chuse good strong to euill yea altogether auerse and rebellious no good so truely good but it abhorres it no euill so extreamely wicked but it hath an enclineablenes to embrace it no seruant so readie to do his masters will as it is to doe the workes of the Deuill no rebell so desperately set against his lawfull soueraigne as it against the Lord. And all our affections are vnruly and disordered As for the members of our bodies they are instruments to execute sinne conceiued as the Apostle doth euidently declare Our throat it is an open sepulcher our tongues are giuen to deceit the poyson of Asps is vnder our lips our mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse our feete are swift for the shedding of bloud Destruction and misery are in all our wayes and there is no feare of God before our eyes behold thy naturall estate and condition see what matter that will affoord of boasting What though thou hast many excellent parts gifts and graces bestowed vpon thee yet take heed thou beest not puffed vp with pride or vaine glory looke thou vnto the rocke whence thou wert hewne and that will afford matter enough for thy humiliation and of being vile in thy owne iudgement Vse 5 And now in the last place seeing wicked men are dead men being cold sencelesse heauie and as stinking carion let vs then auoid their companies Take no pleasure in conuersing with them He that keepes company with these may fitly be compared to those spirits that haunted the graues What hath the liuing to doe amongst the dead As thou therefore hopest to be separated from them at the day of Iudgement see thou now separatest from them in this world if not in conuersation for this cannot be yet in regard of loue and affection for that may yea must be And is now aliue That is Text. he is quickened by Gods blessed spirit and enabled in some measure to liue the life of grace The obseruation hence may be this He onely may be said to liue that liues the life of grace Doctr. He onely liues that liues the life of grace and no other They onely are liuing men that haue their soules quickned by Gods blessed spirit As for life of any other kind it is but a shadow of life and not worthie the name of life indeed Were this life to grow well waxe strong then would the trees of the field excell man which from little plants grow at last to be strong excellent Okes Or were this the onely life to see heare smell or the like In this the very beasts of the field would excell man who goe beyond him in these naturall faculties as the Dog in smelling the Hart in hearing the Ape in tasting the Eagle in seeing with many more Or if we glory in this that we liue the life of reason then how many Philosophers haue excelled man herein So then it is not the vegetatine life wherin trees excell men nor the sensitiue which beasts haue better then we nor yet the reasonable life which reprobates haue as well as we but it is the life of grace which is the life of a Christian which deserues to be counted life all other are not worthy of the name This life is that onely that makes vs liue without which our whole life is but a death hence is it that the Apostle sayth we are quickned so soone as grace doth appeare before which time we were but dead as formerly we haue heard and speaking of himselfe Ephes 2.1.5 Rom. 6 13. Gal. 2.20 hee sayth I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me he esteemeth this a life and no other Let this then teach vs throughly to examine our selues Vse 1 whether as yet we liue this life of grace Would we know whether we be aliue or dead then make a tryall whether thy soule be quickned by Gods blessed spirit yea or no and whether thou liuest the life of God Ephes 4 18. Spirituall life how discerned First propertie of life Life is actiue and stirring 2. Tim 4.18 Psal 123.2 Now this may be discerned by the properties of life and they are these First life is stirring it is not without some motion it is actiue and euer doing So where there is any life of grace there will be spirituall action and a practise of godlinesse in the life and conuersation The eyes will be directed towards the holy one of Israell And as the eyes of a seruant looke to the hands of his master so will thy eyes looke vp vnto the Lord till hee haue mercie vpon thee Thou wilt cause thine eare also to heare Wisedome Pro. 2.2 Pro. 19.20 yea thou wilt encline them to heare her counsell that thou mayst be wise in the latter end Psal 79.13 With thy mouth thou wilt declare the praises of the Lord from generation to generation and wilt not conceale his truth from the great Congregation Psal 40.10 Pro. 15.7 Eccle. 10.12 Pro. 10.21 Psal 26.6 Iob 31.7 Lamen 3.41 Psal 134.2 Nehe. 2.18 But with thy tongue thou wilt spread abroad knowledge and vtter the words of grace and cause thy lips to feed many Thy hands thou wilt wash in innocencie and suffer no blot to cleaue vnto them Then wilt thou lift them vp with thy heart vnto God in the heauens thou wilt lift them vp in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord Thou wilt also strengthen them to doe good and by them minister to the necessities of the Saints Act. 20.34 Ephe. 3.14 Thy knees thou wilt bow vnto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And thy feet shall delight to stand within the gates of Ierusalem Psal 122.2 Heb. 12.13 Straight steppes wilt thou make with them lest that which is halting be turned out of the way In a word euery member will be made as a weapon of righteousnesse Rom. 6.12 to serue the liuing God Eyes eares tongue hands feete all will be in motion and not idle Try then your selues by this first propertie is it thus with thee Art thou employed in Gods seruice dost thou find grace actiue and stirring in thee surely then it is a good signe of life but if it be so that there is no spirituall motion it is an euident signe of the want hereof An image made by mans art may liuely represent a man hauing eyes and eares nose and mouth as man hath yet I know for all that it hath no life in it because it stands still and stirs not So if I see a professor without practise in his life I must needs thinke he is an Idoll And assuredly what euer they seeme in the eyes of men they are in the eyes of God but as the carkases of Christians Without this spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises pretend what thou wilt thou art but the Image of a Christian looking somewhat like him but not quickned by his life A second propertie of life is this Second
thereunto His sonne was dead but is now aliue hee was lost but is now found And therefore it well agreeth with his fatherly nature to be glad thereof This reason doth expresse the two-fold estate of a Christian in this life First it sheweth what they are by nature while they liue in the estate of vnregeneracie they are dead and lost Secondly whâ—â— they are by grace in the estate of regeneracie they are aliue they are found Text. There is a two-fold death one corporall the other spirituall which is two-fold the one in sinne the other for sinne Was dead Was aliue There is a two-fold death and a two-fold life A two-fold death the one is corporall the other spirituall Corporall as when the life is departed out of the bodie and it layed downe in the graue Spirituall which concernes the soule and it is two-fold also First a death in the present corruption of sinne whereby in this life we deserue damnation thus was this Prodigal and with him all others dead Christ onely excepted Secondly there is a death in the perpetuall condemnation for sinne which is first inflicted vpon the soule at the seperation from the bodie and at the last day shall be layd both vpon the body and soule in a fearefull and full manner There is also a two-fold life one naturall the other spirituall Now answerable to this death is life There is a life Naturall and a life Spirituall a life of the bodie and a life of the soule The naturall life is that which wee receiue from Adam by generation this wee all haue Spirituall life is that which wee haue by the meanes of the second Adam this is proper onely to the Elect and it is also two-fold the first is the life of grace which God vouchsafeth vs in this pilgrimage of ours The other is the life of glorie which shall be giuen vs in the life to come It is the life of grace that is here meant which this Prodigal and all other of God elect doe liue after their conuersion Now to come to the Instructions which doe hence arise and first in that he is said to be dead before his conuersion we learne Doctr. Euery wicked man is a dead man Matth. 8.22 that euerie wicked and vnregenerated man is a dead man He is starke dead being vtterly destitute of the life of grace This may be proued by our Sauiours speech to one of his Disciples Let the dead burie the dead that is those who are dead in sinne though otherwise aliue burie those who are dead in bodie So also in another place The houre is comming and now is Ioh. 5.25 when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue By this voyce is meant the Preaching of the Gospell which the dead shall heare that is those that are dead in their sinnes and trespasses being without all spiritual life as yet The Apostle Paul doth notably confirme this in the second to the Ephesians the words be these You hath he quickened Ephes 2.14 Verse 5. who were dead in trespasses and sins And againe in the same Chapter verse 5. Euen when wee were dead in sinnes 1. Tim. 5.6 hath quickened vs together with Christ Thus doth he also say of the Widow that liueth in pleasure that Shee is dead though Shee liueth These places doe sufficiently confirme this truth More might be brought if need were The reason is plaine Reason because they want the spirit of grace which doth onely quicken Adam was not made a liuing man vntill God breathed the breath of life into him that made him stirre and walke Before that hee was onely as a picture of clay lying vpon the ground hauing eyes that saw not eares that heard not a mouth that could not speake and feet that could not goe So vntill the spirit of grace be giuen which onely giues life to the actions of men they are but as carkases like vnto Christians but indeed are not Now let vs come to the application And first it might serue for the confutation of the Papist who doth teach that man hath power to prepare himselfe to receiue grace and hath abilitie to dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration But doth not the Scripture tell vs that by nature wee are dead not in a swond or sicke but dead starke dead as I haue formerly shewed And what can such a one doe to his owne quickening no no this cannot bee for of our selues wee cannot moue to life vntill God doe quicken vs by his Word and Spirit Vse 2 Secondly let all wicked vnregenerate men take notice of their estate and be warned of their misery for they are but dead corpses Wicked men resemble a corse in 4. things First they are cold lying rotting in the graues of iniquitie Being Cold Senclesse Heauie and stinking fitly resembling a corse in these foure things Cold they are for the powerfull heat of Gods holy Spirit is quenched in them so that their preaching is cold there praying is cold there hearing is cold and all other good exercises they take in hand And so is it with there seeming graces there Faith Zeale Loue c. All are key cold noe warmth can be felt in them As they are cold so they are Senclesse Secondly they are sencelesse Psal 58.4 they can nether Heare See Smell Tast nor Touch. There Hearing is gon cleane gon They are like the deafe adder that cannot nay which is worst of all that will not heare the voice of the charmer Isay 6.10 Zach. 7.11 charme he neuer so wisely there eares are heauie yea vncircumcised open to any that will speake Reuel 3.17 but refusing to heare the Lord calling As they are deafe so also Blind The God of this world hath couered there eies with a vaile so that though they haue eies they see not saluation offered Ezek. 12.2 nor the light of the Gospell shining vpon them neither can they perceiue those things which are of God Dumb they are also 1 Cor. 2.14 Ier. hauing mouthes and speake not to Gods glory or praise They bend there tounges like there bowes for euill but they haue no courage for the truth They are toung tyed when Gods name should be blessed and when good talke is administred but freedome of speech they haue to blaspheme his sacred and glorious name There smelling is cleane gon they feele not the sauour of Christs oyntments for the which the virgins runne after him Cant. 1.2 Psal 45.8 2 Cor. 2.16 neither of his garments which smel of Myrrhe Cassia the word it selfe the Gospell of grace vnto them is a sauour of death they smell no other thing in it Rom. 8.5 Miserable men who being after the flesh sauour only the things of the flesh There Tast is cleane gon they know not the sweetnesse of Gods mercy nor the sauing grace of Christ in the Gospell
eyes who cry out with that holy Patriarch They are lesse then the least of Gods mercies and fauours And with blessed S. Paul They are the worst of all sinners who vpon diligent search find in them the former markes and signes of true humilitie let such comfort themselues This is a great argument of sound grace It is an euident testimonie of sound repentance and of Gods fauour and certaine it is and therefore hold it for a truth the viler and baser thou art in thy owne esteeme the more deare and pretious thou art in the eyes of the Lord. Make me as one of thy hyred Seruants As if he should haue said I dare not I doe not make sute to be as before I was a sonne I am vnworthy of such fauour yet vouchsafe me that fauour that I may belong vnto thee and although I am not worthy to be called a Sonne yet vouchsafe me to be a hanger on let mee haue a roome and seruice in thy house though it be amongst the companie of thy hyred seruants Here wee see the case is altered while hee was in the house no place was good enough for him but now that he hath been a while in a farre Countrey and wanted of that bread which his Fathers seruants had he doth desire to be in the basest office This teacheth vs this lesson Doctr. Gods blessings are better discerned by their want then by their enioyment 1 Sam. 3.1 Isay 4.2 Gods blessings are better knowne and more esteemed by the wanting of them then by their enioying The worth and value of Gods good blessings are not knowne till we be without them This vision was precious in the daies of Ely when that was wanting And the Prophet Isay telleth the people of Israel that the blessings of the Lord should be excellent and pleasant to them after they had beene pinched with the want thereof in their captiuitie yea the bud shall then be beautifull c. The vse of this in a word is to teach vs to esteeme more of the good blessings wee receiue from God Vse and beware of vnder-valuing them least wee giue the Lord occasion to depriue vs of them These common blessings of the shining of the Sunne breathing in the ayre meat drinke preseruation in our going out in our comming in vse of the sences strength of body and the like let them be more esteemed of thee alas consider how miserable thou art without these The Lord is fâ—ine so great is his mercy and our corruption to depriue his children of many of these good blessings till they know the price and worth of them and in their restraint make them enioy the smallest blessing more thankefully and comfortably Hunger is good sauce and giueth good rellish and taste to course meates and homely fare when for want hereof daintie dishes are but contemned Should the Lord depriue thee of thy health strength sence sleepe then wouldst thou see what a benefit thou hast enioyed Bewaile therefore thy owne corruption in this kinde and pray for this wisedome that thou mayst rather know the worth of Gods blessings by the enioying then by the wanting of them And he arose and came to his Father c. This Prodigall now puts in practise what formerly hee had resolued to doe As resolued to arise So he arose In this his practise wee must consider First what he did Secondly what he said For the first the Text saith Hee arose and came vnto his Father Where we haue first the parts of his repentance which are two Auersion from his sinne He arose Secondly Conuersion to his God And came vnto his Father Secondly We haue to consider the circumstance of time when he did it which is implied in this word And or So that is immediately hee deferred no time but presently put in execution what was before but in purpose and resolution Something in generall from the dependance before I come to the specials Doctr. Where there is true repentance there is not onely a purpose in heart but an endeauour in life Psal 32.5 In the former verse we heard his purpose in this verse we see his practise Hence learne Where there is true repentence there is not onely a purpose in the heart but a holy endeauour and practise in the life The true penitent doth not onely purpose to leaue sinne but also doth put in practise what formerly he hath purposed This may bee confirmed by many examples in Scripture Dauid resolued to confesse his sinne and he was as good in practise as he was in purpose Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I my iniquitie For I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne So also in another place Psal 119.59 he thus saith I haue considered my waies and turned my feete into thy testimonies He did not onely consider and determine but performe and doe Because they haue the same arguments for the one Reason 1 which they haue for the other What stronger argument can bee brought for resolution in heart then can bee brought for action in life Surely the same reasons that we haue to mooue vs to resolue well the same if not better we haue to moouâ— vs to doe well Secondly The sâ—â—e spirit which worketh in vs the Reason 2 will worketh in vs thâ— deed also Phil. 2. and it is as well able to worke the one as it is to worke the other First Let this serue to reprooue the folly of such as Vse 1 rest themselues contented with their faint purposes perswading themselues they haue truely repented and would haue others also to bee so perswaded though no reformation follow hereupon Many there are who while they are hearing of the word seeme very much to be mooued with the promises or threatnings insomuch that their sins which they heare to be reprooued for the present they purpose to forsake the duties they heare commanded they haue some desire to performe and with Agrippa they are almost perswaded to be Christians Act 26.28 They are almost perswaded to take better courses But there they rest Many there are also who when the hand of God is vpon them by losses or sicknesse or such like visitation they purpose and promise great reformation but when Gods rod is remooued and his hand taken away they are as bad as euer they were so that wee may say of them as the wise man by shearing his Hogs Here is a great deale of cry but a little wooll Here is a great deale of purpose but a little practise aboundance of resolution but small store of action And herein they deale with the Lord as the people of Israel did who when God brought any calamity vpon them Psal 78.33.34.35.36.37 they presently returned and sought God earely But as the Text saith they flattered him with their mouth and dissembled with him with their tongue Thus many there
at the beginning of the Chapter Knowing this sayth he that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that hence-forth we should not serue sinne thus Christs death being applyed by faith will worke in vs the death of sin and cause vs to forsake our former euill wayes Reason 2 And secondly the spirit of God dwelleth in that mans heart Rom. 8.4.2 and is become his guide and this spirit freeth vs from the law of sinne and death This expells sinne and will not suffer such filthinesse to remaine in the roome where it doth lodge These may be the reasons of the poynt The vses follow Vse 1 First hereby try thy Repentance whether it be good or no Hath it wrought a change and alteration in thy affections 2. Cor. 5. words and actions are all olde things done away and new come in the place thereof is there a forsaking of sinne a reformation of life if it be thus then it is well for thus it is and must be with euery true penitent True it is in the time of our impenitencie like wild and mad horses we gallop in the way of sinne yet in the day of our repentance the spirit of God as with a bit or bridle giueth vs a ierke and turneth vs back setteth vs as fast a going the other way Insomuch that our companions stand wondering at the matter admiring that we so suddenly breake of company 1. Pet. 4.4 and runne not with them to the same excesse of riot So great is the change that not onely ourselues but others also see it and admire it Now then thou that talkest of Repentance is this change in thee assure thy selfe if thou hast repented it is and all the world may see it canst thou with good conscience say of thy selfe 1. Cor. 6.10 as Paul did of the Corinthians I was once a theife a drunkard an adulterer a reuiler an extortioner a couetous person and the like But now I am washed Verse 11. now I am sanctified yea and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of my God Canst thou thus say of thy selfe and that in truth Why then to thy comfort be it spoken this is a notable euidence of the truth of thy repentance but if it be otherwise thou maist deceiue thy selfe but be it known vnto thee thou art as far from it for any thing that I can see as they are that rob by the high way side and it may be farther Secondly this may serue for terrour to such as finde Vse 2 no change in themselues but are the same still that euer they were As proud as euer as prophane as euer as worldly as euer as irreligious as euer if not worse then euer yet these men blesse themselues with a false perswasion of repentance when indeed they haue not trodden ouer the threshold of repentance and though they haue liued thirtie fortie or it may be threescore yeares yet poore soules they haue not all this time trod one step nor to be the first stride towards Gods kingdome Sinne is not yet left nor forsaken But oh thou dreamer awake if euer thou wilt awake Awake gull not thy owne soule thy torment shall not bee the lesse in hell because thou fallest in before thou beest aware Delude then thy selfe no longer but looke well about thee Thou canst not endure others should cozen thee why cozenest thou thy selfe Happily thou hast had some spirituall qualmes or vpon hearing of the Word hast shed some teares but what then if no reformation followes these are not signes of true repentance Mala praeterita plangere est plangendaiterum non committere Amb. Vera paenitentia est quando sic paniteâ— hominem peccasse vt crimen non repetat Born This is true repentance saith a Father so to bewaile sinnes past as that wee commit them no more which wee haue bewailed It is to no purpose then for thee to bewaile thy former courses vnlesse there follow hereupon a due amendment let not then this deceiue thee for thou dost but mocke and not indeed repent when thou still dost that whereof thou hast repented This is true repentance so to repent that thou hast sinned as that thou doest so no more Till therefore thou doest cease from sinne Inanis paenitentia quam sequent culpa coinquinat Aug. Soliloq and reforme thy wayes vntill thou doest finde this change in thy selfe so that thou canst truly say I was thus and thus but now the case is altered thou canst haue no comfort in thy repentance for assure thy selfe that Repentance and continuance in thy old wicked courses can neuer stand together Vse 3 In the third place this may serue for the comfort of all such as doe finde this change in them who can say as that blind man Iohn 9. who had his light restored One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see whereas I was filthy and vncleane I am now washed and clensed oh happie is the condition of such a one thrice blessed is thy estate onely let me admonish thee that thou manifest this change vnto the world that others may also say Amb. lib. 2. de paenitent cap. 10. How is this man changed from what he was Ambrose makes report of a young man who hauing a long time liued in lust and vncleannesse at length trauelled and in his trauell was conuerted afterwards returning home meets with one of his olde acquaintance with whom he had beene often nought but passed away and would not salute her at which the Strumpet wondering speakes to him after this manner What haue you forgotten me It is I Sed ego non sum ego His reply vnto her againe was this yea I know it but I am not I. Thus it becomes thee to manifest this chaunge thou findest to be in thee that as others haue beene witnesses of thy sinne so they may be also witnesses of thy Repentance And thus much shall serue for this first part of his repentance viz. his Auersion from his sinne Text. Doctr. In true repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also there is a turning to God Ier. 4.1 now we come to the second which is his Conuersion to God And came to his Father From hence we learne In true Repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also a turning to the Lord and a setting of our hearts towards him and his kingdome This therefore is enioyned vs as well as the former in many places of Scrpture If thou wilt returne oh Israell saith the Lord returne vnto me and againe Oh Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God take with you wordes and turne to the Lord. And againe Hos 14.1.2 Ioel. 2.13 Act. 26.20 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord. This was Paul willed to exhort the Gentiles to that they should repent and turne to God
and doe works meete for repentance Many more places might be brought to confirme this but what need I By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery word be established The reason is this As by faith we are ingrafted into Reason 1 Christ Iesus and so made partakers of his death and the power of it which causeth vs to die vnto sinne so also by the same faith we are made partakers of his resurrection which causeth vs to walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4.11 and liue vnto the Lord. Secondly the same spirit that doth cause Reason 2 vs to leaue sinne doth bring vs to the Lord enabling vs to cry Abba-Father as the Apostle speaketh Vse To reproue many who will indeed confesse Rom. 8.15 there Vse 1 must be a turning and will also practise a change but it shall be from bad to worse from one sinne to another As for example how many doe turne from prodigalitie to couetousnesse from swearing to cousening Stuliidum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Rom. 2.22 from atheisme to popery from prophanenesse to hypocrisie now alas what is this but to turne out the Deuill at the porch and let him in at the posterne As for turning from all sinne to God that is no ordinary thing to bee found in these dayes And therefore assuredly repentance is not so common as the world takes it to be And if these are to be reproued then much more are Vse 2 such to be condemned who turne from God to sinne from a Protestant to a Papist from a professor to an Atheist How farre are these from true repentance What hope can they haue who come short of those that come short of heauen Take good notice of this you that haue beene forward and zealous but now are become Apostates and backesliders and hearken to the counsell giuen to the Church of Ephesus Reuel 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come against thee quickly except thou repent In the last place let this admonish vs to looke that our turning be a true turning And as by sinne we haue departed with this Prodigall from our Fathers house so let vs also arise with him and set forwards towards heauen fixe thy eye vpon the Lord make towards him with thy foote Let the maine current of thy affection be on things aboue Colos 3.2 and thy hart be vpon thy God And thus turning from the one vnto the other thou mayst haue comfortable assurance that thy repentance is true and sound Now I come to the circumstance of time when he repented implyed in this word Text. Doctr. Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon So or And. After this Prodigall had resolued to goe and humble himselfe vnto his Father he did not debate any longer about the matter but forthwith rose vp and went his away Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon so soone as God shall put the motion into our hearts There may not be deferring nor procrastinating but a speedie practise and execution To day sayth the Prophet Dauid if you will heare his voyce Psal 95.7.8 Esay 55.6 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 3.7.13 Iocl 2.12 harden not your hearts Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neare sayth the Prophet Esay While we haue opportunitie let vs doe good saith the Apostle And againe Exhort one another daily while it is called to day many prooffes might be brought and as many reasons Reason 1 First God is to be serued before all God euer required in his seruice the first fruits God is to be first serued Deut. 15.21 Pro. 3.9 Exod. 13.1 Mal. 1.8 and the first borne The firstlings are his darlings the fattest Lambes are fittest for his sacrifice Now hath the Lord respect to beastes Nay surely but hereby hee sheweth vs our dutie the maine he aymes at in all those types was to teach vs to giue him the first and best Reason 2 Secondly we ought not to deferre in respect of the shortnesse Because mans life is short and vncertaine and vncertaintie of life Our liues they are compared to a pilgrimage to the flower of grasse to wind to smoake to a vapour to a dreame and the like all which sheweth the shortnesse of our time and therefore our whole life is little enough to spend in Gods seruice But farther as it is short so also it is vncertaine Nihil câ—rtius morte hora mortis nihil incertius Wee haue no assurance to liue one houre wee are here but Tennants at will and know not how soone our great Land-lord will turne vs out of this earthly tabernacle We may be cropt off like an eare of corne Iob 24.24 for what is this life but as a nest of straw and clay soone shaken a peeces Many haue seene a faire bright morning who neuer beheld the euening as the Sodomites Gen. 19.24 And vpon many the Sunne hath set in the euening to whom it neuer appeared rising in the morning So was it with the rich Glutton in the Gospell Seeing this is so Luke 12.20 wee haue great cause speedily to repent Thirdly the longer we liue in sinne the harder will Reason 3 our repentance be for first Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit Sicut non potest aliquis dediscâ—rematernam linguam sic vix longam peccati consuetudinem Basil Ier. 13.23 our sinnes will grow more strong And secondly wee our selues shall grow more weake By continuall sinning we get a custome and habit of sinning and it is not easily left a man may as soon forget his mother-tongue as leaue it Can a Black-more change his skinne or a Leopard his spots then may you also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill saith the Prophet Where he seemeth to make it a thing impossible for one that hath continued long in sinne to leaue and forsake it And indeede with man it is impossible though with God it is not for with him are all things possible Art thou not able to plucke vp a plant when it is new set how then wilt thou be able to doe it when it is often yeers growth And as repentance will be the harder in respect of sinnes strength so it will bee the harder also in respect of thine owne weaknesse for the longer thou liuest in sinne the weaker wilt thou grow in all the powers and faculties both of soule and body Experience sheweth that the longer a sicknesse doth continue the more is the body weakned and made vnfit for labour so the longer sinne which is the soules sicknesse remaines vnrepented the more weake and vnable will we be to shake it off Our vnderstandings will bee more darkned our wills more peruerted our affections more corrupted our hearts more hardned our consciences more feared and all the powers and faculties both of body
Psal 34.8 they haue not tasted how good and gratious the Lord is or if they haue tasted of his mercies it hath bin but with the tip of the tounge they haue neuer digested As they tast not so lastly they Touch not They beleeue not in the sonne of God Tangere christū est credere in Christum August in Ioan. Tract 16. they do not so touch him by faith as to draw virtue out of him they do not so beleeue in him as that in beleeuing they might get eternall life through his holy name Iohn 20.31 Thus we see how blockish and sencelesse euery wicked man is fitly resembling a corse in that respect As they are sencelesse so in the third place they are Heauie as a dead corps is Thirdly they are heauy Isay 24.20 yea so heauy as the earth groanes to beare them and reeles to and fro like a drunkard their transgressions lye so heauie vpon it So heauy are these dead corpses as that she is not able to vndergoe the burden but hath bin faine to open her mouth and receiue some into her belly as we see in the example of Korah Dathan and Abyram Numb 16.31 What doe I speake of the earth when the creator of heauen and earth euen God himselfe mighty and strong is wearied with bearing Exod. 34. Isay 43 24. Amos 2.13 and is pressed vnder this burden as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues No maruaile then wickednesse is compared to a tallent of lead seeing it bringeth with it such a load Lastly they are stinking Looke as a carkasse Fourthly they are stinking sends forth a filthy sauour after a while lying so is it with the wicked They are loathsome in the nostrils of God and men notwithstanding all their outward ornaments and odours Esay 1 11. And 66.3 Tit. 1.15 which are but as flowers vpon a dead corps that cannot make the carkasse sweeter nor better Their prayers are stinking their preaching stinking and euery other spirituall exercise Psal 14.5 filthy vnsauoury and vncleane yea their very throats are open sepulchers their words and breath is loathsome and odious Thus you haue seene what a cold sencelesse heauie stinking corse euery wicked man is The God of heauen open your eyes that it doth espespecially concerne that you may see it and labour to be freed from it Thou that hearest this art thou one that hast liued all thy time without remorse for sinne and neuer yet reformed thy life be warned then of thy misery thou art dead dead I say in the present corruption of sinne Dead also in that thou art liable to eternall condemnation for sinne Thy best workes are but dead workes such workes as tend to death and will in the end bring death without Repentance Deceiue not thy selfe then in regard of thy present estate though thou beest aliue in the flesh yet thou art dead to the Lord and though thou perfumest thy bodie and bedeekest it with ornaments yet know thou perfumest but a peece of carion and all thou canst do cannot possibly keepe it from putrifaction Ephes 5.14 and rottennesse Awake awake therefore thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Christ in his word doth instantly call vpon you all young man arise damosell arise Lazarus arise wherefore I beseech you sit vp and speake lie no longer rotting in the graues of iniquitie but now you heare the trumpet of the Gospell the voyce of Christ sounding in your eares rise vp and walke Vse 3 Ephes ◠18 Reasons first why so many stinking smels in euery corner of the world In the third place seeing that men are by nature dead vtterly depriued of all life of grace See then the reason first why there are so many stinking smels and pestiferous sauours in euery place so many blasphemous oaths vsed in euery house shop and market so much villanie practised in euery corner of our streets here is the reason the world is ful of dead corpses that stink aboue ground not a house wherein there is not one dead nay hardly a house wherein there is one aliue Exod. 12.30 Secondly why the word as preached with so little profit Psal 101.1 Secondly why the word is preached with so little profit alas men are dead we speake to deafe adders to dead soules As good blow a trumpet in a dead mans care as sing of mercie or iudgement vnto them till God reuiue them they are dead therefore they depart from the word vntouched Thirdly Thirdly why no more complaining of the burden of sin Rom. 8. Jud. 16.3 why there is no more complaining of the weight of sinne no more groning vnder that which makes the very earth to grone but many doe also easily beare it as Sampson did the gates of the Cittie their backes neuer complaining of the load here is the reason of it men are dead Lay a mountaine on a dead man he will neuer grone nor complaine so though they lie vnder the burden of Adams transgression vnder the weight of their own corruption vnder the wrath of God which is due debt for their sinnes and transgressions all which are heauier then all the grauell on the earth or sand on the Sea shore yet for as much as they are without the life of grace they cannot haue a sence and feeling of it This burden must be felt by grace and not by corruption It is a spirituall burden no maruell then if those that are flesh destitute of the spirit feele it not And lastly Fourthly why so many wicked men die so quietly would you know the reason why so many wicked men goe out of this world like Lambes and die so quietly insomuch that they are thought to be the onely beloued of God and in a happie and blessed estate and condition why this is it they were dead before They die quietly because they die sencelesly True it is God doth very often lay terrors vpon the flesh of wicked men and suffer their consciences like a madde dog to flie in their faces but if God should let them alone the most in the world would die in a wretched sencelesnesse and so seeme to goe away like lambes not thinking or considering of what will afterwardes befall them Vse 4 A fourth vse of this doctrine may be for humiliation for are we dead by nature then surely of our selues wee haue no abilitie as of our selues to any thing that good is we cannot mooue our selues to any thing that is truely acceptable in the sight of God Ier. 10.14 Iohn 1.5 Ephes 4 17. Tit. 3.3 Luke 24.6.7 Tit. 1.15 Ephes 4.19 Mar. 10.19.20 Rom 14.23 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.8 Rom. 6.19 Gal. 5.21 Rom. 10.2 Rom. 6.13.19 Rom. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 our minds are blind impotent vaine foolish the memory is feeble apt to forget good our consciences they are impure benummed erronious and superstitious or doubting the will that is vnable to
property it euer seekes it owne preseruation It will euer seeke it owne preseruation The new borne babe by crying begs helpe presently so soone as it is borne And the young ones of bruites run to the teat of their dames Thus it is with such as liue this life of grace they hunger and thirst for the food of their soules 1. Pet. 2.2 and as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby as S. Peter teacheth vs. Their desire is to be feeding that they may be growing and they are much grieued when this food is wanting because the growth of grace must needs be hindered Examine thy selfe is it thus with thee doest thou desire after the food of thy soule and follow hard the market to prouide for the preseruation of the same If it be so it is well it is a great signe of grace but if it be otherwise that thou hast no care hereof despising or neglecting the ordinances of God which he hath ordained for the good of thy soule it is a sure signe thou wantest this life we speake of A third propertie is constantly to seeke it Thirdly as it seeketh it so it constantly seekes it Life doth not onely seeke it owne preseruation but it seeks it daily constantly continually so long as it hath any being The yong infant doth almost nothing else but suck and sleepe then cry for the breast againe and so any other creature doth daily seeke for foode The young lyons roare after their prey Psal 104.21 Ver. 27. and all other creatures waite vpon the Lord that he may giue them their meat in due season Thus is it with them that liue this life of grace there is a daily seeking after foode for the preseruing of it a daily vsing of the meanes as prayer reading meditation and the like Thus it is said of the blessed man In Gods law he doth exercise himselfe both day and night Psal 1.2 Many examples might be brought for proofe of this Iob rose vp early to offer sacrifice Job 1.5 this did Iob continually It was Daniels practise to pray three times a day Dan. 6.10 Psal 55.17 Psal 119.164 And Dauids Euening morning and at noone-tide will I pray vnto thee yea we may heare him speaking of seauen times a day praising of the Lord. And indeed there are but few duties of Religion for which we haue not the example of some Saint for the daily performance thereof Let this be well considered of such as heare and read and pray by fitts and starts now and then as it were vpon raynie dayes Alas thousands there are in the world who read not pray not from Sabboth to Sabboth nay nor then neither Haue these any life of grace in them Sure I am naturall life must be daily fed and shall be too and is there not as much neede for the spirituall Be it therefore knowne vnto thee and certified to thy soule that thou deceiuest thy selfe in thinking thou liuest the life of a Christian when there is no care had to a daily performance of the exercises belonging to a Christian Fourthly it is sensible of whatsoeuer is an enemie vnto it A fourth propertie of life is this it is sensible of whatsoeuer is an enemie vnto it doth resist it The more life the greater sense and the greater sense the more resistance Thus is it with such as liue this life of grace corruptions are felt and fought against the spirit lusts against the flesh Galat. 5.17 and the flesh against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other Thus was it with Paul he felt his corruptions which caused him to sigh and groane vnder the weight of them I haue saith he a law in my members warring against the law of my minde Rom. 7.23 and bringing mee into captiuitie to the law of sinne now this sense of sinne caused him to breake forth into this complaint O wretched man that I am vers 24. who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Thus was he sensible of the opposition which was made by sinne against that life and power of grace which was in him and as he felt it so did he warre and combat against it he did resist those rebellious lusts and set himselfe against them with all his force Examine then thy selfe by this Doest thou feele thy corruptions and striue against them Art thou sensible of the working of sinne in thy selfe and how it opposeth the life of grace that is in thee Doest thou feele vnbeleefe opposing thy faith Dulnesse and deadnesse thy delight in Gods seruice And doest thou struggle and striue against each of these as the powers of life naturall doth against a disease Why then this is an euident signe of spirituall life a sure testimonie of the Spirit of Grace But is it otherwise with thee hast thou no sense nor feeling of the power of sinne makest thou no complaints against thy sinfull corruptions Is there no resisting nor opposing of thy rebellious lusts Why then assure thy selfe there is no life of grace in thee the strong man hath gone away with all thou art still in thy naturall blindnes and deadnes By these signes may you certainely know if you will deale truely in examining your selues whether you as yet liue the life of Grace Deale faithfully then with thy selfe in this businesse which doth so neerely concerne thee For if thou liuest not the life of Grace here neuer hope to liue the life of glory hereafter As desirous therefore as thou art to know the one so be as diligent to finde out the other A second Vse is for our Instruction Seeke to liue this Vse 2 life of Grace which onely deserues to be esteemed a life A man may eat and drinke and walke and sleepe and speake and haue the vse of all his sences and yet not worthy to be said to liue because he wants Gods Holy Spirit to quicken his soule Aboue all things in the world then seeke after this because without it thy breath sence soule are nothing worth and not onely so but are accursed to thee Quest But what may I do or what meanes must I vse that I may liue this life of Grace Answ Meanes to liue the life of Grace I answer As to liue a naturall life there must be a generation according to the flesh so if thou wouldest attaine to liue this life of the Spirit thou must of necessitie be brought to a second birth Not to be turned into our mothers womb againe as Nicodemus thought but as Christ saith Ioh. 3.1 we must be borne of the will of his Father 1. Pet. 1.23 And as Peter saith of a seede not mortall but immortall the word of God Faith that commeth by hearing Rom. 10. hearing by the word Regeneration is a fruit of Faith Faith an effect of the word the word is preached
past are forgiuen and esteemed as if they had neuer bin thy present imperfections are couered with the perfection of Iesus Christ The rebellion which riseth vp in thy heart continually commeth not from thee Rom. 7.20 Rom. 8.28 Math. 5.12 Heb. 2.14 Rom. 8.1 Phil. 4.4 but from sinne which dwelleth in thee Thy Afflictions shall all turne to thy good Doth the world hate thee why Blessed are you Doth death trouble thee Christ hath ouer come it Or doth damnation greiue thee There is none to them that are in Christ Iesus Reioyce then in the Lord allway and againe I say reioyce Vse 3 Thirdly seeeng Grace doth not destroy naturall affections but only rectifie them this may serue for a direction vnto vs in the right vnderstanding of such precepts as are giuen in Scripture for the mortifying of affections They must be so vnder stood as that the Carnality of them only is strucken at and not the Affections themselues And so much shall serue for that poynt now we come to another and it is this The assurance of Gods fauour in the pardoning of sinne Doctr. Pardon of sin bringeth ioy reioycing is that which causeth ioy and reioycing Now the father had kyssed him and embraced and giuen him pledges of his loue and spoke peace vnto him he with the rest beginnes to reioyce and make merrie Therefore Dauid desireth of the Lord this assurance after his committing the sinne of adulterie that so he might haue his soule comforted which vntill he had could not be quieted Psal 51.8 Make me to heare of ioy and gladnesse saith he that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce For vntill God speaketh peace vnto vs Reason our consciences will still vex and accuse vs And therefore saith the Prophet Isay There is no peace to the wicked Isay 4 8. Iob. 15.20 Vers 21. Vers 24. and Iob sheweth as much The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth with childe for he trauaileth with paine all his daies A dreadfull sound is in his eares Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid Let wicked men then see their vncomfortable estate Vse 2 King 9.22 What peace saith Iehu to Ioram So long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabell and her witch-crafts are so many So say I to thee what peace what comfort so long as so many sinnes remaine vnrepented vnpardoned I confesse indeede there is a kind of mad mirth Eccles 2.2 which Salomon speakes of that most in the world dote vpon one reioyceth in his cupps another in his barnes another in his promotion but this is far from true ioy this is but a swinish and brutish ioy not sound nor solid It must bee newes brought from heauen to a mans soule that his sins are pardoned forgiuen that must breede and bring it How farr then art thou from hauing a merry heart who still abidest in thy sinnes and hast not as yet repented thou maist counterfeit a smile but thou canst not be truly merry Thy laughter is but as the crackling of thorns Eccles 6.7 soone gon The spirit of feare and bondage ruleth within thee which keepes barres out peace with God and ioy in the Holy Ghost Thou maist face out the matter as much as thou wilt yet let me tell thee thou canst neuer haue ease vntill thy sinnes be pardoned and they will neuer be pardoned vntill they be repented off Thou maist sing and laugh and be iocund but alas thy mirth is no other then that of the theife who goes capering to the gallowes for thou art a condemd traytour knowest not how soone thou maist be fett to execution Bee then as merrie as thou canst bee I am sure thy estate and condition wherein thou standest doth giue thee no leaue that will not afford it Secondly this may serue for our direction how to get a merrie heart and procure true ioy indeede The only way thou seest is to obteine pardon for thy sinne and to get God to assure thy soule hereof for vntil then thou canst neuer haue it wouldst thou neuer so fayne A merry heart euery one commends euery one desires and affects but alas how few take the right course for obteining of it Well though others deale foolishly yet bee thou more wise humble thy selfe for sinnes past resolue against all sinnes and desire God to bee reconciled Esay 61.3 Psal 126.2.3 Math. 5.5 Remember the promises of this ioy is made to those that mourne and onely vnto those and therefore mourne for thy sinnes and seriously seeke for pardon of them for vnlesse thou doest thus neuer looke to see merry day in this world nor in the world to come Doctr. The Godly mans ioy in this life is but the beginning of ioy Psal 16.11 Further in that it is here said they began to be merry This poynt is noted from hence by some of our Expositors That the godly mans ioy in this life is but the beginning of ioy We shall haue the fulnesse of ioy hereafter when we come into Gods presence at whose right hand it is as the Psalmist speaketh In this life wee haue but the first fruites of the spirit and Gods earnest penny In that other life wee must looke for the whole masse and persecution of blessednesse This poynt is true and might be of good vse to teach vs to long for to be dissolued that we may be with Christ for is the ioy that wee haue here but the beginning of ioy and as it were the first fruites oh then what shall the crop be doth the ioy which wee heare taste of and which in this life wee are made pertakers of passe all vnderstanding as the Apostle speaketh what then shall the fulnesse thereof bee who is able to expresse it But I intend not to prosecute it I now come to the last part of this Parable which sheweth vs the elder Brothers ill will or anger for his Fathers receiuing home and so welcomming this his Brother VERSE 25. Now his elder Sonne was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house he heard musicke and dancing 26. And hee called one of the seruants asked what these things meant 27. And he said vnto him thy Brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatted Calfe because he hath receiued him safe sound 28. And hee was angry and would not goe in therefore came his Father out and intreated him IN these last eight Verses the anger and discontent of the elder Brother is layd downe wherein consider First from whence it ariseth or how it was occasioned and that was vpon the vnderstanding of his Fathers loue and ioyfull entertainment of his younger Brother For he heard musicke and dancing verse 25. And the seruants also makes report thereof vers 26 27. Hereupon as the Text saith He was angry and would not goe in Secondly How this his anger is expressed The parts viz. by his reasoning