perswading the soule first of the love and favour of God in Christ. What are all our performances if they be not out of love to God and how shall we love God except we be perswaded that hee loves us first therefore the Gospell breeds love in us to God and hath the Spirit together with it working a blessed frame of sanctification whereby we are disposed to every good duty Therefore if we would have the Spirit of God let us attend upon the sweete promises of salvation upon the doctrine of Christ for together with the knowledge of these things the Holy Ghost slides and insinuates and infuseth himselfe into our soules Therfore the Ministers of the Gospell should be much in laying open the riches of God in Christ in unfolding Christ all other things will follow as S. Paul in 2 Tit. 12. The grace of God hath shined hath appeared gloriously teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily and soberly in this present world where the grace and love of God is perswaded and shed into the soule all will follow What is the reason that former times were called darke times and so they were the times of Popery a darke age Christ was vailed the Gospell was vailed there was no preaching of salvation by Christ alone people were sent to stocks and stones and to Saints and instead of the word they were sent to legends and such things Christ was obscured thereupon they were darke ages those ages wherein the Spirit of God is most is where Christ is most preached and people are best alway where there is most Spirit and they are most joyfull and comfortable and holy where Christ is truly layd open to the hearts of people the peaching of meere morallity if men be not carefull to open Christ to know how salvation is wrought by Christ and how all good comes by Christ it will never make a man perfectly good and fit him for Heaven it may make a man reforme many abuses like a Phylosopher which hath its reward and respect amongst men but nothing to give comfort at the houre of death and the day of judgement onely that whereby the Spirit is conveyed is the knowledge and preaching of Christ in his state and offices Againe the Spirit of Christ is given in obedience to this Gospell Acts 5.32 Hee gives the Holy Ghost to them that obey him Now there is the obedience of faith and the obedience of life when the soule is wrought to obedience to beleeve and to be directed by God then the Holy Spirit is given in a further measure still the Holy Ghost is given to them that obey to them that doe not resist the Spirit of God for in the Ministery of the Gospell the Spirit is given in some degree to reprobates it is offered it knockes at the hearts of the vilest persons that lives in filthy and false courses of life whose tongues and bodies are all instruments of an unsanctified soule to offend God they have gracious motions offered them but then they doe not obey them therefore the Spirit seizeth not upon them to rule in them they have the Spirit knocking upon them he doth not dwell in them and take up his lodging in them The Spirit is given to them that obey the sweet motions of it Now who is it that heares the blessed word of God the blessed tidings of salvation but he hath sweete motions of the Spirit to be in love with God and the mercy of God and to hate sinne a little for a time then presently upon it corruption joynes and and swels against those motions and they onely rest in the bare motion and never come to any perfection This is the state of reprobates in the Church they have many motions by the Holy Ghost but their hearts are not subdued to obedience not to constant obedience Therefore if wee would have the Spirit of Christ let us labour to subject our selves unto it when we have any good motion by the Ministery of the Word or by conference or by reading of good things as holy things have a savour in them the Spirit breathes in holy exercises Oh give way to the motions of Gods Spirit we shall not have them againe perhaps turne not backe those blessed messengers let us entertaine them let the Spirit dwell and rule in us it is the most blessed lodger that ever we entertained in all our lives If wee let the Spirit guide and rule us it will leade us and governe and support us in life and death and never leave us till it have raised our bodies the Spirit of Christ in us at length will quicken our dead bodies Rom. 8. it will never leave us till it have brought us to Heaven This is the state of those that belong to God that give way to the motions of Gods Spirit to rule and guide them therefore if we would have the Spirit of Christ let us take heed of rebelling against it This is the state of many of us the Lord be mercifull to us and cure us that we doe not onely not receive the motions of the Spirit deepely into us but if they bee such a crosse us in our pleasures and profits though the Word and Spirit joyne together there is a rising of the proud spirit of man against so much of the Spirit and the motions of it and against such parts of the Word as crosseth us this will bee laid heavy to our charge one day that wee would bring the Spirit of God to our corruptions and not bring our hearts to Gods Spirit and hereupon be those phrases in the Scripture of tempting the Spirit Ananias and Saphira tempted the Spirit that is when men will doe that which is naught and try whether God will forgive them and put it off or no how many are there that tempt the Spirit that put it off perhaps I shall have the like motions another time I shall have better occasion when I can gaine no more when I can have my pleasures no more thus men resist the Spirit as Saint Stephen saith that is when the Spirit discovers to them what they should beleeve and what they should doe and they see it crosseth their resolution to be naught heereupon they resist the worke of the Spirit that else would close with their soules and sanctifie them and fit them for Heaven if they would give way to it And there is a quenching of the Spirit that is when men have sweet motions of the Spirit and presently by some ill language or course of life they defile their vessels and quench the sweet motions of the Spirit Let us take heed of all these of tempting of resisting and quenching the Spirit For undoubtedly living in the bosome of the Church we have many heavenly motions especially those that have so much goodnesse in them as to attend upon Gods ordinances they have those motions at those times that they never have after perhaps
but they either resist them or quench them and wrong and grieve the Spirit as Saint Paul saith Greive not the Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Ephes. 5. Men speake or doe somewhat that grieves the Spirit of God in them their conscience being enlightned by the Spirit tels them that they have done that which is naught yet notwithstanding for this or that advantage to please this or that company they will speake or doe that which is ill and then the Spirit that was given in some measure before is grieved at this carnall and sinnefull liberty Therefore if yee would be guided by the Spirit of Christ take heed of all these and of such like courses Another meanes whereby we may come to obtaine the Spirit is Prayer to bee guided by the Spirit of Christ next to Christ himselfe our Saviour is the most excellent thing in the world therefore it is worth the begging and getting Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that aske him Insinuating that wee can aske nothing greater then the Spirit A man that hath a sanctified judgement next the forgivenesse of his sins through Christ hee begs nothing more then the Spirit to witnesse the favour of God in Christ and to fit him for other favours especially to fit us for the world to come God can give nothing greater nor we can beg nothing greater if wee have sanctified judgements then the Spirit of God therefore let us have a high esteeme of the holy Spirit of the motions of it and out of an high esteeme in our hearts beg of God the guidance of the Spirit that he would leade us by his Spirit and subdue our corruptions that wee may not bee lead by our owne lusts and so consequently by Satan that leads us by our owne lusts in the way that leads to perdition So much for that I will put my Spirit c. And he shall shew judgement to the Gentiles After Christ was fully furnished as he was furnished with the Spirit of God and with a commission from Heaven from Father Sonne and Holy Ghost having this high commission and gifts for it by the Spirit he fals upon his office presently we are never fit for any thing till wee have the Spirit and when we have the Spirit it is active and vigorous and working He shall shew judgement to the Gentiles What is meant by judgement here By judgement is meant lawes hee shall declare his lawes his truth and together with declaring the truth of the Gospell which is his Evangelicall law hee shall declare it in the soule and bow the neck of the inward man to the obedience of this his judgement Christ then by himselfe and his Apostles and Ministers shall declare his truth which is the scepter of his governement to the Gentiles and not onely declare it as Princes doe their lawes by Proclamations and Statutes c. but hee shall declare it to the heart by his Spirit Now in the hebrew language ordinarily wise governement is called judgement hee shall declare judgement that is his manner of governement he shall declare it by his Spirit and cause our Spirits to submit to it And indeed grace is called judgement in the phrase of Scripture the grace of sanctification because it is agreeable to judgement to Gods law it is agreeable to it and wrought by it in the soule and it is the best judgement for grace whereby the soule is subject to the judgement and law and rule of God it must needs be the best judgement because it is agreeable to Gods judgement grace judgeth aright of things and subdues all things the affections and inward man to it selfe But why is the word of God called judgement It is called so frequently in the Psalmes and in other places of Scripture because the truth of God shewes what God doth judge Judgement is originally in God who is the first truth and the first good the first truth judgeth best of truthes what is light and what is darkenesse what is truth and what is error what is good and what is ill what is safe and what is dangerous all will grant that God is the first light and the firâ—t truth therefore hee doth originally judge of the difference of things for even as in the creation he put an eternall difference betweene light and darkenesse and severed things that were in the confuseâ— Chaos and established an orderly world that Heaven should be above and earth below that one thing should be above another and all in judgement So in the governing of man-kinde he shewes his judgement by his word and that word shewes how God judgeth of things Lawes shew judgement what is to be done and what is not to be done The Gospell shewes Gods judgement what he will have us beleeve and hope for and how wee must carry our selves in way of thankefullnesses if we doe this then the Gospell the word of God judgeth what shall become of us wee shall be saved if we doe the contrary the word againe judgeth what our state shall be wee shall be damned so it is called judgement because it judgeth what is good and what is ill and because it determineth what shall become of us if we obey or disobey Hereupon it is that the word of God is a glasse wherein we may see our owne condition infallibly what will become of us the Word of God judgeth thus he that lives in such and such sinnes shall come to this end God will inflict these and these judgements upon him Iudgement in the first place is you shall doe this and this because it is good Iudgement in the second place is because you have not done this this shall befall you so the Evangelicall judgement of the Gospell is this He that repents and beleeves shall not perish but have everlasting life but he that armes and furnisheth his heart to rebellion he shall perish in his sinnes He that believeth not is condemned allready the wrath of God hangs over his head So from this that Gods truth is called judgement we may know how to judge of our selves even as God judgeth in his Word wee may see our owne faces and conditions there hee that is a man of death may see it in the Word and he that is appointed for happinesse may there see his condition Againe not onely the Word of God the Gospell which is out of us in the booke of God is called judgement but the worke of God in the soule Sanctification is called judgement hence we may observe what is the most judicious course in the world the most judicious frame of soule when it is framed to the judgement and truth of God being the first truth When a man is sanctified and set in a holy frame it is from a sanctified judgement the flesh is subject to the Spirit heere is all in a gratious
and shall not the beasts of the forrest tremble Shall wee heare God roare in his judgements and heare the trumpet blowne and not be affected wee see here how God complaines that when he harkened and heard they spake not aright Let us therefore make conscience of all our words Wee shall if not now yet at the day of judgement give account for every idle word for every cruell word as it is in the prophesie of Enoch cited in the Epistle of Iude But especially let us take heed of our words when wee speake of Gods judgements for it is the not speaking aright of them that is here especially meant I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright So much for the evidence come wee now to the next clause Gods complaint upon this evidence No man repented him of his wickednesse They did not repent of their wickednesse and the fault was generall No man repented the first yeelds this instruction That it is a state much offending God not to repent when his judgements are threatned God will not suffer it long unpunished to be impenitent when his judgements are abroad and threatned much more when they have already ceazed upon our brethren For that is the end of all his judgements to draw us neare to him to draw us out of the world and out of our sinnefull courses when therefore we answer not God must take another course What is the plague and other judgements but so many messengers sent to every one of us to knocke and our answer must be Lord I will repent of my evill waies I will turne from my evill courses and turne to thee If wee give this answer God will take away his judgements or sanctifie them and that is better but when there is no answer the messenger will not be gone God will adde plagues upon plagues till we give our answer till wee repent and turne from our wicked vvaies Novv that vve may doe this vvee must bee convinced thorovvly that the courses vvee live in are unprofitable dangerous hatefull courses and that the contrary state is better For repentance is an after-vvit and man being a reasonable creature will turne from his vvay except hee see great reason vvhy therefore there must be sound conviction that it is a bitter thing to offend God vvee must indeed be convinced by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God usually takes the benefit of affliction affliction together vvith instruction instruction without affliction will doe little good stripes and the Word must go together else we will not give God the hearing as we should Therfore that we may be soundly convinced of our sins we should desire God especially in the houre of affliction to helpe our soules by his Spirit that wee may bee convinced that our courses are naâ—ght that they are courses dishonourable to God and dangerous to our selves that sinne defiles our soules that it hinders our communion with God which is the sweetest thing in the world that sin puts a sting into all our troubles that sin makes us affraid of that that should bee comfortable to us of death and judgement and Gods presence that sinne grieves the good Spirit of God that would take up his lodging in us that it quencheth the motions of the Spirit that are sent as sweete messengers to us to allure and comfort us that sinne grieves the good Spirit of God in others that it grieves the good Angells that are about us that it gratifies none but the Divell the enemy of our salvation that it defiles and slaines our soules wherein the Image of God should shine that it doth us more harme then all the things in the world besides indeed nothing hurts us but sinne because nothing but sinne seperates us from God that it shuts Heaven and opens Hell and so makes us affraid of death least death should open the gate to let us into Hell in a word that it hinders all good and is the cause of all ill Let us consider of this and worke it on our hearts And consider withall our former courses rip up our lives from our child-hood consider the sinnes of our youth together with our present sins that so we may the better stirre up and awaken our consciences Let us consider whether we are now in a state wherein wee could bee content that God should send his judgements upon us Consider how wee have been scandalous to others how we have drawn others to sinne that the guilt of other mens sinnes will lye upon us it may bee wee have repented but have they Consider the repetition of our sinnes if wee have not committed them againe and againe and other circumstances that may aggravate them Let us labour to worke these things on our hearts and desire the Spirit of God to convince our soules of the foulenesse and dangerousnesse of sinne When we sinne against conscience what doe we but set the Divell in the place of God wee make our selves wiser then God wee leave Gods waies as if wee could finde better and more profitable and more gainefull courses then his sound conviction of this will moove us to repentance And let us be stirred up to repent presently doth not God now warne you Is it not dangerous living one houre in a state that wee would not dye in May not God justly strike us on the sudden Doe but purpose to live in sinne one quarter of an houre may we not be taken away in that quarter Is not repentance the gift of God and are not gifts given according to the good pleasure of the giver Waite therefore for the gales of grace and take them when they are offered Grace is not like the tide that ebbs and flowes that we know when it will come againe when we see it goe No God gives the gales of grace according to his good pleasure therefore take the advantage of the present motions of the blessed Spirit The longer we live in any sinne unrepented off the more our hearts will be hardened the more Satan takes advantage against us the more hardly he is driven out of his old possession the more just it may bee with God to give us up from one sinne to another the understanding will be more darke upon every repetition of sinne and conscience will bee more dulled and deaded Those that are young therefore let them take the advantage of the youth and strength and freshnesse of their yeares to serve God That which is blasted in the bud what fruit may we looke for from it afterward Alas when wee see the younger sort given to blaspheme and sweare to loosenesse and licentiousnesse what old age may we looke for there Againe what welcome shall wee expect when we have sacrificed the best of our strength and the marrow of our yeares to our lusts to bring our old-age to God Can this be any other then selfe-love Such late repentance is seldome sound it
comes I say from selfe-love and not from any change of heart As in the the humility of wretched persons a little before the judge comes though they haue carried themselves as rebels before yet then they will humble themselves not out of any hatred to their courses but out of feare of the judge So it may be now thou art arraigned by Gods judgements thou forsakest thy sinnefull courses not out of the hatred of thy sinnes for if thou couldest thou wouldest sinne eternally and that is the reason sinners are punished eternally Because they would sinne everlastingly but thou seest thou art in danger to be pulled away by Gods judgements It is not out of love to grace it is not from any change of nature that thou desirest to be a new creature that thou admirest grace to be the best state but it is to avoid danger not that thou carest for the face of God to be reconciled to him but to avoid the present judgement And what a staggering will this be to conscience when a man shall deferre his repentance till Gods judgements seaze upon him We see it is false for the most part Because such persons that are then humbled when they recover they are as bad or worse then ever they were Therfore an Ancient saith well He that is good onely under the crosse it never good it comes not from any change that God works but meerely from selfe-love Therefore presently let us repent of those waies that God convinceth our conscience to be evill wayes God may strike us suddenly Those that forget God and care not for him now it may be just with God to make them forget themselves to strike them with frenzy to take away the use of their memories then and when sickenesse comes wee shall have enough to doe to conflict with sicknesse we shall have enough to doe to answer the doubts of conscience Oh it would upbraid then We shall thinke it a hard matter then to have favour from God whose worship we have despised the motions of whose Spirit we have neglected and resisted Conscience after long hardening in sinne will hardly admit of comfort it is a harder matter then it is taken for Therefore even to day presently you that are young now in the daies of your youth now in the spring of your yeares repent you of your sinnes before old-age comes which indeed as Salomon describes it is an ill time to repent in Alas then a man can hardly performe civill duties as we see in Barzillai he complaines that in his old-age he could not take the comfort of the creatures Therefore put not off this duty till then And all both young and old now when the judgements of God are abroad in the world take the advantage returne to God renew your covenants make your peace now now this danger doth warme our hearts a little let us strike the Iron now while it is hot let us take the advantage of the Spirit now avvakening us vvith this danger Our hearts are so false and so dull we have need to take all advantages of withdrawing our selves from our sinful courses And to incourage us to doe it let us consider if we doe this and doe it in time wee shall have the sweetnesse of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts You will say wee shall loose the sweetnesse of sin I but you shall have a most sweet communion with God One day of a repentant sinner that is reconciled to God is more comfortable then a thousand yeares of an other man that is in continuall feare of death and judgement Oh the sweete life of a Christian that hath made his peace with God! he is fit for all conditions for life for death for every thing now by this wee shall have this grace and favour of God the Lord will say unto us by his Spirit I am your salvation And besides you shall have his grace renewing and altering and changing you framing you to a better course of life And he will be so farre from misliking any for their former sinnes that hee will give them cause to love him the more as wee see Luk. 7. Shee loved much because shee had much forgiven her Christ we see upbraided not any of his followers with their former sinnes hee regarded nor what they had beene formerly Zaccheus the extortioner Mary Magdalen Matthew the Publican Peter that denied him wee never heare that he upbraided any of them hee doth not onely vouchsafe mercy to Peter repenting but advanceth him to his former office Apostolicall so sweete a God have we to deale with let this incourage us Againe it is the way to prevent Gods judgements as wee see in Nineveh and others Put case we repent not we cannot goe fafe in the citie nor any where but God may meete with us and strike us with his arrow The onely way to prevent his judgements is to meete him speedily by repentance This is the way not onely to turne away the wrath of God concerning eternall damnation but outward judgements as wee see Ioel. 2 and many other places Then againe should we be stricken if we have made our peace with God if we have repented all shall be welcome all shall be turned to our good wee know the sting is pulled out If the sting of death be pulled out if the malignity and poison of any sicknesse be it the plague or whatsoever be pulled out why should we feare it Jt comes in love and shall be turned to our good and in the meane time God sweetens it Here is a grand difference betweene the children of God and others If the judgement of God light upon a repentant person it comes from favour and love to correct him for his former sinnes it is turned to good and in the meane time it is sweetned with love and mixed with comfort and moderated as it is Isa. 27.7 hath hee afflicted thee as I afflicted others No hee moderates his judgements to his children and not onely moderates them but sweetens them with comfort Jf God doe correct a repentant person hee is no looser by it nay he is a gainer It is good for mee that I have been afflicted Oh the blessed estate of that person that repents and turnes from his evill wayes But if a man doe not repent but live still in sinne what a state is hee in God cares not for his prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare my prayers and what a state is a man in when his prayers that should beg for blessings and avoid judgements and procure deliverance are not heard but shall be turned into sinne When God that is a God hearing prayer shall not regard his prayer What a case is this Yet if we regard iniquity in our hearts if we repent not of our sinnes God will not regard our prayers Then besides that there is a noise of feare in the
Well but that is not all we are to be accountable to God for the time and means we enjoy here in our generation If wee bee not the better for it wee shall bee so much the worse It had beene better for us to have been borne in times of Popery and darknesse in places of ignorance than living in the glorious times of the Gospell and in places where the light is discovered and to be naught in the middest of such light Those that are bad now are very bad wee see by experience that of all men the most outragious wretched persons are those that are ill in good places for God gives them up to more than an ordinary measure of prophanesse A man shall have better and more civill usage hee shall see better carriage in a Pagan than in many Christians that are not good under the meanes There bee degrees of those that are naught some God gives up to a prophane spirit in the middest of the means a fearfull brand Those that are bad now in the glorious times of the Gospell their sinnes are presumptuous sinnes they are not damned simply for sinning so much as for sinning against the meanes for sinning against such light for sinning in these times Those that lived in darknesse they could do no better What to be swearers now to be licentious disordered persons now to contemne holy things now to bee corrupt in our callings now In this generation when the light of the Gospel hath so gloriously shined what excuse can men have for their sinnes now Certainly it shall agravate their damnation that they were children of darknesse in the middest of light nothing will trouble their consciences so much as that they have offended against so many meanes and so many helps as they had in the dayes they lived in I beseech you therefore as wee should blesse God for reserving us for these times and places of knowledge and light so let us take heed lest they be a meanes of aggravating our damnation afterward that we shall wish that wee had never beene borne in such times but rather in times of darknesse It shall go better with our fore-Fathers that lived in darker times than with us if wee live in prophane and ungodly courses Now there is no generation so good but there bee grosse sinnes in all times and generations therefore let every man bee carefull as to consider the good of the generation to take good by it so likewise to consider the sinnes of the time wherein he lives that he be not tainted with the sins of that generation Gods children have a counter-motion a contrary motion to the motion of wicked persons in every generation therefore in our generation let us do as David did in his generation stand against the ills of the times go against the stream in that which is ill It is the commendation you see in the old Testament Noah was a good man in his generation and such and such were good men in their generations David in his generation served God and yet the times were naught help Lord saith he for godly men perish from the earth The times were naught when hee lived there was Doeg and Achitophell and Shemei and other wicked men yet David was a good man in his generation hee was not carried with the stream of the times A godly man considers who are good and who are naught in his generation and hee walks to heaven with those that are good though they be never so few he goes in a contrarie motion to others he doth not conforme to the world Rom. 12. he fashions not himselfe according to the world according to the wicked men in the generation he lives in but he fashions himselfe to them that are of another world that go a contrarie way to the world Every generation hath a Genius both for manners and studie former times they were given to Barbarisme now these times are more refined for outward respects So for sinnes every age hath particular sinnes that reigne Superstition in former times but now the cleane contrary Prophanesse Atheisme hardnesse of heart against the light Presumption Loosenesse and the like Now these being the sinnes of our times we should go so much the stronger against the stream of Prophanesse and Atheisme The Divell discovers himselfe in divers shapes in divers generations sometimes hee prevailes with ignorance and then hee is a spirit of darknesse sometimes hee is a spirit of Prophanesse and Loosenesse Now consider by what sinnes the Divell hath most advantage and be sure to set our selves against them And let every one in his place labour to make the generation we live in as good as we can Why doth God speak thus honourably of David He served God in his generation that time was the better for him Wee have all cause to blesse God for such men they are blessed men Let every one of us in our generation carry our selves so that when wee are gone it may be said such a man did much good in his time and place and hindred much ill What a blessed thing is it when in our generation wee hinder all the ill and do all the good we can that others may say to our comfort and credit the times and place was the better for such a man Beloved every one of us hath his generation some have a longer generation some a shorter some have a longer glasse appointed to runne out some their glasse is runne out in a shorter time Well be it longer or shorter let us be carefull that we trifle not out our generation and time wherein we live unprofitable that little part of time that God hath given us to work in let us be sure to bestir our selves in our generation we know not how long or short our generation is Alas if most men aske their owne consciences wherefore they live what is the life of many but an annoyance they infect the ayre with their oaths they are a burthen to the earth they mis-spend the blessings of God but what hath the times beene the better for them their lives have beene scandalous wicked and vicious It should be our glory to shine in our times as lights in the midst of a sinfull generation I beseech you therefore let us take the counsell of holy Saint Paul Gal. 6. While we have time let us do good while we have a part to act here upon the Stage of this world let us act our parts do that wherfore we came into the world Wee have not assurance from God that our generation shall hold thus long or thus long therefore whatsoever wee have to do let us do it presently let us reforme our wicked lives presently before wee go hence and bee no more seene And for the good wee have to do do it presently put it not off no man is assured of his continuance here In the next place David served God in
no Spirit of Christ at all I will not be large in the point onely I speake this by way of tryall to know whether wee have the Spirit of Christ in us or no if not we have nothing to doe with Christ For Christ saves us not as he is out of us onely Christ was to doe something of himselfe that wee have no share in onely the good of it is ours hee was to redeeme us by his blood to bee a Sacrifice the title to Heaven and salvation was wrought by Christ out of us but there is somewhat that he doth not onely for us but hee works in us by his Spirit that is the fitting of us for that he hath given us title too and the applying of that that he hath done for us Whosoever therefore hath any benefit by Christ he hath the Spirit to apply that to himselfe and to fit and qualifie him to be a member of such a Head and an heire of such a Kingdome whosoever Christ works any thing for he doth also worke in them there is a Spirit of application and that spirit of application if it be true it is a Spirit of sanctification and renovation fitting us every way for our condition Let us not abuse our selves as the world commonly doth concerning Christ they thinke God is mercifull and Christ is a Saviour Jt is true but what hath he wrought in thee by his Spirit hast thou the Spirit of Christ or else thou art none of his Romans 8. Where ever Christ is he goes with his Spirit to teach us to apply what Christ hath done for us and to fit us to bee like him Therefore let those that live in any sinnes against conscience thinke it a diabollicall illusion to thinke God and Christ is mercifull I but where is the worke of the Spirit All the hope thou hast is onely that thou art not in Hell as yet for the time to come but for the present I dare not say thou hast any thing to doe with Christ when there is nothing of the Spirit in thee the Spirit of Christ conformes the Spouse to bee like the husband and the members to be like the Head therefore begg of Christ that hee would annoint himselfe King in our hearts and Prophet and Priest in our hearts to doe that that he did to know his will as a Prophet to rule in us as a King and to stirre up prayers in us as a Priest to doe in some proportion that that he doth though it bee in never so little a measure for wee receive it in measure but Christ beyond measure wee must labour for so much as may manifest to us the truth of our estate in Christ that we are not dead but living branches Now Christ gives and conveyes his Spirit especially and most of all since his ascention and sitting at the right hand of God for after his resurrection he declared his victory over all his enemies and therefore was able to give the Spirit without opposition and upon his resurrection death and hell and the anger of God were overcome and our sinnes were satisfied for now Christ was Head indeed having trod all his enemies under his feete now he was enabled to give the Spirit but upon his ascention into Heaven and his sitting there he was more enabled for even as the Sunne being so high above the Earth doth convey his light and heate and influence upon the inferiour bodies So Christ being so highly advanced is fitter to infuse his Spirit and grace heere below since his exaltation therefore the Church is fuller of grace and grace hath beene more spread and diffused since the ascention of Christ then before and the Evangelist gives it as a reason The Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not ascended intimating that after his ascention there was a more full portion of the Spirit given God being fully appeased by the death of Christ and Christ staying the advantage that was fittest to give the Spirit now God the Father gives the Spirit with the Sonne so in both regards there was a greater fullnesse of the Spirit Therefore the Prophets speaking of the times of Christ especially of his exaltation shew that then they should be filled with the Spirit that the Spirit should be povvred out upon all flesh more aboundantly then before And that is the reason that the Apostles so differed from themselves before and after Christs ascention what a wondrous alteration was there Peter before hee flies even at the voice of a maide and they were full of contention and vaine glory but after we see when the Spirit the Holy Ghost came downe after Christs ascention into Heaven how couragious and valarous they were that they accounted it a matter of glory to suffer any thing and indeed we have more or lesse valour and courage the more of lesse Spirit we have now they having received more abundance of Spirit hereupon they were more couragious and undaunted at one time then another and this abundance of the Spirit comes especially since Christs advancement But how or by what meanes doth Christ give his Spirit to us This Spirit that is so necessary for us it is given by the ministery of the Gospell which is the ministery of the Spirit received ye the Holy Ghost by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith preached when the love of God in Christ and the benefits by Christ are layed open in the preaching of the Gospell to us God gives his holy Spirit the Spirit of Christ. Now God in Christ would save us by a triumphant and abundant love and mercy and the Spirit of God never goes but where there is a magnifying of the love and mercy of God in Christ therefore the ministery of the Gospell which onely discovers the amity and love of God to man-kinde being now reconciled in Christ it is accompanyed with the Spirit to assure us of our part and portion in those benefits for the Spirit is the fruit of Gods love as well as Christ Christ is the first gift and the Spirit is the second therefore that part of the word that discovers Gods exceeding love to man-kinde leaving Angells when they were fallen in their cursed estate and yet giving his Sonne to become man and a curse for us the discovery of this love and mercy of God and of his Son Christ to us is joyned with the Spirit for by the Spirit we see our cursed estate without the love and mercy of God in Christ and likewise we are convinced of the love of God in Christ and thereupon we love God againe and trust to his mercy and out of love to him performe all chearfull obedience whatsoever we doe else if it be not stirred by the Spirit apprehending the love of God in Christ it is but morallity A man shall never goe to Heaven but by such a disposition and frame and temper of soule as is wrought by the Holy Ghost
second death that followes wee are all dead in trespasses and sins Now what is the reason of it why we are dead First of all the ground of it is by sin we are seperated from the fountaine of life therfore we are all dead Secondly by sinne we lost that first originall righteousnesse which was comproduced with Adams soule when Adams soule was infused it was cloathed with all graces with originall righteousnesse the stampe of God was on his soule it was connaturall to that estate and condition to have that excellent gratious disposition that he had Now because we all lost that primative Image and glory of our soules we are dead We are dead likewise not onely in regard of the time past but for the time to come No man by nature hath fellowship with the second Adam till he be grafted into him by Faith which is a meere supernaturall thing In these regards every man naturally is dead Nay sinne it selfe it is not onely a cause of death of temporall death as it is a curse and so of eternall death of that bitter sentence and adjudging of us to both that we feele in terrours of conscience and expect after But sinne it selfe is an intrinsicall death Why Because it is nothing but a seperation of the soule from the chiefe good which is God and a cleaving to some creature For there is no sin but it carries the soule to the changeable creature in delight and affection to its pride and vanity one thing or other Sinne is a turning from God to the creature and that very turning of the soule is death every sinfull soule is dead In these and the like considerations you may conceave we are all dead And you hath hee quickned who were dead c. Let us consider a little what a condition this is to be dead in trespasses and sinnes Not to speake of the danger of the death of sentence when a man by the state of nature lies under the wrath of God that hanges over his head and is ready to crush him every moment But to speake of that death that seizeth upon our dispositions wee are dead by nature And what doth death worke upon the body unactivenesse stiffnesse so when the Spirit of God is severed from the soule it is cold and unactive and stiffe Therefore those that finde no life to that that is good no nor no power nor strength it is a signe that they have not yet felt the power of the quickning Spirit when they heare coldly and receive the Sacrament coldly as if it were a dead piece of worke and businesse when they doe anything that is spiritually good coldly and forced not from an inward principle of love to God that might heate and warme their hearts but they goe about it as a thing that must be done and thinke to satisfie God with an outward dead action Againe death makes the body unlovely Abraham would buy a piece of ground that hee might bury his dead out of his sight hee could not indure the sight of his owne beloved wife when shee was dead Death takes away the beauty and the honour that God hath put upon the body so that it is not honourable to those that behold it after death The Image of God stamped upon the soule of man by the Spirit it is the glory of a man after sin it is an unlovely soule We are all deprived of the glory of God as S. Paul saith And not onely so but there is a loathsomenesse contrary to that honour that was in it before Though all art and skill be used that may be to set out a dead body with flowers or whatsoever you will to please the fancy of the living yet it is but a dead body and the stench will be above all other sweete smells So let any naturall man be as witty and as learned and as great and as rich as you will or as he can be set out with all these ornaments and flowers yet hee is but a carrion a loathsome creature to God if his soule be seperated from God and inwardly cleave to the creature If he have not a new heart he is abhominable and loathsome to God and to all that have the Spirit of God A dead soule is abhominable to all Gods sences the Scripture thus familiarly condescends unto us hee will not behold him hee lookes upon the proud afarre off And hee smells no savour from their performances the very sacrifice of the wicked is abhominable he lookes upon them as wee doe upon a dunghill as a loathsome thing The prayers of the wicked are an abhomination to God he turnes away his face from them hee cannot indure them And for his eares hee will not heare the prayers of the wicked And for feeling he is wearied with their sinnes as a cart is with sheaves Nay he is wearied with their very good actions as it is Isa. 1.8 Whatsoever wicked men performe it is abhominable to God hee cannot behold them hee cannot indure them hee is burdened with their sinnes and those also that have the Spirit of God in them as farre as they see the foulenesse of their sins they loath them But herein a wicked man agrees with a dead body a dead body is not loathsome to its selfe So take a carnall man hee pranks up himselfe hee thinkes himselfe a jolly man especially when hee is set out in his flowers those things that hee beggs of the creatures he sees not his loathsomenesse hee thinkes himselfe a brave man in the world in the place he lives in and hee hath base conceits of others of God and all things of God Dead men are not loathsome to themselves because they want sences As in a prison the noisome savour is not offensive to them because they are all acquainted with it it hath ceazed upon and possessed their sences So wicked men they smell no ill savour and sent one from another because they are all dead persons one dead man is not loathsome to another as a company of prisoners they are not offended with the noysomenesse of one another Againe we sever dead persons from the rest so indeed a dead soule as he is severed from God so ae jure he should be severed from the company of others there should be a seperation and as soone as the life of grace is begun there will be a seperation betweene the living and the dead Let the dead follow the dead and bury the dead saith our Saviour in the Gospell Where bodily death is it deprives of all sences there is no use of any either of the eye or tongue c. it makes them speechlesse So he that is spiritually a dead man he can speake nothing that is savoury and good of spirituall things if he doth he is out of his element if he speak of good things he speakes with the spirit of another man if he speake of the writings of
Leprosie or some other contagious disease those that were tainted of them were separated from the Congregation seven daies or some set time So it is with sin especially the sins of this people they had sinned grievously and were severed from their land not seven daies but seventy yeares the leprosie and filthinesse of their sins and lives was such Indeed sinne especially the sinne of nature it is a leprosie contagious pestilentiall and as a leprosie it spreads over all the parts and powers of body and soule Take a man that is not changed he hath a leprous eye full of adulterie hee hath a leprous uncircumcised â—are aske him how he judgeth of discourses and Sermons hee relisheth nothing but that which is frothy and vaine plaine substantiall solid discourses either in hearing or reading will not downe with him hee hath a leprous judgement his eyes and eares and tongue are defiled and corrupt he is vile and abhominable in his speeches he is uncircumcised in all all are uncleane all his powers are defiled by nature All the washings in the Law did signifie this the corruption and defilement of our natures which needs another washing which they tipified a washing by the blood and Spirit of Christ. Christ came by water and blood both in Justification and Sanctification There is a Fountaine opened for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in All those washings shewed a defilement spirituall that needed a spirituall washing This sinne is a leprous contagious sinne therefore by nature we may all crie as the Leper uncleane uncleane the best of us may take up that complaint as farre as we are not renewed A leprous man defiled the things that he touched so it is with sinne till it be forgiven we defile every thing A proud man especially when he is set out in his bravery he thinkes himselfe a jolly man a brave creature alas he is a filthy creature not onely in himselfe but in every thing he puts his hand unto he taints and defiles every thing even civill actions hee sinnes in eating and drinking not that they in the substance of them are sinnes but he staines every thing for he forgets God in them he forgets himselfe exceedingly and he returnes not thankes to God so in morall civill actions much more in religious he defiles himselfe in every thing he is defiled to all things and all things are defiled to him this is our state by nature We are all as an uncleane thing This should enforce a necessity of cleansing our selves in the blood of Christ that is in the death of Christ who hath satisfied the justice of God Our natures are so foule in regard of the guilt and staine that the blood of God-man that is the satisfactory death of God-man was necessary to breed reconciliation and attonement betweene God and us And the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe must purge our consciences c. our consciences will not otherwise be pacified and cleansed in regard of guilt but will clamour and crie still much lesse will God be appeased neither God nor conscience will be pacified but by the blood of him who by the eternall Spirit offered up himselfe and then it will in regard of the guilt and staine then God and conscience will both be appeased Therefore in Zach. 13. There is a Fountaine opened for Iuda and Ierusalem to wash in And The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne Blood is of a defiling nature but the blood of Christ cleanseth because it is a satisfactory blood he died and was a sacrifice as a publique person for us all Then againe considering that we are all defiled besides this cleansing from the guilt of sinne let us get our natures cleansed by the Spirit of Christ more and more wee are all defiled And take heed of those that are defiled take heede of sinners who would willingly lie with a leprous person yet notwithstanding for matter of marriage and intimate society there is a little conscience made men converse with leprous company they joyne in the most intimate society with those that are leprous in their judgements The life of nature we know and are carefull to avoid what may impaire it but it is a signe we have not the life of grace begun in us because we doe not valew it if we had we would be more carefull to preserve it and to take heeed of contagious company Who would goe to the Pest-house or to one that hath Lord have mercy upon us on the doore none but a mad man he might doe soe and surely those that joyne with swearers and drunkards and filthy persons and goe to filthy places and houses as many doe the more shame for them they think they have no soules nor no account to make 〈◊〉 goe to these places and infect themselves It is a signe they have no life of grace all companies are alike to them Is this strength of grace No they have no life of grace they have nothing to loose for if they had the life of grace they would preserve it better Sinne is a filthy thing more filthy then the leprosie nay then the plague it selfe for the plague or leprosie makes but the bodie loathsome but the sinne that we cherish and are loath to heare of makes the soule loathsome The one makes unfit for the company of men but the other sinne and corruption and lusts unfit us for the Kingdome of God for Heaven for life or death therefore it is worse The leprosie of the body makes a man not a whit odious to God but the leprosie of the soule makes us hatefull to him We may have more intimate communion with God in the plague then out of the plague because God supplies the want of outward comforts but in sinne we can have no comfortable communion and society with God therefore this plague of the soule is many waies worse then the pestilence But we want faith God hath not opened our eyes to see that that we shall see and know ere long and it is happie if wee consider it in time To conclude this point concerning the corruption of nature take Davids course Psal. 51. when sinnefull actions come from us or unsavourie words or beastly thoughts or unchast and noysome desires that grieve the Spirit of God let us go to the Fountaine alas my nature is leprous as farre as it is not purged I was conceived in sinne my mother brought mee forth in iniquity The more we take occasion every day to see and observe the corruption of our nature the lesse it is and we cannot better take occasion then upon every actuall sinne to run to the fountaine the filthy puddle from whence all comes and be more humbled for that then for particular sinnes It is a mistake in men they are ashamed of an action of injustice c but they should goe to their nature and thinke I
Justice for them and by the Spirit of life hath quickned that dead body of his that was surety for us himselfe we may well say Who shall lay any thing to our charge he that is our surety is dead dead nay risen againe nay ascended and sits at the right hand of God Therefore now the conscience of any Christian may make that interrogation and bold demand there it may stand out any that dares to oppose the peace of his conscience now that he may say who is it it is God-man that dyed it is Christ that dyed in our nature and hath raised that nature of ours againe and is at the right hand of God who shall lay any thing to our charge The Spirit of life in Christ quickning him hath quickned us together with him so that now we may boldly demand we are freed from our sinnes because our surety is free from all All this was for our good what Christ did it was not for himselfe but for us and in his birth and life and death and resurrection we must consider him as a publicke person and so goe along with all that hee did as a publicke person Whatsoever may be terrible to us we must looke upon it first in Christ. If we looke upon the corruption and defilement in our nature looke upon the pure nature of Christ his nature was sanctified in his birth and he is a publicke person therefore this is for me and though I be defiled in my owne nature and carry the remainders of corruption about me yet the Spirit of life in Christ sanctified his nature and there is more sanctity in him then there can be sinne in me When we looke upon our sinnes let us not so much looke upon them in our consciences as in our surety Christ. When wee looke upon death looke not upon it in our selves in its owne visage but as it is in Christ undergone and conquered for the power of the Spirit of life in Christ overcame death in himselfe first and for us and will overcome in us in time When the wrath of God is on our consciences looke not upon it as it is in our selves but as undergone by Christ and as Christ by the Spirit of life now in him is raised up not from death alone but from all terrours My God my God why hast thou forsaken me See Christ by the Spirit of life quickened from all not onely bare naturall death but from all enemies thou needest to feare from the Law it is nayled to his Crosse hee now triumphs over it and from sinne hee was a Sacrifice for it and from the wrath of God he hath satisfied it or else he had not come out of his grave So whatsoever is terrible look on it in Christ first see a full discharge of all that may affright thy conscience and trouble thy peace any way See him in his death dying for every man that will beleeve Consider him in his resurrection as a publicke person not rising himselfe alone but for all us therefore is 1 Pet. 1. There is an excellent place Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. and so goe along with him to his Ascension and see our selves sitting with him in heavenly places as Saint Paul speakes oh this is a sweet meditation of Christ to see our selves in him in all the passages of his birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension to glory in heaven for all that he did was as a publicke person as the second Adam But now before the Spirit of life in Christ come to free me I and Christ must be one there must be an union betweene me and Christ I must be a member of Christ mysticall For as Christ quickened his owne body every joynt when it was dead because it was his body so he quickens his mysticall body every member of it but I must be a member first I must not be my selfe severed from Christ. Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ the first thing it doth next to impetration and obtaining of happinesse it workes application for these two goe together impetration and application Christ by his death obtained all good and by his resurrection hee declared it but there must be an application to me Now this Spirit of life which is in Christ which quickened him and raised him up and all for my good must apply this to me The grace of application it is faith therefore this must be wrought in the next place How doth the Law of the Spirit of life free me because first it freed Christ therefore me but that is not enough except there be application Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life workes faith in me to knit me to Christ to make me beleeve that all that hee hath done is mine and the same power that raised Christ from the dead workes the power of faith and application For wee must not thinke that it is an easie thing for a carnall man to beleeve to goe out of himselfe that it is salvation enough to have salvation by the obedience of another man No both in the Ephesians and Colossians in divers places it is S. Pauls phrase that the same power that raised Christ from the dead must raise our hearts and worke faith in them For as the good things that faith layes hold on are wondrous good things even above admiration almost that poore flesh and blood a piece of earth should be an heire of heaven a member of Christ that it should be above Angels in dignity as the things are superexcellent things even above admiration in a manner so the grace that beleeves these things it is a strange and excellent and admirable grace that is faith Therefore faith must be wrought by the Law of the Spirit of Christ by the ministery of the Gospell This is the grace of application when a man goes out of himselfe when he sees himselfe first in bondage to his corruptions to Satan and to death and then sees the excellent way that God hath wrought in Christ to bring him out of that cursed estate then hee hath by the Spirit of life faith wrought in him And indeed the same power and Spirit that quickened Christ from the dead must quicken our hearts to beleeve in Christ. It is a miracle to bring the heart of man to beleeve Wee thinke it an easie matter to beleeve indeed it is an easie matter to presume to have a conceite but for the soule in the time of temptation and in the houre of death for the guilty soule to goe out of it selfe and cast it selfe upon the mercy of God who is justly offended and to beleeve that the obedience of Christ is mine as verily as if I had obeyed my selfe here must be a strong
sanctified judgement and a mighty power to raise the soule to cast it selfe so upon Gods mercy in Christ. So that besides the obtaining saluation by Christ there must be a grace to apply it and this faith doth Faith is said to doe that that Christ doth because faith layes hold upon Christ what faith doth Christ doth and what Christ doth faith doth therefore it hath the same actions applyed and given to it that Christ hath Faith is said to save us you know it is Christ that saves us but faith layes hold on Christ that saves us faith purgeth the heart and overcomes the world Christ by his Spirit doth all this but because faith wrought by the Spirit is such a grace as layes hold on the power of Christ it goes out of it selfe to Christ therefore what Christ doth faith is said to doe So then the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ not onely freed Christ himselfe by his Resurrection but likewise by the same power whereby hee raysed himselfe he rayseth our hearts to beleeve what hee hath done both in his state of humiliation and exaltation and makes all that Christ did ours The Spirit of life in Christ Iesus working faith in us and by faith other graces doth free us from the Law of sinne and death Christ doth it and faith doth it and grace which issues from faith doth it subordinately Christ doth it by way of merit and by his Spirit working faith in us to lay hold upon whatsoever Christ hath done or suffered as if we had done it our selves so it frees us from the law of sinne and death because it layes hold of the freedome wrought by Christ for us But besides and next to faith there is a Spirit of sanctification by which we are free from the commanding law of sinne and death But to cleare all this consider there is a freedome in this life and in the life to come from sinne and from death A freedome in this life in calling in justification in sanctification and in the life to come a freedome of glory There is a freedome in effectuall calling by the minâ—sterie of the Gospel the Gospel being preached unfolded faith is wrought whereby wee know what Christ hath done for us and wee see a better condition in Christ then we are in by nature seeing by the Spirit of God the cursed estate wee are in we are convinced of sinne in our selves and of the good that is in Christ and hereupon wee are called out of the thraldome wee are in by nature by the Spirit of Christ and the Word of God unfolding what our condition is for man by nature having selfe-love in him and that selfe-love being turned the right way he begins to thinke I doth the Word of God say I am a slave to sinne and damnation the Word of God can judge better then my selfe and then the Spirit of God sets it on with conviction that undoubtedly this is true And together with the cursed kingdome and slavery that I am under there is discovered a better state in Christ for the Gospel tells us what we are in Christ freed from hell and death and heires of heaven oh the happy estate of a Christian to be in Christ The Gospel with the Spirit discovering this a man is called out of the cursed estate he is in by nature to the fellow-ship of Christ by faith which is wrought in this calling so that now he comes to be a member of Christ by faith so that whatsoever Christ hath or is or hath done or suffered it is mine by reason of this union with him by faith which is the grace of union that knits us to Christ and the first grace of application So there is the first degree of liberty and freedome wrought by the Spirit of God together with the Gospel in effectuall calling The second is in justification that faith and beleefe in Christ that was wrought in effectuall calling it frees me from the guilt of my sinnes For when the Gospel in effectuall calling discovers that Christ is such a one and that there is such an estate in Christ and there is faith wrought in me then that faith layes hold upon the obedience of Christ to be mine For Christ in the Gospel offers his obedience to be mine as if I had done it in mine own person whatsoever Christ did or suffered is mine for he is made of God to be Wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to be all in all the Gospell sets him forth to be so Now faith laying hold of Christ to be made of God all in all obedience righteousnesse c. whatsoever is needfull hereupon this faith justifies me hereupon I come to be free from the guilt of my sinnes because my sinnes were laid upon Christ Christs death was the death of a surety it was as if I had dyed my selfe and more firme thus I come to be free in justification for what my surety hath done I have done Againe there is a freedome in sanctification that is when a man beleeves that Christ is his and that his sufferings are his then the same Spirit that discovers this to be mine it workes a change and alteration in my nature and frees me from the dominion of sinne The obedience of Christ frees me from the condemnation of sinne and the Spirit of sanctification frees me from the dominion of sinne This is the freedome of sanctification which faith layes hold on Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Christ as a head derives to me the holy Spirit to sanctifie my nature and of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace so the Spirit of sanctification in Christ frees me from the dominion of sinne and death It is said here that by Christ we have spirituall liberty and freedome not from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and of death It is one thing to be freed from sinne and death and another thing to be freed from the law of them for wee are not indeed freed from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and death that is from the condemning power of sinne that though sinne be in us yet it doth not condemne us and though we die yet the sting is pulled out death is but a passage to a better life So I say in Justification wee are freed from the condemning power of sinne and in sanctification from the commanding power of sinne When we are knit once to Christ we have the obedience of Christ ours in justification and the holinesse of Christ is derived to us as from the head to the members in sanctification and so we are freed from the law of sin To understand this a little better the same Spirit that sanctified the naturall body the humane nature of Christ wherby he became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh the same Spirit doth sanctifie the mysticall body of Christ
that it may be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh For before wee come to heaven Christ must not onely be bone of our bone c. that is in his Incarnation but wee must be bone of his bone c. that is wee must have natures like Christ not onely flesh and blood for so a reprobate hath flesh and blood as Christ hath but wee must have his Spirit altering and changing our nature that instead of a proud disobedient rebellious nature now it must be a holy and humble and meeke nature together with humane frailty for that we carry about with us then the Spirit of life derived from Christ makes us bone of his bone For indeed in his humane nature being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh hee made us bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh he became man that we might partake of the divine nature being partakers of the divine Spirit So that now the Spirit of life in Christ when we are knit to him is a Spirit of sanctification altering our natures and working in our hearts a disposition like Christs that wee judge as Christ judgeth and chuse as Christ chuseth and ayme at Gods glory as Christ did For there is the same mind in us that was in Christ Philip. 2. In our proportion growing still more and more to conformity with Christ till we be in heaven till Christ be all in all 1 Cor. 15. When he will change our nature to be holy as his owne Besides this liberty from sinne and death in this life there is a glorious liberty and freedome thaâ— we have by the Spirit of Christ when we are dead for then the Spirit of life that raised Christs dead body will raise our bodies and that Spirit of Christ that raiseth his body and raiseth our soules in this world from sinne to beleeve in him will raise our dead bodies The same vertue and power that workes in Christ workes in his members this is called The glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God Then wee shall be freed indeed not onely from the law of sinne but from sinne it selfe and not onely from the law of death but death it selfe and wee shall live forever with the Lord. Christ then shall be all in all by his Spirit Christ will never leave us till hee have brought us to that glorious freedome wee are freed already from sinne and death he hath set us in heavenly places together with himselfe now In faith we are there already but then wee shall be indeed Thus you see how we come to have the law of the Spirit of life in Christ to free us from the law of sinne and death and all the passages of it You see here that there is law against law The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ against the law of sinne and death I beseech you consider that God hath appointed law to countermand law the Spirit of Christ to overcome sinne in us not onely in justification but in sanctification oh let us therefore comfortably thinke there is a Law above this Law I have now cold dead base affections but if I have the Spirit of Christ he can quicken and enliven me hee will not onely pardon my sinne but by the Law of his Spirit direct guid and command me a contrary way to my lusts And this is an Art of spirituall prudence in heavenly things whensoever wee are beset with dangers to set â—reater then that against it The Devill is an Angell but we have a guard of Angels about us The Devill is a Serpent but we have a braâ—en Serpent that cures all the stings of that Serpent We have Principalities and Powers against but we have greater Principalities and Poâ—ers for us The Law of life against the law of sinne and death We have a law of our lusts tyrannizing over us and enthralling us it is true but then there is a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus to overcome and subdue that law of our lusts if so be that wee use the prerogatives wee have if we use faith and goe to God and Christ in whom are all the treasures of grace Hee is the treasury of the Church of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Are we troubled with any corruptions goe to the Spirit of liberty in Christ and desire him to set us at liberty from the bondage and thraldome of our corruptions And remember what Christ hath done for us and where hee is now in heaven let us raiâ—e our thoughts that wee may see our selves in heaven already that wee may be ashamed to defile our bodies and soules with the base drudgery of sinne and Satan that are sanctified in part in this world and shall be glorified in heaven Certainely faith would raise our soules so we betray our selves when being once in the state of grace we are inâ—hralled basely to any sinne For sinne shall not have dominion over you because you are under grace saith the Apostle Being under grace if wee doe 〈◊〉 use our reasoning and use faith and exercise the grace we have given us wee cannot be in thrall to corruptions Wee shall have remainders to trouble us put not to 〈◊〉 and reigne and domineere For sinne 〈◊〉 beares â—way but when wee betray our selves and either beleeve not what Christ hath done for us or else exercise not our faith A Christian is never overtaken basely but when hee neglects his priviledges and prerogatives and doth not stirre up the grace of God in him Learne this then when we are troubled with any thing set Law against Law set the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ against all oppositions whatsoever and let the temptation â—â—e where it will let it lie in justificatiâ—â— as when wee are tempted by Satan to despaire for sinnes for great sinnes oh but then consider the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death Christ was made sinne to free me â—rom sinne Consider that Christ was God-man hee satisfied divine Justice the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne though they be as red as crimson Thus set Christ against our sinnes in justification when the guilt of them â—â—oubles our soules And so likewise when wee are set on by base lusts set against them the power of Christ in sanctification What 〈◊〉 I now a member of Christ one that professeth my selfe to be an heire of heaven there is a Spirit of life in Christ my head there is a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ that is there is a commanding power in his Spirit and that Spirit of his is not onely in the head but in the members If I goe to him for grace I may have grace answerable to the grace that is in him grace that will strengthen me with his power be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 6.
and in Christ I can doe all things by his Spirit though in my selfe I can doe nothing And so in deadnesse and desolation of Spirit when the soule is cast downe with discomfort let us thinke with our selves the Spirit of life in Christ is a quickening Spirit if I can beleeve in Christ he hath freed me from the guilt of sinne and hee hath by his Spirit given me some little inlargement from the dominion of my corruptions why should I be cast downe I am an heire of heaven ere long Satan shall be trodden under my feet ere long I shall be free from the spirituall combate and conflict with sinne that I am now encountred with therefore I will comfort my selfe I will not be cast downe overmuch In the houre of death let us make use of this freedome of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus from the law of sinne and death When the time comes that there must be a separation of soule and body oh let us thinke with our selves Now I must dye yet Christ hath dyed and I must dye in conformity to my head and here is my comfort the Law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of death it hath freed me from spirituall and eternall death So that now through Christ death is become friendly to me death now is not the death of me but death will be the death of my misery the death of my sinnes it will be the death of my corruptions death now will be the death of all that before troubled me but death will be my birth day in regard of happinesse Better is the day of death then the day of birth When a man comes into this life he comes into misery but when he dies hee goes out of misery and comes to happinesse so that indeed wee never live till we dye wee never live eternally and happily till then for then wee are freed from all misery and sinne Blessed are they that dye in the Lord they rest from their labours they rest from the labours of toyle and misery they rest from the labours of sinne from all labours whatsoever Blessed are they that dye in the Lord and of all times then blessed more blessed then before they rest from their labours and then begins their happinesse that shall never end So you see what comfort a Christians soule sprinkled with the blood of Christ may have if it goe to God in Christ and begge of Christ to be set at liberty from all enemies to serve God in holines and righteousnesse I speake too meanely when I say the Law of the Spirit of life hath fâ—â—ed us from 〈◊〉 and death this is not all the Spirit of life not onely frees us from ill but advanceth us to the contrary good in every thing wherein this freedome is For we are not onely called out of misery but to a Kingdome wee are not onely freed from sinne but intitled to heaven in justification and in sanctification we are not onely freed from corruption but inabled by the holy Spirit of liberty to run the wayes of Gods Commandements and make them voluntary to serve God chearefully zealous of good workes wee are not onely freed from the command and condemnation of sinne and â—he rigour of the Law but we have contrary dispositions ready and willing and voluntary dispositions wrought by the Spirit of Christ to every thing thâ—â—â—s good And so wee are not onely free from death and misery for so things without life are they suffer no misery but wee are partakers of everlasting life and glory the liberty of glory Gods benefits are compleat that is not onely priuative freeing us from ill but positive implying all good because God will shew himselfe a God he will doe good things as a God fully For the Law of the Spirit of life not onely frees us from the law of sinne and of death but writes the Law of God in our hearts he not onely frees us from the law of death but advance us to everlasting life to the glorious life we have in heaven to live for ever with the Lord oâ— happy condition of a Christian if wee could know our happinesse Let us often meditate deepely of Christ and of our selves in him let us see all our ill in him and all our good in him see death overcome and sinne overcome by his death hee being made a curse for us see the Law overcome hee being made under the Law for us when the wrath of God vexeth and terrifieth us see it upon him Hee sweat water and blood in the Garden It made him crie out My God my God why â—ast thou forsaken me See all that may trouble us in him as our Surety And all the good wee hope for see it in Christ first whatsoever he hath in his naturall body it is for his mysticall body for hee gave his naturall body for his mysticall God in the world to humble us exerciseth us with troubles and calamiâ—ies as he did Christ wee must be conformable to our heâ—d but consider the poyson and sting of all ills wee need to feaâ—e is swallowed up and taken away by Christ. And as I said let us see all our good in him wee are sonnes in him raysed 〈◊〉 him blessed in him set in heavenly places with him and shall be follow-heires and Kings with him for wee are his members his Spouse the wife shall enjoy the same condition as the husband whatsoever hee hath she shall have What a comfortable estate is this I we can feare no ill nor want no good whatsoever hee hath it is for us hee was borne for us hee dyed for us hee is gone to heaven for us for us and our good hee did and suffered all these things We cannot exercise our thoughts too much in these meditations The Lords Supper is a Sacrament of union and communion hence it hath its name and by receiving the Sacrament our Communion and union with Christ is strengthned What a comfort then is it to thinke if I have fellowship with Christ it is sealed by the Sacrament when I take the Bread and Wine at the same time I have communion with the Body and Blood of Christ shed for my sinnes and as Christ himselfe was freed from my sinnes imputed to him and by his Resurrection declared that hee was freed so surely shall I be freed from my sinnes So that this Communion taking the Bread and Wine it seales to us our Communion and fellowship with Christ and thereupon our freedome from sinne and from the Law and sets us in a blessed and happy estate Wee should labour therefore by all meanes to strengthen our union and Communion with Christ and amongst the rest reverently and carefully attend upon this blessed Ordinance of God for the body of Christ broken doth quicken us because it is the body of the Sonne of God My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed and hee
question What shall we say to these things It is good often to propound quaeres and demands to our owne hearts when we read or heare divine truths to aske our owne hearts you have heard these things what say you to them For whatsoever God saith in his Word will doe us no good till we speake to our owne hearts and be convinced of it and say it is so therefore wee should say to our selves here are many comforts and duties pressed but what sayest thou to it my heart dost thou not stand out against comforts and advice It is no matter what God saith unlesse he over-power the unbeleeving heart to say what shall I say to these things shall I not agree with God and his Spirit and his comforts shall they be best in regard of an unbeleeving heart oâ— no Therefore let our care be to store them in the treasury of our memory which should be like the pot of Mannah to containe heavenly comforts let us treasure up all the truths we can all will be little enough when we shall need comfort But when we have them in our memory let us aske our selves are these things so or no If they be so beleeve them if they be not so then let us give liberty to our selves and away with hearing and reading c. If they be so for shame let me yeeld to them Let us aske these questions with some fruit let us deale thus with our owne hearts often call them to account whether â—â—beleeve or no for wee have such a faculty â—nd power we can reflect upon our selves And we ought to desire of the Spirit of God to teach our hearts to reflect upon them selves to examine whether wee know and if wee know whether we beleeve and what use wee make of these things and why we should live thus doth this life and course of mine agree with these principles The best of us all are tardy this way therefore let not that part without making some use of it But I proceed to that I will more dwell on If God befor 〈◊〉 who can be against us Here is first a ground layd and then a comfort built upon it The ground that is layd is If God be with us when he saith If God be with us he doth not put the case but layes it as a ground If God be with us as indeed he is with all his in electing them in calling them in working all for their good in glorifying them after c. If God be with us as he is then this comfort is built upon this ground Who shall or can be against us For the first the ground that is laid is that God is with his children Iâ—deâ—d hee is with the whole world hee is every where but he is with â—is Châ—rch and children in 〈…〉 The soule inâ—pred in the whole body but it is in the braine â—fter another 〈…〉 it understands and 〈…〉 he is not every where comfoâ—ting and directing and sanctifying nor every where giving a sweet and blessed issue So besideâ— the generall respect that will not now stand on God is with us that 〈◊〉 his in a more pecâ—liar manner in all his sweet Attributes in his wisedome to direct us with his power to assist and strengthen us by his grade and love to comfort us and hee is with us in all our perplexities to stay our soules hee is with us by his sweet and gracious mercy to feed 〈◊〉 with hidden Mannah with secret comforts in the middest of discomforts when there is no comfort else with us then God is with us And then he is with us in the issue of all that a godly man takes in hand in his name hee is with him in all crosses to direct and tuâ—â—e them to his best good All things worke for the best to them that love God He is with them in all his sweet relations as a gracious Father in Covenant as a Husband He is with them in those sweet comparisons as a Hen as an Eagle to carry them on his wings above all dangers as hee carryed the Israelites in the wildernesse He is with them in all comfortable relations Therefore God in the Scriptures borrowes 〈◊〉 from every thing thâ—â— is comfortable He is with them as a Rocke to build on as a Shield to defend them in the time of heate and persecution he is a shaddow to keepe them from the heate hee is with them as a light Christ is our life in death our light in darkenesse our righteousnesse in sinfulnesse and guilt our holinesse in impurity our redemption in all our miseries There is somewhat of God in every creature therefore God takes names from his owne creatures because there is some strength or comfort in them God gives himselfe variety of names as there are variety of our distresses Are we in misery God is a Rock a Shield a Tower of defence a Buckler hee is all that can be said for comfort He is with us in his Attributes and sweet relations and all sweet termes that may support our faith that whatsoever wee see comfortable in the creature we may rise more comfortably to God and say God is my Rocke and Shield and my light and defence And then God is with us in every condition and in every place whatsoever hee is not onely a God of the mountaines and not of the valleyes or a God of the valleyes and not of the mountaines as those foolish people thought but he is in all places and at all times with his If they be in prison hee goes with them Act. 16. He made the prison a kind of Paradise a heaven If they be banished into other Countries he goes with them I will goe with thee oh Jacob into Egypt and bring thee backe againe If they be in death he is with us to death and in death In the valley of the shadow of death thou art with â—e at all times whatsoever and in all conditions God is with us In all our affaires whatsoever God is with us Feare not Josua Feare not Moses what was the ground of their comfort I will be with thee Hee was with Saint Paul in all conditions therefore hee bids him feare not So our blessed Saâ—iour the head of all in Act. 10.38 in the speech of Peter to Cornelius hee did all things well for God was with him you see how God is with his children What is the ground that the great and holy and pure God blessed for ever should be with such sinfull and wretched creatures as we are that hee should not onely be with us and about us and compasse us as a shield but be in us The ground of all is his free love in Christ Christ was God with us first God that hee might be with us ordained that Chrisâ— should be God with us Emmanuel that hee should take our nature into unity of person with himselfe Christ being God with us that he
might satisfie the just wrath of God foâ— our sinnes and so reconcile God and us together he hath made God and us friends so that this that God is with us it is grounded upon an excellent and sound botâ—omâ— upon the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour that for this very end that God might be with us was God with us that is he was God and man to bring God and man together he was God and man in one to bring God and man that were at contrary termes to termes of reconciliation to recollect and bring us backe againe to God from whence we fell So the reason why God the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are with us it is because Christ the second Person God and man is with us or else there could be no such sweet termes as these are you see how it is founded Christ took our nature and advanced and inriched it Now hee having taken our nature and our persons to be one with him how neere are Christ and we together There is one common spirit in him and us one common Father I goe to my Father and your Father to my God and your God There is one common Kingdome and inheritance wee are fellow-heires with him oh how neere is Christ to us our soules are not so neere our bodies as Christ is to us and God in Christ. So you see this that God is with us it is founded upon an excellent wonderfull comfortable mysterie This I suppose is cleare therefore I come to that I intend further to enlarge that is the comfort built upon this ground If God be with us Who shall be against us One would think this a strange question for a Christian no sooner comes to be one with Christ and so to be reconciled to God but he hath against him all the powers of hell and then he hath the whole world against him presently Satans Kingdome and then hee hath an enemy that is worst of all that stirres up strife and rebellion and contention even in his owne heart his owne flesh So that we may say who is not against a Christian If God be with us all else but God will side against us There are two grand sides in the world to which all belong there is Gods side and those that are his and there is another side that is Satans and those that are his two Kingdomes two seeds two contrary dispositions that pursue one another till all the one be in hell Satan and all his seed together the Devill and all that fight under his banner that are led with his malignant poyson-full spirit though it may be they cannot doe more hurt or doe not out of politicke respects though they have poyson-full hearts yet these never leave contending till they be in hell and the other never leave till they be in heaven together Christ makes it his prayer My will is that where I am they may be also and his will must be performed so that he need not aske the question If God be with us who shall be against us there will be enow against us It is true but in what sense are they against us and how farre are they against us They are thus farre against us in their wit in their plots and policies in their wills they would devoure all if they could they are against us in their indeavours they doe what they can against the Church and people of God They are against us in their prevailing likewise their indeavours are not idle but prevayle very farre over Gods people even to insolency Where is now their God as it is oft in the Psalmes and to the dejection of Gods people The Lord hath forsaken me The Lord hath forgotten me Gods people are brought very low to the pits brinke the pit almost shuts her mouth upon them So you see they are against them many wayes God gives a great length to their tether And many reasons God hath to let them prevaile both to draw out their malice the more and then to shew his people their corruptions the more and then to exercise their graces in wayting and for the just confusion of their enemies at the latter end and for the sweet comfort of his children at the end when God sees the fittest time to meet with the enemies that they might have sweet experience of Gods seasonable care how ever God put off a long time for some respects so you see they may prevayle a long time Yet who can be against us in this sense that is to prevayle altogether who shall be against us so farre as to have their will in the issue They prevayle a great way what doe they intend not to prevayle over the persons of Gods Church and people but the cause which in spite of Satan and his instruments and all must stand invincible to the end of the world They intend likewise to prevayle over the courage of Gods people that they cannot neither for Saint Paul saith after in this Chapter In all these things we are more then conquerours that is abundant conquerours a strange high terme But in some sense we are more then conquerours for if we consider what weake persons Gods children are what strong enemies they have and what weake meanes they prevayle with in the sight of the world to flesh and blood that such persons should prevayle over such enemies by such weake meanes as they doe in this respect they are more then conquerours So he may say Who can be against us that is to have their wills to overthrow the cause of Christ and the courage of Gods children they may prevayle in this or that particular but at the last all their plots and counsels shall proove abortive and bring forth a lie All is but to magnifie Gods power the more in letting them goe so farre and then to dash all their molds and plots Gods children they have the Devill and all his company the world and the flesh but there is God the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost for them the blessed Trinity that are able to blow away the other three and all the strength and support they have whatsoever Who shall be against us It is not a question of doubting or inquisition to learne any thing but it is a question of triumph he doth as it were cast a bancke and bid defiance to all enemies whatsoever Who shall be against us Let them stand out Satan and the world and all Satans supports let them doe their worst There is a strange confidence which is seated in the hearts of Gods children that they dare thus dare hell and earth and all infernall powers they set God so high in their hearts that they dare say with a spirit of confidence Who shall be against us The meaning is not who shall be against us to take away our lives or liberties c. As the speech is they may kill us but they cannot hurt us the worst they can doe is
Spirit in the Spouse saith Come The Spirit doth all as the soule doth all in the body it acts it and leads it and comforts it and gives beauty to it so the Spirit first knits Christ and us together there is the same Spirit in Christ the head and in the Church there is one common Spirit in head and members And when it hath done so it acts and leads and sanctifies and purifies the Church it acquaints the Church with the good things that God hath given her acquaints her with the deepe meaning of God the love of God in Christ it acquaints God with our desires hee knowes our meaning in our prayers and we know his meaning it acquaints us with the state we shall have after and assures us of it It is the earnest of the Inheritance the Spirit and the graces of it are not onely the earnest but a part of that Inheritance a part of heaven where our bodies shall be spirituall not that they shall turne to be spirits but they shall be ruled wholy by the Spirit as the soule rules the body As it is in a river it is impossible that the streame should run higher then the spring-head from whence it comes so it is impossible that our desires should rise higher then the spring from whence they come the desires of nature cannot goe higher then nature the desires of the flesh are fleshly but spirituall desires as they spring from heaven they have a noble originall and head so they carry to heaven againe Therefore as the Spirit comes from God the Father and the Sonne so it carries us backe againe to the Father and the Sonne as it comes from heaven so it carries to heaven back againe That is one way to know whether our desires be spirituall or no our desire of death and of the comming of Christ if it be from wearisomnesse of life and from afflictions in the world so nature may desire I were better be dead then to be thus as Ionas wished death and the children of Israel and Elias in a passion oh that I were dead c. but if those desires spring from the Spirit then they come from heaven from the consideration of the excellency of the state wee shall have there that it shall be better with us and that death is but a darke passage to a glorious condition We may know our desires are spirituall from the rise of them if they come from spirituall and holy and heavenly considerations the Spirit doth all in the Spouse that is holy and Spirituall Therefore let us give entertainment to the Spirit of God and be where we may have further and further communion with the Spirit in spirituall Ordinances The preaching of Gods holy Word though it be meanely esteemed by the world it is the Ministerie of the Spirit in the hearing of it the Spirit is given if we would have the Spirit let us attend upon the Ministerie of the Spirit And let us study Christ and make him all in all Saint Paul questions with the Galathians saith hee I would know of you how came ye by the Spirit by hearing of Christs Gospel or of the Law preached No it was by the Gospel so that not onely the Ministerie in generall but the Evangelicall Ministerie that unfolds Christ and the infinite love of God in Christ the excellent condition we have in this world and look for in the world to come the Spirit is effectuall with these thoughts to make us holy and heavenly The Law beats downe but the Gospel especially these Evangelicall truths make us spirituall Therefore wee should be willing to heare spirituall points There are a company of men that love to heare curious and nice points and if a Minister be quaint anâ— satyricall and unfold points sutable to their apprehension they can digest this but come to speake of things above nature of Christ and the benefits by him they are spirituall they are remote and transcendent above their nature that they cannot relish them But he that hath the Spirit of Christ of all points there are none to those that unfold Christ and the benefits by him the glory that wee hope for by him in another world And let us not grieve the Spirit but give way to his motions The Spirit is now among us in his Ordinance knocking at our hearts and desiring entertainement let us give way and not quench the good motions that hee stirres up and the Spirit shall be given more and more to us The Holy-Ghost is given to them that ebey him And let us beg the Spirit God will give his holy Spirit to them that aske him Luk. 11. As if hee should say the Spirit is the best thing that God can give you that are evill can give good things to your children but your heavenly Father hath one good thing instead of all he will give his Spirit Therefore when wee find our hearts dead and dâ—ll and earthly and base-minded thinke thus Alas I am a lump of flesh now where is the Spirit of God certainely if I had the Spirit in me I could not be as I am If we love our soules we will take this course wee trifle with Religion else God doth all by the Spirit the Spirit is Christs Vicar here is no need of a Ministeriall head betweene the Spouse and Christ the Spirit and the Spouse are so neere together there is such a conjunction betweene Christ and his Church that where the Spirit is hee stirres up desires of his comming Onely let us attend upon the meanes and Ordinances that hee hath left in his Church And let us consider wee are not for this life we are not to live here alway the child in the wombe is not for that life and when it is in the world it is not for this life there is a third life that we are for An imperfect state rests not till it come to perfection our best is behind let those that are naught feare the second comming of Christ. Let Herod and Iudas and the beast of Rome feare that shall be cast into the burning lake Let Felix tremble the corrupt Judge and all that live in corrupt courses But wee that professe our selves to be Christians and hope for better things in another world let us labour to banish base feares and to this end let us labour to be spirituall and not to be lead by the flesh Whosoever is Christs hath the Spirit of Christ or else he is none of his as it is sweetly and largely and heavenly prooved Rom. 8. We have nothing to doe with Christ unlesse we have his Spirit to stirre up motions and desires of better things then this world can afford FINIS DAVIDS CONCLVSION OR THE SAINTS RESOLVTION In one Sermon By the late learned and reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Grays-Inne Ieremy 30.21 Who is this that ingageth his heart to approach
as it may displease God to balk and avoid all temptations in our callings out of Religious respects it is a service of God our whole life not only in the Church but in our particular places may bee a service of God as it is said here David served God Oh if wee could thinke of this wheresoever wee arâ— wee would take no liberty to offend God in any thingâ— wee would not thrust Religion into a corner into a narrow roome and limit it to some dayes and times and actions and places and then take liberty to defraud and dissemble to abuse our selves this way and that way is this to serve God to serve God is to carry our â—elves as the children of God wheresoever we are so that our whole life is a service of God A Christian is no Libertine no man of freedome hee is a servant Indeed wee have changed our Master wee are set at libertie from the slaverie of sinne and Sathan but it is not that wee should doe nothing to bee Belialls without voake but it is to serve God we are taken from the service of Sathan to be the Lords free-men and indeed it is to that end we are delivered that wee might serve God therefore all the actions of our life should be a service to God To make this a little clearer how can this bee will some man thinke that every common action should bee a service of God I will make it cleare by an instance the beasts and other creatures and wee have common actions such as wee doe in common as to eat and to drinke and to move the beast doth this and man doth it when a man doth them they are reasonable actions because they are guided with reason and moderated by reason but when the beast doth them they are the actions of a beast because hee hath no better faculty to guide him So common actions they are not a service of God as they come from common men that have not grace and the Spirit of God in their hearts they are meere buying and selling and going about the actions of their callings as the actions of a beast are the actions of a beast But let a Christian come to doe them he hath a higher life and a higher spirit that makes them spirituall actions that are common in themselves hee raiseth them up to a higher order and ranke Therfore a Christian serveth God in all that hee doth hee hath an eye to God that which another man doth with no eye to God but meerely in civill respects Wee say of policie it is an ancient observation which is good and very fit The knowledge of a common wealth it is a building knowledge a commanding knowledge for though a States-man doth not build hee doth not buy and sell and commerce but hee useth all other trades for the good of the State It is a knowledge commanding all other inferiour Arts and Trades in a common wealth to the last end they should all bee serviceable to the common-wealth and if they bee not away with them So Religion and the knowledge of Divine things it is a commanding knowledge it commands all other services in our callings c. It doth not teach a man what he shall doe in particular in his calling but it teacheth him how to direct that calling to serve God to bee advantageous and helpfull to his generall calling to further him to heaven to make every thing reductive to his last end which hee sets before him that is to honour and serve God in all things to whom hee desires to approve himselfe in life and death hee hath a principle the holy Ghost in him and he labours to reduce every thing to the maine end oh that wee were in this temper And as wee must labour to imitate holy David in doing so likewise in suffering We must bee carefull that nothing of Gods displease us as we are carefull for our selves that nothing of ours displease God In doing we ought to be carefull that nothing of ours displease God in suffering that nothing of Gods dealing displease us for there is rebellion in both in passive obedience as well as active There is rebellion when wee murmure and will not bee as God will have us as if we were wiser than he to appoint our owne condition whereas wee should resigne our selves as David here I am let the Lord do as it pleaseth him and as they said in the Acts The will of the Lord be done and as we pray in the Lords prayer Thy will be done insinuating not our owne We must bee content to stoup in our sufferings obediently to God because he is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works in all the courses he takes with us we should bee ready to justifie God in all things Now how did hee serve God for the manner of his service The manner of his service was as it should bee and so he was exemplary to us all in that amongst others his serviâ—e was First universall to God and to men every way Secondly it was uniforme hee was good in all conditions a good Sheepheard a good King he was good in his family c. So the service of the children and servants of God it must be uniforme in all estates to know how to want and how to abound c. And then his service was cheerefull wee see how oft hee rouseth up himselfe in the Psalmes awake my Harp and Lute c. And lastly his service was sincere It was to God you may know his sincerity by this he cared not for scoffings he practised duties that were scorned at That is an evidence of sincerity when in ill times the children of God stand to God and Religion When Micholl mocked him saith he I will be yet more vile for God When God may have glory and Religion defence for men to stand for God in ill times it is a signe of sincerity an hipocrite will never do so David did at all times in his Generation And then it was a signe of sincerity that he would appeale to God Trie me Lord if there be any way of wickednesse in me when a soule can go to God and say Lord if there by any way of wickednesse in me any secret lurking corruption in mee that may endanger the state of my soule that I know not of discover it to me that is a signe that a man is in league with no sin but his service is sincere A man that is not sincere hath no comfort so much sincerity so much comfort If a man do not things to God in sincerity all is lost to God a man may have commendations of the world as the Pharises had which is nothing but a kind of curse you have your reward that is you have it here and shall lose it hereafter So much concerning the life of David in those words
obedience to the Law 2 To the Gospell 3 Call to mind our especiall sins 4 The uncertainty of life 5 To bee humbled in all the powers of the soule Verball humiliation Necessity of coÌ„fession of sins Confession of sin gives glory to God Holy men in their confessions rank themselve with others The best men guilty of the sins of the times 1 In not sorrowing for them 1 Cor. 5. 2 By Simpathie Vse To labour every one to bee humbled We are all tainted by nature Sin a leprosie Washings in the Law what they signified Sin like a leprosie defiles all Vse To labour to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. Heb. 9 14. By the Spirit of Christ. Vse 2. Take heed of society with sinners Sin worse then the plague In actuall sins to haue recourse to the corruption of nature All the best actions of the best men defiled Object Answ. Though our best actions be defiled yet there is some good in them A double principle in a ChristiaÌ„ CoÌ„traries agree in a Christian In what case to 〈◊〉 and upon our innocenâ—y Prayer put for the whole worship of God Danger of neglecting prayer Prayer layes hold on God Quest. Answ. We must stir up our selves to lay hold of God 1 By considering our danger 2 Meditation of the exceâ—eâ—y â—eceâ—sity of that we beg 3 Importunity with God Outward service alone not accepted 4 To looke for an answer of our prayers The complaint applied to the present times Extraordinarie humiliation required sometimes Men fading as leaves 1 For performances 2 Mortality Men out of Christ blowne away as with a winde A child of God lookes to his sins in all judgements Vse To lay the blame upon our sins Ground of humiliation for sin Nations and kingdomes melt before sin Gods face what The conflict of faith when God hides his face We must seeke Gods face 1 By prayer 2 In his ordinaÌ„ces The consideration that God is our Father should stirre us up to seek to â—iâ— Resignation of our selves in prayer requisite To abase our selves in prayer Foure things that trouble a Christians peace Dependance of the wordsâ— Law what Parts of the Text. Observ. Naturally we are under the Law of sinne Sinne three-â—old 1 Adams sinne 2 Originall sinne 3 Actuall sinnes Prov. 5. Sinnes as chaines Iustice in God to give up men to their sinnes Rom. 1. 2 Thess. The miserie of being under sinne 1 We are under Satan Luke 1. Wicked men acted by the Devill Ephes. 2. 2 Tim. 2. Carnall men better then the Devill would have them 2 To worse thing then our selves 3 So excellent a thing as the soule Simile 4 The fruit of it 1 Vncertaine pleasure 5 Men are insensible of their bondage Freedome in sin is a bondage The false judgement of the world who are happy 6 The tyrannie of sinne Covetousnesse Carnall pleasure Ambition Sin takes away the sight of it selfe Wisedome in man corrupted Men not given up to all sinnes alike Object Answer We are under the law of death 1 Naturall 2 Spirituall 1 In this world 2 At the houre of death 3 At the day of Indgment A man under sin is under death Rom. 5. Sinne and death goe together Vse To see death in sinne Eternitie of misery should deterre from sinne Freedome acceptable We are freed from all ill by Christ. 1 By satisfaction 2 By taking our nature Life in Christ. 1 As God 2 As Mediator All in Christ first The Spirit in Christ. 1 Sanctified his humane nature 2 Ennobled it 3 Enriched it 4 Fitted him for his Sacrifice Iohn 17. 5 Supported him in death 6 In raising him Rom. 1.4 Rom. 4. 1 Pet. 3. What Christ did was for us To see our ill in Christ. To see Christs good for us 1 Pet. 1. The Spirit works application Faith the grace of application How faith is said to doe that that Christ doth Freedome double 1 In this life 2 In effectuall calling 2 In justification 3 In sanctification To be free from the law of sinne and death what Philip. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 2 In the life to come Vse Comfort against rebellion of lusts How to use our prerogatives Comfort in temptations 1 To despaire 2 Temptation by lusts Ephes. 6. 3 Deadnesse of Spirit 4 In the houre of death We are not onely freed from ill but advanced to good Application to the Sacrament Iohn 6. 2 To shew the greatnesse of our priviledges Vse It is good to propound quaere's to our selves God is with his children How God is with them Act. 16. Act. 10 38. Ground of it From Gods free love The comfort on the former ground How farre the enemies of Gods children are against them Why God suffers them to prevaile No man can be against Gods children 1 In respect of Christâ— cause 2 The courage of his children Psal. 129. Vse The state of a Christian impregnable A Christian never alone A Christian though weake in himselfe strong in God Christianity grounded strongly Psal. 118. To lay up principles Ground of Christian courage Cyprian In opposition In our callings Ground of contentment Not to be discouraged for our infirmities Object Answer God sometimes hides himselfe Isay 49. Question Answer Wee may know that God is with us 1 When wee are with him 2 Deâ—ight in Gods presence 3 Taking Gods side 2 Chron. 15. 4 By testimony of conscience Quest. Answer How to have God with us 1 By renewing our Covenants 2 Looke to our cause Psal. 91. Novemb. 5. Psal. 1â—9 Simile Rom. 8.26 The Church â— Bride Can. 5. Vse 1. Comfort by our marriage to Christ. Hosea 2. Vse 2. The Church why called a Bride The deâ—ire of Christs comming There must be a second comming of Christ. Psal. 45. The Church desires the comming of Christ in regard 1 Of scandals 2 Persecutions 3 Oppositions in the Church 4 Weaknesse of Christians 5 Corruption by Satan 5 Christians conflict 6 The necessities of this life 7 The relation betweene Christ and the Church 8 From the nature of love Question Answer The Church in heaven desires Christs comming Vse 1. Tryall of our estate 1 By desiring Christ to come into our hearts now 2 They promote his comming 3 Fitting for it Answer Christians not alway fitted alike for Christs comming Vse Direction to come to desire Christs comming 1 To purge our selves 2 Vnloose our hearts from the world 3 Meditate of our happy condition 4 Labour for the Spirit Meanes to get the Spirit Luke 11. The contents of tâ—e Psalme 1 A coâ—flict 2 A discovery Verse 13. 3 The recovery Verse 17. 4 The Victory Verse 23. The scope of the words Gods children exercised with conflicts Gods children recover 〈◊〉 of conflict Reas. Gods children go not far from him Verse 27. Vse To discerne our estate The way to recover out of conflict to enter into Gods Sanctuary Benefit of entring the Sanctuary Different conclusions
order the baser part doth not rule the higher but the higher part of the soule a sanctified judgement rules all because the whole is in right judgement therefore sanctification is called judgement and other courses though they be never so fashionable are but madnesse and folly and disorder in the censure of the Scripture nothing is judgement and true wisedome but sanctification and obedience flowing from sanctification Therefore saith Moses in Deuteronomie Then shall you be knowne to bee a wise people when you obey the Lawes that I have given you onely that shewes a wise judicious man to be obedient to Gods truth by the Spirit sanctifying him Without the truth of God and the Spirit in us framing our soules answerable to the truth we are out of all good order For then the affections that should bee ruled rule us then the body and the lusts of the body rule the soule and the Divell rules by both what a shamefull disorder is this when a man shall be ruled by the Divell and his owne lusts that he should treade under feete and trample upon and this is the state of all that have not this judgement in them that have not the word of God written in their hearts bowing and bending them by the Spirit of God to spirituall obedience to proove this J will name but one place among many Titus 3. â— hee shewes the state of all men that are not brought into subjection by this judgement by the Word and Spirit of truth We our selves saith he were sometimes foolish and disobedient till this judgement is set up in us wee are foolish in our understandings and disobedient in our wills and affections deceived and misled by the Divell and our owne lusts for that followes upon folly those that are foolish and disobedient are deceived and led away to eternall destruction There is a way that seemes good in a mans owne eyes but the issues of it are death saith Salomon this is the state of all men that are not led with the judgement of Gods truth and Spirit sanctifying and framing their soules to obedience they are foolish and disobedient and deceived and so it will proove with them in the end Serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hating one another Now when God by his blessed Truth and Spirit sets up his rule in the heart it brings all into captivity as Saint Paul saith it brings all the inner man into subjection The Word of God is the weapon of God these judgements are mighty in operation together with the Spirit to beate downe all strong holds and to set up another judgement there it brings all into captivity to the truth and command of God and to the motions of the Spirit the Word and Spirit beate downe all the strong holds that are raised up in the heart by Satan and our corruptions so wee see here what is meant by this phrase Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles It is a militant word therefore J have stood somewhat the longer in unfolding of it Now this is wrought by the preaching of the Gospell Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles all grace comes by declaring The Gospell is the power of God to salvation Let but the Gospell which is Gods judgement how men shall be saved and how they shall walke in obedience by way of thankefullnesse to God be declared and all that belong to God shall come in and yeeld homage to it and bee brought in subjection The Divell in the Antichristian state knowes this well enough therefore he labours to hinder the declaration of judgement by all meanes he will not have Gods judgements but mens traditions declared he knowes the declaring of Gods judgements will breed an alteration quickly in mens dispositions For when hee saith Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles he meanes the consequent as well as the thing he shall so declare judgement that they shall yeeld spirituall obedience and come in and be saved Let the Divell doe his worst let all seducers of soules doe their worst if they would but give way to the preaching of the Gospell let but judgement be declared let Gods arme be stretched forth in delivering the truth hee would soone gaine soules out of the captivity and bondage of Satan they know it well enough therfore by all the wayes they can they stop the preaching of the Gospell and disgrace and hinder it and set up mens traditions instead of the Gospell but I will not inlarge my selfe farther upon these wordes but goe on to the next Hee shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes These wordes set downe the mild and sweete and amiable manner of Christs carriage upon earth here in his first comming to worke the great worke of our redemption he did not carry the matter in an outward glorious manner in pompe but he would have his miracles concealed oft times and himselfe hidden his God-head was hid under the vaile of his Manhood he could not have wrought our salvation else if the divell and the world had knowne Christ to be as he was they would never have made those attempts against him therefore considering he had such a dispensation to work our salvation as a King Priest and Prophet he would not cry and contend and strive hee would not come with any great noise Now here is an opposition to the giving of the law and likewise to the comming and carriage of civill Princes You know when the Law was given all the mount was on fire and the earth thereabout quaked and trembled and the people fled they could not indure to heare the voice of God speaking in the mount there was such a terrible smoake and fire they were all affraid thus came Moses now did Christ come as Moses was the Gospell delivered by Christ as the law was in terrors and feares Oh no Christ came not in such a terrible manner in thunder and lightning but the Gospell it came sweetly A Dove a mild creature lit upon the head of Christ when he was Baptised to shew his mild manner of carriage and he came with blessing in his mouth in his first Sermon of all Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that mourne blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse The Law came with curses Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law to doe them Christ came in another manner the Gospell was delivered in a mild sweete manner Christ as an Ambassador came sweetly to intreat and beseech there is a crying indeed but it is a crying out of love and intreaty not a shouting in a terrible manner as was at the giving of the law no nor as at the comming of other civill Princes into a citie with shouting and noise of trumpets with pompe and state and great attendants Christ came not into the world to execute his kingdome and
office in such pompe and noise as it is said of Agrippa Acts. 25.23 hee came with great pompe so worldly Princes carry things thus and it is needfull in some sort people must have shewes and pompe the outward man must have outward things to astonish it withall it is a pollicy in state so to doe but Christ came in another manner he came not to make men quake and tremble that came to speake and deale with him he came not with clamour and fiercenesse for who would have come to Christ then But he came in a mild and sweete and amiable manner wee see a little before the text upon occasion of the inference of these wordes he commands and chargeth them that they should not discover him and make him knowne when he had done a good worke hee would not have it knowne Now there are three things especially insinuated in this description hee shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man heare his voice in the streete That Christ should not be outwardly glorious to publish his owne excellency nor contentious he should not cry nor quarrell nor hee should not be clamarous if hee had any wrong to be all on fire presently but he should be as a meeke Lambe he should make no noise he should not come in vaine glory or clamour c. But here wee must know that Christ was a wise discerner of the fitnesse of times for sometimes he would have things published sometimes he would not sometimes hee vvould be knovvne sometimes he would not Christ in his second comming shall come all in majesty and glory with his Angells and all the earth shall appeare before him but now his wisedome told him now hee came to save the world as a Prophet Priest and King to worke mans salvation that he must hide and conceale himselfe and so hee ordered all his courses by discretion every Sacrifice must be salted with salt every thing should be seasoned with the salt of discretion this is the steward of all our actions to know what is fit Christ knew it was fittest to conceale himselfe now at this time Now by Christs example we should learne this not to bee vaine glorious not to make a great noyse you have some if they doe any thing that is good presently all the world must know it this was not Christs disposition it is a disposition that is hardly wrought out of mans heart without an exceeding great measure of the Spirit of God For we see good men have been given this way David would number the people that it might be knowne what a great Monarch he was what a great number of people he had he was a good man yet vaine-glorious he smarted for it So good Hezekias Ambassadors were sent to him from the King of Babylon and that they should know that Hezekiah was no beggerly Prince out must come the vessels of the Temple and all his treasures to shew what a rich King the King of Iudah was His vaine-glory cost him all his riches as the Prophet told him So the Disciples before they received a great measure of the Spirit how vaine-glorious were they They contended for the higher place therefore they advise Christ to goe up to Hierusalem that he might bee knowne As Iehu said to Ionadab come up and see my zeale for the Lord of Hoasts he accounts it nothing unlesse it bee seene so flesh and blood if there be any thing done that is good all the world must know it presently Christ chargeth them that no noyse should be made but that they would conceale him What should we learne hence To be of Christs disposition that is to have no more care of the knowledge of things then the light of the things themselves will discover to doe works of light and if the things themselves will breake foorth to mens eyes and they must see our light shine then let them and imitate our good works but for us to blazon them abroad our selves it is not the Spirit of Christ. Let us labour to have humility of spirit that that may grow up with us in all our performances that all things that we speake and doe may savour of a spirit of humility that we may seeke the glory of God in all things more then our owne And let us commit the fame and credit of what we are or doe to God he will take care of that let us take care to bee and to doe as wee should and then for noyse and report let it bee good or ill as God will send it Wee know oft times it falls out that that which is precious in mans eye is abhominable in Gods if wee seeke to bee in the mouthes of men to dwell in the talke and speech of men God will abhorre us and at the houre of death it will not comfort us what men speake or know of us but sound comfort must be from our owne conscience and the judgement of God therfore let us labour to be good in secret Christians should be as minerals rich in the depth of the earth that which is least seene is his riches wee should have our treasure deepe For the discovery of it we should be ready when wee are called to it and for all other accidentall things let them fall out as God in his wisedome sees good So let us looke through good report and bad report to Heaven let us doe the duties that are pleasing to God and our owne conscience and God will be carefull enough to get us applause Was it not sufficient for Abell that though there was no great notice taken what faith he had and how good a man he was yet that God knew it and discovered it God sees our sincerity and the truth of our hearts and the graces of our inward man he sees all these and he values us by these as he did Abell As for outward things there may bee a great deale of deceit in them and the more a man growes in grace the lesse he cares for them as much reputation as is fit for a man will follow him in being and doing what hee should God will looke to that Therefore we should not set up sailes to our owne meditations that unlesse wee bee carried with the winde of applause to bee becalmed and not goe a whit forward but we should be carried with the Spirit of God and with a holy desire to serve God and our brethren and to doe all the good we can and never care for the speeches of the world as St. Paul saith of himselfe I care not what ye judge of me I care not what the world judgeth I care not for mans judgement this is mans day Wee should from the example of Christ labour to subdue this infirmity which wee are sicke of naturally Christ concealed himselfe till hee saw a fitter time We shall have glory enough and be knowne enough to Divells to Angels and men ere long therefore as Christ lived a
examine our wayes every day especially now when God calles for it by his judgements repentance is the covenant of the Gospell and repentance depends upon this consideration so much for that No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done But did they stay here No it followes Every one turnes to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Every one hath his course his way whether good or evill the course of a wicked man it is a smooth way perhaps but it is a going from God it leades from him and where doth it end for every way hath its end Jt is a going from God to hell there all the courses of wicked men end Examine then where thy course begins and where it ends from what thou walkest and to what whether thy course aime Consider where thy speeches and actions are like to end The specification and denomination of our waies to bee good or evill is especially from the end The wicked they take their courses smooth wide courses the broad beaten way where they may have elbow-roome enough though it end in Hell and destruction but the wicked and their waies are both hated of God otherwise it is with Gods children they may sometimes step into ill waies but they have not an ill course and God doth not judge a man by a step but by his course and way Therefore consider what is the tenour of thy life is thy way good Oh it is an excellent thing to be in a good way For a man every day to repent of his sinnes to make his peace with God to practise the duties of Christianity in his generall calling and in his particular calling to call upon God for a blessing Such a mans way is good it hath a good end Perhaps hee may step out of his way by the temptations of Satan but that is not his course The best man in the world for a passion on the sudden may step into an ill way as David when he determined to kill Naball but it was not Davids way therefore we see how soone he was put off with a little counsell and how thankefull he was Blessed bee the Lord and blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell c. his way and course was another way And so on the other side the wickedest man in the world may set a step in a good way for a fit a very Saul may be amongst the Prophets and speake excellently and divinely but all this while he is out of his way his way is a course of wickednesse to which therefore he will soone betake himselfe againe as it is heere said of these men They turned to their owne courses As the Horse rusheth into the battell Here it is comparatively set downe If you would see how the horse rusheth into the battell it is lively and divinely expressed Iob. 39.19 by God himselfe Hast thou given the horse strength hast thou cloathed his necke with thunder Canst thou make him affraid as a Grashopper the glory of his nostrils is terrible he paâ—eth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength hee goeth on to meet the armed men Hee mocketh at feare and is not affrighted neither turneth hee backe from the sword The quiver ratleth against him the glittering speare and the shield He swalloweth the ground with fiercenesse and rage neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet He saith among the trumpets ha ha and he smelleth the battell a farre off the thunder of the captaines and the shouting There you have an excellent description of this creatures fiercenesse the wit of man hath not such expressions and how he rusheth into the battell God to abase wicked men compares them here to the horse not for that which is good in him but for their violence in ill courses they rush into them as the horse rusheth into the battell Now the horse rusheth into the battell 1. Eagerly as you see him described in the place of Iob and 2. Desperately he will not be pulled away by any meanes and then 3. Dangerously For he rusheth upon the pikes and oft-times falls downe suddenly dead he regards not the pikes nor guns nor nothing but rusheth on in the danger Heerein wicked men are like unto the horse going on in their course eagerly desperately dangerously 1. They go on eagerly it is meate and drinke unto them They cannot sleepe untill they have done wickednesse They plot and study it it is their delight they are not in their element but when they are talking wickedly and corruptly or deceiving or satisfying their desires the ambition and lusts of their corrupt nature They can no more live out of these courses then the fish can live out of the water therfore they goe eagerly upon them And as they goe eagerly so desperately and irreclaimably too nothing will restraine them no thornes nor troubles that can lye in their way though God hedge in their wayes with thornes they breake thorow all Even as Balaam hee would goe on though there were a sword drawne before him hee was more brutish and unreasonable then his poore beast the very sword of the Angell could not moove that covetous wretch to goe backe So it is with every wicked man he goes on desperately nothing will keepe him backe and reclaime him though God take many courses to doe it by his Ministers Magistrates by the motions of his Spirit by his judgements threatned by judgements executed upon others and upon themselves sometimes yet they are so eager upon their sins all this will not beate them off they love their sinnes better then their soules nor is it onely open riotous persons that thus rush into sinnes but civill rebellious persons also that blesse themselves in their wayes and it may be live as irreligiously as the other Take a covetous or an ambitious man hee sacrificeth all to get such a place c. Such a man mockes Christ as the Pharisees mocked him notwithstanding all his good Sermons and miracles hee goes on desperately nothing will hold him hee breakes through all barrs and oppositions he cracks his conscience grieves the good motions of the Spirit despiseth good counsell and will venture upon the outward breach of lawes sometimes rather then he will be defeated of his designes And as they goe eagerly and desperately so dangerously too for is it not dangerous to provoke God to rush upon the pikes to runne against thornes Doe you provoke me to jealousie saith God and not your selves to destruction No they goe both together if you provoke me to anger it will bee to your owne ruine In Levit. 26. God will walke stubbornely to them as they have done to him and he will be froward with the froward Psal. 18. Those that are rebellious sinners whom no bonds will hold no counsell that breake all lawes as the man possessed with the Divell brake his chaines the time will come that when God executes
Heathens were hardened and given up to destruction The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against them because they lived in a course of rebellion against the light of nature shall you that have the light of nature and the word of God and the motions of his Spirit too thinke to live in rebellion and not be accomptable for it It shall be easier for them that never heard of the word of God where God hath magnified his mercy he will exalt judgement those that are lâ—ft up to Heaven in priviledges shall be cast downe to hell Woe unto thee Capernaum c. The more in priviledges the more in judgement if they be abused Againe another particular sin whereby wee may discerne a judgement comming is unfruitfulnesse under the meanes as the fig-tree when it was digged and dunged and yet was unfruitfull then it was â—eare a curse Jn Heb. 6. the groud that is tilled and manured and hath the raine falling on it it is then neare unto cursing if it bring not forth Perhaps a Heathen a Pagan if hee were under the meanes would bee fruitfull therefore there might be hope of him but those that are under the meanes under the Sun-shine of the Gospell under the influence of it the Spirit working on their hearts and yet they live in the sin of unfruitfullnesse it makes way for judgement The axe is laid to the roote when men are taught then the instrument of vengeance is laid to the roote and downe they goe if they bring not forth good fruit Sinnes of omission when that all hath beene taught are sufficient to bring a man to judgement At the last judgement you have not visited me in prison you have not releeved the poore c. will be evidence enough to cast a man into hell And the like may be said of the omission of other duties when a man is called to place when he hath opportunity to doe good hee hath a price in his hand and yet hath no heart to lay it out to his power God hath made him a steward and yet he is unfruitfull and labours to undermine and ruine the state of others What can such a man looke for but the judgement of God to light on him first or last if not present judgement on his body yet to be given up to hardnesse of heart and so to hell which is worst of all Nay more decay in our first love is a forerunner of judgement when we love not God as we were wont In Rev. 3. I will take away thy Candlesticke because thou hast left thy first love Is there not such a plenty and depth in good things especially of the Gospell whereby our sinnes are pardoned and grace is given is there not that sweetnesse in them whereby to gaine our love more and more Is there not a necessity to renew our peace Why should we decay in our love The things of the Gospell are so excellent and so necessary that when God sees them undervalued it is a forerunner of judgement let us take heed of decay in our affections When there is no zeale for the truth it is an ill signe Jt is a good signe for the present that God hath some blessing for us that now in our publique meetings there is regard to Religion and that in the first place there is some zeale for the cause of God against those that would wrong the cause of Religion wee have some cause to hope in respect of that And let every one laboâ—r to stirre up the Spirit of God and study how he may doe and receive good and be fruitfull and warme in his affections considering what excellent blessings we enjoy in the â—ospell What is the glory of the kingdome we live in above Popâ—ry our religion that wee have the sun-shine of the Gospell now the riches of Christ are unfolded wee have the key of Heaven Heaven opened what glorious times are those The glory of the times is the manifestation of the Gospell and shall we grow in the decay of our love â—s there â—ot cause to grow in love to the Gospell when God hath taken it from others and hath given â—â— to us Now Jdolatâ—y is where true Religion was and the Masse is said where God was religiously worshipped in other places and countries Shall God deale so with us and shall we not be in love with that truth Since we have had the truth what peace and plenty have we had And if ever we loose it it will goe with other things if God take away the truth away goes our peace and prosperity he will not take it away alone it came not alone and he will not take it away alone Doubtlesse it must needes make way for judgement when our love to so precious a jewell as the Gospell shall beginne to die and decay when we shall begin to slight and disregard it And so for any particular man that hath had good things in him if they now begin to decay it is an ill signe that God is fiting him for judgement Well but what shall we doe when judgements are comming Wee see judgements are like to come nay are in part come the Plague of pestilence hath ceazed on us already and then warre is threatned and that by enemies that have beene foyled before Foyled enemies are dangerous enemies if they bee proud Now wee have proud enemies that have beene foyled and Idolatrous withall and what mercy can wee looke for from them God fought against them for us from Heaven in some measure and they being cruell provoked enemies are the lesse likely to shew any mercy God is indeed so mercifull to us yet that he hath taken us into his owne hands rather then to give us up to the malice and fury of Idolatrous enemies But yet those that can lay things together and consider the times they shall see there is more cause of feare then is taken to heart Well and in this case what shall we doe First in the interim betweene the threatning and the execution there are some judgements in the cloud and the storme seemes to hang oâ—ver us and the sword of the pestilence is drawn over our heads by the destroying Angell though he hath not yet striken us in our particular now in the time betweene the threatning and the execution Oh improove it make use of this little time get into Covenant with God hide your selves in the providence and promises of God make your peace deferre it no longer And secondly mourne for the sinnes of the time that when any judgement shall come you may be marked with those that mourne Take heed of the errours and sins of the times least when a judgement comes you bee swept away in the generall judgement but let us rather have our part with those that mourne that God may give us our lives for a prey And thirdly be watchfull practise that duty we have the plague to put us in
God and when he is there he may yeeld an eare to listen and he hath common discourse and understanding to know what is said and upon what ground he can offer himselfe to the worke of the Spirit he can come to the poole though he be not thrust in this day or that day when God stirrs the waters this by common grace any man living in the Church may doe Therefore though we be all dead even the best of us by nature yet let us use the parts of nature that we have that God hath given us to offer our selves to the gracions and blessed meanes wherein the Spirit of God may worke Let us come to heare the Word of God Iohn 5.25 The time is come and now is that the dead shall heare the voice of God where the voice of God is in the Ministery and so they shall live As in the latter day the noyse of the trumpet shall raise the dead bodies So the trumpet of the Word of God sounding in the eares of men together with the Spirit shall raise the dead soules out of the grave of sin Therefore J beseech you as you would be raised up out of this death heare the noyse of Gods trumpet come within the compasse of the meanes As God is the God of life and Christ calls himselfe the life and the Spirit the Spirit of life So the Word is the Word of life because together with the Word God conveyes spirituall life The Word of God in the Ordinance is an operative working Word As it was in the creation God said Let there bee light and there was light So in the Ministery it exhorts and stirres up to duty and there is a cloathing of the ministeriall word with an almighty power it is a working word As when Christ spake to Lazarus when hee stanke in his grave he said Lazarus come foorth it was an operative working word there went an almighty power to raise Lazarus Therefore though we finde our selves dead and have no worke of grace yet let us present our selves more and more to the Ordinance of God God will be mighty in his own Ordinance the blessed time may come let us waite when the waters are stirred and take heede that we despise not the counsell of God which is to bring man to spirituall life this way And object not I am dead and rotten in sin many yeares I am an old man You know many were raised in the Gospell some that had beene dead few daies Lazarus was rotten and stanke It shewes us that though a man be dead and rotten in sinne yet he may be raised first or last the blessed time may come therefore waite never pretend long custome and long living in sinne All things are in obedience to God though they have a resistance in themselves yet God can take away that resistance and bring all to obey him All things in the world though they be never so opposite to Gods grace they are in obedience to his command Therefore though there be nothing but actuall present resistance in the soule to that that is good and a slavery to the bondage of sin yet attend meekly upon the Ordinance God can make of Lions Lambs he can take away that actual resistance As Christ when he was raised the stone that lay upon the grave was remooved So when God will quicken a man he will remoove the stone of long custome that is upon him though he have beene dead so many yeares yet God can rowle away the stone and bid him rise up Therefore let none despaire God is more mercifull to save those that belong to him then Sathan can be malicious to hinder any way The best of us all though we be not wholly dead yet there are some relicks of spirituall death hanging upon us there be corruptions which in themselves are noysome Therefore let all attend upon the meanes that the Spirit of God by little and little may worke out the remainders of death the remainders of darknesse in our understandings and of rebellion in our wills and affections For there bee usually three degrees of persons in the Church of God Some open rotten persons that are as graves open sepulchres that their stincke comes foorth and they are prophane ones There are some that have a forme of godlinesse that are meerely ghosts that act things outwardly but they have not a spirit of their owne they have an evill spirit and yet doe good workes they walke up and downe and doe things with no spirit of their owne The second are more tollerable then the first in humane society because the other stinke and smell to common society common swearers and prophane persons that stinke to any except it be to themselves But the godly have this death in part the life of sentence is perfect the life of justification but spirituall life in us is by little and little wrought in the meanes the Spirit of life joynes with the Word of life and quickens us daily more and more A word of these words And you hath he quickned Suteable to the occasion This being our estate let us know how much we are beholding to God who hath quickned us God quickens us with Christ and in Christ. It is a comfortable consideration In that God hath quickned Christ and raised him from the grave it shewes that his Fathers wrath is pacified or else he would not have quickned him he gave him to death and quickned him againe therefore we may know that he hath paid the price for us And he quickens us with Christ and in Christ whatsoever we have that is good it is in Christ first That Christ in all things might have the preheminence Christ first rose and ascended and sits in Heaven and then we rise and ascend and sit in heavenly places with Christ Therefore as St. Peter saith well in 1. Peter 1.20 God hath raised Christ that our faith might bee in God If Christ had not beene raised up our Faith and Hope could not have beene in God that he would raise us up we are quickned and raised in Christ all is in Christ first and then in us The ground of this is that Christ was a publike person in all that he did in his death therefore we are crucified and buried with him in his resurrection and ascention therefore we are quickned with him and sit in heavenly places with him He is the second Adam And if the first Adam could convey death to so many thousands so many thousand yeeres after and if the world should continue millions of yeares he would convey death to all shall not Christ the second Adam convey life to all that are in him So thinke of all things both comfortable and uncomfortable in Christ first when we thinke of sinne thinke of it in him our Surety and when we thinke of freedome from death and damnation thinke of his death when wee thinke of our resurrection thinke
these things which I say are true both for the necessity and excellency of this foode they will be effectuall to stirre you up to labour more after this foode that endures to everlasting life So much for that Which the Sonne of man shall give you for him hath God the Father Sealed To come now to the possibility of attaining this food which is the third argument our blessed Saviour useth to enforce upon us this injunction to labour for the food that endures to everlasting life Hope stirreth up endeavour as we see in marchandizing though when wee venter beyond the seas we commit all to winde and water as they say and it is doubtfull what the issue may be yet we hope and that sets us on worke So the poore Husbandman but that he hopes to have a comfortable issue to have a harvest he would never set himselfe to worke Now heere is hope and hope on a better ground a great deale for hee that makes other things successefull he hath given Christ for this purpose and Christ you see heere hee gives himselfe which the Sonne of man shall give you Heere is all that we may ground and found our hope upon heere is will heere is power and here is authority to give it Heere is will Christ will give it why because he is the Sonne of man What use is there of these words in this place why doth he not say which the Sonne of God shall give you O the Sonne of God without the Sonne of man is indeed a Fountaine of good things but he is a sealed Fountaine alas of no comfort our comfort is in Emanuell God-Man all our comfort is to be brought back to God from whom we fell in Paradise and we must bee brought backe againe to God by God but unlesse God had become man man had never come backe againe to God therefore all the union and communion we have with God it depends on this first union of Christ with our nature that the Sonne of God became the Sonne of man as Saint Austine saith for now the next union that we become the Sons of God it comes from this that God became man and therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man shall give it you you need not climbe up to Heaven to fetch this food that endures to everlasting life for the Sonne of God is come downe from Heaven to Earth to take the nature of man and in that to die in that to satisfie Gods wrath and so to become this blessed and everlasting food The Sonne of man the second Adam as by one man we all come to misery so by the second Adam by man wee are restored to a blessed condition againe therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man because in the humane nature all our salvation was wrought indeed the worth and efficacie of our salvation comes from the divine nature but it was wrought in mans nature the divine nature could not worke it alone But I will not dwell on this The Sonne of man shall give it you you neede not feare it God is become man on purpose to give it you we may now boldly go to a Mediator which is made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh wee should have feared and trembled if hee had onely beene God but now all grace and comfort is hid in this nature of ours in Christ if Christ had not tooke this poore wretched nature of ours upon him it had beene a hatefull nature to God God hated the nature of man but now because the Sonne of God is become the Sonne of man our nature is become lovely in the eyes of God and not onely lovely but it is filled in him with all grace and of his fullnesse wee receive grace for grace Hee will give it therefore because he is the Sonne of man Heere is will I but what power and strength hath he to give it He is so the Sonne of man as that hee is also the Sonne of God therefore we are said Acts 20. to bee redeemed with the blood of God Christ by his eternall Spirit by his God-head offered himselfe a Sacrifice for sinne so that he can give it because he is God But what authority hath he He is Sealed to doe it that 's the third that is he hath authority for authority is here expressed by Sealing Now Christ is said to be Sealed first because there is the impression of God upon him even as the seale imprints in the wax the likenesse of that which is in it so God hath imprinted in Christ his owne likenesse he is the Image of God for Christ as he is God is the character of his Father and his humane nature is likewise as like God as nature can expresse we saw saith the Apostle his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of God we saw a kinde of divinity in him as much as humane nature could receive the likenesse of God sparkeled in him therefore hee is said to be Sealed but that is not all nor the principall here meant Againe secondly the use of a seale is to appropriate and distinguish from other things so Christ is Sealed that is God hath appropriated him to be his owne Sonne and to be a Mediator of his owne appointing and hath distinguished him from all others by a blessed annointing and qualification of him above all he is as Saul amongst the rest higher then all he is as Aaron annointed with the oyle of gladnesse but above his fellowes and yet for his fellowes from him distills the blessed ointment of grace it is powred on his head first and descends from him downe to all the skirts of his garment to all his members So heere is in this Sealing likenesse distinction and appropriation But especially by Sealing heere is meant authority for a thing sealed is not onely to distinguish and appropriate to a mans use but to authorize also as a Magistrate that hath the Kings broad Seale he is authorized so Christ he hath Gods Seale God hath authorized him to be a Mediator and as hee was fore-ordained before all worlds as the Apostle Peter saith to be the head of them that should be saved and to be their Mediator so when the fullnesse of time was come when he came in the flesh hee was authorized by the greatest testimony that ever was by the blessed Trinity God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost at his Baptisme This is my beloved Sonne heare him saith a voice from Heaven there was the Father the Sonne in the voice the Holy Ghost in the Dove there was the whole Trinity so he was authorized from Heaven And then he was authorized by his miracles God gave him power to worke those workes which none could doe but a Mediator therefore he saith if you beleeve not me yet beleeve me for my workes sake He was authorized also by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith in Rom. 1.4 He mightily declared himselfe to be
for salvation there is not any thing in the world that will one day more torment you then your refusall of him O that we should ever live to heare of salvation so freely offered and of a Saviour so authorized yet notwithstanding that we should respect our sinnes more then our soules and because we could not have him to bee our Saviour except wee came under his governement and bee ruled by him as a King we refused him wholy altogether Indeed if we might have had salvation by him and the forgivenesse of sinnes and withall have remained under the rule and sway of our owne lusts and beene led by them we would have beeene contented to have had him but rather then we would leave our blasphemous our uncleane inujurious and covetous courses of life wee were content to let Christ goe if hee would O that we should reject this Sealed Saviour O that we should refuse salvation offered on such loving termes when God was so loving as to Seale and authorize his Sonne when the Sonne was so loving as to give himselfe when he was Sealed to refuse this and that for such base respects will certainely one day when the conscience is wakened proove the greatest torment that can be See how the Apostle notably enforceth this in the second of the Hebrewes if so be they did not escape that despised Moses Law How shall we escape if wee neglect so great salvation hee doth not say how shall we escape if we oppose Christ if we raile on him if wee despise his Image in his children as many cursed wretches doe but how shall we escape if we doe but neglect so great salvation so witnessed and authorized with all the signes so offered and tendered with all the termes of love that may be And therfore if there be any heere that have lived in sinfull courses and have a purpose to breake them off that are weary of the governement of their lusts and of Satan that rules them by their lusts for all are under one governement or other either under the Sealed governement of Christ or under the base governement of Satan that tends to damnation O leave it and come under this Governour Sealed by God the Father authorized from Heaven by the blessed Trinity by miracles and by all the arguments that can be come under his blessed governement and you shall doe well God the Father the partie offended with your sinnes he hath Sealed him and he cannot refuse a Mediator of his owne Sealing And doe not say your sinnes have beene thus and thus for consider what were these parties that he offers himselfe to heere that he saith to Labour for the meate that endures to everlasting life were they not cursed Hypocrites that followed him for the loaves and yet he saith to them Labour for the meate that endures c. I am Sealed even for your salvation if you will come out of your hypocrisie and be ruled by me therefore let none stand out from comming under the governement of Christ for hee offers mercy you see heere to the worst of men even to cursed hypocrites And to conclude with a word of comfort if there be any poore distressed soule frighted in conscience with the sight of his sinnes and Satans temptations O let such consider the love of God in Christ Satan pictures out God as a terrible Judge and so he is indeed to men that goe on in their sinnes a consuming fire but art thou weary of thy courses art thou willing to come under a better covenant let not Satan abuse thee by setting God before thee as a terrible Judge and Christ as one that would not save thee no come in kisse the Son for him hath the Father Sealed Sealed for thee if thou bee weary of thy sinnes inforce not upon thy soule any unwillingnesse to be in God wherefore doth God stoope so low and labour by all these arguments heere as that Christ is the Sonne of man and that hee shall give it you and that the Father hath Sealed him for that end wherefore is all this but to shew his willingnesse to receive thee wherefore hath the Father Sealed Christ but in love to thee Come in therefore and then if you will seale to this truth if you will beleeve and cast your selves on Gods gratious promise even against doubting and distrust you shall finde God sealing you by his Spirit you shall finde his Spirit witnessing to your spirits that you are the sonnes of God Heere then you see is sure footing for poore doubting soules to fasten upon God the Father the party offended hath Sealed his Sonne hath authorized him to save thee if thou repent and come in what are all thy sins and unworthinesse to Christ God-man Sealed and authorized by the Father who is the partie offended if thou art willing to come in bring all thy sins and oppose them to Christ God-man Sealed by the Father and they will vanish as a cloud But as I said before if thou wilt not come in and accept of this Saviour if thou wilt not submit thy selfe to his governement thou sealest thy damnation Thus you see I have unfolded this blessed portion of Scripture Christ Jesus and all the prerogatives and benefits that come by him is the food that endureth to everlasting life you see the arguments our blessed Saviour useth to enforce us to Labour after this food it is food it is food that endures it is food that endures to everlasting life and he will give it for him the Father hath Sealed and authorized so to do he is both the gift and the giver both the food and the inviter to the food both the Priest and the Sacrifice Labour therefore after this food There is an objection which I will briefely answer and so end Labour after it why Christ will give it if he will give it why must wee labour after it and if we must labour for it how doth he give it how can these two guift and labour stand together I answer very well Christ will give himselfe and forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting and yet we must labour too But wee must know for what we must labour we must not labour for any merit to the title unto Heaven and happinesse Christ indeed gives that But labour in the use of all good meanes to get knowledge and faith to receive this gift to get the knowledge of Christ what he is in his natures and offices what he hath promised what he hath done and what he hath suffered what the intent of the Gospell is what the Giver is and what the authority is that his Father hath given him this requires labour it is a labour to crack the shell to understand the letter of the Scripture to know what the gift and what the giver is And it is likewise a labour to get faith to receive this gift to get the soule emptied of all selfe-confidence of all worth in it selfe and
will upbraid us for them we are loath to heare of them above all either by the ministery or by our friends we wish above al that the preacher would not speak of them fret it he doe and our hearts run upon them above all So let us search our false hearts which way they runne and now in the day of our abasement let us thinke what would lie heaviest on our conscience if God should take us now with sicknesse or sudden death let us thinke with our selves what is the sinne that would afflict me most that would stagger me most that would shake my Faith most whether it be filthinesse or profanenesse or swearing or injustice and whether have I made satisfaction or no Let me examine if God should strike me with his Arrow now what sinne would rob me of my comfort and make me affraid to yeeld my soule to God Now thinke of it his is the way to be humbled you may now bring your selves to consider of that that at other times you will not give your selves leasure to doe What are daies of fasting for but to give our selves leisure that we may not thinke of meate and drinke and businesse These daies should be daies of rest that we may thinke of that that concernes our soules take the advantage when thou rests from thinking of other businesse thinke with thine owne soule what will lie heaviest upon thy soule This is required to Humiliation this reall Humiliation that is outward it is a protestation of the inward and verbal Humiliation is but an expression of what we do inwardly There are two things wondrous necessary before the soule can be in the right frame it should be in First the soule must apprehend deepely what distance it hath from God what alienates it from God before it can be wise and it must be estranged from that before ever it can come to couple and joyne with God when the soule apprehends what seperates it from God and conceives as it should doe of that then it will be the readier to apprehend God and then all duties will come off easily Therfore let us first of all worke upon our owne soules to be humbled and by all the helps that can be And to helpe it consider now at this time how uncertaine our life is we know not who may be stricken next and consider what the dangerous issue is if we humble not our selves here before God humble us in our graves Let us helpe Humiliation by all that may be For where this is all will follow easily a man will goe out of himselfe to God when he is abased in himselfe and sees no comfort in Heaven or Earth but in God that there is nothing to be stucke to in the world but all is vanity and he may be stripped of life and of all these comforts ere long when a man is abased Faith and Obedience will come off easily What is the reason that Christ is not relished more and that many fall off They were never deepely humbled according to the depth of Humiliation is the growth of holinesse of life and the height of Faith All graces rise higher as the soule is more deeply humbled The more we descend deeply in digging and rending up our hearts the more the Word of God sinks into the good ground that suffers the plow to rend it up and to cut off the weeds The more deeply we are humbled the more the fruits of Gods Word appeare in our hearts and lives the more fruitfull is our conversation all comes indeed upon the truth of our Humiliation and when that is not deep and true all the rest is shallow and counterfit there we should worke it upon our owne hearts And labour to be humble and low in all the powers of our soules to have humble judgements to thinke of our selves as God thinks of us God thinks of us as sinners God and Christ thinke of us that we are such as must deny all in us before we be fit for Heaven Let us judge of our selves as he that must be our judge doth and will judge of us ere long labour to have low judgements of our selves what we are in our selves empty of all good defiled with all ill And this will breed poverty of spirit in our judgements Then let us labour for Humility in our affections to bring our selves more to God to stoope to him in feare and reverence And Humility in our obedience and conversations to God and to men every way let Humility spread it selfe over all the parts and powers of the soule and body and over our whole lives I cannot stand further upon that Now here is verball humillation that is by confession expressing our humiliation by our words as the people of God doe here by confession laying open our sinnes that God may cover them what we hide God will never cure therefore we should take heed that now we are to deale with God we lay open the bottome of our soules to him let not the Iron be in the wound You know a Chyrurgeon can heale nothing if the Iron or poisoned arrow sticke there If there be corruption in the stomacke it must up if it be ill gotten goods it will not digest up it must all to God For men except there be scruples that a man cannot free his conscience there is no necessity though great conveniency but betweene God and thy soule open all by confession and give not over till thou hast brought pardon to thy heart of that sinne thou hast confessed Every sleight confession is not enough but it must be a resolved downe right confession without guile of spirit as it is in Psal. 32. this is the course that David takes there untill he dealt roundly with his soule without guile His moisture was as the drought of Summer he was in some dangerous disease that could not be cured And doe we looke to be preserved from falling into sicknesse or if we be sicke to be cured We must beginne the cure in our soules lay open the wound to God I said I will confesse my sinne and thou forgavest me he begins with confession So all persons that either feare or are under any judgement let them beginne with laying open their soules to God when the soule is healed he will heale the body presently after for he laies sicknesse upon the body for the soule and when the wound is healed the plaister will fall off of it selfe therefore let us lay open our sinnes by confession and shame our soules all that wee can This is the way to give glory to God let us joyne both together our owne ease and glory to God When we have laid open our soules to God and laid as much against our selves as the Divell could doe that way for let us think what the Divell would lay to our charge at the houre of death and the day of judgement he would lay hard to our
have a false uncleane nature whereby I am ready to commit a thousand such if God should let mee alone I have the spawne of all sinne as farre as the Spirit hath not subdued it It is a defect of judgement to be more humbled for particular sinnes nature is more tainted then any action that sowing breeding sinne as the Apostle saith it is worse then the action it breeds the rest So much for that they confesse here Wee are all as an uncleane thing in our selves But what comes from us That that aggravates to the utmost a sinnefull state All our righteousnesse is as filthy rags He doth not say we have filthy actions but our best actions are stained and not one but all Marke how strong the place is We all the people of God he includes all as Daniel saith I confesse my sinnes and the sinnes of my people and there is no man in the Church but he might have this confession in his mouth We the people of God and all We in all our actions All our righteousnesse c. so all the actions of all the righteous the best actions of the best men and all the best actions of the best men are defiled and stained it is as great an aggravation as may bee Some would have it to intend the Legall righteousnesse yet notwithstanding it is true of all and when we now humble our selves it is good to thinke of all so we may say all our righteousnesse whatsoever comes from us it is stained and defiled As for their Legall performances there is no question of them for alas they trusted too much to them in Isaiah 1. and Isaiah last they thought God was beholding to them for them Away with them away with your new Moones c. they were abhominable to God as the cutting off a dogs neck as it is Isaiah the last so all their righteousnesse their ceremoniall performances were abhominable But I say we may raise it high â—â— it is not onely true of them but in greater matters in our best morrall performances they are all as tainted rags How can this be It is strange it should be so the Papists crie out here that we discourage men from good works if all our righteousnesse be as filthy rags why should we performe good workes Put case a man be sick all the meate he eates it strengthens his sicknesse shall he therefore not eate at all Yes he must eate somewhat there is nature in him to strengthen as well as his disease Thy best performances are stained wilt thou doe none therefore yes though they be stained yet there is some goodnesse in them thou maist honour God and doe good to others besides the ill there is good there is gold in the Ore there is some good in every good action nay there is so much good as that God pardons the ill and accepts the good So though our good actions be ill yet for their kinde and matter and stuffe they are good they are commanded of God For their originall and spring they are wrought by the Spirit of God for the person the worke-man it is one in the state of grace and for acceptance God rewards them But it is another thing when we come before God to humble our selves then we must see what staines and sinnes are in them There is no good action so good but there are wants and weakenesses and staines and blemishes in it as it comes from us The Spirit of God indeed is effectuall to stirre us up to good actions but we hinder the worke of the Holy Ghost and doe not doe them so throughly as we should therefore besides our wants and weakenesses there is a tainture of them either we have false aimes they are not so direct or our resolutions are not so strong false aimes creepe in for a while though we doe not allow them and then there are some coolers of our devotion our love is cold our hatred of sinne is not so strong our prayers are not so fervent our actions are not so carried without interruption but are hindred with many bie thoughts who cannot complaine of these things Who is not brought upon his knees for the weakenesse of his best actions Nay I say more a Christian is more humbled for the imperfections and staines of his best actions then a civill carnall person is for his outward enormities for he turnes over all his outward delinquences and makes the matter but a tricke of youth when a poore Christian is abased for his dullnesse and deadnesse and coldnesse for false aimes that creepe into his actions for interruptions in his duties that his thoughts will not suffer him to serve God with that intention that he would but puts him off with motions and suggestions and temptations in his best performances this abaseth him more then outward grosse sinnes doth a carnall person When wee deale with God Our righteousnesse it is as menstruous cloathes Know this for a ground that there is a double principle in a Christian in all things that he doth there is flesh and Spirit and these two issue out in whatsoever comes from him In his good words there is flesh as well as Spirit in his thoughts and desires in his prayer his prayer it selfe stands in contraries So every thing that comes from him it is tainted with that that is contrary the flesh opposeth and hinders the worke of the Spirit and so it staines our good works Therefore contraries are true of a Christian which seeme strange to another man A Christian at the same time is deformed and well-favoured He is blacke and comely I am blacke but yet well-favoured saith the Spouse blacke in regard of sinne but well-favoured in regard of the Spirit of God and the acceptation of Christ. He is a Saint and a Sinner a Sinner in respect that sinne hath spread over all parts and a Saint in respect of Christs acceptance My Love and my Dove Christ makes love to his Church as if she had no defilement but he looks on her better part he lookes on her as she is in his love and as he meanes to bring her after But the Church looking upon her selfe as she is in her selfe she is much abased the ground of it is the imperfection of sanctification in this world The best of our works are as menstruous cloathes when we thinke of the corruption of the best things as they come from us when we come to humble our selves before God we must downe with proud stiles and Pharisaicall thoughts although there be somewhat that is good yet let us thinke of all the ill that may abase us There is a season for every thing when we are tempted to be overcome by Satan then thinke of the good as Iob when he was tempted I have done this and this you cannot take away mine innocency In false temptations from the world and Satan then stand upon our innocency But when
hand strike no more when the children of God feele the smart of his judgements then they cry O no more The cry of the child prevailes with the mother though it cannot speak oft-times So when in the sence of sin and misery we cry to God we move his bowels with crying There is no question but the serious apprehension of danger felt doth awaken the soule and stirre it up It is so also in danger feared a danger feared with beliefe will worke as if it were present for a man that hath a spirit of faith to â—ee that unlesse God be appeased with good courses he will punish as surely as if the judgement were upon him Faith makes things present both good and ill and it makes a man sensible of things that are not yet upon him This is the difference betweene a Christian and another man another man puts the evill day farre off from him but a beleeving Christian by a spirit of faith sees God except he be turned away by hearty and humble repentance ready to ceaze upon him and so he walks humbly in all his courses So that danger felt or feared by a spirit of faith awakens and stirrs up the soule to lay hold on God Therefore in spirituall dangers we should especially waken our soules to see in what need we stand of Christ and the pardoning mercy of God in Christ that we may waken him and give him no rest till we find peace in our consciences Then againe that that we may stirre up our selves withall is the meditation of the necessity and excellency of grace and of the good things we beg the serious consideration of that will make us stirre up our selves to lay hold on God and give him no rest till we have it When a man thinkes the loving kindnesse of God is better then life and if J have not that my life is nothing to me It is not onely better then corne and wine and oyle but then life it selfe Pardon of sinne and a heart to doe good is better then life it selfe then any thing in the world If one should offer such a man this a heart patiently to beare ill and large to doe good and strength against temptations he would rather have this gratious disposition then any thing in the world he had rather have the pardon of sinne with the sense of Gods favour then any thing in the world This will stirre up a man as we see in David Psal. 51. Mercy mercy it binds God and laies hold on him together with pardoning mercy to have a heart enlarged with spirituall joy There is nothing spirituall but it is so excellent that if we had the eyes of our spirits awakened to see them wee would bind God and lay hold of him he should not goe further till he had shined on us Therefore let us offer violence to God this way never give him rest till we obtaine You see when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus Christ made as though hee would have gone further but they compelled him Now there is a semblance as if God threatned war and would take away the Gospell there are dangers toward When God makes such a semblance let us lay hold on him let him goe no further Lord night approacheth and affliction approacheth Lord stay thou shalt goe no further let us stop God with importunity The consideration of danger and the necessity and excellency of the things we beg will make us lay hold on God There is an hyprocrisie among men among a company of Formalists that are the bane of the times that God will spue out they are as ill as prophane persons in his nostrils they thinke that all devotion is in prostrating themselves which is good and more then prophane men will doe and yeeld a dead sacrifice to God they will come and heare and yeeld the outward act in outward humiliation Is this to rouze thy selfe outward things are never currant but when they expresse outwardly the inward truth therefore take another course man God cares not for the dead empty carkasse thou bringest him worke upon thine owne heart by meditation of the danger thou art in and of the excellency of the things thou art to beg and meditate of the Majestie of God whom thou appearest before of his goodnesse and truth c affect thy heart deepely with these apprehensions let these serious thoughts draw outward expressions of humiliation and then it is excellent when the outward expression followes the inward impression when there is somewhat inward that shewes it selfe outward when we stirre up our selves and not to thinke that all devotion consists in a comely outward carriage which is commendable of it selfe but because men usually rest in it it is prejudiciall to their soules good Wee must offer a reasonable sacrifice to God wee must love him in our hearts wee must worke upon our hearts and carrie our selves so in our inward man as that we may stirre up our whole man and awaken our soules Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name we should stirre up our selves by speaking to our owne soules that we may waken and take hold of God This againe will helpe it a man should never come to pray but he should have an answer before he hath done either at that time or another never give over till thou hast an answer this will make us stirre up our selves indeed How doe you know a prayer from a formall lip-labour A man that prayes conscionably markes what he doth and expects a returne as a man that soweth his seed He that doth a thing with hope of issue will doe it thoroughly therefore never pray to performe an emptie dutie to God but marke what you pray for if it be forgivenesse of sinnes or for grace or protection c. and doe it with that earnestnesse that you may hope for an issue answerable and this going about it will make us doe it to purpose doe we thinke to serve God with the deed done God hath appointed prayer for our good and to convey blessings to us Let us pray so as wee may expect a blessing by it Now that prayer that expects a blessing to bee conveied it will be a prayer to purpose it will make a man stirre up himselfe There is none that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee The complaint of this holy man of God may be taken up at this time of many of us now how few are those that rouze and stirre up themselves but put off God with an empty complement Nay in these times of danger have ye not a company of idle persons that will not vouchsafe to heare the Word nor to come and humble themselves but walke and talke offensively as if they would dare God or if they come here they come not with a resolution to heare the issue of their prayers to rouze up themselves to lay hold on
under Gods hand to bee sonnes you are sonnes by Creation already offer thy selfe to be of his family for the time to come and God will give a sweet report to thy soule Stand not out at the staves end Thou art our Father Lord. If you have a purpose to live in firme the Divell is your father and not God you are of your father the Divell but if wee bee willing to submit wee may say Doubtlesse thou art our Father We are the clay thou art the potter Heere is a resignation of themselves to God in this tearme thou art the potter we are the clay Indeed we are but earthen vessells the best of us in regard of the bodily life we have and we are at the liberty of God to dispose of as he pleaseth So before he comes to put forth this prayer to God he useth this resignation of themselves into the hand of God we are as clay in thy hands Lord dispose of us as thou wilt Let us remember this when we come to pray to God use all meanes of abasement that can be lay aside all tearmes other then abasing tearmes wee are the clay and as Iob saith I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes So the Saints have done in all times I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne and I am lesse then the least of thy mercies Let us lay aside proud and lofty tearmes and cast downe our crownes at the foot of Christ as the Saints in Revel 4. cast downe all our excellencies let us have no thought of outward excellencies of beautie or strength or riches or high dignity when we come to God wee must come with low thoughts to the high God can the creature be too low in his presence And then come with resignation wee are the clay thou art the potter doe with us as thou wilt if thou dash us in peeces as a potters vessell thou maist doe it that is the way to escape That is well committed that is committed into Gods hand some men shift by their wits and will not trust God with their health and strength they bee double minded as Saint Iames saith they will have two strings to their bow if lawfull meanes will not serve unlawfull shall No but wee must commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator and then see what hee will doe then it stands with his honour hee will looke to the lowlie I am the clay thou art the potter heere I am doe as thou wilt as David saith it is a blessed estate thus to resigne our selves into Gods hands If the Divell and Reprobates could bee brought to this they should never come there where they are in terrours of conscience Let us labour to practise this dutie Lord I commit to thy hands my body and soule I cast my selfe into thy bosome doe with mee as thou wilt Some that have stood out at the staves end with temptations many yeares have gotten comfort by this resignation VVe are the clay thou art the potter thou maist mold and break us as thou wilt The way now to escape the plague is not alltogether to use tricks of wit and policie though lawfull meanes must be used but labour to get into Christ and resigne our selves into Gods hand absolutely and say thus VVe are the clay c. Lord thou maist dash us if thou wilt as thou dost now many hundreds weekely thou maist dash us in that fashion if thou wilt Only we may have a desire that God would make our lives and health pretious to him that we may serve him as if we were now in Heaven and that we may have grace to make good use of all But if God have determined and decreed to take us away let us resigne our selves into his hands It is no matter though the body bee sowne in dishonour they shall be raised in honour wee are the clay he is the potter let him do what he will with our carkasses and bodies so he be mercifull to our soules These vessells of clay when they are turned to earth they shall be renewed of better stuffe like the glorious body of Christ then our soules and bodies shall be glorious by him that took a peece of flesh and clay for us O the humility of Christ we wonder that the soule should animate a peece of clay so excellent a thing as the soule is much more may we wonder that the Sonne of God should take a piece of flesh and clay upon him to take our nature of base earth to make us eternally glorious as himselfe Let it comfort us though God dash our clay in pieces as a Potter yet Christ that tooke our clay to the unity of his Person our nature being ingrafted into him hee will make our bodies eternall and everlasting as his owne glorious body Let us resigne our selves into Gods hands as the Church here Thou art the Potter and we are the clay and then wee shall never miscarry FINIS THE SPIRITVALL IUBILE In two Sermons By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE JOHN 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed GAL 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange and in Queens head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row at the gilt Bible 1638. THE SPIRITVALL IVBILE ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death THERE be foure things especially that trouble the peace of a Christian and indeed of any man in this world The first is sinne with the guilt of it binding them over to the wrath of God and the expectation of miserie a heavie bondage The second is besides the guilt of sinne the remainders of corruption with the conflict that accompanies them while we live in this world and that conflict must needes be tedious The third is the miseries of this life that accompanie alway both the guilt and remainders of sinne in this world we are condemned to a great deale of trouble here and this doth much exercise and perplex Gods children And then the shutting up of all death and damnation the thought of these things doth much disquiet and disturbe the peace of a Christians soule Now in this Epistle we have comfort against all these First for the guilt of sinne that binds us over to eternall judgement and the wrath of God we are freed by the obedience of Christ the second Adam as is excellently she well in the fifth Chapter And for the remainders of corruption that we conflict with in this world we are assisted against that by the Spirit of Christ for as by the obedience of Christ we are freed from the guilt so by the Spirit
of Christ we are helped and assisted against the remainders of our corruptions For the third the miseries of this life we have victori◠in Christ In him we are more they conquerours as you have it in this Chapter They can doe us no harme Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus We have 〈◊〉 singular comforts in this Chapter against all the troubles than can be fall us and this is one that triumphs over all All things shall worke for the best to them that love God What should I speake of hurt from any thing that befalls us when all shall worke for the best by the over-ruling of him that commands all Vers. 28 And for death it selfe Neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God And for damnation which accompanies death It is God that justifieth who shall condemne There is opposite comforts in Gods Booke nay in this Epistle and in this Chapter against all that may any way trouble our peace There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle and then he goes on after to shew how by the helpe of the Spirit all things worke for the best c. In this very Verse likewise you have this comfort set downe of our freedome by Christ from any thing that may hurt us For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death The words are dependant as we see in the particle for For the Law of the Spirit of Life c. They depend upon the first Verse thus as a reason why how ever there be sinne in Gods children yet there is no damnation to them There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus he prooves it thus Those that are free from the Law of sinne and of death which brings in condemnation those undoubtedly are free from damnation but those that are in Christ Jesus they are freed from the Law of sinne and of death therefore there is no condemnation to such But how shall we know that we are in Christ Jesus Those that have the Spirit and are led by the Spirit of Christ they are in Christ The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death So I say the words are especially a reason of the former There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus because by the Spirit of Christ they are freed from the Law of sinne and of death and by consequent they are freed from damnation for what brings in damnation but sinne In the words then there is an opposition there is Law against Law The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ and the Law of sinne and of death Now where there are contrarie Lawes if there be contrarie Lords as there must be New Lords will have new Lawes especially if they be Lords by conquest they will alter the very fundamentall Lawes that were before as you know the old Conquerours have done in this Kingdome Here is Law against Law and Lord against Lord Christ against sinne and death Here is a Lord by conquest over all other Lords and Lawes therefore here must needes be an alteration of Lawes upon it the very fundamentall Lawes must be altered But to come more particularly to the words For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death The words are much vexed by Expositors I will rather speake my owne judgement of them and reconcile them then dash one mans judgement against another for that tends not to edification The Law of the Spirit of life c. The meaning of the words is plaine if we compare it with other Scriptures The Law It is nothing but a commanding power for so the word written the Law in the Apostles meaning is but a power forcing and commanding So the Law of the Spirit of life is the commanding and forcing power of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus and so the Law of sinne it is either the tyrannicall command and forcing power of sinne or else the condemning for sinne afterwards as we shall see hereafter for we shall unfold the words better in the particulars First then here we have set downe what estate we are in by nature we are under the Law of sinne and of death And then here is our freedome and deliverance from that we are made free from the Law of sinne and of death And then the Author of it Christ Jesus The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death In the words and those that goe a little before there are these three maine fundamentall points of Religion The miserie and bondage of man The deliverance of man And his dutie Here you have his miserie he is under sinne and death Here is his deliverance he is free from this by Christ. And for his dutie you have it in the last Verse of the former Chapter speaking of his deliverance Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death then it followes Thankes be to God through Iesus Christ our Lord Thankfulnesse is due not verball thankfulnesse onely Indeed the whole life of a Christian after his deliverance is a reall thanksgiving but that is not in my Text. To speake therefore of our estate by nature and of our deliverance our estate is that we are under the Law of sinne and death We are under the Law of sinne We are under sinne what sinne We are under a three-fold sinne We are under the first sinne of our first father for as Levi payd Tythes in Abraham to Melchisedech so we all sinned in the Loynes of Adam our first Parent and the guilt of that first sinne lyes upon us Secondly there is another sinne that is derived and springs from that first sinne which is the deprivation of the Image of God the pravation of our nature we call it originall sinne whereby we are stripped of that good we had in our first creation and have the contrarie image the image of Satan stamped upon us so we are under the first sinne the guilt of it and we are under the sinne of nature which we call originall sinne because it is derived to us even from our birth and first originall we had in Adam And then we are under actuall sinnes which are so many bonds to tie us fast under sinne We are dead by nature but we are dead and rotten by actuall sinnes we super adde to the guilt of our sinne by our dayly conversation We are blind by nature but we are blinded indeed much more by our custome of life Every sinne doth as it were tie us faster to damnation and keepes us faster under the bondage of sinne Every new sinne takes away
some part of the light of the understanding and takes away some freedom of the will it darkens the judgement more and more and enthralls the will and affections and bindes a man more and more to the just sentence of God That as it is Prov. 5. the sinner is tied with the bonds of his owne sinnes he is under the chaines of an habituated wicked course of life as well as of the sinne of nature which is the spring of all This is the miserable state of man and these chaines of his sinnes reserve him to further chaines Even as the Devill is reserved in chaines that is in terrours of his conscience which as chaines bind him till he be in Hell the place he is destinated to so we being in the chaines and bondage vexed with our sinnes we are at the same time in the chaines of terrours of conscience the beginnings of Hell and reserved to chaines of damnation and death world without end It is another manner of matter our estate by nature then it is usually taken for If men had but a little supernaturall light to see what condition they are in till they get out into Christ Jesus they would not continue a minute in that cursed estate And we have deserved to be cast into this estate by reason that we left our subordination and dependance upon God which being creatures we should have had Therefore we turning from God to the creature God punisheth our rebellion to him with rebellion in our selves because we withdrew our subjection from him that therefore there should be in us a withdrawing of the subjection of sinne and of the whole soule to God So this captivitie to and giving up to sinne in us it is penall and sinfull but as it comes from God it is meerely judiciall Therefore we have it oft in the New Testament in Rom. 1. 2 Thess. The Gentiles because they would not entertaine the Truth that they might have had by the light of Nature God gave them up to their sinnes And then the Christians after the Apostles times they set slight by the good Word of God the Gospel therefore God gave them up to beleeve lyes It was sinne in them but as God gave them up it was justice So this captivitie and giving men up to their owne lusts it is justice as it comes from God it is a horrible judgement it is worse then to be given up to the Devill himselfe for by being given up to our lusts we encrease our damnation To be given up to be tormented of the Devill it is not such a mischiefe as this spirituall captivitie under sinne we are guiltie our selves of our owne thraldome And this will encrease both the shame and the punishment The shame that a man shall say in Hell afterward I have brought my selfe hither I had meanes enow prohibitions enow I had sometimes chastisements of God sometimes motions of his Spirit sometimes one helpe from God sometimes another yet notwithstanding I brake through all oppositions that God set betweene me and the execution of my lusts and to Hell-ward I would and hither I have brought my selfe So that indeed the greatest part of Hell torment the shame of them especially it will be that men have brought themselves by their owne wits and carnall lusts thither And indeed all the wit a carnall man hath that is not sanctified by Gods Spirit it is to worke himselfe to miserie to be a drudge to his lusts that sets all the parts he hath on work not how he may serve God and be happie in another world but how he may proule provide for his owne carnall lusts This is the estate of all men by nature they are under sinne under the power of sinne the blind judgement leades the blind affections and both fall into the ditch into Hell The fearefulnesse and odiousnesse of this condition to be in prison and thraldome and bondage to all kind of sinne naturall actuall it will appeare further by this That being in subjection to our base lusts by consequence we are under the bondage of Satan for he hath power over death by sinne because he drawes us to sinne and then accuseth us and torments us for sinne By sinne we come to be under his bondage so that we are under the fearefull captivitie of the Devil while we are under the captivitie of sinne for all the power that he hath over us it is by sinne he is but Gods executioner for sinne First God gives him power to draw us to sinne to punish one sinne with another and then he suffers him to accuse and to torment us afterward What a fearfull bondage is this that being under sinne we are under Satan We are servants to our enemie as God threatned his people that they should serve their enemies but this is a greater judgement to be slaves to this enemie This is the condition of every sinner To be a slave to a mans enemie it is a judgement of judgements yet nothwithstanding this is the case of every man by nature he is a servant to his enemie to Satan and his owne lusts He is a right Cham a servant of servants for Satan useth him as the Philistims did Samson he puts out his eyes he puts out his judgement his wits he besots him and so he goes blind in Satans blind worke and businesse he is in a Maze all his life long till at length he sinke into Hell So this is the aggravation of a mans estate by nature he is a slave to his enemie You know blessed Zacharie saith Luke 1. That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without feare in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life There is no wicked man but he is acted by the Devill oh that we would consider of it we thinke we are led onely by our owne lusts and sinnes as men but untill a man be in Christ he is ruled by the command of the Prince of the Aire and in 2 Tim. 2 he is ruled by Satan according to his will Even as a Bird in a snare it may move up and downe but it is still in the snare and he that hath it there cares not he knowes he hath it safe and he goes about to catch other birds So when we are in our lusts and follow them the Devil hath us in his snare he is secure of us and goes about getting more and more still the Devill acts and moves and leads all carnall men But how chanceth it that they doe not know and perceive it It is because he goeth with the streame of their owne corruptions Indeed we must make some limitation of this In some cases the Devill doth not move carnall men they are better then the Devill would have them be for the good of the Common-wealth and State but yet take them as they stand in relation to Religion they
that hath not learned the first lesson in the Gospel to deny himselfe he is a wretched slave to the Devill in his best part and power his lusts imprison his will and affections his wit that should devise how hee should be happy for for eternitie it is onely a drudge to his base lusts There are a company of men that are the shame and blemish of the Gospel that set their wits a worke onely how to devise to satisfie their base lusts and then the issue and conclusion of all this is eternall misery and in the meane time the expectation of misery in terrours of conscience This is the estate of every man till he be translated by the Spirit of God to a better condition in Christ that he spends out his time in a base and miserable thraldome worse then the thraldome of the Israelites in Egypt or in Babylon And it is so much the more fearefull because men are insensible of it like Bedlams that make nothing of their chaines that laugh in their chaines A franticke man when he is bound in chaines he laughs when they that are about him weepe at his misery so you have men frolicking in sin they will sweare at liberty and besot themselves at liberty and corrupt their consciences even for base trifles they thinke they are in no bondage they doe all wondrous chearefully and well when as indeed the more chearefully and readily any man performes the base service of sinne the more he is in bondage Freedome is opposite to bondage notwithstanding such is the nature of sinne that the more freely we doe it the more we are bound because the more freedome we have the more we are intangled wee runne into guilt upon guilt till after guilt comes execution an eternall separation from the presence of God and an adjudging to eternall torments for ever So that it is a false judgement that the world hath they thinke great men happy men why They doe as they list I they may doe so and oft times they take the liberty to doe so they will be under no Lawes they are so farre from obeying the Law of God that they are loath to be hampred with the Lawes of the State or with any Lawes but they will be above all A miserable condition why the more will a man hath in evill the more miserable for the more freely and with lesse opposition hee tangleth himselfe let his place be never so great the deeper he sinks in rebellion and the deeper hee sinks into guilt upon guilt which will all come to a reckoning at the houre of death and day of Judgement So the men that we admire and envie most out of simplenesse and want of judgement they are the most miserable creatures in the world if they be out of Christ and have not grace for they have nature let loose in them without restraint and nature being under the captivitie of sinne becomes out of measure sinfull in such The lesse a man is curbed either from Lawes above him or the Law within him to check him the more wretched man he is for the deeper hee goes in rebellion and sinne the deeper his torment shall be afterward Great persons have a great priviledge what is that they shall be greatly tormented that is all the priviledge that I know if they be naught Those that shake off all bonds any earthly priviledge and prerogative is so farre from exempting them from misery that it makes them more miserable for unlesse they have grace to use those things that might be an advantage to better things they sinke deeper and deeper into sinne and so into terrours of conscience first or last and by consequence to damnation Oh it is a fearefull condition to be the greatest Monarch in the world and not to be in Christ and under the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ they are the objects of pitty above all kinde of men to truely judicious soules that know out of Gods truth and by the light of the Spirit what is to be judged of the state of men You see then what kind of misery it is that naturall men are under being under the Law of sinne To declare it a little further for men will hardly thinke it is such a bondage to be under sinne Therefore I beseech you doe but consider how sinne tyrannizeth where it gets strength see it in some instances The covetous worldly man that is under the Law of that lust he hath the law of other lusts but that is predominant see how it tyrannizeth it takes away his rest the use of Gods blessings the good things he hath given him to enjoy it makes him in thrall to the creature Wee see it in carnall pleasure Amnon when he lusted after his sister Thamar it tooke away his rest And how doth this base affection tyrannize in some men it makes them forget their bodies so that they overthrow their health and hasten death temporall it hurts the naturall man it makes them forget their credit it makes them forget their soules it makes them stinke by living in that carnall noysome sinne The judicious Heathen were sensible of it by the strength of naturall judgment yet sinne where it is in any strength uncurbed it so tyrannizeth that it makes men forget both health and life and credite and estate in this world that they come to nothing What should I speake of forgetting life eternall and damnation they have no faith to beleeve that but such is the tyrannie of sinne that it makes them forget things sensible that by experience after they see how dearely they have bought their base pleasures with the losse of credite and health and comfort with the losse of the estate that God hath trusted them withall in this world Take a man that is under the base Law of ambition a proud person see how it tyrannizeth over him it makes him forget blood and kinred all the bonds of nature he will kill his brethren to make his way as you know in our owne Stories such Tyrants if there were not Stories enow in this kind daily experience shewes it Where the Law of ambition and pride raignes it makes the heart wherein this Tyrant sets up his Throne to forget all bonds whatsoever of nature and justice You know whose speech it was If the Law must be violated it must be for a Kingdome but men will doe it for farre lesse we see what men will doe for a base place to command others in this world when they are conscious of their owne ill courses and commanding corruptions and all to give way to the base affection of ambition A touch is enough of these things for experience witnesseth and goes along with me All men that are not in Christ they have some predominant sinne either some base sinne or some more refined sinne and lust that keepes them from Christ and salvation and this tyrannizeth over them And this
nor motion Though such men live a common naturall civill life and walke up and downe yet they are dead men to God and to a better life The world is full of dead men that are dead while they are alive as S. Paul speakes of the Widow that lives in pleasures A fearefull estate if we had Spirituall eyes to see it and thinke of it But then after the death of the soule in this world there is another degree of spirituall death which is when the soule leaves the body then the soule dies for then it goes to hell it is severed for ever from the comfortable and gracious presence of God and likewise it wants the comforts it had in this world And the third degree of it is when body and soule shall be joyned together then there is an eternall separation of both from the presence of God and an adjudging of them to eternall torments in hell This is the state of all men that are not in Christ they are dead in soule while they live dead after the separation of the soule and body and after to be adjudged to eternall damnation world without end Life is a sweet thing and wee know death it is terrible when we would set out our hatefulnesse to any thing wee use to say I hate it as death doe wee love life and doe we hate death we should labour then to be out of that condition that we are all in by nature wherein we are under sinne and death in regard of spirituall life I meane for for civill life and government and policy men may have life and vigour enough that are hypocrites but I speake of a better life an eternall life that is not subject to death Now marke the joyning of both these together we are under sinne and death by nature where a man is under sinne he is under death for as the Apostle saith Rom. 5. Sinne entred into the world and by sinne death They were neither of both Gods creatures neither sinne nor death but sinne entred into the world by Satan and death by sinne Oh ye shall not die saith Satan he was a lyar alway from the beginning so now he saith to men you shall not die you may doe this and doe well enough but he is a lyar and a murtherer when he solicites to sinne he is a murtherer Let us take heed of solicitations to sinne from our owne nature or from Satan marke how God hath linked sinne and death The wages of sinne is death When we are tempted to sinne we thinke I shall have this credit or profite or contentment or preferment and advancement in the world I but that that you get by sinne it is not so great as you looke for when you have it if you get it at all but afterwards comes death the beginnings of eternall death terrours of conscience universally follow if a man be himselfe if he be not besotted The more a man is a man and enjoyes the liberty of his judgement to judge of things the more he sees the misery that is due after sinne with a fearefull expectation of worse things to come Sinne and death are an adamantine chaine and linke that none can sever who shall separate that which God in his Justice hath put together If sinne goe before death will follow if the conception goe before the birth will follow after if the smoake goe before the fire will follow There is not a more constant order in nature then this in Gods appointment first sinne and then death and damnation after Therefore when wee are tempted to sinne let us reason with our selves there is death in the pot let us discerne death in it it will follow And if a man after repent of it it will be more sharp repentance and grievous then the sinne was pleasant that a man shall have little joy of his sinne if he doe repent if he doe not repent what a fearefull estate is a man in after he hath sinned Sinne and death goe together no humane power can sever them for take the greatest Monarch in the world when he hath sinned conscience is above him as great as hee is for conscience is next under God it awes and terrifies him and keepes his sleepe from him as we see of late in our bloody neighbour Country after that great Massacre he could not sleepe without Musicke and the like All that they have and enjoy in the world all their greatnesse it will not satisfie and stop the mouth of conscience but when they sinne they feele the wrath of God arresting and they aâ—e as iâ— were shut up in prison under the terrours of an accusing conscience till they come to eternall imprisoment in the chaine of hell and damnation This is the estate of the greatest man in the world that is not in Christ. They are not so happy as we thinke they are they are imprisoned in their owne hearts though they walke at never so much liberty abroad and doe what they list for sinne and death goes together and before eternall death comes the expectation and terrours of it seize on them for the present So that whatsoever our first birth be though it be noble and great yet by it we are bond-slaves under sinne and death unlesse our second birth our new birth make amends for flâ—â—e for the basenesse of our first birth This prerogative our spirituall noblenesse is such an estate wherein wee are not borne but are borne againe to it to an inheritance immortall c. But by nature wee are all bond men though wee be be borne never so nobly Therefore let us never bragge of our birth as the Jewes did that they were the children of Abraham No saith Christ you are of your father the Devill Let none stand upon the Gentrie and Nobility of their birth unlesse they be taken out of the condition they are in by nature to be in a better condition in Christ for we see all men naturally are under the law of sinne and death These things are slighted because wee enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season men thinke to be inthralled to sinne it is pleasant thraldome they are golden fetters for I shall have the pleasures of sin all my life time c. and for death I will set a Romane spirit against death Saith a Romane what is it such a matter to die It is nothing to die they set a good face on the matter And this is the conceite of many men till they come to it but alas to be inthralled to death it is another matter for behind death there is a gulphe A man may breake the hedgewell enough with a strong resolution to die it is nothing to die if there were an end But there is a gulphe there is damnation and destruction behind there is eternall torment behind to be adjudged from the presence of God for ever to be separated from all good and all comfort
and to have societie with the Devill and his Angels in hell and that forever and for ever Thou maist perhaps make â—light of the service of sinne because thou hast the present baits to delight thee but thou shouldst regard death Thou maist neglect death but then regard eternall death This word Eternall it is a heavy word Eternall separation from all good and eternall communion with the Devill and his Angels and for the wrath of God to seize on thy soule eternally world without end me thinkes men should not set light by that Therefore considering that this is our estate by nature we are all slaves to sinne and death let us labour to get out of this cursed estate by all meanes which is by The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus Now I come to speake of our freedome The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and death This is good news indeed to heare of freedome good newes to the Israelites to heare of freedome out of Egypt and for the Jewes to heare of Cyrus Proclamation for their freedome out of Babylon Freedome out of bondage is a sweet message Here we have such a message of spirituall freedome from other manner of enemies then those were The yeare of Jubile it was a comfortable yeare to servants that were kept in and were much vexed with their bondage when the yeare of Jubile came they were all freed therefore there was great expectation of the yeare of Jubile Here we have a spirituall Jubile a manumission and freedome from the bondage we are in by nature The Spirit of life in Christ makes us free from the Law of sinne and death There is life in Christ opposite to death in us there is a Spirit of life in Christ and a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ opposite to the law of sinne and of death in us So that this is our happinesse while we live here oh it is the blessednesse of men to make use of it while they have time and space and grace to repent and to cleave to Christ that whatsoever ill we are under by nature we may have full supply in Christ for all the breaches that came by the first Adam There came the wrath of God the corruption of our nature terrours of conscience death and damnation all these followed the sinne and breach of the first Adam all these are made up in the second He hath freed us from all the ill wee received from the first Adam and that we have added our selves for we make our selves worse then we come from Adam by our voluntary and daily transgressions but wee are freed from all by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus How comes this freedome There can no freedome be without satisfaction to divine Justice For why are we under sinne God gives us up to sinne why are we under death God gives us up to death Why are we under Satans government he is Gods executioner Gods serjeant he gives us up to him here because we offend him Why are we under damnation and wrath because God is offended All our slavery comes originally from God however it be sinfull in regard of Satan that keepes us yet the power whereby he keepes us is good for he doth it from God His will is alwayes naught but his power is alwayes lawfull therefore the power whereby the Devill keepes us if wee looke up to God under whom the power is it is a lawfull power for God hath a hand in giving us up to finne it is a judiciall giving up and then by lusts and â—inne to Satan and death and damnation So if we speake of freedome wee must not begin with the executioner the wrath of God must be satisfied God must be one with us so as his Justice must have contentment Satisfaction must be with the glory of his Justice as well as of his Mercie his Attributes must have full content one must not be destroyed to satisfie another hee must so be mercifull in freeing us as that content must be given to his Justice that it complaine not of any losse Now reconciliation alway supposeth satisfaction it is founded upon it And satisfaction for sinne it must be in that nature that hath sinned now man of himselfe could not satisfie divine Justice being a finite person therefore God the second Person became man that in our nature hee might satisfie Gods wrath for us and so free us by giving payment to his divine Justice The death of Christ God-man is the price of our liberty and freedome But why doth the Apostle speake here of a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which frees us but here is no mention of satisfaction by death Oh but death is the foundation of all as we shall see afterwards To unfold the point therefore because it is a speciall point and the words need unfolding Here it is said there is life in Christ. A Spirit of life in Christ. and a Law of a Spirit of life in Christ. There is life in Christ not onely as God for so indeed he is life God his life is himselfe for life is the being of a thing and the actions and moving and vigour and operations of a thing answerable to that being So the life of God is his being As I live saith the Lord that is as I am God I will not the death of a sinner Now Christ hath life in him as God as the Father hath but that is not especially here meant There is life in Christ as God-man as Mediator Now this life is that life which is originally from the God-head indeed it is but the God-heads quickening and giving life to the man-hood in Christ the Spirit quickning and sanctifying the man-hood And we have no comfort by the life of God as it is in Gods life alone severed for alas what communion have wee with God without a Mediator but our comfort is this that God who is the fountaine of life he became man and having satisfied Gods Justice he conveyes life to us he is our head hee hath life in himselfe as God to impart spirituall life to all his members so there is life in Christ as Mediator And there is a Spirit of life that life it is a working life for spirit is an emphaticall word spirit added to a thing increased the thing Againe he saith the Law of the Spirit of life Law is a commanding thing to shew that the life in Christ it is a commanding life it countermands all opposite lives whatsoever of sinne and death and this Law is a countermand to all other Lawes the Law of the Spirit of life frees us from all other Lawes So here is life the Spirit of life and the Law of the Spirit of life all words of strong signification But for the cleare understanding of this sweet and comfortable point First
consider how the Law of the Spirit of life is in Christ what it doth in him and then how it is derivatively in us First of all we must know this for a ground whatsoever is done to us is done to Christ first and whatsoever wee have Christ hath it first Therefore life is first in Christ and then in us Resurrection first in Christ and then in us Sonne-ship first in Christ and then in us Justification from our sins first in Christ he is freed from our sinnes and then in us Ascension first in Christ and then in us Glory in heaven first in Christ and then in us We have nothing in us but it is derived from Christ therefore this being layd as a ground we must consider how the Spirit of life works in Christ what it doth in Christ and then what it doth as it is in us for whatsoever Christ hath it is not onely for himselfe but for us What doth it in Christ The Spirit of life in Christ first of all it did quicken and sanctifie his humane nature that nature that Christ pleased to take upon him it stopped sinne it made a stop of originall sinne in sanctifying that blessed masse out of which his body was made for the foundation of his obedience actuall that it was so holy it was hence that his nature was purified by the Holy-Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin the foundation that his death and sufferings was satisfactory and acceptable it was that his holy nature was sanctified by the Spirit of God So the first worke of the Spirit of life in the Sonne of God it was to sanctifie and quicken that blessed masse that he tooke upon him And the Spirit of life that quickned and sanctified our nature in Christ did likewise ennoble our nature for even as a base woman is ennobled when she is taken in marriage with a great man shee hath his dignity accounted hers so our nature by the Spirit being sanctified is knit into the union of person with Christ that our nature and the second Person make one Christ so our nature by the Spirit is ennobled by this union And also inriched it with all grace that our nature is capable of for the nature of Christ had this double prerogative above ours First of all that blessed masse of flesh it was knit to be one person with God and then that nature was inriched and ennobled with all graces above ours And this the Spirit of life did to Christ himselfe to his humane nature that he tooke upon him that hee might be a publicke Person For God the second Person tooke not upon him any mans particular person of Peter or Paul or Iohn for then there should have beene distinct persons one person should have dyed and another rise but hee tooke our nature into his Person so that the same Person that did dye was God though he dyed in our nature that he might be a publicke Person So we must consider Christ sanctifying our nature that he might sit and sanctifie all our persons But did the Spirit of life doe nothing else but sanctifie and inrich the humane nature of Christ with grace Yes for the Spirit of life in Christ did sanctifie him for his Sacrifice as he saith Iohn 17. in that blessed prayer I sanctifie my selfe for them it prepared him for his death and made him a fit Sacrifice When he entred upon his calling he had more of the Spirit the Spirit of life as it were was increased For it is no heresie to thinke that the gifts of Christ for the manifestation of them were increased For in every state he was in hee was perfect and when he set upon his Office and was baptised hee was fuller of the Holy-Ghost as it were there was a fuller manifestation then before when he did not set upon his Office openly In his death what did the Spirit of life then It supported him in his very death for there was an union of the Spirit when there was a separation of his soule and body there was not a separation of the union That which gave dignity and strength and value and worth to his death it was the Spirit though there was a suspending of the comfort a while yet there was no separation of the union but I speake no more of that being not especially meant here But especially in his Resurrection which we are now to thinke of by reason of the day and it is not amisse to take all occasions especially then the Spirit of life that had sanctified Christ and quickened him and inriched his nature and supported him and done all that Spirit of life quickened the dead body of Christ And he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by the Spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 by his Resurrection from the dead The Spirit of life raised him from the dead and put an end to all that misery that he had undergone before for our sakes For untill his resurrection there was as it were some conflict with some enemies of Christ either with Satan or the world or with death it selfe he lay under death three dayes untill Christs body was raised our enemies were not overcome Gods wrath was not fully satisfied it was not declared to be satisfied at least for he being our surety till he came out of the grave we could not know that our sinnes were satisfied for But now when the Spirit of life in Christ comes and quickens that body of his in the grave and so doth justifie us as it is Ro. 4. He dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification that is by the Spirit of life in Christ quickning his dead body hee declared that we are fully discharged from our sinnes because he was fully discharged from our sinnes being our surety hee shewed by his Resurrection that he was fully discharged from all that he tooke upon him When a man comes out of prison that is a surety his very comming out of prison shewes that he hath a full discharge of all the debt hee undertooke to pay so the Spirit of life raising Christs body the third day manifestly declared that the debt he tooke on him was fully discharged and so as he dyed for sinne to satisfie Gods Justice for them so hee rose againe for our justification to shew that hee had a full discharge for all Now since the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath quickned his body the soule may make a bold demand to God as it is in 1 Pet. 8. It may make that demand Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is Christ that dyed nay rather that is risen againe and ascended into heaven and makes intercession for us Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people it is God that justifieth who shall condemne our sinnes Christ hath taken our sinnes upon him and satisfied divine
calls his body broken the bread of life Why because it was the body of the Sonne of God who is life Iob 6. All life comes from God Now Christ taking our nature upon him his death is a quickning death and by reason of the union with the divine nature now it is the body of God broken and the blood of God shed for us there is our comfort and hee was declared to be so by his Resurrection that declared that he was God and that hee was freed from our sinnes Powerfull must that Saviour needs be that was so strong in his very death when his very body was broken and his blood let out then hee did worke the foundation of all comfort for then hee satisfied the wrath of God Christ was strongest when hee was weakest The Resurrection was but a declaration of the worth of that hee had done Now in the Sacrament wee have Communion with Christ dying especially as his body is broken and his blood shed for that is the foundation of all comfort by his Resurrection And because the Spirit of life was in Christ and did quicken his body while hee was alive and was a Spirit of life even when hee dyed and gave worth and excellency to his death therefore when wee take the Communion wee ought not to meditate meerely of the death of Christ as his blood was shed and his body broken but of the death of such a person as had the Spirit of life in him as was God and man and so set the excellency of his person against all temptations whatsoever Set the excellency of Christ so abased his body broken and his blood shed against all temptations if it be the greatest the wrath of God upon the conscience yet when conscience thinkes this God the party offended gave his owne Sonne to be Incarnate and the Spirit of life in him did quicken mans nature and in that nature did die for satisfaction now God will be satisfied by the death of such a Surety as his owne Sonne so that the excellency of the Person having the Seale of God upon him For him hath God the Father sealed doth wondrously satisfie conscience in all temptations whatsoever What need a man feare death and damnation and the miseries of this life and Satan what are all if God be appeased and reconciled in Christ then a man hath comfort and may thinke of all other enemies as conquered enemies Now we cannot thinke of the death of Christ who was a quickening Spirit but wee must thinke of the death of an excellent person that gave worth to his death to be a satisfactory death for us Therefore let us receive the Communion with comfort that as verily as Christ is mine so his quickening Spirit is communicated to me and whatsoever he hath is mine If I have the field I have the Pearle in it his obedience his victory over death his Sonship is mine his sitting in heaven is for me he sits there to rule me while I am on earth and to take me up to himselfe when I am dead all is for me when wee have Communion with Christ wee have communion with all Therefore the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus when I am one with him it quickens mâ— and frees me from the law of sinne and death FINIS SAINT PAULS CHALLENGE In one Sermon By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE PSAL. 27.3 Though an Host should encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against me In this will I be confident LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford 1638. SAINT PAVLS CHALLENGE ROM 8.30 What shall wee then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us THE words are a glorious conclusion and triumph of faith the conclusion upon all the former particulars in the Chapter and the foundation of all the comforts that follow after to the end of the Chapter They are as the center of the Chapter all the beames of heavenly comfort in this divine Chapter they meete as it were in one in this short clause What shall we say then to these things c. In the words briefly there is first a question What shall we say to these things And then a triumph If God be with us who can be against us It is a question answered with another question What shall wee say to these things He answers it with another question If God be with us who can be against us What shall we say to these things To these things before mentioned If wâ—e be in Christ there is no condemnation to us if wee be led by the Spirit if we be heires of heaven and fellow heires with Christ if we suffer with him if we have the spirit of prayer to helpe our infirmities in the worst conditions if all creatures groane with us and if all worke for our good if God from all eternity hath written our names in heaven by election and separated us from the rest of the world in vocation and hath sanctified and justified us and will after glorifie us what shall wee say to these things The heart of man is full of doubtings and misgiving full of thoughts According to the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts refreshed my soule a multitude of thoughts and a multitude of comforts there is comfort after comfort because there are thoughts after thoughts and surmises after surmises There is no wast comfort set down in this Chapter and when he hath set down all he comes and concludes in a triumphant manner What shall wee say to these things He propounds the quaere to himselfe he catechiseth his own heart and others if these things be so what can be sayd against them Surely the unbeleeving doubting darke rebellious heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths for though divine truths be lighter then the Sunne and there is no greater evidence of any thing in the world yet they find no place in the unbeleeving heart Let God say what he will the doubting heart is ready to gain-say it but these truths are so pregnant and cleare that it is a wonder that any thing should be said against them What shall we say to thâ—se things Againe he meanes what comfort can you have more what can you desire more what can be said more what use will you make of all that hath beene said what will you sucke out of it If all this be true that hath beene spoken before that a Christian is so elevated above the common condition if God love him from everlasting in election and to everlasting in glorification if in the middle time all shall worke for the best what comfort can the heart of man desire more and what use can you make of this for courage and for comfort for the time to come these things are implyed in this
this principle be well layd it is a ground of a Christians courage in all conditions whatsoever it is no matter how many enemies he hath for as Cyprian saith Non potest seculum c. the world cannot hurt him that in the world hath God for his protectour for the Divell hee is crushed already though hee keepe adoe and stirre up stormes he perisheth in the waves as he saith hee hurts himselfe more than any body else hee increaseth his owne torment and so doe all his children The flesh likewise it busles against the Spirit but it looseth and the spirit gaines upon every â—oyle why here is the principle God is with us there is no power can resist God for then God should withstand himselfe the power that the creature hath it is but a borrowed power and if by a borrowed power it should withstand Gods purpose God must be against himselfe his Kingdome must bee divided which is a contradiction Therefore this is the ground of the courage of a Christian in all conditions What is the reason that the Scripture hath that phrase so often Feare not I am with thee as to Paul and Ioshua and the rest because it is the ground of all courage We see weaker creatures than man a Dogge in the sight of his master hee will fight couragiously because he hath a superiour nature by him that he thinkes will backe him And shall not a Christian when he hath layd up this principle that God is with him God incarnate God in his nature when he is a member of God as it were of that person that is God shall he not be couragious when he hath him to looke upon him and to backe him And if God be with us hee is not so with us as to neglect us he is so with us as he hath interest in the cause we have and in our persons hee is with us as one with us nay as in us by his Spirit and whosoever toucheth us toucheth the apple of his eye Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Here is ground of courage in whatsoever may befall us to stand it out in all conditions whatsoever Nothing can sever Christ and a Christian this bodie will never be beheaded Christ will never bee separated from his body hee will not loose the poorest member he hath You see it is the duty of a Christian to be couragious and undaunted in the cause of God and from this ground because God is with him and who can be against him Let all the world bee against God and against the cause that a Christian professeth they doe but kicke against the prickes they dash against a rocke as the waves that breake themselves they doe not hurt the rock a whit they doe but cast stones upward that fall upon their heads againe Therefore it is a desperate cause that malicious spirits manage who have more parts then grace and arme themselves and their wits to hurt the people and Church of God and slander his cause and doe all the hurt they can It is a ground likewise of encouragement in our callings when God calls us to any thing in our places that is good hee will be with us therefore in our places and standing let us doe that that belongs to us let us not feare that we shall want that which is necessary or miscarry any way When Moses pretended he â—ould not speake Who gives a mouth saith God to him Therefore let us take courage not onely in suffering and opposition but in our places and standings God will bee with us hee gives his Angels charge to keepe us in our wayes wee have a guard over us Here is a ground likewise of all contentment in any condition in the world what can be sufficient to him that God cannot suffice God All-sufficient is with thee thou canst want nothing that is for thy good thou maist want this and that but it is for thy good that thou wantest it Those that feare God shall want nothing that is good It is a ground of all contentment God is with them to fill their souls to the utmost He is made for the soule and the soule for him for our end is to have communion with God in Iesus Christ here and everlastingly in Heaven God is fitted for us and we for him Here is fresh comfort for the soule alway hee can fill up every corner of the soule he is larger than our soules Therefore let us be content in what condition soever we are in God is with us therefore let the peace of God which passeth all understanding guard our hearts even from this very ground and conclusion God is with us who can be against us Let Moses be cast into a basket of Bul-rushes if God be with him hee shall not be drowned Let Daniel bee cast into the Den if God bee with him God will come between the Lyons teeth and him Let the three blessed men be cast into the fiery Furnace a fourth shall bee with them and keepe them from the hurt of the flame Let God be with Noah hee shall swim upon the waters and the greater the waters the more safe hee and the neerer to heaven Let God be with us and we may be content with any condition whatsoever Againe let us not be over much discouraged with our infirmities and corruptions If God be with us who can be against us Our corruptions are against us and they are worse to me than the Devill and all enemies saith a poore Christian. Indeed they are for the devill hath no advantage against us but by our corruptions but if thou account thy corruptions thine enemies they are Gods enemies and Christs enemies as well as thine hee will be with thee and thy corruptions shall more and more be wasted for the flesh shall fall before the spirit this Dagon shall fall before this blessed Arke stronger is hee that is in us than he that is in the world The Spirit of God is stronger in us than corruption in us or the world without us it ministers stronger grounds of comfort than all other can doe of discomfort If you bee under the spirit and under grace sinne shall not have dominion over you It may be in you but it shall not have dominion because yee are under the covenant of grace Therefore though corruption be in us for our exercise and humiliation yet it shall not be against us to abridge us of comfort they serve to drive us neerer to God Let none be discouraged Christ came to destroy the workes of the Devill therefore hee came to destroy sinne in us which is the work of the Devill hee came to take away not only the guilt but the very being of sinne as he will at last for if God and Christ be with us who shall be against us But it may be objected by some But I finde not God with me It is true sometimes God hides
himselfe Thou art a God that hidest thy selfe hee seemes as a stranger in his owne Church to be as a way-faring man as the Prophet saith he takes no notice of his Church and their afflictions hee seemes not to take them to heart nor to pitty his Church Oh! but this is but for a time and for tryall Can a mother forget her childe Isai. 49. Put case she should yet will not I forget thee God hides himselfe but a while to try the graces of his children and to give way to the enemies to let his children to see their corruptions his wise dispensation And these desertions wee must be acquainted with God seemes to be away from his children yet he is with them and supports them with invisible strength Hee seemes to bee with wicked men in prospering them in the world that they have al at their wil in outward things yet he is farre from them hee withdrawes himselfe in spirituall things they have no grace no sound inward comfort And he seemes opposite to his children hee leaves them outwardly in regard of assistance and friends but they have an invisible inward presence of the spirit to support and strengthen them therefore measure not desâ—ertions Gods being or not being with us by outward respects for so he is with the enemies of the Church oft-times and not with his children But hee is with his in the sweetest manner supporting of them when they are in darkenesse and see no light of Gods countenance yet they have so much light though they thinke they see it not as makes them trust in God Let him that is in darknesse and sees no light trust in the name of God Therefore as I said it is a principle pregnant for comfort and use if God be with us he is with us in life and death for whom he loves he loves everlastingly from everlasting to everlasting If this be so what shall wee doe to God againe what is the best evidence to know that God is with us There is a relation betweene God and his he is so with them as that they are with him likewise in all passages Doth he chuse them they in time chuse him Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee Doth hee call them they answer Doth hee justifie and free them from their sinnes they make that answer of faith that Peter speakes of I doe beleeve Lord help my unbeliefe they have faith to lay hold upon the forgivenesse And likewise if God be with them they can delight in Gods presence Can God delight to bee present with them that have not grace to delight in him Gods children maintaine their communion with him in all the sanctified meanes they can they are afraid to breake with God Therefore those that to please and give content to others and for base ends will displease their God it is a heavie signe that God as yet hath not shewed himselfe in his gracious mercy in Christ Iesus to them If God be with us wee will be of his side and his enemies shall be our enemies and his friends our friends Hee that claimes this that God is with him he will say I will bee with God and for God God hath two things in the world that wee must have a care of his Church and his cause take them out of the world the world is but a hell upon earth a company of miscreants prophane godlessâ— impudent poysonfull creatures take away the cause of God Religion and the people that are begotten by Religion and what is the rest of mankind The world would not stand but be all upon heapes for a company of sinfull wretches that will have their wills but it is for the Church and people of God that the world stands Now hee that hath God with him and he is in termes with God that they are friends as Abraham was the friend of God he will side with God and Religion Gods cause shall bee his cause and Gods people his people hee will cleave to Gods side as the safest if hee may have never so much prâ—ferment in the world hee will not joyne with Antichrist hee will not betray the cause of Religion if hee might have a world for it Why because he knows if God be with him who can be against him God hath given us understanding and grace to maintaine friendship with him to haâ—e common friends and common enemies Therefoâ—e if we stand not for God let us never talke of Gods presence with us Hee will bee present to confound us to overthrow us and pursue us to Hell but not graciously present without wee labour to maintaine the cause of Religion as farre as wee may God is with us if â—â—e be with him 2 Chron. 15. if wee be with God to take his part hee will be with us to protect and defend us to guide and comfort us and to give issue to all our affaires Not that our being with him is the prime cause of his being with us but it is an evidence to know whether hee be with us as wee make profession when as farre as our callings will suffer wee be with him and maintaine his cause Againe If wee would know whether we be with God and hee with us aske conscience whether it bee with thee for conscience is Gods Vicar Is conscience with thee dost thou not sinne against conscience What conscience saith God saith and what it forbids God forbids especially when it is enlightned by the word doth conscience speak peace to thee from the Word then thou art with God and God is with thee Especially in the great point of justification doth conscience speak peace to thee in the blood of Christ is thy heart sprinkled with it that it is not as the blood of Abel that cries for vengeance haâ—t thou a spirit of faith to beleeve that Christ shed his blood for thee in particular then thou art with God and he with thee because God hath sprinkled the blood of Christ upon thy heart What course shall wee take to keep God comfortably with us Looke thou be in covenant with him and not onely at large in covenant but looke that continually upon all occasions thou renew thy covenant for sometimes Gods children may be in covenant they may be his children yet because they renew not their covenant especially after some breaches God is not with them so comfortably as hee would to free them from their enemies as wee see in the case of the Benjamites Gods people sometimes may have the worst though they be in covenant because they have committed some sin and have not renewed their peace and covenant with God Therefore if we would make a comfortable use of this truth that God is with us and would finde him so in our affaires and businesse let us renew our covenant upon all occasions and
higher house in heaven and the lower on earth and both say come What is the reason that the Church in heaven saith Come Because the Church in heaven have bodies that be rotting in earth which bodyes helped them to serve God on earth fasted with them and prayed with them and indured pains and toyle with them The soule acccounts it selfe imperfect till it be joyned to its old companion the body againe therefore it desires Come Lord that my body may be united to me againe that so wee may both perfectly prayse thee in heaven Then againe they have not all their company all the Saints are not gathered and they will not be merry indeed till they all meet in heaven therfore that all may meet even the Church in heaven hath a desire Come Lord so both heaven and earth agree in this they meet in this desire This may be a ground of tryall whether wee be truely the Bride of Christ or no the ground of the tryall may be gathered hence whither is the bent of our desire carryed is our condition so here as that wee desire to be as we are still then all is naught with us The Church we see saith come nothing will content her in this world so those hearts that are wrought upon by the Spirit of God nothing here will content them but still they say come The disposition in carnall persons is cleane contrary they say as it is in Iob Depart from us wee will none of thy wayes they are of the mind of the Devill in the Gospel Why doest thou come to torment us before our time doe not come If it were in the power of most men in the Church whether Christ should come to judge the world or no doe you thinke they would give their voyce that way that Christ should come they would never do it for they know how unfit a condition they are in for the second comming of Christ. If theeves and malefactors might have liberty to chuse whether there should be Assizes or no surely they would never have any so it is with the men of the world that live in sinfull wretched courses that abuse their tongues and their bodies are they of the disposition of the Bride to say come oh no they know they have not done their duty therefore let us enter deepely into our owne soules and try whether cordially we can yeeld this desire of our hearts to say come Therefore to spend a little time in a further search if wee can truely say Come we will desire Christ to come into our soules now to rule our soules now to come and make way for himselfe in our hearts Is it possible for the soule to desire to goe to Christ that will not suffer him to come to it If Christ rule not in us wee shall never raigne with Christ if Christs Kingdome come not to us we shall never enter into Christ Kingdom therefore the soule that hath this desire truly to say Come it will give Christ entrance into it and let him come by his Ordinances Come Lord by thy word come by thy Spirit into my heart close with my heart drive out whatsoever is there that will not give thee liberty to raigne as thou wilt these desires will be in a true heart it will not cherish wilfully those desires that are contrary to this Shall we thinke that that Christian that saith these words in good earnest will put Christ away in his Ordinances and not care for to heare his word nor care to meet Christ here in earth and yet pretend a desire to meet him in heaven where is Christ here is hee not in his Congregations and Assemblies of his Saints those therefore that despise the Ordinances of God and yet pretend that they desire that Christ should come doe they not prophane the Lords Prayer when they say Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come They patter it over they doe not meane it in good earnest when they despise the Ministery and the Ministers and whatsoever is Christs despise the motions of his Spirit and will not suffer him to rule in their hearts but are ruled by rules of policy and reason and flesh can they say Come No they doe abhominably prophane the Lords Prayer what kind of Service is that when their desires are quite cleane contrary It is a protestation contrary to their faith and therefore it is a nullity they professe in their prayers that they would have Christ to come and yet their course of life is contrary they would not have him come Againe those that truly desire Christ should come they will be subordinate helpers under Christ to promote those things that tend to his comming before Christ comes Antichrist must be abolished and consumed the Jewes must be converted and the number of the Elect must be consummate and finished Therefore what shall wee say when those that pretend to desire the comming of Christ shall countenance heresies that mâ—st have an end first And those that are against wholesome Lawes to be made in that kind those that countenance Idolatry and false worship stablishing what Christ must abolish before he come can they say Come in good earnest Their course is contrary to what they pray Therefore indeed and in good earnest we pray Thy Kingdome come and say with our soules as the Church here Come when we set our selves to abolish heresie and false worship of God that is adulterous and promote the true Service of God when we labour in our places that the number of the Elect may be consummate when wee labour that our children may be Gods children and our servants may be Gods servants and every one in our places labour that the Kingdome of Christ may be inlarged If wee put not to our helping hand to that wee pray for it is a contradiction Those therefore that live scandalous lives iâ— scandalous courses and speeches and hinder the conversion of peoples soules and labour to draw them to wicked hellish courses when they post to hell themselves and labour to draw others into cursed society with them selves they cannot truly say as the Church here Come Let us take it to heart that we doe not mocke and dally with Religion it is a greater matter then we take it for It is impossible but a Christian that saith his prayers in earnest should be thus affected unlesse wee make a mockery of Religion Againe if we can indeed say Come there will be a fitting for this comming a preparing our selves for it for our going to Christ. Is it not so in civill things and doth not grace worke that that nature doth in a higher degree If we desire that a great person should come to us will there not be a fitting of our houses of our apparell and entertainement â—â—table to the worth of the person or else a man may say surely you looâ—e for no body this day there is nothing fitted and prepared so if we
pretend we desire Christ to Come and yet notwith standing we are carelesse of getting knowledge and of purging our soules of growing in grace carelesse of being such as Christ may delight to come unto This carelessenesse of fitting and preparing our selves shewes that wee doe but in hypocrisie speake the words when we have no such thing in our hearts Those that desire the Kingdome of Christ and the happy condition of Christians in another world they desire the way of it here that is by fitting and preparing themselves for that estate and indeed it will worke those effects as it is Tit. 2. and other places what is the motive there to live a holy and righteous and sober life Looking and waiting for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. There he inserts a holy life betweene the two commings of Christ shewing that the beleeving the end of both will worke this effect in the change of our lives To be sober to our selves and just to others and holy to God The grace of God hath appeared that is in the first comming of Christ teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and then looking forward still for the second comming of Christ. So that he beleeves that the grace of God hath appeared in saving our soules by the death of Christ in his first comming and hee that beleeves that hee will come to be glorious after in his second comming certainely he will live justly and soberly and righteously in this present world he will fit himselfe for that estate that hee professeth to desire Let us trie our selves by these evidences in some measure and not thinke our state good till wee can say from our hearts Come But are Christians alwayes in this state of soule that they can say Come I answere they are alway in some degree fitting themselves for Christ but notwithstanding they are not alway so exact and watchfull that they could wish that he should come at this time Take the comparison from a wife a spouse she heartily desires the comming home of her husband yet perhaps sometimes things may not be in so good order as to wish that he were here now nay I have not yet prepared This is the state of careles Christians that have soundnesse of grace and yet are carelesse they desire the comming of Christ and they love the glory of the life to come and indeavour weakely for it yet they are so carelesse some corruption hanges on them that they have not so mortified and subdued as they should doe they are not yet so fitted as they should be Therefore God often rouseth such by afflictions and other courses in this world to weane them more from the love of the world and to prepare us because we are sloathfull and carelesse to prepare our selves So I say that somtimes the best Christians sometimes may be more indisposed then at others by reason of security growing on our soules so weake are we and beset with temptations therefore let none be over-much discouraged with that but let us strive as the Church here to be in such an estate as we may alway say Come Well upon tryall if wee find our selves not so disposed as we should how shall wee carry our selves that we may say Come Let us labour to purge our selves by mortification more more he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe And let us endure Gods purging of us and justifie Gods purging of us by afflictions and thinke that God hath this ayme certainely this is to make me more heavenly minded to rayse my affections up I will therefore beare the anger of God I have deserved it and he hath holy ends in it to make me partaker of his righteousnesse Let us purge our selves by grace and endure the course that God takes to purge us by daily crosses for God aymes by it to weane us more and more from the world And let us labour daily more and more to unloose our hearts from the things below Those that would remoove a Tree they loosen it from the roote of it so our affections are rooted to earthly things therefore wee should labour to loose them daily more and more by the consideration of the uncertainety and vanity of all things they are not that that will sticke to us and give us content when wee shall stand in most need of them here we must leave the things of the world as wee find them here we must part with them Therefore wee should labour to unloose our hearts and to plant and set and pitch them where they may be safe and swallowed up in better things And to this end often meditate of the excellency that shall be in the second comming of Christ oh the glorious time then See the meanes how the Church comes to be stirred up here to say Come Christ saith before that he was the Roote of David the bright morning Starre he sets out himselfe gloriously and the gloriousnesse of that time then the Church hearing what the excellency of that state will â—e then and the excellency of Christ the Church hath desires sutable to those manifestations Therefore let us meditate of the state of the Church what it will be and of the excellâ—â—cy and glory of Christ when heâ— shall comâ— to be glorious in his Saints what a happy condition it will be and to feed our meditations let us be oft in hearing and reading of these things If wee hope for any thing to come in this world as if a young heirâ— that shall have great possessions the more he growes towards yeeres the more hee thinks I shall have this mannor and that hee thinkes of the possessions hee hath so a Christian the nearer hee growes to heaven the more hee thinkes upon and talkes and is willing to heare of that condition that hee shall have The more we are in meditation and to helpe meditation the more we are in thinking and speaking and conferring of these things what will befall us ere long if we be Gods the more our affections will be raised up as we see in the Spouse here upon the manifestation of thâ— excellency of Christ comes this desire after the comming of Christ. This is one reason of the deadnesse of our hearts wee doe not awaken them with such holy thoughts as we should and wee are not under those meanes as wee might oft times There cannot be any thing more â—weet and powerfull to drawe up our soules then meditation in this kind Againe that we may be able to say come let us labour to be more and more spirituall that the holy Spirit may rule our spirits then the spirit is alwayes for Come Nature saith not come because it is above nature I meane nature not corrupt â—aith not Come It is a hidden secret to nature nature saith slay still it hath no desire to it the flesh is contrary altogether but the
and carry him the contrary way but yet there is left this generall foundation of Religion in all men as the heathen could say naturally all men from the principles of nature draw to that which is good Here religious courses are justified and commended from that which hath the best attractive and most magnetticall force It is good to draw neere to God Good hath a drawing force for the understanding that shewes and discovers but the will is the cheife guide in man and answerable to the discovery of good or ill in the understanding there is a prosecution or aversation in the will which is that part in the soule of man that cleaves to good discovered To unfold the words a little It is good To draw neere to God who is the chiefe good It is good in quality and good in condition and state It is good in quality and disposition for it is the good of conformity for the understanding creature to draw neare to God the Creator who hath fitted the whole inward man to draw neare to conforme to him And then it is good in condition for it is his happinesse to do so the goodnesse of the creature is in drawing neare to God The nearer any thing is to the principle of such a thing the better it is for it the nearer to the Sunne the more light the nearer to the fire the more heat the nearer to that which is goodnesse it selfe the more good the nearer to happinesse the more happy therefore it must needs be the happinesse of condition to draw neare to God So you see what is meant when he saith here it is good It is a pleasing good conformable to Gods will he commands it and it is for my good likewise it advanceth my condition to draw neare to God To draw neare what is it to draw neare to God wee shall see by what it is to go from God God is every where wee are alwayes neare to God Whither shall I go from thy presence If I go to hell thou art there c. saith the Psalmist God is every where indeed in regard of his presence power disposing providence but then there is a gracious presence of God in the hearts of his children And there is a strange presence of God to Christ the presence of Vnion which makes the humane nature of Christ the happiest creature that ever was being joyned by a hypostaticall Vnion to the second person but wee speak not of that nearnesse here There is a gracious nearenesse when the spirit of God in the spirits of those that belong to God sweetly inlargeth and comforts and supports and strengthneth them working that in them that hee works in the hearts of none else for instance The soule is in the whole man it is diffused over all the members it is in the foot in the eye in the heart and in the braine but how it is in all these It is in the foot as it moves it it is in the heart as the principle of life it is in the braine and understanding using and exercising his reasoning understanding power so that though all the soule be in the whole man yet it is otherwise in the braine than in the rest so though God bee every where yet hee is otherwise in his children than in others he is in them graciously and comfortably exercising his graces in them and comforting them hee is not so with the rest of the world you see how God is present every where and how hee is graciously present with his So answerable wee are faid to be neare to God we are neare him in what state soever we are but then there is a gracious nearnesse when our whole soule is neare to God as thus when our understandings conceive aright of God as it is said of the young man in the Gospell when hee began to speak discreetly and judiciously Thou art not farre from the Kingdome of God when men have a right conceit of divine truths they are not farre from the Kingdome of God when there is clearnesse of judgement to conceive aright Those that have corrupt principles are farre off if the understanding bee corrupt all the rest will go astray there is the first nearnesse when the judgement is sanctified by the spirit to conceive aright Then againe there is a nearnesse when we not only know things aright but mind them when the things are present to our minds when God is in our thoughts David saith of the wicked man God is not in his thoughts When we mind and think of God and heavenly things they are neare to us and wee to them For the soule is a spirituall essenâ—e it goes every where it goes to heaven and is present with the things it minds wee are nearer to God and heavenly things when wee mind them and think on and feed our thoughts on them Againe wee are neare them when our wills first make choyce of the better part with Mary when upon discovery of the understanding the will chuseth deliberatly upon consideration followes the determination and chusing of the will and upon choice cleaving which is another act of the will when it chuseth that which is spiritually best every way best for grace and condition then it cleaves to it As it is said of Ionathan his heart did cleave â—o David so the woman cleaves to her husband as Saint Paul speaks when the will chuseth and cleaves to that which is good then there is a drawing neare And likewise when the affections are carried to God as their object then there is a drawing neare to God when our love imbraceth God and heavenly things for love is an affection of union it makes the thing loved and he that loveth to be one it is the primary the first borne affection of the soule from which all other affections are bred when we love God we desire still further and further communion with him And where there is love if we have not that wee love then the soule goes forth to God in desire of heavenly things the heart pants after God as the Hart doth after the rivers of waters and after holy things wherein the spirit of God is effectuall And when we have it in any measure then the soule shewes a sweet enlargement of joy and delight in God Thus when we judge aright of and mind heavenly things and make choyce of them and cleave to God with all our affections of love and joy and delight when these are carried to God and heavenly things then we draw neare to him And especially when the inward man is touched with the spirit of God even as the Iron that is touched with the Load-stone though it be heavy of it selfe it will go up so when the inward man is touched by the spirit of God with a spirit of faith which is a grace by which we draw neare to God with trust for
is the true Messias Againe you see the holy Ghost here could not mention David without termes of honour David after he had served the will of God in his Generation c. Precious to God is both the life and death of his Saints The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance The name of Iosias is as an oyntment poured out so indeed the names of holy men are as oyntment poured out they sweeten men when they are gone Davids bodie was buried among them but David had a better Tomb hee was buried in the best monument in the hearts and remembrance of Gods people and in the remembrance of God God wraps him up as a valiant man in his owne collours He mentions not David barely here but his serving the will of God Let wicked men cast what aspertions they will upon the names of Gods people let them eclipse them and cloud them as they please as their malice instigates them therein the names and reputations of Gods people are not in their keeping and power For David shall have a good name in spight of all the â—â—oeg's and Shemeies when they are rotten bodie and name together wee see here many hundred yeares after he is mentioned with titles of honour It should incourage us therfore to serve God as wee regard a good name Mark here the language of the holy Ghost the language of Canaan When hee speaks of a good man hee speaks of him in savorie termes he doth not say that David after hee had been so long or lived so long or reigned and flourished so long as wee see in stories such a man lived or reigned c. so long and then died yet this had beene true after hee had lived and reigned so long hee died But that is not the language of the holy Ghost but after hee had served God so long The Scripture values men by that that God values them and not as men do by their life and reign and flourishing in the world and their esteem with men but as his carriage hath been to God David served the will of God in his generation And then when he speaks of his death he fell asleep he sweetens the harsh name of death with a sweet term the Scripture puts upon it It is a comfortable thing to consider the very language of the Scripture how savoury and heavenly it is raising us up to comfortable and heavenly thoughts even from the very manner of the phrase Different as I said is the phrase of Scripture from other histories that say such a man lived and reigned so long and then he died And indeed a man may say of a wicked man he was so long in the world but if he did no good a man can scarce say that he lived for what is life without doing good but a meer being in the world Or if his life be ill we may say such a man troubled the world so many years then went to his own place as it is said of Indâ—s but this is the Epitaph of a holyman he served God so long and then he slept and had happinesse of God another manner of Epitaph than other men have when they are gone This I observe from the very language or phrase David when he had served the will or counsell of God as the Word is Again in the third place observe this in generall that God sets down David here only as he was a good man and passeth by all his inâ—irmities and breaches whereas alas David life was woven with good and ill there were some ill spots in that excellent garment there were some ill parenthesis made in that excellent speech there was somewhat by the infirmity of man that was not so good but doth God speak of that when he mentions David Oh no! But David after he had served God in his generation c. The spirit of God in Saint Paul passeth by all that was amisse and sets down that which is good to shew us this comfortable point that God values those that are in Christ and have repented of their sinnes not by what they have been or have done at some time but by what they are and what they resolve to be God values them by their better part by that that is his in them by that that is spirituall in them He iudgeth them by the tenour of their lives and not by a particular flaw in their lives This is Gods infinite mercy when he pardons he pardons absolutely he forgets as well as forgives therefore the phrase of Scripture runs He will cast our sins behinde his back cast them into the bottome of the sea that they shall never rise up in remembrance When we have once repented of our sinnes they are to him as if they had never been done they are as things forgotten Peter after his foul fall he was not so much as upbraided by Christ in particular Thou hast denied me c. onely Christ comes sweetly over him with a question Lovest thou â—e he tels him not thou hast betrayed me thus and thus no he doth not so much as upbraid him with the mention of it So curious is God for troubling the peace of his people that when they have soundly repented of their sins they shall never hear of it to their confusion nor at all except it be to better them and to perfect the work of humiliation Contrary to the fashion of the corrupt poysonfull nature of man if they have but one thing in all a mans life to hit him in the teeth with he shall be sure to hear of it oft enough and passe by whatsoever is good in him God doth not so with his children but though they have some breaches in their lives he passeth by them and takes notice of that which is good in them as we see here the Apostle doth being directed by the spirit of God But though God so sweetly passe by Davids faults when he mentions him cals him a man after his own heart c. yet there is one thing that God puts in as a scarre upon David he was a man after Gods own heart in all things but in the matter of Vriah Why doth that come in Scripture Surely God mentions that because that was done with more deliberation and advice it was done in cold bloud it was not infirmitie but presumption in that Now the more will there is in any action of sinne the more hainous the sinne is the more the guilt is increased There was more will in that for it was not done in heat of passion but deliberatly therefore it was a foule act The spirit of God takes notice both of the good of the evill as we see in the Epistles in Rev. 2. to the Churches he had found fault with them before and indeed God discerns directly where wee are to blame yet this thou hast that thou hast the works of the Nicholâ—itan c. If there be
well as living 2 117. Divell Carnall men better then the Divell would have them 2 11. Diligence Diligence how stirred up 1 254. E Enemies How farre God suffers the Enemies of his children to prevaile 2 75. See Against Eternity Eternity of misery should deterre us from sin 2 30. Everlasting life What meant by meate that indures to Everlasting life 1 175. Excellent See Necessity F Face Face of God what 1 322. Conflict of faith when God hides his Face 1 323. Godâ— Face how to be sought 1 324. Fade Men Fade as leaves how 1 315. Failing How to make use of Christ in our Failings 1 49. Faith How Faith doth that which Christ doth 2 45. To get into Christ by Faith why 2 175. Faith drawes neere to God 2 137. Father The consideration that God is our Father what it should work 1 326. Fathers who meant by them 2 223. When we die wee are put to our Fathers 2 224. Feed Food Christ and his benefits why called Food 1 176. Difference of spirituall and corporall Food 1 182. How to know we have Fed on Christ 1 188. Motives to Feed on Christ 1 197. Formality Formality in religion a forerunner of judgements 1 121. Freedome Freedome acceptable 2 31. Freedome from all ill by Christ how 2 32. Freedome double 2 46. See Violence Full. Christianity a Full state 1 232 G Generality Generality in sin no plea 1 98. Generality of sin a forerunner of judgement 1 120. Generation Generation what 2 171. An eternall Generation to be made sure 2 173. Every man hath his particular Generation 2 175. To observe the Generation we live in why 2 176. To take benefit by the good in our Generation 2 178. Not to be tainted with the sins of the Generation 2 180. Wee should labour to make the Generation we live in good 2 182. God God is with his children how 2 69. Ground of Gods presence with his children 2 72. How to know God is with us 2 87. What course to take that God may be with us 2 90. To goe from God what 2 144 See Prayer Godly Difference betweene the Godly and others 1 96. Good There is Good in our actions though they be defiled 1 300. We are advanced to the greatest Good by Christ 2 56 See Generation Gospell Difference of giving the Law and the Gospell 1 69. Gospell why disesteemed 1 266. Spirit effectuall in the Gospell 1 267. Guilty The best men Guilty of the sins of the times 1 291. H Happy The judgement of the world who are Happy 2 18. Heaven The Church the Kingdome of Heaven 1 326. Threefold signification of the Kingdome of Heaven Ibid. Why grace and the meanes of grace are called the Kingdome of Heaven 1 229. Help Helps to doe Gods will 2 197. See Outward Hide God sometimes Hides himselfe 2 86. Hold. We must stirre up our selves to lay Hold on God 1 308. Hopefull See Violence Horse Wicked men compared to Horses 1 110. Humility Humiliation Grounds of Humiliation 1 16 320. Humility why to bee laboured for 1 73. Humiliation necessary 1 281. Kinds of Humiliation 1 282. Helps to Humiliation 1 283. Verball Humiliation 1 287. Humiliation extraordinary 1 314. J Idolatry Idolatry the ground of it 1 47. Image Image of God defaced by sin 1 112. Importunate Why to be Importunate with God 1 310. Imitation Imitation of holy men needfull 2 210. To take heed whom wee Imitate 2 125 231. Impregnable The estate of a Christian Impregnable 2 78. Indeavour Difference betweene Indeavours of Christians and others 1 256. See Successe Infirmities Infirmities should not discourage us 2 85. Innocencie In what case to stand on our Innocencie 1 303. Iudgement Iudging What meant by Iudgement 1 63 113. Iudgements of God how spoken of amisse 1 85. How to speake aright of Gods Iudgements 1 87. God offended when wee repent not by his Iudgements 1 88. Neglect of selfe Iudging the cause of misery 1 101. After long patience God sends Iudgements 1 117. Iudgements comming how knowne Ibid. Sin to be looked to in Iudgements 1 318. Iustice See Sin K Kingdome What things are in a Kingdome 1 231. Excellency of Christs Kingdome 1 268. See Heaven L Labour Labour for earthly things when immoderate 1 173. To Labour for Christ as food 1 216. Labour distinguisheth Christians from others 1 219. Language Language of Scripture savoury 2 165. Law Law what 2 5. See Gospell Sin Leprosie Sin a Leprosie 1 294. Life Life what 1 141. Life spirituall whence 1 142. Life in Christ how 2 34. To serve God in the time of Life 2 184. Long Life not to bee looked for 2 217. Not to repine if God give us Life 2 218. Lie Grand Lie in the Church of Rome 2 191. Love Christ Loved of God how 1 22. Decay in our Love a forerunner of judgement 1 127. Lust. Comfort against rebellion of Lusts 2 51. M Marriage Comfort by our Marriage with Christ 2 103. Meanes Greatnesse of sinning against Meanes 2 179. Mourne To Mourne for the sins of the times 1 130. N Name Gods children leave a good Name behind them 2 164. Nature Things made use of in Scripture from Nature 1 116. To see what we are by Nature 1 150. Naturall parts how to bee used 1 153. Every one tainted by Nature 1 293. In actuall sins to see the corruption of Nature 1 298. Neare God Neare us how 2 145. How wee are Neare to God 2 146. Necessity Necessity of what we pray for 1 309. Newters Newters hatefull to Christ 1 247. O Obedient The Spirit given to the Obedient 1 58 Offices Offices of Christ in what order performed 1 36. Old God can convert Old sinners 1 154. Opposition Grace increased by Opposition 1 260. Outward Outward service alone not accepted 1 310. Outward helps to doe Gods will 2 194. P Patience See Iudgement Peace Foure things trouble a Christians Peace 2 1. Perish Meat that Perisheth what 1 167. Not to gaine things that Perish with the losse of our soules 1 170. Plague Sin worse then the Plague 1 297. Popery To be thankfull for freedome from Popery 1 266. Popery opposeth preaching why 1 270. Pâ—â—er Power of Christ to give himselfe and his benefits 1. 201. Prayer Prayer a meanes to obtaine the Spirit 1 61. Formes of Prayer usefull 1 278. Danger of neglecting Prayer 1 305. Prayer laies hold on God 1 307. To looke for answer of our Prayers 1 312. Resignation of our selves in Prayer 1 328. See Worship Preaching Grace wrought by Preaching 1 68 See Popery Precious See Violence Priestly Christs Priestly office the principall 1.37 Prerogatives How to use our Prerogatives 2 52. Principles Principle in a Christian double 1 302. Principles to be laid up 2 80. Promâ—seâ— Christ Promised in the Old Testament 1 3. Prophanenesse Prophanenesse whence it is 2 152. Providence To looke to the end of Gods Providence 2 135. Q Querie It is good to propound Queries to our selves
we receive by the Spirit Quest. Answ. Whence it is that our state in Christ is better then it was in Adam Vse To see whence our supply is In want of grace Ground of Idolatry To carry ourselves answerable to our riches To make use of Christ in our sailings How to know the Spirit is put on Christ for us The Spirit given more aboundantly sinoe Christs ascention How Christ gives the Spirit 1 In the ministry of the Word Gal. 3.2 2 In obedience 3 Prayer Object Answ. What meant by judgement here The word of God called judgement Sanctification judgement Grace wrought by preaching Christs mild carriage Difference betweene the giving of the law and Gospell To take heed of vaine glory Labour for humility Meaning of the words Parts of the words 1 Gods inquiry To enforce carâ— in our carriage Mat. 12.36 Ground of circumspect walking 2 The evidence Quest. Answ. Wee speake amisse of Gods judgements 1 In regard of God 2 In regard of others 3 In regard of our selves 1 When we â—â—rmure against God 2 Wheâ— we make 〈◊〉 use of his â—uâ—gements Isa 26.9 Vse To talke aright of Gods judgements Doct. When judâ—ements are threatned and we repent not God is offended Simile Conviction a helpe to repentancâ— Ier. 2.19 The hurt wee have by sinne Not to delay repentance Danger of deferring Late repentance seldome true Conscience after long sinning hardly admits comfort Benefits by timely repentance 1 The favour of God 2 Prevention of judgements 3 Turnes all to good Difference betweene godâ—y and others 1 Prayer of impenitent not heard Psal. 66.18 2 Feare in wicked men Doct. Generality is no plea. Man can reflect upon his actions Neglect of selfe judâ—ing cause oâ— misery How to use our understanding Hinderances of consideration 1 Rage of lusts 2 Too much worldly businesse 3 It is a hard thing 4 It presents an unwelcoâ—e spectacle Every man hath his course God judgeth by the course not by a step 1 They are eager 2 Desperate 3 Dangerously 1 Cor. 10 23. Sinne hath defaced the Image of God in man What meant by judgement Whaâ— meant by it here What meant by not knowing God shames the pride of men by the creatures God takes instruction out of the booke of nature into his booke Doct. After long patience God sends judgements Quest. Answ. Iudgements comming may be knowne 1 By comparing the sinnes with the judgement 2 When it hath ceazed on us in part 3 By example oâ— others Mat. 24.38 39. 4 Generall security Want of feare the root of it 5 The generalitie of sinne Particular sins fore-showing judgement 1 Injustice 2 Formality in Religion Persecution Vnfruitfulnesse Decay in our first love What to doe in dangerous times 1 Improove the time 2 Mâ—urne for the â—ins of the land 3 Be watchfull Store up comforts Tâ—e matter of the Epistle Dependance of the words Hee minds them of their former condition Why we should consider our â—ormer condition Man naturaâ—y dead Death what Life what Spirituall life whence Spiritual death 1 In disposition 2 Sentence 3 Execution Sinne it selfe a death Signes of spirituall death 1 Coldnesse 2 Vnlovelinesse 3 Loathsomenes 4 They are seperate from God and Gods people 5 Sencelesnesse Without speech Without sight Without taste Without bearing 6 Immooveable 7 Growes worse To know what we are by nature To avoid intimate society with carnall men Object Answ. Difference in naturall and spirituall death To use the naturall parts God hath given us God can raise old sinners The best men have some remainders of death Three degrees of men in the Church * Easter-day * See the Sermons upon Rom. 8.2 1 Pet. 1. Iohn 3.33 Reve. â—2 Mat. 11 28. Isa. 55.1 1 Cor. 15.58 Heb. 4. Occasion of the words 1 From the excellency of his ministry Luk. 10 23. 2 From the efficacie of his Ministery Doct. 1. The Church the Kingdome of Heaven Threefold signification of the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Heaven 2 State of grace 3 Meanes of grace 1 A ground of conviction 2 Of comfort Quest. Answ. Why grace and the meanes of it are called the Kingdome of Heaven Why the things of the Gospell are slighted Quest. Answ. Iohn 7.39 In a Kingdome there is 1 Freedome 2 Plenty 3 Glory Iohn 8.36 1 Cor. 2.15 Christiaenity a full state 1 Cor 3.21 Phil. 4.13 A state of glory 1 Iohn 4.4 Rom. 2.5 1 In regard of the multitude Luk. 12.1 Mat. 3.5 2 In regard of the affection 3 The persons which were 1 Sinners 2 Poore Luk. 7.12 3 Stranâ—ers Mat. 8.12 Mat. 20.16 Doct. The disposition of Christians eager and violent Ob. Answ. Grounds of this violence 1 Opposition Psal. 110. â— From the flesh Heb. 12.4 From the world From Satan God seemes an enemy Iob. 13.26 2 To difference true Christians from others Heb. 13.13 3 To set a higher price on this Kingdome 4 The excellencie of the things 5 The necessity Luke 13.24 Vse To judge of our estates by our violence Men violent for outward things Pro. 7.22 Heavenly things offer violence to us 2 Cor. 5.20 Ezek. 18.31 What violence may stand with wisedome 1 Cor 3.18 2 Cor. 5.13 Not to heed idle reproaches The dispositioÌ„ of true professors Mat. 12.30 1 King 18.21 Newters hatefull to Christ. Mat. 3.16 Act. 2.3 Exo. 32.19 Mat. â—6 69 70 Religion taketh not away but ordereth the affections The successe of this violence Doct. 1 The violent have promises Mat. 7.7 Rev. 3.19 21. Rev. 2.7 2 They have a victorious spirit 3 God hath set Heaven at this rate 4 The violent onely can prize it Ob. Answ. Freedome of grace inforceth violence Mat. 11.28 Mat. 5.3 6. Mat 11.19 Luke 7.29 30 Holy violence hopefull 1 Hope stirres up diligence 2 To use meanes constantly 3 To waite Christians indeavours successefull Difference betweene the indeavours of a Christian and 1 Enemies of the Gospell Acts 9 5. Psal. 2. Psal. 129.6 c 2 Worldly men Pro. 12.27 3 Sluggish Christians Act 26.28 Pro. 13 4. 1 Pet. 1.9 Pro. 26.26 The preciousnes of the things require violence Ob. Answ. Grace increaseth with opposition Exhortation to holy violence Jam. 4.7 Pro. 8.34 Rom. 14.17 The time when this violence began Quest. Answ. Bondage of Ceremonies in the Law Iohns preaching and living powerfull Mat. 3.2 Why the Gospell in Luthers time was imbraced with violence Why the Gospell now is disesteemed Iohn 5.35 To be thankfull for liberty from Popish thraldome Ioel 2.28 The Spirit effectuall in the Ministery of the Gospell 2 The excellency of Christs Kingdome 3 Hope of obtaining it Iohn 1.29 Why Papist soppose preaching How to get thiâ— holy violence Formes of prayer useâ—ull Division of the words Benefit of afflictions Affliction remooves the fuell of sinne Vse Not to murmure at Gods hand Humiliation necessarie Kindes of humiliation Vse To labour for humiliation Helps to humiliâ—ation 1 Consider our