of the sun or moone for the spirit of God shall bee instead of all these from whom immediately they shall bee quickened for ever Their glory consisteth in this that they shall continually behold the face of God 2. They shall be like unto Christ just holy incorruptible glorious honourable beautifull strong nimble 3. They shall possesse the new heavens and the new earth they shall joyfully praise and laud the name of the Lord world without end FINIS A Table of the principall heads A DIsorderly Affections discovered Page 41 Misery of being guided thereby 47 Antidotes against sinne 65 B BEginnings of sinne to be resisted 190 Better be in hell than offend Christ. 197 Body not to be pampered 220 C HOw a man may know whether his heart be carnall 87 Conscience corrupted and how 33 What a stirring conscience is 35 Carnall men indocible 38 Corrupt motions natural to a carnall heart 61 A fleshly conscience described 93 The distresse of conscience that betides the wicked 154 The estate of a creature cursed of God 131 Rejoycing to crosse a mans selfe a signe of sincerity 244 D DEath what is meant by it here 127 What the first death is 141 The second death described 133 Then the most secret sinne shall be discovered 149 Danger of being unarmed 191 218 Discovery of a true Christian or infallible marks to try himself by 236 Christians should discerne betwixt the deceit of sin and the fruit of sin 252 F FAith a speciall means to overcome temptations 212 How it doth this 213 Nothing hurts us so much 〈◊〉 our owne flesh 220 Forsakings of sin different 246 Flâ—sh what it signifieth 7 It disperseth sinne into the whole man 11 Why naturall corruption is called by the name of flâ—sh 8 It cleaves close to our nature 50 What it is to be fleshly minded 31 It derives venome upon every action 51 It tempts daily 52 It continually warres against the spirit 55 It is unwearied in sinfull follicitations 59 It raignes in naturall men 57 Not so in the godly 100 They are part flesh and part spirit 101 We must fight with Sathan if wee would overcome him 186 G GRace abides not in a carnall memory 96 How a man may know whether grace hath got the upper hand in him 230 Grace cannot stand with the Regiment of sinne 232 Nothing but grace can subdue sin To bee deprived of Gods favour an unspeakeable misery 141 246 H HEart narrowly to be watched 64 An unsound one discovered 99 The thorne in our flesh should humble us 70 Want of Humiliation very prejudiciall to the soule 73 Symptomes of a good heart 237 Hypocrites speake after the spirit and live after the flesh 107 Hypocrisie the danger of it 170 L LAw hath a double use 1 Little sins very dangerous 117 Lust growes never old 62 Losse of Gods presence what it is 138 Loathsomnesse of sin described 194 M MIsery of being under the flesh 16 Memory corrupt through sin 36 How discerned 94 No member to be trusted alone 85 Man by nature uncapable of goodnesse 27 Hee hath nothing in himselfe to glory of 80 Mortification described discovered 165 183 How we are said to mortifie sin 174 Meanes to subdue the flesh 185 Markes of a spirituall Christian. 239 Jealousie over our hearts a meanes to keepe out sinne 69 Licentious Ministers reprooved 106 O ORiginall sin a hereditary disease 48 It overspreads the whole man 88. 49 It is full of propagation 63 Its manner of tempting us 81 P FLesh powerfull to bring about its projects 57 Policies of the flesh to be studied 76 Pride disableth to resist temptations 192 Provision for the flesh must be hindered 219 Peace with the flesh dangerous 226 Carnall Professors reproved 109 Discovered 112 Our present condition a prediction of our future 253 Price of sin infinite 199 R SInners shall be exceedingly reproched at the day of judgment 146 Root of sin must be killed 171 Reason a weak thing to expell temptations 214 S SOule corrupted by sin 23 Sin must be slaine or it will slay us 250 Signes of a fleshly mind 50 Sinne the greatest ill 197 Hainous sins waste the conscieÌ„ce 116 To live in any sin a signe we are under Sathans bondage 120 Many begin in the spirit and end in the flesh 109 Impenitent sinners shall surely bee damned 122 Society with the devills every sinners portion 151 The Spirit onely can mortifie the flesh â—5 Sinne is not driven away with an â—â—gry locke 186 Signes of the Spirits prevailing in us 235 A Christians strength is in God 216 193 Severity against our owne sinnes a blessed signe of grace 240 T TEmptations of the flesh undiscernable 77 Tendernesse of conscience a speciall preservative against sin 201 It is a great blessing 202 Yet may be turned into a curs 203 Tryall of a true Christian. 166 V VOyce of conscience to bee hearkened to 206 Vniversall hatred of sin discovers a gracious heart 241 W WIll since the fall corrupted 39 A corrupt will discovered 96 Men weake in themselves 176 Every sinner underualues the bloud of Christ. 200 FINIS 1 Pet. 3. 18 1 Cor. 7. Gal. 1. 13. Esay 44. 7. Reas. Gen. 6. 3. Genes 8. John 3. 6. Rom 7. RoÌ„ 7. 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom 7. 45. Rom. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Luk. 24. 45 Quest. Answ. Tit. 1. 15. What a dead conscience is 1. Tim 4. What a stirring conscience is Phil. 2. 3. Luke 15. Rom. 7 Rom. 7. Iames 1. 14. Joh. 14. 30. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. Mar. 9. 24. Rom. 6. Rom. 7. 23 Rom. 7. Heb. 13. 5. Hos. 14. James 4. 7. Eccles. 1. 8. Vse Job 31. 1. Psal. 39. Gen. 39. Psal. 101. Vse 3. Gal. 5. Iob 31. 1. James 3. 6. Psal 39. 1. Rom. 12. 2. Vse Ephes. 4. 23 2 Cor. 3. 1 Rom. 8. Vse 1. Vse 2. Phil. 3. 8. Mat. 5. Quest. Answ. Obiect Answ. Acts 5. Mat. 25. Eccles. 11. Job 27. Job 2. Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 21. 18 Quest. Answ. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Mat. 25. Quest. Answ. Job 1. Psal. 139. 1 Joh. 2. 18. Esay 66. Rev. 22. 8. Mat. 13. 1 Cor. 15. What vivification is Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Revel 3. Quest. Answ. 2 Chro. 20 Psal. 119. Ephes. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Sam. 15. 2 Pet. 2. Deut. 28. 18. Psal. 51. 2. Sam. 24. 10. Acts 24. 26 Jonah 4. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 4. Rom. 4. 7. Vse Heb. 12. Bellum est non triumphans Quest. Answ. Rom. 7. Rom. 7 22 1 Pet. 4. Col. 3. Psal. 40. Mat. 16. 25 Quest. Answ. Every sin is as the forbidden fruit Eccles. 11. Obiect Answ. Vse Prov. 7.
THE CARNALL PROFESSOR Discovering The wofull slavery of a man guided by the flesh Distinguishing A true spirituall Christian that walkes close with God from all Formalists in Religion rotten hearted hypocrites and empty powerlesse professors whatsoever BY That faithfull Servant of Christ Robert Bolton B. D. late Preacher in Northhampton Shire LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE GODLY WELL AFFEcted Reader Christian Reader THe Father of all Spirits having takeÌ„ this worthy Author to himselfe pitty it were to entombe his labours in the grave of silence together with him the rather considering how usefull a member he hath alwayes beene to the Church of God and what prosperous successe his endeavours have found in the hearts of Christians The thing hee chiefly aimed at was fruitfulnesse in the place wherein God had set him which oft he enjoyed experiment of to the cheering of his spirit in no smal measure It cut the very heart strings of his righteous soule to see many dry withered branches fit for nothing but the fire cumbering the precious ground of the Almighties garden and possessing the roome of more growing plants Hee was wonderfull active in the cause of Christ and desired as well to doe good as to be so where ever hee came It was not the least of his care not to live unto himselfe He knew he served a good Master which made him studious of improving every talent for the best advantage wel may hee bee called good that makes others far the better for his goodnesse And indeed setting this aside what hath the creature to commend him to God or releeve his soule in any distresse Thou hast here in briefe the soule of man unbowelled before thine eye and that masse of corruption lodging in a carnall heart together with its power and plague discovered unto thee wherein is plainely demonstrated the miserable condition of a man guided by the flesh and the happinesse attending such as are led by Gods Spirit as also the bitter conflict of these two opposite inmates in a beleeving soule with the meanes of victorie Our life is nothing but a daily warfare every moment wee are more or lesse to encounter with adversaries Satan alwaies labours the destruction of the Saints though his wayes to effect it are not one the same sometimes he inticeth men to sin by allurements sometimes by vexing and disquieting their inward peace at least he aimeth to make the life of a Christian uncomfortable by his manifold assaults hee is vigilant to corrupt upon all occasions as he can espy opportunity and will not cease to assaile though he be overcome when hee cannot prevaile by flatteries he seekes by force and violence to overthrow the poore servants of Christ. Amongst his many snares to entrappe our pooâ—e soules this is not the meanest that he labours to divide the kingdome against it selfe and to use men as his instruments for their owne destruction Satan well knowes that comming in his owne likenesse he would seeme very odious and soone be resisted therefore he maskes under a vaile of humility that he may the more securely withdraw us from our hold in God But we have a valiant leader let us sticke unto him even Iesus Christ the righteous who is a Lion of the tribe of Iuda a mighty Prince able to tread all our enemies under foot well may Satan barke and roare but he can stir no further then God gives him liberty he cannot tempt whom he will nor when he will nor how he will without permissioÌ„ froÌ„ above he may desire to sift us as wheat but the Lord wil make choise of the temptation and set bounds to our enemies malice thus far you shall goe and no further If a child have his father by the hand though he be in the darke or sees any danger approaching yet he feares no hurt neither shal we be dismaid with any temptation whilest by the eye of faith we see that invisible one ready to support us the chiefest strength of soldiers lyeth in their captaine who yet must fight for themselves and him but our whole strength lyeth in Christ who by his Almighty power subdueth all things for us of our selves wee have no ability to prevail against the strong one in the world all our victories come from God we are too weake to withstand the least temptation through our owne strength but relying upon the Lord we shall be more than conquerors over the greatest It had been much to be wished that this holy man had survived the publishing the residue of his worthy labours that so they might have come more refined polished into the worlds view however pitty it is that goodly childreÌ„ should be brought to the birth and there perish for want of helpe to bring them forth These things in their delivery found much acceptance and wrought effectually in the hearts of many who knowes whether a further blessing doth not yet attend them Deare Christian next unto the glory of God thy good was chiefly aimed at in bringing this worke to light be not therefore wanting to thy selfe and thy soules blisse Remember the day cannot alwayes last the night will come and thou knowest not how soone This may be the last booke that ever thou shalt reade and this the last houre that ever thou shalt spend here on earth Oh use it conscionably and blesse God for any furtherance in thy way to happinesse While thou hast the light beleeve in the light and walke in the light that then maist bee the child of light Occasions are headlong being once past they cannot be recovered The five foolish virgins came too late and were shut out of heaven Thy time is short the art of well doing long on this moment depends eternity of blessednesse if it be well of misery if it be ill imployed Hee that is not ready for God to day will be lesse sit to morrow It is no time to begin to live when thou art ready to dye then to seeke after heaven when thou commest to thy Crutches At length grow spiritually wise let the best things have the best place in thee It will be too late when thou art in hell to say oh that I had been more religious and provided better for my soule be exceedingly abased for thy former neglects let it wound thy soule that thou settest out no sooner and art yet no further in the race of godlines get ground of thy corruptions now daily count that a lost day in which thou art not somewhat bettered and labour for such infallible evidences of Gods love that no reprobate under heaveÌ„ 〈◊〉 possibly attain unto get such truth of grace in thy inner man as may distinguish thee from all outside professors meere empty caskes of Religion and such as is not common to hypocrites and castawayes together with thy selfe To which end seriously peruse this following treatise wherein thou shalt finde sufficiency of real worth
difficulty in fulfilling lusts there can never be any in the rising and sprouting of lusts It is no paines to conceive seede though it bee to bring forth a birth the longer any man lives in sinne the sweeter it is to him The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing no more is a sinner with his deeds of darknesse if he should live for ever hee would sinne for ever Evill comes out of the heart as sparkles out of the fire which never cease while the fire continues Lust is like a furious rider never weary of the way hee may have enough to load him but can never have enough to weary him he may quickly have enough to sinke him but can never have enough to satisfie him Lust it selfe growes never olde nor weary when adultery in the heart hath worne out the body so as it strength withereth yet even then it will finde a vent in a wanton eye unchast speeches and thoughts full of uncleanenesse Though a man may weary himselfe in the acting sinne yet lust is never satisfied in conceiving sinne Lastly consider the propagation of this sinne which may well therefore be called an olde man because it dyes not but passeth from one generation to another A mans actuall sinnes are personal they both beginne and end in himselfe But originall sinne is naturall and therefore together with our nature it passeth over to our posterity It is an entaile that can never be cut off it hath held from Adam and so will continue to the worlds end Every parent is the channell of death to his posterity Adam diffused damnation to all mankinde Neither is it any wonder that from a cursed root should proceed branches fit for nothing but the fire What a watch then should we keepe over our evill hearts what paines should we take by prayer and unweariednesse of spirit to suppresse this enemie If there were any time wherein the flesh did sit still and sleepe wherein the water did not runne and seeke for vent wee might then lessen our care but since it is ever stirring in us wee should bee ever stirring against it using all meanes to diminish and abate the same Since the heart is unwearied in evill wee should not faint nor bee weary of well-doing Since the heart is so abundant in evill we should abound likewise in every good worke Retaine in thy freshest memory such quickening thoughts as these If I commit this sinne it will cost me unvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience then the sensuall pleasure is worth If I never repent it will be the ruine of my soule for ever When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price be great thou forbearest and wilt thou venture up on sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowne as much before he betrayed his Master as now he feeles hee would never have committed that villany Alas thy soule is incomparably more worth then the whole world and wilt thou for a little paltry pleasure of some base and rotten lust which passeth away in the act hazard the losse of so precious a jewell Doe not consider the smalnesse of thy sinnes but the greatnesse of thy God who is displeased with them Mortification is tedious but heaven is sweete men are content to goe all day after their hawkes and hounds enduring hunger and thirst for a little pleasure not worth the enjoying why then should wee refuse any labour for the obtaining so rich a reward In lust a man wearieth himselfe and hath no hope but here our labour is not in vaine in the Lord wee shall reape if we faint not A little glory in heaven nay a little comfort in earth will plentifully recompense all our travaile and paines in this kinde Looke not alwayes on Satans temptations the worlds solicitations and thine owne sinfull inclinations these as clogs will presse thee down and much dishearten thee in thy Christian course but looke unto Iesus the author and finisher of thy faith who will carry through al difficulties and overcome sinne in thee by his grace call therefore to him hee is within the voice of thy prayers and will come to strengthen thee How jealous ought Christians to bee over themselves having so dangerous an enemy nigh unto them Iob would not trust his eye without a covenant nor David his mouth without a bridle so strangely unexpectedly will nature breake out Vēture not on any tēptation presumptuously be not cōfident of any grace received so as to slacken your zeale Ioseph flung out and would not trust himselfe in the company of his Mistresse company might easily have kindled concupiscence and a little of Sathans blowing might have caried the fire from one stick to another David would have no wicked thing to abide in his sight hee knew how full of ill humours his heart was how apt to catch every infection that came neere it and therefore tooke speciall care to decline the very objects and examples of sin When men thinke there is least danger then the danger is greatest sinne and Sathan are ever watching their opportunities which is when wee watch not Security will rust us undoe us and eate out all that good is in our soules if any thing will awaken the dead and drowsie heart of man it is some vexing sin or other Me thinkes the consideration of this thorne in our flesh which we daily carry about us should much humble and abase our spirits Alas how long have we lived in an empty fruitlesse manner barren of grace and goodnesse spending our precious dayes in folly and vanity dedicating the flower of our age to sinne and Sathan How oft have we despised mercy and cast the precepts of the Almighty behinde our backes What little growth in holinesse have wee What little improvement in the wayes of God How much wearinesse and revolting of heart How evill and unprofitable in regard of the meanes we have enjoyed and what we might have beene How many notorious visible sinnes hast thou committed to the scandall of the Gospel and the wounding of thine owne soule How should the consciousnesse of this humble thee in secret before God Brethren think of this the more vile any man is in his owne eyes the more precious he is in Gods And the best way to bring a man to a base esteeme of himselfe is to reflect his thoughts seriously upon his owne estate to view himselfe in his naturall condition There is no good so truly good but his heart abhors it No evill so extreamely wicked but there is an inclinablenesse in him to embrace it no servant so ready to doe his masters will as hee is to doe the workes of the devill no rebell so desperately adverse to his lawfull soveraigne as hee is to God Oh that men were truely sensible of their carnall condition The want of this is the cause of
having thy hand in every impious action with this imperious style sic volo sic jubeo I will and command it to bee so not respecting whether the thing bee crooked or straight right or wrong good or bad then is thy will meerely carnall and doth dominere like a blinde King or ignorant Pilot sitting at the sterne of the whole man and yet not skilled in one starre nor knowing one point of the card nor respecting the Compasse nor regarding the point of the diamond but downe the river with the full saile of affections and tempests of sudden passions no regard to the country whither wee saile no respect of the hidden rockes no consideration of fearefull gulfes no casting of anchor no notice of the Climate c. no marvell then if blinde will make in the end a sudden and fearefull shipwracke both of soule and body Heart To conclude if in thy heart as in a cage thou finde the uncleane birds of adultery and fornication the viper of malice and cockatrice of envy the hydra of covetousnesse consisting of many heads having in their fronts the superscriptions of thee very violence perjury murther and idolatry If in thy heart thou find infidelity security pride confidence in the creature c. If it bee full of hardnes so as no sinnes no judgements no hopes no feares no promises no instructions are able to awaken and melt the same If it bee full of impotency not altered by the invitations and intreaties of God to returne unto him not perswaded by the fruitlessenesse of all sinnefull lusts to forsake them If it be full of folly and madnesse so as all the creatures in the world are not able to cure it full of infidelity ready to depart from the living God under-valuing his precious promises and mistrusting his power full of pollution and uncleanenesse full of unsearchable deceit and wickednesse a very forge and mint wherein all manner of sinnes are framed in secret purposes and desires from whence they spring forth into life and action then is thy heart also nothing but flesh thy whole man nothing but rottennesse and corruption If it bee asked herein how I distinguish betwixt the Elect and the Reprobate for albeit Gods children bee purged through the blood of Christ yea and the force of sinne in some measure weakened in them and inherent sanctity begun in all the parts of their soules by the holy Ghost even in this life yet fleshly corruption is still harboured and the roote of every sinne remaines in the best putting forth the hemlocke of a wicked practice in their Christian course I answer yet can they not be said to live according to the flesh seeing the substance as it were and principall tenour of their lives is directed according to the Spirit As the aire in the dawning of the day is not wholly so dark nor wholly so light as at night and noone day So is the estate of the regenerate not all flesh as the wicked nor all Spirit as them that are glorified but partly flesh and partly spirit grace and corruption not severall in place but in reason to be distinguished yea the flesh is more in measure than the spirit and therefore Paul calls the Corinthians otherwise justified and sanctified yet carnall and we are said to receive but the first fruits of the Spirit whilest we are here Notwithstanding for all this such is the power of the Spirit that albeit it be small like David yet it is able ordinarily to prevaile against that uncircumcised Philistim the flesh And further it is of such inestimable vertue that as one graine of muske giveth a stronger perfume than many other grosse smells So doth that sweeten all our actions in the nostrils of God And as a man albeit all the parts of his body be dead so that he neither knowes nor sees nor can speake yet if he have any life in a corner of his heart any breath or any motion remaining none will be so hard hearted as to pull him out of his bed and bury him as a dead man So although in this life we have many a dead palsie many a dint many a dry buffet by the hand of Sathan yet so long as the breath of God is in us and we keepe the truth of the spirit like the star of a diamond it will cause us to shine in this darknes of our corruption and like an antidote preserve us against eternall death A word of application to two sorts and I proceed First to the Ministers of Gods word let mee speake my thoughts with griefe of heart Such is the universall impiety of this decayed age so apparent to the spiritual eye so weighty in the hand of him that wisely pondereth it that I feare me the Lord is neere and the day of visitation approacheth Is it not a strange thing to consider our Ministers how ignorant how arrogant how dissolute and carelesse many of them are to omit the empty caske the idoll minister what strange children doth our mother the Universitie nourish in her bosome how wanton how unbroken proud and licencious Theologie a science of living well and blessedly for ever is made a stepping stone to promotion a matter of disputation and idle speculation and the meere stuffe wherewithall to make a sermon Practice and obedience is commended to the people but as for the Clerke that belongs not to him It is well if hee reprove sinne soundly in the pulpit though he be utterly dissolute in his owne person Beloved to speake according to the spirit and yet live after the flesh is an infallible note of an hypocrite let men make what they can of it Not that I byte the faithfull shepheards of Gods flocke in any place whatsoever seated in this our Church so farre is it from mee to touch the Lords annointed or to harme his Prophets But the licencious preacher is the man I taxe as being the shame and discredit of the Lords Ministery As concerning the people to undertake to single out all the fleshly and carnall professors of the Gospell were to number the drops of the great Ocean to tell the starres and to cypher the sands of the sea shore The sonnes of Adam have so covered the earth that a righteous man is scarce to be found a man that indeede warreth against the flesh grieveth at the times and sigheth for our sins Are there not many among us which beginne in the Spirit and end in the flesh that faint in the race and embrace the world hot in the beginning key-cold in the ending stayning their names and defiling their soules I speake of the better sort which as it seemes thinke the Lord too long a comming and therefore will fall too and stay no longer Is it not a grievous thing to behold many an ancient in Israel to be so sowly overseene as to sell their birthright for a messe of pottage their God for a peece of bread and the unspeakable
despaire and in the wicked to torment them before their time yet in respect of God a most friendly admonition for by this a man is suffered in a vision to see and feele the torment of hell to know the price of Christs blood to labour by all meanes possibly to make sure his election In the wicked also it hath this use I could never have thought it possible for a mortall man to have beene capable of that measure of distresse had not the Lord in his mercy for the further subduing also of my bedlame flesh suffered mee sometimes to behold and feele the flashings of hell through his grace causing me as a child to be stilled by the view of fearefull beasts If then in a dream or in a mans life time there may bee such an incredible horror that it may cause the eyes to stare the tongue to rave the haire to stand an end How much more hideous will it be when really and in deede with perfect knowledge sense broad waking we shall feele the strokes of the Almighty the terrours of God shall lay hold of us In consideration whereof in the name of God as you tender your eternall welfare enter into the examination of your selves and discerne of your estates whether they bee carnall or no cry out for the spirit you heare what the Holy Ghost saith If you walke after the flesh ye shall dye How strangely doth the sentence of Corporall death appall a man though pronounced by a wretch like himselfe and shall not the doome of death eternall given out by the Holy Ghost at all astonish you Oh let not Sathan harden your hearts resist the devill and he will flye from thee It is a Commandement and a promise What faire warnings doth God give unto men by himselfe and Ministers by the motions of his Spirit and checkes of our consciences from time to time and shall we bee so voide of grace as to make our selves a booty for Sathan to stand still while he deprives us of our lives and soules and all Me thinks reason should something prevaile with us in things so neerely concerning our best good But alas a hardened heart like Pharaohs a flint an adamant a marble spirit no admonition will serve its turn where grace is wanting no impression takes any roote Men will make triall and then beleeve A feareful experience this is thou maist first try in an earthly cause and then be warned but from hell thou canst not returne Remember Dives credit not the multitude Olde Tophet is wide and large humble thy selfe therefore betime and repent of thy grievous sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if ye mortifie As before the Apostle described an infallible token of death so here he proceedeth to shew in like manner a teckmerion or a certaine signe of life and that is the killing and slaying of sinne which is called Mortification For as seed which thou sowest is not quickened before it die or this corruptible body glorified before it be for a season dead and buried So neither is the manâ—ramed â—ramed in us which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse untill the olde man bee wounded and laid for dead in us which like a gyant standeth up to expell and oppose the prosters and meanes of all holinesse And this is the cause that the holy Ghost maketh mention onely of this weakning of the force of sin through the death and buriall of Christ not excluding the other part of sanctification which is vivification viz. a vertue flowing from the resurrection of Christ causing us also to rise to newnesse of life It were to small purpose to bring place upon place to prove that which through the whole booke of God is so cleerely apparant How shall we that are dead to sin live yet therein They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof What can be plainer than this As the Physitian first purgeth before hee giveth a restorative so every one that shall be saved hereafter must first receive an allayer of his corruption here he must first be launced before he can be healed You may know the body of sinne in all his particular members by that which hath beene spoken touching the Flesh. Let every man woman here present examine himselfe from top to toe what cure is wrought by the spirit in his soul whether the kingdome of sinne and Sathan be demolished and weakned and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ advanced and built up in him whether corruption dyes and grace lives in his heart I beseech you deale faithfully with your owne soules and answer me directly to these interrogatories Are thy words which heretofore have beene full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse now directed to Gods glory and the good of those among whom thou livest Are thy thoughts which heretofore were loose and ungodly now bounded within a sacred compasse and spent wholly on heavenly things Is thy understanding informed of the mysteries of Christs Kingdome Is thy memory which heretofore hath beene stuffed with trash and toyes now capable and greedy of divine knowledge Doest thou order every passage of thy life by direction out of Gods word Art thou inwardly conscionable in the performance of holy duties Doth the tendernesse of thy coÌ„science smite thee not onely for grosse and open sinnes but even for vaine cogitations and the least appearance of any evill Art thou watchful against all occasions and temptations of sinne Doest thou feele thy selfe grow and increase in the wayes of holinesse Hast thou such a gracious taste of the glory of God and eternall life that thou desirest to meete thy Saviour in the clouds not so much to be rid out of the miseries of this life as to bee freed from the heavy burthen of sin which hangs so fast upon thee In a word doest thou so judge of things now as thou wouldest doe hereafter when thy soule is best able to judge as in the houre of death and the day of distresse Doest thou approve of things as they further thy last account as they commend thee more or lesse unto God and will bring true peace or sorow to thy soul at last and no otherwise then blessed and happy is thy condition and know this for the comfort of thy soule that thou art dearely beloved of God yea his peculiar one and precious in his eyes Sathan and all the powers of darknesse are fast chained up for ever doing thee any hurt Thou shalt never more bee afraid of evill tidings though the earth be moved and the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea yet thy heart shall abide strong and comfortable I dare boldly pronounce that God is reconciled unto thee and that his sweete love which never changeth hath seized on thy soule What will it availe a man to say he is rich like the bragging Laodicean and yet be extreame miserable poore and naked what will it
the empty parched soule that comes unto him Hee is an overflowing fountaine his grace is unsearchable his store can never bee diminished Hee filleth the empty and satisfieth the poore that he might bee acknowledged the well-spring of all grace and goodnesse Lastly be sure to keepe the flesh under by stopping all passages of provision for it cleere thy minde of sinfull cogitations blot out of thy memory ribald speeches and obscene jests preserve thy heart from unlawfull lusts wicked desires and unruly passions Keepe thine appetite from intemperance and excesse thy tongue from corrupt communication thine eares from ungodly and dishonest discourses thine eyes from waton wicked objects and finally thy body from sloth and idlenesse effeminate delicacie and carnall pleasures It fares with the flesh and the spirit as with two mortall enemies in the field hee that by any meanes aideth and strengtheneth the one doth thereby make way for weakening of the other Hee that joyneth with the flesh doth oppose the spirit and hee that standeth on the spirits side doth bring the flesh into captivity Who would strengthen an enemie to oppugne himselfe wee give stings and weapons to the flesh arming it against the spirit when as wee pamper the body with delicacy inflame it with wine handle it daintily and nourish inticements and provocations to lust in it If the flesh be full fed it will despise the Spirit and commit many outrages in a Christian soule Yea it will waxe proud and insolent foyle the regenerate part and force it to live in miserable slavery Better to become a swine-heard with the prodigall than to bee a servant to our base lusts The heathen could say he was borne to more noble ends than to bee a slave to his owne body and shall not our spirits bee elevated to a higher pitch of excellency than his as having God for our Father and Christ for our elder brother which of us enobled by birth and liberally brought up being clothed with lothsome some ragges and defiled with noysome excrements would not hastily strippe them off and with indignation cast them away This flesh of ours doth us more mischiefe than the devill himselfe alas hee could never hurt us were we not first betrayed by this inbred enemy yea it is worse then hell and damnation as being the cause of both without it hell were no hell neither could destruction fasten upon us All the outrages and horrible crimes which are committed in the world may challenge the flesh for their chiefe cause and author It was this that pierced our Saviours hands and feete which moveth men daily to crucifie him afresh and trample his precious blood under their filthy feet and can we finde in our hearts to have any peace or truce with such a malicious enemy shall we not rather with implacable rage and constant resolution assault pursue and wound it to the death shall we not rather take part with the Spirit in warring against the flesh and disfurnish all provision and munition from the one that the other may be furnished with all necessaries Our spirit is the better part and should bee most regarded Who would deprive his soule of so sweet a guest to entertaine inordinate lusts The more familiar Sampson was with Dalilah the more was God a stranger to him For the weaknes of the flesh encreaseth the strength of the spirit even as cōtrariwise the strēgth of the flesh bringeth weaknesse to the spirit and indeed what wonder is it for a man to be made stronger by the weakening of his enemy who would purchase the pleasure of a base sinne at so high a rate as to lose the comfortable society of Gods blessed Spirit what meanest thou to admit such a mate into thy heart with which Gods spirit cannot sort It may bee thou wilt not rudely bid him get out of doores yet thou mayest weary him forth by welcomming such guests into thy soule as he can no wayes brook Oughtest thou not much rather to crucifie the flesh and walke in the spirit that so thou mayest not fulfill the lusts thereof doth not God call upon thee to slay thy corruptions to doe thy best not onely to subdue them but to put them to death encouraging thee thereunto by a gracious promise that if through the spirit thou doest mortifie the deeds of the body thou shalt live both the life of grace here and of glory hereafter What is the use of all this but to stir us to looke about us seeing wee have so secret and subtill and adversary to circumvent us Thinke not the Christian combat ended when some few battles are fought that thou art now out of danger rather expect and prepare for more Many stout Captaines have been overthrowne because after a cōquest they feared no fresh assault The flesh is restlesse in its assaults ever besieging us wee can neither fly from it nor chase away that from us it is not therefore sufficient to make good onsett nor yet to hold out the brunt of some assaults but all must be finished how bitter so ever ere we can looke for victory We must resist unto bloud and bee faithfull unto the death if ever we expect the crowne of life He that prevaileth in some conflicts and is at length vanquished cannot be said to overcome Saul fought many of the Lords battels valiantly but hee withdrew himselfe and the Lord forsooke him though thou hast done much yet give not over so long as there remains any thing to be done Consider not what conflicts have beene endured as how many are still to bee encountred Regard what is to come rather than what is past timerously to cease from resisting temptation is dangerous to our selves and dishonorable to God it maketh Sathan to insult over us and get advantage against us let us not thinke if we yeeld the field the devil will bee contented It is not the glory of conquest that he seeketh so much as our destruction which when I consider I cannot but bewaile the naked condition of many persons who suffer their armour to hang on the wals and rust never putting it on to any use Alas what benefit can come by a thing that lies dead doe we thinke we stand in no need of it or that God made this defence in vain experienced Christians find the contrary Our life is nothing but a continuall warfare so long as we are in this mortall body carnall motions will rise in our hearts though wee cut them off they spring out againe though thou quench them they are kindled againe will thou nill thou they soone returne they may be subdued but cannot bee rooted out It is no easie work to lead a christian life considering the continuall conflict of these two parties the flesh and spirit of so contrary dispositions within us It is impossible wee should ever walk after the one unlesse we resist the other Sathan will bee sure to take part with corruption and
to commend it selfe Looke up to heaven for a blessing upon it and desire the Lord to goe along with thee in it and prosper the same for thy soules good which he heartily desireth who rests Thine in the Lord Jesus I. T. THE CARNALL PROFESSOR ROM 8. V. 13. For if yee live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live IN the Chapter going before the Apostle having delivered the double use of the Law first the proper use to shew men the way to live if in case they were able to fulfill and keepe it Secondly the accidentall use by reason of Sinne which is imployed in condemning us by discovery of our transgression to comfort the distressed heart of a poore sinner hee describeth in the latter end of the former Chapter a speciall meanes to shun this inevitable danger namely the righteousnes obedience and sufferings of Christ And in this Chapter further enlargeth the same by way of confirmation unto the 5. verse After which lest it might bee thought that a Christian may live as hee list being freed from sinne by the merits of Christs death or that a profane person should claime any interest in that blessed sacrifice of Christ he further proveth by many pregnant reasons that every Christian ought to endeavour after holines that thereby hee may prove himselfe to be truly ingrafted into Christ by participating of the fruit of his Spirit and that hee is in deed and not in word only a true Christian by his unblameable life and conversation as the goldsmith is knowne by his costly peeces or any mechanicall artificer by the works which his hāds accomplish In the verse I have read unto you the Apostle concludeth very effectually amongst the rest of his arguments that wee must live according to the spirit and not according to the flesh seeing the one designeth and noteth unto us life the other death both most infallible tokens of our future estate and condition So that if any man or woman be desirous to know what shall betide them after this life If any be desirous to know even the secrets of God I mean his determination as touching themselves their wives their children friends or foes after death let them resort to the Holy Ghost speaking in this place and converse with their owne hearts if they finde the quickning spirit but as a lively sparke raked up amongst the great heap of their owne corruptions they shall assuredly live for ever If they find onely meere flesh and blood to be their guide then wo to them they are in the state of Castawayes and lost creatures be they Prince or Peere noble or ignoble rich or poore there is no difference nor exception with God and therefore they ought speedily to sue for their deliverance through favour by the Sonne of God lest death prevent them to their everlasting misery But it may be these titles of Flesh and Spirit are unknowne or at least not observed through the subtlety of Sathan thickning the eye of dexter and right discerning therefore that we may throughly kenne the flesh in despight of the flesh and judge in the spirit of the spirit let us for our furtherance herein consider these sixe profitable observations 1. What Flesh is 2. What it is to live in the flesh 3. What that death is which is here threatned as a just punishment to such as live after the flesh 4. What the Spirit is 5. What it is to mortifie the deeds of the flesh 6. What is meant when he saith they shal loue 1. The word Flesh is sometimes taken for the body as 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit that is of soule and body 2. For the humane nature of Christ who was put to death concerning the flesh 3. For this present life If thou take a wife thou sinnest not neverthelesse such shal have trouble in the flesh 4. For the outward aspect and appearance Yee know how through the infirmitie of the flesh I preached the Gospell 5. For the ordinary course of nature Gal. 4. 29. Hee that was borne after the flesh c. 6. For whole mankind All flesh is grasse c. 7. For naturall corruption and inclination of the mind will and affections to that which is against the Law and so it is taken in this place The reason why the holy Ghost termeth this naturall corruption inherent in the soule as well as the body by the name of flesh is because so strict is the Union betwixt the one and the other in an unregenerate man that as a loving couple they seeke the preservation of each others estate and like Hypocrates twins they laugh together they weepe together and are alike affected A bloody heart and a bloody hand a false heart and a false tongue a lascivious mind an adulterous eye yea and which is more so strangely sometimes is the soule overcome with the love of the body that whereas by nature reason should command and rule the flesh as the weaker vessell the belly and backe so subtly insinuate and creep into favour with the understanding that as the foolish wife with her beauty and composed devices over-ruleth her husband though a man of understanding So these importunat cravers never give over their suite unto reason they make it a drudge to sensuality and an attorney to sollicit the cause of meere grosse and carnall pleasure In consideration whereof I meane because of this mutuall intercourse of the soule and the body in accomplishing of sin many learned Divines have made this a question Whether the soule bee first infected with the contagion of the body or no but of that I will not stand it being besides our present purpose onely thus much I note that therefore the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh to intimate the mutuall confederacy betwixt the soul body of man how that by reason of sin he is now wilfully made a slave and vassall to fleshly desires And therefore likewise it may bee supposed that the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh onely as a man that blameth the provoking Wife for the lewd action done by her husband For albeit sinne lyeth principally in the soule as poyson in the teeth yet it sheddeth and disperseth it selfe at his pleasure actually into the members of the body of whom it is aptly accomplished as occasion is offered And as the whole toad is called a venomous creature because of some one part preserving poyson the rest being capable of the same virulent infection So the whole man is said to bee sinfull not as if the body of it selfe as it consisteth of bones sinnewes and living arteries can properly bee said to be sinfull otherwise then as the house is said to be wicked because of the wicked dwellers Albeit I graunt as the serpent was a fit instrument for the devil because of his subtilty so
there is an hell within thee that can set it all on fire and fill it with rotten and stinking communication If to use thy hands or feete watch carefully for there are seeds of more sins theft bribery murther uncleannesse in them then there are joynts and sinewes in those members Originall sinne is an universall corruption it makes us all over flesh the minde a fleshly minde the will a fleshly will the affections and lusts all fleshly so that it is more difficult to roote out this one sinne then to overcome many actuall transgressions That man or woman therefore of what estate or degree soever they be noble or ignoble bond or free which are not transformed by the renewing of their minds but have their hearts full fraught with unbeliefe and ignorance whose Consciences are benummed or dead not able to accuse or if to accuse yet not able to excuse through the righteousnesse of Christ They whose wills are perverse and immeasurably unruly not subject and conformable to the will of God whose affections are like to the Camelion ready to turne themselves upon every object into any estate except that which is holy Lastly those whose bodies are the hardy executioners of every wicked practise given out in charge by these corrupt guides the faculties of the soule they most assuredly without all contradiction walke and live as yet after the flesh If therefore thou art desirous to know in particular whosoever thou art in this present assembly whether thou be carnall or no enquire of the word of God what thou art by nature in all the parts of soule and body how unapt and uncapable of all holinesse how prone and disposed unto all manner of wickednesse Secondly examine thy thoughts how thou hast conceived of God and his incomprehensible nature how acute and sharpe sighted in his wayes Hearken to thy conscience if thou hast any and heare it speake or if thou hast none at all so set it downe in thy examination Summon thy will and affections also to be tryed by the same word if thou perceivest no difference in these from the common estate of most men no alteration from former times it is suspitious thou art carnall But if thou finde by the guide of the word by the word I say for thou being blind canst not see where thou art that yet thou remainest ignorant and still walking in thy erroneous and presumptuous course both towards God and men if thou finde in thy minde these or the like thoughts That there is no God No providence or presence of God If thou thinkest thy selfe safe from all perill and art rocked asleepe by the tempest of other mens judgements If thou thinkest thy selfe a very wise man and farre exceeding others If in deede notwithstanding thy outward holinesse thou thinkest the Gospell and the sufferings of Christ to be meer foolishnesse If thou thinkest perversly and basely of them that worship God truely If thou thinkest death wil not come yet nor yet and so livest as if thou hadst made a covenant with the grave If thou thinkest God is as man that he will pardon thee howsoever thou livest and that the punishment of hell may easily be shunned If thou thinkest the day of judgement to bee far off And upon these corrupt imaginations not onely findest checke for that may be performed in some men by the light of nature enforcing the conscience to accuse thee yet thou never the neerer but also no positive thoughts utterly opposit but rather growest resolute therein cōmitting all to thy will and affections to conclude of thy spirituall estate If thy minde be full of vanity wasting it selfe in childish and unprofitable notions slippery unstable in all good matters full of ignorance and darknesse so as thou seekest not after God in the way where he will be found full of curiosity foolish and impertinent questions full of pride and contradiction against the word of truth having fleshly reasonings against the spirit of God full of carnall wisdome humane inventions methods of its own to serve God and come to happinesse by thou mayest then assure thy selfe thy minde is meere flesh thou being dead in thy understanding through the vanity impotency andignorance thereof Conscience If thy conscience which God hath placed as a sentinell or watchman in thee to observe thy dealings be full of impurity and disobedience full of dead rotten and unsavory workes full of false and absurd excusations If it be either so be nummed and insensible that it will not accuse unlesse it bee for murther adultery the every or such like grosse offences or dead as a limbe taken with a gangrene that it cannot accuse at all Or if it have life yet if it apply it selfe corruptly as to acquit thee for doing evill or to condemne thee and hang thee up for doing good fearing thee where no feare is then hath the flesh prevailed over thy conscience and thou art wholly carnall Memory Further if thy memory be so decayed that if one would give thee a thousand pounds thou art not able to imprint the doctrine of salvation were it never so oftē taught thee and yet able upon a speedy rehearsall to repeat a tale of an houre long with every circumstance concerning any thing done in such a Kings daies or reported to be done as the tale of Robin Whood Guy of Warwick and I know not what paltery stuffe thou maist assure thy selfe that flesh also is the guide of thy memory and that it is voide of all holinesse For as clay will not cleave to iron or brasse So the fleshly memory will retaine no spirituall memorandum but that which is fleshly agreeing with his nature and therefore the story of Gods will offered to the memory is like to quick-silver powred upon a plaine table which never resteth running and dispersing it selfe till it bee harboured in a concavity fit to retain its substance So the principles of Christian science will not stay in a carnall memory no more then an honest man in a brothell Inne or Ale-house and therefore no marvell that they light at the foregate and take horse at the postern come in at one eare and out at another Will. Moreover if thy will be full of loathing and aversation so as it cannot endure to heare or see any thing that is good but pluckes in the shoulder and casts it behinde the backe If it be full of enmity against holinesse slighting and neglecting the best things If it bee full of obstinacy against religious courses thwarting and crossing the strict wayes of God If full of disability to any good so as it cannot hearken nor bee subject to the Law of God but rebells against his blessed truth If thou art resolute to commit the wicked purposes of thy heart stout and stubborne against admonition turning the deafe eare to the preaching of Gods word loath to intermeddle with matters of the Spirit but willing to fulfill the lusts of the flesh
the benefit of the law in a case not sufficiently proved against us But at this time the skirts of thy pollution shall be discovered before the sun and though thou wipest thy mouth like the harlot which Solomon describeth yet thy sinne shall be written in great Characters in thy forhead so as hee that runnes may read thy chambering and wantonnesse thy whoredome and uncleannesse thy theevery and oppression yea all thy cradle sinnes which never yet were set on foot thy wicked and abominable thoughts I meane which lye lurking in thy heart as in a denne not daring to come abroad for feare of losing thy credit Oh the fearefull reproach ensuing hereupon when many a sober man and vertuous matron so falsely esteemed of in the world shall have their vizzards pluckt downe from their faces the ulcer of their hearts launced and all the buried corruptions of their childhood of their youth and riper age plainely before men and Angels Saints and blessed Spirits devills and reprobates laid open to their eternall shame Imagine that thou being a man of great credit and esteeme shouldest have all the vanities of thy heart whereunto thy conscience giveth testimony and all the night practises of thy youth commēced against thee even in the high Court of Parliament before thy Prince and nobles how couldst thou shew thy face Now thou pluckest thy garment about thee to cover thy shame but then thou shalt bee stript naked and unclothed to the reproach of thy selfe and thy whole family now thou shelterest thy iniquity in a closset or secret chamber from the eyes of him that cannot pierce the walls then shalt thou stand before the face of the heavens in the presence of him whose eyes are as a flaming fire knowing the secrets of thy parlour and polluted bed thy words thy thoughts the place time and every circumstance of thy sinne Now thou overlayest the drosse of thy heart with a guilded outside of joy and meriment but then the Lord shall blow upon the paint of thy face thy withered deformity shall then bee espyed now like Ieroboams wife thou disguisest thy selfe with pretended holinesse but at that time the Lord shall defeate thee and display thy hypocrisie To conclude what causeth a man having one foote on the earth and another in the grave halfe dead and halfe alive to acknowledge some capitall sinne which in his health hee would not for all the world The Lord will make thine owne conscience impeach thy selfe and discover thy transgressions Thou thinkest not so so thought Iudas but as then with him so also with thee the case will cleane be altered The third appendix of their death is their society with the devill and his angells Mat. 25. we account it a fearefull thing to see a Spectrum or diabolicall delusion and so it is to our weake nature but to be really present with Sathan world without end a companion in torment what earthly man can abide it To bee in a prison full of Murtherers it is horrible but in that bottomelesse pit with thousands of condemned spirits abject and forlorne creatures a heavy heareing The theefe before he bee attached and caryed to the gaole perhaps he frequenteth the house of many a worthy person It is not thy stocke and kindred thy pompe and outward bravery that will serve thy turne when thou art arrested with death all the world will not be of sufficient credit to baile thee Thinke seriously of this and lay it to heart To bee taken out of the fields of pleasure and to bee throwne into the dungeon of hell there to bee guided with that cursed crew is no jesting-matter Oh that all carnall livers of our age would cōsider hereof no doubt it would somewhat restraine them in their wilfull course and gash their hearts amidst their pleasures O that that the curious and nice women that cannot abide the noise of a canon or the sudden flashing of fire could ponder the misery whereunto they are born namely to dwell in darknesse with those blasphemous spirits world without end In the night season or in a darke place thou art ready to runne away at the sight of a shadow or at the reciprocall imagination of thy owne thought upon the noise of a Scritch owle or the like and thinkest thou that thou canst abide the sight nay the company and continuall familiarity of that hellish Cave The Lord give thee a heart to consider of this fearefull horror before it betide thee and to goe out of thy selfe to behold the strange change which is wrought by the grave and sepulchre The fourth is the incredible horror and distresse of consciēce which the carnall liver sustaineth by the sense and feeling of the whole wrath of God powred upon him for ever They shall goe forth and looke upon the carkases of men which have transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh In respect whereof the punishment of the damned is likened in holy Scripture to fire to a Worme to gnashing of teeth to utter darknesse and the like Not as if these were sufficient to describe it for what can declare the depth of that which hath no bottome but onely by these most fearefull creatures in a superficiall manner to proportion that which nothing favoureth For as the joyes of heaven are unspeakable So are also the torments of hell and therfore why doth my barbarous tongue endeavour to decipher them Deare Christian esteeme of my words not as the full size of the thing it selfe but as a slight picture or a briefe draught of that unutterable volumne of all misery I am not able possibly herein to shew the mystery of this wonderfull worke made by the Lord of purpose to set forth his glory in justice Yet to helpe thy consideration which is nothing serious in regard of the thing I speake it also to the shame of my selfe I would faine imprint some conceit hereof in my heart that might make way to a second thought Wee esteeme horror of Conscience a matter of great importance because the most of us in these fearefull times are possessed with secure hearts and benummed spirits But when conscience shall once be throughly wakened like a wilde beast it will then shew his fiery eyes and take thee by the throat No torment of tenne thousand tyrants like unto it Doe but remember in what feare and dread sometimes thou seemest to be when in a sleepe or vision a glimpse of hell flashings are presented unto thee oh how thou strivest and strugglest how thou cryest and ravest with paine Nay how glad art thou thou awakest and findest it to bee but a dreame how thou tellest thy friend as much as thou canst but alas nothing in respect of what thou feltest what thinkest thou this to be Certainely the groveling of the Conscience stirred up by Sathan of purpose to overwhelme the godly to solicite to
keepe grace low and looke how much we detract from the flesh so much our spirituall part will prosper and be in good liking How may a man know that grace hath gotten the upper hand and that the power of sin is abated in him Dost thou loath nothing more than thy former spirituall bondage Hast thou a secret dislike of thy naturall estate seest a necessity of reforming it and watchest over those things which are most pleasing to it this cannot proceed but from a worke of grace in thee for Nature is a lover of it selfe and seekes by all means its own preservation when a man is come to this that he doth not approve his sinfull inclination nor willingly give way unto it but studies rather which way to curbe and restraine the same it is a manifest signe of some higher hand by which the flesh shall bee more and more over ruled I doubt not but a man after there is some change wrought in him by grace may in some particulars receive a foyle by his owne corruptions and by that law of his members which fights and rebels against the law of God hardly may a man say hee is truly changed unlesse he be sensible of the struggling of nature against grace but yet still it is a pledge of such a work begun as shall never be broken off when Nature in the proper disposition thereof is become a burthen to the soule and a man would faine bee better and have it otherwise with him than it is Grace cannot stand with the regiment of sin That person in whom grace is truly wrought desires to bee furnished with the compleat armour of God that he may resist the devill the strength and bent of his will and affections are for God and goodnes hee chooseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former evils with a detestation of them and leaves them with a resolution never to take them up againe he daily prayes and cryes earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy statutes He is not for God to day and the devil to morrow Hee is no Morning Saint and evening Devil but desires continually to walke with God in all well pleasing A Gracious heart keepes a constant warre with his lusts the law of his members is evermore rebelling against the law of his minde Howsoever upon the assault of some furious temptation haply hee may be wounded and taken prisoner by some raging lust which imperiously treads and tramples upon him yet doth hee not yeelde and give himselfe over to the power of lust Grace within bestirs it selfe the heart sighes and groanes and seekes to God for succour If thy case be thus that thou abhorrest Sathan and his snares that thou delightest in the law of God concerning the inner man that thou ponderest with care and diligence willingly and setledly to follow the things of the Spirit that is such things as the spirit prompts and suggests Doe you grieve inwardly for that dominion which the flesh exerciseth over you lessening the power and practice of sinne all you can not leaving the reines to corruption to carry you whither it will but rather holding it in with a bridle of righteousnesse Doth not the feare of God in you though sometimes driven from its station still dwell as controuler in your soule represse refractory thoughts and affections and sway your heart against the naturall inclination that you may keepe Gods word that though you bee interlaced with the flesh yet you give the guidance of your life to the holy Ghost loving that he may have the principality in you Doe you chiefly attend your spirituall being and principally affect things in heaven and not things on earth Doest thou submit to the commandement with pleasure in it so as thou canst truly say I am content to doe thy will yea thy law is within my heart Doest thou lay hold upon good thoughts and desires so soone as they offer themselves unto thee welcomming them in the kindest manner into thy heart and constraining them by a respective usage to stay still with thee so soone as any good motiō arises doest thou feare the deceitfulnesse of thy heart and pray with David knit my heart this fickle fugitive heart of mine is alwayes ready to steale from thee knit it O Lord and tye it fast unto thy selfe that as it is now with thee so it may still continue O Lord keep this frame of the thoughts of thy servants heart for ever Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation unto thy soule Doest thou finde and feele that nothing under the Sunne more stings and pierces thy soule than to be now and then overtaken with sinfull passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and resolutions Doest thou love righteousnesse it selfe as righteousnesse bee the thing and subject of never so small a nature And dost thou hate sinne as sinne bee it never so little in thine eye Is the one precious to thee for his sake whom it resembles and the other loathsome because it opposes the Almighty Doest thou obey God out of a love of goodnesse seeing a beauty in the wayes of holinesse being humbled when thou hast done thy best that thou canst bring no more glory to him dost thou love righteous men for righteousnesse sake Is thy service ready and cheerefull without repining and delay Canst thou be content to obey against profit pleasure credit liberty ease the liking of the world or carnall friends preferring Gods commandements above all things yea life it selfe Art thou sensible of the dishonour done unto God and more vexed for that than for any disgrace or injury offered to thy self it is a good signe But art thou quick sighted into the faults of others and indulgent towards thine owne it is an ill symptome The best men are most severe against themselves and tender over others A gracious heart dislikes sinne in any but in himselfe most of all He is very backward in censuring others but exceeding forward in accusing himself None can say so much against him but he is ready to say much more He loveth goodnesse in the greatest enemie and hateth sin even in the greatest friend Art thou conscionable of the least offence as wel as the greatest cherishing an universall hatred of all sinne in thy soule whether secret or open without exception and carying a constant purpose and resolution in nothing willingly to sinne against God but whatsoever thou knowest to be a sin thou wilt not deliberately doe it for all the world at all times and in all places though no eye sees thee and it may be beneficiall unto thee Here is a notable signe that grace hath gotten the upper hand when as thou preferrest vertue before vice even then when in humane reason vertue will be the loser and
vice the gainer An unsound conscience is large and can swallow downe any thing the sincere conscience is strait and the least bone though but such as are in little fishes will sticke in her throat Neglect of smaller matters may justly bring our obedience in greater matters in suspition the same God that requires our fidelity in the one requires it also in the other A gracious heart is like the eye troubled with the least more certainly hee that is unjust in a little will bee also unjust in much Is the uprightnesse of others of Gods servants more highly esteemed by thee than thine owne Doest thou see greater excellencies in them than in thy selfe Feelest thou no bottome in other mens praises when thy heart tells all is not well within An humble Christian hides himselfe in the closet and as in prayer so in all good duties shuts the doore he is much affected with a sense of his owne infirmities resting it selfe wholly upon the power of God to be perfected in her weaknesse and is many times more humbled for the mixtures and defilements of good workes than for some workes simply evill in themselves he desires to be good rather then to be thought so Are the sinnes of others and the sorrowes of the Church as sensible and bitter to thy soule as thine owne Canst thou forget thy selfe and thy particular businesse to lay these to heart Doest thou rejoyce alwayes to be crossing and thwarting thy selfe in those succours and supports of sinne which thy corruption suggests Is that experience which thou hast of sinne and of grace no dead but a stirring experieÌ„ce quickening thee to duty and mortifying corruption in thee so as not onely knowledge but conscience also swayes thee to Christian duties and art thou as carefull to persevere in grace as once to imbrace it these are good signes Cheere up therefore thy drooping spirit the Lord by the power of his grace hath tooke possession of thee Nothing but grace alone is able to keep the love of sinne out of the heart though peradventure some other thing may keepe it out of thy hand Civility and hypocrisie may a little snib sinne or bid it for a while stand aside and give way to better things but it is onely grace that strikes this Goliah dead It is onely the spirit which subdues the flesh But wee must know there is a great deale of difference betweene forsaking of sinne through the strength and power of grace and for other carnall ends and by-respects for an hypocrite may sometimes forsake sinne not out of any love to God or hatred of ill but because sinne leaves him happily hee feares it will bee some losse or discredit to him or else fit meanes and opportunity of committing it serve not his turne and therefore hee forbeares It is nothing for a man to bee chast where there is no provocation to uncleanenesse Here was the tryall of Iosephs integrity that though the occasion were offered by his owne Mistresse to doe the deed in such secresie and security that no eye perceived it yet the feare of God overruled him Many seem to bee meeke and moderate men while they are well dealt with but let some injury bee offered and the contrary will appeare That wee are indeed which wee are in temptation Examine thy heart then in this particular what is the ground of that divorce which seems to bee betwixt thee and thy olde lusts If it flowes from any thing in the world but the love of God and goodnesse thou art in a wretched conditioÌ„ be thy thoughts of thy selfe never so pleasing Art thou one whose heart likes well of sinne though thou canst not or darest not commit it Art thou one who when thou art convinced and rebuked of thy failings thy heart riseth against the reproofe though for thy credit and profit sake thou seemest to welcome and thankfully entertaine the same I tell thee thou art in a dangerous condition thou hast but weake and slender evidence of the spirits prevailing in thy heart But why saith the Apostle here yee shall dye and not yee shall be damned in as much as that is chiefly meant Because the Spirit of God would drive men from sinne by that which is most fearefull to their present apprehension the remembrance of death doth more forcibly move the minde than the remeÌ„brance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grievous then death for our affection is moved according to our knowledge of the thing that which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by faith but we know death to bee fearefull by reason and sense because we feel it growing upon us eveâ—y day The opposition made here by the Apostle warnes us that a necessity lyes upon us to mortifie our sinfull lusts It stands upon our lives unlesse we slay sinne sinne will not faile to slay us It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot live but by sucking out that blood whereby wee live What pittiful folly is this we hate them which pursue our bodily life we eschew them by all meanes that would spoile us of our worldly goods onely wee cannot hate Sathan to the death who seekes by sinne to spoyle us of eternall life That same commandement which was given to Adam and Eve If ye eate of the forbidden tree ye shall dye is in effect here given to us all If you live after the flesh you shall dye let not us make an exception where God hath made none every sinne to us is that forbidden tree to Adam if wee meddle with it we shall finde no better fruit than he found Bitter death growes upon the pleasant tree of sinne for the wages of sinne is death It is therefore a point of great wisdome to discerne betweene the deceit of sinne and the fruit of sinne Hee that would rightly know the face of sinne when it stands before him to tempt him let him looke backe to the taile of that sinne which he hath already committed and the sting which it leaves behinde it The perishing pleasures of sin are paid home with everlasting perdition it is done in a moment but brings forth death and breeds a worme that will never die Men may sleep in their sinne but their damnation sleepes not Every mans state in this life is a prediction of that condition which hee shall have hereafter Hee that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but hee that soweth to the spirit shall reape immortality and life No man commeth to heaven or hell but by the way that leads thereunto A wicked life is a thorow-way to the place of darknesse But a godly life is the direct path to salvation As the tree fals so it lyes and it commonly falls on that side which did most bend towards the earth before if the greatest growth of our affections and actions spring out after the spirit no doubt we shall fall on the right
hand and be blessed but if otherwise they grow downeward and thou live after the flesh assuredly thou shalt fall on the left hand and perish irrecoverably Wee shall not be judged according to the particular instant of our death but according to our general course of life 〈◊〉 according to our deeds in that present but according to the desires of our hearts before But seeing they who walke after the flesh are dead already why doth the Apostle say You shall die I answer both are true every ungodly person is now dead but yet a more fearefull death abides them For albeit they be dead in sinne and deprived of the favour of the Creator yet the vaine comforts of the creature doe so bewitch them that they know not how miserable and wretched they are but when the last sentence of damnation shall bee pronounced against them they shall not onely bee banished from the presence of God into everlasting perditiō where the fire of the Lords indignation shall perpetually torment them but they shall also bee stripped of all comfort and refreshment from the creature whatsoever The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull famine of worldly supportments Hee that knowes any thing of the narrow way to heaven of the nature of Gods justice and the cunning sleights of Satan of the difficulty of true repentance and how fearfully mans heart is hardned by custome and continuance in sinne would not delay making peace with God till his last houres for ten thousand worlds Which when I consider I cannot but deplore the iniquity of our times wherein not onely carnall men have set themselves to worke all manner of sinne with greedinesse but even they which heretofore have probably seemed to mortifie the deeds of the body doe now renue the battle and are in outward view reconciled and shake hands with the flesh Now are the dayes wherein the love of many shall waxe cold when men shall bee lovers of themselves lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God Oh how is the Spirit quenched and the flesh inflamed every where shew me the man that truly endeavours the suppressing of sinne Oh this is a hard taske it requireth much patience and vigilancie and will bring no small paine and sorrow to the flesh in the end What then be not dismayed thy future peace will more then recompense thy present trouble What availes a little outward flashy joy when the conscience is disquieted and vexed within who would redeeme a moment of pleasure with eternity of paine All is but bitter sweetes so long as sinne raignes What is the reason of these fearefull outcryes and desperate conclusions of Christians concerning their spiritual estate Whence is it that they taking Satans part in accusing and condemning themselves do utter such dolefull exclamations as these when conscience is throughly awakened Alas I have most wretchedly spent the prime and strength of mine age in vanity and pleasure in lewdnesse and lust The best of my time hath been wofully wasted in obeying Sathan and serving my selfe and therefore though I be weary of my former wayes and looke backe upon them with a trembling heart and grieved spirit yet I am affraid God will never vouchsafe to cast his eye of compassion upon my soule Though I have beene a professour long yet many times my heart is full of doubting when I call to minde the hainousnesse of my unregenerate life and see since I was enlightened and should have behaved my selfe in forwardnesse and fruitfulnesse for God answerable to my former folly and licentiousnesse in evill so many slips and imperfections every day and such weake distracted discharging of duties commanded both towards God and man that my very spirits sink within me Many times when I reach out the hand of my faith to fetch some speciall promise into my soule for refreshing and comfort comparing advisedly my owne vilenesse and nothingnesse with the riches of mercy and grace shining therein I am overwhelmed with admiration and thinke with my selfe how is it possible that this should bee Can such glorious things belong to such a wretch and worme as I am I cannot deny but there is mercy enough in God but for me such a notorious wicked liver as I am mercy for me surely it cannot be Alas I have beene no ordinary sinner my corruptions have carryed me beyond the villanies of the vilest creature you can name the enormity of my wayes have set an infamous brand upon mee in the sight of the world besides those secret pollutions and sinfull practises which no eye ever beheld save God alone Had I not beene extreamely outragious and gone on thus with a high hand I might have had some hope but now all expectation failes me I despaire of salvation c. Oh the feares and perplexities which pursue the soule when sinne is once committed conscience unpacified will rave and dragge a sinner before Gods tribunall The sting of an accusing conscience is like an Harlot more bitter then death Who so pleases God shall escape from it but the sinner shall bee taken in it Conscience being disquieted no earthly thing can asswage and mitigate it Yee shall live After that God hath called iustified and sanctified a poore sinner hee glorifieth him at last with himselfe in eternall blisse Death is but a sleepe to such as are in Christ wherein the body is separated from the soule rotting in the earth a while that it may bee the more capable of glory hereafter but the soule is immediately transported into heaven and there remaineth unto the last judgement praising God and expecting the consummation of the Kingdome of glory Before the comming of Christ the powers of heaven shall be shaken Sunne and Mooone shall suspend their light the starres shall seeme to fall from heaven the Elect shall rejoyce the reprobate shall tremble the whole universe shall bee consumed with fire and depart with a noise of the chariot wheeles the earth and elements with the workes thereof shall be consumed in a moment and brought to nothing At the same time shall the trumpet be heard soūded by an archangell Christ shall come in the clouds with great power glory with a troop of angels Then the Elect which were dead at the hearing of the trumpet shall rise with their bodies and the rest alive shall be changed in a moment and all of them shall bee made like the glorious body of Christ. After which they being gathered before the throne of God shall bee separated from the reprobate and caryed in the aire set upon the right hand of God where they shall heare this sentence Come ye blessed c. After which they shall enjoy everlasting happinesse the parts whereof is eternall life and perfect glory This eternall life is that fellowship with God whereby God of himself is life unto the Elect. They shall not need meat drinke sleepe aire heate cold breath physick apparell the light