Ordinances as the meanes but to the Spirit of God as the Author of grace the Ordinances cannot without the Spirit do us good and the Spirit without the Ordinances ordinarily will not Therefore we must neither refuse Ordinances nor rest in them lest Gods Spirit depart 3. God may withhold his Spirit from the Word because men withhold preparation from the Word they hear With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mark 4.24 It is spoken of hearing of the Word as you measure to God in an holy endeavour to prepare for hearing God by his Spirit will proportion to you a blessing in hearing 4. Generall unfruitfulnesse under fruitful Ordinances that may be another cause When men sit under the droppings of Heaven as it were and are yet barren this may provoke God to do as he did with his Vineyard to take away the hedge and let the beasts of the field destroy it and that no rain fall on it 5. when men increase in sin Isa 5.3 who attend on the Ministery of the Word and thus it was with the old world who enjoyed the Ministery of Noah Methusalah and other holy men and yet their wickednesse grew exceeding great which did greatly provoke God and caused him to withdraw his Spirit that it should not any longer strive with them SERMON II. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving opened and explained these words and shewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word and likewise laid down the reasons hereof I come now to make the application thereof which shall carry a double reference 1. To those who finde the strivings and workings of the Spirit in the ministery of the Word 2. To those who have the Spirit withheld from the ministery which they attend upon Vse 1 To those who are perswaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the ministery of the word there are two cautions or positions I would lay down for such Position 1 Be sure you do not mistake moral perswasion to be the Spirits special working in you When reason is convinced by the strength of Scripture-argument this is a morall perswasion and the word of God may go farre this way and yet there be onely a common work of the Spirit reason may be convinced and there may be a great stirring up of the affections where there is no effectual working of the Spirit there may be flashes of joy as in John Baptists hearers they rejoyced in him for a season pangs of fear as in Felix fits of sorrow as in Esau and Ahab Moral perswasions are very like unto the Spirits workings and that you may not take the one for the other I shall lay down these three distinctions 1. Moral perswasions do reach but to the outward man but the Spirits operations to the inward man they are such which reach the heart and the inward part Thou desirest truth saith David in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Psal 51.6 2. Moral perswasions they do only restraine the acts of sinne but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of sinne and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings seene in that it changes the habit and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill 3. Moral perswasions they only make a man forbeare sinne rather for feare of punishment then out of love to holinesse or hatred of sinne with respect to God whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart changing it and making it in love with holinesse causing us to hate sinne more then fear the punishment of it viz. because of its contrariety to Gods goodnesse holinesse and authority Position 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Ministery of the Word ascribe the glory to God only not to the meanes nor to your selves in the use of the meanes neither glory to the Minister nor glory to the Ministery 2 Cor. 3.3 nor glory to your selves but to God only Ye are our Epistle written saies the Apostle not with pen and inke but with the Spirit of the living God he compares the people to paper the Ministery to inke the Minister to the pen but it must be the Spirit of God which must write with it 2 Cor. 10.4 through the working of the Spirit the Ministery becomes effectuall The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strong holds he doth not say we are mighty but the Gospel â—s mighty not in it self but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God And so also the Apostle saies he I laboured more abundantly then they ai yet not I but the grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Ministers must say with Peter Acts 3.12 Why look you so earnestly on us as if by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walke vers 16. No But the name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong Ascribe not therefore praise to the Minister nor to your selves you have not been your own converters you gave not your selves your first being in nature much lesse your being in grace it is not you but the grace of God Thy pound saith that servant in the Parable hath gained ten pounds and thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk 19.16,18 not my paines but thy pound So say you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it Psal 115.1 and unto thee be given all the glory Not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory Position 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word see thou be thankful for it Consider that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciously now under the Gospel then ever it did upon men under the Law and this is a very comfortable position the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciously 1. More clearly In the latter dayes the Spirit speaks expresly and holy men of God wrote as they were directed by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearer it was to Christs coming in the flesh the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known and so the Evangelist Saint Luke writing to Theophilus saies Most excellent Theophilus the things which we write are most surely believed among us Luke 1.1 things were hardly believed before because they were darkly delivered and therefore you read that in other ages the Ministery of Christ was not made known to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit Eph. 3.5 it was a Mystery hid
delusion of wicked Saul Or else the devil may know future events by that great knowledge which he hath in Scripture-Prophecies those Prophecies which are dark to us the devil may know them and therefore we read in History that the devil hath told the events of Wars Thus the devil in the Delphick oracle told Alexander that both the Caldean and Grecian Monarchies should be under his government the devil told him so So that if men shall take upon them peremptorily to tell future contingent events I may confidently say it comes from the devil not from God Direct 5 Another direction about the Spirits motions is this Bring your selves under all advantages whereby you may gain the Spirits motions There are three advantages which I would commend to you 1. Be much in holy discourse with good company conversing with those who have the Spirit about spiritual things is a likely advantage for thee to gain the Spirits motions What Christ did whilest he was upon earth that will he yet do by his holy Spirit You read when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus Luke 24.15 communing and reasoning together that Jesus drew neere and went with them Christ will draw neere to those by the motions of his â—pirit who are discoursing about holy things 2. Give due attendance to the ordinances of God they are that poole which the Angel at certain times will move It is a Text worthy of observation which you read of in the Prophet Isaiah where the Lord sayes Isa 30.20,21 That thy Teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine ears shall hear a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Mark the connexion you shall see your Teachers and in seeing them shall heare a voyce that is of the Spirit The ordinances are they which convey the Spirit in its motions to us and to this purpose I may accomodate that of the Prophet Zachariah Zech. 4.12 where it is said that the two Olive-branches did empty themselves of the golden oile by the two golden pipes and so it ranne into the Candlestick This Candlestick is the Church the oile is the motions of Gods Spirit and these motions they runne through ordinances they are those golden pipes which convey the Spirits motions into your hearts It is with the motions of the Spirit and holy ordinances as it is with the blood and Spirit and the veines and Arteries for as these convey the blood and spirit to each part so also ordinances convey the graces and comforts of the Spirit to each believing member of Christ Waite upon the Preaching of the Word and then waite also upon prayer that will be a means whereby you shall obtaine the Spirit Christ he makes this an incouragement to prayer Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to you children how much more sayes he shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Go therefore to God in prayer and that will be a means to bring the Spirit into thy heart 3. Be much alone in holy meditation Christ could tell you that he was alone and yet sayes he I am not alone because the Father is with me So you if you are alone in meditation yet you will not be alone because the Spirit will be with you in its holy motions That as Isaac when he went forth to meditate Gen. 24.63,64 it is said that then he saw Rebeccah that mercy he so long prayed for so may I say to thee be much in meditation and the Spirit which thou hast prayed for shall be given in unto thee 1 Kings 19.12 As Eliah when he was in the mountaine he perceived that the Lord was in the still voice so will the soul at last perceive that though the holy Spirit is not in the strong winde of boisterous passions yet he will be in the still voice of holy meditation Direct 6 Look more after the holy motions of the Spirit then after the ravishing comforts of the Spirit and the reason is this because you more need the Spirits motions then the Spirits comforts you may go to heaven without comfort but you cannot go to heaven without grace though it be the ravishing work of the Spirit which makes my life comfortable yet it is the holy work of the Spirit which makes my soul saveable The sealing work of the Spirit whereby I cry Abba Father gives comfort but the Sanctifying work of the Spirit whereby I mortifie the deeds of the flesh Romans 8.13,14,15 is the ground of that comfort Direct 7 And lastly take heed that you do not mistake moral perswasions for the Spirits motions This is a very useful rule Men are apt if they have a good motion to intitle it unto the Spirit whereas there may be a thousand good motions in thy minde which may meerly come from moral perswasion Meere nature may make a Reprobate go farre how do you read of flashes of joy in Herod he heard John Baptist gladly of pangs of fear and horrour in Felix and fits of sorrow and grief in Judas yet all these came from the force of moral perswasion and were not saving workings of the Spirit That you may not be mistaken about moral perswasion I shall give you four differences between it and the Spirits working 1. Moral perswasion it may move a man to do good but it never changes the affections And therefore you read of those 2 Thes 2.10 That did not receive the truth in the love of it Which intimates that men may receive the truth in the motion of it and yet not in the love of it Eph. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence are those expressions Of speaking the truth in love or doing the truth in love whatsoever you do you must do it in love Now moral perswasion may move you to do a good act but it never draws out your affections in love to the things you do 2. Moral perswasion presses men to do good but it gives them no power to do the thing it perswades to Moral perswasion may give a man an eye to see what is to be done but the Spirit it gives not only an eye Rom. 3.26 but a hand also and helps us in the doing of that good whereunto it perswades 3. Moral perswasion moves men to do good more out of hope of reward or fear of punishment then of love to grace or holinesse it looks more at what God gives then what he requires and hath more respect to the reward of grace then to grace it self 4. Moral perswasions they are partial perswasions they move a man to some kindes of good but not to all good to good that may be easily done but not to difficult duties to outward but not to inward good but the Spirits motions they are universal there is no good act but the Spirit it moves a man
there can be no benefit at all by Ordinances 2. The next thing is to shew for what reason it is that God sends this grievous judgement upon any people For answer whereto I shall say down some reasons in the general and then some in particular 1 In the general the reason why God withholds or withdrawes the operation and working of his Spirit in his Ordinances Res delicatula est spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut traâ—tatur it is from that injury or offence that men have done to the Spirit of God if men grieve the Spirit and quench its motions it is just with God to withhold its workings and operations The Scripture mentions a six-fold wrong done unto the Spirit of God for one or all of which the Lord may withdraw his Spirit 1. There is a quenching of the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit By quenching the Spirit is meant any act of omission or slighting of the Spirits motions in our hearts take heed therefore of omitting good duties or neglecting its motions for how know you but that the Lord may withdraw his Spirit from you The winde may cease to blow if when it blowes we do not get our sailes ready 2. Another injury which is of a higher nature is grieving of the Spirit Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Then do you grieve the Spirit when you shall do any sinful act for which the Spirit checks you and yet you will run upon the committing of it when you shall hearken rather to the motions of sinne then the motions of the Spirit to Satanical delusions rather then the Spirits motions this grieves the Spirit exceedingly as it will grieve a friend when we leave his counsel and follow rather the counsel of an enemy 3. Another injury done against the Spirit is vexing the Spirit They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit And this is a higher degree Esay 36.10 for then may a man be said to vex the Spirit when he quenches the Spirit and grieves the Spirit and doth so by many reiterated acts hereby is the Spirit grieved A man is grieved when his friend doth him one discourtisie but when he shall persist in the doing of more this raiseth up vexation in him Even so is it with the Spirit of God when we slight its motions and notwithstanding its warnings will yet venture upon the committing of sinne we not only grieve but also vex the Spirit Isa 63.4 and so saith the Prophet They rebelled and vexed his Spirit 4. Another Scripture expression of wrong done to the Spirit is resisting of the Spirit Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 and this is a higher degree then any of the former for resisting of the Spirit is when a man knows such and such motions are from the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will stand out obstinately against its perswasions and motions 5. Another expression in Scripture is Acts 5.7 a tempting of the Spirit How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Calvin explaines this place and saies that their tempting of the Spirit was this Ananias and Sapphira having sold a possession brought a part of the price thereof and laid it at the Apostles feet and kept back the rest and they would carry it so secretly that they would try whether the Holy Ghost was an omniscient God able to punish that secret sinne Now this was a higher kinde of wickednesse and a most desperate pitch of Atheisme to try the omnisciency of the Spirit of God 6. And lastly another injury the Scripture expresses Heb. 10.29 is a doing despite to the Spirit of Grace and this is the very top of all the highest injury that a devil in hell or a man on earth can do to the Spirit This is the sinne against the holy Ghost Which shall never be forgiven Matth. 12.31 Now what is this despite it cannot be to neglect good motions for godly men may be and are overtaken with those neglects the not hearkening to a friends motion is not a doing of despite to him Therefore there cannot be a despite done to the Spirit of God but there must be these ingredients in it as 1 A committing of sinne not only out of an unavoidable infirmity but out of wilfulnesse so if we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 2.6 2. It is a sinne not unwittingly but knowingly committed 3. It is a sinne not only wilfully and knowingly committed for regenerate men do sin partly with the will but that which is the very characteristical difference is this that it is a sinne committed out of malice and hatred to the Spirit of God and this Divines apply to the Pharisees who knew and were convinced by the Miracles which Christ wrought that he was the Son of God and yet though they knew and were perswaded of this yet out of malice against the Deity of Christ they would put him to death so that to summe up all together this is the general reason why God will not suffer his Spirit to strive with men because of those injuries which they do unto the Spirit of God The particular Reasons may be these 1. Despising of the Ordinance of the Ministery I will not say the persons of the Ministers though that is an evill which God will punish but certainly a contempt of the Ministery of the Ordinance of Preaching it may provoke God to withdraw the operations of his Spirit if you despise prophecying you also quench the Spirit and then the Spirit will not have those operations upon you which otherwise it would 1 Thes 5.19 God will not follow the Word with efficacy to them who either contemne or deny the Ministery thereof 2. Another reason may be because men do too much depend upon the hearing of the Word preached Men come to hear the Word preached in the strength of their own spirits and therefore God will not give them the workings of his Spirit When men shall depend upon Ordinances it is just with God to deny the benefit of them 1 Sam. 4.2,3 as the Israelites having received an overthrow by the Philistines Wherein they lost about four thousand men looked upon this as the reason because they had not the Arke of God among them but when they had the Arke with them it is said the second day there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand men Thus did God punish their sinful dependance on the outward badge of his presence and therefore they had lesse successe when they had the Arke then when they were without it God may deny the operations of his Spirit in his Ordinances because men do sinfully depend upon them and not look to the God of the Ordinances for the blessing of his Spirit We must look to
the Word of God of none effect even as those erroneous opinions in our dayes how do they ecclipse the glory and splendor of the Word of God and hinder the Spirits working Is not this the language of many How shall we beleeve Ministers if we go to one Congregation we shall hear one thing preached if we go to another 2 Cor. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall hear the same thing contradicted How doth â—his stagger people and greatly hinder the working of the Spirit upon them The Apostle Paul when he tels you of the force of his Ministery saies he we do not handle the Word of God deceitfully that is we do not mixe nor adulterate the Word as Vintners do their wine but saies he by manifestation of the truth commend our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God the word in their mouths it was truly and powerfully preached it reached even the consciences of men Demonstr 5 Because men deny the calling of the Ministery this may he another reason why God suspends his Spirits operation in it God will not pursue the Ministery to such with efficacy who contemn and deny the Ministery There are multitudes of men which do not onely despise our persons but the very Ministery it self who deny the Calling and would beat down the Office and therefore it is just with God that those who will not believe the Office of the Ministery that they shall not finde the efficacy of the Spirit in it Hence the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians saies Our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes 1 Thes 1.5 as if he should say you know our Office and Calling and our manner of living you believe it and therefore the Gospel comes to you not in word but in power and in the holy Ghost It is observable of John the Baptist that the reason why he wrought so much on the people insomuch that all Judah and the Regions round about came out unto him the reason was this Matth. 14.5 because they did all hold John for a Prophet the people did believe his Office They all held that the Baptisme of John was of Heaven and not of man and therefore for men to cry down the Office of the Ministery Matt. 21.26,25 and to deny it this may render it ineffectual and may provoke God to withhold his Spirit from accompanying of it Demonstr 6 Another Reason why God withdrawes his Spirit from the Ministery because multitudes runne upon the Office of the Ministery without a call and those who runne when God sends them not he will not blesse the Word in their mouths for the good of people Thus you see clearly from that of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 23.21 where the Lord saies he sent not those Prophets yet they ran he spoke not to them yet they prophesied but what good shall they do to the people to whom they prophesied you finde in the 32. verse Vers 32. therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord such shall be the effect of their preaching who runne upon the Office without a Call Demonstr 7 7. And lastly another reason why the Spirit of God backs not the Ministery of the Word as in former time it may be this because the judgement of the sword is upon the Land it may be you may think this a strange reason but I may evidence it thus other judgements as sicknesse upon a mans body the plague famine or such like they concurre with the Word and set the Word preached home upon the hearts of people but the sword it is a judgement which makes men savage and brutish one towards another Inter arma silent leges Dei hominumque whereas in other judgements men will look at Gods hand in them before these warres how many Converts were brought in since the sword came among us how hath it made neighbut bour cruell to neighbour that amiablenesse and sweetnesse for which the English Nation had a commendation how is it now turned into barbarousnesse Thus I have done with the first particular wherein I have shewed you this great spiritual judgement when the Spirit is withdrawn from the publike Ministery and likewise the demonstrations and causes of such a jugement I now come to the second part to shew you the wofulnesse of that judgement when the Spirit is withheld from men in its inward motions upon the conscience in their ordinary walkings in the handling whereof I shall proceeed after this method The Spirit of God may be withheld from men in its inward motions upon the conscience two wayes 1. In regard of sinne 2. In regard of duty 1. In regard of sinne the Spirit may be withheld two wayes 1. Before the commission thereof that it shall not check nor disswade thee from it 2. After the commission of sinne that it shall not rebuke and convince for it 1. I shall shew you how it appears to be a misery to have the Spirit withheld from you both before and after the commission of sin 2. Why or for what reason it is that the Spirit of God is withheld both these wayes 3. How farre a childe of God may be thus left of the Spirit First Now to make it appear that it is a grievous judgment to have the Spirit withheld from a man before the commission of sin it may be thus Demonstrated 1. Because if the Spirit do not disswade thee thou wilt be ready and apt to yeeld to any sin thou art tempted unto Men under the temptations of sin without the contrary disswasions of Gods Spirit are like a City whose walls are broken down and so are liable to every incursion of an enemy Prov. 4.23 the disswasions of the Spirit they are as fortresses to preserve the strong hold of mans heart they fence and keep the heart when the Devill by his temptations perswades to sinne the Spirit by his motions graciously disswades from it Oh do not break Gods Law do not wound and hurt thine owne conscience by these disswasions there is a curb laid upon the heart but when these are away how venturous will a man be to do evill It is said of Paul and Timothy that they assayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffereâ— them not Acts 6.7 so may it be said of many a man in respect of sin he hath through the corruption of his heart assayed to commit such and such a sinne but the Spirit hath not suffered him As a godly man he cannot do all the good he would because of the flesh so sometimes he shall not do all the evill he would because of the Spirit When the winde blows with a fresh gale the vessell may saile against the streame which otherwise was to be carried
thus it was with Paul There was given to him a thorne in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure And so Peter when he fell in denying Christ his desertion was cautional Matth. 26.70 that he might not depend upon his own strength as he had most foolishly done for after-time 2. There may be a desertion which is probational that is to try some grace which God would have exercised and thus Job he was not afflicted for sinne but God did thereby prove him and try him in his faith and patience 3. There is a desertion which is penal and that is for sinne when God leaves a man to himself and thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 5.3,4,5,6 because she hearkened not and opened not to Christ therefore he withdrew himself Art thou therefore deserted by the Spirit of God why remember that desertions are not alwayes penal though I confesse they are most often so and it is most suitable to that humble and penitent frame of heart that should be in a deserted soul to judge himself smitten and forsaken of God for his sin but sometimes they are cautional and sometimes probational Posit 6 Be rather industrious how to procure the Spirits returne when he is withdrawn then to pore upon thy misery in the Spirits absence It is the fault of many Christians they rest contented in fruitlesse and doleful complaints of their losse but do not put forth industrious indeavours to recover what they have lost It was not enough for Joshua to lie upon his face at the defeat at Ai Joshua 7.10.11 but he must stand upon his feet and finde out the cause and endeavour to make up the breach There are some professors who by whining and complaining think to excuse their idlenesse and spiritual sloth Thou hast lost the Spirit do not so much pore upon thy losse as to think what thou must do to recover the Spirit again Which that thou mayest do follow these directions 1. Cleanse thy conscience from the allowance of any known sinne make thy heart clean and so fit for Christ and his Spirit will come unto thee let thy heart be like that roome Christ came to eat the Passeover in Luke 22.12 an upper roome a furnished roome and a swept roome let thy heart be prepared and swept with the besome of sanctified grace from the allowance of sinne and this will be a means for thee to recover the Spirit again 2. Go unto God by prayer which is the universal remedy for all spiritual distempers Is any among you afflicted let him pray saith the Apostle James James 5.13 Let the affliction be what it will prayer will be a means to deliver thee Prayer is injoyned by God as a means to receive the Spirit of God Luke 11.13 And it will speed because it is Gods ordinance 3. Do not only pray but bewaile thy condition in prayer Spread thy complaints before the Lord and say Lord how is my heart a cage of uncleane birds a receptacle for sinne and the devil This is the best that my heart is now fit for I who once had my graces fresh and floâ—…ishing how are they now like the withered grasse on the house-toppe that once had the imbraces of an everlasting arme but now am I forsaken of the Spirit I was once like a field whom God had blessed and like unto the Cedars of Lebanon casting forth my roots and pleasant branches But now I am as a tree of the forrest which brings forth nothing I once was as a fruitful vine in the vineyard of Christ but now am like unto the mountains of Gilboa upon whom neither the rain nor the dew falls thus bewaile thy self in the presence of the Lord and it may be when he sees thee with tears in thy eyes and thy petitions in thy hand he may returne unto thee Though he hath forsaken thee yet he will not forget thee though he hath cast thee down yet he will not cast thee off for ever He will not cast away his people if thou forsakest not him labour therefore by prayers and tears to recover thy fall Position 7 Look upon it as a more grievous judgement to have the sanctified and sanctifying motions of the Spirit withdrawn then to have the comforts of the Spirit withheld This is a fault among many Christians especially among those who are troubled in conscience all their complaints are for want of assurance and comfort and I do not know whether Christ be mine or no into this channel all their sorrow and grief runnes And therefore it is much to be feared that rather self-love then love to Christ is the ground of many such complaints as many make when they say they are deserted whereas it is a more sad judgement if thou wantest the quickening and exciting motions of the Spirit then if thou wantest the witnesse and comforts of the Spirit it 's more sad to have the Spirits gracious motions with-held then to have the Spirits comforts withdrawn Position 8 Another position is this that the common gifts of the Spirit may be imparted when the saving gifts of the Spirit may be with-held It was thus with many in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.7 The Apostle tells them They came behinde in no gifts 1. Cor. 3.1 and yet as to grace he tells you they were carnal and walked as men Position 9 Consider that the Spirit in its motions and workings may be really withdrawn from a man when he in his own apprehensions thinks he fully enjoys them It may be with a man in this case as with Sampson it was told him that the Philistines were upon him Judges 16.20 and he aworke out of sleep and said I will go out as at other times before and shake my self and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him He knew not that his strength was gone Thus you may be left of the Spirit and you may not know it and the reason is partly because the departures of the Spirit are gradual You cannot discerne a mans growth because he grows by little and little As it is with our natural growth so is it also with our spiritual decayes and partly because the heart is very deceitfull and carelesse and negligent to search and try how it is with the soul And therefore let this lie upon your thoughts you may have the Spirit in its motions withdrawn from you when yet in your apprehensions you may be perswaded that you possesse them Application of the Doctrine by way of consolation I shall conclude this point with a few words of comfort lest peradventure there may be some which may be troubled and perplexed about what I have delivered concerning the withdrawings of Gods Spirit Vse 1 Thou Oh Christian who complainest that the Spirit is withdrawn from thee remember this though the Spirit be withdrawn yet it is but a gradual not a total
the Scripture which forbids that we should do evil Rom. 3.8 Job 13.7 that good may come thereon Will ye talk wickedly for God and deal deceitfully for him and if upon pretence of good we may commit evil by the same rule Judas his treason may be excused because of the great good coming by Christs death But let me tell you farther that if you sin that good may come thereby it is the way to lose the good you aime at It is very remarkable concerning Saul being to pursue the Philistines he gave out a very cruell and harsh command 1 Sam. 14.24 he commanded the people and bound them under an oath that they should not eat a bit of meat untill evening that he might be avenged of his enemies Sauls pretence was good but using an unlawful means the people became feeble and faint for food who otherwise might have obtained afar more glorious victory When men therefore shall use sinfull means for the obtaining of good it is just with God to disappoint them of the good they aime at 7. And lastly thy corrupt heart will tell thee though thou may'st not boldly act sin yet thou may'st safely venture on the occasion of sinne and yet be preserved Thus Peters heart deceived him he would go into the high Priests Hall venture upon the occasion of sin thinking that he should not be taken in it And thus the Israelites they would marry strange wives and this was an occasion whereby at last they fell to worship strange gods keep off therefore from the occasion of sin Solomon hath a good saying Can a man tread upon fire and not be burned his meaning is that a man cannot keep company with a harlot and be chast running upon the occasions of sinne brings to the acting of sin you will not venture upon ice or slippery places because of the occasion of falling and if you desire to be freed of the one be not bold to venter upon the other Vse 1 You that carry flesh and blood about with you and sinfull natures and do perceive the conflicts of the flesh against the Spirit weigh with your selves what it is the flesh conflicts with you for it is no lesse then for your immortall soules as the Apostle Peter tells you 1 Peter 2.11 I beseech you sayes he as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul The flesh aimes to damne the soul It is in this conflict as Cesar said in the battel he had once in Africa with the children and partakers of Pompey that in other battels he was wont to fight for glory but there and then he was faine to fight for his life remember thy precious soul lyes at stake in this combate therefore I beseech you take part with Gods Spirit against the flesh and not with the flesh against the Spirit Vse 2 When thou art overtaken with sinne blame none but thy own heart blame neither God nor the Devil 1. Not God for he made man upright Eccles 7.29 he gave a pure and unspotted soul to man but they have sought out many inventions therefore blame thy own self James 1.13,14 Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his owne lust and inticed 2. Blame not the Devil it is naturall to men to take off the blame from their own vicious natures when they fall into sin and to lay all upon the Devill but if you observe the Scripture you shall never finde that a godly man did ever lay the blame upon the Devil after he fell into sin It is true Adam and Eve did but there was some reason for that because they had no sinful nature to tempt them but after being fallen their sinful nature did tempt them not the Devil It is said of David that Satan stood up and provoked him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 but David he doth not say so himself Vers 8. but sayes he I have sinned greatly and I have done very foolishly David he charges his own heart and the reason is because the heart of man hath a greater stroak in provoking a man to sin then the Devil hath alas what could the Devil do if we had not a sinful inclination within The Devil when he came to tempt Christ he found no matter in him to fasten upon him and therefore he could not prevaile The Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me said Christ But 't is otherwise with us temptations meet with corruptions that do suit them The Devil when he comes to thee thy heart it is as flax among fire or as gunpowder which having a spark of fire in it is suddenly blown up therefore blame not the Devil but thine own heart neither the Devil nor the world could hate thee were it not for thine own heart which like a false Trayter lodgeth within thy breast and betrayes the soul to the snares and temptations of the Devil Sermon XIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 22. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to give you the properties of this enmity and of this conflict and there are nine or ten qualities of this enemy corrupt nature 1. The flesh it is a potent enemy against the Spirit it is no weak enemy but it 's strong and therefore sayes the Apostle Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reigne in your mortal bodies In the unregenerate the flesh is as a mighty Monarch which rules without controule the flesh the power or a Law over them And in the regenerate sin is an usurping tyrant which gets a great deal of the Beleevers soul into his hands Rom. 7.14 Paul complaines that he was sold under sin though after his regeneration he did not sell himself to work wickednesse yet he was taken captive by the flesh as by a powerful and prevailing adversary and as conquerors sell their prisoners so was Paul Divines do usually compare corrupt nature to great Goliah and grace to little David Goliah had more strength yet David gets the victory though corruption be potent yet grace in the end will get the victory The potency of the flesh may appear by these demonstrations 1. By the names which in Scripture are attributed to corrupt nature 2 Cor 10.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is called a strong hold a man may easily win an ordinary dwelling house but it is hard taking a strong hold Rom. 7.23 It is called a Law The Law of sin it hath that power over the soul as the Law hath over the subjects of a Kingdome it is said to reigne having the power that a Prince hath over his people 2. It appeares to be potent by that mighty power which must be
the best 3. In regard of constitution the flesh hath a great advantage corruption is more suitable to thy nature then grace grace it is above nature but sin it is in nature and with nature the way of grace is all up the hill the way to heaven is against both wind and tyde so is not corruption for that is favoured by both therefore watch your hearts upon this consideration Vse 3 Break out in the praise of God that being corrupt nature hath so many evil properties yet that thou hast no more evil practices It is a mercy that from such a mischievous root there should come no more poysonful fruit if God should let alone the Devil and thy own heart and leave thee to thy own inclinations there would be no sin committed by any man which thou also wouldst not commit thou wouldst be an incarnate devil blesse God therefore that thy practices do not carry correspondence with thy disposition and that thy life is not as bad as thy heart 2. Blesse God for other men It is a wonder that wicked men having no new nature to oppose the old nature that they do no more evil in the world it is God which layes a curbe upon and restraines their wicked natures If God did not restraine the wickednesse of the wicked the world had long ago been overwhelmed in confusion through the exorbitancy of their wicked practices Vse 4 If it be so that corrupt nature hath all these properties then be humbled in the sense of thy corrupt nature notwithstanding thou may'st be endowed with many excellent gifts and graces yet be humbled on this ground that though thou hast a divine nature yet thou hast also a corrupt nature which is alwayes opposing it As it is with the Peacock though it hath the finest feathers of any bird on earth yet it hath foule feet and as the Swan though it is of the whitest colour yet it hath a black skin and black feet So thou who art white or innocent in thy life yet remember thou hast a black skin and foule feet sinful affections and vicious motions which arise from a corrupted nature There are these considerations to provoke us to remember and to be watchful against corrupt nature in us 1. It is a sad consideration to provoke us to humility and watchfulness that thou hast as much evil in thy heart as the worst man living upon earth 2. It is ancient in us it was in us before we were borne before thou waft in the world sin was in thy nature for assoon as ever thou hadst life thou hadst sin 3. This corruption of nature it will be continually with us while we live in the world Our bodies are compared to earthen vessels and the Scripture tells you that the leprosie of a vessel of earth if any unclean thing were put into it all the washing and scouring that could be should not make it clean Levit. 11.35 Chap. 15.12 but it must be broken so it is with thee the vessel of thy body must be broken before thy corruption can be done away 4. This corruption it is that which doth easily beset thee Motions of sin in thy nature they are like sparkes of fire in a heap of flax Heb. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they easily take with thy nature and put thee upon the acting of evil and therefore from hence be perswaded to a strict and diligent watchfulnesse over thy own heart Sermon XIV At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 24. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to a fourth Quere and that is why or for what reason is it that in regenerate men God should suffer corrupt nature thus to war with the Spirit Why doth not God deal with us in our regeneration as he did in creation make us perfect This is a question worth discussing God loves no sinne and yet he suffers all the sinnes that are and this Masse of sinne this one sinne which vertually is every sinne For answer hereto I shall lay down five Reasons First Corruption of nature is left remaining even in regenerate men to humble them even as it was with the Israelites in the wildernesse when they were stung with fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15,16 it was to humble them So we whil'st we are in the wildernesse of this world have a corrupt nature alwayes cleaving to us wherewith we are stung and this fiery Serpent of sinne should humble us before the Lord. God hath so ordered it in nature that creatures of the greatest excellency should have some manifest deformity if we look either among birds or beasts Among birds the Peacock a bird of the finest feathers yet it hath the foulest seet the Swan a bird of the whitest feathers yet of the blackest skin The Eagle a bird of the quickest sight and of the highest flight yet the most ravenous among birds Among beasts the Lion the most goodliest of all beasts yet the most fierce and cruel The Fox it is most subtile yet is a creature of the foulest smell Thus God hath ordained even in nature and thus it is with his own people in respect of grace though they may have many excellent endowments and gifts yet he leaves this corruption in them to humble them James 4.8,10 That of the Apostle James is observable Chap. 4. having spoken in the eight Verse of corrupt nature in the next Verse but one he exhorts men to be humbled to note that the consideration of a corrupt heart should be an incitement to humiliation It was a saying of Master Fax that his graces hurt him more then his sinnes which riddle he expounded thus that many times he was proud of his gifts and graces but humbled by reason of sinne The Apostle Paul after he had those extraordinary Revelations There was given him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.7 It is true this Text is variously expounded Some expounding this thorne in the flesh to be the sinne of lust and incontinency But this cannot be because he affirmes of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morbus acutus that he had the gift of continency Others say that it was a bodily disease and that it was the Sciatica or Gowt or some exquisite paine in his body but the current of Interpreters vary from all these expounding it to be corrupt nature and the thorne in the flesh to be some sharp temptation and motion to sin which did arise from the corruption of his nature and the remainders of lust But then it will be objected how can corrupt nature be called the messenger of Satan To this Divines answer that it is called so not as if it were a temptation from the devil
rebuke a man for sin of nature 2. Natural conscience as it doth not reach to sin of nature so neither to the nature of sin My meaning is this natural conscience it never conflicts against the nature of sin but only against the punishment of sin it rebukes not a man for sin under this consideration that it is against a holy God and contrary to a holy and pure Law it is the punishment of sin and not the nature of sin which natural conscience relucts at not because sin defiles the soul but because sin destroyes the soul not because sin blots out the image of God but because sin keeps men that they shall not see the face of God not because God hates sin but because God punisheth sin But the regenerate they do not only through the Spirit conflict with the sin of their nature but with the nature of their sin with their sin not as destroying their soules but as defiling their soules not as tormenting the conscience but as polluting the conscience not as damning the soul but polluting the heart A natural man may be afraid of sin as a childe is afraid of a fire-stick not that it feares to handle it because it will colly his hands but because it will scorch his fingers It is a main difference for a childe of God would abstain from sin because of God not only because of hell The godly would not offend against the purity holinesse authority and goodnesse of God and therefore abstaines from sin The natural man as Augustine saith metuit ardere non metuit peccare is afraid to burn in hell but is not afraid to sin 3. Natural conscience may conflict with sinne yet it comes farre short of the Spirits conflict because it reaches only to open and grosse sins not to secret and small evils Cursing it is so execrable an evill that a mans own heart wil tel him of it Eccles 7.22 as the wise man sayes Oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast cursed others natural conscience will not so often check thee for secret and bosome-sins as spiritual pride wandring thoughts in holy duties and emptinesse of minde but a renewed conscience when the Spirit of God comes by it to convince of sin it reaches to secret sins it reaches to the very motions is well as to actions and thus it was with the Apostle Paul sayes he Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 whilest original sin did work but in its motions before they were acted the Apostle was sensible of them And so Hezekiah a good man it is said that he humbled himself for the pride of his heart for the lifting up of his heart as in that no man could accuse him of These are the differences between the conflict which natural conscience hath against sin and that conflict which the Spirit hath against corruption Vse 1 If this be so that the Spirit doth as well lust against the flesh as the flesh against the Spirit in regenerate men Then first see the reason why regenerate men do not live so sinfully as the wicked do It is not as if good men had better natures then bad men for the best man on earth yea the most glorious Saint in heaven had as bad a nature as the worst man on earth The true reason is this because a godly man hath the Spirit to warre against the flesh he hath the Spirit to conflict with corruption Gal 5.16 and therefore he acts not sin as wicked men do If ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1 John 3.9 and according to this is that of the Apostle John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God He cannot sin it is not to be taken absolutely but comparatively he shall not sin after that manner and in that measure with those circumstances as the wicked do because they are born of God have a seed of grace remaining in them this is the reason why godly men live not as the wicked do The godly have another kinde of spirit in them then the meer natural man hath he hath the Spirit of Christ whereas the other hath only the spirit of the world Vse 2 Learn to blesse God seeing thou hast so bad a nature that thou hast the Spirit within thee which is able to suppresse the workings of corrupt nature All you that are begotten again by the immortal seed of the Word that have the Spirit to keep under your corruption what evill would you not do and what good would you not leave undone if the Spirit were but withheld from you what will that man be that wants the Spirit will he not be an habitation for swarms of lusts and a cage for every unclean bird if thy heart be not a storehouse for the Spirit it will be a workhouse for the devil if it be not Christs garden wherein he sowes the seed of grace it will be the devils seminary wherein nothing but sin will thrive and grow oh therefore blesse God seeing thou hast such an evill heart that thou hast the motions of the Spirit to warre against the motions of the flesh 3. Pray unto God that his Spirit may do its office in thee thou needest not pray thy heart to tempt thee to sin but the Spirit needs intreaty to do its office in thy heart do thou every day put up that request of David Lord withhold not thy Spirit from me seeing every day I have sinful motions let me every day have the motions of thy Spirit seeing every day Satan perswades me to sin let thy Spirit every day perswade me to good Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to the third difference touching this conflict A third difference Of this conflict in an unregenerate and a regenerate person and that is in regard of time concerning which there are these particulars to be handled 1. The time when this conflict begins 2. The time of its continuance 3. The time how often this conflict comes 1. The conflict between natural conscience and sinne may begin assoon as ever a man hath light of nature whilst a man is in an unregenerate estate Rom. 2.14 The Apostle tells you that the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law that is natural conscience it carries the force of a Law with it and hath power over them so that they shall not break out into many evils contrary to natures light so that the time when a natural conscience may conflict against sin may be whilest a man is in the
of my corrupt nature whilest I was a Pharisee I did not then see nor know my selfe to be so vile and sinful as now I do and so when light breaks into the soul those sins appeared which lay hid and those which seemed but as motes now appeare beames and those which seemed as little as gnats now appeare as bigge as Camels 2. It may proceed from a more gracious and tender sincerity in thy conscience then there was in times past In former time thy conscience was hard seared and senselesse fighting against the sense of sinne but now God hath melted and mollified it God hath made thy conscience to be not as seared but as raw flesh godly men may complain of corruption and think they have more then ever they had but it is because they are more tender and more sensible When a man hath hurt his finger he thinks he doth never so much touch it as then and this ariseth from the tendernesse of the part so God having made thy heart a broken and a soft heart therefore the corruption of thy heart is more felt then before Prov. 7 2◠Sin to a wicked man is as a blow on the back but sin to a godly man is as a blow upon the eye 3. Consider this though you discern the corruptions of your nature and see more of it then ever you saw before yet be confidently assured of this that thou shalt have the final victory To this purpose I may accommodate that passage concerning Rebecca who having conceived the children strugled together within her and she said Lord Why am I thus And the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy womb that is the rise of two Nations Gen. 25.22,23 Esau and Jacob two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the ether and the elder shall serve the younger Whence mark 1. It is said There was two manner of people in her womb and these separated Thus is Sin and Grace 2. The one is said to be stronger then the other that is the posterity of Esau they shall be stronger fot a while then the Israelites Numb 22.18 for they did defeat them once but now what is the comfort Why The elder shall serve the younger and so it came to passe that the Edomites did serve the Israelites 2 Sam. 8.14 1 Kings 22 47. Obad. 8.17,18 Thus I may say as of Esau and Jacob Corruption of nature is stronger then Grace in many good men and it is elder then grace but here is your comfort The elder shall serve the younger Grace shall get the final victory Direction 3 I inferre hence that though you are not to be discouraged considering this corruption yet you are greatly to be humbled in the sense of this contrariety that is in your natures against grace If you had onely a disability as to grace it were matter of humiliation for you if you had onely an opposition against grace that would be cause of more humiliation but having an utter contrariety against grace here is greater cause for you to be humbled A carnal minde is not onely an enemy to God but enmity it selfe What the Spirit perswades to that the flesh disswades from Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what the Spirit wills that the flesh wills and therefore you have great cause of humiliation 4. Learn to reduce all actual sins that have broke out in your lives to their original that is to this contrariety of nature Thou dost not sin because the devill tempts thee nor because thou art in bad company but because thou hast a corrupt nature It is a saying of a learned Divine that a Christian hath many enemies to fight withall but he hath onely one which overcomes grace and that is the flesh Were it not for corruption within all temptations would be no other to thee then they were unto Christ the Tempter came to him but he found nothing in him his temptations were but as a spark of fire cast into the sea but the devil comes to thee and the world comes to thee and they find fit matter in thee a suitablenes in thy nature to fall into and close with the temptation and therefore reduce actual sin to its original thus Paul did It is no more I that sins sayes he but who doth he blame Rom 7.20 not the devil nor the world but sin that dwelleth in me that is an evill and corrupt nature it is my corrrupt nature which drawes me to evill and hinders me from good and if you would thus reduce your sinne to its original what cause of sorrow and debasement would it give unto you It is said of David that the devil moved him to number the people but he doth not charge it upon the devil 1 Chr. 21.1 2 Sam. 24.10 but upon himself and sayes he I have sinned and I have done foolishly we are all transgressours from the womb Complain not of the evill that is in thy life but charge it upon thy corrupt nature and thus also David in another place Isai 48.8 he duces those two great evils of murther and adultery to the corruption of his nature and sayes he I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me And thus Augustine in his Confessions Psal 51.5 when he confesseth how he robbed an Orchard he saith neither hunger nor want of the fruit he stole for he had better at home but it was meerly to gratifie corrupt nature 5. If there be contrariety in thy nature against grace oh then do not joyn in with this contrariety against the Spirit wouldst thou joyn with an enemy this contrariety why is it in thee is it not to damne and destroy thy soule 1 Pet. 2.11 therefore sayes the Apostle Abstain from fleshly lusts because they warre against the soule the flesh strives to damne you but the Spirit strives to save you therefore do not take part with thy enemy Yet how many men are there that joyn with the corrupt motions of their hearts when they prompt them to evill and how unreasonable is this the Apostle tells us that We are not debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh Rom. 8.12 as if he should say You owe nothing to corrupt nature and why will you yield thereunto It is honesty in every man to pay his debts But you owe nothing to corrupt nature but you are Debtors to the Spirit and if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live Therefore indulge not the flesh or as the same Apostle speakes Make no provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 If an enemy come into your houses will you victual his camp will you send in Armes to an enemy to destroy you this is that which men do when they joyn with the flesh against the Spirit By how much any man makes provision for the flesh by