actuall and viâ—…tuall or in praeparatione animi for if the state of the king requires it a man will be apt to obey those commands of â—…ust which now haply his heart riseth against as savage and belluine practices as we see in Hazael Thirdly though Originall sinne be equall in All and to all purposes yet Actuall sinne for the most pâ—…t followes the temper of a mans minde bodie place calling abilities estate conversings relations and a world of the like variable particulars Now as a river would of it selfe caeteris paribus goe the neerest way unto the sea but yet according to the qualities and exigencies of the earth through which it passeth or by the arts of men it is crooked and wried into many turnings So Originall siâ—…e would of it selfe carry a man the neerest way to hell through the midst of the most divellish and hideous abominations but yet meeting with severall tempers and conditions in men it rather chooseth in many men the safest then the speediest way carries them in a compasse by a gentler and a blinder path then through such notorious and horrid courses as wherein having hell still in their view they might haply be brought some time or other to start backe and bethinke themselves But lastly and principally the different administration of Gods generall restraining Grace which upon unsearchable and most wise and just reasons he is pleased in severall measures to distribute unto severall men may bee conceived a full reason why some men are not given over to the rage and frenzie of many lusts who yet live in a voluntary and plenary obedience unto many others To conclude By all this which hath beene spoken we should bee exhorted to goe over unto Christ that wee may be translated from the power of Sathan for he only is able to strike through these our kings in the day of his wrath Consider the issue of the raigne of sinne wherein it differs from a true King and sympathizeth with Tyrants for it intendeth mischiefe and misery to those that obey it First sinne raignes unto Death that which is here called the raigne of sinne â—…s before called the raigne of Death and the raigne of sinne unto Death Rom. 5. 17. 21. Rom. 6. 16. Secondly Sinne raigneth unto feare and bondage by reason of the death which it brings Heb. 2. 15. Thirdly Sinne raigneth unto shame even in those who escape both the death and bondage of it Fourthly It raigneth without any fruite hope or benefit What fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. Lastly the raigne of sin is but momentary at the length both it selfe and all its subjects shall be subdued The World passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Of Christs Kingdome there is no end We shall reape if we faint not Our combate is short our victorie is sure our Crowne is safe our triumph is eternall his Grace is All-sufficient here to helpe us and his Glory is All-sufficient hereafter to reward us THE POLLVTION OF SINNE AND VSE OF THE PROMISES 2. COR. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises dearely beloved Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Perfecting holinesse in the feare of God HAving set forth the State Guilt and Power of Sinne I shall now in the last place for the further opening the exceeding sinfulnesse thereof discover the pollution and filthinesse which therefrom both the flesh and spirit the Body and Soule doe contract The Apostle in the former chapter had exhorted the Corinthians to abstaine from all communion with Idolaters and from all fellowship in their evill courses Severall arguments he useth to enforce his exhortation First from the Inequality of Christians and unbeleevers Bee not yee unequally yoked with unbeleevers v. 14. It hath a relation to the Law of Moses which prohibited to plow with an Oxe and anâ—… Asse or to put into one yoke things disproportionable Secondly from their contrarietse and by consequence uncommunicablenesse to each other there is as everlasting and unreconciliable an hatred betweene Christ and Beâ—…al righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse as betweene light and darknesse ver 14. 15. Thirdly from those pretious and excellent Promises which are made to Christians they are the Temples of God his people and peculiar inheritance hâ—… is their Father and they his Sonnes and daughters ver 16 17 18. And there are many reasons in this one argument drawn from the Promises to inferre the Apostles conclusion First by that unction and consecration whereby they are made Temples unto God they are separated from profane uses designed to Divine and more noble imployments sealed and set apart for God himselfe and therefore they must not be profaned by the uncleane touch of evill society Secondly by being Gods Temples they are lâ—…fted to a new station the eyes of men and Angels are upon them they offend the weake they blemish and deface their Christian reputation they justifie comfort encourage settle the wicked in their sinfull courses by a deepe pollicie of the deceitfull heart of man apt to
build uâ—…grounded presumptions of safety to it sâ—…lfe by the fellowship of such whom it conceives to be in a good condition Thirdly they involve themselves in the common calamities with those with whom they communicate It Israel had not separated themselves from Egypt by the blood of the Paschall Lambe but hâ—…d communicated with them in their idolatâ—…y they should have felt the sword of the destroying Angell in their houses as well as the Egyptians If upon hostility betweene nations warning be given by an adversary to all strangers to voyde the place which he commeth against and they take not the summons though of themselves they bee no way engaged upon the quarrell yet being promiscuously mingled with the conquer'd people they also shall share in the common calamity and become captives with the rest so good men by communion with the wicked are involved in the generall miseries of those with whom they communicate Fourthly they betray the safety and tranquillitie of the Church and state wherein they live for they under Christ are the foundations of the common wealth their prayers establish the Princes throne their cryes hold God fast and will not let him alone to destroy a people If the Salt bee infatuated every thing must be unsavoury if the foundations faile what can the people doe Now lastly in the words of the Text the Apostle shewes the aptnesse of the promises to clense and purifie and that therefore they to whom they are made do mis-imploy and neglect them if they purifie not themselves from all that filthynesse of flesh and spirit which by communion with the wicked they were apt easily to contract I shall not trouble you with any division of the words but observe out of them the point I have proposed Touching the pollution and filthinesse of sinne and inferre other things in the Text by way of corolarie and application unto that The wise man saith That God made all things beautifull in their time and then much more man whom hee created after his owne Image in righteousnesse and holynesse with an universall harmony rectitude in soule and body Hee never said of any of the Creaâ—…ures Let uâ—… make it after our oâ—…ne Image as he did of Man and yet the Creatures have no more beautie in them then thâ—…y have footesteps of the power wisedome and goodnesse of him that made them How much more beautifull then was the soule of man for whose service this whole glorious frame was erected and who was filled with the knowledge and love of all Gods revealed Will Now sinne brought confusion disorder vanity both upon the whole Creation and upon the Image of God in Men and Angels What thing more glorious then an Angell what more hideous then a Devill and it was nothing but sinne which made an Angell a Divell What thing more beautifull and benigne then Heaven what more horrid and mercilesse then Hell and yet it was sin which drew a Hell out of Heaven even fire and brimstone upon Gods enemies What more excellent and befitting the hands of such a workman then an universall fulnesse and goodnesse in the whole frame of nature What more base and unserviceable then emptinesse and disorder And it is sinne which hath put chinkes into all the Creatures to let out their vertue and hath brought vanitie and vexation of Spirit upon all things under the Sunne In one word what more honourable then to obtaine the end for which a thing is made What more abhorrid then to subsist in a condition infinitely more wofull then not to be and it is sin only which shall one time or other make all impenitent sinners wish rather to bee hurried into that fearefull gulfe of annihilation and to be swallowed up in everlasting forgetfulnesse then live with those markes of vengeance under those mountainous and unsupportable pressures which their sinnes will bring upon them When we looke into the Scriptures to finde out there the resemblances of sinne wee finde it compar'd to the most loath some of things To the blood and pollution of a new borne childe before it bee cut washed salted or swadled Ezek. 16. 6. To the rottennesse of a man in his Grave The whole world lieth in mischiefe and sinne 1. Ioh. 5. 19. even as a dead man in the slime and rottennesse of his Grave To that noysome steame and poysonous exhalation which breath s from the mouth of an open sepulcher their throat is an open sepulcher Roâ—… 3. 13. that is out of their throate proceedeth nothing but stinking and rotten communication as the Apostle cals it Eph. 4. 29. To the nature of Vipers Swine and Dogges Luk. 3. 7. 2. Pet. 2. 20. To the dung or garbage the poyson sting excrements vomit of these filthy creatures to a roote of bitternesse which defiloth many Heb. 12 15. to thorns and briers which bring forth no other fruites but cuâ—…ses Heb. 6. 8. To the excrements of mettals drosse and reprobate silver Ier. 6. 28. Ezek. 22 18. To the excrements of a boyling pot a great scumme Ezek. 24. 11. 12. To the worst of all diseases sores Esai 1. 6. Rottennesse 2. Tim. 3. 8. Gangrenes or leaprosies 2. Tim. 2. 17. Plague and pestilâ—…nee 1. King 8. 38. The menstruousnesse of a removed woman Ezek. 36. 17. To a vessell in which there is no pleasure which is but the modest expression of that draught into which nature emptieth it selfe Hos. 8. 8. And which is the summe of all uncleannesse sinne in the heart is compar'd to the fire of hell Iam. 3. 6. So that the pure eyes of God doe loath to see and his nostrils to smell it Zach. 11. 8. Amos. 5. 21. It makes all those that have eyes open and judgements rectified to abhoâ—…re it in otâ—…ers The wicked is an abomination to the righteous Prov. 29. 27. When desperate wretches poure out their oâ—…thes and execrâ—…tions against Heaven scorne and persecute the Word of Grace count it basenesse and cowardise not to dare to bee desperately wicked then every true heart mournes for their pride compassionates their misery defies their solicitations declines their companies and courses even as most infectious serpentine and hellish exhalations which poison the ayâ—…e and putrifie the earth upon which they â—…reade And when God gives a man eyes to looke inward unridgeth the Conscience unbo welleth the heart stirreth up by his Word the sinke which is in every mans bosome makes him smell the carrion of his owne dead workes the uncleannesse of his evill Conscience the filthinesse of his Nature every man is then constrained to abhorre himselfe to be loathsome in his owne sight and to stoppe his nose at the poyson of his owne sores Ezek. 36. 31. For the more particular discovery of this Truth let us first looke upon the best workes of the best men Though we say not that they are sins and in naturarei culpable as our adversaries charge us yet so much evill doth adhere unto
my furie to rest upon thee We have considered the Quod s◅ that sinne is full of filthinesse and pollution I will but name the Quid ◅it What this filthinesse is It hath Two things belonging to the nature of it First a privation of the nitor or beauty which the image of God brought into the soule with it A difformity to the holinesse and brightnesse of the Law The Law was both Holy and Good not onely the Rule but the beauty of our life and nature So that as evill is a declination and swarving from the Law as a Rule so it is sinne and as it is a swarving from the Law as our beauty so it is the staine and pollution of the soule Secondly it notes a positive foulenesse an habituall both naturall and contracted defilednesse of minde and conscience an introducing of the image of Satan hideous markes of hellishnesse and deformity in the soule body and conversation Every desire motion and figment of the heart being nothing but the exhalations of an open sepulcher the dampe and steame of a rotten soule Now in the last place let us see the Quale sit those Evill Properties which accompanie this pollution Foure woefull qualities belong unto it First it is a deepe pollution of a Crimson dye of a skarlet tincture that will not weare out Esai 1. 18. Like the spots of a Leopard or the blicknesse of an Ethiopian which is not by way of accidentall or externall adherencie but innate and contemper'd belonging to the constitution Ier. 13. 23. It is engraven upon their heart written with an iron pen and the claw of a diamond and so fashion'd even in the very substance of the soule Ier. 17. 1. It is an iniquitie marked which cannot bee washed away with niter and much sope no more then markes imprinted and incorporated in the substance of a vessell Ier. 2. 22. The whole inundation and deluge of Noah could not wash it of from the earth but it return'd againe A showre of fire and brimstone from heaven hath not so clensed it out of the country of Sodome but that the venome and plague of it doth still there appeare in a poisonous and stinking l◅ke The plague which came amongst the Israelites for the abominations of Baal Peor had not clensed the filthinesse all away but many yeeres after the staine remained Ios. 22. 17. Nay the very flames of Hell shall not in all eternity be able to eate out the prints or to fetch away the staines of the smallest sinnes from the nature of man Nay which is yet stronger then all this though Grace be of it selfe apt to wipe out and conquer sinne yet that measure and portion of Grace which here the best receive though it may shorten weaken abate yet it doth not utterly roote ◅t out Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am free from my sinnes The best of us have yet our sores running upon us and stand i◅ neede of a garment to cover our pollutions Secondly It is an universall pollution I said unto thee when thou wast In thy bloud live We are by nature all overdrown'd and plung'd in the filthinesse of sinne The Apostle here cals it filthinesse of flesh and spirit to note the compasse of the staine of sinne For notwithstanding some sinnes belong principally to the spirit as pride heresie idolatry superstition c. and others to the flesh as drunkennesse gluttonie uncleannesse c. yet certaine it is that every sinne defiles both flesh and spirit by the reason of their mutuall dependencie in being and working and of the contagious quality of sinne Sinnes of the flesh soake and sinke and eate in to the bottome of the spirit to drowne that with hardnesse insensibility errour security inconsideratenesse contempt of God c. and the sinnes of the spirit breake out like plague sores into the flesh pride into the eye malice into the hand heresie◅ to the tongue superstition and idolatry into the knee c. the soule and body have so neere communion that one can no more sinne al◅e without the contagion of the other then one wheele in an Engine move without the motion of the other Thirdly it is a spreading pollution A leprosie a gangrene a plague that diffuseth poison and infection upon others First it spreades in a mans selfe An evill lust will infect the thoughts and they the desires and they the words and actions and they grow into habits and reflect backe againe upon the heart and conscience to harden and defile them Secondly this infection staies not in a mans selfe onely but runnes forth upon others to leade and misguide them we will certainely doe as we have done We and our kings our princes and our fathers in the cities of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem To drive and compell them why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as doethe Iewes To comfort and hearten them Thou hast justified and art a comfort to thy sisters Sodome and Samaria To exasperate and enrage them Thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme To deceive and seduce them as the old Prophet of Bethel did the Prophet of the Lord by his lie To teach and instruct them the Israelites by their idolatry taught their children to walke after Baalim And by how much the more authority over the persons of men or emmencie of place or reputation of piety any man hath by so much the more spreading and infectious are his sinnes being taken with the more trust and assurance If a minister be loose and scandalous a magistrate carelesse and rustie a gentleman rude a◅d uncleane a man that professeth the power of godlinesse unjust and worldly strange it is how the lower and more ignorant ranke of men who beleeve that surely such men as these are not by their places so farre from or by their learning and studies so unacquainted with God as they will be hereby strengthned in their deadly and formall courses Thirdly which is yet worse the vory godly are apt to be infected by the sinnes of the wicked It is not so strange to see a godly man misguided and seduc'd by the errours of others like himselfe the estimation of whose persons may over-rule the opiniō of their actions and so make a man take them upon trust from them But that a Holy man should carch infection from the example of another who is in the gall of b◅ternesse is a thing that wonderfully sets f◅th the corruption of our nature and the contagion of sin◅e The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and were polluted the people of Israel saw the Midianitish women and were ensnared A Holy mans conversing with loose carnall and formall men diswonts him from the wayes of God brings a deadnesse of spirit and insensible decay of grace upon him secretly and therefore the more dangerously conveyes a mediocritie and compliancie of Spirit with formes onely of godlinesse
our selves I will take away saith the Lord the stoâ—…ie heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes c. So then God commands us to cleanse our selves when yet it is his owne worke First to teach us that what he doth is not out of dutie or debt but of Grace and Favour for when he doth that which he commands it is manifest that ours was the duty and therefore his the greatâ—…r mercy to give us mony wherewith to pay him the debt we owed Thou workest allour workes for us saith the Prophet The worke as it is a dutie is ours but as it is a performance it is thine Secondly He doth it to shew that though hee be the Author and finisher of our Faith though he who beginneth our good workes doth also performe them untill the day of Christ yet he will not have us abide alwayes under his hand as dead stones but being quickned and healed by his Spirit and having our impotencies remooved we likewise must cooperate and move to the same end with him for he doth not so worke for us but hee withall gives us a will and a deede to concurre with him to the same actions As wee have received Christ so wee must walke in him Thirdly to shew us where wee must fetch our cure to teach us that hee will bee sought unto by us and that wee must rely upon his Power and Promises Therefore Hee commandeth us the things which we cannot doe that we might know of whom to begge them for it is Faith alone which obtaineth by Prayer that which the Law requireth onely but cannot effect by reason of the weaknesse of it In one place the Lord commandeth cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit In another place he promiseth I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh How can these things consist together He commands us to doe that which hee promiseth to doe himselfe but onely to shew that God gives what he requires The things which he bids us doe as if they were to bee the workes of our owne will and being indeede the duties which we owe yet he promiseth to doe in us to shew that they are the workes of his grace and that his promises are the foundation of all our performances For wee by working doe not cause him to fulfill his promises but hee by promising doth enable us to performe our workes So then wee cleanse our selves by the strength of his promises they are the principles of our Purification This the Apostle expresseth in the text Having therefore these promises dearely beloved Let us cleanse our selves This then is the next thing wee must inquire into wherein the strength of this argument lies and how a man ought to make use of the promises to inferre and presse upon his conscience this dutie of clansing himselfe Here then first we must note that promises doe containe the matter of rewards and are for the most part so proposed unto us Abating onely the first promise of caâ—…ing unto the obedience of Faith which I conceive is rather made unto Christ in our behalfe Aske of me and I will give thee the heathâ—…n for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession then unto us formally because the seede of Abraham are the subject of the promises I say excepting onely that I conceive all other promises to beare in them the nature of a reward and so to carry relation to presupposed Services For benefits have usually burdens and engagements with them so that promises being the representation of rewards and rewards the consequents of service and all services being generally comprehended in this of cleansing our selves from all â—…ilthinesse and of finishing holinesse in Gods feare manifest it is that the promises are in this regard fit arguments to induce our dutie The Gospell which is the Word of Promise hath an obedience annexed unto it which the Apostle cals the Obedience of the Gospell And Faith being the hand to receive the promises hath an obedience annexed vnto it likewise which the same Apostle cals the obedience of Faith for it is not only a hand to receive but a hand to worke To live to our selves and yet lay claime to the promisâ—…s is to make God a lyer not to beleeve the record which hee gives of himselfe that he will not cast away pretious things upon swine His promises are free in fierâ—… made onely out of Grace but conditionall in facto esse performed and accomplished with dependance upon duties in us God is Faithfull saith the Apostle who shall stablish you and keep you from evill there is the promise and we are confident that you will doe the things which we command you there is the duty which that promise cales for When we pray Give us our dayly bread by saying Give us we acknowledge that it is from God but when wee call iâ—… ours wee shew how God gives it namely in the use of meanes For Bread is Ours not onely in the right of the promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee but by service and quiet working in an orderly calling Secondly Promises are apt to purifie not onely as arguments to induce it but likewise as efficiens causes and principles being by Faith apprehended of our Holynesse And so the force of the reason is the fame as if a rich man having given a great estate unto his sonne should adde this exhortation having received such gifts as these and having now where withall to live in qualitie and worth keepe your selfe in fashion like the Sonne of such a father Efficients they are First as tokens and expressions of Gods Love for all Gods promises are grounded in his Love His Iustice Truth ahd Fidelity are the reasons of fulfilling promises because in them hee maketh himselfe our debtor Therefore saith the Apostle There is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Iudge shall give unto meâ—… and againe God is faithfull who will not suffer you to bee tempted and faithfull is hee that hath promised who also will doe it and Saint Iohn If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and lust to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse One would thinke a man should rather feare the revenge then expect the forgivenesse of sinnes by Gods â—…ustice but God is as Iust in performing the mercy which Hee promiseth as in executing the vengeance which he threatneth So then Iustice and Fidelity are the reasons of fulfilling promises
comprehending the head and the members in the unitie of one body So then every Promise carrying us to that Vnitie which we have with Christ by his spirit who is therefore call'd a spirit of Adoption because he vesteth us with the sonneship of Christ and a spirit of holinesse and renovation because he sanctifieth us by the resurrection of Christ doth thereby purifie us from dead workes and conforme the members to the Head building them up in an holy Temple and into an habitation of God through that spirit by whom we are in Christ. In one word Our interest in the Promises is grounded upon our being in Christ and being one with him and our being in him is the ground of our purification Every branch in me that bringeth forth fruite my father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruite And in this respect the promises may be said to purifie as still carrying us to our interest in Christ in whom they are founded Fifthly and lastly the Promises are causes of our purification as Exemplars patterns and seeds of purity unto us For the Promises are in themselves Exceeding great and pretious Every Word of God is pure and tryed like gold seven times in the fire it is right and cleane and true and altogether righteous and therefore very lovely and attractive apt to sanctifie and cleanse the soule Sanctifie them by thy truth saith Christ thy Word is truth and againe Now ye are cleane through the Word which I have spoken unto you For the Word is Seed and seede a similates earth and dirt into its owne pure and cleane nature So by the Word there is a trans-elementation as it were and conforming of our foule and earthie nature to the spiritualnesse of it selfe Therefore the Apostle useth this for an argument why the regenerate cannot siâ— namely in that universall and complete manner as others doe because they have the seed of God abiding in them that is his Word Spirit and Promises abating the strength of lust and swaying them to a contrary point For thus the Word of promise makes a mans heart to argue Hath God of meere Grace made assurance of so pretious things to me who by nature am a filthy and uncleane Creature obnoxious to all the curses and vengeance in his booke Hath he wrought so great deliverance and laid up such unsearchable riches for my soule and should I againe breake his Commandements and joyne in the abominations of other men Would he not be angry till he had consumed me so that there should be no escaping Should I not rather labour to feele the comforts and power of these Promises encouraging mee to walke worthy of so great meroy and so high a calling to walke meete for the participation of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Shall I that am reserv'd to such honour live in the meane time after the lusts of the Gentiles who have no hope Hath God distinguished me by his Spirit and Promises from the world and shall I confound my selfe againe Shall I requite evill for good to the hurt of mine owne soule These and the like are the reasonings of the heart from the beauty and purity of the Promises Thirdly and lastly Promises are Arguments to inferre our Purification because in many of them that is the very Matter of which they consist and so the power and fidelity of God is engag'd for our Purification I will clense them from all their iniquity whereby they haue sinned against me saith the Lord. And againe I will sprinkle cleane water vpon you and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idoles will I clense you c. And againe They shall not defile themselues any more with their idoles nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them and I will cleanse them And againe I will heale their backeslidings I will Love them freely The Lord will wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion purge the bloud of Ierusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the spirit of burning Which Promises bringing along the fidelity and power of God to our faith doe settle our hearts amidst all the corruptions and impotencies of our nature When the conscience is once throughly acquainted with the sight of its owne foulnesse with the sense of that life and power which is in concupiscence it findes it then a great difficultie to rest in any hope of having lusts either subdued or forgiuen The Psalmist when his sore ranne and ceased not refused to be comforted thought himselfe cast out of Gods fauour as if his mercies were exhausted and his promises come to an end and his compassions were shut up and would shew themselves no more Therefore in this case the Lord carries our Faith to the consideration of his Power Grace and Fidelity which surpasseth not onely the knowledge but the very coniectures and contrivances of the hearts of men The Apostle saith That Christ was declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead That Spirit which raised Him from the dead is therefore called a spirit of Holinesse because the sanctifying of a sinner is a resurrection and requires the same power to effect it which raised Christ from the dead When Saint Paul had such a bitter conflict with the thorne in his flesh the vigor and stirrings of concupiscence within him he had no refuge nor comfort but onely in the sufficiencie of Gods grace which was able in due time to worke away and purge out his lusts And the prophet makes this an argument of Gods great power above all other Gods that he subdueth iniquities and blotteth out transgressions Though wee know not how this can be done that such dead bones soules that are even rotten in their sinnes should be cleansed from their filthinesse and live againe yet he knowes and therefore when wee are at a stand and know not what to doe to Cure our lusts then wee may by faith fix our Eyes upon him whose grace power wisedome fidelity is all in these his promises put to gage for our purification Thus wee see how promises in generall doe worke to the Cleansing of us from filthinesse of flesh and spirit The same might at large be shewed in many particulars I will but name those in the words before the Text to which it referres The Lord promiseth to Dwell in us as in spirituall Temples and this proves that wee ought to keepe our selues Cleane that wee may be fit habitations for so Dovelike and pure a spirit Flee forâ—…ication saith the Apostle why know you not that your bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you therefore glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are Gods And againe If any man defile the Temple of God
or filthinesse which is iâ—… the world through lust so do they serve to ad one grace to anâ—…ther and to make them abound in us till we come to chaâ—…ity which is the bond of perfection as Saint Peter shewes And againe Grow saith he in grace and in thâ—… 〈◊〉 of our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ. The more a 〈◊〉 doth abound in the knowledge of Christ who is the sâ—…mme fountaine â—…le treasurie of all the promises the more will he grow in grace and unto perfection For as some promises are in our hand and perform'd already as Rewards for our service past so others are still before our eyes to call and allure us as the price unto which we pâ—…este Be ye stedfast and unmoveable and abound alwaies in the worke of the Lord saith the Apostle for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Holding fast and going on hath a Crowne attending it The more we proceede in holinesse our salvation is still the Neerer unto us If we lose not the things which wee have wrought we shall receive a full reward THE VSE OF THE LAW ROM 7. 13. Was that then which is good made death unto me God forbid But sinne namely was made death unto me that it might appeare sinne working death in me by that which is good That sinne by the Commandement might become exceeding sinfull HEre we finde the Originall discovery of all that Sinfulnesse of sinne which wee have hitherto insisted upon namely the manifesting and working property which is in the Law of God It will bee therefore very requisite by way of Appendixe to the preceding Treatise and of manuduction to the consequent to unfeld out of these words The uâ—…e of the Law by which we shall more distinctly understand the scope and purpose of the Holy Ghost in loading the spirit of man with tâ—…e vanity of the Creature and in shutting up the conscience under the sinfulnesse of sinne both which have respect unto the Law that as an effect of the cursing and this of the Convincing power thereof and yet in both nothing intended by God but Peace and Mercie The Apostle in the beginning of the Chapter shewes that we are by nature subject to the Law and death which is an unavoidable consequent of the breach thereof even as the wife is to her husband as long as he liveth And that by Christ we are delivered from that subjection who hath shine our former husband and taken him out of the way as the Apostle elsewhere speakes Now because this doctrine of justification by faith in Christ and deliverance from the Law by him was mainely opposed by the Iewes and was indeed that chiefe stumbling blocke which kept them from Christianitie which I take it was the reason why the false brethren under pretence the better to worke on that people to pacifie affections and reconcile parties and ferruminate the Churches together would have mingled the Law with Christ in the purpose of Iustification as the papids now upon other reasons doe Therefore the Apostle who was very zealous for the Salvation of his brethren and kiâ—…sfolke according to the flesh labours to deerâ—… thâ—…s doctrine from two maine objections in this Chapter which it seemes the Iewes did use against it The ground of both is tacitely implied and it is the same generall hypothesis or supposition that all deliverance is from evill and carries necessary relation to some mischiefe which it presupposeth Therefore if that doctrine be true which teacheth deliverance from the Law then it must be granted that the Law is evill for to be unsubjected to that which is good is no deliverance but a wilde and bâ—…utish loosenesse Now evill is but two fold either sinne or death So then if the Law be evill it must be either sinne or death The former objection is made vers 7. What shall wee say then is the Law sinne that we should now heare of a deliverance from it Doth not the Scripture account the Law a priviledge an honour an ornament to a people and from the Iustnesse and Holinesse of the Law conclude the dignity and greatnesse of a nation What nation is so great saith Moses which hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as I set before you this day He shâ—…weth his word unto Iacob his statutes anâ—… iudgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with every nation saith David I sent unto them Honorabilta Legis saith the Lord the honorable and great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing And is that which Moses and the Prophets esteemed a priviledge and honour become now a yoke and burden Shall wee admit a doctrine which over-throwes the Law and the Prophets To this the Apostle answeres God for bid The Law is not sinne for I had not knowne sinne but by the Law It is true sinne tooke occasion by the Law to become more sinfull vers 8. but this was not occasio data but arrepta no occasion naturally offered by the law but perversly taken by sinne whose venomous property it is to suck poison out of that which is holy So then the Law is not sinne though by accident it enrage sinne For of itselfe it serveth onely to discover and reveale it ver 9. But as the Gospell as well when by mens perversnesse it is a savour of dâ—…ath as when by its owne gratious efficacie it is a savour of life is both wayes a sweete savour So the Law either way when by it selfe it discovereth and when by accident it enrageth sin is still Holy lust and Good ver 11 Vpon this followes the second Objection in the words of the Text. Is that which is good made death unto me If a deliverance presuppose an evill in that from which we are deliver'd and no evill but belongs either to sinne or death then admitting a deliverance from the Law if it be good in respect of holinesse it must needs be evill in the other respect and then that which is good is made death unto me And this casts a more heavie aspersion and dishonour upon God then the former that he should give a Law meerely to kill men and make that which in its nature is good to be mortall in its use and operation Wine strong waters hard meates are of themselves very good to those purposes unto which they are proper yet under pretence of their goodnesse to craâ—…me the stomicke of a sucking infant with them would not be kindnesse but crueltie because they would not in that case comfort or nourish but kill Gold is good of it selfe but to fetter a man with a chaine of gold would be no bounty but a mockery So to conceive God to publish a Law good indeed in it selfe but deadly to the subjects and to order that which is holy in its nature to be harmefull and damnable to the Creature in its use is so odious an aspersion
wrath which his sinnes have deserved Therefore it is called the ministery of death and condemnation which pronounceth a most rigorous and unmitigable curse upon the smallest and most imperceptible deviation from Gods Will revealed Thirdly by awakening the Conscience begetting a legall faith and spirit of bondage to see it selfe thus miserable by the Law hedged in with Thornes and shut up under wrath For the spirit first by the Law begetteth bondage and feare prickes the Conscience reduceth a man to impossibilities that hee knowes not what to doe nor which way to turne before it worketh the Spirit of Adoption or make a man thinke with the Prodigall that hee hath a Father to deliver him And by these Gradations the Law leadeth to Faith in Christ so that though in all these respects the works of the law be works of bondage yet the Ends and Purposes of God in them are Ends of Mercie Secondly The Law hath Rationem Fraeni and regulae to cohibite and restraine from sinne and to order the life of a man And in this sense likewise it is added to the Gospell as the Rule is to the hand of the workeman For as the Rule worketh nothing without the hand of the Artificer to guide and moderate it because of it selfe it is dead and the workeman worketh nothing without his Rule So the Law can onely shew what is good but gives no power at all to doe it for that is the worke of the Spirit by the Gospell yet Evangelicall Grace directs a man to no other obedience then that of which the Law is the Rule Now then to make some use of all this which hath beene said This shewes the ignorance and absurdity of those men who cry downe preaching of the Law as a course leading to despaire â—…nd discontentment though we finde by Saint Paul that it leadeth unto Christ. To preach the Law alone by it selfe wee confesse is to pervert the vse of it neither have we any power or commission so to doe for we have our power for edification and not for destruction It was published as an appendant to the Gospell and so must it be preached It was published in the hand of a Mediator and it must be preached in the hand of a Mediator It was published Evangelycally and it must bee so preached But yet wee must preach the Law and that in its owne fearefull shapes for though it were published in Mercy yet it was published with Thunder Fire Tempests and Darkenesse even in the hand of a Mediator for this is the method of the Holy Ghost to convince first of sinne and then to reveale righteousnesse and refuge in Christ. The Law is the forerunner that makes roome and prepares welcome in the Soule for Christ. I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come saith the Lord to note unto us that a man will never desire Christ indeede till he be first shaken As in Elias his vision the still voyce came after the Tempest so doth Christ in his voyce of Mercy follow the shakings and Tempests of the Law First the Spirit of Eliah in the preaching of repentance for sinne and then the Kingdome of God in the approach of Christ and evidences of reconcilement to the Soule And the reason is because men are so wedded to their sinnes that they will not accept of Mercy on faire termes so as to forsake sinne withall as mad men that must bee bouâ—…d before they can be cured so are men in their lusts the Law must hamper and shut them up before the Gospell and the spirit of liberty will bee welcome to them Now this is Gods resolution to humble the soule so low till it can in truth and seriousnesse bid Christ welcome upon any conditions His Mercy and the blood of his Sonne is so pretious and invaluable that hee will not caâ—… it away where no notice shall bee taken of it but hee will make the heart subscribe experimentally to that Truth of his That it is a saying worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the World to save sinners And we know a man must bee brought to great extremities who can esteeme as welcome as life the presence of such a man who comes with a sword to cut of his members or cut out his eyes and yet this is the manner of Christs comming to bring a Crosse and a Sword with him to hew off our lusts which are our earthly members and to Crucifie us unto the world But what then Mâ—…st nothing be preached but damnation and Hell to men God forbid We have commission to preach nothing but Christ and life in him and therefore we never preach the Law but with reference and manuduction unto him The truth is Intentionally wee preach nothing but Salvation wee come with no other intention but that every man who heares us might beleeve and bee saved wee have our power onely for edification and not for destruction but conditionally we preach Salvation and Damnation He that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned that is the summe of our Commission But it is further very observable in that place that preaching of the Gospell is preaching both of Salvation and of Damnation upon the severall conditions So then when we preach the Law we preach Salvation to them that feare it as the Lord shewed mercy to Iosiah because his heart trembled and humbled it selâ—…e at his Law and when we preach the Gospell wee preach Damnation to them that despâ—…se it How shâ—…ll we escape if we neglect so great Salvation The Gospell is Salvation of it selfe but he that neglects Salvation is the mâ—…re certaine to perish and that with a double destruction Death unto Death to that wrath of God which abâ—…deth vpon him before will come a sorer condâ—…mnation by trampling under foote the blood of the Covenant and not obeying the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Here then are two rules to be observ'd First by the ministers of the Word that they so preach the Law as that it may still appeare to be an appendant unto the Gospell and â—…ot suffer the ministrie to be evill spoken of by men who watch for advantages We must endeavour so to manage the dispensation of the Law that men may not thereby be exasperated but put in minde of the Sanctuary to which they should flie The heart of man is broken as a flint with a hard and a soft together A Hammer and A Pillow is the best way to breake a flint A Prison and a Pardon A Scourge and a Salve A Curse and a Saviour is the best way to humble and convert a sinner When wee convince the hearers that all the teâ—…rors we pronounce are out of compassion to them that wee have mercy and balme in store to powre into every wound that we make that all the blowes we give are not to kill their Soules
that Spirit revealeth and confirmeth unto us so every smaller sinne doth in its manner and measure grieve this spirit even as every distemper in the body doth bring paine in some measure unto the naturall soule A living member is sensible of the smallest pricke whereas a body in the Grave is not pained nor disaffected with the weight and darknesse of the earth the gâ—…awing of wormes the stinch of rotteâ—…nesse nor any violences of dissolution because the principle ofsense is departed so though wicked men lie in rotten and noysome lusts have the guilt of many millions of sinnes like so many rockes and mountaines of Lead on their soules doe dayly cut and teare themselves like the Lunaticke in the Gospell yet they feele nothing of all this because they have no spirit of life in them whereas another in whom Christ is formed would bee constrain'd with teares of blood and most bitter repentance to wash the wound of spirit which but one of those fearefull oathes or uncleane actions which the others multiply and wallow in with delight would make within them Now Hee who hath the Sonne hath holynesse upon two grounds according to that double relation which Holinesse hath unto Christ. For it respecteth Him as the Principle and Fountaine from whence it comes and as the rule or patterne unto which it answeres Holynes is called the Image of God now as the face is both the Fountaine of that Image or species which is shed upon the glasse and likewise the exact patterne and example of it too so Christ is both the Principle of Holinesse by whom it is wrought and the Rule unto which it is proportioned First Christ is the Principle and Fountaine of Holinesse as the head is of sense or motion from him the whole body is joyned together and compacted and so maketh encrease and edification of it selfe in Love The oyntment ran downe from Aarons head unto the skirts of his garment to note the effusion of the spirit of Holinesse from Christ unto his lowest members Ye have received an unction from the holy One saith the Apostle What this influence of Christ into his members is wee shall more particularly open in the consequent parts of this discourse Secondly Christ is the Rule and Patterne of holinesse to his Church Our Sanctification consisteth onely in a conformitie unto his wayes For more distinct understanding of which point we must note first that Christ had severall waies and workes to walke through Sometimes we finde him walking to Golgotha and the Garden which was the worke of his merit and passion Sometimes to the Mount with Peter Iames and Iohn which was the worke of his glory and trans-figuration Sometimes upon the sea and through the midst of Enemies which was his worke of power and miracles Sometimes in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes which was his worke of government guidance and influence on the Church Lastly we finde him going about and doing good submitting himselfe unto his parents going apart by himselfe to pray and in other the like workes of his ordinary obedience Secondly of these workes of Christ we must note that some are uncommunicable others communicable Vncommunicable are first his workes of Merit and Mediation There is but one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ. There is no other name under heaven by which a man may be saved but the name of Christ. There is no Redemption nor intercession to bee wrought by any man but by Christ. None have to doe with the Censer to offer incense who have not to doe with the Altar to offer Sacrifice Secondly his worke of Governement and Influence into the Church his dispensing of the spirit his quickning of his Word his subduing of his enemies his collecting of his members are all personall Honours which belong unto Him as Head of the Church Those which are Communicable and wherein wee may be by his Grace made partakers are such as either belong to the other life or to this In the other life our Bodies shall bee made Conformed to the transfigured and Glorious body of Christ when Hee appeareth wee shall be made like unto Him by the power whereby Hee subdueth all things unto Himselfe Here some are againe extraordinarily Communicable being for ministery and service not for sanctity or Salvation Such were the miraculous workes of the Apostles which were unto them by way of priviledge and temporary dispensation granted Others ordinarily and universally to all his members So then it remaines that our formall and complete Sanctification consists in a Conformitie to the wayes of Christs ordinary Obedience The whole Life of Christ was a Discipline a Living Shining and exemplary Precept unto men a Visible Commentary on Gods Law Therefore wee finde such names given unto Him in the Scriptures as signifie not onely Preeminence but exemplarynesse A Prince a Leader a Governour a Captaine an Apostle and high Priest a chiefe Sheepeheard and Bishop a Forerunner or Conduct into Glory a Light to the Iewes a Light to the Gentiles a Light to every man that entereth into the World All which titles as they declare his Dignitie that He was the first borne of every Creature so they intimate likewise that Hee was proposed to be the Author and Patterne of Holynesse to his people All other Saints are to be imitated onely with limitation unto Him and so farre as they in their conversation expresse his Life and Spirit Be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ. But we must 〈◊〉 pinne our obedience to the example of any Saint lest we happen to stumble and breake our bones as they did Wherefore are the falls and apostacies the errors and infirmities of holy men in Scripture registred Certainely the Lord delighteth not to keepe those sinnes upon record for men to gaze on which himselfe hath put behinde his owne backe and wiped out of the booke of his owne remembrance Hee delighteth not in the dishonour and deformities of his worthies But they are recorded for our sakes set up for landmarks to warne euery man to take heed of adventuring on any mans authority upon those rockes where such renowned and noble Saints have before miscarried Children of light indeed they are but their light is like the light of the Moone subject to mixtures wainings decayes eclipses Christ onely is the Sunne of righteousnesse that hath a plenitude indeficiencie unerring holinesse which neither is deceived nor can deceive Now further this conformity unto Christ must be in all his obedience First in his actiue obedience unto the Law Learne of me saith he for I am meeke and lowly I have given you an Example that you should doe as I have done unto you The action was but temporarie and according to the custome of the place and age but the affection was universall the humility of his heart Let the same minde saith the Apostle be
and obediently undertake it Thou hast prepared mee a bodie In the volume of thy booke it is written of me Lo I come to doe thy Will O God Lastly our holynesse must have growth and proficiencie with it grow in grace Let these things be in you and abound as it is said of Christ that He increased in wisedome and favour with God and men and that He learned obedience by the things which Hee suffered If it bee here objected that Christ was ever full and had the Spirit without measure even from the wombe For in as much as his Divine nature was in his infancie as fully united to his humane as ever after therefore the fulnesse of grace which was a consequent thereupon was as much as ever after To this I answere that certaine it is Christ was ever full of Grace and Spirit but that excludes not his growth in them proportionably to the ripenesse and by consequence capacitie of his humane nature Suppose we the Sunne were vegetable and a subject of augmentation though it would be never true to say that it is fuller of light then it was yet it would be true to say that it hath more light now then it had when it was of a lesser capacitie Even so Christ being in all things save sinne like unto us and therefore like us in the degrees and progresses of naturall maturitie though he were ever full of Grace may yet be said to grow in it and to learne because as the capacitie of his nature was enlarged the spring of Grace within him did rise up and proportionably fill it Secondly from this Doctrine of our conformity in Holinesse to the life of Christ we may be instructed touching the vigor of the Law and the consonancie and concurrencie thereof with the Gospell True it is that Christ is the End of the Law and that wee are not under the Law but under Grace Yet it is as true that Christ came not to destroy the Law and that no jot nor tittle thereof shall fall to the ground Wee are not under the Law for Iustification of our persons as Adam nor for satisfaction of Divine Iustice as those that perish but we are under it as a document of obedience and a rule of living It is now published from mount Sion as a Law of libertie and a new Law not as a Law of condemnation and bond age The obedience thereof is not removed but the disobedience thereof is both pardoned and cured Necessarie is the observation of it as as a fruite of Faith not as a condition of Life or Righteousnesse Necessarie necessitate praecepti as a thing commanded the transgressing whereof is an incurring of sinne not necessitate medy as a strict and undispensable meane of Salvation the transgression whereof is a peremptorie obligation unto death Three things Christ hath done to the Law for us First He hath mitigated the rigâ—…r and removed the curse from it as it is a killing letter and ministery of death Secondly Hee hath by his Spirit conferred all the principles of obedience upon us wisdome to contrive will to desire strength to execute love to delight in the services of it The Law onely commands but Christ enables Thirdly Hee hath by his exemplary holinesse chalked out unto us and conducted us in the way of obedience for all our obedience comes from Christ and that either as unto members from his Spirit or as unto Disciples from his Doctrine and Example We see then the necessitie of our being in Christ not onely for righteousnesse but for obedience for we must have Life before we can have Operation If we live in the spirit let us walkâ—… also in the spirit Whereas out of Christ a man is under the whole Law as an insupportable yoke as an impossible and yet inexorable rule as a Covenant of Righteousnesse and condition by which he must be tried by which he must everlastingly stand or fall before the tribunall of Christ when he shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on those who though convinced of their iusufficiencie to observe the Law have yet disobeyed the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thirdly we may hence learne the necessitie of diligent attendance on the holy Scriptures and places where they are explained there is no abiding in Christ but by walking as he walked there is no walking as hee walked but by knowing how he walked and this is onely by the Scriptures in which Hee is yet amongst us walking in the middest of his Church Crucified before our eyes set forth and declared unto us many other signes Iesus did which are not written saith the Apostle but these are written that you might beleeve and that beleeving you might have life Wee know not any of Christs wayes or workes but by the Word and therefore they who give no attendance unto that declare that they regard not the wayes of Christ nor have any care to follow the Lambe wheresoever he goeth Secondly we must from hence bee exhorted to take heede of usurping Christs honour to our selves of being our owne rule or way The Lord is a jealous God and will not suffer any to bee a selfe mover or a God unto himselfe It is one of Gods extreamest judgements to give men over to themselves and leave them to follow their owne rules When hee hath first woâ—…d men by his Spirit and that is resisted enticed them by his mercies and they are abused threatned them with his judgements and they are misattributed to second causes cried unto them by his prophets and they are reviled sent his owne Sonne to perswade them and hee is trampled on and despised when he offers to teach them and they stoppe their eares to leade them and they pull away their shoulder to convert them and they hardned their heart when they set up mounds against the Gospell as it were to non-plus and pose the mercies of God that there may be no remedie left then after all these indâ—…gnities to the Spirit of Grace this is the judgement with which God useth to revenge the quarrrell of his Grace and Covenant to leave them to the hardnesse and impenitencie of their owne hearts to be a rule and way unto themselves My people would not hearken to my voyce and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsels Let us therefore take heede of a will-holynesse We are the servants of Christ and our members are to bee the instruments of righteousnesse and servants are to be governed by the will of their masters and members to bee guided by the influence of the head and instruments to bee applyed to all their services by the superiour cause Every thing which Moses did about the Tabernacle was to be done after the patterne which he had seene in the mount and every thing which we doe in these spirituall Tabernacles
Hee shall change our vile bodies into the similitude of his Glorious bodie When Hee comes we shall meete him and be ever with him Hee is ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and our God and therefore to his Kingdome and our Kingdome His by personall proprietie and hypostaticall union ours by his purchase and merit and by our mysticall union and fellowship with him He is gone to prepare a place for us In Earth Hee was our suretie to answere the penaltie of our sinnes and in Heaven He is our Advocate to take seifin and possession of that Kingdome for us Our Captaine and Forerunner and high Priest who hath not onely carried our names but hath broken off the vaile of the Sanctuary and given us accesse into the Holyest of all And hee that hath the Sonne hath this life alreadie in three regards First in pâ—…etio he hath the price that procured it esteemed his It was bought with the pretious blood of Christ in his Name and to his use and it was so bought for him that he hath a present right and claime unto it It is not his iâ—… Reversion after an expiration of any others right there are no leaseâ—… nor reversions in Heaven but it is his as an inheritance is the heires after the death of the Ancestor who yet by minoritie of yeeres or distance of place may occupie and possesse it by some other person Secondly Hee hath it in promisso He hath Gods Charter his Assurance sealed with an oath and a double Sacrament to establish his heart in the expectation of it By two immutable things faith the Apostle namely the Word and the Oath of God wherein it was impossible for him to he we have strong consolation and great ground of hope which hope is sure and stedfast and leadeth us unto that place which is within the vaile whither Christ our Forerunner is gone before us Thirdly He hath it in primitijs in the earnest and first fruites and hansell of it in those few clusters of grapes and bunches of figges those Graces of Christs Spirit that peace comfort serenitie which is shed forth into the heart already from that Heavenly Canaan The Holy Spirit of Promise is the earnest of our inheritance untill the Redemption or full fruition and Revelation of our purchased possession to the prayse of his Glory The Graces of the Spirit in the soule are as certaine and infallible evidences of Salvation as the day starre or the morning aurora is of the ensuing day or Sunne-rising For all spirituall things in the Soule are the beginnings of Heaven parcels of that Spirit the fulnesse and residue whereof is in Christs keeping to adorne us with when he shall present us unto his Father But this Doctrine of the Life of Glory is in this life more to be made use of then curiously to bee enquired into O then where the Treasure is let the heart be where the body is let the Eagles resort if wee are already free men of heaven let our thoughts our language our conversation our Trading be for Heaven Let us set our faces towards our home Let us awake out of sleepe considering that now our salvation is neerer then when we first beleeved If wee have a hope to be like him at his comming let us purifie our selves even as hee is pure since there is a price a high calling a crowne before us let us presse forward with all violence of devotion never thinke our selves farre enough but prepare our hearts still and lay hold on every advantage to further our progresse Since there is a rest remaining for the people of God let us labour to enter into it and to hold fast our profession that as well absent as present we may be accepted of him Secondly since we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens Let us feele the burden of our fleshly corruptions and groane after our redemption Let us long for the revelation of the Sonnes of God and for his appearing as the Saints under the Altar How long Lord Iesus Holy and Iust. Thirdly let us with enlarg'd and ravish'd affections with all the vigor and activitie of enflamed hearts recount the great love of God who hath not onely delivered us from his wrath but made us Sonnes married his owne infinite Maiestie to our nature in the unitie of his Sonnes person and made us in him Kings Priests and Heires unto God Beloved what manner of Love How unsearchable How bottomlesse how surpassing the apprehensions of Men or Angels is the Love of God to us saith the Apostle that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Lastly if God will glorifie us with his Life hereafter let us labour as much as wee can to glorifie Him in our lives here It was our Saviours argument who might have entered into Glory as his owne without any such way of procurement if his owne voluntarie undertaking the office of Mediator had not concluded him Glorifie me with thy selfe with the glorie which I had with thee before the World was for I have gloryfied thee on Earth I have finished the worke which thou gavest mee to doe If we are indeede perswaded that there is laid up for us a Crowne of righteousnesse we cannot but with Saint Paul resolve to fight a good fight to finish our course to keepe the faith to bring forth much fruite that our Father may be glorified in us And now having unfolded this threefold Life which the faithfull have in Christ wee may further take notice of three attributes or properties of this life both to humble and to secure us and they are all couched in one word of the Apostle your life is hid with Christ in God It is in Christs keeping as in the hands of a faithfull depositary and it is a Life in God a full Life a derivation from the Fountaine of Life where it is surer and sweeter then in any Cisterne Here then are three properties of a Christians Life in Christ first Obscuritie secondly Plentie thirdly safetie or Eternitie First it is an obscure life a secret aâ—d mysterious life so the Apostle calleth Godlynesse a Mysterie As there is a mysterie of iniquitie and the hidden things of uncleannesse so there is a Mysterie of Godlynesse and the hidden man of the heart The Life of Grace first is hidden totally from the wicked A stranger doth not intermeddle with a righteous mans joy The naturall man knoweth not any things of Gods spirit Saint Peter gives the reason because he is blinde and cannot see a farre off Now the things of God are deepe things and high things upward they have too much brightnesse and downeward they have too much darknesse for purblinde
eyes to apprehend Secondly It is hid in some sort from the faithfull themselves First under the prevalencie of their corruptions and adherencie of concupiscence as Corne under a heape of chaffe or a wall under the Ivie or mettall under the rust which overgrowes it Secondly under the winnowings and temptations of Satan As in sifting of Corne the branne being lightest gets upmost so when Satan disquiets the heart that which is finest and should most comfort will sinke and bee out of sight Thirdly under spirituall desertions and trials as in an Eclipse when the face of the Sunne is intercepted the Moone looseth her light so when God who is our light hideth his Countenance from us no marvell if we can discover no good nor comfort in our selves Secondly the life of glorie is much more obscure and secret for notwithstanding the first fruites and inchoations thereof bee in this life begun in the peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost as in an Eclipse of the Sunne some dimme glimpses doe glance from the edges of the interposed body yet in regard of the plenarie infusion of glorious endowments and those prerogatives of the flesh which belong unto it at the redemption of the bodie it is a hidden mysterie It is a light which is onely sowed for the righteous though we expect a revelation of it yet now it is but as corne in the ground covered over with much darknesse Now we are Sonnes saith Saint Iohn we have Ius ad rem right unto our Life and Crowne already but we are in a farre countrie like the prodigall absent from the Lord and therefore It doth not yet appeare what we shall be we can no more distinctly understand the excellencie of our inheritance by these seales and assurances which ratifie our right thereunto then one who never saw the Sunne could conjecture the light and lustre thereof by the twinckling of a litle starre or the picture thereof in a table Onely this wee know that when he shall appeare wee shall be like unto him not onely in true holynesse for so we are like him now wee are already created after him in righteousnesse and true holynesse but in full holynesse too we shall be filled with all the fulnesse of God as the same Apostle speakes Such a fulnesse as shall satisfie us when I awake I shall bee satisfied with thy likenesse Therefore the last day is by an emphasis called a Day of redemption First in regard of the manifestation and Revelation thereof The Lord shal then appeare and bee revealed from Heaven all those curtens shall bee drawne those vailes betweene us and our Glory those skinnes with which the Arke is overlaid shall be torne and removed our sinnes our earthly condition our manifold afflictions the seeming povertie and foolishnesse of the ordinances shall be all laid aside and then wee shall see our Redeemer not as Iob did from a dunghill nor as Moses through a Cloude but we shall know even as we are knowne Here then wee see one of the maine reasons why wicked men despise religion and abominate the righteous as signes and wonders to bee spoken against They judge of Spiritual things as blind men do of colors These are hidden mysteries to them no marvell if they count it a strange thing and a very madnesse that others runne not to their excesse But our comfort is that our hope is Germen a growing thing a stone full of eyes a hidden Manna sweete though secret a new name which though no other man can know yet he that receiveth it is able to reade And this is the reason too why the Saints themselves are not enough affected with the beautie of Holynesse because it is in great part hidden even from them by corruptions and admixture of earthly lusts Lift up your heads saith our Saviour for your redemption draweth nigh noting unto us that so long as the thoughts and affections of men are downeward their redemption is out of their sight Open thou mine eyes saith David that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law I am a stranger on earth O hide not thy Commandements from me When a man makes himselfe a stranger unto earthly things and setteth not any of his choisest affections and desires on them he is then qualified to see those mysteries and wonders which are in the Law If there were no earth there would bee no darknesse for the shadow of the earth is that which makes the night and the bodie of the earth which absenteth the Sunne from our view It is much more certaine in spirituall things the light of Gods Word and Graces would not bee eclipsed if earthly affections did not interpose themselves This is the reason why men goe on in their sinnes and beleeve not the Word because they have a vaile over their eyes which hides the beautie of it from them Who hath beleeved our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed saith the Prophet intimating unto us that the Word will not be beleeved till it bee revealed The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto Pauls preaching As soone as the vaile is taken away by Christ and the Truth Goodnesse and beautie of the Gospell discover'd there is immediately wrought a cleare assent and subscription in the minde an earnest longing and desire in the heart a constant purpose and resolution in the will to forsake all things as dung in comparison of that excellent knowledge As in the discoverie of mathematicall conclusions there is such demonstrative and invincible evidence as would make a man wonder he had not understood them before so in the discoveries of Grace unto the Soule the Spirit doth so throughly convince a man that hee wonders at his former stupiditie which never admired such things before Againe the faithfull are here to be directed in this state of obscuritie how to carry themselves under those corruptions temptations desertions which here hide the brightnesse and beautie of their life from them First above all preserve sinceritie in the heart There is nothing in us so perfect so contrarie to our corruptions as sinceritie that will ever bee to the soule in the midst of darknesse as a chinke in a Dungeon through which it may discerne some glimmerings of light whereas without it all other shewes and pretences are but like windowes fastned upon a thicke wall onely for uniformitie in the building though they seeme specious to the beholder without yet inward they transmit no light at all because they are laid over an opace body Secondly foster not temptations doe not pleade nor promote the Divels cause set not forward thine enemies suggestions Though it bee our dutie to have our sinnes alwayes before us so it bee upon the suggestion and proposall of Gods Spirit yet we must turne our eyes from our very sinnes when Sathan displayes them Christ will be confessed but hee forbids the
Loved us when wee were his enemies and enemies we were not but by wicked workes Now then if wicked workes could not prevent the Love of God why should wee thinke that they can nullyfie or destroy it If His Grace did prevent sinners before their repentance that they might returne shall it not much more preserve repenting sinners that they may not perish If the masse guilt and greatnesse of Adams sinne in which all men were equally sharers and in which equalitie God looked upon us with Love and Grace then which sinne a greater I thinke cannot be committed against the Law of God If the bloody and crimsin sinnes of the unconverted part of our life wherein we drew iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart-ropes If neither iniquitie transgression nor sinne neither sin of nature nor sinne of course and custome nor sinne of rebellion and contumacie could pose the goodnesse and favour of God to us then nor intercept or frustrate his Counsell of loving us when wee were his enemies why should any other sinnes overturne the stability of the same love and counsell when we are once his Sonnes and have a spirit given us to bewaile and lament our falls I cannot here omit the excellent words of P Fulgentius to this purpose The same Grace saith he of Gods Immutable Counsell doth both beginne our merit unto righteousnesse and consummate it unto Glorie doth here make the will not to yeelde to the infirmitie of the flesh and doth hereafter free it from all infirmitie doth here renew it Continuo Iuvamine and elsewhere Iugi auxilio with an uninterrupted supportance and at last bring it to a full Glory Secondly Gods Promise flowing from this Love and Grace An everlasting Covenant will I make saith God and observe how it comes to be everlasting and not frustrated or made temporary by us I will not turne away from them saith the Lord to doe them good True Lord wee know thou dost not repent thee of thy Love but though thou turne not from us O how fraile how apt are wee to turne away from thee and so to nullifie this thy Covenant of mercie unto our selves Nay saith the Lord I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall not depart from me So elsewhere the Lord tels us that his Covenant should be as the water of Noah the sinnes of men can no more utterly cancell or reverse Gods Covenant of mercie towards them then they can bring backe Noahs flood into the World againe though for a moment he may bee angry and hide His face yet His mercie in the maine is great and everlasting The Promises of God as they have Truth so they have Power in them they doe not depend upon our resolutions whether they shall bee executed or no but by Faith apprehending them and by Hope waiting upon God in them they frame and accommodate the heart to those conditions which introduce then Execution God maketh us to doe the things which He commandeth we do not make Him to doe the things which He promiseth Tee are kept saith the Apostle by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation Faith is first by Gods Power wrought and preserved It is the Faith of the operation of God namely that powerfull operation which raised Christ from the dead and your Faith standeth not in the wisedome of men but in the Power of God And then it becomes an effectuall instrument of the same power to preserve us unto Salvation They shall be all taught of God and every man that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto mee There is a voluntarie attendance of the heart of man upon the ineffable sweetnesse of the Fathers teaching to conclude this point with that excellent and comfortable speech of the Lord in the prophet I the Lord change not therefore ye Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed It is nothing in or from your selves but onely the immutabilitie of my Grace and Promises which preserveth you from being consumed Thirdly the Obsignation of the Spirit ratifying and securing these promises to the hearts of the faithfull for the spirit is the hansell earnest and seale of our Redemption and it is not onely an obsignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto redemption arguing the certainty of the end upon condition of the meanes but it is an establishing of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too into Christ as a meanes unto that end so that from the first fruites of the Spirit a man may conclude his interest in the whole at last as Saint Paul from the resurrection of Christ the first fruites argueth to the finall accomplishment of the resurrection Fourthly the nature and effects of Faith whose propertie it is to make future things present to the beleever and to give them a Being and by consequence a necessitie and certaintie to the apprehensions of the Soule even when they have not a Being in themselves Saint Paul call's it the subsistencie of things to come and the evidence and demonstration of things not seene which our Saviours words doe more fully explaine He that drinketh my blood hath eternall Life and shall never thirst Though Eternall Life bee to come in regard of the full fruition yet it is present already in regard of the first fruites of it And therefore wee finde our Saviour take a future medium to prove a present Blessednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee are blessed when men shall hate you c for great is your reward in Heaven Which inference could not be sound unlesse that future medium were certaine by the Power of Faith giving unto the promises of God as it were a presubsistencie For it is the priviledge of Faith to looke upon things to come as if they were alreadie conferr'd upon us And the Apostle useth the like argument Sinne shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace This were a strange inference in naturall or civill things to say you shall not die because you are in health or you shall not be rejected because you are in favour But the Covenant of Grace being seall'd by an Oath makes all the grants which therein are made irreversible and constant So that now as when a man is dead to the Being of sinne as the Saints departed this life are the Being of sinne doth no more trouble them nor returne upon them so when a man is dead to the dominion of sinne that dominion shall never any more returne upon him Consider further the formall effect of Faith which is to unite a man unto Christ. By meanes of which vnion Christ and we are made one Bodie for He that is joyned to Christ is one and the Apostle saith that He is the Saviour of his Bodie and then surely of every member of his Bodie too for the members have all care one
of â—…ther else the Bodie of Christ would be a mangled and a maimed thing and not as Saint Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of Him that filleth all in all In the Body of Christ there is a supply to every joynt a measure of every part an edification and growth of the whole compacted body from Him who is equally the Head to all Being thus united unto Christ first the Death and Merit of Christ is ours whatsoever Hee really in His humane nature suffered for sinne wee are in moderated Iustice reputed to have suffered with Him The Apostle saith that we were crucified and dead with Christ and that as truely as the hand which steales is punish'd when the backe is beaten and surely if a man were crucified in and with Christ by reason of His mysticall communion with him then he was crucifi'd as Christ for al 〈◊〉 which should otherwise have laine upon him Hee was not in Christ to cleanse some sinnes and out of him to beare others himselfe For the Apostle assures us that the Merit of Christ is unconfined by any sinne The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinne As Saint Ambrose said to Monica the mother of Austen when with many teares she bewailed her sonnes unconversion Non potest tot lacrymarum filius perire that is that it could not be that the Sonne of so many teares should perish so may I more certainely say to any Soule that is soundly and in truth humbled with the sense of any grievous relapse non potest tot lacrymarum frater perire It cannot bee that the brother of so many teares and so pretious blood which from Christ trickled downe with an unperishable soveraigntie unto the lowest and sinfullest of his bodie should perish for want of compassion in Him who felt the weight of our sufferings or for want of recovery from him who hath the fulnesse of Grace and Spirit Secondly the Life of Christ is ours likewise Christ liveth in me saith the Apostle Now the Life of Christ is free from the power and the reach of death If death could not hold Him when it had Him much lesse can it reach or overtake Him having once escaped Hee died once unto sinne but Hee liveth unto God likewise saith Saint Paul reckon you your selves to be dead unto sinne but alive unto God and that through or in Iesus Christ by whom wee in like manner are made partakers of that Life which Hee by rising againe from the Grave did assume as we were by AdaÌ„ made obnoxious to the same death which heby failing did incurre and contract For Christ is the second Adam and as wee have borne the Image of the earthly in sinne and guilt so must we beare the Image of the Heavenly in Life and righteousnesse and that which in us answereth to tâ—…e Resurrection and Life of Christ which Hee ever liveth is our holynesse and newnesse of life as the Apostle plainely shew's to note that our Renovation likewise ought to be perpetuall and constant not fraile and mutable as when it depended upon the life of the first Adam and not of the second Thirdly the Kingdome of Christ is ours also Now His Kingdome is not perishable but eternall a Kingdome which cannot be shaken or destroyed as the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 28. Fourthly the Sonneship and by consequence â—…tance of Christ is ours I speake not of His personall Sonneship by eternall generation but of that dignitie and honour which He had as the first borne of every Creature and Heire of all things That Sonneship which Hee had as Hee was borne from the Dead Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee namely in the Resurrection in which respect He is called the first borne and the first begotten of the Dead In this dignitie of Christ of being Heires and a kinde of first borne unto God doe wee in our measure partake for wee are called the Church of the first borne and a kinde of first fruites of His Creatures For though those attributes may be limited to the Iewes in regard of precedencie to the Gentiles yet in regard of the inheritance which was usually and properly to descend to the first borne they may bee applyed to all for of all beleevers the Apostle saith If you are Sonnes then are ye heires Coheires with Christ. We hold in chiefe under his guardianship and protection as his sequele and dependant Now from hence our Saviours argument may bring much comfort and assurance The Sonne abideth in the house for ever and the House of God is His Church not in Heaven onely but on Earth likewise as the Apostle shewes Fifthly Christs victories are ours Hee overcame the World and Temptations and Enemies and Sinnes for us And therefore they shall not bee able to overcome Him in us Hee is able to succour them that are tempted Hee who once overcame them for us will certainely subdue them in us Hee that will overcome the last Enemie will overcome all that are before for if any be left the last is not overcome Lastly we have the benefit of Christs Intercession I have prayed for thee that thy Faith faile not It is spoken of a saving Faith as the learned prove at large And I have shewed before that particular promises in Scripture are universally applyable to any man whose case is paralell to that particular If then Peters 〈◊〉 did not by reason of this prayer of Christ overturne his Salvation or bring a totall deficiencie upon his faith why should any man who is truely and deepely humbled with the sense of relapse or consciousnesse of some sinne not of ordinary guilt or dayly incursion but indeede very hainous and therefore to be repented of with teares of blood yet why should he in this case of sound humiliation stagger in the hope of forgivenesse or mistrust Gods mercie since a greater sinne then Peters in the grosse matter of it can I thinke hardly be committed by any justified man These are the comforts which may secure the Life of Christ in a lapsed but repenting sinner the summe of all is this Since we stand not like Adam upon our owne bottome but are branches of such a Vine as never withers Members of such a Head as never dies sharers in such a Spirit as cleanseth healeth and purifieth the heart partakers of such promises as are sealed with the Oath of God Since we live not by our owne life but by the Life of Christ are not ledde or sealed by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of Christ doe not obtaine mercie by our owne prayers but by the Intercession of Christ stand not reconciled unto God by our owne endevours but by the propitiation wrought by Christ who loved us when wee were enemies and in our blood who is both willing and able to save
us to the uttermost and to preserve his owne mercies in us to whose office it belongs to take order that none who are given unto him be lost undoubtedly that Life of Christ in us which is thus underpropped though it be not priviledg'd from temptations no nor from backeslidings yet is an abiding Life He who raised our Soule from death will either preserve our feete from falling or if we doe fall will heale our backflidings and will save us freely Infinitely therefore doth it concerne the Soule of every man to bee restlesse and unsatisfied with any other good thing till he find himselfe entitled unto this happy Communion with the Life of Christ which will never faile him As all the Creatures in the world so man especially hath in him a twofold desire a desire of perfection and a desire of perpetuitie a desire to advance and a desire to preserve his Being Now then till a mans Soule after many rovings and inquisitions hath at last fixed it selfe upon some such good thing as hath compasse enough to satiate and replenish the vastnesse of these two desires impossible it is for that Soule though otherwise filled with a confluence of all the glory wealth wisedome learning and curiositie of Salomon himselfe to have solid contentment enough to withstand the feares of the smallest danger or to outface the accusations of the smallest sinne Now then let us suppose that any good things of this World without the Life of Christ were able to satisfie one of these two desires to perfect and advance our nature though indeede it bee farre otherwise since without Christ they are all but like a stone in a Serpents head or a Pearle in an Oyster not our perfections but our diseases like Cleopatra her pretious stone when she wore it a Iewell but when she dranke it an excrement I may boldly say that as long as a man is out of Christ he were better be a begger or an idiote then to bee the steward of riches honours learning and wisedome which should have beene improv'd to the Glory of Him that gave them and yet to bee able to give up at that great day of accompts no other reckoning unto God but this Thy riches have beene the authors of my covetousnesse and oppression thy honours the steppes of my haughtinesse and ambition thy learning and wisedome the fuell of my pride But now I say suppose that nature could receive any true advancement by these things yet alas when a man shall beginne to thinke with himselfe may not God this night take me away like the foole in the Gospell from all these things or all these from mee May I not nay must I not within these few yeeres in stead of mine honour be laid under mens feete In stead of my purple and scarlet be cloathed with rottennesse In stead of my luxurie and delycacies become my selfe the foode of wormes Is not the poore soule in my bosome an immortall soule Must it not have a being as long as there is a God who is able to support it And will not my bagges and titles my pleasures and preferments my learning and naturall endowments every thing save my sinnes and mine adversaries and mine owne Conscience forsake mee when I once enter into that immortalitie When a man I say shall beginne to summon his heart unto such sad accompts as these how will his face gather blacknesse and his knees tremble and his heart be even damp'd and blasted with amazement in the middest of all the vanities and lyes of this present world What a fearefull thing is it for an eternall soule to have nothing betweene it and eternall misery to rest upon but that which will moulder away and crumble into dust under it and so leave it alone to sinke into bottomlesse calamitie O Beloved when men shall have passed many millions of yeeres in another world which no millions of yeeres can shorten or diminish what accession of comfort can then come to those glorious joyes which we shall bee filled with in Heaven or what diminution or mitigation of that unsupportable anguish which without ease or end must bee suffered in Hell by the remembrance of those few houres of transitorie contentments which we have here not without the mixture of much sorrow and allay enjoyed What smacke or rellish thinke you hath Dives now left him of all his delicacies or Esau of his pottage What pleasure hath the rich foole of his full Barnes or the young man of his great possessions What delight hath Iezabel in her paint or Ahab in the Vineyard purchased with the innocent blood of Him that owned it How much policie hath Achitophel or how much pompe hath Herod or how much rhetoricke hath Tertullus left to escape or to bribe the torments which out of Christ they must for ever suffer O how infinitely doth it concerne the Soule of every man to finde this Life of Christ to rest upon which will never forsake him till it bring him to that day of Redemption wherein he shall be filled with blessednesse infinitely proportionable to the most vast and unlimited capacities of the Creature And now when we can secure our Consciences in the inward true and spirituall renovation of our heart in this invincible and unperishable obsignation of the spirit who knitteth us as really though mistically unto Christ as his sinewes and joynts do fasten the parts of his sacred body together how may our heads bee crowned with joy and our hearts sweetly bathe themselves in the perfruition and preoccupation of those rivers of glory which attend that Spirit wheresoever he goeth Many things I know there are which may extremely disharten us in this interim of mortalitie many things which therein encounter and oppose our progresse The rage malice and subtilty of Satan the frownes flatterles threates and insinuations of this present World the impatience and stubbornnesse of our owne flesh the struglings and counterlustings of our owne potent corruptions the daily consciousnesse of our fall's and infirmities the continuall entercourse of our doubts and feares the ebbing and languishing decaying and even expiring of our Faith and Graces the frequent experience of Gods just displeasure and spirituall desertions leaving the Soule to its owne dumpes and darknesse Sometimes like froward children we throw our selves downe and will not stand and sometimes there comes a tempest which blowes us downe that we cannot stand And now whither should a poore Soule which is thus on all sides invitoned with feares and dangers betake it selfe Surely so long as it lookes either within or about it selfe no marvell if it be ready to sinke under the concurrent opposition of so many assaults But though there be nothing in thee nor about thee yet there is somthing above thee which can hold thee up If there be strength in the merit life kingdom victories Intercession of the Lord Iesus If there be comfort in the Covenant Promises and Oath of
second Adam we are spiritually in Him and from Him as we are naturally or corruptly in and from Adam As Adam was the fountaine of all that are naturally generated and by that meanes transmitted condemnation to all chat are One with Him so Christ is the Head of all that are Spiritually borne againe and by that meanes transmitteth grace righteousnes to al that are one with him From this Vnion of the faithfull unto Christ doth immediately arise a Communion with Him in all such good things as he is pleased to Communicate I will but touch them it having been the subject of this discours hitherto First we have a Communion with Him in His merits which are as fully imputed unto us for Iustification as if His sufferings had beene by us endured or the debt by us satisfied As wee finde in the body medicines often apylyed unto sound parts not with relation to themselves but to cure others which are unsound In a distillation of â—…hewmes on the eyes we cuppe and scarifie the necke which was unaffected to draw backe the humor from the part distempered even so Christ the glorious and innocent Head of a miserable and leprous bodie suffered Himselfe to be wounded and crucified to wrestle with the wrath of His Father to bee One with a wretched people in the condition of their infirmities as He was with His Father in the unitie of divine holinesse that so by his infirmitie beirg joyn'd unto us the Communion of His puritie might joyne us unto God againe He alone without any demerit of His suffered our punishment that we without any merit of ours might obtaine His Grace The paines of Christs wounds were His but the profit ours the holes in His hands and side were His but the balme which issued out was ours the thornes were His but the Crowne was ours in one word the price which He paid was His but the Inheritance which Hee purchased was ours All the ignominie and agonie of His Crosse was infinitely unbeseeming so honourable a Person as Christ if it had not beene necessary for so vile a sinner as man Secondly we have Communion with Him in His Life and Graces by habituall and reall infusion and inhabitation of His Spirit unto Sanctification For we are Sanctified in Him and except we abide in Him we cannot bring forth fruite Christ comes not onely with a passion but with an unction to consecrate us to Himselfe except thou be a partaker as well of this as of that bee as willing to be rull'd as redeemed by Christ In Him indeed thou art but it is as a withered branch in a fruitefull vine while thou art in Him it is to thy shame that thou shouldest bee dead where there is such aboundance of Life and the time will come that thou shalt bee cut off from Him Every branch in me that beareth not fruite He taketh away Lastly we have Communion with Him in many priviledges and dignities But here we must distinguish of the priviledges of Christ some are personall and incommunicable others generall and communicable Of the former sort are all such as belong unto Him either in regard of His Divine Person as to be the everlasting Sonne the word and wisedome of His Father the expresse Image of His Person and brightnesse of His Glory the upholder of all things by the Word of His Power and the like or in regard of His Office as to bee the Redeemer of the Church the Author and finisher of our Faith the Prince of our Salvation the propitiation for the sinnes of the world the second Adam the Mediator betweene God and Man in which things He is alone and there is none with Him Other priviledges there are which are communicable all which may bee compriz'd under this generall of being fellow members with Him in the most glorious Bodie and societie of Creatures in the world The particulars I touch'd before First we have communion in some sort with Him in His Holy unction where by we are consecrated to be Kings and Priests to subdue our corruptions to conquer spirituall wickednesse to offer up the sacrifices of prayer prayses almes and Holy services for we are by Him a royall priesthood Secondly we have Communion in His victories wee are more then conquerors through Him because in the midst of the enemies insultations and our owne distresses the victorie is still ours The enemie may kill us but not overcome us because our death is victorious As Christ triumphed upon the Crosse and had His governement on His shoulders so we rejoyce in afflictions glory in tribulations and in all of them in a confluence and conspiracie of them all wee are more then conquerors Thirdly wee haue Communion with Christ in His Sonship from whence it comes to passe that Christ and His Church doe interchangeably take one anothers names Sometimes Hee is not ashamed to call Himselfe Iacob and Israel This is the generation of them that seeke thy face O Iacob and Thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will bee glorified saith the Lord speaking unto Christ n yea Hee giveth to the Church His owne Name As there are many members and yet but one body so is Christ that is so is the Church of Christ. And what manner of love is this saith the Apostle that we should be called the Sons of God From hence it comes that wee have fellowship with the Father accesse and approach with confidence for all needfull supplyes assurance of His care in all extremities interest in the inheritance which Hee reserveth for His Children confidence to be spared in all our failings and to be accepted in all our sincere and willing services secret debates spirituall conferences of the heart with God He speaking unto our spirits by His Spirit in the Word and wee by the same spirit speaking unto Him in prayers complaints supplycations thankesgivings covenants resolutions Hee kissing us with kisses of Love and comfort and wae kissing Him againe with kisses of reverence and worship We see then to conclude all what an absolute necessity lyes upon us of having Christ because with Him we have All things and can doe all things without Him wee are poore and can doe nothing And the more necessary the dutie the more sinfull the neglect especially considering that Christ with-holds not Himselfe but is ready to meete to prevent to attend every heart that in truth desires Him If a man have a serious simple sincere will to come wholy to Christ not to be held back from him by His dearest and closest corruptions by the sweetest pleasures or strongest temptations which can allure or assault him he may draw neere unto Him with boldnesse and assurance of acceptation he hath a call Christ inviteth yea intreateth him and therefore he may come he hath a command Christ requireth it of him and therefore
tasting no sense that is the instrument of so neere a union as that So then as the motion of the mouth in eating is not in the nature of a motion any whit more excellent then the motion of the eye or foote or of it selfe in speaking yet in the instrumentall office of life and nourishment it is farre more necessarie So though Faith in the substance of it as it is an inherent qualitie hath no singular excellencie above other graces yet as it is an instrument of conveying Christ our spirituall Bread unto our soules and so of assimilating and incorporating us into Him which no other Grace can doe no more then the motion of the eye or foote can nourish the body so it is the most pretious and usefull of all others It may be objected doe not other graces joyne a man unto Christ as well as Faith Vnion is the proper effect of Love therefore wee are one with Christ as well by loving Him as by beleeving in Him To this I answere that Love makes onely a morall union in affections but Faith makes a mysticall union a more close and intimate fellowship in nature betweene us and Christ. Besides Faith is the immediate tie betweene Christ and a Christian but love a secondary union following upon and grounded on the former By nature we are all enemies to Christ and His Kingdome of the Iewes minde wee will not have this man to raigne over us therefore till by Faith wee are throughly perswaded of Christs Love to us we can never repay Love to Him againe Herein is Love saith the Apostle not that wee loved God but that Hee loved us and sent His Sonne 1. Ioh. 4 10. Now betweene Gods Love and ours comes Faith to make us One with Christ we have knowne and beleeved the Love that God hath to us ver 16. And hence it followes that because by Faith as Hee is so are wee in this world therefore Our love to Him is made perfect and so wee love Him because Hee first loved us vers 19. So that we see the union we have with Christ by Love presupposeth the Vnitie wee have in Him by Faith so Faith still hath the preeminence The second office wherein consists the excellencie of Faith is a consequent of the former namely to justifie a man for there is no man righteous in the sight of God any further then he is taken into the unitie of Christ and into the fellowship of His Merits God is alone well pleased in Christ and till a man be a member of His Bodie a part of His fulnesse hee cannot appeare in Gods presence This was the reason why Christ would have none of His bones broken or taken of from the Communion of His naturall body Ioh. 19. 36. to note the indissoluble union which was to bee betweene Him and His mysticall Members So that now as in a naturall bodie the member is certainely fast to the whole so long as the bones are firme and sound so in the mysticall where the body is there must every member be too because the bones must not be broken asunder If then Christ goe to Heaven if Hee stand unblameable before Gods justice we al shal in him appeare so too because his bones cannot be broken That which thus puts us into the Vnitie of Christ must needs Iustifie our persons and set us right in the presence of God and this is our Faith The Apostle gives two excellent reasons why our Iustification should be of Faith rather then of any other grace The first on Gods part that it might bee of Grace The second on the part of the promise that the promise might be sure to all the seede Rom. 4. 16. First Iustification that is by Faith is of meere Grace and favour no way of worke or merit For the Act whereby Faith Iustifies is an act of humility and selfe-dereliction a holy despaire of any thing in our selves and a going to Christ a receiving a looking towards Him and His Al-sufficiencie so that as Marie said of her selfe so we may say of Faith The Lord hath respect unto the lowlynes of his grace which is so farre from looking inward for matter of Iustification that it selfe as it is a worke of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere doth not justifie but onely as it is an apprehension or taking hold of Christ. For as the hand in the very receiving of a thing must needs first make it selfe emptie If it bee full before it must let all that goe ere it can take hold on any other thing So Faith being a receiving of Christ Ioh. 1. 12. must needes suppose an emptinesse in the soule before Faith hath two properties as a Hand To worke and to receive when Faith purifies the heart supports the droaping spirits worketh by love carries a man through afflictions and the like these are the workes of Faith when Faith Accepts of righteousnesse in Christ and receives Him as the gift of His Fathers Love when it embraceth the promises a farre of Heb. 11. 13. and layes hold on Eternall Life 1. Tim. 6. 12. This is the receiving act of Faith Now Faith justifies not by working lest the effect should not bee wholly of Grace but partly of Grace and partly of worke Ephesians 2. 8 9. but by bare receiving and accepting or yeelding consent to that righteousnesse which in regard of working was the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 5. 18. and in regard of disposing imputing appropriating unto us was the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3. 21. 1. Cor. 1 30. Phil 3. 9. To make the point of Iustification by the receiving and not the working of Faith plaine let us consider it by a familiar similitude Suppose a Chirurgian should perfectly cure the hand of a poore man from some desperate wound which utterly disabled him for any worke when he hath so done should at one time freely bestow some good almes upon the man to the receiving whereof he was enabled by the former cure and at another time should set the man about some worke unto the which likewise the former cure had enabled him and the worke being done should give him a reward proportionable to his labour I demaund which of these two gifts are arguments of greater grace in the man either the recompensing of that labour which was wrought by the strength hee restored or the free bestowing of an equall gift unto the receiving whereof likewise he himselfe gave abilitie Any man will easily answere that the gift was a worke of more free grace then the reward though unto both way was made by His owne mercifull cure for all the mercy which was shewed in the cure was not able to nullifie the intrinsecall proportion which afterwards did arise betweene the worke and the reward Now this is the plaine difference betweene our doctrine and the doctrine of our adversaries in the point of Iustification They say we are justified by Grace and yet by workes because
principall discovery that Faith makes in Christ and that it fixeth upon is His love to us and this is a most soveraigne and superlative love Herein saith the Apostle God commended God heaped together His Love toward us in that while wee were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. Secondly Faith having thus revealed to our hearts the Love of God in Christ doth kindle in them a reciprocall Love towards Christ againe working in us the same minde that is in Christ Phil. 2. 5. and enflaming our spirits to a retribution of Love for Love We have beleeved the Love that God hath to us saith the Apostle and therefore saith he we love Him because He loved us first 1. Ioh. 4. 16 19. Thus Faith worketh Love But now thirdly there is a further power in Faith for it doth not onely work Love but it worketh by Love as the text speakes that is it maketh use of that Love which it hath thus kindled as of a goad and incentive to further obedience for that Love which we repay unto Christ againe stirreth us unto an intimate and Heavenly communion with Him unto an entire and spirituall conformitie unto Him And the reason is because it is a conjugall Love and therefore a fruitefull love for the end of marriage is fructification Yee are become dead to the Law saith the Apostle by the body of Christ that yee should be married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead and the end of this spirituall marriage is added That we should bring forth fruite unto God which is presently after expounded That wee should serve in newnesse of Spirit Rom. 7 4 6. If a man Love mee saith our saviour he will keepe my Words and this obedience is the childe of Faith as it is set downe in the same place yee shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and immediately upon this Faith it followes He that bath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my selfe unto Him Ioh. 14. 20. 21 22 23. In which place there are these things of excellent observation First the noble objects that Faith doth contemplate even the excellencie of Gods Love unto us in Christ. You shall know that I am in my Father in His bosome in His bowels in His dearest affection One with Him in mercie in counsell in power That He and I both goe one way have both one decree and resolution of Grace and compassion towards sinners And that you are in mee your nature in me your infirmities in me the punishment of your sinnes upon me that I am bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh that you are in my heart and in my tenderest affections that you were crucifiâ—…a together with me that you live togâ—…ther with 〈◊〉 that you sit together with mee in Heavenly places that â—… died your death that you rose my resurrection that I pray your prayers that you were my righteousnesse and that I am in you by my merits to justifie you by my Grace and Spirit to renew and purifie you by my Power to keep you by my wisedome to leade you by my Communion and Compassion to share with you in all your troubles these are the mysteries of the Love of the Father and the Sonne to us Now this Love kindleth a Love in us againe and that Love sheweth it selfe in two things First in having the Commandements of Christ that is in accepting of them in giving audience unto them in opening our eyes to see and our hearts to entertaine the wonders of the Law And secondly in keeping of them in putting to the strength of our Love for Love is as strong as Death it will make a man neglectfull of his owne life to serve and please the person whom he loves that so wee may performe the duties which so good a Saviour requires of us And now as our Love was not the first mover we loved Him because He loved us first So neither shall it be the last as the Father and the Son did by their first Love provoke ours so will they by their second Love reward ours And therefore it sollowes He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him This is not ment of a new Love but of a further declaration of their former Love namely in a more close and familiar communion and Heavenly cohabitation with them wee will come unto Him and make our abode with Him we will shew Him our face we will make all our goodnesse to passe before Him wee will converse and commune with His Spirit we will Suppe with Him we will provide Him a feast of fatted things and of refined wine wee will open the breasts of consolation and delight Him with the aboundance of Glory Excellent to the purpose of the present point is that place of the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. 14 15. The Love of Christ saith he constraineth us that is either Christs Love to us by Faith apprehended or our Love to Christ by the apprehension of His Love wrought in us doth by a kinde of sweete and lovely violence winne and overrule our hearts not to live henceforth unto our selves but unto Him that died for us and rose againe and the roote of this strong perswasion is adjoyned namely because wee thus â—…udge because we know and beleeve that if one died for all then all are dead to the guilt and to the power of sinne and ought to live a new life conformable to the resurrection of Christ againe Therefore in two paralell places the Apostle useth promiscuously Faith and a new Creature In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but a new creature The reason of which promiscuous acceptation the Apostle renders the inseparable union between faith and renovation If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Secondly Faith gives us all good things requisite to our condition Adam was created Lord of his fellow inferiour Creatures invested with proprietie to them all In his fall hee made a forfeiture of every good thing which God gave him In the second Covenant a reconciliation being procur'd Faith entitling a man to the Covenant doth likewise re-invest him with the Creatures againe All things saith the Apostle are yours and hee opens the title and conveyance of them you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1. Cor. 3. 23. So elsewhere hee saith that the living God giveth us all things richly to enjoy that is not onely the possession but the use of the things 1. Tim. 6. 17. where by all things wee may understand first the libertie and enlargement of Christians as it stands in opposition to the pedagogie and discipline of Moses Law which distinguished the Creatures into cleane and
wolvish and wasting lusts and by consequence is not able to settle and secure the heart in the enioyment of them But now by Faith in the promises the godly have their hold altered have their estate setled in a better and surer tenure delivered from those many encumbrances and intanglements vnto the which before they were obnoxious so that now a mans heart is secured beyond all doubts or humane feares A poore man may object I am not wise enough to order my affaires I am disabled by sicknesse and weaknesse to attend my Calling my charge encreaseth vpon mee and my probabilities of providing for them waxe smaller then before But yet Faith is able to answer these and all other the like objections by proposing the promise Dost thou live by thine owne strength Dost thou prosper by thine owne wisedome and industry or by the blessing and truth of God in his promises and is Gods Truth an Accepter of persons Is not his fidelitie as firme towards weake and poore as towards rich beleevers Is there any want or weakenesse any poverty or deficiency in heaven Doe the promises of God stand in need of mans wisedome or strength to bring them to passe Can thy encrease of charge or occasions exhaust the Treasures or drie vp the Fountaines and truth of God If an honourable and wealthy person have occasions to enlarge his retinue and live at a higher pitch then before yet because hee hath abundance he doth not repine at this necessitie All the faithfull are of the houshold and family of God who is no whit the poorer in his state and power by maintaining many or few He gives to all men yet he gives liberally Iam 1. 5. which no rich man in the World is able to do because as he gives to others himself decreaseth But God gives out of a Fountaine as the Sunne gives light which whether it shine to one or to thousands retaines still equall light in it selfe neither can the eyes of men exhaust or draw out the light of the Sunne All the Creatures are mine saith God upon a thousand hills If a thousand hills can beare corne enough or feed Cattel enough for any poore mans reliefe he need not doubt or feare for God hath still thousands of mountaines as it were so many granaries or store-houses in his truth and promises for the faithfull in any straits to have recourse unto And thus faith gives us all things by entituling us to the Promises Against all this which hath been spoken touching the excellency of Faith may be objected that determination of the Apostle Now abideth Faith Hope and Charitie these three but the greatest of these is Charitie 1. Cor. 13. 13. By which comparison this point touching the precedency of faith seemes to be impaired To which I answer That the Apostle speakes of a greatnesse extensivè in regard of duration Charitie being an everlasting Grace but faith pertaining onely to this life as being requisite to the present qualitie and states of the Church for faith and fruition are oppos'd 2. Cor. 5. 7. Faith looketh upon things in their promises fruition in their reall existence but now consider faith as an instrument to lay hold on Christ and the precious promises of life and grace in him and consider it as a Roote a living principle to put the heart in worke to purifie the conscience to enflame the heart to spirituall obedience and a retribution of holy love to God for all his love to us in his Sonne and thus Faith exceeds Charitie as the motion of the mouth in eating which is an act that tends immediately to life doth the motion of the mouth in speaking which tendeth not to an end so important nor absolutely necessary Another objection may be this Other Graces make a man like Christ which Faith cannot do because Christ could not beleeve unto justification or life having the Fountaine of both aboundantly in himselfe whereas the proper and primitive worke of Faith is to carry a man out of himselfe and to make him see all his sufficiency in another To which I answer two wayes First Christ had faith though not to such purposes as wee Faith in the common nature of it as it imports assent to all divine truth and adherence or reliance of the soule to the benefit and goodnesse which the same brings with it for ratio veritatis and ratio commodi are the two objects of a right faith or rather severall qualifications of the same object thus it is a Legall thing comming under the compasse of those duties of the Law unto which Christ made himselfe subject But faith as a Condition an Officer an Instrument of justification so it could not stand with Christ who was not to be righteous by beleeving but to bee himselfe the righteousnesse of those that beleeve But in other respects when the Apostle saith hee was heard in that which he feared when hee saith himselfe My God my God it is manifest that though he had not faith for righteousnesse yet he had it for deliverance that though he were not saved by beleeving yet hee was obedient in beleeving Secondly it is more to be one with Christ then to be like him more to bee a part of him then a picture now faith makes a unitie with Christ other graces onely a resemblance faith makes a man a member others onely a follower of him and so in that respect still Faith hath the prehemiuence Now then from the great necessitie and pretiousnesse of this duty we may first inferre the greatnesse of their sin who neglect it who live with no sense of the want and little sorrow for the weaknesse of it to lie sweare revell cozen to live in the practice of any notorious outrage and morall enormitie many men esteeme hainous and vnworthie But to live in infidelitie without the knowledge or fellowship of Christ in an utter unacquaintance with their owne unworthinesse and unexperience of their everlasting insufficiencies to compasse or contrive their owne saluation are things seldome or never seriouslie thought on by them And yet infidelity is indeed the edge and sting of all other sinnes that which bindes them and their guilt everlastingly upon the soule and locketh them like shackles to the conscience which otherwise by the helpe of Christ might easily shake them of He that beleeveth saith Christ is not condemned he that beleeveth not is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him There is a displeasure which is but for a moment a wrath which doth only sing and blow vpon the soule and then away such the faithfull themselues after some bold adventure into the waies of sinne may haue experience of And there is a wrath which is constant permanent intimately and euerlastinglie adherent vnto the Soule which will seize onely vpon vnbeleeuers The spirit shall convince the World of Sinne because they beleeve not saith Christ. Sinne there stands in opposition to righteousnesse and Iudgement
or holinesse so that the meaning is The spirit shall convince men that they are unrighteous and unholie men held under by the guilt condemnation and power of sinne shut vp in fast chaines unto the wrath and iudgement of the great Day unauoidably cast and condemned in the Court of Law because they fled not by faith unto that office of mercie and reconciliation which the Father hath erected in his beloved Sonne All sinnes do of themselues deserve damnation but none doe de facto inferre damnation without infidelitie This was that great provocation in the Wildernesse which kept the people out of the Land of Promise and for which God is said to have beene grieved fortie yeeres together How long will this people provoke mee How long will it bee ere they beleeve in me they despised the holy Land they beleeved not his word they drew backward and turned againe in their hearts into Egypt The Apostle summes vp all their murmurings and provocations for which they were excluded that type of heauen in this one word They entred not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their vnbeliefe If there bee but one onely medicine against a deadly disease and when that is offered to the sicke person he refuse it and throw it vnder his feete the state of that man is infallibly desperate and remedilesse There is but one name but one sacrifice but one blood by which we can be saved perfected and purged for ever and without which God can have no pleasure in us how can wee then escape if we neglect so great salvation and trample under foote the blood of the Covenant It is a fruitlesse labour and an endlesse folly for men to use any other courses be they in appearance never so specious probable rigorous mortified Pharisaicall nay angelicall for extricating themselues out of the maze of sinne or exonerating their consciences of the guilt or power thereof without faith Though a man could scourge out of his owne bodie rivers of blood and in a neglect of himselfe could outfast Moses or Elias though he could weare out his knees with prayer and had his eyes nail'd vnto heaven though he could build hospitals for all the poore on the earth and exhaust the Mines of India into almes though hee could walke like an Angell of light and with the glittering of an outward holinesse dazle the eyes of all beholders nay if it were possible to be conceiv'd though he should live for a thousand yeeres in a perfect and perpetuall observation of the whole Law of God his originall corruption or any one though the least digression and deviation from that Law alone excepted yet such a man as this could no more appeare before the tribunall of Gods Iustice then stubble before a consuming fire It is onely Christ in the bush that can keepe the fire from burning It is onely Christ in the heart that can keepe sinne from condemning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without mee that is separated from mee yee can doe nothing towards the iustification of your persons or salvation of your soules or sanctification of your lives or natures No burden can a man shake off no obstacle can hee breake through no temptation can hee overcome without faith shake off every thing that presseth downe and the sinne which hangeth so fast on and runne with patience namely through all oppositions and contradictions the race that is set before you saith the Apostle But how shall we do such unfeasible works Hee shewes that in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking of from our selves unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith When a man lookes inward upon his owne strength hee may as justly despaire of moving sinne from his soule as of casting downe Mountaines with one of his fingers but he who is able to give vs faith is by that able to make all things possible unto vs. The world tempts with promises wages pleasures of sinne with frownes threats and persecutions for righteousnesse If a man have not faith to see in Christ more pretious promises more sure mercies more full rewards more aboundant and everlasting pleasures to see in the frownes of God more terror in the wrath of God more bitternes in the threats of God more certainty in the Law of God more curses then all the world can load him withall impossible it is that he should stand under such assaults for this is the victory which overcommeth the world even our faith Satan dischargeth his fierie darts upon the soule darts pointed and poysoned with the venome of Serpents which set the heart on fire from one lust unto another if a man have not put on Christ do not make use of the shield of faith to hold up his heart with the promises of victory to hold out the triumph of Christ over the powers of death and darkenesse to see himselfe under the protection of him who hath already throwne downe the Dragon from Heaven who hath Satan in a chaine and the keyes of the bottomlesse Pit in his owne command to say unto him The Lord rebuke thee Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee impossible it is to quench any of his temptations or to stand before the rage and fury of so roaring a Lion Whom resist saith S. Peter stedfast in the faith Our corruptions set upon us with our own strength with high imaginations with strong reasonings with lustfull dalliances with treacherous solicitations with plausible pretences with violent importunities with deceitfull promises with fearefull prejudices with profound unsearchable points and traines on all sides lust stirs workes within us like sparkles in a dried leafe sets every faculty against it self The mind tempts it self unto vanity the understanding tempts it selfe unto error and curiosity the will tempts it selfe unto frowardnesse and contuinacie the heart tempts it selfe unto hardnesse and security If a man have not faith impossible it is either to make any requests to God against himselfe or to denie the requests of sinne which himselfe maketh It is faith alone which must purifie the heart and trust his power and fidelity who is both willing and able to subdue corruptions In vaine it is to strive except a man strive lawfully In prayer it is faith which must make us successefull in the word it is faith which must make us profitable In obedience it is faith which must make us cheerefull in afflictions it is faith which must make vs patient in trials it is faith which must make vs resolute in desertions it is faith which must make us comfortable in life it is faith which must make vs fruitfull and in death it is faith which must make us victorious So that as he said of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so may I of faith It is of all things the most soveraigne and pretious because it is of universall use in the
meeke and peaceable In the same will a delight in the Law of God and yet a bias and counter-motion to the law of sinne In the same understanding a light of the Gospell and yet many relikes of humane principles and fleshly reasonings much ignorance of the purity excellency and beauty of the wayes of God In the same heart singlenesse and sensiblenesse of sinne and yet much secret fraud and prevarication hardnesse and dis-apprehension of sin and wrath In the same affections love of God and love of the World feare of God and feare of men trust in God and doubting of his favour Lord I beleeve helpe thou mine unbeliefe was the cry of the poore man in the Gospell and such must bee the complaints of the best of us Lord I will helpe thou mine unwillingnesse Lord I heare thee helpe thou my deafenesse Lord I remember thee helpe thou my forgetfulnesse Lord I presse towards thee helpe thou my wearinesse Lord I rejoyce in thee helpe thou my heavinesse Lord I desire to have more fellowship with thee helpe thou my strangenesse Lord I love and delight in thy Law helpe thou my failings Such tugging is there of either nature to preserve and improve it selfe Iacob was a man of contention and wrestling from the beginning Contention with his brother in the birth contention for the birth-right contention with an Angell for the blessing contention for his wife and for his wages with Laban He was a Typicall man his name was Israel and he was a patterne to the Israel of God We must be all men of contention wrestlers not onely with God in strong and importunate prayers for his blessings but with our elder brother Esau with the lusts and frowardnesse of our owne hearts The Thiefe on the Crosse was a perfect embleme of the sinne of our nature he was naild hand and foot destin'd unto death utterly disabled from any of his wonted outrages and yet that only part which was a little loose flies out in reviling and reproaching Christ Our old man by the mercy of God is upon a Crosse destin'd to death disabled from the exercise of that wonted violence and dominion which it used and yet so long as there is any life or strength left in him hee sets it all on worke to revile that blessed spirit which is come so neere him The more David prevailes the more Saul rageth and persecuteth him As in the wombe of Tamar there was a strife for precedencie Zarah thrust out his hand first and yet Pharez goâ—… foâ—…th before him so in a Christian many times the 〈◊〉 thruâ—… out the hand and begins to worke and presently the flesh growes sturdie and boisterous and gets first into the action A man sets himselfe to call upon God lifts up his hand with the skarlet thred the blood of Christ upon it is in a sweete preparation to powre out his complaints his requests his praises to his father and ere he is aware pride ln the excellencie of Gods gifts or deadnesse or worldly thoughts intrude themselves and justle-by Gods spirit and cast a blemish upon his offring A man is setting himself to heare Gods word begins to attend and rellish the things that are spoken as matters which doe in good earnest concerne his peace begins to see a beauty more then ordinary in Gods service an excellencie with David in Gods Law which hee considered not before resolves hereafter to love frequent submit beleeve prize it more then he had ever done presently the flesh sets up her mounds her reasonings her perverse disputes her owne principles her shame her worldlinesse her want of leisure her secular contentments and so resists the spirit of God and rejects his counsell I have enough already what needs this zeale this pressing this accuratenesse this violence for heaven strive wee what wee can our infirmities will encompasse us our corruptions will bee about us But yet Beloved as in a pyramide the higher you goe the lesse compasse still you finde the body to bee of and yet not without the curiositie and diligence of him that fram'd it so in a Christian mans resurrection and conversation with Christ in heaven the neerer he comes to Christ the smaller still his corruptions will bee and yet not without much spirituall industry and christian art A Christian is like a flame the higher it ascends the more thinne purified and azurie it is but yet it is a flame in greene wood that wants perpetuall blowing and encouragement A man sets himselfe with some good resolution of spirit to set forward the honor in questioning in discovering in shaming in punishing within the compasse of his owne calling and warrant the abuses of the times in countenancing in rewarding in abetting and supporting truth righteousnes his flesh presently interposeth his quiet his security his relations his interests his hopes his feares his dependencies his plausibility his credit his profit his secular provisoes these blunt his edge upbraid him with impoliticknes with malecontentednes with a sullen cynicall disposition against men and manners and thus put I know not what ill favor'd colours upon a good face to make a man out of love with an honest busines In a word good is before me the glory the service the waies of God I see it but I cannot love it I love it but I cannot doe it I doe it but I cannot finish it I will but yet I rebell I follow and yet I fall I presse forward and yet I faint and flagge I wrestle and yet I halt I pray and yet I sinne I fight and yet I am Captive I crucifie my lusts and yet they revile me I watch my heart and yet it runnes away from me God was at first the Author of nothing but peace within me what envious man hath sowed this warre in my bowels Let the Apostle answer this question saith Saint Austen By one man sinne entred into the world That which I would be I am not and that which I hate I am O wretched man in whom the Crosse of Christ hath not yet worne out the poysonous and bitter tast of that first tree It is the patheticall complaint of Bonifacius in the same Father How doth the Apostle even breake with complaining of this rebellious and captivating power of originall concupiscence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me though hee were delivered from the damnation yet hee was not delivered from the miserie of this sinne which must necessarily arise from the stirrings and conflicts of it Though lust in the regenerate bee not damnable because albeit it bring forth sinne yet it doth not finish and consummate it for it is broken off by repentance and disabled by the power of Christs spirit yet it is still miserable because it disquieteth the spirituall peace and tranquillity of the soule But there is no great danger in the warre if the enemie bee either foolish or
life of man Therefore the Apostle calleth men without faith Absurd men because it is an unreasonable and sottish thing for a workman to be without his chiefe instrument and that which is universally requisite to euery one of his works A Husbandman without a plow or a builder without a rule a preacher without a bible a Christian without faith are things equally absurd and unreasonable And yet thus unreasonable are men usually By faith Moses repell'd and fled from the solicitations of his adulterous mistresse and have they then faith that run upon temptations of lust let their hearts wallow in the speculations and their bodies in the beds of uncleanenesse Faith made David looke to God when Shimei reviled him and have they faith that dart out othes stabs and execrations at once against their enemie and against God Faith made Noah when he was warned of God to feare and Iosiah to tremble at his word and have they faith who mocke the messengers and despise the Word and misuse the Prophets and reject the remedies and sleight the times of their peace and visitation which God gives them Faith made Abraham put a sword to the throat of his beloved son the Sonne of blessing and the Sonne of promise and have they then faith who will not sacrifice a stinking lust nor part from a prodigious vanitie when God requires it O what a world of sweetnes closenes is there in sin to our nature when men love a lust a rag a fashion an excrement better then Abraham did his Sonne Isaak Faith made Moses suffer rather the reproaches of Christ then the riches of Egypt and have they faith who had rather be without Christ then their profits and pleasures who subordinate the blood the spirit the will the waies the glory of Christ to their earthlie designes and base resolutions By faith he feared not the wrath of a King and have they faith who feare the breath of fooles and would faine be religious if it did not discredit them and crush their arts of compliance plausibilitie and ambition Thus euery sinne wilfully committed is back'd and strengthened with infidelity If men did by faith see him that is invisible an unapproachable light and a consuming fire see the sword in his left hand to revenge iniquitie and the Crowne in his right hand to reward holinesse looke upon his judgements as present in his power and upon his glorie as present in his promises It could not be that they should goe on in such outrages against him and his Law Know you not saith the Apostle that neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate c. nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Nothing but faith can unbinde and unlocke the sinnes from the soule and by faith not onely their guilt but their power and dominion is removed and subdued A second use and inference from this Doctrine is to enflame the heart to seeke for faith as for a pretious Iewell or a hidden treasure Men are never satisfied with earthly treasures though oftentimes they heape them up for the last day How much more carefull should they be to lay up a good foundation for the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Great encouragement we may have hereunto upon these considerations First the more faith a man hath the more comfort he may take in all the good things which he doth enjoy He may looke upon them as the witnesses of Gods truth and promises as the tokens of his love as the accessions and supernumerary accruments unto his Kingdome as the supplies and daily provisions of a Father which careth for us Secondly the more faith a man hath the more securitie he hath against all evils he may undergoe them with patience with hope with joy with triumph with profit He may looke upon them as needfull things as pretious things as conformities unto Christ his Head as the seeds of peace righteousnesse and praises As raine though it make the way foule yet it makes the Land fruitfull Thirdly the more faith a man hath the more certaine and victorious will his conquests be against his enemies that which by faith wee relie upon and put on will bee impregnable munition and impenetrable armour to secure us The love the blood the compassions the temptations of Christ these by faith apprehended have pulled downe walles subdued kingdomes stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Fourthly the more faith a man hath the more insight hee hath into Christ and those mysteries of salvation which the Angels desire to looke into Faith is the eye and mouth and eare of the soule by which wee peepe through the curtaines of mortalitie and take a view and foretaste of heavenly things wherby we have a more secret and intimate communion with God in his Covenants promises precepts in his will guiding vs by counsell and in his face comforting us with his favour Fifthly the more faith a man hath the more tranquillitie and establishment of heart shall he find in the midst of all spirituall desertions distractions and difficulties When a mans wits are non plusd his reason pos'd his contrivances and counsels disappointed his heart clouded with sorrow and feare when he walketh in darknesse and hath no light O then to have a sanctuary an Altar to flie unto to have a God to role himselfe upon to leane upon his wisedome to lay hold upon his Covenant to waite quietly upon the salvation of that God who doth not cast off for ever but though hee cause griefe yet will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies to commit his way to him who is able to bring it to passe and to doe abundantly above the thoughts desires expectations or petitions of men what peace and serenity must this bee to the â—…oule which is otherwise without light and peace Lastly the more faith a man hath the more joy and glory he hath in spirituall the more contentment and quietnesse in earthly things Being iustified by faith wee have peace with God in whom beleeving we reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and bee content with such things as you have for he hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Earthly-mindednesse and worldly cares grow out of want of faith In these and a world the like respects should we be moov'd to seeke for this grace and that so much the more carefully because the heart is of it selfe barren and therefore very unfit to have a forraigne plant grow in it very apt to over-top it with lusts and vanities We must therefore bee diligent to make our assurance full and certaine diligent in
the Word of faith and with the spirit of faith Beeyee not slothfull saith the Apostle but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises Lastly we must doe with faith as men doe with pretious things Try it and put it to the touchstone that wee may prove whether it be truly valuable and unfeigned because there is much counterfeite faith as there is false money and deceitfull jewels and wilde herbes in the field which very neerely resemble those that are right and pure This is an argument which hath been much travail'd in by men of more learning and spirit and therefore I will but touch upon it by considering foure principall effects of this Grace The first is a love and liking of those spirituall truths which by faith the heart assenteth unto for according as is the evidence and pretiousnesse of the thing beleeved such is the measure of our love unto it For saving faith is an assent with adherence and delight contrary to that of Divels which is with trembling and horror and that delight is nothing else but a kind of rellish and experience of the goodnesse of that truth which we assent unto Whereupon it necessarily followes even from the dictate of nature which instructeth a man to love that which worketh in him comfort and delight that from this assent must arise a love of those truths whence such sweetnesse doth issue By the first act of faith we apprehend God a reconcileable God by the second a reconciled God for faith shewes us Gods love to us in Christ proposeth him as altogether lovely the chiefest of ten thousand and thereby begetâ—…eth in us a love unto Christ againe and this love is a sincere uncorrupted immortall love a conjugall and superlative love nothing must be loved in competition with Christ every thing must be rejected and cast away either as a snare when hee hates it or as a Sacrifice when he calles for it Therefore God required the neerest of a mans blood in some cases to throw the first stone at an Idolater to shew that no relations should preponderate or over-sway our hearts from his love Christ and earthly things often come into competition in the life of a man In every un just gaine Christ and a bribe or Christ and cruelty in every oth or execration Christ and a blasphemy in every sinfull fashion Christ and a ragge or Christ and an excrement in every vaine-glorious affectation Christ and a blast in every intemperancy Christ and a vomit a stagger a shame a disease O where is that faith in men which should overcome the world and the things of the world Why should men delight in any thing while they live which when they â—…e on their death beds a time speedily approching they shall never bee able to reflect on with comfort nor to recount without amazement and horror Certainely he that fosters any Dalila or darling lust against the will and command of Christ well may hee delude himselfe with foolish conceits that hee loves the Lord Iesus but let him be assured that though he may be deceived yet God will not bee mocked not every one that faith Lord Lord shall bee accounted the friends of Christ but they who keepe his Commandements The second effect of faith is Assiance and Hope confidently for the present relying on the goodnesse and for the future waiting on the power of God which shall to the full in due time performe what in his word hee hath promised I haue set life and death before you saith Moses to the people That thou maist love the Lord thy God and that thou maist obey his voice and that thou maist cleave unto him c. Wee are confident saith the Apostle knowing that whilst wee are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. When once the minde of a man is wrought so to assent unto divine promises made in Christ as to acknowledge an interest claime and propriety unto them and that to be at last actually performed not by a man who may be subject both to unfaithfulnesse in keeping and disability in performing his promises but by Almighty God who the better to confirme our faith in him hath both by word and oath engaged his fidelity and is altogether omnipotent to doâ—… what hee hath purposed or promised Impossible it is but from such an assent grounded on the veracity and all sufficiency of God there should result in the minde of a faithfull man a confident dependance on such Promises renouncing in the meane time all selfe-concurrencie as in it selfe utterly impotent and to the fullfilling of such a worke as is to be by Gods owne omnipotencie effâ—…cted altogether irrequisite and resolving in the midst of temptations to relie on him to hold fast his mercy and the profession of his faith without wavering having an eye to the recompence of reward and being assured that hee who hath promised will certainly bring it to passe A third effect of faith is ioy and peace of Conscience Being justified by faith wee haue peace with God The God of peace fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing The mind is by the rellish and experience of sweetnesse in Gods Promises composed unto a setled calmenesse and serenity I doe not meane a Dead peace which is onely an immobility and sleepinesse of Conscience like the rest of a dreaming man on the top of a mast but such a peace as a man may by afyllogisme of the practicall judgement upon right examination of his owne interest unto Christ safely inferre unto himselfe The wicked often haue an appearance of peace as well as the faithfull but there is a great difference For there is but a dore betweene a wicked man and his sinne which will certainely one day open and then sinne at the doore will fly upon the Soule but betweene a faithfull man and his sin there is a wall of fire and an immoveable impregnable fort even the merits of Christ the wicked mans peace growes out of Ignorance of God the Law himselfe but a righteous mans peace growes out of the knowledge of God and Christ. So that there are two things in it Tranquillity it is a quiet thing and serenitie it is a cleare and distinct thing However if a faithfull man have not present peace because peace is an effect not of the first and direct but of the second and reflexive act of faith yet there is ever with all faith the seed of peace and a resolution to seeke and to sue it out The last effect of faith which I shall now speake of is fructification faith worketh by love And it worketh first Repentance whereby we are not only to understand griefe for sinne or a sense of the weight and guilt of it which is onely a legall thing if it proceed no farther and may goe before faith but hatred of sinne as a thing contrary to that new spirit