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V E R T \

AND RELj

Gentleman, RJ

Knight lev;

ftome nitnerto, wno were deputed bVtl)< Author to this ferrte, j to inferibc U de4p.e j the' {everal 1 : «.**^ag ^: Wefcwf^ ^Si

;bme or other of his " - 3" •

proof. idelity

truflt repofed in us, and ipe;

of the Authours great abiliti-. ,., xiA if in

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not w

may he i I life in i chara&e

wc 'S53* nd feiallEpiftte, a man do ex-, ^ K ^reprint upon the paper fome

inisfc-Sk i?c, he doth it much more | rmi^flc ifl. adied excrcifes, wherein h- &nf&t but conceive his memory may i 1 [\^Zd Tome puft of himfelfe be kept a-i iiv ^ cc all poftcrity.

^mn emnis mortar y becaufe \ think his Poem ferennl I -hat time it felfe would .vJure: how much more drawes himfelfe unto the all Dye, and writes (uch „e- not fubjeft to decay and | ^lfli J For all flefnU grafje, anda^he glory of wan as the flower ofgraffe : the graffe Tbi-Vhereth y and the flower falleth away , but the Hpo>, of the Lord endureth for eyer : and this \ is tlyori\ vhichby the GpfptU is preached

"^ou % iPrt.t.24, *5-

-~£; m* hath deafed Hod tn

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prune ana | fpeciall!

TheEftftle Ttedicatorie.

!

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fpecialt manner to entitle .$,»• $m$

and to Tend them out r *\* o .

under the covert and fnadoW^I , -%y

name. - '?}' 4

For feeing it pkM$ :^ er ^'pf chooie your habitation ^ ^ && lav ud his f theri > , " >' *■ ^

off and lay up his (ther/ > fU declining body, why '(he^[^ proper and convenient/^JCend thefe livin and furviving peeces of his fouje* for to t-tend it ? considering cfpecia^ e Vow muh j his body heretofore had -waited j 0 ^ \ ( foule, which otherwife, inhumane fa] bilirie, might ftill have beene alive. cae ^

Neither is there any doubt, but;^ f . ?J gorous and ufefull breathings of i D| ^ r;( f will find accefle and entertainment^ ^ ere his languid, and at laft, his breathlei, |^| dy did. Efpecially thefe whicfy-^ r f ap , properly be counted Ais ? than any thnig that hitherto hath ik^ ^ ***** wee dare be bola to A none ^otocixidid my thourtothelifc. .<|

Thofe that dkf eirir^laio%

i

I

-4-

The Spiftle Vedicatorie,

pi errand"*^vemuA andM^ntly :_.ti^i2s, (hall find theie three

l>^

,[ e e occurring.

I U

$| pcclTclfh Stf^ fi nnt , c ^ c freencffc of K t^ U bi^c^^ of duty, which in 0-1 ' - ,^ herein .$ Mattered and fparklingl \j ^ \ieca« ; ' are ^ erc co ^ e( ^ e( ^ un dcr -r 'Vacls j^S^J handled fo profefledly aidcleaidy, as^whing more concerning tern can be defired. Inchefi'" ^eche danger and deformity

:C J isofherfelfe, as thofe virgins were °^^JfXid?d y VeHt.2\. 11,11,13. Bwi tofliaVe

* at \ • rt y/£/;er mother, that is, her natural!

t^t^ rc d evils and corruptions.

I jj 'Vie fecond 3 is the glorious firetnefle of

<t> r*or£, r Chtift, receiving thi-s dejeded

^ u hOS fed captiveunto faveur,and,witk

\$& : are, - kf*^ ** jjj£ reaching forth thcr

love arvd mercy tt

nardon &nd forgive-

, ;K ititithng alfo ok her

Sjfor $*hing* are htrs y Tbfet r/;*r

■ ■,.

TheEpiJlleVedicatorie. \

Taut, or Apollos, or (jphas, or *'-•« ^fyl<J)**i life, er death, or things pre fen 1 ° ; , v come, all are hers, becattfe (h nadov*^ al ^

\*t ' o

r *v % \

In the third the fulnb §M her Ju<~ . preft upon her, for, the grace of God ■ *M' C bringeth falvation y doth no foomr appeare to a~ nyman y butitteachetbto deny ungoilinejjk mi worldly lufis y And to live foberly y righteouJly y andgodlyin this pre/ent world y Tit.t. ir, u. that as before Ahajmrm had the virgins purified that were to approach his bed, with various and coftly powders and perfumes, Heft.i. u 3 &c fo Ghrift, when once the foule is faithfully efpoufed unto him, perfumes and wafheiher in his moft precious bloud, and beautifies her wkh variety of graces 3 ttat he may prefent her to himfelfe agio* rious Spoufe, not having fpot or wrinkle>or any fuch thing, but that Jhe JhouU be holy , and without blame, Eph.5.17. JP?> : '' ,* A

And now what reftprcjall fa? 7s- that Treatifes crave fliado*^ ^ptefle ti^ rom you,nayowneyou for tat.'.: 1? Doth

not the low and humble pofi&rl ir bf your

mind

ij^ad^z/'s you unto the firft? your high |) $ . r free grace, unto the fecond ?--- and

| «£ c^ nd fpotlcffe carriage,to the third.* ! /JuL^g to ;uft a title (befides other ingage-lV-/^iO by this tb-refold clayme, 'tis but ju-' /tec to call your name upon it; and, by your acceptance of it, *you (hall fhew friendfhip «> this Pofthume, ancLefpecially oblige

Your already much obliged, and Engaged ,

¥~

Th om asGoodwin-Thomas Ball 0

THE >«g& &

GO L DE W

SCEPTER.

2 Ch RON.7. 14.

// my peofle which are called by my name, /ball humble themselves, andfray >andfeeke my face, and turn from their wicked w ayes : then willIheare in heaven, and will bee merctfuU to their fin, and will heale their land.

Hefe words containe the an-iwcr God gave to Salomons Prayer, which hee mad^tf/hen hee dedicated the 7 J emple : His Prayer was,that when they pray, ed on earth, hee fhould heare in heaven: And God promifeth in the words I have readtodo all that Salemnzsteth : which pro-mife containes three parts. firfl, That heeVould heare in heaven, which

B phrafe

Godafflifts his ou>ne People.

phrafe notes out either his power, that he is able to bring to pafTe what he affents to doe 5 menarefaid to heare on earth, becaufe they can doe little ; but God in heaven; or elfe it implies, that though hee f^mes to be f arre off from his people, yea though Sr^vsven, yet he will heare at laft.

•' h£ Second part is, that he will far don their fins, f (:£k is of all other mercies the greateft, for fin hinders all good things,and openeth a gap to all evills, and therefore David faith, Bleffediftheman, rvhofe fin is forgiven: of all rcquefts it is the greateft that wee can make, and of all grants the greateft that Godvouchfafeth.

Thirdly^Httvillhealetheir landed remove their affli&ion: Now obferve the order of this, in that before he doth it,he pardons their fin.

Now this promifc is farther fet forth by two things.

Firft y the perfonstowhomitismade$ the people of Ifraeland ludah, notified by two attributes; Firft they are his people; Secondly, called by his name, or on whom his name is called, as the name of the husband is called upon the wife, orofthe/i tber upon the fmnes ^id as they in Antioch, and we are called Chrijlianlixom Chii st,

Secondly, the conditions this promife is made upon, for it is the Lords manner to put promifes upon conditions.

Firft, if they bee humbled, and humble them-fclves.

Secondly, if that humiliation, bee not contained

within the compaffeof their brefts onely, but ex-

pre/Ted

God affliBs his owne *Peoph

prcfled by prayer and confeffion of fins.

Thirdly , if they fieke my face, feekc to bee recon* ciledjfeeke his prcfence as feparated from all things elfe, not feeking Corne, Wine, Oyle, but G <£ d himfelfe. fiK^j

Fourthly, if they part with their fins in feeMti^ ■ for they cannot maintaine Communion with EiL^ elfe, for Cod dwels in light, and he who walkes in darkenede, can have m fellow (hip with him. And thus you have the Analyfis of the words 5 wee in handling them will not ufc this method, but begin with the words as theylye> and will obferve firft thefe three Do&rines from thefe words.

If my people called by my 2£ame

Flrfi, God fends fharpe affli&ions on his owne people: this appeares by the Coherence,forin the words before the text , If Ifendplague, &c. thenif my people, 6>cc.

Secondly, that yet in them the Lord is very tender and full of companion to his people; this loving compilation {my people"] argues as much, it isastf hefhould fay, I cannot forget you, for you are called by my Name, you are mine, though I thus ^punifh you.

Thirdly, that the Lords ^me is called upon his people. For the firjt , the Script&re is frequenun examples of this kind, foas I fliallnot need to ftand to name any places to you, they are fo well knewne already. I come to reafons of it, why it isfo.

B2 Firft

God afflitts bis owne People.

Firfl, he fends fliarpe afflictions on them becaufe Jte4/.x» k c loves them, they arefuch as belong to him, and I the ground of this reafon is, becaufe, Ira eft tarn ex amorequam ex odio ; Anger is as much out of love as /i?&?d 3 it is a true rule though it may fecme a para-^becaufe when one loves another, jjheedefires X :.*ch Bom the party beloved and expects mudi trom him*, and therefore a croffe and ftubbornc action from fuch a one provokes more to anger, than from ary other man • as from a Son, from a Friend, from a Wife, kwoundethmore 5 and therefore God faL'iof himfelfe,that he \%z]eaUus God: lea-loufie is a mixt affe<5tion of love and anger,the meaning is, if I find my peoples affedtion dealing out from me, I am prefently affected, as a jealous huf-jband ufeth to be in fuch a cafe, and there is no an-(ger to that, nor none fooner ftirred : God will in--dure ten times as much from another,but when one that he hath taken into covenant with him, offends him, he is angry, andwillthereforebefuretofend fome fliarpe affliction on him, which is the fruit of his anger, for his anger is not in vaine.

Secondly , hee doth it that his Name might not bee hl&QhemedyXh&t was the reafon he gives, whyhec punifKed r 'P4i//W when he committed adultery, Br the Lord muft of neceffity doe it for their fakes that ftand by and looke on, to fliew to them that he can -not indure fuch things, no not inhis owne people.

Thirdly ', becaufe tit hath faid, that he will be fan-ttified of all that draw neereto b?m y hc will have them know that he is anholy God, hating iniquity « 3 and chat none (hould draw nigh to him, but fuch as have

holy

God af(lifts his owne People.

holy hcarts,and pure hands: and this was the reafon why he did fend fire upon Corah , Batban andAbi-ram 5 Tie Lord hatbfeparafedyou, and you draw neare to bimfelfefoith Mofes ro them, and that in the near-eft manner to doe ferviceas Priefts to offer Sacrifice, and you are among the heads of the pec^syi and therefore he will not forbeare you, others th| ; ' arc afarre off (it may bee) God will long and fafe* forbeare, but others that are fan&ified to the Lord, and draw neare to him in profeflionandinthco-pinion of others, and alfofo indeed, of thole God will either bee fancftified by their bringing holy j hearts before him, or elfe he will vindicates ho-1 lincffc by punifliingthem, and will not fufferthem to go on with prophane hearts.

Fourthly, becaufe they are bis peopleamongwbm hee mikes , and with whom he dwels, 2 Cor.6. and the three laft verfes, and the beginning of thefe-venth Chapter/ie is converfant among them • But you will fay, is foe not everywhere elfe t yes, but he is there as a man is in his owne houfe, among his fons and daughters, obferving every thing, looking narrowly to thcm a and becaufe he is ftill with (hem, therefore hee will endure no uncleanncfle^ni^^ them: thence it was that in the Campe he a ?S leaded every man to carry his paddle with Aim, when he went afide to bury it, that no outward filthified mightappeare, £otlwalkeamongyou y *heedidit,t6 fliew by that which is odious to us, that wee fhould hide what is odious to him, namely fin, andfilthi-neffe, which caufed him to loath his houfe, to loath Ifrael: when Ifrael was fo unfwept and fo filthy, B 3 God

5

Num. i*J $

Ffil

The Golden Scepter htid forth,

God loathed it and fo departed from it, and (o A[a-hel came upon them. God will bee fure to plow his owne ground, whatfoever becomes of the waft, to weede his owne Garden, though the reft of the vttjfld fliould be let alone, to grow mid. \ T, ^ut you will objeft and lay, that the Saints wee ME* often (inland affli&ions doe not follow. 1 I anfwer, it may be and doth fall out often, and the reafons is becaufe God ffndes his woike done to his hand. If they plow themfelve^yp, God will not, but if we do it by halves (as that is our fault we leave many balkes behinde us) then God alwaies comes with affli&ions, yet then the leflfe thnt you leave behind unplowed, the lefle will Godaffiift you: if you humble your felves throughly, you (hall efcape, except only in the cafe of fcandall,and then God muft needs do it for their fakes that looke on, as in David, God would have all the world fee hispuniftimentonhim, as well as they knew of his fihne, but this comfort you may have though you have greatly finned, ( if not fcandaloufly) that humble your felves throughly, and you (hall e-fcape. |. ^ n ?r ie fr° m hence to feare the Lord, to tremble 1 atl?^>»rds, and feeing he will endure no unclean-I aefijb in' his pwne pcop le, ftand in aw and fin not: irj^our to brhg youtheartstofuchaconftitution, to fuch an awfull refpeS as to fearc to omit any good duty, or commit theieaftfinne, and this had need to be urged upon you, for it is the caufe of all chat laxkure and ioofeneffe in ourprofcfilon, that we doe not feare the Lord as we (hould. If we had

the

Healing for the Land.

the feareof rhe Lord before our eyes (astheApo-ftlcs fpeakes Rom.3 •) that is,if we faw the Lord fo as to feare him 3 we fhould vvalke warily and look how, and where wee fet every ftep, and the reafon why you are fo uneven and not like y our felves, is from want of the feare of the Lord : Now the reafor^ that phrafc of the Jpoftle that the feare of God is fafc; ; j to bee before your eyes is from the nature of fear*-; Timor fgit oculum, as if a man bee bufie about any thing,if there be any thing that he feares,he wil ftill have an eye to that, and he watcheth lead it (hould come with fome by blow, when he thinks not of it, and fo doth the feare of the Lord worjke where it i$> it faftneth our eyes on him : And if the Lord were thus before our eyes to feare him, it would make us walke more evenly and more conftantly with him. And therefore when the holy Ghoft in Scripture would chufe to commend a man, he Angles out this propertie, efpecially of fearing God, as that lob was an ufright man fearing God, and fo fpca'king of Cornelius, it is faid that hee was, a jnft man fearing God, and fo Abraham when hee would expreflfc the wickednefTeof the Court of Abimelech, hefayev the feare of the Lord is not in this place,that is, thare is r J no religion nor good men, God is not reg'hded there, and the more feare, thtkttcfm,ftdndiftawe and finne not. If a man ftand in awe of the Lordhc would be afraid of every fin, he would be afraid of vaine thoughts, to bee vaine in his fpeeches and to give way totheleaft wickedneffe, afraid of every inordinate affefiion, hee would be afraid how hee fpentthe time from morning till night, and how to

Godafflidsbisoyrne People*

i*

give an account thereof, afraid of recreations, leaft he fhouid fleepe too much, or flcepc too little, eate too much, or eate too little, as knowing all is but to whet the fithetomake him the fitter for his harveft worke, and therefore would be afraid to forbeare j#4%fh*nents too much or to ufc them too little* I P jLcech you therefore that are in Covenant with jctae Lord,and neareft to him, that know your felves to bee within the Covenant, to confider this and learnc to feare. And to helpe you in this,take two ! places of Scripture, I Feui* 7* If you cation the Father whojudgeth without rejpetf of per/ins, according to every mans mrke>pa(fe thetime of your fijourning here in feare $ that is, feeing you have fuch a Father that ludgeth every perfon, all his children, he will ccr-tainely affiift you if you offend him ? Therefore fearetodoit. Theotheris, #*£. 12.28,19. Letm ferve him with all reverence and godly feare, for even our God is a confumingfre£our God J whom we worship is not made all of mercy, he hath other Attributes joyned with them, to you he is a confumngfr^ If you will pot ferve him with fcare,though not immediately to confume you utterly, yet to afflift \ ycu^nd thereby to confume your lufts* fo as it is a dang rbus thing to be negligent of him, to meddle witli him who is a confuming fire. ^How fliarply did God dealewithDrft//^ who was yet nearer him than any of us $ firft he tooke a-1 way the child from him,which to him was a fliarpe affli&ion, he being a tender Father, and had a ftrong affedion to his lite, as appeares by his faftings, and the like heehad to Abfolon, who yet was a Rcbell againft

God affli&s hk oTtrne People.

agatoft him; and then to have almoft all the people to fall from him, when he was an old King, to have Concubines abufed fo openly, and the fword never to depart from his houfe $ all thefe fate clofe to him, went nearchis foule,befides his (hame,to have his fin difcovered to all the world, as appeared j^ Pfitl. 51. Have not wee caufe then to fpend our tm ,; in feare, if hee dealt thus with David*, and doe rxk fay,that though he dealt thus with David offending of him, that yet he will not doe thus with me, for is he not a Father that judgeth all his fonnes, and that without reffefl of perfons, as the ApoHle faith f Consider alfo what hedidto/^and2te£*tftfforcon. fuking and agreeing to get the blefling by a lye, for though the thing (hee went about was good and they had a warrant for it, and cheir end was goods yet they ufed ill meanes (a lye J. But God met with them both for it, lacob was therefore put to live twenty yeares from his Mothers houfe ( whereas hefhould have ftaid Gods lcifure, and not have beene too hafty for the accomplifliment of that promife,for he that believeth doth not make hafte: and fo God promifeth riches and all good thrn/r* to his children, as much as they can defireibut iV: | - j muft not make hafte,that is their fault) and when';.' wascommitig homeagaine, what a feare was he$jl put to from Mfatt, that lye of his beingthe caufe n $ their falling out! and how did Rebecca alfo for as i r that while want the comfort of a fonne (hee loved? * and had noneto live with but Efatt t And fo CMofes was dearer to God than any man upon earth, hee never fpake with any face to face as with him, yet

he

Qtre for JQngdomes, or y

he would have flainehiminthelnne, fornotcir-cumcifing his Child, and alfobecaufe of that other fin at the waters of Meriba, hechufethanaffli&ion for him, wherein heraoftof all crofled his defires denying him to goe into the Land of Cana4n,\t may T: fonic fmall affli&ion in (hew as this feemed to " which yet pincheth forely, and fome great af-ion on the contrary in bulke to others,that is I not fo to him that bearcs it; And thus healfo deales with Eli, a zealous man (would any of us were fo in thefe dayes) for when newes was brought that his fonnes were dead, and many of the people flaine, he was not fo much troubled at that, as that the Arke of the Lord was taken, and this amazed him fo as that he fell backward and brake his necke: you fee the holineffe of the man, yet becaufe he had preferred his fonnes before the Lord, did not governe them well, God did not onely thus take away his life, and of his fonnes, but the Priefthood alfo from his houfe for ever, and have not wee all caufe to feare then f How did hee deale with the good Prophet thatwasflainebyaLion, his fault that he be-i*eved another mansr word, pretending that he had i y w s Word, when hee had Gods Word exprefly J ^fv§n to himfelfe, this finne was as the fin of Eve |hdiobeleeved the Divels word, when flie had Gods > -ford exprefly, and therefore let us when we have IrThe Word of the Lord ftickc clofe to ic. And fo I'however hee deale wi:h Gideon a worthy man •reckoned up amongth'ofe worthies, Hcb. n. yet I when he made an Ephodftz what judgement f el upon I his children, ludg. p. and ail his houfeAvas cut off.

Thefe

To an humbled People.

Thcfe examples are ufcfull foryoutoconfider, that you might know and feare the Lord, and the want of this is the caufe of this remiflhefle and loof-neflc iaour profeffion, and that we doe not fo con-fider our waies. Saint Paul was an holy man, and one that ftood in neerc termes wich -Iefits drift, y> & feared exceedingly, a Cor. j a Wee knowing t he u , rour of the Lordper/wade men s And lob that was very exaft in his life,which appeares by the 31. Chap, which Chapter is nothing elfe but an expreflion of the manner of his carriage, which was very exa& 3 verfe2j. hegivesthisasareafon, the funlftmenu of the Lord mre a terronr to me, and fo in the 2. verfe the reafon why he would not give liberty to his eys to looke on a Maid, was for that hec confider<?di what portion then (ball 1 have with the Almighty f and this f earc of the Lord is needfull at this time, when God hath difcovered himfelfe to be angry with the Land, which is not onely for the groffe finnes of wicked men, but the finnes of the Saints alfo ; It is yourcoldneflejremiireneffe and laxitude. I have two grounds for it, firft in the Revel, 2. becaufe Efbefm was fallen from her fir ft love, therefore he would remove her Candlefticie, that is, the whole ChurcKf-mongthem, carry them into Captivity, £ovJ J; ^k -, not fee by the CandleBicke how only the MiniS) ! j (hould be ment; and fo in the Rev.3. becaufe Lal\ eta was neither hot nor celd$ therfore will I fpue tr+i outof my mouth, God would endure them nolo# gcr, and therefore you that thinks your eftates they beft, even you have had a hand in this plague, you j thinkc that other mens finnes, the finnes of wicked

men!

11

t

God afflitts his owne People.

men arc the caufe of it, but Gad he knoweth, that chey cannot pray and have no life in them, as you have s and though their finncs alfo be a caufe, and a mainecaufc, as appeares by the K^immtts^ whofe finnes when full, God puniflied $ yet I fay they are rours alfo: And therefore, when there is an evident y^ne, that God hath acontroverfie with a King-dome and the Churches, and a figne of his wrath is proclamed from heaven, then every man muft doe fomething 5 now feare the Lord,be zealous, repent and doe your firft workes, begin now to mend your I pace to heaven 1 and yet would onely there were a | want of zcale among you, yea is it not in difgrace, is not a zealous man hooted at, as an Owle among us* this place, the excellency of it is exceedingly a-bated and eclipfed, the zeale of it is withered, the Lord is departed from u&j learne to bee more zealous, and God will returne and caufe you to flourifli againe 5 for when God lookes upon a people, it is with them as with the earth in fpriog time, and when befdeparts from them, they are as withered trees in winter, and where now is the zeale of for-mer times, the Communion of Saints, the heating /j*A whetting of one another, bymutuall exhorta--{ \4yi'i% 5 where is the boldnefle for the Lord ? Thofe I fl6uy prayers, thofe former times are gone, the light I > thofe times remaine, but not the heate, as alfo if 5^e iooke backe upon that Generation of Queene I Qiizafab 5 how arc we changed! they were zealous, ovt here is another generation come in their roorae, )■ that is dead, and cold, and yet we have their light, I but ignis qui in illis call Jus, in nbis lucidus tantum.

But,

God affliBs his owne People.

3 5

But, I befeech you, that you would now begin to ftirrc up your felves,efpecially in thefe times of fading, when there muftbee an extraordinary renew- j ing of a mans covenant with God, that you would 1 not oow be fo cold,and fo dilute as you have beene$ and feeing you have that you would have, and have ' defired long publike dayes of humiliation, that you j would labour to fpend them with all care and dili- j gence and quickncfTe of fpirit, and to confider that the maineis to bee done at home with your felves, for the end of thefe dayes is, that you may be humbled, which you will never bee, till you confider your particular finnes, get up early in the morning, j for then your fpirits are quicke 3 and fo you will have a long time before you come to the congregation, and get you all that while alone, and confider your particular finnes, and the holy duties you negled, and renew your repentance, and enter into covenant; j and then when you come hkher youfliallfindethe word to have another manner of working upon yo'jj ^ than it hath ordinarily.

If God be thus ready to puniih his own children, and that thus ftiarpely, it fhewes the finne of thofe that are fearele/fe and carelefle, which provoker.h God exceedingly, Zacb.%. 15. / am very fore dif- \ f leafed with the carelejfe heAthcn, the heathens ha J finnes enow befides to anger the Lord, yet this, finne did it above other finnes, and it is not to bee wondred at thatitfhould,foritisarukin Philofo-phy, and moft true, that of all things that which provoketh a man moft, is contempt, in fo much that AriHotU maketh it the onely caufe of anger,though

therein

_i

*4

God ajflitts his owne People.

therein he is deceived, yet it is the maine 5 we ufe to hynon refpondere pre convitio eft 9 it is a figne of contempt not to anfwer againe, as when a man is chidden and flricken, & nonrefponden to goe by,asif hee tooke no notice of ic at Gods hand,this is contempt. |And thus a Father when he is angry with his fon, or a Mafter with his fervant, how hainoufly doth hee take it! And fo God who now hath difcovered his wrath to the whole Land , and to every particular man in it, this negled of him will caufe his wrath to wax hot againft us, but yet for the land in general! wee have caufe to hope that his wrath doth not fo, but that God takes it well at ourhands, that we are thus publickly affembled: but let mce fay this, though, to every particular man, though God fpare the Kingdome, yet if thou negledt him and bee carelefle, it will goe the worfe with thee however. In the 50. Tfalme when hee hadexprefled great threatnings in the former verfes 5 hee concludes with this, Confiderthis , 0 ally te that forget God I you that minde him not, leaft hee teareyou in peeces, and there hee none to deliver yon: and fo in the Prophet Jeremy 5. 12,13,14.verfes, becaufeyou ffay that bis words are but rvinde , theyjhallbe at fir e^ and bf&t as drie wood, and they Jhalt devour eyoti. This is Hie great fault of men, that they are ready to feare f flings which they fhould not feare, the creatures, poverty and difcredit, but are backward to feare the Lord.

God fayes of the Church Rev^.u. Fearenot the things thou jhalt fiffer 5 what all the world feares, that doc not you feare , feare not the things you

fliall

j

GodaffliEls bis Qfkme&eopk.

15

(hall fuffer, thofc things you ought not to feare, but feare thofe things you fhould doe, and who is a-fraid of them, leaft hec fhould provoke God in them? And foChrift faith, feare not men, no, not thofe that have power of life and death ( if wee fhould feare any, it fhould be them) remember that was the commendation of Mofes , hee feared not the wrath of Pharaoh^ when you place your feare thus amifife, it becomes a fnare to you -, for it makes your hearts bufie upon the creatures, when they ought to be fc-t upon the Lord •, but when your feare is placed upon God j it doth exceedingly helpe you, nothing more: to give you an inftance or two, you fhall finde Da-^//exceedingly ftruckewith the feare of the Lord, when Ziglag was burnt ; no accident ever fo amazed j him: when hee fled before Abfolon % hzt bore it much better,yet that feare helped al/or it fet him a worke to pray; (olehofhapbats feare did alfo helpe him, when he heard of a great Army comming againft him,it fet him on worke to pray,and fo turned away the ludgement: and therefore things that you fo feare, when your feare is placed on God 3 feldome cometo pa(Te,for that fets men on worke to prevent them, whereas evill fearebrings the.thing with it. Saul feared the Armies of the fhiliflines exceedingly , that made him feeke to the Witch, and this wrought his overthrow which hee feared: fo lero-boam feared theloffe of his Kingdome,and that feare made him fet up the Calves which loft him his Kingdome indeed $ learne therefore to feare the Lord: nothing brings a ludgement fo much as the want of feare, iecurky is the next doore co a Iudge-l ment.

\6

God ajfliBs his owne People*

menr. Lachijh was a fecurc people, and when the Army came againft them, they and their City fell as Figgs from a tree that are ripe, fadid they fall in their enemies mouths, fecurity is a fore-runner to every mans lodgement, Efij 66.i. To him that f eares wee } faith God y and trembles at my words , to him mill koke to keep* him fife y if not, I willnegle&himas much as hee mee, 1 will have no eye to lave him, as hee hath no eye/to mee to caufe him to feare and tremble. But you wil fay,ho w may I bring my heart to feare the Lord? Ianfwer, firftpray to the Lord to ftrike your hearts with afeareofhim, his the the worke of <70^ to bring the feare of himfelfe up* on us, for it is hee that brings the feare of one man upon another, hee brought a feare upon all the Na-{tions of the Land, when the people of Ifrael entered J Canaan, much more the feare of himfelfe 3 for the affe&ions are fuch things as the Lord onely can meddle with, and therefore the Apoftle faith, Ton are taught of the Lord to love one another.

It muft be the Lord t that muft put in fuch an affection into you, for his teaching is planting the affe-fiions, and lo he is faid to teach other creatures, that is , to give this or that inclination, and fo the Lord is faid to fajhion the hearts of men • and then they cannot chnfe but feare him: therefore goe to the Lord, and fay, Lord I am not able to feare thee: and fay , Lord thou haftpromifed to give the Holy Ghoft to thofe that aske it of thee, that worketh e-very grace: if you would feekc him fo, and feeke him importunately, though you had thefecureft hardeft heart of any in the world, hee would at „__ length

God affliBs his owne Fepple.

length teach you to feare him. Jer. 40. / will plant my feare in pur hearts , that they [hall not depart from me. Thus you fee that God takes the doing of this to himfelfe,it muft be of his planting, and hee hath promiicd alfo you fee to doe it.

This is not all, but there is fomething wee muft doeourfclvesi

Therefore fecondly, obferve the Lords dealing with his, learne to know him in his way es, and that wil be a meanes to caufe thee to feare him : if any of his children finne, he never lets them goe, for then fliould they thrive in evilly and profper in finne 3 but if they will bee medling, they (hall beefure to ffnde fome bitternefic in the end. When a mans heart is fet upon the creatures, there being thornes in them all, and therefore if hee will grafpetoo much of them, or too hard, hee (hall findeit: Gods children arc trained up fo to it, that God will not let them goeaway with a finne; if they bee too a-dulteroufly affc&ed, they fhall finde a croffeinfuch a thing: you may obferve this, in the 30 Pfalme* there you may fee thecircle God goes in with his children $ David had many affli&ions, as appeareth by the 5 ver fe,/ cryed, and then God returned to me^and joy came: what did David then i Ifaidin my hearty I fhall never bee rentooved: his heart grew wanton, but God would not let him goe away fo, God turned a, way his face againe ^ and I was troubled. At the 7 verfe*. hee is you fee,, in trouble againe, well, David cryes I . againe, at the 8 and 10 verfes, and then God turned his mourning into joy againe. And this to be his dea ling, you fhallfindeitin all the Scriptures a but be;

C caufe

%

17

z

$

rH

God Afflifii bis owne People.

caufc we find this his dealing fet fo clofe together in this Pfhlme, therefore I name it. Therefore obfervc the wayes of the Lord to you, and they that are not acquainted with thefe his wayes , as yet in themfelves/ee what he bach done to others in al. the world y in our neighbour Churches: when hee hacf given a bill of divorce to Ifrael, yet Iudah had not feared :now when God hath ftrucken our neighbour Churches, doe you thinke he will take it well, if we be idle fpe&ators* therefore when he hath ftric-ken another place, learne to feare.

If hee afflifts his owne children thus iliarply, let them looke to themfelves, that are not his ; whether they bcegrofle finners ,prophane perfons,of whom there is no queftion $ or mere civill men, and formal profeflbrs, in whom there is no power of grace: if hee bee thus hot againft his owne Church, his anger will bee feven times hotter againft you: it may bee longer deferred as his manner is , yet when hee ftrikes hee will ftrikeyou in the roote , not in the branches] and that fo as he will not Strike the feeond time : Confider that in the 50 Pfalme , \\\zxhemtl { teare you inpeeces • and you that are prophane ones, I let mee fay to you, as 1 Cor 10,22. Doe you provoke the Lord to anger 1 are you flronger than hee f Thofe that lye in open prophanenes, and doe fight openly againft the Lord , and have noc fo much as a fhew f^of turning ^ you and thofe that arc meerely civill, and yet lye in fecret finnes \ that yetareinhcahh, wealth and credit in the world • it isafignethat God mcanes them no good, hee would not let hisj owne Garden goe fo long unplowed.

And

1

/

God af{lilts bis owneficople.

And in the fecond place for profeffors , that doe not anfwer their profcffion in their lives, take heed, for bee that is not withmee is againft mee $ it may bee thou art no enemie, not very ftirring in any evill way , but becaufe thou art not with God in good earneft, becaufe your hearts are not perfe<5l 3 at the laft day you will be found againft him, Chri st will come againft you in good earned as an enemie $ and whereas all your hope lyes, that God is merci-full and Chri s t a Saviour, learneto know that this lefts* > whom you hope tobeefavedby , will prove the fharpeft enemie againft you, Kijfe the Son left beebeeangry: theSonnemaybeeangry, ashee who in Revel. 2. hath his eyes like aflame of fire , and his feete like fine braffc to tread you to powder 5 hec (hall come againft you that are formall: and knowi that Iefus Chrift is not onely a Saviour, but a Lord; that he came into the world tobe a Prince, and the government is upon bis (boulders; you forget that part of his office,halftheend for which Chrift came into the world, and if you would know what kind of Governor he is.Ex.i$. a 1 dmlfendmy angel withym (faith God) that is Chrift, beware ofhim,andobey bis V0yce,&provoke him not,for my name is in him. he is of the fame fpiritand difpofition with his Father, and, they are both alike affe&cd to finne-,bewareof him, he goes along with you, and he will not /pare you, fortheLord hath put al the government upon him. Let itnotfeeme ftrange, that he hath orfhould deale thus with his Churches abroad 5 what though the Candlefticke be removed out of the Palatinate, becaufe they were luke-warme, and hlncfrom their

C2 fir ft

\

Gods Qompafiion, to his people inaffliBion.

Di&a

fir (I love ? what if he (hould doe it in France ? what if in England? in the Low- countries ? fhould it feeme ftrangetous? It is His manner fo to doc 5 Hee removed ludah and Ierufalem often out of their places; wee (hould not bee offended at it, if hee doth, or if hee fhould doc thus with us,'as thinking that it is a figne that our religionis not the true religion, and that hee doth not love his Churches 5 yes thofe hee loves moft hee fooneft affli&s, for luctgtment muft begin at the houfeofGod^ that is, heelookeson all the world, as on Europe now, and where he feeth his houfe is, there hee beginneth with them, for hee is to ufe others to afflift them $ and therefore he be-ginnes with than firft. Amos.i.i.Yeu have 1knowne of all the Nations, therefore will I ajflt&ycu fooneft and frequentlieft, though not more deeply than o-thers; for though the Church bee brought under water, yet (hee (hall rife againe, I fpeeke this, be-caufe men are fub jeft to be offended at it, And Bel* Urmine I remember, makes that an argument, that theirs is the Church,becaufe they have had fo many vi&ories againft theProteftants, and our Church hath bin ever and anon downe, but by that argument the captivity (hould not have lighted upon ludah'sy but upon Nebuchadnezzar* people.

The fecond Doctrine was, that Though God fend very flurpe affliBims upon bis ownepeople, yet therein his kindnejfe and companions are exceeding great to-wards them : hecalsthem you fee here, my people , as if he fhould have faid, youaremi{ie, and I cannot forget you; a man loves that which is his owne, much-more God, who is all love. And this Do-

&rine

Gods Qompapion^to his people in-affliEHon*

<5hine had need to bee added to the former.

Now the reafons and demonftrarions of this are three.

Becaufe he is exceeding flow to afflid, and exceeding long about it, ere he do's begin> and therefore he makes many offers often before he does ir, as one that could finde in his heart not to doe it at all. FfaL 78.38. It is faid, hee icing fullofcowpaf [ton firgave thetr iniqnity, ye a mAny a time did hee caII backe his Anger : when his hand was up,and he giving theblowe, heeealled it backeagaine, as one that could not finde in his heart to doe it 5 and when hee did it, hee did net Jlirre up All his MAth • hee W fall fomc droppes of it, but would not fhed tip whole fhower of it ^ and hee giveth the reafon Jf both, (ox they Are but flejh^ andindeed his primary fcope is to (hew mercy, and that hee affii&s , is but upon occafion; and therefore hee is provoked, and provoked much before hee doth it 5 As the Bee to give hony, it is naturall to it, but it flings but by occafion when it is provoked 5 and this wee feetobee true in G o d by experience, who fuffers men, and fuffers them long, they continue in their finncs, and yet hee continues his mercies, and with-holds his Judgements.

His companion is (hewn in fufteyning them in their affli&ions,and in helping them in the mid'ft of them 3 VAmel 11 .33. 34. when his people fhouldf a/I bytheSmrd,Aftdby the fame &zc. it is faid they fliould bee hoipen with a little helpe, that is,fo much as would fuftaine them, beare them up : the like wee have ZAcb. 13. p. / mil bring a third p Art through the fire , J C 3 and

1

God's CoMptfion jo bis P e *pk m affli&ion. \

and they fliall come out refined,as Gold and Silver

is refined, loofc nothing but their droiTe,fo as hec

would fuftaine them , hold them up. And this hee

doth by doing of two things, " by moderating

their affi'&ion , 2 by fo framing and fafhioning

their hearts , foasthey (hall be^able to bearc them.

Hee moderates them ; they are Still tn meafure^

I and not beyond their ftrcngth, Revel. 2.10. faith

Chrift to the Church of Smyrna , Feare mne of thofe

things which thou (habfiffkr 5 behold Sathanjha/lcaft.

fome of you intoprijon , that you way bee tried , and you

j jhall\havetribulations ten dayes; as if hee (hould have

faid ,1 wilmoderatethis perfecutionjind do meafure

jat; the time to you, but ten dayes and no more 5 and

J t.i refore feare not:fo as you (hall not have fo much

j as Sathan would, for hee would never give over;

I nor fo little as you would, for then you (hould not

I be affli&cd at all. If you aske now what it is to be

j afflided in meafure i I anfwer, ifaffli&ions/^y*

upon his children as to caufe them to p^c forth their

hands to wickedncfle, then it is above meafure, but

\ if fo as they never fret nor faint under it, it is not :

I now he hath promifed,that he wil fo accommodate

\ afflidions, as they (hall not workc f o with his peo-

ole, Pfalm.ii'y. 3. The rod of the wicked (hall not reft

', upon the lot of the righuotts, leajl hee put forth his hand

■ to iniquity 5 it fliall not bee fo long asto caufe a dif-

i temper inthefpiritofthem y fo as they (hould not

i carry them(elves in a meeke manner under it : I

j meane not fo, but that at the firft it miycaufea

buttling in their fpirits, as it did in i*£,when it grew

' fliarpe, and hee fpake unadvifedly, yetnotafub-

ftamiall

t God's (jompafiionjto bis people in afflittim*

ftanciaH difquiet, hcecame to himfelfe againe. To thispurpofelettheP/i/wenp. 3,4. bee compared with the former, God compares there the affl'ft-er$ of his people *0 flowersJet to plow bis ground^thz Babylonians and all the other enemies were but Gods plovvers ) now they fhould not doc it, as to doc them any hurt, no more than for his advantage and his Churches, they fhould not goe a foote further, for then God cuts their cords infnnder^ and when the traces are cut, then the plow ftands flilL, goes not a jot further, let the horfes doe what they will.

The fecond way of fuftaining them is, in that he Co fafhioneth their hearts, as they fhall be able v/dl to beare it s and then though it be great, if they have (Irength to beare it, it is the leflTej A great burthen on a ftrong mans fhouldcrs, is no more than a fmall one on a weake mans. Wee oft wonder that God (hould lay fo great affli&ions on his children, but wee doe not fee their inward ftrength and ability they have to beare them*

Now firft he fafliioneth their hearts to pray, and not to murmurc, and the greateft affli&ion it is nothing if they can but pray, in**w.8.2d.thatisone comfort brought in among the reft, that fweetneth our affli&ions, that the Spirit belpeth our infirmities, and teacheth us to pray.

He frameth their hearts to re pent, and that they fliould not finneagainfthim, and if finne bee not mingled with an affli&ion, it is not bitter, if a good confeience bee joynedwithit: forthenitisheavie, when it falls upon the (houlder out of joynr, or up-on the fore place, and therefore S. Paul he cared not

C4 for

H

Gods Qompafiion x .tQ bis people inafflittion.

for death or the prifon, bccaufe hee had a chart confcknce, all his afflictions were nothing to him, for hee bars, them with a whole fhoulder ; finne wounds the foule, and then affli&ion dropped in, caufeth fmart.

Hee frames their hearts to patience, and fo that kcepes their fpirit whole, fo as they pofTefle their foules, and themfelves : as on the contrary impatience takes the foule off the hinges, puts it out of it felfe : but whileft a mans fpirit is itrong and it felfe, it will beare its infirmities, but when impatient, it will beare nothing ; when therefore affi. dionsare thus mingled with prayers, and repen-tance,and a good confeience and patience, it is eafie to beare them, and it is God mingles their cup thus. And -:s Chrift faid, {hall n$t I drinke ef> the Cup rvbich my Father hath mingled ? although the cup be bitter, yet the ingredients he puts in it, makes it fweete, God mingles acup to them in another manner to them and to others j See how hee mingled a cup to i^dhitophel) it was no great thing in it felfe,it was but that difparagementin the rejection of his counfell, yet fuch an ingredient was put in, fuch an jipprehenfionby Gods providence(f or though God was not the author of it, yethefufferedSathanto doe it) as that it brake his heart,and he hanged him-felfe. See the contrary in David, when Ziglag was burnt,a great ; and fuddaine affliction, yet hee bare it well, for he had comfort from the Lord, an ingredient with it which encouraged him in God,and fo when he fted before Ahfalom his owa fbnne, a great and bitter affliction, yet he bare it with fuch a mind,

as

Gods (ompajiion, to his people inaffliftion,

as if he had beene in his bed afleepe, asappeares by the third PfalmiyV/hkh was made upon that occafi-on, when tenne thoufand were encamped againft him ;yet heefeared no more, then if he had had never an enemy in the world* / wittU) mu dome and flttpe y &c.

Thirdly;, his compaffibn is ffiewn in bringing them through, and giving them a good iflfue and comfortable fruit of all 5 as appeares by that place of Zacba.13.9* Heecarried them through the fire, and fined them thereby as Gold, led them out, and caufed them tolofenothingbuttheirdrofTejoras the Wheat lofeth nothing in the winnowing, Ht the chaffc. There is an excellent place for t & purpofe in Efiy 27. 8. In meafure in the branches thereof thou wilt debate with it (fofome read it.; God promifeth in the former part that Ifrael fho uld grow like a fruicfull tree, and flourifh 5 and though he affli&ed them, yet it (hould hot be fo, as hee af-flifteth others, hath hee fmitten him, ashefmote thofe that fmote him 1 no, hcefmotctheminthe root, bat him in the branches, fo as he (hould grow the more by it; God compares himfelfe to a man that loppeth his tree,but medleth not with the root or body of the tree, but wfth the branches onely,'J and that juft fo farre as neede was, and where they (hould bee cut, a»d that infeafon,and at the juft time, that it may grow the more 5 for this is to doe it in meafure: and this is no more than necefTary to make the tree flioot the more s and it were fpoylcd, if hee did not dcale thus with it. Now hee fmites others at fuch atime* as they are moft unfit for it,

and

Anfw.

i

and that in the roote, fo as hce caufeth them to wither, they are loofers by it; as appeares by that wicked King lor am, 2 King. 6. 33. This evill is of the Lord, andrvhatjhonldl write on the Lord any Ion* gerfand by thdt of Ahtz,, 2 cbron. 28.22, &C Then in time ofdiftrejfe Ahab jet trejpajfedmorc againfl the Lord: this was that King Ah ax,, this was the end of thataffMion.

But fome good foulc will object and fay, I doe notfinde this fruit of my affli£ions.

It may be thou doeft notf or the prcfent ,• but ftay a little till God hath made an end, and thou (halt fee that affliction which thou thoughtcft moft ^rpe, and for which thou faweft no reafon,and by tfttfch for a while y on fa w you got no good 5 yet when the Lord hath made an end and put all together, then I fay thou (halt find thy wor ft takings, thy worft condition profitable and ufefull to thee 5 In the time of winter when the trees wither, an un-wife man would wonder to fee fucha fpoile, but when the fpring comes, you know the benefit of it $ you (hould not have had fuch a fpring but for fuch a winter: and fo thofe varieties of affii&ions and crofles which God leads thee through, thofe fins, thofe puttings backe whichwethinkecannoway Dee advantagious to us, they ever in the end will bring forth a fpring time, for all things workc together for good Iudge not by one particular, but ftay till God hath put all together, and thou (halt fee it is for good. Thence it is that Saint Umes would have us, Umes 1.2. when we fall into divers tempationi, to count it exceeding great joy, that is, bee

doth|

Gods companion, to bis people in affliBion,

17

doth not fay, when you goe in ftep by ftep, but when you arc precipitated, fall all on the fuddaine, and are plunged into them 5 fothewordintheori-ginall fignifieth. And fecondly, not into one, but into all forts, into divers affi&ions at once 5 affli-&ion in Eftate, Body, Wife, Children, one upon thenecke of another : yet rejoyce, andnotonely fo,but be exceeding glad,as glad as a Merchant man is to fee his (hips come from the Indies laden with riches, and full of treafure $ fobeneficiallfhould they be in the end. Now except they did alwaies bring home fuch treafure, and proved not in the iffue exceeding good and profitable, he could not have defired tj*em thus to rejoyce.

Now if ym\ aske the reafons why it is Co 3 u ; God deales thus with his Children in affii&ions 1 I anfwer out of the text.

Firft fayeshe 3 they are my people, they are his owne, and the^forc hee is full of bowels of com-paffion towards them, as a man is to his own child, becaufc it is hi$,Hof.i 1.8. thou art mine,Jand I cannot deale with thee as with a ftranger, for nrj bo-wells are turned within w,as it is there^when ic came to the cafting away of his child,he cannot do it. So, I Sam. 12.2a. The Lerdwill not forfake yw y for you 1 are his people. Andfoalfo, CMuab.j.iS. who is a god like unto our Cod^ that pardwetb iniquity , and pajfeth bj the tranfgrepon of the remnant of thine he-r it Age ? there lies the reafon $ they are a rcronant 3 they arechofen out of the reft of the world, and to themheeisfomercifull, as there is none like unto him, it would make a man ftand amazed at it.

They

Gods (jmpafiion, to his people in affliBion.

objeft. I

Anfa<

They are a people callcdhy his name : ashechath

Ichofen them to bee his, fo it is taken notice of that they are his,and he hath owned them,liis name isuponthemby profeflion, and therefore heewill (pare them, fir his namefake^ becaufe of them that {land by and take notice of them : forifheefhould deale hardly with them, none would fervehimj for when fervants are hardly dealt withall, who will ferve fuch mafters i And this argument Mofes ufes, Numb. 14. Lordffarethem (Tayeshe) andifit be, but for thy Names fake y for what void all the Nations fay ? that either thou art fuch a God as art un-kind, and wouldeftnot fave them, or a weake God 3 and couldcftnot.

But you will fay, wee fee the contrary by daily experience, wee fee great and fore affii&ions befall Gods people,yea, it may bee fome here of his will fay, they have felt andtafted of great affli&ions.

I anfwer, you may miftakc in afflidions, they a*e not alwayes fuch affii&ions as they fceme to be : for as we fay of the Sunne, Sol non patitur eclipji*, fed videtur Untum patl, the Sunne keepes his light even incclipfes fume and cleare, fo often thofeaf. fli&ions which you thinke great, are nothing at all in themfelves, they fceme fo tousonely : fothe 4pftle, a Cor. 6. wee feerae to bee men forrowfull, yet alwafcs rejoycing, feeme to be poore, but pof-fefling all things, all < was nothing to Paul: for af-fliSion lyes onely in the apprehenfion, and fo many of thofegrievousaifli&ions and tortures which Martyrs and the Children of God enduredthoagh to us they feeme great, yet I am perl waded were nothing to many of them. But

Gods Qompafiion, te hi* people in affliftion:

But thou wilt fay, this is not my cafe 5 I feele, I ^object. am fure the fting of it. I

I anfwer thee,firft,that God layes it not on thee, ^fw. till thou haft neede: the Phy fitian kno w£S the body of the patient better than himfelf e, andthefou'e hath more intricate difeafcs than the body,and hee fees thy fccrct pride, fecurity, &c. it may be when thou feeft them not, as Hezekiah did not 1 fa that when thou feeft no rcafon of fuch a fharpe aflMion as purging phyfickc for thee, he doth and does not adminiftcr it but when there is need.

And fecondiy, he doth not goe* jot beyond thy need j and this will appeare by the'opening of two excellent fimilitudes, Mfay 28. (for all the wits in the world cannot finde out better exprelfions than the Word hath j if we had eyes to fee the glory of them Hromthe24.verfedowneward $ Fn&ydotb the Plowman plow all day tofowe t and open and breake the clods of his ground^ when bee hath m&deplalne the face thereof ? doth he not cafi abroad the fetches f fcat-tor the cummin^ the wheat> andtherle ? for the Lord hath inftruEtedhtm to dot fb. The husbandman hee tells you, plowes not but where he meanes to fowe, I and to have an harveft, and the plowe goes no Ion- ■' ger then till the clods be broken,and fayes he 5 God hath given him this difcretion-, andthereforeihall not God have the fame andtife the fame himfelfe * doeft thou thinke that thou art plowed longer then thou needeft? it is but till the clods, thy ftiffe fpirit bee broken 5 and whereas thou raaieft thinke thy heart foft enough, it may be fo for fome grace, but God hath feeds of all forts to caft in the wheat

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and the rie 5 and that ground which is foft enough for one, is not for another. And againe, fecondly when it comes to harvefl', to fome maturicy,he hath to threfh it with divers kinde of inftrumems (which is the fecond fimilitude) vcr. 27. The Fitches Are not threfked with a thre(hing injirument, neither is the Cart pfheele turned about upon the Cummin^ but they Are beaten out with aftaffc and a rod ; but breadcorne, wheat is brutfed with the wheele, becaufeheefhould not alwaies bee threfhing it. So Godbeholdeth every mans ftrcngth, and knowes what affii&ion is mod fuitable for him, hefindes out a fit inftrument for every graine 3 his end is but to drive thee out of the huske of thy circumcifion, of fome lufts wher-of fome fits more clofe to the heart then o:her : and as the wheat and the huske fits clofer together than in other graines,and therefore the wheele goes over it, and when it is thrcQied enough, and God hath unloofed the heart and the finne, the huske and the wheate, he doth it no longer: now faies he, this is from the Lord } who is wonder full in eomfetl and excellent in working ; and therefore as when you fee an husbandman doe fo with his ground and graine, you judge him a wife man in doing fo, foalfois God therein.

But you will fay 3 for all thefe good words and fetting it forth thus, wee arc fure, and fee and feele by experience, that the Saints alwaies fare as ill as rheworft, when generall afflicftions come, plague, fword, or captivity, they are fwept away by thefe as well as others, and what affli&ions are there, goe through the fonnesof men, that fall not upon the Saints as well as upon others ? For

Cods companion, to his people in afflittion.

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For anfwer,it is truc,thofe Deluges of afflictions which over-whelme whole Countries take away one as well as another, yet there is a difference, as ler. 24. all were carried into the fame captivity by the fame King, but yet they were carried in divers baskets, the bad in one basker, the good in another 5 which fhewes the condition of the one was different from the other: Firft, the Lord knowes the good'figs, his eyes are upon them for good, to fee that no hurt fhould befall them, that was hurt indeed 5 and fecondly, againe he did but fend them into Captivity, as one is feat of an errand, but the other are led as a condemned man to the jailej thirdly, hee would bring them againe, when they had done the bufintffc for which they werefenr, when they had humbled themfelves, fan&iffed his name more ; many the like ends the Lord hath : but the orher he utterly deftroyed,and they never returned.

But will fomc fay, the afflidions thatlerdure are of an extraordinary nature, never any was fo afflicted as I fas the manner of manistocomplaine) there is a peculiarity in mine, and it is not one but many, and thefe for a long time have layen upon mee.

Ianfwcr, it is true, they are often of an extraordinary nature, and there is good reafon for it 5 for a fmall affli&ion would not bring thee home to Gcd, it is not a little head-ach, afcratch withapinthat drives a man to the Phyfitiar^but fuch a difeafe as a man apprehends death in 5 makes a man feeke out for hdpe: and the reafon why $ firft 5 thefe affli&ions are

many

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Gods (jmpafion, to his people in affliction,

many is, l becaufe thou haft many difcafes to bee healed, lufts of divers fores, and thou muft have diverficy of afflictions applycd to them 5 and againe 1 if God fhould not change afflictions, thy affliction would grow familiar; and as Phyfickc when it is made familiar to the body workesnot, fo would not thofe afflictions: and 2 they are alfo often long, becaufe fome finnesftickeclofe j andarenoteafily got off,the ftaine in fome finkes deepcr,and requires a great deale of fcouring. Ban. 11. Many IhallfaU by the Sword\ Ftmine> &c. their trialls were of many kinds and long, that they might bee made white, in. to which yet they fliould not fall nor continue in, if men would bee fcoured and made white fooner. I have flood longer upon this and the opening of it, becaufe either it hath or will bee of much ufe one day to many of us : and feeing we know not what we arerefcrvedfor,itisgoodto treafure up thefc things, that wee may know the wayes of God afore hand, and fobeare what comes the better, for it is ignorance that makes afflictions fo unfupportablc when they come. Wee will come to the ufes.

Learne hence not to bee difcouraged whatfoever thy cafe bee, whether thou haft beene afflicted in name by reproaches, fo as thou thinkeft,thou (halt never get thy credit againe 5 orin body by difcafes, that thou (halt never have thy health againe, orin foule by doubts, that thou art in fuch an eftate that thou fhalt never bee raifed againe, Remember the exceeding greatkindnefleof the Lord, and know ^whatfoever thine afflictions bee, heeisableeafily to icatter them: this I fpeake, becaufe as men in _ - ■_ /, profperity

G ois Companion, U bis people in affliction.

profpericie doe thinke,ic will alwayes continue, a nd to morrow will bee as to day 5 and much more abundant; Co in affii&ion, that ic will never beeothervvife. what unfaithfulnefle is this i are not all times in Cods bands i as David fay & Pfalm. 31. hee that alters the weather , hee that turnes the Winter into Summer: It is a ftormenow, and halfean houre after the Sun fhines $ all in the weacher,fo fuch alterations is God able to make in mens eftates: and comfort thy fclfe with this, it fhall lie no longer on thee, then there is neede, the plaiftcr fhall not lie a jot longer than the fore is a healing. If it were fooner healed > it would fall offfoonersbut then it fhall fall off alone* though'jGmw bet in the evening, yet joy JJjaHcome in the morning 1 becaufe the anger of God never lafteth j but for a while ; and the reafoa is given Mica 7, 8. for mere) fleafeth him: take him alwayes when hee is angry with his children, andthereisbutafhort brunt of it, his conftant courfe is other wife, for mercj fleafetb him: now that which a man delights in hee will bee doing long, hee can hardly bee taken off from it: as ifutgreived him to doe otherwife: when therefore it is long I fay, it is peraccidens, as when thy heart is harder than ordinary • for fome are more ftubborne than others* Ah, but thou wile J fay, this of mine is a great affli&ion, and I know not how it fhould bee helped, unleffc the Lord fliould worke miracles. It may bee it is fo 5 and indeed when God will fend anaffli&ion,allthe world cannot keepe it off, InZacb. u there were fourekornes, did befet the children of lfraeho afflift them, fo as which way foever they went and would have fled,

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one would have met them, whether to the Eafto r to the Weft &c. no way left toefcape, no evafionj for when God will afflict, hce willaffift, andtheie (hall bee no doore to goe out at; elfe it were not an afflt&ion: for what matter is it for a man to bee in a fmoaky hou r e,if he hath a doore to goe out at i but yet what doe th.fc horns fervefor but to pufli thecn home to the Lord < andthough a man cannot fcape them, yet there isthiscomforr, thatthoughxhofe horns be as (h ong as the horns of an Vnicorne,fo as all the world cannot knock them off, yet when they have pufhed them to the Lord, then the Prophet faw 4 Carpenters ,znd wherefore came thofe Carpenters ? to knock off eveiy home, and to caftthem our,fo that every nation was frayed away, that was againft ludah-y not the Afcria»j\ot BabyUnpox none of them left: fothatas when God will afflid a man, nothing canhinderhim,fo alfo when the Lord wil fcatter the affli<5Uonagaine,and will raifea man ,nothing (hall hinder neither, he wil doe it be it never fogreat.Be not difcouraged then : what though the ftorme grow great and violent {■ one word of his mouth I will allay and ftili both ftormes and windes, as in Mark. 5„ one word did it: fo take the moft grievous difcafe that thou haft long lyen under, and which J thou thinkeft thou (halt never recover , yet one word wil rebuke it: take the worft and bittereft and powerfullcft enemy of the Church, fuch as Haman, if God fpeakc but a word to him, as hee did to La-ban, hurt mt this man, hee cannot hurt thee 5 one word of the Lord Icf«* tames them all 5 onely bring faith with thee. Mark. 4.40,41, In the great

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Gods compafitonjo his people inafflittion*

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ftormc why didyoufeare, oh,pu of little faith, (faith Chrift to his Difciples, when they were fo exceed-ingly troubled) as if he had faid,- It is not the great-nefle of this ftorme that breeds thisfearc, but the littlcnefTe of your faith. So when all the people murmured at the red Sea, what was the reafon that Mofes was quiet all that while when they murmured 1 Stay (faith he) a while, and youJhaHfie thefaiva* tionofGod i the reafon of the difference was, Mofes believed 3 they did not.

So as the trouble comes not from the greatneffe oftheaffli^ionjbutthelittlenefTeofyourfaithrwhen therefore affli&ions fhallcome,bee not, bee not dif-couraged , loofe not your felves, but poflefle your felves with patience: keepe thisas a fure conclusion againft all obje<ftions, that God will bee mercifull to his people.

Is the Lord then fo full of pitie and bowells to Fji his owncpeople 1 LearnthoutocometotheLord, when you have offended him : If indeed God had fo hard an heart as would never relent, then when you had finned, you might goefome whitherelfej for comfort 5 but now come againe unto the Lord, as being aflured of good fucceffe : this ufe wee fee made of it by Samuel in the likecafe to tjie people of ifrael. i, Sam. 12. When the people had committed that great finne , wherein as he told them, they had not onely caft away him, but the Lord 5 and God had declared his wrath againft them in ftoims from heaven, in the time of the latter harveft: yet atthe 20. verfe fayth Samuel*, Fearenotjehavedme aS this wickednejfiyet turne not afidefrom\following the

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Gods Companion } to his people inaffliBion.

Lord3 and hce giveth two reafons. i. Becaufeall j other things they would go to ,tvouldnot profit them, they were vaine. Secondly, becaufe that the Lord willnot for fake His peoplefor His great Names fake, be-1 caufe it hath plea fed Him to make you His people • as if he hadfaid, I would not have you leffenthefiane, feeke out excufes (as indeed that is our fault in fuch cafes) no,that is not the way, you have committed a monftrous tranfgreifion, yet forfake not the Lord. Samuel faid th : s, becaufe that which keepes men off from the Lord is difcouragement $ for many a man, if hee had (it may bee) a voice from heaven that would affure him, if he came in, his finnes would be pardoned 51 doe not thinke but they would come in though they love their finncs well $ But the maine thing that keepes them off, is, men doc not thinke God fo ready to receiveand pardon them. Now therefore ( fayes Samuel) you are his people, and the Lord cannot forfake. his owne: let a man have a child of his owne, even when it is young and troublefome j and nothing pleafant in it, yet-becaufe it is his owne, his affections will not off from it,yea his affe&ions will hold on, although when icis growne up, it provokes him an hundred times, becaufe it is his owne. Now if they fhould aske how ic comes topaffe that they are hh? Samuel eels them, becaufe it pleafedhim to make you his people 5 there is no other reafoncanbeegivenofit 3 fo that if any of the children of God looking upon all t he world lying in wickednefft, and fhould aske the reafon why I fhould be in this good condition rather then j they, there is no other then that it pleafed God to I make

make him fo, God loves for no merits., which fhould teach ustolooke out of our felves, leffeinto our hearts inthis cafe, and more to the Attributes of God, to returne in Iercmy 3. God fayes there , It is true indeed, that if you come to any man in the world when his wife hath played the harlot, will hee receive her againe i no, a mans heart in this cafe cannot relent, hee hath not mercy enough, his heart is too narrow, But thou haft played the harlot wan) « time s jet returne to mee 3 faith God; for looke how much larger Gods heart is then a mans, fo much larger are his mercies.

If God bee thus exceeding mercifull andpitti-full, this fhould leade men to repentance: there is that in the thing thatleades you , fo Romans 2.4. when either God expieffeth his mercies towards us by his behaviour and mercifulfdealings with us, or caufeth his Minifters to offer mercies unto us, it leades to repentance. It hath indeed a contrary ef-fed almoft in all in the world $ for whom doe not Gods mercies leade from him rather then to him < but take heede left you turne the grace of God into wan-tonmffe^ which yet men ordinarily doe. The more favour, the more meanes they have enjoyed, the more wanton they grow, that is, the more bold, lofing their refpe&to God ; even as a child is apt to doe when his father carries himfelfekinde towards him, he cannot be2reit 5 he hath not the dif-cretion to confider, that it fhould leade him to obedience, but growes bold and wanton. And you fhould alfo make o this ufe of mercies, that the meditations of them fhould ftirre up your hearts to a

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Gods companion, to his people in affli&ion. i

more kindly forrow for your finnes, to thinke that j you havedefeived co bee cut offlong agoe^and that you have committed fuch finnes, for which many are in hell long fince. God txpe&s this at your hands; and let us make this uf c of it in thefe dayes of humiliation, the maine worke whereof is to humble your fdves; and wee are to labour to humble you,aot only by denouncing Gods judgements, but by cxpreffions of his mercies alfo.

\^i digrefoon concerning Fafling te the occasion.

THere is a double manner of doing this dutie, one wholly pablick, which fliould bee from morning till night in publike by the whole land, that all together might confeffe and humble them-felves for the finnes of it; which is more extraordinary. But fecondly, as for thefe dayes which are kept from weeke toweekethus, it is well ordered, that the time is fo limited for thefe publickexer-cifes,as that there is time lefc for the private: for the bufinefle of particular humiliation goes forward better then, and thefe publicke exercifes tend but to that end, and what is themeanes without the end be attained? that is, that every wanjhould mournt apart: fo Zach.i 2. when it was a bufinefle of mourning, e-very family did it apart ^ and che wives apart .• the wife and the husband are the neareft, and if any (hould bee together, one would thinke they fliould; and yet they muft bee then apart: and the reafon is, becaufe nothing humbleth fo much as particular

finnes

Gods compaftion } to bis people in affliElion*

finnes,thofc wound the heart, which in publicke are not fo much confeffed, but in generall onely j but when you arc every one in private, then you may confider what your lufts, your acftions have beene, and the circumftances of them 5 then you may fearch your hearts and wayes, looke backe and re-fle<ft upon your felvcs* andthatisthemainebufi* nefle and duties of thefe dayes. Some of you it may bee, will fay 5 1 know not how to fpend my^ time in private, when I am from the Church : but confider, haft thou not committed many finnes * confider them, canft thou not fpeakc and confefle them? and fay, Lord I confefTe I have fallen backe into this againc and againe. Butfecondly when you have done this, fceke reconciliation and beg it car-neftly, which the heart will doe when it is touched with the fence of finne, and the enumeration of I them will worke your hearts to it 5 when you fee I the multitudes,thecircumftances, the aggravations of them 5 andbecaufe this is the greatest of all your requefts, therefore you muft bee the moft earneft in ] it; and therefore God doth purpofcly wich-hold j aflurance often, to teach men, what it is to bee reconciled to him 5 and falling ferves to intend your prayers, that they may be the more earneft. Thirdly renew your covenants alfo, confider what finnes you are moft inclined to, and what occafions draw you moft to thofe finnes, and vowagainftthem. Confider what good dueties you have flighted moft, and that your hearts are moft apt to faile in; and promile better obedience. Fourthly,not onely make a promife, but labour to bring your hearts to

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Gods Qompafiion, to his people inaffliftion.

bee willing to leave thofe finnesin good earned, and to performethofe duties 3 and when the heart is ftrongly byaflfed any way, it is no eafie matter to gtt an inward willingnefle -you rauft therefore have much reafoning with your hearts to bring them to ic. Fifthly when they are brought into a gocd temper > they are eafily fubje<5i to beediftempereda-gainej our afk&ions fhoote too farre into worldly bufineffes : yourlove,yourfeare,yourgriefeisfub-je<5l to bee too much in fomc thing, and it is not eafie to bring the foule backe againe $ you muft therefore take a great dcale ofpaines with your hearts.

That which is faid of Minifters, fullones anima-rum, fullersofmens foules, that is every man now to be himfelfe, to wafh out the ftaines of his heart, andjto make his foule whiter, as it is, Van. 11. and that will move God either not to bring affiidions, or to remove them : and therefore denfe your hearts from all pollution of flcjl) andjpirit^ and know that to get ftaines of a decpe die out will coft a great deale ofpaines, you muft fcoure till your foules ake a. gainCj and though it caufe theskinnetocomeoff, and if you do the workc your felves thus, and plow your o wne hearts, God /hall not neede to doe it by affii&ionss therefore doe it, and give not over till you have done it, and have brought your hearts to be throughly humbled for them, for that is a great meanes to doe it. What elfe is the meaning of that in lames 4. clenfe ycxr hearts yeefwners,. &e. but how fliould we doe it, would fome fay t afflift pur felves andmourne, and let your laughter be turned into mourning : be content to fit alone, get out of

company.

Gods Qompafiion, U his people in afflitlion:

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company, and not to take your former liberties 3 and mourne and humble your felves, and do conftantly : for ithr\ox.bomngdownethehehdfor a d*y which God regards 5 buc let forrow idei'n your hearts; it is continuance that Godfegar* doe it, and doc it to purpofe, for the want of this, is the reafon of the coldnefle and remifleneffc in our j profcflion, namely, that we are not throughly and) conftantly humbled, it is the ground of every grace and the growth of it. What feedc isfowneina heart broken in peeces, thrives and profpers, but all inftrudions falling upon an heart not broken will bring forth no fruit. If you were humbled, wee fllouldfinde wonderfull fruit of our Miniftery. Doe this therefore but one day, and you will be the fitter fork the next : forrow fhould bee as a fpring that runnes a long conftantly from day to day. The for-rowesof many are but asland-flouds^and take heed, how the continuance of this duty from weeke to weeke, thus make you flacken your courfe herein, fuffer not your hands to faint. When thefe duties are new., you are apt to do much 5 but when a while continued, to be perfun&ory in them. And let not any man complaine that hee lofeth a dayes worked For is there any worke fo neceffary as the faivati m of the foule 1 neither complaine, that a dayes ftudy is loft, for is there any excellency to the faving image of God ftampt on the heart *

We art hence to bee exhorted to chufe the Lord for our God, whenyouheareheeisfomercifulla God 5 for no man ever ferved the Lord, but he firfl: made choyce of him to be his Mafter. Every man

when

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Gods Qmpaflionfo his people in affliilion.

when hee comes to yearcs of difcretion, and to bee matter of himfelfc, advifeth with himfelfe what courfe he fhould take, whether he fliould ferve God or the world. Now all the Saints of God have made this diftinft choyce ; wee will ferve the Lord, and goe to no other. CMofes when both flood before him, the pleafures of JEgjpt on the one hand, and God and his people with their affli&ions on the other, hee chofe the latter before the former, //*&• 11.25. So D<n//ifaythhedid, lhavechofen the w*y of truth y thy ludgements have I laid before mee, Pfal.119.30. for tochufe, is, when a thing lyes before a man, and he confiders and takes it. So Iofhua, I and mj beufe will ferve the Lord. Now I exhort you, that feeing you are to make fome choyce, that feeing God is fuch a God, fo exceeding mercifull, that you would make this choyce, let him be your God; for what moves a man to make choyce of one courfe of life rather then another i the ground of it is fome happinefle that he fcekes : when men confider what makes moft for their happinefle, that they will chufe.

Now if men were perfwaded that to chufe God were the beft way for happineffe, they could not but chufe him $ and furely if God be fo exceeding kind and mercifull a God, their chiefeft happinefle cannot but be found in him alone 5 and furely there is no husband, no friend fo loving as he, no father fo kindeas he, fo tender hearted 5 hee goes beyond all the fonnes of men, for love and tendernefle and kindnefle : for if there be any kindnefle in any man j or woman, the Lord hath put it in hinou That natural!

Gods companion, to bis people in affliction.

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turall rof>w and affe&ion in Parents, (jrc. is not a drop to that Ocean, not as a beame to the Sunne, to 1 what is in him $ And if the kindneffe in them be an excellency ,then furelyic is in him 5 And if the Lord hath commanded us to be amiable, and fullof * bow-ells Andgoodnejfe, and eafte to be entreat ed y as being a part of that his image, and that holy frame of heart which ought to be in us, is it not then much more in himfelfe < but that I may not urge a bare exhortation without fome reaion 5 Confider how merci-full the Lord hath beene to us, and how gracious he is to them that make choyce of him: for firft hee giveththem the comfort of his prefence, and there is no comfort like that. For joy and comfort is nothing clfc but the agreeablcnelfe of a thing to a mans minde, *pplicAti$ eonvtmentis convtnienti: Now there is nothing that better agreeth with mans minde then the prefence and face of God; for lufts and pleafures are the difeafes of the foule, and the pleafures that agree to them are the deftrudion of it. Befidcs, when thou art reconciled to him, thou art out of all debt and danger, hee will fet thy foule at reft, that was reftieffe before • And befides when thou haft the Lord to be thy God, thou haft oneto whom thou mayeft goe, and unbofome thy felfe, to advife withall, when thou canft not goe to any in the world ; one thou maid fetch comfort from when thou feeft no comfort no where elfe, thou maift runne to him as to a refuge, when thou art overwhelmed with oppofitions, (landers and ill reports 5 and befides all this, and the glory which we fliall have in heaven, confider what there is that ____________ thy

Gods (jimpafiion, to his people in affliction.

thy heart can defire, that hee will not doe for thee 5 if thou haft any bufinefife to doe, God will doe it better for thee,then thou canft for thy felf zjhe Lord workes all our workes in us and for us, Efay 26. 12. Art thou a Scholler, and haft ftudies to bring to perfection * a tradefman, and haft enterprifes to bring topafTe i art in ftraights < he will be entreated of thee to doe all for thee, if thou goe to him, and hee will bring it better to pafle then thou canft wich all thy policy. Againe, Art thou fallen into poverty, into ficknefle, into difgrace 1 thou fhalt findchim exceeding kinde, when thou art fickc,heel will be carefull and watchfullover thee, this David acknowledges, Pfal.3 1.7. / will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy , forthou haft conftderedmy trouble, and haft knorvne my foule in adverftties : when others overlooke and forget thee in adverficy, as the Butler did Iofeph, hee will not, but take care of thee. Againe, if thou beeft perfecuted, and haft enemies to deale with ("as who hath not that livethgodlily?) fo that (as David fay thoi himfelfe) my foule is a-mong Lions - yet thou'fhalt finde God ft and by thee, as hee did by Saint Paul to deliver thee out of the mouth of thofe Liens : thou fhalt finde him to bee as a rocke, as a place of defence, to fliield thee againft them and all their incurfions, fo that all their plots and malice (hall not hurt thee. David had often tryall of God in this. Againe, if thou doeft want any thing, he hath promifed to grant whatfoever thou -fhalt aske. But if thou fhalt fay, I provoke him day by day 5 yet know that he is*cxceeding kind, and will paffe by many infirmities, for hee

knowes

Gods Qompafiion, to bis people in affli&ion,

45

knowes whereof we are made $ one ill turnc cauftth not him, as it doth men, to forget what was done bdotejbc Lord keepctb for h* thefure mercies of David, that is, fuch mercies as the Lord (hewed David, and not to him only, but to all his pofterity,fo as he will not onely be a God to thee 5 whilft living, but when thou art dead, to thy feed alfo. Such a God you fliallfinde him ^therefore take him for your God and for your husband. If men knew him, they would chufe him ; as Saint Paul [aid to Agriffia, I would that thou rvert altogether as 7,that is, if thou did'ft know him as I doe, and his fervice, thou wouldeft not be halfe a Chriltian, but one altogether: doe but try if thou likeft not his fervice, thou mighteft leave ir« But the Saints who have experience of both conditions holding out may be an argument of his kindneffe unto all his: and this alfo (hould move us to chufe him for our matter.

As the other ufe was to thofe without to chufe the Lord, fo this ufe is to all thofe that are already in the covenant, to exhort them to confirme tkeai-felves in their choyce to bee more and more well perf waded of him, that fo they may love the Lord more and more, and cleave fafter to him. One that is married may love her husband well, and yet by feeing more and more the excellencies that are in her husband, fhee may bee more confirmed in her choyce : In all afflidions labour to thinke well of God, and ill of your felves. This was the praife of David^ he aiwaks laboured to extoll God in all, and ftill hold this conclufion, yetGodisgeodtolf-rael: we are apt to faile much this way, we are rei- dy

y[**>

46 I God's Qttnpaflionjo his people in affliBion

dy to thinke tha-t God deales hardly with us and his people : but we mud learnetocorre&tbiser-rour, and to have a good conceit of him, to labour to extoll his mercy. But this we will not doe, till we fee thefc two things: Firft Gods exceeding great kindnefle 5 Secondly, our exceeding rebellions: you lookc onely on Gods dealings, and fo are ready to thinke that God hath dealt hardly with you, but never thinke how abominable your carriages have beene to him. But learne to thinke, that however he is a God full of bowels, even in your word condition, and that you have deferved worfe at his hands, that he is exceeding kinde: labour to thinke of this for your felves and alfo for the Churches. God hath beene mercifull to it in all ages, and is fo ftill $ fo he faith, / have beene her habitation (that isa houle for the Church to dwell fafely in) from one generation to another, from Abrahams time to the time they were in JEgypt, and there I was their habitation, and fo in the wildernefTe, and fo in all the times under the Iudges,and fo to our times,looke on the Church when it was in the worft condition, take the Church of God, even when it deemed to be cutoff, asinthatgreatmaflacrein France, yet then was the Lord an habitation to it, a company was kept alive, that grew greater then the former. So the Church in Quecne Maries time, hefufferd the ftorme to overtake them a little,but it was foonc blowen over, he was an habitation to keepe offthe ftorme from deftroying them, and fo he hath been, and will be to Bohemia and the Palatinate, but fo he hath beene found to be to our Church above all the

reft,

reft, for our Nation hath been like Gideons Fleece ; I when all others about us, have beene wee and wal- J lowed in blond,we have been dry rthcreforelabour \ to fee how good God is, and how bafe we are, and t jke heed ofabufing his kindneffe, left he make this Nauon wet with bloud, when all others fhallb-dry, and we come to have warre, when all the reft have peace : the way tocontinue his favours is to remember them and to humble our felves before him in thankefulneffe. Thus much of this Doctrine.

The next may be this third Dddixmz: The Lords I Bott^ ?iame is ailed upon bis people, that is, they arccal-1 led by his Name: for the opening of this poy nt, we muft know firft, that it is the Lord that putteth his Name upon them 5 for who durft rake this honour, but thofe upon whom the Lord himfelfcpleafeth to beftow it < this is no frmllthing ; where God puts his Name, it brings fomething with it.

So asfecondly, it is not an empty title, Titului fine re, but there is a reality in it 5 for where God gives his Name to any man or people, there he be-ftowes himfelfe, and all he hath is theirs, becaufe they are Gods, iCor.^nlt. As an husband when he beftowes his name upon his wife, thenhealfo giveth himfelfe to her. Now in the Scripture the Lords Name and the Lord himfelfe are put one for another, fo that it is no fmall priviledgetohave the Lords Name called upon us.

And to open this further; let us confider, who chey are yet that are called by anorhcrs name a-mongft men.

Firft,

Redj.

Firft, wives are called by the name of their huf-bands.

Secondly, children by the name of their Parents.

Thirdly, Temples ate called by their names to whom they are dedicated.

Laftly, they that addi& themfelve* to fome man to follow his opinion, are called by his name. As the FUtmfts, ^yiripulUns , Kdmi/ls, &c. from their matters.

In the fame refpe&s, thofc that are called by Gods Name are fuch as arc married to him, and that are borne of him (for they are his children)and all fuch as are his Temples dedicated to his fer-vice. Laftly, all fuch as are addi&ed to follow him, as lojhu* wa*, who faid, / and my houfe mil fcrve the Lord, and as Ucob was, thoujhdlt be my God, and I willferve thee; all thefeare called by the Name of the Lord, and the Lord is called by their names : fo he is called the God of Abraham^ Ifaac, andltcob, &c. fo that it feemes that there is fas it were) a cer-taine match betweene them, a mutual! agreement and relation, as there is betweene a husband and a wife, a father and a fonne 5 fo if thou beeft one who is married to Chrift, and hee hath changed thy heart, and begotten thee anew by his Word, and art dedicated to bis fervice as his Temple $ then thou art called by his Name.

And the onely rcafon of this is, becaufe he hath

chofen thee, there is no other 5 when he caft his

eyes upon all the earth, hechofetheeout, to have

his Name called on thee 3 as it is faid of the Tem-

pie

The Lords Name is called upon bis people.

pleat lerufalewjlmhe chofe that place rather then any othevjoput huName there: and there is the fame reafon why his Name is called upon a whole church 5 as when he looked on Europe, he chofe out the reformed Churches to put his Name there $ and where the Lord puts his Name,therebedwels,fo as the one is put for the other, cither to fay, he chofe a place to dwell in,or that his Name is called upon it, they are all one. There are two places where God dwelleth,//*. 57,15. thus fajth the high andlefty one that inhabit eth eternity wfofe ?{ame is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place,with him alfothat is of a contrite andJrumblefpirit, ejre. The higheft heavens and the loweft hearts are Gods chiefeft dwelling-places. He j hath indeed other places,hedwelleth elfewhere,but in thefe two he manifefteth a peculiarity of his pre-fence, and that peculiarity is of the prefence of his grace and comfort ; for he faith in the fame verfe, to revive the fpirit of the humble ', and to revive the heart of the contrite one 5 hee reveales himfelfeto thefe, and his lecrets, which are hid from all the! reft, and hee fills their hearts with joy and com- j forr.

If-we be fich asbearethe Name of God, then ■ let us learne to be ohedtent unto him, to giveup otir felves unto him ; for fo much is intimated by this, that we are called by his Name, and therefore we J are faid in Scripture to be baptized into the Name of lefus chriji ; that is, we doe by ourbaptilme pro-fefle thus much, that we give our felves to his fer-vice . fortobearehis Name is tobeare ourowne names no more, that is our owne natures no more.

E A

49

vfe t<

Tbt Lords Name is called upon hn people.

A man that is called by the Name of the Lord is no more Sui ]nris, his owne man 3 As a man that giveth hirafelfe to fcrve another, how much he fcrveth himfelfe, (o much he wrongcth that man. And the rcafon why a Wife leaves her owne name, it is to (hew that (lie is to give up her felfc to the obedience of her husband, flie is not miftrefleof herfelfe, not free, (he depends on her husband as the Ivie on the tree, (hec hath no root of her owne to reft on 3 but dependeth on him. So we having taken the Name of the Lord upon us, wee muft thinkc that wc are no longer free, weleave our owne names, we muft have no more root of our fclves, but of the Lord ; wc muft have no will of our owne, his will muft be ours : therefore, yee that bearethe Name of the Lord, let it not be in-profeffion onely, but doe that thing which the Name requirech, that is, follow no more your felves, but follow God. A Wife before had the I name of her father, but when fhe is married, as (he j leaves that name, fo flie leaves father and mother alfo to cleave to her husband 5 if her Parents command one thing, and her husband another, flie leaves her father and mother and cleaves to her huf-band: fo as leaving father and mother, Implies leaving to beare affection to them, in comparifon to her husband, and thus muft yo-j do: to Chrift, as you have it in Luke 14. 2 6. If thou wouldeft be matched to the Lord, thou muft be divorced from all things elfe in the world 5 from every thing that is very neare and deare to thee : father and mother, fonnesand daughters are deare, but you muft A*/*

them

The Lords Ttiameis called upon bis people.

them all for Chrijlsfake, fir yen cannot be his Difciples: yea, he that is married to the Lord, muft hate and deny his ownc fouie $ when his ownc foule defires one thing, and Chrift another, he muft deny it and be divorced from himfelfe, and take no roote from himfelfe, but from the Lord, becaufe he is able to fuftaine him. Wives are not bound to deftroy themfclves for their husbands, but this bond is nearer, therefore Ephef. 5.51,32. thisneareconjunction betwecne man and wife is made but as a (hadow of that betweene Chrift and his Church, who is flefh of his flefh y and bone of his bone y vctCe 3 o. And as for this caufe they leave father andwother, as the K^ifofik fays, verfc 31. fo for this caufe muft j we leave all to cleave to Chrift and be fubjeft to j him, as verfe24- that is, our will muft be fubjed to the Lords. As if thou haft f uch a journey to go, fay yea, but what fayes my husband to it < thus Saint lames teacheth us to fpeake, /<*/#, 4. 1 mil go j intofuch a Cttiy (if God will) fo in other bufinefte, j fay, it the Lord will (to whom I am married) I will doeit, elfe not: and you have reafon for it, becaufe Chrift loves us as his Spoufe and body : by this union we are one flefh with him, yea one fpirit, and ■no man hates his owne flefh, faith the Apoflleihzxc; though a man hath all theimperfe&ions in his body that may be, foares and biles, &c. yet he hates | not his owne flefli, but laboureth partly to cover j thofc wounds and impeifedions, and to healel them, if he can, fork is his owne body j So doth the Lord love you, if you have taken him to bee your husband 5 you have reafon therefore never to

E 2 forfake

Th e Lords Name is called upon his people.

forfake him. And if any (hovld objc& end fay, I am a finfull wretch, an unfit macch for him 5 Con-fidcr that yet being his, he will cover your imperfections with his righteoufne(ft, as a man covers his fores from the view of others *and he will wafh yotifrom your corruptions. As if a manhavca forearme, hedoth not only coverir, but alio wafh tth it,and hcales it,becaufe it is a member of his .So fayththe Apoftle there, beehathrva/hedhis Church with his owne blond* And this the Apoftle Saint Paul calleth a great my fiery : as if heehadfayd, great chings are now revealed therein to you, and worth your confidering.: why therefore fliould we not give up our felves to him i a wife may obje& a-gaioft her husband and fay,another ones husband is more wife, more kind, but thou canft fay nothing againft him. Confider this, and let it not only be as a notion in vour heads, but let it finke down intoyour hearts 5 Aad let the Name of the Lord not onely be upon you, but alfo in you. Aswehaveitin Exod. 23.21. fpoken of the Angell thit went with them iathewildcrnefTe $ My Nameismhim. My Namejsnot onely upon him, fo that he is not only called my Angell, but my Name is alfo in him,that is, he is fo affe&ed as I am, he hares finnc as I doe, and therefore will punifliitinyou, and loves what is good as I doe. So let the Lords Name be in you,that i$,labour to be of the fame minde and dif-poficion that God is of>to have a heart after his hart, co be affected as he is, labour to be thus minded, and you (hall be the Glory $f the Lord, as the rvtfe is the glory of her husband, as (hee is called, 1 OY11.7

becaufc

becaufe when (hee behaves her felfe wifely and veituoufly , thofe that fee her doe commend her husband : Therefore fo behave thy felfe in the world, fo (hew thy felfe like thy husband, that thou bee his Glory, jhewforth the venues of Chrijl, as the isifoBk hath it in 1 Peter 2. p. A man muft fo behave himfelfe,as the Image of God may appeare in him; and then he fhall be his glory, as a wife when flic carries her felfe as the image of her husband, fo as his wifcdome and vertu^s appeare in her, then (he is his glory. Confider this ferioufly 5 you are called by Gods Name $ if you make this but an empty title, then you (hall have but an emp. ty benefit by it: but if in earned you cleave to him, and follow him, then he is yours and you his, and all that is his is yours.

If at any time you finneagainft God, this (hould be a great motive to humble your felves the more, that you fhould fin againft him whofe Name you beare, to whom thou haft given up thy name, and made a vow and promife to obey him. Thus learne to aggravate your fio,for it doth aggravate it 5 and this ufe alio I make for the day. There is a double humiliation 5 one comes from felfe love, and that fometimes jnakes way for grace, but is not grace : but there is another that comes from a ten der affection and love to God and Chrift; for when a man loves one,he defiresto pleafe him,and there-fore when hee difpleafeth him, it grieveth him:' And this is Inch a humiliation, as is required of us onthefedays of Fading, therefore labour to worke your hearts to this.

E 3 Now

Vfe

e 2,

54 f Tk Lords Name is called upon his peop le. \

Now there is nothing will worke our hearts ly I o be humbied more then love : and neere-QefiTe will finely mate us love God : for why doth | ;he wife love the husband, and the husband the wife, b a brciufe they arc neare one to another * Now when rhe Name of the Lord is called upon is, it is m argument that weareneareunrohim; i fe let that fofcenthy heart,that thoufhould-A carry thy felfe unworthy of this nearencfle. Fhat w.s that which fmote the heart of David, when he confidcrcd how kind and loving the Lord had beene to him 5 the Lord himfelfe when he comes to humble his people, hce taketh this coarfe with them, to tell them of the neareneffe that is betwecne them and himfelfe, asisplainein Ier. 2. 2,3. Thus faith the Lord, I remember thee, that is, put thee in minde of the kindneffe of thy youth , that is, which I (hewed thee in thy youth, the love rfthj Eff onfalls, when, ejrc Now when we fee the Lord take this courfe we fhould take the fame 5 when he would humble David, hefent Nathan to humble him, this was one part of his mef-fage> to tell him of Gods kindneffe to him, 2 Sam. 12.7,8. thus faith the Lord, lannvntedthce King over ifrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul y (frc And this doubtlefic was the chiefeft caufe that made him confefTe and fay 3 1 have finned againfl the Lord, as it is in Pfal. 51. he repeatcs (a-gainft thee) twice, there lyes the Emphafis, ihave finned againft thee, againfl thee have I finned, that wounded him in a manner alone, that there was fo great a neerenefle betwixt the Lord and him. When

The Lords Name is called upon his people.

55

a man commits a finne, there are two things to be confidered in it 5 fitftin that he finnes cgainft the Law of God,and fo he fees a great obliquity in fip 5 when he lookes on finne and theftreightLawof God, he fees a deformity in it $ but this alone doth not humble us in that kindly manner 5 this will make us vile in our o wne eyes, this will make us to fee a wonderfull deformity in our felves : but now there is another thing to be feene in finne, and that is the perfon againft whom we commit it, and that is the Lord, and finne fo looked upon comes to have another relation put upon it, notonelyasan obliquity and deformity, but as an injury, as a rebellion, an unkindneffe, recompenfing evill for good. The firft way fin is confidered as an obliquity from a firaight rule 5 but in this latter, as a* gainft the Perfon of G[o i>, as againft thy husband.

Now therefore tohumblethee, doe thus; Goc through all the particular dealings of God with, thee, remember all the fpeciail kindneffes of the Lord, His keeping thee from thy youth, His many deliverances,how many fpeciail kindnefles He hath done thee, recount His mercies every Faft day $ and when thou haft done this., then goe to thy finnes and fay: Thefe are not only tranfgreflions againft Gods ftreight Law, but alfo, they are unkindneftes and J injuries agamft His Perfon •, and a«dde to all this the confideration of the patience of God : though I have plaid the wretch and harlot as never any have done, yet He hath been patient,and is fo kind, as He bids me yet to returne, and this will caufe thy heart * E 4

to

^4'nfw.

■i

The Lords Name is called u pon hU people. .

to mclc towards Him: labour to doe this more and more*

There is an exercife of Humiliation which is done after this manner, fpoken of , by feeing the Lordskindneffetothee^andth/injury againft Him, and comparing the one with the other. But thou wilt fay,I would faine doe ir,but 1 cannot, my heart is hard, and I cannot get it thus melted. Therefore I fay, exercife thy felfetothis. Thereafonmens hearts are thus hard, &c. is, becaufe men are idle, not willing to recount Gods mercies to them. Say not thy heart is hard, but thou art fluggi(h 3 this ther-fore you ought to doe efpecially at this time. In Levit. 23.29. there was a time fet a part for the Ifraelites, for the performance of this duty of humiliation ? and it was to be their cxercife that day, they were then to labour to affliSttheir foules $ fuch as did not, were tohe cut offfrom among His people. And this confederation, that wee are called by the name of the Lord, is a meanes to doe it.

But you will fay , I have done this, and yet my heart is hard ftill.

It may be fo indeed,and your heart not foftned, but yet this I fays Firft forthy comfort, that if thou I continue doing this, the Lord accepteth it -> but if ' chou doft it not, thy bloud (hall be upon thine own head: we require that thou fliouldftonely labour to doe it, and the Lord will accept it, though thou art not able to foften thine heart : And fecondly, know for thy comfort alfo, that God will joyne with thee, if thou labour thus with thy heart, and [ fend the fpirit of humiliation on thee 5 as*the Difci-! pies

The Lords TS^ame is called upon his people.

pies, though they rowed all night, yet Chri $ t came at the laft, fo though thou toileft many daies, and makeflr no proficiency (asthoudiinkeft) yet know,that God at length will come and helpe thee, and that becaufe He hath commanded thee to doe this, He will not fuflPer you to be doing that alwaies in vaine, which Hecommandeth, and therefore He will come: but that you may havethe more ground for this, remember that you have many promifes made of Gods helpe; as in Luke n. 13. If yeetben, being evill, know h$w to give good gifts unto your children y &e. You fliall never alone, of yourfeSves, bee able to foften your hearts without the Holy Ghoft, but continue knocking, and the Lord will give you the Holy Ghoft , though you bee but ftrangers. So that every man may.come to God and fay $ Lord, thou haft madefuch apromife, thou canft not goe from thy word, and therefore denymcenot; and bee earneft with God, andhce cannot deny thee. The woman of Canaan was not a lew,yet fliee having this ground, that hee was the *Jttepas^ (hec would not bee put off, therefore doe thou fo, and thou (halt in the end finde that thy heart is foftned : andthelongerthonwaiteft, the greater meafure thou fhalt have of thefpiric 5 and when thou haft him, hee fhall humble thy hearty as in Zuh. 12.10. / will pure upon the houfe of Da-j vid y and upon the inhabitants of Ierufalem, theJpiritof< grace and applications , and they Jhall looke upon himA whom tbey have pierced, and they fliall mourne for him \ & one mourneth for an onely fonne. The people of I ifrael were heere exhorted to mourne, andtofepa-

rate I

r g I Ike Lords 2>{ame is call ed upon his people.

rate themfelvesj and to doe it every family apart;* The bi.fintffc was the fame that you arc to doe e-very faft-day. Now fayes God, if you fccke mce aright> you muft have the fpirit; and fayes Go d, I will doe my part, 1 will powre on you the fpirit of bowells , for fothe word may bee tranflated. The meaning of it is this, that when the fpirit of God is thus upon you, you will bee tenderly affe&ed to the Lord, even as a mother toward her child: then faith hee, they {hall looke upon him whom they have pierced, and they {nallmournefor him, asonemourneth for his onely fonne, and bee in bitterneffefor him , that is, you (hall then remember your rebellions, and the remembrance of them (hall be bitter to your foules, as bitter things are to your taft.-fo it was with lofiak the reafon why his heart melted, and he wept when hee heard the booke of the Law read, was becaufe hee had the fpirit of bowells, which every one of us fhould have: folob, Now I havefeene thee,lahhorre mj felfe, lob 42. hee was not thus before 5 hee was a holy man, but this was anew worke: for fayes he I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare , but now m 1 eye fees thee. Hee was enlightned anew, as it were, the fpirit fhined into his heart with a new light : I have beene in a mift all this while in com-parifon$ but now mine eye hathfeenethee, and I have an experimentall feeling of thee, now 1 abhor my felfe. It is a hard thing to abhor a mans felfe thus, which then a man doth, when Gods fpirit with a new light enableth a man to fee Gods love and kindnelfe , and his owne unkindnefle in their colours.

If the Lords Name be called upon us, we fliould lcarne hence tokeepe his ^wefaire, tokeepe ft pure and unfpotted ; As it was faid of SaimPmlj he wzsachofen vejfeflto carry Gods Name $ and therefore it behooves chem to take heede ho w k be polluted by them, on hey give occafion that it be blaf-phemed ; fortheevill committed by you refleds upon the Name of the Lord, A fmall thing is a great matter inyoii: one fly corrupts a box of oynt-ment, but many flies in a barrell of Pitch or Tarrc, are counted nothing • fo many finnes in a wicked man, redound not fo much to the dishonour of Gods Name, as one in the Saints. When a Saint doth a thing that is uncomely, he polluteth the Name of the Lord, not that it can be polluted in it felfe,butit feemes fo to other men. Before men are regenerate, their finnes are as blots upon a table, before a Pi&ure be drawne uponir,whicharenot regarded of any 5 but after it is drawne 3 the leaft blot is feene of every one : So it is when men are butftrangersto God 5 the finnes which they com-mit, refledl not to the difgrace of God : but when Gods Image is renewed in a man, then thefe finnes are more taken notice of,and caufe the Name of God to be blafphemed of bis enemies*

This fhould teach us, not to be afliamed of Got andtheprofeflionofhisName : for (hall the Lord not be afliamed of us, ashefliewesheisnor, when he is willing to put his Name upon us; and (hall we be afliamed of him i it is an unreasonable and an un-equall thing for a child to be afhamed of his father, for a wife to be afliamed of her husband, and fo

for

59 vjt 3 .

rfiA

objeff.

Anfw.

Tlie Lords Name is called upon his peoph

for us to be afhamed of the Lord, whofe Name we beare.

This is the rather to bee fpoken of, becaufeitis a fault very common amongft us, that wee doe not take notice of.

But the mofl will fay, we are not afhamed of religion, but wee account it rather a glory to be accounted Chriftians.

Give mee leave to examine youbythefetwo Qneftions, Firft, are you not afhamed of the ftri-<5teft waies of Religioa t There is a common courfc of Religion, that you need not be afhamed of, be-caufe all are for it, and commend it 5 butyetthefe are fome fpeciali ads of Religion that men caft fhame upon, fuchwasthatacftof David, when he daunced before the Arkc, which feemed abfurd in UMchals eyes for a King to doe $ yet he fayd, / mil be yet more vile: fome of thewayesof God give a more peculiar diftafte to wicked men, and there is a fhame caft upon the power of Religion^ by reafon that the multitude goeth another way. Now what is fingular, that fhame is caft upon : as in any thing, let the multitude have never fo ill favoured a fafliion, it is no fhame, whereas if a few others weare a garment fane more comely, but different from the fafhion, yet it would be a (hame to them; fo it is here, there is fhame caft upon holinefle and fincerity, becaufe the multitude isnot holy, for holy men are like the gleanings after the harveft, or like the grapes after the vimagt, exceeding few, and not e-nough to bring GodlinefTe info fafliion : Therefore if thou wouldft know whether thou art afhamed of

God

The Lords TS{ame is called upon his people.

61

God or no, rry whether you be afliamed of any the peculiar ads of Religion, upon which (liamc is ufu-allycaft among men.

The fecond queftion I would aske is this; are you afliamedof God , or any taske or duty, or his people among thofe where the fliame will doe you fome hurt < confider whether you are not afliamed of Religion among finners$ itisanexpreflionput in for fome caufe in Marke 8.38. Whofoeverjbaff be ajhamed of mte and my words in this aduhiromgenera-en,drc. As if he fliould have fayd, it may be you would not be afliamed of me among Saints 5 but he that is afliamed of meamongfttheword of men, and in a dangerous time, in fuch a time as when it is ignominious to be a Chriftian (as it was then) of that man will I be afliamed in the day of the Re-furre&ion. You muft therefore try your felvcs, what you do before wicked men, and what you do before great men, when it is fome lofle to you to profeflc Christ, or any truth of His; ard know that this is not a fmall matter: We muft pre-feffe Christ in our times , wee mud make the word of God the rule of our lives. Perhaps wee thinke that fo long as our hearts are right, andfo s that we runne not out into evill wayes with others, the matter of profeflion is but a fmall change/ that that is but as the leaves of godlineffe ; if God have the fruit, what need we care for the leaves ? But remember that in Roto. 10.10* With the heart man be-Uevtfhumo rigbteoufhejfc, andmthfhe mouth confep-on is made unto falvanon : This will damne many of us, the want of profeifion, aswellasthcgreateft

finnes.

finnes. The Scripture is peremptory $ we muft ptofefTe Gods Narae at all times, even then when we (hall do^ it with the danger of our lives. You know that Daniel did fo, in danger of his life, and it was not a needlefle matter, but it was in a matter that concerned his life. But that you may do this the more willingly, confidcr why menareafhamed of this profeflion, why i becaufemendoefpeake evili of you,but is this a good reafon t No,for they doe fo out of their ignorance, as it is in i Pet. 4 4. wherein they thinke it Jlrange, that you run not with -them into the fame cxcejfe of riot^ freaking evillofyvu. But if they knew the ground of youradiions, they would not fpeakc evill of you. They fee your adi-ons, but your rules and principles that you goe by in thefc a£tions,they know not: and therefore they fpeake evill of you. And fhall we be difcouraged for this i What if a Geometrician fhould be drawing of lines and figures, and there fhould come in a Country man and feeing him fhould laugh at him, would the Geometrician leave off his art for his rifion i furely no, for hee knowes heelaughs at him out of his ignorance, becaufe he knowes not the art and the grounds thereof: and is it not as great a folly for us to be afhamed of godlinefle, be caufc men that underftand it nor, fpcake evill of it! furely it is. And therefore remember Davids two reafons, when he did that a& for which he was reviled by his wife. 1 did it for the Lord, that chofe me: as if he fhould have faid, the Lord deferved it, he loved and chofe me, therefore I did ir. So this is thy cafe: The Lord hath chofen thee, when hee

hath

±m* «■ ^

The Lords Name is called upon his people.

4

hathpaffed by many thoufandsof orhers,thciefore doe ic for the Lord. And another reafonof Da. vids was, it mikes for my honour in the eyes of thofe that are good, 2 Sam. 6. 24. Menthinke it brings no honour, becaufe they fhallgetnotany j credit by it amongft men : but know thus much, j when men fhrinke from God, then God makes true that rule, them that d.Jhonour me^ I mil dtjhe-nour : he that hath made a profeflion of godlineflfe, and afterward fails away, God never fuffers fixh an one to cfcape, but he punifliethhimoneway or other. Therefore Mofes exhorteth the people in Deut. 4. 6. to keepe Gods Statures and to doe them: for this is your mfedomt^ and pur under Handing in the fight $fthe 'Nations , &e. Now why (hould you bee backward tobearethefhamethat the world cafteth uponyoui < d )th not God obferve alUookc on, and with approbation i do:h not God tell the Church of Epbefus, in Revel. 22. / how thy workeSyAttdthy labour jnd thy patierce>&c. When any man at any time cafteth fliameupmyou for religion, it is a perfection which you will record, as Luther faid, when any fpake evill againfthim ; this will be accounted 0:1 my reckoning at the laft day, that fpeech is to be considered and weighed of us all. / know thy patience ; therfore be not afhamed, but be bold in the profeffion and feare of God, doing thofe things that are glorious in the eyes of God and men that judge of things aright.

If the Name of the Lord be called upon us, this (hould comfort us concerning our felves, and concerning the Church of God j for where Gods

_. _ .Name.

^y.

($4 \ The Lords Name is calleduponhis people,

objeQ.

Name is called upon any Church, any Nauon,auy man, you may be furc he will defend them, tor he is engaged fo to doe, that his Name may not be polluted; for theLord is the worfe fpoken of, when his people fuffer. Therefore thou whofoever thou art, rich or poorc, be confident, God will defend thee in all thy fufferings. A man will not fuffer his wifeto be wronged 5 for faith he,(he is my wife, he accounts himfelfe wronged, when any injjry is done to her: fo God accountcth himfelfe injured, when any wrong is done to thee on whom his Name is called, Efay 4.5,6. Although (Taiththe Lord ) they may feeme to be helpeldre, notwith-(landing this (faith the Lord) feare not, 1 mil create a cloud by day, and a flaming fire by night: that is, though there be no meanes,yec I will worke without meancs. I will create them, make them of nothing : I will be both their diredion and prote<2i-on 5 for the cloud by day and the fire by night, hath reference to that cloud that went before the Children of Ifrael in the wildernefTe, which led them in the way, and kept them from the heate of the Sunne. For upon all the glory Jhtll be a defence $ that is, the Churches though they feeme never fo bafe, yet they are glorious 5 for therefore t hey arc called glorious; and not only up on one man or two, but upon all the glory, that is, every man in the Church : upon all the glory (hall be a defence.

But then if this obje&ion come, why ? doewe not fee them affii&ed i doethcy not off en fuffer a ftorme $ are they not often fcorched wkh the heate of reproach t

Ther-

Without Humiliation no mercy.

Therefore, the Lord faith, as they have divers perfections, fo will I have divers meanes of helpe 3 and there jhaflbeea Tabernacle for a Jha-dorv in the day time f or the heate y and for a place of refuge, like the Citties of refuge whither they fled that were purfued by the avengers of'blond, and for a covert from a fiorme, and from raine. The Saints in a ftorme of perfecution or any calamity, are as a man under a (helter ; whereas all others are in the'midft of the ftorrae. Therefore be you affured, the Lord will not forfake his owne people 5 they are as the apple of his eye: a man may bcare much, but hee will not fuffcryou to touch the apple of his eye 5 So God will fuffer much, but he will be avenged on them that wrong his people. Thus much for this Do<ftrine.

2 Chron. 7. 14.

If my People 3 that are called by my Tfyme, doe bumble tbemfehes:

WEE are now come to the Conditions up* on which mercy and forgivenejfe are hzrz promifed, whereof the firft you fee is Humiliation. If my People doe humble themfthes: In the handling of which I will proceed two waiesj Firft Negatively /That without humiliation 3 and

F unlefle

okjetf.

Without Humiliation no mercy .

Dolt.%-

unlefle men doe humble themfelves, they can have no intereft in thefe promifes.

Secondly, Affirmatively 3 That if they do humble themfelves, then God will be merciful to them, and forgive their finnes.

For the handling ofthefirft, IraifethisDo. drine.outof the words : That without Humiliation no man /lull obtaine mercie ; Wee fee that God fuf-pendeth Mercy upon ic here, as without which no Mercie can bee expe&ed$ which therefore muft needs bee thought a matter of great confequence, and the more largely to be infifted upon.

I expreffc the do&rine in a more large and gene-rail word Humiliation, which containes in it,as well humiliation pafiivc, or being humbled, as humiliation atlsve (as for more cleere diftindion fake I call them) whereby we humble our fehes: which is the maine thing intended in theTtxt, explicitly and di-redly, which alfo in the profecucion of this pome I mainly intend 5 yet I (hut up both together, in this negative part of this difcourfc : becaufe they are, though in themfelves diftinft, yet alwaies conjoined in their working, and the latter doth alwaies prefuppofe the former, and doth deceiTarily imply it here : for no man did ever come to humble him-felfe 5 that was not firft humbled. This negative part of excluding men from mercy without both thefe, being alfo alike common to both,itbeinga like true 3 that no man ever did attaine mercy, that was not firft humbled , and that did not humble himfelfe: So as in this negative part they agree and concurre. Againe 3

^

J

Without Humiliation no mercy.

Againe,though that affirmative pare mentioned is proper to that humiliation a&ive, the promifes o* Intercft in Mercy being made to themthat humble themfelves, and not to all that are humbled: there being many that are much humbled, whoyetob-taine not Mercys yet I joine both together in this firft part chiefly 5 becaufeas they are conjoined in their working, fo they muft neceffarily be in the explication of them; for we cannot come diftinft-ly to know and finde out what it is to humble our (elves (which is the thing I principallyaymeat) without knowing what it 1$ to be humbled, the one beginning where the other ends : the one being a preparative to the other. That therefore wee may fee how farre the one and the other goes, and how they arediftinguifhed,we will (hut both up in this firft do&rine.

Now in handling this Do&rine we will doe two things.

Firft, (hew that men muft be humbled and humble themfelvcs,ere they can come to have intereft in thefe promifes.

We will (hew what it is to humble a mans felfe and to be humbled.

For the firft, this place alone is fufficient ground. God would not have put infuch a condition in vaine, if it might have beene fpared in any, but be-fides this ground wee have the pra&ife of all the | mafter builders, who made it *heir firft worke (as here it is the firft condition; to humble men, that they might bee brought to humble them-felves : And ro omit all other inftances, wee

F 2 have

58 Without Humiliation no mercy.

have all the three Perfons feales to this method.

This was G o t> the Fathers method in the firft Sermon that ever was preached ( which him-felfe alfo preached) as a patterne f or all Minifters to- follow. And when hee would draw i^yidam and Eve into feekethepromife of mercy, he firft cxpoftulaces the matter with them, to humble them for their fin : and then lets fall the promife of the CWefias.

Andfecondly, Iesus Christ thefecond Pcrfon in his firft Sermons in Preaching the Go-fpell, as in Luke^j. fhewes his approbation of this met hod, in that he makes this his firft fubjeft of his firft Sermon, as appeares by the text hee takes to preach the Gofpeil, but to whom f to I thofe that are firft humble and humbled. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, beeauft he hath anointed me to preach the Gofpell to fuch as are poore and broken in heart.

And the fame order, the Holy Ghoft the third Perfon was foretold by Chrift, that when he was I come, hee would obferve in working upon mens hearts by the minifteryof theApoftles, (jrclohn 16.8. Hejhall convince the world of fin; for humiliation, that i\ his firft worke 5 then of righteoufnejje, for justification : \zft\y of ludgcment $ that is, that fan&ification which perfons juftified are to have wrought in them; We come no w to the explicat i-on and reafons of this point which (hall be. \ To (hew the necefkty of this humiliation to the other that follow.

Qf

Without Humiliation no mercy.

Of the order of it, as ic is here placed the firft of all the reft.

For the firft, it is true indeed, that the Lordmight bring men home to him without this humiliation. He eould doe as he did at the firft creation, fay no more but let there bt light, and there would be light, and that without any of this thunder: he might fay, let there be grace, and there would be grace $ he could come intheftill voyce without renting the rockes, and fay no more but,<?{w yee everla/ling doores, lift up your heads yee gates, and they would be open 5 but as though he might have brought the Children of lfrael out of JEgyft into the Land of Canaan, without leading them through the wil-dernefle, yet his good pleafure was thereby rather to humble them and freve them 5 fo it is here.

And the reafons of this neceffity may bee drawne from the relation, and refpeft which this humiliation hath both to the other condi- j tions that follow, and all that is promifed here j in the text : unto which wee will fit the reafons that follow.

As firft, without this men will not feeke out for and come unto C h r i $ r : they mil not feeke his face, that is, his Perfon : the Law is our Schoole-Mafter to bring us to C h r i s t, by humbling us : men would not come in to him un-lefTe they were driven $ men would not feeke him unlcfle they themfelves were firft loft 5 men would not receive him unielfe they were firft humbled 3 the pwe receive the Go^ell; the poo re in fpirit.

E3 It

Without Humiliation no mercy.

It is nxefTary in refpeft of receiving andfeeking for mercy and pardon, and forgivencde, which is the imine thing here promifed, IwitlbeemercifaH to their finna, for until then our propounding pardon and the promifes of it, and invicing men to come in would bee all butlofl labour: for uncill then, m:n will give us that anfwer, andthepromi-fes the fame encercatnement, which they did that were invited to theiMirriags-Feaft, Mattb.ii.^6* The text fays they made light of it,and fo we finde by experience, th.it when wee preach the great things of the Gofpell; as Iuftification,and remifli-on of finnes, men account them as a fmall thing, and (a light by them : and the reafoms,becaufe they arenot humbled ; men othenvife would not prize Chrift nor the promife of the pardon by him fas Manna was not prized by the Israelites) nor his righteoufn^ffe, by which they arc to be forgiven: a man happily would bec;on:ent to have Chrifts righteoufne(Te 5 as a bridge to go upontoheaven,but ,he will not prize it as Paul did, who was ambitious of nothing [q much as to be found in Chrift 5 not ha. ving his own rightcoufneflfe, but that w ch is by faith, accounting all things in himfelfeand out of himfelfe , droffe and dung in comparifon of it • but a man unhumbled will not let this high prize upon if, and God will not have his Ie wels,much leflfe Chrift and pardon of finne caft away at randoiuc to thofe who fhafi not value them $ butwhenamanflialifeethe badnefle of his nature,the multitudes of his particular fir ties, and fee that in his heart he never thought had beenc there, and ftand amazed at thenyhen to

have

Without Humiliation no mercy.

p

71

have fuch a righteoufnefle as (hall peife&ly cove 1 all thefe finnes, this he will thinkc a great matter. So it was to Saint Paul, whenhefaw himfelfethe greateft of finners. And when a man thus fees his particular fores and difeafes, and femething in | Chrifts righteoulheffe to anfwer them all ; as* Chrifts patience to anfwer his impatience, chrifts\ love to ftand for his hatred, Chrijts holineffe of na-1 cure to cover his uncle*nneffe,li% will thqpbegin to \ efteeme every lewell in that Cabinet,forheknowes I he could not fpareonepaitof thatrighteou(he(Ie 3 | he fees a glorious rightcoiifneffe tocloath andco-! ver hisnakedneffefromtoptotoe, and this makes | him prize it and every pare of it, which a man un-humbled will not doe; and as he would not efteeme j the imputed righteoufnefleof (Thrift, fo nor inhe- j rent righteoufnefle from him, whereby he fhould' be enabled to turne from his cviliwaies 5 but when a man fees and knowes;what a heart he hath, how falfe, how full of finnes, and empty of grace, and whatftronglufts are there, then when he fhall finde the contrary graces wrought in him, he prizeth them highly, and Chrift for them, becaufe they are the pretious gifts of Chrift, for he knowesand acknowledged they are thefole workeof Chrift., becaufe in his nature dwellech no good thing. And why clfe doth God after converiion fuffer his people to fall into finne, and into variety of temptations, but that they might be morehumfcled ftillj and fo know the worth of Chrift herein i

It is required men fhould be humbled, becaufe j elfe they will not a&ual-ly turne from their evi/l \ F 4 wayes.

mfi

Withm Humiliation no mercy.

wyes, nor be obedient to Chrift in all things in their lives. An unbroken heart is like an unramcd horfe, that will not endtire the bridle, and be guided by ir, like an untamed heifer that will not goe with the yoake 5 fuchamanthat God may command him what he will, but he will doe what he lift : but when the heart is broken and humbled once, then as Saint Paul trembling faid, KyiBs 9. he will fay alfo, Lord whatwilt thou have me doe? I will doe what thou wilt, yea, and fuffer what thou twilt 1 call me to fuffer, for thee. If this queftion I had beene asked S ant Paul before he was thus hum-j bled, he would have given another anfwer: before J j God may bid us doe what he will, but we as ftub- ] borne fervants will doe what wee thinke good : we are proud and unbroken, and pride is the caufc of all difobedience, and therefore it is faid, high thoughts muft be cajl downe^ that exalt themfelves a-gainft the knowledge of God 3 ere every thought can be brought into the obedience of chriB. 2 Cor. 10, 5, They exalt themfelves againft the knowledge of God and his will 5 for when his will is knowne, the heart yields not ftill : when the Lord commands any thing, as to take heede of evill company, to have a care of their fpeeches, whilft men are un-j humbled, they are ready to expoftulate the matter, I and in the end will doe nothing at all : but when a man is humbled,and the high thoughts caftdowne, then he brings every thought and affe<5tion f that ex-alted it felfe before) into the obedience of Chrift. And as all difobedience is from pride and ftub-bornneffc of the will, fo all obedience is from hu-

mility ->

Without Humiliation no mercy.

71

mility 5 when the he art is humbled, it is made pli" j able to God, Bfaj 66.2* 1 mlllooke to him that is \ cwtrite, and tnmbUth at mj words $ they are both j there joyned : that is, when he heareth any com- \ mand from me, he is afraid to breake it, afraid of; admitting the very occafions of finning : A man ! that hath beene fcorched with the fire dares not j eafily meddle with it againe, and the reafon is, it maksa manchoofe the Lord freely for his husband and Lord, and from thence followes kinde obedience to him.

He that hath made the choyce himfelfe will ferve,elfe not; but he will condemne himfelfe, that he (hould make a choyce fo unfuitable to him; and it alfo teacheth a man to fet an high price upon Chrift,and forgivcnefTc of finnes, as you heare 5 and that will fet all thy defires aworke, and caufe thee to refufe no obedience whether adivc or paflive : for what is the reafon men obey their lufts, but be-caufe they prize pleafures, have an high efteeme of honours, &c. and the fame effed: will the prizing of C h t 1 « t have in thee, to doe any thing for him, fo as thou (halt not count thy life deare for him.

They would not doe all this conftantly and fur! Reaf.4 eygr, if they (hould come to Chrifl: and bee cbedi- f ent for a while ( as hhns hearers and Herod was) yet J they would returne unto their vomit againe : and not flay with him if they were not htftabled, they might come in-, asthofe hearers fignified by the fe-cond and third ground did, who received the feede with joy, and as thofe of whom it is faid Ghrift

would

Reaf

Without Humiliation m mercy.

would not commie himfelfc to them, but ftay with him, men will not unleffc they bee humbled : For unkfTe a man be brought to part with all for Chrift, and to fell all. hee will in the end repent of his bar-gaine , if there bee a refervation of anything, the time will corne hee will goebacke, andftartafide like a broken Bowe 5 and untill a man bee throughly humbled , hee will not bee brought to part with all for Christ 5 hee that is humbled,heeonely is the Merchant-like minded man, who fells all hee hath and goes awayrejoycing, is glad at the heart that hee hath Chrift though withthelofTeof the whole world, he is willing to take Chrift upon all conditions,with loffesand croffes,and to deny him. felfe in every thing; for heeknowcsthebitternefTe offinne, and fo fetsfuch a price upon Chrift as if the bargaine were to make againe, hee would doe as hee had done,but the other what hee hath done in a fic,he repents him of afterwards, and therefore true rcpentanceCwhich godly forrow and true humiliation worketh ) is called repentance never to bee repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. Other forrow than Godly may worke a repentance, but it is fuch as men afterwards repent of. Men are foone weary of the yoke of Chtiftjbecaufe they have not felt how grievous the yoke offinne and Sathan is,but to one who hath felt the burthen of finne, the yoke of Chrift is eafie and fweete.

The laft Reafon hath relation to. he laft thing here promifed, of taking away the ludgemenrs and healing the Land. God fhould not have the praife of his Iudgements and of his Mercy in taking them

awav

j g . -giBc i fi -

Without Humiliation no mercy ,

away,unlcffc men were humbled; for i f when God did afflift men,be fliould reftore them againe with-out this humiliation, men would thinke that God wronged them before, and now did but right them, but when God hath humbled themfofarre, that they acknowledge his Iuftice,in affl&ing them, and their owne defert to bee utterly deftroyed, and con-, fefle that it is his mere Mercy they were not confu-med , and humble themfelves under his mighty hand, and now if the Iudgement bee taken off, and his wrath blowne over , then they give him the praifeof his Mercy and Judgements.

Thus you fee why of neceflicy it is required : Now let us fee the reafon of the order of ir, why it is required thus in the firft place : It is the firft condition ? here : there is fomethinginthe ordered to bee find by way of reafon for it, and the reafon in general! is, becaufe nothing is acceptable to God, till the heart bee humbled: You may pray, which is another condition, and you may heare,&c. but all you doe is but loft labour, unlefle it come from a broken heart. '

For firft that is alone ant faenfice tor God,with-out which ad: no facrifice is accepted : This you may fee Pfib*. fi. 16, 17- Th$* dtftreji notfaenfic^ clfelwuld give it thee ; thm delightefi not in burnt of fertngu The facrifices ofGodUre a broken fiirit, and a contrite heart\oh Godjbou wilt not dc/pife. David knew that till his heart was t>roken,all his good deeds and allholy duties would have beene invaine', and it is as if D^/Vlhouldhavefaid, Lord y bdoxc I was 'thus humbledand my heart thus broken ( as in the beginning

7*

*

Without Humiliation no mercy.

Reaf.

Re*f.3

1

ning of the Pfalme hee had exprefTed that it was) thoudidji defire no facrifice of mee> nor wouldjl have dc-lighud in no burnt offering from mee 7 but the facrifiees of\ God are a broken Jpirit, and other duties but as they! come from it. This is the maine facrifice* and with-1 out it, nothing acceptable, nnlefle it bee laid upon this low Altar which fan&ifies the facrifice.

As it is onely a fit Sacrifice for God, fo this only makes us fit Priefts to God s and before wee are fit to offer a facrifice acceptable, wee muft bee Priefts, and ^ we become not Priefts to God till wee have offered our felves firft to God as a facrifice,2 Cor.S. 5 and that wee are not, till wee our felves bee flaine, and broken, and fo made a facrifice.

Nothing is accepted, till the Holy Ghoft dwell in the heart,* and untill a man bee Humbled, the Spirit of God dwells not in his heart: And therefore what hee doth till then favours not of the Spi-rit,but a carnall heart,and fo is not acceptable: Till a man is Humbled, hee keepesthe doore (hut upon the Lord and his Spirit. There is one within his heart is full already,he dwells in his owne heart him-felfe 5 therefore it is faid JB/ay 57.15. That he dwells in a contrite hem ,that is,in it alone,for there is onely ioomc for him to doc what he will in all the chambers of it.

Vntill a man will bee obedient in all things, nothing he doth is acceptable : He that turnes hiseare from the Law, his prayer (hall bee abominable. Now one that is not humbled throughly, hee may bee obedient in many things, he may pray &c. but yet hee will have by- wayes of his owne,hc hath not

fully

Without Humiliation no mercy.

fully renounced himfelfe, that is, not Humbled 1 Now unlefTe a mans obedience begenerall D nothing is acceptable.

And fo wee come to the fecond thing propounded j what this Humiliation is , and herein our maine enquiry is after that which is mainely intended in the text. What it is to Humble a mans fclfe. But bc-caufe the finding of it out depends upon the other alfo, wee will with it (hew alfo what it is to bee Hum-bled , that fo wee may the better know the true Humiliation required of us 3 and for the finding out of this wee will firft fet before you the examples of them who have Humbled themfelves , and have

Ibeene Humbled in Scripture,and from thence gather what it is.

For this you (hall finde OWanaJfcs in the 2 chron. 3 3. in his affli&ion Humbling himfelfe greatly,and the Lord was intrcated of him. verfe 12. Like-wife wee have that of S. Paul Humbled. Afts 9, 6. where wee finde him trembling and aftonifhed, and faying, Lord what wilt thou have mte dot * See an o« ther example in i^cJs 2.37* of thofe who were f rich in their hearts y crying out > what jhallwee doe to hie favedf Andfoof thzGoaler. Models. 16. who came trembling andaftonied, and would have killed himfelfe: and likewife of the Prodigall, Luke 15, (which though a parable, yet fets forth this condition of a fotile Humbled to us 3 ) of wbom it is laid, tha: none gave unto him % and that bee came unto himfelfe, &c.

Out of all thefe we gather thofe two mainc parts of Humiliation mentioned: Humiliation pillive, and a&ive. The firft whereof makes way for the

fecond

Wi tbout Humiliation no mercy.

3.

I fecondj unto which no promife is made, and which ! may bee found in an unregencnte man 5 the fecond, ' which is a fruit of Sari&ification, which is meant here , and unto which the promife is made: Thefe goe both together in the Godly; and hee that hath the fecond never wants the firft in fome meafure more or leffe, though many have the firft that have not the fecond.

Now the firft is nothing elfe but a fence of finne, and Gods wrath for it; exprcfled to us in thofe for-| mer examples, by being frickt in the heart, it being a wandring of the heart and fpirit.

Vnto which is joyned trembling fear e, with con-fidering and comming to a mans felfe, as wee have itin the parable.

And this paflive Legal Humiliation fands'm thefe particulars.

A fcnfiblenefTe of finne: before a man is as one that is in a dead fleep 5 what is done to him he feeles not, nor what is faid he heares not, is fenfible of nothing : But this is the awakening of a man to be fenfible of finne 5 f o as now hee is wounded, now hee is fmitten with it, now hee feeles it. So the Goaltr as the foundation of the prifon was (haken, fo was his heart alfo, and had an earth-quake within, as well as one without; and his awaking out of fleepe was a refemblance of his awakened heart.

This Humiliation makes a man fearefull of his e-

ftate 5 whereas before he was bold: and others that

are not humbled goe on boldly and are puntjht , as it

is fayd of the foole in the Proverbs.

It makes a man confider his eftateywhich he never

did

Without Humiliation no mercy.

did before , as the Prodigall cams to himfelfefhux i | entered into a ferious confideration of his eftatc $ be* fore a man thought himfelfe in a good eftate j little imagined hee was in the galloj ( bitterneffey but this worke fliewes him his poverty, and that hee is altogether naked, and that hee hath nothing rofuftaine him, as the Prodigall favv hee had not, no worch at all in him.

a And this firft worke of Humiliation is wrought by the Law and the curfc thereof- which fayes in his hearing, Curfedbee he that abides not in all things to doe them*

By the Law I fay, which is the rule of righteouf nejje, whereof all particular rules are branches 5 and by the threatnings thereof, which are all branches of that great curfe. The one being as the lightning to difcovery?*w, the other like the thunder-bolt that ftrikes the heart with feare of Gods lodgements ; the one is like thelnditemtnt^ the other as the Sentence of rhe Iudge. I put both thefe together, becaufe both goe to humble a man. The Law is like the Task-mafters of Egypt, that commanded rhe Ifraelites ro doe th? worke, but gave them no ftra w •> fo the taw tells us, this and this is to bee done, and binds us t doeit,butgivesusnoftrength , and fo thereby discovers our finfulnefle and unability to any good: and then as the task-mafters did beate them that failed of their tale, fo comes the curfe and ftrikes them dead, that continue not in allthings to doe the La\v< } aid thele two put together worke this Legaii humili&ti on: neither by the Law is meant only thofe ten words

poken in Horeb, but together with the explanation

of

79

Without Humiliation no mercy.

of them, as wee finde them expounded in the Prophets and the whole Scriptures: fo that by the Law is meant that re&itude which the whole Scripture doth require. Now therefore when the Scriptures are laid to our hearts, the re&itude of the Scriptures is compared with the crookednes of our hearts and lives,and thereby we come to fee how that the leaft finnc is forbidden, and that the leaft dutiemuft not be omitted, and that rve muft give an account for every idle word, and every luftfull thought and motion in the heart; as Saint Paul when humbled,faw luft to be finne i and then we come to feewithallthccurfedue to the leaft : This humbleth a man.

And unto this is further required the helpe of the Spirit joyning therewith, without which the Law doth not humble a man: who is therefore called The fpirit of bondage ,becaufe he enlightneth a man to fee his bondage and flavery tofinne and Sathan,and his fubjc&ion to Gods wrath; not that hee makes him fuch,or brings bondage with it,but difcovers it 5 and this not oncly by (hewing a man his bondage j but hee makes him believe it: For there muft be a faith to humble as well as to comfort, whereas wee fet light by thethreatnings, and believe them not 5 for would the fwearerfweare if hee believed that threatning,the Lord will not hold him guiltleffe that ta-keth his name in vaine i When therefore the Spirit enlighteneth a man to fee hisfinnes, and makes him believe the threatnings denounced againft them, then a man is humbled and not before.

And yet though thefe threatnings are propounded by the Word, and made effe#uall by the

Spirit^

Spirit, yet ufually fome affltftion puts life into them 5 as we fee in Manajfes, andalfo-in S./W, who was firft ftrucke off his hoife to the ground, and in the Taylor who thought verily all his pri-foners gone, for whom his owne life muft have beene anfwerabie 5 fo as he would have killed him-felfe : fomctimes a reall affli&ion, fomctimes an imaginary <>nc, an apprehenfion of Iudgement, fhame, poverty, mifery doth God ufe to put life into the threatnings, and they put life into the law 5 and then the law is brought home to the confei-encc \ and fo finne is brought to light $ for when men arefenfible of mifcries, then they are often brought to enquiry into the Law of God tofindc what (hould bee the caufe of it : and when the Law is brought home to the confeience, then finne is made alive. Saint 1W fayes, tomtits 7. Sintte appeares to bee finne, which before was as colours in the darke ; and finne being made alive, then I dyed, fays PWthere, that is, he apprehended himfelfe a dead man, in which is a difcovery of fin and our fubjeflien to death for it 5 wherein do confift thofetwo parts of this former humiliation, which . makes way for the fecond humiliation.

Thus you fee, what to bee humbledis . Now we come to the fecond, what it is to humble amm felfe: which begins, when the other ends: for then a man lookes out for the remedy, as thofe who cryed out what (ballwe doe to befaved ? which is the fecond thing to be obfervedin thofe examples 5 after the wounding of their hearts, they made an enquiry what to doe to befaved, For thofe that belong

G to

Without Humiliation no mercy.

co Gods Ele&iongoeyet further : there is anothe r kinde of Bvangelicall humiliation wrought in them, which is a fruit of falsification ; tor in one whom God meacies to fave, when hee is come to this, the Lord fends the fpirit of adoption into his heart, the jpirit of grace, as Zachary calls him, which gives him fome fecret hope, hee (hall bee received to mercy, if he will come in; which is a worke of faith in fome degree begun : and then fays the foule with it felfe, I will goe and humble my felfe, I will goe hometo God, andchmgc my courfe, and give up my felfe to him and ferve him: and this we fhall find in thefe examples mentioned before,efpecially of the Prodigally Lu.15.hc came to thisconclufion, if ifiay here, 1 dye for hunger 5 but in mj fathers houft there is bread enough: here was hope which bred thisrefolution. I will go borne, and fay to mj father, 1 have finned agdnfi heaven and thee, &£. here wasthat true humiliation we fpeake of. So Manajfes, he humbled himfelfe greatly , out of an hope of mercy $ for a man comes not to this aft* ive humiliation wherein he kindly humbleth himfelfe, unlefle he hath hope of mercy 5 and the beginning of faith is with a hope of mercy, which tets a raanaworketogoeto God, and fay; Lord, Itoave committed fuch and fuch (ins, but I will returnc to them no more ;I am worthy of nothing.

Now there are foure feverali compofitions of foure payres of ingredientsthat have influence into this fecond kind of humiliation, to caufe us to hum-bleourfehet.

Payre>an hope of mercy,z& wt\hs& fence ofmfery:, 1 that

Without Humiliation no mercy.

that whereas before we did looke upon God as a fevere ludge j we lQoke now on him as one willing to receive us both arc requifite. Senceof miftrj onclyi brings a man but to himfelfe, 3s the Prodigal! firftisfaidtocometo himfelfe ; but hope of mercy joyncd with it, drives a man home to God,as it did alio him 5 without which fence of mifcry drives us from the Lo * d 5 but hope of mercy being added to ir, caufeth this a&ive humiliation^ wee fpeakc of, whereby wee fay, I will got and bumble my feifc.

2. Pay re of ingredients are the fence of our owne mp. tine/fe,togcthet with an appreheniion of that Alfuf. fcienCy that is in God $ which we alfo may fee in the Prodigally when he faid, iJhaBftarveanddye^ ifljlay here-, but in my fathers houfe is bread enough: he lookt to that all ftifiicknt fulnefle that was in God to fupply his wants* The creature whilft it findeth any thing in it felfc, it will ftand upon its owne bottome, and not bee humbled, but when it finds nothing in itsfelfebut emptineffe, then it beginneth to feeke out for a bottome 5 which it feeing to be in God alone, it goes out to him $ for men will not be drawneoff from their owne bottome, till they fee another bottome to ftand upon.

3 There muft be a fence of a mans owne fmfuU nefft, and the L on d Issus his righteoufnejfe, and fo a light comes in that difcovereth both: thus when'S. Paul was humbled, there was a light fhone about him,which was an outward fymbole of that new light which (hone within him, ofGhriftand his own finfulncffe.

G2 A)

Without Humiliation no mercy*

A fence of the love of GodandChrift, joyned with a fence of mans ownc unkindnefle unco God, whereby wee looke upon fins as injuries done to God, and an unkindnefTe (hewnc therein.

And now let us fee the difference bet wixtthefe two works or parts of humiliation,that we may further underftand what it kto humble our fclves.

And firft, they differ in the matter they are con-verfant about -> in that firft, a man is humbled properly ,but for the punifhmcnr,a man indeed is humbled forfinne, yet principally as it hath relation to punifliment ; it is guilt works on him 5 he is not humbled for fin,as it is contrary to God,and hisfaolines, but as contrary to himfelfe and bis own good r and thus we are not humbled, till we come to love God^ and to have a light difcovcring theholinefleand purity of his nature, which one that is favingly humbled hath wrought in him.

They differ in their grounds and principles whence they arife.

The firft arifeth butYrom felfe love, and is but a worke of nature- thoughthus farrc a worke of God to ftirre up felfe-love, by the fence of mifery and to awaken it \ but £0 as any unreafonable creature if in danger, ufeth to bee fenfible of it : and what wonder then is -it for a man, when hee beg ins to have fome fence of hell and death,let into his conscience, to be wounded and apprehenfive of it ! but the o* ther.arifeth from the love of God kindled in the heart by hope of grace and mercy#

They differ in the inftrumentall caufes that work them 5 the one is wrought by the fpirit of bondage, 1_ by

Without Humiliation no mercy.

by an ealightning meerly to fee his bondage,and the Soule is as one that is in bondage fearing God as a matter; and he hath no further light then thus to fee God as a Iudgc : but this other is wrought by the fpirit of adoption making the Gofpcllalfoei> fe<5taall,difcovetiftg God as a father.

They differ in their cffe&s 5 as,

The one driveth a man from God, but this latter caufeth a mantogoeto God andtofeeke Chrift:it workes that affe&ionto Chrift that the Church in the Canticles had to him, who would not give over feeking him, till free had found him whom her foule did love. Though there be twenty obfta-cles in the way, yet the foule hath no reft 5 as a ftone hath no reft s till it be in its owne center, fo nor this foule thus humbled but in God $ and ther-fore gives not over feeking him, though it hath never fo many denyalls.

The firft breeds deathman acedia, a deadnefle and liftlefneffe, it makes a man as a log, that moves not to God in prayer. So it wrought in Nabal, and AchitopheS, it breeds iuch difcouragement as often ends in death. Of worldly forrow: ( and fuch is all forrow whereof God is not the cnd)eomrneth death: but when it is right and true and kindly /brrow for finne, it doth that which an affedion fhould doe, it quickneth him to do that which he ought to do: fo feare when it is right worketh, and fo all other affedions, which were put into the foule for that end that it might bee ftirred up by them to that which it fhould doe, for G o d and its owne good; and therefore this affe&ion of forrow for G 3 fin

%

4 1

Without Humiliation no mercy.

finne quickens a man to feeke out to God when it is right.

The firft breeds a fierceneffe and turbulency in a mans fpirit > as we fee often in men whofe confei-ences are awakened to fee their fins, they are fiercer then they were before j for guilt of fin vexeth their fpirits j and where there is no fence of mercy from God, there is none to men : but he that is broken for finne fpends his anger upon himfelfe, frets chiefly for his ownevileneffeandunworchi-neffe 5 and the. Peace of God which his heart harh a fence of makes his fpirit gentle^ and feaeetble and eafie to be entreated and perfwaded: bring him Scripture, and 4 child may lead him and perfwade him. The rough wayes are m.xde fmootb, the rough and froward difpofitions of the heart, and every Moun-taine-like ajfetlio* caft downe, as it is faid they were by Saint hhns miniftery 3 who came to humble men and prepare men for Chrifl.

They differ ia their continuance $ the former a. lone proves but a paflfton, and it conies but from flc[h, fo as all the fruits of flejh are, it is but at the n ower of the grajje : of the fame fading nature ti»e roote is from whence it comes : though it comes like a violent torrent into the heart,and fwels above the bankes, yet it is but as a land-flood $ but this latter is as a conftant river that hath a fpring, which though it kecpes within the bankes, and'doth not overflow fo much as the other, yetitrunnescon-ftantly, and the further it runnes, the greater it growes.

I will give you alfo fome properties of that humiliation

Without Humiliation no mercy.

humiliation to which the promife is made here, by which it may be yet further knowneand diflfe-renced.

We will take thofe fruits of it we finde in the text. i. It will make a man pray, and 2. Seete Cods face^ andturne frem his will wayes : it hath alwayes thefe as the confequences of it :

To pray. Indas was humbled, butheehadno minde to pray, nor an ability to pray 5 the fpirit of prayer went not with it • but hee that hath that tree humiliation, is able to poure forth his foule to God: and indeed prayer is not the worke of the memory and wit 3 but the proper worke of a broken heart.

Againe, fecondly, to feeke Cods face, this true humiliation cuts a man off from his owne roote and bottome, and caufethhim to feeke the Lord alone : which feeking ufeth to be expreffed in prayer: that other will caufe a man to feeke mercy, but this to feeke Gods face y that is, if they have his favour, it is enough: they feeke God as fequeftred from all things elfe 3 though fuch a foule had aflurance of being freed from hell, it would not content him, uniefle he faw Gods face.

That which Abfalom counterfeited fas knowing it to be a true ftraine of a loving and humbled child to a Father) when he had his life given him,though baniftied from the Court, Let wee fee my fathers face, though hee kill mee, is in an humbled foule in truth towards God: others as God fayesin Hofea, Seeke mercy, but they turned not Umt : they foightnotme.

G 4. True

Without Humiliation no mercy.

True humiliation caufeth a man t& turnefrom his evill rvAyes ; the other makes a man but give them over foratime, whilft he is ficke of therq 5 and then rtturnes agAtne> as * Dogtohis vomit, 2 Chron.^.i 3. It is faid o^ mon bumbled not himfelfc as Manaffes his father hxd humbled himfelfe, but tranfgreffed mere and more: which implies, that when a man is humbled as hefhould, hetranfgrefTeth no more as hee had done , and fo Manajfes,did fo humble himfelfe, as he tranfgreflcd no more. It will make him become ftronger againft that fin he hath tranfgreffed in: as a bone that hath been broken is ftronger when it is right fet againe s hecfpecially humbleth him-feife for and turnes from his beloved fin, and with that from all the reft.

Property is, it makes a man to cleave faft to Chrift, and fo draw nigh to him in all the duties of' obedience, to obey hiraconftantly, generally and throughly. Men may have light wounds made in their hearts wfrch doe not drive them to the Phyfi-tian, which awakenetfr mena little, but they fall afieepe againe : but when God humbleth fo as to fave, he To fattens the apprehenfion of his mifery upon him, as to bring him home to Chrift : hefcts on the avenger of bloud to purfue him tothcut-moft, and not for a mile or two, but to follow hiim till he be driven into the Cicty of refuge : There is an humiliation, which hath not this effe&and con-fequent of it (and therefore I mention it as a property of the true) and this becaufc of a defeft that is in it, in which refped: though it come nearcthe true, yet differs from it : which is in the event feene

in

Without Humiliation no mercy.

in this, that the true caufeth to come to Chrifl,and to cleave to him without reparation.

That you may therefore fee the difference be-tweene this and the other, and wherein that other is dcfe&ive ; marke how that which is true workes this in one, who yet is not quite cut off, but hangs by a thred as it were, there being fome fecret Fibrdy fome veines and firings that are not cut in peeces, which keepe life in the old man, and a man remaineth ftill upon his old ftocke, and fo long Chrift comes not into the heart ; notuntillaraan be unbottomed of himfclfe, and fees he can no way be happy in himfelfe, or within his owne compare, but fees all is to bee had in and from the Lord Iesuj j untill then, he will not goe out of him. felfe, nor cleave to or follow the Lord Ie sus Christ fully.

Now then, the other humiliation is defe&ive in this, in that ic is not in this manner enough bottomed, it cuts not a nun wholly offfrom himfelfe, the foundation is not laid low enough y there is wanting depth of earthy there is indeed fo m ich earth as flull bring forth a greene blade of p-rofeflion, and fuch a foundationastheremaybeeere&ed a flight building upon, but it is not lowenoughtobearea fubftantiall building that (hall (land out all windes and weathers. This true humiliation hath thefe two things goe with it.

A man fees no bottome in himfelfe:

Seeth a bottom out of himfelfe to (land upon, and fo hee cafts himfelfe upon that, clafpsabouc Chrift, and wholly adhcrcth unto him, and fo

drawes

Without Humiliation ne mercy.

draws all fap and life from him, as the branch doth from theroote, and thence comes that rcfolution and ability to cleave to the Lord,and to plcafe him in all things.

As the refolution to doe it, fo all his ability to goe through with it $for being joyned to Christ, there comes the fpirit of grace (cal'd the vertue of Ch r i s t s death,becaufe it workes a vertue like unto his death) into the heart : But when the heart is not yet in this manner broken, many take up purpo-fes and good defires , but are not able to keepe them , becaufe they were bottomed on their owne ftrehgth $ whereas ifthe heart were broken from it felfe and engrafted into Cheist, fuchpurpofes made in his ftrength would drive and grow there: For if the foile bee made good, and fie plants bee planted in it, it is certaine they will thrive. Now in a good heart thofe defires that bee planted there doe thrive, and wither no more, and though there may now and then wav^s arife 3 and fo they may bee toffed to and fro 5 yet fubftantially they doe not wither nor fall ftom the foundation: Thofe therefore who have begun a good courfe for a yeare or a moneth,and goe not on in it,it is a figne they want humbling: Hee that is truely humbled,'falls backe no more: Manages did not,nor Saint FauI^ Lord what wilt thou have mee dee , fiidhee then i and hee was as good as his word. Therefore take knowledge you that doe fall away, what the defeat hath beene and wherein : for that willbeeameanes to fetyou right and recover you againe.

3 Property of Humiliation is, to have all the af-

fedions

Without Humiliation no

mercy.

9i

fe&ions moderate, all delights in worldly things faint and rcmiflTe, and all his affedions taken chit fly up about grace and finne : True affection in him will eateup the falfe; He efteeraeth fpirituall things at a high rate, and all other things as little. Askc fuch an one what of all things elfe he would defire, and he will tell you,Chrift,and the favour of God, and the graces of the Spirit, and to have his lulls mortified and his finnes pardoned, and that hce paf-feth not far the things of this life, hee cares not in comparifon whether hee bee poore or rich, bond or free, fnotwithftanding if he may have a better condition , hee will ufeit rather) as a man that is condemned to die; little regards hee hiseftateor the things of this life, his apprehenfions are taken up with greater things^give him his paidon,and take al elfe : So here one truely humbled, counts the fa-vour of God fo great, as hee efteems all things elfe light in comparifon : When therefore men are violent in their affections towards worldly things and in their defires and delights In them,and endeavours after them, it is a figne they are not humbled.~

4 Property i$ to love God and Chiift much, Mary loved much, btcaufe much was for give* her • that is, not {imply that much was forgiven her, but becaufe withal flie had a leafe of it,apprehended it as much, and her fin great by a workc of humiliation, and fo appcehendedit a great matter to be pardoned. And fo a man having once apprehended death and hell, and the wrath of G o d as belonging to him , and God comes on afuddafocandcellshim, thoujhalt ltve y when his necke was on the blocke, and hee ex-

petted

4.

9 1 \

Without Humiliation no mercy.

pe<5ied nothing but death $ this caufeth a man to love God much,and to prize Ch ri s t} and this made S. FauI alfo to love Qh* r i s t f o much, that the love of Christ conftrained him, becaufe/tp** ■a ferfecutcr And a bUfphcmer, and he died for me, forgave mee a great debt.

Hee that is truely humbled will bee content with any condition, as the Prodigall fonne, lAmcontent to bee at a* hired fervAm, fayeshee, And^munworthj u> bee c Ailed a fin Any more ; hee was content to doe the worke of a fervant, to live in the condition of a fervant, to have the loweft place in all the familie. And fo Saint PahI look'don himfelfe as the leAJiof aII the SAints , thought hee could never lay himfelfe low enough. NowthiscomentednefTeisexcrafed about two things.

In a contentednefle in the want of thefe outward good things 5 when a man is content with themea-neft fervices and the leaft wages, to want wealth, and credit and gifts, aslAc$b being truely humbled, / Am UJJe xhAn the Ua(1 of thy mercjes: whereas an o-ther man that is not humbled, when heclookes upon himfelfe and Gods mercies hee enjoy es hee thinking highly of himfelfe,thinks himfelfe too big for them,and that the difproportion is rather on his fide 5 whereas Ucob thoughhec then had many mercies, yet faid,take the leaft mercies, and lay ir in one fcale, and my felfe in an other, and I am too light for it, leffe than it, and it too much for mee.

It is exercifed in bearing croffes. One that is truly humbled (till ble(fith God, as lob, andbeares and accepts the punifhment of his iniquity willingly

and

Without Humiliation no mercy.

91

and chearefully,as we fee it made a condition, Lev* 26.41. if their nncircnmctfed heart beehumbUd y and they beare or accept the pt4m(hmeM0f their iniquity, if the Lord lay upon him a iharpe difeafe (fay the plague 5 difreputation, poverty ) yet hee beareth it willingly and chearefully y for When a man thinkes in earneft that which is faid £***/;. 36; that hee is mrthy t$ bee deftr$yed s whatfoever befalls him from God which is leffe than de(fru<5tion,heble(feth God forit, andrejoyceththat heeelcapethfo*

The humble man therefore is in all conditions contented, alwaycschearefulland bkffing God 5 if hee hath good things>they are more than he is worthy of 5 ifevill, though never fo fharpe,yec they are kfle thandeftru&ion, and then hee deferves, when as an unbroken heart is always turbulent, and thinks in the fecret murmurings of his heart 3 that hee is^not well dealt with,

I Should come now to the application of thisj Cafe. Do&rine ,• but before I mu^refolve a cafe and fcru-pie, which doth ufe to trouble the hearts of many. The Cafe in queftionis, whether tonight and true Humiliation^t be neceffary that fuch afolcmne Humiliation and fuch a meafureof forrow and violent Legall contrition goe before it.

There is a double kind of forrow wrought in the Anfw. hearts of men $ the one is a violent tumultuous forrow, which arifeth from the apprehenfion of hell and punifhment: the ground whereof is fclfe-love, and is commonly in thofe whoarefuddainelyen-Hghtned, and fo amazed therewith being taken on the fuddaine , as wee fee in Saint Paul who was ta-

_ ten\

Without Humiliation no mercy.

u

ken fuddainelyashce was going to Damafcus : ana ic was difcovered to him, that hcc was guilty of fo great a finne, as hce could never have imagined, a voice from heaven to ftrike his eares on the fud-daine, why perfecntefi thou me i ^ And this wee finde by experience to have beene in many who never have true Humiliation, as wee fee in /*<£*• God indeed fometimes ufeth it to bring men to true Humiliation, as hee did in Saint P**L

But again we find inexperience in fomc a cleaving to God, and hoiinefle of life, and a conftant care to pleafc him ih all things,without this violent vexing forrow; and many that have had their hearts deeply wounded,amazed,affrighted and have thereupon taken up great purpofes which have come to nothing , the ground whereof having beene a violent palfion, as that the roote withered, fo the fruit withered alfo j but a trueapprehenfion and convi&on offinne 5 as in it felfe the greateft mifcry is more rc-all and drawes the heart nearcrtoChrift; fothat in this cafe we may fay of thefe two forts,as Chrift faid of thofe who were bidden to goeintothe vine* yard: Thty that (rid they wouldgoe^ aid not , and others that fiidthey would not got , yet went: and therefore wee anfwer, that i: is not alwayes neceflary to have fuch a violent forrow, orthatamanlhouldlieany long time in fuch an evident fence of wrath,though alwayes there is a right apprehenfion of fin which doth humble a man : which will appeare by thefe confiderations.

That is not alwayes the greateft forrow that is thus violent: though it feeme to bee fo, it is not alwayes

Without Humiliation no

mercy,

95

wayes the greatcft forrow which melceth into teares 5 as that is not the greatcft joy that difcovcrs ic felfe in laughter $ that is not the greateft forrow which workes the moft violent commotion in the heart 3 there is a fad filent quiet forrow that finketh deeper, that wets more flowly 3 and fokes into the heart,and makes the heart more fruitful! in the iflue, which arifeth out of a more fpiritnall convi&ionof Iudgemeat,of the evill of fiane^though lefle paffion accompanies it, yeta ftrongcr and deeper affe&ion of forrow is wrought. I call it decper,becaufc it is more conftant and lafting 5 more to purpofe 5 the one being as a land-floud, the other as a fpring.

Put the cafe, fuch a violent forrow fhould bee greater, yet it is not alwayes alike neceflary, neither on Gods part nor mans.

Not on mans part 5 as fome difeafe doth not need fo (harpc and quick a medicine as an other , as Tome mens fleflvis harder to heale than others, fo fome mens hearts have more ftubbornenefle in them than others j fome have made themfelves children of the Divell by their wicked courfes, worfe then they were at firft 3 others in comparifon are but as the children of \^dddm, ftill as they were borne, and therefore the fame workc may bee wrought in them, with much leflcadoe.

On Gods part it is not alwayes fo neceflary, but f is proportioned to Gods ends % and God differs and is various in his ends concerning men.

Hcmeanes to beftow a greater meafure of grace upon one t hen upon an other $ and where he meanes to fet a greater building, there hedigges a lower

founda-

Without Humiliation no mercy.

>

foundation s hee meanes to ufc fome as a meanes to c omfort others, and therefore letteth them fee and fedc more the bitternefTc of (inne,that they may be able to comfort others with the fime comfort rvhenwith they b&vt becne comforted.

Hee differs in the meanes to attaine his ends 5 if hec meanes to bring them to thefamemeafureof grace >yet hee will not goealwayes the fame way to worke, as hee often doth that without affli&ion, which fomecimes hee doth with it 5 as a man is brought to the fame Haven divers wayes, fome in a calrae is tided in,others are driven in with a ftorme but it is no matter how they come fothey come in, the promifeis made to thofe that come,

A third confideration is, that it is not for want of this greatnefle of humiliation, that divers have not fo vio!e it a forrow,but from fome circumftance in the worke it felfe $ as,

Fr^becaufe the light of comfort comes infoo-nertoibmethantoothers$ they have the falvepre-| fently after the wound is given : God having bro-kvathc heart bindeth it upprefentlyagainc , a man may have asdeepea wound which a mitiga r ed medicine commingnearetothebottomeof thedifeafe and foone applyed may foonerheale than another lefle deepe, to whichtheremedie is not applyed a long time after, which therefore askes longer : So alfo ic is in joy, fuddainnefTeincieafethitforafir 5 for example, put cafe a man is condemned for high treafon, and brought to the blocke, and verily expects death, and his pardon on the fuddaine comes, I there is fuch a.grcat fcnfible change wrought in him

(and

Without HtmilUtion no mtrcy.

( and our natures are fenfible of great changes ) and therefore how exceffively doth hee re Joyce! but take one who is guilty of the fame fault, who knows that if hce have not his pardon,hee ihould loofe his life,but hath his pardon prefently after the fentencc pafled' y hee will prize his pardon as much as the o-ther, thoughhappily hee is not fo turbulently affe-&ed as the other.

It falls out thus by reaf on of the ignorance fome have lived in before, who therefore are enlightened to know their eftates all on the fuddaine ; whereas an other hath beene brought up in knowledge, and the kno wledg of his mifery being let in by degrees, then the cafe doth alfo differ, as betweene two men who were to goe through a wood, whereof one is fet upon by thceves not fufpe&ing any, and is put into a fearc of his life', and knowesnot how to ef-cape, but one comes on the fuddaine, andrefcues him and gives him his life, but another is warned before, knowes hee muft goe through fuch a paf-fage, and that unlefte hee hath a ftrong guard a, ] goe along with him , hee (hall certainly perLh $ this man apprehends the danger as great, as the other, and the benefit as great, anrf the loveof him that fliould goe with him as great 5 only his paffion 3 either of feare or joy,is not fo violent as the others, though hee truly rejoyceth in the deliverance as much as Che other, and thinkes him-felfc as much bound to the man that delivered him.

I have fpoken thefe things, becaufe fome are fcrupuious in the point, and thinke they may not - H fafely

Without Humiliation no mercy.

ofytf. Anfa.

fafciy apply the Promife, becaufe they have not had that meafure of forrow that others have had.

But let no man fuflfcr his affuranceto bee weak-ned for want of this, for a man may have as high an eileeme of Christ and bee as throughly convinced of finne though hee want that violent workc , which God workes in fome , even a great fence of his wrath, and letting them lie there and then fpeakes peace, fo as thefe are wrought by diftinvft ads and caufes in a great diftance one from the other, fo that as their forrow was evident fo their joy was evident, in another hee workes fo, that as foone as hee fees finne hee fees God al-fo pardoning.

And in thofethat have that violent fhyning of affe&ion in their fitft Humiliation $ looke how much of ic is violent , will vanifli, and what is fubftantiall, will hold ; fo that even they in the exi* come tothisfolidconvi&ionof Iudgcmentat lait, which onely is conftant, and abideth with them. And therefore let not thy afTurance bee weakned for the want of this , for faith unites to C h r 1 s t and eftablifheth us in well doing.

But you will fay, is it nor good to get that fenfi-blc ftirring fence and fight of finne ?

I anfwere, yes, for to that end God leads through crofTes, and fuffers thee to fall into finnes, that thou mayeft fee the vanity of the creature and the finfulneffe of thy nature, that when thou com-meft to Heaven thou mayeft fay by thy owne experience, it was not by my owne rightcoufneflfc that I

came

Without Humiliation no

mercy*

99

came hither : Andthercfore though it be good to gec it 3 yet let G o d goe his owne way aedtife his owne manner of working,whether by Legall terror or otherwife,what he fees good for thee he will doe to humble thee, but doe thou ufe meancs to under-ftand the Law , thy owne heart and a&ions, and as thou art fallen into new finnes, labour to fee what a cafe thou fhould ft be in, if Chrift had not delivered thee : But let not thy afTurance bee weakned, for you mud know there are but two maine ends of humiliation, which if they bee attained in thee, thou needed not call in queftion thy eftate : Now firft it ferves to make thee willing to match with Chrift: Wee are Chrifts fpokes-men, and woo you every Sabbath day, but wee finde all the world like them who thinke themfelves beaurifull and rich and that they have matches enow, who though they are contented to have Chrift for their husband in Heaven, yet aot on the earth with all thofe erodes they muft take him with.

Now humiliation comes and makes men willing, when amancomestofeeandfay, I have no f uch thing in mee as I imagined, nc riches, &c. but I am in debt, and fhall be arretted arcMaid in prifon, and mylifemuftgeeforir, unkfte Chrift will marry me; in that a man fees hee (hall bee kept from all anefts by him, this makes a man willing to match with Chrift, yea glad, though he have many croflcs follow in this life upon the marriage- Now therefore if thou findeft this wrought that thou canft fin-cerelyfay, I am willing to take Chrift, and ro bee fubjeft to him in all things to follow him in all

H 2 conditions

!

VVitlmt Humiliation no mercy.

conditions, to give a full confent to take him ^ as I finde that he in the word hath a full confent to take, mee$ then certainely thou art humbled, elfenotj if thou had ft taken him onely in a fit, and not out of Iudgement, thou wouldeft haverepented thee ere now.

The fecondend w ch Humiliation ferves to is for San&ification, as the other helpt him in his Iuftifi-cation, that every unruly luft may be broken and mortified in thee; that thou mighteft feare to offend and bee plyable to the Lord in every things whereas another that is unbroken quarrclls with e-very thing, thinkes his worke too much, and his wages too little,and knowes not why he (hould goe a contrary way to the world, but an humbled man will doe all this chearefully, like a broken Horfe that turnes at every check of the bridle, when another cafts his Rider : Doeft thon finde that thou trembleftattheword, and feareft finne, anddareft not venture in it, and fo for duties thou dareft not tfc£\e<9:them 5 and this thou haft experience of in the whole courfe of thy life? then furely this worke of humiliation hath beene in thy heart : Though thou feeft not thefirc,yet if thoufindeft the heate,it hath beene there : for thefe are the effe«5b of it, and as I fpeake this for the comfort of thofethat have not felt fuch violent forrows, fo«let me on the contrary fay toothers, who (it may bee ) have had fuch fits of forro w, yet if thou finde an un willingnes to fubmit thus to Chiut, findeft thy neckeftiffe ro the Lords yoke, and fuch aaunbrokennes in thee, chat thou canft not live without fatisfying this or

that

Without Humiliation no mercy.

101

that luft, but canft fin and beare ic out well enough? let thy forrow have beene never fb great, and now they are paft and gone, and were not right 5 let men therefore examine thcmfelves by the eflfe&s, for men are deceived on both fides: and then,

i Vfe is for exhortation to ftirre uptothedu-tie: This exhortation I dire<3 to two forts of men $ firft to thofe who are already truly humbled, and fecondly to ftrangcrs to it.

Firft you that are already humbled andhave obtained the aflurance of the f orgivenefle of your fins, you muft bee humbled more,for if the Lord fu/pend hispromife at this,thenthe dutieis to be done daily: When God requires a dutie of San&ification ( and his promifes are made onely to fuch ) there can bee none excufe, there may bee a let in preparative humiliation ; a man may bee JivaltewedsftM muebfirrow: but not in this which is a dutie of fan-ftification: and know this, that all degrees of grace arife from the degrees of this true Humiliation 1 which I make good to you thus 5 Faith and Lvve are the great radicall graces, all elfe are but branches fpringing out of them. Now they are ftreng. thened by this humiliation, and graces the more they grow there is an addition ftill made to them $ as there is an addition made to our humiliation.

Firft for Faith, know that the more ftrongly a man layes hold odChrist andprizethhim, the more hee goes on to apprehend his finne, and is emptied of himfclfe 5 and though a man tooke Ch * iit truly at his firft converfion, yet there are degrees of prizing him •> when a husband takes a _ H3 wife

lot

Without Humiliation no mercy .

wife, though at their firft marriage there was fuch love betweene them as they would have chofen each other before any other in the world , yet fo as this their love may admit degrees; after marriage, they may fee more grounds of loving each other more, fo that though the match is made, yet they may be more confirmed in their choice,which may be made more full and abfolute: So towards Chrift the will and affe&ionsmay be wound up to a high, er peg, which is done by a further degree of humiliation. What is faith, but a laying hold of Chrift? Now the emptier the hand is, the further hold it takes,and the more we aret,akenoflFourowne bottome,thc further wee will cleave to Chrift. A man in a river that islike to bee drowned,and hath a rope caft to him,he will be fure to catch as faft hold as hee can, you (hall not need to bid him. And to this end it is, that Chriftiansareftilltaught more and more,by the Spirit to fee the vanity ofthecrea-ture,rhe vileneflTe of their natures; and they are led through this wildernefTe to humblethera, thatfo Chrift may have the higher place in their hearts.

Againe, thegreaterthethirftis, the greater will a mans draught bee 5 and the more you add to your humiliation,the more willyourthirft be after chrift, and you will drinke deeper of the fountaine of life, and draw more fap from him.

And fecondly it increafeth your love, for thereby wee come to fee our felves more beholding to Go d, as having a greater debt forgiven us. What made CMary love much, butbecaufe (hee wasfenfi-bit much f94s forgiven her. Therefore lab our more

and

m

Without Humiliation no

mercy.

and more to bee humbled, efpecially as you fall into new finnes, which the L o r d oft lets his to doe, that they might bee humbled more: and the more light a Chriftiangets to difcover hisowne vilenefle and the vanity of the creature, the ftronger hee will grow in grace , and the more eftablifhed in well doing.

Now fecondly for thofe who are ftrangersto this grace of Humiliation 5 that they may come to be humbledjlet them obferve thefe two rules. Firft labour to fee the greatnefle of finne. Secondly to feeyour owne weaknes and unability to helpe your felvcs i for the firft, doe not weigh fin by common opinion, butinarightballance, doe not doe with yourfoulesas fome doe with their bodies $ when their beautie is decayed, they defire to hide it from themfelvesby falfeglaffes,and from others by painting 5 fo doe wee for the mod part with our finnes. wee defire to bide them from our felves by putting 5 falfeglofles upon them, and fromotheis by fained excufes: but deale impartially with your TeJves herein, and labour to fee finne in its full vifenefTe: And that you may doe fo,

Firft pfcch upon fome one great fin^nd take it in-1 to consideration. So Chrift, when he would humble | P4«/he tells him of his perfecution, Whyperfecutett \thonm* AndfoS.Ptffr, when he would humble I thelewes^^?i 2.1. he tels them of their crucifying \ of Chrift : So Chrift when hee would humble the ! Woman, lehn 4. he remembers her of her adultery: I And the method that God takes when hee would J humble us, it is good for us to take : For as when a J ^^^ H 4 man

t04

Without Humiliation no mercy,

V

man goes to rub agreat ftaine out of acloath, by the fame labour hee rubs out others, that are the leffe,for my meaning is, not that you fhould let o-1 cher finnes alone, when I exhort you to fingle out me jbut to confider all particulars elfe alfo, though J never fofmall :the multitudes of them will helpeto humble thee,as well as the greatnefle: When a man fees hee hath many debts though but fmall, of fix-pences and (hillings ; yet being many, the totall fumme may arife to agreat quantity, and make a man fee himfelfe bankerupt : Therefore fetyour (innes in order before you, give the due weight to e-very fin, but yet efpecially let great fins b # ec in your eye. Now fome finnes are greater in their ownc nature, as fornication, (wearing, drunkenneffe, &c. others are made great by their circumftances, as that they were committed againft knowledge,with deliberation, as Saul ftaringtht Amalckitcs> andfacrifi-cing.before Samuel came, wherein a commande-ment to the contrary was diftindly given. So God aggravated to Adam his finne, did not 1 command thee m contrary i and didft thou not know thou (hould • eft not * We are not to take fi lsby number onely, but alfo by weight? as when they were committed contrary to many promifes,purpofes,and fo as hard-neffeof heart followed upon it.

Andfecondly, withall labour to make fins pre-(ent s though long fiace committed ;. looke on them as if they were newly done: for though our finnes be great, yet if we apprehend them and view at a diftance, and a great way off, they move us not : Which is the rcafon why pien are not more affe&ed

^

with

Without Humiliation no mercy.

jwith the thought of death, in their health, which J yet is one of thegreateft evills, and fo apprehended by us when we come to dye: the reafon is, becaufe it is then conceived to be a far re off, and fo men are not moved with it. Thus is it in our apprehenfion of fins alfo: the diftance makes them feeme fmall 5 there is not a neare conjunction and application of the obje<ft and the affection, they are not brought nigh, but men looke upon finnes long fincepaftas fmall, whereas in truth fins long fince committed are the fame iathemfelves and in the fight of God they were when firft committed y and therefore fliould bee the fame to thee. So a man that hath committed a treafontwenty yearesagoe, maybe executed for it now: and therefore lofephs brethren remembred their fin as frefli, though long before committed, as if they had then committed it: their affli&ion revived in their confeiences, and made it as prefent: but we ufually looke on fins paft as none of ours, lob faith, that the Lord made him pof-fejfe thefinnts of his youth: he pofTeffed them, that h looked on them as his owne- What is the reafon why to men in jeopardy, as in a ftorme at Sea, and in the time of fickneffe their fins then appeare fo terrible and fearefull i they apprehend them as prefent. Now that w ch Cod doth by affli&ion, let us labour to get done by meditation, and by faith to looke on them as prefent j turne that end of theopticke glaffe which will bring them neare to thee, labour to have a trueludgementof their greatneffe, and that they are the fame, for therein lyes true humiliation, when the Iudgement is rightly convincedto

efteeme

°5

Without Humiliation no mercy ■

I

cfteeme them the greateft evill, though it bee not accompanied with fo violent and turbulent a for-row.

When you have made them thusprefent, doe not quickely make an end, but let forrow abide I upon your hearts, for the worke is not fofoone done 5 you will get into fomerocke or other, un-leffe you be continually pcrfecuted and followed by the apprehenfion of your fins, till you come unto the Cicty of refuge : but doe as David did Pfal. 51. he fet his fin before him • and as Saint faul^ to whom that fin of perfecution was ever frefh in his memory and alwayes in his mouth, / a perfecuttr, &c. In this cafe learne foraething of the Devill, who when he would bring a man to be fwallowed up of forrow, his manner is to keepe a mans fin ftill before him,nor will he let a man be at reft,thei fore 2 Cor* 12. they are called the bufferings ofSat ban, becaufehe comes often with blow after blow, to difcourage and amaze a man: now learne from that pradife of his to ftay and dwell upon the meditations of our fins, and often toprefent them to our foules. Thy grecne wood happily will not burne without much blowing: it xifrequens & intenfwr ar-gumenutioy a frequent preffing of arguments that workes on the affe<ftions; and fo here keepe the object nearethe faculty,andat laft it will worke: look not on thy fins by fits, let there be no interruption by worldly joyes or pleafures, no intervalla : and this is Saint lames counfell, Be afflifted, and mournt and tveepe. Tames 4. Let jour laughter be turned inn mournings and jour joj into heavineffe : humble you*

felves.

Without Humiliation no mercy.

ftlveS) (jrc that is, if you will have your hearts humbled, abftaine from lawf ull delights for the time, get alone. S o Uel i . he bids them fet apart a day, that they might have no interruption; and if that will not doe it, fan&ifie another $ let not one fparke goe out ere another be ftrucke 5 other wife you will be alwayes beginning and never come to be humbled.

If you would come to lay your fins to hears,and be affe&ed with them 5 then be fure you be not kep; off by thofe falfe reafonings and excufes, which hinder men from being humbled, and kcepe their fins from comming in upon them : asforinftance; when a man comes to confider of his fins, ay but 1 fays he, am I not in a good eftate already f and then my fins are pardoned 5 for Ihavegooddefiresin me and agoodmeamng,lmeaneno man no harme$ and thus thefe keepe him from feeing himfelfea child of wrath : but confider, that thou maifthava all thefe good things in thee, and more then thefe, and yet be a chUd of wrath 5 thefe will be found to the praife of the Holy Ghoft who wrought them in thee, but not to thy advantage to efcape damnation ,• for though thefe be in thee, yet they have not that full eflreftthey fhould, for they overcome not that evill that is in thee : for notwithstanding all thefe good things thou art ftili a Sabbath profaner, a drunkard given to Company. I mightgoe oVcr all other fins; but in a word j if they overcome not every fin, they are nothing for the laving thee 5 if they had beene effe&uall in thee, they would have driven out the darkenefife 5 all the &ood things thou

haft

Without Humiliation no mercy.

Other ex cufcs are in thofe Sermons upon. R 0 1. 17, i*

haft availe not to thy falvation 5 becaufe they make thee not a good man 5 yea all thefe good things and the good fits thou haft had, will helpc forward thy condemnation : becaufe thou haft prophaned the truth in thy heart, and haft not putfuell to thefe fparkes, which God in mercy did put in: that thou fhouldcft fuffcrfuch Talents as thefe to lye hid in a Napkin, will heenot fay, thou art an unprofitable fervant*

A fecond thing that is to be added to theiight of your fins to humble you, istoknowthatmifery and vanity that is in your felves $ we fee by experience that men will graunt that they are great fin-ners, but what is the rcafon, that yet notwithftand-ing they ftandout?

They doe not know their ownc mifcry and vanity, and though we have preached to men againe and againe their mifery 5 yet they are not ftirred : but when death comes, then they are humbled, and why, but becaufe then they fee what God is, and /hat themfelvesare j death (hewes than the vani-ty^of the Creature : fo that the way to bee humbled, is to know how unable a man is to be happy within his ownc compafle. And to this end con-fider:

JFirft, the greatneffe of God and his power, and the terrours of the Almighty,that he is that God in whofe hands is thy life and wayes, and all: and confider, that unleffe thou feriodly lay thy fins to heart $ this God is thy enemy,and him with whom for sver thou haft to doe. Gonfider what a weake creature thou art 3 thinke i: with

Without Humiliation no mercy.

with thy felfe $ a (icknefle may come on my body, a. croffe may come on my cftate, yeaanapprehen-fion on my foule, that may fucke up the marrow of my bones 5 and above all, I have an immortall foule in a veffell of clay 3 and thinke when that glaflfe, that (hell is broke, what will become of that poore foule of thine: And this would bring a man ro the ProdigtKs cafe. BeljhazzAr faw this, when he faw the hand writing upon the wall. Had it not becne wifedome in him to have feene and acknowledged it before i Thou art well now; thoudoeft not know what alterations may befall thee in the yeare, and thou hadft better leave a thoufandbufi-ne/fts undonc 9 then this.

And yet thirdly, all this will not doe it, except the fpiric of God come on thee : to humble a man is a mighty worke. Though Eliah fhould preach to you, yea zWthe fomts of thunder lhouldcome, yet without the fpirit,they will not beable to humble you $ yea God himfelfe came downe from heaven, upon Mount Sinti, and with what terroars f f and yet the people remained unbroken,though thsy werg,amazed for a time. When Chriftfpaketo Saint Paul and ftrucke him off his horfe, if he had not a light within as well as without, he had not beene humbled $ nor the Ujlor if there had not been an earthquake in his heart, as well as in theearth. a lerobo&m had as great a miracle wrought before X him as Saint P*ul: you may well thinke the drying up of his hand amazed him, yet made him not give over his finne 5 and what was the reafon £ there 1 was a miracle in both, but not the fpirk: and if we

did

no

I

Witfaut Humilvz'm no mercy.

0b]ttt.

Anfo.

did worke miracles before you, from day to day 5

yet unleffe God fent his fpirit of bondage upon you, you would not be humbled. See thencceffityof the fpirits helpe in admonitions alfo. ^maziab was admonifhed by a Prophet as well as Davidby Nathan, yet he was not humbled : and fo we fee fome are humbled by affli&ions, and others not. Therefore pray that God would fend his fpirit to convince you, and learne alfo not to be offended at us, when in preaching the Law yourconfeknees are troubled. It is the fpirit that trcubleth you; elfe our words would not trouble you : and therefore be not angry at us : and therefore alfo docpot put off this duty of getting your hearts humbled 5 for thou art not able fo much as to humble thy felfs: therefore take the opportunities of the fpirit, when he ftirs thy heart.

But you will fay, this rather difcourageth us from the worke : for then we muft ever waite like marriners, till the tide and the gale comes, and I Kid as good fitftill: for I may goe about it to no purpofe, feeing the Lord muft doe it.

I anfwerthee , t hat if thou wouldeft goe about it and fhut up thy felfe in private a day, and after that another, in the end God would fend his fpirit. When Chrifl bad them goe and rovve,thoi gh they rowed all night to little purpofe, yet Chrift came at laft, and they were on the other fide prefently 5 it may be thou maieft beaboutitamonethortwo, ere thou findeft the fpirit coming; yet he will come in the end, and then the worke will be throughly done 1 for God hath made a promife of the Holy

Ghoft*

JPitbout Humiliation no mercy.

Ghoft, that he w&lbtftixemtbtbc Holy Ghojias nithfire • not oncly to his Difciples, buc thofe that yet never had it: for ic is not oncly for encreafe, but to begin grace. Yea if God hath given thee a heart to pray, toconfiderthispromife, fo as thou haft taken up a refolution to waite and to fet thy felfe to the worke, when thou haft done fo 5 the fpirit is already in thine heart, the worke is begun, though thou thinkeft not fo; and never pleade thou canft not do it without the fpiiitjfor I aske thee this queftion, didft thou ever commit a fin in which thou couldeft fay, I did it againft my will * was there ever any duty which thou hadft a thought to doe,that thou couldeft fay,thou couldeft not do it t thy heart tells thee no.

Therefore fet about this duty which is the maine; which therefore we have preft much,becaufe it is as a naile driven into a wall on which other graces hang. This and Faith are the great things which the matter builders were occupied about, and in deed the foundation, which therefore above ail you muft looke to ; and thefe our exhortations (hould bee as forked Arrowes to fticke in you, and not out againe, and not as other Arrowes that wound onely.

We have done with the negative parr, Tbatfucb as dot not humble themfdves have no interejl in the promifes.

We come now to the affirmative part, which is for comfort j That if any man doth humble him-felfe, God will heare his prayer, his finnes flull bee forgiven, &c

I The

m

WieLord is mmifuU to the humble.

The Do&vine is this. The Lord will be menifull untothe bumble*

I had thought to have gone off fooncr, but that the Supper of the Lord drawes ncarc ; which time is a day of reconciliation,; fuch as was that Feaft the tenth day, in the feventh moneth, when the people all meeting together, Aaron the Prieft, and confef-fed their fins over the fcape Goate which fled into the wilderneffe, which was a type of Chrift taking away all our fins; and the fame is done and repre-fented when we receive the Sacrament. Now one condition required of the people at that time was, that they (hould humble themfclves, and every foule that did not,was to be cut off, Lcvit. 23.27. to the 30. verfe, and thatlettinggoeofthe fcape Goate was at the fame time, appearcs, Leviticus 16.20. to the 31.

But 10 come to the point 5 the Scripture isplen. tifull to prove it, Units 4.5. God giveth grace tothe humble, fan&ifying grace, and alfo faving knowledge, Pfal. 2 j 1 . Hcjhewes hisfecrets unto the humble, yea he dwcUcth in fuch, E/aj 57.1 y. he hath an efpc-ciall eye to fuch : thofe eyes that runnc through the whole earth fine themfclves on the humble man for good, Ifay 62. 2. other things have my hand made-, (yet them he regards not in comparifon) To him rviUllookethat is humble : hepromifethalfoto fill them with good things, to give them preferment and honour, to exalt the humble andmteke 5 yea hce regards it fo, that when evill men have humbled themfelves, they have not gone away without fome mercy; as when i^ihab humbled himfelfe, • 2 Cor.

The Lord is mercifnll to the bumble.

% chron.ii. God promifed he would not bring the cvill in his days : and the bcft of Gods children when they have not humbled themfelves, he hath withdrawne his favour from them, as he would not look on David-jdW he had humbled himfelfc.Allthe world cannot keep an humble man down,nor all the props in the world cannot keepe a proud man up.

And what are the reafons why Godrcfpe&eth humble menfof

An humble man giveth God all the glory, and him that honour ethmee ( faith God) I will honour. Now an humble man doth as loab did. loab would not take the vi&ory to himfelfe, but fcnt for David; and it was the deepeft policy that ever loab ufed: and fo the Apoftles, Afts 3, know that Ufa hath made this man whole : and it is the humble mans wifedome, in all a&ions not to fet themfelves up, but to fay, no matter how I be regarded, fo God be glorified 5 and God will honour fuch : therefore Chrift in his prayer makes this a ground of being glorified by God, lohn 17. I have glorified thee on earthy now father glorifie me. And fo God will deale with hisSaintsina proportion.

Humility keepes a man within his ownecom-pafTe 5 but pride lifts ar man upabove his proportion, it puts all out of joynt and breeds diforder,and that bringeth deftru&ion 5 and therefore humility was defined by fome of the Ancients to bee that which out of the knowledge of God andamans felfe keepes a man to his owne bottome. Tha* whereas a proud man lifts up himfelfe above his meafurc,*as a member in the body that fwells,takes . , -■, ' I up

11?

Reaf. 1,

Reaf. 24

The Lord k mercifult to the bumble.

Reaf. 3

Reaf.^.

Ffc

up more roome then it fhould, and arc as bubbles in the water, which ftiould be plaine and fmooth 3 but this brings all into its place againe, gives the Creator his due, and fets the creature where it fhould be, and therefore God loves it.

It makes a man fociable and ufefull and profitable to others : a man would not have a ftub-borne horfe, that will not goe in the teame with his fellowes, nor fuch high trees as overfhadow others, and will not fuflfer them to grow by them, and bring forth no fruit themfelves. A man will not keepe a Cow oranOxethatisftillapuihingj and fuch an one is a proud man: it is but, and ordy the humble man that will live profitably a-mongft his neighbours, and will not goe beyond his owne Tedder*

An humble man hath fuch a frame of heart, asthe Lord delights in 5 for hec is fearefull to offend, alwayes obedient, ready to doe any fervice, and is content with any wages 5 loves much, is abundant in thankefulneflfe, and cleaves faft to the Lor i>, becaufe hehathnobottome of his owne, and keepcth under his lufts, becaufe he knowes the bitrerneife of finne; refignes up his heart to the Lord to follow him in all chings, hee is a man of the Lords defires 5 fo it is (aid of Dmtl, when he had humbled himfelfe, Ban. 9. Such an one asthe Lord would have 3 and fo it makes him fit for favour; and when a man is fit for favour he fhall be fure to have it, for Godisnotftreight-handed to us.

Hath the Lord faid it, and that from heaven 3

that'

J The Lord is mercifall to the bumble.

"5

I

that if a man doth humble himfelfe hee will f orgiv^ him if Then this is a matter of great confolation j when I can fay from Gooto any one here that droopes, that if thou doeft and wilt humble thy felfe, the Lo r d will forgive thee 5 confiderit,this is ncwes from h eaven.

Put the cafe ( to compare fpirituall thingswith things which you are more fenfible of ) that any of you had committed high treafon againft the King, and thou hadft forfeited thy life and goods • if any one (hould come from the King to thee,and tel thee, that if thou wouldeft goe to him and humble thy felfe it fhould be pardoned : And is not our cafe the fame f Wee arc guilty of eternall death, and have forfeited life and all : when therefore G o d himfelfe fhall fay, If"thou wilt humbltth)[elfe , thyfwms fl>atl bee forgiven , what comfort is it? fuch a word as this fliould not be loft. A man that knowes the bitternefle of finne, would waite and waite againe to gain fuch a word as this from the L o r d s mouth, and would keepeit as his life. It was not a light thing to get fuch a word as this from God, none but a favorke could get it, nay none but his Sonne, and hee not, but by his death ;if Christ had not provided this Charter for us, every manfhould have dyedinhisfinnes- Now this we can and doe fay from God through Christ, that thougd your finnes be great, and you have fallen into them many a time and comittedtheni'withtheworftof circumftances 3 yet if thou humbleft thy felfe, thou (halt bee forgiven, fo as thou mayeft fay, 1 may I challenge God of his promife, and put this bondin

I 2 fuite I

n6

The Lord is mercifuO to the bumble.

m

fuite and hcc cannot deny it. This is a great matter; if a man (hall butferiouflyconlider, what it is to have this great God, the Governor of the World, to bee an enemy, one would thinkc they fhould thinke this Gofpell good ne wes.

But you will fay, I doe yet neither know diftin-&\y what it is to humble my felfe, neither can I humble my felfe ^ there is not a harder thing then it is. Therefore I will (hew it you once againe, that you may know it, for why (hould wee not in fo great a point turne it every way, and mould it for your ufe,and to your apprehen(ions,as alfo that you may not thinke it harder then it is,by which the Di-vcll keeps many off.

Now you may know what it is by theexprefli-ons of thofe who have humbled themfelves. David having numbred the people, when hee humbled himfelfe htfc\d y Lord I have finned and done exceeding foolijhly . lofiab his heart melted before the Lord. And Dan. p, Lord wee have done very wickedly &c. and Jb*me belongs to us : hee was afliamed. And lob when hee humbled himfelfe, faid, Lord, I abhor mj felfe in dufl and ajbes. And the Prodigall, I have finned againft heaven andagainjl thee , and am no more worthy to bee called thy fonne. And fo t hey arc faid to bee weary and hcavie laden. Many other exprefli-ons there are, but I will digeft all into two heads \ to humble a mans felfe is but to bring his heart and minde unto thefe two a efts.

Is out of a fence of a mans unwonhyncfTe to fay thus unto the Lord : Oh Lord, I have done exceeding wickedly ^and am worthy to hee deftroyed. I have beenc

The Lord is merciful! to the humble.

in the wrong way, and done exceeding fooliftily > but thy wayes are righteous, and thou art juft: yea I have dealt unthankfully and unequally with thee, who haft beene fa good to me. That was it melted the heart of lofith, and made lob abhorre himfelfe$ as vile as the dull I tread upon, as afhes that are good for nothing, orbutasfackcloth C in which they ufed to humble themfelves, the word ofgarments, I am afhamed and confounded. This is the firft a& which is a fence and an acknowledgement of our owne unworthinefTe and vilenefie. And the fecond a fight of a mans worthinefle to bee deftroy-ed, unability to helpe himfelfe, and of the vanity of all things elfe. A man muft further fay, that I am not onely unworthy, but guilty of death 5 my finncs will breake my backe 51 am not able to ftand under them, and I am utterly undone 5and when Ilooke upon all the props of my life, my health, and riches, &c. I fee they are but vaine things, reeds and feathers, and as hollow ground whereon I can fet no footing : Therefore Lord, bee thou a rocke to mee, on whom I may pitch and build my felfe* And that this fight of our owne unability is alfo ne-ccflary we fee by that 1 Tim. 6.17. charge them that ah rich , that they bee not high minded^ nortrufl in un~ certahe riches: they arcboth joyned together: F01 fo farre asa man doth truftin them, he is high minded 5 and the foule of man doth truft in them fo long as it apprehends fubftance in thera,and that they arc (not vanity, fo farre the heaut bcares it /elfeupon ' them, and fo is careleffe of the Lord 5 and why t lfe doe affli&ions humble men, as CMmafes^ but I 3 becaufe

Vfez.

The Lord k mtrcifuU to the humble.

becaufe a man then fees the emprineffe of all things, it brings him to fay with the Prodigall,/^/*;* hunger 3 and thefe cannot feed mee, and fo to hold fa ft to the Lord : which a man muft needs doe , when he hath but one thing to hold to. Now when thou art wrought on fo as to expreffe this unfainedly, this is it, to humble thy felfe.

Wee fhould hence learne to ftrengthen our faith; if wee have done this, if thou haft thus humbled thy felfe, confefled thy finnes, taken up a full refolution to forfake them 5 thou (halt have mercy, according to that promife Pro. 28.13. Hee that confcjjtth wd forfaketb, jbdll h*ve mercy .

But here we find thofe who have humbled them-felves come in with two objections, that hinder their comfort.

1 That they cannot mourne for their fins. 2 That they fall into the fame finnes againe and againe, and that therefore they have not humbled themfelves. Now as we would not have the falfe deceived with falfe evidences, fo nor the true difcomforted, and therefore wee will anfwer thefe obje&ions. To thefirft,

If thou becft fo farre convinced in thy Iudge-gacnt of thy fin, and mifery; and unability to helpe thy felfe, as it hath turned the bent and rudder of thy will, fo as thoufayeft,I will goe and humble my felfe to my Father, change my courfe, confeffe and forfake my finnes; though thy afftdionsfeeme ro thee ftirred, yet this is enough to tranflate thee into the eftate of grace : forlaske, to what end is mourning and weeping required, but ro awaken a

man

The Lord h mercifulltotbe humble*

man, tocomehometoGod, in this manner menti" oned ? when therefore thou findeft thefe effe<5is> thou maicft be fure'thou haft the end of thefe, and that is enough to fave thee. Suppofe a man carries about him a deadly difeafe, fo asuponthedifco-very, and knowledge of it he is content to part with aline hath to thePhyfitians, andiswary ofmed-ling with any meatethat will hurt him and increafe it 3 if he know this that it is deadly, though he hath no fence of paine, it is all one, (and there are fome difeafes you know, wherein a man feeles not fo much paine, that yet are mortally it may make him as carefull to ufe the meanes: and fo it is here 5 if the convi&ion of the finfulnefle and deadlincfle of finne worke thofe difpofitions mentioned in thee, then thou haft the end which mourning tends to, and that is all one*

Though thy affe&ionsbc not fo ftirred,confider the promifes are made to ones comming in, and taking Chrift, and beleeving in him: they are not made to the commotion of the affe&ions: and here in the words the promife is made to, humbling thy felfe out of a folidity of Iudgement. It is no master by what meanes you are brought to take hold on Chrift, fo you come to him. It is all one whether I come to my journeys end by land, or by water, on horfe backe or on foote, fo I be come thither.

If thou findeft thou doeft the things that an humble man (hould doe, then though thy affections feeme not to be moved, yet in very deed they are moved and changed : as if thouartfearefulltore-

14 turne

no

The Lord is merciful! to the humble.

curnc to thy fianes, arc rcfolved to pleafe God in all things to thy power. For what are affe&ions, but divers pofitions and fcituations of the will and the fecte it walkes upon t they arc but the divers morions and inclinations whereby the will fh:>ots ic felfe into the objects of ir. Now looke which way thy willisrefolved,andfet: that way arethyaffe-dions fet alfo t if thou feed one to rife up foone and goe to bed late, to avoyde poverty, and to get riches, a wife man will affure himfelfe that his ayme is fuch, and his heart fet upon riches ; his anions (hew that his affe&ions doe move ftrongly that way, though he fayes, hefeclesnofuchftir-radge. Therefore though thou findeft this ftilneflfe of affe&ions, yet if thou doeft the fame things that they ufe to doe, who mourne and weepc more; thou mayeft aflfure thy felfe thy aflfe&ions are moved.

I adde this, that ic is no wound, if thy afife&ions be not fo fenfibly ftirred, and yet thy humiliation bee found ; for it is the nature of theaffedionsto (hoote into their owns obje&s ftilly, andtorunne along as water and winde doth; if they meete with no obftaclc to runne quietly, if ic meetes with trees, then the winde rifeth, and if the tide meete u&h'the winde, then the waves rife; fo if our affections be crofled, we are fure toheireof them then : if thou hadft not fome hopefull affurance of thy eftate, thou wouldeft heare of mourning and drooping ; then it may be the workeof grace in chec hatb alwayes gone evenly on , the ftrcame hath runne calmely and quietly; but yet fuch doe

finde

The Lord is mercifull to the humble.

finde that upon fom- fuddaiae accidents or drawings nigh, when the Lord is pleafed to make an impreflion upon them, then they heareof ftir-ring affections.

But (to conclude allj know and refolve upon it, that the flowing and ebbing of thy affections is not that which thy falvation depends upon, but folidity of conviftion of Iudgement which turnes the will, and makes thee to cleavs faft unto Chrift.

Whereas you objed you fail into the fame fins againe and againc 5 I anfwer, you may fall againe and againe, and into great fins, for which you have been foundly humbled: why (hould we fpeake that which the Scripture doth not i onely take it with this caution, that you find a conftant warre againft them, as Ifracl with the A/wilckitcs, fo as never to yield to lookc upon their finnes, as a mans greateft enemy, never to be reconciled though he be foiled againe and againe: for whatis true humiliation, but to reckon fin the greateft mifery £ and indeed if a man reckon any greater, as lofle of wealth, &c* 'then a man had rather fall into finne then lofe his wealth 5 whence it is thatfalfenefleof heart doth a. rife: but humiliation makes a man to reckon finne fuch anevill, as he had rather fufifer any thing than make a truce with finne: and the generall ordinary power of grace in a mans ordinary whole courfe is not fcene in keeping men from relapfes altogether, but in fetting fin and the heart :at oddes, as health and fickeneffe 5 whilft a man is a living man he cannot

121

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The Lord is nwcifull to the humble.

not be friends with any difcafc but narure will rcfift k, it fees them at variance, as the Wolfe and the L imbe, as the fpring and mudde, and living waters wilfcleanfethemfelves, though the mudefearifea thoufand times> if as the Wolfe which reckons the Lambe the greateft enemy it hath in the world by an inltind of nature, fo if thou reckoned finne the moft deftroying thing in the world, whence is this but becaufe humiliation hath made that irapreflion and apprehenfion of it on thy heart ; which God hath fee on thy heart as a brand in the flefli that will never out, then thou wilt fight againft every finne and never be reconciled to it, as a Lambe is not to a Wolfe, becaufe nature hath implanted that enmity there 5 if thoufinde this bee the conftant difpofition of thy minde , keepc thy affurance ftrong, though many wcakneffes be discovered in thee 3 It is utterly a fault among you to weaken your affurance by your daily flippings and failings, and Sathan labours that above all other, for then when your affurance and hope is gone, youwalke unevenly, and are as a Ship that hath loft her Anchor, or is without a Rudder: thou mayeft Sometimes feele a hardneffe in thee, and yet if this afore-faid bee the conftant difpofition of thy minde; Weaken not thy affurance, but fay, though I finde my heart hard and careieffe, froward and angry often, whereas I fhould bee meeke and humble ; Yet I will not queftionthemaine , but I willgoe and renew my humiliation, which will ftrengthen my affurance 5 how ever, hold that firme, for it drawes into nearer Communion with God, and

further

The Lord is mercifull to the humble,

further from finne eftablifheth a man in welldoing, and makes him abound in the woike of the Lord.

Learne hence alfo, that it is not enough for a man only to be patient in affli&ionsjbut he rauft alfo humble himfelfe under them, wee rauft not onely beare the crofle, but willingly and eheerefully acknowledge Godsjufticeinit, and our owne finne, for to bee humbled is a further thing then to bee patient, as in 2 cbron.12.6. when the people were left in the hand ofShi/hak, it is faid, that the Princes of ifracl humbled themfelves, and they faid, the Lord is righteous, where being humbled, isexpreffed by acknowledging God to be righteous,which is more then to bee patient, God lookes for this in all a£ fli&ions, therefore he fayes in 1 Pet. 8. 6. humble pur felves (and not bee patient onely ) under the mighty hand of God, that hee may exalt you indue time. Many a man in afflidion may fay, hee will bee patient 5 but that is not enough, butheemuft humble himfelfe, which is more than patience 5 for patience is only to beare it contentedly, but a man muft goetoGoD, and fay, LordlconfefTelamfinfull and have defeived more then this punifhmenr, I wonder not at thy judgment but at thy long fuffcr-ing rarher, that it is no worfe wich mee, the lead of Saints and the greateft of finners. So wee fee "it was with NaemiinRutA 1.20,21. call me not by an honorable name, not ^jomi^butCM^irah • lwent out full, but I am come home emptie, and the Lard hath afflicted mee; and feeing hee hath affli&edmce, I I will carry my faile accordingly. This is truly to ! humble

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124 f Tfce Lord is mercifull to the humble.

Vfi 4 <

humble a mans felfe. And thus did David, when hee fled before Abfolon, Let the Lord doc with mee what fecmes good in his eyes. 2 Sam* 15 26. And fo faid£/*, In all this the Lord is good, that is, the Lord is juft in all this, and I and my fonnes deferve it, and more. Thus when a man thinkes it rcafonable that God fhould punifli him, hee blefleth God that the crofTe is no greater, without complaining or repining. If the Lord wiUlcade thee through variety of conditions, fay with Paul, I know how to want, and how H abound, and how togoe through bad re-port as well as good report 5 and lam not oncly content,butchearefullinallthis, and wouldbee, if it were farre worfe.

If the Lord hathfaid hee will bee mercifull to the humble, then let us humble our (elves more and more and get our hearts lower and lower, feeing there are fuch mighty and large promifes belonging to the humble, and know that as the Lord fufpends his promifes upon this here, fo they fhallbeeful-fild upon the performance of this, and as wee doe this more or lefle,fo fhall the promifes be fulfilled to us more or lefle 5 therefore let us doe this more and more, for if wee humble our felves, the Lord will fill our hearts with good things; when hee fees a man taking a, low place, hee will fay fit up higher, all the world cannot hold downe an humble man, becaufe the Lord fetteth to his hand to raife him up, neither keepeup a proud man becaufe the Lord fetteth himfdfe to deprefle and debafe them, when the wall fwells it is not like to ftand long, when a joynt is luxated and fwelled, till the fwelling abate,it cannot

The Lord is merdfull to the humble.

not bee faved and kt 9 he hath refpetl to the low ejlate of his handmaiden, fo faith Mary the blefled Virgin;, Luke 1.48. So hee dealt with Naomifccc was long in humbling her, and then raifed her up/o with lob, when hee was humbled, then God doubled his e-ftate: thus Goddeales with the humble and that conftantly, hee never does any great things forsny man, till hee h3th firft humbled hifn, how much was Iofeph humbled, ere hee made that promifeto him that the Sunne, Moone 3 and Starres fhculd bow to him , that is, his father, and mother and brethren, fliould obey him, and yet againe before God made good thefe promifestohim, what a doe there was to humble him further? which doubtleffe made him more to prizethefe mercies,and fomore thank full to God for them* So alfo in his glorious appearance to y^ihraham^ lfaac , and Iacob^ hee would ftill before hand humble them, and make them low by fome affliction or other ftill before hee wouldmakeanygraciouspromifestothem. When Jacob was flying from the face of his brother and was in great ftreights and fo made low in his owne eyes, then did God firft appeare to him: when a man is humbled , it is the next doore to preferment one way or other. Therefore it fhould be our wife-dome to humble our felves more and more, fince there is fo much benefit to bee gotten by it. Prov. 22.4. By humility and the feare of the Lord are riches ^ and honours, and life :the rule holds conftanr, the Lord makes it good, let a man be humble, and feare God too, thatis,allowhimfelfeinnofinne 3 and the Lord will make it good one way or other, in his time. But

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The Lord is mercifuU to the humble.

Anfo,

But you will fay, we fee the contrary ,proud men are advanced, and humble men depreft, they have riches when as che humble man is poore, and as we ufe to fay, where the hedg is loweft, there all the beafts go over, and tread it downe: every man will be ready to trample upon the humble man.

I anfvver firft 5 The Lord gives outward gaudy things to proud men j but hec gives his Iewels, to thofe that are humble, hee reveales his fecret to them 5 thefe are Princes though they goe on foot, and the other are fervants, though they ride on horfebacke.

But this is not all my anfvver : but fecondly I fay • that even for the things of this life, the Lord doth exalt the humble and bring downe the proud y onely with this caution, hee doth both in feafon, when things are brought to maturity ; as the Apo-ftle Saint Peter faith, 1 Pet. 5. 6. humble your felves under the mighty hand of God, that htt may exalt you in due time. God doth it not on a fuddaine. When the proud like the corne are ripe, then he puts in the fickle,and cuts them downe, and caftsthem into the fire. The wall which is fwcld, muft have a time to moulder and fall, and fo on the contrary, there is a duetime, for the exaltation of the humble. And I therefore if thoufayeft, I have humbled my fclfe, and have not beene healed, I have not beene freed from fuch a temptation for all my humiliation 3 if this be thy cafe, then afifure thy felfe thou art not humbled enough, but goe thou and yet bring thy heart lower, and then be confident, that this rule will hold : the Lord will take offthefmarting plainer

The Lord is mercifull to the bumble.

127

Iter as foone as ic hath eaten out the proud flefh $ io foone as thy beartjis truly humbled, the Lord will helpethee: he will either remove the croflTc, or give thee that which is equivalent: and thus the Lord hath alwaies done. So he dealt with lofeph. You happily may thinke, and he might thinke, it was long before hee was exalted j but yetthat time was not too long, for as foone as the Lord had truly humbled him, then heeprefently exalted him 5 as you may feein F/i/^.105.18 1 p ^20.Whofijeete they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron^ntiH the time that his word came 5 the word of the Lord tried him : then the Kingfwt, andloofed him, ejrc And fo he dealt with Itl • All that time that his friends wererea-foning with him, his heart would not be brought downe 5 but the Lord himfelfcmuft come and rea-fon with him5and then he began to abhor himfelfe, in duft and allies; and how foone after was hee re-ftored, and all he loft reftored double alfo i This be ing (as you fee) Gods conftant courfe, if rhou hum-bling thy felfe,yet lyeft long under a calamity ,thou mayeft affure thy felfe, there is fomething wanting in thy hearts and therefore bee content with Gods dealing. 2 Cor. 12. left Saint Paul jhouldbe exalted. there was given him a theme in theJJejh : if Saint Paul needed humility, who doth not ? Remember this rule, that ifGods people humble themfelveS) then he will certainely helpethem$ onelyit will bee ki due feafon.

But you will fay : how (hall we get downe our ftubborne hearts < Pride is very naturall, and the hardeft thing in the world to overcome. 1 Let

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Let every man confider, whether he be releafed

or no from the plague of his heart 5 if that there

be not fome calamity, which hangs continually on

him: if there be, then know,thou art not humbled

enough (the meaning is not, that thou (houldeft be

brought to anapprehenfionandfeareof hell 5 but

chy heart is to be brought down more: thou mayeft

be humbled truly fo as to be within the covenant,

and yet not enough to have thy heart wrought to

this or that frame God would bring it unto.) And

to bring your hearts lower, ufethefe meanest

Fir ft confider your hearts of-en, confider what unruiy lufts y ou find hid there ; make it your daily ciiftomc, to fearchinto this. Wcgoenotadays journey in this life, but there is fomewhat difco-vered in our hearts which may ferve to humble us further, as it was with them in the wilderncfle, Deut. 8.1. Thou (halt rtmtmbtr allthe way which the Lord thy God led thee thefe forty yeares in the wil-derneftt^ tohumblethcejgprovethee, and to know what was in thy hearty &s» There is not one day, but a godly.wifc man may difecrne fomething in his heart, which may be matter of humiliation to him, which he fawnot before 5 vaineglorious fpeeches, unlawfull filence, cowardize ingoodcaufes,|thy * worldly mindednefle, thy unruly affe&ions, that will be ftill ftirring, and fomething will be difco-vered without in thy adtions alfo,which when thou feeft fuch fparkes afcending , remember tolooke to the fire, the furnace within 5 thefe are but the buds, there is a deeperootcof bitternefTe within 5 thefe are but ebullitions $ confider there is a fpring

within*

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The Lord k mcrcifull to the humble,

within, fearch into all the corners of the hou/e for this fower leaven. So the firftmeanes is ftudying our felves, fortheway tohumblearaansfelfeisto knowhimfelfe.

And fecondly, as you muft ftudy your felvts, fo you muft ftudy theScriptures,that is,you mud con-fidertheftri&neffe, the holineffe, &c. that is required of you therein, and lay that and your hearts together, apply this levelland fquaretoyour wayes, and it will difcoverthecrookedneffeofthem, and drefTc yourfelvesby this looking glaffe,every mor* ning;for it will fhew you the fmalleft fpots$ and this will exceedingly humble us: For this is a fur? rule, degrees of humiliation follow degrees of illumination 5 as any Chriftian is enlightned more, fo hee is humbled more : hence hee t hat ismoftconverfant in Scripture, is moft humbled.

And thirdly, you muft not only looketo. increafe your light, but looke to your hearts and wayes, to keepe your felves upright, and to bee conftant in an holycourfe, and all holy duties ; and this will bee j mcanes to increafe your humiliation. Many al> ftaine from holy courfes and duties, becaufe fay they,wee are not humbled enough: It is true indeed | wee muft begin with humility, yet this you muft know, that the fetting your felves to a holy courfe, is of it fclfe a notable meancs to increafe humiliation $ for thy watchfullneffe will increafe tenderneffe, and tendernes will increafe thy humiliation. Men that are bold in finning, their hearts grow hard j and fo on the contrary, when men are fearefull to offend, their hearts grow tender.

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But yet addetothis, diligence in your callings, for (asthe wife man fairh ) Thejluggardis more wife in his owne conceit , t banjos men that can give area. /w,that is, he is-felfcconceited and proud. Afl g-gard that hath nothing todojooks abroad ro other mens matters, and lo >kes not to hisowne wayes, nor his owne heart, wh ; ch would bee a mcanesto humble him: therefore diligence is a greac meanes to humble, to bring downe our hearts, becaufe idle-neffe is a meanes to. lift chemup.

And further, it is profitable for you to remember times and finnes that are paft. A man will bee ready to fay, I hope I am changed now, what I have beene I care not for $ but the Lord to humble David cold him what he had beene, / tooke thee from the jheepe-fold , &c. fo with the Iewes, Thy father was anAmortte, andthj mother an Hittite 9 zndlfaw thee in thfbUad.

Beecarefull todiftinguUh wifely betweene grace in thee, and thy felfe of thy felfe; and that will bee a meanes to humble thee. As?^/in 2 Cor. 12.11. ?Qt J, but the grace ${ God in mee. Put the cafe the Lord hath beautified us with with many graces and gifts above others $ thou muft not exalt thy felfc a-bove others 5 wee muft looke upon our felves as of ourfelves,tobeethefamemenftill. Can the wall fay,it hath brought forth the beames that the funne hath caft upon it i the wall is the fame : fo if God hath fhined upon thee, and left others in darkneffe, art thou the better of thy felfc ? (hall the pen boaft it fdfe,becaufe it hath written a faire Epiftle ? who made it ? who put inkc into it, guided it t the glo~

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The Lord k mercifuU t& the humble.

r y belongs not to the pen, but to the writer. What though God hath ufed thee in fome great worke, and nor others? the praife is his, not thine : Wee praife not the trumpet, but him that foundes it, Ntn hu&Atmu tub am t fed tubtcimm, Paul was a bet. ter Trumpet than ten thoufand others, andyethee faith, / am nothing. The fmoake a dusky and ob -fcurc vapour climes up into the light, as if it were better than pure aire. Many exalt themfelves a-bove their brethren, for gifts and outward things, which are but the trapj ings, and make not the difference betweene man and man • as if a man were the taller, becaufeheeftandsonahill, oramarfhada better body, becaufeheehadabetterfuiton: thou art the fame man ftill. Wee are not to bee proud, no not of any Graces, much lefTe of outward things.

Laftly, is the Lord thus mercifulkothe humble ? then take heed of apply ing thofe promifes to thy felfe without a caufc, when thou art not hum bled.

But thou wilt fay, I am humbled.

It is well if it be fo: But confi Jer,hath thy humiliation brought thee home? perhaps it hath brought thee out of Egypt, but hath it broight thee into Canaan f hath it driven thee to the City of refuge? to the homes of the Altar? to thy fathers houfe ? The Prodigall changed many places, ere hee came homeinearneft. Many came out of E-gypr, that never came into Canaan, but died in the WildernefTe. The Meteors have matter enougb,in the vapors themfelves to carry them above the

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earth, but not enough to unite them to the element of fire: therefore they fall and returne to their fie ft principles. Arc thou war chfull overall thy wayes, fcarefull to offend, looking to every ftep where thou fetteft thy foote, how thou heareft, how thou prayed, how every workeis donc>every word fpo-ken, every houre fpent t For this is certaine, if he be humbled, it willdryupthefountaineof finne, it will heale his bloudy flux, and make him wary in all his wayes, and fearefull to finne. Thus .much (onhisjirfl condition.

// my people that are called by my name, d$e humble tbemfelves y andfecke my face.

Wee arc now come to the next condition $ // my pocfle feeke my face t where wee may ob-ferve this point,

that except a man feeke Gods fact , all his labour is loft in his humiliation and prayers ^ andwhatjbeverelfe bee doth.

This is put in among thofe other conditions- and therefore without this the promife is not made to us. For the unfolding of thispoint, weemuftfirft enquire,

What it is tofeeke Gods face. It is tofeeke the Lord himfelfe .• for his face in Scripture is often taken for his perfon 5 fo the word

is

OfjeeKmg Gods face

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is ufed Exodus 20.2. in the fir ft Coramandement 3 » ! thou[fljah have no other gods before my face, that is, before mee. So then the meaning is, \vc mud feeke \. die L o r d himfelfe. Many, when they are in di- \ ftrefife, ml\ feeke to the Lord for deliverance,in time ] of Famine, they viiWfeekc to him for Corneand I Wine and Oy le, as they in the Prophet; but they feeke not the Lord himfelfe, nor communion and reconciliation with him 5 they feeke to the Lord, but not the Lord : they feeke what heecan doe for j them, but not his ferfon , not himfelfe; So thofe //0/7.14. Ye have notcryedto me,fayes God> whenyee howled upon your beds. Tee affemble your felves for come *nd wine, andrebell againft mee.

They then wanted Corneand Wine, &c. and fought them ac G o d s hands $ but not mee the Lord whom you had loft. Thou may eft /irtfcfalvation i and deliverance from hell, out of the ftfength of n: turallwifcdome,becaufeit is for thy good: and al~ fo being convinced of the ncceffity of faith and repentance, to efcape hell, and obtainefalvation. Men may thereupon goe farre in the performance of many duties, and bee coriftam:a while in them, and yet not feeke the Lords fdee in atlthefe : and then the Lord regards them not. Take a thiefe that is arraigned at the barre,he will cry earneftly for his life, but yet hefeeketh not the face oftheludgej.e.hc doth it without love to the Iudge,but onely out of the love of life: So wee may doe much to efcape hell,andto attaine thelifeoppofitetoit, and yet all this while not fake the pre fence of God, and thenG o d regards it not. You find t his difpofition in your felves, and _ K s fee

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Offeeking Gods face.

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fee it in others: If a man bee never fo obfervant of any of you, and performe never fo many offices of friendfliip to you, yet if a man can fay,hec loves me not for all this y hee doth not prize mee, nor defire my love and favour fo much for it felfe, but for his owne ends $ in this cafe you care not for what hee doth: So the Lord, hee knowes the heart and the reines, and what thine end is, whether it bee communion with his perfon immediately ,or thine owne welfare meerely 3 and if fo, regards not thy humbling thy felfe nor thy prayers. The promife you fee is fufpended upon it : it is a diftinguifhing point, and will feparate betweene the precious and the vile, it is a marke fet upon Gods people alone : To fttkt Gads face.

Wee will therefore further and more particular, ly confider, what it is to fttkt Godsfactor frt/imt. And there are three wayes to finde it out,

Firft by wfiat is here joyned with it, If they hum. bit thtmftlvts y And fctkt my fact ■: and fo by confi-dering the connexion that thefe two have together, finde out what feeking of Gods face is. Now there is a twofold humiliation wrought in men :

The one is, for that bittcrneffe and punifhment that finne brings with it, and this never brings forth either faithfull pray ers,or Stthing Gods fact.

But there is another kinde of humiliation/'which hath a further ingredient in it, and that is the fight of the foulenefle of finae, when God openetha crevife of light to looke upon fin, nor only as that which brings bitternefTe with it,butasthat,which in it felfe is mod filthy and abominable, and by

that

Offetking Gods face.

that light it is made fuch in his account: for it is one thing to flee from the fting of the Serpent, an other thing to hate the Serpent it felfe $ and fo to take heed of the Wolfe, becaufe of his cruelty, and to hate t he Wolfe it feife, are differing things. O thercreatures may hate the properties and conditions of a Wolfe 5 but a Lambe only hates the Wolfe it felfe. Now with this latter kinde of humiliation there goes and is conjun& with it an enlightning, whereby God (hews to&manhisorwe glorious fwe, the luftre whereof helpes him further to fee the foul-neflc of finne. God by the fame light of the Spirit, whereby hee fhewes a man theuglineffe offline, difcovers withal his own excellencies,which makes the finner thus humbled tofeekc his face , tofeeke grace, as well as mercy• But other men either y?* not Gods face at all, or onely fee his angry countenance 5 onely thofc whom the Lord calletb effe<ftu-ally, fee his graciou* face. Now hee to whom it is hid and fees it not, feekesnotGodsface; for none can feeke it, unlcffe they have feene it, and hee who fees it onely as angry, flies from God $ but hee difcovers himfelfe to the truly humble, the fecrets of the Lordarewithfuch,P/4/w.25.andfo/^ 15.1s. / call you notfervants, for theftrvam kneweth not what his LorddoethMt I have call dyou friends, for al things I have heard of my Father, I havcinade knowne to you. Hee reveales himfelfe to thofe who are already his fiends, or to thofe hee is about to make his friends $ one of the firft things hee doth, is torevealehis face to them i With men indeed , men are fii ft made friends,and then fecrets are revealed $ but contrarily _____ K4 with

235

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Offeeking Gods face.

with God 5 hee reveales his fccrecs to us and his face, that wee may be made friends with him, and then wee grow into further acquaintance with him, and they are therefore calM the fecretsoftheLord^bz-caufc only revealed to the Saints. Servants indeed fee what is done in the houfe 3 but there aremTany things which their mafters reveale not to thern: and fo may come herero the Houfe of God, and heare whatisfpokenof God and C h r i s t , but yet there are fome certaine fecrets that are hid from chem,th it are told onely to the children, the fonnes and daughters of God : The other hcareasmuch andfeeas much,fortheoutfide,as Gods children doe, yet the fecrets of things are hid from them, and a-mong others, Gods face • and the excellencies thereof are hid from them. This hce reveales ( as his o-ther fecrets) onely to thofe that feare him, and this revealing it is a fpeciall worke of the Spirit. If a man would fee the Sunnc, all the Starres in heaven and torches in the earth could not helpe him to fee it or (hew it to him', unleffe the Sunneit felfe fhines and arifeth, and there come a light from the Sunne it felfe, you cannot come to fee it j and fo all the Angells of heaven and wits of men on earth, cannot (hew you Gods face, unleffe hee opens the clouds and reveales himfelfc by his owne Spirit, it will not bee done; which is therefore called the Spirit of Revelation, Efhef.i.ij. by which God reveales his fecrets to his children,when hee begins to call them effe&ually, they fee him and none elfe; wee make knowne the Qo&rines about G o i> and Christ, &c. to all aliteybut the Lord makes the difference, V by

Offeeking Gods face.

by revealing himfelfe to one, and not unto another j that which isfaidefpeciallyof thelewes 2 Cor. 3. 1 j,i 6. verfcs,and fo on, is in like manner applicable to us all. The Lords/*** fliines, as CMofes face did, verfe 15. and hee gives'the hew ledge of his glory in the face of lefts* chrift in the miniftery of the word every day; but there is a vaile lies upon all mens hearts, upon all but thofe whom the Lord calls,and upon theirs alfo, till.heecalleththem, asuponthe Iewes hearts, verfe 16. NevertheleJJe when theyJhaff turne unto the Lord, the vaile frail bee taken away r and untill then, Gods face cannot beefeene, as Mofes face was notj and who fliall take away that vaile < The Spirit of the Lord^ where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty , verfji7* and when he doth free us of that vaile, then We behold the Glory of the Lord as in aglaffe with open face, v.\%. that is, we fee the amiableneffe of his face, the happinelTe of communion with him • and when the light breakes through the cloudes thus, and the Lord gives a glimpfe of himfelfe, then they fee him, and never give over feekinghisface, moreand more, till they have found him: And be-caufe that other fort I fpake of,if they fee him, they yet fee but an angry face onely, and that makes men flie from the Lord $ as wee fee in diftreffe, and at death many will do any thing rather then goe to God ; the y tremble at his prefence, and no way de-fire it, as C^dam did not, but fled from it: and thus would all doe, if no word were revealed. Therefore the Spirit of revelation, takes away the vaile, and breakes the cloudes,that hisowne Elcft may have a glimpfe of his/***,. and the Spirit of adoption, who is

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(ent downe into their hearts, (hewes God as merci-full, full of kindneffe and of love: they fee not one-ly his face, but his face (hining in all gracious wil-lingnefle to receive them : hce prefenteth him as a loving father ready to admit of them, and graci-oufly to forgive and receive them : They fee Cods fice , that is , both his excellency , and beau-tie , and alfo his love and gracioufneffe towards them 5 and this make^^hermitelcehisprefenccand reconciliation wjrft him, and never to bee at reft without it, as Mofes^ Lord, wee will not ftirre a foot without thy prefence, Exodus 34,18. A right fui-tor cares for nothing, butthelovcandprefenceof the perfon fucd to : fo they defirenothing, canbee content with nothing, but the prefenceof God, communion with God, The light of hit counttn*nct. The fecond thing whereby I exprefle what it is to feeke Godsface^ is to feeke the ZWalone, as fcque-ftred from punifhments and rewards, in his owne perfon, as confidcred in himfelfe, in his Attributes, in his holinefle and purity • fo as not to feeke the things hee brings with him, but to feeke himfelfe, and the things which are in him.

But you will fay, this is very hard, to kt afide all refpeds to rewards and punifhments.

It is an error tothinke,thatyoumay not make ufe of rewards and punishments: for,

Firft puniihments and the threatnings of the Lord are the true objed of feare 5 and afaculty and an habit may lawfully bee exeicifed about their proper objeft; and (o rewards arc the fubjed of de-fire,and fo may lawfully be fought after anddefired.

The

Of/eeking Gods face.

The Lord himfelfe in Scripture, ufeth thefe mo tives,of Iudgements on the one fide 3 and of rewards on the other, and therefore wee may make ufe of them to our ownc hearts j for to that end hath God propounded them.

Therefore I willfetdowne two conclusions to cleare this toyou, what ufe there may bee nude of rewards andthreatnings.

1 Conclufion, the propounding of, and the re. I fpc& unto rewards and puniftiments, is a good be-ginning to draw us on, to [etketke Lords face: they are a good introduction. A man that hath not as yet feene Gods face , the feare of hell may caufe him to reflet on his owne heart and wayes, and to bee fenfible of the evill of them: and fo the happinefle of heaven may draw him on : but all this whilehe is but in beginning. ASpoufethat is confidering with her felfe, whether fliee (hould marry fuch an husband or no^beginneth toconfider at firft, what fliee (hall bee without him,and what (hec (ball have with him;(hee confiders him perhaps as one that Will pay all herdebts,and make her honourable &c. and yet it may be, yet (he confiders not the man all this while, and yet thefeconfiderations are good preparatives to draw her on, togiveentcrtainement to him 3 but after converfe and acquaintance with the perfon,(helikss theperfon himfelfe fo well,that (he is content to have him, though (he (hould have nothing with him 5 and fo(hee gives her full aed free confent to him, and the match comes to be made up jbetweene them,out of true and fincere free love and Hiking : So it is here, menbegin at firft toconfider I: their

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Offtekin^GodsJace^

thehowne mifery moft, and that if they fhouid apply themfclves to other things as remedies, they fliould bee flill to feeke, for there is a vanity in all things 3 and if to themfelves, that they cannot helpe themfelves in trouble : therefore they judge they mult goe to the mighty God, who is able to doe more than all, to rid them out of mifery : and they confider, that going to him they fliall have heaven befides: and yet all this while they confider not the Lords perfon^yct this confiderat ion makes way, that Go Dand wee may meet andfpeaketogether$ ic brings our hearts to give way, that theLo r d . may come to us (that I may fo fpeake^ for before we are not to be fpoken with) it caufeth us to attend to him, tolooke upon him , to converfe with him, to admit him as a fuitor, and to bee acquainted with him , and whilft wee are thus converfing with him, God reveales himfelfe $ and then being come to the knowledge of him in himfelfe by that his fpeci* all light fpoken of afore, wee love him for himfelfe $ then wee are willing to feeke his prefence, to feeke him for our husband, though all other things w£W removed from him. And now the match is made, a nd not till now , and then wee fo looke upon him, that if all thofc other advantages were taken away, wee fliould yet ftill love him, and not leave him for all the world, and fo as if wee fhouid imagine hee would give us nev: fo much, and yet with- draw his face, wee could not bee at reft. Before, if a man could but be affuted, he fliould not goto hell, and fliould have creatures and comforts about himj it would bee enough to him.; but now it is not fo.

Now

Offeeking Gods face.

Now if Gods countenance bee but clouded, if any breach bee betwixt a man and God, hee cannot reft till it bee made up, and hee fee his face againe.

Yet ftil-1 after the match is rnade,t here is a fecond ufe of punifhmen:s and rewards 3 they arcufefull, not onely to bring us in, but to confirme us alfo in our choife 5 they ferveboth as an Introdu&ion, and asanhelpe, when wee are come in, to confirme us in our choice : As when a woman is married, (hee having this husband, Iliveinanhoufe, well furnifhed,. and I have many conveniences. 1 enjoy not onely my husbands perfon, but with many additions. So it is with us, though the Lo r Dal ope beefufficient reward 5 fo as if wee had nothing elfe, wee would never goe backe of our choice, yet wee having many good things with him 3 it helpeth us in our love to him,. and confirmes us in our choife : Fhefe are then good additions, but not good jprin- j ciples and foundations 5 and encourage us much if added, and put to feeke the Loan for himfelfe, as the principall. So then as ciphers added to figures, they helpe to make the number greater, though if they ftand alone, they are nothing . fothefe; and though they be not good leaders, yet they are good followers: They are as a good wind , that fills the failes, and fets the Ship forward with the greater (peed, when the rudder is once fet right, tofteere to God alone.

The third thing whereby I explaine what is

meant by feeking Gods face, is to feeke ALordj

fwfeme in oppofition toamansfelfe, when a man

doth it with deniall of himfelfe, not ferving his

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owne ends injecting the Lord, but gives up himfelfe co the Lord alone . In all things an unregeneratc man doth not know the Lord, is not acquainted with him, and therefore will not preferre the Lord to himfelfc: but a regenerate man that knowes him reckoneth all things,as life, liberty, riches &c . but as drofle and dung, fo hee may enjoy the Lord: hee hath fet up the Lord for his God, in his heart, and defires not to ftand upon his owne bottome $ and therefore when the Lord comes into competition wkh himfelfe, and the matter is betwixt God and his credit, &e. hee is willing to deny himfelfe.

But here the great obje&ion is, how it is poflible for a man, not to fceke his owne happinefTe, fafcty and advantage?

This troubles many, and makes them think their fincerity but hypocrifie, and may put a fcrupleinto the beft: I will therefore cleare this for their fakes whofe hearts are upright, as alfo to exclude thofc whofe hearts are not found.

The anfwer (lands upon thefe two points. Firft, it is true that a man may feeke and love himfelfe, and defire his owne happinefTe, yea and all hisa&ions may take their rife from thence 5 fo as to bee moved in fitting the Lo r d, in doing what he doth with a refpeft to his own good and fafety,and that this is fo, take thefe reafons.

Becaufe God hath commanded it, for hee bids us live 0ur neighbour a* our [elves : where it is taken for granted , that wee muft love our felves, becaufe loving our felves is made the frima menfura, the rule of loving our neighbour. Now to love a

mans

Offeeking Gods face.

mans felfe, what is ic but to feeke a mans owne good ?

A man is commanded not to kill himfelfe, or to hurt himfelfe , and by the rule of contraries hce is thereby commanded to feeke the prefervation of himfelfe, and his owne good : For as when we expound thecommandement Tboujhalt not kill, as fup-pofe thy neighbour , wee fay it includes this affirmative command, thou (hale feeke the good of thy neighbour 3 fo when wee expound it of our felves, wee are to underftand it as noconely forbidding us to deftroy our felves, but as commanding to pre-ferve our felves, and to feeke our owne fafety.

It is impoffible for the creature, not to will its owne happinefTe ;the Lord doth not command that which is fimply impoffible even to pure nature: but it is the nature of everything that hath an appetite, appetere bomm fibi , to defire that which is good for itfelfe.

Selfe-love is a plant of Gods owne planting; and therefore not to bee rooted up : God did put it into us all, for it is the nature of every thing to do fo, and opus nature ettoput author is patura.

Many mo; ives which the Scripture ufeth are taken from felfc-love, as that of Ch r i $ t 3 fi&re him that can caft both body and foule into hell : Andfo when it promifeth us a Ktngdome. The Scripture deales with men by working upon this principle j and by arguments taken from our felves. This is the care which the holy Ghoft takes hold of, and leadcs a manintothewayes of peace by, and wee i muft not pluck off this eare. • The

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The fecond part of the anfvver is, that yet not-withftanding, wee may and ought ufiekc the Lord in oppofitionto our feives, that is, when God and our feives come into competition , thecommande-ment comes in oppofition with our feives $ the cafe being fuch as if wee obey God, wee hurt our feives \ then wee mud prefcrre God and hiscom-mandementsto our feives.

But you will aske, how can this ftand with the former 5 that a man fhould make his owne good the rife of his anions, and yet in his anions oppofe himfelfe I

When oncea man is perfwaded, that even to de-

ftroy himfelfe is the beft way to provide for him-

felfe,and that to !et himfelfe goe, and his credit and

life,and give up all to God,is that whereby he (hall

put himielfe into a better condition 5 whenamanis

perfwaded of this , then you fee both doe ftand to-

1 gcther. And wee never doe exhort a man tofieke

God in oppofition to himfelfe, but when it is beft for

him fo to doe, not to give himfelfe up to any thing

thatfhallbecanimmediatehiir.ttobim ; but when

otherwife it would bee worfe for him,and when let

ting himfelfe goe is the next way to happineffe 5

and then a man may bee exhorted to it, when hec

(ball bee perfwaded that his good is contained in

God more than in himfelfe 5 as wee fay the being of

an accident is more in the fubjed than it felfe; foas

take away the fubjedt, andtheveryfeparationisa

deftn&ion to it : So it is with the creature which

hath no bottome of i t felfe,fo as the f eparation of it

from God is the deftru&ion of it,as on the contrary

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Of ffeking Gods face.

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the keeping of it clcfeunto God, though in a cafe that feemes to bee the ruine of it, is its happinefTe j and perfe&ion. As for example, when Abraham (hould have deftroyed his fonne by offering him up ? j hce thought hce fhould not lofe by it, nor J/aac \ neither: he thought with himfelfe, God hath com- [ manded me to doir, and 1 never yet loft by keeping | any commandement bee gave mee ; Godisabietoj raife him up againe. I never yet was a lofcr by him, j and on the contrary Ifhall.beefuretobeealoier, j and my fonne alfo if I doe it not. Ic is indeed im- j pofTibkjthat if a man fhould fimply bee alofer,that ' hce fhould doe thus $ but when hee confiders that though hee bee deftroyed at prefent, yet hee believes it will bee for his good 5 and fo rt will bee indeed : As take a bearoe of the Sunne, the way to preferveit, isnottokeepeitbyitfelfe, the being of it depends upon the Sunne 5 take the Sunnc away, and it perifheth for ever: but yetthorgh it fhould cometobeobfciired, and fo cut off for a while, yet becaufethe Sunnc remaines ftill,therefore when the Sunne fhines forth againe,it will be renewed againe. Such a thing is thc~ creature being compared with God. If you would prefefve the creature ink felfe, it is impoffible for it toftand; like aglafTe without a bottome, it muft fall and breake. When therefore this is confidered by a man, then hce will fay, I will bee content to deny my feltY, and feeke the L o r d, when my felfc comes inro competition with any commandement of his. And let not this feeme ftrange to you, that thebeft way to make a mans felfe happy, is to refigne up himfelfe to the L utmoft \

Of Jetting Gods face.

utmoft toglorifie God. You fee in common experience that take a corne that is fallen into the ground: if it centime whole, if perijheth • but if it die, it brings forth an hundred fold. I Cor. 15.36. That which thou fowefi^ fayes theApoftie, is not quickned^ except it dye. The Apoftle there fpeakes it of the rcfurre&ion : but we may truly apply it to the rc-furre&ion of a (inner here ; that except a man die, thit is, bee willing to let all hee hath goe, and to expofe himfelfe to what the Lord (hall put upon him, that heeperifheth indeed; but if heedk, then hce is q jickned, heefhill bee again? by it; even in this life heihail have an hundred fold. And when this is confideredof throughly by am in, hce will eafily fecke Gods face with negled of himfelfe. Aid that thus when ever a man fuffers any thing for a good confeience in obedience to God,ic is the beft way to provide for himfelfe 5 that this I fay, is not a mere notion> may appearc by comparing thofe places together; thefmtwhercitisfaid, Thonjhalt love thy neighbour as thyfilfe , and thtufiralt love Cod above all) even above thy felfe-, andwithitalfo that other,D*/*Mo.i3,i4t Thou /halt keepe the commandments of the Lord, which 1 commandthee^ for thy good. Now put both together: this is Gods commande-ment, to love God above thyfclfe; and all the commandemems are given for thy wealth , for thy good, therefore this amongft the reft. And therefore denying our felves 3 when God and our felves come into competition, is the beft way to provide for our felves: therefore fet itdownefor a conclufi-on, that to have God alone 3 and to fecke his face

thus

Of fee king Gods face.

thus, is your happinefTe. The end of every thing is the perfe&ion ofit 5 now God is the end of the creature, and therefore to get him, is to get thy perfe-dionandhappineffe. Againe, wee have all from him 3 as the branch hath all from the roote s and therefore as the way for the branch to keepe life in it feife, is to keepe clofe to the roote 5 and when it is broken off it dies, fo wee fo long as wee cleave to and feeke the Lord, weearepreferved. And this was the ground which all the Saints went upon in their Offerings, both of perfection and death 5 and this was the cafe of Mefts and Paul , when the one wiflied himfclfe rafed out of the booke of life, and iWtobceaccurfedfrom Ch r 1 s t ; that is, faith Saint Paul, if this bee for Gods glory, and the good of his Church 5 let mee perifh. In which though they feemed to imply their immediate de-ftru&ion, yet they knew what was ultimately beft for themfelvcs.

And this isall the difference betweene a carnall man, and one to whom .God hath revealed him-felfc 5 they both agree in this, they both love them-fclves, and feeke their owne happinefTe $ but they differ in this, that they feeke it in a different way 5 the one in the Lord, but a carnall manfeekesit inhimfelfe and the creatures: AgodJy manisfo perfwaded of God, that hee feekes him, and cares not what hee lofeth to gaine him $ but another man, whenhee is told of an invifible God, hee will not truft to things unfeene^ the things hee fees hee will reft upon, and fo feekes for an happinefTe within his owne compaffcj and therefore when himfelfe

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comes in competition with the Lord, he lets the Lord goe.

But then another queft'on comes to be anfwer-ed, how thefe two fliould likewifeftand together 5 to fceke the prefervation of a mans felfe, and yet to expofe himftlfe to deftru&ion, as CMofes and Saint Paul did.

For anfwer, you muft know, that in every regenerate man theie are twofehes.

That common nature, that is in every man (in which the principle is rooted; to love a mans felfe) hath two biafes 5 the one Sp:rit which leades to Go J, theother flefh : and thefe two in this common nature makes two feverall/2r/w. By the firft a man is canied to (eeke the Lord, by the other to feeke himfelfe immediately and in the firft place •> and thefe two are reckoned two feveraH fives in Scripture^ and fo expreflcd to us: firft, fle(h and corrup-t ion is called a man felfe, 2 Cor. 4.5. we prea , bnot eur felves, but chrtfi, that is, for our Ovvncglory, which he calls himfelfe, becaufe men ufe to reckon it as themfelves . So 2 Cor. 12.2,5. * knew a man in Chnft, &c, caught up into the third heavens ; of fuchan one I wiIIglory, but of m) felfe I will not glory • by felfe, he meanes either the corruption which was in him, but there was fomething elfe in him, which he reckons as another man from this felfe, amanincbrifty of fuchamanlwillrejoyce, that is, of my regenerate part, which is a New Creature in drift, but not of my felfe, that is, my flefh and corruptions I will not rejoyce, or of the regenerate felfe neither, as of it felfe, but asitisinChrift,

which

Offeeking Gods face

49

which is another exprcflion, and this corruption is called a mans felfe, becaufeit isfpread over the whole man, as the forme through the whole matter, and a man will not part with it, but fights a-gainft every thing,fightsagainft it as if it were him-fclfc.

And fecondly, that the other regenerate part is called a mans felfe, which a godly man reckons fo rather then the other,wc have an exprefle placefor it, Row. 7. It is not /, but finne that dwells in mee 7 that is, not the regenerate part which I account my felfe, but finne which I account but an inmate 5 dwelling within my roofe ; which yet is called a mans felfe, for the like reafon aforefaid, becaufe fpread over the whole man 5 and now it is eafie to conceive, how the prefervation of himfelfe may ftand, with expofing himfelfe to deftrudion, and how a man may feeke the Lord in oppofitioh to himfelfe.

In that which the flefli defires, a man is bound not to feeke himfelfe, that is, not that felfe, but yet he may feeke the good of his other felfe, and feeke the Lord too, for Gods will and it areunifons, and he may be faid U feeke Cods face alone, though he feckes the defire of that felfe: for there is no difference, no opposition betweene them 5 and like-wife that regenerate felfe may feeke him in oppofi-tion to that other felfe, that is } what it defires,when it defires amiffc (for all thofe defires which are a-miffe arc from that flcflily felfcj and fo we muft not defire what our felves would defire, but deftroy it, and the defires of it, and feeke the Lord in oppofi-

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tion to ir, which tends to the prcfervationofour regenerate felfe, and proves fo in the end.

So then to feeke Gods face contains thefe three things in it.

Firft, to hive his face revealed to yoa, and co fee him as a father.

To feeke him as fequeftred from punishments and rewards.

To fecke him alone in oppofirion to your felves.

And that all this ought to be done, we will give you one reafon, and fo come to the ufes.

And that reafon is drawne from the holineflfe of the Lord, Efay 6. 3. One Anrellcryed to another^ hoty^ holy, holy is the Lord of Hojts ; the whole earth is full of his Glory: this T^dymv was the proclamation of Angtls, and that uponthis occafion. The Lord fends Efay the Prophetto pronounce a Iudge-ment to his people, and that a great one, the rejection of the Iewes, and at the fame time the ^dngels are fent to proclame Gods holineflfe : now holineflfe is the appropriation of a thing to the Lords ufe 3 and a fequeftration of it from common ufe: and fo the holineflTe of God himfelfc ( which is the rule of all other holineflfe) is an appropriation of his anions to himfelfe, as his end: he is then faid to be holy, when he doth things for him felfe, therefore being aboat to do fo great a worke peculiarly for himfelfe and his glory, as when he would deftroy his owne people, and deftroy Kingdomesforhis owne beft advantage and ends, the glory of himfelfe, then he lets them know this as the only rea-

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fon,becaufeheisholyj for ifhefhouldnot refpcft himfelfe, hee (hould not be holy. So Rom. 11.33. to the end. The Apoftle having fpoken of this rejection hereprophecied, concludes with this 5 His lodgements are unfearchable? and his wales paft finding out, &c. of him, andto him, and through him art all things, and to him bee glory for ever. As if he (hould have faid, God hath done all this, but I know not the reafon of it, nor any one elfe ; onely God is for himfelfe, for he being of no caufe but himfelfe, therefore he may do all for himfelfe: if he were of another, he might doe all for another, yea elfe he were not holy. Now if this be Gods holinefle, then the holinefle of man, is to do all for God s which he is therefore to doe, becaufc he is of another caufe above himfelfe, and therefore is to feeke another end above himfelfe, namely, the Lord 5 and then he is faid to be holy, when he hath no eye to himfelfe, but to God, when in his recreations, the ufe of riches, &c and in his whole courfc j he hath this eye and ay me at God, and not himfelfe. .,■>,,■,

The nature of holinefle is exprefTed in two things: Fir ft, inpurenefle: Secondly, fequeftration to God 5 fo that holinefle, purity>andchaftity are much alike as it were, as there is alfo much affinity between the Greek words lym and dyvU : Ghaftity in a Wife ftands in keeping dole to her husband 5 and being fequeftrcd from all other * and Gods holinefle confifts, firft in the pureneffe of his nature, and iecondly in a fequeftration ofall things to himfelfe: Now our holinefle is not fo, but wee being _ L 4 of

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of another caufe, wee muft doe all for another end •, our holinefle (lands therefore in giving up our feivestothe Lord: thereforefaycs Efay, Sanftijie the Lord, and make him your dread ; as if he had faid, if you make any thing elfe your dread, y 6u doe not fanftifie the Lord. What he fayes of fearers true of all other affc&ions, and a&ions: holinefle dedicates all unto the Lord : and fome a&ions are holy for the fubftance of them, as Prayer, keeping the Lords day, &c. and allfuch immediate duties of his worfliip, fome by putting a right end upon them; and fo all a&ions may be holy of what kind foc-ver, as recreations 3 which arc common a<5tions,and eating and drinking, all which when done to the Lord,doe become holy. It is the nature of morall anions to take their fpecification from their cir. cumftances, efpecially their end, more then from the fubftance it lelfe : and fo all fuch common anions may bee holy to the L o r d, and fo that place of Saint Peter is to be undcrftood, be holy in all manner of conversation^ i Vet* i. in all the turnings of your lives, even in common a&ions, this being the nature of holinefle inthegenerall, both as in God and in ourafiions.

There is a double holinefle required in every man.

A giving up a mans felfe to the Lord, as 2 cor. 8. 5. They firft (it is faid) gave themfelves ttf to the Lord. To give a mans felfe up as a Sacrifice to the Lord, that is, the holinefle of a man 5 and when any thing is facrificed, it is given up to the ufe of that Lord, to whom it is facrificed.

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Offeeking Gods face.

The fccond is a giving up all things with him -felfe, his underftanding, will, thoughts, aflf e&ions, life, liberty, credit, goods, all his power, might, whereby he is able to doe any thing, to refigne all thefe to the Lord, and by this he fan<3ifies the Lord s and thisistheholinefTeofamantodoeall for the Lord onely. So that the reafonis-ekare; let a man doe whit h: will, keepe the Sabbath, pray, &c. If there be not this holinefTc in his heart,, all his labour is loft, as you all grant 5 for without holinejfc no man JhAli fee God. N ow it is not holy, except it be given up to the Lord alone, excluding himfclfe and the creature*

Is all our labour loft,except we feeke Gods face, though otherwife a man goe never fofarre i then there is great reafon, to examine our felves, whether wefecietbe Lord fox himfelfe or no 5 for other-wife, all your labour is loft, for then you doe not fet up God for your God in your hearts, but fome-thing elfe, namely, that which you feeke befides him • asin marriage we fay, when a man marries a woman, not out of love to her per (on, but for riches s that he marries not the woman, but her wealth, fo it is here.

And then fecondly, you will never hold out in feeking the Lord j and if you doe not hold out, then all your labour will be loft, Ezek. 18. though a man hath beene righteous all his dayes ; yet if he fall from God, all his righteoufnefle (hall be forgotten : and fuch a man as feekes not the Lord for himfelfe, will fall away, as appearcs by that, Hof. 7. 16. They returne, butmttothemft High : they

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are like a deceit full bowe ; that is, when a man turnes to the Lord, but not for himfelfe, he will re-turne againe, and ftart afide like a broken bowe; for if he attaine thofe ends for which he fought the hordes pecking is at an end. See this in Aina-ziab, 2 chron. 25. he went farre in obedience, but yet he did not peckcthe Lordin it 5 he was content to lofe an hundred talents, and to fend backe the Ifraclites he had hired therewith (which was fuch a triall as even a good man might have failed in it ) yet he did not feeke the Lordinihis, hewasper-fwaded, that if he had taken the Israelite* along I , with him,he fhould have loft the battel!,which was hischiefeftendinthnt aftion 5 he beleeved the Prophet fo farre, and fo fought his fafety alone, and becaufe he fought not the Lord, therefore he held not out 5 but when he was put to other tryalls, to new temptations, and faw another worftiip, it plea-fed him, and he left the Lord 3 and fiarted afide like a broken bowe: as a bowe that is rotten (chough o-thctyvife faire) when an arrow is drawne to the head 5 and fo many brought up in good families, when they come into new company, and tryalls, they fall away, becaufe they fought not the Lord himfelfe.

If you doe not Peeke the Lord for himfelfe, you doe not love him, and then all your labour is loft: for all the promifes are made to thofe that love God, Cant. 1. the two firft verfes, Becaufe of the /V vour of thy oyntments 5 thy name is as oyntment fox-red forth, therefore doe the Virgins love thee, that is 3 rake thofe which doe much for the Lord, as much

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Of faking Gods face.

as another doth, though fuch a a\ m dorh carry the fiire femblance of a Spoufo yet all rhis he doth comes from the affe&ion of an harlot. The virgins, they love thee. The Virgins love his perfon, love him for his names fake 4 the perfonall beauty thit is in him, and for the fveetneffe of his love, verfc 5. Thy love is better then nine.

This poynt well underftood will co me in am ong you as a meffenger from the King of Kmgs, to all you of the bedchamber of the Bridegroome, ma-king this inquiry,do you love him? arc you harlots or Virgins i and will make every one to con(ider,to what end have I done all, have I knowne the Lord, and beene acquainted with him < have / fought Cods fae'm all that I have done?

But men will be ready to fay, we docfeekethe Lords face. Therefore I will give you rules to di-ftinguifti, and to helpe men to difceinc whether they feeke the Lord or no.

Confider what opinion thou haft of thy felfe. Every man that is regenerate, at his regeneration changeth his opinion of himfelfe, as Saint Pdul t Rom. j. It is no longer I, hut finne. Before he was regenerate, finne was himfelfe 5 but now there was a new Lord come into the houfe,thatrenewed-felfe 3 the regenerate part 5 and that which before, was wholly himfelfe, henow fpeakes of as one crept in, as of an inmate, that (hould not be there. Now if thou reckoned the regenerate part thy felfe, then thou haft fought the Lords prefence : for that part is thereby ftrengthened. The perfe&ion of this felfe ftands in conjunction with the Lord, and fo

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/ato /;/'** 5 if not, but thou accoumeft flefli in rhec j thy felfe, it is impoflible thou fhouldeft/tffa God aright, for God and it arc contraries: A regenerate; man fays, let me have God, and what ever I Iofe, whether life, liberty, yet my felfe is fafe ; he considers ftill chiefly, whether doth this tend to the fafety of my felfc or no i and though he is content, and would have the out ward man do well too ; as if I baveafairehoufetodwellin, I would have it fafe 5 yet if ic be fet on fire, it is no great matter, fo long as my felfe is kept fafe. Take a man who hath cloathes on, if he can keep his cloathes whole, it is well i but if they be rent,he cares not,fo his body be fafe 5 fo where thea-egenerateparcis The felfe, if the outward man can be kept fafe,it is well, he had rather have it fo 3 but however fo the regenerate part be fafe,. he cares not much 5 for he accounts it but as the renting of his cloathes: but take another man, that as yet is no other then he was borne at firft, into whom no new man is come te dwell, he thinkes thus with himfelfe, furelmuft not deftroy my felfe 5 I would keepe a good conscience, but not fo as to deftroy my felfe 5 and it is impoflible that what a man reckons himfelfe, he (hould fiffer to be deftroyed : therefore when discredit, imprifonment, &c. comes, all thefe are reckoned wounds given to himfelfe, he lets God goe to defend and fave himfelfe harmeleffe. All this difference comes from the difference of opinion, that a man hath of what is himfelfe.

But how ihall I know what opinion I have of my felfe i

Confider

Offeeking Gods face.

*57

Confidcr wherein thou defireft to excell, all things defire ro have that excellency, which is proper to themfelves 5 every creature defires to build up it felfe. If therefore thou defireft to ex-cell in things that belong to the outward man, to build up thy felfe in learning, credit and wealth, 1 and outward conveniences, then thy outward man and flefh is thy felfe : but ifthoufeekeft an inward excellency, not caring for mans day,but feeking to havethepratfe of God,thecomfo«t of a good con-fcience, and affurance of falvarion$thenicis a figne thou reckoned the inward man thy felfe.

Confider where thou laieft up thy treafure : docd thou lay it up in the regenerate part, and en-deavoureft to make that richer, and every day carried fomething into that cheft t then thou counted that thy felfe : for where the tredfure #, there the heart isalfo. When a man (hill be thus affe&ed, that though he hath troubles abroad in the world, and decayes in eftate, as in health, yet fo long as he find his regenerate part fafe,and thriving,and landing in good tearmes with God, heapplaudeshim felfe. As a man when his houfe is broke open, he prefently runstohischeft,whcrehis chiefe treafure lyes, and if that be fafe, hethinkesalliswellrbut if thou laieft up thy treafure in the outward man,an heape of outward things ; fo as when thefe things • aregcme,thou reckoned thy felfe undone : itiscer-taine, thou makeft that thy felfe. This was the cafe of Haman^ Nabd and Achitofhel, &c. and of all carnall men, whofe hearts muft needs finke, when outward things leaves them, or if they be Put

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put into the feare of the loffe of their lives and goods : but another man is like to grapes which have wine in them put into the wine-preflc ; what chough the skin and huskeperifli i yet the wine is faved. So is ic wich the Saints in perfection; their inward man is (till faved, they lofebut their husks: but when a man hath nothing in him but flefh and an outward man, then when rhefe perifh,ali he hath is loft, and himfelfe wich them. It is good therefore to try your feives what opinion you have of your feives before ill times come, that you may fee whether you have that in you which will not then perifh, but be kept fafe and fuftaine you ; and thereby alfo you (hall know whether youfeekethe Lords face or no.

Second rule is, confider, what it is you make your utmoft end 5 we are now upon a poynt that admits of very narrow differences, for as we have faid,a man may performe many duties, go therein as i arre as another, and yet lofe all his labour, and all becaufe he feekes not the Lords prefence. And the tryall of that lyeth efpecially upon this, what you make your utmoft end t for though the anions be good, yet if the end be your feives, or Gods glory be made by you, but as a bridge, all islofh Now that you may not miftake here, you muft know;, there is a double end ; the one of the worke^ the other of the workemm : now the end of the voorke itfelfe,maybegood, even in hypocrites: the action being in it felfe a holy a&ion ordintbile infe, and tending to Gods fervicc 5 whenyettheendof the workeman is not the Lord, buthimfclfe, this difference

Offeeking Gods face.

rcnce runnes along through all a&ions. Two men chat goe together in the fame way, may have a different journeys end, Zach.7. hefpeakingbothof theFeaftsandFaftsof thelewes (-wo as holy du ties as any other) verfe 5,6,7. fays, butdidyee them At all to me (fays God) but to retarne out of Captivity t So Hof. 10. 1. there was much fruit found in ifrael, yet becaufe they brought it forth to thtmftlves^ not to the Lord, therefore ifrad is called an empty Vine. A carnall man and a regenerate man differ mainely, in this; that a carnall man, when he is to doe any thing, aske what good will this bring to me < whar profit, what credit ftiall I have by doing it C if none, he layes it afide : but a godly ] man (fofarreasheisgodlyj askeththis queition, whether it is commanded by God i is it for his glory and advantage * When therefore thou com meft to preach the Gofpell or ftudieft, confider thine end, whether for God or no? confider alfo what thy end is in thy trade, oranycivilladion, and judge by that*

But is a man bound to feeke God in every thing? may he have norefpeft tohimfelfe?

The end rnuft ftill be better then that which tends to it: and that therefore which is the chiefeft good muft be the chiefeft end j and unleffe thou makeft God better then all things elfe, thoudocft not make him thy end, nor thy God. Againe the end commands all, is moftperfeft, andcompre hends all the reft, and that alfo is proper to the Lord alone, this cannot bee faid of any man or creature, and therefore God alone is to be made thy end. But

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But may not a maa make his owne happinefle his end, and doe what hee doth for his owne perfection i

A man may and al wayes doth fo, and that upon neceflry, as hath beene faid; onely this, there is a do^ ble end; the one is the thing ic fclfe which a man makes his end, the o:her is the benefit or fruit com -meth by the attaining ic. So that happinefle is that i weetneffe, that followes all ends, even as the flia-dow doth the body; fothenthequeftionis, what that thing is, which thou feekeft this happinefle from,for that is it which is thy mainc end; whether docft tbou think thou canft make thy felf happy by I thofe riches andpleafures which for thy fclfe thou aymeft at i or doeft thou looke for all thy happinefle from the Lord alone * That which a man lookes for his happinefle from, that a man makes his chief eft end ; if from God, then a man makes God his utmoft end, fo as his owne happinefle is but the fruit that arifcth out and accompanies his feek-inghim.

But may not a man provide for himfelfe t

True, but thus ; whereas all that a mans mindc is to bee taken up about, is either worke or wages, if it be worke, thou muft doe it to God alone whofe fervant thou art; if it bee matter of wages fas are the things belonging to thy name, eftate) thefein like manner thou art to looke for from Goda-lone. All a mans imployment is taken up either in doing all for God, or receiving all from God : and if any man were a perfect fervancto another man>he then ought to have an eye only to his Matter in mar-

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Offeeking Gods face.

ter of workc and to no other, and alfo to take vvha wages his mafler will allow him for that woike, and no other -> hce ought to refolvc all in;o his matter : But no creature is a perfed fervant unto another creature 9 but wee are fo to God, and there, fore wee ought both to doe all the worke wee doe for God, and alfo for matter of wages, to take all from him, and to depend upon his providence, fo that this provifion for a man is but to caft a mans felf uponthe Lord. It being not our work to provide for our felves,but the Lords y [etu$ doallforhim,and it belongs to him to give us wages,and he wil do it.

But may not a man in his anions have an eye to God, and himfelfealfo ?

For anfwer to this, looke to that place Mat. 6. 23,23. The light eft be body is the eye • if there fore the eye bee [ingle\ thy whole body f\)aU bee full of light. It is a Jingle eye, which lookes on a (ingle object, upon one obje& onely 5 and therefore then a man is faid to have a fingle eye, when he lookes upon the Lord alone, when nothing elfe is made his God; hec lookes not on riches, nor nothing elfc as his God: and then aUthebody is light, that is, all the converfa tion is good, and hee fees whither hee goes $ but if theejebeeevM, that is, by the rule of oppofition, if it bee double 5 (for that is a rule of interpreting Scripture to open the meaning of phrafesby what is oppofed to them,) i^i double eye is a wicked eye, that is, if it bee partly fet upon G o p , partly on a mans felf e, it is wicked < And fo Saint lames hath it, hee calls fuchan one a double minded wan , who is unit Alt in aII his wayes. When a man hath partly

M an

161

suafi.

\6i

Offetkihg Gods face.

Objetl*

SOfft.

RuUi.

an eye to the world and himfelfe, partly to G o * , hee is as one diftra&cdbetweene two wayes; hee knowes not which to take, he is unfltble like a drunken man that daggers in all hee doth, being now on one fide, now for G o d : and now on another fide, for himfelfe : and fohis whoUbodj is duke, that is, his whole converfation is wicked, as being out of his way 5 hee fees no: a right path to walkc in, hee hath not a right fcope whither he fhould tend, hee is not able to fee a right objeft, but goes hither and thither, from one thing to another, is unliable in all his wayes.

. But you will fay, the holieft man that is hath fome eye to himfelfe in his a&ions.

It is one thing, when a man hath chofenthe L o r d as his end,and that way that leadc s to him, though hee wavers in it, and miffech fomewhat of theevenneffe of his wayes, and hath falls in it $ and another thing, fobediftra&ed betweenetwo ways, fometimes choofing one way, fometimes another > as a carnall man doth. One that is refolved to goe in this way though with much uncvenneffc may fall and have many irlftakesinthreway, hee-may have too many lookings to himfelfe, butyet hee hath chofen the L o r d and followes him, and this is the •difference betwecne him and the other who hath two wayes, andisdiftra&edbetweencthem.

Buc now the maine queftion is, how fhall wee knowwhetherwemaketheLo r d our utmoflend or no «*

There are thefe rules may hclpe you in it.

The utmoft end gives rules to a mans whole life;

all

"

Offeeking Gods face.

all other ends doe it but in particular a&ions, and but at fuch and fuch a time, becaufcthey ate but particular ends: but the utmoft end doth command all in a man, all his wayesandadtions j therefore then thou makeft the L o r d thy utmoft end, when in all thy anions whether publike and private, thou looked to the L o r d ; and in whatfoever a man doth, in all thofe refpe&s and relations hce {lands whether hee be aMjgiftratcoraprivateman,

in

whether they be bufineflesor recreations, if G o d bee a mans end, his eye will ftillbee upon the Lord in all: Now hee that doth not make God thus his utmoft end,may finde that hee hath fome fecret by-wayes of his owne, fome fecret motions differing and contrary to God,whercin hee goes, (as the planets that have a motion of their owne ) though it is not open to the world,unknownc perhaps to him* felfc, or not knowne at all times 5 but the utmoft end commands all, and leaves nothing out, but the lcaft a&ion is fub je& to it.

The utmoft end limits all the mcanes, and fcts them their bounds, but is not bounded it felfc by any: finis frefcribit media, fed ipfifim n$n fr&fcribitur. k fayes, thus farre you (hall goe, and no further jj but there are no limits fet to the end it fclfe: As the' mafter-builder appoints every man his worke ; and they goefo farre as hee appoints them, and no further 5 as if health bee a mans end, it fets limits to all the meanesheeufeth, to meat, and drink, and phy-ficke: Looke what condaceth to that end, he takes fo much and no more. But there'are no limLs fet, o health it felfe, hee can never have too much of J

M % health. 1

t*5

k

r

3 Rule.

Offttking Gods face.

4 Rule.

health. So then confider what it is gives bounds to thy courfe, that thou fayeft when thou art come to fucha pitch, thusfarrcwilllgoe, and no further: hee that maketh himfelfe his end, will bee Cure to have an holineffe of fuch limits as (hall not lofe him his great friends nor his eftate $ he will goe fo farre till it come to hurt himfelfe 5 himfelfe being his end. Therefore hee limitshis holineffe, hee ftayes in fuch a pitch or gives over,but if God bee his end, he thinkes hee can never have enough of God and of holineffe.and though hisa&ionsof holineffe and for wardneffe therein over-runne his credir, overthrow his eftate, yet hee cares not, for it is not his end to preferve himfelfe,or that which belongs to himfclf.

Thou (halt know thy utmoft end, by a fecret fence which accompanies every a£ion thou doeft: if thou narrowly lookeft to it, for that is the difference betweene man and other creatures; that a man can looke backe to his owne a&ions, fo that if thou wouldeft aske thy heart,what is thy fcope and purpofc in this or that a&ion? there is a fecret fence accompanies the a&ion, in thy heart, that would difcover it- Confider therefore in any bufines thou doeft,why thou doeft it? why thou undertakeft it ? why thoa art at fo much paines and coft in it * Aske thy heart, is it for the Lord,or for thy felfe t if that will not difcover it to thee, looke to the circumftanccs, to the manner of doing if, as why doe I preach in fuch a manner, and pray in fuch a manner? why doe I doe it thus and thus, and not in a better manner t

If this will not doe it, looke to thy aflfc&ions

confide^

^

Of feeking Gods face.

confider how thou art affe&ed or troubled about it. when the a&ionisdone; fuppofeitbeeabufineffe' that both for the matter and manner was for the Lord : but when it is done, wh at is it thou art grieved at? is it that thou haft got fomedif credit to chy felfe in the performance of it i or that God hath had no more glory by it i are thy affections troubled, that thou haft offended God in ir, that fomething is gone from God ink, or rather that fomething is gone from thy felfe i thus by examining how thy affe&ions are occupied about the thing when done, thou may eft difcernethyutmoftend.

Is taken out of 2 Phil. 21. / have no man like minded, for all feeke their owne, and not the things of le-fu6 chrijl • that doth naturally take care for yon . Confider whether thou feekeft thine owne things, or the things oflitm Chii.-st? and that whe • ther naturally, as the word is there &c. yvwas, that is, ashisownebufineffc, tofeekeamansowne,and to doe a thing naturally is made there in that place al one. Confider whether thou feekeft the things of chrifi as naturally as thine own, and whether that be done or no, thou wilt find by thefe three things.

Firft a man will goe about what heedoth wil lingly, when a man hath abufinefTe of his owne to doe,he doth it willingly, and beatcs his head about it,and is exceeding folicItous,but when the bufineflc is another mans, hec goes about it, it may bee, be-caufe hee fees it muft bee done, and there is reafon for it, but ft ill he doth his owne in another manner; and thus willingly doe the Saints doe the Lords bu finefle: fee it in Saint Paul, Rom. 15.20. Yeafo have 1 { __ M 3 ftrived \

4

Rule.

\66 Of/eeking Gods [act.

firived to preach the Gojpe/Z, &c. the word in the o riginall is ?/A(m^W<*,I was ambitious to preach th Gofpell : Looke what defires an ambitious ma hath (and there are no defires fo quick as thofec ambition, fuch a man over-lookes all for his prefei ment ) fuch defires had I to the preaching of th Gofpell : Thelikeaff.&ionheeexprtffethinhirc fdfe, 2 Cor. 11,28. Btfidts the things without, tbt which commeth on met daily, the care ofallthe Churche who is offended, And I burnt not f

There arc ihrec exprefllons (hew his willingnefl and naturall affecting of the Lords bufincfie ; Fir [kmcv&ms the C*w^r]that is, heehad fas it were) a care numbred and muttered together, and that S< condly with anxietie^e/ya () with the fame folicituc that a man hath cibout bufines of his owne. Thirc ly fayes he, who is offended, and 1 bur *e not t his affi dions were fo hot 2nd quick, asprcfently if an foule were difadvanuged, if C h r i s t loft an thing, hee was prefently ftirred and affected wit griefe.

Do:ft thou doe it diligently f when any thing i to bee done for the Lord Iefus, doeft thou doe with all thy might? if remifly, thou art farrefror feeking the Lord : What ever a man doth for him felfe,fo farre as hee conceives it to bee for himfelfc he will doe it diligently and with all his might, ao< wee are commanded tolovc the Lord with all on might, and there is a curfe upon the contrary, Cm fed is hee that doth the worke of the Lord negligently the meaning is not, curfed is he that doch the work of the Lord weakly, and with infirmities , for the

Of fee king Gods face

all the Saints fhould be accurfed, but that is done negligently, which is done hypocritically, and for other ends ; for they are the caufes of that negligence 5 to this the curfe belongs, andthat juftly : this cold, renaifTe, for mall, cuftomary performance of duties, as when we receive the Sacrament or are exercifed in any other duty, or in any caufe that concernes the Lord, to goe about it coldly, is a figne we doe it not for the Lord.

Confider whether thou doeft them faithfully? for fo a manufethtodoehisownebufinefle, for no man is unfaithfull to himfelfe $ to another hee may performc but eye fervice, but notfor himfelfe: nowfo to do a thing is not to reft in the thing done, but his care will be,that it may be done effe&ually, fo as to lee the fruit and effed of it.

And if you aske how you (hall difcerne you doe any thing faithfully t

That isdifcernedbythis.

When a good a&ion is to be done, thoucarcft not fo much that it be done, but thy felfe would be the doer of it, for thy credit, &c. as Diotrephes, he was a froward man, but himfelfe would doe all 5 but wouldeft thou doe it, though the fame thereof were not knowne?doeft thou defire to have it done, though another man doe it t andthinkeft, it is no matter by whofe hand the worke goes forward, fo that it goes for ward.

Againe, fecondly what doeft thou, when there is a reparation made, a partition betwixt the bufi-neffeoftheLord, and thine owne credit? art thou yet then ascarefull t when two go together, it is M 4 not

167

Atffrv.

v6t

Offttking Gods face.

rft a,

not knowne whoisthemaftcr of theftrvant of one of them that followes them both, till they part, fo when thy credit and Gods glory goe together, it is not knowne for which of them thou doeft k ; but there are times when our owne and the Lords bufi-n.-fife will be feparated,and then confider what thou doeft, is ic fo, ilntbecauftthoiaart not thefiiftina bufinetfe, thou wilt doe nothing at all t or if thou (halt not be feene in it $ it is a figne thou doeft it for thy felfe, and not for the Lord: when two men are ro carry a beameintoahoufe,if bothftrivetogoe in firft, they carry kin acrofifc 5 whereas if they wo -Id be concent to come one after the other, it would goe right in $ fo often great workes both for Church and State, might be done that are thus hindred, or are carried croffe, becaufe men are not willing that others fliouid go before them.

Confider therefore theft things ftriouily, and bring them home to your hearts $ for to what end doe we preach ? that you might know theft things onely, ( that makes onely for your further condemnation, and you had better never to have knowne them ) but we preach them that you might lay them ro heart : take thereforefome time to confider theft things, and if you have found your fel ves failing.ir. this, be not yet diftouraged, but labour to make your hearts perfect for time to come, thus to fteke the Lord alone-

To exhort to which (which is thenextufel make of it) and to quicken you to this, confider what great reafon there is thou fhouldeftfeeke the Lord lefas, and not thy felfe. Confider what ties

and

OffeeKmg Gods face.

and bonds are upon thee towards him: the bar-.gaine between him and thee is paft.

I will aske you firft whofe fervatit art thcu i and fhould not the fervantfeeke the profit ofhismafteic' if a man fees a company of iheepe, andheaskes whole fhecpe aie thefe i fayes another ro him, fuch a mans 5 for he hach bought and paid for them: and hath not Chrift bought thee C and befides this his firft buying of thee, who gives thee thy wages, and provides for thee, meate, drinke, andcloathing < and is there not reafon thou fliouldeft ferve him a-lone ? Then, if thou beeftperfe&ly a fervent ('as thou art) thou doeft wrong to the Lord, if thou doeft not ferve him.

Againe fecondly, I aske thee who is thy husband t Is not the Lord I efus ? and if thou bcefl his wife 5 oughteftthou not tofeekhisthings^oncthit is unmarried is yet her own; but when flic: is married, (he is her husbands. When there was no King in ifrael, every man did what was good in his orvne eyes ; aid if thou had'ft no husband, no King, fo mighteft thou 5 but thou art not tui juris, thecovenanc is pa(t already jthou art not now tochoofej if choufiyc t no, confider that when thou wertbap:ized. It w.-isinc'o the Name of the Lord, and that by way of a vow, which is an invocation whh a curie, that is the nature of avow: If thou !Hyeftyea,'butI w sy»u g : then, I but fincethoucommeft to yearcs : i e: ricn, thou haft not difchimed it, b^r cr 1 t

in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, receivin often, and therefore thou canft not n<: ill it 5 therefore that firft covenant then made, it ft

169

Off eking Gods face.

a$ marriages made under age, if when the parties

are come to yeares, they did not difclaime them

they hold, and he being thy husband. Confider

that as adultery is worfe then fornication, the one

being punifht among the Iewes with death, theo-

thcr but with a pecuniary mulft ; fo the fins which

thou committed in going after other lovcis is worfe

then if a heathen man had committed the fame: h(

chat was circumcifed, Saint Paul fay es, wasbounc

to keepe the whole Laws and fo he thatisbaptized

and hath received the Lords Supper, is bound tc

give up himfelfe to the Lord, as the Lord Chrift tc

,him, and all things in him 5 and fo the Saints o

Macedonia did 3 2 Cor. 8. $• They gave themfelvt

upfirfttotheLord.

And if thou wert not thus bound, yet he hati deferved it at thy hands 5 and both thefe we fin urged by the Apoftle, I Cor. 1.12,13. rvasSah Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized inteth name of Paul i thefe were men among the Corinth ans that did not feeke Chrift alone in their profe; fing of Chrift, for one was for Pattl, andanotherfi Afolios • another for Cephas: but (fays the ApoftI< is chrifl divided f if Chrift indeed had been divide amongft thefe three,they might have fought them but Chrift (lands alone againft them all $ and then fore they were to feeke Chrift alone: and he brin< thefe two arguments for it;

Becaufe they were baptized into the ?fjme , Chrifl y and not of Paul ox any other: and fccondL was Paul crucified for y oh ? that is, wasnotChrj crucified i

At

Of (eeking Gods face.

Andfccondly, how much is there in that Word [Crucified for you f ] we are not able to fearch into the height, andbredth, and depth of this your engagement unto Chrift. His bodily paine was the lead thing in his fufferings : that of his foule was rhefoule of his fu fife ring s : <My foule is heavy unto death, fayes he, when the preffure of his fi firings made him fweate drops of bloud in a cold nighr $ and yet thefe were but the beginnings of hisfor-rowes, which fell on him upon the c> ofTe, when He cryedout,my God my God y why hatt thou forfaken me f Confider further the equity of it $ for did not he the fame for thee,which he requires of thetttor did not he empty himfelfe ofthaterernallglory and hjppi-nefle, which he enjoyed with his Father and might have then enjoyed t did not he make him felfe poore to maketheerich ** and whnt is ir he calls thee jo deny thy felfe in < to forfake a friend or two * and to fomedifadvanrage inthy wealths whereas he emptied himfelfe of all his great glory. Is he not upon equalhermes with thee, nay mod unequall on his part < if he calls thee to bearc the crorfe for him, did not he beare a g: eater croffe for thee i Therefore fayes Chrift, Hit that for fake snot father and mot her for mte, is not worthy of me, and not fit to come inro t he number of my Difcip!es.

Laftly >befides all this confider; it is beft for thy felfe; which is thearg-i mem mover b men above all other: forifthoudoeitnot, thou (halt de damned for it • and ifthou wilt, thou (halt provide for thy felfe abundantly , but if thou wilt needs fave t-hy Itfe^ thou Jhaltlofe it , if thou wilt fave thy credir, liberty,

rhou

«7*

Offeeking Gods face.

thou maieft, but thou (hale goe to hell with thy liberty and credit* Thefe are the eye and the hand, and it is better going to heaven without them, then to be throvvnc into hell with them: but if thou be-eft concent to lofe all thefe, thoufhaltgainebyit. That man that ismoft forward to fufferany thing for Chriftand Godscaufe, provides beft for himfelfe. ludai going about to make himfelfe rich, loft himfelfe, it was his undoing. Peter and the reft left all, and gained happineffe. What was Panls making, but his going from prhon to prifon? how did Lstbrabamhve his fonne, but by being content to offer him f what wjs it gained Mofes fo much honour, as to be the leader of Gods people, and to be fo great a Prophet, but the lofing and re-fuflng his honours and pleafures in Mgjft f That man that comes to refolve, I will be content to be of no reputation, fo I may feeke and ferve the Lord, that man is of the rifing hand, it is the onely way to preferment: oa the contrary,he that faith,I muft and will be fome body in the world, that man is in his downfalljhc is ruining himfelfe. Sauls thinking to enrich himfelfe by the Cattell, was his ruinc $ leroboam by plors to keepe the Kingdome, loft the Kingdome, and undid himfelfe.

Is it of fo much confequence tofeekGodfor himfelfe? then take heed of forgetting the Lord in the midft of all his me*cicsT It isanufuallthing, that God is hidden and covered from us in his benefits we receive from him 5 and whereas they (hould be as glafTesandas fpcdaclestohclpe the weakeneffe of our fight of him,they prove often as

clouds

Offeehing Gods face.

VI

clouds to hinder us from beholding his face. But confider, that this is themaine pjrtof the covenant I will bee their God^aidtheyjhallbee my people. And upon that tenour come in all benefits, even wich himfelfe $ wedoenotufually thinkethatwe muft firft have the Lord himfclfe \ our eyes fliould be in the firft place fixe on him, then on the mercies received from him: for Rom. 8. it is faid, that with A/j», that is> Chrifi be willgive us allthings. Therefore firft we are to have him, then all things elfe. So I Cor.}, lafi, All things areyottrs ; b:t upon what ground i for you are Chnfts, and Chrifi Gods ; we muft firft have him for our husband, ere we can en -joy the advantages to be had by him. It is a com-mon fault, that men looke to the comforts and privilcdges by Chrift, bit not to him,he is forgotten. As when we come to be humbled for finnc, men in the firft place looke upon a promifc of for. givenefle of fins, and fay, if Icanbutbeleevemy finnes to be forgiuen,and lay hold on that promif e, I have enough $ but Chrift is forgotten by them: but this is not the method we (hould take, b ut rather thinke, how (hall I have for give neffe i who gives it < who brings it i It is a dowry comes with my husband 3 when I have Chrift once, I (hall have his righteoufneffe to cloath me, 1 Cor. 1.3©. of him fee are in Chrifi lefai who of God is made to m wife-dome, And righteoufnejfe, fanftification and redemption. The meaning of it is, that God the Father gives Chrift to us, as a father gives his fpnne, as a husband to one in marriage, and fayes, I will make him worth thus much to youi but you muft have

him

Offiekinx Gods face,

1

him firft ; fo doth God give Chrift,and when we have him, God makes himallthefe, Wifedome to you as a Prophet, Rigtteoufneffe to you as a Prieft, and he (hall fantfifie you and purge you from dead workes, and he (hall be your King* and deliver you I out of the hands of all your enemies,/* lha/t be made \fan8~f cation and redemption to jou. Obfcrve the phrafes in Scripture, and they leade you ftill to his perfon, and doe urge upon you to nuke the covenant with his perfon. As when it is (aid, in him art all the treasures of mfedowe, &c. if treafure be hid in a Casket, you muft firft have the Casket, then the treafure ; fo if in a field, you muft firft buy the field, there is a Mine will hold you digging all your life long; but you muft firft purchafe the field, and then fall a digging for the treafure in it : andthefe are all forts of creafurcs in him. Adoption, Iu&ifica-tio*,drc. (olohn6. he exhorts them to eate his flejh, | andtodrinke his blond, and that (hould nourifh them to life eternall: but before men can have fpirits or ftrength by meate, they muft have that meate it felfe, and there muft be a conjunction with it, and aflimilation of it to them, and of them to it, fo i lohn 5.12. tee that hath tbefonne, hath life. We muft have firft the Sonne, and then wee come to have life by him 5 you muft have thefe two diftin& conditions (I fuppofe a manepmmingiramediately out of the eftate of unregeneration) he is firft to confiderwho Chrift and God is, confidcrtheper-fonsof them, and fochufcthemasafatherandan husband, to live and dye with. And then fecondly, he is to confider what he (hall have with him, yea

to

Of[eeking Gods face.

to looke upon the benefits themfelves, but chiefly

to thisendj andfoaschac they mayftirreupyour hearts to love him the better, dnd not /imply as benefits onely, To as to fay in your hearts, chough he is raoft beautifull in his perfjn,and To though I had hi:n alone, I lhould have an exceeding greac reward of hinafelfe j yec vvithall when I confider, that all wi:hm the compalTe of this world is mine, (a greac dowry J thac P*ul, And ApiHos, a id all the good Mini-fters that ever have beene, have been* for my fake, that whatfoever is in this life or after death is all mine, and thac all thefehee brings wi:h him (all, which you iliould looks on, as motives entirely co > love him,and bot as bare benefits) and fay,hath not hegivenmcallthife? fanctified me, and redeemed me, 3nd fet me ac liberty, when I was a bonJil ivc of iinne and Sathan, and have 1 noc reafon to 1 >vc him t this is co feeke his prcfence. It miy be though you tuve d >ne the thing, yec you have noc had this diftinS confidcration; yet ufe it henceforth co helpe you: Say not, I am in m.fery, and chere is a promife of pardon and adoption, but lookc firft co the Lord /(/«*,goe to him and take him. To convince you further of this, there is none of you but will fay, I cannot befav^d without an holy converfati-on,and what isrhar,but to convcrfc wkh God and ! Chrift^allconverfeisno: with ;hir.g~,b_;t perform,' therefore in an holy courfe, all that you have :o do : is with che Lord hitnlV.fe, to op-en your hearts co him, to refort to him for counfell, to delight in him : toconverfewirha man isto deale with him upon all occafions j you are no: oncly to lookc unto ■

i 7 6

Offeeking Gods face,

Sift-

Anfv*

to, to be dealing with duties alone and priviledges, for then with whom doe you converfc i not with the Lor d, but with notions, with duties and your finncs, but yourchiefe bufinefle is with the Lord in all thefe, and with thefc as meanes to bring you to the Lord , into his prefence and unto his perfon: this is to rvalkc with Godzs Enoch did, which ftill refpe&s his perfon, for fo walking with rm-plies,

Againe, no man can bee faved without love to God, and chat love muft not bee tmor concupifccntU, buc amor amieitu^ a love of friendfhip j the one re-fpe&s things, the other perfons : your love muft firft bee to the perfon, and then to the commodities you have by him,and the duties you are to performe to him.

But you will fay, how (hall we do to bring our heart to this? this is exceeding hard : Itiseafie tofeekethe benefits come by C h r i s tj felfe-Iove will caafe mod todoefo. Any man that needs a thing,would faine have his wants fupply ed. A man that is prcft with a burthen would willingly have it taken off: it is eafie to have your defires quickened this way.

What therefore (hall wee fay, to fet an edg upon your affe&ions, tofeekethe Lords perfon? If wee had the tongue of menandAngells, all would bee too little ; therefore JetusbefeechtheLord, that hee would be his owne fpokes-man 5 and reveale himfclfe unto us* There is no way to fet our hearts a worke to fceke his face, but by feeing of him: and to helpe you to a fight of him, is not in our power;

and

"

Of /rehng God* face.

]r> \

andyetheufethcodocir, whilft wearefpeakingof him in the miniftery of the word. It is faid Pf*l>9. They that know hU namejviUtrttjl in him .• and as they willtruftinhim, (o\\\ty vtiWfctke his face. What was the reafon Abraham and UMo/es fought the Lord thus for himfelfe? becaufe they had feene his face. Thus of CMofes ic is laid, hee fpake with him fact to face. There are two wayes to know a manjby report or fight,by heare-fay or by face, and this later way have all the Saints knownchimin fome degree, and have therefore fought him, though Mo/es in a more particular manner 5 yet all faw him. Btnevolentia Good-wtll fayes y^irijiotle, may arife from a good report, but \Amkitia % Friendf\)if from fight and acquaintance 5 thatis^we may bearegood-wilto one of whom we have onely heard a good report, butwedoenotcometolove him 5 intirely 5 and as friends tohim,till we havefeene j him, and doe come to know him, and bee acquain ted with him : Therefore though a man have age nerall knowledge of him by heare-fay, yet he will \ not feeke his face, tilL hee hath feme him face to I-face, zCer.j.ult. The Lords faceappearesindeed in the word,as in a glaffe, but yet till the veile bee taken away, we fee him not face to facc$ therefore in the firft place, goc to Gcd and befeechhim, and fay, Lord (hew mee thy face,reveale thy excel-lency to mee, by thy fpirit of revelation, that my heart may bee ftirred up to fee ke thee | and will the Lord deny you this requeft if you doe fo? no, 7{§ man knowes the Father tat the Sonne, and hee to wh$m the Sonne reveales Him • fayes Chuit,

N There-\

Of faking Gods face.

Therefore goc to C h r i $ t and beftech him to fli:vv you himfelfe ani his father. The rcafon wee lee not Godasweemighr, orbjtbyglimofes, is that we forget to go thus to the Son 5 or if we do, we feeke not earnestly. You know how hardly Mofis did obcaine this, and you nnft beg hard as hee did ; and when you hive obtained this, know you (hill fee wonderfiill things, ftrange things in him, which eje both totfeem. There are wonderfjll things to be feene in the L nv, if a mins eyes bee opened. Opn my eyes, fayes David, Pfalm. up. that I may fee the wondcrfuS things of thy Law. How much more wonderful! things are there to bee fecne in the Lord, if hee doth but reveale himfelfe, and open your eyes? for the Law is but an expreffi m of him ; fuch as is the expreflion of a man inaLetterorEpiftle, of which wee fay, it is Character *nimt y it is the portraiture of a mans minde. When therefore your eyes are opened to fee the Lord himfelfe, you will fee fuch things in him as will make you in love with him. What was the reafon, thattheSpoufeinthc Canticles , Chapter 5. vttffi-ficke of love^ that (hee could not containc her felfe i but becaafe the Lord had taken away the veile-, and (hewne himfelfe unto her: And fo if God would take any of us here ih-istheHvly ofMjes^nd into the Prcfence-chamber, and open himfelfe to him, then wee would fay as. Thomas and Peter did- Now Lord we will go with thee, now Lord wee will live and die with thee, and when wee lofe him, wee would feeke him with rhe Spoufe,/r*w watch to nw/^'that is, from one ordinance to another, to finde him,, and never leave

feekine

Of Jet king Gods face

fecking, till wc had found him, asfheedtdnot, be caufefheehadhadafight ofhim : As Af*/*rcould not have this knowledge of God,til it fhould plcafe God to rcveaie hin?felfetohim$ fohee would not give over, hcewouldnotftirreafoorc, till hee did reveale hirafelfe to him, Exoj.33.jj. Ifl have found favour in thy fight, flew mtt thy glory ^ that I may know thee. And fo fhould we pray as earneftly as he; and when hee hach madehimfelfe fo koovvne to us, that will draw us, and that is the drawing meant Cant.1.3. Drawmc, andwecmllrnnneafter thee } that is, (hew thy felfe, and wee will follow thee, even as ftrawfollowesthcjett,orirontheload-ftone $ and if the Lord will but put the Adamant to the iron, we cannot choofe but follow and fceke him. And God doth thus by leaving an imprefllon of himfelfe upon the heart,of the amiablenefie and excellencies that arc in him $ as when two men are lincktto. gethcr, fo as no confederation can part them, it is by an impreffion on their hearts of fome excellency in each other, till which bee removed, they will not leave off to love and cleave to each other : Andfo when this imprefllon of Gods excellency is once! ftampt upon the heart, then nothing can take it off- j no accident what ever is able to fever God and the 1 heart, haviflg once fecne him : but till this bee wrought, the fcparation is eafie, men will depart from God upon any occafion: when we are taught of </<?</himfelfe, wc Co knowhim y asit isler. 31. thtt wee feekc him earneftly, and not till then.

Befides, after Gods fpeaking and revealing himfelfe, there is fomething to beedonelikewifeon

n 2 _y° ur

Offeeking Gods face.

| your pircs: grow into furcher acquaintance with ' him 5 which is done, partly by fpeaking much to him , and partly by much obferving him in all his wayes. Looke upon him in all hisa&ions and car-riages, and thereby you will fee how worthy hee is tobee beloved. Confider the firft a&ion that ever hee did, making of the World: hee could have en-joyed happinefTc within himfelfe for ever, as much as nc^v, yet hee was willing out of his goodncfTe to make Men and A igells, and to provide abundantly for them, and afterwards when all mankind were atoieth owloft, and hee might have left us, as he left the Aagells that fell without any poflibility of falvation,out of his tpi\cty^»rU y his lovero mmkind,! his love to the nation, he gave his Sonne to redeeme usrand if it were but for this love to our nation,heis worthy of all love and refpeft from us, as hee was of the Iewes, that out of his love to their nation built them but one Synagogue : but hee hath not loved the nation only, hath hee not given him, ma-nifeftd, revealed him unto thee, when he hath paf-fed by thoufands? and whereas thou, if left to thy felfe, wouldeft have loft the advantage of the poflibility of being faved, as themoft of mankind do, wouldfthavebecnehard hearted, as millions of men are: hee hath broken thy heart, and given thee Chrift, and that when thou wert utterly unable fo much as to beleeveinhim : andfince hee brought thee hometo his Sonne, how often haft thou beene going quite away from him, and hath hee not (till beene rs a Shepheard to thee, and fetched thee in a-thou haft plaid many aflippery trick with

him

game

Of Jething Gods face.

him r but hee hath kept thee,and embraced thee, and tftablijhedthefure minks of Davidu thtc^ thinke alio of his wonderfull patience,that when the eyes of his glory have bcene fo often and fo highly provoked as they have beene day by day, yet hee paffeth byallandfparesthee. Thinkeif anyonewould c-ver have borne fo much as he hat h done. And add ro this the confideration of his bountie added to this his patience by him, his conftancy in doing thee goodj though thou art uneven in thy carriages towards him, yet a continuall current of his mercy flowes in upon thee 3 and confider further, that if it had beene but a metre a<ft of hiswilJ, to do thi;s, it had beene wonderfull -> but it hath coft him deare to have the opportunity to doe it, it coft him his Sonne : and then confider the great love of his Sonne 3 that hee would give himfelfe,and when hee was equall to his father in glory, would yet leave all to come under the fame roote with thee $ and what hee hath done, if it had not beene done, thou haddeft been undone for ever j and confider how often he hath flood with thee in a ft rait, pleaded thy cafe,and pacified his father for thee; and labour to bee led by all thefe rivers and ftreames of his goodnefle to that fea of his perfonall excellencies that are in hini',« and gather an Idea of him into your mindes out of all you have heard or feene of him; the end of all thefe adh of his providence, is that men might know him by all thefe* As w hen you would have a man knowne to another, you goe about to commend him to him, to difcribe him 5 it is good to doe fo of the Lord,to be often exprefling _____ N 3 his

181

j

Of faking Gods face.

his excellencies to others, and meditating of chem our felves $ it may perhaps winne others to him; however it will quicken thy felfe, and exercife thy love towards him. There is a double way of knowing things, as I told you 5 one by report, ano ther by fight. Doe thou labour toknovvhimby experience, fo as to be able to fay, 1 know him to bee thus and thus, and therefore I will cleave to him.

And with all this confider his greatneffe, who it is hath done all thefe things for thee 3 the great God of heaven and earth:this fets an high prize upon all he hath done for us. If a great King doth but caft his countenance on thee, how is it prized' J but that the great God fhojld looke after fuch a wretch as thou art, not having any thing in thee, why he (hould refpeft thee fo, howfhoulditaf-fed thee ! And from hence alfo confider what he is able to doe for thee. Men know not God in his greatneffe, and therefore it is he is not fought unto. Why doe we trouble our felves fo much about the creatures, feare this man and that man, and thinke a little credit or preferment a great matter * if we faw but God in his greatnefle, all thefe would va-nifh. See how the Prophet defcribes him Jfay 40. 1 j. when hefayes, all the nations are bat a fmall thing to him, like the few drops of the bucket anci the ckift of the baliance •, put the cafe all the Nati * ons of the world were for thee or againft thee, who would not thinke this a great matter (as what would we thinke if we had but one nation againft us?) yet let them be compared to the Lord $ they are but as

duft

Of fee king Gods face.

duft blowne away with his breach. If our eyes were but opened co fee as Gehazies were, the hoft that was about him, fo ours to fee the Lord, we fliould defirc him alone, and feeke him: and then a man would be ready for all varieties of changes,put him where you will, he will be con^nt to have Gods favour whileft he lives, and heaven when he dyes, and till this be wrought he doth not feeke God with a perf c£t heart s till a man comes to this choyce, I have many things in the world, but the Lord is my portion, and heismy exceeding great reward 5 and I can live on him alone, it being as im-pofiible for me to have him without comfort as to have the Sunne without light 5 fo as whatever becomes of hira,he is able to fay, I have loft nothing, I am not driven out of my inheritance and portion, I have Gods prefence, and that will be a diredion and a prote&ion to us in hard times, fo that we may (ay, The Lords Name is afirongTower, and though others fly to other refuges, yet Thither fly the righ I teous,andanfafe. Thou muft feeke Gods prefencc in time of peace : ifthouwouldefthaveitforthy refuge in time of danger. Both thefc we may fee, J I fat, 4. the two la ft verfes. The Lord wit create up- \ on evety place of Mounts.on, and upon her ajfemblies a cloud andfaoake by day, and the fhining of a flaming \ firt by night , verfe 5. that is, as the People of^j rati comming out of ALgjpt had a t>;tar of fire to guide them by night, and a cloudy piuar by day $ fo God promifeth there to his people, I will walke before you,and direcfi your way in all your adlions, in difficult cafes. God guides them by an immc-L N 4 diate

Offeeking Gods face.

diare cniightning of his Spirit into thofe wayes that (hall be moft fafc for them, i Sam, 18.14* The Lordwas with David, and he walked wifely, Goddi-re&ed him, and was his Counfellor, when as ^ Lord departed from Said, and he erred in all he did 5 As the lfraelites,\h\\z\i two pillars had beene taken away, they had beene loft in the wilderneflc $ St) was Sad, when the Lord departed from him, he was as a man wildredinadarkenight : whereas a godly man (hall have a voyce behinde him faying, this is the way, &*lke in it; whereas if he went another way, hefhouldbreakehisnecke ,- and what a great privilidge is this t

But that is not all the benefit which the prefence of God doth afford us, but it gives prore&ion alfo; as chic place in I fay fhewes: for it followes^upon all the glory fhall he a defence, and there (hallbeaTaber-nacle for a (hadow in the day timi from the heate } and for a place of refuge, andfor acovert from the ft or me and from the raine 5 that is, looke what a (hadow is to a poorc traveller in the time of fcorching heate, in thofe hot Countresjthat wi 1 the Lords prefence be t o all his Saint s,and it (hall be 4 Covert alfo j t hey (hall be under ir, as under aroofe, (land like one in an houfedry, that lookes out andfees others in a ftorme: as when the JEgyptiavs were beaten with haile, and perifhc in ir, thclfraelites were fafe.

And laftly, he will be a refuge to them, when they, are perfecuted b / any, whether it be by their ownefinnes which follow them, as the avenger of bloud, or by evill men, or the power and malice of Sathan j if they run to him, he will be their Afylum,

their

Offeeking Gods face.

85

their Sanctuary. See this diflferen priviledgeof ch Saints from others-in Mordecai and Haman 5 both were in diftrefle. UMordecaiwzs perfected, he flew to the Lord by prayer, and had him for a ref. ge$ but Hamdn had none, when he was out with the King : So both Peter and Itidas fell into finne 5 bar Peter had a refuge to fly to, even God, whom he had becne formerly acquainted wichall ; but ludas had none y and fo the (tormc fell on him ; Co Saul being to fight with the Hiliftimes had no refuge, God was departed from him, and therefore he fled to a witch : but David when hee was in as great a ftreight, and thepeople talkt of ftoning him, he had a refuge, he \nconr aged him felfe in his God: and ther-fore you find it fo ofcen repeated by tfim, God is my jhieldy andtherockeof my defence. In faire weather men care for no fuch fhdter, becaufethcy thinke they need it not ; but remember, aftormemay come, and it is good to provide againft a rainy day , 2 Rev. f* whenthe Church was falne from herfirjl lovejnz threatneth to rem.ve the Candlefltcke^h^^ by he meanes not the miniftry only, asappearcs by the laft verfeof thefirft Chapter : The fever* Candlesticks thoxfaweji are thefeven Churchts^ and therefore Captivity is thereby threatned, aremo-vallfromthit Otry which was a place'of eafea^d fafety, into a barren land where they (liould live more hardly- And this is threatned, not becaufe they had utterly forfaken, but were fallen from their firft love, and fome degrees of it* W hat caufe have we then to feared and if fo, what caufe is there we fliould now feekt the Lords f re fence f and then

we

-~* \

i86

Of turning from our eVtll wayes.

we (hall be fureco find him a refuge ; for go whither thou wilt, He is there. Pfal. ijp. Whether into the futthermoft farts of theurth, or the heart of the Sea, thou art there, fayes David, and as nothing is fo terr.ble to the wicked as that 5 goe whither they jean, God is there j fo nothing is more comfortable to the Godly.

Now we are come to the laft condition, which the Lord requires, before he will heare prayers and forgive their finnes, or heale the land of his people; and that is, // my people turnefrom their eviR wayes. Whence you may obferve this Do&rine.

D*#.8.

That except a man doe turne from his evilly ayes, hee can have no intere(I in the promifesof the GoJpeU. Now this poynt, as the reft, hath a double office. The one istofhutoutthofe, towhomthepromi-fes belong not -> If you turne notfrom)our evillwayes, your prayers (hall not be heai d : Another to open a doore of comfort to them that doe it, their prayers (hallbeheard.

But firft for matter of terror to thofe without;

and herein our method (hall be, firft to know what

his toturne from oureviltvayes • for when the Lord

(hall hang all his promifes upon thefe conditions,

we have reafon to examine them narrowly. Wher-

forc for the conceiving of this, we rauft know, that

every man is borne backward into the world, with

his hacke turntd ufon Cod, and his face torvardfinne

and hell, and fo continues, till he heare fomt call

J from God to the contrary, faying, That is not the

Of turning from our evill wayes.

1 87

waJ) &c* So that this converfion of the foule is called a turning, becaufe it is from onetermeor objcd: to another, that is, fromfinietorighteouf ncflc, from Sathanto God. And becaufe there are many filfe turnings, and many menthar wheelea- I bout and never turne truly, who yet fuppofe that ■ they are converted, therefore we will endeavour to ! open ro you, this true turning. Nowicm.iy b;e found out foure w:;yes. Firft by the ctxfes of it or motives upon which. Secondly, by the termes from which and to which we turne. Thirdly by the m&nner. Fourthly by theeffefts.

Firft, for the caufes of this folid, true turning,and the motives which worke upon a mans heart to turne him ; you muftknow, that there are many things may caufe a man to leave his evill ways for a whiles As it may be, fome prefenr affli£tion,for rhe avoyding of which a man may feenie to turne unto God. Therefore God ftill complainesof the Iewes, that they turned, but fainedly unto him,and not with the whole heart, becaufe when he flew them, then they fought to hm 7 and then they would turne from their evill wayes 5 but when they were delivered, they turned to their old Bias agairte. So Pharaoh, when as he was plagued with any new Iudgemenr, then hee would let the Jfraelites goe, but as foone as that was off, he hardened his hearty and would not let them gee.

As alfo a fecond caufe to move men to turne may be fome prefent commodity. This doth appears in many of thofethat applied themfelves to Chrift : fome did it for the loAves^ and fome for

their

Offeeking Gods face.

their convenienc living, fomc tor the hope of an earthly Kingdome, which they thought he would have brought 5 but thefe all left him afterwards. There be many fuch falfe motives, buttheonely true motives rre taken from the apprehenfion of e-ternall life andeternall death : the conveifion is not right till then, and the reafon is, becaufeallo. ther motives may be overbalanced ; But themo-tives of life and death cannot be over topped by a-ny thing; If preferment be offerd, or what ever the world can offcr: but thefe exceed all that Sathan^ov the world, or the flefh canfuggeft. Therefore a man is then turned, when the Lord (hall enlarge his thoughts, to fee the greatnefle and the vaftneffc of thefe two 5 for then all thofe other things ap-pearc but as Candles in the Sunfhine : So that if Sathan come with earthly honours and pleafures in his hand, the anfwer will be eafie, but trkit are theft to tternaideath », andeverlaftinglife ? and thefe are not thought of nor considered by carnall men: though they talke of heaven and hell, yet they fee not the immenfc vafteneflc and latitude of them, and therefore goe on fo confidently, hence Chrift in Marke 1 6. when he fends forth his Difciples to convert men, hee bids them ufe thefe two arguments. Tell every man // hee beleive hee JhaM bee faved $ if not y hee Jhall bee damned. Where wee fee the motives that Minifters are to ufe by Chrifts dire&ion, are eternall life and death : And Saint iWendeavouring to convert Felix, told him of the ludgement to come, which made him to tremble : And Chrijt told the woman of Samaria of

that

^

Of turning from our evill feayes.

• 89 I

that water and firing, that fimes up to eternall life. Conlider thereture whether ever •houhadftatrue apprehenfion of thefe, wich-ouc which a man cannot be throughly wrought i pen ; which apprehenfion if true, hath thefe conditions in it,

Firft it muft be an apprehenfion of them as prefent : for happily a man may have a flight thoi ght of eternaH lite and death, he may looke i pon them as thingsabfenc and afarre off; but when they are fetonby God, a man is purfued and brought into Itreights by the apprehenfions of them, foashe hath n3 reft till he be tranflued into another con-dition. A carnall man on his death bed, having aoa<5tnall apprehenfion of hell as prefent, is ftrangc-ly affe&ed. Now at converfion, the apprehenfion of thefefeizeth upon a man by a worke of the Spirit, and compaffes him about fo, as he cannot (hike it off, till he turnes to God. The wife man fees the plague before handy even as prefent: and therefore ftayes not till it comes : but turnes in the time of youth, health and ftrength.

Secondly, it muft be a deepejix'd, and faled apprehenfion • for fometimes a man that (hall never be faved, may be moved with the prefent apprehen fion of eternall death, and life $ butitisasaftorme foone blowne over, but in him that fhall bee faved, it is fee on by the ffirit of hndage^znd fuch an imprefllon made, sis will never out, but he ftil! remembers it , and this is that true apprehenfion which moves to repentance.

But forae will fay, can a man be wrought upon Objtcl, by the meere apprchenfions of eternall life and

death,

./

i^dnfr*'

Of turning from onr eYtll wayes,

\

death, ro curnc from his eviil wayes,wkhout an ap-prehenfion of fin and grace f

When a man hath a true apprehcnfion of eternall life And death, he comes to know what fin AndCrAce is, and never before: till a man knowes eternal! deat h jhc looks on fin as a trifle,as a thing of nought; therefore the wife man faith,*/*? dtffife their waus^ but thisapprchenfion is it, which helps to preftnt finne in its lively colours, and foalfo the price of grace is then underftood, when it is apprehended, as drawing with it everlafting happinefle, as the needle draweethethreed.

The fecond thing is the confederation of the tcrmes, for there is no turning without going from one terme to another 5 and there is no true turning, except it be from Sathan,and the creature,and your owne felvcs to God. Of this you readein^<2/ 2 6. 18. that Sunt Paul wrtfent toopen their eyes, And to turne them from darkenejfe to light, And from the power of S Alb An unto God, &c. You fee thefi: the termes of true turning 5 andthisisefpecially to be marked: for if there be no more then a turning from raifery to happineffe,it is not found $ for if you look upon finne, andmifery, graceandhappineflcasin themfelves without refpeft to God, you doe but turne upon your owne hinges, as axle-trees, you goe but different wayes to the fame center, that o-ther wicked mengoe unto,fo long as you lookeonly at the mifery and the happineffe of your felves alone, which is the center of all mankinde. Therefore in a true converfion, thtfe motives are lookt upon in relation to God, as thus 5 ifl follow ray

felft

"1

Of turning from our eVill wayes.

(clfc and the creature, they are never able to fave me j but if I apply my ieife to him that haththt kejes of life anddeath^ I (hall behappy in him fore-ver: therforc henceforth I will forfake &tf 4* and e-very creature, afcd apply my felfe onely to the Lord. And upon this ground a man makes this resolution with himfelfe, I will forfake Sathan and fubjeft my felfe to God 5 for he onely is the author of true hap-pinefle : fo that now G o d is made a tearme, to which thou turneft and applicft thy felfe. flofej.16 They returned^ but not to the mofi higb y &c. There is a turning made mention of it, and one would thinke, in a fpeciall manner • for they fafted, they prayed., but this was no turning to God 5 and why? becaufe yee have turned but from mifery, and fought your ownc happineffe, and ye have forgotten »ii,faith the Lord, who am the raoft High and only able to de liver and fave you ; and therefore their turning was counterfeit, not true - this will not hold, fuch will ftart afide like a broken bow.

Tbirdly,fox the manner of f«rw»g,as it is expreft in Scripture, you miiftfcww to the Lord with allyour heart, andadymrfiuU^ though it be not expreft here,/ yet it is to bee underftood, If my people turne frm their eviS ways with their whole hearts*

But what is this turning with a mans whole heart?

A man is theft faid totutnemth hkwholeheart 3 when hee is fully enlightened and convinced in his understanding of the evill of a thing, and thereupon doth take a full refolation to forfake it : As if a man bee going out of the way, and another man

come

191

Slued. K^dnfw.

^

Of turning from cur t pill wayes.

, corae and cell him hec-is nor in the right way 3 which will leadehimto his journeysend -, ifheebcefully ! perfwadcd of this, hec will returne, and chat with all his heart, as wee ufe to fay, when we doe a thing willingly : So it is here, it a rrian be fully pcrfwa-ded that finne is the caufe of all mifery, and God of happinefle, hec turnes to G od with his whole heart. Now unlefle it bee with the whole heart, this turning is but fained; as appeares by that in let. 3,10. And jet for allthis, her treacherous ftfier ludah hath not turned unto wet with her whole heart, but fain-edljjaith the Lord* which falls our, when men hav£ fomc motives to move them, but not enow 5 they are not fully convinced, and fo they turnc but by halves. When therefore the il lumination is perfeft and full, that thefe wayes wherein heewalkes will bring him to mifcry, and the contrary to happines, then a man perfectly turnes,znd with his whole heart: and becaufc turning thus with the whole heart fol-lowes full conviftion, therefore the Apoftle doth cxprdTe this turning by the phrafe of opening the eyes, ^A.Ssz6. 18. To of en their eyesandtoturm them. ^c. thatis, every man goes on in his wayci of finning, till his eyes bee opened, to fee the thing which hee faw not before : and God many time! meets men in the midft of their wayes, and give: them fome light and meanes, as fome exhortation: and motions to good, fome checks for their evil wayes : and if thofe admonitionsbefofarreeffe (fluall, as to open their eyes, that is, to convince anc perfwade them, that the way they goeinleadestc eternall mifeiy, then doe they turnc 3nd are willing

t(

Of turning from our eltill Tbayes*

m

to do it. And therefore alfo on the contrary,when God will not hcale and convert a people, hee f uf fcrs not their eyes to bee opened, as'mEfaj*6. 10. CM*ke the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavie, and font their eyes, leaji they fie with their eyes, and heart with their^eares, and underftand with their hearts, and convert** bee healed. W here we fee,that the firft chaineof our converfion isthe opening of the eyes, the fecond chaine is the opening of the heart, the third is u bee converted and healed-, and the two former will draw on the laft: and becaufe the Lo r d is refolved not to heale them,thercf ore their eyes niuft be fliut up. But at conversion mens eyesare opened to fee fin comming againft them, even as an enemy with a fword in his hand,and to fee the riches of the in** herttance of the Saints, which neither the eyes ofnaturaB men have feene,nor their tares heard\nor their hearts underwood. And then is a man turned from his evill wayes, and not before. A man goes on in a courfe of finning,asJ?4/44w did in his way $ hee met an An -geS with a drawne fword, but faw him not at the firft: fofoone as his eyes were opened, there needed nomoreperfwafionstomove him toturne : So a wicked man goes on in a way, wherein bee runnes upon the fwords point, and he fees it not $but when his eyes are opened to fee it, then hee turnes backe, and when they are thus turning backe ,\iVcGebaz^ 2 Kings 6. 15, 16, 17. who ( feeing an army comming againft him and his Mafter £/</Mhe cry es out, Alas, what JhaB wee doe,tfwcegoz out and£#-Jha anfwercd, feare not: for they are ?nore that be with us then they that be with them; and fo Cehazifaw when O God\

Oftumn&frvm our evill wayes.

G$defttnAhiseyts : So doc men when they fct upon a new courfe, they mecte with many oppoficions and dangers in the way* which makes them cry, alas, what (hall wecdoe f then Godopeneth their eyes, and they fee alfo more with them than againft them : they fee the glorious priviledges that they have,and the ftrength that they received fromGtof: thefe things encourage them, that they goe on re folutely, bseaufe that the latter are farre greater than the former.

Laftly, to findeont what this true turning unto God is, weemuftconfidertheeffe&sofic: Now a man i£then turncd,when he finds thefe three effecSs wrought in him.

Firft hee findech that tboft eviBwdfcstfjum^ and thofe corruptions which before did dwell in his heart and had the rule there, are now put out of pof-feffion,and the contrary grace is made mafter of the houfc ;fo that hee can fay with the Apoftle Rtot.7. It is not /, bHtftnminmet, that is* finne fometimes was the mafter of the houfc, and that which I now call my ftlfe, as then wnsnot^ hadnoexiftencein mee ^but now the cafeis akered,ihe regenerate part, that is in mee is mafter* and though finne thrufts to and dwells there alfo, yet it is but an intruder, no luft butisthruft out j and if it creepes in^ it is by onedf thefe wayes.

Firft, either filling i#> as a tbufi, by night, When they doe not watch and fee it, or fecondly it breaks in by violence, as rebtlls taking the advantage of fome ftrange pjfllon, fo as they are not able corefiftic, yet finne dwells not there as teufter, for

if

Of turning from our eYtU Daft**

it is expeld as foone as the rebeilis found, as fo one as ftrength is recovered, fo as poffeflion is (till kept by grace, that as it is faid of peace, Let the pact of God rule in your hearts, that is, though you bee ready to fall out with your brethren, yet let not malice rule, but peace. Now what is faid of one grace, is true of all : fo then examine thy felfe, how comes finne in into thee i comes it in by ftealth or by violence onely? and when it is come in, docs it continue matter ? then thou art not turned to God; for if thou wert truly turned to God, thorgh finne did creepein as a thiefe, yet thou wouldeftnot fuffer it to take poffeflion of the houfe, but you would caft it forth $ and if it did breake in by violence, yet when thou hadft recovered thy flrtnghr, when thou hadft got the hill, that is, the upper hand, thou wouldft keepe it under.

The fecond effed is this, that when hee hath thruft out finne, then hee hates it, as^«w»didhis fifter Tbamar ; he not only thruft her out of doores, and barred the doore on her, but alfo hee hated her worfe, than ever hee had loved her. So a man that is turned doth hate finne, hate it as truly as ever hee did love it before. There is none but the regenerate man that hares fin truly. Suppofe a man hath lived a long time in fome finne, it may bee in drun-kenneffe, or whoredome, fwearing, &c. hee may fomctimes thruft it out of doores, and by a refoluti-on upon fome grounds barre the doore againft it $ as when he lyes on his ficke bed, or is in fome great affli&ion,but doth not hate it.

You will fay how (hall wee know that i

O 2 Hatred

195

^v

y*4*fw.

Of turning frm our eYill Ttayes.

Hatred is implacable, and for ever, as in a man towards Toads and Serpents, hee will never be per fwaded to receive it again, and to grow friends with it, but he forfakes it for ever. And againe fecond-ly, hee will never mince the matter with finne, and fay, thus farre will I lop and cut up mv finne, but hee will pluckc it up by the rooces : Hi red defires the utter abolition and deftru&ton of whatic hates. Thirdly, he will hate all kindes of finnes. ShcepG hate all kind of Wolves, and the Dove all kind of Hiwkes ; therefore examine thy felfe by thefe generals.

The third eflfeftis this,jfjW«f agAtnJlit .• The truth of tinning is feene by a mans refiftance all a mans life; as the Ifraelitcs v\ ere never to feeke peace with Amdtk^ but to fight againft them, to feeke the deftru&ion of them while they lived. Indceditis true, fuch a man may bee foyld by a finne, But fiill hee fights againft it 5 and fo wee will, if wee bee truly converted.

Therein then is the difference betweenc the re-lapfe and backfliding of the wicked, and the falling of the godly into fome finne. A Saint never gives over the warre,hec never enters into league with fin. The fpirit lufttthtgdwft thcfleJh^Gal 5. that is,wfltbe ever ftirring him up againft it 3 all the world cannot makepeace, where G o d hath put enmity : Thou wilt never come to fay, I cannot chufe, I muft needs yeeld to it : but thou wilt never give <?* ver; for that is the property of one truly converted, to looke on fin as an enemte, and whacfoever helps him againft finne, hee accounts his friend, as admonitions

Of turning from our eVtll Tk>ay

es.

nitions,and reproofes, and whatfoever hclpes finne againft him, hee accounts his enemy.

But you will ifay, if all this bee to bee done, I cannot fay, 1 hate finne, fork hangs on mee con. tincally, and I finde an aptnefle to delight i-nit a before. s

It is true, that there is fomething in thec>the fleih to which finne is as fuitable as ever it was : hence the aptnes toentertaine it,that is ready to become as friendly to it as ever it was. Yet againe the frame isfuch, asthcreisfomethirginthee, namely anew creature, a new felfe,thy regenerate part, thit hates finne with a deadly hatred, yea and the flefli alfo which fofters it. So then this may be thy comfort that the fpirit that is in thee hates finne, at the fame time, that the flefli which is in thee delights in it.

If this turning unto the Lord be a condition on which all the promifes are put; then it ftandsyou upon to examine your felves, whether any way of wickednefle bee found in you; if it bee, bee it greater or fmaller, then you are not converted, you are ftill in the bond of iniquity (itis the Apoftlesphrafc to SimcntMagW} A fts ) that is, tyedupinitasina bond, (hackled in it, as a man ftill inprifonand bound in fetters; thou art a fettered bond- flave : For when there is any wayofwickedneffeinthec, it fo bindes the foule,that a man is not able to runne tht wdjes of Cods Commmdmms. Looke backe therefore upon thy former wayes, fearch thy heart as throughly and narrowly as they did for the leaven before thePaffeover$ fearch as it were for thy life, becaufe if there bee a way of wickednefle, it O 3 will

*97

Objttl,

^infw.

n

j

Ofturningfrom our eVttl wayes,

will coft theethy life. Search alfo diligently, for felfe-love makes it hard to find ic our. This point needs application more than explication; the bufi nefle here is more withtheheart than with the head. Put cafe it bee a w^y of enmity, having anevill eye towards fuch a man,though thy enemy; if thou goe on in it, thou art in a way of wickednefle. It is the Lor ds r command, that thou (hiuldeft overcome e~ viU wuhgood^ and that thou (houldeft love thin* ene mies j and therefore you are your owne utter enc mies, in walking n a way of enmitie againft others. Say it bee the way of evill fpeaking, which comes nigh to enmitie ( and therefore I fpeake of it in this next place) in Titus 3. 2. Spake evillof noman. Yo j muft not fpeake evill of any man,though he be truly wicked; for you your felves were fuch, faith the Apoftle, and therefore doe it nor, romakea cuftome of this \ when thou haft any opportunity, and when any man will give thee the hearing: this is-a, way of wickednefle. It is one thingto fall into it beyond a mans purpofe,another to give a mans felfeliberty ink. It may bee done, forthegood of the party, or when it concernes Gods glory, but not of envic. Againe, fuppofe it bee a way of idlenefle, which men of all callings are fubjed to 5 confider that if thou wert free from all other fins, ^nd yet wert idle, thou art in a way of wickednefle. The Apoftle fpeakes mueh againft idle perfons, as z The/. 3.10. For even when wee were with you, this wee commandedyou y that if Any wouldnet worke, net. thtrjhould hee eate, &c. that is, it is fuch a fione, as he is not worthy to live,that lives in it 5 as for fcho

Jars

Of turning from our evill Ttayes.

krs thacarc fcnt hither with a price in their hands co learnethe knowledge of G o d, and his true religion, for thefc to fpend their time idly, of all o-ther they are not worthy to live. If Saint Ptul may be fudge, thou canft not be faved 3 becaufe this is a way of wickednefie. Art not thou the Lords fervant i doth not hegive thee thy wages < Sup pofe it not a pofitive way of finning in ic felfc, yet that will follow upon it, omnis o?mfio fundatttr in aliqm afta voluntatis afjirmativo, the reafon why a man aegle&s to doe what he fliould, is becaufc he doth what he fliould not: and therefore, 2 Thef.$. j 1. he calls thofe idle perfons bufie bodys,becaufe whilcft idle,they are bufie about fomething elfe, as good fellowfliip, drinking, or happily recreations, which though inthemfclveslawtull, yetaremoft unlawfull, when a man makes a trade of them.

This way of idleneffcis ufuall amongft men, and mifpending time is counted no finne, if a man have enough living but to maintaisc him. But confider how vehement the Apoftle is againft all fuch, %- Thefo . from the fixth to the thirteenth, fpeaking of the fame perfons, / command you brethren in tnt lijune of the Lo kd I b su s, that J0u withdraw jour felves fr$m every hrether that wdkes dforderly, &e. he gives it not from himfelfe, but ic is a command from Chrift : andbefideshefayes, he that walkes idly waikes inordinately,that is, befides his rule, which istobepainefull in his calling 3 therefore he is like a fouldier out of his rankc, a member out of joynt; yea faiththe Apoftle, let bimneteate. He names a punifhment in nature fuitable to it 5 as if O 4 he

&99

Of turning from our evill Twyes

he had faid, nature hath caught you fo much, it is a rule ingrafted in nature ; and therefore you fee drones caft out of the hive, andyoufeeftonesand all things that ly ft ill continually, thatthey eat not as beafts doe, this is a mother finne, it was the finnc of Sodome. Salomon oft^n toucheth upon the Aug-gard, and fpeakes againfthim. As there miy be away of vvickedneffeby being idle, fo by minding our earthly bufinefle too much ; againft fuch the Apoftle fpeakes, thtl.yig. minding earthly thing*: whofe endis damnation • minding, that is, being fo content, that they minde it continually; whereas men (liould be fo converfant in the world, and ufe it j as *f they fifed it not: buy and marry, as if they mar-riednot ; lee it b:e a by-bufineflfe, do it as if you did it nor, and bcfodiligcnt.inthcm, as that the maine of our intentions be rcferved for better things, as getting of grace, &c. otherwife we forget the maine errand, for which we came inro the world,to make our calling and elc&ion fure, and intend chat w ch we fhould do, but by the by. This is a fault even amongft Gods people in part n as we may-fee in Mirth a , who troubled her felfe about many things , but Mary left aU to heare Chrift preach ; and Chrift ufon that occafion teacheth us, that he makes the better cboyce, thattakes more time from-his calling to beftow on better things. Markethe reafons which Chrift ufcth, why-A/^chofcthe better part. Firft, becaufc this alone is needfull, that one thing necefifary. There are mmy worldly things required to make up our content. Thou art troubled about many things (faithhctoAf^r/^) bur

this

Of turning from our evill Tbayes.

201

this one thing is fufficienc 5 and againe, many o-ther things may be fpared, but this is that one thing neeejfary: and againe, this one thing fha/l not bee taken from thee ; (he lhall enjoy it for ever, and it will accompany you to heaven, whereas death will ftrip Martha of thofe outward things, bring care and vexation of fpirir, as in Martha^ fhewasriM*. bred, lo that Manes part was the better, and let us alfochufeit.

Againe, there is a way of wickedoeiTe which Sdemon often touchcth upon and fpeaketh agatnft, afalfe ballance, whereby he meanesany kind of un^ juft dealing in trading,putting ofTflight wares with a goodglofle, any fuch way : fuch an hidden my-ftery of unequall gayning, it is an abomination to the Lord, faith Salomon. Is this the cxercifing of your callings, for the good of men t no, for the hurt of them, and the deflruftion of yourowne foules. j likewife if there beany fudi fecret way of finning found in thee > . as the Apoftle fpeakes of, 1 Tbef. 4.. 4. that every one of yon Jhoitld know how to foffeffe his ve/fellwfanffification andho-nour, not in the lull of concufifcence -> by veffeil he meanes foule and body, which were made wholly for the Lord to put his grace into : take heede therefore of any fuch luft of uncleanenefTe. The Apoftle meanes no particular A& -, therefore if there beany fuch-fecret way of uncleanc.nefleof what kind foever,?hou art yet in a mifcrableeftate: for I tell thee, if thou hadft any worke of regeneration, would it not refill every kind offline < if any true tenderneife of confcicnce^thou woulcieft be fenfibie of every way

Of turningfrom our eVtU wayes.

of wickcdnefle j as tender fiefh is of every pricke,or the eye of every mo:e : but you will fay, thebeft miy fall into thefe finnes : A*fwer, yes, but they make not a path of them : Wicked men take their walkes in finne, yee (hall find them there day by day s but not fo with a godly man, he never drawes acourfeof finne as a threed through his whole life. When there are ten thoufand wayes to one place, any one is enough to lcade to it 3 there are many wayes ieade to hell, and any way of finne leades to hell, though but one y and therefore thou belonged to Sathans divifion, and not to the Lord, unlefle thou cinft (ay as Saint fdul and thofe Corinths, I whereas 1 was fomtttrnts a blafpbtmer andunckane, I now I amfinftifitd Andmjhtd : Thus thou muft bee able to fay of every cvill way, or thou fhalt not be faved.

As for thecommiflion of finne, fo for the omif-fion of duties, fuppofeitbee negleding of G o » s ordinances, as hearing the word, as it is a cuftome for fome to be abfer t, it is a monftrous thing that men fhould bee fo openly prophane, manifesting to all the world that they lie in a way of wicLedneffr. So for negligent performance of duties, which will come up to the fame degree of guilt with finnes of jOmiflion, and bee reckoned as if you hadnot done them, thou maieft have a way of wickedncfTe in the way of performance of duties : for G o d commands the mnnner of the duty as well as the f>b-ftance. A man happily will not negleflrheducy, andyecnegligentlyperformesit. Now Ckiist bids us not onely to hearc, but to ttkt hadt fow m

hun

Of turning from our eYtll wayes.

6Mr*,namely,in fuch a maner,as that wc (hould get (trcngth by every powerfuil Sermon.

If thou findeft not thy heart to be foftned,wh:ch was hard beforehand wrought upon, I may fay thou, haft not heard : Soinprayer, when prayer brings not thy heart into order, which before was off the hinges, thou haft not prayed. Remember that the manner is commanded as well as the fubftance. So for the communion of Saints,we are charged not to for fake thefe/lowjbip of Saints, therefore it is a way of wickednes not to be found amongft them. What can you fay for your felves that negleft this command? how canft thou looke to have thy prayers heard, thy finnes forgiven 1 So for thy fpeeches, they ought ro be profitable, miniftring grace to the hearers , affording not droflc but fine filver, fro, 10.20. The tongue ofthejujl is at choife Silver, and this al wayes Let four fpeech bee graciousalways. Col 4. not onely byfitts.

So for family duties^ looke, if there be no way of whkedneffethtxe. Ephef. 6. 4. Children and feruants ought to bee brought up in the nurture of the Lord. This you ought to doe to your fervants : for when they are delivered to you, you are become as pa-remstothem. I>tut % 6,q.

There is a ftri& command to rehear fe the way of God upon all occafions. Thofe families wherein nothing is done for the bringing them tp in the wayes of the Lord, have a way of wickednefte in them, andfearchitout.

I have infiftcd the longer upon particulars, be-caufe it is the fpreading of the net that catcheth the j

2 °?

4

fifh. Therefore Saint /Wcondefcendstoparticu-lars, whereas hee might have contented himfHfe withgeneralls,/?ow.i.2p. as being fild with all un-righteoufneffe. But hee adds a catalogue of many particulars -, fornication y mckedneffe, covet oufneffe jna-licioufnes % f»llofenvie,rnurther,debate,$LC. So I Cor. 6. 9 .the Apoftle hyc^Kwtv you not that the unrighteous lhai/not inherit the kingdom* oj Godi that m'ght nave beene enough in the general!, yet hee brirgs in a catalogue of many particulars; Bee not deceived, no fornicator,nor drunkard, &c. (ball inherit the kingdome of God, as if hee fhould have fayd, fhould I ftay my (elfc in thefe general 1 tearmes, you would be ready to ihif c it off, therefore I fpeake it of every particular courfe of finning. When a man is to fhootcat a multitude of birds, he puts not in one bullet only, but haile* fhot, fo when wee are to fpeake to many people, wee are to make application of many particulars. Nathan applyed his meflage in particular to David, and if Minifters fhould omit it, yet the people fhould themfelves bringgeneralls to particulars m apply ingthe word to themfelves at home, and in applying thefe particulars let them confidertheDo-(firine delivered, that if there bee any of thefe or any other way of wickedncfTe in a man, hee cannot bee faved.

And though many will bee ready to fay, wee know this already,it is no newes to us $ yet I fearc that if the hearts of men were ranfacked and fear-ched, it would bee found they believed it not, bit chat they thinke they may lie in fame little finne, and yetbeefaved by the mercies of -God in Chrift,

for

Of turning from our eVili Upayes.

°5

for if they thought nor fo, they would not bee fo bold to lieiniinas they are-therefore doth the Apo-ftle upon this occafionftil put in this Caveat, be not deceived, as inEpbef 5.6. Let no man deceive y$u> with vaine Mr As :becaufe ofthefe things commeth the wrath of Godupon the children of difobedience^as if he had faid; every manisapttothink,chatnotwithftanding fuch courfes of difobedience hee may bee fa ved, 1 h ?re-fore take heed faies he, fuch advert ifements as thefe the Apoftle doth often ule : As 1 Cor 6 9- i isas if one fhould lay to a traveller askinghmof the way, that at fuch and fuch a placethere is a by -turning 5 if you cake not heed> if you markc it not, you may bee deceived,andgoe out of your way. M&ny have loft their wayes there. So, bee not deceived, faith the Apoftle, it is twentie to one you will in this particular. Wee are ready to thinke God a God all of mercie,aod to fee the greatnefie of Gods juftice requires fpiritmll eyes $ therefore though you know this,yet confider it:thereare many r hings which wee know, anddoe not know them> wee fee and doe not fee them, that is, we doe not coi fider them as wee /bouid : and the DivellisaptfortO: delude us, fiying,fuch.a fmall finne may ftand with falvation rand therefore it is no wonder, if many erre* I may fay of that rnan,that is fully perf waded of this,that to lie in any fmall finne whatsoever will condemns him, a thoufand to one if that man will be turned.

Yet take this in to explicaceit, thatnotwith-ftanding a little fwerving, a mans eftarc may b*e good ; but it is continuing in it makes it a way.

For

A

S&fi.

Anfn.

Of turning from our evili wayes. ^

For if you judge a man by a ftep or two, you will judge amifle of him s therefore 1 fay, itmuftbcea way of wickedncfle : the ground is, bccaufc a way of wickedncfle proceeds from the roote, from the frame of the heart, which a man will returne to a-gaine, bee it good or bad •, for howfoevcr a godly man maybe tranfported for a time, yet he returncs againe to his former courfe. On the contrary, a wicked man may bee hedged in for a piece of his way by education, fo as hee cannot goe out: So Ioajh was hedged in by Ichoiada, and went ftrait on for many yeares ^ but confider what way you take, when you come to the lanes cnd,whenyou are your owne men,at your o wne choice.

And therefore, becaufe wee are upon a point of falvation and damnation, wee had need diftinguifli exa&ly : And that which putsustodiftingufhin this point, is that a regenerate man may have ma-ny relapfes into wayes forfaken, and wicked men may have ftands in their eviU way es,and fometimes turneoutofthem, and performe many duties, and goe farre in obedience to the Law.

The queftion is, how fliall we doc to diftinguifti this * it will ferve to unmaske the one, and comfort the other.

Obfcrve three rulcs,to finde the differences, i In regard of the fearch made for finne, an upright hearted man; if there be any ambiguous cafe, in his whole life, he is willing to be informed ro the full, to referre himfelfe to the word and good men, for the finding out what is right $ when himfelfe doubts, hee would bee glad tobcerefolved, and

would

Of turning from our eVill wayts.

would love him that would doe it. Lord try me* (Tatth DdvidJ if there be any no ay ofwickedmffe in me> which was a figne of the uprightnefle of his heart -When the heart is not found, #then a man is not ml lioatocometorryall;as/^ 3.20 21. whence this difference is taken, Everyman that doth truth, that is, upright hearted pontes tithe light • but hee that doth e-viN 9 hates theltght. The one defires his deeds might bee brought to the light, butthe other hates it, be caufe hee would not have his deeds knowne : Ic is fpoken of the Pharifees, whotookeitinfeorneto have their uprightneffe queftioned by our Saviour. And this is fincerity fi*a?»»*tj as the Apoftle calls it, when a manis willing to have all his anions brought to the Sunne-beames, as that word implyes, that if there bee any flaw in them, they may bee difcove-red and amended $ hee defires not that they may bee kept in darke fliops like bad ware, but brought to his view anddifcovery : therefore the upright delights mod in the company of thofe that ate freeft from his fiftne, they appe3rcmoft beautifullmhis eyes, and hee loves a miniftety that fpeakes to that particular $ every one is defkous to heare evill fpoken of his enemie, that finne is his greateft enemies therefore you could not have done David a better turner then K^ibtgaM and N*tban did to tell him of his fault, or a worfe to Jneazitb and lttoboam^ then the Prophets did, whenthey reproved them 5 hee that would haveabirilditig downe, is glad of thofe that come with pickaxes, but if hee would havtit ftaad, hee cannot endure any body that fbould offer to meddle with it 5 fo the ftrong holds of fifitie be-

LUli ing

^— - -■ ■■••■ •■ —■ ■ - -

Of turning from aureviB wajes.

being co be puld downe, a godly man likes him that will helpe him againft them, when confeience doubceth fuch acourfe is not good, which yet is ambiguous. If thou be loth to haveit examined to che full, itisafignethouhaftafalfehearr, and art defirous to continue in it. It is a fweet morfell to chee, lobio, 12. when finne is kept as an ulcer which thou wilt not have a man come nigh to, it is a figne thou loveft it, and art not turned from k.

2 There is a great difference in the ground and principle of a godly mans-abandoning finne, and o-beying the Law, from that which is in an unrege-nerate man, that is not truly turned,thongh be may goe far re in both $ for the upright hearted man hath not only fome prefent checks, and tranfient refolu-tions to leave finne,but there is a law ftamped upon his mind, whereby to refill the law of finne, forever, this law the other warns* Rtm.j.z}. I fee a law in my members , warring againji the law of my minde. To a man truly converted there is a double law; the outward written in Scripture, the inward printed io his heart, which is able to guide him : Therefore fayes the Apoftle, I Ttm. i. 8. The law was not given fortherighteous, that is, it is not given to him, as to others $ for others having no law in them, muft therefore be prefled only with that without, but it is ( as it were needles to the other ) he hath one in his minde continually, oppofingthelawof fin. Now becaufethe explication of what this law of the minde is, will exceedingly conduce to cleare this difference the more, I will further (hew what this law of the minde is.

It

Of turning from our eVtU fbayes.

Ic is an inward habit of holincffe agreeing with ihe Law of God, as a pi&urewich the prototype anfwering in every refped unto it.

And ic is called a law, becaufe it commands powerfully, as a Law which hath authority in it $ effectually inclining and carrying the heart on to do what the Law without commands; and on the contrary, it doth forbid with efficacy and power the committing of fin, and it hath this power in it, be* caufe ic is the very power, vertue and fruit of the refurre&ion o(chri(l> and is the immediate worke of theSpirir,whois ftrongcrthen Satan,the world, andtheflefli.

And likewife, becaufe as a law it rewardeth and puniiheth,refre(hing the obedient with peace of confcience,joy in the Holy Ghoft,and when a man difobey s it, it caufeth gricfe and wounds the hearty that law in David fmote him when he had numbred the people,and caufed Peter to weep bitterly. And in the fecond place it is called the law of the mind, becaufe though it fan&ifies the whole,y et it is moft I in the mind 5 as the Law of the members is called fo, becaufe in a regenerate man,it is ftrongeft in the members, and lead in the mind and will. This law doth both enlighten the mind with faving o-perative knowledge of God and his law, and ftamps all the habits of grace upon his will, hre. 32. 4. An unregenerate man, may through his confeience enlightened,givea flop to evili courfes, but without fuch a law as this.

This being thus explained, the difference be-tweene a naturall confeience enlightned and this

P Law

Ofturningfrom our ev ittwayes

QbjeSt*

Anfiv.

Law of the mind ftands in thefe effefts.

The firft is taken from the phrafe it felfe, when it is called the hw of the mind: it having a differing worke upon the mind, from that which the light of confeience hath ; for the knowledge this Law ftampes upon the mind, differs from that which is brought into the confeience of a natural! man.

Though an unregenerate man may firft know the Law, and2.muyconfenttoit, thatitisgood; yet a regenerate man that hath this law of the mind goes further, and confents to it as good for him: this is the meaning of that which the Apoftle fays, verfe 15. that hee confents to the Law, that it is good: and therefore it hath this fame woike upon his mind, as concerning alfo that he allowes it not, verfe 1 6. that is not as good for him,^ra hie & nunc. This the other wants for want of light, whereby the Holy Ghoft convinced! a regenerate man, that it is belt for him to obey the Law, at fuch and fuch times, inallcircumftances $ and when he comes to aft it upon all occasions, by anfwering all objections; the other fees it good in it felfe,but not for him in fuch and fuch circumftances. An envious man firft knowes what is good, fecondly confents that it is excellent, but thirdly not that it is good for him 5 and fo alfo though an unregenera-e man allowes fin to beevillinitfelfe, yet not for him in fixh and fuch eircumftances.

Bur then you will objeft, it feemes then that the knowledge of a carnall man and a regenerate man differ, but in degrees, not in kind.

The want of degrees here alters the kind, as in

numbers

Of turning from our eViB Tbayes.

numbers the addition of a degree alters the Jpccies and kind.

This law of the mind, puts a luftiflg into the foule againft that which is evill, and to that which is good, GaU j. 17. So as he is not onely ftirred up to his duty by confidence, but he hath an inward inclination alfo thereunto 5 and fo for fin, this law doth put a ftrong inclination into the faculties, which doth not onely repreffc the outward ads, but it weakens the habits of fin by a contrary ingredient : but the light of confeience, though it may weaken the a&, yet not the habit. So Gal. 5. 24. not onely thea&sarereftrained a butthelufts are crucified,the vigour of them is abated by a con. trary lufting,a lufting pafleth through every faculty which weakens it. Now nothing is weakened, but by that which is contrary 5 if therefore we look-to reprefling of outward a&s therein, they both agrees andagaine, ifwelooketotheabatementof a luft and no more, we alfo may be deceived; but if the habit of fin be weakened by a contrary lufting , then it is from grace, and the law of the mind.

The difference is in the willingneffe toperforme what is good, and to abftaine from evill. To will is prefent with rae,fays the Apoftle in that feventh Chapter:another a<S of provokemeatsof confei-ence,may do what isgoodj but to will it,and to will it heartily with all the bent of the foule and the fway of it $ he is not ablctofay hedoth fo, 1 Tim. V 9. The Law is not given to a righteous man, that is, he hath a Law of Grace in him, that puts

P % him

Of turning frem our eViU Tfiayes

him on to good without this law 5 as if he had faid, this law without might as it were be fpared to this man, he being a law to himfelfe, but it is given t$ the unrighteous, that is, he would do nothing without this, he hath not in himfelfc a ftrong inclination to what is good, and averfenefle to evill, as the o-ther hath, Rem, 7 15. Ihatetheevitithdtldoe->he hates the evill which the Law forbids 3 and longs after what the Law commands. The Law is put upon the wicked, asareftrainertokeepchimin,hc lookes upon the Commandements,aschainesand duckies 5 but a regenerate man lookes on them, as upon girdles and garters, which gird up his loines and expedite his courfe the better. The Law confines a regenerate man to live in that element,whcre he would livejas if onefliould be confined to Para-dife, where he would bc^though there were no fuch law. But another man is confined by it to the place where he would not be 5 and to adions which he would not doe, and therefore 3S Shimei, when he was confined, he leapt over the hedg, comes over the pale, after profit and pleafure, and dyes for it 3 the law given to him he reckoneth as a prifons therefore examine whether there be in thee fuch a conftant inclination to walke in th, wayes of god-linefle, fo as you could even be a law to your felves, if you are left to what the Lord hath wrought in you.

4 They differ in the power that accompanies this law of the mind in a regenerate man: where this Law of grace is 5 there is not onely a knowledge of what fliould be done, but alfo there is a power goes

with

Of turning from our evill ftayes.

with it. This Law is a Kingdomc. A government confifts not in word^ but in power, i Or.4 20. 1 lebn 3. p. bee tint is borne of God panes not, neither cm hte finne, &c, compared with that, 1 lohn 12. who uborne, not of the will of the fle^), ^rc but of the mil of God. The meaning ot boih compared is this; a regenerate man that is borne of God, hath firft fuch a habit as is agreeable to the will of God in all things \ and this habite is as a thing innate, like naturall qualities bred and borne with us, fo that he cannot finne3 that is, he cannot but refift and ftrive againft it, and have in the end the vi&ory o ver it 5 for it is a law within him which puts him on to what God wills: and fecondly, not onely fo, but he is borne thus,faid the Apoftle,that is,though this difpofition be infufed, yet it is fo rivetted into him, that he can no more fhake it offthen a naturall difpofition he is borne with 5 therefore he cannot fin, that is, it cannot be he fhould become a tinner given up to fin. On the contrary, naturall men wanting this law are not, nor cannot be fubjed: to the Law of God, becaufe this difpofition to fin is naturall to him, he is borne of the flefh, of the will of man $fo as this Law of grace workesoutall evill in thcend,and ii good betobe done,breaks through all difficulties 5 but conniption in the other workes out all good, and returnes to finne, foas he fays, I am not able to keepe the Sabbath thus,and ab ftaine from fuch and fuch a fin, I am fo ftrongly inclined to it,

5 Difference is out of the feventh verfe,not I>but finne, and in the laft verfe, with my mind I ferve

P 3 the

*'*

Of turni ng from our cVtll wayes.

thTLawofGod, but with the flefh the law of fin. This law of che mini makes a change in the perfon. Ca i any unregenerare m m in rhe world f ay ,it is not I, but fin * if he doch any thmg chitis good,it is no: he 5 if he doth any thing that is evill, ic is hee and onely he that doth ir. A regenerate man himfeifc never fins, thac is, whileftheishimfelfe, he never yields to fnne,but it is his fl t (h when he is n ot him-fclfe, and an unregenerate man whenhee is him-felfe,never yields fu!ly to the motions of grace -, but a regenerate man, when ever he is himfelfe, ads according to this parr, he is never other wife overcome, but with a (hong temptation, drunke and tranfponed with paffion, and when a myft is before his eyes $ lalwaytsferueln my mindtbe Law of God. And therefore though he be overcome, yet with this difference, that he lookesupon it,as a captivity and a bondage worfe then that of Agjft. He doth not asthatfervantintheLaw, he is not willing to have hiseare boared through,and to ferve that matter for ever : whereas another lookes at fin as a liberty, and the law of God as a reft*aint,and wifft-erh it were not, though he may accommodate him-felfe by it ; and chough he may delight in fin for a while, yet withall he delights in the Law in the inward man, and that is the more conftanr prevailing; •ovcrcomming delight: fo as confiderif there bee not another ddight contrary to the delighting in finne, thoagh at that time, when the flefh delights in fin, it appearcs not, which yet overcomes and outweares the other.

3 Rule is, confider the manner of thy refifting

and

Ofturningfrom our eYill "toayes.

* l 5

and fighting againft finne 5 and here there are f oure notable differences comes to bee laid open.

The upright in heart fights againft fin with the whole frame of his heart. All the faculties/^/ in their cmfa, as it is faid,f^ Starres did againft Stfera, as firftthe mind, there isapraufo, a change of mind in him : he hath another opinion of his fin. There is a charge in Iudgement,he is renewed in his mind. Let a mans opinion be kept right, and how ever his p:\ffions may ftirre, they will in the end vanifh. Whileftamanisunregenerate, he is as Co'of.i.ii. h.W* ™ JW*, an enemy in his thoughts or reafon ings,as the word tranflated in their mindes properly fignifies 5 but you bath hee reconciled; and foafter converfion a man is a friend in his undemanding to the ways of God, he is in his judgement reconciled to them, and become therein an enemy to the ways of fin. The queftion here is not,whether thou thinkeft fin evill or no, or this and that unlaw-full, but whether evill to thee, frob:c& nunc, at this andthattime, inthcfeandthefecircimftances$ and then comes in confeience alfo, and that fights a-gainft fin, which is tender and feareth alwayes, Prov. 28.14. Whe "as hee that hardeneth his heart falls intemifebiefe, and it is that place of confeience is it which is onely capable of this hardnefle and ten-derneffe. He dares as well venter upon a Canons mouth as commit a fin 5 and though he may lome-1 imes be tranfported for a time, yet confeience fights againft it. Thenfor the will, that fights a-gainft fin alfo, whilft with Dw/'rfhe hath/Ww** ieepe thofe righteous ludgements^ that is,hath fixedly P 4 s refolved'

Of turning from our evillft&yes

refolved againft it. Laftly,he refiih fin in his affections^ Or.n. S Paul prayed, and prayed earneft-ly, and could not be content nor take a deniall, he v^s L troubled. Si in David, Pfal.119. 20.. Mj foule breah.th for the longing it hath to thy Judgements. When a man hungers a..dthirfts after rigbteoufeffe, and weepes bitterly for fin, as'P/ter did, it is a figne that his i ff.diions are ftirred. Now on the contrary, in an evill man a'l the facultiesfight in their courfes for fi n. As Ephef. 4.18,19. Having their understandings darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them>, becaufeof the hardnejfe of their heart t who being p aft feeling have given themftlves over to tvorke all v.ncleant-ntfft w.th greedimffe ': here you may fee all the foure faculties in an ungodly man fighting for finnc*

Their cogitations are darkened, &c. their un-derflaidings are forfinne, being cfirangedfrom the wajes of God,

Then fecondly followes the confeience, be caufe of the the hardnefft of their hearty fo the word fignifies, their confeience being infenfible of fin admit sic.

An J then thirdly, for the evill, the) have given themfelves up toit> they have taken to them-(elves a resolution to betray their foules to it.

Then fourthly, for the affvftions, they are faid to commit it with greedinejfe, that is , with a vhiontU of affe&ions, fuch as is in a covetous man, who is greedy, and can never have enough, his af-

fections are fo large.

This

"

Of turning from our eViO "toayes.

This is the firft difference in regard of thefub-je<2.

The fecond difference is in refpe&of the object, the things they fight againft $ a carnal! man againft grofTe evills : as we lee in Herod, when he beheaded lohn, what a contention w>s therein him i he was troubled about what report the people would give of it, and about t he murder of one, he knew to be fo holy and good a man : but a man truly regenerate, as he is enabled to fee morethan another, foalfo he fights againft more. Another man fees no more but the morall evili and good, andfo fights againft no more $ but befidesthis, a regenerate man fees the fpirituall holineflc f hat is in a duty, and lookes to the manner, as well as the matter, and he fights againft thofefmaller mores in the Sunne. All the carnall men in the world find fault with ftridfneffe, &c. but another mans ch ; e*c trouble is, that he cannot be ftrid enough. S. Paul was a learned man % and underftood the Law of Mofes exa&ly, and was not ignorant of the ten Commandernents, and yec when he came to be regenerate, he faw and underftood it in another manner. Iwai dive onet without the Law ; hut when the Comfoandement camt y fw revived, and appeared, as a monfter, which before feeemed bur a fm:ill thing to him, above mtafurt finfull • fo for good, when a man is changed in his mind> he difcernesthe whole w> 11 of God, that (erfe& will, Rom. 12. 2. before,.he faw the maine duties it m ;y be, and thegrolier e-vills onely.

This is a fecond differencein the oh\eft.

The

**7

- \

ob\eft*

Anfa.

The third ditfeience is in thefucedfe ; thcHTce

of a carnal! mans vti\&mcc is Rilldetertoraftqw >,

the godly inthci(Tueftillfollowesthebeft,andin

the end is a conqueror 5 andthovgh much aflauic-

€d,ycchcwalkcs4//^r^^/>,^w. 8. 1. andin

J the end mortifies the deeds of'the flejh : but a wicked

man, though he may have many good intentions,

yet walkes as it is Efhcf. 4.17. after the vanJj of

his mind, and in the end fulfills thelujis eftheflefh.

This is Saint Pvd his eltatc being compared in the

fevenrhtothei?0//A*w, with 2 Cor. 12. though he

complaines ranch in both, yet Grose fufficient was

given him to keepe him from the A<5h

But fomc of Gods children have had the worft in the iflfue of the combat, as David who fell into Adultery, Saint Peter into deniall of his Matter.

In fome particular a&ions,* they may be foiled, bat the combat is with the luft, which in the end is overcome, though the a&ions give him a blow. Saint Peters luft was feare, which made him to deny his Mafter, but in the end it was overcome, Atts 4. 8. where by his boldneffe it appeares there. So David had the vi&ory over that luft, Pfal.51. how doth he hate it i and was fenced againft it «r

4 Difference is in refpedi of the continuance of the combate. In the wicked it lufts but for a time, becaufe that in him which caufech this combat, hath no bottome ; like a flower, though bcautifull, yet it growes but upon a ftalke of grafle, and therefore foone withers: and the combatants f tiling/he combat ends. Saul held out a while, and earned it

faire.

' Of turning from our eYill wajes.

fairc, but in the end perfecuted David^nd followed his lulls without any bridle. Iudas was long reftrai-acd and kept himfclfc in C h rist s family, but at laft his covetoufneffeovercame him, andhere-folvestogiveuphisMaftertothe Phnifecs. I04JI) reftrained himfelfethegreateft pan of hislife,whilft his Vnclelived; bur two yeares before his death,he gave himftlfe up to doe cvill 5 the Princes came and did reverence to him^ni hee yielded. So ^AmaT^ab after he had overcome the Edomites.

In a regenerate man the combatants always con | tinue > itis an immortall feed which canao: be eradicated : therefore the comb:te lafteth and increa-feth. There was a ftrifc of feare in Nicodemtts^ and he conies by night, but he got the maftery and "pake boldly for Ch rist. And foagaine we fee it in Peter : there was a combate in him to his death, as appearesby that which Christ tells him, they fhaH earn thee whither thou wouldcft not ; this was a ftrife in him which never ended, till hee had an end himfelfe in this world.

Thus you have feene the differencesbetweene the rehpfes of thegodly and the wicked, by which examine yojrfelves.

If no promife belongs to any but to thofe that turne 5 then this follows, that if any have provoked the eyes of G o d s glory by any finne, let him not thinke to take up the matter by offering facrifice, that is, byprayers,andconftfli )ns 5 forG o d requires this abfolutcly, Except yeeturne, J milnot be mercifully do whatyou will,humbleyour felves,faft, pray, feeke my face 3 &c God willbefatisfied

with

219 J

rfi

j

no I Of turning from our evill wayes

with nothing,uBlcfiTe there be a reall turning. Therefore let no mmhy,! have finned, and/ am"firry, and confeffe it &c but / am not able to leave it^ and y et / hope God will pardon mee. No, know that ftoppage is no payment. God requires all this, humiliation, and rhefe purpofes, and an aft of turning be fide. All is loft labour, unleffe there bee a divorce made from your finnes. Well therefore might Daniel fay to Nebuchadnezzar > Breake off thyfinnes by righ-teoufneJft>and thine iniquity byfixmng mercy to the ports Daniel 427. Daniel doth not exhort Nebuchadnez zar, to prayer only, &c. (though this is likewife to be done) but to breake off his finnes by righteoufaeffe ; that is, whereas he was an oppreflbr, nowhee muft give almes and take off their burthens, that is, take the contrary courfe : This is the counfell God gives to lojhtta, lojhua 7.8. when hee was humbling himfelfeand praying, Get thee up, take away the as. curfedthing from among you, &c. that is, this is not the way, to faft,( though this is to be done too) that which I moft looke after, is taking away the evill that hath provoked me. Though this be a truth acknowledged, yet looke into mens hearts, there is a falfe conceit lurking there,that hearing the word, receiving the Sacrament, &c. is enough to fave them. Men would thinke their eftatesabfolutely bad, if they fhould performe none of thefe duties, and wholly ncglcft them : but if they come to Church/give fome almes, e^thenthey thinke that all is well. But know, that except you a&ually turne from all evill wayes, all thefe pc r f:>rmances areinvaine.

And

Of turning from our tVtH "fraye:

And to convince you of this, conficfer, that the end of the word, conference, and Sacraments is to turne you from your evill wayes: therefore God accepts them no further then they have this effect, Thots jhalt keeps my ordinances and (latutes, that thou mayeft walke in my wayes, tofeart me, faith the Lord: that is the end of all ordinances and ftatures, fo that though there be never fo much done, yet except your lufts be mortified, and vi&ory got over thofe fins which are mod connatural lto you,all is loft. A~ gaine confider, that thofe duties in which you truft (as wc are all apt fo to dojas reading good Bookes, confeffing thy finnes, if they be rightly performed, they will workea true change; and if they doe not, it is a figne they are but carcafes not accepted; with out this fruit what are they, but bodily exercifes (though happily performed, with fome intention of minde) becaufe they profit nothing f i Tim. 4.8. for the Apoftle calls that, Bodily exercife, vhichpro-fiteth //7f/<?,therefore Rom.z. ult. there is a diftin&ion put betwixt a lew infprit^andin the letter : and fo be-tweene a right and a falfe performance of the duties of the Law $ the one in the letter, theothet in the fpirit: the one refpe&s the outward part of the duty only,the other the inward; and if they be norin-ward in the fpirit,and fo thereby effe&uall to worke a generall change both in their hearts and lives, their fraife mnj be of men, that is, you your felves and o-thers may thinke you good Chriftians, but their fraife is not of Go d^ faith the Apoftle, weareall Gods husbandry, the Minifters dreflers of it, the or* dinances are the manuring of it. Now what is the

end

Of turningfrom ourevill wayes. ,

end of all husbandry f is ic not fruit ? is it enough for the trees to fay, we have fubmitted our feives to all manuring, watering, &c. but we are ftili as barren, or our fruit,asbad as before? CMal. 3,2.

The end of Chrifts comming is made tobe as a refiner, to fcoure outftaines; which place being compared with that of thefirftof Bfaj where God fayes, He abhorred their newmoonesandfacrificts, bt-cm ft their filvtr wo* become drojfe $ both afford this, that the end of Chrifts comming, being to purge out this drofle, therefore if this be not done, all performances, new Moones, Sacrifices, &c. are in vaine. Conclude therefore that except there be an univerfall change, both of the objedt, from evill to all good, and of the fubjeft in all the faculties, except th is be wrought in you, you (hall furely die for it 5 the Lo r d will not forgive you, or heare in heaven when you cry, though you died never fo many falfeteares.

If this be the condition, upon which mercy is fufpended, this alfo followes,' that good parpofes and intentions will not ferve the turne : not but that thefe muft be precedent to every mans turning > y and when they are true, they doe bring forth this effeft of turning from all evill waycs whatfoever. But as there is a purpofc which is true andthegroundof fincerity, fo there are falfe ones alfo 5 the true al-wayes con'inues and brings forth conftant endeavours and fruits, but the other leaves us where it findes us, and quickely dies and withers. There is fo much in a carnall man as may breed good pur-pofes, and defires and refolutions $ viz,, naturall

con-

Of turning from oar eYtU wayes.

confcience, and defires ofprefervation and falvati. on, which two put together worke ferious purpo-fcs 5 but this bring all but flefh ftill, is not able to worke fo through a change ; as we fee in moorifh ground and in a rotten fenny foylc, that ic brings forth broad long graffe, which foone withers and decayes,neither is it fweet nor ufcfull: So is it with confcience cnlightnedto fee a mans duty, and felfe-love, -they produce good purpofes, and in fhew great and ferious, but yet fuch as the people there expreffed, Deut.5 2 p. whopurpofedtokeepethe Law : but Ob faith God, thai"there were an heart to fearemee! as if he had faid, the foyic, theground is not good for thefe purpofes to grow in , therefore they will furely wither, there wants a heart changed to afford roote to thcm,and to nourifli them.

The next point is gathered from the order of the words, turning from our evillrvAjes being pirlaft of all thefe foure conditions, becaufe all the other doe but make way fonhis. All the other, prayer andhumiliation,arebutpreparativestothis. As the end of all dieffingand pruning of trees is the fruit, and the end of plowing and fowing is the bringing forth of corne, fo the end of ail other duties is turning from our evill wayes, and the end isalwayes hardeft, omni* difficult as in ipfafummitate in the ut-moft pirch and top of the hi!) ^ this being the utmoft of all the other,is therefore the hardeft : Therefore the Prophets, urge this upon all occafions $ if you turne, ceafe to do evilly rend your hearts, then mill have 4 Utpng behind rnee. In that this is the pin upon whichallhangsandisfulpended 5 obferve thence,

That

11}

[Reaf.

i.

That it is a very difficult thing % to turne from a wans evill wayes.

That this is the difficulteft dutie of all elfe, we fee plaine in the Ifraelites. The lewes religion was very coftly, they being to kill fo many Sacrifices, to keepe fo many Feafts, yet they were content to dot all this, but not to turne s they would not be brought to ir,when yet to any thing clfe. Whence appeares this difficultie of it: their rcadinefTc to offer facrifice was always acknowledged by God, when their backwardneffe to this was ftill complained of. Againe,we fee it in experience. Let a man who hath an evill and a wicked heart, let him be broken in a Morter 5 lay afflidion on affli&ion, let him bee brought to deaths doore,yet all this will not change him 5 nay let God worke miracles, not only in his fight, but upon him, yet all is not enough to turne him. As wee fee in2eroboam, there was a miracle wrought upon him, though he had his hand withered up, and was by the Prophet reproved 5 and his Kingdome was threatned to bee taken away from him, yet this would not worke upon4iim, he would not turne from his evill ways: he found^uch fweet-nefle in that evill way, whereby he kept his King-dome,* and without which he thought he could not hold it, if he left that. So all the great wonders in Egypt would notfofcen Pharaohhis heart, nor make him let the children of Ifraelgoe, becaufe he thought it was for his profit to keepe them Mi^JThe grounds of it are:

Becaufe thefe evill wayesarefopleafanttous, fo fuitableto all men, according as mens feverall

fancies

Of turning from our eVitt Tbayes.

fancies do pitch. Now it is a rule in morality,'that thofe things are wofl difficult, about which joyes and griefes arc converfant y and therefore the chiefe im-ployment and end and ufeof vertue,isto order them and guide them aright.

Becaufc they are rooted in niture,and are agreeable to a mansnaturall difpofition $ and it is hard to flop the current of nature, which way foevcr it takes,efpecially running downe the hill : And then befides^ducation addes to naturejind cuftome as another nature, addeth ftrength to fiane $ andSathan addes to all thefe : For when lufts lieasfparkes under embers, hec blowes them up. And to all thefe ad the joyning of wicked men,among whom we live, and who live with us in the fame courfes. Therefore in Ephef.2. Thecourfeofthe world y and the Prince that rules in the children of di/obedience, are made there ftrong and potent and efficacious workers in us: there is nothing fo weake as water,yet let much water bee joyned together, and nothing is ftronger ; fo though fin were weake of it felfe ( as yetkisnot ) yet when multitudes joyne, cuftome, Sathan, &c. wee are carried with the ftreameand croud.

Becaufe every evill way in us is backt by an inward Law of the members in us, that makes it alfo hard. Rom. 7.23. where the Apoftle confidering ofthereafon,why finne (hould fo prevaile and leade him captive^gives this, 7/Wayeshe, another Ian?in my members rebelling againft the law of my mindt^ &c. this is given as the reafon why hee cannot doe the good hcewjould^andwhy hedoth the ftnne he hates. Andthe Q_ reafon

225

Reaf.i.

Reaf.$.

Of turning from our eVill Tbayes

reafon why he had fo much to doc with it was, be-caufc i: was a law, and it is called a Urv, the Un> of ftwe, becaufe ic commands powerfully as a law. \^i law implies a ftrong commanding inclination. Lawes extort obedience yLT\A will have it done $ they come with authority, and will not be denyed; and fo doth fin ; and therefore it is hard to refift it; and forbids good to be done, and a man cannot do it. So 2 Pet. 2.14. We have it expreffed, eyes full of Adulterj that cannot ceafe from fwne : becaufeasa law, it is armed with puniftiments and rewards, this being the definition of the law, Prtceptum mi-nus commixtum^ a naked Pr&ceptnm is not called a law, becaufe it barely teacheth 5 but when threat-nings are joyned with it, then it is called a law, and fuch lawes are our lufts$ if we do refift them,thcy threaten w th fonae evill: as when Ahab would have Naboths Vineyard, his luft being not anfwered cafts him upon hisfickebed, as if it meant to bee revenged on him,till it were fatisfied: So did Aman his luft alfo: And as it threatneth and puni(heth,fo it promifeth rewards, profit and pleafure, if we will obey it.

Both which argue the difficulty to refift it.

As alfo that it is called the law of the members, argues as much: for it is fo called,

Firft, becaufe it inclines not in a morall manner onely, as when a manisperfwadedby resfonor motives to doe any thing that is evill, but becaufe it inclines us Phyfically, as nature enclinesusto meate and drinke. A law fo radicated in the foule, if it inclines by way of nature, as p!um-

mers

Of turning from our eYtll ibayes.

—< j

mets hang uponwheeles, and makes them goe as wc lay, whether they will or no ; and rcafon may be put off and denyed, but not a ftrong inclination of nature, that will n©t be got off fo eali ly.

Becaufe it difcovers it fclfe ( though it be feat-ed in the whole mzri) and is moft operative in the fenfuall part, as on the contrary the law of the mind is moft exercifed in the fuperior parr, though it fan&ifies the whole man. The meaning is this, it appeares in the faculties of the minde, when they are fet about any a&ion that is good, and in the relation is called the law of the members, becaufe it is difcerned in the ufe of the members, as a man that hath the palfie, it lyes undifcerned in the hand 5 but when he comes to ufe ir, he finds it 5 fo the gout, or forcnefle or lameneffeinthe leg, though it be there, yet it is moft difcerned when a man goes to walke : fuchalamencfleor difficulty in our faculties appeares, when we goe about any thing that is good.

In the laft place,thi$ law of the members is faid to rebell againft the Urv of the mind $ and if we will confider its forces in this warre, we (hall find it difficult to refift and turne from them.

For firft there is a ftrong fa&ion of evill 5 many members, many lufts, legions of lufts warring 5 fo the word implyes ; it is not a iJ.ovo^ x U t a Angle fight, but of many . there is never a good motion comes inco the foulc, but they give their fuffragc againft it, their voice againft whatfoever is good 5 no good intention but they are ready to gainefay it 5 nor doe they mcerely fay it, and tell us they dil- CL2 like

like it, but rhey will rcafonit out with many arguments, and they are not able onely to give a voice againft what is good, but likewife todoefome-thing whatisa&ive. They damps, and clogge and prohibite the fpirit, when it is about any good; and therefore it is called flefli, becaufethe nature of it is to dampe the fpirit ; asinthedo-ings and proceedings of men, there often comes a prohibition from Chauncery to ftay the proceedings at the Common law; fo from the law of the members comes a prohibicion often hindring us when we would pray and conferre, &c. As it is our part inwarretoftoppaflages, to take up the bridges, to hinder the enemy from going whither they would, fo do they fight againft us in our endeavours to do good.

So GaUtUns 5.17. the flefh fo lufts againft the fpirit, that yee cannot doe what you would; and it not onely ftoppes from good, but impcllsto what is evill ; it not onely makes defenfive warre to hold its owne, but labours to gaine ground and fight, as fire fights with water, labouring to overcome grace, where it is begun, and to af-fimilate it to it felfc.

And laftly, they are able alwayes to make warre 3 though the victory bee gotten to day, yet lufts are ready to fet on us to morrow. A luft which you thought you fhould never have heard of more, fets on you afrefh : and though you ftay all the motions and affaulrs the flefli puts upon you this day; yet there is fuch a brood, fuch

Of turning from our eVtU Tbayes.

a fpring, that to morrow there will be new ones will inttAHYAn aciem, and make a new fupply; k is ftill recovering ftrength andfetting up afrefh.

All which confideredjit appeares to be moft difficult for unregenerate men to begin to turne; or for regenerate men to get any ground of their evill wayes.

If to turne from our evill wayes,and to refift the law of the members be fo difficult 5 then learne to proportion your labour to the worke; clfe the bu-finelTe will not be effe&ed. If much labour be required, and little beftowed 5 then that which is be-flowed, will be loft.

Tfainke therefore with yourfelves, that if yon have taken none or fmall paines, the worke is not yet done. If any man have thought it aneafic work, let that be enough to convince him that the worke is not yet wrought. The blunter the toole is, the more ftrength muftbeputtoit: manyftayyetin their fins, becaufe they have undervalued the difficulty of this worke, and have thought leffe paines would have fcrv'd the turne. Is it eafie to change and turne the courfe of nature «? fee it by experi ence 5 if a man have a naturall inclination, though it may be leffe ftirring fometimes then other, yet it will returne againe and againe ; andifthouufeft not as much forces againft it, as it brings with it, thou doft nothing to refift it. If one come againft you with ten thoufand, and you meet him but with two thoufand,who is like to get the victory f Thou muft not therefore fpare any paines. Diffcilia qudfulchrA: thisis the moft excellent thing, and Q^3 there*

229

rfi

Of turning frm our eYill Ttayes

therefore the moft difficult. Is it eafie to build a Temple to the Lord, and to keep it cleane and in repaire i fee what paines Saint Paul tooke, i Cor. 9* the three laft vctks^Every man thatjlriveth^ is Urn-per Ate in all things ; therefore 1 keepe under mj body, and dec bring it into fub]ettion : heexprefledit by what they cud at the olympian ga?nes y who were at great paines and labours before to enable them-felves unto thofe exercifes. To bring it to particulars. Is it not a hard thing to keepe watch and ward day and night againft a fpirituall enemy, to keepe up the bankes, againft the Sea of lufts continually affaulting, and breaking in; to take up and to beare the daily crofle without {looping, to cany the cup of profperity without fpilling, toclimbethehill of good duties without fainting, to abftaine from the waters of pleafure, when we are moft thirfty, and they at hand, to goe againft the crowd w th-011 fvveating, tobeasanOwIeam-ngftmen, and to bare the frame (asitisfaidof Chrift) whosw* out and fuffered without the gate 5 he bare the reproach •, and to doe all this continually ? Thefe are no eafie things, and yet they muftbedone; men in this cafe are like unthrifes, who complaine of poverty, and that they cannot thrive, and yet will take no paines. The fluggard will not pull his hand out of his bofome $ and men are fluggards in matters of falvation. But to quicken you, confider that this is the mainebufinefie you came into the world ro doe. And doe you thinke that a little cafttimefpentuponic will be enough < Maith.11.

13. It

Of turning from our eYiU Tbajes.

jii

13. It is laid, the Kingdome ofHeaven fuffersv.o-lewe, and the violent take it by force, that is, he that would have the Kingdome of heaven muft ufe vi* olencetotakeit 5 violence muft be offered to your appetites and unruly affe&ions: he muft keep them under, and that by violence-, and againe he muft ufe violence in his prayers, and other holy duties, that is, he muft wreftlc andftrivcinthem, and be fervent in them. There are fome good duties to be done as it were with violence. Chrift in that place fhewes, that when the preaching of the Gofpell came, and the beauty of the Kingdome came to be opened to men, then they tookc it by violence. But who is fo ravifhed now with thofe priviledges, the hope of their calling, &c. that they fhould thus take it with violence ,that is,fpare no paines ? Ther-fore ftirre up your fclves, and confider what it will coft you. This concernes even thofe that prof effir the feare of the Lord. Lookc what anger and paf-fion they have been fubjeft to, they are fubjeft to ftill 5 looke what flackenefle they ufed in prayer, the fame they ufe ftill $ their ancient infirmities hang upon them ftill; they are found in the fame path ; the reafon is, becaufc they thinke a godly courfe an eafie thing $ therefore have they taken but fmall paines to be freed from the bondage of their lufts, and to grow in grace. So alfo thofe without arc not content to be at the coft and labour to begin to repent, but think it may be fpared, it will be at any time foone done. But know beloved, it is not fo. Take a man accuftomed to idleneffe, is it eafie for him to become laborious ■ ; ' ..... , Q_4 and

Of turningfrom our eVtll wayes

SSffi Anfa.

Rule I.

and diligent in his calling i fo if there be any ill haunt, how hard is it to hinder a man from going ftiil dovvne the hill, to pull his feece out of the pit of uncleaneneflfe , fweete gaine, or gaming,

But you will fay, what is the labour we muft vAc< turne from our evil'wayes f

Directions might foone be given. If there be any rdge fet on yourdefires, if you were once re-folved, even that refolution is one meanes to overcome your evill wayes : but to helpe you, take thefe.

To fuch as are ftrangers from the covenant, for to thofe I firft fpcake: when thou art given to evill wayes, go not about firft a reformation in particu lar,bnt endeavour to get a general change wrought. It is a rule in Phyficke, that when a man hath a particular infirmity, the way to cure ir, is firft to bring the whole body into a good frrme and temper, and chat will workeout thedifeafe : foget theutmoft end altered. Therefore humble your felves, and feek Gods face, and leave not till fome aflurance of Gods favour be gotten, till a new Lord be fee up in your hearts, a new end $ till the end be chaaged, nogood can be done. Therefore it is in vaine to go about the particulars firft. The utmoftendisas the Rudder totheftiip, as the bridle Co the horfe, which turnes all 5 going about particulars only, is as if one fhould fet his (houldertothefideofthe (hip, when one touch of the Rudder would doe ir. Therefore Rthobeim2 C/tw.i 0.14. erred,becanfe his heart was not prepared to feeke the Lord 5 and

his

Of turning from our eYiU wayes.

his failing in that particular is afcribed to his wan c in the generall. lob 17. 9. It is faid 5 the righteous jh:M hold en his way, and hec that is of pure h*nds jhall rvaxejlronger andJlronger : he that hath his heart once changed, holds on ; but till that is done, all is in vaine to ftrive with particulars. As put the cafe a Gardener takes paines to dreffe a Thorne 5 it may have as much paines taken with it, in manuring and pruning it, as any plant in the garden y yet it remaines a Thorne (till, for allthemouldesputtoit 3 So though thou pray.it and fafteft, and humbled thy feife, yet if thy nature bee not changed, all will doe no good. Cafl: up a (tone a thoufand times, it comes downe againe, becade it remaines a (tone ; but if it were turned into a meteor, &c. or the like, it would not. Therefore get a generallchange of thy heart, and then a change in particular would follow.

Goe to C h n 1 st and befeech him to worke thischange in thee,let this be more in your pradtife. This wee formally confeiTe, that the L o a d only can change us,, yet it is not throughly considered. When thy nature is ftrongly inclined to any evill way,fo as thou art almoft out of hop^ to overcome, yet goe toGoo, That plrce may encourage is, lames 4. 5, 6> doe you rhinkf the Scripture fayes in vzxntyThefpirit that is in us Ittfteth after envie ? but he \giveth more grace : hee had told them verf x, c\ I l**ft* fighting in their members 5 the ni ght aske him how they (liould get cbevi&ory ; tm. aiththe A-poflle,itishardtoovercori.£,a; .'e ilmpoffible

W

ro

Rule

Of turning from our evillwayes.

to nature, the fpirit that is in tts luffs after envie^ and will doe fo: Butconfider,the Scripture offers more grace than nature is able to doe, it tells you not in vaine, that the grace therein offered is able to heale; though the difeafe be hereditary, and is part natures cure,yct it is not paft the cure of grace,L/*#/ 10.31. It is faid of C h r 1 s t , Him hath God raifedup to be \ a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to 1 fuel, and forgivene(fe offinms. When lufts are too ftrong for a man, Chrift comes as a Prince and overcomes them, for he gives repentance ; and the end of his comming was not onely to give falvation, but repentance/ Though Phyfitians could not cure Na~ i aman^ht Prophet could,though the Difciplcs could not caft out Divells, yet Chrift could: And therefore fay not, it is an hereditary luft,and it hung long upon me,and I have made many refolutions ; and yet I cannot overcome it.

Take a man that is borne blinde, hce is paft all cure by man, all Phyfitians will give him over, and fay, he k borne blind • yet remember that Chrift did cure thofe that were borne blinde and lame. This courfc Paul tooke 2 Cor. 1.2. he had a ftrangeluft which hee could not overcome, hebefeccheththe Lord to remove,/^ this I be foughtthe Lordthrifty thatitmightdepart ,foZ> avid 'alfo, Pfal.51.10. find-ing the remainder of his old difeafe and finfulldif-pofitions, he goes to Go d for a new hearty when he could not make clcane his heart, he pray es to the Lord, Create a cleane heart in me. So h e in the Gof-pell, / befeech thee helpe my unbeliefe. Thinke not that all is done, when thou haft taken up a refoluti- on

Of turning from our tVxH Up ayes.

2*5

on againft thy finne ; to take up a refolution, belongs to thee 3 but to cure it belongs alone to God: Goeto him therefore 5 for he hath undertaken to csr-cumcife thy heart. Epbtf.$. he having prayed v. 1 6. that th'jfhould be strengthened in the inward man , ejre. then verf. 1 o. concludes, Now to him thai is able to do exceeding abundantly above all wee are able to aske or thinke, according to the power that mrkethtnws, &c. as if he had faid, you may finde many weakmfTes inyout felves, andthen doe as I doe for you, goe to the Lord to hcale them, and know that he is able ro doe above all thoucanft thinke, to fubduethat luft which thou thoughteft could never have bceneo-vercome.

But how will he do it < According to that mighty pwer that worketh in m^ that power is as ftrongas Chrift hirafelfe, for it is the power of his deatb,che power that raifed him up from death ro glory, able to worke out all infirmities, and to worke in:o y all the graces you want. 'Give not over therefore, have faithinthepromifesof Santl/fication, as well as in thofc ot Jujiifcation. Is he not bound by pro* mife to performs thefe to you that believe, as well as the other C Where ever God hath amor:* it o fpeake, faich hath an care to heare, an hand to jay bold, as God faid tolojlwa, I will conquer rfW | Gyants for thee, I will pull downe thofe \va!! which they fay arebuilt up ro heaven * onclybcc thou cou^agious, and doe but truft mee., beeeot difcouraged upon any occafion, givenor« •. fa>y-ing, it is a thing will never be done, ar>d b fhv* trufted the Lord, hec would quickly Inn

dov<

Of turning from our eyiU wayes.

\

Objetf,

i^ififtV

downe and given over. So I fay to you concerning your li fts j bee couragious 5 and fo none arc but [ hofe that put their confidence in the L o r d 5 faint not, nor be weary $ doc but believe thou ftialc overcome, and thou ftialc fee them all conquered in the end. One word of his mouth was enough toftill the raging windes, and is as able tfoftillthy lufts. Bnt here many will bee ready to objeft, I have driven long and prayed long, and taken much paines, and I have not gotren the vi&ory ; this muft necefTarily bee 3nfwered, for this is the cafe of many, and it is the (cope of Sdthd» to dif-courage men, and thereby to give over the com. bate.

Firft confider, whether thyjftriving be right or no! for there is a falfe refiftance of finne, and the promifeis not made to that 5 and then no wonder if they be not performed 5 for example,

1 Firft itmaybcitisnotthefinnethouftrivefta-gainft, butthedifprofit, the difcredit 3 in thy name and eftate,or fickneffe in thy body,that followes upon itj fo as if thefe were removed,thou fliouldeft be willing enough to keepe the fin. Thi s is not a right ftriving that will be accepted.

2 It may be, it is but a faint refiftance, and a faint dc nyall doth but make the begger i he more importunate, £4/44wgavethemeflTengersadenyalU but it was a faint onc,they perceived his lingring, which made them the moreimportunate : It may be thou art content ftill to parly with finne zsEvah did,and fo by lrtcleaodlitrleart brought rothe committing of it: thefe faint denyalls are no deny alls, thefe pid-

fag

ng companions are not to be accounted fighters a -gainftfin.

3 If thy denyallbemorerefolutc, confider whether it be not for a fit,a flafh for a good mood, he is but a cowardly enemy that foronevollyof fliott will give over, Sathan and our iufts arc not of that difpofition.

4 Confider whether thy refiftance be not only a-gainft the groffe aft, and not againft the leaft tinctures, the fringes and borders of fin,that doe com-pafletheafl:. Thefeareof the fame kinde with the although not of the fame degrees r thou refifteftit may bee the greater ads, but admitted the lcfler, fome dalliance with it.

As the drunkard it may berefolvestorunneno more into excefle, yet he will fit with his old companions, and be fipping,till fometimes he is overtaken, Balaam will goe with them, but not fpeake a word but what the Lord [hallput in to his month.

The Levite wotrii not ft ay all dayjbutytt he would he entreated to ft ay and eate his break-faft^andfi to ft ay din* ner^ andfotoftay all night. Thus dalliance brings on adultery, and leffer finnes greater y as a little thiefe let in at a window lets in the greater. If therefore you faile thus in your refiftancc, thepromifeisnot made to you. Tis true, it is faid, refift theDivelland he willft/efrom you $ but the refiftance muft be right, and not fuch as hath beene fpoken, and that is the firft anfwer.

As you may be deceived in your ftrivingagainft finne, fo alfo about the vidory, and that on both fides: both by thinking you have the vi&ory when

yoi^

2?7

A&ftP. 2

H?]_

Of turning from our eVtllwayes,

1^

you have it not, and (z) by thinking thou haft it not when thou haft it.

Firft thinking thou haft not the vi&ory when thou haft it; for example, when thou findcft the finne ft riven againft, bufling and lufting more than at other times, thou therefore concluded,thou haft not nor (halt not get the vi&ory ; when as now finne is dying and on the lofing hand ; (as on the contra-ry,when thou thinkeft all at peace, thou raayeft be fartheft off the victory. ) Confider with thy felfe, doth any man but a regenerate man complainelo bitterly as the Apoftle doth, Rom. 7. the good that l would aloe, that I doc not, or as the fame Apoftle com-plaines, 2 Corintb. 12. of the thornt in theflefb { doe you thinke that any but a found hearted man, can come as he did with teares to C h * 1 s t, that cry-edout fo to him, Lordhelpe my unbeliefs* can any but a broken heart pray fo earneftly as DdviJ, pfit. 51.1 o. for a new and a cleane heart i This dcepe fenfe of finne,isan argument of our vflSbry over it.

This complaining is a figne that we have the bet* terof it : for what is the reafon thou complained thus againft it, but becaufe thou art driving againft J it i We know the mud that lies at the bottome of the water, troubleth not the water j but when they goe about to cleanfe the ditch, then the mud rifeth and defiles it 5 yet then it is a purging. When one takes a fire-brand toextinguifh it,by beating out the fire,yet then it is the fpafkes fly moft about; When we ftrive againft finne, we feele it moft, partly be-

Icaufe Sathan his manner is, to rend and teare,when he is going out, and it is the nature of fin alfofo to do, ...

Of turning from our eVill Tbayes.

do, as alfo becaufe our light is encrealed, the more grace wc have, and th~ more we ftrive againft it, and therefore we fee it more, our fenfe of fin grows moreexquifite.

Againe on the other fide thou mayeft think thou

haft the vi&ory, when thou haft ic nor. The foare

may be skind over, when it is not healed at the b jt-

tome, and then no wonder, if it breake out ag3ine:

Sin may lie but afleepe when thou takeft it for dead;

therefore in turnirg from our evill wayes wee muft

obferve a right method. Let thy humiliation bee

found, thy faith and afTuranceperfeS : whenthefe

precedent ads are not done as they ought, and yet

thou thinkeft thy fin mortified, it may deceive thee)

as wee fay anerrourin the firftconco&ion is never

amended in the fecond, nor of the fecond in the

third : So if thy humiliation hath not becne found,

thy turning from thy evil ways cannot be through.

To anfwer thi$*obje&ion, confider that thou ftriveft againft even a fpring of finne, if it were but to emptie acifterneortodryupapond, when the worke is once done, we (hould heare of it no more : but it is a fpring offin that runnes continually ; and therefore thinke not that becaufe it returnes againe, that thy former driving is in vaine. As thofe that watch over the pump in a Ship, though they pump out all the water to day,cannot fay, that it will bee emptie to morrow, or that yet their pumping is in vaine,becaufe it fills againe,for if they ceafedto doe it,it would finke the Ship; I o it is with finne,efpeci-ally with Home fins : fome are more properly cal* led the Law of the membm y as being rooted in the

con-

*19

■$Af)fi>

Of turning front our eVtU waycs<

conftitution of our bodyes,in our natural 1 difpofiti. ons 5 and thefe are ready to returne againe ever and

anon.

There is a great difference betwecne thefe, and the temptations of Sathan, temptations (as blafphe-mous thoughts ) are but as weeds throwne into the garden, and caft out againe : but thefe are as weeds I growing in the garden that takerootethere: and which though weeded out, will grow againe. We i muft not hopeorthinketodrycleancupthefpring of originall finne, but thelabourretumesuponus a circle. As in our houfes fo in our hearts, we

4 Anfo>

in

fweepe them cleane to day, and againe to morrow3 for then they will be foulc againe : therefore mer. vaile not,if you be kept in continuall labour.

Againe confider this, that God fuffers fome lufts and infirmities to hang upon you to humble you i as he dealt with Paul: he Cent that f^wiin tbeflejhythat he might not be exaluJiabove meafure, but be kept little in his owne eyes: Though he cures the Ague, yet hcefuffers fome grudgings to remained that though wee goc inthewayof hiscomman-dements, yet that weegoe halting, that wee may re« member the worke of redemption, and be fenfible of his mercy in Christ. Likewife hee fuffers (uch lufts to haunt us, to make us weary of this world, as Saint Paul, who therefore dtfiredto beitf fohed and to bee with Ch r i s t ;asalfothat wtf m'ght learne to be mcrcifull and charitable unto c-thers and to pittythem that have the like infirmities. And therefore though thou falieft, yet give not over ftriving.lt is Satans end to have us difcou.

rage:

Of turning from our evill fbayes.

241

raged: be importunate with God, and he cannot at length but give thee the vi&ory 5 forasChrift faies, if you aske bread, will he give you a Scorpion ? if you askegrace, will hegivcyouuptoyourlufts? he will not. It is Gods manner to let his children ftrive, and to overcome in the end. lacobmeftled all night till the dawning of the day, and then he let him have the vi£ory, and bleft him. The Lord fuffers us to drive long 5 but this is our comfort, that wchaveapromifejthat if we refift the Devill, he fhall fly.

And whereas you will fay I find it not :

The meaning of the promife is not, as if Sathan fliould fly away as thou fliouldeft heare of him no more, or that thy lufts fhould never returne upon theeagaine 5 but that if thou wile be peremptory, thou (halt have the viftory in that particular combate. As if when thou haftafeavcr, if one comes and tells thee, take fuch a receipt and thou (halt bee cured ; his meaning is not, that thou fhaltfobecurcd,as never to have Feaver againe, but that thou (halt be healed for the prefent : fo in that particular combate, thou fhalt have the vi&ory.

Oh 1 but lam ftillhaunted, and Idoenot over-comer?

Strive conftantly and confeionably, and though it doth returne again and again, the Lord takes notice of all thy paines and warring againft it : that which he fayes to the Chnrch of Ef befits, Reveh 2.2. may be applied to thisj I know thy workes, and thy labour : though thy corruptions be too ftrong j ,, R . _ for|

objefi. Anfw.

Objefi. Anfw*

r-

Of turning from our eYtil ivayes

Rule 3

o R D

for thee s yec if thou ftriveft, the L rakes ic for a vi&ory 5 thou (hale not be condemn ned for it: give not over, but rather thinke thus-if all this contention hath woonefo little ground of my iufts, where (hould I havebeene if I had not contended at all i and therefore I muft take yet more paincs, and row harder, that at the laft I may overcome.

And becaufethisisof gencrallufe, both tore-generate and unre generate, therefore I will goe on to adde fome more rules and dire&ions, wherein this paines confifts which we muft take in refilling finne.

A third rule or meanes wherein this labour a-gainft evill vvayes muft be beftowed, is to (hive to take notice of all the waycs of God, whereby he labours to turne thee from thy evill wayes, and let them not patfe without fome impreffion to that purpofe for which God intends them. God ufeth not onely his Word, but many meanes clfe, to turnc men ; as by his workes, and by many parages of providence hee ftrives with us, all which (hould be obferved. As it maybe, fome great crofle uponthecommiffionofafinne, fome great dangerous ficknefle, though not to death ; fome-times he fends great feares and terrors of conscience upon fome fin committed, fometimes an evill report is brought up ot us ; or he fends friends to admonifh us, or executes fom Iudgemcnt upon an-other for the like fin in our fighr. When he meets with thee fome way or other, as he met Balaam, he lookes we (hould undcrftand fomething by it: and

if

Of turning from our eYtll fbayes.

if we negled: thofe his dealings with us, he takes it ill at our hands, and fo gives us up toourlufts more and more. Bhn. 5. 22. there hadbecnea Iudgeraent brought upon Nebuchadnezzar in the fight of Beljhazzar his Sonne, which fhould have beene a meanes to have turned him : but Thou Bel-fliazzar his Some bdfi not bumbled thy felfe, though thou knewefi all this. As if he had faid, 1 did all this to one neare thee in thy fight, that thou might-eft be humbled, and turne to me. This was the cafe of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13, Godfent the Prophet to him with fignes and wonders, both in tearing the Altar and withering his hand, yetftillhe wentoa. Andverfe23« itisnotedand fctdowne on purpofe by the Holy Ghoft, that after this Jeroboam returned not from his evill way, &c. as if God hadfaid,I looked thou fhould'ft have returned upon the fight of allthefeludgements, but thou wouldeft not. So lere. 3. 8. you know that if rael was carried captive long before ludah. I gave ifrael abiE of divorcement for her adultery : yet treacherous ludah feared not $ as if he had faid, a Judgement on their next neighbour fhould have made them to ha ve returned. Therefore doe thou think, what the Lord would by all fuch paflages of providence towards thee, which are alias warning peeces before the great army, as crackes before the fall, crevefes through which the Lord reveales himfelfe : For you muftknovv, that God brings meninbyhiswoikesaswellasbyhis word ; and you may take his workes in vaine as well as his word, and to let them, paffe without profit is to

R 2 take

*4*

cake his Name in vaine, for his Name is whatfo-ever he makes, himfeife knowne by : asbythefe a<fts he doth, and God will not holdhimgmltlejfe that takes his Name in vrine. God will utterly de (troy fuch a man, for thea there is no remedy. God cuts not his ownccorne till they be ripe, and all.his dealings with them tend to ripen them 5 nor doth he bring wicked men to deftru&ion till they bcripe for it, and every fuch paffagc doth ripen them. Now all men*are for the moft pare in one of chefe three conditions : Some take no notice at alloffuchpaflfages. GodpiflTethby them, andis not feene $ asitisfaidof the ifratlites, Dm. 29. though they had feene great fignesand miracles in the wilderncfle, verfc 3* yet they hadnoteyesto fee them, nor earcs to heare them, verfe 4. Others chough they doe take notice of them, yet the im-preffionthey leave behinde them, is but flight, and like a light colour not well dyed, thetinfture is foone worn?out, Marke. 6. 52 fersheyconfidered not the miracle of the loaves, for the hardmjjeof their hearts. It was fpoken upon occafion o» their being amazed at this new miracle, Chrifts walking upon the water, and is asif he had faid, // yee had confidered the miracle of the loaves, you would not have wondered thus at my walking on the waters: that had madefo deepeanimpreflion on them, as it (hould by reafonof the hardnefle of their hearts* But you (hall fee the cafe quite otherwifeinthe lay lor 5 his affrightment which the earthquake arid the opening of the prifsn dores had wrought in him,. I pafll-d not away as a drcame, but left fuch an ira-

preflion!

Of turning from our eYill Tbayes.

prcffion as brought him.home. Andfo fliouldall fuch paffages worke with us : And that is the third dire&ion.

4 Rule is not (imply to goe about to refill the fin, and to tuvne from the evil of our ways,but to fil the heart with fomething thads better ; for when lufts arr mortified, the ftream'e of our affe&ions are not dryed up,but diverted $ and therefore the way is not to goe about to flop the current of a finfull luft, but to turne thy heart into another channell, fet thy heart upon fomething that is berter: Take a crab-tree ftockethat is fower or bitter, theonely way to fweeten it, is to put in a graft of another nature, which will change it, and by little and little fweeten the conftitution of it.

But you will fay,what is to be put in + I anfwer., goe not about it as a morall man, but as aChriftian, get Inftification and San&ificati on. It is true, it is profitable to bee much humbled for thy finne^ and you ought to be fo 5 yetthisis not the onely way to heale it, but the heart muft be (lengthened with the affurance of the forgiveneffe ofit.

There is a double way to get the heart turned a-way from finnc,the one to fee the loathfomneffe of that which we turne from, the other the beauty of the contrary ob>e<ft wee turne to. - Spend not all your paines about the firft, but doe fomthing in the later; the more contrition, the better. But it is not got all at once, it is more increafed by affurance and hope of pardon, when a man begins to have kpe^ heefurifesb'mfelfc. So It is in all other exerci-

R 3 fes

»45

Rule 4,

Oftumingfrom our evill wayes.

fcs 5 it is hope quickens our endeavours. One that is not neare a kingdome,goes not about it:but when he comes to have hopes, he begins to beftirre him-felfe, tollefpem, & toitecenatumjihtttforcgei and en* creafc the hope of the pardon of your finnes. Hence the ApoPcle, Rom, 15. 15. prayes, Now theGodof hope fill you with all joy and peace ^through believing &c. By the words following, it appeares to bee to ftrengthenand fee them right concerning all their infirmities : and he points to this as onemeanes, toba fild with ]oy and peace w believing 5 as if heehadfaid, if your hearts were full of fpirituall joy, through faith and aflfurance, your hearts would bee purified, and therefore U^h alfo is faid to purifie the heart 5 and bcfldes, when the bloud of Chrift is applyed by faith, ^hcregoes a venue with it. Heb.p.iq* How much more (hall the bloud of Chrift, who through the ecernall fpirit offered up himfelfe to God,purge your confeiences from dead woikes i And adde to this falsification fit upon that worke. Ioh. 17.Chrift hath pray ed, that they might be preferved from the evill of the world.

But how flial that be done? San&ifie them through thy truth, thjwordistruth^ that is, when they (hall paffe through this world full of evill and corruption^ way to prcferve them fporleffe and untainted is,to have the heart fan&ificd. When the heart is well oyled with grace, thedirtof the world falls off. This is an antidote againft corruption. Though in your paflage, you meete with much bad ay re and infection, this will prcferve you. But then how fhould wecbecfan&ified? By truth • The more

truth.

Of turning from our eVill fbayes.

247

truth you get into'your hearts, the more grace. Grace and truth goes together, 1 loh. and came by C h r 1 s t , who is full of both. Therefore 2 Pet. ^,ult. thefc two 2XZ)vyvLt^Gr9w in grace ,and in the knowledge ofchrift. By truth: but what truth? thy word is truth. Every truth is not fit to fan&ifie, as all water will not take fope to fcower, the word is that truth that doth it. CMoralltrutbs may doe many things in the foule, they may adorne it, but they cannot heale or purifie it. W4JI) in lor dm ^ faith the Prophet to leaprous Naamaa- There isafpe-ciall vertue in this Jordan to heale thee of thy lc* profie, that is not in the waters of Damafcw. You came not to the word as to a lecture of Philofiphy, but as to that which workes wonders: the power of God goes w th it.For withal markethis,that it is not the word of it felfe that doth it 5 it doth not worke as Phy ficke that hath a vertue in it of its owne, but the L o r d doth it by the word 5 and therefore Chrift prayes to his father tofanfiifie them by the word. As a man writes a letter by a pen,fothe Lord fan&ifics by the word. Toconfecratetheheartto G o d is to fan&ifie it 5 and divine truths alone doe confecrate the heart to God, andnoother. Letus therefore get much grace and truth into our hearts, afTurance ojjuflificAtion and \oy in the Holy Ghottjhtf. by tafting of better the heart may be taken off from the pleafures of finfull wayes 5 found joy will fwal-low up all other joy es, the joys of finne.

Stirre up thofe graces that are in thee : for when Rule wee exhort you to goetoGodtohelpeyou, our meaning isnot,that youfliould leave all the worke: R 4 forae*

5-

Of turning from our eVitt y?ayes .

Qb\eB.

Atifa.

fome labour is required of chee. I fpeake to thofc who have fome beginnings of grace: you muft ftir upthofe graces God hach given you. Hence Saint Paul fayes, i Tim. 4. 15. neglecft not the gift that was given thee, asifhehadfaid, Timothy , thou maift doe much, if thou confider what ability thou haft received ; fo much fpirit 5 fo much liberty $ fo much regeneration, fo mixh free will to good. So he fayes to the Church of Philadelphia, Thou h&fi a little firength, it is a Talent, therefore ufe it. Therefore alfo he fayes inlude 20. buildup yourfelves, andeleanfe pur [elves, and many the like.

But youwill fay, how can wee doe this, feeing it is the L o r d that workes in us the mil and the deed, and wee can doc nothing without the Spirit ?

Though the Spirit doth it, yet we,in this worke are to be agents alfo, Rem. 8.13. If you through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of 'thefitJh $ as if he had faid, though you do it by the Spiric, yet do yon go about it. We may do fomething to draw the Spirit nigher us ; as we may do fomething to grieve the Spirit, and to fmoke him out of the houfe,fo to pleafe the Spirit ; as we intend the flame of the Spirit by pure tho jghts 3 fo we put him out by foggy thoughts.

jguefl. But you will aske^ what it is to ftirre up our graces? Anf. 1. Stirreupthylight,examtnethyfelfeofthyevill wayes,endeavour to fee them clearely, and confeflfc them,for that is the way to forfake them, Prov. 2 8. 13. and

Of turning from our eVill fbayes.

13. and defpifcnone of them: with that light thou haft, examine every thing what ever thou haft,the lead doubt, fearch it out to the full. This idle fpeecb, this jollity and vanity of converfation how little foever it feemes, as dalliance in thy thoughts and eyes, overly performance of duties.

Vfe that light further to get reafon againft thy finne. This is to confider a mans wayes as Da, vid did, to ponder the reafons. Let a man take paines with his heart from day to day, and confider what reafons there are by which a mans heart may be taken off from his finfas againft unlawfullgaine, to thinke it but as ftealing cuftome, whereby a man fortdts all the reft 5 that what is unlawfully gotten, is as the coalethat was carried in by the Eagle into her neft with apeeceofbroyiedflefti,whkh confumed her neft, young, and her fclfe ; and all treaties of infirmities, that what is unlawfully gotten is as a coale carried in by the Eagle into her neft, and the flefh among therefttoconfume all and thy neft. Had not ^Ahab better have beene without his Vineyard i if pleafure $ confider how it is but for a feafon, and what bitter-neffc it will bring in the end, and loft the joy which by farre exceeds it: if matter of vaine-glory, that all thy paines taken is loft, for it will bee all thy reward.

When thou haft done this,adde a third,namely, .exerctfej.0 overcome it: as Saint Paul fayes to Ti-rnothy, excrcife thy fclfe to godlinejfe. Thinke of thefe things, iTim. 4. 15. if thy failing be in good, accuftome thyfelfetotheduty $ if in bad, * difafe

Of turning from our evill wayes<

Rule 6

difufe it, and that will exceedingly helpe thee. A Child that could not want the teat for an houre or two, yet being difufed and weaned a while,feeks not after it : and doe this againft your bofomefin; that fin that hangs on thee more then the reft> fingle out, and do thus to it,as David, Pfal, 18, kept him ftlfe from bis iniquity.

Laftly, obferve the manner of their growing upon you, and how they fight for themfelves. The lufts that are in us are warring lufts, as I told you out of Rem. j. and fo Saint lames tells us : and fo in Saint Peter, they have a method in fight-ing, which obferving,you may learne torcfift and prevent them.

Obferve, when any affedion goes beyond the bounds Chrift hath fet it, that then it begins to warre and rebell, even as fubjeds doe ; when they breake their Soveraignes lawes, they begin to re-bell : fowhen RacheB would needs have children, and nothing would content her elfe, it was a warring luft.

Obferve the manner how they fight for themfelves : the wiles they have in warring :they endeavour to potfefle the ports, thefenfes, fuffering no good if they can to be brought in,that may op-pofe them, and drawing in by them what may feed and ftrengthen them, fuch obje&s as may give fupply. For when the heart within is full of adultery 5 they eyes is fo alfo. They take alfo away the fupply from the contrary fide, caufingusto negle£ prayer and reading, and fuch holy duties, as the Hiltjtims difarmed the ifrae/ites, md would let them have m Smith. They

Of turning from our eYtU wayes.

They draw men out with traines from their forts, till they have led them into an Ambufb, as lojhua drew the men of Aifrom their Towne, and as the fiftiers drive the fifties out of their corners, where they areiafe, and when they are wandring in the river, take them in their nets $ fo dolufts draw out from the rockeof our falvation,from our refolutions, the ordinances, and our callings, an J thenfurprize us. They leade us intoambufliby little and little j As iV^rwasdrawnetodeny his Matter by degrees. They will alfo come upon us at firft, but with light skirmifhes. Luft commeth not upon us with imicement and onfets, togreat fins at firft: and we making account of lictle, and fo being negligent, it comes upon us with the maine battaile^ David lookes but upon Bathjbe-ba at firft, and thenisdrawnetofpeech with her, and then to folly. Therefore obfervethis, that you may beskilfullinwarre, as the Athenians by reafon of their neighbour enemies ; and having ob-ferved this to be their manner to deale thus fubtil ly, as Saul faid of D4^/W,lookeabout thee, and cake Saint Peters counfell, abftaine from them; when once an affe&iongrowes violent, medcle not with if, have nothing to doe with it $ if thou doft, u ou admitted an enemy into thy foule, that will betray it : as David when he had fuch adefireto the water the Souldiers fetcht him, hetwo*ldwt drinke it^but porvredit out upon the ground: fo if or* ce thy mind be fet upon fuch a fp-tt, orcompany, if affedions once exceede their meafure, meddle not with them.

And

*5'

M*

\ Of turning from our eyill wayes J

And then Hand upon thy watch alfo 3 for though thou haft armour on, yet if thou watched not, it will doe thee no good: as Sad though hee was armed, yet being afleep, David came and took his Speareaway; therefore befeberandwatch, and that thou mayeft not fall afleepe, keepe thy felfe fober, and endeavour to weaken that law in thy members that fights againft you, be doing fomething. A law not executed is antiquated, and weakened, and weares out, and cuftome ftrengthens a law 5 the lefle obedience you yield to thefe lufts, the more you weaken them : when thefe lufts would have thee omit fuch a duty, if thou yielded to it, thou ftrcngtheneft it 5 if nor, thou weakened it.

And againe, a law is weakened when it is not cared for : care not for their threats 5 and when the threatnings ©f a law arc contemned, they lofe their force. If fin tell thee thou wilt lofefuch a friend, incurre fuch dangers, care not 5 and that weakens the force of it.

And if thoucanft not doit by reafon, do it by force, byaftrongrcfolution 5 re$8e#dafMt> mn [ubtllit4te>fedimj>etu. Overcome the defires of fin by a contrary tcfolution.

^

Of turning from our evifl Tbayes.

*Sf**S?

Anil will be mtrclfuU to theirfinnes y <&c.

THefc ftlwt follow here are the particular inftances wherein hee would efpecially heare their prayers. If they humble themfelves and pray, what-foever their finnes are, God will be merciful! unto them*

Now the reafons why he fayes he will be mer-dfuJl to their finnes (for fo according to the former tranflation I rather reade it.)

That the Lord hereby might take away all objections : for fome might fay, their finnes were exceeding great and many,and many times reiterated; why but all thefe are but fit objeds for mercy, w ch triumphs over them all, as a mighty Sea fwallowes them up as molehills.

To take away that conceit, that all their hum-bling themfelves and prayers, and new obedience here required, is not required as a condigne fatis-fa&ion for their fins: no faith the Lord, I will doe it meerely out of mercy * though not without thefe, yet not for thefe. There is a feeret popery to think fomething muft be given,fome fatisfa&ion muft be made, as if GedcKc would not forgive., inleflTethey fatisfie for themfelves, &e. and fo ballance their [ins. No, it is-meere mercy, free forgiveneffe* To fetanhigh price upon this gift, the pardon

of

*H

-I

Of turning from our eyiH wayes.

ob]ett>

\j&nfo.

Dott.

of finrie, I willbe morafull mi forgive them. As if hee had faid,remember, chat you are worthy to bcc deftroyed, and not able to pay the leaftfarthiag. But ic is of my mcere piety, that thou art forgiven. I So that the matter we have in hand, is a gracious promife of mercy and forgivenefle, which of all points elfe I fall mod willingly upon, which will make men come in, if any thing will do it. It is the proclamation of pardon,that mud bring in pirates $ when as the proclamation of rebellion drives them, away. Men are more eafily overcome wich kind-nefle then wich threats 5 itistheGofpellmeltsand makech men vile imhdrowne eyes. • J

But then fome will fay, that it is not neceflary, that the preaching of the Law (hould goe before, iftheGofpelldothir.

Yes, the preaching of the Law is notwithftand-ing as a preparative. In all chat arc brought up in the Church, there is fome knowledge in the Law that p:£cedcs, but it is the Gofpellthat foftneth the heart firft j as ice is broken in peeces with hot water as well as with hammers, fo is the heart with the GofpeUs well as with the hammerof the Law, and indeed makech that knowledge of the Law that proceeded to beeoperative 5 andfetsitaworke : fo as the Law in its true working cannot bee without theGofpell, nor the Gofpell without the Law : fo as to a perfed vvorke of the Gofpell the knowledge of the Law muft precede.

Whatfoever a mansfinnes are, if bee bee truly hum-bled for them and forfakethem, they jl)all bee forgiven him.

Thi<

Of turning from our eVtU wayes.

This is the maine point you may obferve by the way, that the Gofpcll was as fully preached to the lews,as to us. So you fee it was here 3 they had the fame way of being faved, that we have, as great mercy promifed and difpenfed. Onely thefegreat myfteries of the Gofpell wherein grace and mercy is difplayed,were not opened fo to them as unto us $ they had the promifesof fo^givenefTe as fully snd clearely, but knew not the grounds of them $ as Quids incarnation, death, and refurre&ion, as wee dojnorthofe glorious priviledgesin particular w ch wee have by Chrift. For the proofe of the maine point, take that one place to make it good to you, Efdj i. 18. Com mwj *nd let us reafon together, faith j the ho r d ; though your fwncs be as fcarlet^ they jh all \ bee white as ftow • though they bee red as crimfin, they jha/l bee as rvooll. The Prophet had exhorted them to learnt to doe mU^ &c. But the people might ob-je& t : What (hall wee be the nearer for all this t if wee be fuch great finners as you have even now declared us to bee i to prevent this the Prophet tells them, what though their finnesbe great and blou-die fins,of the deepeft dye of guilt /"(there are many kinds of red 3 but crimfonand fcarlet are the higheft) yet you (hall be as perfe&ly cleanfed from all your finnes as if you fhould fee fcarlet turned as whire as fnow, or crimfon as white as vvooll, and none of the former dy remaining : and when he tells this to them, markehisexpreffion, Come, let us reafon together , as if he had faid, this is a point requires flrong I reafonings to perfwade you to believe it $ and indeed it is a hard thing truly to beleeve t he pardon of

then

*5?

M /nines pardoned to the Humble.

Re*f. 1.

M^.V ult

ii 6nnes 5 and che rim: will come when you will

Kndc it to bee lb : Wee will therefore fee the Lore

and your confidences together, and you ihall fee

w the Lord reaibneth for himfelfe, and howhee

will make this good.

Wee will frit prove it to you from all his Attributes.

1 From his truth, /^X^r^hach faid itsaadchis i> argument enough, toperfwade you: And therefore! having made this promifc of forgivenefle in the j verfe before, tktf hec would fubdut their iniquities and^ aii thitr lnr.es tntotht depths efthefea, it dales y th»\ rviL'pcr'forme the truth to l&stb^ And the mercy to i^brd* h*m, which thou h*ft f#or'<;e unto eur fakers fr$m the ■ dsjes of old. As if hee had laid, you may reftper-1 fwadedof this : for he hath notonely promiledit, I bu: hathfwomeir, and that oath not u-ken lately, ' but of old ; there is an oath to k, and an old one, an oath that hath many witnefles 3 ^brahtm and l*<$b, and all the fathers that have beencfir.ee : ■;■ willhenor, thinkeyou, bee as good as his word? j and that Ads 10.45. To him giv€4ithe ?r$thet: witnu(ft) that tht9ugh his nsme^ nhcfitvtr btlici'ilb in' him, jkdirtnrje rtmifiitn effinnes. It rs Saint Peters fpeech to Comdiw; fayes Peter ,we deliver this frc God to you, and no* only we that are the Apoftles fay this, but to this truth doe all the Prophets, lfijjcremj,and all the reft beave witnefle. Now when the Lodhath faid fiich things, and mace anabfolutepromife.he expeds you fliould believe ir. It is a g:ea::r fin then you imagine,not to lay 1 hold upon fuch promifes. Sec how tht Lirdxzi-*

AUJlnnes pardoned to the Humble.

fo as ic i John $. 9 , 1 o, 11. If me receive the mtneffe of men, the witnejfe of'Godis greater . for this is the wit-nejfeofGod } &c. HethAtbelievethnot, God hath made bim 4 lyar. As if he fhould fay,will you not believe? If a man that is of an honeft difpofition fliould pro-mifeyouathing, you would believe him: and will you not believe mee i As if a man had more truth in htm then I have: yea further,you make the Lord a lyar, if you believe not this his record of his Son, what is this record? why faith the Apoftle, I will repcate it againe, The Lord hath given m eternal! life, and this life is in his Sonne, that is, whofoever believes and takes Ch rut, his finnesfliall be forgiven, and hee (hall have life. It is_the pardon that brings life to the condemned tray tor.*

2 But though hee hath faid, this is ingaged fuf-ficiencly, and this is much to helpe our faith, yet when wee (hall further heare and know him to bee one of a mercifull nature and gracious difpofition, wee will goc the more willingly to him. Therefore adde to this, how the Lord expreffeth his nature to us, Bxodfos 34.6,7. The Lord God, mercifull, grddous And long fuffering, And Abundant in goo dm'[ft And truth, forgiving iniquity, trAnfgrepon andfmnc. As if he fliould have faid to ^Mofes, wouldeft thou know the very inward difpofition and frame of my foule i this is my nature, to be mercifull and gracious^, thisis the Lordside a, for his end here was toexpreffe himfelfe unto us; know that this is his nature, and this will ftrengthen our faith in the pro* mifes, for all his promifesdoebut flow from this nature of his, and receivetheir ftrength therefrom,

S and

o"T" All finnes pardoned to the Humble.

and hee is rich in mercy, becAufe it t$ his nature

3 Addeto this the attribute of his wifdome, and that will alfo hclpc us to believe his mercies. God that hath made thefepromifes is exceeding wife, and knows with whom heehath to doe, hee knowes, that originall corruption that is in us , and is the mother of ail linne, h:eknowes our infirmi-ties, and what fci&on hearts, ls hce that made us knowes what we a,;■_, Ik hee that makes any thing k:iowes the i iward frame of k. Ic is no (trange thing for him to fee us fall into finne. Therefore PfrU 78.38,59. after he had fpoken of chofeftrange rebrllions,of the people of ifracil into which they I fcl 1 afcer their comming out o( Egypt,yet faith hee, I Hee being fulLofcowpapon, dejlroyedthem not, but for-gave their iniquity , and why i becaufe hee remembrei they were butfiefh. And indeed, one would wonder how the Lord 'could forgive foobftinite a people, that had iuch experience of his power and mercy by thofe great workes which he wrought a-fore them in bringing them out of Egypt,ya lie did, beccufc he remembred and wifely conlidered what ingredients went to make rp their natures ; hee remembred 'tbey were but flefh. So Pf*l. 103. 13, 14. theformer part of that Pfalme, is nothing elfe, but ancxpreflion of promifes of forgiveneffc, and in rhe i4.ver'c hee gives thisasthereafonofall, forhee knowes our frame, he remembereth that wee are duft: hee fchowes whereof wee are made, and therefore is exc^edini mercifull.

4 Whereas there is one Attribute from which you objeft againft the pardon of their finnes, that

the

sill finnes pardoned to the Humble.

V9

the Lord notwithftanding is juft, and this terrifies you and puts you oft*: even from this we may fetch an argument to ftrengthen our faith herein ; for know that the Lord is therefore ready and willing to forgive, becaufe heeisjuft. ilohm.g. If wee confejft our finnes, hee is fmhfnlltndjujl to forgive us. This is the ground of all our comfort, thatheeis juft and faithfully for isheenot engaged by promife, and is hee not faithf ull to keepe his promife i A-gaine, hath hee not beene f atisfied and paid for our finnes by Christ? and his juftice will not fuf-fer him to require a fecond payment. It isjujl now with him to forgive, faithfulnefle hath reference to his promifes, juftice to thatbloud of C h * i s t the ranfomt received ', which cleanfithm from all our finnes.

5 If all thefe will not ferve to perf wade our hearts

to believe, the Lord defcends a little lower, and

helpes us out with an argument of his readineffe to

pardon, from theconfideration of what is in our

felves, confidcr how you would dealc with your

children FfaU io$* 13, Like ds a father pittiethhu

children, fo the Lordthem thatfeare him. If a child

that is yours, offend you an hundred times, yet if he

come in and humble himfelfe,y ou will pardon him;

And will not G o D,when his people humble them*

felves t We ufe but fuch arguments as God him-

felfe doth ,and do but fet him and your confeiences

together, to reafon the cafe: But you will objed a-

gaine, andfay, it is poffible for a child fo to offend,

as that a father will not nor cannot forgive him*

True,but the Pfalmifts meaning is, not as if God

S2 would I

All (innespardoned to the Humble.

would pardon no more, then an earthly father 5 but on the contrary, if you that are earthly fathers can doe fo much, I that am an infinite Lord Cod and not man, can doe much more, who is Omnipotent and can doe whatsoever hee will, a::d (hews his omni-potency in pardoning* I compare with this, Efay J5.p. OWy thoughts are not as jour thoughts. What though your fianes bee great and in their owne thoughts unpardonable,and you thinke them greater then can bee forgiven? but mjthoughts layes God, are not as your thoughts 'hee fpeakesthis of pardoning 3 but as the heavens are higher than the earthy fo are my thoughts above your thoughts, and my ways above yours,in multiplying to pardon. Though you could not forgive, nay though you cannot rhinke or imagine how fuchtranlgreffions fliould be forgiven, yet I can forgive them.

A fecond fort of arguments is taken from the meanes and inftrument by which forgiveneflfe is conveyed. Wee are come to I e s u s the CMedi. at or of the new covenant, and to the blondof fprink. ling, which fpeakes better things then the blond of yyi. M. Hebrews 12. 24. Hee fpeakes this as an encouragement to their faith, and it is as if hee hadfaid, confider how the bloud of Abel, though but the bloud of a poore man, cryed fo loud thanr came up to heaven,that it brought down vengeance upon Cain, how loud then fhall Christj bloud fpeake* What is it able to procure for us? which fpeakes better things, that is, for mercy ( which G o d is more ready to heare the cry for, then for vengeance; and this cry is not of the bio ud of an or-

dinary

AQfinnes pardoned to the Humble.

dinary man, as <-/*£*/was, but of the bloud of his

owne Sonne, to which purpofe compare with this

that place, .Heh. 9. 14. Bow jnuch .more (halt the

blond of Chrifl^whothrough the eter nail Spirit offered

I up himfelfc without (pot to God, purge yo,r conjc ence j

\frmdead works? As in the other place he com- j

j pares it with Abels blond, fo here with \the bloud of \

\ Buls and Goatsy which in the old law ferved- by |

j Gods appointment for theoutwardpurification of the

\ flefh, ho\tf much more, how infinitely tranfeendent-

I ly more above our thoughts or imaginations, (hall

che bloud of the Sonne of God be able ko purge

your confcicnces i we n6t able to conceive,nor he

to expreffe; he onely fayes, how much more, &c.

and he backethit wich twoReafons, which put

togcther > (hew the tranfeendency of that fufficien -

cy in Chrifts bloud to cleanfe us: the firft from the

eternall Spirit, whereby he offered up himfelfc 5 it

was not the bloud or facrifice of a meere man, but

of God: which facrifice was in it felfe without

fpot.

There are three objections we ufually make a-gainft our felves by rcafon of our finnes*

1. That they are fo many,

2. So great.

3. That they are reiterated and often fallen into. Now the fprinkling of the bloud of Chrift thus

offered is fufficient to cleanfe your consciences from, and to take away all thefe, Ezek^6.i^. then wiMl fprinkle cleane water upon you, and ye fball be cleane from all your filthineffe^and from all your idols will I cleanfe you. The bloud of Chrift is che water there S 3 meant,

All finnes pardoned to the Humble.

meant, which dun fab from finne andflthinejfe^ and from all, though never fo many, and from ft. thimffe, and idols , from fuch finnes, though never fo great. Ah! but I have alfo fallen often into them, Zdch.is*!. Hisbloudis therefore compared to a fount aine fct open for finne and for uncleanneffe 5 not a cifierne, but a fountaine, a continual! fpring per-petually running to cleanfe us; fo that as there is a fpring of finne in us,fo as we are defiled againe and againe, fo there is a fpring of vertue in hi*bloud,to cleanfe us, never to be dried up.

The laft reafon is taken from the freencfle of the covenant which God hath made with mankind, If any manbeathirfi, yea if any man will cme^ let him come and drinke of the waters of life freely. Sec the manner how itis fet down, Ioh.j.$j, In the laft; day, a great day of the feaft, left** food and cried faying, if any man thirft, let him come to me, and drinke: he makes a proclamation for all to come, as alfo 3 fov. 21.6. and 22.17. where he makes thelike generall invitation, and adds, that they fhallhave it freely 5 fo the tenour of the covenant runs: that if any thirft (chofc indeed that do nor,have nothing to do with it) let him come and take freely • that is, I will beftow it without any other condition, but com-mln &-> without which no man can partake of ir, and thirftmgy without which no man will come, or prize it.

The confutation of which covenant therefore (hould move lis and hclpe us to believe the truth of this poinc,thac whatsoever our finnes are, yet if we humble our felves, &c. they (hall be pardoned.

Before

^11 /innes pardoned to the Httmbk.

Before I come to apply this to any man; I mud exclude thofc whom the Lord excludes, or rather who exclude themfelves. Still remember what is the laft letter of his name. Exodus 34.5. That hec wilinot hold themcked innocent. Thou thatart a car-nail man, haft nothing to doc with this childrens bread 5 thou art a Dog : which may be made good to thy conscience, out of 1 Pet .2. nit. Like the dog thou returned to thy vomit : ForinthyfickneflTeand in thy diftreffe didft thou not make many promifes and refolutions againft thy wayes and courfes i and after thy recovery, didft thou not returne to them againe with asmuchgreedineffeasever i

2 Againe, thou art fuch an one as doeft not third after thefe promifes 5 careft no more for them then for thyoldfliooes 5 thzfc precious promifes ( which as is faid before) containe in them moft rich and precious promifes, and none fhall ever obtaine them that doth not in fome meafurc of truth prize them above all things whatfoever. Thou that never hadft thy heart broken with theapprchenfionoffinand Gods wrath canft not come tothirft after them,and fo haft nothing to doe withthis water of life. A man that is ftill whole hearted ever fincehee was borne, and never affrighted with finnc and wrath, may heare thefe promifes fpoken of, but hath no-thing to doe with them.

3 They that are hypocrites,* are alfo excluded, for they are to have their portion in hell fire, and therefore whilft remaining fuch,have nothing to do with the promifes. Now an hypocrite is one that is not willing to omit holy duties altogether, and

_ s 4 y*

**l

Ffe.

z64

All finnes pardoned to the Humble,

oije8 r

yet not willing to doc them throughly ,ons that like the Eagle foaes high in faire pretences, but ftill hath the prey that is below in his eye, and will ftoope font upon occafiGn,eyingprcferment,credit, riches &c. all the while: Thou mayeft bee white in thine owne eyes, and wafht before a communion, or fo, as a Swine may bee wafht as well as a Sheepe, but yet the Swiniih nature remaines. 4 Or it may bee thou art a wicked man. But y#u will fay,who are thofe wicked men < I will give you a defcription of them, which no man (hall refufe, they are fuch as hate the Lord,nov can any man think much, ifhee bee cal'd a wicked man, comraing within the compaffe of this charra-iter; for it is the note given in the fecond comf^an-demcnt. Now when we heare this,every man wifbe, ready to fay,I hope my condition is good,I am non of them that hate the Lord: but know,there are many thoufands that think well of themfelves,who yet when it comes to the tryall will be found to hate the Lord. And therefore to try thee in this, give mcc leave to aske thee but a few qneftions.

i Doft thou not hate the la wt doft thou not wifli that the Law were not fo ftri<3,and that it gave more I liberty? Let an unrcgenerateman try himfelfe by this, and he will find fuch a difpofitionin him, that he defires that t he law would give him leave to com • mic fuch and fuch a fin; he efteemes of the Law as a thing that is contrary to him,and therfors their com-] plaint of godly men is, that their tvayes 4re contrary tt \ours, in the booke oiWifedome. What wnyes? 1 the wayes of the law:for where is contrariety, there

f

Ml finnes pardoned to the Humble.

>*5

$ hatred;ind if they hate the law, they hate the lawgiver God^ for the law is the expreffe image of God. j

2. Againe, I would aske thee, if i his be not alio j thy difpoficion, that thou haft no great delight ro j be where the Lord is t thou haft not any delight in holy duties, otherwife than as cuftome, and na-turall confeienee have made them familiar to thee$ nor to be in the company of the Saints (for where two or three of them are.there Godis among them) but when thou art among them, thou art as ic were out of thy element-, if theybefuch as are formall like thy felfc, thou canftaway with them- but if they be holy, and the holinefle of Godappearein them, thou delightefl: not in them $ thou couldeft, it may be,be among the Saints, if they hold their tongues 5 but let God fhine in them, then thou canft not indurcto be there.

3. Againe,dofhhou hate thofe that are like the Lord t forif thou doft, thou hateft the Lord him-felfe: for as we try our love to the Lord > by our! love to the brethren 5 fo our hatred alfo. Is there j a fecret diilike of them, though thou knoweft not 1 why, an antipathy, though happily thou canfl not i give a reafon of it t It is becaufc God hath put an ! enmity, and there no man can put amity: all en dowments, fweetneiTe of converfe and difpofition, eminency of parts in the Saints, will not take a-way the enmity that is in wicked men againft them, David was a Poet, a fouldier, a man of ex cellent parts, wife and valiant, yet had abundance of hatred amongft men for his goodnefTe-

4. Againe,doeft thou not defire that there were

no

no God c Couldft thou not be content to live for ever in this world, fothat thou were happy here, and fo there were no hell? Couldft thou not be content that there were no heaven, no God, no Iudge at the laft? If every unregenerate man would examine himfelfe, he fhould find this in himfelfe. Now if any wi(h that fuch an one were not, that he were fubUtm de medio^ it is a figne he hates him: for that is the property of hatred, to defire the utter removall of the things hated.

5. Againe, doft thou not lie in fomefm which thou knoweft is a finne? Now every man that jliesinafinne, aknowne finne, feareth God as a Iudge. Let him bs a thiefe, and he will feare the I Iudge,and whom a man thus feareth, he hateth, gaern metuunt ,oderum, he that walkes in darknefle hates the light, and God who is the author of that light. Doft thou therefore live in fome evillway or other, wherein thou doft allow thy felfe ? thou haft no intereft in thefe promifes: onely thofethat claime intereft in the promifes, who raake conference of all their way es, dare not omit the leaft duty, nor perform it flightly.

Laftly confider, art thou not one of the foolifli

virgins, deferring repentance, not caring to pro-

, videoyleintime,butthinkeftthoucanftdoit time

J enough at death t and, I will come in ere I die,like

the Jluggardin the Proverbs, tumbling in the bed

of thy fin fecurely, and loath to rife, turning like

thedweonthc hinges^ butftill remaining upon the

fame hinges. The Lord hathfaid 3 Deut.29. that

he will not be mercifull to fuch a man, but his an-

ger (hall fmoke againft him. But

All finnes pardoned to the Humble.

167

But you will fay, what do you preach damnation to me' will you leave us dcfperate ?

I anfwer you,we preach damnation to you whilft you are in fuch courfes, and would make you dc-fpaire of your felves, to drive you out of your felves unto Chrift D and it were an houre well fpent, to put you out of hopes but what:' may we have no hope left if None, in the eftate you (land, but that of the hypocrite, which paifheth with him: for if thy hope were true , it would purifie thy heart, as SJohn fpeakes. But I may pray ? But if thou continued in thy finnes, thy finnes (hill out-cry thy prayers, and at the day of thy death, when cheleaftintereftof thefe promifes will be worth a world, it will be faid to thee, that thou hadflno. thing to do with them, and there was a time when God calFd uponthee, and thou wouldft not: and therefore then,though thou cry to him, God will not heare thee.

But if there be any broken-hearted finner defiling to feare the Lord D and ferve him fincerely,that have this witnefle in their confcicnces,that though chey do not that good they would, yet they ftrive againft all fins, allow themfelves in none, whether fmall or great 5 to you I fay, that of the Apoflle, iiVM.13. Truftperfeflly on the grace brought unto you by the revelation of lefus Cbritf , t §a«»* IW**t£, ttufl not by halves , but truft pcrf <fiiy : if I had bidden you truft in your fandification, you might have done it iinperfedly, becaufeycur fan&ifica-tion is but imperfeftj but feeing it is the free grace of God is brought to you as a rocke to truft and

relie

Vfiz.

\ —

All finnes pardoned to the Humble.

rely upon; tiuft perfeftly upon it; commit ally our *vi:ight ar»d burthen to it; fftb.6.18. God, when he made the covenant of grace, rooke an oath to thai end, ikjtt we might haveflrong co .f glutton • this itan argument commonly torgoueo among "Chri-ftiart$,and io they want zhitjlrong consolation which chcy might have.Do yoa think it a fmall matter,to takeanoath of God partly and in any degree in v:\x\tGod hath fworn that yto might have firong con folat, w y and he would have it fo ftrong, t hat whe l Sat au ieis upon you, it may be as a ftrong fortrefle to hold ouc againft all aflaults: why is your faith fo weak then c what are the impediments I

i. One is,t hat we are deceived in the covenant: hath not the Lard proniifcd to juflifle the ungodly, and commanded us to believe on htm that juftfies the ungodly? Rom t ^. 5t and bidden us come with an empty hand •? and thou commeft with an handfull of humiliation, andfayeft, that thcu durft not come before, and now I can come better in: che more thou haft in thy hand, the leiTe firmeisthy hold. A man that is in danger to be drowned, cannot take hold of a Cable catt to lave his life, if hckccpcs anything in his hand, an empty hand takes the fafteft hold: thy humiliation if true, will empty thee of all feife-conceit.- therefore if thou through humiliation haft nothing of thine owne to rruft to, thou art the fitter objed: for mercy. Be not al waies poiing s downewards on thy finnes, but looke rpto God, mb.6. Thej have (Iron? confcla-Hon, who have fled for refuge to the hope laid before n> which hope we have asanwker of the foule both _____ fure

y4U finnespardoned to the Humble.

fun and fiedfajl, and which enter eth into that w, thin the vaile, Veri.i8 5 ip« This our hope is notfaid to bee any thing in our felves, but is as a refuge which we flie unto out of our fdves, and is laid a~ fore us, growes not within from what is within us, and is horn above: now by hope, we are not to underfland the thing hoped for, or the grace of hope in us, but that fure promife of God ratified by an oath $ this is the objedt of our hope, and fo calYdeurhope) that is it which is our refuge, and whichis laid afore us, and proceeds from Gods owneb*eft and nature $ which if weanchorupof), we fliallhave ftrong confolation, both for Aire-nefTe of not failing us, and for fteadineffe eftablifh-ingour hearts; but whilft we flie for refuge ro any thing in our felves, or caft anchor upon it, we are toflcd with every wave.

2. Our daily infirmities, they alfoare a great impediment. A man thinks, if I had faith, that would fo purifie my heart, as I fhould not fall t hus oft as I do.; which whilft I do, how can I have fuch ftrong confoladonc'for this Ifay to all upright hearted Chriftian^that their infirmities fhouid nor difhearten their faith and confolation 3 but they fhould rather labour to flrengthen thdr fandifica tion. Say with thy fclfe, becaufe my f n; are and have been greater than other mens, therefore I will labour more for fan&ification hereafter, I wil love more than others, and be more ferviceab*e for rhc time to come 3 buc fay not, therefore I will doubi ordefpaireof Gods mercy.

3* Hinderanceto theirlaying hold of the pro

mifes

miies of forgiveneffe, is a conceit of their warn of humiliation, as if they were not humbled enough j but if it be fo much as brings thee home to Chrift, if thou thirft for Chrift, fo as nothing will content thee till thou haft him 5 fearcnotto lay hold, this is enough, ftand not upon the meafure.

Laftly, it may be thou haft not prayed enough for affurance of forgiveneffe, and therefore want-eft it. It is here put in as a condition, if mj people ~pr*f^ and among other things for this, to forgive yourftnnes, and to givethem theaffuranceof it. All the Arguments in the world cannot pcrfwade the heari of this, nothing but the fpirit of adoption 5 and can io great a mercy be obtained without fervent prayer i therefore go to God, and intreat his favour, and though he defcrres, yet continue in prayer: for it may be the Lord alfo with-holds it, becaufe he would have thee fet an high prize upon it: which thou wouldft not do, if thou fliouldft ob-taine it eafily: but be not difcouraged, continue thou to pray ftill, and in the end thou (halt have it with a full hand.

Heare you me, all ye that arc upright and fin-cere in heart, here is your comfort, continue thus to feeke Gods face, and all your finnes fliall be as if they had never becne committed by you: and what is faid of the finnes of Ifrael and Iudah y Ur. 50.20. The iniquity of Jacob Jhaff be fought for , and there jkatlnonebe found: fo (hall thine be in the day when they fliall be fought for: Is not this a great and unfpeakeable mercy i A man (hall bee as if hee had never committed finne $ even as if hee

were

All finnes pardoned to the Humble,

"were as innocent as \^Ad*m was in Paradtfe.

But you will objed and fay, can finnes that have becne committed ceafe to havebeene commuted, or ceafe to have becne finnes if

A'ifiver : us true, that which is once done can

never bee undone. All the ads rcmaine as things

dace done, .fo as it may bee faid 3 they were commit*

ted, and w rfc thushainous ; when therefore it is

BsA&jbmflM&k wfr^tfee meaning is, they (hall bee

of no efficacy, they fliall never bee able to doe 30 1

hurt,as our Saviour faid co his Di ciples,Z,«£. 1 o. 1 p.

You Jhdll tre*d Mpcrt Serpents and Scorpions, and they

/batinot hurtyou y \o I may fay of ' fiojt Jbal not hurt yen

becaufe the ftmg is taken away in and by Chriit-

or as that fire in ?{ebuchadnezzars funace, it had

power enough to bur ve others, but no: 10 much as

to finge an haire of che three childfren,becaufe chrift

was with them •■ fo thofe finnes whidi would fting

and (hail Uing others to death, becaufe of rheirim-

penitcnce,yet (hall dot thee no hurt, bur tall ofFHke

the Viper off from Saim Pauls hand 3 but not hurt

thee. It is an opinion of fome, thatG o d en fee

no finne in his children, becaufe fay they, there are

none (when a man is once in Chrift; lorr bee

feene : But that is not the meaning of thst'fbymg,

God fees no iniquity in laccb : they arc th-ie, but as

in a debt-booke crofled and canceled - though the

lines bee drawneover,yet thefummes may be read, |

yet fo as they cannot bee ena&ed, orfuetffor, be-J

caufe they are crofted and caned I'd. A failing fta? 1 e ■

Idferh ics light by little and little, rnd when i : l

comes to the earth, k goes quite -out 5 fo wher- fmne s \

be? ; n ;

271

Objicl.

i^sfnfk.

Vfi<

All fwnes pardoned to the Humble. \

begin tofall from their proper element and Sphere, that is an unregenerate hearr, where they had dominion and raigned and moved as in their Grbe, the light and influence of it decayes, and (hall at length borh in the guilt and power of it wholly vanifti.

I will alio adde to this, this caution : the Saints muft know that for all this,their finnesare retained, till they adually repent againe, the Lords wrath is kindled againft them, and they may feele fuch effects of it as may make their hearts akc. Thus the Lord met Mcfes, and would have fliyne him in the Inne for neglecting that ordinance of circumcifionj the finne was not forgiven till he had humbled him-felfe, and amended his fault; foGo d was angry with the ifraelites that fled before their enemies, till the accurfed thing was taken away : So when D*. vid finned in the matter of Vriah, it is faid in the end of that Chapter 2 Sam 11,27. The thing that David had done difflcafedthe Lord, and there was the wrath of a father againft him, though not of an enemie: and when was it that God was well pleafed with him againe, but when hce had humbled himfelfe and repented? Therefore that you may have ftrong confolation, fearch and examine your hearts and lives, fee that there bee no way of wickedneffe unrepented of in you, before you apply all thefe promifes, which then you may doe to your comfort.

Somewhat is now to bee faid, even tothofe whom before wee excluded 5 for the end of our preaching is not to fhut them for ever out. If the Lord will bee mercy full to our L finnes, if wee be

hum-

AQ finnes pardoned to the Humble.

humbled $ here is an open doore for thofe that are without, aground, to exhort them to come in. Come and welcome. God is exceeding merciful^ and ready to forgive and receive you. If any thing will draw men in, they arethepromifesof mercy 5 the hue and cry makes the thiefe to flyaway the fafter.

The Proclamation of pardon brings the rebells in, and what greater motivecan wee ufe than this, that whatever your finnes are or have beene, neves fo great in thcmfelves and aggravated with never fo many circumfiances, yet if you will come in and humble yourfelves, and turneto God, God will bee mercifull to you. No matter what thy finnes have beene : all the matter is, what thy humility is, what thy rcfolmions to confeflfe and forfakethy finnes are 5 they have not gone beyond that price which hath beene paid for them : And God will not only pardon their fins, but alfo leave a blefling behind. If you indeed fliould come thus to any man whom you have offended, hee would fay, what are you not afliamed to come to mee having wronged mcethus, tolookemeeintheface? not to aske forgivenefle onely, but to askefucha-kindneffe, fuch a favour at my hands alfo i how could you have the face to doe it ? But the Lord, hee never gives that anfwer, for hee is not as man, /fr.3.11. Though if a man put away his wife, andjhte becomes another mans, hee mil not receive her againc 5 , yet returne tomee, fajes Cod. It ispoflible for men to commit fuch finnes that men cannot forgive, but God can pardon any.

T You

J11 finnes pardoned to the Humble.

£a?p.

You know the pernicious counfell which of-chitophel gave to Abfolon $ to got in to his fathers wives, to make an irrecoverable breach betwcene his father and him, judging it fuch an injury, as X><*-vid would never put up, yetnturnetomeejayes God. God can pardon any,/ mil {utter thyfinnts as amyjl, and thine iniquity as a cloud.

Some fins arc (null as myfts, fome more great and groffer,as a cloud. Gods mercy is able to feat-ccr both. Doe not fay, oh I had beeneahappy man,if I had not fallen into this or that finne, I had then beene pardoned. Tis true, that inrefpe&of Gods diflionou*, it had beene better thou hadft not committed it -but yet this I will fay, that in refped of obtaining pardon thou raayeft bee happy notwithstanding : if thou humble thy felfc, this finne will not barre thee from happineflfe 7 but thou maift be in as good a condition after thou art come home as any other whofe finnes have beene fmaller: 2nd know that when thou art once come home, God looking upon thee in Chrift, all thy finnes difpleafe hira not fo much, as thy repentance inand through Chriftpleafethhim.

But how (hall a manbeperfwadedof this Gods ready nefle to forgive i

Confider that place, As 1 live, faith the Lord, 1 j will not the death of a fimer, but rather that hee turne from his mckedneffe and live : Hee hath taken an oath for ir, that hee delights more in faving than in deftroying : and you may believe him. Confider alfo what Chrift was wont to doe in t he dayes of his fle(h: and hee is ftill as mcrcifull an high prieft

as

utllfmnes pardoned to the Humble.

as ever : None were more welcome to him than Publicans and Harlots, that came with repentance to him i and hee is as ready to receive us now as them then.

I doubt not but that Chrift is willing, but what will God the Father do t

It is certaine, that hee is not willing to have his

Sonnes bloud fpilt in vaine, which fhouldbeeof

none effeft if fuch finncrsas you are fhould not bee

faved : Hereby the bloud of Chrift is improved,

that it is fprinkled on many for great finnes. Think

not therefore that God is backward to pardon JfaL

130.3,4. There are two arguments more to helpc

us in this, l/heefhouldmarke what is done amijfe, who

fhould ft and 1 none (hould be faved. Now it is not

his will that all flefh fhould perifti, and therefore he

will not take the advantage to caft men cleane off

for their finncs ? againe, none elfe would worfhip

him. There is mercy with theejhat thou maycjl be fea.

red : It is his full purpofc to have fome fervants to

feare and worfhip him. Yea fhall Igoefurther?

God is not onely ready to forgive a but defirous of

it, yea hee is glad at the heart when a great finner

doth come in: which is noted to us in the Parable

of the lojt Sheepe, andtie loft groat : how did the

woman rejoyce for the finding of her groat, and

the Shepheard for his Sheepe ? And likewife

in the Parable of the loH Sonne, how glad was hee,

when hee heard that his Son was comming home,

that yet had lived riotoufly and fpent his goods <

it was to (hew, that God wasfoaffe&edwhcna

great finner returnes to him. Befides, he doth not

*75

Objefl. Reff.

T 2

All finms pardoned to the Humble

objefl .

Anfr

w,

onely fay, if you will come, Ikecpcopcnhoufe, I will not ihuc you out 5 buc inviteth them, callech them y yea more, fends his minifters to fetch them in 5 yea more, entreatcth, befeecheth, comman-deth,threatneth.

But you will fay, is it poffiblc, that I fhould bee forgiven, that have committed fo many finnes, fo great, fo hainous, and continued fo long in them i

Yes, it is pofiiblefor you, Marke that place, 1 CVr. 6.9. Hee reckons up as great finnes, as can bee named. Andfuehwere feme of you, bntnowjou are wjfied. You fee what kind of people there were forgiven, whence wee may gather, that thofethat are guilty of thofc finnes now may bee forgiven as well as then, fah were f$me efyou. Whofocver thou art, it is no matter whatthouhaft beene ; all the matter is what thou wilt bee. Putcafe, any of the old. Prophets ihould come to thee, or any man in particular, and fay, wilt thoube£content nowtoturneto G o d ? if thou wilt, all thy finnes I fliall bee waflitaway, and thou (halt bee madean] heire of Heaven : it would caufe him that hath any ingenuity, to relent and fay, Lord, canftthou now bee fo mercifull to meess to forgive mee after all this ? loe L o r d , I will come in and turne r.n'othee.

I aske thee this queftion, whether art thou concent to quit all thy finnes prefently upon affurance of being received, if thou doft ? if thou anfwereft no, art thou not worthy to bee deftroyed I if yes, is not this great comfort ?

But

AUfinnes pardoned to the Humble.

But fonac may fay, if heaven gate ftand thus wide open, I may come and be welcome at any time. Thou vile wretch, that dareft to have fuch a thought! Doft thou not know, that every fuch re-fufali of fuch an offer is fo dangerons,as it may put thee into hazard of never having the like againe? If the gate of heaven flood thus alwayes open, why then did God fweare in his wrath of fome if-raclites, thdt they jhouldnever enter into his reft? and what is the reafon that God faid of thofe that were invited to the feaft, but refufed to come, that they (houldnever tafte of it f The reafon is there given, it is faid, the matter of the feaft was full of wrath at the refufall of his offer, both becaufe his love and kindneffe was defpifed: that filleth a man with indignation, and fo the Lord: and alfo becaufe the thing offered was of fo much price 5 it being the kingdome of heaven, and the precious bloudof Chrift, Therefore whenfoever fuch an offer is made and refufed, God is exceeding angry. There goes an axe and a fword with this offer, to cut devone kverj tree th&t mil not bring forth good fruit. Say hot when you heare of this offer, I am glad there is fuch a thing, I will accept of it ano ther time j but it comes too foone for me now. Confiderthis, that the end of the comming of the Lord lefus, wasnotonelytofave thefoulesof men 5 if onely fo,then indeed this might have been done at anytime, evenatthelaft: but his end alfo was, Titus 2.14. Thdt he might purifie to himfelfe a peculiar people , zetlous of good rvorkes , which is a greater end than that which went before in the T3 •■< verfe,

*77

All calamity is from finne.

verfe, to redeeme us from all iniquity, to purchafe to himfclfe a people that fliould ferve him in their life time: and canft thou thinke,that thou that haft ferved thy lufts all thy life time, (halt yet be accepted at death i Ic is a common faying with you, that it a man be called at the eleventh houre, he (hall be received: 'tis true, if thou be eft called then firft, and not before, as the thiefe, who was not call'd afore, was then accepred: bit what if thou haft beenccaUM afore, and haft not accepred, but put off all death < thy cafe then will be exceeding dangerous. Againe, I aske thee, what is fc makes thee refolve to come in at death f If love to Chrift, then it would fooner; if to thy felfe, how (hall fuch a converfion be accepted '.

*&"*&' *£*» *** *$* *£* *g* *£• *£• Come we now to the laft words: And Ilbill bealt their land.

WE have thefe three points may beobfer-ved out of them.

i. Th-xt all Cdlamities and troubles preceed from finne ± this I note from the order of the words: hee firft forgives their finncs, then heales their land.

2. J hat if culmitics be removed^ Andftnnes he not

forgiven ;

-*

AH calamity is from finne.

forgiven j they are removed in judgement , not in merej.

j. That if finne be once forgiven , the calamity

will foone be taken away.

For the firft, all calamity is from finne,troubles from tranfgreffion. In the chaine of evils, finne is the firft linke that drawes oa all the reft 3 as grace is in the chaine of bleflings and comforts* Confi-der this in all kinds of judgements, which we may reduce to three heads.

1. Temporall calamities, about the things of this life, they are all from finne, both "publike and private. What was the reafon of Salomons troubles i The Lord ftirred up an adverfary againft him, becaufc he departed from the Lord, and had fet up idolatry: fo the fword departed not from D^/^houfejbecaufeof his finne with Bathfheba, and the murther of Vriab. So u*fd, 2 Chron. 1 6. the Prophet tels him, Henceforth thou JImU have wane, beemfe thou baft not refied on the Lord. I could give a hundred inftances for this.

2. Sort of judgements are fpirituall, 1 which are much more grievous than the former; when a man is given up to his lufts, and to hardncfiTe of heart: and this proceedeth from fome other finnes that went before 5 and it is a fure rule, that you never feeja man given up to worke uncleannejfe withgreedi-neffe y or to fuch open fcandalous finnes, but the firft rife of it was his unconfcionable walking with God in fecret,as the Apoftk iWiiyes of the Gentiles, Rom. 1.20. to 24. That becaufc when they , _^ T 4 knew

*79

\jSoJ

J\\ calamity is from finne.

t-

knew Cod y they glorified him not as God, God gave thcmuptovileajfetfiovs. So P^/.8. 11,12. But my people would not hearkened Ifrael would none of me: So I gave them up to their ownt hearts lufts, aid they walked in their own counftls. As if he had fa id, I ufcd all the meanes: they ftill refufed, and would none of me, and therefore I gave them up. Seeft thou a man given up to a luft, his heart fo cemented to it, as he cannot live without it f know this is in judgment \ o him for fome unconfcionable walking, before, and not pra&ifing according to his knowledge.

3. There is yet a judgement beyond thefe,when the Lord forfaketh the creature, and withdrawes himfelfe from a mm 3 which though men do little account of, is the fearcfulkft of all others. The loffe of Gods prefence is a lofle un valuable. Take a man that makes wealth or honour his (7^,take that prop from him, and how doth his heart fink within him? hovv much more,when the true God (hall be departed from a man ? that God that is the Godot all comfort, if he be withdrawne, the heart finks into a bottomlefie pit of horrour y as when the Sun is gone, all things run into darknefle. All comfort is from fomemeafure or degree of Gods prefence, though men do not take notice of it $ which when it is taken away, there remaines nothing but horrour and defpaire: when God was departed from Saul, 1 Sam.\6. he from that day ran into one errour after another, in his government, till he yrasdeftroyed 5 andthecaufe of this was finne; he hadcaft off the Lord, and iherforc

the

Ml calamity is from jinne.

iSi

the Lord reje&ed him. The like was Cairns cafe, I Gtn.^. His judgement was, to be banifh'd from! theprefence of the Lord, which he acknowledge eth to be an infupportable punifhment, which he j vvasnotabletobeare.

When any trouble is upon thee, fticknot in the I Vft i rindandbarkof it, butlookethrough it and be-j yoneHt, to the inward root of it $ look to ffnneas the caufe 3 and thou (halt find itfo: it may be the immediate caufeandinftrumentmay be fame outward thing, fomeenemieof thy difgrace, fome ficknefle, &c. but who hath permitted them ro j work? is it not the Lord? and what is the motive of his permiflion but finnc? men may have many feverall motives to do this or that, but nothing moves the Lord but finne and grace. When an enemy comes upon thee, faynor 5 this man is the caufe of this cvill, but the Lord hath ft ffered him to worke 5 and finne hath occafion'd this fuflfering, 2 Chron.ii. 5,7. S'bijhak was but the vioU y through whofe hands God powred out his wrath; fo 1 may fay, ficknefife is but the vhH^ it is the Lords wrath ihatis powred out in it. Amend this common enour, that men are ready to feek out the naturall caufes of the evils that befall them: if it be fick-nefTe,they looktofuch a diftemperindiet^orcold, &c. as the caufe of it: fo if they mifcarry in any enterprize, what folly and overfight hathbeen the caufe of it * Thefe are but the natt>rall and immediate cau(es 5 but Chriftians fhould looke to and feekeouttothefupernaturall. When there came a famine upon the land of Juiah for three yeares,

All calamity is from finne.

2 Sam. n. i. thenaturall caufe was evident, which was a great drought (for that famine was healed by raine afterwards) and fo inthofe hot countries famine came by drought alone,but David refts not here, but went to the Lord, and enquired out the rcafon, the finne thaifliould be the caufe of it: And God told him ic was for the finne of Saul y andhisbloudyhoufe in flaying the Gibe$nites: as wife ftitefmen, when they find a mcane perfon in a treafon, they reft not there, but feeke further what deepe heads was in the bufineffe, and who was the contriver of the plot. When Z^fawthe Angels defcend and afcend, he looks to the top of the lad-- der, and faw the Lord there fending them to and fro. Looke not to the ftay res of the ladder, one or two that are next to thee, bat to the top of the ladder, and there thou (halt fee the Lord fending one Angell to do thee a mifchief,mother to be a Saviour to thee. If you fay, how (hall I know for what finne it is * Pray earneftly, and enquire as David did,and as hjhua did, when he faw the people flie afore their enemies, that God would rc-vealetothee the particular finne; and if thoucanft not find out the particular fin (Tor it may be fome finne long ago committed, or fomc fecret finnejyet be furethat finne is the caufe of it 5 for as in the works of nature, we know the vapours arife out of the earth, and afcend invifibly 3 but come downea-gaine in ftormes and (howers which we are able to fee,and are fenfible of; fo the judgements may be open and manifeft enough, but not the finnes, but fome fecret finne that paft by thee without notice taken is the caufe of it. Learne

All calamity is from finne.

Lcarne hence to fee finne inirsowne colours $1*7* finneisafecretandinvifibleevill, and in icfelfeas abftra&ly considered, is hard to be feene of the beft; therefore looke upon it as it is cloathed wich calamities j and when you view it under tic cloa-thing,you will have another opinion of it than you had before. If you fhould know a man, who, wherefosver hee comes , doth nothing but mif* chiefe, poyfons one, ftabbs another, &'c. and leaves every where fone prints of his villany $ how hatefull and terrible would he be unto you < it is finne that playesall thefe reaks among lis- if finne comeuponaman cloathed \md armed with Gods wrath, as it often doth at d !ath, then it is tt r rible. Why doe we not looke upon it thus at o thertimes, but becaufe we do not behold i: in the fearefull effe&sof it, as then in the wrath due to it we doe < Sinneis the fame at all times elfe, but our fancy is not alwayes the fame, as-the bocy is alwayes the fame, though the fhadow bee greater or leflcr: that which we now count a fmall finne, as fwearing, and petty oaths, will one d: y be terrible; fuch a finne as was committed by A-nAnias and Sapphira would feeme fmall, it may be, to you in it felfe alone, but fee it clca hed wi h that judgement that befell them dying at the Apoftles feet 5 fo fee the finne of ^ihabs oppreffmg ?id~ beth, which you a?ay looke at but as doing a little wrong to a poore man, by a great man; but fee it cloathed with Ah As death, and the dogs licking hisbloud, anditwillappeareto bemoft hainous; fo the prophanenciTe of Nadab and Abibu, offering ft range fire. Lernc,

AH calamity is fr&m finite.

Objcli.

Learne, that if you would remove the crofle,

you rauft remove the finne firft. You may ob-

fervcitindifeafes, that twenty medicines maybe

ufcd 5 end yet if you hit not right upon the caufe of

thedifeafe, thepaticnt is never the better; but if

that be removed, thefymptomesprefently vanifh:

fo when fbmecrofle is upon us, we fet our heads,

and hands, and friends aworke to remove it, but all

invaine, whilft we hit not the caufe, and that is

finne, which whilft it continues, the crofle will

continue.

The reafon why our peace and profperity is entertained with fo many croffes and troubles is, be-caufe our lives are interwoven with fo many fins. The caufe of Gods unevenneffe in his difpenfations of his mercy towards thee, is the unevennefle of thy carriage towards him. Haft thou a health-full body, a fureeftate, many friends? Think not that thefeihallfecure thee: ktAdam inparadife, Salomon in his glory, David on his mountaine, which he thought made ftrong; and you (hall fee Adam , when finne had made a breach upon him once, quickly made mifcrablq and finne bringing in upon Salomon an army of troubles after it; and rpon David in the height, fin bringing in upon him the hazzard of his kingdomc, the rebellion of his fonne: finne in a mans beft eftate makes him mife-rable, and grace in the worft eftate makes a man happy. /W with a good confciencc was happy in prifon, David through faith was happy at Ziglag.

Buc you will fay, how isit^ that calamities thus

follow

All calamity is from finne,

follow upon finne t wefcele no fuch thing; and thus becaufe it is deferred, the hearts of men are fet to do evili.

All this is to be underftood with this caution, that finne when it is perfected, brings forth death , and not till then. God (hyed till Ahab had op-preffed Naboth, and gotten pofTeffion, and then when he wasfeen, God fends themeffageof death to him, What, bsjt thou killed, and alfo taken poffefi on f Thus W^,hewasathiefe whilfthckepnhe bag, and went on in many finnes in Chrifts family, and ChriftJ lets him alone 3 and he goes on till he had betrayed his Mafter 3 and then when his finne was peifeded,and come to its full ripenefFe,then at laft Chrift comes with judgement upon him. There is a certaine period of judgement, and if rhe Lord ftay execution till then, thou halt little caufe to comfort thy (tlk.Ecclef 8. 11, 12. Becaufe fen-tence againft an tvi&workeis not jfieedtly executed, therefore the heart* of men are fet to do evil!: As if the wife man (hould have faicf,. Goe to you, you that have peace, and comfort your felvcs in this, that whatsoever the Word and the Minifters threa-1 ten,yet you feel nothing«yet remember tha't : s foon ; asthefiniseommitted, the fentence goeth forrh v | (&rherfore he ufech the word fentence to exprcfie ! this) though it be not fo fpeedily executed, yet it | goes forth at the fame time with the commiflic n ot' rhe finne. The fertence, you know, is one thing, the execution another5 and many times thereis (and fo may bee here) a long diftance he twixt the fentence of the liidge, <u.d the execution

of

Refp

All calamity is from ftnne.

of it: So as his meaning is, that execution is deferred. Therefore flatter not your felves; fen-tenceis goneforth,and execution will follow.For the amplification of this, that vifion of zasharie feemestomakeit good, Zach. 5. When fwearing and theft had beene commuted, Verfe 3. He Jaw a flyteg roule^ Verfe 2. which Verfe the 3. is interpreted [obctbe curfe that goeth over allthe earthy for him thitftcaletb and fweareth, Verfe 3. which curfe may be upon the wing long ere it feizeth on the prey : but it goes forth as foone as thofe fins were committed, that is, the execution may be deferred: which is there further (hewed in the parable of the Ephah, which fets out (as there) the meafure of the peoples iniquities, for fo, Verfe 8. he fayes, this is wickednefle, which untiil it be filled, hath not the weight of lead laid upon the mouth of it, it being a long while ere God comes to execution, and not till their finnes are full, the plummet of lead being laid; as it fignifies that then their fins are lealed up, with the waight of lead rolled upon them, that none might be loft or forgotten, but God remembers them all: and then hefaw two womenceme> and the wind wot in their wings ,Verfe 9. that is, when their finnes are thus full, and their meafure fealed up, their judgement comes fwiftlylike the wind, and carries it into Shinar, and there this wickednes is fet upon its own bafe, that is, in its proper place, a place of mifery, as hell is faid to be ludas his owne place. Sinnemayfleepe along time, like a fleepingdebt, which isnotcall'd for and demanded for many yeares: but if a man hath not an n acquaintance,

jw^m

Of calamities remoVd in ludgement. I 2 87

acquaintance, the creditor may call for ic in the end J and lay the debtor in prifon. It was forty yeares after Sauls flaying of the Gibeonites ere execution went forth,and vengeance was call'd for it. So laths finne which hee committed in flaying K^ibner ("which was flaying innocent bloudj flept all Da. vidstimc, till Solomon came to the crowne.

Doe not therefore as ill husbands in debt, that

fufter the fuite to runne onfromrearmetoteatme,

till they bee out-law'd, and pay both debts and

I charges, and all. Thy finnes arc a bringing/^///

'damnation, andit\/lumbers not • it is on fooce al

(ready, and will oycrrake thee, and meete at thy jour-

'neyesend, theendof thydsyes. Let it therefore

be thy wifedome to take up the fuite and compound

the matter with God betimes, elfe thou fhalcnot

onely pay the debt and fmart for the finne it felfe,

but for all the time of Gods patience towards thee,

the riches of Gods patience fpent, and beare all the

ar re rages, Rev.i. I gave her /paceto recent , butjhee

repentednot-, God meant to make her pay for all the

time hee gave her to repent in.

The next point from thefe words i > :

That if the calamity bee removed, and the finne bee ! DoU, not healed, it is never removed in mercy, but m judgement. .

Hee doth herepromife firft to forgive the finne, and then to heale the Land ; fo as if hee ihould have healed the Land without forgiveneflTe, ic had beene no mercy.

Becaufe

Retf. *.\

Rcaf.

rfi.

Of c alamities remoVdin Judgement. ,

Becaufe finnc is worfc than any croflewhatfoe-

Iver. If therefore hee cakes away thecroffe, and

I leaves the finne behind, it is a figne thou arc a man

whom che Lord haces. When a Phyfician cakes

I away the medicine, and leaves che difeafe uncured,

1 it is a figne the parties cafe is defperate; or that the j

Phyfician meanes to let him perilh.

Becaufc che Lord doth nothing in vaine; if ther-fore an affli&ion doth a man no good, it muft needs do him hurc 5 for that which doth neither good nor hurt, muft needs bee in vaine. That was a property of the Idols of the Heathens ( which are called the vanities of the Heathen,) that they did neither good nor hart : And fuch fhould Gods adions bee. Therefore if the croflc doth a man no good by hea ling his linne, it muft needs dd him hurt. You will aske what hurt i It doth ddificarc ad Gchennam : builds thee up to deftrudion. If you faw a cor-rafive applycdto theliveflefhandtoeatcoutthat; and not the dead, you would fay it were applyec for hurt: Soifyoufecanaffli&ionthatworkesup-, on the live fle(h,that wounds thetheart with forrow ; but takes not away the fin, fuch a crofle you woulc \ reckon not the medicine of a friend 3 but the wounc of an enemy.

By this thou maieft judge of [thine eftate, and ol Gods love to thee, by the iffuc of thine affli&ions Tis true, that all kinds of croffes fall alike to all fickneffepovcrty, &c. upon the godly and the wic ked 5 the difference is onely in the iffue : The fami Sunne fliines upon all, bur it hardens one, and itfof tens another $ and the fame-winde blowes upon all

bu

Of calamities remoVd in hJgement.

uciccamcthone Ship into an H wen, and daflieth nochcr againft a rock. Confider therefore whe-ner thy afflictions brings thee home to the Lord, r whether it drives thee from the Lord upon the ockes. Tis a common obfervation,that when phy-'.cke works nor, you fay the partie is mbrtally lick: io when afflictions workenot, it is a figne hee is a lan of death. If, as CMttt.y. Hee that takes not Io admonition from his brother, is defperately wic-'ed, either as a Swine to trample on it, or as a Dog o devour: How much more, when a man is admo-ii(hed by God himfelfe, and is worfe after it ? ^ow every affii&ion is an admonition from the Lord. In the fifth of JB/aj when God had pruned lis vineyard, and it did it no good $ it was then at he next doore to deftru<3ion, and laying waft. If hercforc thou haft had fomc great affii&ion, and low it is off y thinke with thy felfe what profit and jood came to thee by it. Did it come from Gods providence, or not? if it did, there was lbmthing he ntcnded,and which it did imtiraate to thee: If thou ;hen didft I uffcr it to pafle by without raking any notice of Codin it,or if thou didft 3 yet art not reclamed, God muft needs bee exceedingly provoked, he will fuffer the tree to ftand one yeare or fo,tofeeifit will bring forth fruit, but if it doth not, then fay es, cutitdowne.

There are certaine times wherein the L o & d by affli&ion, fhewes himfelfe (as it were J to a man, makes apparitions, fo as a man may grope after him and feele him, and take notice what hee would have. If fuch pafle away,and no good is done, it is

V no

Sin removed, calamity removed.

no prefagc of health , as is that fickneffe which comes by phyficke,but of deftru&ion $ 'tis but as a drop of wrath fore-running the great ftorme, a cracke fore-running the ruine of the whole buil-] ding. Seekcnot therefore indiftreflfe, fo much to have the crofle removed, asthefiane, lames i.Rg. Joyce, faics the Apoftle, when you fad into furJr) tent attorn; which he would not have faid, if healing the finne had not beene the greater mercy,than the injuring the affl <S:on is grievous and dolorous, and if thou haft an affli&ion on thee, fay, 'cis beft,I will be content to indure it ftill, for God means me good by it: on the contrary, if thou lafheftout, and yet art in health and profperity, &c and thy finnes ftill continue, but thou art not affii&ed, and God fuffers thee to thrive in finne; it is a figne God will deftroy thee, that heleaves thee waft asa vineyard, to bee over-growne with briars and thornes.

Dolt.y

Reaf. i

And the laft do&tineis,

That, take away the finne> the crojfe wiUfureljfA low, and be taken away alfo : either it,or the fting o it; fo as it (hall be as good as no crofTc. An affli (fiion confifts not in the bulke of it, but in the bur then. What is a ferpent without a fting < what i a great bulk, if it have no waight < God can C fafhion the heart, asthatit fliall not feelethebui den of it.

i. Becaufecroffesdocomefor finne. Indeeci fame are not for finne,but for triall, for the conti mation of the Gofpell; fome for the glory <

Goi

'■

Sin removed, calamity removed,

"

Reafi

Jod, as that blindnefle in the blind man 5 fome or trial! onely, as Abrahams offering up his fohne, ec for the moft part they come from finne.

2. God never affii&s bur for our profic: fofays ie Apoftle, Heb. i2. Our fathers after the flejb cor. ?<5W**,notalwayes for our profit but they out f paflion oftentimes; but, He fir our profit: Now hen he hath thereby made us partakers of his olinefTe, and fo we have ceafed from finne, then e will ceafe to affli<5L

It was otherwife (you will fay) with Davld:his nne was forgiven, as Nathan told him, and yetrhe rofle was not removed, for his ehild died, and the vord departed not from his houfe.

There is an exception in thefe two cafes.

1. Offcandall, when the name of Godisblaf-4iemed: then though he forgive the finne, yet he bay go on to punifli for his names fake. I 2. When wearenot throughly humbled : for leremaybe true repentance, when our ilufts are ot enough mortified: God doth it, that the heart by bethemoreclcanfed. Thus David Pfal. 51. riesoutofhis broken bones , and why 1 his heart rie fayes ) was not cleanfed, and therefore he rayes for a cleane heart and a right (pirit.

This affords matter of comfort. When any tdgement is upon us, we are apt to thinke we fhall ever be rid of it: but if thou canft get but thy j -art humbled, and thy lufts mortified, God will j kc away the Crofle. It is our fault to fay, when e are affli&ed, that we fhall never fee better dales: hyfo? is not God able to remove it? and if the

V 2 finne

2pi

objetf*

Jnfo.l

Vfe.

xyi

Sin removed, calamity removed,

FINIS.

finneberemoved, he will be willing alfo. No man

isinanhard cafe, but he that hathan hard heart:

we are apt to think in all conditions,that what is at

prefent, will alwaies continue; if we be in profpe

rity, we are apt to think as they in the Prophet,that

to morrow will be a* to day, and much wort abundant.

foifinaffliftion,tofayalfo, that as it is to day, it

mUbe to morrow, and fo for ever, B Jt know, t hit if

you humble your felves, and turns from the evil!

wayes, God will take away the calamity. There

is an excellent place for this, i Pet 5 6 Hnmkli

pur felves under the might) hand of God, a»dhejb*L

exalt you in due time. When a man is humbled by

God, kr him humble himfelfe, and then God vvi"

exalt him y that is the due time, and he will no!

(lay one jot longer. And that which I fry of pn

fent affliction, I fay alfo of crofTes for the future

wh : ch you may feare,that your finnes will bang;

That if foa humble yotw felves, and turn e from

your cv;ll wayes. Gad mil bt mcrctfuU

^

CHURCHES

MARRIAGE;

0.%

DIG NIT IE-

DELIVERED IN SVNDRY

Sermons at Lincolnes Line. .

Ify the late learned/und reyerend ( Divine > IOHN PRESTON,

D r .in Divinity, Chaplaine inordinary to His MajeJIj,

M r . of Emanuel v oil edge in Cambridge, and

fomtime Preacher at Lincolnes Inne.

Ho s. 2. 19.

/ mil betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteoufneffe, and in judgement, and in loving kjndneffe, and in I mercies.

IS A. 54. 5.

For thy maimer is thy husband ; the Lord of hofts is his name.

LONDON,

Printed by 1^ Badger for 2^. Bourne at the Roy all Exchange^ and

A. 'Boler at the Marigold in P a u l s Church-yard , and

R.Harford2X the gilt Bible in Jgueenes-head

CHVRCHES

MARRIAGE-

Ephe $. 5.32. This is a great myfterie, but I ft eake concerning Chrift and concerning the Church*

H E point out of thefe words is this, that,

There is a match between Chrift and the church:and confequently, betweene Chrift and every parti-cnlarman that is a member of the true body of *^^2P$ Chrift; this is the great Myftene the Apoftle tells us of in this place. To open which, let us confider wherein this match con(ifteth,what fi* militude it bath with the I ordinary marriage whichisbetweenea man and his wife here upon earth, it confifteth in thefe five things.

A a Firfb

TheQburcbes Marriage,

I.

Fir ft, as in marriage there muft be confentof the parents, fo here, the Father hath given bis Sonne to us, and likewifehcehath given us to che Sonne wherein wee are to confider the great meTcy of God that hec would beftow his owne Sonne upon us,which is the reafon why the A port le faith in Efhef. i. Bleffedbe God, even the Father of our Lord lefts Ckrift, that hath blejjed w with aUffu rituall bleffings in heavenly things in Chrifl, that is^ that hath givenus his owne Sonne, and with him all things elfe,and Him likewife/>r«*, when wee . were ea ft away men. That thus he fbould give us 1 to his Sonne,and match us with him, tharis the j fir ft thing.

The fecond thing in marriage, is the mutuall confentof the parties thcmfelves that are to match together, wherein we are in the firftpface to confider, the confent of the Sonne, the Hus-£W,bccaufe we know that the man is the fuitor, he begins, and if hee had not , who could have knowne the mind of thtLerd Itfus ,that he would match fo lo'tfe, that he would match with finfult duftandafnes, except himfelfc had declared it, his Church feckes not firft to bifn , notbecaufc modefty forbids it,but becaufeftie knew no fuch thing , that there was fuch an Husband for her-, (lie indeed had moft need to feeke,becaufe fl>ec flood in need of fuch an Husband, Chrift matches with her, not for any need he had of a wife, butonely fortheneed his wife had of him. Now his Father from eternity had ordained this Wife for his Sonne, and therefore hee muft have her,

and

^

'The Qhurches Marriage,

and he could have noother. Therefore, firft fee if the Sonne be willing, for this he hath declared it plainely in his Word, We are Ambafidors^ faith the Apoftle, 2 Cor. j.befeechingyou in Chriftsftead, to be reconciled to God, and in Matth. 1 2. you fee, all were invited to the Marriage , and ali thofe fpee. ches 5 Goepreach the Goffcllto every creature under heaven , and Come unto me all ye that are votary and heavy laden : and that in Rev. 21. Let whofoever mil come •, this I fay, declares the confent of the Son that he is willing.

Now, fecondly for our confent, we have that wrought by the holy Ghoft, by a double workc.

One isa workeof the holy Ghoft, difcovering to us the thraldome,and bondage, the death and danger wherin we are, and alfo difcovering to us our owne finfulneffe, which is ncceflary, becaufe a man is ready to be conceited of himfelfe, and fo is fomewhat coy,and unwilling to yeeld to the fuit of Chrift, but when the holy Ghoft hath fliewedamanwhatheis, that he is fuch a one as he never thought himfelfe to be ,hee then begins to thinke, that hee is unworthy that the Lord fhould vouchfafe him fo much favour s hee is ready to fay as Abigaile faid to J>amd^ when fhc was fpoken to, to be his wife, Lord what am I that thou fhouldcft fo fane refpeft me ? Let thy hand, maidvafb the feet of my Lords fervants, lam worthy ofno better office 5 1 fay this is one workeofthe holy Ghoft, thus to prepare us to this match.

The other is to prcfent Chrift unto us, and to fit him above all the world for us in our apprehen-

Aa 2 fions,.

i Cor.f.

Match.st.

Revel. »i.

I —

Yhe Qhurchcs Marriage,

fionvvb icil is done ' D y llie vv ° rk °^ e ' lol ' V Ghoft manitellingChrift, and his beauty- when Chriil

comes co joyne our love, heeisfainc to ufe his

skill to joyne us: and all that wee can doe co fct

himar, is nothing, except the holy Ghott (hew.

von Jefus Chnft,and except withall, hee make

a fecret impreffion upon thchcart, except therid

be a fecret inftu a wrought in us, canfing us to'

long after Chrift, wefh.all never bringour hearts

to confent to this Marriage. Now therefore 3 as

there goes a fecret vertue from the Load-ftonCy

that makes a fecret impreffion upon the iron , and

when that is done, the iron refts not, but drawes-

neare to the Loade-ftone,fo the holy Ghoft that

is fent from the Father, m^es an impreffion upon

our (pints, that wee have no reft till wee obtaine

Chnft.. This is called in Scripture, a Drawing to>

Cbrift ; None comes to me except the Father draw bim^

that is 5 except the Father worke powerfully upon

him , and make him willing to come: for that is j

the meaning of drawing, when the Lord turnes

as it were the will of a L ion, makes him a Lamb,

when he gives another will.

This confent muft not be mentall onely,kept

within the breaft, but there muft be an expreflion

of this confent, and it is in atnutuall covenant;

fothen the third thing is the Covenant betweene

Chrift and us which is an everlafting covenant

on both fides, an everlafting covenant on Chrifts

parttobeou's, tobeftowhimfelfe on us and all

that is his, whether falvation ,remiflion of finnes,

fanftification, glory, his death, obedience, all'

he

The Churches Marriage.

he did or is, all is ours : andagaine, a covenant on our parr, to give up our felves to him, and this for ever j and all that is ours: as our finnes are made his, fo all the good we receive from him, we promife toimploy to his fervice. Now, this is but as the Efpoufals*

The fourth is that unUn that followes upon this, and the folemne celebration of the Marriage which is done in baptifme, when you were asked this queftion, even as it is in ordinary marriage, Will you have this man to your wedded husband, will you take him for better and for wor/e, will you be content to renounce all others and to be alone to him, toferve and obey him ? fo in Baptifme it was ask't, Will you be content to deny ungodlincfTe, and worldly lufts, to renounce the world , the flefhandthe Devill,&c, When men were of riper yteres and converted, this was anfwered to by word of mouth from the party himfelfc, and now when you are baptized young, it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are under-age , which when they come to age they ufe not to difavow, but are obliged to confirme it: of that force is Baptifme unto us. This I fay, is the folemnizing as it were of the nuptials betweene Chriftand us, when we are baptized into his Name, when wee leave the former name that wee had before as a wife doth; wee forfake father and mother and cleave to him, fo that a man is no more Sui juris , but is given up to this Husband, to live after his will, to be fubjeft to him in all things, and take A a 3 him

6 The Qhurches Marriage,

him even as he taketh us 5 he takes us to keepe us inficknefTe and in health, nottocaftusoff, not. withftanding our infirmities , but to keepe to us and communicate himfelfe alone to us, and not to reprobate men caft off; fo wee take him with all crofles andaffli&ions, that attend the profeffionofhim, to follow him through thicke

and chinne, as well in adverfity as in profperity, and to keepe the foule chaft to him, and not to proftitute it to any luft or any creature.

Thelaft, is the confequents of this Marriage and union, we have part in his goods, whatfoever is his, is ours, and ours is made his, our debts are made his, and againe, all his honours and riches, and privilcdgesare made ours, there is an union betweene the parties, My Belwtiismine^ni Ism his , and then we haveintereft in all that is his.

Welcome now to apply* this, and make fomc ufeofit.

Fitft, if there be fuch a match, betweene Chrift and every beleever, fo that no man is partaker of any thing that is Chrifts, except he hath him firft* then take heed of applying the benefits of Chrift prepofteroufly to thy felfe,for except thou have him firft, it is but* vaine conceit to thinke any thing of his belongs to thee, to thinke of re-miifion offinnes and adoption, and all the privi-ledges, and .to apply them to thy felfe, and to think when thou art but once perfwaded of it, to thinke fo, that they are prefently thine 5 I fay, this is but a meare dreame and conceit, except thou be married to Chrift, that •thou have the

Lord

^

The Qhurches Marriage.

Lord himfelfe, thou haft nothing to doe with any thing that is his, He that bath the Sonne hath life, and all things pertaining to life and GodlinefTe, buthee that hath not the Sonne, hath nothing, neither life, nor any thing elfe. Therefore that you be not deceived, you muft look on this as the ground of all your comfort, am I married to Chrift > Is the match made betweene me and him ? if it bee not, know that whatfoever thou thinkeft of for-givenefleof iinnes, of any blefling, fptrituall or temporall that it is thine, thou doit but deceive thy felfe therein with vainewords,it is not thy per-fwafion that makes the match, this is a point of great weight, therefore examine thy fclfe ftri&ly herein.

You will fay,how (hall I know it ?

I anfwer, youfhall know it by this.

Firft, confider whether thou havefhe confent of the Son: for that is the firft thing^as was faid,thou muft confider, whether the Sonne have given his confent or no: Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his confent ,but docft thou beleeve that > haft thou applied this word to thy felf ? there are two things which beare record with the Sonne that he is willing to match with us,and that is the Word and the Spirit: and confider if borh have come home to thy heart yea or no, to teft ifie this.

Firft, I fay, Chrift he hath declared his will to match with us in his word: for though there bee no particular promife to fohn or Thomas, or to any particular man, to fay -Chrift is willing to marry

A a 4 thee J

Quefl.

Anfw-

8 TA* Churches Marriage.

thec,vet there is the generall that includes the particular, as vvc find the fabftancc of this generall , jillthAtreceivt him fbdll tee faved^ then.faycs the Soulc, but I am one that am contained under this generall, this generall fpeakes to meas'well, and that as fuxly and ascertained, as ifaMeffenger were fent from heaven to affure me that the Son is willing to match with me, for thou muft lookc what ground thy faith hath had, whether thou diift find fuch a word as this, and whether thou canftapplyitto thy felfe, and haft laid hold up«i on it, and by reftingon it, haft put thy feale toit, 1 that God is true in fuch a fpeech as this: For you muft know my beloved, that Faith muft have a wcrd, that is the proper objeft of Faith/for if Faith had nothing clfc for its objed but a perfwa-fion,orfancyofourowne, faith were but a weak thing, for ic^ould alter according to the obje& and ground upon which it is pitched: now a mans owne opinion it is changeable, and mutable, but therfore we arefaid to be rooted and grounded in faith becaufe it hath a fure foundation, there is a rocke for faith to be built on, which the gates of Hell cannot prevaileagainft: now the rock upon which faith is built, it is the word of God, fo that that faith, wherby thoubeleeveft thou art juftified,that thou art grafted into Chrift, that thou art matched with him 3 thathe is become thy Husband, I fay even that faith of thine muft have a word of God to be grounded upon, thou muft find fomething intheWord that muft teftifie to thee that Chrift is vvillingto match with thee, for you know there is

nc

The Churches Marriage. p

no match without mutuall confent, and therefore thciirft thing when thou commeft to bee married to him, is tokrow^tliat there is fuch a match, and that the Sonne is willing to match with thee.

Now ho.v fhould any man in the world knovv thatjexcept he declare himfelfe? and how cmft thou know he hath declared it, but from fome word, from fomewhat that he hath revealed in the Scripture, to which all thofe places that I named before doe ferve T Goe preach the Gofpefftvnery creature undeihca.vcn } and Come unto mealljee that are wary and heavy layden y &c. and me are Ambajfaders befeeching you to be reconciled. Thefe an i the like arc the fure Word of God upon which thy faith muft be grounded, fo that thou commeft to fay thus to thy felfe, well, whatfoever come of it 3 I am fure there is a corner Jfone i on which nhofoever is built ^fhal/not be ashamed nor deceived, I am fure of it from a word that the Lord hath confirmed with a feale, and with an oath ; and therefore I reft upoii it. And it is not a bare word, that Chrift hath given toaffure us of this> which is a figne it is a hard thingforustobeleeveit, it isnoeafy thing, for there is added to the word a feale,and it is confirmed with an oath, fothen that is the firft thing thou art to confider,whether thy faith hath beene pitcht upon fom fuch word,and whether thou haft applied that word to thy felfe or no.

In the next place befide this word, there is a witneffe from the fpirit,thereisa wondrous work of the Holy Ghoft, which faith to a wans hearty bee ofgood comfort, feare not , I am thy falvation* If you

fay

The Churches Marriage,

Anfa-

Qutft.

fay to me what needs the witnefTe of the fpirit? is not the word enough ? if Chrift declare himfelfe fo farre that in plaine tearmes bee is willing to match with us, what need the fpeciall witnefleof the Holy Ghoft?

Ianfwer,there isvery great need of it, becaufe the Word of it felfe is not able to comfort , and quicken and releeve us, it is not able to beget in us peace, and joy, andrighteoufneffe, but it is even like a dead letter, it is a cold dead thing, able to doe nothing with the heart of man without the Spirit f thiswefindby experience,the cleared argu-ments,and the moft comfortable that the Scripture ufeth to comfort a man indiftrefle that hath his Confcience troubled with the apprehenubn of his fin, and of Gods wrath, they are all nothing till it pleafe God to fend hisowne Spirit tobeare witnefTe to a mans fpirit.

You will fay, what is this witnefTe of the Spirit^

I anfwer, it is a certaine divine exprcflion of Chrift to the foule 9 whereby a man is fecretly af-furcd without any argument or reafon, that he is his falvation.-foryou muftknow, that there are indeed two things befides that confirmc this truth to us, that is, the ground wee have in the Word, and the efFe&s and fruits of fan&ificati-on 3 butboththefedoeitby way of argument, for when a man argueth thus, I fee this general] propofition, All that believe fhall befaved, but I am one that believe, therefore I am one that am contained under the gencrall pardon 3 this I fay,

is

»■ ■ I I ■■ ■ ■

The Cbur ches Marriage. 11

is by way of argument. Soagaine, Ifindeinmy felfe the fruits and effe&s of ian&ification, and I am fure none are fan&ified , but they are alfo ju-ftificd 5 and they have received the Spirit of Chrift, therefore I know I am one that belongs to him, all this is but the witnefle of our owne fpirits, forthefeare but colle&ions, that our owne fpirits gather as a conclufion from the premifles) but now the witnefle of the Spirit, the witneffeof the holy Ghoft, itisa difttnft thing from this, therefore Rom. 8,1 6* it is faid, to witnefle together rith eur ffirits , and therefore is a diftind witnefle from our fpirits, that indeed witnefleth the fame things, but the witnefle is diftinft from that of our owne fpirit, and that is without any argument or reafon at all, beinga fecret manifeftation made to the foule, whereby we are comforted and allured, that ourfinnesare forgiven, and that Chrift is willing to match with us. Now confider if thou wouldeft know whether thou be one that is matched with Jefus Chrift, whether thou have this double witnefle or no, of the Word and of the S pirit.

You will fay, hath every one this fecret tefti-moniev

I anfwer, that every one hath it in fome degree, more or lefle, for that fame in Ro. 8. \6Jhe Sprit mtnejfetb with our fpirits,is a general prop©fition,it concernes all beleevers, even with every mans fpirit, the holy Ghoft beares witnefle, but then we muft take the words in the right fenfe • It is true, in fome theSpirit fpeaks moreevidently and audi-

L bl y>

gjitft.

Anfa m

12 Tl r Marriage.

I bly 5 with joy unfpc *>he

:e bright and :>, and fuch :po-rare, fpecial] f commor.-v rfw (bmc great humiliation or :o prepare us it enter-

all conflict, they are even at ikrshsm , and Iscif^ an&Pstli m OC a ^ J. 11. Beifgndc—rAgt pud, thu muft vitntfe sfmc *; Rme* &c m fo when he vras at Corinth, Ps%l be of good comfort* 1 am with! Uhoe.^8, iS.;. AH the . vereonfpeciall ocoJ I uy d 5 ipeciall rritnef-

> of the h?Iy'Gboft,when the holy Ghoft fpeaH mi theft are difpenfed to us accoiJ j to the good pleafure of God, and commo*. :r fome fpecUU purpoie : n eryonc h*:r rhJskindofteftimo. :: h Co much witneflc from the : *> doth wit,that Cbrift

neb nth: iTijthachehathormay haveint: i, and in all the pr

v, every one hath more or left,

eciall degrees of the e idem

fpeak Dg >f the holy G :.:,.; re difpenfed but to

Tocec itbaveitbat for a fpeciall

time .-this . ^.

The fecocd thing thou art to enquire into (if thou wouldeftknowr lftherebeany iuch match, between;: Chri I 1 > 23d thee, ) what thy otrnc confent hath beene and is, which herein is noci~

Drds

The Churches Marriage. i]

words onely, but is given then, when thy heart and affe&ions doc, or can make this anfwer, that thou art willing to match with the 1 ord Jefus, & this I give as a fi^ne to examine tby heart by^ for it is not in the power of any man living to bring his heart to this content, nor is any creature able to doe it D you may as well bring fire and water to agree together, as to bring the heart of a natural! man to be willing to match with the Lord 5 but it is a Tpcciall worke of the holy Ghoft, that muft mouldthefpiritanew, andbreakeall in pieces, and caft thee into a new frame, that muft make thee willing tocome intofonearea Communion with the Lord Jefus 3 for oi)r fpirits arequitecontrary to it.

Onely concerning this, take this caution, that it is Rot fo much what thou art willing to fay in any cafe or condition, for it may be a man may be willing fometimes to match out of feare, or hope, or out of fome by refpeft, I fay y he may be willing to doe any thing -and to be married to Jefus Chrift, but it is another thing when a man can fay, that it is the inward bent of his will, to have it done, it is the bent of his inward affe&i-on, the ftreame of them runnes that way, this muft be wrought by the holy Ghoft. And take heed thou be not deceived in it, for there are many unfound and falfe conceits, fome there are that ■ are willing to match with Jefus Chrift, when i they are in extremity, when they are on their j death-bed, when they know not how to fhift for j themfelvcs, but alas, fuch a confentis farre off ' from

i^ The Churches Marriage.

from being a right confent, there is no free dome in this confent, that contrad that is made tho-row threatning, it is but a compelled and con. ftrained confent, this is not that which thou canft J ground on, and yet this is a frequent thing, when men are in ftraits, that they know not what to do, then they are willing to match with Chrift. Be-fides it maybe a man is willing to match with Jefus Chrift for a time, to fcrve him for a fit, for a moneth or a yeere,but art thou willing to make an evelafting Covenant with him, you know that fuch a Covenant is required in Marriage*, that women give up themfelves to their husbands (b long as they live together. Now ordinarily when a man confiders this ferioufly, What, muft I forfake my pleafure for ever ? muft I live to Jefus Chrift, and no more to my felfe ? muft I beftow all my time upon him, and have no more liberty? hereamanmakesaftand , he is not willing to make fuch a Covenant with him, fuch an everlafting Covenant; therfore confider whether thy confent be for perpetuity. Moreover, it may be thou art willing to match with him iafome good mood, when thou art in a good fit, but that may be but a flafti. There are many that for a fie in fome good mood , when their hearts are wrought on, by fome powerful 1 preaching of the Word, or fome tranfeient aftion of the holy Ghoft they arc willing to match with Jefias Chrift, but this holds nor.

Befides againe, many are willing to match with Chrift hereafter, but they are not content to doe

The Churches Marriage. \%

it tor the prefent, but you know it is eflentiall to the Marriage Covenant, that it be in verbis Aeyrt-fenti, for the prefent, that is, I doe take this man for my wedded husbandj&c* not that I promife I will y but that I am willing atthis time, to give up my felfe tohi m, this prefent refining of tfnes felfe • this is the confent that makes the Marriage. But that we may (hew all thefe falfecon-fents, I will runne thorow them bricfely.

Firftj there is in fome an errour concerning the perfon, when men are ready to take Jefus Ghrift, and yet doe notconccive aright of him. Whereas the Lord hath dealt plainely with us, as if hce meant not to circumvent us 5 and tells every man afore-hand , that ifhee will match with hirn^ hee muft make account to take up his Crofle, and deny himfelfe, he muft make account to be wholly to him. Now, when a man lookeson Chrift.<,and conceives him under another notion, and ttiinke he fhall live at other kinde of life more free and loofe, and tliinlces this ftri&neffe is not required athis hands by Ctuift, row there is an errour in the perfbn, and that makes the Marriage fru-ftrate; therefore take heed you be not deceived in this, for thou muft know this, that when thou art once married to the Lord, then thy will muft be fubjeft to his will, thou muft be content to obey him in all things, thou muft be content to forgoe all, and refine up thy felfe to him, and live no longer to thy felfe but to him.

Ycr v there is another errour, that commonly tunnes along with mens son feat when it is not

ngto,

6 The Churches Marriage.

I righr, which is,whenaman is not willing to take the Lord alone, but joynes others with him, when a man will fo match with Jefus Chrift, that he feekes other things too, when he will feeke ho-nours'with him , and feeke wealth, and feeke the pleafures of this world. Now, if thou match with Chrift, know this, that thou muft be content with him alone, thou muft not joyne pleafures, and Chrift together, thou muft notjoyne cove-toufnefle, and him together, thou muft not feeke praife with men, and thinke to match with Je-fus Chrift, thou muft be content tobedivorced from all other things and be to him alone, and take heed, that this deceive thee not.j

And laftlyconfider, whether this confent that thou give, be a perfed confent 5 for there is a cer-taine imperfeft confent that deceives many,when a man hath (as I may fo fpeake) a kind of wambling that way, but it doth notboyle up to that full height of refolution , when a man makes fome kind of offer, he makes well towards it, but he doth not fully refolve to match with the Lord Jcftis, andthisisthat, that excludes many from this match, that, though they have a kindeof willingnefTe and vclleity , yet it doth not come to a fixed 5 folid, peremptory refolution. Now, you muft know this , that whofoever matcheth with Jefus Chrift, muft be fo fully refolved>that he muft befhookeoffagaine with nothing : this refolution when it is impeded and by halves, when thou doubteft whether thou fhouldeft doe it or no 5 this is a confent that is not accepted, all

this

^

The Churches Marriage. i y

this while there is an errour on thy part, this is the iecond thing to beconfidered, asthoumuft confider whether thou beleeveft the confent of \ Jeibs Chrift, fo I fay in the fecond place, if thou j vvouldeft know whether there be a match be-I tweene Jefus Chrift and thee, confider what thy o* nc confent is,and take heed thou be not deceived in it.

Thirdly, to know whether there be a match betweene the Lord and thee, confider whether there be an union made betweene you and him: now, this union with Chrift, it is not meerelya reIativcunion,fuchasis betweene husbands and wives, but befides this, there is a reall union, when Chrift fends his Spirit into the heart* therefore thou muft confider, whether thou have the Spirit of thy Husband dwelling in thee or no, for except thou have the holy Ghoft to dwell in thy heart, it is impoifible that there fhould be any match, for there will be alwayes jarres an*d diffentions betweene you , when thou haft the fame Spirit, then there is the fame will, the fame defires, you love and hate the fame things. therefore in confidering, whether there be amatch or no, this is a great thing, it will not deceive you, confider whether thou have the Spirit of thy husband. I find that the Apoftlein all his Epi-ftles, he takes this as the lure argument toper-fwadehimfelfeand others, that they were grafted into Chrift, that they bad received the ear -| neft of the Spirit, I need not name to you particular places, they are fo exceeding frequent. // B b any

18 The Qhurches Marriage

any wan have not the Spirit of Chrift, bee is not his. Zom. 8.but if you-have the Spirit, you are fure you have the Sonne. Confider therefore, whether you have this Spirit in you or no, whether thon walke according to the Spirit or the flefh, guided and led by the Spirit of Chrift in all, for that is the way to know if thou have the Spirit, A man may walke after the vanitie of hisowne heart, A man may walke after the vanity of his owne mlnd,whenyethehath fome good motions and good defires y fo that if thou wouldeft try thy felfe, whether thou haft the holy Ghoft, the Spirit of thy Husband, thou fhalt find it by thy con> | ftant courfe, as you have it^Gal.^Jfyou have tbefti-|f/f, live in the Spirit^ that is, confider what thine | ordinary courfe is, whether thou be guided by the | HolyGhoftorno.

To knoT whether this fpirit dwell in us or no, we muft not take it upon conceit and fancy, but you fhall find it by reall and fure eflfe&s. If you j have the fpirit, he will be as fire in you, / mil Bap-I tiz>t)oy with the Holy Ghoft ^ and nithfire^ that is, the j Holy Ghoft fhall be as fire ; now the nature of fire [ is, to difcover it felfe were it is* If the Spirit be in [ ! thee, he will be as the Pilot in thefhip, Heewillj dired thy courfe, and buildup the kingdome of! : Chrift in thy heart,that is the third thing, confi-1 der whether thou have the Spirit of the Sonne.

Fourthly, if thou wouldeft know whether Chrift have matched vvirh thee, then be fure of this, that \hebatkwafbed thee from thy filthineJTe^ looke to that that as another mark wherby thou maift difcerne j

it: For though Iefas Chrift marry thcc when thou art in thy bloud , yet when thou art married once, he fuffers thee not to continue fc, but lie will clenfeand wafh thee from it,as we fee in this Chapter, the Apoftle exhorts Husbands to love their wives , us Chrift loved the Churchy and gaze hm-felfeforit y that he might fantlifie, and cleanfe it vcith the wafting of water^ by the voord^ that he might pre-fent it tohimfelfa glorious Church not having spot ortvrinckle>or any fuch thing, but that it (hould bee holy without blemijh $ marke it, when Chrift hath married thee, hisendis,toprefent thee pure, to wafh thee. Now confider whether thou find thy felfe deanfed from thy filthinefTe, and from all filthinefTe, for when he wafheth any, hee wafheth them from top to toe, though not fully in refpeft of degrees, yet he fuffers not any fpot or wrinckle, toremaineconftantly upon them. For the meaning is, not that this wafhingis perfe&ed fud-dainly^but when we cometo heaven, there fhal not be the lead wrinkle at all: but notwithftanding he {o wafheth them here, that there is no fpot re-tnaines, that is, they allow not themfelves in any finne, that they wallow not in any puddle, he fo clenfeth them from every finne, that it doth not abide there, a beleever is ftill purifying himfelfe, though he be ftill defi 'ed ; therefore confider with thy felfe, whether Chrift have thus denfed thee from al pollution of flefh and fpirit.Befide in this waftiing, he doth no: onely clenfe thee from all outward defilements, but he will wafh thee from thy filthy nature, not/onely from the outward Bb 2 ftaynes

lO

^Ihe Qhwches Marriage,

ftaynes,but from thac fwynifn nature: for though a Swine be wafhed cleane, if (bee retaine her na* turc (he will be ready to fall into the next puddle, (be meets with 5 but now when Chrift wafheth his Church,he wafheth them from the filthineffe of their n ature, even every man whom hee wafheth: Therefore confider if thou find this purifying of the Holy Gboft orno • for whofoever is waihed by Chrift, there is a certaine fimplicity and plain-nefle of heart, that though he fall into finne, yet his heart is upright with Chrift, as wee fee in 2. Cor. 11.3. 4. / *w» iealous over you with a godly tea-Uuf% for I have preparedyoufor one husband, toprefent yon a pure Virgin to Chrift, I feare leaft as the ferpent beguiled Eve y fo yourminds(houldbee corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift. Marke, the Apoftfe fpeakes of the Church, as it is in this life, my endeavour isto prefent you as a Virgin, what is that? that you bee not corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift, but that you may have a plaine heart, that hath no deceit, that there be not a dou-ble mind. Chrift fo farre clenfeth,that the heart is upright in every thing, therefore by that thou fhalt know whether thou bee wafhed or no, for though lefus Chrift marry us when we are Ethiopians, yet when he hath married us, he puts a beauty upon us.Confider whether this beauty be put or thee orno, whether thou bee fo wafhed fromthj filthineffe ; that there doth a new beauty appeare that that naturall blackneffe of th ine bee removed throughout: indeed it ; s removed but in partfoi degrees, but yet there is a general!, through on t re moving of it all Over. Laftly

The Churches Marriage*

zi

Laftly, if thou wouldeft know whether thou be matched or no with him, confider whether thou have the wedding garment. In Matth. 22. and Luke 14, you fhall finds the parable of the King inviting men to the marriage of his fonne, and there arc many that come, but one of tbcm wanted a wedding garment: What is the meaning of that ? many men come to the wedding for cheare, many for the benefit they might receive, or fuch by re-1 fpe&s, becaufe they would doe as other s doe, be-j caufe they might efcape cenfure; many motives' there might be to bring men to this marriage fea ft.: but now to have the wedding garment,that is the trvalU

Now what is the wedding garment ?

It is a wedding affe&ion, it is to love the Bride-groome himfelfc, his perfon, for wee are not oncly gueftsjweaienotfotounderftanditjbutfuchguefts as withall arc married to the Sonne. Now he that comes to this wedding without a conjugall wedding atfe&ion, he comes without the vveddirg garment-therefore confider with thy felfe whether thou have that affe&ion or no.

You will fay, what is this marriageaffe&ion ?

Ianfwer, it is fuch an affe&ionwherebyaroan pitches on Chrift, he chufeth him before all ethers, ashis Husband : the weddingaffc£tion,is fuch an affedion, as when one prefers her husband before all others: Confider whether there be fueh a.nat-fe&ion, that thou canft preferre Iefus Chrift 3 before all things in the world befides•

Againe confider, whether thy affection be fix ; B b 3 ed

W&lkinfi CM. yittnt. ^p

QHeft.

neQhurches Marriage,

edonhis perfon: for the affe&ion of an. harlot I maybe towards her husbands goods, and toward! \ the commodities and benefits by hm; but art I thou able to love the perfon of Iefus Chrift, fo as ' ( to delight in him, and defire his prefence, and fee* keft him, fo that thou careft not for any thing foj thou maift have him ? this is to have a wedding! conjugal! affe&ion: but this is not all that makes I \ the marriage garment.

Confider befides what boldnefTe thou haft in|

his prefence, for perfeS love eajts ontfeare: now by |

perfedlove, is not meant onely love in theperfe-!

j 6tion, that is growne to a height, (fuch wee fhafl

I not have, till wee come to heaven) but by perfi$

| love is to be underftood fincere love: therefore if

I thou wouldeft know if thou have the wedding gar-

mentjwhether this conjugal affe&ion be wrought

thou fhalt know it by the boldnes thou haft with

thy husband: wilt thou fay, thou art married td

him, and yet dare ft not fpeafcetohim, but looked

on him., as on a Iudge, as a hard Matter or a ftrari-

ger? that thou dareft not aske anything of. Of tf

thoudoft, thou knoweft not whether thoa ftitftt

obtaine it ? there is a certaine boldnefTe and famr

liarity goes along with this, is there fuch a difpo

fition put into thy heart >

Befides this is not all,theredoe withall accompany this all fpirituall graces, that cloathe thy foule, that doe alter the habit of it, for there is fomething underftood in the fimilitude of a gap :ment,as imposing the very cloathing that the foule weares, when it hath another habit than it

had

The £burches Marriage.

had before. Now this clothing is a party-coloured garment made of all the graces of the Spirit i therefore if thou wouldcll know whether thou have this wedding garment or no, thou muft looke to every grace, for the Image of God is nothing eife, but the bundle and foeapeofall graces, as the old man, the image of Satan, and the firft Ad&m is the heap of all corruptions • fo this wedding garment , this Image of the new Adam , it is that which confifts of all the graces, thefe muft cloath thy foule. . And now beloved, when this is done, the fe-cond thing that we are to doe after this examination^?,

To perfwade every man to be content to take v[e 2 . Jefus Chrift for his Husband. If already you be in Chrift, we have no more to doe, but to exhort yQUjbutto continue and intend that defire, and affe&ion 5 and Iqvc to your Husband 5 but if upon this examination you findeyou are yet ftrangers, I fay the next ufe we are to make of it, is to bring your hearts to a willingneffe to match with him. Now to perfwade you to this ,1 will pitch briefly on thefe three particulars.

Firft, confider whether thou be able to live without a husband or alone ? The truth is 5 thou muft marry of neceflity, Qr thou art undone; for it is the cafe of every man which is faid of the Captive woman in Deut . 21. when they had overcome a City, if there were a woman among them to whom they had a favour, they might marry her if they would, if (he confented ,fhe favedher \

Bb 4

a. t The Qhnrches Marriage\

life by it. I fay,that is the caleofevery man living, that when we were all expofed todeah, Jefus Ghrift had a favour ro us, and we muft marry him I ar we dye for it. Now therefore when he fhall be afuitor to thee, confider what thou haft to fay ,| art thou able to live without him? art thou able to pay thy ranfom ? certainely thou art not able, and is it not then amadnefTe in thee torefufc? Confider what is thy debt, and confider thou art bound to pay the utmoft farthing which the Lord requires at thy hands: when a manconfi-ders ferioufly of this, that every idlfc word, every finne of omiflionor that is committed isadebt, and ftands upon his owne fcore, and that him1 felfe is notable to pay, this will make a man begin to looke about him. My beloved,all the af-tii&ions, that wee have in this life, they are but a paying the ufe money required for the debt, the maine debt remaines intire, that muft bee paid at that day, the day ofwrath, at the day ef de± claration of the juft Judgement of God * therefore confider firft thy debt, and withall confider thy poverty. Tis true, though thou wert in debt, if thou hadftfomewhat to pay it, it were another matter. And indeed, many men are puffed up with a conceit, and thinke they have fomething to pay , and this is the cafe of all hypocrites, that thinke they have fome good workes, tbey have done many good things , they come to Church due!y,&c. But you muft know that all this will not pay your debt, as it is Revel. ). / comftllthee to buy of me gold > that thou male ft be rich.

Till

Till a man hath a husband, till hee have Jefus Ghrift i all the workes he doth are little worth,

I, but though a man be in debt, and have not apenny to pay his debt 3 yet there is ufually a rime given, a man is notcaftprefently intopri-fon.

1 anfwer, though thou be not 5 yet thou art in danger all the time s and it is a miferable thing to live in another mans danger, to be in danger of an enemy, when a man fhallhave many writs outagainfthim, and knowesnot when the Serjeant will feize upon him • I fay, put the cafe he be not arretted j yet he is in continual! feare • this is thy cafe before thou be under this covert > before thou be matched to this thy husband Chrift: wJien thou haft him,thou art fafe,but in themeane time thou art in continuall feare. hsHeb.i. 14. it is given as a reafon > why Chrift tookepart xtith the children y that he might deliver them^ that for feare of death, were all their life long fubjeB to bondage • So that though a man be notcaft into prifon, hee is all his life time fubjeft to bondage. Now if it were but to be delivered from this feaie and bondage that every other man is in, it were a great motive to move us to this. I, but is there not fome bayle, may not a man flee from this ar-reft?

Ianfwercno, every man without Chr/ift is like a.woman that is friendlefle, that hath none to ftandforher, thatisdeftituteofwifedo-ne, that hath no counfeli to direft her. We are deftitute of righteoufoefle, we have none to fpeake for us,

we

%6 The Churches Marriage.

wearedeftituteof fan&ification , wee have none to<:leanfeus ) fromourleprofie'we are deftitute of redemption ^ therfore you know it is faid, Iefut Chrifl u made tVifdome , Righteoufnefie , SanEtijication and Redemption: which implies thus much, that till wee be married to him, we have neither wife-dome, wee have no righteoufneffe tofpeakefor us, wee have none to cleanfe us , wee have none to redeeme us j this is the firft thing to move thee to it.

Secondly, when thou haft well pondered this firft motive , that thou art not able to live alone without a husband, I fay,confider fecondly the excellencie of thy husband, who it is that is a fuitor to thee. And here firft looke on Chrift himfelfe, with all his Attributes, and how that the Lord himfelfe will become thine, confidcr the infinite wifedome of Chrift, his Almighty power, confider his eternity . confider whatfoe-ver is in him, and thinke with thy fclfe, that all this is in Him , who offers himfelfe to be my huf-band, and all this fhallbe mine, all this is for my ufe, and advantage ; this is a great motive to winne us to match with him , as you know in earthly marriages, the excellency of a husband, the parts that are in him, thofe that are inherent in his very perfon , is the greareft motive of all other: think therfore of all Chrifts excellencies, draw to your fdves fome idea of him, and thinke all thefe are mine, for my ufe, as his wifedome to give me direction, his power and ftrength for my prote&ion upon all occasions, whatfoever is in

him

The Churches Marriage. zy

him is mine j hee himfelfe is become my portion ^ this is a great motive to us.

Befides this, confider that thou haft not onely the perfon of Chrift alone . with all his Attributes, but how much comes with him, which adde to this •, as the immunity thou haft by marching with Chrift, that when thou art once matched with him, thou art under covert, thy debts are paid, thou art out of all danger. My beloved, if it were but to be freed from thofe injuries , and wrongs that a woman isfubjeft unto, from potent ene mies that are able to hurt her upon all occafions, you know it is a great motive td move her to match. Now Jefus Chrift frees us from all thofe great enemies of our falvation, as it is Lu£e i. 74. that being delivered from the bands of all our enemies , vote might fervehim inholi-nejTe and righteoufnefle all the dajes ofourltoes. This wehavebyhim, thatwhen Satan fhall come to us, andarreftus, wee may fay to him, lam now under covert, thou muftgoe to my husband, he is bound to pay rhy debts. My beloved, we consider nor/what a benefit this is, what it is to have Jefus Chrift at fuch a time, when you come to dye,when you fhall be arrefted bydeathj now to have the Lord Jefus to undertake all your debts, I now to be under covert it is a great matter, as you know (to exprefle it to you a little what it is,) ludas when hee had committed that great finne,he was indited and arrefted 5 he had none to flecto. Peter when he had committed a finne, bee' had a covert to goe to, and you all know the difference

28 i'bt Chmebes Marriage.

| fcrence that was betweenthcir conditions in the

events upon bath j Saul and David if you looke

on them in their diftrefife, David had a covert to

goetowhenbewasindiftreflc, (for Ifpeakenot

now of the debt of finne, but of all calamities in

which you fhall have a husband to be a refuge

for you,) I fay, David when bee was in diftreffe

uponany occafion, when his Citty was burned

and his wifes taken, heehad a covert to fly to y

but when Saul was in diftrefle , hee had none,

he went to the Lord, but he bad no anfwer. I fay,

it is a great matter to confider this, that wc have

a covert, that when the Lord fhall rainedowne

fire and brimftone upon us, when there is no rock

to ihelter us> now for Jefus Chrift to be a covert

to us. We know the Egyptians when they were

in that deadly ftorme of hay Ie> the Ifraelites were

in their fcoufes under covert > and look'tout, an4

faw the danger they were in, and they then knew

the benefit what it was to be under ftielterrfuch

is the condition of all thofe that are in Chrift.

Befides this immunity , confider all thofe great priviledges that doe come by him , for this is not all ; but when you have matched with him, he will make you rich, hee will make you hcires ofaIlthings,ali the precious promifes belong to you, which it may be you reckon a fmall matter; but the promifes of God are moft precious, and will make one rich, as you know a man that hath nothing but bills and bonds, and evidences, may be very rich, though he have not a penny by biln $ fo to have all the promifes belong to us: now as

foon<

■

The Churches Marriage. zp

fooneasvveearein Chrift, there is not a'promiie inallthebookeof God 5 but it belongs to us» that is the mifery of another man that is not in Chrift, there is not one promife his. Therefore till thou have him, thou haft nothing.

Andbefidesthehopeofthe promifes, confi-der what you have for theprefent, what dowry he brings with him, in i Cor. 3. wherefore let no man re joy e in men; for all things are yours, whether it be Pauper Apollosjr Cephas,or thenorld, ^V.all is yours, and you are Chrifts. Marke,here Is the ex-preifionofthatdowry,thatChrift brings withhim an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian, faith he, when once you are matched to Ghrift, all that is his belongs to you ^ Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all his Servants, all are beftowed on you< 3 to wait upon the Spoufe 9 as it were • he hath given all to you^all thofi gifts are beftowed on them for your fakes: befides, the world is jours, that is % as &rre as it is good for you, the world and all things in the world are fo a Chriftians • though he have but little of it, yet indeedthe worldis his; other men are the worlds: if wee fpeake properly, the worldis not faid to be any mans, but onely a Chriftians. for his ufe, he is themafter of it. In-deed,whileft a man is in his minority, (you know the heire doth not pofTefle his goods, becaufe it is the time of his education 5 fo ) it may be thou haft not full pofleiTion : It is difpenfed to thee as the Lord fees meete, becaufe it is the time of thy nurtureand education, thou art in thy minority, but yet theworld is thine. Then he goes on, life or _____ death,

The Churches Marriage.

df^thatis, all this life is be (lowed on a Chri-ftian for his advantage : to another man it is not fo ^ the longer hee lives, it is the worfe for him, he hath the further reckoning • it doth but make his finnc ripe, and but lay up a treafure of wrath for him; fo that alia mans life long, hee doth but gather fticks to make a fire to confume him at the laft day. But now in the portion of a Chri-ftian, this is one thing, that Jefus Chrift beftows upon him, that all his life is for his advantage ji all the good workes he doth, all thofe [hall be re- j membred, all thofe fhall goe along with him, and bring a fure reward j and then not onely life is his, but death Us alfo. My beloved, it is a ftrange thing 5 that this fhould be reckoned among the dowries, and commodities, and pri-vilodgesthat Chriftsbeflowesonhis Spoufe,te bring death with him ; yet this is a great privi-ledge, that hee beftowes death on us; for what were the condition of a Chriftian if death were not ? were it not the moft miferable of all o-thex ? for if there were no death, there fhould be noRefurreftion. therefore death muft needs be a very great advantage: it is that, that makes way for us, to deliver us outofallthemiferies of this life, and to give us pofTeflion of that everlafting Kingdome that is provided for us, whether theybt things prefent, or things to come^ that is, all that belong to this prefent life, and not onelythofe, but thofe that belong to the life to come , all thofe are yours : this is that we haveby Chrift. Andlaftly confider, howfairea life you fhal

live

live with hinynwhatplentyjthatthereis nothing that your heart can defire,but you rtiall have it? In that fecurity > that you need feare no enemy $ wheras other men have a thoufand fcares, a Chri-ftianhath this benefit, hee makes the Lord his dread, that he need feare nothing ; but he is delivered from the hands of all his enemies, Confi-der with what contentment thou (halt live 5 that thou haft fuch a husband that is an adequate object (that I may fo fay ) that rtiall fill thy foule, that when thou haft him , thou needeft not third after any thing befides. That is the great benefit that is promised, that thou (halt ThirH no rnore^ that is, when a man is marryed to the Lord Jefus, he is fo filled and fatisfied with contentment, that he lets all other things goe: if hee have them fo it is; if he want them 3 it is no great matter: he hath one that is contentment enough to him, he hath one that is infteadofall.

But you will fay 5 if I have this husband, I muft live in fubje&iontohim . our wiHs muftbe fubjeft to his will 5 our liberty muft be taken from us.

My beloved, what if it be ? you muft confider what kind of fubje&ion it is , it is fuch a fubje-dion as whereby the members are fubjeft to the head : now doe you think it any burthen, for the members to be fubjeft, and to be ruled by the head, it is a naturall fub/e&ion, that is, fuch a fubjeftioH as is convenient for yon ; therefore if you complaine , you have loft your liberty, know it is quite contrary when you have matched

with

ObjeEt.

Avfiv.

z The Churches Marriage.

Obictt-

Anfr

n\

I with Chrift, now you are delivered from boiu dageand fct at liberty,

I, but you will fay, it is a pleafant thing fora man to doe what he will • liberty is a fweet thing, and to part with this ,,and now to live under a husband, it is a hard cafe.

For this my beloved I befeech you confider, that it is true , for a man to live as he will , if his will bee right y it is a great 'benefit; but for a Franticke man to doe what hee will, for a man vvhofe will is fet upon things hurt full to himfelfe, for fuch a man to have his will, it were better he were reftrained,-and this is the cafe of eyery man till hee be matched with the Lord Jefus: therefore that you may know what this liberty is, wee will put you but this cafe; you muft know that every man ismarryed to one of thefe two husbands, either hee is fubje&to the law of righ-teoufneflfe, or to the law of finne 5 either hee is in bondage to the flerti or to the fpirit, either he is fubjed to Chriflr, or elfe hee is fubjed to Satan. Now confider which of thefe two thou wouldeft choofe, whether to be fubjed to the law of finne, or to Chrift: and that you may know which to choofe, I will expreffe it to you by this • It is as when a ficke man lyes betwecne the Phyfician and the difeafe, hee muft needs be fubjeii to one of them : the difeafe counfells him to doe one thing 5 the Phyfician another : now' confider which of thefe two thou wouldeft obey.

You will fay, 1 would doe what I lift, I would doe as my difeafe fuggefts to me 3 and vvoulc

hav<

}11*V

have me doc: That fcemes eafie for the prefent, but will not this increafe thy bondage, and pay thee with death in the end? on the other fide, if tho ube content to be fubjeft to the Phyfician, and have thy will fubjeft to his, doth not this draw to liberty and reflore health, and bring thee to life? therefore confider what a fmall objection that is, and confider withall, what you will chufe ; ifor I fay , every man muft bee fubjeft to one j husband 5 and that you may fee the difference of thefe husbands, confider that in Rom. j. you fhall finde there, that whofoeveris not marryed toChrift, is fubje&t© another husband, that is the Law. Know you not brethren , that the Lawhath dominion over a man as longasheelivethl for the mm an that is fubjeB to a man is found by the Lave to the man whilcheliveth) and iffke take another man fhe fhallbe catted an adulterejje ; but if the man be dead , fhee is freed from the Law^fo that fhee if not an adulterejje , though fhe take another man. This is but the fimili-tuderbut the meaning is, before ever a man be marryed to Chrift,he is marryed to the Law,and he cannot be marryed to Chrift Jefus, till hee be dead to the Law, and when hee is dead once to that, thcn'he may be marryed to him. Now you fhall fee the reddition of this fimilitude : foyon brethren are dead to the Law by the body of Chriji, that you might be marryed to another , to him that was raifedfrom the dead, that you might bring forth fruit unto God. For when you were in theflefh , the motions of finnethat are by the Law had force in your members to 1 bring forth fruit unto death, &c. The meaning is [ C c this,

24. The Qburches Marriage

f.Cegi

oM

this , that till a man be matched to Jefas Chrift, I the Law of God , the morall Law that is written I in every mans confclence, it rules there like a I hard husband, afevere cruell husband, that fets I a hard- taske to doe, and gives no ftrength at all todoeit, and therefore it brings forth death: for when the Law commands a man to doe a thing, he hath no ability to performe it: and withall it dothfignifie unto him, that if h«e doe not performe it, he fhail be curfed y this is to be fub je<a j to the Law : and fo a man lives in bondage all his time; fo that whofoever is not marryedto Chrift, he is all the while fubjedi to an evill con-fcience, to the Law that fuggefts what he fhould doe, with threatning him if not; and when con-fcience tells him, that he hath not performed ir, it is a continuall vexation, a burthen and a griefc to him : but now when he is marryed to Chrift, then he ferves in nemefeof^lrit y notintheoldxeffe of the letter, asitfollowes there, that is, heedotb every thing freely, hee doth itoutofchoice,he doth that which his owne fpirit carries him to. look what commandement ne hath, he hath fome ability tor^rforme it.

Againe, he fervesa k : nd husband, that takes every thing in good part, that will not pay him with death, as his firft husband doth. Ifayconfi-\ der this, and let it be the fecond motive.

The third thing I wil conclude with,is, the danger of refufinghim,w herein I thought to have bin large, but I can but touch it. I fay confider this, that if thourefufc, it is the greateft fin that thou

canft

The Qhurches Marriage. ;f

canft commit: for thou mud know this, that when the Lord Icfus Chrift fhall become a fuitor to thee, for thee then to refute, thou provokeft him to anger. I dare fay 3 it goes beyond allthe fins thou haft committed; for know this, he is not a bare fuitor, but a fuitor that hath paid deare for his wife; hee hath purchafed thee at a deare price, with the Cheiding of his owne bloud: fo that if thou wilt not heare his fuit, hee lofeth not onely his labour in fuing, but the price that he paid for thee, for the very bloud of Iefus Chrift fhall bee put upon thy fcore. To have the Lord as fuing to thee thus defpifed, you know Rom. 2^ y 6.D c f^i-fingthe patience of God y treafures up wrath againft the day of wrath. Now defpifing kindnefTe is greater, And the contempt of it, doth more incenfe the Lord to anger. Now therefore when the Lord (hall be a fuitor to us>one would thinke we fhould rather be fuitors to h im :but when he fhall conde -feend to be fuitors to us,and be refufed,think what a provocation it is*I wil give youbut one inftance, that you may know what it is to refufe this fuit. The Iewes when Chrift came in the flefh, it is faid, he came to hisowne, lie made offer of himfelfe, but his owne received him not, but refufed him, they would none of him. Iohn i. he came to his otvne, but his owne received him not, you fee how Chrift tooke this at their hand,yOu fee/or this the wrath of God is comeupn them to the «rw#.Compare now all the fins of the Iewes,and al the punifhments that were upontkem before this time, they were nothing to this.

Cci For

The Qbmches Marriage,

For firft yen fee,that for fixteen hundred yeeres ' welmgh, the wrath of God hath laynon them 5 ! take the times of the Lords wrath formerly u p o n that nation,it may be for feventy yeeres or for for*; ty yeeres, as n the time of the Iudges, and in the' captivity of Babylon, what was that to this wrath ?

Secondly, in thofe times, though they were in captivity, and were hardly ufed, yet the nation was ftill kept together, and reftoredagaine ; now they are fcattered to all nations of the earth, fo that this very fmneof the Iewes in refufing Iefus Chrift, you fee-how the Lord was offended with it, as the Apoftle expreffeth it, the wrath tf Ged is cvme upon themto theutmoft: markeit, for it is your ownecafe, that when we preach the Gofpell, and offer Chrift,we are the friends of the bridegroom: our bufineflfe is, toprefentyou as a pure Virgin to Chrift, and when you will not heare but refufe : when webefeech you to be reconciled, you commit the fame fin that the Iewes did, when they would not receive Chrift: this is the cafe of e-very man that refufeth v you know thofe that were bid to the wedding ^the text faith, the King tras ex* ceedingangry^ and pronounced this , that not one that was bid fhould tafte of the Supper: thus for a man to refufe, weknow not what God will dot to that man: we cannot diftinguifh of the time: fecret times belong to him : but for a man to refufe at any time, when hee is invited to come to Chrift Iefus, either by.the preaching of the word, or by the fecret motions of the fpirit, it is a dan-.

gerous

The Churches Marriage.

17

gcrous thing. Who knowes whether ever thou I ihalt bee invited more ? as you fee when they refu- j fed, the Lord did not fend the fecond time, but pronounced this peremptory conclufion, and fen-tence upon them, Not a mm that ms invited fbould come.

Anobje&ion may be made, which I will anfwer and fo proceed,which is concerning thefe motives I have given^nd that is,whether we may ufe fuch to our hearts, to move us to take Chrift,as to coo-fider the priviledges and liberty we fhall have with him, for will fomefay, wee are bound to match withChrift meerly out of love to his perfon: how fhall thcfe be ufed as motives then >

Thefe motives ferve notwith ftanding to two ends.

Firft they are a good introdu&ion to lead us to the match: for when we make a tender of Chrift, men will not harken tous j as many a woman w r ill notheareoffnehafuitor^ but when fheis told, that he hath fuch an eftate, that he will bring her tofuch an houfc, thus and thus furnifhed,thatfhe fhall have thefe and thefe commodities by him, it may be that willwinne her thus farreasnow to fee him, fhee is content now that he fhould come, and be a fuitor, fhe is content to confer with him; So Ifay,thisisthat that brings every man firft to looke after Chrift Jefus, to admit him as it were, to be content to fee his perfon, to give him leave to conferre with them 5 therefore that is one ufe to be made of them.

The fecond ufe of fuch motives is, when a man m Cc 3 hath

Otieft.

Antjw '.

28 The Qburcbes Marriage.

bath refolved on the match, it is a great helpe to make him the more willing. When a man or a wo-man hath refolved cm this match, and withall con-fidered thefe and thefe additions, 1 fay they adde, they helpe well to his refolution: fo that when re* fped tohisperfon, hath once fet the compaffe, thefe confiderations of puniftiment and reward they are 2>ood to fill the fay Is and to carry the (hip along,and to drive itto the haven, allthough ftil the principal! motive bee a meere refped unto his perfon. If fay that ufe thefe have, to bring us to look to Chrift. But when once they have brought us to the knowledge of Chrift, to be acquainted inwardly with him., now the heart of eve* ry man is to be content with him alone, though there be nothing befide,and indeed it is that which makes the match, onely thefe helpes are good additions , thefe draw us on to make our confent and choyce, andwillingneflethe more full, and perfect: but this but by the way,onely toanfwer that objedion.

Now to come to themaine impediments that 1 hinder men from Chrift, it is worth all our confident ons, to fee what it is that keepes men off, which is not onely profitable to bring them in, that are yet ft rangers, but alfoto confirme thofe that are already entred into covenant with the Lord Iefus,and you fhall find one of thefe three things keepe men off.

Some there are that never heard of the Lord lefts, fome there are that heareof fuch an offer but cannot beleeve.it, fome againe that doe beleeve it,

yet

^

The Qhurches Marriage. jp

yet arc not willing to live under him, but would live according to their liberty, they are not willing to change their condition, even as fometimes there is a Proclamation out for pardoning of Pi-rats, itmay be there are many Pirates that never heard of this Proclamation,thefe cannot come in, they know it not, and this is the cafe of thofe to whom the Lord Iefus is not preached or remaine ignorant of him.

Secondly,there are fome other Pirats,that hear of it, but they beleeve it not, they thinkeitisbut a trap to get them in, they cannot beleeve that thofe great rebellions that they have committed can be forgiven. There is a third fort that beleeve it, that make no queftion but they (hall be pardoned if they come,but they thinke it a better courfe to live by piracy ftill, rather than to come in tinder the law to live in fubje&ion,they thinke they (hall live a poorer life and be-more reftrained, they are not willing to change their condition. Now for the firft of thefe, wee have nothing to doe with them, for wefpeake to none but thofe that have heard of the Proclamation,that know well enough thereisfuchan offer made, therefore our bu fines is with the two fecond.

Firft I will begin with thofe that will not beleeve, that there is fuch a pardon, that cannot thinke that the Lord Iefus is willing to match with them, this is a common cafe, many a man whenhelookesonhis rebellions, is ready to fay, why s is it poffible that I may bee admitted to match with the Lord Iefus ? I that have a heart fo C c 4 hard j

40 *Ihe Qwches Marriage.

hard, fuch lufts? I that have committed fuch rebellions againft him. Yes, whofoever thou art., I am bold to (ay to thee, (and thou muft thinke it as true, as if Chrift bimfelf fhouid fpeak from heaven, that if thou doft come in, thou ftialc be received.

Oh! but is it poflible that fuch a wretch as I am may be advanced Saaifed to fuch a degree of honor? Yes it is moft poflible, the. Lord Jefus may have a favour to thee,it is our meflfage tocome and tell thee fo much, onely thou muft doe as the captive woman in Dent. ai. when any had a favour toa woman that was taken captive, (Tie muft put off her old cloathes, (he muft put on new ap-> parell, fhee mult be waftred and purified, and pare her nailes, and fo fhe muft become his wife I fo I fay to thee, the Lord is willing to match with thee, onely thou muft change thy rayment, thou muft wa(h thee and pare thy nayles 5 &e. Therefore beloved, let none in this cafe be dif-couraged, as indeed wee are exceeding apt to be, and ready to doe in this cafe as Gideon , when the Angell appeared to him, and told him he fhouid doe great matter?, that heefhould judge Ifrael, that heefhould deliver them out of the hands of the Miiianhes , what faith Gideon I Lord ( faith he ) what am I and my father Z hee is one ofthepoerejl in Mmaps Tribe, and I am the leaft in my fathers family, and is it poflible that I fhbuld beraifed to fuch honour ? yes faith the Lord, it fhall be done, I will confirme it, thou haft my word, and I will confirme it by miracle, as you know he did by the burning of the Sacrifice, and by the dew

The Churches Marriage. ^i

on the Fleece, when all the earth was drie. I fay,

the fame is our cafe, when wee hearefuch a thing

as this, that we (hall be made Queenes, that wee

fha.ll march with Chrift,whenaman is little in

his owne eyes, he wonders at it • I fay, the Lord

; will make it good to thee, thou (halt have a word

and a miracle toconfirme it, for indeed beloved^

j it isa thing that needs a miracle, that the Sonne

I of God>the Lord Jefus,{houldcome 3 and match

with fuch wretches as wc are.

You will fay, where is this word } You fhall find it in Rom^^. He juftifotb the ungodly , I will takcbutthacplaceonely, Abraham bekevedinbim that juftifieth the ungodly ^andhis faith tva* accounted tobir* for righteoufnejjejhatis,thoi\gh thou bean ungodly man, though thou be a Pirate, a Rebell, it is no matter , the Lord will match with thee notwithftanding, and pay all thy debts and juftifie thee • indeed after thar^ Hewillfan&ifiethee, and change thy heart; but yet this is thy comfort, that though at prefent thou be ungodly, yet notwithftanding hee will match with thee. Beloved, this is a fure word, and this is our great confolation, that though wee be in our bloud, yet then the Lord makes the match: indeed afterwards heewafhethandcleanfethus, therefore fay not, lamblacke j and therefore the Lord can have no delight in me ? 'and what can he fee in me, to marry with me ? for hee will mar-ry with thee even then. Onely when he hath mar-ryed thee, then he will change thy nature, he will change the skin of the Blackc-mbore, then he will

put

az The Churches Marriage.

put a new beauty on thee, this is thy comfort, that there is this difference, betweene the marriage of Chrift j and the marriage among men, when wee come to match, wee muft find beauty, firft, fome amiable thing in the party; but the Lord lookes on us, when wee are the moft loath-(bme creatures in the, world, and then he makes the match, and after hee puts that beauty on us, that may caufc him to delight in us.

You will fay, here is the word, but where is the miracle to confirme this ?

I anfwer, this very word hath a miracle going along with it, and you fhall fee them put together in Mattb. 4.23. where you {hall fee the Lord Jefus when hee came to his owne, to make a tender of himfclfe, in what manner he comes, faith the Text , hee went about preaching the Gof-pellof the Kingdome, that is, to tell men this good newes, that if they would match with him, they fhouldhavea Kingdome: here is the word, and fee the miracle followes, hee went about preaching the Gofpell of the Kingdome , and healing (ieknejfes , anddifeafes y there is the miracle', that feeing ft would be a wondrous thing that the Lord fhould match with dn ft and afhes, that hee Should beftow himfelfe thus freely on us-,faith the Lord, if you will not beleeve me for the words fake, yet for the miracles fake, you fee what I doe, I that preach this. I

But you will fay, thefe miracles were wrought long agoe, if they were done now,tt were another thing.

Beloved,

Beloved, it is all one , for know, that this word and miracle went then together, the word is as ancient as the miracle, therefore you muft make the fame ufe of them now, as you would have done then; indeed if the word were now delivered and the miracle wrought long agoe, it were another cafe, but when hee that faid the word, at the fame time confirmed it with thefe miracles, this mayworkebeleefe.

You will fay, this miracle confirmes it in gene* rail, if the Lord {hould fpeake perfonally to me, & fay, I will be thy Husband^ this were to purpofe. Beloved confider, it is all one, becaufe you have this generalise bids *k Gofpellbepreachedto every Creature^ therefore thou art fure thou art in that number: confider that the word of promife alfo/ which word you all know, that Whofoever beleeves fhallbefaved, that is, whofoever will take his pardon (hall be faved, and nothing keepes men from falvation, but the refufing it• therefore fay not, he that commits fuch and fuch finnes, (hall be damned, but hee that takes not the pardon fhall be damned: Beloved, this is a matter of great confolation 5 this is that that is our Freehold, we have a fure word, and thisistheGofpellthatwe have to preach, that whatfoever the rebels be,and whatfoever the finnes are, yet they may come in, and be received.

Ijbut my finnes are great, as red as skarlet ? What if they be? they (hall be as fnow. But I have often committed them.' What if thou have? he that faid to thee, thou

(halt

ObjeB. Anf\v<

zsftifw*

44, The Churches Marriage.

\ (halt forgive thy brother to feaventy times fea-1 ven times, fure hee is able to forgive to feaventy rkoufand times feaven times.

But my finnes are exceeding great as the mighty mountaines. They fhall be drowned in the bottome of the fea, that is as able to drowne mountaines 3 as the lcaft hill.

Oh I but they are exceeding many,I am guilty of all variety of finnes, there is fcarce any grofle finne, but I have co mmitted it. There is as great variety and multitudes of mercy, to cover and fwallow them.

You will fay, this is poflible ifmyjbeartwere foft, able fb repent j but I have a hard obdurate heart.

If thy heart be hard, he can take away that fto-ny heart, and give thee a flefhy heart, this hee hath promifed: Why now what haft thou to doe> even to lay faft hold on this word, as they did on the homes of the Altar, and even goe and fay to the Lord, Lord, I will hold me here. Lord, it is thy word, thou canftnotdenyit. Lord, ifthou wiltkillme, herel will dye, I will not let my hold goe: I fay, if thou doe but take hold of this word, That He juftifieth the ungodly , and whofotvtt milbeleeve[hallbe faved ; if thou take this hold, I allure thee, my life for thine, it is impoflible, but the Lord fhouldintheend give thee this an-fact, Be of good comfort^ thy faith hath faved thee. I deny not, but that the Lord may hold off for a while, for a time hemaykeepe offand give thee bard words, and fay as hee did to the womas of

Canaan,

Canaan, that hce is not fenc to fuch a dog as thou arc ; buc if thou perfift as fhe did, and keepe clofe to this word of promife, then after thou fhaltreceive the fame anfwer that fhee did, thy faith hathfaved thee , be of good comfort.

But you will fay, if it be thus, this feemeth to be a very eafie thing. Is there no more to doe >

I anfwer, yes: and thou muft marke diligently, that thou runne not away with a falfe conceit *now.

Firft, thou muft take out this pardon. You know a pardon in Law though the Prince give it, if it be not taken and fued out, it will do a man no good. •

Againc, this pardon hath certaine conditions, thou muft remember the conditions • if thou wilt have the pardon, thou muft obferve the covenants and conditions.

Laftly v knpw that this pardon may be for a certaine time, after which the pardon may be out of date.

For the firft of thefe, you will fay, what is it to take out the pardon >

BeIoved,itis this, when a man hath feenehis finnes andknowes his need, and his rebellions ( for that is firft required ) as you know whofoe-ver pleads a pardon,muft knovvhimfelfe guilty, and.then feeketh a pardon, prayeth earneftly day and night& giveth not over,befeecheth the Lord to forgive his finnes, and alio if he ftay long (as fome times he doth 3 as we fee in that Parable of the man that was in bed with his children, and

loatlr^

1

The Churches Marriage.

Quefi.

loath to rife) yet thou muft continue knocking, and not give over till be give thee.

What is it, he will give me (you will fay > )• That is, till he give thee a fecrec aflurance, till he fend his Spirit from heaven, to fay to thy foule in thee, / am tbyfalvaion , till hee give thee fome fecret comfort, when thou haft that once, then thou baft taken out thy pardon. But till there be fome calming of thy confeience, fome fecret anfwer of the Spirit, though there be a pardon contained in the word, thou haft not taken it out $ for thou takeft it not out till the Lord gives it out : and when thou once getteft this fecret hint, thou haft thy pardon fuedout. Now let Satan and thine enemies come;, thou maift be bold to plead thou haft thy pardon, and it fhall never be taken from thee $ that is the firft thing, to take out thfardon.

The fecond is, there is a condition required after taking it: there is this condition in it, you muft be no longer rebels, you muft come in, and be fybje&s, and ferveand obey your King. I fay, you muft remember this, therefore thou muft goe to the Lord, and fay, I know well there is fuch a condition in the pardon, I am content to enter into covenant with thee. fo that that which is paft maybe cleared, I refolve for the time to come to ferve thee, and feare thee and obey thee; I fay, if thou canft bring thy heart to this pur-pofeand refolution, thou haft kept the condition.

But you will fay, how fhall wee doe to keepe

The Chutches Marriage. 4.7

it ? it is one thing to purpofe , but to keepe it is

hard.

I will be bold to fay, take no care for that, if thy purpofe be fincere j I fay this to any , let his purpofe be fincere, and his refolution without deceit and pretences to ferve the Lord, to cleave to him as a husband , then I fay, the Lord hath undertaken \ o give thee a new heart ftill, and hee will enable thee to keepe it: bring thou a wel-bottomed new refolution, fo as to fay, I will give up my felfe in obedience • and the Lord hath promifed,itisonepartofthe Covenant, wherein bee hath promifed not onely to forgive, but in Ezecb. 3 6. Jie will give a new heart and a new fpi* rit: be thou but willing to take him, and thou fhalt be able to doe that which thou haft undertaken.

Well, thelaft thing is the time of the pardon, there may be a time when the pardon is out of date.

You will fay 3 what is that time ? Know that there is a double time, one is the time that is revealed to us, that arc the Minifters ofthe Gofpell, that is thetime of this life, for we can fay nothing elfetoanyman but this, At tthat time fiever, while thou lived, thm repetiteft, thouflMltbefaved.

But then you muft know , there is another time befides this, a time that is n«t revealed to us, but knowne orely to the Lord himfelfe, which may be thy time , and is that diftance of time which is betw-cene the firft and the la ft \ offer. It

jinfi

w.

Quefi. A*fir*

4 8 The Churches Marriage. •

j4nfoi

i It is indeed the very offer it felfe, the very opor. \tunity.that God gives to thee, the very timcof the tender of Chnft, to thy foule. Now this is onelyknowne of the Lord himfelfe, what that diftanceof time is between the firft offer and the laft chat ever he will make to thee, and after this time this pardon is out of date to thee , though not to another, it is too late for thee to come in.j You will fay 5 what ground is there for this, that there is fuch another time, that is onely knownc to the Lord >

My beloved, it is a point worth the confide-ring , therefore you flhall fee a ground for it, 2 Cor. 6.2. when the Apoftlehadext|prted them there, not to take the Grace of Godinvaine, faith he, this isthe accepted time , this is the day offalvatim, implying, that all time is not the accepted time, for then there needed no diftinftionj but when he faith, this is the accepted time, there is a fecret intimation, that when falvation is offering for ought thou knoweft this is fo , the accepted time, asthatwhenthatispaft, there is no more opportunity. So in Htbr. 3. when it is called to da^ that i$ , when the offer is making, that is the time.

Now to give you fome inftances of this, as well as we give you grounds from the word, in Gen. 4. God faith to Cain, Ifjthou doe well, fbalt theunotbeacteptdl but now after that time Cain was accurfed and a brand fet on him, the Lord gives him over, hee was excluded from the pre-

was a fecret 'time

fence of the Lord for ever ; there

-*

The Churches Marriage. 4,9

time after which the Lord made the [offer no more. That was the cafe of Saul . there was a *time,Ifay , Gods time with Saul, was the time betweenehis fir it offer, and the la ft, when he bid Samuel pray no more for him, and he told Samuel reiolutely and peremptorily, 1 have reje&ed him, j and now there was no more hope. And this was I thecafcoftjiejewes, when he bade Ieremiah not to pray for them, faith he, I have refolved to de-ftroy them 5 the time now is paft. And this was the cafe of Jerufalem , If thou hadfi knowne the things, the things that belong to thy peace , in that rhy day! if you aske what that day was ? I fay you (hall find the very period of it, AUs 13. 40. you fhall fee tjiere , when the offer was made fully (that was the Lords great mercy to them,he doth not give over a man, till he have made the offer clearly and fiillyjin V. 46. It was?iecefjarywe fhould fpeake the wordfirft to you • butftneeyou put itfrom you , and judge yourfelves unworthy ofet email life , wee turne to the Gentiles •, you may fee their refufing before. The Jewes they were full of envy , and fpake againft the things that He fpake • after this time, the Lord made no more offer: this I fay,was their cafe, and it is refembled in the Parable of them that were invited to the marriage , after they were invited and refufed • the inviters were stent forth no more unto them. It was the cafe of Ca. pernaum^znd thofe Citties to whom the feaven-tywere fent ; if they would not receive them, they were to fhake the duft oft'their feet eagainft them. Beloved, I befeech you confider this, for it

}0

The. Qburches Marriage,

QifcZt.

is a matter of very much moment to thinke with your felves, what know I whether this be the very time when the Lord makes the laft offer , and that however, it will not laft ever. So you fee S. Paul to the Hebr* ends Chap. 3. when hee had faid, there is a certaineday,he brings his proofe, faith hee , did not the Lord doe fo with your fathers in the Wilderneffe ? Now you (hall fee withthofein the Wildernefle, the Lord tookt tennerefufals at their hands, Thefetenne times yn have rebelled again ft me , and then he would endure no longer. Sothe Lord deales at other times: it may be hee will take but five refufals at another, it may be twenty at another, it maybe but one or two , at a third mans hand. I fay, you muftbe exceeding carefulland wary , for the end of this Do&rir e is to teach you to take heed of refuting Chrift Jefus , of letting the opportunity flip, take heed of refuting the time of the offer of Chrift, the accepted time, when the Lord offers Chrift in the word, and by his Spirit accompa. nyingit, itisdangerous torefufe. To conclude this point, confider, when the Lord himfdfe fliall beafuitor; beloved,weefhould befuitors to him, but hee is pleafed to be a fuitor to us. And confider, that whereas other women ufe to bring portions to their husbands, hee is pleafed to buy us j and to give us portions, and can you find in your heart to refufe ?

You will fay ; if I were fure the Lord would take me.

Beloved, you flxall/echovr farrc bee goes,

that

^

The Churches Marriage. 51

that wee may put you out of all doubt,

Fir(t, he hath made a very cleare declaration of his good will ; he faith ^WhofoevemiU come\\ball beftvtdjhe fhall be taken in, whofoever will come. This is not all, but he goes further then that, he hath not onely fetupfucha ghicunque vuh y but he fends home to us, hee calls and invite us, goe> caff and invite them to the marriage. This is not all, but he goes yet further, he befeccheth us, hee becomes a downeright fuitor, 2 Cor. 5. Wee are Ambafadours in chriHsjiead , to befeech yon to be reconciled. Nay beloved, more then this, hee is not a cold, but an importunate earneft fuitor. Goe, comjell them to come in , faith he, that is, with the ftrongeft arguments you can ufe: he doth not reft here, here is as much as hee can doe by faire meanes. But then he try es theother, to fee what he can doe by foule meanes, then he layes a command upon men, 1 lohn 1.3. This is the Comman-dement 5 that we beletve in his Sonne ; hee commands all men living to come in, and take Chrift, and receive the pardon. And it is not a bare command, but hee adds a threatning; If they will not take him , they fhall be damned: which is the greateft threatning that can be, Confide^wilt thou refufe now ? I will fay but this in a word, if thou wilt for all this, it fhall be the greateft matter againft thee at the day of Judgment: takeal! finnes, thegrofleft Idolatry, and adultery, and whatfoever elfe: they fhall not be fo much laid to thy charge when thou commeft to lye on thy death-bed as this; that Chrift was preached,that Dd 2 there

/

*>% ^he Qhurches Marriage m

.there was fo many offers made , and yet thou ■ wouldeft none of him. Therefore confider this, : and fay nor now, alas, fuch conditions are required on my part, as I cannot performe them 5 for [beloved, there is nothing required on thy part but fincerity. Indeed that is required :thoumuft v , not thinke when thou art matched to thy husband ,to live as if thou wert a maid ftill $ thou muft not thinke to match with thy husband, and to live as thou Uft,-thou muft not thinke to fweare ftill, ard follow theluft ofuncleanenefle, ftill, and to follow thy drunkennefle and good fellowship ftill, thou muft not thinke to match with the Lord Jefus, andbreakethe Sabbath and neg-left holy duties, and violate thy confcience, tho» muft know, that all thy old cloathing, as I faid before, muft be put off, and not onely fo, but thy miles muft be pared, that is, thofe thoughts that thou reckoned lefler finnes, vaine thoughts, idle thoughts , negligent performance of holy duties, or whatfoever is of that nature, thefe nailes muft be pared, there muft beafincere heart, io refolve to doe all this. But fomuch for thofe fecond fortofmen, that will not beleeve there is fuch a pardon, but yet cannot thinke the Lord Jefus is willing to match with them, and to parte by the great finnes that they have committed.

But now for the third fort 3 which is indeedof the greateft company of men; for wee finde not fo many men doubt, whether they (hall be forgiven or no, but though they know there is a pardon.

The Qh arches Marriage. f 3

pardon, and that the Lord will match with them, yet they are willing to live as they did, they are notwilling to come under his iubje&iontolive by his Lawes. Now befides confider , what is the caufe of this, what keepes men off from this.

Firft,you fhall find one great generall caufe is In confider at ion : this is the fault of young men ^ that have a thoufand vanities in their heads, and never think of matching with Chrift, and of tbeir fpirituall eftate: And not of themonely, but of others too, who as they are held off by pleafures, fb others by bufinefle, asappeares in thofe in-vited/o the marriage ; oncwent about his merchandize, another to his oxen, and never considered, they never tooke to heart this their inviting to the marriage: confider that in Dcut 32. 27.When Mofes had made an exhortation, that they fhould norreceivethc ftrange Gods of the people, but come into covenant and beemarryed to him (for thatisthefcopeofthe Chapter)threatning with all, that when they fhould provoke him to jealou-fy, he would provoke them 5 faith hee, oh that you rverewije to confider jour latter enijs if he fhould fay 5 this is the caufe that you come not in, and keepe notclofe to theLord^fc that you rrerc wife to co rfider* foritisa mansvvifedome toconfidertbis, for a wife man (lands as one upon the top of an fcljh hill or a rocke, and fo he lookes round about him and fees all events before they come, whereas a foole is taken unawares by death, hee is a r rcfted , and judgement comes upon himonthe fuddaine . . Dd ; a )

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^ 77?e Quitches Marriage.

asafnare : therefore I fay, thou muft confider.

And yetthis is the ufual cafe of men,they go on in

a fecure flcepe in finning whilft death and iudgc-

ment breaks in upon them, which by confideratt-

on might be prevented. Therfore if you aske me

what you muft confider, I fay confider if this bee

not thy cafe, as it is of many men, many owe more

than they are worth, more than they know how to

pay: now if they would but confider their cafe,

and butcaft up their accounts 5 it may be they might

feekeout for a match to d'feharge all, but they

neglect it,and are fecure,&an arreft corns on them,

and they are caft into prifon , and now it is too

late. Therforel fay to every man of you, confider

thy debts, thy finncs, yea, confider thofe finnes

thou thinkeft are pad fo many yeeres fincc, that

lay (till, and thou hearcft no more of them. I fay

confider them, and bring them to mind, and con" j

I fider what a fleeping finne is: You may fee it in'

j the cafe of h*hi when hee had commit ted thofe I

foule murthers of Abne rand Amafa, the Lord let |

I it fleepe for a time,and lo&b was fecure \ but you

I fee in due feafoh, he having not fued out his par-

| con, the arreft came upon him, and Salomon flew

[him.and fuchwas the cafe of the fin of shimei that

! he committed againft ^v/^, it lay a fleepe for a

| rime. Such was the cafe of fofephs brethren, in that

j they did againft fofefh, many yeeres together it

uy quiet, when it awakened, they faw what it was

j withanguifh. Therefore confider what a fleeping

j finne is, the forgetfulneflfe of which maketh men

j fecure. Men commit fin-, and they are in healthy

and

and forget them ., and fo not coniidering their debts, they regard not this match and goe not about it.

1'hcre is another part of Security, wherewith menarc involved , and that is , they thinke they have matched already with lefiu Chrijt , they thinke they are in an cftate good enough, and to come now to make a change of it, they thinke ftri& precifenefle and more then needs.

And this one thing keeps many thoufandsoff from matching, that they thinke their debts are paid, that they are in good eftate, and they thinke that they are under covert. But to anfvver it in a word, Ivvifh thee to confiderthofcplaine places of Scripture, Gal. 5. 24. irhofoeirr is in Cbrift, hath crucified the flefbwith the affctlions and lutfs, and that in 2 Or. 5.1 yjvhofiei er is in Chrift is a new creature , old things arcpajfedaway, all things are become new. And that tam. 2.10. If a manfaile hut in one pointy (willinglyand conftantly) hee u guilty of the breach of the whole Law. in Ezech. iS. 10, &c. The new tranflation doth not fo well ex-prefle it as the old • If hee beget a Sonne , if he doe any of thefe things , though not all, if hee beget a Sonne that is a thiefe, or ajhedder of b loud, if hee doe one of thefe things , if not all but ehherhec cate upon the mount aines, or have defiled his neighbours wife,or hate opirefjedthe poore y &c. if he have done but one of thefe, hee\haUdye the death , his bloudfhall be upon his head. Not to name more; I fay ,out of this I gather , that he that allowes himielfe in the leaft fin, he that refpe&snotall the CommandemcntSj and

Dd 4 the

s 6 The Qhurehes Marriage.

theleaftfmall particle in them, that man is not yet matched with theLord Jefus. And therefore doe not deceive your lelves with vaine words, to thinkc that thefe excluding fignes and markes, i and rules that wee give , are inventions of our owne, that they are too ftriil beyond our Com-miflron. Beloved , this plaine word by which you {"hall be judged at the laft day, makes it plaine to you, that except there be fuch a gene-rail reformation, except you be new in all points, ! except all your lufts be crucified , except you re-S fpe<£l all the Commandements, and every par-' tide thereof, unleffe that there be agenerall fin-ceriry, certainely you are excluded. Therefore I fay, take all thefe together, that though thou be quiet for awhile, and free from the arreft, that yet thou arrnot out of danger, thy finne is but laid afleepe, &c. Ifay,ifamandoebutferioufly confiderwithhimfelfe, ifhee fitdowne,butone halfehoure, andconfider what the fhortnefle of his life is, what his danger is, and thinkc there is another place that he muft live in> foreternity, | and then confider this, I may be fitrprized on the fuddaine, as the foolifh Virgins ; the Bride-groome came when they did notlookeforhim^ and if he doe , what is thy.cafe > know this, that it is too late to be matched at that time» as when thedeftroying Aiigeli came, it was'too late to fprinkle the dbore poftes with the bloud of the Lambe. but the time of it, is the time of the PalTe-over 5 he will come at midnight, when thou leokeft aot for him 5 and if it were to be done at

that

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The Chur ches Marriage. 5 7

thatinftant, no mafo fhould be damned; know this j that it mnft be done before ^ therefore con-fider ferioufly, and lofe not your foules by in-con fiderat ion. But to proceed a little further to another impediment: for when a man hath confi-dered the match D hec-begins to make objetlhns againftit, as,

Firft,he iookes uponiiis husband, and he fees hemuftliveina pooreand meanccondition, hee muft take up his Crofle and be defpifed , and contemned, and trampled upon, and when hce begins to thinke of this, hee is unwilling to match : for faith he : I am not willing to live after thisfafhion.

To this I may anfvvci in a word ; for the Lord himfelfe gives a very direft and quicke anfwer to this-faith he, I willdeceivenoneofyoii, I will deale plainely with you, if you match with me, I fay, your condition will be very bafc, and mean, and Blefled is hee that is not offended with that meane condition. I confefTe, ifyou match with me, you j muft take up your crofle, you muft be perficured and defpifed, and hated of all men; therefore faith he, choofe you, I leave it to you to make your owne choice; if you will not marcfc, you may choofe. But fayes hee, hee that is not willing to lofe his life , and fart with father a»d mother ^ and let lands ^avdertdit^ and liberty , and allgoe ; he is not irorthjofme. Wherein he implies , that the Lord is worthy to be matched with, notwirhftan-ding all this bafe condition,and that thou art un-

worthy of him , thatftickeftatit.

And if thou didft

Ob

/.i

Anfw<

S The Churches Marriage.

didftknow who he was, thou-wouldeftnotwith-ftanding match with him to choofe. If the Bride-groorne, the Lord lefiu, (houldcomein glory with his Bridegroomes apparell, if hce ftiould come decked with ornaments, with thoufands of his Angels about him, every man would be willing to match with him- but here is the tryall what thou wilt doe at this time, it appearesnot yet what he is, and what he will doe, while he is now covered with a bafe out-fide, now he is hid. But yet he deales plainely you fee with us. I re. member a Story of Crates, the Philofopher, when a virgin defired to match with him, he takes this courfc, he goes to her, and tells her, and (hewes her his crooke-back, hisftaffe, and hisfatchell, and faith this to her, this is thy husband and thy portion, wilt thoa be content to take fuch a one as I? fheperfiftedrbut when fhee had him, fhee knew (hee had another manner of husband then (he looked for. Iufe it but for a refemblance; for after this manner doth the Lord Jefusdealewith us. You muft fuffer the crofTe, andgoe out of the Camp 5 this is your husband 5 this is your portion, the crofTe is your joynture. Now thou maift ehoofe, if thou wilt match with him, fo it is. I fay now to every man that is willing, that perfifts for all this; thou {halt have theKingof heaven for thy husband, thou matched with fuch a one, as fhall make thee happy for ever, this is thy happineflfe, thou fhalt have thy worft firft, thebeft isreferved for afterward .-with the world it is quite otherwife • there you havethe beft firft,

and

The Churches Marriage. jp

and the worft followes after : Therefore here is thetryal; allthematteristolovcChrift,inabafe and mcane eftate, and I fay this to thee, thou fhalthave the fame anfwerfrom Chriftoneday, that if thou be not conteat to match with him, iaameane condition, if thou wilt not take him forworfe, thou {halt never have him for better • if thou wilt not have him in a low condition, thou (halt not have him in a glorious. Rem. 8. 17. bee faith , thofe thatfuffer with him \ fhallalfo be ; glorified with him: and f o on the contrary, bee that : doth not fuffcr with him, that is, hee that is not content to rake him with fufferings and with the CrofTe,hefhalI never raigne, and be glorified in heaven with him.

But yet men will ftill fay, are not thefe hard conditions that goes with this match ? if other-| wife, I fhould much defire it. And every man is content to have the kernell , but hee would not trouble his teeth with the hardnefle of the fhcll.

And indeed, there are in appearance hard conditions. For he muft be taken for a Lord, and a husband ; and for this caufe many will not take him, th is keepes many off.

And whowould not be religious, if he thought it an eafie thing to be religious? Men thinke they fhallbetyed and ftraight-laced, and never \)t able to endure the yo.ike.

But yet I fay to every man that thinkes fo, hee j fhallnot findeitfo: thefe conditions that thou '{thinkeftfo hard are eafie. 1 Firft,

(jo The Churches Marriage.

Fir ft, the Lordhaih faid in plaine tearmes s if thoirwilt beleevc bis word, ihnhisyikt U eafie y andbis burthen light: I will make it plaine to thee, thou fhalt not deny it. There are but two things that make the burthen of Chrift, that is his Law, to be hard, and that is either The contrariety, or, The difproportion.

For, there is nothing makes a thing hard, but one of thefe two.

One is the contrariety betweene our wills • the relu&ancy betweene our wills and Gods. Chrift I will have one thing , and wee another : hence comes the difficulty. If our wills were the fame, then there were no difficulty, then a man lives as he would, as he lift. But beloved, if thou match with him, he will give thee another will < he will takeaway that rekiftancy and renitancy, he will takeaway thy old nature, thou fhalt have a new nature, and a new will, and fo then they are eafic.

The other is from difproportion; if a man have a great burthen and a little ftrength, the burthen proves heavy, why ? not becaufe the burthen is in it felfe heavy , but becaufe there is but little ftrength. Now know, that Chrift is fucha husband , as that what hee gives in charge, hee will give ftrength to doe it; this I touched the lad t'me, in comparing the two husbands, Rem.j. fee there our firft husband the Law, to which every man is marryrd, till hee be matched to Chrift • that is a hard yoke, he commands much

and

The Churches Marriage. <Ji

and gives no ftrength to performe it, ic com-1 roands all things exa&Iy. But the other husband 1 requires but Evangelicall obedience,, hee commands, but that thath poffible,and gives ftrength to doe it. When againe thou fervelt him in nevv-nefie of fpirit j hee will raife up thy ftrength , and make a fitneffc,and futeablene(Te,and proportion betweene thy ftrength and it 5 therefore thou fhaltfindno fuch difficulty in the thing, if thou refolve on the match once, fo as thou fhouldeft never feare the hardneffe of the burthen , that thou fhouldeft not bee able to obey thy huf-band.

In fetting out the other impediments that keepe men off from being willing to match with Chrift, wee will kecpcftill the fame order % and to the fimilitude here as wee have done hitherto.

The next impediment is, that we fhall not have any great dowry for the prefent: there is much promifed, but we fhall enjoy but little of it yet; though we fhall have much hereafter, yet we have itnotnow ; this is a great impediment, and keeps off many men. It is the cafe of many ; they think with themfeIves* if I match now with Chrift, I have much promifed, that I fhall have heaven^ and many things to come hereafter 5 but for the prefent, Imuftforfake my pleafure,my profit, my delights. Now anfvver this, and all is done. But beloved, it muft be Chrift himfelfe, that mu ft anfwer it: though wee be the infttuments, andthemeanes, yet except he fpeake with us, it

will ^

$ % The Churches Marriage.

willdocnogood... the Lord himtelfc muft behis ovvne fpokclman • yet 1 anfwer, it is true indeed, t he great dowry is to come, ye muft wait for it • this time is a time ofTerving,as//w£, heeferved 1 fourctccnc years for Rachel before he had her,and becaufe he loved her, he thought the time fhort, hewas willing to ferve io long. Now if thou love Chrift, if thou prize him above all- then thou wilt be willing to ftay for him ; and thofe that will not ftay, it isafigne they doe not love Chrift , and therefore thou art not worthy of him.You muft know,that Chrift makes us thus to ftay a time, to know and trye his Spoufe before he match with her, ( indeed the match is now, but I fpeake of that glorious match with the Lambe at his fecond comming, when wee fhall receive the full dowry ) which the Apoftle fpeaks of, i. lam. 12. vcrfe, Blejfed U hee that indunth temptation • for when hee istryed, hee fhaU receive d Crowe of life , which he hath promtfed to thofe that love him , andwaite for his appearing. Beloved, ye muft be content to beleeve for a time, enjoying is not yet come, Chrift will trye our patience, our faith, he will trye whether his Spoufe will take his word or no, whether fhee will reft upon him, whether fhee will beleeve him : this is that I fay, that holds offmany men, becaufe they fhall have nothing here. But therein they doe not looke upon the whole life of man 3 wee looke but upon part, Weeonely care to provide for a fhort time here 3 and not for the whole life of man, which is eternall: and this is that which makes us toerre*

3S

\

The Churches Marriage. 6$

a s the caufe of all error in all the a&ions of men j is becaufe they lookeuponfomepartofa bufine(Te,andnot upon all. Whenamanlookes upon fome part of a cafe, and not upon every part, this makes them judge amide: So in this fpiri-tuall cafe we erre, becaufe we doe not looke upon the whole life of man, to provide for our good hereafter, as well as the prefent. The reafon is, becaufe as the Apoftle fayes 2 Pet. 1. andp.ver. we are purblind , and cannot fee afarre off. Indeed this is the cafe of all that match with Chrift, they have the worft for the prefent, the beft is rcfer-ved. Indeed worldlings they have the beft for the prefent, and the worft is referved. Confider of it which is beft, an heirethat is in his minority is content to ferve and doc as a fervant doth, becaufe he knowes notwithftanding there is a difference betweene him and a fervant ± he (hall, he knowes, when he comes to age, enjoy his lands, and therefore he is contented, though as yet he is ufed as a fervant* Indeed if he knew he fhould not live to enjoy his lands-but dye before he come to age, then it were fomewhat,if he were difcontented to live fo: but wefhall be fure to live unto them, we (hall enjoy them • as in that 2 Epiftle to the Corinth. 4. 17. 18. For the momentany lightneffe of our tribulation prepareth for us an eternal! weight of Glorie: while ire looke not upon things that arefeene^ but upon things that are not feene^ for the things that are I feene are temporal! , but the things that arenotfeene are eternal/. The time that we are to be here is Abort, J if we confidcr it with eternity. and beloved, if we

did

64. The Churches Marriage.

did butferioufly thinkeof the time we are to be here, and eternity hereafter , wee fhould not fo much fticke upon thefe earthly things aSu,Avee doe.

But to come neerer, and anfwer it topurpofe; if thou accept of this match, thou ihalt have more, even for the prefent, then the full vintage of the menof this world, as in that 10. Chapter ofMarke^ 29.30. There is no man that hath for fa ken houfes, or brethren^ orlifters , or father , or mother , tr wife , or children , for my fake and the G off els , hut bet fbaff receive note in this time an hundredfold . hou-feSj brethren, fitters, fathers, mothers , and children and lands, withperfecutws t and in the worldto come life everlafting : even with perfections a man fhall receive an hundred fold. If you aske how canthatbe, that a man with perfecution fhall receive an hundred-fold in this life? for Anfwer, we muft compare this place with the 2 Cor. 6. 10. As forrowfull , yet alwayrejoycing . as foore , and yetmakingmanyrich • as having nothing , and yet foffering all things : though they have a forrowfull time outwardly, yet they have abundance of inward joy, which they have in the grace and favour of God. This is your ufuall Proverb ,Heeis rich whom God loves. Though a man lofc credit with the world, and praife with men, and eftima-tion, which keepes many men off; yet thou fhalt have joy in God, peace of confidence, which is a hundred times better. But you will fay , what iflheybeput into prifon? fhall they then have an hundred-fold in this life? yes, for their im-

prifon-

The Qhurches Marriage. 6y

prifonment is better then worldly mens liberty, ltisfaid, that when lofeph was put into prifon, that the Lord went in with him, and was with him, and therefore it was no pnfon: for what is it that makes itaprifon? The Lords ab(ence,a man hath more joy in a prifon wherein God is , then in a Palace without God • as you may fee in Saul $ when the Lord was departed from him , his Palace was but a prifon to him. brethren, if you beleeve this, that you fhall have more for rhe prefent,ifye will accept of this march, you will not any longer (land out. But if you will not beleeve , for all that I have faid, we have no more to fay to you in briefe, but this : thou fhalr have thy portion in this life , as theProdigall fonne, hee would have his portion prefently: well, if you will have your portion, ye fhall have it, as in that i7.Pfal. 14. 7 he men of this mrld^ who b&ze their portions in this life. You fhall have your portions in this life, thou (halt have thy belly filled with treafures: but remember that terrible fentence, thou haft thy reward. Therefore it is no marvell,that worldlings live fo contentedly , with fo much outward eafe • it is no marvell 1 fay 5 for their father hath given them their portion.

Another impediment is; when parents hav« pro vided a fit match for their children,and come and propound it to their children,' then they are pro-mifed to another, theinhearts are fet upon others: and this is a great impediment in this , and it is common. Now the Lord comes to propound this march to thee;but thoucanft not forfake

Ee thofe

66 The Qhurcbes Marriage\

thofe things that thy affe&ionsarefet upon, thou haft made another choife, thy heart is fer upon •thefe outward things, thou haft promifed thy ! love and delight to them, and thou tun ft now re-' fufe the fuite of the Kings Sonne. This one day will lye heavy upon thy confcience , when as this Chrift that thou haft now rejected, fhall come to Judgement, and fhall fit upon hisglo-rious Throne, and fhall pronounce that heavy fentence, Depart from me ye curfed ; and then thy confcience (hall tell thee, ohheewas once a Alitor to me, but I had made another choice , a worfechoice ; which thenthou findeft, though it feemed pleafant for the time , yet indeed his fcrvice would have beene more pleafant and profitable; for hee would have thee live but according totherule ,intemperance, fobriety, indi-ligence, in thy calling, and fuch like, which would have kept thy body in health , and preferved thy eftatc • and now thou haft wafted thy body in fornication , and uncleane-neflc, and haft wafted thy goods in drunkennefle and good-fellowfhippe, and all riotous living: andfo if we fhould ft and to compare every particular fervicc of each husband, wee fhould finde that our obedience to our right husband, ismore pleafant then that wee have now chofen. nay wee fhould finde that the worft a&ions that Chrift commands, are farrc more pleafant then thebeft of the other • as take forrow for finne, that wee count the worft and the hardeft duty, yet even in that there goes along with it a fecret fweernefle,

and

and comfort* thofe that have any experience in I it,. know it to be true: but when as thou yeeldeft obedience to thy other husband , even in the midft of thy carnall delights, thy heart is fad, there is a kinde of perplexity goes along with it : this wee fhall finde in all the a£Uons we doe to this wrong husband, afecret griping and flinging of confeience; and befides this, wee fhall at length be paid with death.

But in our obedience to our right husband, more-over and above our comfort in his fervice, he will give us wages and rewards, eternall life, and all the comforts appertaining thereunto. Butinbriefe, if you will notyeeld, if you will not be ruled, God will doe with you as parents doe with rebellious'children, if they are ftub-borne,and match againft their will 5 when as neither promifes nor perfwafions will doe any good, what will they doe ? Why, they will difin-herit them. So if ye will be ftubbome, and neither perfwafions nor promifes will doe no good with you, butnotwithftandingall this, you will J not remove your affe&ions from off your choice ., 1 ,your Father fhall difinherit you, you fhall lofe your Kingdome, you fhall be damned ; if you will not cut off your right hands, and cut out ! your right eyes that offend you, y ee fhall keepe I them , but ye fhall goe to hell with them. If you willnotbeleeveus, wee have no more to fay to you, ye fhall lofe your birth-right. Another impedimenrif fo be we find we ftand in need ofanhusband topay ourdebts,yet we are not Ee 2 difpo-

<5& The £hurcbes Marriage.

difpofed to marry yet. But know, if thou wilt j not take the time before the time be paft 5 thou fhalt fit long enough without fuitors. Chrift he isafuitorby his Spirit, and wee are his friends to perfwade you to match with him. Now confi-der how that Hee onely muft perfwade: wee may perfwade long enough $ if no other doe perfwade you, you will never be wonne :but there is another, the Lordhimfelfe, he is bis owne fpokef-man,and muft be , orelfeyou will never be won. And therefore, take heed of deferring when thou findefttheht>ly Ghoft a fuitortothee, and that Chrift fpeakes to thy beatt, take heed of refu-fing : his Spirit jhallnot akajesftrive with man : if hf knocke but once, open to him, perhaps hee will knocke no more. Take heed of delayes and puttings off,bidding Chrift come another time ; for we commonly fay, delayes are dangerous. If thou doft,tho.u maift lofe thy fuitor,andChrift may let thee fit all thy life time, and never be a fuitorto thee againe. There is indeed a time, when all would match with Chrift in their extremity at their deaths, as thefoolifh Virgins,they came when it proves too late, the doores were fhut. When the arreft comes upon us, then wee would match with Chrift, butthenit is toolate, then Chrift will not match with thee • then wee may fly to thehornesofthe Altar , as loab did , but then Chrift will fay, as Solomon did of loab, Goe fall upon him, and kill him , even there. There is a refuge in the City, but thou muft be a Cittizen there, before the avenger of bloud comes. Then

The Qharches Marriage. 6 J

is not a time to marry with Chrift, then is a time to call to mountaines to fall upon you and cover you, and furthermore whereas thou fayeft , thou wilt hereafter match with Chrift, but not yet, what knoweftthou but that thy foule may pre-fently be taken from thee ? and therefore you fee what adealeof folly men fhew in their puttings off.

Another impediment is, when the parties are brought together , to fee one another • many times they doe not like one another: and this is a common cafe ; and io it is in this fpirituall match ; when men come to looke upon the Lord, they doe not like the Lord: well, if this be thy cak, if it be thus with thee, the Lord will not b e fo much as a fuitor to thee, hee counts thee an enemy. There is an antipathy betwcene the Lord and many , there is an enmity; but you muft know, in this there is a two-fold enmity; one out of ignorance, as Paul, fayes he, I was a blafphe-mtr^andaperfecutor , but now I am received to mercy, because I did it ignorantly through unbeleefe. I f hee had knowne the Lord, hee would not have perfe-cutcdhim. Butfecondly, there isalfoawilfull enmity againft the Lord: they know the Lord, and yet they doe not like him. But thefe men will deny this, and fay, this is not thecaufe they come not in, whatfoever is the caufe. Well, doe not deceive thy felfe 5 if thou love the Lord, thou wilt love his Image, thouwilt love his children which are his Image. If thou hateft thofe that 6earehisImage,thouhateft the Lordhimfelfe. ^^ Ee 3 And

i 6 5 The Qhurches Marriage*

And therefore doe not deceive thy felfe: if thou bearefta fecret hatred and diflike of that ftrift-neffeandholinefle, that is in the Saints } ifthou haft an inward grudge to that which is Gods Image, thou hateft God himfelfe.

But perhaps thou wilt fay, I hate him becaufc he is ao hypocrite-if hee were the child of God I would love him, but I hate his hypocrifie.

But take heed, that when thou ftrikeft a«n hypocrite, a Saint lyes nota bleeding- (o alfo when amanlyethunderafharpand powerfull Minifte-ry, and thou beared hatred and diflike of it, thou hateft the Lord himfelfe whofe ordinance it is. This was the cafe of the Jewes, when the Apo-ftles had friewed them the Lord Jefus, and they faw all was rejected, what followed ? we have no more to fay to you, Chrift would no longer bea fuitortothem. Seing ye reject us, and will not receive this word of falvation, loe now weturne to the Gentiles, and thofe that will receive us. And therefore brethren, take heed of difliking the Lord, when hee comes a fuitor to thee, doe notlayfalfeafperfions upon him, andhiswayes, and children,doe not belecve falfe afperfions laid upon him by others; as thofe that were fent to fpye Canaan, they brought up evill reports of that Land . what followed ? not onely they were excluded out of.the Land, but alfo all thofe that beleevedthem.

Now thus we have fhewed you the match, and given youfometryals to know, whether you are matched with Chrift or no, as alfo what may

ftirrc

ftirre you up to accept this match, ifyeefinde upon examination , that ye are not matched with him, alfo the impediments that kecpe men off from the match : that if any of them be your cafe, j ye may remove it. But brethren, all this can doe | nothing to procure this match; this will not | worke upon you, except the Lord be hisowne fpokef-man to winne your loue, hee ic is that muft winneyou. Men are like dead men when wee fpeake to them h but if Chrift fpeake not by his Spirit, they are dead ftill i it is hee that muft (hew you your debt and your danger, and the beauty and excellency of your husband, and muft remove the impediments.

And feeing that now you are to receive Chrift offered in the Sacrament, this point may be a great helpe to ftrengthen your faith. When a man promifes to match with one, this helpes well fbrewauTro the match: but when the man is in the Church, and offers himfelfe to match with thee , then'wee cannot chufe but beleeve it : Hee that, eateth and drinketh this unworthily he is guilty of the body and blond of the Lord: therefore doc not take it hand over head, but examine whether thou ftandeft in need of Chrift, Qinft thou fet a price upon him 5 as the chiefeft thing tWi wanteft > The "great match fs made in Bap-tifme: this is but the renewing of the Nuptials and new Aftes of taking and receiving Chrift. Conftder then-, if thou have matcjjc with Chrift before, elfe if thou carficft hrhcr, this is a great provocation to the Lord : for That _ Ee 4 which

7o The Qhurches Marriage.

which is required of thee now is, that thou take Chrift with more willingneffe, (till that thou come with more dedres and longing after the Lord Jefus, orelfe thou doft receive unworthily. Confider every time thou comeft, of what need thou ftandeft in ot Chrift,andinthis thing thou mud take fome paines with thy heart,every \ time thou corned, to fee more need thou ftan. J deft in of Chrift, and alfo examine ftri&ly what thou haft done amide, and worke thy heart to unfained forrow, and make up all breaches be-! fore thou corned, as thou doft with men , which \ is a very commendable thing, and if thou have [ any requeft to put np to him , this is a fpeciall • day of hearing. Whatfoever jewell thou wouldft have to beautifie thy felfe , that is, whatfoever ! graces thou wanted to beautifie thy foule, what change of rayrnent thou wouldft weare toadorne thy converfation 3 what temptation hath loag haunted thee, thou canft not be rid of, askc of thy husband now upon this day ^ this is the marriage day; this is a faire opportunity to askcany thing of thy husband: aske thy husband now, he will not deny thee, nay, whatfoever thou wan-teft for this life, for thy body, aske it now, for all is thine- whatfoever thou defircft,'any gift for foule or body , whatfoever it be that thou wouldeft havehim tot^kefrom thee, thathurts thee , or whatfoever thou wouldeft have him give thee, to doe thee good, aske it: I dare be bold to lay, hee will not deny thee $ for if Hered becaufe of his oath, w ould not deny the daugb'

ter

ter of Heydias, even to the halfe of the King-dome, didft thou thinke that thy husband will deny thee any thing, that hath given himfelfe to thee ? hath he given thee the great ? and doft thou thinke that he willdenytheetheleffe,ifit be good for thee ? if hee doe deny thee, it is be-caufe it is not convenient; or elfe, thou doft not aske it in due time > or elfe he will give thee a better thing*

To

CHURCHES

CARRIAGE,

OK

DVTY.

DELIVERED IN SVNDRY

Sermons at Lincolnes Inne,

By the late learned and Reverend Divine,

Iohn Pre ston. Doctor in Divinity, Chaplainein Ordinary to his

Majefty, Ma&ctoi Immanuel Col ledge in Cambridge, and fometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne.

nLrn it C Thomas Goodwin* ? « rs . . ^- . . . Pubhflicd by \ Thomas BM £ B inDivinitie.

Epbs, 5. 33. Let the wife fee that fbereverence her husband*

2 C or. 11. 2. For I have efpoufedyou to one husband^that I mayprefentjoy a chajl virgin to Chriji.

LONDON,

Printed by E. Vurflow for yV.£0wm,attheRoyall Exchange,

and A.Bolerrtt the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard> and R.Harford

at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head-Alley, in eater nojler-Rcw.

.

CHVRCHES

CARRIAGE

EPHES, 5. 22.5 J, 24.

Wives >fubmit your [elves unto your ovine husbands i as

unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Chrift

is the head of the Church rand he is the Saviour of

the body. Therefore as the church is [ubjeB unto Chrift ,fo let

the wives be to their ovne husbands in every thing.

H E Scope of the Apoftle is 3 to fhew that wives ought to be fubjeft to their husbands, which he infer-ceth upon them with this argument ; for fo is the Church to Chrift. My fcope is onety to fpeake of the latter : for whereas formerly I prefled men to receive Ieftu Chrift . Now becaufe the chiefeft thing they fticke at is, being fubjeft to him (which yet is a thing neceflary if they receive him aright) for

men

y6 The Churches Carriage.

i men having lived all their lives at liberty, would doe ftill, although it be the condition ofthofc that are marryed to Chrift 3 to be fubjeft to him, as it is of the woman to be to the man,as appeares by that law firft given. 3.. Gen. 16. Thy defirc (ball be to thy husband , and heefhallrule over thee^ that is, thy will fhall be fubjed to his. Now this Text fliews both, that the Church is fubjeft to Chrift, and the reafons why it (hould be fo: There arc three things in it.

That every man that takes Chrift is fubjeft to him: that is laid downe pofitively in the Tcx^ the Church is fubjeft to Chrift.

That every man that takes him ought to be.

That it is beft for themfo to be, and to that end the Apoftle gives two reafons, forhecis their head and Saviour.

I will bind up all into one point. That every one that doth or will take Chrift, he is and ought to be fubjed to him, and it is beft for him fo to be.

He that takes Chrift, is fubjeft to him•, for fofooneasthereis an union made betweene the fouleand Chrift, fo foone there is a power goes out from him, which bowes and fafhions the heart, and makes it willing to keepe his Lawes, it caufeth fuch a motion in the heart, as is in the members from the head : fo foone as the will is willing to doe a thing, there is a readineflealfo in the members, and the reafon is, becaufe there is the fame fpirit that is in the head transfufed

Dto the members , and Cohere the fame fpirit s communicated fromChrift by vertueof this inion to the members, and as fooneas that union hall beperfeft, and the Spirit fhalldwell in all r ulnes in us, then we fhall have a full readincfle to )bey him.

Now becaufe it is but in part; therefore in re-yard of the degrees of it 3 there is much wanting n this readineffe to obedience, yet fo 3 as there is nfomemeafurefome fuch inclination, though :he members areweakeand faralyticall ^ and contrary humours are in them, which much hinder their readineffe; yec foas there is an inclination in the mind,an intrinfecall aptneffe tobe fub/e& to Chrift in all things.

That he that takes Chrift ought tobe fubjeft. Mow thou art matched wirh him^ thou art engaged, thou haft covenanted with him, 1 Cor. 7.23. He is thy Lord, and hath bought thee 5 and thou haft fold thy felfe to him , yet hee hath bought thecof thy felfe, foas thou art not tui juris. It is anufuall thing for men to bethinke withthem-felves j how fhall 1 beftow this day > and men forget that they are fervants • for they are not to fpehd it in what is pleafant and profitable for themfelves: for God hath bought them of them-felves j and as a fervant is to aske his mafter every morning what worke hee would have him to doe that day, fo are ye; not a jotofftrength is thine owne.

The laft is, that it is be ft for men tobe fubje& to him, and if men were perfwaded that it were

beft

beft for them now at this time to be fubjed to him, they would come in: but it is one thing to thinke it generally beft, and beft for me at this time in my particular cafe. Now this is it, I will fhew you and take the reafons in the Text.

Bccaufe he is a head, and that in foure refpe&s.

In regard of Soveraignty.

In regard of preeminence and excellency.

Becaufe hee gives life to the Church, as the head doth to the body.

Becaufe hee is a guide to the Church, as the head is to the members.

Becaufe hee is their Soveraigne Lord and Prince, for this fubje&ion is in nature to be fub-je& to him that is our Lord, and whom wee find fetover us , and we thinkeit nodifparagementto be fo. To fubjed our felves to an equall indeed, we may and doe thinke much at it: therefore now thinke,that he is a Prince, and thou art a bafe creature^ and doftthou thinke much to be fubjed to him? all difobedience comes from this, that wee thinke our felves too good toobey him : as hee faid, fo men fay fecretly in their hearts, who is the Lord, that I fhould obey ? and this they doe in every finne.

And whereas it may be faid, there are many great men fet Over men .which they will fay, they fee no great reafon why they obey them j I am of more excellent parts then he : this may be obie-died againft many Kings; and indeed,unle(Te they do excel!, obedience doth not come otfwillingly nor naturally.

Therefore

Therefore in the (econd place confider, h e is a lead for preeminence , i Col. 18. 19. Hee is the letdofthe body , the Church , that in all things he might 'nave the preeminence « for it pleafed the Father, :hat in him all fu melle (hould dwell, that as in the lead thereat all the excellencies of the body n all fulncfle, the fences and the underiian-iing, &c. fo in him : now if a man had all excellencies in all fulncffe above all other men, ill the world would obey that man. See it in p^afts r an Eagle being theexcellenteft of fowjes, nature hath made it the King of all : and were there fuch a man among men, there would be no reflftance in nature to luch an obedience to him. Now Chrift is fuch an one, full of wifedome, full of love and meeknefle,&c. fuch an one as thy heart can wifh.

In the third place j all this is for thy profit, if thou be obedient to him , tor thou mighteft fay, why fhould I obey him ? what is all this his excellency to me ? when wee fee the government wee live in, to be for our good, then we are willing to fubmit: if we had fuch a Governout as is mentioned in Judges, that would fpend hisfatneffe and hisfweetnefleforus, him we would obey. Now fefm Chrift hath fpent his fatnefle for your good, and all this fulnelte that is in him, is for the good of the body, Ephef.i. laft, fpeaking ofChnft and the body, hee calls the bodythefulneffeof himtvhofillethallinall.

The body is thefulnefeofhim .for as the head makes not a compleateman without the body,

Ff fo

8o The Qhmches Carriage*

ionor Chrift without his Church, and yet leaft

this might be thought too much to be fpokenof

the body, that it fhould be the fulneffe of cbnB^

Therfore withall he fhews that it is Chrift which

fils the Churchy istht fulnejje ofhimnbo fits ail in

all, emptying out his fulnefTe into them,filling all

with all the excellencies that are in himfelfe. No

excellency is in him, buthee ftampsit upon the

body ^ for he received it for their fakes. As the

common Conduit receives not water from it felt

but for orhers. fo is he the common Conduit oi

Grace, a head which communicates the fame life

to his members he bach in himfelfe, which wa!

the third thing.

But ah! you will fay I have no need of al this,nor of being fubjed: to hin^yes but thou haft for thou canft not live without h : m: for as th< Husband is faidtobe the guide of the Wife, he , is the guide of thy Youcfcas the Scripture fpeaks i fo is hetothee, and without him wee are in thi world like men in the wide fea without a guide ; i left alone, wee ftall fail upon fome rocks or fand or other, and fo perifh: Hee is thy guide, an there is reafontobe fubjeft to a guide, A Foil to leave thy guide in a wood 3 and ftep out of tl 1 way from him. Nay he is a guide that doth gnu thy feet into the wayes of peace ; ihe vvayes he wil lea thee in, lead into profperity and peace.

The fecoftd reafon in the text is, He is the sax

our of his Churchy he hath faved them already fro:

1 the guilt and power of their finnes, and hee is (

| continually, and thy fafety confifts in being ob<

TTheChurches Carriage. Hi

ient to him: looke how many ads of difobedi* nee, fomany ftepsfrom under thy fhelter into heftorme, from out of the fhade into the fcor-:hing Sun-fliine. All the commandements wee ia?e from him, are things, by which our lives are aaintained: asfifhes live in the water, fowee in he commandements, for they are our elements: bas withdrawing thy felfe from the com-nandements and going out of them tends to de-flru&ionjand it is as if a man fhould fee a fifh going out of the water: every fuch motion tends to death. If therefore a man would confider when beis about to commit a fin, that this aft tends to lcath,andthat tobefubjed tothecommandement is my fafety, hee would certainely keepe within compafle: if the commandements tended to de-ftru&ion,we ought to doe them ; for what are we but Gods vaffal* ? he hath bought us. As they in the old law might doe what then would with their fervants they had bought with their money, fo might God, but when every commandement dial tend to thy good, fo as thou canft not devife a better way for thy felfe than to obey them, wilt not thou much rather bee fubjed ? 10 Deut.i$. In the former verfes he had fhowne that God had done great things for them, and therefore might doe as other mafters, that command their fervants that which is for their owne advantage, and not for their fervants 5 and fo God flight do, ar<l thou oughtelt to be fubieft to him: but feyes hee in the thirteenth verfe, what doth the Lord require of thee, bur to keepe the commandements

I 8 x The Qhurches Carriage.

of the Lord which he commands rhee for thy good ? Thou maift thinke that to fan&ific the fabboth is not for thy good, but now thou maift think happily by thy travell on that day 5 and plotting thy bufinefTe to further thy wealth, or fup-pofethat God bid thee be bold for him, and ftanJ outfortheprofeifionof t^e truth, thouthinkeft it may be thereby thou fhalt lofe much ^ and that by ftepping out of his way, thou maift take in fom convenience, or balke fome croflfe, which for do•• ing his will would befall thee^ but thou art deceived, thou fhalt find that this fhallbeefor thy ruine, and though thou canftnot fee how this fhould be for thy good. yet fhut thine eyes, be-leeve it, for it will be fo.

The ufe is, to exhort you to be willing to come to Chrift: You fee this great obje&ion taken a-way, that men are loath to bee fubjecft to him. I w ill further fhew what it is t© bee fubje£t, and fo addemotives.

If you would know what fubje&ion is .

Subjeftion is, when an inferiour willingly fubmits to a fuperiour, there are two things in it.

It muft be between an inferior and a fuperiour-for if a fuperiour doth it, it is not fub je&ion, but ycelding 5 if an equall doth h, it is an agreement, compa<a,notafubje<fcion.

I^muftbe willingly, or elfe it is not faid to bee fubjedion: to bee carryed captive is nor to bee made fubjeft 5 but when a man fubmits out of an inward inclination of his j

' Will}

Will , then it is faid to bee obedience and fub-je&ion.

The fecond thing is, what wee muft be fubjeft to, and tbey are three things; Firft the counfell of Chrift. Secondly, the Commandements of Chrift. uiirdly, his providence 5 to be willing to bedifpofedof by him ! And thefe three docan-fwertoalthatisinaman^For i. there is his mind orunderftanding; now to that anfwers counfell. Secondly,thereishis , will, to that anfwers com-| mandement. Thirdly affe&ions, they anfwer to his providence.

Firft wee muft bee fubjed to the Counfell of Chrift, that is, to thinkehis.wayes, and what hee commands, to be the wifeft and thebeft way. And this is one thing a wife owes to her Husband;, to befubjeft to his opinions: and Paul, when hee would expreffe his obedience, fayes, I confu/tednot withfle[h and bloud, that is, with my owne reafon j but I brought my mind into [ub\eBion to Chnjts mind: I was willing to thinke bis way thebeft, in zCor io. 5. This is called Subje&ion, namely, the bringing of every thoughtinto fubjedtion. Theoriginallofdifobedienceisrefra&orineffeof thoughts , whereby amanthinkes his way bet' terthan Gods way, and therefore chufcth it, for every man doth what he thinkes beft, and therefore in Pro. 23.4. Salomon counfeiling men not to labour to be rich, becaufea man would fay in his owne thoughts, why, it is good to be rich, there-fore fayes he, ceafefrom thine owne tvjfcdome, that is, fubmittbywifedometoGods, hee kno»ves what

F f 3 is

$4- We C^ Hrc ^ es C arr * a £ 6i

is better for thee: walk in thy calling without fee' kine inordinately to bee rich; and if God caft rich es upon thee, fo it is. And fo likewife a man that thinkes credit in regard of gifts, learning, parts, agoodlytbing 5 ceale from thine own wife-dome it being but as the Apoltle iaith w ^^5« an empty thing, a thing blowne up by mens breaths: feeke not after it, follow his couniell. And thirdly fo for pleafiire, thou thinkeft this or that thing tobc moft pleafant 5 ceafe from thy own wifedome,abftaine from it, and thou fhalt have it fome other way.

The fecond thing are his commands: it thou feeft he hath commanded a thing,which thou feeft j no rcafon for, nay thou feeft noreafon againftit, yetdoenotqueftion it. The will of man is ftffl obje&ing. 5ee this now in Adam and StulAn the commandement given to Adam, there is nothing but a meere command, *tis likely heefawnorea-fon for it, yet fee how God chargeth himjjafl ^ w eaten of that I ammandedthee thoujhouldfl not eate I Saul thought he had go^d reafon on his fide, to fpare thekinefor facrifiee, but did not I command thee the contrary} The fervant is not to examine his maftcrs ground, but to doe his will.

Laftly,weemuftbe fubjeft to his providence, and all the pafiages of it. Looke what variety of conditions,of fickenefleand health, good report and ill report thou gocft through. God requires that all thy affe&ions fhould be fubje& without murmuring; if he will have thee lye under an ill report without caufe a long time, it is bis providence

vidence, fubmit; and whereas men will fay , if I were thus or thus infucha condition firft, then I would be content s what is this,but tomake his will Regularnregulatam I

The third thing are motives to be fubje&.

From the nature of fubjeilion; which is as it was defined, that the inferiour ought to be fub-je<S to the fuperiowr; fo as there is reafon for this, if thou be an inferiour to him, and when a man feesreafon,hewillnotbeftubborne. Now, that there is reafon for this, looke through the whole univerfe. 'That which is moft bafe i% loweft, and if there fhould not be fuch a fubordination, what confafion would there be, as if the waters fhould over-flow the earth, or the fire pofFeflethe place of the ay re ? As in the body of nature; fo political! . if fervants fhould not be fubjeft to their matters, inferiours to'fuperiours, what confu-fion would it breed? \o. Ecclefc. 6A01 the fetvmt 1 tobeenforft-hacke^ and the mafl l er on foot , this is an evjll, and a folly. So in the body of man, for the humours to be predominant, it brings ficknefle and death- fo in the fdule, for reafon to be below, and the affe&ions above, what diforderis it ? So that there is reafon, that in all things the inferiour fhould be fubjeft to the fuperiour.

Confider who it is you are to be fubjedt to.

It is to him that is able to doe you much good, [-and one that is willing to recom pence thee to the utmoft. Why are men fo willing to be fubjedt to Kings, and doe them fervice ? becaufe they are able to advance them ; and therefore men will doe i Ff 4 any

any bafe offices for them, even violate their conferences : but in being fubjeft to God>thou fhalt | not be fubjed to bafe, but honourable fervices, and thou lhalt get much by it alfo, As Bdlak faid to Balaam, am I not able to preferre thee Z fo may I fay of God 5 and of others, even of Kings, j as Saul faid of "David , Can David give you Vine-jards^&cc} Can Kings give you what God can give you ? why is there fuch fceking to the Court, but that men are perfwaded of getting profit and honour ? and is it not God that fets up whom he will, pulls dovrne whom he will? doth vvhatfoeverhee will in the earth, and in the fea? which ifconfidcred, men would be ambitious of fervinghim.

Secondly, hee is able to doe you much hurr, and that is another rcafon of our fubj'e&ion to Princes, and therefore, i.-Pr*. 5. 6.hee bids us humble our felves under his mighty hand 5 that is, God hath a mighty hand, able to bring you into fubjeftion, and therefore doe it willingly, Humble your felves. Doe you provoke him to anger, are you ftrongerthenhe ? is hee notable to bring you dovvne ? In Ezechiel there be foure Em-bkmes of bis power; God compares there great men to Eagles 3 the matters of all birds- to Cedars that over-fhaddow all the trees of Eden; to Dragons, thatdoeliveinthewaters, and doe drinkeitupasariver, and to an excellent Cherub . now God to fhew his power, fayes, that hee will deplume that Eagle, loppe the boughes of that Cedar, uncover that Cherub; put a hooke

into

into the noftrils of that Dragon, fo that God is able to doe the greateft men in the world hurt.

Thirdly, God is exceeding munificent, his goodneffe is great. If one hath a father that is full of goodnefle , an ingenuous fonne would not difobey him, becaufe hee would not grieve him; now God will fparethee, as a father ft ares his fonne that ferves him : hee will kecpe thee ft ill I in the houfe , notwithftanding all thy rebellions.

Laft motive is taken from our felves. It is for thy good to be fubjeft to him : which if men throughly apprehended, they would notfticke, though it were athingburdenfometo them. If a P hyfician prelcribes thee an hard dyet , to which thou haft no good will in it felfe-yet if thou be told it is for thy good, then thou art willing* and thus it is with the Commandements: but fay, is not liberty an excellent thing ? is it not better to live as a man lifts ? indeed if the mind of a man were framed as it ought to be, it were lo; but feeing thy heart is pofTefled with errours,&c. it is nofbeft for thee to be at liberty, for one that is well in his wits, it is good to 6e at liberty, but not for one in a frenfie. againe for thee to follow thine owne will, is to fubjeft thy felfe more to the difeafe, but when thou doft what God commands thee, thou doft follow the pre-fcriptof the Phyfician. For every man lyes as it were Inter morbum & medicum • if thou fubje<a thy felfe to God, thou groweft out of bondage _ to

The Churches Carriage.

to the difeafe to further life and liberty, but when thou obeyed thy felfe , thou art brought in bondage to finne , which is the difeafe of thy foule. Now bondage properly is this • when one is fub je<ft to one that is not our proper Commas der 3 or when it is to our hurts: and therefore now to be fubjed to a father is not bondage , to not to God, he being our naturall and proper Commander. Now one of thefe two you muft be fub-jeft to, either the law of finne , or of rightcout nefle. Confider now which of thefe is bondage, which liberty.

Every creature hath a certaine rule given it, and fo long as it keepes clofe to that rule, fo long it is well with it: and fo it is with men, whilft they are fub jed to the Law, wkich is their proper rule- to be fubjeft to the contrary rule, that is bondage. But thou wilt fay, I finde it a pleafant life, to bee fubjed to my lufts: but what is the reaton of that ? becaufe it is agreeable to the prefent difpofition of thy foule, but yet know this, that thou haft another rad icall difpofition in thee, in which thou wert created, to which the Commandements are more pleafant, then the fatisfy ing of thy lufts. As now take the conftant difpofition of thy body ; meat and drink is pleafant to it,but indeed in a time of ficknefle, not meat, but fomethingelfeis more pleafant; yet fo as the pleafantneffe of meate to one in health, is the greater of the two. Now this is a rule in Philofophie, that thofe things that are agreeable to nature are jucwda perfe : and all

times,

imes , the other not Co , and but for a fit, and Co low finne is pleafing to thee, but whilft thou art n fuch a humour. Now the things that God rommands agree to the firft conftitution of thy ouk, and therefore they are the better choyce, lodintbemfelvesmore pleafant, and the obedience to them, is like the obedience of the mem-oers to the head, but the obedience of them to fin is the wringing them the wrong way.

Againe, peace isplcafant. Pfalm. 133. iJt is a pleafant thing for Brethren to dwell in unity. Dif-cords in a family are unpleafant. Now whilft thou obeyeft finne, itbreakes thy peace with God thy head, and thou live ft an unquiet life, but as it is, Gal. 6. 16 4 as many as tralke according to the rule of Gods CemmandementS) peace is upon thm y and that is pleafant. Againe, it brings Iefus Chrift into the foule, and he brings ioy with him, for when hecomes into the heart, hee comes as the Sunne into a roome with light, and joy, and peace. T find one fimilirude more in the words, to expreffe our union with Chrift: and indeed the Scripture is much in exprefling of this union, now it is a fure rule, that what the Scriptures beftow much words on, wee fliould have much thoughts on, and what the Holy Ghoft urgeth moft, we fhould prize moft 7 /as in this union with Chrift, whichns the foundation of our Salvation and of all graces* Now different fimilitudes in Scripture doe ex-pre{Tefomencwthing,asis this, that hee is the head and Saviour of the body. It will bring to our minds fome other differing notion concer- , ning

go The Qhurcbes (Carriage.

ning this union then the former did, it will bring new light that we fhall fee further into the riches of this glorious myfterie.

The point is, that Chrift is the head, and Saviour of his Church ,and of every member. I addc this la ft, for fo you fhall finde it. iCor. n. 3. That the head of every man is Chrift : and this fi-militude fhewes that the union betwixt Chrift and us, is more than the union of a politicke head and body, fo as we are flefh of his flefh, and bone ofhisbone s as it is in the thirtieth verfe of this chapter.

In that Chrift loves and cherifheth every one united to him, as every man doth his owne flefli. Put cafe a member bee more deformed than another, there be an ulcer in it ; yet a man loves it ^ becaufeitishisflefti.

Hee is fenfible of all the painc, and eafe they feele, as the Head is, of what the Members doe.

Hee communicates Sence and Motion to c-very man ; without him, every man being dead, and not able to moove a ftep, in the Wayesof God.

He guides,direds,counfe!s every memberup-on all becafionsjfuggefts wifedome what to doe.

JBut there are three other fpeciallrefpe&s, in regard of which he is called a head.

In regard of authority. \\Epbef. 22. God hath appointed him over all things to be bead, Hee hath committed the Kingdome of the Mediatourfhip to his Sonne.

The Qhurches Carriage. pi

In regard of preheminence. i CoL 18.

In regard of influence of life- Efbef. i. 2 3. his icadfhipis made toconfift in this, infilling his oody, which in it felfeisadry cmpl^ thing, and :he fils them all, thatis,every corner, and feeond-ly with all, that is all variety of graces; fo as they have nothing, but what they have from ibim.

The ufe of thefe three in particular, Secondly, in that he is a head in generall.

If Chrift be fo ahead, as he is a Governour and commander^it is eafy to know what followsthen; let us be obedient and live according to his lawes, in thofe doxologies which are given to Chrift, This is oncyTohim beal dominion^ the dominion that is in parents over their children, Kings over theit people, are but rivelets out of that Sea, In the 9. of Ifal.6. the Government is faid to be upon his jhoulder^ fo as he rules all the world, onely with this difference, that he rules his Church with an inclinativedifpofition,as the head rules the members, but others tvitharodof Iron^ fo as he brings all under his feet, and makes them ftoope, and it is profitable for us to confider what divifion wee are of^for Firft,thereare fome of the kingdome of his fonne, tranflated into his kingdome. 1 Cot others are as Cain y vagabonds, lavvlcflc perfons, that are not the Lords portion, and though thrfe doe what they lift; yet thou muftdoeas by a rule, from morning, till night, in all thy bufinefle, undertake no a&ion but by rule: there is not the leaft a&ion but there is rule for it in the generall

vfij*

^

pi The Churches Carriage.

\ ncrall find out that rule, fo ufe recreations, eate anddrinkebyrule. If you object, that there are fome things which

| a man may doe animi caufay fo the Apoftle fayes, hec would not for his mind fake, Ianfwer, you muft even doe thefe things by rule. Tis true that a man may have in his choice to doe a thing, or not to doe a thing • for then a thing is indifferent: yet there is a rule to be lookt to in thefe things, vfo..That Chrift hath given a man this liberty: fo men fhould order their fpeeches by rule 5 not to be vaine at any time, not in the leaft word. But you will fay ,this is a bondage: Anfwer: no • but it is for thy benefit; for the more thou walkft by rule, the more peace (Kail be upon thee. It is obfervable, 9.Efay 7. that thefe two things are put together; oftheencreafe of his government, and of his peace therefhall be no end: to this end, to (hew that as his government encreafeth in mens hearts and is enlarged, foas a man is made more fub-je& to him, fo alfo peace increafeth. In thofe that are raoft fub }c& , there is moft peace: and therefore hee is called the Prince of peace; for where hee rules as a Prince, there is that peace which he, as a mightyPrince,is able to procure to you. And to this purpofc is that copulation of being a head and a Saviour in the Text, as I have obferved before: if any man goeth from out of his government, hee fhalJ find thornes, unquiet-neffe, and reftlefnefle of fpirit, if they walke by the rule, they fhall have perfe& peace, perfect mercies: if you walke unevenly with

him.

t

The Churches Qarriage. 93

lim, bee will walke unevenly with you.

Is he a head in regard of excellency . not oncly )ecaufe God hath put him into the higheft Mace, butbecaufeheehathafitneflcin him y all rulnefle > choofe him then, take him before any hingelfe;forheisthebeft, and will preponde-ate whatfoevcr corns in competition with him. There are no excellencies , that are in the creatures which are out of him, but all in him. And therfore thoumuft choofe him altogether, and imake him the adequate obje£ of thy foule, in whom thou art fully fatisfied : bring thy heart to this frame, to be content to be ftript of every thing, thinking it enough to have the Lord. 2 Col. 10. And)ee are comyledte in bim^ who tftbe beadofallPrinciyalitieandpower: his fcope is this; in the 6. verfe before, he had exhorted them, that as they bad taken C'brift, (it being the fame word that is in M«, i. 12,) fo they would walke in bim^ being fully contented with him* andletno man deceive you in Pbilofefbie 5 that is, whereas men teach you excellent rules of morall Philofophy ; yet reckon not thefc as excellencies added to Chrift, but abound you in faith inhim^ for wearecompleate in him : if any thing were wanting in him, then indeed we might feek out to other things. Learn toapplythisto your particular occafions- fay, I care for no mans friendfhip, nor wealth; it is enough, I have the Lord alone; I am compleate in him, looke forall from him; and then you will doe all for him. Hee that lookes for any thing from the creature, will doe fo much for it.

Every

Vfei

Every benefit hath an office joyned, an d fo much men ferve finne, as they looke for pleafure from it, and fomuch fervice as is done to the creature, fo much is taken off from God. and therefore fay, I will not apply my felfe to you, but to Chrift. And fo if a man be to preach the Gofpell, he that thinketh himfelfe compleate in Chrift, will not care for mans day, fo if a man come to fome a&ion of tryall , wherein he fhall lofe fome fpeciall friends j and get great enemies, if hee thinke himfelfe compleat in Chrift, he cares not. So in walkingin the exercifeof amans calling, if a man thinkes himfelfe compleat in Chrift, he will thinke it enough to doe his duty • fo as men xmay receive profit by it, and as for wealth ,hee leaves that to the Lord, in whom hee is compleat.

But you will fay, how (hall I live in this world jthen ? I have credit to looke to, and wife and children.

Anfw. God is able to do abundantly for you, if you have him. When Mofes was contentto let Pharaoh goe, and his great place in Egypt goe, and fo fuffer affli&ion with the people of God, God made him a greater Prince then ever hee was • fo Chrift, becaufe hee endured thefhame, and the fpeaking againft, and the meaneft condition that ever man had, therefore 2 Phil. God gave him a great name above all names. Abrahamlethis Country goe, but God gave him a greater Country, and in his feed made him heire of the world; fo if a man be a Minifter of the word • let him not

think

chink with himfelfe 5 f .how to provide bed forhim-felfe, but how he may doe moft good; and therefore not to take care for preferrement ormainte^ nance, in the io.of 'Math. 10. Luke, when Chrift fent his Difciples out to preach the Gofpell, Hee )ids them take no money,nor nofirippe^to maintaine :hem, nor no ftaffe to defend them from injuries, norfalutc no man by the way, that is, doe not ftand upon officious complements to get friends. You goeabout the Lords worke, and 1 will provide for you, and therefore hee repeates this 22. Lf»£j5. when he was going out of the wor!d,as-king them if when he did fend them outthus,they did lacke any thing, to which they anfwered no. Thenleaine by this, not to looke after maintenance^ and this may be faid to every Minifter of the Gofpell; preferre Chrift,and he will preferre you. Everyone defiresapreheminence, a place above his brethren; the way to get it, is to be for Chrift : Of bis ovtne mil he begot U6, that rve might be thefirji fruits of all the creatures. When a man hath chofen Chrift, then hee is made the chiefe of the creatures, hee excels all others , as Ro-fes and Lillyes excell thornes; fo that if you choofe and make him your head , hee will make you thehead andchiefeof all thingselfe.

From this, that he is a head in regard of influence, a head that fills all in all • that then wee would be carcfull to draw from him, that vvh ich may fill us, and this is the ufe is made of this 4. Ephef. 15,16. Let m follow the truth in lore , that we may grow up in him in all things, who is the head from

G g nhom

V£i.

9 6 *Ihe Qhurches Carriage,

xthom the whole body fitly joyned together, &c % The fcope of the Apoftle is to (hew us, wee fhould grow, and how to grow , adding this motive to it,to (litre them to it, that Chriftis their heack, able to fill every empty erevis , and that fhould ftirre them up tobring their hearts to him , that fo you may grow up into him, that is, when you heare feee is ahead that fills you, ftand not at a ftay,butgrowuptohim, there being as great a neceffity for you to grow , as for others to come | in iand therefore (fayeshe) continue not chilJ dren : if they aske how they fhould grow up into him 5 hee bids them follow the truth inlove , that is, as you get more light into divine truths, and have your hearts affe&ed with them , which is meant by love, fo much is added to you : groir then j forotherwife how is itfaid, thattheword doth build us up ? as S t.Paul , when he told thofe that he was to leave them , and they knew not what to doe when he were gone, to grow, he tells them this, I leave you to God^and the word of hugrace to build you up: now how doth the word do ir, but by revealing truth, new truths? which if they affeft the heart, r men grow up into 'Chrift.

In that it is faid, grow up into him, it is added, to difference that growth which is out o him in raorallvertues ; men may grow in them and yet not grow up into Chrift: but to grow aj into him, is togrowmore emptied of our felve< and felfe-conceits, and fuller of him, fo as he ma} be greater in us; for wee define grace otherwifi then the morall Philofophers define vertues

the"

The Churches Carriage. py

hey define it to be that which frames the ioule :o right reafon»that is, to do.that which is bed for himfelfe and his converfe with men, but wee grow in another manner, to be that which frames and exercifeth every faculty of the fouleto the Lord, and therefore there is no growth in grace> unleffeit be into Chrift, doing all for him, vn-leffewebc taken off of our owne bottome, and let upon him. Now there are thing: further mentioned in that place, as mcanes of this growth.

To receive all from him, from whom as the words are, &c. and therefore to keepethe heart nigh to him ; that therefore which hinders growth is that which caufeth diftance betwixt God and us. Now the cementing qualities that doe joy ne us to him, are faith and love, and that which loofeneth as from him is felfe dependance, and felfe feeking ,and all things elfe which thru ft in betwixt God and you 5 as vaine hopes and vainefeares.

Keepe in the fellow (hip of the Saints, for they receive from Chrift onely, as they are knit and compared together : if the branch be divided from the tree and the rootc, there is no growth. Let them looke to it that take no heed of their company. There are many mutuall duties to be performed together, by which the Saints grow : be one of their fellowfhip in conference, pray-er,&c. if thou wouldeft grow.

By that which every joint furnifhetb to m. There

are certaine Commifiurx bands and finewes, by

which grace is conveyed, by which is meant all thofe vehicula of grace > all the ordinances of God: he therefore that prayes mod, heares moft confcionably, and is in company of thofe moft which excell in grace , whence fomething will drop thatmay increafc grace and truch, fuch men grow moft. though Chrift be the fountaine, yet grace is conveyed by thefe as the meanes: therefore ufing thefe meanes^ looke up to him to open the fountaine.

There is an efFe&nall power, a nutritive faculty in ever v one that hath life in him, which is a meanes of growth v according to the effe&uall working in the meafure of every part, by which a manmakes ufeofevery thing fuggefted tohim, ftill receives profit from the word read or prea* ched , or from Gods providence , fome nutriment from them all: asyoufay of good wits, that they make ufe of every thing, fo of good hearts 5 and that is according to the meafure in every part * yet fo as the leaft bud hath this effe-ftuail power in its meafure to draw from the root,as well as the greateft branches; fome have a greater meafure, becaufe they take in not for themfelves, butdigeft and deliver it to others; for in the body there are fome members , that receive from themfelves and for diftribution ,as the liver,heart,&c. And therefore thinke with thy felfe, I have a greater degree in the Church of God, therefore I muft looke to receive more then others, orelfe there will be an 9 *T&f: I muft pray more and read more , that fo growing more

in

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The Churches Carriage. 99

n thy felfe, thou maift be able to diftributeunto >thers. Letmeaddethis, take heed you doe not [ lead thiseffe&uall power, forthen you will not \ >e able to draw much, orelfe not to conco& it. | You will fay,how may it be deaded ? by worldly | nindedneffe, or by Sinne not repented of.

This weakens, the nutritive faculty } the more j pirituall every man is, the better confciencethat 1 'lekeepes, and that will quicken the nutritive faculty, for what makes a member to draw nourifh-1 ment, but emptinefle and hunger ? fo that the | more we thirft after other things, tbelefle we fhal j draw from Chrift.

Theufe is of Triall whether you be in Chrift or no,by your obedience and fubje&ion to him,The Church,that is,every member of it, is fubjed un-to Chrift, and obedient unto him in all things. That which God maketh a rule of his owne Judgment, 4s that by which he iudgeth of every man that is a fure rule for every man to judge himfelfe by, That which we fhall be judged by atthelaft day, is a fure rule to apply to our felves for the prefent. Now by our obedience and workes, hee I judge th us, Hee mil give to every man according to his [workes. Rom. 2. that is, he will not looke totheir j good meanings andprofeflion 5 but to their anions land workes, becaufe our real taking of Chrift lappcarethinthem. If at. 1.19. if yee confent mdo-\ ^ e h )^jhaSeate the good things of the Land^ that is, j if yee will confent to take Ichovah for your Lord I and King, if you give confent, there is the firft I thing. But that is not enough; but if you alfo ! Ggj obey,'

ico The Qhurches Qarriage

obey, the confent that ftandcth in the inward aft of the mind, the truth of it will bee feene in your obedience, in the ads of your lives 7 if you confent and obcyyoujhalleate the good things of the Und } That is,you Hull take of all that he hath, that is good and convenient for you,fot then you are married to him in truth, and have an intereft in all his goods.The Lord would have (acrifice exaftly performed, but the prophets make light of that in comparifon of obedience, and the complaint o\ the Lord isofyourdifobedierce, you are a difo bedient and rebellious people, joumecke is litem Ironfinerv^ow plucke away the fhoulder, and wil not obey. It is not a facrifice which was a ti picall raking of Chrift, but obedience mufigo with it, So in the new teftament, the two mam-things the Apoftles beateupon, were .Faith-aft new obedience, fruits worthy of amendmen of life, ABs 20. 2i. The Apoftlc fumm* all his preaching in thefe two things, repentanc towards God, and Faith towards Ieius Chrift,an< hejoynesthern together, becau'e they arc neve fevered. That was hisbufinefle, if you (hould hav heard him conferre or preach, you fhould hav heard him beat upon thefe two. Faith and obed ence, or fubje&ion to the commandements. S it was the fcope otlohnBaytijlJ&z preacht the baf tifme of repentance, and the wafhing away c fmnes-,now they would be ready to take thefwee therefore he tels them they muft be obedient, ar he urgeth it on particulars, as they that are fou diersmuft offer no wrongtoany, and foof t\

re

The Churches Qarriage. lot

eft, The Lord will not rake any thing of an ene-ny,a ftranger. 2 Cor. 8. 12. Hee that givetb almes, \nd givetb not bis ferfonfirft to the Lord^ the Lord ac-eptetb it not^ but yet on the other Tide, workes rr.'ftjuftifie our faith: it is but an empty faith, xcept ic hath an a&uall real obedience accompanying it. It is a dangerous rocke to think our (ins itre forgiven, and wee have accepted Chrift, and lave good meanings, and yet we have no obedi nee accompanying this: He that is in Chrift Jiath crucified the flefh, and walketh after the fpi-jrit, and he that is in Chrift, is fubjed unto him inal things.^r//?^y^/V^nothethat had a ftrong body, but hethatrunne well, had the crowne in the Olympian games, it was not an athleticall ability, but he that wre(tied beft: and it is thefimi-litudethe Apoftlehimfelfc alludes to 5 and takes up 1 Cor. 9. towards the end. Exhorting to ftrift-nefle of obedience unto Chrift, as without wh'ch a man willlofe his labour. It is well exprefled in the parable of the fonnes,one faid he would goe into the vineyard, there were good intentions 5 the other faid he would not: he that faid he would aad went not, went befides the reward, and hee that faid he would not, but went, it was hee that received the reward. It is not good defires, but aduall performing of obedience that fhal provide a Crowne for you. And good rcafon why try all fhould be taken by this, for tryallis in difficult things. Toprofefle and know much are eafy, but tobringyour affections into fubie&ion, to wre-ftfe with Iufts, to crofle your wils, and your felves, i Gg 4 * T on

%

ioz *Ihe Qourcbes Carriage*

upon every occafion , this is hard. The Lord iookech chat in our lives wee ihould be fervice-aBle to him , and ufefull to men ; that which is within, the Lord and our brethren are never the better for it ^ but the outward obedience flowing.thence, glorifies God, and doth good to man. The Lord will have this done. What elfeis the end of our preaching, our planting , and watering, but that the trees may be fil-ledTwithfap ? And what is the end of that fap. but that the tree may bring forth fruit ? what ca-reth the husband-man for leaves or barren trees? not onely the thornes, arecaftinto fire, but barren trees. Therefore looke to your fruits, and deceive not your felves. Itfs a common error foi men tothinke their eftates good, when in the ! meane time they walke after the ftubborncnefle of their hearts: they that doe the will of the Lord fhallbe faved. What is the end of every grace but to mollifie the heart, and make it plyableto ibme com mandement or other ? Looke how many commandements, fo many graces there are in vertueand efficacy, although not fo many feve-rail names are given them. The end of every fucb grace is to make us obedient 3 as the end of temperance is chaftity ; to bow the heart to thofe commands , be yeefober^fkc* not in chambering and wantennejse^iic. When the Lord commandeth us not to be angry with our brother, the end of meekenefie, and why the Lord infufethit, is to kcepe us from unadvifed, raflb anger, fo faith the end of it, is to take Chrift Jefus, to make us obedient

lienc to the command of the Gofpell , which :ommands us to belecvein him • fo as all graces do joyne together, but to frame and fafhion the foule to obedience. Then fo much obedience as is in your lives, fo much grace in your hearts, and 10 more'.therefore aske your hearts, how fubjed /on are to the Lord in your lives3 it was the coun-fellthat Francis spira gave to them about him, faith-he Learne all of me, to take heed of fevering faith and obedience 0 1 taught juftification by faith, but negleded obedience, and therefore is this befallen me. 1 have knowne fome godly men whofe comfort on their death beds, hath beene not from the inward ads o( their mind,.which apart confidered , might be fubjed to mifappre-henfions , but from the courfe of obedience in their lives iffuing thence, Let Chriftians looke to it, that in all their converfation ,as they ftand in every relation, as Scholars, tradef-men, husbands, wives, looke to this, that when they come to dye,they have becne fubjed in all things: this wili afford folid comfort. What will you fay, when Satan chargeth you with this ? it is true ; you have large promifes, and hee that beleeveth fyallhefaved^ but then you muft have beene obedient and bring forth fruits., and when you looke upon your lives, and find not thefe fruits, where are you > But you will fay then, there is none but may doubt himfelfc, for whocan fay his obedience is perfed ? I anfwer, it is not fo much the perfedbn as the ftneerity that is required* But ..now {hall we know that^you will fay ?

Firft^

ioi. The Churches Qarriage.

Firft confider,whether thou be obedient ine r very thing.This is in the words of the Text,there-fore I mention it firft, he ihat hath taken Chrift, there is never a commandment, but he is fubjcft to it: thfSugh he faileth in the performance of the commandements, yet never a one but he is fub-S je& to. as for example, the Lord hath commanded tofantlifie the Sabboth , not to for fake the fellow-fhip of the Saints • to fray continually ; to take bed bow vet heare • to rvafb our hearts from evill thoughts and lufts. When an obedient heart, one that hath taken Chrift trqely, heares thefe commands, he is obedient to every one of them 3 hce goetk about the bufinefle, as an obedient fervant about his matters fervice ; though he may be overtaken with negligence and feme contrary paffion, yet he go-eth about it. I meane, hee doth it as well as he is able. Another will not fet himfelfe to doe the bu-fineffe, but is ready to expoftulate * the matter with God, and fay, the commandement is too ftridjOrelfeherefufeth byplaineftubbornes. As for example, that commandemenf, takeheedhov you heare, that is,let not one inftru Ction fall to the ground, fee that you worke it upon your hearts; a difobedient heart goeth not about this, helcfi-deth his eares for an honrc$ but when the Sermon is done,there is an end:fo that other\tofray continually ,. may be he prayeth not alone, nor with his family, or if both, yet in a flight and negligent manner, as good never a whit, as never the better: fo alfo let your communication beeaU trayes gracious^ fuch a one thinkes it a needlcfle

thing

thing to be fo ftri£t and indifcreec, he is not, »or will not be fubjed : this is difobedience. Marke the generality, and thinke it no more then needs 3 when the Scripture there faith, veemuftbe (ubjeB to him in every thing •, that is, not onely to the maine commandement, but to every part ofit: Hee that hath faid, thou foalt not commit adultery, hath hid jhoufhalt not have an adulterous hearty? eye, or thought,or dalliance Now if thou befubjeft to the maine, if thou negle&thefmalleftas thou counted them • thou art difobedient, and thou art one to whom Godi.m\\rcnder vengeance, 2 Thef. 1.7. J?01 it is to them that know not the Lord, or that will not obey him, though they know that he will do this unto them, ver.8. and I aske you if you know not,that there is fuch acommandement asthis/*-deeme the time , &c > where is thy obedience to it, thou that trifleft away thy precious time, and makeft no con fcieRce ofit ? I f the Lord hath (aid, he that doth his vtorke negligently $attbe cur fed, what fhaltthou be, thatdoft it not at all > Students that Iofe their time, and will not be obedient to that command,hath not the Lord commanded you here to to be fubje&in all things ? fo he hath faid, forfakenot the fellorvfkip of the Saints, that is, the element you fhould live in • and it is not enough onely to abftaine from evill company, but to frequent good: fo for your fpeeches being gracious alwayes: are not thefecommandements of the Lord ? where is thy ^obedience therein, when thy company is idle, thy fpeeches vaine? Likewife, fray continually , that is, at lead twice a days

I adayjitmuft be frequenj: and fervent too: whet no paines is taken herein , it is a figne you are dif obedient. Thus you may examine your felve< by other commandements, and pitch upon that which you arc moft ready to faile in. Now wher I urge this as a neceffary concomitant of grace, the meaning is not, that it is a ferfeB fubje&ion in every thing, but fuch ,that a man doth goc about it with all his foule ,and make it his worke. A mans heart may be a Temple for the holy Ghoft, yet evill thoughts and lufts may pafle through, but there is not a table fet up therefor them 5 finne hath not quiet pofleffion in them, they fet up no idoll of riches, or pleafiire, though they may be overtaken and faile in giving due refpeifc to thefe commands, yet they draw not out, they fpinnc not the threed of any finne tho-rowout the courfe of their lives. Whateveritbe, if a man lye in it from day today, it is difobc-dience. And your purpofes mud be refolute, the divorce muftbe full without any fecretlingrings aftertheluftforfaken, though by an accident you maybe overtaken by it, yet this is your refolu-tion ,> there is fincerity feene , another giveth them over but for neceflity , with a moneths mind to returne to them againe • as Fhaltiel, that when the King fent for his wife, fent her, be-caufe there was a neceflity of it, but yet went weeping after her, 2 Sam. 3, t 6. fo it is with us, we letgoeour finnes, but goe weeping after them: the heart is not deare of them. And confider well the ground of it, why it muft be in every thing,

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The Qhnrches Carriage. \oj

in thoughts and woids, and why difobedience in :he fraalleft commandement, as in idle words, :iot indeavouring to keep your hearts cleanc,your iffeftions pure, doth thus put a man out of the ftate ofgrace,and that fuch havenot taken Chrift, s blcaufe all the commandements are equally :ommanded, and though they fall upon differing obje<fts,&r fc are different,in refpeft of the C om-manders will, and therefore by the famereafon, a difobedience to the fmalleft, is a difobedience as well as to the greateft. Now the threatnings are againft difobedient perfcns, becaufe every difo-bedient perfon cafteth away theLord,as Saul did, thatis,herefufethtohavehimhisgOvernour.Now he that doth fo, cannot be faved : for he hath not taken Chrift for his head and husband $ whafocver fbdllkeepethetrbole Law, and yet faileth in one point , be is guilty of'alt, that is, it is a difobedience to the Commander, in what commandement foever it be, though but in one thing, thou haft refufed the Law-giver, andart a rebell againft him ? ftan-ding out againft anyone thing, makes a rebell againft a Prince, ifheftubbornely refufeto obey in one thing, as well as in a thou fend,

Afecondrule to try our fincerity of fubje£ti-on,is toconfiderthemannerofit. Confider whether you be ftibjeft, as the wife is to her husband, which isithc maine thing intimated in this fub-jedion here; There is a great difference betweere being fubjeft in the outward man out of ncceffity, and to obey from the heart the forme of doitrine, &c. It is one thing to be fubjeft as a fervanr,

another

io8 Th e Churches Carriage.

I another thing tobefubje&asa wife, who is fub-jcd, not of coa&ion or neceflity, but freely and willingly out of love, bccaufertie would not grieve her husband,thc Saints delight lyes in communion with God, fo as their "hearts arc pot at reft, when they ftand not in good tearmes with him • they cannot let any uneven reckonings to lye betweene him and them 3 they love him, and therefore dare not difbbey him. And this arifeth from a perfwafion, what ever hee cotpmandeth or infli&eth it is good, and juft,andequall: then he willingly obeyes and fuffers. Thus the obedience of Chrift,you fhall fee what kind of one it wasjhall I not drink the cup which my Father hath given mehhzt is,I would not drinke this bitter cup, not onely becaufeofneceffity I muft, but feeing my Fathers will is I fhould drinke it, and he hath prepared it for me, I will drinke it. Hence many a woman will fay, fliall I not doe that which my husband would have me to doe ? hee is wife and loves me j and hee hath reafon for what he commands: others of the Sts. have yeelded obedience thus unto the Lord, as £//, when newes was brought to him that all his houfe fhould be cut off. faith he, it is the Lord, let him doe as feemeth goodin hiseyes , it is the Lord that lovethme, ta-kethcareof me, let him doe what pleafeth him, I am content, and willing to fubje& my felfe. Another may be fubjeft to his commandements, but it is ofneceflity. on the contrary, the Saints who love and prize communion with him, and would not lofe it, would have no interruption.

So

So alio lob 2. 10. Ife havereceived good ofthe Lord^ \ andjball we not receive evilll as ifhee fhould have faid, futely the Lord would not have done mc fo much good as already I have received from him, ifhispurpofe had not beene good towards me ; and therefore if fame evill by his providence doe be fall me, fhould I not beare it quietly ? If it had beene from an enemy, hee would have beene discontent, but comming from the hand of a friend, bewas willing with it. Indeed, holy men maybe fometimes in a mift , and not confider the reafon of the Lords counfels, as/W, whenhewas £*#f-fettedby the mefj'enger of Satan , hee was fomewhat difcontent, till the Lord made knowne to him, that hee was miftakeninit, that though hetooke itforpoyfon,yetitwasa medicine, he thought it came from Satan ; but when hee faw it came from one that loved him, and it was for his good; that the grace of God and his power might ap* pcare, he willingly Submitted ,yea, hee rejoyced in it, A good confeitnot is not onely to doe that which is commanded; it is poflible for him that hath no grace , not to dare to doe Somethings which are evill in fecret; but a good confeience is, when a man is not willing to difpleafe the Lord,hedarethnotdoe it , becaufe hee loveth the Lord. He (lands upon fuch tearmes with him, asachaft wife with her husband : therefore hee will looketomakehis courfeeven, and topleafe the Lord in all things.

The third rule to try it by. Confider whether thy fubje&ion be as to the Lord, or no, for his 1

fake">

j4nfa*

fake:as here it is faid, As the Church isfubje&to Chrifi. Many thinkc their obedience to the com-mandementsis to the Lord , when they are de. ceived. lewas Sauls cafe, it was a faire pretence to fpare the cattell, for Sacrifice for the Lord: but it was but a pretence; fork was for himfelfe indeed, that he fpared them. So Balaam fpake faire, whenhefaid , he would fpeake nothing but what the Lord fhould fay to him, and that hee would | not curfe the people of Ifrael , except God bad him curfe them • but it was not for any love to God, but he had an eye to himfelfe and his owne honour, hee knew it was in vaine to curfe where God did blefle, and fo he thought thus with him-felfe, if he fhould curfe them without the command of the Lord, hee fhould but difcredit him. felfe, and lofe his labour, wages and all, for his curfe would take no e#e& : therefore hee would not goe till God commanded him to goe: like-wife it may be, heedefired to dye the death of tk righteous ,foas all was our of felfe-Iove, Likewift Amaziah was f\}b]e& to the Lord, walking in all the wayes of David , but all was done to othei ends then David did, but you will fay, it is hard to difceme, when a man doth obey the comman-dement, whether it be to the Lord or no: bow therefore fhall we know it ?

Confider after any failing , in thy obedience orcommiffionof any finne, what it is that trou-bleth thee , the offence againft God or the harme, difcredit, &c. redounding unto thy felfe? You fhall fee the falfeneffe of Saul his heart in

this

this , the di (obedience of the Lord never troubled him , though he feemed a while affe&ed with offending the Lord, but hee after fhewed that it was o ly the lofle of his credit which he was ten-3er of; for when Samuel would have left him, and he though fome difhonour would redound to him, that was it that troubled h im 5 heeded res not iomuch that God would pardon, as that Samuel would honour him ^corne fayes he with me, and let us goe and offer Sacrifice, honour me before thepeople. It was not his finne and difobed iencc, but the lofle of his credit that hee ftood upon. The contrary you may fee in David , fee his carriage under the guilt of his murther and adultery, for which he was fo greatly affli&ed : but how much did he flight all other things? his affli&ion he did beare well enough, when his owne fonne hadabufed his wives; this did not perplex him, it was his fin troubled himas appears by that Pfalm he madeuponthat occafion,in which you have not a word of his affli&i on, but his fin ; it was that he was tender of. Find out therfore where thy tender* nes for fin is; as a Smith, when he would trie the hoof of a hotfe,look where it fhrinketb,that is the tender part, fo fee what fhrinketh and galleth thy heart moft. if it be finne and offending the Lord, it is a figne thy eye was upon the Lord : but when thou art tender of lofles andcrofles, anddifcre-dit to thy felfe, it is an ill figne, (lie wing thou refpe<3eft thy felfe. David taxeth himfelfe in thofe things which were counted no finne by men, but an honour; as the cutting ot Sauls lap

Hh of

of his garment ^ it was an honour to him to come fo ncere his adverfary, and but cutoff the lap of his garment. So in numbering the people, itw^s no outward fhame or evill, but the finne that tron-bled him, Lord fayes he, ftrikemi , for thefifbcepe, rtkat have they done i

A fourth rule whereby thou maift try thy fub-je&ion to the Lord, is bythydifobedienceto all others; it is a rule may feeme fomewhat remote at the firft hearing, but it is fuch a rule of trying fubje£ion , that I find in the Scripture, St. Paul when he would ex prefle his fubje&ion, he doth it by way of oppofition. //■/ jhouldyet pleafe men , / were not the fen-ant of Chrifi : it is a good argument ofour being fubje& to the Lord, when we care not for difpleafing others, Rom .a. | 8 .as not obeying the truth,is joy ned with obeying unrighteo.tfnefTe, foas the contrary,obeying the truth is alwayes joyned with difobeying, ali on-righteoufneffe, lam. 4. 7. they are put together. Submit your felves to the Lord , and refijfthe D*eviH, He that is mod fubjed to the Lord,is a mod an-tradable man toman, and to all creatures clfe. i upon every occafion 5 becaufe the common c&urfee] \ the norld is contrary,to holinefTe, Ephef. 2. 1. which caufcth others toquarrell fo much with them as they doe 5 and this arifeth from theii obedience to the Lord. It is common amongfl I us, when wee fee a man eafie, ply able, tradable I ready to give fatisfa&ion and content to men,re j commend him for ft , as a good difpofition ir j them-, but to be fo in all things,even in /inning

againfi

lc

againftGod, this though it is pleafing to men, it r rs abominable to God $ it is an evident cafe-, that! they which would not doe a thing if left to them-felvesbecaufeunlawfull, yet to give fatisfa&ion J tofriends, to their company, as Heroddid, they | will, that is a figne of difobedience $ the more j waxy the heart is to men, the more hard to the Lord. It is a figne of pufillanimity in Chriftians that yceld fo much to men 3 they forget themfelves. there is a certaine magnanimity which Chriftians (houldmaintaine: wee are Kings, the Sonnes of God, therefore what is the countenance or dif-countenance of man ? wee fhould carry our felves as greater men than they, wee fhould learne rtg-numgererein fefiore, to carry a kingdome in our brefts. It is a common faying among men, fuch a man underftands himfelfe well, that is,he under-ftandeth his place, his dignity, and carfyeth him fclfe according to it. In this wee are ready to goe toofarre, but we (hould learne to doe thus in our obedience to God. The truth of a wives chaftity, is feeneinthe peremptory denyall of all that fo-licite her; the more peremptory wee are in fuch denyalsof the creatures, the more fubjeft we are | to the Lord,

Laftly,you fhall try it by this, confidcrwhat you doe in thofc things that above all others you j wouldnotbefubjedin, fingle out that finnethat j is deareft to thee; thdtigh a man would be obedi' I ent in all elfe, yet in fome things to be reftrained I it goes to his heart, fomething is more peculiar,; and is that he fancies,and itgoethmorencereun-'

Hh 2 to

I" n4- TheQhurcbes Qarriage.

Queft.

sAnfx

w*

tobimtoobey in that, then in any other thing. When the L ord would trie Abraham^ he tries him in that which he was mod unwilling to part with. Now, fayes he, / know that thou feareji me^ Fori have tried thee in that which I know thou lovedft dearely, and yet chou art content to part with it for my fake. Make the fame queftion to you: look what it is, that above all others you would not be fubjeS in,, whether it be a.matter of credit, of eftate, or a luft that fitteth clofe, if thou wilt try whether thou be fubje&> fo if for his fake thou canft obey the commandement , which isagainft itthatcroffethit, forfucha command the Lord gave to Abraham, and hee did obey it: hec that taketh Chrift, taketh him for a Lord and a Saviour.

But yon will fay, thefe rules are good, but I find my felfe.wanting, I would bee fubjed, but I cannot bring my Heart unto them, whatrneancs fhould I ufe for the doing of this ?

For this I will give fome helps, for the end of thefe ru^esof tryall, isnotfo much tofhut men out, or difcouragethem,buttheend is, that finding themfelves wanting, they maybeeftirredup the more to be diligent in the profecution of the meanes,and fo grow up to perfe&ion. Themeanestobeufedare thefe. Firft be diligent in obferving where thy heart is not fubjeft. Diligent obfetvance of the flefh in us that is ready to rebell, when wee take leaftno-tice of it, this is the firft meanes. There is no worke we goe about, but the flefh hath an hand in

,.t. There is fome commotion and rebellion goes ilong with the bed worke wc doe, now to Tee this is a great help to obedience. Wee are not fo much overcome by it, as by our owne inobfervancie. The flsfh is an enemie, and nihil in hojle defricien-i»>*> fleight nothing of an enemies that may hurt thee, take heed the flefh deceive thee mt, it isanenemy: fufped thine owne heart upon every occafion 3 for it is ready to deceive thee • efpeci-ally in things that are lawful^there thou muft have a diligent eye, that there bee no rebellion, that thou goe not beyond thy bounds.

Secondly, labour to have thy heart and reafon convinced and perfwaded that it is beft for thee to be fubjed to the Lord : the Lord ruleth no where as a King, but where hee rules fir ft as a Prophet, that is, except he firft perfwade the heart by an inward enlightening, that it is beft for the heart to be fubjed, the will and the affedions will never yeeld. Therefore if there be any commandement wherein thou findeft a difficulty, arme thy felfe with reafons out of Scripture, get thofe weapons the Apoftlefpeakes of, 2 Cor. 10, The weapons of our warfare are not carnally but mighty through God^ bringinginto captivity every thughtto the Obedience of Chrifty that is, feeke out the rcafons the Scripture givethagainftfucha finne, and for to perfwade the heart to obedience, for fpirituall reafons only will work, and are mighty, mo r all reafons and arguments from refpeds to thy felfe, for feare of Hell, and for defire of Heaven and the like, they may reftraine the outward man x but they dnnot Hh 3 bring

n6 The Qhurches Carriage.

bring the inward man into a full fubje&ion: but fpirituallreafons will make thee fubjeft, and to obey from the heart: and yet this is not enough, they mujibe might) through God : the Lord muft have the fetting them on> they mint be brought home and applyed by him. One may have many good.rea-fons to move him to be fub jed to fuch a commaa-dement, but except they be brought home to the confeience, by the Lord, they doe no good: ther-fore faith the Apoftle, they are mighty through God to bring dovvne the ftrong holds, and falfe reafoningsin the underftanding, for they are thefc ftrongholds .-where ever difobedience is, it ari-feth from fome luft,and w heron is this lull grounded, butuponfome falfe conceit, and reafoning in tfrc underftanding ? Now thefe fpirituall rea-fons doe diflblve them : and when you fee the j vanity of the conceit, the luft vanifheth, vvher : thoufeeft thy error, the luft will bee gone, and j then the mind obeyeth eafily. Itthen runneth in I the waves of Gods commandements, as a.wheek , that is well oyled. Firft then you muft obfdvc ! narrowly, and ftrivc to difcemebetweene the flefti | and fpirit, which are asc'ole as the bones and marrow, as the inwardeft parts, they arc fo mix-led together, thereis fuch a conjunction between the flefh and fpirit in every aftion, as isbetvveenc the marrow and bones; but you m,uft labour tc I diicerneberweencthem, and that is the ufe you muft make of all the knowledge you. get by the word of God: Andthen Secondly,tfcou muft have a fpecial care, and ftill labour with thy mind,r$a-

n, and understanding, to be perfwadcd that it is eft to be obedient.

And then the third and Iaft thing is, t o do fom. vhatwiththeaffe&ions, thatis, toexercife and iccuftome thy ftubbornc affe&ions to obey: the rontinuance in doing good, doth fubjcft the tffe&ions; for as the Apoftle fpeakes, Heb. 5. 14. of fome, That by reajen of ufe have their volts sxercifed to difcernegood from evilly that is, men being occupied in fpirituall reafons } and truths, holy confcrences,&c. they are able to difcerne truths. So it is in the affe&ions. for, as exercife in thele things makes the understanding ready to difcern, focxercife makes the will andaffe&ionsas ready tobefubjecT:, for it hath *he fame force in one part of the foulc, that it hath in another: therefore the Lordleadeth us into variety of conditions, toexercife fuch and fuch graces, that wee may be fiibje&to him in all things,for theimage of God ferveth but to bring the foule into obedience to God, as it did in Adam inparaiife. Now therefore, God leads us into another place, and ftate and condition of life, that fuch a grace may bee exercifed in us. As the Apoftle faith, Units 1 •:. Be glad when you fall into many temptations. Some times he bringeth ficknefle, fometimes difgracc, fometime poverty, fometime affli&ion in chil. dren, wives, or one thing or other upon us, and all this toexercife our graces. And what is the end of this exercife, but to bow the heart to fubje-&ion, that we may bee ready to obey him in all things ? Now if thou wouldeft exercife thy felfe I Hh 4 on

118 *The Qhurches ferriage.

Objeti

Anfw.

| in this manner, conficier wherein thou art ready to I difobey, and fay : I fee 1 want fuch a grace, and am ready to difobey in fuch a particular, I will re* folve to practice the contrary. As if a man bee fubjeft to anger, and want meekneffe, fay, well, I fee I am too much fubjeft to anger. Therefore 1» will fet upon the exercifmgot this grace of gen-tlcncfle, and meckneffe, 1 will not be angry with themeancftof my fervants. Thus if wee would doc,it would faveus much affli6Hon s which othet-wife the Lord is forced to bring on us for this, to make us fubjeft tohim.

But you. will fay it is grace that doth it: how can this cuftome that is but the a& of a man doc it then?

It is true, it is grace that doth it, but yet it is the exercifeof that grace that doth it too. Utb. 5. 11, 17, 13. And that, as itencreafeth and en* largeth grace, andintendeththofe habits which vve have, and makes them ftrongqr: it is'indeed thofe infufed qualities of grace planted in the faculties of the foule that bring it in fubje&iomand this cuftome doth but ftirrc up andencreafe, and intends them 5 but yet this exercife where graces are firft wrought, will encreafe them and make themftrong, through the affi(lance of Chrift accompanying it.Thou fhalt find this exercife will make thee ftrong in grace: the joynts of the body bent to fuch a courfe, and often imployed in it, doe get a habit. So it is with the Spule. Other Yoakesthe more they are borne, the more they weaken, but the more you beare the Yoake of

Chrift,

The Qh arches Carriage. up

CbTift,either in doing or differing, the more able 1

you are to doe it.

Another ufe that we may make of this is, that wefhouldbe from hence ftirred up to confider that great privilege we have from Chrift, for if he be a head to us 3 hee is our guide, hee is foan head to us, as an husband is to the wife. Now the the husband is the guide of her youth, and fo Chrift is our guide.When a woman is young and notable to guide herfelfe, fhee had need have a guide : fuchis the cafe of every man naturally: But Chrift, when a man is in him, becomes a guide unto him, or as the Head guideth the reft of the members,fo doth the Lord all that belong tohim.Thisisa privilege not thought of among us. When wee thinke of the other privileges, this of theguidaneeof Chrift is forgotten of us. Therefore 1 will ftand upon this great benefit, which al have that are ingrafted into Chrift; now he guides them in all their way es,

Firft by enlightening them, fo as when others are in datkeneffe , they have their eyes in their head, and fee the way before them, when as all o-thers are blind, and want either light, or elfe eyes tofeewithall.

Againe,he fends his fpirit to bee a remembrancer to them in ambiguous and difficult cafes, to (hew them the way they are to take, and hee brings fom prevalent arguments and reafonsto mind,to move us to doe this Or that, which would otherwife have bin forgottenjand to fliew us the inconveniences that will follow of doing this or

that

i 2-0 The Churches Carriage.

I that which would otherwife have bcene hid from ! us.

He ftirrethby our conferences which are ap- j pointed to be the immediate guide of us, and the Lords deputy, whereas otherwife they would either be ftill, orgaideamifTc.

By taking from us wrong guides, falfe opini-1 ons, ftrong, unruly, and inordinate affe<5tions,and inftead of them he puts a right guide into our hearts, rectifies our judgements, puts in holy affections, which are the rudder of the foule, that turne it this way and that way. Thus there isafe-cret guidance, though we know it not, that the Saints have from the Lord in all their wayes. This is a great privilege: For when a man is inofs confilii, in a ftraight and exigents, andknowesnot which way to goe, when if hee fliould take the wrong way,it might behisundoing, then to have a guide, what a great privilege is it ? When £><*-vidwasinKeilah) and heard that Saul would com downe thither, i Sam. 23. hee knew not what to doe, whether to goe or ftay ; then the Lord guided him. So^brahamhis fervant, when he went for a wife, for his matters fon, he knew not which way to goe for a wife for him, norwhom to take, then did God fend his Angell to guide him, as Abraham had foretold him before hee went, hee told him the Angell of the Lord jhould goe before him. The want of this you may fee in Rehoboam^ who was in agreat ftreight, when he asked counfell of the youngmen, but the Lord would not guide him, and therefore he did that which was his ruine. So . Abfibm

The Churches Qarriage. ui

Abfolon when he was in Bivio, not knowing which of the counfell given him to take,the Lord would not guide him, having a purpofe todeftroy him. So it is vv ith us,there are often cafes fall out wher-in guidance is requifite, aj in the changing our eftateby marriage, placeof living, thechoyceof our callings, wherein to be guided ormifguided, is our making or undoing. There is no day, wher-in wee have not need of his guida* ce, in regard of oneoccafionor other: now to have this privilege to goctothe Lord freely, and aske counfell of him.and to be fure to have a ready anfwer from him,it is a great privilege.Davidin al his (heights went to the Lord to aske counfell, and the Lord gave him oounfell: Saul went,and the Lord would not anfwer him by Vrim or Thummin, nor dreames, nor any way. Thecafe of all that are in Chrift is like the cafe of David, if they goe to him, the Lord hath bound himfelfe to anfwer them; for they have fomeintereft in the wifedomc of Chrift. But the cafe of the other, is like the cafe of Saul, he fends them away without, becaufe they are (hangers to him, and therefore he is not bound to anfwer them. And that you have fuch an inter-eft confider i Corin.'i. 30. But you are of him in Chrijl lefusjvho is made unto us wifedome, that is fiod the Father hath given him to us to teach us, to make us wife, to guide anddireft us in difficult cafes, when we cannot inftru&our felves. The like to this is that//&/'. 9.6. lentous a child is born &c. But what are the benefits wee (hall have by that child ? Eirft he fhall doe miracles, wonder-full A

The Churches Qarriage.

full things among you, for hi $ name is wonderful! Secondly, hee undoubtedly (hall bee your C 0 m-fettour, that is, 1 have given hi m to you, that when 1 you want counfell and dire&ion, you may goeto him, Tor I have given him to you, for that end. This we may as truly expeft of him, as the Iewes did it of the Mefftah, as appearsby that fpeecb, lob. 4.2 5./ krov well that when the Mejftah iscomejie will tell us all things. This was the common opinion of the people: the Iewes did expeft this from him 3 fo may wee: and therefore upon any exigent goe thou and fay, Lord, thou haft given me thy Sonne, and him to be wifedome tomee, and appointed him to be my counfellor, and I have need of counfell and dire&ion, and therefore Lord give me an anfwer, and dire&ion. If wee would prefle him thus, he could not deny us. Befides, fn that Chrift hath made himfelfe our head, it is his office, hee hath undertaken it,it belongeth to him, to guide his Church and every member of it, and can hee faile in that belongeth to him?

That which fets the price on this privilege, is the need which we have of it, none being able toguidehimfelfe. The principle of guidanceis refidentinthehead, and is communicated to the members but upon occafion. As it is thus in the natnrallbody, fothat faculty of dire&ing us is in Chrift, and is communicated to us but upon occafion, as wee need it: hence every man wal-kethfo wifely upon every ©ccafion as God will guide and direcSt him to doe, in fucha time, and

in

in fuchcircumftances • therefore wifemen, we fee arefomctimes infatuated, take a foolifh courfe, thata ftanderby, whoisfarre inferiour to them, fees plainely tbis to be an unwife courfe, this the Lord doth, that they may know, the Lord isonely wife, as 1 Tim. i. Which confider, and it will be a great helpe to make us prize this privilege. Where is any man but is too well conceited of hisovvnewifedome ? but to thinkeGod isoncly wife, and that himfelfehath not a beame nor a fparke of wifedome, it is hard to perfwade a man of this, but it is evident the Lord is onely wife.

For firft,none can give counceI,except he knovv-eththe whole compafle of a bufineffe, heethat knoweth but partis not fit to givecounfell ; they that lookebut upon few things, but upon a corner of a bufineffe, and not round about it,are apt tomiftake: now who knoweth a bufineffe thus, but the Lord above ? our knowledge even inpra-fticall matters, in our owne bufinefle, is but in part, as well as in things heavenly.

Befides, Secondly onr confolatio^s depend commonly on thefe two things, Firft the knowledge of the fecrets of mens hearts, with whom we have to doe. Secondly of the future contingent events, which are to come, and toknowneither is in our power, but it is the Lord only that knoweth the fecrets of thefe mens hearts, with whom wee have to doe, as alfo the contingent things that are to come.

When the Lord would have David goe out of

Keilah

124 The Churches Carriage,

Obieft.

I X«M>,faith Davidy wil the Lords otKeilah deliver me up ? Davidkncw not their hearts, nor no man knew, bnt the Lord onely knew they would deliver him up into tbe hands of Saul> x Sam. 23.11. n, and he told him, they would doe it. And againe, he asked whether Saulwould come dome to Keilah, it was futurum contingens a contingent thing, and no man could tell whether he Would or not. but the Lord told him, that/tf would come downe to deftro) Keilah± if any other had known thefe two things, he might have councefd£<w>W.Noir our guidance then in fuch things dependeth upon the knowledge of thofe two things, which yet are not in our power to know, but onely in the power of God, and therefore wee are not able to guide our felves. Itisfaid, Col. 2. 3. that in him are hid all the treafures of mftdome and Knowledge . And they are fo in Him, that they are not out of Him.

Butmenhavenaturallwifedome you will fay. It is true, but they have it from Chrift. All the light that ever was in the world, even in thofe which knew not Chrift, it came all from him. As Job. 1. 5. The light jhined in the darknejjej that is, in the darke places of the world, and not onely in Gojhcn, even fincethe beginning of the world, and the darkenefe comprehended it not, and in that fence it is he who enlighteneth every man that comes into the World. But put the cafe you could find out right connfells, or you had a man like Acbitophel> whofe counfellwas as the oracles of God, and who were able to direft you, yet to take this counfrll is not

The Churches Qairiage. u?

n your owne power, itmuftbegiven yon. Thac /hich S lomon fayth of the foole, he hath a pricein-is hand, but hee hath no heart, may be faid of good ounfell, there is oftentimes a price put into our lands, as was into Abfolom, and Rehobo&ms hands, )ut we arc not able of our felvs to take it: therfore aithrhe Apoftlefo-T/wffejf, itim. 2. 7. having :ounfel!ed him what to doe, conjider what I fay, xnd the Lord give thee under'flanding in al things. As if ie fhould fay, I have given thee good counfell: out there mu ft be another counfellor, therefore I befeech the Lord to give thee undemanding to open thine eyes, ro fee the re&icude of this counfell, and enab 1c thee to apply it, and take it, We-mperfefapit, no man by himfelfe is able to counfell him felfe, there muft be both a fecret light,and eyes within tod ire £t us. Many times wee refufe the bed, and pitch upon the worft./*r # jo. i^.The way of man is not In himfelfe, It is not in man to direB biswayes, as if he had faid, it is true, for the mod part,men pitch wel enoughuponthejournies end, andaimeathappinefTe ; but how to direft their fteps, and toattainethatend, it is not in them ; therefore Lord I befeech thee(fayes he) to guide m and dired us for the beft. It is every mans cafe, his vvayes are not in his owne power, hee is not a-ble to fee what is beft and worft, and to chufe the right way, and if hee could in the general!, yet we had need of continuall guidance in the feveral particular paffages of our lives.We are at a ftand at every turning we come at, and like a man in a 1 wildetneffeknow not which way to goe, except *

we

t i& The Churches Qarriage.

Queft.

A»f™>

we have a guide at every Rep.Van.<$. 23. Hecis tm God in nkojekaud, thy breath is y and ail thytv&yet &c. tbisisathingwedoenot confider. Wee thinke indeed cur lives are in Gods hand, and that matters of greater moment, are of his difpofing . but ; that every ftep we take ihould depend on him,this is thatweconfidernot-of, a man takes not a ftep .eitherinto good or evill, into profperity orad-! verfuy, but the Lord guideth that ftep. There-' fore confider your great privileges, who have the Lord for your head, yo<;r guide, and your coun' fellor, and as you muft know this privilege, foyou muft make ufe of it, for all thofe our privileges vvc have in Chnft, were not declared that you fhould gaze upon them onely, knotv them and no more: Therefore goe to the Lord for counfell,wifedomc and direction upon all occafions.

You will fay, but how fhall we doe to obtainc it I For this I will give you thefe rules.

Firft, thou muft acknowledge thine owne inability, that thou art not able to guide thy fetfe. lames 1. 5. If anylackemfedome^ lethimaske^ &c. his meaning there) is, rotfo much to fhewthat fome men wantwifedom,others not,but the meaning is 5 till a man fees he wants ir,hee is not fit to askeit, neitherwill the Lord be ready to giveit. iOr/7*, 3.18. Bee thatitmfe % muft become a f09k to be wife. It is true alfo here, thou muft ceafe from thine owne wifedome, thou muft confeffe thou art not able to guide thy felfe, and that therefore becaufe thou wanteft wifedome, thou askeft it of him. Pfal. 2 5. p. Bee trill teach the humble his rray } and

The Churches Carriage. ny i

pde the me eke in ludgement^ that is, thofe that fee ieir owne emptineffe, how unable they are to uide them fe Ives, inch he is ready to teach in the ay thcyfhouldchufe.

Secondly thou mud alfo aske it of the Lord. ou may read how God ufed David to this courfc •om time to time,and put him oft to a ftand when c fled from Saul, purpofely that hee might bee iccuftomedtoaskecounfellof the Lord upon all fecafions. Therefore let us learne foto doe, in tny hard cafe, when we know not which way to brnc us, to goe to the Lord and fay, thou arc my husband, myhetfd, my father, and whither the hould children goe for counfell but unto their Others, and the wife but unto her husband^Now u ord, counfell mee anddire&me what to doe in his cafe. If you doe thus, will the Lord deny tou i no, why faith hee, you, if your Children aske ou bread^mll you give them a ftotie ? If they aske Jifh, villyou give them a ferment i So I fay to you, if you aske him counfell, will he give you poifon > will he turtle you into a wrong way and mifguide you when you aske the right ? No,

Thirdly you muft aske iff faith, that is added inS. lames i.6* So as to reft and rely upon him. Thus hee commanded his Difciples, that when they (hould be brought before counfells and rulers of the Synagogues, they fhould take no thought what to fay, what was the reafonbtit this, I will have you reft upon me, for guidance ') and affiftance ? at that time I will fuggeft to you iwhatfoever is needfull upon fuch an occalion.

28 The£burcbes ferriage.

Now though that was extraordinary, yet it holds thus farre in ordinary times and cafes,that thougl youniayuie the beft meanes you can, and tak the beft confutations, yet foas ftill to truft mor to your prayers, and on God for wifedome an> direction then to yourowne confutations, an< the meanes which you have ufed, fay as lehofapha did, although we ufe meanes, j« our eyes are tettar thee ^ it is a prevalent argument which Afa ufed t< tbeLoid. 2 Cbron. 14.11. Lord (faithbee) it i nothingtwVfc thee to helpe with many % or with no po helpe us O Lord our God y for we reft on thee, and -thy name are wee come againfi this great multitude. A if hee fhould fay , I have provided an array made all things ready, but I reft upon thee fo helpe; thereforethe Lord was prefent with him gave him the vidory : fo wee fhould goe to th Lord and fay,we have ufed the counfell of our bef friends, and the beft meanes we can, but yet |K eyes are towards thee, and wee reft on thee for dire (ftion in this cafe.If a man thus reftcth upon God hee may fay, if I bee deceived, the Lord decei verhme. Ifthoutruftcftnottorhe Lord, he ma; faiietbee, for hee is not bound to direct and tr guide thee, it fareth with us, as with thofe &b# came toaske queftfons of our Saviour, curious ones; the Lord fent them away without an anfwet kepthimfelfcreferved : So if wee come roaske. not with refolution to reft upon the Lord, and in confidence he will direft us, wee fhall gosc without: If At. 7. The Lord hath promifed deliverance t© Ah&z % yet tels him, if yoq will

not

not beleeve, you fhall noc bee eftablifh-cd.

Fourthly, there muftbea caretopleafe him, a conftant courfe of obedience, elfe vvedoenot truftin him: hee that faith hee trufteth to the Lord, and doth not obey him, doth but diflem. ble with him, and fo the Lord accounts it no better than diflfembling with him, as Ier. 42. 20, Carry thy felfefo, that the Lord mayrejoyceo-verthee, to doe thee good, and to guide thee in all exigents. And if thou wilt take his counfell in heavenly things, thou (halt not want it in earthly things. Pro. 4. 6. Forfake her not^ that is(frife-dome.) andfheejhallkeepe thee $ loveher^and jbe[ball freferve thee ; that is, if a man will preferve the uprightneffeof his heart in his wayes, if hee will walkeby the rule that God hath appointed him. then wifedome fhall preferve him, that is, Chrift (hall guide him in all his wayes.

Now there is a double guidance, one in a matter of finning, or not finning againft God • when we are prcferved from doing a thing that is unlawfully which David cals leading in the paths of right eotsfnejfe. Pfalm .2 3,3. Secondly there is a guidance, which is a matter of blefling and comfort to us, which is called feedinginfaire paftures. In the fame Pfalm. 23.2. and the fecond doth depend upon the firft. If thou be contented to bee guided by the rules the Lord gives thee, he will dirc& thee in the things that belong to thy owne comfort and advantage, Pfalm. 2 5, fo the pro-miferunnes there,verfe 1 i.vebat man it hee that fea-

Ii 3 nth

120 The Qhurches Carriage.

rtth the Lordl bin will he teach the way that hee fall ■chafe. (Him) thatfeareshim,and keepesa good confidence in all things, out former care herein is chat which ftirrech up the Lord to guide us and direft us,in all our (heights.There is a time when the Lord hath need of thy fervice, if thou wilt not faile him at his need, (as I may fo fpeake) hce will not faile thee, when thou haft need of him in thy {freights. And thus to have counfell given a man in fuch cafes as doe neerely concerne him } and are of great weight, it is a great privilege. And this thou flialt have, if thou wilt follow his counfell, in other things: Therefore be exhorted upon this ground and motive to keepe thy heart more perfeft with God.

The caufe vvhy Abfolon and Rehoboam erred, was becaufethey provoked the £0rdformerly,and 1 if thou beeft alfodifobedient, this fhall be your • punifhment, that becaufe you would not hearken to his counfell, therfore when thou needed counfell, even in thofe things that fhall bee as much as thy life, thou {halt bee infatuated. The Lord hath made no promife to fuch a mati,to {hew him the way he fhould choofe.

One thing muft be added, and that is this, that in any particular cafe, thou muft 6e ready to re-figne thy felfe up to the Lord y to take his counfel. Hee will r ot lofe his labour, thou muft have a heart that isplyable to him,andyeeld thy felfe up wholly to his difpofing, and not (ct thy felfe to any way ft), but that the Lord may take thee off it. Thofe among men that are governours

of others, are willing to beftow their labour on them that are pliable, but thofe that are of ftub-born difpofitions are a difcouragement to the m$ they that tvalke ftovcardly with the Lord> the Lord will walke frowardly with them^therefore fee thou rclifthimnotin the paflages of his providence [ and take not the bit in thy mouth, and hold it in thy teeth, as one unwilling to be guided. So it is 9 men are often fet ona thing upon a humour, and they will goe this way or that way, as they like, what ever come of it: but fometime the Lord in mercy barreth up the way, as we doe pits that are by the way fideto keepc travellers from falling in, as they pafle in the night. Weefinde fometifties the dore fhut upon us in a courfc which we would enter into • fometimes hee fets our con fciepec upon us to expoftulate with us, e-venasthe^ngcll did with Edgar, when flieefled from her miftrefle. Gen. \6. 18. Hagar Sarahs maid, fay^ hc,nhence comefithou, and trhither tvi/t thougoe} rcturne to thy dame, and humble thy felfe under her hands. As if he fhould have faid, Hagar^ thinkc witty thy felfe who thou art ^Sarahs ntaid^ it washer pitodecaufed her to runneaway, (he thought to ha\le beene miftreffe, and becaufe fhecould not bear the toughufage of her mi(lrefl[e fhe had forgotten her place, therefore the Angcll calsher Sarahs maid * and bid-s her, goe andhumble thy felfe under her handsy and Kkewifefaycs hec 3 con-fider whence thou comeft, from the godfieft fa' mily in all the world, andconfider whither thou goeft, to them that know not God, that sacftrahg-

11 3

gers

gers and aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael^ and j

therefore rcturne unto thy Dame. So the Lord

fometimes fcts our confeiences to expoftulatc j

within, why doe you refufe fuch acourfe, andj

why doe you take fuch a courfe > and it fhewes us j

the caufe of our errings, as here the Angell did Hg-1

gar, for pride of heart was the caufe of her fly-

ingfrom her miftreffe, thcrfore the Angcll (ayes,

Hagar, Sarahs maid y goe and returne unto thy mi*

fireft , and humhle thyfelfe under her hands • doc not

as hhanan did when he fent to askc counfell of

Lorij whether he fhould goe into Egypt or not, refolve

aforehand what thou wilt doe, he fet downe with

himfelfe, that whatsoever the Lord had find, hec

would goe downe into Egypt. So it is with ma-

ny,though they aske counfell of the L©rd, by

prayer, their l^carts are fet upon acoar(e>and will

not be taken off. Take heed of this ftiffenefle of

ciifpofition and frowardneflk of fpirit, which is

a frequent cau^andaeaufe of much n^(gu dance

in mens a&ions, and refigne thy felfe to the Lord,

an 1 fedce counfell in the tiprightBeffeandplaine-

neffc of thy heart; thisrefignation of our felves to

the Lord, is the way to bedirc&ed upon all occa-

fipns.

N > v to■ vor'c yourheirt to this, consider chat the wayGoileades thee to, how improbable foever it fecmes 3 it vvil be the beft and fafeft way for t hce-Many tyottld goe the contrary way : As Lotyvhcn the Lord would have him flee to the moun-tainc, he would goeto Zoar y agat'nftGods counfell, andyoufeewhatcameof it. boDatidfor the

num.

The Churches Carriage. 13$ 1

numbering of the people, though better counfell was given him by loab. But he was fet upon it,hc would doe it, and fee what came of it. So Iofiah would fight with Pharaoh-flJech y though bercer counfell was fcnt him from the Lord, to pafle by him,and let him alone: fee what came of it. Thcr-forc take heed of this ftiffcneffe of affe&ion, and wilfulneffe, and ftubborncncfle of Spirit. The Lord may fometime give way to thy mind, but it is in judgement, not in mercy: the thing which thou haft a mind to,it maybe brought to pafle,but it had beenc better for thee to want it. As it had beenefor Balaam, but he would needs goe up to Balaac, and therefore the Lord bad him goe in his anger, feeing he would not be ftaid. Hee dcalcs with us asElifha did with thofe,a King 2.15. That wouldgoetofeekethtbodyof Eliah^ they had many de-nyab, but yet they wereinflant mthhim y fo that in the tnd^hehad them goe^ and they went, andUJl theirla* hour\forthey found him not. In all cafes of difficulty learneto feeke counfell of tht Lord.

Thefe conditions obferved, you fliall have the ufcof this privilege.

Another ufe is this, let every man learne from hence to be the glory of Chrift.How is this drawn from thence, you will fay > If you looke into that place in the 1 Corin. 11. 7. See how it fol-loves upon it: Chnft is the head of every man, andthemanis the womans head, as is before in the Chapter, what followes upon that > in the feventh vcrfe, hefayes, the man is the image and glory of God, and the woman is the glory of the

\ J^ The Qburches Qdrriage.

man. The meaning is this, when thou d oft con-fidcr that the Lord is thy husband, and thy head, thou muft thinke of this with thy felfe, and every time thou findftthatpaflage in Script re,it fhould put thee in mind to carry thy felfe fo as thou maift be the glory of the Lord, that is, thou muft take heed of (landing on thine owne bottome,and feeking glory to thy felfe, and of fhiniag with thine owne beames, feeking any felfe-exccllency. but as it is in the civill law, MvAitt cortfeat r adiis mariti, the woman muft (hine withthebeamesof the man, that is, fhe muft chalenge nothing as her J owne, but every thing .(he feekes or (lands for, it is iatbbv name of her Husband, therefore what* eyer thou haft beene, or ever thou haft fought, ho* nour to thy felfe, andapplaufe,and tobe thought fome body in the world,yet now thinke thus with thy felfe, I am the Lords new, 1 rnufl give himall the praife,aiid carry my felfe fo, that all myexcellency may refleft upon him. And this alfo,thatwe are members,is alfo argument enough for it. What can the members doe ? there is agility in them todoemanya&ions, butwhere have they all their vigour > is it not from the head ? So all the wit, and learning thou haft, thofe excelled cies thou haft, whence haft thou them ? are they not from Chrift ? the members doe that they do, but in an inftrumentall manner,fodoft thou, what ever thou doft. Therefore confider this* and fay heartily, it is not I that doe this or that, but the grace of God in roe 5 /doc but aBus agere y it is the influence of my head • Ch rift hatb wrought it by '! me,

me, as /W fa id.that phrafe is to be marked which isufedin Galat. 2. Hee that was mighty by Peter in the Apoftlcfhip over the circumciiion, was al-fo mighty by me towards the Gentiles.The Apo-file doth not fay, that he or Pe erw&s abletodoe anything, butafcribeth allto thcLord. So thou fliouldeitthinke with thy felfe, never fay, /have done fuch aching, or brought fuch a thing to pa fie, or fuch an excellent performance hath come from me, but fay, the ZWhath done fucha thing by me.In other things you doit, when you fee an inftrument well plaid on, you commend not that, but him- that ufethit: that is the cafe of every man ; wee arc but the Lor^.s inflrumenrs, he is mighty by us, wee are but a&edby the Lord. If Chrift be the head, thou muft feekc his g-ory: this the Lord is jealous of Sacrilege God will not take at the hand of any manjie will not be robd of his time, the Sabbath or any thing elfe, but of all other he can leaft away with this theft, robbing him of his g]©ry 3 2nd yet as that is moft render to him, fo our fingers arc more itching after that. A man is greedy of applaufe, and if hee lookenot narrowly to him felfe, is ready ro take the glory to himfclfe that belongs to the Lord. Thou rauft be the Lords glory, but if thou take any to rhy felfe^nd if thou ftand on thy owne bottome, thou art thy own'e glory, and not his: therefore above all things take heed of being deceived and found guilty herin. But you will fay, How may I come toknowit? Firft,confiderwhatthyendisin thy anions, whether the demonftration of fomegift

God

\

God hath given thee, or for his glory, and if thou findeft not out thy end, yet confider whether in matter or manner of doing, thou doft notfteppe out of the way: if not by this,yet confider after the aft ion is done, when any thing is well performed by thee, whether thy heart beginnenot tofwellin thee, that is, to thinke better of thy felfe than before, that is a figne thou takeft fonjething to thy felfe, that belongs to the Lord. And when a man takes that tohimfelfe which is the^Wj, hec is not the glory of the Lord.If not by this,then,

Laftly confider whether thou art more troubled for that difcredit that comes to thy felfe, or the difhonour that redownds to the Lord upon thy mifcarriage at any time, confider how thou arc affeded with any thing. Oneftep further you mu ft goe,and that is, not onely to take nothing to y< ur {elves, but likewifc fo to behave your felves that you may be an honour to G<j>d by (hewing forth the graces of Chrift,that the Lord may boaft of you as he did of lob. i./ob.S. I fay thou muft carry thy felfe fo, as the Lord may glory in thee, fay to Sathan of thee ; as he did to him of lot : fee-eft not fuch a man in fuch a towne, m fuch a place, j how zealous hce is, how holy>be not a fhame and eproach to him, bur a praife: hee Iookes for this from his Saints,and therefore weares them as fig-nets on his right hand. As great men wearedia-monds, and precious ftones, and jewels in their eares, about their necks, and in their rings, to a-dorne and beautifie them: fothe fervants of the \Urddxc his iep/els that hec weares to make him [ glorious

The Qharches Carriage. xyj

glorious in the eyes of men: great men are kno vn by their IcweU, and fo is the Lord by his Saints. Therefore it is a great motive to keepe thy felfe unfpottcdof the world, to carry thy felfe fo, that his name may be honoured, and his Gofpell well fpokenof' the glory of Chrift is engaged in thy carriage, let it be fuch as becommeth the Go£

pell.

j Again if Chrift be the head ofevery man, then try andconfider from hcrcc what thy condition is. Ifhebe the head of the Church, no man within thecompaflfcofthe true Chutch 5 but is amem-berof Chrift. Confidcrwhctherthoubea member of his body, one that is guided by his Spirit or no: but how fhall we know that ?

Firft by this, thoufhalt find the fame Spirit that is in Chrift living and breathing in thee • thou fhaltfinde the fame difpofition and antipathy and affe&fon%tobc in thee, that are in him; abhorring that eviU, and cleaving to that good he doth.For the body of the trecand thebranches are not of different natures : therefore confiderwhat fimlitudc is betwecne the Lord and thee. So foon as thou art a living member,the fame fpint is fent into thy h~art, and infinuates it felfe into thy foule, and makes it conformable to Chrift in all things. As the fire infinuates it felfe into the iron, and makes it like it felf the that is inChrift,umade **ew creature, and partakes ofthe divine nature, and is likehim in all things. But if this bethe rule, / feare my condition, for / find many contrary dif-pofitions in me to his word 3 and contrary to

Chrift.

Ffe

?8 The Churches Carriage.

Chrift. j*nf#. Thou maift find many rebellions in thee, and yet the fame difpofition remaine in thee, that is in Chrift. There may be fwellings in the members, but yet there is a difpofition of health and ftrength and vivacity that wears them out. i Cor. 6.1 5, 16. know you not that your bodies art members of Chrift ? Shall I then take the members of Chrift, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid, &c. that is, it is impoflible it fhould be fo, it is like that fpeech in Rom. 6. 1,2. (hall we continue in finne &c. how dial 1 we that are dead &c. live any longer therin ? Thatis, as it is impoffible for him thatis dead to finne,to live therein^ fo it is impoflible forhim thatis a member of Chrift jo be made the member of an harlot. Why what fay you to Davids cafc,tfaat fell into adultery } Anfa. Though he did, he was not made the member of an harlot. For therefore jyou fhall find in the \6. Vcrfe, hee that is glued, for fo the word in the originall fignifies,that is, adherethto an harlot, ©uto the inward fway of his heart, gives his mind fo any finne, hee cannot be a member of Chrift: though he that is a mem* ber may fall into many finnes, yet hee is not ko*x»W<* glued, nor knit to any fin, for then hee could not be a member of Chrift: For if he bee (o y hee is of the fame fpirit or body. Now it is impoflible to be of the body of Chrift. and ofa contrary body too. If a man have his tieartglued to any fin, he is not a member of Chrift, beeita matter of credit, learning, pleafure, ordelight,a-ny luft, if thy heart-be glued to it, and thou canR

not

not get them afunder, thou art not a member of Chrift. For they are not wedded to any fin, but there is a divorce between every member of Chrift andfinnc, though they may fall one upon another, and touch each, yet they are of a mouldering nature, they will not cleave together. For he that is of God is in Chrift, and hath the nature of Chriftin him, that will notfufferhim tofin. As cake water and oile, they may violently be fhaken together, and they will feemeto be mixed together and to be one, but they will not continue fo long, there is no coalition, becaufe they are of di-j verie natures 5 and the one remaines water ftill, and the ot her oile: fo he that is in Chrift cannot cleave to any finne, though fin and he may touch fometime,yet they are (hangers, cannot ftand to-gether, they cannot cleave one to another.

Bcfides,confiderthe mannerofthy obedience, all that are Chrifts, obey him, after that manner that the members doe the head. The headfhipof Chrift is not an imaginar 'e thing; he is not like thepolitickeheadof abody, but he is like a na-tnrall head, that is, there comes a naturall true living influence from Chrift to his members, that workes upon their hearts and wils, as the head dothon the members. There is a force thatinfi-ntiates it felfe from Chrift unto thenyhat moves them to obedience. Members, they are not moved by argumentation^ reafons and arguments, but by a certaine force that comes from the head, and from a propenfneffe that is in them: fo thofe that are Chnfts,are not moved by reafons fimply

to

; *4

The Churches Qarriage.

to obedience. My meaning is,not that reafons are excluded,foi they have motives and arguments to move them as well as others , but that is not all, there is a proclivitie planted in them, that makes them obedient to their head Chrift lefus. Confider thole words, ^om. 6. 13. wherefore give up pur members as treafo?is of Righteoufnefie mtoGed^hat is, fo foone as a man is dead to fin and made alive to Chrift, confider now you are made members of another body, have another head, and therefore as the members are obedient to the head, and ready to doe what ever that will have them doc: fo bee you ready to doe what ever Chrift commands/As when the head would have a thing done,the mem-1 bers doe it willingly without any relu&ancy, confider whether thy obedience be of that nature: other men are drawne to it by outward motives from the force of arguments and reafons, but they want this inward propenfnefle to bee guided by Chrift, as the members are guided by the head.

Laftly confider whether thou feeke thy felf or the good and advantage of others. For look what being a man hath, what ftate or condition in the Church, what frame of fpirit within, fuch are his defires : fo long as a man is not a member, but a-lone, fo long he feekes the perfection of himfelfe, as alone; but being a member, he feekes his good as he is a fellow member with the reft; his condition is altered 3 there comes another fpirit into him that gives him the difpofition of a member: and the well being of a members nottobealone,but

to

The Qburches Carriage. ip

to be knit to the other membersjand to be knit together with them to the head.

The Chara&ers of a member are, firft to be fo-ciable, it is not the property of a member to bee alone, if thou be knit unto Chrifl^ thou canft not tvjtnt fellowfhipwith Chriftians, with the mem' bers of Chrift. As a member of the body, if there beanydifjoynruremade,itfeekstobe knit again, fo every one that is a member, cannot endure to want the fellowfhip of Chrift; ifa cloud comebe-twixt Chrift and him, hce cannot reft till hee bee made one with him againe, or of the reft of the Saints,which are his fellow members.

Secondly another difpofition of a member is to be ufeful and femceable to the bodie and the reft of the members,as the hand, the eye, and the eare, in its place. So it is with ever yonethatis a mem* ber of this body, whereas before he fought him-felfc, and confidered what did redownd to him-felfe, what profit or credit, now the cafe is altered and his thoughts are , how fhall I doe any thing which may glorifie my head and advantage my fellow members ? how fball I bee ufefull to God and man?

laftlya member is companionate, hath a fellow-feeling of what befals any of the reft of the members,- it weepes with them that weepe &c. that is, it ufeth to be affe&ed with the good or with the evill, that coricerne the body of the Church or any member of it, and this is a natural difpofition that followes the nature of all members, and the Spirit that is in them. As Saint

Paul

%x The Churches Carriage.

\ P<xw/fayes who is offended, and I burne not with j griefe and forrow for it? Ifcelc twinges when o. thers are hurt. Confider how thou art aflfefted with the cafe of the Church, whether thou find bowels of companion in thee, and art able to take | their caufe to hcart ; and is thy heart ftirred in thee, accordingly as thou feeft it go well or ill with the Church? If fo, thou haft the difpofitions of a member, and then Chrift is thy head, and all the proraifes made to the body of Chrift, the Church belong to thee, otherwife thou haft no inter-eft in him.

m

pf, *^p, ^fc 4^ $&» <f^ <?&> sS

THE TABLE.

A

Acquaintance,

K Cquaintance with God,how f\ it is gotten, part i, page

Affections.

Affections moderated by humiliation, I ,p I

^Affections what, i, i *o

^Affect itns ("hew what is our ut-moftend, I j 16*5

Affections of Gods children refift fin, 1,216

Affections fubjecl: toChrift, a,

117

^Afflict, ^Afflictions.

God d$/#.f his owne people,

i ,3

Afflictions do not alway follow

fin, 1,6

Examples of Gods afflicting his

people, i,g

Not to thinke ftrange that God af-

flitls his children, l 3 ip

Goddowto^itf, i,2i

God fuftaines his people in affli* cti$n y Ibid.

God brings his people thorow affliction, *> 2 5

Afflictions needfull, i,2P

Difference of men in affliction,

Afflictions why fent of God,

Afflictions removed in due time,

Humiliation wrought by afflictions, i,8o ! To bee humble in afflictions s

1,123 To judge of our flate by the iflue of afflictions, 1,288

In what cafe God afflicts his people, I>2$>0

Apofiacie.

Apofiacie, the ground of it,

sAfbamed.

Men afbamed of the power of religion, i,5o

Kk

H-

Tl?e Table.

Affurance. Affttrance not to bee weakned by daily tailings, I,i22,26p

csfveid. Afflictions fent not to be avoided,

Impediments that keepe trom

Chrtft, M 8 Church.

Comfort concerning the afflifti-

onsof the Church, 1,63

Choife, C^ 06 [ in &

Choofing God the way to happi-

neffe, ^ 1,4a

Motives to choofe God a 1,43

148

Benefits.

COnfideration of the benefit s'\Go^cheoJeth iiispcople : by Chrift, what they ferve | See God.

for * ^37 I Ctmpafilon. ^

Bell. 1 God hath C&mpajfion of his peo

Subjection to Chair, be ft for U5,

2,115

Blafpheme. God afflicts his people, that his name bee not blafrhcmcd ,

to

Mdimtffe.

Boldnefe to go to Chrift, 2,2 2

D

C.

Calling, lligence in our calling, a

pie in affliction. 1,20

Confejfton. Confiefifilon of fin required in failing, 1,38 Confidence. Confidence of good men fight a-gainft iinne, 1,215 [cnfient. Difference in mens confent , I,

aic Cenfient in our marriage t j Chrifl ;

2,2,12 Confent, how it is wrought, 2,2 O«/?»/■,what it is,

meanes to humble us, r- ■ ' 1 r

' ! Caution concerning our confit

Chrift.

Humiliation makes us cleave to

Chrift, i,88,9P

The Church married to Chrift,

Motives to take Chrtft, Benefits by Chrift,

2,23 V7

Errour in mens confient^ 2,1 <

Conftancie. Cenfiancie cauied by humiliation

Conftancie in good duties, 1, 1 1\ Confiancj in fighting agamft linne

1,2 15

Contempt

i> i ■ i ■!■■ i li

The Tables

Contempt* V ant of feare a figne of contempt, end,

"ontenttnent wrought by humiliation, 1,92

"ovenant renewed in fading, i,

39 reeneffe of Gods covenant, i>i6i

How to know wee make God our

1,162 Sntuitj, Enmity double, 2,69

Er"our. Srrour, the caufe of it 9 2^3

Excellencf. SxceUencj of Chrift, a motive to take him, 1,26

D.

'Death.

nlnne at the laft brings forth ^ death> 1,285

Deferre. dangerous to dejerre comming to Chrift, 2,67

'Difcourage. Sround not to bee difcouraged in affli&ions, 1,32

Difficulty. Difficultj of leaving fin, what it mould teach us, l>22p

Difficulty of a Chriftian courfe,

I 9 2gO

Difobedience. Diftbedience to all others to obey Chrift,, 2,112

E. End.

AFfli&ion of Gods people turned to good in the end, \, 26 2nd of actions double, 1,15 8 To make God our cbiefe«i</, Ibid.

F. Face.

HVmiliation makes us feeke Gods face, 1,87

To feeke Gods face, what, 1,

132

How to know wee ieeke Gods

face, 1,155

Benefit of feeking Gods face,

1,183 Faith. Faith growes from humiliation

1,101 Faith what, 1,102

Impediments to faith, 1,268

Fafi. Double performance of a fafi,

i»3 8 Feare.

Feare, the nature of it, 1,7

Feare , the want of it provokes

God, 1,13

Feare oi the creature a fnare, 1,

m

Feare of God 3 how to bring our hearts to it, I, 16

Feare, the object of it, 1, 13 8 j Kk 2 Feare \

The Table,

Feare m thofe that are out of 1 We are unable to guide our (elves,

Chrift, 2,25

Fellow/hip. Fellowfhif of the Saints, 2,9 7

Forgivenejfe. Means of conveying forgiven*ffe,

i,25o

Who excluded from the pronnle

of forgivenejfe, 1,2 6 3

Fromife of forgivenejfe brings

men to God, 1,273

How to bee perfwaded of Gaels

readineffe to forgive fins, 1,374

Danger of refufing the prom lies

of forgiveneffe, l ^77

G.

Garment.

\ T\ TEdding^nwrn^what,

Glcry. The wife the^/orjof the husband, how, 1,55

Humble men give God glory % j ?

IX 3

Chriftians, how they are the glory

of Chrift, ;,i33

God. To chufe the Lord for our God y 1,41

grace tobeftirred up a 1,248 To din e xv^ grace what 3 Ibid.

Quide,

Chrifr a guide, 2 ; go

How ChviH guides thofe that are

his, 2,1 ip

Neceflirie of Chrift to bee our

2,122

guiding double,

2,126

2,4 29

H.

Hard. T Wo things make the law of 1 Q\m[\h*rd, 2,6o

Hatred* Hatred of Cm, 1,195

Hatred of fin what, 1, ip6

drift the Head.of his Church, 2,

78 To chufe Chrift for our Head,!,

91 Heart.

Godfathions the heart of his people in afflictions, 1,23 Heart to bee kept in good temper,

14°

Hardnefie of heart y the caufe of it,

1,56

Searching the heart , a meanes to humble us, I,n8

Turning to God with the whole hearty 1,191

A Chnitian fights againft fin witr his whole hearty 1,215

Godiofteneththe/^rf, 2,44

^ He/pe. Promiles of Gods helps.

Holinejfe. Holmeffe what, Nature of holinejfe, Double holineffe required,

1,153

Httmble

The Table

r.

Humble, Humiliation* humble our felves after wee have finned. i 53

; Humiliation double. Ibid, 134 Way to humiliation* 1 yj

Humiliation wrought by the Spirit. 1 58 Without humiliation no mercy.

1 6* RsctGkitof humiliation* \ 6j

*9 75 Humiliation what. 1 77 78

116 121

Ingredients in humiliation. % %% DiftctenccofhuHiliation. 1 84 Two things accompanying humiliation* 1 89 Endeofhumiliatfon. j jp Meanes of humiliation, 1 103 TheLord is mercifull to hchum-bit. 1 in Meanes to humble the heaic. 1

:lZ

How to know wee are humbled.

God reveales his fecrcts to the humble. 1 \$6

God leaves fin in men to humble them. x 240

All fins forgiven to the humble. 1 254

I.

Jealoufle* Jealoufie what. 1 4

Idlenes, fMenes^fm, 1 ipg

Illumination. Illumination , in turning to God

1 i£»

Indeavour.

Indeavour zcccpicdofGod.x 56

Inconpderat'ton %

Inconfideration hinders men from

comming to Chrift. 2 53

Influence.

To draw influence from Chrift.

2*5

,7^>what» x 43

Judgement. Judgements caufed by the finnes ofthe Saints, i 11

Judgements of God ofthwe (arts.

Calamities removed in ?#<&<?-«#*#. , 1 287

Juflice* Juftice of God in forgiving fin.

I 2jp

L.

Humiliation wrought by thtlaw*

JLrfwwhat. *W.

Ufeofprcachingthe/<*n>. 1 254

Libertte.

Libertie in finhurtfull. 2 32

We/*/* nothing by fubje6tion to

Chrift. 2 *4

Lord.

When our obedience is to the

Lord. a no

Klc 3 £oz/g

\

The Table*

Love. Not to forget God in the mid-

God affli£s his people becawfi he deft of his mercies, i t j 2

loves them. I 4 Might;

Love makes a man humble, i 54 To doe Gods worke with allow

I Humiliation makes us love God. might. 1 166

\ 1 pi ^Mtnd.

\hove increafedby humiliation. Lawofthe«*/W>vvhat. 1 20$

Luffing

HO2.1

Lufiing again!* fin in threregene-1 mraet*

Miracle. Thaoffers ofmercy confirmed!

rate.

1 211

Moderate. God Moderates the afflictions hi his people. 1 21*

Mourning' Gonfequtnts of our marriage y^^r^^forfnnewhenitigef-

M

^Marriage

feftuaiL

I X\%

with Chrift. 2 6

How to know wc are • married to | N.

Chrift. 2 7 Afa»*.

iMeafurei , The Lo<fe »^iw called upon

To be afflicted in mea[w9> what,! his people. 1 47

1 22 LMeanes. Ukfeaxes limitted by the end.

1 163

LMembers.

How to know wee are Chrifts members. 2 137

Law of the members } what.

1 £-26

Characters of Members oi' CbriftY 2 140

Humiliation makes men- feeke

(JWercj. 1 7-0

Humiliation makes men give

GodthepraifeofhisawTr?. 1

74*

Not tc pollute Gods »^w<?, 1 55

Nature. Sin agreeable to our nature. 1

Nearenejfe. OmnearenestoGod. 1 Jl

Necejfitie. Neotjfitywz have of Chrift* 2 2:

need. God afflicts us no more ther needs. 2 25

Negligently. To doe Gods worke negligently _ what. 1 167

(X Obedience. Exhortation to obedience. 1 4$

The Table.

'Perfecutim. God a refuge in perfection.

bedlencchom humiliation i 76

ii4

nth miobedience goc together* 2 100 'riallofour eftate from our obedience* 2 103 Obedience univcriail required. 2 107 obedience conttznr. 2 129 Obedtence io Chrift, the manner j Subjeftion to Chrift )?/^/^/-

1 184

L

of it. 2 139

Observation. bfervAtion of the manner of fins fighting. 1 250

Offend. eemuftcometo God though we have 0^^/him, 1 3^ Omtjfmn. Sinscfomiffion. 1 202

Ordinance/. The end of Gods Ordinances. 1 2*1 Opinion . Whitopinion to have ©four felves* 1 155 156

ft

Who beleeve not the offer of pardon.' 2 39

Tanfow offered to all. 2 43 Tardon taken out,what. 245 The time of offering);* r*fo». 2

47 Peace-

Subje&ionto Chriit btmgLpeacc.

2 8^> p2

Perfon-Per [on of Chrift muftfirft be looked to. 2 21 Uleafant. Sinne hard to be Ieftbecaufe it is p lea fan t. 1 224

2

88

/>r*^r.

JV*/<?r a meanes to get the feare

otGod, 1 16

God fits his people toprayer-i 2 3

Humiliation makes a man pray.

1 87

Want of prayer caufeth want of

affurance. 1 270

Priefls. Humiliation makes us Priefls to God. 1 76

Prefent. Presenting fins paft, a meanes to humble men. 1 10^130

God prefent with them that feek his face. 1 183

Men thinke their prefent condition unalterable. 1 292 Want of prefent comforts keep men from Chrift. 2 61 WhatChriftians enjoy by Chrift for the prefenn 2 6± Pride. Pride caufe of difobedienct; 1

72 TV*.

The Table.

Profejfwn Outward profefiion required

i

*Promtfe. Promtfe of mercy to whom made.

i ii* Promifis not to be applyed with-out humiliation. i i Z l

Intereft in the frmifes by turning from eviliwayes, i 186 Promifis part of our riches by Chrift. * i*

Profit. Obedience to Chrift for our profit. 2 79 S7 Power.

Power againft fin in the regenerate. 1 213

Power of Chrift, in mortifying ourfinnes. 1 235

'Purpofe.

Good purpofes alone inefficient.

1 222

Ground of good purpofes in car-nail men, 1 223

Where purpofes are fincfre,God gives ability. 2 47

Reafins> Reafonings. ' Reafins to rurne from fin. 1 24* ; Falfe reafinings to be avoided* 1

107

Rebellion* Rebellion muft be Jefc of them that come in to Chrift. 24*

Reconciliation. To be fought in falling. 1 Reftfng

39

Danger in refufing Chrift. * 34 Thcgreateftfin to refitfi Chrift.

MS

Repentance.

Repentance cures afflictions. 1 2 3 Repentance >what fhonldleadns

to it 1 $7

A&uall repentance for the fins of

Gods children. 1 271

Difference inthe relapfeso£[xit

godly* and the wicked. 1 i;f

202 205

Refiftmg.

Difference iii the refilling finne

I 214

Refifiing of finne in the wicked

1 a*

Reward.

What ufe we may make of pro

mifeof reward. 1 ijj

Righteoufnet.

%lghtcoufnesoi Chrift not value

by unhumbled men* 1 7:

S.

Sacrifice.

No Sacrifice accepted without

humiliation. 1 7:

San&ified) Santlificatton.

God will be fantTified in thofi

that draw near e him. i<

Humiliation frr fanttificatiot,

1 io< Mean*

The Table.

1,246

of his 1,90

MO

I canes of fantltfication.

Saviour, hrift is the Saviour Church,

Selfe 3 felves. lot to ferve our felves, .ow a man may feeke and ferve himfe/fe, 1,143,14$ 160

iiThy we inould leek God and not our fe foes, 1,1^8

Scripture, rudyingthe Scripture a means to humble us, 1,106

Senfe. "en[e of fin neceflary, 1 ,p 8

Service.

iomfort in Chrifts fervice % \ ,66 Severity. ids feverity to wicked men,

Iji8 Sinne.

Sin great,how, I, 104 j

&» forlaken differently, x, 206 57# a ground of forfaking it, 1,208 Sin how taken away, 1,271

All calamities from (in, 1,279 To fee ./?# in afflictions, 1,281 Sin, to fee it in its colours, I,

282, Sin y none to be allowed, 2,55

Sclfe-leve. Motives in Scripture from felfe- j

'w, 1,143!

Difference of felfe~!ove 9 1,147

Sinners. The greateR Jfo/wj may come to

Chart, 2,40,51

Small. Small fmnes refilled by the godly,

1,217 Sorrow,

Scrroiv double.

91

\io\tnt ferrow not alway necefia ne3 i,P4

Greamene of fprrow, the ground of it, 1^6

Sorrow ra.ult abide in the hear^

I,IOtf

i/>/>*> of God dvvels in the humble, 1.76 Humiliation wrought by the Spirit, 1, 8o, i op Witneffeof the Spirit, 2,9, 10 Degrees of the witneffe of the Spirit, 2,11 The work of the Spirit in us, 2,1 8

Spring. Spring of fin in ournature^ l^J

Striving. ^m^j^againillinj 1^241

Sincerity. Sincerity required in-the covenant of grace, 3,52

Trial! of fwceritie> *>i Q 4

SubjeBion. What kind ot jub'yttton we give toChnft, ' 2,u

Sub'jtQion to Chrift required, 2, j6 Subjetlion what, 2,82

Motives to fubjetliott, 2^05

Tnallofour {ubjeUion,?. ,99,107 Exercife of grace brings Jufya-c»> 2,118

The Table.

Sufi

cr.

| V*clfAnneJfe,

1,201

Thole tint take "thrift muft beel V*ii*.

content to fujfer, 3,57! Vnion with Chnit by marriage,

Stubbornness.

Stubbornnejfe againft God dangerous, *, 131

1,1*9

JPW, the nature of it, W.

O d hm/^j among his people, M

How farre the Saints arc #4jW 3

Evill »*;« not left without humiliation, 1,71 Wicked. Men aftiamed of religion before

T. Time.

D Anger to neglecl: the time of pardon, 2,48,5©

Truth. Truth of God ingaged to forgive i1nne 3 1^ 256

Turne. Turning to God how knowne,

1,187 Motives to turne to God, 1,188 Manner of turning to God,'i, ip 1 Effejtsof W»* toGod, 1,194] '"ttewicked, No duty accepted without turmng] Defcri rion oi „ kkf d mm , i.aAj

toGod 1,219 wifi,Wifiomc.

Turing from evill wayes dim- GodoneIy ^j, 2>1 ij

01 r • c lAi -H Wifdtme of God helpes to believe

Rules of wrw^ from our evill thepromi f Wj x ^%

wayes, 1,232 AH^^fromChrift, 1,194

Mcanesof tttrntng, 1,34? J ^^

Double way of turning the heart [ chrift hath iven his vord t0K .

ceive finners, 2,41

Z.

Zeale.

Z Bale not onelywanting,bui difgraced, M *

FINIS.

from finne, 1,24?

V. tSaike.

THe Lord doth nothing in vsine, 1,288

Vertues. Definition of morall vertues ,2 ,$y

Viclory. Viclory over finne in the godly, 1, j

Perlegi has Condones, dignafq 5 judico qux typis mandentur.

Tbo. Weekes, ^ (P. £/>//c. Lm<*. £*p. dome/l.

Part i.page inline xo.for to them and,read then,p.4' I ip.howy r. that.l.ior. not flackcn, p.6 l.i^chcfe, r. there p. 78 Lift, wanting, r. wounding, p. 90,1. ij, drive, r. thrive, p. 911 »f,leafe,r. fenle,p 1041.<. me, r one, p. 118 1 3 o, r.not ftirred 3 p.13 61- 8,nny, r. many,p 146I. i2.againe, r. a gainer, p. »i61. 2f, cvill,r. will, p.H3>l3>bring, r.being, p.x87,l.i. acquaintance,^ acquittance.

Part &.. p.61. l.io, the., r. there, l.i i, thou, r. though, p.641.26, t.credite,p.8d l.io, from, r.for.

t .f^m,^*****^***

li I I lW

"I

THE

SAINTS

QVALIFICATION:

! A TREATISE

I. Of H u m i l i a t 1.0 n, in Tenne Sermons. III. Of S a n c t i f t c a t i o n, in nine Sermons.

l^HEREVNTO IS ADDED A

Treatife of Communion y?itb Cbrift in the

Sacrament, in three Sermons*

.Preached^

By the late faithfall and worthy Minifter of IES VS^XJHRIS T,

Iohn Presto n, >o&or in Divinity, Chaplaine in O rcinary to his Majeftie, Matter of Emanuel CoHedge in Cambridge, and fometime Preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

The third Edition corre&ed.

•| Whtnmen are cast downejben thoufbalifay, there is Uftingup : andhefballfave the humble gerfeni lob zz.i^.

j Caft away from you all your tranfguftens, whereby ye have tranfgreffed, and ma\e ' ym a new heart, and a newjpirit, &c . fizek. 18.51.

• fie that eats my flejh anddrin^es my blond, dmlletb in me and I in h'm>loh,6. 56.

!

LONDON,

Printed by R S. for N. Bourne, and are to be fold by W. Mope at the Vnicorne ncere to the Royal 1 Exchange. 1637.

i

I

i

i

*

* $

T«jft^^^?»^||l*«tgL , ®^..^«»^i^^#.'i|*«8»

»

LLVSTRISSIMO, NOBILISSIMO VIRO, Philippo, Pembrochu, ET MONTISGOMERICI COMITI, ARONIHERBERT DE CARDIFFE T SHERLAND, ORDINIS GARTERII QVITI, REGI^ DOMVS CAMERARIO,

REGIiE MAIESTATI A SECRETIORIBVS CO NSlLIIS,&c.

TRIPLICEM HVNC

o h a n n i s Presto ni, S S. THEOLOGIZE DOCT. COLLEG. Immanublis

NVPER MAGIST. ET REGIME MAIEST. A SACRIS, TRACTATVM, Humiliations, Nova Creatura, Preparation e Ad Sacra m S Y n a x i n .

IN OTVOTISSIM.E, TAMAVTHORIS, QVAM IPSORVM OBSERVANTI.E TESTIMONIVM, L.M.D.D.D.

Richardus Sibs. Iohanncs Davenport. S3

Db

TO THE CHRISTIAN

READER.

H E good acceptance,the Sermons $fthk wer-\ thy man bAve found among fl well difpofid

Chriftians , hath made us the willinger to ) give way toth&pHblijhwgofthefe, as com.

hmingfrom thefame Author\ The good they ay thus doe, pr evades more for the fending of them forth, wanfome imperfeftions (that uftally accompany the taking 7f other mens fpeeches) may doe tofiipprcjfethem. Some-thing may well be yeelded to publike good inthings not altogether fo as we wijb . They are inforccd upon none tbatfaall except again ft them, they may either readc or refafe them at their p'eafure. The argument of them is fuch as may draw the more regard, being of matters oj necejfary and perpetual! ufe.

For Humiliation a we never fo deeply fee into the grounds of it, (finfulneffe of nature, and life) or, fi fane as we fee, looke upon it with that eye of deteftation wefiould, and therfore a holy heart defiretb (III further light to be brought in, to difcover whatfoever may hinder communion with God, Jhd is glad when (in is made loathfome unto it, as be* ing its greateft enemy, that doth more hurt than all the worldbefides, and the only thing that divides betweene our chief eft good, and u*. As this humiliation increafeth, fo in the like proportion all other graces increafe: for the more we are emptied of our [elves, the more we are filled with the fulneffe of Cod. The defects of this appeare, in the whole

frame

a A Trea-i tife.

' *'$&£*& 3§£ *W> W' '4^p

rmmn »wi «wi ra^so /rin.^ r.-*c.-JM\ «>i»i-Mr<n 4^fc cf^ <t%%» 3Wv tf^ 4WV

* ftfSft'wi fifiMAitfwaGga /vr^i-j-j r.f&ivirsy

Ijfc &gb it\^ tfy^ 3Bfc <?^ "^^

BRIEFE COLLECTIONOFTHE principall Heads in the enfuing Treacifes,

Tart, i.

£<>#. I.

^Vinitiation mult goe before fufiification, Pag. 6. o things in Humiliation, 8

e

&/: i.

i reference to fufiification, I a

Reaf.2. \ reference to SanBification^ 13

0 labour for Humiliatien, 17 ive belpes to Humiliation, 2 4

'he beft men theuld labour to be

Humbled, 37

Dotl. 2. .

The nature of man is full of all Vnrighteoufnefe, and Vngod-linejfe, jj

Mans nature evidenced to be fo

by the Z^ 3 2

Originall Sinne, 3 7

The corruption of the Vnderfian-

ding, in five things, 4 o

The corruption of the JT/7/ in

foure things, 45

The corruption of the Memory,m

two things, 49

The corruption of the Confcience,

inthreea&sofit, 51

The corruption of the Senfitive

appetite, 54

The corruption of the Affettions,^

is

A&uall Sinnes, 64

Mans Nature (hewed to be corrupt bytheruleoftheGoipen,

Vfil.

The ignorance ofthofe that know not the corruption of Nature,

73

Vfe 2.

To labour to prize Chrift the

more, 75

A Vfe l.

The Tabic

Oar Sinfulneffe mould drive us to

Chrift, 77

Circumftances aggravating Sin,

Excufes of «S7#»<?, 9 3

Helpcs againft thofe Excu/es 7 100

There is a revelation of wrath againft ail Vnrighteoufheffeot men, 103

Yfe I. To teach us what Sin is,

1 ©9

a anrf not in the Kingdome ofGe c in three tilings, \y t

How far re men Vnconverteimx go, (hewed in five things, i^<

How farre they come fbort > mfi V( things, 14

We I-Moil fin out of love co Sin r ij

The danger of difobeying t) Truth, 1 ^

To give the Truth leave to rui

To labour for a«SV#/<?of G o d s wrath, no

To makeus go t6 Cfo-^, 112

2>*#. 4.

Al men before regeneration withhold the Truth in unrighteouf-v nefle, II( 5

The greatnefle of this Sin in three things, 325

Vfci To Humble us,

118

*T* 2. The mifery of men that are neare

The 7VwA or Law of every ma judgement is^ made manit by God, k

Vfei. The greatnefle of mens fin agai: this Truthy 1

MA* To be thankefiill for the Tru

1

To doe nothing contrary to I 7V#/£, 1)

To expeS happinefle ormifte

The Table.

,s we obferve or negleft this frHtb, 197

Do8. 6.

(j>d hath revealed ib much to eve-y man as makes him lnexcu~ able, loi

Ictufcs that men frame to them-

jelves, 203

Vfe IT

1> juftifiefo^ and to blame our

Vfe 2. 1 > give £<?</ the glory of hi? long-furfering. 218

The Contents oftbeSer-

aon before the Commons Houfc of Parlument.

\ ^Afltn^rntctSzxy t 230

Fafi defined, 230

1 'efeels in Fafting, 231

DoU. 1. *>d only doth GoofendFvill,

oure ConviUions to demonstrate it, 236

i?^/. 1.

ilfe god were not God, 243

^m/; 2.

life the Creature ihould be G*^

m

Vfei.

To labour to fee god in hisgreat-neffe, 246

To looke to God in all our bufi-neffe* [v 249

T®fet ^^V&onworketojudgeof thele things, 2j|

Z>*#. 2. Sinne caufeth Wrath, 252

Gods ?rr*f& a treafure, in three refpe&s, 253

vfi:

To fee Sinne in the effe&s of it,

How to prevent Gods Wrath^

258

Zeals tumes away Wrath, 262

Vfei. Not to difcourage thofe that bee Zealous ■, 2^J

ty?2. Foure convictions of our want of Zeale^ 2^7

<Z)<?#. 4. Want of Zeale makes Gods A 2 jealoufie

The Table.

jealoufie grow ljottev,

DoB.<$.

Icaloufte for the mod part fliall

proceed to utter de(lru6tion, 278

Vfi. Tblearne to Feare^ 279

277 I -3fc*£ &

All the meancs of Grace tend this

way, 30c

VfeU

To pray for San£bifUaiion\ 30c

Six encouragements to Prajfai

& 301

cm**:

P^rf 2.

Iufiification and Specification areinfeparable, 285

How SanBification arifetfafrom purification, 226

To efteeme SancHfication as high* lyas luftifiMtiou, jij

The excellency of £r*tt,*

7^4/, 1.

None faved by the fecond *Adam> that are not borne of him, 2p 7

Reaf.i.

It is[the Will of God,

Rea/l $

f

Vfi*

To take heed of challenging Iufi fication without SanUificatiot

Foure fignes of a New Cream*

32

New Creature what,

The Heart new framed,

The Qonverfation changed, 3 \

A new quality of Holineffeivk

fed, 34

2 pg OfdmanvAnt, 34

Mortification of the 0/^/ ;#<*#, 3 5

Where GWpardoneth heheale!

It is the end of our Inoraftino in-1 ~ r™ e .' a \ • • > 1 rr ^ toChrift * JFirft, it Ikn^ with Gogs Hw

Rtaf.4. Secondly, with our Comfort, L

It is the end or Cbrifts comming, Thirdly, with Gods <5VmV<r, /

*pp

^ )• Z>*#.

Oirift is Prophet and -KVag where Thofe that are in Chriit have an<

The Table.

I

Vfe t. tot to Defer commingtoGod,

Vfe 2:

, Jot to content our iclves without

j antw^mr, $fi9

Vfe}. 0 fee that good Perfommcesbt naturalltous, 37*

Vfe 4} Co abhor our Old Nature and labour for a change, 378

Vfe Si totorcare <FW/*Vjg away, 381

Vfe*.

r'to bee difcouraged with the ofanyD/tfj, 383

Vfe %

Change of Nature a ground of comfort, ? 384

<Do£i. We muft be New Creatures, 3 85

ConfeB.i.

We are redeemed from old c#-ftmes, Ibid*

ConfeB. 2.

Not to wonder that the World wonders at us, 387

Con fell;. 3. To pull downe all that is old, 389

Confeft* 4,

Not to wonder at uneveanefle in

mens lives, 392

(fonfeB*$ y

To expeft a combat* , jp 7

Cotifefit.6, Not to Wonder at tAukednefte that wefindein die wayes of 1 God, 400

CenfeSi. 7. To give God the praife of the •changing of natures, 403

The %{ew Creature is Go* work

Foure arguments to prove it, /£.

Vfei. To ihew our condition in Chrift is better than in Adam, 412 ' Vfe*. God fetteth us not about an im-poffible work?, 413

Vfei. To make us love Chrift, lb,

Not to put offChrifts call, 414

Vfe$. To fee with whom we have to do in head j lg the Word, lb.

Vfe 6. To give God the praife of any good in us, 418

Vfei. E#pe& not that Minifters come A 3 with

The Table.

with excellency oiwifdomeox

•words, 419

Vfe 8.

Obferve what the preaching of

the Word workcs on our hearts,

421

Ktft, in Chrift, and then ?& Creatures, 4 2 ^

Dott.

T^be in £V//?, is die ground of ill Salvation, 416

Firft, to increale Z^/00 with

Chrift in thofe tliat have it,43 l

Five helpes to do it, 43 2

Secondly to ieeke it, if it beyvan*

nng,

438

Five motives to feeke this Vnion,

440

Part. 3. Z>*#;

IN the Sacrament there is a communication of the very 'Body and blond of Chrift, 4 74 Arguments againft '.Tranfubftan-tiation^ 47 y

1. There is no neceffity of it, 475

2. Nofojpbility.oi it, 47P 3*Itisagainil<5 , ^7? > 481

4, Againft Reafon, 482

5, Againft JW* A, 483

6, Againft Scripture, 483 Sacrament of the Lords Supper, j 5 Apparel],

what, 48? J What this fpirituall cloathing is,

Condition of the £ovevant on ! 55 3

*-l -_—___ ' "^ end of the TabU.

Gods part, 48 5

Vfe u

To confirme our faith in the for-giveneffe of fins, 488

Conditions of the Covenant required on our part, 493

Papifts object ion out of Ioh t 6. of

eating Chnfts flejb anfwered^oi Vfez ,

To fee the greatneffe of Chrifts Love to us, 506

And to h>v* him againe andferve him, 507

Two things to move us to come into Chrift, 5I0

Firft, our mifery out of him, 5 ia

1. We are fubjeil to Death, 513

2. To the feare or "Death, 514 $.ToHe%, + Ibii SecondlyjOur Happinejfe by Chrift

SI*

Benefit by Chrift, r We (hall have Life*

2 Our Debts (nail be payed, 5 25

3 We (hail have toy?,

4 We fhall have a Kingdome,} 3 3

which confifteth in

Liberty,

Plenty,

Peace,

glory,

Riches,

5 We (hall have a Feaft,

534

53*

537

545

•

THE FIRST

SERMON

WON

HVMILIATION.

Romans i. 18.

For the Terath of God is revealed from heaven agamft all ungodlineffe and unrighteoufnejfe of men, Tithich y>ith-hold<the Truth in unrighteouf-neffe.

T is true, wee that are the Minifters of the Gofpell are to make ic our chicfe bufineffe to preach Chili ; indeed that is all in all. But we may preach Chrijk long enough to men, telling them of Remiflion of fins, and Iuftification, but they will not hearken tous,bccaufebefore they cancome

B to

Se rm.I

Comfort the end of Scripture.

Mans nature full of ungodlinejfe.

to Chrijl they muft be humbled. It is true, our end is Confolation, for that is indeed the end of the Scriptures ; I fay, the end of the Scriptures is Confolatu on, thatthrough them you might have hope : andfois it the end of this do&rineot Humiliation's, though a purge,or lancing, are troublefome to the body,yct the end of thePhyfitianinufingthem is health, and helpe-and without this courfe there is no helpe. And for that caufc wc have fallen on this Tcxt,that it may teach us to know our felves, and the need we ftand in of Chrifi. You fliall finde thefc three to be the three great parts of the Apoftolicall Ambaflage: Firft, to humble men, to make them know what need they ftand in of chrifi. Secondly ,to raife them againe,to preach remiflion of fins. Thirdly,to teach the doctrine of San&ification. Thefc three, Humi. liation, Iuftification,and San<Sification,arc the three maine things wherein our condition to GodconG&s. Therefore my intent is to goc thorow thefe three. And wee will doe it briefly, beginning with this Text which we have in hand. The occafion whereof is this.

Paul tels the Romans that his intent was To com to them: But what ihould he doe there i He would preach the Gofpell: yea, but it was an ignominious thing to be aChriftian, a thing that would expofc him to much perfecution and fhame. It is no matter, faith he, / am notajhamedof the Gofpell, for it is the power of God to falvation. But how doth hee prove that it is the power of Godxo falvation * We fee that in the Gofpel the righteoufnejfe of God is revealedjhai is, there is no way in the world for men to be iufti-

fied ?

5ed, to be counted righteous before God, but to have l righteoufneffe revealed from heaven, even another kinde of righteoufneffe than any man hath in him-felfe; a righteoufneffe of Chrifl,* righteoufneffe that is to be imputed to men 5 and this, faith he, is revealed in the Gofpelk and therefore the Gofpell onely is the power of Gedxo falvation. But here comesthe rcat queftion; Why is it necdfull that there fhould e a new kinde of righteoufneffe revealed, a righte-ufneffe wrought by another, and made ours onely but by Imputation, faith he: It muft be fo, elfe no flefli can be faved : Every man muft needs be condemned, for all men are unrighteous, every man is full of all impiety and wickcdneffe 3 whichhc delivers inthisvetfe; thence concluding that it is necdfull to have the Gofpell revealed,for that is it 3 thatrevealcs the righteoufneffe of Chrift* A righteoufneffe of Chrift, which is onely wrought by Chrift^ and will onely ftand out before the judgement feat of Gad.

So that the end of the words is to convince men, to fliew unto them that they have no righteoufneffe of their owne, to affurc them, that if they ftand in the condition they arc in by nature, they remainc in condemnation ; for he that bcleeves not, is condemned already: there needs no new condemnation • if he have not the Son, the wrath of God abides on him.

So that the maine thing in thefe words is this af. fertion, That mans nature is full of ungodlinejfe and mrighteoufMfle.Tvto things are charged upon mans nature, Firft, afulneffeofallkindeoffinnesagainft God. Secondly, of allinjufticeandunrighteoufneffe to men, one touching the firft Table, the other the

B 2 fecond.

3

Serm.L

Why we are juftificd by the righteoufnefTe of another.

Iohn j. ntt.

Mans nature is full of ungod-t linefle and un-J righteoufnefTe.}

Mans nature full of mgodlmejfe.

Se axi.lJ ^ econ d. Now\vhenhzk\<[^AtlHngedlinejfe r andall

—' unrighteoufne/fe of men. The meaning is, That in

j mans nature there is all kinde of ungodlinefle, and unrighteoufnefle of all iorts. And againe, that is to be marked, unrighteoufnefieofmen:he fets it do ; in gcnerall,becaufe he fpeakes it of all men,nonecx-*cepted,fo you mud take both in Every man (none excepted) is full of all unrightcoufnefTe, all impietie, all parts of impietie, all kindes of unrightcoufnefle are found in him.

But how will this be proved i Hee proves it by two Arguments, Firft,becaufc the wrath ef Cod k revealed againji every man: and God being ajuft Iudgc, his wrath would not be kindled againft men, except there were j-uft caufe $ and that is one Argu. menr. But how {hall wee know that G o d is angric with men i faith hee, It is revealed from Heaven, Whence three things may be noted.For thence you may fee the evidence of his wrath, It is revealed.

And fecondly, the (urenefTc of it, it comes from

heaven, and G o d will be as good as his word. And

thirdly, the Terribknefle of ir, it is revealed from

heaven. For when Cod is iaid to fit in heaven, and u

: Uughthemtofcorne. And 2 Cor.6. to Jit in heaven, it

\ argues he doth things powerfully.

But you will aske, how is the wrath of GWrevealed from heaven i It is revealed by the light of .nature. Every man hath fo much light in him, as to know that hce defcrves wrath, and judgement, and puniihment.

And partly it is revealed by the Scripture, and partly by continuall experience 3 Go d is ever and

anon

Wrath of Cod revealed how

Mans nature full of ungodlineffe.

•inon executing his wrath and judgement on finners. And that is the firft Argument 1 .

The fecond Argument to prove their unrighte. bufnefle, is, beczukiheyWith-holdthe truth in un-[•igbteoufntfl'e. And here is afecret objection anfwe-|:ed. For it may be obje&ed. There be many excellent things in men,as your morall Philofophers,had :hey not much light in their underftandings i Much reSitudc in their lives i Did they not pra&ice many morall vermes < That is all one, it will but encreafe heir condemnation. It was God's worke to put fo

uchlight,fo many excellent things in them, which ad they ufed as they fhould,and might, thofe Prin-iples would have fhed themfelves into their whole fouleandconverfation, but they imprifoned them, (hutting them up within the walls of their Confci* encc: men doe not ufe the light they have, nor im. prove it, they doe not bring it out in their lives and converfations, but with-bold it inunrighteoufntjfeSo that in the words there are three points laid downe, all which wil helpe exceedingly to humble us.Firft, That wans nature is full of all impietie and unrighteouf nejfe. The fecond is, The wrath $fCod will furely fall on men for this. If finne went alone it would not fo much amaze men,but when the wrath of Cod comes too, accompanied with the fruits of his wrath, men out of lelfe-love will bee moved therewith. The third, That atithegoodin amanbefore his regeneration ferves onely to helpe forward his condemnation.

But before I come to the handling of thefe points • | one point we muft needs obferve out of the Method J of the Apoftle.This that he faith here in few words,

»j ill

Se a m.I.

Se R.M.L

Dott.

Humiliation muftgoc before Iuftifica-

tion.

Deur.8.2 3 ^.

How God humbled the Ifraelites.

Humiliation before luftification.

is amplified to the middie of the third Chapter. Al' which time he fpendsinexpreffing particularly how mans nature is full of impiety, and unrighteoufneiTe: and w hen he hath done that,he urges juftification by Chrift ; and after that he comes to San&ification.

Wherein the Apoftles Method is very oblerva. ble; and therefore from his Method (beforewee come to the maine)we wil briefly deliver this point. That Humiliation muft got before lu/ltfcation: You may obferve it from the Method ufed. Men muft fir ft be convinced of their impiety and unrighteouf. neffe,bef ore they can befit to receivethcGofpel.As the Phyfitians have their Method in curing, firftto purge and cleanfe the body,aad then to give Cordi. als: fo it is a rule in Divinity, you muft be humbled before you can be juftified,or. Humiliation goes before Iuftification. Which may be gathered not only from this, but likewife from many other places. You fhall find it is the courfe God takes every where with men, and k is a very neceflary thing to bee knowne • for by realon of the ignorance of this Me-thod,men doe not take the right courfe,they goe not the right way to Worke.Thfcis the caufe many continue ia the gallofb'ttterneffe y andin the bond of iniqm-tie, they know hot the right way to come out. I lay, you fhall finde in other places. Obferve 5 Dfttf.8.2 3 3. You fhall finde there how GWdeales with his peo-ple 5 he carries them throw the mldernejfe^nd to what end? To humble them ^ and how doth Hee humble them f Two wayes. Firft, by fhewing them the fin-fulneffe'of their hearts, letting them know their re* bcllionsandftartingsafide,when Helcd them along,

fzith

Humiliation before ItiTtification.

kith hcjhave carried thee thefeforty yeares in the rvil krnejfejo humble thee and prove thee: All thy fin and :orruption was there before,but thou kneweft it not. But that is not enough:for if men faw never fo much in in themfelves,yet ifthey haveabottometo ftand }n, ifthey have health, and ftrength, they regard it lot: therefore he addes further ,/ humbledtheejmade ■% hungry, and then I fed thee with Mannah • that :hou mighteft fee thou hadft nothing without me. And this I did, that when I bring thee into the good Land, yc may know it was not for your owne righ-teoufneffe 9 but for the Covenant I made with your Fa. thers, Abraham, Ifaac andlacob. This is nothing but a refemblance of the fame Go d doth now. Carrying men thorow this world. He firft humbles them, He lets them fall into fin, that they may know them-felves, and withall affii&sthem, fufteringthem to fall into other neceflities, that they may know what they are,that they may fee their miferable condition and that God brings them not to heaven for their rightcoulncffe,but for his Covenants fake, with A-braham and//44<r,that is,for his mercy fake in Chrift. So Zechar. 12. and 13, Chap. You (hall finde firft G^/powres on them the Spirit of compun<5tion,that they (hall mournefor their finnes, as a man mourneth for his only fon; and when they are humbled, then (and not before) / will opena fountaine toludahand lerufalemforfin and for uneleanneffe 5 that is, it is (hut before they be humbled, but when that is done, the fountaineis opened. So you (hall fee Paul, when he had to doe with Felix (a .place worth your marking) ACis 24,25. you (hall finde that when Felix and his

B 4 wife

Se R.M.L

Zed1.12.1j

Se rm.L

Two things in Humiliation.

Iohn4 18,

Iohni*.?,

Humiliation before luftification.

wife Drufilla, a Ieweffe, called Paul before them,it is faid, They heard him of the faith of Chrifl: But how began he i He began, faith the Texc,with preaching of Temperance, Righteoufneffe, and the lodgement to come: He told Felix what Righteoufneffe,and what Temperance the Law of God required, and likewife theludgemcnttocome; forthofe twothingsmuft be in Humiliation, An Endi&ment to fhew how^ar (hort we be of the Righteoufneffe and Temperance that the Law of (70*/rcquircs,and withall a pronouncing of the Sentence, a declaration of the Iudgemem to come. And this courfe made Felix to tremble.

So lohn the Baptijl, that came to prepare the mj of the Lord, to make way for chrift : How did hee make way < He came as with the Spirit and power of Blias ; fo with much Terrour calling them a Generation of Vipers, told them of their miferable condition, as much as he could,to humble them. And that was the way to prepare them.

So when Chrifl went about to convert any, this was His method,as in lohn 4. when He had thatdif-courfe with the woman of Samaria, meeting her by ] accident, firft He tels her of her fin • The man whom \ thou haft is not thy husband, thou bajt committed adultery: whereby He amazed her, and made her looke into her felfe; and then He tels her He was the Mef fiah, and, that in Him there was hope. So He deales with Nichodemus, Hee tells him hee wasflefh, that all that was in him was nought, and not anything good 5 and then Hee preaches the Gofpell telling him, he mufl be borne againe. But of all places, you (hall finde the cleared to be that in lohn 16. where

Chrijl

Humiliation before luWtfication.

fhriji promifes thac He would lend His Spirit into u .he world, and three great workes the Spirit fbould doe (which were wrought by the minifteryof the ApofHes) he fhould Convince the world of time, and of Right eonfneffe, and of Judgement. Fir ft, he faith of Sinne, Becaufe the) have not beleeved in mt\ marke that, there were many other finnes that the H o l y G^h o s t convinced them of, but the contempt of the Gofpell, the not taking of Chrift offered, that is themainefinne. And the Holy Ghost fhall convince men of this finne. AH the men of the world cannot doe it. Wee may tell you long enough of particular finnes, you have done thefe and thefe fins, fwornc fuch oathes, defiled your felveswithfuch abominations, and yet all will come to nothing • but when the Spirit fets in, and makes a man fenfible of finne, that workes to purpofe. Then it folio wes in the method, He JI)aM convince the world ofrighteouf nefle, becaufe lam rifen againeandgone to the Father : he (hould teach that there is another RightcoufncfTe, in me,by which you muft be juftified: when you fee no righteoufneffe in your felves, then the H o l y Ghost fhall fhew you the rightcoufacfle that I have wrought. But how will this appeare t In that I am dead and rifen againe, and gone to my Father, whereby it is declared that I am righteous, that I have overcome death, and fatisfied My Fathers Iu-ftice. And then when that is done, be fhall convince the world of Judgement, that is, of bolinefle,for fo the word is there ufed, that is, when the Prince of this world fhall be judged. Satan raigncs in the hearts of men, in the children of difobedience, till they bee

juftified

S E R M.l.

Conviftion the Spine.

by.

Humiliation before luttification.

S e i^m.I

Gal 3.24.

The I,aw a Schoolc-ma-iter, how.

Two things keepe men from corn-m ino to Chrift

Vnbdeefe.

juftified and engrafted into Chrifl • but when they be once juftified, then Chrifl (hall caft him out s you fhall fee him tall like lightning out of the hearts ot men: and this is that which was before prophefied, He fhalibring forthjudgement unto victory j thatis,He (hallovcrcome the Prince of the world, take away fin, and enable men to ferve Him in holineffe. And this is the method youmuft oblerve in turning to Cod y labour to be convinced of fmne 7 then of Righte* onfntffty and then of lodgement.

And to (hew the nccefluie of this, take that one place, Gal. 3.24. a place you all know, The Lam mujl be a Schook-mdjler to bring us to Ghrijl. No man living can come to Chrift ,till the Law be his Schoole-mafter. Now how is the Law a Schoole-mafter < It gives Icflons that wee cannot goe through with, thereby is fuch a Re&itude required, as we arc not able to reach, like the Schoole-mafters taske to the Scholler, which hee is not able to performe, And is therefore faine to goe to another to doe his exercife for him. So the zWtels men, you muft be exaft-ly holy, perfeft righteoulheffe muft run thorow the whole courfe of your life: when we fee we cannot doe it, it makes us run to Chrift, to have His rightc-oufnetfe imputed to us-, fuch a neceflitie is there that men be humbled.

Nosv that you may a little better underftand this point, youmuft know that there are but.two things that keepe men off fromcomming to Cbrifi. One is uabeleefe, when they doe not beleeve that he tstheMepahy or that they are to befaved by Him. This was the great hindrance in the Apoftles time,

and

Humiliation before luHification.

and that is the tfafon that you have faith in the Mef //^preffedfo much, tobekeve that that was Hec. But that is not the thing to beeprefTcdfo much in thefe Times. But, as you Tee in the old Teftament, when the Prophets fpake to a Church to confirme it in the truth, they doe not prcffe fo much to belecve there is a God y and that He is One cW,and that a God of Trutb,but to truft in G^and to make ufe of their knowledge. Somuftwedoe. There is therefore another thing that hinders from chrift, and that is, Negligence: Men care not for chrift, they are not af-fe&ed with Him; and this is two-fold, Totall, or Partiall: Totall is that which they were guilty of that were bidden to the Feaft, and excufed them-felves • one had bought a yoke of Oxetl,another had married a wife, another had taken a Farme,and ther-fore they could not come. They were perfwaded there was a feaft of fadings provided, but they minded other things, for they were not hungry, and therefore cared not for it. And in this kinde the greateft part of men, of your common Proteftants, negled the Gofpell: Tell them of Remiffion of fins and Iuftrfication,they minde it not. Secondly ,there is a Partiall Aegle£tt And ft> mafty profefle Chrift, doe many things for H-m,but regard Him not. And in this thefecond and third Ground failed, the fe-cond did much,but not fo farre regarded Him,as to endure perfecution.The third did refpecft Him more, but not fo af to forgbe thdr loftsf for Him, this is a partiall negleft. And that that helpeth this double neglect is Humiliation.

Now to give a Reafon or two of this jsoirit, and

fo

n

SER M.I.

2 Negligence which is twofold.

I Totall.

Humiliation before IuHi fication,

S E R.M.I

Two Reafons of It.

Reafin I.

In reference to [unification.

I To acknowledge His Iuftice.

2 His Mercy.

fowee will makeufc of it, and come to the other which is the maine, and that I moft intend. God wil have it thus for thefe two Reafons :

Firft,with reference to our Iuftification s He will juftific none till He hath brought him to acknowledge both His Iufticeand His Mercy, He will have men know what Hec doth to them, before He jufti-fics them, and receives them to favour: I fay, Hee will have a man acknowledge His Iuftice, that is, confefle himfclfe to be a (inner, to be afhamed of his finnes, to acknowledge himfelfe worthy to be de-ftroyed. As in Ezek. $6. 25. there you (hall finde how God juftifies men,and wajhes them with cleave water from their finnes. Then when I doe this,when-foever I (hall juftifie any man,thcn you (hall remember your deeds that were not good, and (hall acknowledge your felves worthy to be deftroyed.C?^ will have His honour given Him, He will have men know that it is not done for any thing in themfelves. He will have the glory of His Iuftice and Rightcouf-ncfle, and that is the fumme of the fourth verfc of the one and fiftieth Pfalme, Againfi thee only have I finned\ &c. that Thou might efi be jufiified when Thou §e*kefi y andbe cleare when thou judgefl: that glory may be given to God, and (hame taken to him-felfe. This God will have done. As in the workc of Redemption, His Iuftice and Mercie are both fa-tisfied s fo in the application of it, in taking hold of this Redemption, God will have a worke wrought, wherein His Iuftice (hallbe acknowledged. Secondly ,He will have His Mercy acknowledged, as Princes when they will make a condemned man be fen-

fiblc

Humiliation before IuHijicatio?i.

fibl: of their mercy, they will bring him to the ut-termoft,they will bring his necke to the blocke 3 thcn he will know that he was faved, he ftiall have more fen ft of bis pardon. And fo G o d in the worke oi Humiliation,humblcs a man exceedingly; and when that is done, then He isfeene in the Mount. He is not feene till men be in extremitie, that is. He will have them on thci» knees, and fo be fenfible of that mer-cie of His, which otherwlfe they would not prize. The end of all is c£r//2,He will have Chrifi efteemed andknowne- and this men will never doe till they be throughly humbled.

Secondly, God will have it fo with reference to San&ification, that is the fecond reafon,and that for thefecaufes.

Firft, becaufe otherwife mens thoughts would never bee drawne inward, men would never withdraw themfclves from Covctoufnefle, and from regarding vanity $ but lulls of youth in them that bee young,and bufineffeand correfpondencie in matters of State, and one thing or other would take up the mindes of them that be old, and would fo occupie their thoughts, that we might fpeakc long enough, but mens minds would goe after an hundred feverall vanities- as the Pfalmtft faith, God is not in all the thoughts of a wicked man % before he be hurabled,that is, God is not there to any purpofe,nor the things belonging to the kingdomc of G o D,but vanity is in their thoughts, and that raifes fuch a Tumult and noife within,that they attend not to what we fay,but j loeke up the doores of their heart, that what we fay can have no entrance. We fhal fee it in i Chr.^ .12.

when

S E R M.I

Reafin 2.

Inference to

San edification.

To make men reflect on themfclves.

'4

Humiliation before Unification.

I when CMamffes had corrupted himfelfe with mon-S E R mJ. „ ^ abominations there fet downe, the Lord fpake to him, but he regarded knot, till he was humbled, but when being led into captivitie and bound in fetters^ he was humbled, then hebefought G o b, who was intreated of him. In the fifteenth of Luke you (hall findc this phrafe,T£<r Prodigallfonne cam to himfelfe . Ic is a Parable (hewing every mans naturall condition, hec was not himfelfe before, hee was a drunken man,or a mad man • and that is the cafe of every man before he be humbled, he is as a drunken man $ now come and fpeake to a drunken man, as long as you wil,he being in his drunkenneffe and madneffe heares not: it is only this Humiliation that brings a man to himfelfe- In 2 Chro.6^j. you (hall find this phrafe, If theyJl)all turne with all their hearts in their capivL tie, and repent for their tranjgreftons, then doe thou heare in heaven, &c. I name it for the phrafe, if they (hall turne with their hearr, which they will not doe till they be humbled, till then they be bufied about pleafurcs, or profits, or fomething elfe, but they looke not into their hearts. The phrafe imports fo much: fuppofe a man be inftant in fome fport and re-creation, and one come and tell him inthemidftof his fport, there is an Officer without ready to take Simile. y° u an ^ carr y Y ou t0 prifon 5 fuch a meflage will turne to his heart, and make him confidcr what hee hath done, and what a miferable condition he is in: fo when the Law comes it humbles a man, making him to draw in his Thoughts, and to fee his mifcry ; and when he is wounded with the fenfeofhis finncs, and with the wrath of G o d, then, and not till then,

the

Humiliation before luHification.

the feet of them that bring glad tidings ofJalvation are beautifulL

Likcwife Humiliation is neceffary for this caufe, becaufe except men be throughly humbled,they wil never take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence- and they muft take it fo, elfe they (hall never have it: now by the Kingdome of Heaven is meant the Go-fpell 5 you know it is called the GofteUofthe King-dome', that is, righteoufnefle and grace therein revealed and offered. In Matth. 11.12. and Luke 1 6. 1 6. you (hall finde that from the time of lohn the Bay-tift, The Kingdome of Heaven (uffered violence,and the violent take it by force: The meaning is this, faith Christ to them, we preach the Gofpell,fo did lohn, with him it began to be preached • but deceive not your felves, many think they take the kingdome of Heaven, but you muft know there be two kindes of taking; tome are content to be (aved, and to doe many things as Herod did, and as the fecond and third ground did, but this is a falfctaking, and deceive not your felves thereby. There is another kinde of taking, when a man takes this Kingdome violently, and indeed none (hall have it,but after this manaer. Now,what is it to take it violently ? When a man takes a thing violently, he doth it with all his might, hee puts all his ftrength to ir, hee doth it not coldly, and (lightly, and overly, but with all his might. So the meaning is this; The Kingdome of Heaven is as if one were to come within a narrow doore, which cannot be without difficultie,when he puts to all his violence and flrength to doe it. According to the phrafe in Luhe, Since the time of lohn

the

SER M.I,

Elfe men take not the King dome with vio Jence.

To take heaven violently, what.

■Hfr

l6

S E RM.I

Humiliation before Iutti ficatiw t

Ioy and love mortifielufts.

the Baptiftttbeyprefle into the Kingdom of Heaven, .i. with violence,as ft God fecmes to hold the Kingdom of Heaven in His hand, that unleffe you pull ir 3 and extort it from Him, as it were, you (hall never have it: Now will any man doe thus till he be humbled < Itisimpofliblehefhould. When a man is brought into feare of his life, and is like to dye, the feare of lofle of naturall life will make him worke any thing with violence, much more then when a man fees eternall death, that he (hall die for ever, will he take the Kingdome of Heaven with violence, that is, hee will not per forme duties in a flight manner, as if God were beholden to him, not with that laxity in his judgement of the truth, as hee conceives, nor with that coldnefle in the dutie. Thofe that will be faved, muft take falvation by force, which a man will never doe till he be humbled. There is much profef-fion, and many kindes of taking C h n 1 $ t in the world, but the right taking is, when a man will be at this coft, to part with all 5 to deny himfelfe perfedly, and everyway, and take up his crone, and every crofle, when his lofts are throughly mortified, and this cannot be til he be humbled: For mark, nothing mortifies but joy and love, that doth properly and immediately mortifie- for no man will part with his lufts,till he finde Christ fweeter than they, till then he will never part with them in good earncft • now Christ will never be fweer, till we have found thebitterneffe of fin, till Go d hath fo preft it on mens confeieoces, that they feele the weight and burthen of it. And fo much for the rcafons of it.

Now

-Humiliation before Iuttification.

Now the ufe of this is double: Firft, is this fo ne-ceflary ? Then labour to fee your felfe humbled, if ever you lookc to be faved and juftified, for though God offers Salvation to all (as it is true none is ex-cepted)yet heelookesto none with a gracious eye to fave him indeed, but him that is pore and contrite in hearty and trembles at Hk Ward. And good rcafonjfor none elfe will looke after Hira ; thepoore receive the Cofpett, and none elfe : When we preach the Gofpell, it is like Cyrus his Proclamation, it was a gcnerall Proclamation , that all that would might got* out of % captivitieand build the Temple, but faith the Text, onely they went, whofe heart the Lord Jlirred up to goe $ others would not goe: So when we preach, we offer Salvation to all men, that is our Commiffion, CMarke 1 6. Goe and preach to all Nations , that is, offer Grace and Salvation to all men; but when it comes to the point, that men muft goe out of their captivitie, and build a Temple to Go d, they will not doe it, they will rather live in captivitie ftill, becaufetheybenot humble. To goe out of their finnes wherein they have beene cap. tivated, a great while, and to build a Temple to C h a i s t, that is, to make their hearts fit temples for C h it i s t, to purge themfelves from allfkhi-neffe offlejh and fpirit, to labour to walke in His feare, tokaveall; eventhe beloved finnes,and tode-light in the L o r d, in the Inner man,tbey will nor, whatisthereafon* They are not yet humbled; and therefore they cannot be faved. The lubite among* the kwes may be a very fit rcfemblancc hereof and for ought I know, may be fo intended, to referable

C the

17

S £ R M.l. Vfe 1.

To labour f01 humiliation.

Marke 16. 15.

Iufeile refem-blancc or the liberty in tbs " GofpclL

.8

Ser M.l

Humiliation before luttification.

Dinger to delay when God cals.

EndofChritt: comming.

Titus x. 14.

the glorious liberty in the times of the Gofpd.Now the Iubilcwas this, All fervants Jhould then gotfree, but if any would not, (as of them there were many) then he was to be bored in the eare, and to be a perpetual (ervant. So when we preach the Gofpdl* this is the great Iubile, every man may be free, the.Son comes to that end, and it is the end of the Truth to make men free : The Son comes to deliver every man out of the Gaole, if he will, but men will not be at liber, tie, they will be fervants (till; becaufe they were never humbkdjthey never felt the heavinefle of Sarins yoke, they were never wearied with fin; for if they wercfo, this would be acceptable newes, but it is not fo. Now marke this by the W3y,* if a fervant would not goe free, he (hould not afterwards beat liberty togoeand ftay when he lift,but hiseare.fhall be bored, and he (hall be a perpctuall (ervant. So if you deferrethis when you heare the Gofpell preached, and thinke I will not alway live in this condition, I will repent and come out of it, know, that is not enough, God will not wait thy leafure, H thou wilt not come out, take heed left God bore thee in thee res, that is, never give thee an heart to come out. Doe not fay, If it be fo ncceflary, I will doe it hereafter : take heed that thy opportunities bee not wholly taken from thee, and know that Christ came into the world, not onely to take awayfmne, for that was but a part of it: But what was His bufineffe* Hee came like wife to p/trifieto Himfclje a peculiar people jealous of goodtvorkes. If men might runne out thcit age in fin,and Christ forgive them in the end, when they pleafeto give

over

'

Humiliation before IuHification*

over finning, then Hce might have one of His ends made good, which is to take away thy finnes, but thou could ft not be a people zealous of good works, neither could He have any fervicc of thee. But thou muftknow, Christ hath hired thee for the whole day, that is, all the Time of thy life. When He went out in the morning to call in Labourers in-to His Vineyard, they did not make anfwer. Wei], we will come at noone, but when His pleafure is to call, whether at one or two a clocke, that is His call, but if Hee call thee in the morning, that is, if thou have the Word preached, if He knockeat the doore of thy hearr, and by His Spirit fuggeft many good motions in thee to come home, if His will be rcvea-led tofhee, it may bee thou mayeft not havefuch an opportunitieagaine; that is His call- take heed that thou defcrre it not, left fo His wrath fhouldbe kindled againft thee. and woe unto thee,if His wrath be kindled but a little • this is a thing not confidered. In Eztkyi/k.'tjrThou remainejl inthj tpickedntjfe • And why is that ft Be gives this reafon for it,/ would htvc purged thee>and thou muldefl not be purged, therefore thou fbalt never be purged till my wrath light on thee. That is, when God makes an offer, when the powerfull Word founds in our eares 5 when He caB, and we cannot deny His knocking at our doores,and yet we will not come in • becaule then, and there at that time, thou wouldft not be purged, therefore! thou (halt never be purged, till God's wrath light on thee* and therefore deferre it not,

But you will fay ( and that is a thing thatleeprs men off) I have done it already,and what need you

C 2 tO

*9

SER M.1

Ezck, h i j

Otfetit.

Humiliation before luttificat'm.

Ser.m.1

AnfWi

Whether Humiliation be

true.

Counterfeit Humiliation.

,i

to prefle this 1 1 hope I am not now to pradtife thefc principles and rudiments, I hope I have done this duty of Humiliation long agoc.

It is well if thou haft, but take heed thou deceive not thy felfc in this cafe, than which there is not a greater evill in the world, even to thinke % thou haft done ir,when thou haft not. I will give thee one note of it: Is it fuch an humiliation as hath brought thee to Christ? To count Him the chiefeft good, to ovcr-goc anything rather than Him, to ftand out againftall perfections, rather than to forfakc Him; canft thou f orfake all Syrens, all lufts and pleafurcs which allure thee t Art thou thus brought home to Christ, tocftceme Him above all things, that come what will come, hadft thou an hundred lives to part with for Him, all were nothing + Art thou thus brought home with Humiliation, that thou wilt not let Christ goe for any thing,neither luffes nor pleafures, nor temptations on the right and left hand ft hen thou art come home indeed • otherwife thou haft not taken Him truely, neither art humble, for thou muft know there is much counterfeit Humiliation, there bee many light wounds that may trouble thee, but not bring thee to the Phyfitian. God awakens finners, but what kinde of awakening is it t With iuch awa. kening that they fall afleepe againc. God may fend many meffengers of wrath to knocke at the doorc of their hearts, which perhaps difquiets and troubles them a little, but they returne to their reft againe. And this God may not onely doc outwardly, but Hee may caft many lparkes of His difpleafurcinto

their

.

Luke i

**•

Humiliation before IuSiification. 21

their hearts, which may there lye glowing for a j 5 £ R M j time,but they Iaft nor, they goe out in the end. And this is the condition of mod men, therefore they make many proffers, as if they would be faved, and come to Chris T^and this they take for Humiliation. But this is not the Humiliation that is required. When (j^meanes tofave a man, He will goe thorow with the worke,and never give over till Hee hath brought him home,caufing forrow to abide on his heart. As it is cbrijl's office to give repentance to men,and remiffion of fins 5 fo it is His office,Z,#£* 1.7P. T$ guide mens feet into the way of Feace $ Now when He will favc a man,He will fet it on fo,that his heart (hall never be quiet till his feet be guided to the way of peace. Others may have much Humiliation at time of a Sacrament,or under fome great fickneffe or crofTe, or in a good mood, or for apprehenfion of fome Iudgement and wrath to come, but it is like a [True Humi flafh of lightning that quickly vanishes; but when Cbrifi will humble a man, He fcts a Pillar of fire be-fore him,that leads him along from time to time,tili' he be brought home to chrijl. A fmall thing, when (7&/haththefettingof iron, fliall worke, and never give over working,till our hearts be qualified aright,; till we beleevcin chrifl, and embrace the Gofpell. ! Andfuch an Humiliation you muft have, elfe it is ; nothing: Ifit be a right Humiliation, I fay, it will" bring you home; for you muft know this is the condition of every man, they cannot abide the nct, no j I Gofpdi a net. man will came in if he canchufe. Now the Gofpel >■ simile. is a net that catches men,and as in the taking of fi flics. if they will take the fifh, they beat the fides of the-' ^^ C 3 River,

iation brings home to Chrift.

Se rm.I

Humiliation before Justification.

River, and will not fuffer them to reft in any corner, for if they can findeany place to reft in,thcy will not come into the net: So man hath many ftarting holes, and faine would be quiet •, C$d humbles him a little, but he gets in a nooke and there hides himfelfe, that if Godbeat not the River thorow-out, that is, xiGod doc not purfue a man, Jie will not be brought in. As it was with them that fled to the Citie of refuge^you know if one man killed another at unawares, if hee could get into the Citie of Refuge, he were faf e; but were not hee purlued by the Avenger of blond, he would not flie thither: if G$d ever give over purfu-ing a man till he be juft at the Citie, He will ftcp a-fide and not regard it-but when Cod (hall charge fin upon the confeience, and purfue him, never giving him reft,this brings him to the City of Refuge.This is exemplified in the Prodigall fonne, fo long as hee had any thing to fuftainc him,,while his goods laftcd he never thought of going home to his father: when he had fpent his goods,folong as he could get work, or had any thing to doe, though he hired himfelfein a very meane condition to kcepe the Swine, yet hee i was well content • but in the end, when hee came to hwzHtukes, his utmoft fliift, (and yet if hee could have had husks, hee would not have come home) when he had no (uftcnance, but muft needs perifli, then he goes home. And indeed a man will never goe home till hee have no bottomc to (land on, nothing to hold by,to fuftaine him 3 when a man is nothing, is cut oft the Tree hee grew on before, and fees that he muft now perifh eternally $ this is true Humiliation. You that are to receive the Sacrament

Humiliation before luflificdtion*

ment,whardo<: we therein, but offer Christto you * we preach Christ in the Sacrament, He is therein indeed offered more fenfibly : Now whar have you to doc With Cbrift, if you are not humble t Confider if this be not wrought in you- and remem ber this, that wholoever comes to the Sacrament without this Humiliation, that wants this broken-nefle of heart, receives it unworthily, and provokes God to wrath. The PofTe-over was to be eaten with fowre herbes, and the raainebufincfle therein was to remember the condition they were fet at li bcrty from, to remember their bondage in -figypt, and their mifries endured there ; for by that, they fawthegreatntfle ci God's mercies. So one of the maine bufinc fles you have to doe,is to confider your fins, and bee humbled, to confider your miferabh condition, and to think it not a light matter that you .nay omit it. Confider but that one place, Levi*. 23.29. you fhall finde there that in the day of Ex. piarion, in the day of Atonement, when they came to offer facrifice, hee that on that day did nor affiid his foule, he was to be cut off from his people. Yoti have it two or three times repeated,/; is an ordinance, and this is ftill put in. He that comes to make an At onement, to be reconciled»and offer a Sacrifice, \& member this ordinance for ever, me JhaS affliB his (ode, and he that doth knot, (hall be cut off from his people: Therefore you have occafion to make ufe of it that are to receive, and not you ouely, for the Do. dl 1 ine is generall, Whofoever doth net affltfi h'is foule, be jhall never be reconciled, butfballbecut off from his people.

C 4 But

Serm.L

P<i{Teover,whyj eaten wnh fowre hci be s.

Levit.13.i9.

J4

: SERM.I

Anftv. Helps to hum Wcandaffiift the foule for finne.

Ier 6.4. Limes 4.9.

I

Be willing to be humbled.

Humiliation before hfli fication.

Anfxv*

But you will fay, I (hould be willing to doe this, but how (hal I be able to doe it < If Cod would humble mc,and fct it on, and convince me by His Spirit, •it might be done, but how (hall I doe it my felfe f

I anfwer • Thou art to goe about it thy felfe; It is not for nothing that thofe words are ufed in loel z. 1 r:. Rend your hearts And not your garments «He fayes, rend your hearts. And Ier\ 6.4. Flow np the fallow ground of jour hearts^ that is, you (hall afflift your foules: And Urn* 4. 9 < Be affitfed,that is,fuffer your felves to bee affii&cd for your felves, forrow and weepe, tbatisthewaytocleanfeyou. Therefore a man fhould goe about the worke himfelfe, that is, take this refolution- Well, I fee I mud be humbled, elfe I cannot on good grounds take Chrifi, for I (hall not prize Him, therefore I will not give over labouring of my heart till it be humbled. Suffer thy Iclfe to be afflided,as if He (hould lay, Men are not willing to fuffer it -, if they doe hang their heads for a day, they are quickely weary, outward bufineffe comes,or pleafure commands,and the work growes tedious. Therefore is that in loel 2. Santtifie* Fa{t, that joh may rend your hearts ^ that is, fequefteryour felves from all other bufineffes,from all other occa-fions, fan&ifie aFaft, thatyee may have leafure to doe it • if one Faft will not doc i% take another: Let a man goe alone and rc(olve never to give over till it be done, till he hath brought his heart to doe it, When I have done this, what (hall I then doe > Confider yourSnncs, lookebacke and confider how many oathes you have fworne, how oft you have broken the Sabbath, whether you have defiled y° ur

Humiliation before lujlification.

«— —- ———

your felves with fins of uncleannefle, how often you have broken the CommandementS; looke on your idlencfle, your omjfiions, your finfull filence, your negleft of prayer and other duties. Goe overall particular fins,and their multitude will amaze you: Re. member the fins you have committed twenty yeares agoe, and take this rule withall, that thefe fins are the fame now that they were, though not in-thy-ap-prehenfion, that is,the wcakenefle of our nature • as it is the weakneffe of our eye, wee cannot difecrne a thing that is a great diftance from it, it is its weake-nefle,that it cannot fee things as they are, but that will feeme little or nothing which in it felfe is biggc. So it is with the fins that wc have committed many yeares agoe,we thinke them little,and paft,but know that they are the fame in themfelves, and in God's efteeme,as they were before,for he fees them as they are: Therefore, I fay,confider them, lay them together, and fee the multitude., and that will helpe to amaze thee.

And not that onely, but confider them with their circumftances: fome, it may be, have beene com-mitted againft light of conscience, and that aggravates fin, it makes a fmalf fin out of measure fwfull: when it is committed againft knowledge,it is net the fame withthc fin againft the Ho l y G h o $ T,but itisnearetoifv

Againc,confidcrthehardne(Te of thy heart,in finning, the very finnc doth not hurt fo much as that, when a man flights it,he knowes he hath finned, yet goes about his bufinefie, and negle&s it,and this Ged looke at. When a man is injured, the injury is not

fo

*5_

Se rm.L

Coi Giei the number of former finnes.

Old finnes thought lelTe than they be.

The ciicum-ftanees of fins.

4

Hardneffeof heart in tinning,

Humiliation before luftif cation.

S E R M

RcLipfciinto the lame fins.

No txcufe of finne from our proncncfTc to

Simile.

1' fo much to him as it is to fee the other to negleft it, hecarcsnotforangringme. So you lookc back on your fins in acold,regardleffr,and negligent manner. Againe, confider your relapfes and falls into the fame fins, againe,and againe,though you have beenc often admonifhed of it, yea, and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it. And know this,that relapfes and fallings into fin,ofren (land for fo many finnes as in numbers the fecond figure is in proportion to the firft, which is ten times as much as the firft, and the third an hundred times as much: j So the addition of fins, by falling into them againe \ and againe, and that carekflely too, that makes the ! finne a great deale more; confider this.

And if you goe about to excufe your felves, It is true,//G o d JlmUmark* all that is dene arrnjfe, who canJland V But I hope I (hall be pardoncd,iuy nature is violently carried,I am flefh and bloud,and I hope God vviljpiticme.

But this fliould humble you the more, that you arc ready to fall into fin againe, and againe, if it bee thus in your actions, it is much more aboundantin the heart. For put cafe there be ancceflirie,haft thou not caufed it thy felfe * Againe, you mull know a&uall fins intend originall corruption, and there is no man that is guilty of any prevalent luft, but hee was the caufe of it, for if he had not by committing it often, careldTely and negligently given fo much ftrength to it, it had not fo prevailed. Addition of fin in every ad of fin varniflKs over originall fin, it makes it more aflive, more efficacious in his life. A mans weight in the ballance weighes downc the

fcales,

Humiliation before IuHification.

fcales, but if it be put to his ftrength too, that is as much more as his weight. So if you have any ftrong fins, you have caufe to be humbled for it, but when youputyourftrcngthtoit, it intends that original] habite of fin: So that the neccflity that lyes on thee, by reafon of thy nature, it aggravates thy fiiJer. 13. 23. The Prophet aggravates their fin from their cu-ftome in it > they could choofe not to finnt no more than the Black-mooreeouldchangehis sktn: The Prophct,I lay, bringsicin for this purpofe to aggravate fin. See ir in our owoe cafe,when a man comes to be accufed before a lodge, if he plead hee is accuftomed to fuch a fin,to fweanngor drioking y doth it notencreafe his condemnation C So that though you fay, I did flip through frailty,yet 3 l fay,you have caufe to be hum bled for it.

I will but name the fecood Vfe(for I have refped to the Time and Weather.) Secondly, notonely evill men,biK: good men within the Covenant (bould make thbufe of it, to humble themfdves, for they have nerd of it. A man muft know this, when hee is once humbled and come into ftate of grace, he hath not then done with Humiliation, it is to be pra&ifcd {till. Forthere is this difference betweene a wicked mm and another. M^nyarelikealand-fioud, none more ready to be religious than they, (as your great land-floiids fwell, though they have no Spring to feed them) but with a godly man it is other wife,Humiliation is in him as a Spring, hee hath not done with it at his Convet lion, but pra&ifethic (till.

And not oncly fo, but he muft labour to adde to I the mcafure ot it, and chat will adde to his love and I to

27 S E R M.I.

Ier.13.23,

Vfe 2.

Good men foould labour to be humbled

IS

£ RM

I

Humiliation before fattificatiott.

to his faith, and drawcs him nearer to C h r i i * 5 the more his fin is difcovered. It is faid of the woman, pee loved much, bee ah fe much w** forgiven her i Others had as much mercy as (he, but (lie had more ; fenfe of ir,becaufe flic was more humbled: the more you fee and are fenfible of yourfinncs, the more it addes to your love, it makes yau to prife Him^when you fee you arc fo much beholden to Him. Againc, it will adde to faith, I mesne not onely the aft of be-leeving, but the aft of taking Chu s t. The more a man fees the need he ftands in of C h r i St, the more hee is convinced of (inne, the more hec takes C h r i s t • for there be degrees of taking Him. When a woman takes an husband, there be degrees in her will, there may be additions to her will, (hee may be more fully contented in him,and more prife him. And fo in taking of C h r i s t for our Lord, and Husband, and S a v i o u r. It is true, if wee will take Him in earneft, any mcafure of true faith will fave us, but we may doe it more abundantly,for the more fenfe we have of (in, the more greedy (hall we be of Him. Againc, the more empty the fouJe is, themore a man is humblcd,the more he fees into himfelfe (as faith comes with an empty hand ) the fafter hold is laid on Christ. Therefore adde ftillto Humiliation, kt it be your exercife, the wor-fcr you be perfwaded of your felvcs, and the better you conceit of G o d, it is the more for your ad. vantage; the more you can hate and abhorrc your felves, the more you are improved thereby, for the flefli in you muft be abhorred, and it is our fault we doe it not enough; and againe, the more you apprehend

Humiliation before luftification.

hend chrift 9 ttoz nearer you draw to Him. And take this withalljHumiliation doth not weaken aflurancc, but workes the contrary: Indeed the leffe fincerity, and the lefle mourning for fin 5 and the lefTc Humiliation, the lefleaflurance. But reckoning up,and thinking on thy fins encreafeth it. If I have fo many fins, how can I be faved { Yes, fo much the rather, the more thou canft fee and bee humbled for them, the more thou added to thy affurance,and fo to thy love and faith. Therefore a man fliould make a daily pra-dife of Humiliation, for it is to a mans great advantage, it is a thing too much omitted, we foould take time for it. And thinke it ysur advantage to be able to fee what we have in our nature, how much guilt we have conrra&ed by fin,and how our fins may bee aggravated- for this will teach us to prifc Cbrijl. And fo much for this point,

(V)

The end of tbefirH Sermon.

*9_

Serm.L

Humiliation increaicth iSk-ranee,

THE SECOND

VTOK

HVMILIATION.

—?

i !■" ■' . m a .i . i u 1 "'. j\oi Raft! AN S I. 0$,

FflHfce itrathtfGbd unhealed from heaven ^againft all ungodlincjfe and unrigjrteoufnejfe of men+V?bich?>rtb-h<>ldt1xTruth mmrigbtemf-

nejfe.

■ -

E come now to the matter c&H*milid-$m, contained inthefe words which I have already opened, and ihewed the points that may thence bee drawne. The firft whereof which we will be gin with, is this:

That tfx Nature*/ m*n Ufullofattunrighttoufmffe dndttngtdlwJfe.Youknovjbythut which you heard be tore, how it is gathered. It will be a vaine labour togoe about to prove it, you know how plentiful

the

-Se&M.'H.

DoEir.

The Nature of man, lull of 'ttiuij^htcouf-m-fle and un-godlinciic.

Serm.1I.

The nature of man evidenced to be full of ungodlinelfe.

By the Law.

That the Nature of man is full of

the Scripture is in ir, and yoo arc not fo ignorant of the Grounds of Divinity, as not to confeflc ir. The bufineffc will bee to (hew wherein it confifts, and how the nature.of man is corrupted, for by making this evident we fhallby the fame labour, prove and confirmc itio you.

Now the way taevidence this,tlwit the Nature of | man is full of all unrighteoufnefle and ungodlinefTe, is to looke to the rule. If you will finde out the dif-ordejf and diffemper that any thingis fubjed ttf,t]jc way is to fooke to the rule to amend it v by. Now every Creature hath a law, the Fire, the Water, the Sea,yea,cvery Creature fenfible,apd infenfible hath a law given to it, which, as they obferve, they eon-tinuein perfe&ion, and looke how farre they goe afide from that, (o farre they be imperfed. Now the Law given to man, is the Morall LaWsjndthe Gofpell, andthefe two, he mo obfervc. And if you will finde out the truth of this, That the Nature ef f»*n isftltofallungidlitiefle *nd unrighteou(he(J'e,\ooV to thefc two. f irft, looke to the Law of G o d , and fee, if that doe not conclude all men under fin, looke therein to both the Tables. It is true, Hypocrites make a goodfhew of keeping the fir ft Table, they feeme t«> be forward in the duties belonging to Ged • but looke to thefecond Table, and that dilcovcrs them. Civill menfeemetobc exa& irithefecend Table,in performing duties to man^but looketothc firft table, what their carriage to G o d is, what Jit-tic confoience they make of taking His Name in vainc, of fanflifying His Sabbath, of performing holy duties in an holy manner of love, and fcare, "**• This

all unrigbteoufnefle and ungodlinejfe.

This difcovers civilitic: (that is, when there is nothing clfc bat civilitie.) Againe, lookc to finnes of all forts, fome gcoffcRnnes^Peaata vaflantu Cortfci-entiam, crying fins, and fmaller fins too, fins of lefie moment, the Law difcovers all.

Now, by the Law you muft not only underftand thetenCommandernents, but that refiitude which runs thorow the whole Booke of G o d exprefied in the whole Scriptures. As in the Scripture, the Law and the Prophets are put together, as it the Prophets were but a Commentary on the Law: lookc on the Scriptures, looke upon the ftraitneffe, the reditude in the whole Booke of God.

Then when that is done, looke on your owne natures, your owneerrours, the fecrct windings, and turnings of the heart, your ownc thoughts and affections, and fee what a difproportion, a diflikenefle there is • fee how farrc you are from that holinefle, that puritie, and reditude defcribed in this Booke of G o d, for that, I fay, you are to underftand by the Law. And when you hare done that, you (hall findc y our limes to be exceeding ^reat for their quantitie, and exceeding many for their number, and that will amaze you. This amazed Saint Paul, when he once underftood the Law,when he looked on all the parts of.it, not onely on groffcr finncs forbidden, but on the reditude, the holincfie which is required that amazed him, Rom.'].9. That made fin alive; be was alive before,and fin was dead, but when the Law discovered Luft to be finnc, then finne was alive, and he died. So if we could lee the Law, the ftri&nefle of it, it would doe thus with us. And marke what is

D faid

Serm* II.

Law how to be underftood.

Rom. 7.5.

J4

Matth-M*.

The lead breach of the Law will be

punidicd.

That tfa Nature of man is full of

faid of the Law, for wee maypreffc the Law long enough, but many are remifle in attending to it. -Therefore, to ftir you up (as 1 know it is but a fmall •matter) I will name but one place^and let that ftay in your memories, ;t/4/^. 5.18. Heaven and earth flail pa/fe away, but one title, one jot of this Law flail not pajfe away: Marke that, not one j Jt of the Law fliall pi >\, That is, looke thorow the whole Law of G :) d 3 take all the Commandements there, you (ball give account of every idle word,you muft keep the S bbath exadly,you muft not fpeake your owne words. Take any Comraandement that you thinke the nature of man is mod ready to breake, and con-fider that faying of C » k i s t, Not one jot of the Law (l)allperifl • heaven and earth (hall pajfe away , but the taw of G o d in the lead part of it fliall not pc-rifh: That is, there fliall not bee one of thefe fmall things, that the Law commands, but if you neglefl j it, bydifobeyingit, God will furety require it ; there is not the leaft thing, wherein you have gone afide thisre&itude, and difobeyed this Law, but it fliallbc required of you. And that is the meaning of that phrafe, Thonflalt pay the mttrwofl farthing. Though we reckon them trifles, the uttermofi farthing fliall be paid, For this is our fault, though wee prcfle the Law,, and tell you of your finnes, yet you thinke this is a fmall thing, and G o d may beare with me in this, for we be apt to judge of God, as ; f our fel ^s: A fmall fault I can beare with in my jiervant,therefore Go d may in thisdifpenfe with a* WethinkeoftheLawof Go,, as of mans law 5 but we muft not judge of G o d fo, wee muff

_!, • judge

all mrighteoufnefje and ungodlinejfe.

judge of Him according to His owne rule, His Thoughts are not as our thoughts • He hath given a rule,and hath faid, The kaftjotofitjhallnotpAjfe, but be fulfilled, not the lead breach of it, but it (hall bee j required, Confider this, and it will amaze us, and | make us to tremble, when you know that the finnes you have forgotten, and the lcaft breach of this Law (hall be furdy required to the uttermoft.

But, you will fay, you talke of Impoflibilities, which no man is able to performc.

It is true, it is a thing we are not able to performe: But therein is (eene the Terrour of the Law, and that (hould humble you the more, for I cannot compare the Law toany thing better, than to the Taske-ma-(lers in ^gypr, the people had enough to doe, in. deed more than they could perfor me, complaining of their fore bondage; what releefe had they < They are told, they (hall give inthe fame number of Bricks that they did before, and yet ftiall have no ft raw; Now, how (hould they doe this * So it is with the Law, it commands, Doe this; youcomplaine,Alas 5 I know not how to doe it, I have no ability, you bid me make Bricke, but allow me no draw 5 that is all one^thc fame Tale of Brick (hallbe required of you, that is, the famemeafure of obedience that was required of Adam, as if you had the fame abilities remaining in you.

And yet God isnotunjuft. He doth not reapc where He did not fow before-, Hefowed it once in Adam, and confequently in his Pofterity. And that no man may thinke this hard, looke to the firft finne that AcUm committed, and if wee be guilty of that 1 D 2 finne,

35_

Serm. II,

Obytt.

The Law compared to JE-gyptian task-mailers.

Gocyuftin requiring of us according to j ^dams abilities.

Serm.II.

That the Nature of m an is full of

Adams finncs charged onus

Men condemned for tbeir perfonall fins.

fmne,there is equity that the Law be required of us, though wee have not ability to pcrforme it. Now, why fhould it fecmeunreafonable that I fhould bee lyable to Adams account i Even to the fame exa&-ncflethough I want abilitie to pcrforme it i It is true Adam ranne in debt, but doe not jve pay many debts of our Grandfathers, and Fathers, which we never drunke for ? though we runne not into them, yet we I ftand liable to the payment. In the Law, if a man had committed an offence, and was adjudged to be a bond-Have, it was his particular offence, but were not all his children bond-flaves after him f and yet it was not their offence. So Adam forfeited his liber-tie,became a Bond.flave to finne and Satan, and the fame is the condition of all his Pofterity.

And befides the common reaibn, which is a true one, and a good one, that if inequity we fliould have flood with him, therefore in equkie wee fliould fall with him, I will adde two confederations, and then you (hall finde it very reafonable that we fliould fall with him, and that the fame fhould be required of us, which was of him, though we have not the feme abilitie.

One is, that the Angels (though we didtiot fin as they did, for they finned every one in his owncper* fon)are juftly condemned,becaufe every Angell finned himfclfe, he committed the fin, he was the Author of it ; and therefore it is real on they fhould bee punifhed. But come to Adams Poftcrkie, confider that they had a meancs given thcnijandthat they that arccondemned (except children) of Adams Pofteri-rie, they are condemned foi their owne finnes, they

might

all unrigbteoufnefle arid ungpdlineffe.

might doe much more than they doe,they fin againft the Law, they have, and fo they arenot oncly condemned tor Adams fin, but for the finnes committed in their owne periods. For God intended to give themafecond Board after the great (hipwrackc in Adam, on which they might fave themfelves if they would, ifthefault were not in themfelves- for, it is true, they might doe more if they would,they might keepethe Law of Nature better than they ddc^and for that they are condemned.

Againc,as wee arc condemned for t^ddams finne, though we did not commit it,fo we are faved by the righteoufbefle of C h r i s t, though wee did not performe it ; and therefore there is an equity in thar regard: We can fee an equity for our Salvation, and is there not as much equity in the other ? That wee fhoukjftand guilty of it, though wee never a&cd it : For as we are condemned by Adams {in, though not done by us, fo are we faved by C h r i s t's Righ-teoufnefTe, though onely imputed to us. So that in equity the fevere righteoufnefle of the Law fhould be required of us, though wee have not power to fulfill it. ,

Now that we may not ftay in Generals only, telling you that the Law of G o d is holy, and pure, and you carnall, and contrary to it, we will come to particulars. And that we may helpe your memories, obfervethe breaches of this Law in the feverall faculties of the mindc. And wee will begin firft with the Generall: the generaJI fore over-lprcading all our nature, and that is it which the Divines call Ori-ginaUfime : firft confider that, and fee how your

0 5 nature

Serm» II

Chrifts*ighte« ou nefTe imputed as well as ^damsdnnc.

Original finnc.

-^-

$

Serm.I1.

| Iohaj.f. R.om.7.18.

Gal.j.i*.

Gen.*. J.

All things in mans nature corrupted.

Pfal^ia.

That the Nature of man is full of

nature is full of all unrighteoufnefle and ungodlineffe. Fir A,I fay ,confider your originall fin, and the gene-rall corruprion of your nature thereby, lohn$. 6. Whatfoever is borne of fiejhy isflejb. And Rom.j. 18. / know that in me (that is in my flefh) dwelleth no good thing. Marke that, hcefayes no good thing. Wee thinke we have fomething that is good, for all our gcnerall corruption, but there is nothing good at all. As Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hathconcludedallunder finne: Not only all men, but (for the word is in the neuter Gender)all things. Therefore in Gen.6. 5.he doth not only hy^Theframe of a mans heart is evill, but it is only evilly andalway evill. In all adions, at all times. This is a common Truth, but men confi-dcr not of it, they thinke there is fome goodneffe in them, they will not be perfwaded of this Truth in good earned. And therefore when a man comes into the ftate of Grace, it is not mending two or three | things that are amiffe, it isnot repairing of an old houfe,but all mud be taken down,and be built anew, you muft be New Creatures. And therefore God promifts, I will give you a new hearty and a newffirit: For all is out of order,and nothing good, Afld there is an equity in this $ for, as in P/4/,49. 1 2. Man being in honour abiaethwt, but is like the beafls that prijh: That is, as G o D-raifed man above Himfelfe,giving him fupcrnaturall glory, in which hec was created (for he was created inholinefife, and perftd rigHte-oufneffe) io man not keeping this condition, he was caft beneath himfelfe. And in this there is equity, that being raifed above himtelfe, having aaholinefle given himtranfeending commoniiitiffe, hecfbouM

now

all unrighteoufnejje and ungodlinejfe.

now be made worfe than himfelfe, even as the bcaft that periflicth. Confidcr this corruption, and know it is a thing that makes you loathfomc in ad's fight. For this, Tit.i.uh. Men are culled Abominable: that is, men that God abhors>as you abhorre the fnuffe of a candle, or name any filthy thing your nature abhors; fuchis the nature of men to God, You know how we hate Toads aad Serpents for their lothfome poifonfull nature, though they doe us no hurt. Now God lookes on the corruption of our nature, as wee looke on Toads that are contrary to us,againft which we have an Antipathic

It isdifputedby theSchoole-men, whether this be Hnumfeccatum, one fin or moe, we may eafily an-fwerit: It is one in a<ft, one in eflence, but many in vertue, and power, and efficacie. As a feed is one in-dividuall,but it is many, as many branches may arife from it: Asdrunkcnneflc,(which wil better expreffe it) is but one faulr, but it diforders the whole man, neither the head, nor the fcete, nor the reafon is ex^ eluded: So originall fin, though it be but one fin,yet it diftempers the whole man, it fets the whole loule out of order. And when the Inftrumcnt, the hearr, is out of tune, every found, every a&ionis unfa-voury, and finf ull, and thus fliould you looke upon your felvcs*

It is further difputed 5 whether this be privative or pofitive, likewife I anfwer, It is only privative, it is nothing but a meere want of righteoufneffe: But feeing it fals upon an a&ive fubjefl, as the foule of man is, which is never idle, but ever ftirring- thence it comes, that the habits and fruits thereof are a<3ive

D 4 and

39

Serm. II

Ttt.i.ult.

Originall C\n 3 how it is ore fin and many.

Originail fin, how privative andpo&ivc.

Tkt the Nature of man is full of

Serm.IL

ThecorruptU onofthefacui

tics.

ThcVndcr-ftanding,

i. The Vani ticofiu..

and pofitive. It is true, the want of fight to guide, is enough to caufeerrour, but the vigour of Nature is enough to make it poficive. Therefore Divines fay well 3 It is not onely compared to D arknefTe, which is a meerc privation of light, but tofickndTe, where is not onely want of health, but corrupt humours which arecontrary to health. That is the firft thing to be confidcred, even the corruption of Nature which is in you, which will exceedingly aggravate (inne, as I have (hewed heretofore, and (hall more largely hereafter have occafion to fpeak of it.There. fore I will fay no more of it now^ but fo much (hall | ferve for the generall originall corruption that is in us.

And now we wil come to the particular faculties, and will (hew how they are corrupted, that wc may know our felves, and the truth of this point, which I am to prove, that the nature of man is full of all impiety and wickedneflfe.

And firft, we will begin with the Vnderftanding ormindeof a man.

In this,marke firft the Fmtietfit, How ready it is to attend to trifles; which was the difpofition that the Apoftle found fault with in his Epiftk to Tftw.. thie and others, That they gave themselves tQ Fables, And Genealogies, and this is in every man by nature. How full of queftions were the Schoole-men * Atid fo every man is ready to turne Religion into quefli. ons of curiofities, which fhewes a fickneffe in the under ftanding,it lets a man on workc to finde out what is propounded to it, that he may not lofe his labour. And thence come fa many errors, this is the vanity

of

all unrigbteoufnejje and ungodlineffe*

of the minde. The Lord kmrvetb the thoughts of men (laith the Pialmift ) that they are vanity. And this mould humble us, that our mindes are no more ready to attend the means of falvation. As the Schoolmen fpent themfelves in idle (peculations, fo are wee ready to attend to idle qucftions, but that which is wholefome and found we negledt.

Secondly, confidcr the blindneffe of the minde, we are unwilling to Iearne,and fo long muft needs be in an Errour, and not come to the knowledge of the Lord. To other things we are forwardl?nough, but to do wel we have no underftanding. Therefore it is, that men continue ignoraar,notwithftanding fo much preaching; when they lcarne other Arts, they are quicke and dexterous, but in the things belong, ing to Salvation, how ignorant doe they continue The Schoole-mengive a good reafon of it, and wee may take it from them $ becaufe fpirituall light is a-bovcus 5 ittranfcendsus, we have not enough in us to fee fpirituall obje&s,f or they be fupernaturall,and above our reach, but other things are proportionable to us • Bats and O wles in the night can fee well, becaufe the glimmering light, and their weake eyes agree wel together: So can we difcerne vaine things, but things truly fpirituall wee doe not: i Cor.i. 14. Spir ituall things muft be difcerned by f piritual lighr, Amturallman cannot comtive tfthtm^ Why { They are fpiritnatly dtfierned, that is, they arc above him, and his nature knot able to reach them. Cotifider that blind-nefle in the underftanding,that unaptnefle, how quick and ready men are to bring their owne ends to paffc i How wife are they for other things V

but

4*

Serm.IL

1. The blind-neflc of" it,

Why the un-deiltahding is blindc in fpirituall things.

1 Cor. a. 14.

j. The un-

tcachablcncffe of it.

Simile.

Ea-Ger to per-fwade other things, ihaa Divinity.

.4. The incredulity o£iu

Tlmt the Nature of man is full of

but they defire not to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and when they apply themfelves to it, they profit not by ir.

Adde to this blindnefle the unteachablencfle of the underftanding, the re fiftance that is in it 5 for it is not a fimple blindnefle, but a refiftance of the Truth,and anunaptnefle to receive it. Now this is diftind from the fecond, which you may ice by rhis comparifon. The Aire is darke, but it is fit to receive light, if the I Sunne call light into it; but the underftanding of a man is not fo, it is not fit to receive light, but rcfifts it, Philofophers were wont to fay, that the Soule, the Minde of a man is Rafa Tabula, that having nothing written on it, it is a Table of wax to any thing that is evill,and will receive a quicke imprefiionjbut a table of Flint, of Adamant, to any thing that is good. Therefore the mighty God muft write His Law in our hearts, for we want that which is good, and are of our felves unteachable. And therefore this difadvantage wee have that preach the Gofpell, a-bove otbers.If an Aftronomcr comeand tell a country.man, that a Starre were bigger than the earth, it would feemea flrange pofition at the firft hearing, but if he might have liberty to deale with him,and to demonftratehis Grounds,he might make him to be-leeveit,andtofeereafonforit: But wee cannot doe [o, we can only propound things to Faith, and there is not only a blindnefle in men, but an unteachablc-nefle, and refiftance againft the Truth.

Addcto this the incredulitie of the underftanding, howunaptitistobeleeve. In other things it is too credulous,andapt to belecve,and to be deceived with

falfe

all unriobteoufnejfe and ungodlinefje,

falfe tales,and idle ftories ; but come to the Scripture, doubts and queftioas arife. Therefore, this unapt-nefTe of the minde to beleeve, is to bee confidercd. This I take to bee the meaning of that, 2 Cor. 4.4. where it is faid, The god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeve not: As if he had faid, The light of the Gofpell is cleare, you may as well fee the light of it, as you fee the light of the Sunne at noonc-day, but the god of this world hath blinded your eyes, not by a privative extindion of the light, for that is more than the Divell can doe,but by a po. fitive blindnefle 5 a poficive ignorance, that is,the Divell tclsyou fomethingagainft it, and that you be-leeve: And that is our nature, we arc more ready to bcleeve the Divell than Go b* This may leeme ftrange,yet Eve you know did k,and that fin is tranf mittcdtoallour natures, wee arc ready to beleeve falfe foggeftions againft the Truth, which weaken faith,rather than the fure Word of God.

Laft of all,addeto all this theenmicieofthe under-ftanding, which is more than all the reft. Rom.%. 7. The carnall minde is enmitie againft God: that is,thc undemanding is not onely vaine, ready to pitch on idle fpeculations, and ncit only blinde,ready to refift 5 and not only flow and backward to beleeve, but it is an enemie^and fights againft the Truth 5 and the rca-fonis iratbefe words: U isenmitie ,and why Kit is not fub\e£iWthi^m ej r Gvd y neither indeed c*n be- and therefore^ it is an eRettfie, that is, when the minde of a man lookes upon the exa&neffe, and ftri&nefle of holincffe and pureneffe that cWrequires 3 he doth not meanc to be fut>je& x& it • pod feeing heewili not be

fubjed

4*_

Serm.II.

iCor.4 4

f. The Enmitie of it. Rom. 8.7.

44 _ Serm.11

Tl?at the Nature of man is full of j

Tit.i.ult.

*ubje£toit,herefiftsit, fights againft it as an Ene-mie, lookes on ic, as a thing contrary to him ; did it give more liberty, he would be ready to embrace it, and thinke well of it • but becaufe it is too drift, hee breakes thefe cords, and cafts them away, andftghts againft the Truth,and this is the nature of every man. Now when we fay the wifdomc of the flefhis Enmi- j tic, wee doe not fay that men oppofc the Truth, for there is not any Truth in Divinity, but a man may fully embrace and afTent to it, and yet be anenemie to Holineflc, to the Image of Cod ftamped therein, toxhe faving knowledge,that is,the faving manner of knowing the Truths he aflcntsto. Therefore the A-poftlc faith,A* an) knm\much\J?ut mthtngas they ought I to know; So many may know thefe fpiritual Truths,! and confeffe them to be good in themfelves, and yet j may have a rclu&ance againft them, a diftafte of them, they favour not the things they underftand. Tit.i.ult .Thy are to every good work reprobatey vih\ch I take not to be meant pafiivcly, but adively, that is, men that cannot judge aright of any work, that look not on it with a right eye, as a thing lovely, and imi-table,as.right and good,but iaihis regard they ftrive againft it. Therefore, the Apoftle jpeakes of fomc that exalt themfelves againft the knowledge oft he truth 5 that is, that fi°ht and defend themfelves againft it, uhatfpeakeevi}Jpf the things they koow y (for they know-rhepi, elfe tb<y .woytofcvet fpcake of them) but they know them not fo, as*o love them, aid de. light in them-thaefore they refift,and fortific themfelves againft the wayes of<7^againfoheftri&nefle andlipUrttflcthatWicquires,^ and f^rfwadc them.

felves

all unrighteoufnejje and ungodlinejje,

felves to thinkc amiffe of them, that they need not to be Co exa&: This is the nature of every man, and the enmitie of the underftanding.

And now my brethren, if the underftanding be

thus bad,thinke it is no fmall matter; if the light that

is in thee be darkneffe, how great is that darknefTc t

The underftanding is that that muft guide thee, and

when the Stcarne is our of order, when the Auriga,

the Waggoner, is Winde, or amiffe, and fees not the

right way,think what a cafe you are in. But you will

fay, this is Ignorance. But is not this of great confe-

j quence i When a man is blinde,he knowes not whi.

ther he goes, he is altogether a ftranger from the life

of G$d: Thercfore,firft,let this humble you, labour

to fee how your mindes are full of wickedneffe, and

wnrighteoufhefTe.

Secondly,, let us come to the will, andyoufhall findethattobe no leflc corrupt than the underftanding; for the will takes every thing as the underftanding prefents it: and if the underftanding, the rainde of a man be thus corrupted, the will mml needs be corrupted. As a man that lookes thorowa coloured glafTe, every thing he fees is coloured^ or as a man that hath his Pallatc pofteft with a vicious humour, every thing fecmes bitter according to the humour : fo the will of man fees every thing rhbrow the underftanding, as we fee thorow a glafle, but (Seeing) is nor fo proper a word ro exprtflcit: the underftanding taftes things, it is as the pallat is to the ftomat fc, when it is out of order, it perverts the wayes of Cod, it fees no fuch beauty, nor excellencie in them • and the will difpofes of ic felfc accordingly. Now you

fell

4^

Serm.II.

t. The Deprai vedneffcotthe Will.

Simik*

SeruAV

TJwt the Nature d[ man is full of

i. Of the contrariety of the will to God.

%. The Pride of the will.

(ball findc that the underftanding reckons the wayes of God both enmity and folly, and godly men to be partly fooles, and partly enemies, and contrary to them. Therefore you (hall finde a difpofition ? an af-fe&ion, a frame of the will to anfwer thar, mingled partly of hatred, and partly of contempt, and a man partly hates, and partly contcmnes,and thinkes light of holinefle: And this is the difpofition of the wil of every man before Regeneration, I fay, the holinefle defcribed in the pure Word of God, and exprefied in the lives of the Saints,he partly hates as a thing con-trary to him, and partly contemnes it as folly. But we will (hew you the particulars of the Will, as we did of the Vndcrftanding.

Therefore firft confider the Contrariety of the will, it is contrary to Godm all things; lookc what God's will is in any thing, you (hall finde your will contra! di&ing it, and going a contrary way: It is faid of the Ievves, as a thing that exceedingly aggravated their finne,and the miferable condition they were in, they were contrary u all men ; and if it bee fo much to bee contrary to men, what is it to be contrary to God, to refift Him,togoeag3inft Him i And yet what Hee will havedone, that we will not doe • and what Hee will not have done, that we doe, that is the difpofition of our will.

Secondly,confider the PrideoftbewiUfrow ready it is to exalt h felfe above its njeafure, for the will of man (hould be a defendant wil,a fubjetf wil, waiting on God, as the fcrvant waits on the Matter, or as the hand-maid waits, on her Mifheffe, that is, a mans wil (hould b.e difpofed in every thing as Godpka&s.

If

all unrighteotifriejfe and ungodlimffe.

If He will have him to ^c poore, in difgrace, or in a lower place and condition 5 the wil fhould be fubjeft, for we muft remember God is the Creator, wee are Creatures and muft bee fubjs&to the Will of the Creator • but our Will wil not (loop to God's Will: As Adam would bee in another condition than God hath placed him in; fo wee exalt our felves above mcafure, we arc not content to be difpofed of, to be carried from condition to condition, to have our affaires ordered as Cta/pleafes, we will have plots and projeds of our ownc, wee will fhape out our owne Condition, elfc wc murmure and are difcontent,and that is the pride of the will.

Thirdly, confider the Inconftancic of tbt will, the weaknefleof it in good things, and its percmptori-ncffe id evill$in good things our refolutions are weak and inconftant,and as bubbles come to nothing 5 but in evill things we are ftiffe and peremptory, and will doe what we lift. Our tongues are our owne, wee will ufe them, Wbek Lord over u* t This is the nature of men, they fwcareandf bfeake the Sabbath, they doc it, and will doe if, though they fay it norm words 3 yet Godlookcs on k,and fees it 5 many purposes rhey ha?e,thcy will change thew; courfes. but what come they to * It is but by accident, when the wind is in that corner,wncn the weather-cock ftands that way, fo that there is no conftancic in our wife*

Agaihe,mafrke the Difdediemofour n^and that is not a fmall thing, that i$ the great and proper fault of the will, that k is difobedient t&Gtd, that is 5 when G^commandsathing, and fay^jj this I wiM have done, for the Will to bef difobe^w to it, negligent

of

47_

Serm.IL

3. Theincon-

Itancieefic.

P(al. 12.4,

4. The Difo-bedienccof it.

Serm.II.

Difobeah'ence in fmall things a great finne.

l Kings i J,

eSam.i?.*?

That the Nature of man is full of

of it,is a great and fearcfull fin ; the eating of the tor-bidden fruit was unlawful!, becaufe God comman. ded Adam the contrary j If G od's command be on theleaft thing, the negle& of it makes it a difobedi-ence ; when God came to Adam^Sxh Uc y Ha/l thou eaten of the Tree concerning which 1 havefaid y thoufhalt not tat of it ? That is, haft thou beenc difobedient * Haft thou broken my Commandement*? You fee what followed on it. So Saul, when God bade him dejlroy the i^Amalckites, you would not reckon it a great fin to favea few cattell alive; but becaufe God commanded the contrary, the fault was great. So the Prophet, i Kings 13. One would not thmke it to be a great matter for himtogoe that way or the other: yet becaufe he went that way, God fent a Lion and devoured him.The fin of Difobedience you may think a fmall thing, no man thinkes it fo grofle a fin as Idolatry, Adultery and Murther^ but fee how God judgethofit, x Sam.1l.23. Rebellion isas the finneof witchcraft^ and ftubborncneffc is as iniquity and Idolatry, that i$ y thou thinkeft it no great matter to fave a few cattell, andtokcepe the King alive, though thou deftroyeft all the reft: thou thinkeft it a fmall thing,but it iinot fg^ looke what thou thinkeft of the fin of Witchcraft andIdolatry,fuch is Difobedience. Now let men apply this to themfelvcs, looke what is revealed to you to be a finne, I know this is a finne, I know it is God's command not to commit ir ; if thou fall into it, it is now a Difobedience, as. Adam's ,wa$j and as Sauls was, and as the Prophets was, and confider how God will take it 5 you fee howHe J dealt with them. Come to particulars, doe you not

know,

all unrl$teoufnefJe and ungodlinejfe.

know,itis His Command you fhouldnot fweare, not only greater, but leffcr oathes f To keepethe Sabbath, to keepe your vejfels purely our bodies cUant>fot they are the Temples of G o D,and therefore that you ought not to defile them with any uncleanneffe, drunken-neflc, or Gluttony: doe you not know, Hee commands that you fhould be conjlant in prayer, that you performe it constantly, and earneftly v and fervently i Now confider what Difobedience is 5 Remember that fpeech,///*/? thou eaten oft he Tree concerning which I commanded\faying, Thoujhaltnoteatofh? This is the difobedience of mans will, labour to Ice this, how apt thy will is tobreakethe Commandements of G o d, and how in this refpe& thy nature is full of all. unrighteoufntfle, and ungodlincfle.

Next, wee will come to the memory, and you fhallfinde that out of order likewife 3 that the things God commands us to remember, thofe we arc exceeding ready to forget, and the things we fliould forget, wee are too ready to remember, wherein I will be briefe.

Firft, for the things Hee commands us, Hee doth command. Remember thy Creator in thedajes of thy youth. In your youth you {hall ferve mee, and yet how apt is youth to forget God^ And for the Sabbath, Hee bids us Remember to keepe hdy the Sabbath day : How apt are wee-to negleft it, todif-obey it i It is out of our mindes. So Pfalm.jS.u. Hee would have His wondrous workes, and the great i~A£ii Hee did for the children of Jfrael, Remewbred, but they remembred not .(lakh hee) \\s wonders in iEgypt. And fo wee may goe * through any

E thing

49

Seecm. II

3.. The corruption of the Memory..

T.In the things we are commanded to Remember,

Pfal.78.iJ.

Serm.11

Hcbr.n.r.

i.Inthiagswc are commanded 10 Fo,rget.

lames Ik »J.

That the Nature of man is full of

thing elfe. Hebrews n. r qo have forget the c*n[o-Uiions y &c.

Againc, wee are readie to remember what God bids us to forget. We are apt to remember Injuries, yea, one injury will be thought on more than many yearesgood fcrvice, or many good turncs. Wee (houldnotdoe thus, but fliould remember the bene-fits from landman, for the encrealc of love. So Idle tales wee arc ready to remember, but good things, though they be accompanied with the mo-cion,and quickening of the Spirit,goe out like fparks in wet tinder, they goe out againe quickly, as if they | hadnotbeene. So, for hearing the Word, lames i. 25. wee are called firgetfuB bearers, when wee are about that dutie: if a tale be told us in a Sermon that we can remember,but what is profitable and wholc-fome, that we forget. Our mindes are like ftrainers, all the milke paflesthorow them-that that we (hould grow by, that which is wholefome, and ncceflary for nourifliment runnes thorow, but the drofferc-maines : Trifles and vaine things wee can remember, and carry away with us, and this is the finful-neffe of our memories. You may call it weakneffe of memory, and may thinkc that it is not fo great a matter. No, it is nottheinfirmitie of thy memory, but the corruption of thy nature: if we forget other things as much, ic were another cafe,but becaufe ho. ly things arc fpirituall, and the frame of the heart is naughr, our corrupt ill difpofition makes us readie to forget them 5 and more than that, there is a care-lefnefle in our mindes, wee regard not the things of God, but every vanitie we regard, andourmiade

is

i

all unrigbteoufnefje and ungodlinejfe.

is inftant thereon, and that is the reafon wee remember ir, but forget the things that concerne Cod, add our Salvation.

Come we from the Memory to the Confcience. The confcience of a man is that which (hould have life 5 It (hould be like lobs laft mefTengers, to bring us word, that all the reft is dead: There fhould be a r -maining light of Confcience to tell us, that all the reft of our faculties aredead,difordcred,and corrupted, but looke upon the Confcience, you fhall fee how fliort it is in that which belongs to it, and it is a great matter to have that out of order.

There be but three A&s of the Confcience, and it is difordered in them all.

The firft A<3 of the Confcience is to be a Remembrancer, to be a faithful! Regifter, to fct all downe, and to prefent it to us, but it is a falfe regifter; like the Steward in Luke, that when then were hundreds, fet downefifties :So the Confcience fets downe things by halfes, it thinkes not what is done, ir recals them not; if it were as it fhould be,it would recal our fins, and their Circumftances, in another manner than it doth: and foit is in that regard corrupt.

The fecond A& or Office of Confcience, is, to in-fltgatctogood, and to reft raint from will, but in this you (hall finde it exceedingly corrupted,

In this A<ft there be three Venues which fhould be in the Confcience.

The firft is clearene(fe, the Confcience fliould be

focleare, as to fee all things that areamiffe, but in

this it failes exceedingly,7/M. It is k'\d,Their minac

and confcience art defied, markc that 5 looke as in a

I E 2 GlafTe,

5<

SermJI

4. The corru: tionoUh-*

Conscience.

la three Ads.

1. As it is a

Remembrancer.

a As it is to infligatour to good, or a Rc-itraincr from eviil.

Wherein xhxtt Venues arc required, i. Clearcneffe.

fit. 1.1 j.

Serm.IL

Simile.

.Scnfiblcneffe

j.AftiYeiKflc,

That the Nature of man is full of

4. As it is an

Accufcr,or B* cufer.

Glaffe, which is in it felfc cleare, when it (hall be co vercd with duft, ic (hewes nothing, it prefentsnot things clearely, for it is defiled, fo the Confcience of man (houid be cleare as a bright Looking-glaffe, that (houid prefent everything that is amiffe in a mans heart or life, but it is defiled, and you can fee nothing by it.

The fecond Vcrtuein this A& of Confcience,is, as to fee finnes cleare ly, fo to feele them,/* he fenfible of them: like a fine fieffi which is fenfible of the leaft prick,or like the eye that is fenfible of the leaft mote. Now in this it failes more than in the other $ there is abrawninefie growne over the Confcience, and in fome it hath loft all fenfc, and therein you may fee the Corruption of it. If you looke to the GIafle,and there finde (wearing to be a finne, you are not fenfi. ble of it, you feele it not.

But there is a third Vertue wherein it failes more than in thefe two. It (houid Jlirrc m up, and give us no re (I, till it had conftrained us to do the good thing (^commands, and reftraincd us from the Evill He forbids, it (houid awaken us, but it being dull and fleepie, ftirres up fometimes good purpofes, thereby awaking us, but it lets us fall a fleepe againe 5 wee can reft in finne, we can fin, and our minds be quiet in it, and can put off our turning to God. This is a great corruption of the Confcience which (houid amaze us: this is the finu; : :.lie of it, which (houid; perfwadc us that our natures are full of all unrighte^ eufnefle dndungcdlinejfe.

Laft of all, the third Office or AS of the Con-; feience, is, to aecufe right, andtxeufe, and in this wee

(hall

1

dl unrighteoufoefje and ungodl'meffe.

n

(hall fee it fdksasmuchas, or more than in any of chc other. But you will fay, the Confcience is rea-die enough to accufe ; it is true, but the light it hath, by which it is able to fee finne, and to accufe us for finne,it abufes and perverts to a wrong end, for this you (hall finde in the Confcience: when we preach the Law, and the Confcience fhould joync with us to accufe, then it excufes, making every thing feeme fmall and little • And againe, when wee preach the Gofpcll, and the Confcience fhould excufc, then it accufes-my finnes are fo great and many, that there is no mercy for mee. And this perverting of the light, this ejecufing, when it (hould accufe, and this accufing, when k fhould excufe 5 caufeth us,Declware Iflumjto fcape the blow of Lawand Gofpdl,and we are robbed of the fruit of both, becaufe the Confcience doth not his part aright. And fo you may fee, how farrc off you are from a good Confcience.

But, you will fay, I doe many things infecret out of Confcience, and I hope it is not fo much cor* rupted.

I will ?dde this then to that I faid before, you mufl know it is not a good Confcience which onely fappreffeth and reftraineth from evill. The matter is,in what tearmes it ftands with G<y d* if it looke on G o d, as a chafte loving wife lookes on her husband, o? 3 fpn on the father^tbat out of reverent loving refp^fts, fearcs to offend him, becaufe they prize their favour more, thanany mans favour in the world, and after this manner reftraines, k is a good Confcience; but if it reftrainc us, as a fervant isreftjaiQcd^uader an Ijard matter, was a theefej b n E; under *

Sbbm.1i

"Confcience abufcrh the li^ht ic hath,

Ob\t&.

Signc_of a gooi coDlci^ ence*

That the liature o f man is full of

f.Thecorrup tionofthefen-iitive Appetite.

Ob\tft.

xAnfa.

under the ludge, trembling at his word,at his judge-ment, this is not a good Confcience. Your Con-fcience may reftraine you from many things 3 nay, you may doe many things in fecret betweeneyou and G o d alone, and yet for all this have no good, but an evill Confcience. So you fee the corruption of man in the Vnderftanding, Will, Memory, and Confcience. I will adde another,and that is the ien-fuall Appetite.

And this you (hall finde exceedingly out of or. der above all thefc faculties I have nan&d-, ic is readic to runne over, and beyond all mcafure. By this I undctftand, that appetite in a man, by which hec caketh pleafurc iafenfible things, fuch as are conveyed by the eyes,thc cares, or the tafte \ fct ahy object before it, it is readie to runne out quickly, by inordinate affe&ioits, as to women, to raeare and drinke, toany kindeof fparr,or recreation, or fen-fible thing, Howxorrupt is this fenfoall Appetite * How prone to evill ! How ready to runne out > To breake over the Pale, togoeafidetherule? If any delightfull obje& bepropoonded, how ready is it to cmbractit?

But, you will fay, (anHindcddkiS Iz&htrtfctt quarrelling.) The rebellion of the fenfuall Appetite is but naturall, the fame thai is in beafts, becaiife, be. foreoriginaUfinnc wasx<tomitteS, heeAvas inthc fame conftituticwitherewasfucbre6eHfdftbetweene the lenfuall appctiteand feafoD,as there is how, and therefore being natuwUihfeiJorifefBlJ,

But this is his Etrour,thougfrevery itaaftbeherc* by readie coexcufe himfelfc, thmkingrhfe Wbcfito*

all unrighteoufnefleand ungpdlinejfe.

of the fqifuall Appetite not to be fo great a matter. But to cake his owne words, hee faith, the fame as it is in Beafts; It is true, if it were with us, as it is with Beads, it were no finnc, and fo not a thing which gives us caufe to be fo much humbled: for in Beafts the fcnluall Appetite hath no (uperiour government, but is fupreme. To expreffe it to you, Take a horfe in a pafture that is loofe, and free, if he runne up and downe and play, wc finde no fault with him, for hee isloofe^ but if he doth this under the bridle, when the rider is on his backe, will yoirtot now reckon him a ftiffe-neck. i horfe, and count it a fault in him, for there is a rider on his backe. So for this fenfu-all Appetite in Beafts, where there is libertie, and no fupcriour command to keepe them in order, the Beafts are not to be blamed. But take a man where Go n^hath fet reafon above the fenfuall Appetite, aodgrafeabove reafonto guide it; in him this fen. Yu^^peuterel^.ls^g^inft reafon, which itihould qhe.y, and this {^ew^it to be a great Cone in men, CQfliidering^ha* reiGptj; fbogld be the rule to guide, and keepe ip the fenfuall Appetite, for Goi> hath given k for that purpofel Indeed fome defircsare natur.aili C.^ *, i» % : T^efif«d life, which was law. fiiii,ar^d a right Qbjf&Qf.dcfire -• but take this with* all, it \vasp$tfe<5Hy fub)*>§ai<*4 and brought under, and made obediept iQrfiQ will of Go d, as His Mi{\ vvAvhoAyt^ defire

i^ jod, diifli^ to PW&X 4WCS ithe ham of God may forfeit, ajs inni^yjC^itsddth, for it; may differ frojnthe.will of Go dj aaakfaoiy, andyej> Jo i,t.j^teHKU»^T^i JfeleiQknQSiQrebut ftib-

I £ 4 ordination

• i • "■ ■ ■■ ■

\ :

55 Serm. II,

Simile.

Serm.I1.

lhat the TSUture vfmanis futtof

Levi:* j.io.

I

ordination required/ But when this tuns oat ataiffe, afFedting of things inordinately,though youdocfup-preffe ir, yet that affe&ion is finfull, and you muft be humbled for it; Cod fees it in you, and it is hateful!, and abominable to Him.

Thefe things I fliould make ufe of, But I am leffc carc&ll of that, becaufe all thefe points arc immediately ufefull. Why? It is to make you know your felves, and to bee acquainted with the corruption of your nature. And doe not you thinke it to bee enough, that this be as an hand in the margent, pointing to the corruption of your hearts, or that you may content your felves with the contempla tive knowledge of thefe things, fo tocaufe a new light to (hine in your underftanding. Our end is to make you examine the corruption of your natures, your difobedience, your rebellions, to ice how you have behaved your felves, to be acquainted with your owne particular finnes, yourowne particular failings, and co labour to bee humbled for thenu Otherwifc you may have a knowledge of thefe Truthes, but not a faving know* ledge, and fuch as will bee profitable : But this you (hall fee when I come to make ufe of them. And now for the Sacrament thefe things bee of fpcciail ufe, becaufe, as you heard before out of the three and twentieth ot Levitiem, On the d*j of reconcilittion, when an atonement wmto bet made, bee that dffltHednot hk own fettle, wns to bee cut off from y bis people. When wee come to the Sacrament, there is a reconciliation, an atonement to bee made in a fpcciail manner; What muft you doc then t

Afflia

all unyigbteoufnejfe and ungodlinejp,

Affli& your foulcs, conlider yourfinnes, fccwhac

debts you have runnc into, fee what corrupt natures

you have, and like wife know what you have in

Chris T t andrcjoyccthercin,(forthofe

muft goe together) an humbling of

cheSouleforiinne, and rejoy-

cing in Ch hist for

your Deliverance

from it.

57_

Se&m.II.

lie endofthe fecond Sermon,

■■

.

«OTMI«MMi HMM - ->-=* -v , M

Ser.HI

L».

THE THIRD

SERMON

T/fo n at

HVMILIATION.

-*-^-4—rrr

ROMAHS MS.

Foy the'TbratbofGod-ii revealed from heaven againft all ungodlinejfe and mrighteoujnejfe of men, ^^ Aik/i aW Al feel Truth in unrighteotif-neffe^^'

;HE kft faculties is, TbeaffetliMs, and U.Thecomip-hcrc you fhall findc exceeding great j^^^ Af-caufctafay that thfey drefolJ of ftftl J ^'iri^et^iffe^ they

.jRl-come likei mtghtfe Tdmpeflyfikea cuctokntwind ttint carries as away, even rbefl^vftfti we are well feu The diiordcr of them exceeds the diforcterof all the reft, for they are qaickty movcd>,

nothing

That theNature of man is full of

Gen. 5. if'.

nothing fooner, and when they arc moved, they arc exceeding apt to exceed, to tranfeend their limits,*or fuch is thcfullennefle,the ajvkedntfle,and wayward-nefle of our affe&ions, either they arc &ot a&ive, not placed where they {hould be, or if they be placed as they ought to be, thry are ready to runne over, to over-love, and over grieve, arid over-joy* I fay, where we may love lawfully, and re Joyce lawfully, they arc ready to exceed.

If I {hould come to particulars* you {hould fiadc how exceedingly they are out of order.. Come to love and hatred; wee little thinkc wee hate what is good, and love fin • come and tell any man fo much, he will not bcleevc it,but examine it a little.Doe not you hate holineffe in others i You wilt fay, No, we hate no man for his Goodnefle: But confider,thc nature of man doth fo, every unregeneratc man doth fo. David was hated for that CAufe. And Cain hated his brother y becaufe his workes were good L And Gem* 3. The Enmity between the Seed of the Womm> and the feed of the Serf ext: Whence comes it, but from the holineffe of the one, and the wiekedneffe oF^bc o-thcr i Looke to our a&ions, and you (hall finds >*ec doe not hare fin, we doe not hate our lufls, for if we | did* we (hould not be angry with them, that fpeake J cvill of them ; if wee hated thefe things, Wet would like them that fpeake againft tbeiu,but we be enemies to thofe that be: enemies tathem jatuHfiends f athofe that be friends to them. Doe we not Iddgetfitm t Doc wee not feedxhem withthc things theydefifc fl They ran askenothrag^butthey haveit. Godly men hate their fioncs, though thej> be carried away with

p-efent

I

all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinejje.

prefent objeds, but a wicked man loves the luft i c felfe 5 he can fay, I could wi(h I were free from this luft, from the vexation it puts me to, but for all this he is not angry, hee may indeed be angry with it, as with a friend, when hec hath done fome unkinde ■ Turne,but he hates it not,for if he hated it,he would not be at peace with it againe, for hatred is implacable. Againe, if amanhate5,hcchatesallthekinde: But why doeft thou love one more than another? If thou didft hate any one, becaufe it is a fin, becaufe it is a rebellion againft God,thou wouldeft love none; As the lambe hates all wolves* Againe, if thou ha* teftthem, why wilt not thou labour to have them utterly deftroyed.? Why wilt thou cherifli them a little < Where hatred is, it will have the thing hated utterly taken away, as if there were no fuch thing 5 and that (hall be laboured for, notremiffely, but we will put our ftrength to it, and doe it with all our might, and in good earneft. But feeing we doe not thuSjitappeareswehategoodntfTe, and love fin. It is true, we are ready to lay it on other things, and to fay, The infirmities of the Saints, which we fee, we hate, but their goodnefTcwelove, if it be every way right. Butletmeeaskc you a^queftion • Did'ftthou love them for their holineffc, wouldeft not thou rather labour to cover their infirmities, grieving for them t Doe you not fo out of love -i Then your hearts are deceived, when you thinke you hate the infirmities, and not the goodneffein them, you hare the goodnefle it klfe 5 and thisis the nature of every man before Regeneration.

Befidesthefcof Love and Hatred, looketoyour

Delight,

61 SerTu.

Hatred of all the kinde.

■TiMcdlaboms thcdertru&ion of a tking.

Corruption in our delight, j

6i Ser.III.

iCor.f.i.

Fcarc.

Sorrow.

That the Nature of man is full of

Delight, and fee if that be not turned upfide downe. The Wheeleturncs the quite contrary way. Wc delight in things we fhould not delight in; you know we delight in vaine things, in finfull things, in things that are furable to our lufts and humours, Againe, wee delight in the falls and fufferings of others 5 as 1 Cor. $ .2, They werefuft up when othersfell, and they flood. It fhould not be fo 3 we fhould be humbled at the fals of others, and be grieved for them,that they being members of the fame body with us, fhould be any way blemifhed. Againe, the things we fliould delight in, are they not tedious to us * Arc they not grievous? The Sabbath fhould be kept with delight, bur how burthenfome is it to give God his whole time, tokeepc it holy, and not to rob Him of any part of it < That is, not to pollute it with unholy anions: And fo holy company fhould be our delight, wee fhould thinke our felves in our Element among them,and fo the hearing of the Word j how tedious are thefe to our natures < But I cannot (land on this.

Come we to Feare. Doe not we feare men { Doe not we feare the Creature, and this and that particular evill + But G o d wc feare not. Take it in that one finne of lying: A man will lye to a man, to keep his credit with him. but he cares not to lofe it with God. This is a figne you doe not fan&ifie God in your hearts, that is, not reverence Him, not value Him.

Come to Sorrow, how ready arc we to exceed in worldly forrow * Let us be told of an Injury in our names, loffe in our eftatc, of troubles and calamities any wayjitaflefls us much, but fin we make nothing of;,

all umigbteoufnejfe and ungodtineffe,

of; we thtnke ic is but a paffion, a trite, and it is not fo great a matter to be in pafiion* Yes,my beloved, it is a great matter to have paflions; thefe paffions (hall condemne us, if they be not mortified, if you kill them not, they will be y< ur death: Whofoever is in Christ hathcruajiedthtfe.

Againe, confider that affe&ions are the Principle* of ^#/<wj,therefore it is not fo tight a matter to erre in your affedions, for they will caufe errour in .your anions.

Confider that your eftimation is taken by your affe&ions,according to them you are laid robe g or evill. Therefore an holy man is defcribed to bee one that loves G o d, fearcs Go©, delights in His CommandementSjfo as it is no flight matter to be diftempered in your affe&ions • and know this, if it be no more than luft, you know what Chrijl faith of that; He that looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery already with herinhis heart. Now if luftbreakes the match in the mariage of men,thefe inordinateaffedions,thefe whorifh affeiSions, thefe adulterous affeftions will break the mariage between God and us. Affe&ions are placed in us for this purpofe, to draw nearer to G o D,but wc mifplacing them, and fctting them on the Creature, they draw us further from God,

Againe, when they be tbus diftempered, they grow hindrances: as the Ifraelites could not pray for the anguifh of their hearts; and S, Peters feaie made him to deny C h k i s t . So that this diftemper of of our Affeftions, as well as the diforder of the reft of the faculties, doth (hew the truth of this point 5

That

Ser\UIL

Men cftccmed

o( God by thefe

afte&ion*.

Ser.III.

i. Aftuali fins,

That the Nature of man is full of

i. In thoughts*

I

The importance of thoughts.

That the Nattfire ofmm is fullof aU unrighteoufneffe andungodlweffc. And fo much fliall fervetofkw the corruption of Nature by the faculties.

Now t his is not all; there are befides thefe a&uall finnes, whereby like wife this Tiuth will bee made manif ft. Andthefc are of three forts, that is, in thought, in Word, in Action ; for they be all a&uall fins,though inwardly they be the A&sof the minde.

Firft, let us fee ic by the Thoughts, and you fliall fee in them this great corruption cf Nature, and the great caufe you have to bee humbled, and it is that that fhould amaze us, we (hall finde in us abundance of idle Thoughts, and wicked Thoughts, which like afhowerofraine, you cannot number for multitude.

If a man fhould write downe all the Thoughts that paffer horow his minde in one day, and obferve their little dependance one upon another,fo vaine are they, and fo foolifh, when hec comes to readc them at nighr, he will thinke he was halfe out of his wits, and be amazed at himfelfe.

And thinke not this a fmall matter, for Thoughts are the firft contrivers, thefirft plotters of good, aadevill, and therefore are of more moment than that which immediately ads it.

Againe, aie not they things which we fhould en. tertaine God with f He comes and dwels with us. He fups with us, we are Temples where Go d inhabits. Now if we are to cntertaine a great Prince, if wee never fpeake to him, but fpend our time with idle companions, will not hee thinke himfelfe much injured ? And will not God thinke fo, when wee be-

ftow

all unrigjiteoufnefje and ungodlinefl e.

flow the Thoughts in vaioc things, which (hould be occupied about him?

Againc,confider,Thoughts arc other things than men reckon them, for it may be faid of every Chri ftian, he is a Garden whrrein Godwzlkc$ y wherein He eats His honey with His milkc. God would have fruit of the Trees which He hath planted in us • now our Thoughts are the fruit of the beft Tree, the Vn dQiRandingvCbriftwas angry with the 7ree that bare no fruit .'And comming to mans under ft anding^that (hould be ful of good thoughts,and finding nothing butloofejCtnpty thoughts, what will he think of it i Wccdoe not give a due efteeme to Thoughts, and that is thereat on we give fuch liberty to them, that we are not more humbled for them 5 for Thoughts arc the water wherewith is driven the wheele of bu-fineffes, and why doc wee let fo much water runne befide the Mill t That is, they are the things wee (hould occupic in every thing wee doe, they arc pre cious. And as Efij faith of a clufter of grapes, Z>c-firoy it not , for then it a blowing in it : So your Thoughts, which you fo little account of, have a bleffing in them -then why doe you make fuch wade of them, as if they were of little worth?

IConfider, it is no fmall thing to anger God with _ your Thoughts, they being the fame to God, that words and anions (the Interpreters of Thoughts) arc to uxntfod fees them without any Interpreter;, as men hearc and fee words and a&ions. Therefore, it was (aid to Simon CMagut, Pray %oGod % ifferhap the Thought *f thy heart may bee forgiven thee. It thou feeft a Chriftian in poverty, and defpifeft him i

F for*

*1

\

SEfc.il I

'serTTu

In our

Words.

, Thcimpor-i tines of out

I words. I

Iara.j.jn- 6.

I

That t he Nature of man is full of

for if, God fees ir 3 and it is a finneirfThought. The fecond adtuall finne is our words y Aa^Jicrc Jikewife you (ball find the Truth of this,that our natures are full of all impiety and wickedneffe, and exceeding prone to evilj. The tongue of man is very flippcry,nothing being fo cheap as breath,it is readie at handto.doc any evill. If a thing to beaded, there! is time required to prepare for it, but a word is i quickly out: So the frcquencie of offending with} our tongue fhould humble us.

And againc, as our offences, herein are frequent, j fo it is a matter of much moment, which wee have caufetomarkc, becaufe wee doeefleeme not fo of; j ihem, lam.chap.?*verf.$^.6. youfliallfindethree i ! Similitudes, by which the Tongue is exprefied, and j j there you {hall findc what it is to offend in words. It is compared to a Bit, which will keepe in the wildeft j j hoi fe $ and to a Rudder, which (thoughit be exece-j ding great) will turne the Ship. And thirdly, to a j fire, what a great matter will 3 little fire kindle i Men thinke it a fraali thing tp effead in fpecchcs,buc ' God will have them know it is another iindept matter. Therefore, confider this, you that fuflfer your tongues towalke upanddowne atrandome, from j morning till night, and thinke it a fmall thing. I will j aske you thefe queftions ou^ of theft Similitudes. Is j it a fm.all matter to negledi the Rudder of the Ship < Will it not quickly runne on the Sands < Suppofe a . man ride on an unruly horfe, Is it a fmall thing not j to keepe the hand on the bridle, to negled it * To ; have a tongue without a bridle, is a$ an unruly horfe . ihadangerousplacc,oronanarrowbridgc,the neg-

ledl

all unrighteoufnefje and ungodlinejje. 6/ \

led is not (mall, therefore confider it, and if you c R j n |

have not yet learned the meaning of that place,learne " *

nowrounderftandit.

Secondly, you (hall give account for every idle $

word; It will be thought,that to fpeake a few words it not fo much, but a few fparkes will fee a great Ci- \ tie on fire 3 you fee what the tongue did in ^Arrim \ for evil!, and in Luther for good. There is no Ele--mentfoa&iveasfire, and nothing fb efficacious as; your tongue, which you fo lightly efteeme of. A-1 game, fire flies about, fb doth the tongue, it hath j wings. Fire likewife afltmilatcs, turning things; quickly into its owne nature; fo the tongue aflimi-; latesthe hearts of men,towhom we fpcak,itchanges \ them, and nowconfider if it be a light thing to neg- j led it. You are wont to fry. Take heed to the fire, j for you know not what a fparke may doe 3 and is it a fmall matter to negleft your tongues i Specially I where there bee thatched-houfes and combuftible matter neare i And are not the hearts of men, to whom we fpeake, as Tinder ,ready to take fire at the j leaft fparke,if you heed it not? And is it then f o fmall j a matter to ncgleft woiids i Gather this out of all] thefe Similitudes,to humble you.If the tongue be as j a bridle, as the Rudder,an4 as- fire,thcn it is of much efficacie-that cannot be denied, for to prove that, it is the only end ofthefc Similitudes. And if it be fo, : then learne hence to know what the illnefleof your fpeech is 5 for the more efficacious any thing is, if ic j lye idle, the greater is the fin; lookewhat good you \ have done with your tongues, the more that is, the j more is on your reckoning, Againe, if you have im-

F 2 ployed

Ser.IH

That the Nature «f man U fulhf

3 Tn our Afii* ens.

fffel.ij.lV

% Sinne* of

IOmiiFion. lOtAds.

ployed them amifle, a little rudder turnes the whole Ship, the meaning is, it is very effedhiall: and there, fore, I lay, if there be fuch efficacie in thcm,confider of how great moment they are, when you ufe your tongues amifle, ro corrupt fpeaking, to lying, did fembling,flandering a back-biting,thinke it not a mat-\ tcr of fmall moment, it is a fire; and if the State provides death for them that fctbarncs, and houfes on fire, what ppnifhment fhall they be worthy of, that fet the foules of men on fire, the Temples where Good wels i And this the tongues of men doc; Ig nem in orege/lamvs, wee cany fire in our mouthes Take heed left wee kindle fuch a fite in the brefts 0 others, as wee (hall never live to quench agatne^ an fo kindle the fire of Cfid's wrath,which /ball fmoa to our deftruftion. Thus by your words, learne to know the finfulneffeofyour natures.

Laftly,fee it by your Attim. Now fins ina#ions are of two forts, cither fins of Commiffion,and here you aretogoebackeandconfider wharfinsyou have committed,whethcrdrunkennefle,unckaneneffe,in* ordinate affc#ions, or injuries to men, what provo. I cations or rebellions againft God, and when you \ fee them, lookc on the number of them, and on the greatneffc of them: Confider their circumftatoces, and among the jeft^ the f requencie of them, your re-lapfes into them j and that will make you with 7)4-vid 9 Pfal. 1 g % to cry out, Ltrd, vfho^can twderftandhis fmlts ? But wee will not ftand on this, becaufc it is obvious > cvery man knowes that adlions arc fins: we will come to the fecond fort.

Add that is fins of Omiffion, which we are ready

to

all unrigbteoHfnejJe arid ungodlinejfe.

to flight and forget as no great matters $ but they are other things than we take them to be, nothing hath more cauie to humble us than they • I fay, the fins of omiflion, the bairenneffe and unfruitfulneffe of our lives may humble us, as well as the rebellions and finf ulnefi'e of them.

Wee will r unnc thorow them. As fir ft to be idle on the Sabbath-day, is a finnc of Omiffion, and provokes Go d to anger, as well as polluting it, and breaking it with pofitive Ads. So the retraining of Prayer, to negleft it, to omit it, or to performc it flightly (for G o d takes prayers by weight, and not by number,) this is not a fmall thing. Againc, to negle<5i the hearing of the Word, to neglc&the Sacraments (a fault wee have much caufe to be blamed for in this place) and a thing you have often beeneadmonifhed to, I befeech you learne by our Admonitions/cw: they are the Admonitions of God^ let them, I fay, learne that are guilty of it. So Com-munion of Saints is a thing wee thinke not of : But Htb. 10.25. You (ball feewhat a matterit wasto negled that Ordinance: So Fafling and Prayer wee thinke are not required at our hands, and if nothing but the negkd of that were laid to our charge, it were nothing. But fee what that is, when the time is that God cals for it, I fay, the very omiffion of that when GcTd cals for it, is a fin, faith the Pro. phet, which fhall never be purged away by facrificc, but fhall remaine to death.

Befides thele cmiffions of Ads, come to tke o-miflion of Graces, I meane the want of them, as the want of Love to .1 b s u s Christ. Yet who

F 2 confefTcs

6 9

Ser.II1.

Hcbr.io.a;.

2, Of Graces.

70

Ser.H1.

I . Of Time.

That the Nature of man is full of

4.0fOccafi-ons.

confefles this want of love, although 1 Cor. 16.22. He is pro flounced accttrfed that loves not the Lor d Iesus, kthim be had in execration to the death. So the want ot delight in G o r>, who thinkes of it f Come to our Callings, and iee our negligence andidleneffe in them ; (hall we give account for eve. ry idle word we fpeake,and not for every idle hourc we f pend i Let young Gentlemen looke to this, that pafle from vanicy to vanity,fpending their time idly, and unprofitably trifling out their Seed-time. Con. fider what this fin of Omillion is. And fofor growing in fpiritual graces and knowledge, that we gather not more knowledge*, it being the key of heaven; that we grow not in good workes, but are poore in them, omitting our times and opportunities. Again, ourfinfullfilence,notfpeakingwhenwe fhould, either ont of fluggiflinefle, or feare of men, or by-refpe<3s,thisisnofmallthing, God will call thee to an account for it.

Confider whether you have let goe occafions of doing good; denying of meat and drinkc kils a man aswellaspoi{on,fothcnegle<aing of duties, theo-miflion of what tends to falvation {hall be death, as well as a&uall finnes, by which you provoke the eyes of G o d*s glory to vengeance* Therefore in thatfentenceof C h r i s t, He doth not tell them what they have done, but what they have nor done• You have not clothed mec, you have not vifited wee: Learne therefore ro judge aright of thefe finnes of omiffioD, that they mayhelpe to amaze us, andfo much foraftuall fins. And fomuch for the Law, the firftpartofour rule, wherein we have run thorow

the

all unrigbteoufnefle and ungodlinejje.

the corruption of tfte Facul ics, and fo have difcove-red our habirual! finnes, and nowthorowthe three kindes of a&uall dimes, m Thought, in Word, and in Action.

The fecond rule, which I told you we are to ob-ferve, is the Gofpell. And here youthinke you lhall (cape well enough,for the Gofpell brings damnation to no body.

But ifyouconfider of it aright, you fhall find that the Gofpdl^s much more terrible in this cafe than rhe Law, that it will humble us more, and that the fins againftthc Gofpell are much greater than thofe againfttheLaw. 9

Marke this in briefe : The refufingof I e sus Christ when Go d offers Him, and remiflion of fins by Him, that you may have Him when you will, if you will have Him upon fuch confequent conditions, as are required, which is to deny your felvcs, to take up your croffe and follow Him: this we preach continually: I fay, this contempt of the Gofpell, your unwillingnefle to takeC h r i s t is a great finne, and that fhould humble you above all the reft.

And that you may knotv that I have reafon to fay J fo,confider Christ's fyzechjt/ball 6e more eafie for Sodome andGomorrah, than for fitch a people, for fuchaCitie, as when the Gofpell of the Kingdome was preached to them, negle&ed it, fo that the finne of Sodome is not fo great a finne as the rcfufing of C h r i st. You know the greatneffcof that finne, the punifhment fhevves ir,yet it is not fo great as this.

Againe, it is faid of Mop and Christ, being

F 4 compared

71

Ser.IIL

i Rule the GoIpeU.

Si nnes again fi the Gofpell.

Vnwilling-nefTe to take Chrift.

The greatnefle of"this finne,

Ser. III.

xIohn|.*J

PfaU#t.

That the Nature of man is full of

compared together, That if they that Ji» againft Mo-fts's Law are condemned, how much firer punijhment fballtbey be worthy of y that breake the Law of Chk ist , that beleevenotthe Gofftll? It exceeds the fin againft the other.

Againe, confider, is it a fmall thing to caufe the bloudof Iesus Christ tobefbedinvaine,to! trample it under foot, and to count it a common thing t But fodoth every man that neeledis ir, that hearkens not to it, that is, not ready !o receive it, that is, not poore infpirit, and fo doth not hunger and thirft atter Christ.

Againe, confider, It is the chiefe Command, and the breach of the chiefe Command muft needs be the greateft finnc. When the Difciples asked chrijl what was the greateft Commandemcnr, Hce Paid, This is the greateft of all, to beleeve on Him whom the Father bathfint. So I Iob^.z^.This is His Comrnan-dement, that wejhonld beleevi in the Name of I e s u s Christ.

Againe, the Gofpell is tfie uttermoft, the Law makes way for the Gofpell, therefore the ientence and condemnation of the Gofpell is peremptory, and terrible, and nothing beyond ir.

Againe, confider, God was angry for the contempt of this,you fhall not finde in all the Scriptures any thing that angers Him fo much - with them that were invited, and would not come Hee wasangi and commanded them to beflaine. So Pfal.i Kijfe the Sonne lejt He be angry: The contemning of this condemnes a man molt of all to wrath.

Laft of all, confider, that when you negled

1 E S U $

. nit.

all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinejft.

71

I e s u s Chris t, and finne againft the GofpelJ, and are not ready to receive it, you rake His Name in vaine in the higheft degree, and Hee will not hold him guiltkffe that taketh His Name in vaine, at all. Now G o d's Name being in His Sonne moft revealed, take heed of taking it in vaine, 2 Cor. 6.1. 1 befiechyouy take not the Grace of G o d in vaine: It is a greate r matter than you thinke it to be, that when God fhall offer Christ, (hall propound to marry His Sonne to you, you fliould refufe Him 5 confider the finne and be humbled. And by this is feene the corruption of our nature, and this fliould humble us more than any finne committed againft the Law.

And thus much fhall ferve to make plaine the point in all the parts of it, That the Nature of man is \ fullof allmrighteoufheffe, andnngodlinejfe.

Now to mak£ ufe of it. And firft, if this be the I Condition of all men by Nature, then he that fees f not this, hec that is not perfwaded of it,hcis decei-j ved, he is an unskilful!, an ignorant man,he hath not yet his wit txcrcifedto difcerne betweenegood andevitt. And let him fo reckon of himfelfe. If this be the Condition of every man by nature, and yet G o d hath not opened the window for him to fee it,and to ftand amazed at it 5 he is, I fay, an unskilfull man, he is not yet enlightned, the true light hath not yet fhi. neduntohira. For when God enlightens a man truly, it vvorkes fuch an alteration as was in them, in Atts 2. that were pricked at their hearts and were amazed, at that, which before> being as other men 7 they faw not.

So

Ser.III.

»Cor.6,i;

vfeil

Theignoranccj of thofe that know not the corruption of nature.

Aasi.37.

Ser.II I.

Double difpofition in men.

That the Nature of man is full of

Kal.:

9i\h

So that you may obferve a double difpofition in men; one is a complaining, afelfe-accufing difpofi. tion, when a man is apeco complaine of himfelfe, and can never find too much fault with himfelfe, delights in the exa&nefle of other mens conventions, loves that do&rine which is fclfe-feparating, wonders at his owne corruption ; fo that no man can fay f o much againft him, but hec can fay much more againft himfelfc. This is a good figne, and fuch a condition was in lofia, when his heart melted, and in Paul, Rom. 7. where you may fie how he complaines of the abundance of his Corruption*

But there is another excufing difpofition, when a ! man fees nothing amifle in himfelfc, that will not have any fuch doubts made bctweene man and man, and that for his ownepart, he will not be fhut out of the number, but anfwereth for his ownc righteouf-nefle,thatheisrich 3 and increafed in goods, when indeed he is naked, and poore, and milerable: I fay, this is an ill figne that thou haft not yet received the Holy Ghost, that thou art not yet partaker of the righteoufnefle of C h r i s t, for the H o l y G ho sx will firft convince thee of finne, and if thou art not fo convinced, it is a figne thou haft not yet received that righteoufneffej and know this, that in all the Saints, in all to whom God hath revealed Himfelfe, you (hall findc this difpofition, to com-plainc of themfelves. How abundant was it in D4. vid l Hee was ever complaining that his fmnes were more than the haires of his head. As in Pfal. 19. Who can underf and his faults ? And, 0*7 fmnes are too hea. vie for me, andthey are gone over my head ; Hee is ftill

com-

all unrigbteoufnejfe and ungodlinefje.

complaining oi himfelfe. And what is the reaton * It was bccaufea veine ofclcare light ftione into bis heart. Others have but a common Illumination^ and there is a great difference betweenc a bright beamethat (liewes the fmallefl: mote, andcommon light. Another may have light to fee great defor-mities,but not to fee motes: thoumayft have a common light, and mayeft carry it- to hell, for it is no better than darknclfe. Therefore know, that if thou haft not in fomemeafure been perfwaded of all thefe Truthes, the righteoufnefle of C h r i s t is not yet .revealed to thee; for this is God's method, firft . Hee reveales His wrath againft unrighteoufnefle of men, and then d if covers the righteoufnefle of Chrift by faith. And if this be not done, if thou art not throughly humbled, fo that Go© hath opened a crevife of light to fee this corruption of Nature, fo as to abhorre it in thy felfe, and to bee vile in thine owne eyes, to be much humbled for if, not to hang downe thine head for a day, but to take it to heart in another manner, I conclude, thou art not a man cn-lightned, thou art an unskilfull,an ignorant man, and you know what condition that puts a man into.

Sccondly,if mens natures be thus full of Corruption, even the Saints themfelves, then godly men may make this ufc of it, to karne to prife IesUs Christ : Doe you make this ufe of the Table we have drawne for you to looke into, and to fee the multitude of your fins, and the Corruptions of your natures, to learne to prife Ibsus Christ? For you muft take this for a rule, no man will ever know the length,and breadth, and depth of G o* s

mercy

75_

Ser.1 I

r.

Vft 2.

To prife Chrift mor«.

Ser. Ill*

That the Nature of man is full of

mercy in I e s u s C h r i s t, and His love there, in, unlcflc he firft know the length, and breadth, and depth of his finne, and this ufe you muft make of ail thefe explications. To fee the greatneflc of finne is of much ufe to the Saints, that they may know how much they are beholden to God ; you will never fee how G o d's Grace hath abounded towards you,if you doe not fee how your finnes have abounded towards God: Labour to fee it, that you may love much, becaufe much is forgiven you, that you mayprife Christ much, and be brought much more into love with Him. That ufe the Saints I fliould make of it, and it will bee profitable. And they that receive the Sacrament fliould fpecially con-(ider of it.

When they came to the Paffeorer, one of the chiefc things they were dirc&ed to doe in that Ceremony, was to remember their bondage.

Againe,lookc on the concomitants of thePafle. over; their fowre herbes, their going in hafte, their ftaffe in their hand. Againe, the pafleovcr it felfe • their fprinkling of bloud on the doore-poftes, all wasto put them in minde of their mifery, and their deliverance, which was the onely way to magnifie Hisraercie.

So in this fpirituall freedome ? remember your bondage,the finnes you have committed,your Condition by nature, that you may learnetornagnifie yourfreedomeby Chris t, and give God the pratfeof it, to magnifie and love Him, with all your heart, and ftrcngtfi : The more you doe this, the more it will enlarge your hearts, to know the

love

all unrigbteou/nejje and ungpdlintjfe.

love of C h r i $ r, which pafleth knowledge. Of many wayes to know which, this is one, and a Principall One, even to know the greatneffeof your finnes.

The third aftdchkfe ufe of all the reft is this: This Corruption of Natujre,this abundance ofCor-ruption which hath beeoe (hewed to you, ffiould drive us to Chrift.

And that is our end, we doe not preach damnation, our end is Salvation. Therefore we would have men to know their condition, to know that they be inftate of death. For that, that keepes men from comraing to Christ, and the reafon that fo few arc faved, that fo few take the G ofpcll, is, they are not poore in fpirk*

And wh^are they not for

Becaufc they fee not their finncs.

And for this caufe wee have beene thus long in opening this poinr r that you may know your felves. And this I dare fay, It you did know yourfelves, if Ged had kindled a light within, whereby to fee your Corruptions, you would not ft and chcapning the Kingdome of heaven as you doe* you come now in a lame, and rcmiffc manner, but you would then come and give all that you have (or it, and goc away rcjoycing, and thinkc you have a good bargaine.

Cod flhould not then deny you, you would wre-ftlc with Htm, as Isc$b did, and give Him no reft till you have obtained a blefling. This would a-waken men out of their dead deep? of fecurity, as that is the coalition of every man by nature as

hfe

77_

Seel. 11L

To drive us to Cbiift.

Otieff.

78 | That theNatunofman isjid cf

S £fiu j[lj hecisfinful], fo hec isfecurc, hecconfidersnothis

■ 1_—.] finnes.

Therefore, to all that! have faid, you muftadde fomething of your ownc- what I have faid, is no more able to {hew you the finncs you are fubje& to, than a little Mappe is to (hew you the whole world, it doth but point to the finnes you are fubje<ft to, as a point in the raargent. The way to make it profita-1 ble, is to goe home to your owne hearts, toconfiderj thefe things particularly, to fee how your rnindc, \ your Confcience, Will, and Memory is out of or-! der,to confider how you have offended in thoughts, I in words,and in actions, by finnes of Qmiffioo, and; : of Commiffion; and by that raeanes ybu (hall reade j your Natures in your hearts, and make what I have• , faid profitable to you. Anddoenotthinkeyounaay | goe too farre. Doe not thinkc we wrong your nature, in faying it is more guiltie than it is $ for we doe [' not fo: I may boldly fay this, Take that man that • thinkes word of himfelle, hdsworfc than he thinks himfelfc to be ; and that J may not fpeake without \ iohnj.ao. ! Ground, looke upon the firft Epiftle of Saint Iohn,\ I the third Chapter and the twentieth verfe, If our j Confcience condemn* us, G o d is greater than our | Conscience, and knowes all things e That is, the Confcience of man hath fome light, but what is it to the eye of Go d? To the light that is in Him.* And fo much as His light is greater than ours, (o much more Hec fees what is amiffe in us. The heart, j j faith Ierenne^ is dccekfull above all things, who can know tt i There is a depth of evil! in the heart, whichnoman can fearch, it is deccitfull, and puts'

falfe

all mrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinejje,

folfc gloffes on things,to hide them from our eyes.

Therefore doe not thinke thou canft exceed,!

but labour for thy Humiliation, to fee all thefel

things in a greater meafure in thy fclfe, than

as they bee here defcribed, and that

not nakedly, but with all

Circumftances.

79_

SeiUIL

* *

T7;* end of the third Sermon.

u

THE FOVRTH

SERMON

f<pon HVMILIATION.

Romans 1.18.

For the Tfirath of God is revealed from heaven againft all ungodlinejje and unrighteoufneffe of men y Tohkb T»ith-hold the Truth in unrighteouf-nejfe.

ND this is a thing wc are very unwilling to doc, for the Medicine fhewes the difeafe. The Apoftles raking of fo much pains to per (wade men that they fhall not be faved by their ownc righ-teoufneffe 5 is an argument,that it is an hard matter to perfwade them. It is the hardeft thing in the world

G to

81 Ser.IV.

8z Ser.1V.

. i .1 H i ■ » .J »lll« ■ I '

That the Nature of man is full of

To quicken our dcfires :

tcr CHRIST.

Confider.

to perfwade a civill man that he muft not flick to his owne righteoufnefle, till God Himfelfe puts His hand to the worke,for it is not in any mans power to convince him of his finne,or of the deficiencie of his righteoufnefle. Therefore that ufe we fliould make of all that hath been faid,to fee the neceflity that lyes on us to goe to Ch rist, and that there is no fal-vation without Him.

Now to make this Do&rine more cffe&uall, to a-waken you the more,to r ouzc men but of that fleepe, wherein they arc by nature, wee will handle thefe two points:

Firft,that the aggravations of finne are more than thefinnesthemfelves.

Secondly, wee will take away all excufes, that fo every mouth may be flopped, and when thefe two are done 5 you will have much adoe to finds any ftar^ ting-hole to keepeyou from commingto Christ. For that is our End $ And thefe arc very neceftary : For though you doe confider in your fclves all the fins formerly named, if it be done negligently,without the Circumftances* finne is a fvvoxd without an edge, the Circumftance is that that gives it an edge, that (barpens fin,that makes it fit to wound us: And fecondly, if the fword be never fo keene,and fharpe, and yec we be forced to keep it ofF 5 it will not wound us: Therefore wee will, I fay, in the fecond place, takeaway the excufes, by which men fence them, felvcs, and decline the ftroke of truth, decline this wound of th« Law : And fo wee will conclude this point, and haftcn to the reft.

For the fir ft, to make all you have heard before I effedluaJl,

all unrigbteoufne/Je arid ungodlineJJe {

*}

effe&uall, we will adde the Circumftances, which is a thing neceffary, for true is the Schoole- mens rule, that in morall things, the circumftance is more than the thing it fclfe. Many times in naturall things, accidents are nothing in comparifon of the forme $ but, In moralibm ( as they fay) circutnfiantU plus valet qukm forma: For it is the circumftance by which an a&ion lookes, if you lookc round about it, and fee all that borders on it, it will aggravate, and make fin out of meafure finfull. To run thorow them briefly.

Firft, confider this circumftance in fins committed (I fpeake of the corrupt nature of man) that every fin committed againft GoD,is not only an offence committed againft fo great a Majefty (tor I will not ftand to enlarge that Circumftance, that the finne is greater, astheperfonis greater, againft whom it is committed ) but confider the affedion with which you commit it, and you (hall finde all this in a finne committed by a naturall man.

Firft, an hatred of G 0 d in the fin. They thinke

they love God- but if it be fo, what is the rcafon

that word is put in, R$m. 1.30. where the Apoftle

fpeaking of the rebellion of mankinde, he reckons up

particularly,that which here he puts up in the groflc,

in the gcnerall, Haters of G o d . You will fay you

doe not hate G o d $ but let mc aske you this qucfti-

on, Wouldcft thou not live at liberty? Wouldeft

thou not have that removed which reftraines thee ?

Couldeft thou not wifli that there were no fuch ftrid

Law, as Go d's Law is ! Couldeft thou not wifli

that there were not any Iudge to call thee to account <

Every naturall man had rather bee at liberty, hee

G 2 wiflics

Ser.IV.

i.Thccircum. ihnces that doc aggravate finne,

1.The Majefty

offendei

i.Theaffeai-on wherewith it is commit' ted.

1. Hatred of GOD.

Rom.1.30.

That the Nature of man is full of

Rom.j.xo.

i Deniallof God.

Tit.i.ulc.

Thoughts re-fled.

Thoughts di-reft.

vvifties with all his heart that there were no fuch God, no fuch Iudge. Now it thou wifheft God were not, certainly thou hateft God ; when we wi(h a man not to be, to be taken out ot the nature of things, out of the fubfiftence of being, this man we properly hate ; and thus every man hates <7*J.Thcref otc,Rom. y. i o. the Apoftle fpeaking generally of mankind, fayes, When yott were enemies. It is the condition of every man, he is an enemie to God, and fins out of enmity, and what-obedience he performes is out of a falfefer-vile feare 5 that is the firft.

Secondly, that is not all, bift hee denyes God, de-1

thrones Him, and fets up another god ; naturall men

littlethinkcthcydocfo-whenthey follow their Co.

vetoufneffe,Lufts, Honours, Ambitions, they little

thinke they doe it ; But they doc, Titvs i. ult. They

profejfe that they know God,hut in their mrkes they deny

Him. When they are charged with this, that they

thinke there is no God, and told of the greatnefle of

the fault,as it is the greaieft trcafon to deny the King

to be the King, this Atheifme every man is ready to

dilchime, he thinkes it is not fo with him: But I be-

fcech you confider,there be two kindes of Thoughts

in a mans heart, fome we call reflex thoughts, when

a man thinkes a thing, 3nd knowes that be thinkes it;

other we call dhed thoughts,which are in the heart,

but a man knows it not • and thefe muft be found out

by the anions, for they arc difcoveredbythefruics.

But God thai knows the meaning ot the fpirit,knows

likewife the meaning of the flefh: Now, faith the

Tcxt,ihey profefle i hey know Him,buc in deeds they

deny Him, that is, in truth they deny God, there bee

cerraine

all unrighteoufnefje and ungodlinejfe.

85

certain diretit rhoughts which have not fuch reflexion in the heart of every natural] man, by which hee denyes Go J, for he honours not Godzs he ought, he denyes the Power, the Omni-prefence, the Iuftice, andOmni-fcienceof God, and if you can fee this in his workes, you may fay, there be luch thoughts in him,becaufe he lives as if there were no God.

But you will objeft • every man thinkes there is a Go d ?

It is true, there is naturally fome light in them h but where there be two different Principles,there be two different Conclufions, there is fome light planted in them that teaches that there is a God, but take the darkneflTe that is in their heart, fet afide from this light, there is nothing but Atheifrae, hee fets God afide, and puts up fomething elfe in ftead of Him: fome make pleafures their god, fome make their riches their god, fome make their belly their god,&c. But we cannot ftand on this.

Thirdly, they defpife God in the commiffion of fin • fee it in the fin of lying, wherein a man refpe&s man more than God, and fo defpifes God^ hee cares not though God knowes ir, and is a witneffe to it,and fo it is an injury to God, a contending with God. Wc little thinke it is fo, but fee that place, 1 Cor. 10.22. the Apoftlc fpeaking there of one particular fin, that is, of eating meat offered to Idols, faith, Will you continue to doe it? Will you provoke Godtojealoufte? Are you Jlronger than He ? It is as if you let your J fclves againft Him of purpofe,to doe Him an Injury, j And thefc affe&ions are in the finne of every naturall | man, AndthatisthefirftGrcumftance.

G 3 A

Ser.IV.

obytt.

5. Defpifing of GOD.

x Cor ,10. 21.

ft. Ikr.ith againft Know-ledge.

Rom. i.n.

That the Name ofman is fullof

Ads 17. jo.

A fecond Circumftancc to aggravate fin,is,when it is committed againft Knowledge, and indeed no circumftance does it more than this v that a man fins againft the light he hath, when heeknowes it to be a fin, and (it may be) bethinkes himfclfe of it, and yet commits it. You know how it is with men; An of-fence committed, an injury offered to a King, after j Proclamation,comes tobea rebellion, becaufe his I will was made knowne. And fo it is with God, when He hath revealed a Truth to me, that Iknow this to be a fin, and am convinced of it, and yet goe on in ir, this alters the nature of a finne, it is not now a bare [ tranfgreffion of the Law, but a R<:bellion,and fo God is provoked in an high degree; for in a finne againft knowledge,there is more harme,more difobedience, more preemption: If a Prince be in a place where he is not knowne, and findes not refped futablc to his worth,he matters it not,he will not take it amiffe, for he is not knowne, but if he be knowne, and taken notice of, and yet negle&ed, it is great dif-refpeci, and taken for a great offence. So when men finne againft light given, it aggravates fin exceedingly. As in the one and twentieth verfe of this Chapter, this that the Apoftle laid to the charge of the Romans, aggravated their fin 5 they knew G o d, but they glorified Him not as G o d, as if hee had faid. If you had not knowne Him, it were another cafe 5 but to know G o D,and not to pra<5tife according to knowledge, to know Cody and not to glorifie Him as God: this G&d will not take in good part,it fhewes you are finners, and in a condition of death. Therefore in ^#.17.30. faith the Apoftle, Thetimesaf Jgno.

lance

'

all unrighteoufne/Je and ungodlinejfe.

ranee God regarded not,but now He admonifhes every one to repent,thatis,when the Gentiles walked in their owne wayes, before the Gofpell came, before God published and madeknowne His wiil,He winked at it, but now regards if, not a yeare nor a day fliall now pafle without an account for it; the Axe is now kid to the root of the Tree, Hewill defer no longer. He will take it no more as He did heretofore/Therefore the Apoftle S. Paul, i Tim. 1.13. faith, / was a perfecutorjmdblafphemer, but am received to mercy Jbt~ cdufe 1 did it igmramly. Why doth he adde that * Be-caufc if face had had knowledge, and fo had done it wittingly,aod willingly,his fin had been out of mea-fure finf ull,and exceedingly aggravated it.Therefore Darnel tds Baithazards an addition to his fins) Thou knoweft all this, and yet haft not humbled thy felfe s . if thou hadftnot knowne it, if thou hadft not had an | example, if it had not beene revealed to thee, thy fin had beene fo much the leflc, and perhaps God would have fufFered thee to live, but thou knoweft all this, and yet didft not humble thy felfe. But of all places, take that in Rom.7. \ 3. Wat that then which was good, made death unto me ? God forbid: Bntfinne, that it might afpear e fin, working death mmee by that which is good: that fin by the Commandment might become ex-ceeding finfull. The meaning is this, When a man knowes that the Law of God difcovers this and that to be a fin, if he commits it, his knowledge makes it out of meafare finfull. The fame Irregularity may be in others,the fame fin may in itfelfcbe as great in : another that knowes not the Commandement, but :l the knowledge of it,nukcs it to exceed in greatneffe 5 1 G 4 for

87

Ser.1V

1 Tim. 1.1}.

Rom.7.tJ.

That the Nature of man is full of I

Sevl.IV.

Ads St 9-

Rom. 2.?.

J

?. When it is done without Temptation, or withfrnall Temptation.

for when a man knowes the will of God, and yet fins againft it, it is a refitting of the Holy Qhoft^ and fuch fins offend God more,than the fins againft the Father and the Sen, for the Holy Ghoji enlightens, and when one is once enlightned, there is a great contempt againft the whole Trinity • and therefore when a fin is fully againft the HolyGhoft, it is never forgiven. Take heed of this refifting of the Spirit,of this temp. ting of the Holy Ghojl, for fo it is called, Afis 5.9. As any man hath more knowledge,hath beene more inftru&ed, fo it addes the more to his fin, Rom.z. p. Tribulation and angmjb to the lew fir ft, and then to the Greekei for the knowledge of the lew was greater thaathe knowledge of the Greeke: So that as any man bath more light, bee hath fomucb more condemnation, his fin is fo much the more out of mca-fure finfull: they that fin only againft light of nature, their fin isfo much the kfle,becaufe they had but that one Law, and fo not f o much light. The Iewes that had another light above the light of Nature,arefunk deeper into fin than the meerc Naturalift, and fo arc in a more miferable condition • but we that live un. der the Gofpell, fin againft both»he former Lawes, and againft the Gofpell too, which makes our finnes the greater. And this is a Circumltance that fhould much humbleus,asfor generali fins,fo tor particular fins, when they are committed againft knowledge.

A third Circumftance, is, when fins are commit-; ted without Temptation, or with kite Temptation,; but when they proceed mcerely out of the perverfe-neffe of the wil,for when the Temptation i< lefTe 5 the-finne is greater $ Quanta majorwfactkt* ntopeccandil

tantol

all unriolrteoufnejfe and ungodlineffe.

tantb ma]u4pc€Atnm ; When the fault is onely in the wils being amiiTe,it is a iinne that exceeds: and that is the cafe of many naturall men. As for example 3 fup* pofe the will be right, and the afft&ions be well ordered, and the underftanding only bee ignorant, this wc call a fin of Ignorance; and that is a circumftance which rather kffensa fin fimply confidered.Sccond-ly, fuppofe the underftanding be right, and the will well difpofed,but paffion tranfports a man, this is a finncof Infirmity: But when the underftanding fhall informe, fuch a fin is a fin, and no violent paffion be ftirred up to tranlport the foule, but the will never-theleffe chufes it, this I call a finnc wuhout Temptation, and this Circumftance aggravates fin, becaufe there is more will in it,and it is much to have the wil ftirring in a fin: Therefore, #*?£. 1 0.2 d.you ihalfind this expreffion,//W///* wilfuffj after we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaines no more Sacrifice for fin. It is true, he fpeakes there of the fin of Apoftacie, but marke that word, ljwee fin wilfully, that is, if thewillhavemuchtodocinit, whea the other faculties are rightly informed, and well fet, when there is no Temptation, no refinance, it is an ill figne that the fin is out of choice. Ic is true, a man may have his minde fet the right way, and yet a guftof wind may come, and carry him out of the way; but when the wind lis ftill, and the Sea calme, aild there is nothing to.troubie him,and yet he turncs the Rudder the wrong way, and aymesat a wrong haven, hec now finnes out of will and perverfenefle. There arc.many finnes of this nature, as (wearing, when thereisno.TjemptaiiQn^ when the-Vndevftan-

dtftg)

_}9_ Ser.IV.

Difference in finnes.

po That the Nature of man is full of

SebTTv. ^ in § kriowcs ll t0 ^ e a ** n > anc * no § reat a ^ e ^ ion is ftirrcd up, but men will docit becaufe they will doc

it. So, ordinary negkd of the Sabbath, which can iiave no violent Temptation to carry a man to it. So negleft of hearing the Word, and Prayer, (I fpeake nor of fats through infirmitie.) So the favouring of fin in others,as alfo icosnetull and corrupt fpeeches, tending to the difgrace of holineffeand puritic of Conver&tion. Tnefebe fins out of choyce, which a man is not tranfported to, not carried to, through any violence of paffion: It is one thing for a man to fell himfelfe to fin, as Ah&h did,and another thing to b^ fold under fin, as Paul • it is one thing to goe into Captivity, another thing to bee led thither with a kind ofoverrulingviolence;forin fuch cafe the moft upright-hearted man may be mifcarried, when finne (hall get on the hill of paffion, when it (hall have the wind of him y and ftand on the higher ground, hec may bee foiled; but when a man {hall bee on even termes with finne, when it (hall have no fuch advantage, but a man is every way himfelfe, and yet then finagainft God, this aggravates it exceedingly, for hedothitnot out of paflion, but in cold bloud, and out of choice; and when hechufestofin,itis a feare-| full thing. When it is with him, as S.^ugujtine fpeaks ofhimfelfe,who when he had Apples enough, yet out of delight in the aftion, hce would goe to another Orchard and rob that, without Temptation, becaufe he would doe it. So that there is difference betweene a manthatis ovcr-ruled,and overcome out of violence and paffion, and a man that feekes company and occafions, and incentives to whet and quicken

all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinejje,

quicken his Ms, that fo he may have more pleafure and delight in it. Let thofethat are guilty confider this Circumftancc.

Fourthly, finning againfl: Vowes and Covenants made with G o d, aggravates finne ; for G o d hath faid He will require our Vowcs,ii a man have covenanted, God will cither have the thing done, or dfeHewill furely punifhthe party for breakingir,ir is a thing He will not omit. Now befides particular Vowes and Cov€nants,confidef the generall Vowes we cntred into at Baptifme, befides thofe which wee have renewed at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper: Gal.5.3. When a man is once Circumcifed, heeis bound to keepe the whole Law: So he that receives this Sacrament,binds himfelfe in a folemne bond to keep the whole Law: now it is ufuall, that after men have received the Sacrament, we fee no alteration in their carriage; if they were given to fwearingbcfore,they fweare ftill s if they were given to ill company, to vaine and idle courfes, they continue the fame ftiJJ, and thinkethe fin the lame; but they are deceived in thar,for fin after Covenant is greater than it was before. £&;£.'! 6.3 2. Sin is there aggravated from this reafon, faith the Prophet, Thou hajl beene an harlot,as a wife that commits adultery ,• that taketh fir anger sin (lead of her hwband. As if he had faid, Thou art married tomee inholioefie and righteoufneffe, and fo thou playeft the harlot as a wife, and that makes the fin out of meafurcfinfull. And it is true of particular vowes, that you may judge aright of fin, and know the greatnefle of it.

Laftly 5 finne is aggravated from the mcanes you

h->ve

9»

Ser.IV.

4. When it is done again ft Vowes and Covenants.

Galath.j.j,

Ezek.i^.jJo

JL.

SbR. i V.

6. When it is done againft much mcines. Icr.j. *i.

Ier.f.j.

Hof.4.14-

T7*tf ffee Nature'of man it full of

z Chro.36.ii.

have torefift fin, confider how many meanes we en-joy, and yet profit not by them. The mercies of God fhould draw us to Him, God expels a re-turne of that fruit at our hands. and yet (as the Pro-phetcomplaines, ler. 5.22.J Tou have notfaidin your hearts, Let tu fear e that God who gives usthe firft and latter raine, andkeepesfor ut the appointed times of harveft. As if hee had faid, God cxpe&s this at your hands,He gives the firftand latter raine for this end, that you may remember Him, and thinke of Him, and when w£ fay not in our hearts,Let us feare that God that doth this and that for us, God takes it amifle, for His bountifulnefle fhould lead us to repentance; and therefore the defpifing of it muft aggravate fin. So after Corre&ioos (as no man can fay he hath had no corrc&on) a fin is much aggravated. Therefore, lerem. 5.3. it is complained of, I have flrucken you y andyou have not forr owed ^ 1 have wounded you, hut you have refufed to receive correction. As if he had faid, This is it G o d takes exceeding ill at your hands, and it fliewes that your rebellion is come toa great height 5 He hath fmitten you, and you have not for rowed, that is,y ou have not taken the fin to heart, that hath caufed this fmiting.Therefore He is angry, as/y*/?4. I 4* I will vifit your daughters no wore, &c. becaufe the) have not profited by what I have done already: that is the meaning of the place. But chiefly, and of all the reft of His mercies, He will not bearc the contempt of His Word. I will name but one place, 2 Chron.%6. 15. faith the Prophet there, Jrofe early andfent my mefjengers, but how did you carry your {elfe towards them ? Tou mocked my meffengers^ndde-■ : fiifid

all unrighteou/nejfe and ungodlinejje.

^i fed my Word, till my wrath rofe againjtyeu, and there was no remedte. As if he had faid, When a man once comes to this, that when God (hall once fpeake in His Word,(hall declare His truth,(hallmake known fin, and call him home by the Gofpell, but hce (hall negledi ir, take no good by it, not fuffer it to worke on him: Now there is norcmedie.Whatthen * The wrath of God rifes againft him, and then comes deftru&ion, fo that it rifes not the fecond time- fo that as G o d hath (hewed you more mercy 3 fo arc your (ins more. Doe but think what an unrealizable unequal! thing it is, that you (hould take fo many mercies, health and wealth, ffom His immediate hand, and yet never fo much as thinke of Him,ne ver worfliipHim, nor feareHim, nor take His mercies to heart: How many tafte of His goodnefle,and yet continue to defpife Him,and not to bring forth fruit by His Word f which is no fmall thing.

And fo much (hall ferve for the aggravations of (inne.

Now wee will come to take away the Excufes. And firft, every man is ready to fay, Though I faile in many things, yet I hope my meaning is good, I have as good an heart as another man,though I make notfuchafliew.

But I will aske thee this briefe queftion. Whence come thy evill words < &c. are they not fruits and buds that proceed from a fap within i When fparkes fly out of the Chimney top, (hall we not fay,there is a fire in the houfe i If wee fee evill words and anions, (hall we not fay, the corruption is greater in the roor,thanin the branches i

Thou

?3_

Ser.IV.

2. To quicken cur dehres after Chriftjtake away the Excufes of finn*.

i. Excufe.

Good meanings.

guefi. . I

94 Ser.IV.

2, Excufe.

Bundle of nature.

Anfw.

Aggravates fionc.

Macth.i?«i$.

That theNature of man is full of

Thou wilt excufe it, It is my nature, and I hope I (hall be excufcd a and that God will not deale fo hardly with me, He knowes I am flefli and bloud,and the ftrength of mv nature.

Well, I will adde fomcthing to that I have for-merly faid, it being a point hard for us to belecve, and to make ufe of.

I fay, the badnefle of thy nature is fo f arre from excufwg thy fin, thatit exceedingly aggravates it. I have (hewed many reafons, and will now addc thefe foure, and then it will be evident to you.

Fir ft, whereas you thinke your finac is excufable, becaufe of your natures, you muft know it is mod ftrong,and violent,and ftirringthere j for I willaskc you, whence come your fins f It isanfwered,.Af4M&. j 5. 19. Out of the heart comes Adulteries, Fornications, &c. And if out of the heart, is it not thence as from thecau(e,the Principle i Are they not minted there? And is not every thing ftrongeft in theGaufcMf the Dough be fowre, how fowre was the Leaven f If fo much ill be in the fruit, there is much more in the Parents of that fruit.

Secondly, as it is ftrongin the heart, fo it is much more abundant there, that phrafe cxprcfles it fuffici-ently, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpea-keth: As it out Saviour had faid,There is fome evill in the tongue,but it is aboundant in the heart: fo that, take any finfull a&ion, it is a di(h of water taken out of the Sea, or like a drop taken out of the fountaine, for there is an abundancc,a fea of corruption within. Thirdly, confider that fin in the heart is a fpring, and therefore an adual fin,that is exceeding hainous,

all unrighteoufnejje and ungodlinejje,

is not fo much in G o d's fight, as a finfull luft that is in the heart, becaufe it is a Spring, and therefore is vertually more than a great Pond : I fay, vertually more, for it doth more. Take a great vaft fin, it is a broad Pond that vanifhes away as every a<5Hon doth, but a luft within, is fruitful!, it is a fpring of fin, and therefore is in efficacie more.

Fourthly, the laft confideration is nearethis, and that is, fin in the heart is permanent, the poilon of Corruption remaines, the anions pafles,but the fin-full difpofition continues in a man, that when Go d lookes on him, He fees him as an hatefull perfon,He lookeson him, as wee doe on Toads and Serpents, for his very nature is bad, and that continues, and in this regard exceeds fin in a&ion. This I fay that you may make this ufe of it. When you meet with any particular finne which appearcs hainous, let it be as a River to lead you to the Sea. When you fee a fin of covetoufneffe, of vanity, of wrath, of uncleannefle, let that lead you to the heart,and conclude, that you have an unclcanc heart, a contentious heart, a covetous heart,a rebellious heart.This ufe David made of his murder, and upon that occafion he was brought to conceive aright of Originall fin, which perhaps, he never fo confidered before, Pfal. 51.4, In Cm hath mj mother conceived mu^ thegreatnefleofhisfinne made him breake forth in that manner, Agamji thee have lftnned,K\m amazed him, it made him to know what Originall fin was, whereof this was but a fruit, and being the ipringitmuft needs have more efficacie. If a man finde any pride in his a&ions, let him looke to his hearr. it may be G o d hath left him to

fuch

95_

4

Aduall finnes fhould lead us to fee original.

9* Ser.IV.

h i «—• mmm ~ m

aChro.$i$i

Rom.9. XI.

Tliat theNature of man is full of

3. The times are times of

■theGofpell, not of the Law

Ob)e£}.

Matth.j.io.

fuch fals that he may fee what is within; as it was with Hezekiah, 2 Chro. 32.31. For this caufe God left him to try him,that He might know all that was in his hearr,that it might be difcovered to Him what an heart he had. The Apoftie fpeaketh, Rom.g.n^ 23. (a place very confiderable, for it may helpcto humble us) of veffels prepared for honour, and of vef~ fels prepared for wrath, and definition: the veffels be of two forts ;thofe for honour, they have a fafliion pecoliar to them, which when you fee,y ou may fay, this is made for fuch apurpofe, and in other veffels you fliall fee another fafliion, and may fay, This is not a vcffellof honour, but of dishonour. So looke on thy heart, fee how it is framed, and when thou feeft the falhion of itthoumayeft fay, for ought I fee, my heart is framed, and fafliioned to definition. This ufewee (hould make of our nature, it fhould be fo farrefrom excufing finne, that it fliould aggravate it.

The third excufeis -, But wee live in times of the Gofpell, and God is full of mercy, and will not deale with us now, as He did with them in the time of the Law.

Will you make God all Iufticc t I anfwer, and (hew that there is a great deceit in this, out of that phce^Matth. 1 ) .io,Except your righ. teoufneffe exceed the right eoufnejfe of the Scribes and Pharijees, iou cannot enter into the kingdme of God. This is fpoken to them that were under the Gofpell, for He faith, I fay unto you, &c. The meaning is this, The Pharifees did many things, they kept ttieLaw in a great meafure,and thought to be faved by it- but

except

all unrigbteoufaefle and ungodlinejfe.

except you doe more than that, you (hall never be faved. As for cxamplc,in the fequelc of this Chapter He names foure particulars: The Pharifees fay 3 Thoujhalt not kiU^ but that is not enough: I fay, Thou fhalt not be angry unadvifedly. Againe,they fay. Thou jhalt not commit adultery: But I lay, if thou cherijheft any luft, though thou never commefi to a£l it, thou committal adultery, Againe, the Pharifees fay^Forfiveare ( not: But I fay ,S ware not at all,but let your ycajbeyea, I and your nay, nay 5 fir tvbatfoever is more than that, is j evtS. Let them that fweare, #y Faith and Troth, con. fider this. Againe,the Pharilees fay, An eye for an eye, andatoothforatooth. But I fay^TouJhaU doe good to them that hurt you, andblejfe them that curfe you,and except you doe this, (which is more than the Pharifees doc) you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. You that think your condition fo good,becaufeyou have a new Prieft.hood, a new lubile r z time of liberty, I tell you,except you yecld an Evangelicall obedience to all I have now named (which are but fame of ma-ny more) at all times, and in every particular, although you live under the Gofpell, you cannot bee faved, for otherwife the Publicans and Pharifees can doe as much as you, and you muft doc more than men can doe by nature, you muft do fomething that is lingular, and above the reach of Nature,you muft ftrive to perfeftion, labouring to bee like your heavenly Father. So much for that.

The fourth Excufe is. But wee doe many things that willballance our finnes, although we doe fome things amiflc, yet we doe many things well, we give Almes, receive the Sacrament, it may be, wee come

H to

97

Ser.1V.

objeff. 4. Excufe.

The good things we doc, will ballancc the cvill.

iSer.1V-

\*Anfa<

lames 2. i o.

Tlwt the Nature of man is full of

Obytt.

Others arc wojfe.

Anfw*

to Church diligently; and thefethings, in their con-ceit$,ballance their fins 5 and though they finne, yet they aske God forgivenefle morning and evening,and their fins are not fo hainous, as ii they had done no good at all, and for this they thinke God may dcale better with them.

But it is true in this, as in your Law, Stoppage is no payment. When a man doth fomething that God commands, and leaves otherfome undone; let him know God requires a perteft obedience to every Commandement, lam. 2 .1 o. He that ketfes the whole Law 9 and failes but in one, that is, omits onedurjr, be is guilty of all. If that be fo,then every bufli can (top but one gap, you have no more than was your duty. If you could doe fomething fuperfluous, and-riibre than God requires at your hands, it were fome fatisfa&ion. But if there bee other finnes wherein you fpare your felfe, and would have a little more li-berty,you would not be foftraitlaced in this .feeing, I fay, God requires an exa<St obedience to all, all that you doe is nothing. It matters not how much you doe, if you faile in one, though you be carefull ro doe all the duties of new obedience, fo that there js no Gommandementbut thou endeavoured toper-forme it to the full^yet if there be one thing wherein thou takefl liberty, it is enough tocondemne thee.

Againe: But I hope I am not fobadas others. I am free from many fins, wherewith others are tainted ; and I have many good things in mee, that they want. To this I anfwer briefly, and fo will paffe from it: Firft^hou mayeft deceive thy felfe much, in thinking thou art not fo bad as ochers. Art not

thou

all unrighteoufnefje and ungodlinejfe.

thou cut out of the famepeecc,and made of the fame made, the fame clay t Haft not thou the fame nature that other men have * And what is the reafon thow runneft not into the fame outrages that others doe * Not becaufe thy nature is better, but becaufethou art more ttfhained. - A Wolfe that is tyedup,is the fame with the Wolfe that doth all the milchiefe. This therefore know, that every naturall man is re-ftrained by by-refpeds. 'That rule is general!, Rom. 3.1 %.Tkey havtmtthefeAreofG o d befortthtir eyes, when he would have a reafon why the nature of man is fo ba<i, having lpcnt the former part of the Chap* ter in reckoning up the fins to which it is inclined, he gives this reafon, They have not the feareof God before their eyes 3 all are alike intbis,one is not more reftrained than the other. The difference of reftraint is in rega d of outward a&ions, there is no new fpring of Grace in them, as is in the Saints. Againc, for thy V rtues^take heed thou deceive not thy felfe, for tljou mud know there be naturall vertues that imitate chafe which be true, and arc very like them • as the Briftow ftonc is very like the Diamond y y et there is great difference, one is a Pearle, the other is only a Alining ftone: So I fay, naturall vertues may be very like true, burin Cod's fight there is agreatdealeof difference. For example, two men may come to die ; One man is not afraid out ofa ftupidity of fpirir^and on falfe grounds may bee as fecure as another, that hath peace on the beft grounds,and this imitates true faith: So a man that is naturally meeke, may carry it better than one that hath true meekeneffe, therefore it is hard to finde the difference; but if you look

Hi to 1

8.0013.18.

lOO

Ser.IV.

Meant to arme us againft thefc Excufes,

i. The Word,

The fpirit of bondage.

71?at the Nature of man is full of

to the principles whence they come, the matters whom chcy fcrve,you (ball finde,they may be good all the way, but not at the journeyes end, they have anillfcope, they aime at a wrong marke : Let them have what they will; Circumcifion, nor Vncircum-cifion, availes nothing, unlcjfetheybe New Creatures, elfe (^regards them not. Andfomuch (hall fcrve for Excufes.

Now addc this to the reft, labour to aggravate your fin by removing of the Excufes which the nature of man is witty to invent • ufe the ordinance of God which He hath appointed to humble you, and to worke thele things on your hearts, and that is His Word, Ier. 2 3, 29 • & riot my Word as fire, anda4 the hammer that breaks the (lows? The fcopc of the place is to (hew the power of preaching the Word purely, what is the chaffe to the Wheat * You (hall know my Word,and diftinguifh it from the word of men} my Word when it is right, is as a fire which melts and thawes the hearts of men, and as an hammer to breake their ftrong and ftooy hearts; Come to the Word powerfully preached, as it is in its owne nature, delivered in the Evidence of the Spirit as it fhould bc,and it will be a meanes to fofren the heart, and breake thy ftubborne fpirit, as an hammer and fire, not fuffcring thee to be at reft, untill thou coffi-meft under the power of it.

And if with this thou art not fatisfied, goe one

ftep further to the Spirit of GW,thou muft have a fpi-

, rit of Bondage,elfe thou canftexpeS no power. All

thar wc have faid in drawingthis map offinnc, inad-

ding thefe aggravations,and removing thefe excufes,

is.

all unri£oteoufne(]e and ungodlinejfe.

is nothing, if G o d give not a fpirit of Bondage to caufc you to feare, for it is that that makes the Law effe#uall,as the Spirit of Adoption makes the Go-fpell, no man without it can fee finne with afaving, and feeling fight.

B uc how doth it worke this efteft in a mans heart? Not by making him feare GW3S a (lave, for that the Holy Ghost will not doe ; therefore that is not an A ft we can attribute to Him,but my meaning is, The Holy Ghos t by the fpiik of Bondage enlightens a man to fee his fin,and the fentence of the Law^gainft it,and to judge of his eftate with a grie-vou^jdgcment,and when he fees things asthey are, he knowes and fceles the bondage he was in before, though before he felt it nor,

I fay, the Ho i. y Ghost enlightensus,which cnlig!uningdifcovers(ous,andconvincethusoffin 5 and then we lookc on the Law, and there findc, Cur-fid is he that continues not in all theft Commandments to dee them. Then obferving our hearts, and feeing how farre wee are from that rc&itude the Law re. quires, our fpirits begin to feare, like a man in bondage, thatisfhutupinprifon, and in danger of his life: therefore,asforthe Word, fo labour for this Spirit; the Word is a fliarpe fword, but how can it wound us without an arme to handle it t And when you have done that, you will eafily doc the thing I have exhorted you to. doe, that is, you will then come to Chri st, you will not ftand to cheapen the Kingdome of Cod, but you will buy ir, though you givcall you have font, and yet willthinkc you have a good bargaine, y ou will not feeke the King-

H 3 dome

101

SebuIV.

How it v?or-keth this in a man?

!0Z

Ser.1V

GaUt.3.8.

Philip. 3.9.

That the Nature of man is< full of

■

dome of G o d in fuch a lazie, and lax?, and remifle manner, as you were wont to doe^ but will take it violently. And if you come to G o d after this man. ner, if you be driven out of your It Ives, and fee what your owne rightcoufneffe is, that ir will not ferve your turne, and therefore feeke for a righteoufnefle at His hands, you may bee fure Hee will not deny you. You may fee what S. Paul faith, GaUt.3. 8. Thatyou may be aflured,*^ faking you pall obtain, faith he, If an Angellfrom heaven f reach another Go-jpelljr if I my felfe jhould doe itjbeleeve not the AngeQ, \ andletmebeaccurfl: Asifhehadfaid, I haltaiade \ this truth known,that you (hall be juftified by mecre grace, without workes, that you arc to come to Christ with'an emptie hand, bringing nothing with you. If any man now fliould queft ion this Go-fpell, and think to bring fomething of his owne,and will not ftickc to this cleare promife 5 nay, if an An-gell come from heaven and contradict it, let him be accurfed.

This is the true Gofpell, and you may beleeve it. If you can therefore doe as S. Paul did, Philip. 2. p. That reckoned all as droffe and dung, that hee might bee \ found in Christ, not having his owne righttouf neffe of the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, That when you come to fee your condition, you defire the righteoufnefle of C h r i s t with that carneftneffe that he did, when he reckoned all as droffe and dung, even his owne righteoufnefle, which he knew would not ferve the turne. If, 1 fay, thou canft thus goe to C h r i s t , knowing that no antecedent condition is required, but onely thir fling

for

j all unrighteoufne/JeandungodlineJJe.

for Him,being fully perfwadcd chat thine ownc righ teoufneffe is fufficient, and having a favingand firmc knowledge, That mans nature ufuttofallunrigbteQuf-nejfe ar*dungtdline{fe /Christ carinot deny thee, he will receive thee to mercy.

We wili now briefly come to the next point, anS that is this:

There is a revelation of wrath againfi allunrighteouf nejfe of men.

And that is another thing that will humble us,for there muft be two things to doc it $ one is td fee our fins, toknow that thereis no worth, noexcellcncie, no worthint(L at all in us : And thefecondis, to have an apprehenfionotwrathdueforafin, and fo his mtftTy under the famc.l hough a man be neverfo miferable, yet if hee have a bottome to (land on, hee will not goe to C h r 1 s t 3 but when hee fees his ownc nothingneffe, and wkhall, that thewrarhof God hangs over him,(othat he muft finke utterly, and that there is noway tohelpehira, when both the(e concurre, a man is humbled. Men may have one without the other: As the Scribes and Pharifees (O yee Generation of Vipers, who hath warned yon to fit e from the wrath to come?) chey were fenfible of wrath, and had fo much to humble them, but they did not fee that viperous ferpentine evill difpofition that was in themfelves.

Againe, many men may lee their finnes, and acknowledge the infufficiencic of all they have, but they are not fenfible of wrath, Go d hath not char-ged finnc upon their confeiences, nor revealed His wrath-andthercforc theygoe on ina fenfelefle man. . H 4 ner.

103

Ser.IV.

do&.$.

Thereis a Re velationof wathagainft all unrightc-oufneffe of men.

!

There is a (Revelation o fvrath

Ser.IV.

Two things to be obferved.

i.The certain-tic of this wrath.

Proofes of it,

I

Rom.i.if.

4

ner, and are no more mooved with the other than ftockesandftoncs.

Now the fcope of all this being to bring us to Christ: I will runne over a few things, which may from hence be obferved. 1 fay, There is a reve> tit ion of wrath from heaven againfi allunrighteoufneffe. Wherein marke two things.

Firft, the certainty of this wrath, It (hall come on all that are unrighteous : And fecondly, what this wrath is; I will but briefly name the heads, and dif-1 patch the point.

Firft, I fay, there is a certaintie in it, for G o d hath revealed it from heaven, J&?/*m.i 5. They had Thoughts accufing and excufing them 5 the light of Nature told them that they deieived wrath, Judgement ftrucke them with feare.

Secondly, it appeares by experience,there be many fteps, many prints and Feftigia of the wrath of G o b in the world continually.

Laftly, by the Scriptures, Curfedbe every one that continues not in the whole Law to doe it. And as the Law, fo the Gofpcll reveales if, Chris r Jhall cometo judge thefecrets of mens hearts according to my G off ell. Nay, it is an old Truth delivered berore the Scriptures, As vxludes Epiftle,2/w;£preached, Behold the Lor d Jball come with ten thoufands of An* gels^ &c. And if this will not perfwade, we will rea-fon with you a little, for it is not necdlefle to ftreng-i then thefe common truths with reafon, becaufc wee are not convinced of them enough, which is the caufe men live without God in the world.

Therefore confider,if there be a G o d,Hc is not a

negligent,

agdtnjl all unrighteoufnejfe of men.

negligent, an idle, or unaftive God, for ihould he be fuch a God, hee muft either be dead or aflcepe. But God is a living <7<?^and if fo,then the adminiftration of the things of this world is in His hands 3 now in that the maine bufineffe is to punifli and reftraine them that be evill, and to reward them that be good. '

Againe, if there be a God, He will be feared and worfhippedby men; but if Hee would not punifli men for fin,if His wrath could not be kindled againft them, for their provocations of Him, He fhould doe neither good nor hurt: and it is naturail to men to contemnc that that can neither hurt nor profit them • and fo He ihould not be feared.

Againe, ifthere.be any God, He muft needs be delighted in good nefle, He muft needs have acertaioc inclination to that which is holy and right: and if fo 3 then He muft needs hate that, that is evill. If He love light. He muft needs hate darkncfTc, if He loves life, He muft needs hate death 5 and indeed love of good-nefTe proceeds from hatred of evill, and hatred of evill arifes from love of goodnefle^ and if it bee fo, why fhould not hatred be 3&ive,as well as love 1 Therefore, it is certainc there (hall wrath come a-gainfi all unrighteoufnejfe and nngodlineffe of men.

Secondly, what kinde of wrath is this t In this wrath you fball obferve three things;

Firft, there is a treafure of this Wrath, Rom. 2.5, Thou according to the hardnejfe of thy hearty that cannot repent, treafureji up wrath.

Now in a Treafure you fhall finde three things :

Firft, it is anheape, and there is ftillan addition thereto, a man growes richer, and richer 3 faving (hillings

Ser.IV,

a. What trnV Wrath is. Three things obfervable. 1 It is a Treafure. Rom.*.?.

\o6 \

Ser.IV.

Revel l.iO.

Tliere is a %peUt\on of the Vrath

x. The power [of it.

lings and pence, and they (till adde to the heape. So God addes to the hcape of His wrath, as men adde fins, He addcs droppes to His Violl, and when the meafure of our finnes is full, then the Violl of His wrath is full, it is (till encreafing. Let not a man thinkc,that when he is over the fhooes,he can goe no further, for wrath receives addition.

Secondly, Treafures arc clofe,and covered, there being no ufe of them for the prefent. It is therefore faid, Wrath is fowen for the wicked, as joy is fowen for the righteous,it lyes under the ground for a time: Therefore, doe not fay G^isflacke, becaufe you finde no: His wrath prefemly powrcd forth. It is not flacknefle, bur patience : And if you doe of negligence fin, and God markes it nor, but is patient towards you, and (uffers you, know that Hee will not (uffer that patience of His to be abufcd,butfor every houre that you fpend after the commiffion of a fin, without returning to God, you (hall fare the worfe. ReveL 2.2 o. I gave her Jpace to repeat, apdjhe d*dnot 5 What then < Therefore I wtll cafl kr into great tribu* Ution. So that as God is angi ie,and as H«s wrath en-I creafes, fo it lyes hid for a time.

Thirdly ,there is an expence of Treafures, intimt of need they bring them forth,and ufethemjfo doth God partly in this life, when Hee fhallfmire a man withdcftru<5tion 3 that (hall quite fweepe him away, as He did Saul and ludot y partly and fpecially in the life to come, which is called the declaration of the juft judgement of God, that fhall then bee declared, which is now for a time hid. Secondly, as there is a Treafure of His wrath, fo

there

arainft all unrighteoufnejfe of men.

there ij a power of His wrath, Pfalm. po. i u Who khmm the power ef thine anger i That is, ic is not a wroth like the wrath of men, but a wrath that hath mucft power init • fo that looke how much G o d is ftronger than man, fo much doth His wrath exceed the wrath of men. God fliewes all His power in executing His Iufticc on the wicked: Therefore, it is bid, Rom.9.22. What if G o d, witting to jbew His wrath,and to make His power known, endured with much long-fafferwg the vefjels of wrath fitted to deflruttion ? That is, He will fhew His mightie power in puni(h-ing them, as He fliewes the great riches of the glory of His mercy on the Saints. God is knowne by executingIudgement, andthegreatnefleofGoD is knowne by the greatneffe of thepunifliment inflided, and you fhall know Him to be an Almightie God as well in punifhment as in mercy • there is a tran-fcendent power exercifed in one as well as in the o-ther : Therefore it is laid, Whoknowes the power of His wrath ? You know the wrath of a King is great, becaufe he is powerfull • and how much the power ofGoD exceeds the power of a King, fo much His wrarh exceeds the wrath of a King. It is therefore compared to a confuming fire that devourcs all, to the wind that breakes the Rocke in funder, and to an over-flowing River that carries all away with it. Confider God therefore inthegrcatntfTe of His power, for fuch is He in His wrath.

Thirdly, confider the fuddennefle of if, it comes fuddenly on men, and that makes it the more feare-full: If G o d gave warning, it were another cafe, but Hee furprifes men before they be aware. It is

true

107

Rom.?.**,

3. The Hidden* ncfle of it.

■ 1 '■ m 1

io8 Ser.IV.

i Sam.$.it«

Simile.

Simile.

PiOV.l.27,

Tliere is a Revelation of T&rath

true that Damnation flecpes not, but travels as faft as thy f elfc, and will meet with thee at thy j ourneyes end, but men know it not. Therefore, when you fee this to be your cafe: What makes you fecure? You fede it not, you have no lenfc of evill, you live by fenfe, and not by faith. But confidcr, wrath comes fuddenly,which is enough to awake a man our of his flcepe of fecurity 5 for let him thus reaibn. If G o d meant to fave mc, He would give meeno reft in fin 5 for whom Hec intends to fave, Hee affii&s beforehand, that they may not perifti with the world, but thofe that will goe with the world He fuffcrs togoe. That is a terrible faying in the firft Booke of Samuel, the third Chapter and eleventh verfe, fpeaking of Hophni and Phinea* ,hhh God, When I begin, I mil make an end,znd this is the fentence of all the wicked. It is fmall comfort that you are free, it being with you, as with them that be feldomeficke, that when they be ficke, for the raoft part die for it. When all things goe well with the wicked, then the wrath of God comes like an Earth-quake, which by reafon of the winds being inclofed in the bowels of the earth, hath a calme preceding it; and fo there is a calme in mens (pirits, before the Eirth-quake of Gods wrath comes, and then it is as a theefe in the night, who comes when they be in a dead fleepe, andleaft looke for him : After this manner, comes the wrath of God on the wicked, as itisthreatned, Prov. 1. 27. There Jhallcowe on themfudden defolation, and dejtra. fiionjhali over-take them as a whirle-rvind, it fhall fur-prize them on a fudden 5 and this may make them to tremble, when they confider that fin is attended

with

againji all unrighteoufnejfe of men,

with deftru&ion $ when they fin, either God puniflies them prelently, and then there is fmall caufe of joy, for the bitterneffe is more than the pleafure, orelfe He lets them alone, and there is nothing in the world worfe than to thrive in finne, for then deftru&ion will come fuddenly.

The ufe then you are to make of it, is, Firfr, to teach you to fee what fin is, in that it hath the wrath of God iox its Concomitant. We are apt to make a mocke of finne, we are ready to flight fin, and to lay it in the lighc ballance of Common opinion, and not in the ballance of the Sanftuary, and fo we come to be deceived: Therefore this word,i?^^/^,muft be markedjit intimates that we are backward to take notice of it $ except the Z^reveales His wrath from heaven, and take us in hand to convince us of fin, to (hew us our corruptionin its ownecolours, for wee looke on thefe things by a falfe light.

Thinke with your felvcs therefore,what that mud be which God puniflies with cternallpunifliment.See what it is in the punifhmentof Christ our Surety, thinke what that is that brought Gh k i s t from heaven,whatthat is that caft thofe Angels into hell, to be bound in chsines of evcrlafting darkneffe.

Againe, fee it, as you ufe to fee it in the day of Death, for then men are commonly awake, fee how it is thenprefented, if it be not then terrible.

Againe, judge of fin as men enlightned doe looke to holy men how they judge of finne ; And,which is without exception,fee how the Scripture prefents fin with this Concomitant, the wrath of God,zs an evill, and bitter thing. Sec the Prophet uremicjhe fecond

Chapter,

Ser^

Vfe-i.

See what fin is.

Ser.IV.

There is a Revelation of Tbrath

Chapter, and it is certaine that the j udgement of the Scripture is right. And let all this humble you. vfe 2 . Secondly, make this ufc of it, learnc to adde this

labour for a to y 0ur humiliation. As you muft labour to fee maA^od. yourftate, to have that corruption of nature which 1 is inyou,difcovered: So youmuft labour for a fenfe of the wrath of God, which if you get net, you will never be humbled:Labor to ke God Himfelfe in His wrath,looke not nakedly on an ?ffli&ion,but fee God in it. If a man hath a fight of Him, the Creator, it will wholly amaze and humble the Qreature. Eliah was not moved with the wind that tare the Rockes, nor with the Eanh-quake,thoughterrible,,but when God came (though in a fofc voice, yet) the pretence of God humbled him, that made him cover his face with his Mantle.

There bee two kindes of Afflidion, one is that which the Creature is able to bea- e,the other fort is, when God's hand is in it,when th~y are mingled with His wrath.Thefe be like arrowes dipped in venome, that make a deeper wound, and fuch an one as is incurable : when you feele the wrath of God in any af-flidion, let it be but a light apprehenfion ink lelfe, yet when the Lord (hall let it on, and mingle it with His wrath, it will grow infupportable.

Judas before his Treafon thought thirty peeces of filvcr to be a great matter, and that he had got much by ir^buc when God did manifeft Himfelfe,and revealed His wrath a little, fo that hee law God y and had a feeling of Him, (as every manfhallhavcfooneror later) you fee what a condition he was in.

So it was with Bdfhazzer^ It was his feare of God

when

agcunji all unrighteoufnejfe of men.

when he law the Hand, ic was not the hand, but the spprehenfion of God's wrath that railed his thoughts and loofed his loy nes, and made his knees knock one againft the other.

So<W,when he heard the Word of GWby falfe Samuel, it caft him on his face, he cared not for any thing that men did to him, (you know how David defcribed his valour) but when God comes to him, that humbles him.

Confider what it is to have the mighty God of Heaven and Eyth to be thine Enemie, who hath all things at His Command,and if He be thine Enemie, all things fliall worke together for thine hurt, as every thing ftiallt>e for thy good, if thou be in favour, and covenant with Him.

If thou fay,but I feele nothing for the prefent^Re-member, though thou f eeleft it not for the prefent, yet there is wrath laid up for thee,G^hath it in ftorc: Remember God's dealing with them that finned a-gainft Him- Shitnei had committed a fin that in God's fight deferved death ; fo did Adonijah ; fo did Saul and his (even fonnes, that were hanged for breaking their oath with the Gibeonites: You fee how long thefelay, as if God had forgotten thcm 3 but at length He brings them all to death.

He doth not powre out His wrath on the fudden, perhaps thou (halt feele nothing of a long time, but thou art condemned, and when the Gaoie-delivery comes thou (halt be executed, for GW renumbers thy fins. Cains fin lay at his doore, though he faw it not,it was not takenaway^burcontinued, and it not only continued^and kept awake, but it cryedday and

nighr,

Ser.IV.

rfi

Goe to Chrift,

3

Tliere is a Revelation of y>rath

nighr, unto him, untill the eric entred intothe'eares of chc Lord.

The cry offinne is like the cry of an Hireling, to

whom the juft Mafter,whenthe day is fini(hed 3 payes fuch wages ashedeierves : So a (inner, when his time comes, is remembred before God; though wrath hath beene reftrained for a time, yet now it fhallfeazeonhim.

We (hould lcarnc by this to humble our (elves.

And laftly,if wee finde the wrath of Gad, and no way to efcape it, then goe to C h r % i s t : for thefe two things we muft doe:

Firft, we muft have our mouthes flopped, that fo all men may be culpable before Him.

Secondly, we muft be ftiut up in prifon,He (huts up all under finne 3 that the promifc might be to them that belecve; when a man is (hut up under the wrath of G o d, fo that there is no evafion, this will bring him in.

Indeed, if the minde of a man can finde any way to get out, he will never come in to Christ.

But when he (hall not tell how tofcape the wrath of G o d, if he fin againft man, man (hall judge him. but who (hall 5 whcn he fins againft God < If he con-fider the Terrour of G o p's wrath, if he be (hut up, and his mouth flopped, and he left inexcufable, and (hall fee himfelfe a miferable man 5 I fay, this will make him goe home to C h r i $ t.

And that is the ufe you (hould make of it, and be fure He will receive you, if you goe to Him. . Sinne is like the firy Serpenr, and the Wrath of God likethc Sting, when you arc wounded there

with,

againft all unrigbteoufnejfe of men.

with, then know there is no way to be heated,but to 1 cTTT looke up unto Iesus Christ, flie Brazen j . Serpeftt, (and if a man be not wounded, he will not i looke up) God's promifes ate general J, He hath bound Himfelfe in His Wotd,Goe and f reach the Go* £?e& to every Creature y nons exccp:cd s and kt him that is athirft come, and take the waters of life freely. Let thefe drive thee to the Lord Christ, and thou flialt certainly beaccepted, And fo much (hall fervc for that point*

v.!

THE FIFTH

SERMON

FTON

HVMILIATION.

Ro MANS I. I&

For the Tbratb of God is revealed from beaVen agairijl all ungodlineffe and unrighteoufnejfe of men y Ibhicb tyitb-hold the Truth in unrighteouf-nejje.

N D now we have almoft goncthorow thefe words; the laft pan of them re-rnaincs, that is, which mth-hcld the Tru th in unrighuoufneffei

W hereinafter the Apoftle had de-clared the corruption of mans Nature in generall, he now pitches on oneparticular 5 efpecially D that is,iuch

I 2 as

Ser. V,

Ofwith-hol-ding the Truth in unrighte^ oufneflc.

*■*< I

\\6

Tbehejl men before (Reg eneration

Ser.V-

Thrcc ihings coafidcrablc.

generation vvith-hold the Truth in un-righteoufnefle

as withhold the Truth in unrighteoufmjfe . againft whom the wrath of G o d is r* veakd, .

In thefe words, markethefe three things : Firft, that there is a truth which Goo haih written in the hfcansofnaturallmen. Secondly, that this truth is wkh-holden bythem. The word in the Original!, rjfahv™*, fignifies, keeping it in Prifon, it is kept downe, not fuffered to rife up, and (hew ic felfein pratfifeanda&ion. Thirdly, thecaufeof it is, out of love to unrighteoufneffe, or delight therein, that \s y of unrighteous lufts. But we will put all thefe in-to this one Propoficion.

It is the condition of the beft men before regene-Do&r* ration,to rvitb-holdthc Truth in wrightcoufnejfc.Hhix SfH is the point, fml fpeakes not of the condition of fome few, but of the condition of men ia general!. And thefe bee the men againft whom the wrath of God is chic fly revealed, thefe be the men that of all other think themfelves the free civill men, that carry thcmfelves fobcrly, dealc juftly with men, that doe wel in many things,that indeed knowmuch,butpra-dife not according to knowledge: thefe, I fay, be the men againft whom the wrath, &c.

It may be you will obje&herc, That is ftrange, that the more truth is revealed to men, the more knowledge they have, the n&ore morall vertues they pra&ife, the worfer it fliall be with them +

For anfwer to this, you muft know/that the having of this Truth, the beftowing of any of thefe common graces,puts no man into abetter condition. I It is 6td y s worke,and put upon His reckoning onely. ! Indeed the ufing or abufing of them is his owne

worke

Obytl.

Afifo.

"toitb-hoM tbeTruth in unrtghteoufnejfe.

"7 I

worke, and put upon his own reckoning. And therefore in regard he may abufc them,they may doe him hurr. And thole that have much of thefe Truthes, butufethem not, or that if they doc ufe fomc of them, yet doe it for their owne ends, and not fimply for God's glory, areas abominable to God, as thofe that runnc into the greateft outrages. Men that are more civill, are like Wolves tied up, others are like Wolves at liberty. It is true, other men doe more mifchiefe, that is, rhey commir more finfull anions, and confequenrly run into mote guilt, and their condemnation (hall be greater; but thofe that are tyed up, that by civility have their Lufts rcftraincd, are no lefle abominable in G o d's fight thanothers: a Wolfe tyed up is as hatefull to a (heepe, as one that is at large; andfoit is with thefe men, for it is the condition of the bed men, before Regeneration, to mth-hold the Truth in unrighteoufneffe.

Now in this point wee will handle three things: Firft, what this truth is. Secondly, how it iswith-holden. Thirdly, the greatneffe of the fin of with* holding the truth, &C.

For the firft, what this Truth is, you muft know there is a two.fold kinde of Truth.

Firft,a natural Truth written in the hearts of men, to whom the Scripture was never revealed.

Secondly,a common Truth, or common know-ledge, fuch as they have that live in the Churchy but arenotfan&ified.

Thirdly, a f pirituall knowledge, which fan&ifies the heart of them in whom it is 5 the two firft where-j of, naturall knowledge and common knowlcdgc,na-I 1 3 turalll

Ser. V.

Difference be-tweene civill and prophanc men,

x. What this Truth is. A three-fold Truth.

I

Z

nS [ Tbc btftmenkfon'lieg merdthn

I

Ser.V-

i The fubje& of this Truth.

turall men may have.Now the thing we have to doe, is to (bew you what this knowledge here meant is, becaufe the difference is not very appa^enr. Now as to underftand what an accident is, y<m coivfider the fubje&, the Author, and efficient and the extent thereof j foconfider you thefe three things, and then you fhall know what this Truth is.

Firft, where this Truth is: now there is a Truth placed in the fpeculative part of the minde,or under-ftanding,which is that,by which we know and judge aright concerning God and morall vertues, what is good, and what is bad, what is juft, and what is un-1 juft- whereby many men can difcourfe learnedly and clcarely, as Seneca, and TuSy 9 and others of the Heathen 5 in whom, we finde many glimmerings and fparklcs of true light. As we may finde Flowers in the wafte, though the proper place be the Garden. The Church is the Garden of G o »>*s in Canticles, CMy Sifter, wj Sppufi is as a Gardeninclojed: and it is true, thefe Flowers proper \y grow there, and if you will have them, you muft feeke them in the Scriptures, in the Church of G o d : but wemaylikewife finde them abroad,

Secondly, this Truth is placed in the pra&icall part of the underftanding, ?nd that is when we judge of goi>d things to be done, and of ill thingsnor to be done v and that as having reference to God that Judges or rewards: And this is it Divines call Conscience, and it differs from the other.in this, that that judgetb fimply,. whether it be good or bed, but this gives la*ves,and rules,and edicts of lifc.it tells us,this rnuft be done,and this muft not be done: fo there is a

Treafure

.J^ ' .^si

y»ith-bold theTrutb in Unrigbteoufnejje.

l\ 9

Treaiurc firft of fpcculative,then of pra&ical Truth-But befidcs them, there is in the third place, another thing ifluing from both thefe, which (hoots it felfc into the will and affe&ions. And that is it which the Schoole-men call Synterefis, that is, a certaine IncIL nation to that which is good, and a relu&ance to the contrary. There is in naturall men not only a light to know that this is good, or not good, and a Con-kience to di&ate; this you muft doe,or not doe s but there is even an Inclination in the will and affe&ions, whereby men are provoked to doe good, and to op-pofethe EvilL And therefore thcpropofition is true, that naturall men have fomc truthes, becaufe they have this Inclination remaining,even in the worft of them. As the aire though it be darkc in the night, yet there is a little light (thogh it be very little)by which wecariWccrne iomthiog. So that thus far men may go,to know the Truths of G 6 D,to have a pra&icall knowledge of them, to have an inclination to that which is good, and a diflike to that which is e vill.

Secondly, whence comes this knowledge : It comes from Ie sus Christ, thefecondPerfon in the Trinity,/^* i.p. Iohn was not the Light, but He was the true Light, which tnligkneth every man that comes inmhe world: It is He that infufeslight in-to the heart of every man, as Hee is the true good, that makes good • and as it is true fire that begets fire, fo it is true light that enlightens. Iohn was not that Light, neither is any Miniftcrof the Gofpell, for they enlighten only by way of propounding the ob. je&,but Christ opens the understanding, and puts light within, therefore He is the true Light.

I 4 Now

Ser. V.

2. The Author of it, Iohn i. «•

Ser.V.

$. Thtcxteml of it.

Rom.iri*

Rom. 2 i

The befi men bef m^Jgeneration

Now thirdly,for the Extent of this,to know how farreit reaches 5 It cniightens^very man that comes into the world, none is excepted, every man hath a part in this Light* And ifthatbequeftioned, hath every man fuch light, fuch Truths revealed to him, by which he knowes what he ought to doe,ia a great meafure, and what he ought not to doe, the Apoftle proves it by foure Arguments ia this Epiftle (togoe no further for proofe:) Firft^they muft needs know much, for.they have meanes to know it. The invifi. ble things of Go d are madeknowne by the things they fee. The heavens are the woike of His hands, and they declare it, and every man underfiands their language. If we fliould preach in Greekc or Latine, every man, haply, could not underftand us,but their Language every man underfiands.

Secondly, Every matvhath thoughts excufing or accufinghim, faith the Apoftle, Rom.i. 14. which fhewesthathee hath this Light, for that proceeds from Confcience and light,(hewing what is evil,and what is gopdj there isafecretremorfc of Confcience ;a the worfhi,

Thirdly, They doe the things contained in the Law, therefore they fliew the effeft of the Law written in their hearts; they doe many mo-rall things, which fliewes that they have the Morall Law.

And laftofall,\ they judge other men^ they are able to finde fault with the beft, to fpie out what is amiffe in the mod holy man, and be ready to blame him for it 3 Rtm.i.i. Thou w&fhjudgeftjvothr,doefi m thoKcondimmthy fdfc f .All this makes the point

evidert

7t>ith-hold the Truth in unrigbteoufneffe.

evidenr, that every man is enlightncd. And fo you fee what this Truth is, where it is placed, whence it comes, and how f arre it extends.

And now wee come to the fccond particular, to (hew how it is with*holdcn* It is with.holden, faith the Apoftle, out of wrighteoufnejfe, that is,after this manner: When men know that fuch things are true, and that they ought to do them,yet out of their love to, and delight in their unrighteous lufts, theypra-dife not according to knowledge, they havefome light in them, but their darkneflTe will not fuflfer that light to fhoot forth it felfe into their a&ions, into their whole Convention: As it is excellently ex-preflcd in Itbn 1.5,3 place worth your confidering s \?he light Jhone in darkneffe, hut the darkneffe comprehendedit not ; or, the darkndfe received it not. The meaning is this, When Chrift flrinesin the hearts and confeiences of men, there the light ftayes, it goes no further, it is fliut up within the wals of their confei-ences,wkhin the compafle of that one facuky,it doth not (hed it felfe into all the reft of the foule^ therf ore it doth not enlighten the foule,though there be fome light, yet it doth not turne the darkneffe to light, and thence it is, that it is imprifoned,for it is fhut up,and cannot put it felfe forth.

Thus the light in a naturall man is fhut up: As for example, Take the light of a Starre in a darkc nighr, and compare it with the light of the Sunne, the Star will (hew it felfe, and no more, it cannot turne the darkneffe to light, but the light of the Sunne,ttiough never fo little, looke in what meafure it appeares, it Scatters the darkneffe from Eaft to Weft: So there is

light

121

Ser. V.

* How this J Truth is with- j holdcH. [

Iohn 1. f.

Ser. V.

The left men before Regeneration

Mattb.tf.M.

Phil.i.iy.

2 Pet.1.17.

Why men im-prifon the Truth.

^tf/5i>.

light in the mindes of men, which is but as a Starre in a darkenight, which doth not takeaway thedark-neffe ; but if it be a fan&ifying light, it is like the light of the Sunne, notfhut within a narrow com-oafle, but fpreadingic felfe into all the pans of the loule: Or as if a candle be brought into a roome, it lightens all the houfe, but if it be afparkc of fire, it (hewes it felte,and glowes,anddocsno more, it doth not enlighten the houfe.

It is fo in carnall men before Regeneration,all the light they have doth but glow in their breft,(hewing it fclfe there, and making it evident that they have fuch knowledge, but it is not a candle that enlightens all the roome, that enlightens all the corners of the foule. Therefore in Jl/rff.6.22. Christ fpcaksof a fwgle eye • when the eye is right,it makes the whole body fullof light, that is, when the knowledge is right indeed,when the knowledge a man hath is fan-difying, and powerfull, then it enlightens a man round about, that he may fee which way to goe, but if it be a common light, which he termes a double eye, it will not Efficiently direft. Likethofe holy mcnthatthcAporilefpeakesof, P&///.2.15. That {hint as lights in the world, that is, men fee them,thcy looke pn them, but they doe not change their dark-neffe into light $ or like that light fpoken of by Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 1,19. that ftrineth in a da*kc place.

If you will know what is the reafon that there fliouldbealightintheconfciencc, and the mindeof a man; which nevcrthelefle workcth not on the will andaffe<3ions,but is (hut up there.

I anfwer,there is a double reafon: The firft is that

fpoken

Tbitb-hold the Truth inmrighteoufnejfe. i m

fpokenof in 2 TheJf.z.io.'They received the Truth, but not the love of the Truth, and therefore they hate it: Now what a man hates hekeepes offasmuch as he can, it mi*ft not come neare him, for he counts it his enemie,and therefore will not fufferit todiffufe itfelfe into the reft of the faculties of the foule.

Another reafon, which goes hand in hand with this, is, they love darkneffe rather than light, and therefore they are not every way enlightned, for what a man loves, he defires to preferve, "to hedge about, and to keepe fafe: Thus men cannot abide to have darkneffe taken away by any Information or Admonition, for they deiire to preferve it; Rem. 1. 21. Their feoltjh heart was full of darkneffe, thty knew God,^ they glorified Him not as God: Though there was light, yet their heart was full of darknefle, and becaufe they loved this darkntffc,thcreforethey would not have it expelled. As a man commits a filthy a&, or unfeemcly thing, defires to have the light put out, becaufe it is contrary to that which fhould cover and cloake his a&ion: Thus men impriion and (hut up the light, not fuffering it to difperfeitfelfe into their foule.

But in thi$ imprifoning of this light, you muft know all goe not the fame way to worke, for there be thefe foure different wayes of doing it.

Firft, fomc there are which imp, ifon this light meerely by laying it afide, meerely by forgetting ir, byfufferrngittolycftill, and not awaking it when men remember not what they have to do,thty arefo bufied about other thi gs, io transported with plea-fures and lufts, fo occupied in can s, and things of

tl.e

Sebu V.

2 Theff. a xo. They hate it.

Rom. 1.21.

Fomewayes of lmprifoning the Li^hc.

1*4 Ser. V.

The befi men before Regeneration

A&7.P

the world, that^this comes noc into their mmdes, they confider it not.

Secondly, Others with-hold it out of perverfe-neffc of opinion, their judgements are not right,they doc notthinke that fuch things ought to be done, they are not pcrfwaded that fuch an exa& ftri&nefle of holinefle is required, they thinke men may liveaf-ter another manner • and thus they doe imprifoa the light 5 fo doe all Herctikesthatbcleeve lyes, andfo with-hold the Truth.

Thirdly, there bee fome that faile in neither of thefe, they remember the Tfuth well enough, and they have no falfc opinions concerning it, bat they I refill thcTruth 3 as Stephen, Aft. 7.51. fpeakes of fome that refiftedthe Holy Gho/i, that is, when their opinion's right, and they remember it too, but they fup-prefTeit, they keepe itdowne,they fufTer it not to come forth, out of their love to unrightcoufneffe, to fome luft wherein they arc refolved to plcafe themfelves.

Laftly,there be fome that imprifon the Truth,not out of any of thefe three refpe&s, but becaufe they | mif-apply ir,men that know it,that have no perverfc heretical! opinio»s,that like wife doe not refift it,that make not warreagainft it, that doc not rife in rebellion againft it; but yet when they come to the point, out of falfediflin&ionsand cvauons which they have invented, they wreft the rule of Truth, they bend it too much to their owne particular affe£ions, and practice • though they know the Truth in gencrall, yet in particulars they feekc to evade it, and faile in applying ir. As for example, Men doe not thinke

Sabbath-

Tbith-hold the Truth in unrighteoufneffe. | 12?

(fcaking good, but now the qutftionis, S*r V lea&ionldoeatfuchatimebe Sabbath-

Sabbath

whether the

breaking or no i Here they finde a diftin&ion to put

ic off-, fovaine Company, I know,is to be avoided,

but whether this be ill Company is all the queftion.

All thefe wayes men arc laid to imprifon the Truth.

And fo much for the fecond particular.

The third thing we propounded,was to (hew how great a finne it is to with-hold the Truth in unrigh-teoufnefle, and that will appearfcfrom hence.

It is that which brings the greatfft Condemnation of any thing elfe • This is the condemnation> lohn 3. that light is come into the world, and men loved darke-mjfe better than light: As if he had faid, there be o* ther things for which Cod will puni/h men, but this I above all the reft deferves condemnation, it brings ' grcat,and iwift condemoation, that light is come in-to the world, but men,c^. That is, when men fliali be informed, when God fhall rev:alcHis Truth,fo that His light glares in their eyes, and they cannot but fee it, and yet they love darkenefie more than light, this puts men into farre worfe condition, than if they were altogether ignorant of the Truth. Elfe why fhould Peter fay, It hadbeene better they had ne-verknownethewayofrighteoufneffef They fhall pe-rifh that be ignorant of thefe Truths, and of the degree of them, but at the day of Iudgement it fliali be a great deale harder with them that know and doe not pra&ife them: As ler. 5.4. Surely, fayes t he Pro-pha^theiareapooreandfoolijh people, they know not the wayes oft he Lord, nor the Iudgement of their God: I They fhall therefore perifh -but then there is an

other

3

How great a finne it is to with-hold the Truth in un-righteoufneiTe.

It brings great-eft condcmna-| tion.

lohn $,

ler, f.4.

Ser. V.

The left men before Regeneration

t

It provokes Gods wrath.

Hcb.j.^to,

lohn j. ult.

other Generation that know God:/ mil get mee to the great men that have knowne the wayes ofG od, but thefe have altogether br oken the yoke ,andburjt the bonds: \ That is, thefc be the men with whom G o d is mo^ angry, upon whom this condemnation (hall fall hea- j vie,that know the Iudgcmcnt of their G o D,and yet brcakc Mis bonds, that know, and doc not pra&ife. Secondly, (to goeno further than this place) The wrath of Go x> is revealed from Heaven, but againft whom? againft thorn thatwithholdthe Truth in un-righteottfnejfe: That for which G o d is angry, for which His wrath is revealed againft men, in a fpeci-all manner muft be a finne. It is true He will punilh other fins,but thefe words are not here ufed in vainc, for they that doe thus finne out of contempt, and amongftmen, a fin out of contempt kindles wrath-in like manner, they that know God's will, but pradife not according to knowledge, provoke G o d's wrath againft them. An excellent place for this, isT/f^.9,1 o. you (hall finde this the cafe of the people, When they knew not God at all,or but a little number of them^ Gob bleffed them all that time, but when Hee had revealed Himfclfe fully to them,and had endured them forty yeares, when they tempted Him, proved Him, and faw Hisworkes, then He fa art in His wrath that they flould not enter into His reft* His wrath was then kindled, and that in fuch a meafure, that Hee entred into iuch an oath. Now when God takes an oath, the decree is peremptory, and never to be reverfed ; and that is the condition of them that with-hold the Truth in unrightcouf-ntttc^The wrath oj God abides onPhem,loh.$ ult.

God

"frith-hold the Truth in unrighteoujneffe.

God may be angry with His owne children, as a father is with his fonne, but His wrath abides not on them, He takes them to favour againe; but they are in a miferable condition,on whom the wrath of God remaines. And confider what His wrath is; The violence of a Lion is terrible, the wrath of a King is grear,but who knowes the power of G o d's wrath? And therefore fince the wrath^^^^D (hall infuch a manner bee revealed againfi Jfm^jff with hold the Truth inunrighteoufmjfe: You-^yipoother Argument to fliew that the fin is great™

Againe, one Evidence more is in this very Chapter, that is from the kinde of punifhment,for punifh ments, you kno w,where the Iudge is juft, are accor. ding to the meafure of the fin. Now marke, God punifhes this with giving them up to a reprobate fenfe$ For this caufe (faith the Apoftle, Rom. 1.26.) G o d gave them up unto vile affettions: And afterwards in the eight and twentieth verfe, As they regarded not to know God, even fo, or therefore, God delivered them up to a reprobate minde: that is 5 a minde without knowledge, an injudicious minde D that cannot judge of things* And looke in all the Booke of God, among all the Armies of forrow,there isnor any like this,to be given up to vileaffc<aions,to lufts, to an injudicious minde in matters of GW,and things belonging to their falvation.This punifhment fhewes the grcatnefle of the finne, but men flight this 3 as it is the greateft judgement, fo it is the lead felt ; men lye at reft, they arc caft into a dead fleepe, but it is like the fleep of them that have crazie braines,they wake inafrenzie, fo thefc (hall wake in an horrible afto-

. nifiiment,

127 Ser~v7

3

Froca the kind of punishment, Rom. 1.16.

Ser. V.

rfe i.

To humble us.

Rom. i. p.

77;e hejl men before Regeneration

nifhmcnt, their fleepe is f uch a calme, as will end in a tempeft,and fuch a temped as (hall never be blowoe over. Therefore, let no man blefle himfelfe in (his, I feck noae of thefe things,for thou haft the grcaceft judgement on thee, whenthou feeleftit leaft. And fo much for the three things I propounded to you, what this Truth is, how it is with-holden, and the greatncfle of tteAra: now wee will come to make ufeofit. V*

And the firf^fewe are to make of it is that which is the maine fc^rof the Apoftle here, and that for which wee pitched on thefe words, and that is to humble us, to learnc to know our felves, to know in what condition we are, for the Truth 4s rcvealedto us, but we with-hold it in unrighteoufnefle. This Truth that (hould rule in the hearts of men, that (hould be as the fupreme govcrnour in the foule, of which it may be faid,as it is laid of the Peace <&God> Let it rule in your foules, that whereby men (hould be a<2ed,is by men imprifoned,Therefore,2taw.2.9. the Apoftle dcnouncah,Triltulation and anguijh upon every one that difobeyes the truth : Intimating that Truth is our King, that (hould governc and rule in our hearts • now when men difobey it, nay, goe further, imprifon this Truth,it is as when menimprifon cheir lawfull King,or fervants their Mafter,and they runne riot,and at liberty in the meane time. And this is our cafe 5 we doe with it,as children doe with their M afters,.we defire to be rid of it, becaufe it watches over us, and fo we grow enemies to it. And this is no fmall finne,for it weconfider whence this comes who puts it into our hearts, it will appearc bainous 1

"frith-hold the Truth in unrighteoufneffe

by the Law of man it is death to killchildren that arc begot by man, but this Truth is begot by the Hol y Ghost, it is put in by the Spirit of Go d • and to extinguifh this Truth, nottofufferittolive, not to nourifli it, not to bring it forth, is the great fin of all. Even the Heathen (hall rife in Iudgemenc againft Chriftians for this,who maintained the Veftall fire.' becaufethey conceived it to come from heaven,they for that caufc never luffcred it to goe out. But this Truth is a fire which came from heaven, a fparke put into the brefts of men to guide their feet into the way of Peace j when men (hall extinguifh this Truth, let it goe out, and not maintaine it, the Heathen fliall rife againft them in judgement $ as the men of Nim-vth fliould rife up againft the men of that Generation among whom Christ lived. Wee arc wont to take care of precious things, confiderthcprcciouf-ncficof this Truths what is precious we will not be willing to deftroy, as the Prophet faid of the bunch of Grapes, Deftroy it not> for there is 4 blepng in it. And what doe you thinke of this Truth? Is it not a precious thing i Yea, it is the chiefe thing in a man. In a (hip a wife man will have an eye to the rudder, for that turnes all the reft of the body of the fhip. Of all things in our felvcs we looketo our eyc,thc guide of the body 5 fo we fhould learne to watch, and bee tender over this Truth, as over our eye, for the one j is the light but of this life,the other is the light of the foule to cternalllife. In Mkah 3.6. It is threatned as a great Iudgemcnt, when God (hall turne their Vifions into night, and their Divinations into darke-neffe, when the Sunne fhall goe downc on their Pro-

K phers,

Micah, $.6.

The bejl men before Regeneration,

Phets, and the day (hall be darkeonthem, and will you bring this lodgement on your felvcs* They that are guilty of this, that have not uled this Truth, bur imprifoned it, and laboured as much as they can to caufetheSunneto goedowne, and rife no more, to turne the day into night, let them confidcr what the fin is; when you reade the ftory of the Kings, and heare them faying to the Prophets,?™/^/* »^,im-prifoning them, as Ahab did Micaiab, and flaying them, as Icafh did Zccbariab, you will little thinke you are guilty of the fame fin: but when this Truth comes as a Prophet from God, and tcls you, fuch | and fuch things ought to be done, and fuch and fuch evils ought to beabftained from,and you fliall defire it to be filent, and (hall fay,Prophecie nor,when you (hall not differ it to fpeakefreely, I fay, your finnes (hall be asgreat as theirs^therefore learne to confider of it, and be humbled for it: men are wont-to thinke their condition better,bccaufethey know more than others, but it is quite contrary, for nothing aggravates fin more than that. It is an extreme folly in men, whentbey cannot deny the fa<ft,they flight the faulr, and will not acknowledge it. It was Adam's fault, when G o d came towards him, hcefled, and hides his fin; and it is the fault of all Jdam's pofteri-tie. But let men know, that the quite contrary way is the way to Salvation. It is not with G o d, as it is with men > among whom confeflion makes way for condemnation 5 for, with God, confeflion is the way to Salvation. Therefore be not unwilling to examine your felves, confider how much you have, knowne, what truthes have beene revealed to you.,

Doe

Dtith-hold the truth in unrighteoufnejfe.

Doc this with one cye 5 with another eye looke on your lives and fee how fliort your practice haj/i been of your knowledge, come willingly,and if you con-fefle, you (hall be forgiven. This will drive you out of your fclves, it will bee your Schoole-mafter to bring you to C h r i s t . They tha: carry this light inadarkeLanthorne, that rakethefe fparkes in the afhes, that as they would not have others fee what they doe, fo neither would they have their owne Confciences take notice of it that will finne, let men fay what they will 3 that live foofely,that either heare not, or regard not what they heare,let them confider it, for they doe in a fpeciall manner imprifon the Truth, they with-hold it in unrighteoufneffejlabour to know the fin,y our miferablc conditioned learne to be humbled under it.

A fecond ufe we may make of this,is from hence to difcerne the condition of thofc men which are miferable,but fee not t-heir mifery •, that are neare the Kingdome of G^but not in it: Men that are meere-lycivill, that heare much, and doe much, and goc farrc, keeping their lights burning till the very point of the Bridegroomes comming, and for want of a little more oyle arc excluded -> as Ananias for a little refervation loft all $ and the young man in the Gof-pell, that kept all the Commandcments of the Lord from his youth up, that came within a ftep, but never into themountaine of the Lord. This is a race many mi(Teof,asthe Apoftle, 1 Cor.p. fpeaking of many running in a race, fayes, Many run, kut all obtain not, that is, there is a company of men runne in the wayes of God % as well as the Saints $ both runne,

K 2 both

Serm.V.

Vfti.

Sheweth the mifery of thofc men that are near the king-dome of God. but not ia it.

»3*

The bcjl men before regeneration,

Their mifery i in three

chinas*'

i. The good chings, that che^ave^doe chem no good

I

I They are the worke of the Spirit. Hcbr. 6.

I

q * y both doe very much, if you looke on the wayes they 1 goe, you (hall fcarce finde difference in any outward a&ion that they doe, yet, many obtaine not 5 and why t they eyther run not as they ought,orelfc they hold not out to the end: Jmaziahznd loajb ran long, almoft to the end of the race, but becaufe they con. tinued not faithfull to the death, they received not the Crown of life: thefe be the men that corac nearc the Kingdome of Heaven, but never enter into it. And the (cope of the Text fcrves to difcover thefe men; when wee heare therefore that there is fuch a generation^concernesevery man to defireto know hiscondition, left he fhould be of that number 5 for that caufc we will fpend this ufe in difcovering thefe three things: Firft, that the good things that thefe men have in them doe them no good. Secondly, that they doe them much hurt. Thirdly,I will fet downe how farrc they goe, and yet how farre fliort they be of that which is proper to the godly.

Firft, I fay, the good things in them doe them no good,for they are the gifts of the Ho l y Ghost, and fhall bee found to the praife of the H o i y G h o s t, and not to their owne advantage at all, they are not their owne, but the workes of the Spirit within them. Hcbr. 6. the Apoftlc fpeakes of men

ienligktmd, and that have tajttd$f the gift of the H o-l y Gh os t, that is, there be gifts that the Ho i y Ghost puts into their heart, as we lay flowers in the window, which doe not grow there,or as fome Out-landifti fruit which is brought over, but it will not grow in our Countrey, except the foile be altc* red, and changed, it will not thrive there, nor bring

forth

"frith-hold the Truth in unrighteoufnejfe.

??

forth fruit to any purpofe: So though thefe things be in them, yet they are not theirs, neither (hall they be to their owne praife, and advantage.

Againe 3 they cannot do them good; becaufc they doe not make them good; theydoenot as Divines fay, rednndare inferfinam, they make not any mans perfon better 5 thoughja man,not yet trucly regene-rate,have never fo many excellent things in him, yet his perfon is never the better for them* As we fay of godly and regenerate men,though they commit evil, yet their perfons are good in Cod's fight. God fees their evill,but He fcowres them by afflidion,and He hates theevill, but loves the perfon, which fhewes that the perfon is not accounted evill 5 for if the perfon were evill,He muft needs hate it. On the other fide, they that have received common Graces, though they have gone far, yet theirperfonsarenot the better,but the fame: and there is good reafon for ir, for it is not the perfon that doth the good thing: But as S. Paul byes of fin, It is no mere I that do it 7 but fiatbat dwels in mefo they may fay,It is not I that do it,but the good that is in me: therefore it is reafon it fhould not doe them good, when it makes not their perfons good,but leaves them the fame notwithftan-ding So that it may bee faid of the good things in thcm,as is faid of beauty in an evil woman,or as of a Pearle in a S wines fnout,the things be good and pre-cious, the Pearle is a Pearle indeed,yct not withftan-ding they may be evill women^in whom beauty^and Swine in whom the Pearle is found. So you fee the firft, that though a man have excellent things in him I before regeneration ,yet they (hall doe him no good.

K 3 Secondly J

Ser.V.

2

Theymakc chem not good.

**4

Ser.V-

». They doc them much hurt.

The be ft men before Regeneration

Their finncs arc the woi ke aggravated.

2

Theycrotfe Godsend.

Secondly, which may make every man looke 2-bout him, and to confider with feare and trembling, if it bee not his owne cafe: If a man (hall have thefe Truths revealed,but he (hall either let them lye ftill, andruft, or if he bring them to atfion, fhallchecke and curbe them, and not ule them as he fhould, they (hall encreafehis condemnation.

And that maybe made evident from hence, the finnes fuch men commit are augmented and aggravated, from hence they are committed againft more light, and the more their light is than others, the greater their finne is than others. Therefore that is to be marked, Rom. 2. p. Tribulation and anguijh on every feule that doth eviU y to whom ? To the lew fir ft, and then to the Grecian 5 Markc if, They that doe evill are of two forts, lewes or Grecians. Icwes* were they that knew and were acquainted with the Law, and the Grecians were ignorant of it -therefore Tribulation fliall be firft, and in greateft meafure on the lew • (o that their knowledge aggravates their finne: it had been better for them that they had not had the Truth, that they had never heard of the Gofpell of C h r 1 s t, nor been acquainted with the wayes of G o D,becaufe when they have light, and fin againft if,the more light they have,the more refinance there is, and fo the more inexcufable they are 5 and the more inexcufable they be, the greater is their finne.

Againe, thefe men of all other are moft apt to re-lift GoD,torefift Christ and His righreouf-ncfle,and that doth exceedingly encreafe their finne, becaufetheycrofle God in His chiefeftend, and that muft needs make their finne great-and that they

doc

t

Tbith-hold the truth in unrigbteoufneffe

doc more than others, for G o d's chiefccnd is to have C h r i s t's righteoufneffc revealed, but tbefe men have a conceit of their ownc righteouf-nefle, regard it not, and to re fift God. What elfe isthereafonof that in Luke j$. i. There retorted f<? Him (faith the Evangelift) Publicans and fiwers, but the Pharisees murmure at Him. What is the meaning of that i It is as if he had faid; they that were righteous more than others, that were in all their Con. verfation unblameable, that did more good, and ab-ftained from more evillthan others, thefe men did not come to Christ, for they thought them -felves in a reafonable good condition already. But the Publicans and finners retorted to Him. So thefe menfhat have many good things in them, wee have moft adoc to drive them out of themfelves, and to bring them to C h r i s t ; to that they that refift Christ's rightcoufncfle,whichis Go d's chiefe end, muft needs doe themfelves moft hurt.

Againe, they in whom God's Mice doth moft appeare, their condition muft needs be moft mifera-ble-but to it is with thefe mcn,they that areacquain. ted with His will, and doe it not, in them at the day of Iudgement His Iuftice (hall moft appeare: Other-wife to what end did God fend the Prophets i Why fent He Ifiiab, and Ezekiel, &c. It was not onely to convert men, to winne their foules,to bring them to Salvation. What then * To cleare His Iuftice, and to increafe their condemnation. How was that done < By making knownethefe Truths,that knowing them, and not pra&ifingthem, their Condemnation might be greater. Sowc Minifters come not

K 4 onely

'35 Serm.V

Gods Iuftice appeares moft on them.

Sehm.V.

- " -*.

The bcftmen before regeneration, I

onely to convert the foules of men, not onely to build, but alfo to plucke downc; not onely to open the hearts of men to belcevethe Truth, but to harden mens hearts to hate the Truth; not but that wee longforthefalvationof men, and that the proper end of the Word is to fave men, but the ufc they make of itferves to encreafe their condemnation: So that the more Truth is revealed, if it be not pra-difcd accordingly, the greater is the finne.

Againe, thefe men are of all others fartheft both from Iuftification and San&ification, this Truth puts them farther offboth: I fay, the more know. ledge is revealed, the more they are acquainted with the my fteries of Salvation, if they precifely anfwer it not in their life, they are further than othewmen from Iuftification, becaufe, as I laid before, they thinkenotthemfelvestobeas other men^as the Pha-rifeefaid, / am not as ether men, or as this Publican: Therefore fayes Chrift,7fo Publican went to his houfe \uflifed rather than the other.

Againe, they be further from San&ification than others, for they be wife in their owne eyes, and will carve out their owne wayes, they are not willing to refignethcmfelvrs to Go d, they chufc wayes of their owne, thinking the Word to be foolilh, and common^ for the more the knowledge, the ftronger is the refinance, and therefore they are faid to con-rend with the/Truth, Rom. 28. To them that are contentious, andobey not the Truth. The meaning is. Men that know much, that are much enlightned,but not truly fan&ified, they quarrell with the Truth, they except againft it, they have many things to al.

leage

y>ith-bold the Truth in unrigbteoufnelje.

leage againft the wayesof God, the refiftanceis

ftronger in them than in others,they arc contentious

men, that is, not men that contend with men, nor

fimply with GoD,but they contend with the Truth,

not onely in will and affections, but in their under-

ftandingsalfo,menreafon againft it, and therefore

are apt todifobcy the Truth, and fo of all others

furtheft off from San&ification, they will goc their

owne courfc, and will not be taught. So'you

fee the fecond thing, That the good

things that are in thefe men

doe them much

hurt.

_!1L

Serm.V.

THE SIXTH

SERMON

f<pon HVMILIATION.

Romans i.i$.

For the "frrath of God is revealed from heaven againft all ungodlinejje and unrighteoufnejje of men, "frhkh "frith-bold the Truth in unrighteouf-nejje.

O w to come to that which remaines, which is the third thing, that is 5 to let downe how farre thefe men may goe, and yet how tar they fall fhort ofthat which is properto the Sdnts that fhall bee laved. And thus

farre they may goe,

Firft,

Ser.VL

J. How farre they goe, and yet how farre they fall fliort ofthat which is proper to the godl/.

In inli^htning

In their Confcience.

In common gifts.

The beU men b fore regeneration,

Firft, they may be enlightned to underftand all che Truths of G o d $ there is no Truth we deliver to you, but an unregencrate man may underftand it wholly, and diftin&ly, and may come to fome mea furc of approbation,!^ may be well acquainted with the myfteries of Faith and Repentance, foas he may difcourfe thereof better than many that have the things indeed.

Secondly, not only fo, but hec may have a Con fcience that fliall doe its dutie in many things, hee may make a Confcience of many duties,as you (hall findcof divers in Scripture, who notwithftanding .. were not fan&ified. When God fent Rehoboam chat mtffagc,not to goe to warre zgainlileroioam, know-ing it was G o ds command, he made confcience of obeying it, and likewife for fome yeares hecferved the Lord. So when the Lord would have Amaziah fend backe thelfraelites, hee durftnot difobeythe voice of the Lord, although if hec had looked on all probabilities it might have ruined him. So Abimclcd durft not meddle with Abrahams wife, when Go d had given a. charge tathe contrary*. So Balaam in many things reftrained himfelfe, and would not doc bur as the Lord commanded him: So that an unre-generatc man may kc£p a good confcience in fecrer, i when no man fees it or knowes it.

Thirdly,he may not only have his judgement en-I lightned, and his confcience enabled to doe its dutje ; in many things,but likewife he may have many common gifts planted in his will and affedions,many excellent morall vertues of Iuftice, and Temperance, andPatience,and inthefe he may many times exceed

the

Tfrkh-hold tbeTruth in unrighteoufnejji

the godly, as many times Blazing-ftars goe beyond true Scarres for light* fo may thefe exceed the god-ly in outward appearance.

FourthIy,there is not only all this wrought within them, but they doe many times exprefTc it in their a&ions. Come to their lives, they are able to doe many things; as it is faid olHcrod y k heAtdlohngUd. ly, and did many things: So the fecond and third ground, as they knew lomething, fothey pra<3ifed according to their knowledge. In their performances they may not come fhortof any of the godly, and may for a long time have as faire, fpecious, and probable fhewes of goodneffeas any.

Fifthly and laftJy, they may goe thus farre, they may have two men in them, as well as regenerate men, one that contends for the Truth, the other that refifts it. And what ftronger figne is there in regenerate men, to evidence their regeneration, than this Contention bet weene the flefhand the fpirit? Yet this may be found in them, there may be ftrong In. clinations to that which is good, and a rcfiftance of it. This Truth may lye in their breft, as a fire that would rife, and breake our, but much quencb-cole, and wet ftuffe within may keepe it downe ? fo that there may be, and are two men in the civill man, as well as in the regenerate.

Now to (hew how farre they fall fliort of them that be truly fan&ified. Firft, in matter of light and underftandingthat they have, you (hall finde a double difference.

Firft, though in the Truths they know they goe exceeding far, as I have fhewed you, yet in this they

fall

Serm.V.

4

In their anions.

In their Con.

i. How farre they fall lliort.

In light and Hidcifian iig, In two things

Sbr. VI.

They under-Hand not Gods fee rets.

The heft men before regeneration,

i Cor. z 14.

1 Pet. 4.4.

fall fhort,that they underftand not the lecrets of God. There becertainefecrcts which God reveales to none but to them that feare Him : There is fome-ching in thefe Truthes that civill men doe not under-(land. Confider that fpeech fpoken by our S a v i -ourw lerufalemfi Ierufaltm that thou had/1 knowne the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hid \fromthineeyes! What was hid from them i Not the things themfclvcs (imply confidered, for they were fully revealed, Christ himfelfe Preached there, there wanted no light tofhine to them; yet it was hid from their eyes, that is, there was a certaine fecrer, which, if G o d had revealed, it would have perfwaded them to have turned to Him effe&ually, but that was hid from their eyes, and fo they were firangers fromtheiife of God. So the life of holinefle and religion thefe men underftand nor,there is.fome-thing fpirituall which they cannot comprehend. Their light goes as farre as it may; when a man hath a natural!, a common light, it will apprehend common objc&s, fuch as are futable to it, it apprehends ; but that which is fpirituall, it cannot reach unto, of natural! wan under ft andeth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are spiritually difcerned, that is, the very thing wherein the Image of (S^confifts, wherein true holinefle exprefleth it fclfe, they doe not underftand. Therefore it fcemes a ftrange thing to them (as in i P^.4.4.) that others runne not inro the fame excefle of ryot. It leemes ftrange, ( now marke that word) nothing feemes ftrange, but when a man is ignorant of its caufe, is not acquainted with ir, and thcrfore he is ftil! finding fault with ir.Therc-

fore^

f / "frith-hold the Truth in unrighteoufnelfe.

fore, unholy men have a light that reaches to common Iuftice, and to a common care of ferving God, to common morall venues, and to an upright behaviour to men, but further they cannot go,they know not what it is to be exaft, and ftrid in allthirgs, and that is the firft difference, they know not the fecrer of God, they may goe thorow the whole courfe of Divinity, and bee acquainted with all the myftc-ries of Salvation, but that fecretof His they under-ftand not.

Secondly, there is this difference in the things they doe know, they know them indeed, (I fpeake ofthemthey*doeknow, that are within their owne Sphere, their owne compafle) but they have not the favour of what they kno w,that is it w hich the Scripture cals7$ pp»'wpoF,thc favour of thei'e Truthes rhey want, and therefore they receive the Truth, but not the love of the Truth; they doe not relifli ir,they apprehend it not aright,and for that caufe they praftife it not. You have them excellently fet downe in Iude 14. they fteake evill (fayes the Apoftle) ef the things they know not. You fee there be fome things they know not, and therefore they fpeake evill of them: And what things they doe know, as beafts without reafon in them, they corrupt themfdves, that is, they doe nor pra&ife according to their knowledge, though they are acquainted with the wayes of Cod in thatmea-fure,thar they know they ought toafaftain from thefc andthefeflnnes, yetinthefe things that they know naturally they are corrupt: So you fee the difference betwecne them and the truly regenerate^ matter of

undemanding,

_l 4 i_

SER.VL

2 They relifli not what they know.

Tude 14,

Secondly.

In their Con fciencc.

Confeience good in two refpect*.

Note.

the befl men before regeneration,

Secondly, (tokcepe the fame method I did in the other) for matter of Con(cience,you (hall findc this difference, and in this they fall (hort. Though they doc make confeience of many things, notwithftan-ding they have not a good Confeience 5 for, Confeience is good in two refpc&s • either becaufe it wit-neffes good to us, and fo we commonly ufe it, or as it is fubjc&ively good , and fo the love of Cod is good, and the fcare of God is good, and in this they have not a good Confeience: for it is required that the confeience be inherently and fubje&ivcly good, that a man make Confeience not out of flavifh fcare, but out of willingnefle, as a chaftcwifedefiresto pleafe her husband, becaufe (hee loves him, fliee is loth todifpleafe him,willnot lofe his favour for any thing, and therefore (hee obferves him exa<31y 5 and will not offend him, when the Confeience (lands in this reference to GW, it is a good Confeience. On the other fide, let a man make Confeience of never fo many things, yet if it be out of feare, as a fervant feares his Matter, or as theTheefefearestheludgc, his Confeience is not good. So that the civill man cannot bee faid to have a good Confeience in the things they abftainefrom,out of Confcience,becaufe :hey doe it not willingly, but as of ncccflitie. Now ill (Wlookes to, is to have what is done, done wil lingly, and therefore it is no wonder that Divines givcthisas afure rule thatdefire isa fignefure enough of Grace.- If a man hath a true defire to pleafe GW,it cannot deceive him, for the defire is more than the deed, as Saint Paul faith in 2 Cor. 8.10. In matter of giving, Ton have not only bant read) to doe, but to willy __________ and\

TbithJbold the Truth in unrighteoufneffe. | 145

and to be forward-, as if the will were more than the' Srr~vT~ deed; and fo it is indeed. A man may performema- * ny a&ionsof Religion, abftaine from many fins,re-forme his life in many things, but it is another matter to defire to pleafe God, according to that of Ne-hemiah 1.11. Let thine eare he attentive to the prayer of thy fervants that defire to fear e thy Name: there is none but the fervants of God that defire to feare him. If others be asked whether they could not be content there were no Law to reftrainethem,thatno ne-ceflitie of holineffe lay on them • they will anfwer, they could defire that there were none 3 thatthey were at liberty; and therefore when they make conference of any thing, it is not out of willingnefTe, but out of a flavifh feare ; though it be out of Confidence, yet the Conscience is not good, and in this refpeft they fall /hart.

Thirdly, for matter of morall vertues, they may have many excellent vertues planted in their hearts, w ch are the gifts of the H. Ghofo for the H. Ghofi not only enlightens the underftandings of fome that flial never be faved,but alfo places many gifts in their wil and affe&ions. But this defeat they have, they neither come from a right Principle, nor tend to a right end, they come from no higher a Well-head than Nature, they be common to them that be onely natural!; and therefore it cannot be proper to them that (hall be faved. I fay, Nature is able to bring forth thefe vertues, even as the earth (for that fi-militude tviilexprefTeit) is able to bring forth two things, Weeds^and Grade : You know weeds are unprofitable, and many of them hurtful!, but grafie

L is

3

Moral vertues*

Simile.

sliTvL

The beft men before Regeneration

4

Tna&ions. Intworc-fpetfs.

I Thye doc not all.

is good and ufefull: But Corne and Flowers of the chiefeft fort the earth cannot bring forth without plowing and Cowing-fo it is with mans nature.Take it as fecluded from grace,itis able to doet wo things, co bring forth Sinne and Luft, which comes from the corruption of it, and likewi(e many excellent venues which proceed from common narure,which is in a man unregencrate, as well as finfull nature. Thefe things be good and very commendable, but I this is their fault, they goe no further, there is no J more than nature in them, they are very like true Grace, as falfe jewels are like true ones, and as your wiide corne is like true corne • there is a great fimili. tude betweene them, but yet there is a great dealc of difference, if you looke on them with a carious eye, and judge of them with a righteous judgement.

Fourthly, for matter of Adions, it is tiue they doe many things, but they fall (hort intheic two refpe&s.

Eirft, they doe not all, they are alway wanting in fomething. It is not laid Herod did all, but many things. He beardIob# gladly, and did much; this rule will net faile,they are not gencrall in their obedience, | there is not a gencrall change: Now the effe& can-k notgoebeyondthecaufe,but it is true of the regene-rate. T hey are New Creatures every way, and thcr-fore there is agenerail obfervation ot the Law of God y I fpeake of an Evangelicall obfervation competent to the Saints, I fay, they have a refpeft to all the Commandements. the other have no% becaufe their i j hearts are not fully, not generally changed, they 1 have light, but it is (hut up within the compafle of

one

"frith-hold the 7ruth in unrighteoujnejfe.

H7

Ser.VI.!

That they doc' is not fmcerc. !

one faculty, it turnes not the foulc into light, and therefore they know many things, and doe many things, yet becaufe the worke is not generally they have (till (ome exception, fomething there is wherein they favour thcmfelves, fome duty there is that they omit, and that conftarstly from time to time.

Again, as they doe not doc all, fo what they doc, they doe not in fincerity, they doe it not to the Lord, but for other refpefts, for themfelvcs, for creditor applaufe, to winne love and good will among men,; | or to 3void (hame,or they do it to efcape judgement, \ and to attaine that fafety which Nature it felfe may i jj defire, or elfe to fatisfie naturall Confcience: n any | other refpc&s there be, but they doe it not in fincerity to the Lord.

But it maybe objeded: When they doe things in j oh\tU. fecret, doe they not doe them to the Lord ?

It is true, they doe it to him as to a naturall good, I K^info. as a Iudge that punifhes and rewards, as a Difpenfer of good and evill j fo they doe it to the Lord, but not to him as a Father, as holy and pure, asabftra&ed from all punifliment, and reward, they doc not fix their eye on thePerfonof God to love him 5 to de-fire favour and Communion with him 5 after this manner they defire him nor, and fo they faile in the good anions they doe.

Fifthly and laflly, there are two mcninCiviH' men before Regeneration, that is, an J n ft i g^ionto':^j h ^ r f ^ that which is good,and a reludancy to it,a rcnitency ; things! againft it, fomething contrary thereto, as well as in the Regenerate- but you (hall find them to fall fhort \ of the Saints in thefe f oure regards.

L 2 ..Hrft,.)

i

In refpe&of the fubjeft.

There is d^evelation of Ibratb

Firft, this combate in them differs from that in the Saints,m refpeft of the fubje<a,it being betweene the Conference, and all the reft of the Soule. The Confcknce fayes, fuch things muftl>c done, but the reft of the faculties rife in rebellion againft it, be caufe (as I told you) the Ught is (hut up there, and all the foule is not enlightned:but in the Saints the Con-troverfie is betweene every faculty and it felfe, betweene theunderftandinganditfelfe, betweene the whole Soule, as it is compared with it felfe, there is fomcthing good in every part of it,and fomething ill, and thefc two contend.

Secondly, as it differs in the fubjeft, to likewife in the objeft, the contention is about different things. A civill man (that is, one that hath many excellent and good things in him, but yet is unregenerate, for that I meane by a civill man) may have a controver-fie with himfelfe about many things belonging to honefty, vertuc, fins of the greateft extent, fuchas he is able tofee (as in a darke night we fee i he Starres of a greater magnitude, but the other are hid from us) but there isfomethingfpirituall, things that belong to the Image of God, to the life of Grace, which he makes not Confcience of, cannot contend about, for he underftands them not. Hee may bee troubled about many evils, and if he fall into groffe fins, there may be a Contention in him after he hath committed them as well as before, but the fpirituall performance of duties which belong to godlineffe and true holincffe, is not controverted, and fo they differ in the objeft.

Thirdly, it differs in regard of the effe<a and iffue

of!

, ag&inftaUunrigkteoufmjfeofmen.

of the Combate. In a naturall man where there is a ftrife you (hall Ancle this the iflue, the better is the lofer, and the worfeis the gainer,as it was thefpeech of Cfttedea, Deteriorafequor j but it is not fo with the I Saints,for in their Combate ordinarily they have thej better; as Paul, when this combate and ftrife was! within him, he wasftillfofuftainedbythcgraceof' God that he had the victory, and that I take to be the meaning of that in 2 Cor. 12. p. when there was that ftrife in him about the thorne in the flefh, that is, fome ftrong luft that Satan had (harpned againft him, The grace of God wasfufficient for him,zn& in the iffue therof he did Meliora fequi,but the other goes away with the worft.

Fourthly and laftly, there is a difference in regard of the Continuance, and durance of this Combate in carnall men, it continues not to the end, but they give over 5 and this you lhall alfo find,they ftand not at a ftay, but grow worfc and worfe, for that is a ge-nerall Truth, cvill men (hall waxc worfe and worfe: there may be a contention for a time, the two men may for a time be in an ALquilibro, the ballance may hang cquall for a while,but at laft they give the rainc to their luft, they are weary of contending; but the Spirit in the Saints growes ftrongcr and ftrongcr, as it was faid of the houfe of Saul,\t waxed weaker and weaker, but the houfeof Ddiv^grewftrongerand ftronger. And as it was faid of Peter, When hejlnuld I ie old,be (houldbe carriedwhitker he would not • {hew- j ingby what death he fhould glorifie Cod, that is,this ftrife (hould continue till bee was old, till the latter end of his dayes,yea,and about that which is hardeft

L z of 1

_H9_ Ser. VI.

There is a Revelation of H>ratb

rf<3>

Men (inncnot out •( want of information, but out oi love of un-riohteoufnes.

of all, that is, to refift the defire of life, to be content to dye for chrift. So you fee how farrethcy may goe, and yet how farrethey fall (horr.

And now have I done with thofethree things, that the good things that carnall men have, doe them no good. Secondly, that they doe them hurt. Thirdly, that they may goe farre,and yet, (that you may not bee deceived, in apprehending what men they are, and what condition we fpeake of J that they fall fliort of that which is proper to the Saints, and fo much for the fecond ufe.

Thirdly, if this be the condition of men to withhold the Truth inuMighteottfneJfe ; then this will like-wife follow, that commonly men fin not out of mi-ftake, not out of want of Information and conviction, but out of the very love of unrighteoufncfTe: And this fcrves to take away the common excufe whereby men doe ufually mitigate, and extenuate their fins, as if they were committed by accident, out of incogitation, or want of due consideration; you fee it is not fo., but that is the cafe of every man out of the ftate of Regeneration to commit fin out of love to unrighteoufnefle. And this is a point that needs much to bee urged, becaufemenarenot humbled 5 you know the fcope of this Text is to humble men, to convince them of their fins, tofhew them the circumftances by which their finnes are j'iflly to be aggravated 5 nowbecaufc men will pretend they finne out of Infirmity, and their meaning is good, and they intend not to doc fucii and fuch evils, or if rhey do them it is not with an ill mind; ladvife you, take heed you deceive not your ftives, you know it

was

againft all unrighteottfnejfe of men,

was Unas his cafe, when hec had no minde to^goe to Se R. VI. Niniveb, hce pretends faire reafons. God that fear-ches the heart, knowes your hearts, howfoever you defend and difpute for your fins, and there is a truth within that tels you fuch and fuch things ought not to be done. Therefore, learne from hence to know your fins, and the quality of them. And,if you ob-je&, we doc not refift this Truth, wc obey it in many things ; Let mec aske you, Doe you obey it in thofe things that croffc that particular unrighteouf-neffe wherein you are delighted f (for there is the proof e)there be ibmepcrfonall fins to which a mans nature is moftenclined, examine if out of love to them you doc not withhold the Truth 5 for it fares commonly with Truth in this cafe, as it did with IohnBaptift, all the while hee preached Herod heard him willingly, yea, gladly, but when hce came to touch upon HerodUs, then hce tooke away his head 5 and as he dealt with lohn 9 fo doe we with Truth, fo long as it fuggefts nothing to us that erodes our de-fires, wee are willing to obey it in all things that it (hall didtatc to us, but when it tels us of fins that we are unwilling toheareof, wee firft imprifon it, and then extinguifh it -, as there be degrees in reftraining of ir, firft in one degree, then in a greater degree,snd at laft wc put it quite out:Therfore take heed to ir,la. bour to know your fins, to fee thofe which are moft naturall to you, whether in theft you doe not withhold the Truth in unrighteorifnejfe ; which is done after this manner: When a man (hall have his heart let upon any particular thing which he is not willing to part with, and the Truth /hall tell him fomething

L 4 that S

How the truth is witb~hel«l in unrighreouf-nefTc,

There is a <I(eVelaU(»i of Trrath

cTr~vi 1 that is contrary thereto, now let him trie himfelfe.

:>BR V y _\ piUte (the text faith) knew that the pharifees had de-" livercd Chrifi for envy: this he knew,but yet to content the people, fayes one Evangelijt, and out of fcare of Ctfar, (ayes the other,he delivered him to them. Out of thofe tworefpe&s, becaufc he would not part with his love of the people, nor with the good-will of CV/4r,he would part with Christ . Now here is the Trial!, Suppofe thou eftcemeft credit, aod applaulc with nien, the Truth comes and tells thee thou art to doe a thing that cr of. fes this- marke what thou ait ready to doe in this cafe- you (hall fee an inftancc in John 12. Vet ft 42. There were many among the chiefe Rulers which beleeved on C h r 1 $ t, but for feare left the Phatifees fhould caft them out of the Synagogue, they durft not confeffe him, for they loved the praifi of men more than the praife of God. They beleeved on him, the Truth did its part, they were thereby informed well enough what they were to doe, but becaufe they loved the praife of men , they refilled this Truth out of love to unrighteoufneflc. So put cafe thy minde be fet upon weahh,and in that thou wilt not be croft, This truth tels thee, thou muft doe one thing, but it will crofle thee in matter of thy eftate, as the Young-man that had that Triall put on hin\,Cee and fell al that thou hafi>and thou jhalt have Treafure in hta-ven: Compare thine owne with the Young.mans behaviour, he went away forrowfull. Whence we may gather that hee was enlightned to fee the truth, he knew it was bed to follow Chris T,the Truth

was

agatnji aU unrighteoufnej fe of men.

was thus farre revealed to him, forotherwifewhy | 7~ yt (hould he goe away forrowfull < If hee had not be-leeved him to be the M eft ah, he needed not ro have forrowed, but in that forrow was left in his heart, it manifefted what his minde was fct upon. Is it thus with thee i Learne hence to humble your felves, to judge aright of your finnes, and ol your Condition by them.

And if all this will not perfwade you, take this one inflance which I will give you. Take a view of thy felfe as thou art affe&ed at fome apprehcnfion of death, in fome dangerous ficknes, in fome good mood,after fome quickning of the Spirit in thee, after fome great trouble into which thou are caft, and fee what thou wilt do in fuch a cafe: See what liberty this truth hath at fuch a time, how ready thou art to obey it in all things, how ready will the Truth be to informe thee, thefe and thefc things thou oughteft not to doe, and thou haft negledied thefe and thefe duties; how imminent this Truth is, to di&ate to thee what thou oughteft to doe. Confider againe what thy behaviour is in time of health and ftrength, in time of peace, when thou liveft in abundance of all things. Sec how farrc fhort thou art of performing what in thofe times thou wouldeft doe, and in the fame meafure thou with-koldeft the Truth in un-rightcoafnejje • in fuch meafure thou imprifoneft ir, for that declares what light is in thee.

Take a furvey one or two dayes, goe through the a&ions th3t paffe by thee in the lame, fee what evill thou haft done, and what good thou haft j omitted,and lay thus,Might not I have forborne this!

There is a %e"\> elation of Terath

Confider the danger of disobeying the

Troth.

evill, if I would have fet my felfc to doe it? Might not I have performed this duty, if I would have gone about it? and let this humble thee* For this caufe I have chofen this Text,that you might be driven out of your felv<:s; and why (hould you bee backward in it, feeing it is the firft ftep to falvation * And fo much (ball fcrve for this third ufe.

Fourthly., if this be the cafe and mifcrable condl tion wherein every man is before Regeneration, to with-hold the Truth in unrighttoujmffc: Then take heed of putting thy felfe into thatcondition, confi-der the danger of difobeying this truth^of offending it, of doing any thing contrary to it, of reftraining and curbing it; for it is of that nature, that if thou offendeft it, it will offend thee. It is a Truth that God hath fet in thy heart, and appointed it to rule there $ if thou oppofe it, and fet up ufurpers, he will doe as lefwada did, that fet up the right King, hee will even fet up this Truth at the day of Death fo accufetbee, and toraigncovcrtheeasa Tyrant. It fits in thy Confcience,it markes what is doneamifle, and will be afluredly revenged, for every rebellion, and offence committed againft it, as it is (aid of truth in generall, UWagna eft Veritas &fr*valet, if thou be for the Truth, it will be for thee, and if thou be againft it, it will bee againft thee, and it hath God on its fide, it is attended with the wrath of the Al mighty, who will bee ready to execute upon thee whatfoever this Truth (hall alleage againft thee, though hee doth itnotprefently, yet all the while thou art in the way to damnation, as it was with la das and ^4$hit9\kl. Therefore bee furecokcepe

this

againft all unrighteoufnejje of men,

this Truth well, that thou offend it not • as thouar tender over thy weake ftomacke, to give what contents it, to avoid what may offend it, and then it fhall be as a concinuall feaft to thee,' other wife ic fhall be as a ficke ftomackc to thee, that doe what thou wilr 5 yea whether walking or fitting flil!, it will trouble thee: So this Truth thou wilt not be able to deceive, it will fee whatisamiffc, whether thou wilt or no: 2 Cor. 4. 2. faith the Apoftle, Wecommend ourfelves to every mans Confcience in the fight o/God, by mamft-flatten oftht Truth: That is, the Confcience within will fee thee thorow* do what thou canft, there will be an agreement between it, and the truth that is pre-fented to it, it cannot but obferve all the obliquities of thy life, all thy errours^ thou canft not deceive it, nor long (hake it off.

But, it may be obje&cd, May not a man obferve this Truth too much ? may he not be too fcrupulous, too carcfull in regarding it f

Ianfwcr> the Confcience may miftake, and give that charge that it ought not 5 but as we fay of Thi-ftles, they are a bad weed, but it is a figne of a good ground where they grow 5 fo though fcrupuloufoefle be not good, yet it is a figne of a good heart where it is.Ifam3nbetogothorowanarrow paflage,or over a narrow bridge,k is good to go in the midft- f 0 it is good not to be too fcrupulous, and yet not to give it offence, for if thou doftwith-holdit, imprifonit, or reftraine ir 3 thou (halt finde it will be revenged on thee, for it is attended witfo the wrath of God.

Fifthly^ if this be the miferable condition of all unregenerate men 3 thus to mth.holdthe Truth in un-

righttonfneffe*

Object.

May not a man be too fcrupulous.

Anfev.

rjc 5.

Give the truth leave to rule, t

Seh.VL

r<S | There is a %eyelation of wrath I

righteoufnejfe. As there havebeene words of Humiliation and reproofe, foletme-ftiutupwithaword of exhortation. Be exhorted therefore from hence to give this Truth leave torulcandgoverneinthy heart, and life 3 doe not make a bancke againft it, or an hedge about it, reftrainc it not, fetter it not, but (ufftr it to walke freely in every part of thy conver-fation, to re&ifie and reforme every faculty, fpeech, and action, for fo it ought to doe • and, as I faid before, thou (halt finde it a dangerous thing to re-ftraine ir. rhe danger Among men, he that imprifons one whom he of reftrainingj (hould not, runs into a Prdmuwre, and forfeits all he hath. Commonly we faile both thefe wayes, we give Lufts liberty, which (hould be reftrained $ and imprilon Truth, which (hould be at liberty, there- |n fore our judgement (hall be accordingly. For Jetting thy lufts goe at liberty, take heed left God fay to thee, ashedidto \~sihab for letting King Benhadad goe, Thy lifejhallbefor bis life: left on the other fide by iraprifoning the Truth you forfeit all things, and-God take advantage of your forfeiture. Since the fall of K^idam y man doth turne all things upfide downe, according to that which is complained of thofe Prophets, They did (lay thefiules of them that jlotild live y and gave life to the fifties that Jhoulddie* So doe men,the Truth that (hould live they (lay,and the luft that (hould die, they give life unto: But you know what Gods judgement was onthem^f^.ij. He would deftroy both thedmberwdtbewallofun-temfend morter. God requires at thy hands that thou give account of the Authority committed to thee,

dgainftati unrighteoufjtejfe of men.

thee^and take heede of abufing it. If the King fend a Privie Councellour, or a great man about him to reveafe his will, to expreffe his commandement in this or that particular, that fomen may know it,and beef res from the danger of the Law; if a man^ in (lead of obeying it,imprifon him,how will the King take it at his hands * What then will God doe in this cafe i He hath put his Truth into the hearts of men, He hath fent His meffengers to (hew His will, that this He will have done: If thou imprifon this Truth,be affured, God will not hold thee guiltleffe, therefore let it have liberty, let it rule and raigne in thy heart, let it doe what it will.

This benefit thou (hale have, Thou fetteft it at liberty, and it (hall fet thee at liberty, John 8. 32. Ifyou continue in my words, Sec. the TruthpaS make you free. From what i or what great benefit hath a man by this frccdomc ? a benefit unfpeakable,thbu (halt be free from the feare of Death,f rom the hands of all thine Enemies, tofcrveGodinholineffeand righteoufnefTe, from the feare of Iudgement, from the feare of hell, from the guilt, and punifliment of fin 5 from the rule and tyranny of (inland is not this to bedefired?

Againe, ifthoufet this at liberty, if thou wilt pra&ifeand ufe it, thou (halt finde more benefit and fweetnefle from it, than from the meere contemplation of it; we are deceived in thinking that the knowledge of it is pleafant,but the pra&ice hard. Indeed, that that keepes the world from praftice, is,becaufe it is accompanied with perfection, whereas bare

knowledge

*57 Ser.VI.

1 The benefit of fetting it at; liberty.

objcft*

There is a Revelation of Tbrath

Menus how to fct the Truth at

.liberty.

I

Prayer.

knowledge croffes not at all ; and therefore mod r men are willing to heare, and know, but in pra&icc ' they fall fhort. But in this they are deceived, for this Truth brings more pleaiureinthepra&iccand ufeof if, than in the knowledge and contemplation ot it. Inftance in Faith, fuppofe thou know all the I dodfrine of Faith, the knowledge is pleafanr, much more in pra&icc, ifthdu wilt let it goe at liberty, if it may pacifie,and purifie thy heart, if thou be much in contemplating thy privilcdges in drift, thou (halt findc the the fweet of it. And fo I may fay of love and patience,and every grace: Knowledge of things is like Wine or Cordials {landing ontheTable,thou canft view them, and looke on them then, and have them prefentcd to thee, but if thou f cede on them by pradice,how do they warme thy fpirits>and quicken thee? if they bedigefted, and diftributed into all the parts, into all the faculties, (for that isdigefture) till they turne to flefhandbloud, andfpirits, as it were, then thou (halt finde their fweetneffc, even more than any man can expreffe, who himfelie hath not felt ir.

But now all the queftionis, howfhallamanbe able to do this? It may be many will be ready to fay, 11 could bee content to doe it, but I am notable-1 have many good purpofes and defires, and am willing to pra&tfc what I know, but I am weake in performance.

I will oncly point to the heads; by thefc meanes thou (halt doe it.

Firft, thou mud feekc to G o d, befeechHim

to fet this Truth at liberty,be convinced of thine own

difability,

dgainft all unrighteoufnejje of men.

difability, in thy felfe, that if thou goe about it by thine owne ftreagth, thou (halt Iofe thy labour: In his owne ftrength no man (hall be ftrong, it is Gods power muft doc it,' Pfal. 119,22. 1 will run the way of thy Commandements when thou Jhalt enlarge my heart. David had this truth, but it was not in his power to fet it at liberty • therefore he goes to God, acknow. ledges his owne infufficiency,de(ircs God to enlarge his heart, and when hee hath fet it at liberty, the harflmeffe will be taken off, and thou wilt run freely the way of Gods Commandements. The like is in 2 Cor. 1 o. 4. The weapons of our warfare are mighty, but how? Through God to bring down thefirong holds, in our hearts; there be ftrong holds in men, certaine rcafon in the underftanding, certaine lufts in the will and affe&ions, andthefc cannot be beaten downc by all the wit in the world, and all underftanding that thou canft learne out oi any Morall Writers, or the Scriptures themfclves. but there is a power through God to doe it, to bring downe thefe ftrong holds,to bring all into fubje&ion s therefore goe to God, beg it earneftly, and let him give thee no denial!.

Secondly, as thou muft goe to him, fo thou muft doe fomething thy felfe,thou muft pra&ife thy felfe, and the more thou doft fo,the more thou (hall be fet at liberty; the more thou fetteft thy felfe to worke, the more ground thou (halt get, the moreTiuth will be enlarged • as it is in marble,the more you rub it,the more it will (hine 5 (o the more this truth is ufed^ j the brighter it will be in our aflions j the more thou putteft it in pradtice, the more power (halt thou have in thy life, as Chrift fayes, Jfyee beleeve my flyings >

2. Pn&ifeth Truth.

There is a Revelation of wrath

j. Communi on of Saints.

Ue (hall under ft and mf words. Therefore if you will have this power, be doing, have a good Confidence, for that is.the fcale of this Truth. How did Paul do to °ive this Truth liberty to rule in his life < Why

faith hee, Iextrcifimjfelfeto keepe a good conscience, that is, If I knew any thing that was to be done, I fet my felfe about it 5 and as the Mufician by often pratfi-fing his kflbn,or as one that writes,by pradifing his hand doth increafe bis skill: So in thefe truths, the more thou doft, the more thou mayeft doe $ letting them lye ftill extinguiflies them, and for that God often gives men up to a reprobate fenfe. On the other fide, if thou doft .ufe thenv doubt not but Godwill delight to enlarge them. As in other TaIents,labou-ring to improve them, is the way to increafe them.

Againe,adde this to it: the Communion of Saints you (hall finde a great meanes to enlarge this Truth, and to fct at liberty- by walking wkh the wife, you will beemorevvife, and whatisfaidof Wifedome, may bee faid of Truth, for they are the fame: Saul^ when he was among the Prophets, had a fparke or the Spirit of Prophecie, which though it was but a common adionin a wicked man, yet this fparke of a naturall and common gift of the Spirit, Saul had when he came among the Prophets, It is the Apo-ftles direction, Provoke one another to love and good mrkes: As one Souldierencouragethanother 3 anda fafl goer ftirres up one that is flow.; fo good company whets Graces. On the other fide, ill company imprifons the Truth: If thou wilt keep company with them that are not good, thou muft cor refpond with them, and this will caufe thee to choakc this

Truth,

againji all unrighteoufnejje of men.

Truth, for many times thou canft not doe duties without fhame, becaufe thou canft not hold in with them, and with duty too. It is not for nothing that David ufes that phrafe,P/4/.up. uj. Away fiom me yee cvilldoers, for I mil keepe the commandements of my God: As if he had faid, Whenlgoeaboutto keepe the Commandements of God, if I have com-pany about me that is not good, they will be a barre unto me, and as fetters to my foule; fo that it is true both wayes: the company of Saints enlarges Truth, the other ftraitens it. S c . PmI and others were good men, yet when they were miftaken inthat,you fliall fee what a fetter it was: When S. Paul was to goe to lerufatem to preach the Gofpell of Chrift,they at Ce-farea wept, and wailed, defiringto ftay him • But, fayes hc^What doe you breaking mineheart f You may fee by that fpeech theywere a great Impediment to him: And as chrijl faid to S c . Peter, Get thee behind me Satan: And as David faid tothefonnes of Zer-viah, i Sam. 16.10. What have 1 to doe with you yee jonnes of Zerviah, when they advifed him to take off Shemei his head: So if you would have the Truth to have liberty, take heed of ill company. As lames faith of refraining the Tongue, lam. 1.26. He that refraineth not his tongue, his Religion is in vaine: So we may fay of Company, hee that lookes not to his Company,his Religion is in vaine,he fliall find it fo, for this Truth will never bee at liberty, except it bee among them, among whom it will have its liberty.

161 Se^VI.

The end of the Sixth Sermon.

A8s 11**1

M

CER^

CERTAINE

SERMONS

vfon HVMILIATION,

The Seventh Sermon.

Roma n s I. ip,20.

Forafmucb as that Tohicb may be knowne of God y is manifeH in them, for God hathjhe^edit unto them.

For the inVtftble things ofhimjhat isjhis eternal power and God-head are clearly feene by the creation of theTborldjbeingconfidered inhuloorkes, to the intent that theyjbould be without excufe,

E have purpofed (till to goc on in this point of Humiliation 3 andthen 3 God J willing, wee will proceed to that of | Iuftification, which we promifed to handle. j

Thefc words doc fecond the for-mer, which wee have gone thorow, Tbcwr<xthof

M 2 God'

Ser.VII.

i<$4 SerTyH.

There is a Revelation of t^ratb

i. Tlut there is fuch a truths proved foure wayes. I

Object.

\^injw<

God^ revealed from heaven, &c. The Apoftlc having fct this downe, hath two things to prove: Firft that there is fuch a Truth revealed. Secondly, That they with-holdit in unrighteGufhtfft: Both which he proves in thefequele of this.Chaptcr.

Firft, there is fuch a Truth revealed to men, for (faith he) That that may be knowne ofGodismanifeft in them ;that is, there is a certaine portion of Truth, a certaine meafure of knowledge which God hath made knowne to every man; indeed there bee different meafures, but to every one fome meafure is gi-ven,fet forth by the Author thereof: (7^(faith hee) hath Shewed it to them. Secondly, it is fet forth more particularly by the thing that is revealed: And thirdly, by the meanes whereby it is revealed: Fourthly, by the end.

Secondly, thethingthat is revealed, as if he had faid; if you will know more particularly what this knowledge is, it is the knowledge of Gods eternail Power and God-head.

Thirdly, will you know the meanes how it is revealed i It is revealed by his workes,and chiefly by the creation of the world.

But,you will obje&,his eternall power and Godhead are invifible, fhut up from the view of men, how (hall men do to fee and underftand thefe things, Iccing they are fo remote i

(Saith hee) They are knowne by the things that arc fiene: You may fee the world, you may fee the i workes of his providence; thefc things runne into 1 the fenfes, and by thefe they are knowne: As the j foule of a man is a thing in it felfe invifible, but yet I you

' againH all unrighteoufnejfe of men.

**,

you may fee it by the motions of the body, the ef-fe&sof thefouicinthebody, this the fenfes are ca-pable of. fo the invifible things of God are knowne by the things that are feen£.

Laft of all, this is fet out by the end, wherefore God hath done this, the end is, that they may be without excufe: And fo f arre he proves the fir ft part,that there is a Truth revealed to men.

In the next words he comes to prove, That they with-holdthe Truth in unrighteoufnejje ; For they knew God, hut they glorified him not as Cod, and not negatively only,but affirmatively alfo, 7 heir foolijh hearts are fuU of darkenejfe, they became vaine in their imaginations.

But, they were wife men, Grecians, Athenians, men excelling in wifedome sll other, how did they detainc it, one would thinke they did enlarge it i It is true, they were wife in their owne conceit; but thinking thenafelves wife, they became fooles: how doth that appeare ? They turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of corruptible man, &c. So much for the {cope of the words.

Wee will not runne to every particular, becaufe this is a place of Scripture on which wee meane not to dwell, but thefe three points we intend to handle out of thefe two verfes. In the handling of which, you ihall fee all thefe particulars will be brought in :

The firft is, That that Law, or Truth, or Knowledge* by which every man Jhall be judged, is made ma-nifeftby Godhimfelfe.

Secondly JTbe workes ofGodjr the Creation>are the meanes by which Hee hath made it knowne.

M 3 Thirdly,

SER.V1L

%. That they with-hold the Truth inun-riohceoufheife

Objeit.

serTvii.

7be Laft of mans judgement

1

Doff. i. ThatTruth,o Lawjor knowledge^ which every man (hall be judged, is made manifcfl byGodHim-felfe,

i What this Truth is, T l yya>fOV»

Thirdly, They are fo much nude knowne to every man^ M mil wake htm inexcufable.

To begin with the firft 3 I fay, That Truth, or that Law, or that Knowledge, by which every manjhall be judged at the laft day, is made evident to him by Cod Himjelfe. In this proportion you muft markc three

things:

Fir ft, what it is that is made knowne ; It is that Law or Truth,by which every man lhaltbe judged^ the word in the originally is il ym?h> That which may be knowne of Cod, that is, there is a certaine mea-fure and portion of Truth, which God difpofes and reveales to men, to fome one meafure, to fome another meafure, and according to the meafure of Truth he muft conforme himfelfe, and for breaking that rule onely, he (hall be condemned at the laft day: The Gentiles have one meafure of Truth, the Iewcs have a greater meafure^but Chriftians,to who the Gofpell is revealed, have the gre3teft meafure of Truth given them : Againe, fome Chriftians that live under better Minifteries 5 they whofe education is better,they have more truth than others: Now feeing he faith it is made manifeft, the meaning is, every man hath a meafure^and that is to be made manifeft 5 as light when it comes into a roome,it fhowes all the glory, all the beauty and deformity round about, it fhowes the right way and the wrong way 5 if you come to the light^all things are made manifeft now, which were covered, when you were in darkeneflc: thus God enlightens men r he kindles a certaine light in their mindc (for fo the word fignifies) he puts a light into their hearts, by which they are able to

judge

is made manifeji by God.

judge of that which is good and evill, of that which is agreeable to his will, and contrary to his will • of that,whichis the way to happinefTc, and that which is not ; and this is made knownc.

The fecond thing to be marked in this proposition, is, tofhew, how it is made knowne-you fee that the thing is made knowne unto us : Now it is made knowne to us thefe fourc wayes.

Firft, it is made knowne to us by the light of Nat\xxe>Gtd bath written the Law in their hearts ^Rom. 2. 15. They flew theeffeffs of the Law, which Law is written in their hearts , that is, God hath implanted it there, God hath written it there. He hath faftned it thcrc,Hchath repealed to men fome Truths: but the queftion will be how it (hall be knowne that God hath done fo 5 why(faith he) you (hall know it by the efTe&s,evcry man, even Heathens, though they have not come to the knowledge of the Scripture, yet they have the Law written in their hearts, for they doe the things contained in the Law, their a&ions (how it, they could not doe thefe things, if they had not the Law written in their hearts. Againe,their confcienccsaccufc andexcufe. Againe,it is fecne by their judging of others,for in judging of otbers,they judge themfelves, and make it evident, that they doe know, though they doc not pra&ife, and fo it is re-vealcd by the Law of Nature.

Secondly,God makes it known by his works, fpe. cially 5 by the Creation of the W6rld,by His works of Providence,w ch be ordinary,and extraordinary,as miracles, that is, when a man lookes on the great volume of the world, there thofe things which God

167

Ser.VII.

* How it is made knowne

Foure wayes I

By the light of Nature.

% By Gods workes.

M

will

I By the Scriptures.

4 By the

Saiucs.

It is God that makcth this Tiuth evident.

The Law of mans judgement

i _____

will have knowne,are written in capitall letters, and fuch letters as every one may underftand and reade 5 io as that w ch the Papifts fay of Images,they are Lay-rnens bookes, and ignorant mens bookes - fo (and in; a much better fenfe) this Booke of the world is the j Heathen mans booke, wherein he may fee there is a Gofand hiseternall powcr,and wherein all men may fee what they ought to doe jjothis God.

Thirdly jit ismanifeft by the Scriptures,/^^ faith Chritt^Searcb the Serif tures fortherein you think to have eternal! life, and they tepfaofme: This is out of queftion, that the Scriptures teftifie of God,they make GWknowne to men,

Laftly, it is made knowneby thfcSaints, as in the fame Chapter, Uhn j. Iohn bare rvitnefleofme^ and what is faid oilohn, may be laid of others,the Saints beare witneffe of God. Therefore in the fecond to the Phdifpians, they arc faid to Jhine as lights in the world, that is, they make (Wknowne to men: So by thefe foure wayes God makes it knowne, namely by the Law of Nature : Secondly, by his workes. Thirdly, by the,Scriptures. Fourthly,by the faith-full that live in the world. The two firft make it knowne to the Heathen. the two laft to them within the Church, that is, the faithful],, and thefe be the meanes by which it is evident*

Now the third thing to be obferved, is. That it is God that maketh this Truth evident • This isenough to prove that it is God, becaufe it is univerfally done-goetoall Nations, tofavagemen, thatfeemetobe moft remote from the light,that come not neare any meanes of the knowledge of the Truth,yet thefe men

beleeve

is made manifeft by God,

bekeve there is a GW,every man,without exception, dothfo 5 now where there is an univerfallcffed, it mud needs come from an univcrfall caufe 5 therefore from God himfclfe.

Now this is not added in vaine, but this you may obferve, in that it comes from God.

Firft, if it come from God, it is not a deceiveable rule, it is not a fancy, but a firme Truth which 5 ou may build on.

Againe, if God make it knowne, it is not done (lightly 5 whatfoever (Wdoth,if he make it known, it is done to purpofe, and effe&ually. if he have blef-fed anv, he (hall be bleft, fo far as it is his will to re-veale,fo far it is to purpofc,and this makes men more without excufe.

Againe, if God have made it knowne, then it is a thing you muft take heed to, you muft not neglect it, becaufe it is God that is the Author of it 5 if it had beene made knowne to us by accidenr, or any creature, you njight have given theleffe heed to ir, but God having made it known, it is of fpeciall moment, you muft in a fpeciall manner attend to it,

Laftly, in that God hath made it knowne, then you may know it is the rule of perfection that is gi. ven to every man, in oMerving of which he (hall finde happinefle, in breaking of which confifts his deftru&ion and ruine 5 when God gives a rule, in the keeping of it man fhall bee made happy, as in the \ breaking of it he (hall be made miferabk; foyou fee thefe three things: Fir ft, what is made knowne, A certaine meafure of Truth divided according to Gods will.Secondly,howit is made knowne,by nature,by

his

169

Hence thefe confectaries may bee deduced.

l7 °_ seITvii

The LaTo of mans judgement

Ffe I.

To (hew the hainoufneflc of mens finnes againft this Truth.

his workes,by Scripcurc,by the faithfull. Thirdly^ is God that makes it knowne, therefore not a decei veable truth, not a fancy, or dreame, but to purpofe, therefore youmuftnotnegle&ir, in obfervingofit is happineffr, and in breaking of ir, you (hall finde there will come ruine, and deftru&ion, andmifery upon you.

Now we will come to make ufe of it: Firft, if there tefuch a Truth made knowne to them by God Himfelfe . then learne hence to aggravate your fins, to know the greatnefleof the guilt of your finnes : Hence we may learne to know, that the loofenefle and liccntioufneffe men take to themfclves againft this Truth is more defperate,and hainous,and inex-cufable : for God Himfelfe hath made it knowne to them: For every precept of men is of more or leflc , moment,according to the quality of the Author,the J Law is to bee valued according totheperfonthat gives the Law, therefore mens Lawesareoffomc momcnt,but Gods Lawcs are of more moment: This Truth is moft prefled in Scripturc,when Christ preacheth the Word, he faith, every fin is encreafed that is committed againft this Word: When Unas came to Niniveb, it had beenc a great fin if they had i not repented, God would have vifited them for neglecting the word of lottos, but a greater thanlovat is here, faith Chrift: So the Queen of the South came to hcare the wifedomc ofSalomon,but a greater than Salomonis here: that is,every fin committed againft this Truth, is out of meafure finfull. Therefore, it they that breake Mofis Law (hall dye under two or three witmffes, how (hall they efcape thatneglefl lb : ; great

is made tnanifefl by God.

great Salvation, which began to be preached by ihe Lord Himfelfe i He hath made it knowne ; therefore it is a fearefull thing to negleft it. Therefore you may lee what an Ewfhafis God puts on that, tfj/? thou eaten of the tree, of which ibade thoufliouldeft not eate ? As if he had faid,the thing is a fmall mat ter in it felf e, yet it being the Commandement of the great God y I have commanded if, and thou didft ncgleft it, therefore thou (halt die the death.

And there is good reafon for it, if we confider ir,if God giveth the Law it is his; now Gods Name ft taken in vaine, when His Law is not obfeived $ for though the difobedience be immediately againft the Law, yet it is terminately againft God himfelfe. for what is againft the Scripture, is done againft God: Therefore, faith God to Saul>lnthat thouhajl caft met away, ImUcaft thee away. And fo faith chriff to His Difciples, Whatfeevtr is done againli jou 9 is done a. gainflme • it is terminated in me: Therefore, thinke when you (hall come to die, or to any cafe of extremity, and God (hallfpeake to yout conlciences, and tell you, thou haft broken the Law I gave thee, thou haft rebelled againft me, thou haft given thy members as weapons of unrighteoufneffe againft me,now I will be avenged of thee, thou (halt know 12m luft, thou (Irak know who it is thou haft offended, this is no fmall matter. If we Minifters come and tell you, you muft not fweare,but your yea, muft be yea, and your nay, nay, and whatfeever more is evill 5 you muft fweare no kindc ofoathes, it we tell you, you muft not diflemble, not lye, not keepe vaine company, not mifpend your Talents, not reftraine prayer

from

*7* Ser.VII.

Ser-VII

The Law of mans \ud gement

from the Almighty, if wc tell you this,it is no finall matter to ncglcd it, it being the Commandement of God; doe not f3y of fin as ye were wont. Indeed it is a faulr, and I would I could doe other wife, but feeing they be fins againft God, know what it is to fin againfl: the Iudge of all the World,this will make thee thinkc of fin in another manner. Therefore in your fins labour to fix your eyes on God,and it will aggravate ftnne. As David in the one and fiftieth Pfalme faith, K^4gainttthee> againft thee onelj have 1 ftnnedy repeating it twice in that place • he compofed' that Pfalme to fet forth his ftnne, but that which wounded his confeience, th3t made him fee the hai-nojfneffcofhis ftnne was this, Againft thee I have finned': So the Prodigall fon,this is the circumftance , by which he aggravates his ftnne, Againft heaven and againfl thee I have offended : So lcarnetoknow that your fnnes are againft God, and therefore to preffe this Truth a little more.

Confider well with your felves,what is the rca-fon that God hath required fuch a vaft puni(hment againft ftnne, that is, eternall death $ thinkewhate-tcrnity is, it is that w ch fwallowesupyour thoughts, it is a punifhment, the length, and depth, and bredth whereof you cannot comprehend. Thinke why God hath appointed fuch a vafte puniflimcnt, and you (ball finde, it isbecaufe you ftnne againft anlm-menfc, a great and Almighty God, the length, and bredth, and depth of whofe greatneffe you cannot comprehend.

Againe, what isthercafon God fhould appoint fuch a Mediatour to take away the fins of the world/

that

is made manifejl by God.

that the Son of God muft needs take flcfli, which the Angels themfclvcs wonder at 5 it is fuch a wonder-full a&ion, that they cannot but admire, and in heaven we (hall ftand amazed at it 3 which evidences the greatneffe of fin: Iearne to know this, put all thefe foure together, and fee how thefe doe hold corre-fpondency one with another, and you (hail finde out the nature of yout fin*

Firft, confidcr the greatneffe of God his infinite neffe, the greatneffe of his Authority, the wonder-full vaft Soveraignty he hath over all creatures-from this greatneffe of God, comes the ftcond, the greatneffe of fin, I have made knowne this Truth, but thou haft with-holdenit, thence it comes that fin is fo grear, that the leaft finne which thou makeft nothing of, is a thing of fo great moment. That is the fecond, which followes on the greatneffe of God.

Thirdly, upon the greatneffe of fin, you fee the greatneffe of the punifhment; if fuch an one as ^riptle&x aftranger from the Truth fhould hearc of this punifhment (the greatneffe whereof appeares herein, that the worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, J how would hee wonder at it f but knit-ting thefe together it will not feemeftrange.

Laft of all, the greatneffe of the punifhment cau. feth the greatneffe of fuch a Mediatour,to take away this punifhment and finne : Sothereisacorrefpon-dency in them, come from God to fin, from fin to the punifhment, from punifhment to the Mediation or redemption, by which this finne is taken away. Lcarne therefore to know what finne is, I know not a truth of greater moment. And to all adde that,

1 Cor.)

173

Ser.VII.

Ser.VH

Ike Law of mans judgement

i 0.15. 56. The fiingof death is fin: Iiyoulooke on death, it is the moll terrible thing in the world: You know what the Piiilofopher faid of it, of all terrible things, it is the moft terrible, the moft fearc-, full, but fin is the fting of dearh: As if hec had faid, Death is a fmall thing in comparifon of fin ; let a man want finne, and death is nothing,itis but fleepe, it is nothing to have the body and foulcfeparated. Againe, fuppofe there were no death, but let body and foule remaine together, yet finne is a terrible thing, it is above all the Terrours in the world, as in ludas, fee his terrours,though there was no death on him; fee ^Adam when hee was not in HclJ, but in Paradife,yet how was he Tormented with his finned Therefore weigh not finne in a wrong ballance,look not on it with a wrong light, take heed of being deceived, for in this of all other things men are mod apt to bee deceived: That is the corruption of Nature, that ftrange darkeneffe is brought on men by <~4dam, that in thething that moft concerncth him, which is fin, in that he is moft ignorant, mod apt to be deceived: Therefore when the Apoftlefpeaks of Cin^ h:e comes in ftill with this caution, Bet not deceived, 1 Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived, neither Fornic a-tour, nor idolaters, nor Adulter ers,&c. Jl)all inherit the ■ kingdom of God^ as if men in that were moft apt to be deceived: So Ephef$. 6. Be not deceived, for, for \fuch things the wrath of God comes on the children of i dijobtdience: And obferve when Chrift goeth about to ihew to any man, or to any Church what their fins are, or what their danger is, headdcsthis,Zff him that an eare hear* 7/hat the Spirit faith to the

Churches:

is made nianifeft by God.

Churches; his end being to tcK of their fin, (UH that comes in, He that hath an eare to heart, let him heare : As if he had faid, when I come r o fpeake of matter of fin^here be many here that can tell what I fay 3 that can understand me wcll,but few have cares to under-, ftand indeed. As when the Prophet came to lerobo-Um, hce heard the Prophet fo as it angcr'd him, hec knew what his fin was, but hec heard it not to pur-pofe: So when Chrift pronounceth a woe to the Scribes and Pharifees, they heard it well en ough 3 but they had not an eare to hearc it to purpofe.Men may heare what flefh and common reafon, and common men lay of fin, but not what the Spirit faith of ir, there is another kinde of finfulneffe in fin, which is the fpirituall evill of fin, and what the Spirit faith of this they doe not heare: Therefore you muft even be brought to Chrift, as the deafe man was,who being both deafe and dumbe, was brought to Chrift, that he might lay his hands on him, now Chrift put his finger into hiseares and faith, Mphata, bee thou opened, and then the man heard and fpake s fo of all men that heare this Word, there is not a man but he is deafe, according to this inward kinde of hearing : therefore you muft bee brought to Chrift, and be. feech him togivcyoueares to heare; for few have eares to hearc what the Spirit faith unto the Churches when itdifcovers their fin and mifery: Therefore, let not this Doctrine be in vaine to you, but learnefrom hence to humble your felves,to comero God, and fay to him. Lord, I am now amazed and confounded,! thought before loffes and croffes were great matters, but now I fee they arc but flea-bitings

to

SeiJvIL

7be Lalff of mans judgement

1

ob\eft.

A»fw<

rfiz.

I Be thankefuli for the Truth

L

co fio,I was herccofore troubled at a fmall croffe,but little or nothing at (in ; Lord, I confeffe,this was my cafe, but I fee now Gone is another thing: Thus wee fhould learne to humble our felves before God.

But, if any objeft; This is the way to difcourage men, to make them defperate, to make them flye from Religion, by telling them finne is fo terrible.

I anfwer,it is not the way to difcourage men from comming to Chrift,but to encourage them and drive them to him $ This is the way to Salvation: Indeed, if there were no remedy for fin, it were a defperate cafe, but there is a remedy,if you will but fee this fin of yours, and mourne for it, for all that mourne in Sion, and are broken hearted, fliall be comforted : Therefore you muft know, there is a paflive forrow for fin,when God (hall affright a man with the Ter-rour of his wrath, and that is a flafli of hell fire: if our end were only to kindle thefe fparkes, it were in-deed to breed Torture in thefoule s butthereisan a&ive humiliation, when a man labours to be convinced of his fin, to know all he can againft himfelfe, and this is it which leades to life 5 for this is the end of our preaching, the end of our difcovering of fin. And this ufe you may make of the hainoufnefie of fin ; and fo much (hall ferve for the firft ufe.

Secondly, if there bee fuch a truth, fuch a knowledge made evident by God Himfelfe, then men fhould learne hence to be thankefuli to God for k: f or whereas all men might have perifhed as the Devils, did, as the Angels that fell did, yet God hath (hewed this mercy to mankinde, he hath given them Stectnr

ddm

is made mantfefl by God.

W

dam Tabulam fojl naufragium, and that is this light, which is the thing which you have caufe to be thank-full for; for this light is worth all the world befide, nothing is fo precious, becaufe it fhewes the way to cfcape Hell and damnation $ therefore you ought to be thankfull to God for it: You fpecially that live under the Sunnc-fhine of the Gofpcll$ you muft think you might have bcenborne in other ages,whcn dark-nefie covered the world, or in another Nation, and not in Gojhen, where the light (hincs • and if in the Church, you might havebeene ignorant, as many of our Country people are, even almoft as ignorant as Turkes and Iewes, but when God hath difcovcred | light in great meafure, and hath given a great portion thereof to you« you muft know all this is not come to paffe by accident,but by Gods providence^ you are to take notice of it, and learne to be thankfull, not in (how only,but in deed and in truth,that is,by pradi-fing according to the knowledge you have,for it is a thingmoft precious, UHatth. 7. 6. An admonition is compared to a pcarle, whereas the admonition is butonepartof this light, andwhattsfaidof apart, may be faid of the whole. Salomon could not find a fit thing to compare this wifdome to: It is more precious thanpearles, nay all that can bee named t>r defired cannot be compared with it: Therefore feeing it is a precious thing, trample not thefepearles under your feet: know that God hath put a price into thine hand, and that is thy light, and it is a price that will buy heaven, it will bring thee to falvation; but if thou wanteft an heart (as the foole hath a price} but he wants an heart) it will doe thec no good t take

N heed

Ser.VII

»7»

The Law of mans \ui gtmtnt

Vfe 3.

Doe nothing contrary to the Truth.

VII I heed thou doe not ncgle&it, do not abufe it,takenot 1 the grace of God in vaine, but fee thou ufe this light 5 When the great promife of Chnfl his comming was made, what was it but this, that they fhouldhavea new light,that the people that fate in darkneffe and in the (hadowof death,(houldfeea light they never faw before i you that live in this light, that enjoy that which was fo many yeares agoe promifed to the Gentiles, and is now fulfilled; take heed of abufing ir 5 ufe it to the purpofe for which it is given, that is, co guide your feet into the way of peace.

Againe, thirdly, to joyne that with it: As you mud bee thankefull, fo in the third place, you muft take heed of doing any thing contrary to this Truth, it is a very dangerous thing to neglcd it. There is not a (parkeof it, notabeame of this light,which is conveyed to you by the miniftcry of the Gofpell, which (hall be in vaine. Though you doe not prize it, it fhallfct you a fteppe nearer heaven or hell, even every Iparke and bcame of this; and this is it which may make men afraid, and looke about them, feeing that when this light is made knowne, it is fo dangerous to ncgleft it: Therefore thinke this, when God hath fent a right Miniftcry, Confidcr who hath fent this light. God hath done ir,and will Godknd a vainc meflage? A wife man will not doe fo; if then God fend it not in vaine, it is to fome purpofe, to doc cither good or hurt • Now fuppofe that this light have done you no good, that you have lived long under J this light, but have attained no good, you have knowne much, but pra&ifed little, then know this fhallexceedingly encrtafe your condemnation. Paul

faith.

is made manifejl by God.

*79

faith, Wetbanke God that he hath caufedus to triumph e Ea yrj in lefts Chrijl, in making mamfefi the favour of His | * knowledge in every place. What is the rcafon he l (hould re Joyce that this was made manifeft, feeing tofome it did no good i Yes (faith he) it (hall cn-creafe their condemnation, it fliall be the fweet favour of God in them that are faved, and in them that perifli. So when we preach,if the light doe you no good, it doth you hurt : As lfaiah his Commififion WASyGoe, preach to this people, andfiut their eyes, left they flwuldfie with their eyes y and hear e with their eares^ If we are not fent to enlighten men, we are fent to make their hearts fat, and their cares heavy, Thou fialt doe no good by thy minijltry, yet 1 have fent thet^ that they may know there was a Prophet among them. Therefore taked heed, you to whom this is (cnt,that it be not fent onely to this end,that it may be known there hath beene a Prophet among you : Thofeto whom God hath revealed much, let them know it ■ (hall not be in vaine ; Ihhe King fend a Me(Iage,and men will obey i f , fo it is, if not, if they make his authority worth nothing, he will elevate his Authority, and will inflift a Penalty : So God fends not j in vaine, if you will not obey him, God will not fuf-fer any to flight his Authority, but he will be furely revenged. Therefore take heede how you detaine j chis Truthin unrighteoufnefle, that when God hath j difcovered this knowledge, you do not pra&ife it. j But>every man will be apt to fay,(and indeed they j that arcmoft guilty j but I hope we doe pra&ife it, j and not detaine it i Therefore I will fet downe (though not all, yet J \

N i ro an y

obje£i. Anfw.

loO

SerTvIT

Seven Cafes, wherein men detains this Truth inun-riehteoufneflc.

I

In the Com-miflion of known fin*.

Ihe Lato of mans judgement

\

many of the Cafes wherein they detains this Truth and with-hold it in unrighteoufneffe, wherein they doe not pra&ife according tathis knowledge, and xhefe are feven in number.

Firft in the Commiflion of all knowneyftw there youdetaine this Truth, there you imprifonit,when-foevcr you finde this to be your Cafe that you commit any knowneJ/0, therein you are a detainer of the Truth,an imprifonerof it. As for example,when a I man (hall know that thefe duties ought to be done, 1 1 ought to pray fervently, and frequently, I ought to fan&ifie the Lords Sabbath, but out of an unliftincfle to U,out of love to eafe and pleafure, that carries him another way, henegledsir, and fo the duty lies un. done: This is the Commiflion of a known fin: So a-gaine, I know I ought not to remember an injury, I ought to forgive mine Enemy, yet thou inviteft him ro do thee a new injury, when this is known and not pra&ifed, in this caic men commir a known fm • fo againe, doft thou not know that thou oughteft not to ufe any dalliance,any touch of uncleannes,and chambering or wantonnefle t if a man know this, and yer will commit it, becaufe his lufts intend his mindeto fuch a fit, and it is a thing to which he is ftrongly in. dined ,this is a known (in-Jo in many other things,in cafes ofele&ion> or doing bufinefles this man ought to be chofen, and bufineflesoughtto becarried thus, yet out of fome by-refpe<3s r a man will have it carried otherwife^this is committing of a known/fo; fo in cafe of Envy, this mans preferment may be profitable, but becaufe his cmirency may be hurtfullto me, I cannotaffcdhim, this is a known [tane-te in

CafcL

is made mamfefl by God.

Cafe of the Sacrament, doe you not know you ought to receive often, and not to neglcd it in the Congregation where you are i Are you not bound to that * You thinke it a feme not to heare the Word, and is it not fo v not to receive the Sacrament ? Ifhefhallbee cut off that came not to the Paflcover 5 (hall not he be cut off that comes not to the Sacrament ? So you know you muft renew your repentance ; .are not thef'e Truths known? and yet will you commit thefejw? Goe thorow any known fin find in this Cafe you do with-hold the Truth in unrighteoufnes. But what is it to commit a knowny?^,becaufe it may be I am not convinced fufficiently of that 4 By this thou mayeft know ir, if thou finde thy confeience to give a fecret intimation that it is naught,it is a figne it is a knowne finne, though thou haft got many Arguments for it, and canft difpute for it; for thy confeience fhall wit-nefleagainftthec: as in cafe of Vfury and inordinate gaine, and matters of the Sabbath, many of which things be in queftion $ fee what thy confeience faith, and take heed of difobeying thefecret intimations of thy confeience, whatfoevcr thou haft to fay for thy fin before men: Men thinke zfin not to be a knowne jfo,bccaufe they are not willing to fearch it out: Now if thou finde this to bee thy cafe, that thou art not willing to fearch it out, to fee all that can be faid for it,or againft it, thou (halt finde it a known/*;; And this is a notable difference between the faithfull and others. A godly man whofeheart is fet to ferve God with a perfeft heart in all things; there is nothing that comes under the name of a/^nothing that hath the fhadow ofzfw, but he is willing to fearch it our,

N 3 to

,8 L

SerTvH,

SBR.VII

Cafe i.

In unwilling-neffc toin-creafe a mans Knowledge.

Two forts of thofc.

I

The Law of mans judgement

to examine it to the full, hec is willing to let all lay, what they can againft it, and when all is done,hc de. fires G o d to try him : Another is not willing to learch,becaufe he is willing to lye in iomcft»,ov be-caufe he will not have his confciencc troubled with ir. This is a figne of a falfe heart, though they do not know th3t this is zfin, yet it having the (hadow of a fining and they being unwilling to examine it to the full, it flhewes it is no lefle.

Secondly, the fecond cafe wherein a man withholds this knowledge,and detaines this Truth which G^hath made manifeft, is when he is not willing to enlarge ic $ a man that hath already fome knowledge (as every man hath fome) and is not willing to addc to this knowledge, to encreafe it, that man properly pflth'holdstbeTruthinnnrighteoufnejfc : For he that with-holdsfewelljputsouuhefirejas well as he that cafts water on it 5 and he that takes away f oode from a living Creature,kils ir,as well as he that takes away its life with violence ; fo if thou doft not feed this with fewell, with that which may make ir grow and encreafe, if thou doft not labour to inlarge it, thou doftextinguilhit.

And of thefe men there be two forts : Firft, fuch as doe not care for any knowledge at all,or if they do come to heare, yet they recall it nor, medicate not upon it, and fo as good never a whir, as never the better, fome things they muftdoeforfa-fliion fake; but if they doe heare, they do ic in a negligent manner,they be ever learning,and never come to the knowledge of the Truth : Thefebethe firft fort of men.

_ Bur

is made manifefi by God.

,8j

But there is afecond fort, and that is thofe which Se^VU

have known much,have heard mnch,havegone v^ry j

far in the knowledge of this Truth,yet will not go to; z~ the uttermoft. I may refemblethem by Felix (he went not far, but I ufe it as a refemblancc) when S. Paul preached, and began to know fome meafurc of /this Truth, when fome of thefe fparkes began to bee revived and ftirrcd up in him, he bade him goeaway, and faid, he would call for him another timc,but hee was not fo good as his word $ fo when a man is loth to be brought to that ftri&neffe and exa&nefife that is required as our duty, when hee is not willing to bee ftrait laced,that lives at liberty,and thinkes he will do it before he dies, but puts it off^ this man imprilons the truth 5 when the truth is brought to their doores, to fuch an high degree that it is almoft loofe, yet they let it lye there ftill ; when they fhallcomcto Agripfas cafe,tobe almofi a Chriftiarf y this is to with-hold it, the uttermoft end and finifhing of th^vorke is all, and that is the reafon men are fo (hie of it: So when wee care not for admonition toliveexadily and pej:f c<5Uy in all things, when there (hall be little refervation, when We will have a little liberty in this or that,I fay, the not admitting of this,thenot going through with the worke, is an imprifoning of the Truth : when men (hall come to be unwilling to be called on, it is as if a man (hut the doore, and draw the curtens about him, it fhowes that he delights to fleepe, that he meanes to fleepe, and to continue fo ; when a man puts offthe truth,and wil not be brought to the uttermoft, this is the fecond way of imprifoning the truth,when he is not willing to addc fewell,to

N 4 give

Cafe i.

In not ading and pra&iling the Truth, by the life of mcancs.

The Lato of mans judgement

■i

give that which may ftrengthen and encreafe ir. Thirdly,I will name but thcthird,and that is when a man is pad this degree,and is come to be willing to know all Truths, doth not defirc to have any concealed from him, doth not fay to the Prophets, pro. phecy nor, but is willing to be informed to the full, yet when he hath it he ads it not, hedothnotcxer-cife,nor pradife this Truth: That is another degree of vvith-holding it. And this is a frequent cafe- for a man may know and be informed in all Truths, yet they may lye there unufed,and unaded,they may lie there idle : Now when a man is not willing to pra-di fe the meancs by which thefe Truths are ufed, he doth properly mth.foldtht Truth in unrigbtetofnejft: As for example, the way to ad the Truths we have, to ftir them up,to blow up thefe coalcs,to bring them to prcfent memory, foas they maybee brought to prefent pradice, is the Communion of Saints, the comply of holy men,that when a man hath forgot, godly company may bring to mind againe^fo frequent reading and hearing thefe doe ad the Truth $ for the end of our Miniftery is not only to makeyou" to know thefe things, but to bring thofe things to minde which you have forgot jif we will not ufe,but negled the meanes of ading the truth,then we withhold it.So for private prayers,whereas a man fhould bring his heart to God every day, fhould doe it throughly, fhould callhimfelfeto a reckoning fore-very)?*, for all forts, of Omiflions, or of Commif. fions, this is a meanes to ad this Truth, this good purpofe and inclination,this fparke which God hath kindled, were it not for this, they would be raked up

in attics againc • now performing prayer in a devout and fervent manner,doth liven them,whereas to doc things forfafliion, or to fatiffie naturall confcicnce, and not throughly,is to negleft them; fo that when a man doth not pra&ife, nor exercife the Truths he hath(as the very exercife quickens them againe)when hec doth negleft anyofthemeanesby which thefe coalesarcblowneup, by which thefc Truths are to be ftirred up, he properly imprifons the Truth.

Let no man fay,But when a man imprifons a thing, he barres the doore,but to let the Truth lye is a matter of negligence, how is it then an imprifoning i

Yes, it is an imprifoning, a furprifing of it, as-it is with fire, if it have not a venf, though you caft no water upon it, yet you put it out; as on the contrary fide, if you give it vent, youencreafeit 5 fo you are guilty in this cafe of murdering the Truth, of putting it out: As in any Art that a man learnes, if he let his Art or Trade lie ftill and unufed,he forgets it,fo thefe Truths areextinguifhed, when a man is not diligent in ufing all mcancs of grace. The receiving of the Sa. crament is a meanes to quicken and Aft thefe truths-failing and prayer,when God calls for it,is a meanes to quicken them • goe through all meanes which God hath ordained to put us in minde of thefe Truths ,and fofarreasyounegleft the meanes, fofarreyoudc-taine thefe Trtfchsinunrighteoufneflc.

The end of the Seventh Sermon,

% CBR-

1%

SER.VIL

O&jetf.

L^0fm

Ser.VHI

CERTAINE

SERMONS

WOK "

HVMILIATION,

The Eighth Sermon.

Roma n s I. ip 3 20.

Forafmuch as that "Which may be knowne of God y is manifefl in them, for God hathJheVtedit unto them.

For the inYtfible things ofhim } that is,his eternal power and God-head are clearly feene by the creation of they>orldJbeiygconfidered in hisTfrorkes, to the intent that theyjbould be without excufe.

He fourth Cafe wherein we with-hold Cafe 4. this Truth in unrighteoufntfle, and imprifonit, is, whenwediredlyfup-preffeir^when we doe indeed fuffocate it,when wc doe this of purpofe 5 this is an evident Cafe when a man not only withdrawes i fewest

In fuffocating, and fappreifiag it.

Two wayes. I

The Law of mans judgement

fewell, when he doth not only not ad it, negkaing the meanes, but doth purpofcly fupprcffe it: As for example, when God (hall kindle a good fpark in any mans heart, and put in a good motion, not only re-veales, but ftirres up fomc Truths which conccrne his falvation, and he doth endeavor to put it out, to quench it, and labours to lay that Truth afleepe, and is glad when by any meaneshee can forget it, left it fliould trouble him, this is a great fupprefling of the Truth, and by this wc not only fupprefle this Truth, but we doe harden our owne hearts exceedingly $ as in iron, when we-quench it, we doe not only put out the fire, but harden the Iron: fo when God ftirs up many Truths (as it is in hearing the Word 3 inappre-henfion of death, in fuffering fome calamity in a good mood) the putting out of thefc doth harden the heart. Therefore, ^hen a man (hail have good purpofes, and thinke witfi himfelfe, I will now begin to bee another man, and to change my courfes, and yet (hail goe hto ill company, fuch as it may be he hath kept before ; this is an evident fuffocatingofthe Truth, a thing often fpoken of, and blame mee not that Hpeake of it againe; for it is the great quench-coale of Religion,amancanqptprofpertherein,ifhe looke not to his company, becaufe it isas&continu. all dropping on a fire-brand, which will bee fure to put out the light, and life and grace which one hath. Chryfofiame compares ill company to putting in of fwine, when a man hath planted an Orchard with tender Plants 5 when he hath fowed it,and the come, or whatfoever it is, appeares, leave the hedge open, and let the fwine come in, and they will overturne

all

is made manifejl by God.

all by the roots: So when wc Minifters have fowed the feed, and it begins to grow, a little to put forth, when ill company come in they fpoile all,they marre all, they pull up all lly the roots, fo that we have loft our labour, it is indeed fo effe&uall to keepe downe the Seed, and to make us imprifon the Truth.

Againe, cuftome in fin, giving your felves liberty in any fin, that keepes downe the Truth, and nothing more. Therefore, of all other things, you muft know,nothing fuppreffesthattrutb,that knowledge, thofe beginnings of Grace^thofc good motions in us lb much as a&uall finne, becaufe it is quite contrary to it: Fire is not quenched fo much with any thing as with water, being quite contrary thereto- and light is not hid fo much in any thing as in darkeneffc. Take heed then that you be not led away wichthcdeceitfulneffeof finne; you may think you fhall be able to leave this fin afterwards, but it is not in your power to doefo, for finne takes away the fenfe, and a great finne weakens the faculty that (hold refift, it puts out the Truth, becaufe it is fo dire&ly contrary unto ir.

And herein you muft obferve a notable difference betweene men that live-godly, and others.; the god ly when they fall into fin, it is fofarrefrom putting out this Truth, that it helpes it forward, for their fals doe but diicover fuch fins, and fo itcaufesthem to fearch themfelves,by which meanes they find out that to be in them,which they never knew of before, it maybe it is Covetou(neffe,or it maybeEnvy,one thing or other is difcovered, and when it is dif-covered, there is a winnowing of themfelves, they

fee

i8p

s^Zviii.

The Law of mans judgement

Cdfe 5.

In removing impediments.

fecriereisdroffe, and when they ieeit, they labour to purge it by repentance: It is quite contrary with the other, the more they fall into fin, the more they fuffocate the Truth 5 their falliig into fin, givesfinne more gtound,it makes them more in love with finne, it is the more prevalent againft them, the morcthey delight in it ; fo that every fin is like the Sea, getting ground of the Land, which they know not how to recover: So this is the fourth way,by frequent quenching of good motions, by ill company, and falling into fin, they doe harden their hearts, and fo fuffocate and quench this Truth.

The filth way is, when we do not remove the im-pediments,which if they were taken away,the Truth would rife, and (hew it felfe, for that is it,that kcepes downe the Truth; God hath written it plaine e-nough on mens hearts,but when we let duft and foile lye on it, we cannot reade it: This idlencffeand La-zineffe fuffcring thefc impediments to lye on you, to cover the Truth in you, iscowith-holdtheTru^h. Therefore Semcahzih a notion in this Cafe,though hee was an Heathen -> the foule of man, were it free from paflions and diftra&ions, and were quiet,truth fhould bee feene clearely, as you fee a penny, or a ftone in a cleare River, fo Truth would appeare: Doe but remove the impediments that commonly rife from us, and which Satan inje&s,and this Truth will fli w it felfe : for th:fe words (they with-hold the truth) (hew that the Truth is ready enough of ir felfe to come forth.

Now there bee certaine impediments which wee remove not,and they are thefe two 5 either bufineffe,

and

'

is made manifeft hy God.

and from thence proceeds feare,and carc 3 and gricfe, I c7T \r\\ or elfe recreations, and the pleafures and joyes that ' come from them,one of thefe two are alway the impediments.

Firft, forbufinefle^whena man takes too much on him,cven more than he is able to weald,or doth give himfelfe to too much feare, and care, and gricfe, which are contrary to this Truth, as Luke i, it *s c he | promifc tlm wee fliould firve him in holme(fe and\ righteoufneffe all our dayes without feare : But let a man bee filled with carnall feare, it fupprcfT-th the Truth, and keepes it downe. So for Care, Philip. 4, Cajl your care en Cody for he careth for you • and the peace of Cod which paffeth all under/landing, fiall keepe your hearts and mindes in Chrift Iefut: The meaning is, if you will care for your own matters,pcfter your felves with cares and perplexities, it will interrupt your Communion with Chrift Iefus, it will interrupt your peace, and if your peace 5 thenyour Communion with Chrift 5 therefore he exhorts them to caft their care on Chrift. So for Griefe, it is a great hindcrance, the Jfraelites could not hearken to Mofes for the anguifh of their hearts, and hee that mindes things too much,pierceth himfelfe thorow with for-rowes; this was the thing that fuffocated the third ground, they were kept do wne,partly with care,and partly with divers lufts: CManhawas troubled with many things : Therefore take heed of too much bu-fincfle, or intending it too much, or inordinately.

Secondly, Sports, Pleafures, and recreations, things wherein men delight too much, thefe are impediments to the Truth, if any of thefe get predominancy

Cafe 6*

Tl)e Law of mans judgement

i

minancy in your mindes, they hinder this Truth, if you will fet at liberty, remove this impediment * divers lufts keepe it downe, as cares, as we may fee in the third ground: And Efay i. Wot bee to you that laugh; If there were not fomething in this inordinate mirth and jollity that keepes downe theTruth, why fliould that be added? and the removal! of thefe Impediments is of great conlequence. For there may be many hundreds of men which perhaps,bave not fo ill meanings with them, yet are carried aw ay with the trad of vanity, thatarenotfooppofiteto the Truih, as forgetfull of it, thatdoenofomuch rcfift it, as ncgled it, that yet keepe downe the truth. Theft men partly bufied with cares,partly intent on pleasures, death (hall come upon them as a theefe in the night, and (hall lead them captive to hell, becaufe they held this Truth captive, which had they fet at liberty, it would have fct them at liberty, free from death and condemnation: That is the fifth Cafe.

The fixth Cafe wherein they withhold this Truth in unrighteoufnejfe, is, when they have it, and doe not ufe it, and communicate it to the good of others,and herein many faile: As firft,Minifters that have their charge, yet doe either Non r€fidtre y oi fignlttr re fide-rc^ but that concernes not this Audicory: Therefore I will not meddle with it $ but it concernes not only them,but common Chriftians likewife: When men are converted, a charge lyes on them to endevour to convert their brethren, they fliould labour to ufe this Truth, to kindle it in others, the negle& thereof is a fupprefling of it , for there is a charge laid upon thcm,that according to their meafure,in their fphcte,

according 1

is made manifeft by God.

m

according to their meafurc,in their fphere,according to their callings, they fhould endevour as much as they can to enlarge this Truth: So likewife Matters of families are bound to do it) (hall he be worfe than an Infidelljthat provides not food for his family,and fliall it not bee a greater fin in him that provides not fpiritual food?doth it not concerne him in privatc,as well as the Minifter in publike < Was it not that w ch God tooke fpcciall notice of in Abraham^! will not hide it from Abraham,for he wiUinftrutt his family >and his fins,and they JhaB know the wajesofthe Xord.-Ther-forc when they ncgled this cha-rge,they withhold the Truth inunrighteoufnes: So Patrons of livings,if they doe not their part to bring faithfull labourers into the Vineyard,and uphold them when they arc there,they with-hold the truth in unrighteottfnejft 5 for they hinder it, though it bee not their calling properly to bring forth fruit (for that is theMinifters) yet it is their part to uphold them. It is the Vine that brings forth the Grapes, but the Prop is to hold it up: So it is the office of Patrons to fuftaine Minifters in the Lords Vineyard: Likewife Lawyers and Advocates have a charge to minifterthc Truth, not to choake it: Ic is the office of Iufticc, to redifie the Truth, and not to adulterate if, but to informe rightly, and pro-] perly,whcn they do e not difcover the Trutb,they do! with-hold the truth, if they fhould not labour to doe j that, it were a htirtfull calling -but there is no calling j that is not for the benefit of men, but if it bee thus ufed to conceale the truth, it were hurtfull, and not ufcfull: fo likewife they that be Governours, Iufti-ces of Peace in the Country, they with-hold this

O Truth

SBR.VIH

*5>4

The Law of mans judgment

SER.VIII.

Truth, if they pcrforme not their duties diligently for this Truth: As it is committed to us Minifters to preach it, fo it is committed to you, that arc Go. vernours,to bring men into the obedience of it, you are to goeyour way by the Sword,and by your Authority, tor it is committed to your keeping, as it is faid of the great Magiftrate, he is Cups utriufqueta. btiU 5 you muft lookc that Truth have his pro-grefle, as well as that the common-wealth fuffers no detriment: Therefore let not your Authority lye as a Sword in a fcabbard,but let it be kept fharpe, to cut downe Popery ,and whatsoever is an Impediment to this Truth, and thinke it no fmall thing to negled it • for whatfoever fins arc committed, which you have Authority to reftraine, thefe fins are put on your reckoning: Look on the fir ft Epiftle of Timothy, the fifth Chapter, and the two and twentieth verfe, Lay hands on no man fuddenly (faith the Apoftle) and bee not partakers of another wans fins: If any bee under thee whom thou haft to doe with, if thou doeft not bring him in, and re ftraine him, thou art partaker of his fins; you know what was faid to Ahab> Thy life fballgojor hk life^ni you know that not to ftrike the Nocent, is as abominable in Gods fight, as to ftrike the Innocent: Therefore take heed of negle&ing it, whether it bee out of feare, (as that isonelmpedi-mcnt)or out ofnegligence,/?*. 12.8. Let them that rule d$e it diligently ,&c. As if that were a thing wherein givers arc too blame, that they doe it not cheerefully and diligently: Therefore bee you diligent in your places, to fct the T**uth at liberty, to bring men into fubjettion to it, fo farre as maybe: Andk>much

(hall

is made manife/l by God.

(hall fervc for this, being the fixth Cafe.

Now the feventh and laft cafe, is, when we know thefe Truths of God, and doe not profeffethem, when God kindled alight, and you put it under a buflicll: When God worketh Grace in any mans heart, his Intent is, it fhould (hine forth to the eyes of others, you muft not (hut up the windowes, that no body may fee; if you doe, whatfoeveryourre-fpc&s be ; you mth-holdthe Truth munrigbteoufneffe: He that (hall know the Truth, and out of feare (hall not profeffe it openly, this feare is a fin, and hee that with-holds it out of that refped, witb-holds it in un~ rigbMufitffe $ It is that which God requires of ne-ceffity, with the heart wee bcleeve, and with the mouth we confeflc to falvation, (^requires the one as well as the other* this is that, that (hut out the Pharifees, the chiefc men among the Rulers that bc-lecved, they durft not confeffe him for feare of the Pharifees,you (hall fee a brand fet on them,they loft their foules for it. Therefore doe not fay a man may keepe Religion to himfelfe,may have a good minde, and be devout in fecret,and that to bring it to view is hyporci/ie,it is not fo, it is a f alfe opinion 5 In doing fo,you robbe God of his glory, andyourfclvesof falvation: It is the bearing witnefle to the Truth, which you are bound unto, and you cannot fuve this! Truth in you, but it will appeare, Grace cannot bee j concealed, it cannot be hid • and if it could, yet you \ muft know that the very concealing of this Truth, j puts an imputation onit 5 for we conceale nothing j but what wee are afhamed of, and fhamc implyes (you know) that there is fomething amide • fothatl

O 2 though

Ser-VIU.

The Law of mans judgement

though you little thinke of it, this concealing of the Truth, this hiding of it, is a degree to blafphemy, it layes an imputation on the Holy Ghcfl, for it doth on the light and Truth which is aticffe&oftheift/j Ghtjt i Therefore know (Wdefiresboth, heewill have the infidc cleane, and the outfide too 5 indeed, if the infide be cleane, the outfide will be fo alfo, but it is not true on the contrary $ A man may have a cleane outfide, as in Matthew the three and twentieth Chapter, Make the infide cleane .that the tutfide may be cleane alfo: The meaning is, If a man have a cleane in-fide,it is not poffible but a cleane outfide wil follow; It is true,there may be leaves, and no f ruir, but there can be no fruit^but there wil be leaves-many counter-fcit peeces may look yellow: but there is no gold but it lookes yellow: do not fay then it is hypocrifie,in them that profeffe Religion, for they would not take the profeflion of thefc things to themfelvcs,but that they fee a beauty, and excellency in them. Therfore confider it,&know there lyes a neceffity on you; do you think it unequallthat God (hould be afhamed of you,and will you bealhamed of him * Is he fuch a Facher,that bis children fliould be afhamed of him ?• or fuch aMafter as we fliould be afhamed to weare his Livery? Doe this to earthly Matters, and fee how they will take it. Indeed if there were not fome lofie to men in undertaking this profeflion, we need not fpend fo much time to preffe men to it, but there is a lofle in profeffmg the Truth; you may lofe many friends* and procure many enemies, un-dergoe many crofles, lofe many benefits and preferments, which you might have had, this Chrifi tells

y ou

is made tnanifeft by God.

you before-hand,but if you love hira,you rauft deny your felvcs in thefe. They breed an enmity in men, inftance that place of Ahab, Hafi thou found me, oh mine enemy ? K^Andam I your enemy y becaufe I tell you the Truth i All menJbaU hate you f$r my Names fake: And the more the Truth appearcs, the greater is the hatred, becaufe the objeft of hatred is greater. Bur,if you objeft what is the rcafon Peter faith, i Pet $.il.Willany man deny to follow that which u good ?

I anfwer, there is a double good, and that is profitable to man, as to bee Iuft, Meeke, Gentle, Patient, ready to doe good 5 in a word, all goodneffe of this kinde men will love you for; but there is another thing in Religion, and that is pra&ice of true Righ-teoufneffe,*and holines, and that croffes men: therefore S z , Peter addes, BleJfedareyee,ifyeefuffcrfor righteoufneffe fake: As if hee hadfaid, though for your goodneffe men love you, yet for your righte-oufneffe you muft fuffcr perfecution 5 therefore that muft be made account of before-hand and you muft be ready to beare it: So much dial fervc to fet down the Cafes, Wherewith men with-holdthU Truth in un-righteoufheffe.

Fourthly, if there befuchaTruthmadeknowne to us by God Himfelfe, then in the obferving of this Truth, looke for happineffe,in the t ranfgremng of it exped mifery, ruine and deftru&ion: If God that is the Governour, the Sumum bonum, (hall appoint the j truth, and iet man a Law, whatfoever that Law is, in i obferving of that Law, there is happineffe: Itisfol -with every creature, he hath given every creature a I Law, and to long as he keepes to that, he is in a good \

I£7

Ser.v1ii.

Oh\eit. Anfrv.

rfe +

o

condition

Ser-VIH

The Law of mans judgement

Objetf. Anfw,

Objett.

condition and ftate: Now the Law given to us is this truth, in obferving it thou (halt keep thy life,thy happindTe; take heed therefore of departing from it, whenfocver a man departs from it he is deceived, and no man will willingly be deceived.

But, you will fay, a man is not deceived in fin, for I know it is a fin.

Yes, in this thou art deceived, no man commits a finne,but at that time he thinkes it better that he commit k 3 and wor fe that he abftaine from ir, and in this thou art deceived f Go thorow allthcScripture,and findc any one fin there recorded, and fee if the party be not alofer: Gccto/w>£04w,didhenotlofehis Kingdomc by that, by which he thought to fave it * goc to W,#,to Gehe&^vjas it not their ruine i I fay, every man is deceived 5 as it was faid of Eve, Eve was deceivedy fo it may be faid of all the fonnes of Adam, when they commit a fin they are deceived.

But if you objed, Adam was not deceived,! Tim. 2. 7he woman was deceived, but the man was ate.

I anfwer,the meaning is,thcre is an immediate deceiving, when a manismcerelycoozened, becaufe there is a fault in his reafon, and for that miftakes a thing, and fo was Eve onely deceived, (he being the weaker: But there is a fecond kinde, when a man is not immediately deceived, but tranfported by a luft, and that was Adams Cafe • and that luft arifes from deceit: Suppofe it be a luft of envy that transports a man to a fin,although that doth not immediately deceive, yet this (as all finsj arifes from errour. Therefore when any temptation comes, fee if it be a fin 5 if it be a fin 3 be fure thou art deceived,and though thou

canft

is made tnanifeft by God.

canft not find outthedeceitjyet remember it is there,

Ephef.^. you (hall findethefe put together, The eld

man is corrupt through lufisproceeding from deceit, and

herenemdin the spirit ofjourmindes after the Image 0/

God in holineffe and rightcoufneffc> which comes from

the Spirit of Truth 5 you (hall finde there is net a luft

but it comes from deceit,and not any holinefle.but it

comes from a re&ifying of theApprehenfionand

from Truth- for inthefetwothings(markeit) the

Image of God and Satan confift: The Image of Cod

confifts not only in holineffe, but in truth 5 therefore

the Image of God is renewed in holineffe proceeding

from Truth: As on the contrary fide the old man

doth not onely (land inlufts, but in deceit, from

whence the luft comes. Therefore take heed of that

deceit, and know this, when any fin is committed, it

is contrary to Truth, to the Law, to this knowledge,

and let that be an Argument againft it. I cannot (land

to preffe it more: So much (hall ferve for this point.

The end of the Eighth Sermon.

O4

CER

Ser-VIII.

201

CERTAINE

SERMONS

WON

HVMILIATION.

The Ninth Sermon. Roma n s i. ipj2o. Forafmucb as that Ttbich may be knowne of God y is manifeU in them7 for God hathJheTtedit untotbem.

For the invifible things ofbimjhat isjbis eternal power and God-head are clearly feene by the creation of the^orld^beingconfidered inbisTborkes, to the intent that they Jhould be without excufe.

He third point then which now re-maines to be handled, is this, There is fo much revealed to every manias ' will make him inexcufable: We fee the words are clear, Gedhathmadeit knowne to them by the Creation, by his tvorkes, to the intent they (heuld be without exenfe 3 or if you will

tranflate

Ser.IX.

Point 3.

There isfo much rercalcd to every man as will make him inexcufable.

The Law of mans judgement

.1 ■ ■ ' ' ' "" ■

r ranflace it,/i that they art without excufe> the words will beare either. There is fo much revealed then, as will make every man inexcufable: For the manifcftation of this Truth,go no further than this Chapter*

Firft,con(ider, God hath madeHinrfelfe known to every man by his workes of Creation, this isthe booke every man may readc,this is expofed to every mans eye, ic is a language which every martun-dcrftands.

Secondly, you (hall fee what they doe, they did not giorifie him as (W,neither were thankefull,but became vaine in their imaginations, and their foo-lifli hearts werefull of daikeneffe, that is their carriage towards God*

Thirdly, when God doth behold this carriage in them, he gives them up to a reprobate fenfe, to vileaffe&ions, to their heartsiufts, till they be full of all unrighteoufneffe, as it is expreffed in the latter end of the Chapter, becaufe they regarded not to know God, he delivered them up to a reprobate minde,to doe things uncomely,being full of all unrighteoufneffe. And if you markcthis prophetic, you (hall fee how God is exeqfed, and how all the world is inexcufable :

Firft, God did that which was fufficient on his part, he made himfelf&knowne.

Secondly,they did wilfully and ftubbornely de-fpile this knowledge, they regarded not to know God, nor pra<ftifed according to knowledge, but provoked Him with their finnes, and became vaine, making no confeience of offending Him : Then

comes

is made tnanifeft by God.

comesinthis in the third place, they arc delivered up to a reprobate fenfe, fo as they cannot heale themfelves,they are brought to an irrecoverable ftate, as a man in quicke fands that goes deeper and deeper, and knovves not how to get out, they are given up to vile affe&ions, fo as they cannot loofe thcmfelves from thebands of the Devill,butmarke theprogreffe : Firft, Godrevealeshimfelfe, then they provoke him by precedent fins, then he gave them up to thefe affe&ions. But to open the point at large, and to fhew the excufes men have, and their weakeneffc, and how they are taken away, and then it will bee evident that all men are inex-cufable.

[ The firft pretence men have, is that they know not God, they are not acquainted with him, they are ignorant of his wayes: That is eafily anfwered, that they that know himleaft, yet have fo much knowledge as will make them inexcufable: They that have onely beene acquainted with the Creation of the world, falvage men that never heard the Word, that were never acquainted with the Scrip-ture,yet thefe know God, for God hath raanifefted himfclfe to them. This I proved at large in the former point, fo that no man can deny but hec knowes God, that is, that there is a God, and this very thing, if no more,is enough to makethem inexcufable, for they knew God, but glorified him not as God : whenfuch a man knovves there is an Almighty power, by his naturall wit, he is able to deduce, if there be a God, I muft behave my felfe well cowards him, I muft feare him as God, I muft

be

203

The Excufes j whereby men endevour to purge themselves.

Excufe 1.

That they know not God,

God requires more knowledge than men have of him.

Anfw.

1he LcCto of mans judgement

The inexeufa-blenefTe of ignorant Countrey people.

be affe&ed to him as God, Imuft worihiphim wirhatl reverence as God ; but the rooft ignorant man confefles there is a God, no Nation denyes it, but how farre are they from glorifying him as God? from carrying themfelves towards an o*/-mightj God maker of heaven and earth?

But fecondly, the fecond pretence is, but God requires more of me than thatjif that were enough to know God, that there is an invifible God, to acknowledge the Deity and cternall Power, it were well,but God requires more.

To this I anfwer, God requires no more of any man than cither hee doth know, or might have known; goe thorow the whole Vniverfe, all men of the world that are or have beene, and I fay,God requires of no man more than cither he doth know, or might have knowne: I put that in, becaufc there be many men that might know more than they do, fpoken of, 2 Pet. 3.5. Some there are that are mRingly ignorant .He meaneth men that are willingly ignorant of fome things, but it is all one as if they knew them. And this makes men of this Nation inexcufable, as your ignorant Countrey-people, who though they know nothing, yet becaufe they might have knowne, they areas inexcufable as if they had knowne as much as any- for though every Parifhhave not a preaching Minifter, ("which is a thing much to be wiihed) yet there is no Countrey but fome light is fet up in it, whither they may re-fort if they will, and this willmakc them inexcufable : So they that live under much meanes, that are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of

the

is made manifefl by God.

205

Ser.IX.

the Truth, and fo have brought a fottiflineffe on themfelves, they are inexcufyblc, becaufe them-felves are the caufe of their not profiting, asaman that is dranke, though he is not able to underftand the commands of his Mafter,yet becaufe he was the firft Author of the drunkenneffe, (which cauled fuch fottiflineffe)he is inexcufable; fo they that neg-left the Word, or when the Word enters not into thehearr,becaufe men delight not in ir/as you ihall| finde thefe put together, Prov.i.io.When wifedome \ enters into thy foule, and knowledge delights thee) when the caufe that men profit not, is becaufe they delight mother things, the ftreame runnes another way \ and fo as the Sunne puts out fire, and the outward heat extinguiflieth the inward heat, (bthey \ doe drive out the Word by divers tufts, when they \ might have abftained from thofe other delights, and have attended to the Word with more diligence, they are inexcufable : Sothat God requires no more of any man, than either he doth know, or might have knowne.

The third pretence is, and that is greater than | Pretence |. the other two,I but we have no ability to performe the things we do know*

That every man is ready to fay, Who is able to pradife according to his knowledge i

To this I anfwer. It is falfe, there is ability in every man to doe according to that he knowes 5 for for fo farre as light goes, fo farrc there is ability in the will and afteftions to follow that light 5 there is a common light in men that are inflate of unre-generation (indeed {anftifying light they have not)

and]

B il l - : ■■ - ., . m

Wee haveao ability to performe the things wee know.

Afljw.

206 Sbr.IX.

Objetf.

The Law of mans judgement

and they are able to goe as far as their light goes,and I willappeale to any mans experience, let him looke backe to the courfe of his life, and examine himfelfe, was there ever any particular adion in all thy life,, from which thou waft fohindred, that thou canft fay thou couldeft not doe it i was thhe ever any particular fin, of which thou couldft fay, this fin I could not abftaine from i And howfoever we may make it a matter of difputc in the Schooles; yet the worft man, one in whom we may thinkecorruption of nature to be mod ftrong, when he comes to dye, he doth not excufe himfelfe, but acknowledge he is guilty* If you confiderthe nature of liberty,there is a fpontaneity in beafts, by which they are carried to that which their appetite defires,but that is not Liht-mm^ though Spnt&nwm : But when a reafonable creature lookes on a thing as Elegibile oxnon Elegi* bile, and not onely lo, but is able to rcafon on both fides, is able to fee arguments for both,that makes it differ from Spontaneity, when there is no outer impediment, when you may take or rcfufeit, when you have Arguments to reafon, and fee the commodity and difcommodity of it,your will is nowfree,fo that I may truely affirmc every man hath a freewill to do that, for the not doing of which he is con-demned; marke ir.

But you will objed, I but a man is condemned for not befceving, for not turning to God, for not having his heart changed, for not being a new Crea-ture,but thefe no man hath power to doe 5 therefore a man is condemned for fomethingwhichheisnot able to doe.

To

is made manifefl by God.

To this I anfwer. It is true, a man hath not power to perf or me thefe,but yet withallj fay,he hath power to doe thofc things, upon the negled of which, God denyes him ability to beleeve and repent: So that it is true, though a man cannot beleeve and re-Jpent, and neverthelefle for this is condemned 5 yet withall take this with you, there be many precedent A&s, which a man hath in his liberty to doe, or not to doe, by which he tyes God, and deferves this juftly, that God fliould leave him to himfelfe, and deny him ability of beleeving and repenting, which as a neceflary duty lyes on him : So that though a man hath no ability to doe this,yet he hath ability to abftaine from the things, by the which he provokes God to anger, and by which he deferves this at his hands,not to be able to beleeve, &c. For proofe goe to this Chapter, They knew God, but they glorified him ml as God, therefore (they having not done the precedent Ads which they (hould have done) faith the Text, Gj^f gave them u$ to their lu Its : He tookc away all ability to repent,he deprived them of all the fparkles of common grace and knowledge which before they had,but this is a thing which they them-felves defcrved firft. So much for the Third y when we come to the ufe we will be more large.

Fourthly,men excule thcmfelves from this, their natures are corrupt, and they have ftrong inclinations, ftrong lufts inclining them to this or that finne, which they cannot rcfift, therefore arc excufable.

To this I anfwer, It is not fo, none hath fo ftrong

an inclination to any fin, but heeisabletorefiftit.

This is the Argument 4 Letaman have hell and death

& fet

207 Ser.IX.

<*s4nfrv*

Pretence 4.

Fi'om the corruption of nature, which they cannot rcfift.

K^Anfa. 2.

L/ftf/tf.J.

u —

7be Lato of mans judgement

fet before him, nay, let tome temporall (hameor' punifhment be fet before him, which he fhall immediately undergoc 5 when iuch a fin is committed, and fee if this will not reftraine him,whcn the luft is mod impetuous. Therefore it is not, becaufc he cannot reftraine it, but becaufe he will not.

Secondly, haft not thou brought on thy fclfe that ftrong lnclination,that ftrange power of finne i Art not thou the caufe of it * For though thcrebc original! fin in us, yet we may intend that original! finne i by frequency in any a&uall fin: As Varnifli intends colours, it puts on no new colours, but intends it, makes it more bright^if there was a glimmering light before, addition of light makes the former light greater: fo frequency offin,makcs finne morea&ive, more efficacious, more vigorous, as humours being accuftomed to a place, are ready to breake forth there 5 fo a fin wherein you have had an iflue, wherin you have given your felvcs liberty, there finne gets greater vi£ory over you ; therfore confider if you be not guilty of the power of fin, of the impetuity of yourlufts,

Laftly,confider if you have not deferved that Cod fliould give you up to thefe lufts • many are taken in fin, as the fi(h on the hooke, which cannotger off, it feizesasan Apoplexte on a man that cannot be cured : When the fin gets ground,it is likethe Sea, getting ground on the land, which cannot be recovered. I confefle this is the cafe of many hundred men, but confider if you have not made way for this; for as the lower ftayres leade up to the higher $ fo there bee leflcr fins w ch make way for greater, not by way of

is made manifeft by God,

efficacy, as A#s beget an habit, but by way of merit, God may luftly give them over to this ftrength of fin : Therefore though their lufts bee ftrong and impetuous 9 yet this doth not make them inexculable.

Fifthly, when none of this will ferve the turne, then they are ready to lay it on their temptations : How can a man doe other wife whenir (lands in fuch circumftances,that is, lubje<3 to fuch company, to fuch occafions, fuch bufinefles, and fo many things to draw him away : When that within will not excufe him, he comes to that without.

To this I anfwer, when a man is drawne to any thing without, it is the concupifcence within that doth it • put fire to that which is not combuftible, it will not burne, it is the corruption within that doth all. Therefore, obferve that in kA£Is 5. It is Saint Peters fpcech to ^Ananias And Saphira, Why hath Satan filled thy heart ? As if he had faid, It is truc,Satan hath put this into thy heart,hc hath tempted thee to the fin, to lyetothe£fr/y Ghoft, but know, thou waft thecaufe of it,thou hadft the keys of thy heart, if thou hadft not fuffcred Satan to have entred,he coi^d nothave done it.

And befides, confider if thou haft not put thy felfe into this Temptation ; It is onething for G o ,d to lead into temptation, and another thing to lead our felves into ir. You know what is fayd ofiAhaziah, 2 King. 8.27. ffeewalkedin J the myes of the Kings ef Ifrael+and did as the hmfe ofAhab had done, becastfe be had the daughter ofAhab

p j#r

209 Se rm.IX.

Pretence 5. From Temp. tationsofc*5-pany } bufinefle, 6cc,

lAnfw.i,

Kstnfw

.2.

Sbrm.IX.

The Law of mans judgement

Pretence 6,

From the want? ofmcanes.

xytnfr.

i&hct particu larExeufc*.

to Wife: As if he had faid, Itistrue,itwaso*^ Daughter that led him into thofe fins, but he led himfclfc into the temptation, he fhould not have married Ahabs Daughters: Confider whether thou haft not put thy felfe into this circumftance, and led thy felfe into this temptation.

Laft of all, another Pretence and Excufe is, as I have the temptation that others want, folwant the meancs others have 5 If I had the means others have, I (hould doe well enough.

I anfwer, firft confider if thou hadft not meanes, and didft not profit by them > confider how many meanes God afforded thee, from whence thou re-ceivedft not that fruit and profit, which thou mighteft have done : And if thou didft not, and G o d deprived thee of the meanes,know thou art the caufe of it thy felfe: for when men negleft the meanes, when God (hall fet up a light, and men will not worke by that light, he doth, as Matters doe with their fcrvants, when they fet them a Candle, and they play by it, and will not ufe it as they fhould, they take it away in anger ; fo God removes away the light, he takes away the Gofpell, he (ends a famine of the Word, when wenegle&it,oras Parents doe, when their Chil* dren play with their meate, they take it from them: When men will not ufe their Talents, God takes them away, and this Talent of the Word a-bove all other,when it (hall be abufed,and not ufed to Gods glory.

If all this will not ferve to excufe them in ge-ncraflj then arc they ready to excufe thcmielves,

in

is made mamfefi by God.

in particular: Firft, by denying the fa& - orSe-condly, by flighting the fault.

Firft, by denying the Fa<ft, they deny that they J are guilty of a thoufand finnes of which they are guilry 5 this difpofition youfhall findeinthemin UMalach. i. Tm have defyifed mee, And you fay ^ Wherein have wee deftifed thee ? ukndyou have robbed me, and foiledmee y and you fay, Whereinhave we r$bbed thee ? And you reckon it awearinejfe to ferve the Lord, and yon fay ^ wherin are we weary ? So it is the nature of Man to deny the Fad, if it be pof. fible: See Gods anfwer,when they haveasked thefe qucftions, Tou have offend the lame and blind in fa-crifice. Confider what you doe i doe you not de-fpife God in the prayers that you makc,do not you performe them in a (light and perfunctory manner f Doe you not offer to God of the word ? There be men that Solomon fpeakes of,that defpife their way, that is,fome things they negle&,which they thinke arc not worth looking after, fomc things they reckon as trifles which they will not care for, this is to defpife God.

Secondly, If they cannot deny the Fa<ft, they fleight the Fault, andoneofthefethey fay, either the finne is fmall which they commit, and hope that will excufe them• or if they be greater finnes, they fall into them by humane frailty,and infirmity, and arefbrry for what they have done, fbexte-nuating what they doe, and making it a matter of nothing.

But toanfwer firft to fmall finnes,finncs arc not to be meafured by the bulke, but by thecircum-

P 2 ftances

211

Serm.IX.

Firft, by denying cheFaft.

Secondly, By fleighting the

Ob .It if a (mi

finnc 0

t^nfiv.

Serm.IX.

The Law of mans judgement

fiances with which they are committed, though thou thinkeft it a fmall finne in it felfe, yctconfi-dering it with the circumftances ic may bee great: A finne committed againft light of confeience, and with deliberation, is a great finne, as the Prophet that turned another way, it was a (mall thing for him to doe it, yet having the fure Word of God for a rule not to doe it, you fee God puniflied him, not, as for afmallfinne, and he being juft, wee may argue from the greatneffe of the punifliment, that the finne was great • fo Ls4dams eating of the forbidden fruit, to eate an Apple was a fmall matter, but there being the Al-mighty God's Command to she contrary^ the punifhment fhewes what the finne was: Somen thinke that to fweare a fmall oath, is no great matter, but Chrift faith, Letywr yea, bee yea, and your nay, vay $ and when God hath commanded a thing, though it be never f o fmall, yet that makes it great: fo it was a fmall thing for £w/to facrifice before S*muel eame,but you fee what it cofthim,God for that caft him away for ever * Sointhethingsyou reckon fmall, take heed you be riot deccived,be the thing never fo fmall, yet for that,you may be condemned^ well as for the greateft fin, for he that is unfaithfull in the kaft,wil not be faithfull in much: And take the leaft finne, there is the fame reafon of finfutaefTcin that, that!w inthegreateft, asa dropis water, afWcll as the Ocean :Ifthou ah-ftainc from fintie,becaufe there is an Antipathy between fin and thee, as it is with every man after re-gcneration,thou wiltabftaine from all fins. You

know"

is made manifeft by God.

know a Pigeon will not meddle with any feather of an Hauke, becaufe there is an Antipathy be-tweencthem, and theShcepe hates every Wolfe, and men hate every Toad, his ftomacke rifes at a little Toad $ fo a right gracious heart abhors every thing that is evill,and cleaves to every thing that is good, indeed he failcs much in performance, but his heart is found.

Againe, there is no fmall fin, but it makes way for a greater, as playing at fmall games, makes us afterward to play a greater: Therefore the little, neffe of the fin excufes not 5 for one fin admitted is of great confequence, becaufe it drawes on many that are great.

Now for thefecond, iome they fay are fmall, fomc are great, and for them that be gnat, they commit them by Accident, out of infirmity, and . are lorry for what they have done.

You muft know this, if they were committed by infirmity^ the Excufe were good, for even the faithfull themfelves fall into divers fins out of in-firmity • but take heed of deceiving thy felfe.

If thou findeft this thy Cafe, that thy heart is renewed, that thou waged a continuallwarrea* gainft thy fins, refolveft never to make peace or truce with them,ufeft all meanes thou canft againft them, admitted of nooccafiontolcadtheetofin, and yet failed: into it againft purpofe, andfincere defire of heart, it is a fin of infirmity, and God willfoludgcofit, but put cafe thou holdft not a continuall warre with thy felfc ; butfayeft, I fee it is a fin which I am ftrongly inclined to, I fliall be

P 3 weary

-2!L

Seim.IX.

Ob. I fell into by infirmity.

^nfv.i.

SfiRM.lX.

The Law of mans judgement

Ob. But I am forry that J To finned. l

i^infw

x^dnfw

weary with refitting, therefore I muft give out, I cannot choofe; now if thou leave driving, and lay downe thy waiters, this is not a fin of infirmity

Againe, if thou keepeft company that leads to that fin,or doft venture on that occafion,beholding fuch objedte walking onthebrinkcand comming neare the fin • It is a falfe pretence that thou failed into it by infirmity, or by accident, for thou allowed thy fdfe in ic y thou lyeft and continued in ir.

So againe, had thou ufed thy uttermod power, had thou prayed hard againd it, nay, had thou faded and prayed againd it, for fome devils cannot be cad out without both : Indeed if a man ufc all his drength to refid it, he fliallfall into it feldomc,* and it is to be excufed thus, but if othcrwife, it is no ; fin of infirmity.

But they fay, I am forry for what I have done $ Take heed thou be not deceived in that. Is it not afalfeforrow 9 art not thou more forry for Ihe ef-•| fc& of fin, than for thccviilbl fta, for the burning of the coale, thanfortheblackncfTeofthccoaler Thereis much prefent evill in fin, that may make thee repent it afterward.

Againe, if it be notions it not a flight for row i not proportionable to thy fin : Isitaforrowthat continues on thy heart £ Is it a (arrow efte&uall to worke any change in thee, to prevent fin for the time to come ( Othcrwife, if thou fay thou art forry for it, and yet failed into it againe and againe, it is no true forrow: Go to thy Ncighboui-and fay, I have done thee an Injury ,and am forry for it,and yet

1

2.

4

is made manifeft by God.

ytt fall into the fame againe and againe, it will fecme that it was but a falfe forrow: So if thou doft pretend forrow for thy fins, and yet relapfeft into them againe, it is a flight forrow that God regards not. So much fliall ferve to take away the Excu. fes,lcarne to lay this to heart, and confider if, and fee how you bee inexcufable : Now tomakeufe of it.

The firft Vfe is to juftifie God, learne to lay the blame where it is, that is, on our felves; thinke not that God condemnes any without caufe, for every man is inexcufable. And here this point is fpe-cially to be marked: I doe not fay,men are inexcufable onely in regard of Adams fin (that being a Truth we all afient unto, that in regard of vjidms fin,theability we had,we loft in him/but I will go further- men arc inexcufable in regard of the pre-fcnt conditioned their a<5tuall fins, marke it well. The rcafoti whereupon he infers that they are inexcufable, is • God hath made Himfclfeknowneto them, namely by His Workes and Creation; He goes not to %^idams fin, but they h2d knowledge enough; this knowledge they pra&ifed not, and in regard of the prefent a<3uall evils which they committed, they are inexcufable. Therefore,that God may be glorified and juftified, that he may be true, and every-man alyar, know that God con-demneth not for any more than He hath revealed, as fome have onely the Law of Nature, fo they arc condemned only for breakingthat Law, they are not condemned for not worfhipping God according to the Law oi<Jttofcs or the Gofpell,but fim-

P 4 Pty

Shrm.IX.

Vfe x.

1x6 Sbrm.IX.

The Law of mans judgement

ObjecJ.

ply and only fpr breaking the Law of Nature;! Theythat have finned without the Law, JhaHbecen-' demnedwithout the Law, Rom.z. 12. That is,at the lad day there (hall no more be laid to their charge, this you knew, and this you broke: So againe, they that only knew the Law of Mofis, yea,at this day,if there be any lew in the wor ld,which never beard of Cbrift,which never Wmeanes to know \\\m y hefhal net be condemned for net beleving in Chrift, but for the breach of the Law of Nature, and the Law of Mofes :and the reafon is good,for by the fame rcafon that the Gentiles (hall not be condemned for breaking the Law oi Mofes,by xhs, fame equity & ground, they that have not the knowledge of thcGofpcll, (hall not be condemned for breaking the Law of the Gofiell: So that if weeoafider this, There is no man (go thorow all) but God (hall lay this to his charge at the day of judgement; Do not fay ,1 bound thee to impoflible things,that I laid on thee a Law, thou couldft not kcepc,thou (bait not have this ex-cufe left thee, I gave thec ability to do much, but thou didft not doe that thou wert able to doe, for that is the condition of every man, he is able to doe more than he doth, and if any man perifb, // is for not doing the things he was able to do.

But you will fay* G o x> might have revealed more,

I anfwer, God dotblead along, but men doP*-nere obices, lay blocks in his way 5 God dcalcs not oncly inluflice, but in much mercy with any vef-fellof wrath : Indeed he loves the godly in a fpe-ciall manner, but mercy he fhewes to every man,

and

is made manifeft by God.

and the reafon why be is not brought to more light, is, becaufe he layes blockes, and when God rcvcales ftill, he layes more, till at length there be an end of his patience and longfuffcring.

To give an inftance in f**/and David ^ God led Saul along, but he fins ftill s God leads him on, till at length he went his way, and God leaves him quite • but in David you (hall finde as many frailties as in Saul • if you looke on Davids nature, the ftrong temptations to which hewasfubjed, he was ready to lay blockes too • but becaufe God had a peculiar love to David f ,he removed them allj yet God dealt with Saul in much mercy^ he (hewed much patience, and long-fuffering • but David he loved with a peculiar love, therefore he carried him thorow all: So it is with all the faithfully mi put my fearc in thine heart, that thoujhalt never depart from me, faith God.

But^you will fay, this is to preach Free-will, and if mea have free-will and be condemned for not doing wh&rthey might do, what isthc difference betweenc the Do&rine of the Papifts and this ?

I anfwer,Though there be a free-will to do that, for the not doing of which they (hall be condemned 3 fo as you cannot come to any particular that thefc men cannot doe, yet God hath kept it in his power to draw whom he will,to fanftifie whom he will,f or God keeps thefe twotogethcr,he keeps men within compaflc of common grace, fo that they may doe much of themfelves, and the changing of mens hearts, the enabling of themtobeleevee^ fe<5fcually, orrepent, thedrawingof them to God,

that

1\7

Serm.IX.

objeS.

!~4nfr<

■^_.l„.,-^».. M . (ll . .

18

Serm.IX

rfii

The L afboftnans judgement

that is, proper to God: So that thcfc may well ftand together, this freedome they have, yet it is not in any mans power to beleeve, to repent effe&ually.

The fecond ufe we fhould make of it, is for practice j Iearne hence then to juftifie God,and to con-demne our felves, to thinkc well of Him, and ill of our fclves,togive Him the glory of His mercy,and patience, and long- differing • and to take fhamc to our felves,lay the blame where it ought to be laid: for let a man have committed never fa great* never J fo many fins, if he hath foraethingto lay for him* felfe, he will never be humble 5 labour tacome to this, to fee that thou haft nothing to fay for thy felfe, to lee that thy fin is out of meafurc finfull, as indeed it is; and this will put a neceffity on thee,and teach thee to love much, becaufe much is f argiVcft thee, and till this thou canft not be a man fit for Chrift: Therefore you fhall find thefe two expref. fions, Rom. 3. KyiH Are under finne: And the like is in Galath.3. 44. He hath flwt up aH under fin, that thepromifebj the faith of \ isusChrist might he given to them that beleeve^ that every mouth majbeeftofped% That is, before God will (hew mercy, He will bring them to fee that are inexcu-fable, that their mouths may be every way flop-ped, that they may have nothing to fay for them-felves, that they may have no excufe 5 no PoBu^no back* doore: when a man is (hut up in finne, when there is no evafion, nothing to extenuate fin with-all, then his foule is humble, and begins to finkc before God $ then he fees neceffity of comming to ± Chrift,

is made manifefl by Gad.

219

Chrift,and is brought into the cafe they were in, in the fecond Chapter of the u^#/, CWen andlre^ thren % rphAtjhaUwedoe to befcwed? As if they fhould fay, before we thought we were in a good condition, at leaft we had fomething to hold by in our ap-prehenfion, but when Peter lhewcsthem their guil-tinefle, then, men *nd brethren what fiall we doe tg be Jived: This is it the Scripture cals, istfflttt pur fifoesjam.$. Now the Greek word for Affii&ion, is, tffettm , that is,when forrow ftands round about a man 3 when there is no way to get out, when one is hedged in on evety fide, for when there is any icapc, it is not properly an Affiidion,becaufe there is an evafion, a way to helpe out s but that makes it an Affii&ion, when it compaffes us round, when we have nothing to fay, when all objedions are re-moved, fo that we are throughly convinced of fin, this ftirs; up prefent apprehenfiort of danger, prc-| fent forrow for fin,and when any Affli&ion is prefent, it will have prefent eafe. There be many excules, hut when the Holy Ghoft removes all thefc, then-men are driven toChrift 5 indeed 5 be-fore they clave to fin,as to their Center,ftil departing, and loath to depart, for men come out of the (late of unrcgeneration, as Lot came out oiSodome, who was fo loath to comeout,that the Angell was faine to draw*him out ; fo till we be all nothing, till there be no twig to hang by, till there be no Ftbra to nourifhuson our owne bottome, we will never come toGhrift : zsloab, if he Could have escaped S4hmon, he would not haveftorttftf to the hornes of the Alter, but whenhefawnohopes^ then he

laid

Serm.IX

Serm.IX

TheLatoofmans judgement

laid hold on them, and faid, If bee will kill mee^het flail kill mte here : So if wee can fubfift in our naturall condition wherein we arc,we will love it, we will cleave to it 5 but when God hath ferited us out of all our turning, that there is no hope left, then wc goc to Chrift, then we take hold on the homes of the Alter $ as when a man hath a cord let downe to him into the Sea, you need not bid him holdfaft : So when God takes away all excufes, takes a man quite from his owne bottome,cutshim from the root of Nature on which he grew, this makes him come to Chrift. When we tell men of their fins, that they are accurfed, that doe not keep every part of the Law, they deale with us as the Egyptians did, when it was told them, that in eve. ry houfe the firft borne fliould die, except the dc-ftroying Angcll faw their doore-pofts fprinkled with bloud, they regarded it not, they minded it it nor, till the very day, and then where the bloud, was not t ound,thcy died for it: So wc may tell you of fin, of the danger you are in, we may tell you, that you £hall die, yet you beleeveit not, oncly a few, whofc hearts are fprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe, they indeed defer it not, for they doe know how foone thedeftroy ing Angell may come. Therefore labour to be convinced, this is to know what a Mediator is, and not to have it in fpcculati-on only. And here it were good to confider,what that is that holds men on their roots 5 there is an Anchor underwater, though men fee it not, that keepes them in their eld condition, if wee could hit on it.

And

is made manifefi by God.

And it is either Inconfideration, men confider not what they have to doe, they looke not about thcm,according to that in Deut. 29. 7 oh havefeene all what the Lord didto ?h&raohJbm the Lord hath net given joh hearts to confider it this day : Now if you aske what Confidcratioa is 31 anfwer, Confidera-tion is nothing elfebutan ad fuperadded to knowledge, when a man not only knowes, but rcturnes and refle&s on what he. knowes, whenheftayes and abides on it, whenhe lookes round about a bu-finefie, not on a corner of it, but fully and weighes every circumftancc: Therefore we are faid to ponder our waycs, when we doe not onely looke to that which is prefenr, but to the time paft and to come, when all things are taken in : Now when a man (hall lay all together, when he fhall confider, that is, thinke ferioufly, and remember that hee hath but a little time to live here, and that there is another place where lie ihall live lot 1 all eternity, that he hath an immortall 1 oule 5 and that his ftatc is dangerous^ that bis fins are great, and the wrath of God is as a confuming fire 5 whentfcefe are laid to-gether,when he confiders theOT,and ftaicson them,, i by. theft fneanes he comes to fbe^witkfcis eyesi, and j uriticcftand with his heart, and to be converted and J healed • but becaufemen do confider, thence it is I that they grow on their roote Mi, and are not brought to dhisinexcufabknefTe^rios fcave ai Argu-ments taken ^way, -

Or another reafon is* fdme ILufty there is worldly credit, riches,pleafurcs, or. fomething which they ace loath to part wtfhy tlje rich man.

will

221

Serm.IX.

Means whereby men are kept in their old condition. Firft, Inconfi-deration.

Ill Serm.IX

TheLato of mans judgement

will not part \yith his poffcflions, they in the twelfth of Saint lohn will not part with their credit with the Pharifees, Ieroboam will not part with his Kingdome, till thefc Arguments (hail bee an-fwercd, and God fliall cut off thofc fnares, for fo they are termed, 2 Tim .2.25. Waiting if God will give them repentance Jo know the truth\and to come out ofthefnare of the Devill, who taketh them at his wit: The meaning is, every man, before he be regenerate, isholden by fome fnare, thefnarcis (omeluft,the root of it is fomefalfe reatoning^now when men come to know the truth, and to be delivered out of the fnare of the Devill, when God convinccth a man,and opens that truth,undoes that faife rcafoning on which that luft is founded, he cuts the fnarc afunder, and then they are fet at liberty : Every man faith, I cannot live without credit, without my ftate, without my kingdome, (as every man hath a kingdome of his ownej when God teachcth that this is vanity, and if we will be happy,the beftwayistolerve Godwithapcrfed heart,whcn God tcacheth the contrary Truth,thcn J he is out of the fnare of the Devill, when he hath awaked his confcience,that he is ficke.of fin,that he feclcs his rebellions, then the thing he magnified before, is nothing now $ Aswhenamanisficke, the boufes and orchards he magnified before, are now not regarded, his dainty fare, and gorgeous apparell, he hath no pleafure in them, for he isfick: So it is with the Soule when God chargethfin on the Conscience.

Agame, 1 when G o D

fliewes better things than

is made manifeft by God.

21

'

thanthefe, asf/c£r. 10.34. They had in heaven a better > and an enduring fubfiance^ and therefore cared for nothing: They cared not for parting with their goods, when they had another righteoufneffc to truftto: So when God opened the heavens and /hewed Himfelfe to Paul, he reckons alias dung and drojfe, he doth not magnifie what he did before. And thus are men freed from the fnarc of the De-vill: Therefore when a man (hall deferre and think I am ready to come, but I will not yet: I fay, thefe muft be taken away, for they are falfercafonings by which we are built on our root: Now when a man (hall be perfwaded of the danger of putting the eviJl day far from him, when the Holy Ghoft fball give him wifedome to number his dayes, then hewilltaketohimfclfe new thoughts. Everyman naturally feares death, but becaufc it is farre off, no man regards it 5 andfobecaufeweputtheevillday farre from us, we turne not to God • now when God (hall convince a man of the Truth, and teach him to number his dayes: Well, thou art now in health and ftrength, but when thoucommeft to number the dayes that remaine, they are very fmall. Put cafe a man had an hundreddifhesof meare before him, if one comes and fayes, Take heed what you doe, for otic of thefe dtfhes is poy fon, he will not tafte of any of them,except he have taken an Antidote before : So when the H o i r G h o s t teachcth, it is true, In one of thefe dayes is death,, thou (halt findepoyfonthatlbalJ take away thy life • whether firft or laft it is uncertain^ if thou wen wife to confider thy latter end, t

tha<

Shrm.IX.

The Lfto of mans judgement

erm. IX. I that is, if thou hadft the wi(edome, which God mud teach, thou wouldft fee little reafon, why to venture thy foule on one of thefe dayes, if thou haft not made thy Ele&ion fure s for this is as to eat of one ofthofedtfhes when there is poyfon in it.

Therefore confider (beloved) what uncertainty of life there is, what ic is to venture the foule, and what eternity is : When God fhall teach this, and ftirreup prefent affe&ions of feare, and appre-henfion of wrath,it will teach a man not to deferre, but to come home f peedily.

Again,when this place of Scripture,and the like, (hall be ferioufly con(idcred,That if the Good mm of the houfe knew at what time the Thiefe would come^ hee would have an eye to him ; That Chrift hath threatned all before hand that doe not watch,^#rf / will came At a time thou thinkeji not if me: If thou didft confider this when thou art moft fecure and furtheft off from G © D,inthemidftof thy jollity, and faft a fleepe, 1 will come at atime when thou leokeft not for mee : And didft thou thinke this threatning in vaine i Didft thou beleeve this Scripture and lay it to heart i thou wouldeft not deferre thy Turning to God.

Againe, confider, put cafe thou haft liberty, iffickneffe come and give thee warning, alas how far re art thou from being able to repent * Are the times in thine hand < Muft not the H oa y Ghost change thine heart i If thou doft now take refolutionto amend, haft not thou caufe tofufpedlthatit proceeds from felfe-Iove i Fori

iff

I I. mi.. J *_!.*.

is made manifeft by God.

if it had becne not of love to God, wouldeft

thou not have turned fooner ! And if it bee out

of felfc-love, God accepts it not. All this

while wee have Ipent infhewingthe

Difeafe, andnowweemuft

fhewthe Remedy*

CV3

Serm.IX.

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SERMON

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A GENERALL FAST BEFORE THE COM-mons-Houfe of Parliament : the fecond of

luly, 1625* In the time of the Plague.

By the late faithfull and worth)

Minijier oflx s u s Christ,

•-Iohn Preston,

11D. in Divinity, Chaplaine in ordinary to

his M.ijeftie,Mafter of Emmanuel Colkd^e in

Cambridge, and fometimes Preacher

of Lincolns J N N E.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT A

Generall Faft, before the

Qommons-houfe of VarHa-ment y Iuly 2. 162$.

Numbers 25. io, II.

i^indthe Lord$ake unto CMofes, faying, Phinebts thefonne ofBleaz.tr the fonof x^iaron the Prieft, bath turned my wrath arvay from the children of ifratl, (while hee was zealous for my fake «-mong them) that I con fumed not the children oflfrael inmy\e*loufit.

EE arc met together, you know, to fanftifie a Faft to the Lord. I will therefore fpeake a word, or two, of that Duty, before I come to the Text which I have read to! you : But I will doe it briefly, the Common place j

Qj thereof,

Falling is no Arbitrary duty

Which is pre* vcd by Texts of Scripture.

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thereof, being too large a fubjett at this time to enter into.

And firft, we will fay thus much to you 5 That this duty is a necefTary, not an arbitrary thing, which we may doc, or leave undone at our plea-furcs : You know there be many examples of it, many commands for it in Scripture • but of them we will only repeate two: The firft is that in loci 2. iy. fa place you well know) San£lifietomeaFaft z ca/lafolemne Afjembl). When the Lord began to fend Iudgement on the Land, he ftraitly enjoyncd the performance of this duty, which (howes that it may not be left undone at pleafure.

Towhichlwilladdethatin.E/^ 22.12,13514. The Lord called in that day to weepings and mourning 5 but becaufe at that time they fell to re-joycing : It was revealed by the Lord ofHofis^ that that fin fhouldnot be purged away tiM their death. When there is a time for Fajling y and when there are juft occafions for mourning and humiliation, the Lord doth then fo require it, that ii you doe it not, but will doe the contrary, the Lord will never forgive it • it is a fin that fhall sot be purged away till you die.

You will fay then, What is a Faft * In a word, of a raft. ' a Fajl is nothing elfebut the fandifying or fetting I apart of *day for humiliation^ reconciliation, andre-j formation. I fay, it is to fan&ifie a Bay 5 becaufe j the day of a J*/? muft bee equalltothe Sabbath $ j the very word ufed in that place of Ioel, Savtfifeme j a Faftfocwts as much. In that day you may do no fir-I vile mrke y but mujl kcepcitboly to the Lord.

That

the Commons-houfe of Parliament.

That you have to doc in that day is, firft to bumble your felves, as in that place of Ioel, Turne to mee with fatting, mourning, and weeping. Secondly, it is for Reconciliation, Levit. 23. 27. it is called a day of Atonement. Laftly ,k is for Reformation, and therefore in the day of fading, the whole people entred into covenant with God 3 as in Nebe. the nmth Chapter, and the beginning of the tenth verfejou (hall fee the Princes, and people came altogether, and feale a Covenant to the Lord, tore-forme their fin of taking ftrange wives, and entred into a curfe,and an oath to walke in Gods Law*

I will fay no more of that,but will only tell you, what are the failings which wee arc moft fubjc<3 to in this bufineffe ; for wc may know the difeafe by the medicine: if God take great care to prevent our falling into a finne, it argues that we are apt to fall into it. And firft, we are very ready to reft in the worke don, in open operate y to thinke that the very a&ion will pleafe God. Thcrfore it is care-fully added in loelz. Rend not your clothes, but jour hearts : that is, when you come to fan<5Hfic a Faft, do not thinke that the very outward performame of the duty moves mee: It is the heart that I looke to, 1 thcrfore you muft take care that at this time, your) greateft bufines be with your hms.Lev.23.29. He who in that day (meaning the day of the annual Faft, which was then inftituted) doth not affliU his Joule (forfo the word istobetranflatedjjfc*// be cut off \ from his people. The outward performance is not j the thing that God refpe<5ts,or accepts^he doth not regard that, (for he is a Spirit, and beholds the be-

Qjj. haviour

iji

The defeds ! which we are fubjed to in performing that dncy.

1. To reft in the work done

A Sermon Treaded before

i To do it for

a fie.

$ Not to rc-forme upon the doing of it.

ff$f.7M-

haviour of the fpirit-) he confiders how we are at fe&ed in fecret before him.

A fecond thing wherein we are apt to faile,is,to think that one day is enougb,and when that is done, there is an end of the bufinefle: but it is not fo, that is but the beginning of ir. Efay 58.5 Js this a Faj% to hang downe your he ad for a day ? Js it to bow it down 04 aBulruJh f Bulrufhes 5 you know,in a ftorme hang down their heads, but when faire weather comes they lift them up againe. So when affii&ion is upon us, we are apt to humble our foules for a time,for a fit 5 but when a little peace or prosperity comes, we forget to be longer humbled: whereas the end of a Faftj i$&> to begin the workc of Humiliation, that we may the better continue it afterwards.

A third defeft is this 3 we are perhaps content to do the duty, and with fome affe&ion too, but there foliowes norefomation <?/7//<?.Therfore in the fame chapter fie how carefully that is put in-Js this an acceptable day to the Lord ? WilllacceptfucbaFafta* thisfWhenyoufindfleafure, and continue infirife and debate t That is, the Lord regards not the bare per-I formanceoftheduty,unlestheendofit beattaynd-\ now the end; is nothing elfe, but that every particu-'■ lar man reforme thecvils he is fubjeft to 5 yea, his I particular weaknefles, and pergonal infirmities 5 the « mending of w :h , is carefully to be endeavoured wh e I we fandifie a fafl to the Lord ; elfe we affemble together for wine and for oile, As if he fliould fay,you have not fought me when you how led upon your beds; but your wine and your oik: That is,men are affected with the judgments of the Lordjhey defirc

to

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2 33

to have them removed, they wifh for eafe and pro-fperity, and for that they affemblc thcmfelves 5 but to Me, faith he, ye returne not. A beaft will do as much when it feelcs any evill opprefling it j. and therefore God cals it, bowling on their btdsjux adion proper to bcafts: but the Lord looks,tbat you feck him in fincerity, and that you labour to make your hearts per fed in him.

la a word 5 to conclude this,remcmber, there is a double performance of every holy duty • one is, when we do the work as a taske, and are glad when [ it is over • when we doe it as fervants that doe eye-fcrvice tothcir mafters: another is,wheo not onely the thing is done, but your hearts alfo are wrought upon • for that is the end of the outward performance, and the worke is fo far re accepted as it hath an operation on our hearts and affe&ions. It is fo [ in every duty 5 as in Prayer> when you call on God in private, doth G o d regard the words of a Prayer * No, but 'its working on your hearts^its humbling of them, 'its bringing of them into f ram* and maku%tbem perfect with (Wevery day,J>y a thorow renewing of your repentance, and this is the doing of the thing. Amongft your felvcs, if a fervant do onely make a fhow of doing a thing 3 it is not regarded ^ but he that brings the thing to paffe is accepted of you: and that is it, which the Lord requires and accepts in our performances.Now we fhalHee that this Text will helpe us to all that is required in a Faft, as will appearein the particulars. Thineas the fonneo/Eleazer, fkc] In the former part of the Chapter thedifeafeisfetdowne. (/ifeafefi'n.

ana

There is a double pecformSce ofduties.

When they be performed asFafts.

% When its a£-ffe&ions are wrought upon in the-duty.

Verfci.a. The Ifraelires

The Israelites difeafc,fin. The confe-cjuent of finis wrath. Verf.j.

Thceffedof Gods wrath, the plague.

The remedy was the turning away of Gods wrath.

A Sermon Preached before

and that is fin, (which is indeed the onely difeafc I of the foule) illuftratcd from two confequents. t Firft, from the wrath of God, who (as the Text \ faith) was very angry with Ifrael, for they had com-1 mitted whoredome, and joined with Bad-Peor. That was the difeafe,the fio,tor which they had brought \ on them Gods wrath. And fecondly from an cffe<a j of that wrath, the Plague; (God ftruck them with peftilence,that is the punifhment.

In this Verfe is fet downe the remedy, and j that is the turning away of Gods wrath. For as j the Phyfitianfaycs, UMorbi enrantur contrariis^ foj it is true in Divinity: as the wrath of God was the caufeof the plague, fo the turning away thereof is the remedy.

This turning away of his wrath is fet forth by

c hwas | the caufe of its turning avtfay • and that was the

done by^eaie.s zeale of Phlneas^ while hee was zealous for my

mowfonT fakc s and that is made good by tworeafons. One

is the latter end of my Text; therefore have I not

confumtk them in my jtaloufie. Asifhehadfaid, If

PhintM had not beene zealous, my jealoufie fliould

have burned more and more, and the jealoufie of

that fliould have beene utter deftru&ion. The fe-

cond is Gods owne Teftimony, fet downe before

my Text. The Lord hlmfelfe [aid unto Mofes, that his

wrath was turned away.

generaii . * wi '* % no more &* opening the words; but

points raifed j in them you (hall fee thefc five points lye evidently

«»ei"thc«c3te4 before you.

1 Firft, in that the removall of the plague is attri-1 buted to G o d, and to the turning away of his

anger,

the Commons-hottft of (parliament.

anger, this is cleerdy deduced: That itisGodomly that doth good & evill-jiox you fee his anger brought the plague on them,and the turning away of his an-gcr healed them againe.

Secondly, it is fin that caufes Gods anger: an. ger in God hath alway relation to fin, for fin is the caufeofit.

Thirdly,the way to turneaway the Lords anger is zeale, for his fake.

Fourthly, if there be want of this zeale among us,his jealoufie fhall grow hotter and hotter,it (hall increafe upon us more and more.

Fifthly, and laftly, the iffiie of this jealoufie of his, will be utter deftru&ion.

We will begin with the firft,which is,That it is God only that doth good and evill to every Nation, to every Church and Kingdome, yea to every particular perfon. As you fee here $ it was not the corruption of the aire that brought the plague, nor the clearing of it with fr oft and wind, that turned it away 5 but the cloud of the Lords wrath flied this ftorme on them-, and when he was appeafed with them, there followed health and peace: The Lord wounds y and the Lord heales.Vox what is the plague but a fword in the hand of an Angel,who dra wes it out,and puts it into its (heath againe, at his Matters j Appointment * And is not there the fame reafon of all other evils i War you know is a terrible thing, \ when enemies come as Bees on aland^but doth not: the Lord hide for them t And againe,they are dri-, ven away as with a breath at his appointment. Famine is a leane devouring evill,w ch caufes the Land

to 1

*3?

i. General! point, God only doth good and eyi!!*

A Sermon Preached before

Certaine con* virions for dei&ionfh-ati-ons of the point.

i Conviction The frequency of our (inning

to cat up the inhabitants therof ;buc is not the Lord the onely caufe of it * Doth not he make the Heaven as braffc, and the Earth as iron i Doth not he when he will, openthewindowes of Heaven, and unftoptbe bottels of the clouds, andpowreout rain unfeafonably? And is not hethecaofe of death, which is the journies end of both the former * To which every one of us is fubjeft, yet we confidcr it not. Though we fee men fall from the Tree of Life every day,yet we regard it not.This the Lord takes only to himfclfe,P/4/.68.20.T* the Lord belong the iffues from death: and therefore let us give to the Lord, this great Prerogative of his • That he only doth good and evil,and let no man queftion it.

You will fay, who doth queftion it i It is very true-we do not queftion it in words, but if we que. (lion it in our dceds,it is an argument that our harts make a doubt of it,though our tongues do not queftion it* Therefore let us examine the matter*

If we thinke the Lord only doth good and cvill, why then will not we obey him and ferve him, and pleafc him in all things? But provoke him to anger, by our words,and by our workes, as the Prophet fpeaks.Perhaps you will fay to me,as Saul an-fwered Samuel, when he came from the war of the Amalekites} O thou bleffedoftheLord, I have fully kept the commandemtntofthe Lord$MX faith Samuel, if thou haji donefi) What meanes the bleating oft he Sheep y andthe lowing of the Oxen: So I fay to you, if you obey the Lord, what meanes fo many fins a-J mongft usfwhat means fornication & whorcdome, J which is fo frequent f what xncane thofc Oathes

amongft

A Sermon Preached before

amongft us, for which the Land mournes r Not ondy greater oathes 5 but fmallcr oathes 5 which ex-cced the greater for frequency, though the greater exceed them,in that they take the Name of God in vaine. Againe what meanes the breaches of the Sabbath f Of which I will fpeake a word by the way: and that you may know that I doe not blame you for that as a finne, which is no fin 5 1 will make this digreflion. Do you not thinke that Sabbaths are to be kept, and to be kept holy < I will name but two reafonstomake it good 5 you (hall finde them in Efty 57.30. It is My Holy Day. Firft,it is a Holy Day 3 and if it be holy,you may do nothing theron that is common. A Veffell that is fandti-fied and made holy 3 may not be imployedtotake up common water,or ufed in common fervices,for it is holy. So the time of the Sabbath is holy,therefore you muft not fpend it about common anions, for if you do,you prophane that which is holy.

Secondly it is My Day, and if it be My Day, rob mc not of it : every houre of that day that you fpend in common fpecches and a&ions 3 y ou rob the Lord of that hoGrc, for all the day is his.

And do not thinke that men were tied to this ob. fervance onlyjunder the Old Teftamentibut know that it continues ftill: doe but confider with your felves, if the Lord fhould have lefr it mcerely in the power of the Church to appoynta Sabbath day, it might have beene brought from a wecke to a moneth,and from a moneth to a yeare, and fo if of meeting together had beene no neceffity put upon us by God himfdfe, where would religion have

beene t

237

A digreflion touching the Sabbath proving that it ought to bee fanftificd. t Becaufe it is a Holy Day.

i Ic is Gods day.

It is further convinced.

From the hazard of Religion by leaving man at liberty.

2 From the Antiquity of its celebration.

A Sermon Treached before

j From the

Sabbath.

becne i And do you thinke God would not have provided for his Church betrer than fo.

Befidcs,why fliould it be queftioned, when it is tranfmitted to us from the moft ancient times. /»-(tin UHartjr fayes, that on the day which we call Sunday, the Chriftians met together to worfliip God 5 and the people came out of the Countrey for that end,andit was a Solemne day.

Terttillian in his Apology faith as much : and therefore becaufe they fpent that day in worfliip. ing God, all the Heathen called it Sunday. And in all ancient times it was never controverted, never called into queftion. Againe, do we not need f uch a aay * Therefore a thcLoxdfaith y Sabl>atbt»ax made for man3 asifhc had faid,I could have fpared the Sabbath, It is not for my own fakcand for my worfliip fake, but for mans fake,that is,left he fliould forget God,and be aftranger to him, which would redound to our own hurt. And therfore ftiall not we be willing to keep it, when it was for our owne fakes that the Lordappoyntcd it i What gainers might v/ebe in grace and holines,if we would faaftifie every Sabbath as we fliould c Should we be lofers by it: but this is a digreffion,and I fpeake it by the way* But markeit, I fay, if you keepethe Commandements of God, What meanes this bleating of the fieepe f, Thefe ads of difobedience on his owne Day i

Wee will goe on in the examination. If in. deed wee thinke that it is the Lord that doth good and evill • whyarewcefoiaobfervantand negligent of him * why doe we reckon it a.wea-

rinefTc

Conviftionis our ncglc&ing ofdtttjr.

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rinefletofervehim *. why turne wee Religion into formalitie, polling over holy duties inacarelefle and negligent manner, when we fliould be careful 1 and fervent in the fame * Why is there fo little growth in religion, fo muchbarrenneffein good workes , the price whereof is more than gold and filver? In a word, Why doe wee turne the maine into the Wf , and the by into the maine i That is, why goe wee about all other bufineffe as our maine and chiefe-fcopc,and take in holy duties by the way, more to flop the mouth of aaturall Conscience (as carnall men may doe) than for any del/ght wee have in them ? If wee thinke God to be the Author of good and evill,why are thefe thengs fo '. Every man is ready to profefle his faith in the Truth hereof, but if wee did beleeve it,wee fliould be more carefull to pleafe the Lord in all things.

Againc,if wee thinke that God onely doth good and evill, why have not wee our eyes on him altogether * why doc wee not feare him, and no-thing els, truft in him and in nothing befides, depend on him, and upon no other i In all our calamities and dangers, why doc wee not fecke to him as to one that onely can helpe us, and heale us <

You will fay,wee doe depend on God,wee truft in God and none but him ?

It is very well if you doc 5 but confider, that to truft in God, is to part with all for his fake, and to have an eye only unto the recompence of reward, to be willing to deny our felvcs in our profits, and credits, and pleafures, to be content to have him alone. Thus Saint Pdule expreffes it, *< Tim. 1.13.

Therefore,

*39

3.

Convi&ion is our not fearing and trading him alone.

$2Sp>

Difcovering the Nature of trailing in Godjwhich is to be content with God alone.

To rely upon him in Exi-

gents,

Which is in-lhnced in Hejier. And Daniel,

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Therefore ,faith he,have we fuftered thefe things,/** we know whom we have trufted. As if he had faid, wchave parted with all, we are content to be led from prifon to prifon, we are content with God a. lone, for we know the power and faithf ulntfic of him whom we have trufted.

Againe, to truftin God, is then to reft on him, when the cafe is f uch (matte it) that if|fe faile we are undone, then to buildonhimasafurerocke; that is the nature of true holines,and exadi walking, when God puts us into an exigent, removes from us friends, takes away worldly helpes, yet in this cafe to truft him. Thus Hefier trufted God, when (he undertook that dangerous enterprize,// r //w/&, Iperijl), when if the Lord had failed her, fhee had loft her life. So Daniel trufted God, when hee would put himfelf&upon him,being in fuch danger for the open profeffion of his Religion, which by death they would have forced him to deny. Thus 0^/4 trufted God,when he went with a fmalnuou ber againft a great multitude,the Text faith of him, That he tmfted in God. Now do we thus truft him f Surely we doe not: but when faith and fenfe come into competition, when they meete together on a narrow bridge 5 wee are ready to by as our confidence the wrong way, to goe afide, and decJine the blow, that is, wearereadyiniuchacale, though with breach of a goodconfcicncejb to truft in God, that wichall we will keepc a fure foot on fomeout-ward, probable, fenfiblc meanes, that if God failcs us, yet, wf m ay know what to truft to. The truth is, we donffileaneto the Lord. For what is it co

Jeane

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leane to him t You know a man is then faid to leane, when he ftands not on his owne feetc,but fo refts the bulke of his body upon a raile, or ftaffc, or thelike,that if it faile him,he falsdown: To reft on God in this manncr,is to leane to him; and did we thinkc that hee had all power to doe good and hurt to the Creature,wce fhould thus truft in him. but in that we do it fo little, and fo feldome, it is an argument that whatfoever wee profeffe, wee doe not indeedc beleveit. Laftof all (to make an end of this examination) if wee thinkc indeed, that the Lord oncly is able to doe good and evill, why doe we not that whichisaneceflaryconfe-quent thereof,which you (hall finde in Gen. 17. i. it is Gods fpeech to Abraham,!am God^dlfkfficient^ therefore walke before me,and beptrfeft. Marke that, when any man thinkes God tobc Alfufficient^ that hee hath altpower in his hands, that hee is l4L mighty (for fo the word fignifies) that which will neceflarily follow on this beliefe,is this 5 hzzwill hee perfect with the L or. d. You will fay, I hope we are perfect with God: But if we bee, why are our a&ions fo diffonant + why doe wee ferve God fo by halfcs, and by fits * why are we founequall and uneven in our wayes ? we are zealous for a fic,and in feme particulars,butgrow cold againe, as if we never had beenethe men. We goe on in a good courfe, till we meete with fome crofle, and then we baulke it; till wee meete with fome advantage and preferment, and then wee ftep out of the way to take it: Is rfiis to bee perfeft with God? But if wee thought the Lord to bee

R i^iU-fufficient

2 4 t

i. 4

Conviftion,or not walking perfeaiy with the Lord.

A Sermon Preached before

RCdfifi 2. To proove the point.

AlLfifficicntznA Almighty % wc would walke^r-fettlj before him. For what is the reafon that any man fteps out from God * It is becaufc he finds fomething in the Creature, which he fees not in God 5 therefore faith God, lam Al-fuffcient y thz!t is, let a man looke round about him, andconfider whatfocver it is that he can defire or necde, he (hall have it in the Lord, for he is AlLfufficient. Why then fhould not you be perfect with him t why will you ftart from him at any time, or upon any occafion f And this (hall fufficc to make it evident, that it is a very hard thing to belceve this indeed, that God only is able to do good and evill.

Indeed we care for the favour of Princes, and thinke that they can hurt, or do us good 5 and ther-fore we are fo intent about them, fo bufily occupied about them, but this would not worke on us fo much, if wc did beleeve that which I have nowdc-livered unto you, that God onely is the Authoar of good and evill.

Therefore will we reafon with you, and fee if we can plant this principle in you, andftrcngthen your beliefe thereof. For it is certainc that all the errours and obliquities we find in the lives men, come from this, that thefe common Principles are not throughly belceved, but by halfcs, and of them we f aik in more than in this $ for if we did beleeve that God is the caufeofal), wefliouldfervehim with willing hearts and ready minds in alltbings. It is true, wee thinke God hathachiefchandin good and evill 5 yet wc thinke the Creature can do forawhat too,but confider this one reafon.

If

the Commons-houfe of Parliament.

If the Creature were able to do you good or hurt, I will bee bold to fay to you, that God were not God, and you might be abfolved from worshipping him : For this is a principle planted in e-very mans nature, by the Author of Nature, that we regard or ncglc& every Creature more or kfle, as they are more or lefle able to doe us hurt: now if the Creature could but in part do usgoodot hurt, wee need notthencaretoworfliipthe Lord onely, for he onely could not benefit or hurt us, but God onely is to be worlhipped • therefore he onely hath power t o doe good or hurt. For on this gt ound wee worfcip him alone, that hee onely is able to doe good or hurt, otherwiie hee were not a com-pleat adequate God to the worfhip chat is required.

Againe, iftheCreature could doe any thing, it might chalcnge part in the 2>;/>;, but it is impof-fible there fliould be any more Gods thanone:Ther-fore it is the Lord onely that doth good andcrill. Thus i^imos concluds it in his third Chapter, Is there any evillin the City that he hath not done ? And fo we may fay, Is there any good that he hath not done; where marke the generality,// there any evill that hee hath not done f Therefore glorifie him in thy life, and in all thy wayes : For, as Daniel told Meljhazer, In his hands are ad our wayes. That i$, wee take not the lcaft ftep to profperity or ad-verfity through the whole courfe of our life, but it is the Lord that guides our fieps. Therefore in 2 O7.L3.P40/cals him the God of all comfort exclu-fively, fo that no Creature is able to joynewithl

R 2 hiro

5ii

Heafin 1,

If the creatures could do g ood j or evill, God! were no: God.

Reafin 2,

The Creature foouldbeGod

9*ff.f.zJ«

*44

From the ope ration of fe* cond caufes.

i-Jftfw. I.

x. The Lord Workes by them.

Rtafon i.

Which isillu-ftrate by fomc comparifous.

A Sermon Treached before

him in giving the kaft comfort.

But you will fay to mee, Is this fo i Doe not we find by experience, that riches, and friends, and credit, and wifedome and the like doe comfort us 1 And that the wantandabfenceofthefe doth us hurt?

Yes, but I may give you this double anfwer, Firft, thefe things are at Gods difpofing and com-mand,thereforc it is not they that do any thing,but the Lord by them. It is the hand that brings to pafle a thing, yet it is not virtually in the hand, but in the will of the man that commands it.

But fecondly, I anfwer, It is not thefe things that do you good or hurt,but the L o r d by them. You know when water heates the hand, you doe not fay, the water doth it,but the heat that is by the fire in the water. When you take a medicine in Beere or Wine, it is not the Beere or Wine that cures,but the medicine that is taken in that Beere or Wine : So it is the Lord that rcfrefhes and conu forts, he wounds and he heales by the creature, but the creature doth neither.

But you will fay, this ability is borne and bred with tht creature,and is never feparated from it.

I anfwer, it is very true, the Creature hath a fit-nefle in it to doe us good or hurt$ but it is not able to put forth that fitnefle, or that ftrcngth, till it beea&cdbyGod ; that is, tillitbefetaworketo doe it, by his bleffing or curfling : For example, Thebreadhathafitneffetonouri(b,butif God fayes not to the bread, nourifli fuch an one, it fliall not be able to doe it $ for we live not by bread,

but

the Commons-houfe of Parliament.

but by the Word of God, by hisblefliog of it, and commanding the Creature to doe it. On the other fide 5 take adifcale, or any Creature that is fit to doc us hurt, it (hall not hurt, unleffe the Lord fay, goe and ftrike fuch a wretch, beaninfhumentof mine to punifh him. Let an Axe be never fo fharpe and kcene, till the Worke-man take it in his hand and apply it to the worke, it fliall doe nothing: So Gods biefling and curfiog doth all; for Gods blef-fing is nothing elfe, but his bidding of the Creature to doe fuch an one good $ and hiscurfingis nothing elfe, but his bidding of a Creature afflid fuch an one : and therefore fometiraes men are cheered by the Creature, fometimes againe they want that cheering 5 fomtimesthey have contentment therein, and fometimes againc they have not. And hence it is, that there may be abundance of all things, and yet be no more than as the huske without the graine, as the fhcll without the kernell, affording nothing but cmptinefTe. Againc, you may have a hundred-fold with perfection, that is, God can give you more comfort in perfection, and the want of every thing, than you had in pro* fperity, when you had every thing fupplied: therefore in Ier.g.z^ . fee how the Lord reafons,Xtf not J theftrong man rejojee in his/lrength, nor the mfmkn in his mfidomejXM why t For it is 1 the Lord which exercife loving kindnejfe, and judgement, andrighte-ou/nefe in the earth. As if he had faid, if thefe things were able to do you good or hurt, you might re-joyce in them, but it is J the Lord that (how juftice and judgcment.and am only able to do all. So in * R 3 #/.

*45

By their different effe&$.

By places of Scripture.

A Sermon Preached before

Vfe 1.

To labour to fee God in his greatnefle.

Which would draw our affections to God.

The want of it curies us to the Creature? and brings us upon the danger of Idolatry

Pfal. 62.10. If riches encreafefet not jour heart on them^nd why i For power beUngeth unto Cod. But they might objeft, The Lord ufeth the meanes; that is anfwered in the laft verfe. It is true.but God rewards according to our workes, and not according to our meanes. And fo much for the clearing ©f this: now we will apply ic.

Fir ft,if the Lord be able to do all good, and evill, then learne we hence to fee God in his greatnefle: the Lord is forgotten in the world, we doe not fee him in his greatnefle andMajefty, and Almighty power 5 it we did, it would draw all our thoughts and affeftionstohim, which are now occupied a-bout fo many fcvcrall fancies: I fay, they would be all pitched on him,whereas feeing they are conversant about poverty and riches and friends and dif-gtace,asable to do goodor evill: it is an argument, we attribute that to the creature which belongs to God, w ch is no better then Idolatry: as in Colof. 3.5. Mortife jour earthly membersfornication y uncleanefe y and covet oufnejfe which is idolatry • marke that. Now Idolatry is of two forts, either when you worfhip the true God in a wrong manner, orelfewhenyou make the creature God : and that you do either when you conceive the creature under the notion of God, as the heathen did the Sun and Moone: and the Pa-pifts do the bread, (for if there be Idolatry in the World, that is Idolatry) or clfe when you attribute to the creature that which is proper to God, that is, when you place your comfort and fafety in the creaturc,and f o place your joy & delight in him. And thus we do when we thinke riches or poverty

1l - . ty

theCommons-houfe of Parliament.

fay their pretence or abfence can do us good or hurt. zy74i.25.you fhali fee there 5 the Prophet ufeth two arguments to prove that Idols were not gods.-Firft, They tell us no things to come; Secondly fThej do net. ther goodnorevill.As if he had faid^if they could do good or hurt, they were gods: yet there is a fecret opinion that lodgetb in our breads though we ob-ferveitnot, thatthefe things, candoeusgoodor hurt 5 andtherfore, becaule our affections follow our opinion, we luft after them inordinately . and thence it is that they fteale away our hearts, as Ah. folom wasfaidf* fteale away the hearts ofthe people; that is,he who was not the owner tooke them. And fecondiy, he did it fecretly, and fo deale the creatures with us, when wee have a fecret opinion of I them. The rich man in Luke having much wealth about him concludcs,2Vw/2w/<? take thy eafe. And when Davids Mountain* was made ftrong, he fays, therefore ijhall not bee moved $ and have not wee the fame thoughts in us? Are not we ready tothink,if I had fuch an advantage, fuch a friend, I (hould doe wellfBut Hay to you, that if you had allthefe, you (hould not be a jot the better, nor in the want of all thefe are you a jot the worfe • for it is God only that creates peace,and comands comforts^that you may fct down for a conclufion. That is his Perogative Royall,and thence it is that we muft love him with all our hearts,and with all our foulcs ; thence it is, that we are not to regard the creature at all,becaufe hee onely can make our lives comfortable or not comfortable. If this were beleeved, how would it change our [\

K 4 joyes

2 47

By advancing the Creatures in our opinions

m*m

A Sermon freached before

r-

Qaeftion concerning the ufe

joyes into tearcs i What an alteration would it make in our lives < If wee did beleeve it indeede, (hould we be fo taken up in fecking of wealth, and outward excellencies, and not rather ingrowing rich in faith and good-workes < If it were well planted in our hearts, we (hould minde nothing but graceand fin: for you know grace onely findesacceptance with God, and fin onely provokes him to anger. And indeed what in the world clfe is worthy our intentions : you may joy in thefe things,but (till remember the Apoftles rule, Buy as if you bought not\ank grieve as if you grieved'notjfrc. Why fo f Becaufe thefe things can doe you neither hurt nor good,if they could,chey might have your intentions, but they cannot. Therefore doe as (Jiiofes did, Heb.x i. 27, /ft endured^ for he faw htm that tvas invijible. What then t Therefore hee forfooke Bgjft not fearing the wrath of Pharaoh. When he faw God in his greatnefle, when hce/j»> him that was invifible^ that is, when he faw him as if he had beene vifible, it removed all fcarc of the creature. When a man fees the Sunne, what is a Candle or Torch to him i And fo will all thefe things feemeto thee, if thou couldft fee God in his might. If God onely doth good and cvill, why then doe you haften after outward things and weary you felves in vaine for that which will not pro. fit * Therefore the Schoole-men call fin K^iverftc a Deo and Converfioad Creaturam, a turning from God,and a turning to the Creature.

But you will fay, to what end then are the crea-

of the creature* tures '. And what will you have us to doe 1

the Commons-houfe of Parliament,

Ianfwer, you may make ufcof thefe things (I deny you nor that liberty) onely ufe them with a dependant affe&ion, fo as ftiJl you have an eye on Godj you may take water out of the ftreame fo as you have an eye to the Fount aine . you may take light from the Aire,fo asyour eye be on the Sunnc So that if the glory of theSunne fet, you account all your light to bee gone though you have the Aire ftill: that is, you may enjoy all thefe outward comforts, you may ufc your wealth and friends, and have Wife and Children, &c. but your comfort fhall not bee more nor leffe 3 noryourprofperity longer nor fhorter, than as God is pleafcd more or lefle to fliine on you, by the enjoyment or want of whofe favour,you may be happy in the want of all , and abundantly miferable in the having of them all. Therefore faith the Prophet, Ton haveforfaken God the fount aine of living waters>and digged to your felves Cijlerns that will hold no water. What is that f It is as if the Lord faid, what doe you meane f It is the Lord that doth all ; heeistheFountaine>and the Creatures are but Ciftcrnes, and all their com -fort is but borrowed. Againe, you have in God living waters, that is, comforts of a better nature • but the water that you find in thefe pits is but mud-dy water. Againe, he is a fountainc that is never drawne dry, but thefe are broken pits that hold no water.

Againe, if God onely doe all good, and evill, then let us confider that what bufineffe foever wee have in the world, what outward imploymcnt foever wee cxercife our felves in, yet our roaire

bufincde

MP

They arc to be ufed with a fubordinatc affection.

To looke to God in all out

bufincilc.

A Sermon Preached before

Hee doth in-ftancc in particulars.

bufineffe is in heaven; we be ready on all occafions to look to the face of the Ruler ,of the Phyfitianof men,and creatures: but we forget that the fwaying oftheballance this way, or that way, is from the | Lord. When Iacob had prayed earnftely to be deli* vered from Bfm > Cod anfwers him, thou haft/w-vailedwith God^ and tfou {halt f rev rile with men* fo whatfoevcr bufineffe you have on earth,if you will bring your enterprizc to paffe, prevaile with God, and you fhall before to prevaile with men • turne him,and all is turned with him,for all depends upon him. Whatfoever is done on carth,is firft done in heaven,and concluded there, and then we feele and tafte the fruit of it herefrom this generall we may defcend to particulars • and from hence you may learoe, That it is not our Army by Land, nor our Navy at Sea that fballfecureusathorae, or prevaile abroad, though it be well that thefc things be done, and therefore you doc well in contributing cheerfully to hisMajefty,for the maintenance thcr-of ,for the common good: yet (till remember that all your bufineflc is in heaven $ and that you muft jtruftmoreto your faithfull prayers, then to your preparations for fucccflc in all enterprifes.

It is not our wodden wals that will guard us,nor the fea wherwith youare invironed,nor our policy, counfel,and ftrength that will fecure us,it is turning to God,and clenfing the Land from the fins wherwith he is provoked,that will do it. Turne to him, and he will turne to you, that fliall be a bleffing on us and our enterprifcs.This is to fee GWin al things, this is to fandifie and exalt him for Gtd, in our

I una i> iu lauwuic ana exalt mm

hearts; without this all is nothing.

I

the Commons-houfe of {parliament.

I will end this poynt with this bricfe dire&ion: you know there is in every man (I ipeake now of every man that is holy, and not of others who are ftrangers from God> fo/?<?/7>,and thefiirit . there is faith and fenfe: and one of thefe two every man fets on work to take a view of the things that are before the.If you fet faith and the fpirit to work on things, they will tell you, it matters not what outward things are, what the creature is, for it is God that doth all: fet the flefh on worke,fet fenfe and carnal! reafon on worke,and they will bring quite contrary newes 5 like the wicked Spies that were fent into the Land of Canaan, who when they did but caft their eye on the ftate of things there, they were firft dif-couraged themfelves,and then difcouraged the people • Oh there be Gyants, andw&U reaching up to heaven*. Wheras the good Spies that looked on things with an other eye, brought another kinde of mef-fage. Iuft thus it is with us,in fending out our Spies to looke upon the ftate of things before us, if wee fend forth the Flefh, Senfe and Reafon, they bring report of terrible Wals, and cruel Gyants, their power is fo great,their forces fo ftrong, that there isnomedlingwiththem 5 but fend Faith, and the Spirit, and the Will, like good Spies looke on j things with a right Iudgement,and indeed that i$ all the difference between an holy man, and another ♦ the one looks on things with another eye, he fees a vanity in the Creature, which the other doth not, hce fees an All-fufficiency in God, which the \ other cannot. And therefore he hath onely an eye |to the Lord, all his care is to ferve him,

and

rfe 3 .

Set Faith and the Spirit on work to judge of theCe things.

[

2JZ

Two generall points. Sinne caufcs Wrath.

Which he ill*, ftrates by a Comparifon,

i

Object.

From the in fenfiblcneffe ot wrath.

Containing in

it the proofes

of the doctrine

jt Sermon Preached before

and pleafe him in all things.So he hath no ill newes from heaven,he cares for nothing on earth. The other cares not how matters (land betwixt G o d and him, foall things be well be!ow,fo his Moun-raine ftands ftrong ; and therefore that wee may judge of things with a righteous judgement, wee muft bee carefull to fee them in their true nature, which onely Faith,and the Spirit will prefent.And fo much (hall ferve for that point.

You fee then, that it is the wrath of G o Dthat doth all hurt,and the favour of the Lord that doth all the good. We come now to the fecond point, which will come in well upon the former : That it is the fin that caufes wrarh ; fin and wrath are knit together, they are infeperablc. So that as Elifha faid, when Ichor am fent a meflenger unto him to take away his life, when he was fitting in the houfe with the reft of the Elders, Shut the doore upon him, and held him faft, for is not the found of his M afters feete behinde him I S o I fay to every man,If fin and wrath come together, then firft fliut the doore of fin,which is the Meflenger, fufTer it not to come in, give it no entertainment, for is not the found of his Mafters feet behinde i Doth not the wrath of God follow l And fhail not that wrath take away our head, as Elifha, faid i Therefore, if you will keepe out Gods anger, keepe out fin.

But you will fay, I feele no fuch thing. I have committed finne, and yet have no experience of his wrath following fo clof e upon it f

Ianfwer, youmuft know this, that as difeafes muft have a time of ripening,fo muft finne. You

know

the Commons-houfe of Parliament.

know the poyfon of a difeafe enters not into the heart at firft : Sinne hath cerraine Feftigia, which are fet doWne, James i. 14. [when Luftiscon* \ ceived it brings forth finne, and whenfwne is riy-! nedand perfefied, it brings forth death. The reafon why it brings not death prefently, is, becaufe it is not pcrfeft, becaufe it is not ripe. The finnes of the ^Amorites^ faith God, are not jet full. K^ihab had committed a finne, he had got the Vineyard, and flaine Tiabotb, and yet heard nothing of it ; but when he had killed, and taken poiTeffion too, then came the Mcffcngerof wrath, and execution followed . God let Judas goe on, till he had made die match,taken recompence,and betrayed his Mafter, but then wrath came in upon him. God ftayed a great while,till the fin of Pharaoh was perfe&ed,till his hardnefle of heartwascometoaripenefie, and then he was drown* d in the Red-fea.

Thcref ore,in the fecond of the Romans it is faid. There is a treafure of wrath.

Now in a treafure there are three things : Firft, when a man is once able fb treafure up any thing, he is ftill adding to ir, and by degrees it growes: and in that fenfe the Lord hath a treafure of wrath, as we adde fins, headdesdropstotheviallofhis j wrath, till it be full.

Secondly, it is a treafure for a time, it lyes ftill a j while, for elle it were no treafure.

And Thirdly ,when the time of expence comes, then it is opened : And f o it is with the wrath of 1 the Lord, it is gathered by a little and little, as you hcape up fin by littleand little, then it lyes covered

for

*53

Gods wrath is a treafure. r i Becaufe our finns adde to his wrath,.

a. Becaufe it

lies ftill for a

time.

5. Becaufe in

time it is ex-

pended.

»>

*J4

j: Sermon Preached before

Sinne is like a ftormy cloud.

for a time, but in due feafon there fliall bee an ex- j pence of it; if you fow to the flefb,the feed muft lie covered a time,and then it muft have a time of ripe ning,but at length comes rcaping.Thcreforebe not deceived in this, though you feelenotthe wrath prefently, yet thinke not that it will not follow. No, be allured this linke betweene finnc and wrath cannot bee diflolved. Youfliallfindeaphrafein 2 Ptf.2.3. Whoft damnation(leepeth not; what is the meaning of that * That is, they bring on thcmfelves fwift Deftru&ion, though they thinke damnation flecpes, yet it doth not fo, it goes as faft as we, and will be furc to mecte us in the journcyes end. So U/o/fr ufeththis phrafe, toutfinnc (hall findtjou out : And David in the Pfalmcs faith, EvtUfhall hunt the violent man to overthrow him y that is, Sinne when it is committed is like a blond-bound, which, though a man begotfarre from the place where a thing is afted, yetfolIowestheTradt, hepurfucs, and gives not over till hee hath found : So G o d fets finne upon the Sent, as it were, and it will bee fure to finde us out. And for the moft part when wee thinke our felves fafeft, it deftroyes us fudden-lieft, Doe not thinke therefore, that thefc two linkes of finne and wrath can becfevercd. That which deceives us is this, wee fee all is quiet, and heare no more of finne, but you muft know that all that while finne is fending its cries to heaven for vengeance, which are like unto the Vapours in the middle Region, that are fent up infenfibly, wee fee them not,we heare them not,but they come downe in a Stormc. As G o d fcid to DwiJ, Thou of

fendedfi

~ !■ I ■ II—MHIII.J1IL |

the Commons-hou/e of Parliament.

fendedjl mficretjbut thy fumjhmentfiallbe before this "suwnt. Wee thinkc finne a fmall thing : A great body, when we are pad a mile or two from it, we thinkevcry little, which proceeds from the weak, nefle of the eye. The fame imbecillityis in our mindes, when finne is paft a great while fincc, we looke not on it as the fame thing, whereas the finne is the fame in it felfe, the fame in Godsaccounr^ and (hall have the fame punifhmenr.

But you will fay, Is this the cafe of every man f Who then fliall bee faved i

I anfwer, there is a difference in finnes. Sinne doth not alwaies bring the fame thing to paflc in all, though in fome cafes it may • both godly men and evill men doe finne • Pearles and Pibbles may both fall into the mire, but one is a Pearlc,the other a Pibble. And there is thisdif&rence itxhe punifhmenr, if a Sonne offcnd,his Father will chaftife and admonifli him, butnot caft him off, the Father will fpare his Sonne in whom he delightcth, but if a fcr-vant offends him, he turnes him out of doores, and will no more have to doe with him • if you be fer* ; vants of finne, ctcrnall wrath fliall come on you, he will turne you out of doores, and utterly caft you off,

| Wee will apply this. And firft, it ftiewes you, j that if finne ftill drawes on wrath, then if you ; cannot fee finne in it felfe, yet fee it in its Eftk&s, in its Concomitants, as it is attended on by the wrath ofGoo; though you care not for the

blackncffe

/ 2 55

Simile.

Object. i.

From the generality of fin.

Yet all fin not alike.

And therefore are differently jnmifljcd,

Vfei.

Of the Point. To fee finne in its effects.

A Sermon Preached before

Which is urged from the Tei rour of Gods wrath.

blacknefle of the cole, yet care for the burning of

the cole; though you care not for the fouleneffc of

finne, which holinefle fhould teach you to regard,

yet let the fire that is in it move you, fpecially com

fidering it is the wrath of God, which feare and

felfe-love (hould perfwade you to decline: Pfal.90

i !• faith the Pfaltnift there y Who knows the power of

his wrath ? As if he had laid, no man knowes it but

thole that have felt it. I fay,it is a thing we doe

not know : Rom. 9.12. faith the Apoftle there,

What //God to Jhew his wrath, and to make his

power knowne^ fttfer with much patience the vejfels of

wrath fitted to Deflruftion f Markeit 5 the meaning

is, when the Lord comes to execute his wrath, he

will (how his Almighty power therein .• As hee

fliewes the Riches of his glory in his mercy to o-

thers, fo his very Tower ^ yza^thztranfeendentgreat-

neffe of his power (hall be declared in his Wrath.

But, alas, wherefore doe I goe about to enlarge

my expreflions of this Wrath? The truth is, you

will never undcrftand it by the fpeaking of others,

J it muft be the Lords worke.

If he will manifeft himfeife to you, that is, if he will open a crevife toletintoyourfouletheleaft ! ghmpfe of him in his wrath and anger,it willamaze j and confound the ftouteft hearted of you all. Saul was a ftout man, x^ichitophel was a wife man; but when God manifefted himfeife to them, as he did to Saul the day before he dyed, when God would not anfwer him, when he apprehended God in his wrath, he fell downe to the ground. If God be letagainftus, let but an imagination, anapprehen-

fion,

the Qommmons-houfe of Parliament.

fion, yea, the Icaft thing, comeasaMeflengcrof his difpleafure, as an Arrow dipped in the vaiomc of his wrath, it (hall be infupportable.

But youwillfay, I never felcic to be fo terrible,

I, but if once the Lord (hall mingle the ieaft trouble-firne thought with his wrath, fo that you (hall fee him in it I fay, that willamaze and confound you, asthe hand-writing did Beljhazar : It was not the hand-writing that did fodiftemper him,buttheapprehenfion of an angry God,that was able to take away his life from him. When God came to Elijah, i King, ip. 11 • he firft of all fent a wind that broke the Mountaines, and rent the Rockcs; then he fent an Earthquake, and then a Fire, to let him know what a God he is : And thus (hall every manfindehim, thatmeetshimnotby repentance. Therefore doe not truft to this, that the fins you committed are long agoc paft.

I will for that purpofc commend unto your remembrance Ioabs cafe; and Shime's cafe: loab had committed a finne long agoe, but he was never a whit the better for that, his pardon being not fued our, God fo ordered it in his providence, that his Gray haires (hould be brought to the grave in bloud. SoShimei feemed to be quiet a great while, but at laft the Lord met with him. I may alfo tell you of Sauls finne in wronging ti\tGibeonites y though it refted a while, yet it was brought home to him at the end.

But, you will fay, I fecle nothing * But let not that deceive you; remember that terrible faying in i Sa,$. Samuel threatned from God ,1 great judgement on the houfc of Eli; butthehoufcof £//floutifliedftill: It is no matter fonhatfayes £*/»#*/, I would have you

S know

*57

objetf.

From the not prefei feeling of Wrath.

Anftv.

It is not felr, be-caufe it is not apprehended

2

Sinne rc-maines on? Record.

And at j length : j Goi will; ftrik once! for all. \

Z58

A Sermon Preached before

abje£}>

The remedy prefer ibed .j is to meet the Lord ArflV,

Which confifts, firftj in Humiliation.

know this,that when the Lord begins,hc wilalfo make ancnd,thatisthegreateftterrourof all others, When a man oblcrvcs this to be his cafe, to lye in fin,and goe on in fin, and thinke there is no Iudgement,nor greater rerrour,it is anargument that when God begins, he will alfo make an end. As when one that is feldome ficke, is feized upon by fickneffe, hcisasonethatisjeftby the Phyficians, there remaines nothing but death.

But you will fay to me, If this wrath of God be fo terriblc,and it be fin that bringsthis wrath,what (hall I doe?

1 anfwer,Ic is your wifedome then to meet the Lord: \*Amos 4.12. Therefore, faith God, will I dot thus unto thee, and becaufe I will doe thus, prepare to meet thy God, o Ifrael. When the Ifraelites had finned, fayes OMofes to Aaron, Behold his wrath is gone forth ^ run quickly with lncenfe,and (land betwixt the living and the dead. It is our ca(e,wrath is gone out,the Plague is begunne amongft us $ therefore let every one looke to his owne privates^ and know that the way to prevent further Iudgemenr,isto meet the Lord.

But what is it to meet the Lord ? It ftands in two things: Firft, in Humiliation of our hearts 3 Secondly, Reformation of our lives.

Firft,there muft be Humiliation,and indeed till then, no man will goe in to God. We preach Reconciliation in the Gofpell, but men regard it nor, becaufe they be not humbled; men will only cheapen the kingdome of God,but they will not buy it; they wil not go through for ir,tillthey know thebitternefle of fin. Men doe in this cafe, as the Ifraclites,ofw horn when Cyrut made a ! Proclamation,that every one that would might go out

the Qommmons-houfe of Parliament.

of Captivity, only they went, whole hearts the Lord ftirred up; and what fhould ftirre up our hearts to goc out of the bondage of fin? Surely nothing but this tenfe of finne, Humiliation for, and Apprehcnfion of the wrath of God. In the Iubile, every man would not go out of fervitude 5 fome would continue fervants ftill $ and why i They felt not the yoke, for if they had they would have gone out. So Kay, this very Gofpellthat we preach is a generall Iubile, every one may go out from under the yoke of Satan if he will- but till men feele the bitterneffc of fin, the heavinefle of his yoke, till men be humbled they will notgoeout, but con-tinue fcruanrs ftill. And therefore Humiliation is firft required 5 for as long as a man hath anything to truft to, hee will not come in. It was the cafe of the Pro-digall Sonne, as long as his goods lafted, he thought not of returning home, when they were fpent, he hired himfelfe forth,and if that could have afforded him a living,he would not have come home,nay,if he could have got huskes to maintaine life, he would ftill have ftayed abroad ; but wheo all meanes of comfort failed him,whenhehad nothing to fupport him,then faith he, / mi got home t$ my fathers houfe. And fo till we bee humbled throughout, fo that we can fee no meanes of longer fubfiftance that our hearts be throughly touched with the fenfe of fin,we wil never come in to God 5 and that is the firft thing we muft doc.

Sccondly,thisisnot enough,but that you may meet the Lord there is required reformation like wife. And herein I willfay this briefly, you muft rememberthat this reformation be generall, of greater finnes, and of fmaller, too.

S 2 You

2 59

In Reformation.

A Sermon Preached before

The famines cf fin,

Anfw.

The leaft

agamft God. In-

ftance of the exam 1 pic of Stul The example of Adam.

You will fay, I hope there is fome difference, and every fmall fmncisnotfuchamatter. Iwillfhewthe danger even of (mail finnes, and (o will end this point. You (hall fee what a (mail finneisby thatfpcechof (inVdif-l Samuel, i Sam. 15. 23. when the Lord had bidden obedience Saul to goe and Jlaj the Amalekites, anddejlroy them and theirs utterly, but Saul did not fo, for he (pared the beft of the flock s and ^yigag their King: Samuel gwzs him this anlwer inefte<3 s Saul^ faith he, be the thing never fofmall, yet thy not doing of it is difobedience,. yea, it is ftc^bornncflc and rebellion. And fo I fay to [ every one, be the finne never fo fmall, inftance in what you will isitnotdifobedience? Suppofe it bee the leaft Oath, yea, but a vaine fpeech ^ fuppofc it be care, leflc^performance of holy duties, bee they what they will, yet is it not difobedience * Is it not repugnant I to what the Lord hath commanded t As the Lord | faid to <^4dam, the matter was not thea&ionof ea-ting of the Tra^but haft thou eaten efthe Tree of which I (aid Thou jhatt net e&te. And if it be difobedience, whether it be in greater or fnaaller matters, fee what Samuel judgethof that, Difobedience andrebellion is as the finne of witchcraft, thou haft caft the Lord away by doing it. The meaning is this, When a man comes under the Lords government, he applies himfelfcto him as the Souldier doth to his Generall,alvvayesto follow him, and in all things to obey him. nowhee that difobeyes his General!, he cafts his Gencrall a-way and leaves him. And thus Saul was faid to caft the Lord a way,becaufc in that particular he would not follow him.

Every fin is the fct-

ting up another God.

of

Againe, why doe you ceafe to follow the Lord, bur

thai/

the (jmmmons-boufe of Parliament.

z67

that you fct up fome other god to follow r And thcr-fqre Samuel addes, ftubbornndflTe and difobcdicnce is as Idolatry • that is, you never difobey God, but you take another god to you, therefore it is no f mall fin, becaufe every finnc is difobedience. And fince God commands exa6tneffe,fincc he hath commanded me to keepe the Sabbath, to pray, and to be fervent, and frequent in it: confident, (hall I negled what the Lord hath commanded me * If there be a command to this or that duty, am not I bound to endeavour to keep it t And if I goeafide, oughtInottorcturneagainc,for clfc it is difobedience f

It is true, thebeftof the Saints are not able to doe all this 5 that we doe not deny ,yet this they doe, they endeavour to doe it, theycarryaconftantpurpofeof heart to doe it,they defire to doe it, they never come to give over ftriving to doe it • they never (ay, I rauft give liberty to my felfe in this, I cannot choofe but faile in this,and fo lay afide their wafters: they have continual! war with Amalek, they never makepeace with fin . and that's the difference betwixt fpirituall men and others, they are as a Spring: for if an uncleane thing fall into a Spring, the Spring is not unclean, becaufe the Spring workes it out again: Indeed if it fall into a Pond or Pit of water, that fliall be uncleane becaufe it lies there, it cannot work it our. So it is with every godly man. in every regenerate heart there is a Spring ofgrace,though he may (omctimes fall into foule fins, yet he will work them out, andclearehimfelfeagaine: whereas another man when he is fallen into fin, continues in it, the guilt and power of it remaines upon his foule, and he ex-cufe$ himfelfe with the fmalneffe of it.

S * This

A difference betwixt a godly'and a wicked man in regard of finnes.

No 6n is ("null, for i: is com. netted a-gainft an exact Law

/4 Sermon Preached before

This is a common fault, and therefore I will preffe it the more. Confider that which Chrift [alth^Hcaven and earth fiallpajfe, but the leaflet of this Law Jhallnot pjffe: What is the meaning oi that i It is as it he had laid, fome things h the Law of God you may thinke [mail, which are but iotas, though other things bee greater ; but take you heed that you kcepe every parri culaf tor there is not a jot of ir, but the Lord will have all his fervants regard it exa&ly 5 they fhall have refpcft.to every Commandemcnt, and to every part of that Commandemenc, the lead particular in his Law (hall not paffe away. For confider, if itwerenot fo, it would be a prejudice to the Lords wifdome, for there would be fomethingthat he commands which we might flight. But the Lord that hath commanded all both great and foall, knowesthatit isbefttbatall I (ball bee kept, and therefore though heaven and earth (hall pifle, yet the leaft jot of that Law (hall not paffe 5 that this is the meaning of the place you may fee by Cbrifts expofition of the Law.

The Pbarifees faid, ^Adultery muft not be committed, but I fay (faith Christ] Hee that lufts bath committed adultery in bis heart: They faid, 7 oh mulinot faeare by the Temple,butlhy^SMarenot at all: they faid, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I fay, youmuji forgive yoar brethren. Thus wemuft labour to refiftinevery,eventheleaftparticul3r,andreformeour felvss in the omiffion of the leaft particle of the Law. And fo much likewife for the fecond point.

Thirdly, we come now to confider what it is that turnes away his wrath, and that is Zeale. Phineas hath ywrathl t timed away my tvratb> while hee was zealous for my 1 fiie 5,

The third general! point > Zeale turnes a wa

the (jmmmons-houfe of Parliament.

fake^ fo that Zealcturnes away the Lords wrath.

You (hall fee it exemplified in Elijah's anlwerto the Lords demand, iKing. ip.4. What dojttbcu hrc Elijah? As if he had laid, what haft thou done abroad in the world-? Sayes he^lhaveieenezealom for the Lord of Hofls, becaufe the Children of Jfrael have broke thy covenants, throwne downe thine ^Altars, and killed thy Prophets, and I only am efcaped. As if he had faid, I have done the moil I could for the lafety of the Church, I have bcene zealous for the Lord, and therefore he prevailed with God for his own deliverance. You may fee it likewife in lehu,who being zealous not in wordonly, butindeedalfo, turned away thewrath of the Lord.

And you may know it by the contrary, that it is zcale that turnes away the Lords wrath, becaufe it is coldnes and luke-warmneffe that brings on his wrath, Rev.$ m -i6. confider there, what is thereafon why the Lord will fpue out the Church of Laedicea, and caft it away? Becaufe it was luke-warme, and therefore the means to continue or procure his favour,is it not heate and zeale i Againe, Revel, 2. 4. The Church of Efhefa fell from her fir ft love, what then $ Therefore I ml come againfi theefhortly y and remove thy Candlejlkk. Then to abound in love, fo that our workes may bee more at laft, than at firft; to be zealous for the Lord, is the way to (lay the'Lord among us, and to continue his Gofpell of peace.

Therefore (by the way) it is not only the great fins of the Land that are caufes of G o p s wrath, but the coldnefle of them that are otherwife good, thatcau-feth the L o r d to remove the Candlefticke. The

S4 very

,263

1

Proved by Scripture and instances.

I Elijah

The truth of it ap-p cares from the danger of Luke-warmnes.

Coldnefle provokes as much (inne.

Which is a ftirring up of affection.

2 For the Lord.

A Sermon Preached before

3

There muft be with it intention of a&ion

very coldnefle of the Church of Ephcfu*, In falling from her firft love •, the luke.xvarmeMJfc of theZW/. ceans, the Lord would not indure in them.

Let every man confider this- is his zeale now as much as it hath beenc, if not, let us know that it is reckoned coldnefle, and luke-warmcneffe : the falling from our firft love, is the caufe of bringing Gods judgments on a Nation.

But what is this zeale ? Zeale is nothing elfe but the intention of all holy affeftions artd anions. I will goe no further than this Text to (hew the nature of it.

Mimas was zealous, that is, hce not only did the thing, but his heart burned within him with zeale for God. So as, Firft, there muft be a ftirring up of afte-<5tion ; Secondly, it muft bee holy, it muft be for the Lord; and this is it that difcovers true Zeale, to looke oncly to the Lord, to havenoby-refpe&s, as there may be zeale that makes a great deak of heate, and yet it comes from the earth, although it makes as great a fhow as the beft.

Againe,theremuft be intention, not only of afFe&i-ons, but alio of a<5Hon. Therefore it is faid, while bee was zedous for rnj fake among them: as if he had faid, this zeale oUvhineas was not kept fmothered in his own breft, but it brake forth into a#ion $ he had fom. thing for the Lord.

And indeed, it is a<5Uon that glorifies God, and that benefits men,onIy anions ftand on our reckoning: for you know God judgeth every man according to his works. Itisadlionthatdothour felves good,that makes us ufefull,and ferviceable to men• and the Church ,that makes us inftruments of Gods glory .Therfore ad action

the Commons-heufe of Parliament,

on to affcdion, and know that zeale ftands in both, for it is the intention of holy anions and affe&ions. I will ad no more in the explicarion,but will briefly apply K And firft, if it be zeale that turnes away the Lords Wrath, then why fhould wc difcouragc zeale • by it I dare be boldto fay the City ftands.

Why do wicked men cry down allreligion and zeale under the name of precifcneffe,and overmuch flri&nes of Iife,walking bouldly in the ftreets, and reckoning it their glory to wound God through the fides of men? So that they make thofc that bcarcthe name of Chrift, ready to reckon that their (hamc which is their glory • to hang downethewing, andtofeekecornersrohide their heads in: whence it is,that the fcrvants of Chrift follow their Mafter afarreofF, as if they were halfe afhamed of his fervice, when as they fhould wcare his Livery in open view, as accounting that their greateft honour. It were well,if f ome mcanes were ufed to prevent this. If it be zeale that turncs away the wrath of God, we fhould doe well then to nourifh and cherifh them that are zealous.

Are not Religion, and zeale the two which hold all up? Are they not the Pillars that bcarc up the Church and Common-Wealth ? Are not they the refcues that deliver the Citie ? Yet do not wicked men witn them, asthofcthat to lop the Tree are ftill hacking at the boughes? But the Lord ftill holds them up, and the world for their fakes. For why is tljtis heape of chaffeprefcrv'd from burning? Is it not because there is fome Corne,f ome Wheatc mixed there-with? If the Corne be once out, will not the Lord (as men ufc to doe after winnowing) fet the chaffe on fire?

& As

i6 5 [

Vfc i.

Not to difcouragc thofc that

be 7CaloUS

The fre. quency o fuch discouragements. The ill ef feds.

Zealeand Religion , the Pillars ofChurchj and Commonwealth.

ji Sermon Preached before

They are Gods Pcarles, though caft out in the world.

Vfe 2.

Containing many Conyi ftions of [our want

As Women with Child arc grieved to be delivercd,fo the Lord ftayes till the world be delivered, as it were, of all his Eledk ones,- of all the Saints, of all his holy and zealous ones, and then (hall be brought forth the Iudgment of the great day.

The World may caft out thefemen, as the Sea doth Pearles,among mire and dirt,but they arePearles notwithftanding $ God knowes them to be fo, and wife-men know them to be fo 3 yea, Pearles excelling other men, as much as Iewels doe common ftones, as much as Lilies and Rofes doe Thornes and Brycrs, a. mong which they grow. What's the reafon that jE/f-jah is called the Chariot of Ifracl^ndthe Horfe< men thtr-of> but becaufe he was an holy man, that did much for Gods Glory, that cfichtrore advantage the State at home^an&did more prevaile abroad,than all the Chariots and Horle-men. And may toot we apply this to the zealous among us: Therfore,when we injury any of them, doe not we cut off the haire from Smpfins head, wherein the ftrcngth of every Country and Nation, and every City and Towne confifts * Yea, the cutting off of them, is like the cutting off of his lockes, which the more they grow, the more ftrength a King. . dome hath* I fay no more, but commend it taevery man in his place, wifhing that you would let it be your gcnerallcare to encourage true Religion and Zeale, the omitting whereof, I am perfwaded, is one of thofc things which caufeth the Lords hand to be ftretched forth againftus.

Secondly, if it bee Zeale that turnes away the Lords wrath, then where is the Zeale that fhould be among us *

Arc

the Commons-heufe of (parliament.

Arc we not rather fallen"into thofe latter times the Apoftle fpeakes of, which fiiould have a forme of Religion without the Zeale, and Power and Life of it < And if Zealeturnes away Gods wrath, "certainly then this formality, this overlinelfe of Religion this coldneffe without Zeale and Power, is k that brings on h!s wrath. It istrue,and we cannot deny but knowledge abounds amongft us, as the waters in the Sea: But where is the Salt ? That is, where is that Zeale, and holinefle that fhould feafon all our knowledge ? Where is the Fire that fliould adde pra&ice to our knowledge,and make it an acceptable facrifice to God ? Wee have the light of former Times, but not their heat: As he complaines, Ignu qui in Farenlibmfuit calidut, in mbis Imtdm^ The Fire which in ancient Times was hot, is now only light. We thinke it enough to goeto Church, to receive the Sacrament, and fo to keepe a round, as it were, to doe as moft doe, being carryed about with the generall courfc of the World, as the Planets are with the reft of the Spheres, contrary to that which (hould bee their proper motion. But, I befeech you, confider it. h this Religion * Is this the Power of Godli-neffe 3 is this to bee Baptized with the H o l y Ghost, which is as Fire «? Surely, Religion (tends not in thefe outward formalities, but in changing the heart, in making us New Crea. tures, in mortifying our Lufts, and thorowly purging out the love of every corruption. Therefore, if you will turne away Gods wrath, turnc J your formality into £eale, that is, content not your (elves with the performance of the duties of Religion 1 externally,

f 167

of Zcalc. 1. From the formality of the

Ti'ncs.

ji Sermon Treaded before

t. Canvi ftion. l : iom our want of afTc&ion for the Lord.

2. Againft fione.

Diflferen-ccs betwixt Hatred and Anger. i Hatred is con ft ant

externally, but get that wherein the power of godli-nefTeconfi{ts,elfethe outflde of Duties will not divert Wrath.

Againe, did £ealc turne away the wrath of the Lor D 5 then where are our zealous affeftions i Why are we not zealous for the Lord, and zealous againft (In i You know Chrift died for this end,that he might purifie unto himfelfe a peculiar zealous people of good workes, Titus 2, 14. Men doe good anions as aTaske, they aregladwhentheybeover; but doe you them with much intention, much fervency, much defire, bee you a people zealous of good workes. Therefore in Romans 12. n. They are put together, bee fervent in fpirit, and ferving the L 0 r d ; implying that the Lord refpeds no fervice, but as it is joyncd withfervencie: Thereforeknow,thatitisnot enough to ferve the Lord in an ordinary Trad, you muft mend your pace to heaven j it is not enough to go,but you muft run the way of G$ds Commandments.

And as you muft be zealous for him, fo you muft be zealous againft evill: For you muft know this (and markit well) it is not enough to abftaine from fin, it is not that alone that Cod will accept, but he lookes that you fliould hate fin. As it is faid of Lot, his righteous foule was vexed with the uncleane converfation of the Sodomites, that is, his heart rofc againft them, there was an inward diftafte againft them ; the like you fhall fee in David and CMofes.

You will fay, I hope Ideteftfinne,andamangry with it.

It may bee fo$ perhaps you are angry with finne, but Zeale you know is an intention of the affedion

of

the Commorts-bekfeof Parliament.

269

of hatred^and it is required that you hate fin: Rev. 2. 6. This th9tt baft, that thou hat eft the tvorke of the Ntcolta-tdns> which Ialfo hate.

You will fay , how doe they differ 1 You (hall know hatred by this.

Firft,it is a conftant affe&ion,u abides with us • Anger goes away as all paffions doe, it is but for a fir, for a flafh, on fomc occafion.

Againe, hatred isalvvayesof generals. theSheepe hates all Wolves, we hate all Toads, all Serpents. I fay,whcrefoever there is hatred, it turnes to the whole Species. Now doe you hate all fin, all kindes of finne, one as well as another '. Do you not only abftain from chem,but alfo hate them,of what fort (bever they be i

Laftly, Hatred feekes the utter deftru&ion of the thing hated. Anger would have but a proportion of Iu. ftice,asL-^r//?.fayes. Now is it fo with your Do you feeke the utter deftrudionof fin, abftaining not only from grofle fins, but from all dalliances, from the leaft touch of fin,cleanfing your felves from al pollutions q[ the flefh and fpirit-f If you will be zealous for the Lord, then know that this is required, that you not only doe things, but that you doe them zealoufly, that you not only abftainc from finne, but that you hate it.

Againe, if it bee Zeale that turnes away the wrath of the Lord, then where is our boldnefie 5 our courage, our forwardntfle for the Truth < Why are we fo fearefull and (hie of doing the thing that other-wife we thrnke meet to be done < For zeale hath that property among the reft, it makes men bold $ the Zealcof the Apoftles was knowne by their boldneflc.

But you will fay, A man may be too bold.

It

a. Icfcts again ft the whole Species.

5. Itrefts no: butin utter de-ftrudion. ludge of our Anger by theft markes.

3. Convict 6 From our want of courage for the truth.

From the danger of too much boldneffc

Danger of Excefle mult bee pievented by a well regulating our bokle ncfle.

J. Sermon Preached before

The Ob

je&ion is profecu ted.

And more fully an-fwered.

4„ Con

virion. Rom our want of Zeale for the Church.

It is very true - when the horfc runs up and downe, and is ac liberty, the more mettle the worfe,but under the bridle, and in the way there cannot be too much, keep the fheame within the bankes,and let it runnc in a right Channel), and then the ftronger the better. It is good therefore in this cafe to come to a disjun&ion, which is the thing that Elijah advilcd, if Bad be God, follow him i but if God be God, follow htw, and follow him to purpofe. And as Luther wrote to CMtlan-tthon, when he began to faint; W hy y tJieUHilbcn, if this be the Caufeof God, why (hould wee bee discouraged? Why fhould we goe coldly about it i If it be not the Caufeof God, why doe not we defift altogether f This Disjun&ion put life into him.

I, but dilcietion and moderation muft be ufed. It is true,but doth this croffe your zeale * Doth one Grace croffe another? Prudence doth not abate diligence, but guides it inks worke. It teaches not to doe lefle, but to doe better. Therefore, as for Modcration,you muft know it (lands in avoyding the Rocke, in declining the extreme, but Moderation in a right courfe is noc moderation, but lukewarmeneffe, andcolde. neffe.

Laft of all, to conclude this point, and only to name the reft. If Z?aleturnc away the wrath of God, then where is our zeale for the Church of G o d i Why doe not we take its cafe to heart i Why have we not the bowels of compaffion to lament over its condition, as if it were our owne < It was a moft commendable thi g in old Eli, when he heard the newes that the battell was loft, that his fonncs were flaine, that moved him not fo much 5 but when he heard that the

Arke

the Commons-beufe of Parliament.

Atke of God was taken, that amazed him, fo char he fell from his feat and brake his necke. Confider this and know, that it is required that you be zealous for the Church. Let our Gallants confider this, chat care not how things goe. And thofe that will have the Church negligently regarded, let them confider that a curfe abides him who doth the workcof the Lord negligently. And know, that though the Lord be angry with his Church, as many times he is, yet your zeale on its behalfe, your prayers for it, your coft upon it, your labour about it, yea, whatfoe-ver you do for it, is acceptable to God even then when he is angry with it, when heeaffli&s it. David was angry with ^Abfalemy loab makes a fuit to him to call home his baniflied 3 though David was angry with Ab-falom, yet loabs fuke to David was very acceptable, he could not,have come of a better meffage. Soyou cannot doe a more acceptable worke, than to feekefor the Churches good, andtoprayforitsprofperity. It is true indeed, the Lord will take care of his Church, and they that be enemies to it (hall not be gainers • as Zacharj 12. 6. They that feeke to hurt the Church j of G^o-d, (hall bee a* a company of Sheaves that goe ! about to fupprefeaColeoffire, which frail con fume them ' all. And they that goe about to devours the Church, (hall be like a man that thinkes to devour a cup of poi-fon, but by it is killed himfelfe, or like a man that goes about to throw up a (lone that is too heavy for him, which falls back,andcru(hes him to powder. Alithefe expreffions there bee in that Chapter. It is truehec will not caft away, the care of his Church, hec will defend it againft them that oppofe it 5 but in tic

mcane

271

Zeale for the Church issccep-t^ble to God,even when hee is angry With her.

It is dangerous to wrong the Church

*7*

J. Sermon Treaded before

Dire&ion what wet muft doe for the Church.

Abroad,

At home

Concerning the Church at home i things are -Ttommcn-| ded to co-! fiJeration

meanc rime, if you doc not your parr, you (hall lofe your glory, nay, you (hall be guilty of Negligence, whichwillbringa Curfe with it upon you.

But you will fay, What would you have us to doe for it t

I anfwer, We muft confiderthe Church abroad, and at home.

For the Churches abroad we will not prefcribc unto you my particular direction, oncly we will commend to you this generall, That you feckc their fafcty and prcfervation, and the propagation of religion a-mong therewith all care and intention,as youfliall fee occafions and circumftancea to require.

But for the Church at home, you fee the L o a d hath begun to make a breach upon us. And as it is in Ezek. 22. 30. Hit feekesfora man among usthatmay ft and in the Gap.

Ic is well done that you have gone fo farre, as yoa have, but remember that it is a tl£ng that the Lord de-fires. And know wichall,that the Lord markes what every man doth for his Church, he obferves who is zealous, and who fitsftill, he takes notice who doth nothing, who doth fomcthing, and how much every man doth: As Mai 3.16. The Lord barkened, and heard, and a Booke of Remembrance was written. The Lord harkens and heares what every man fpeakcs,what every man doth, yea, to what end, with what heart; how his Cnurch is thought upon. Confider this therefore, that you may beftirreduptodomore.

You will fay. What would youhave us to do more? I will commend thefe three things unto you, andfo conclude this point:

Firft,

the (jmmons-houfe of Parliament.

Firft, doe as Phineas is in the Text faid to doe, the thing he did to turne away the wrath of the Lord'was executing of judgement in the punifliment of zimr) and Cos hi that had committed that great finne. And marke this, when Vhineas began toftirre, the Lord ceafed to ftrive. And # know, that the L o r d re. gards not fo much what the particular fins of a Nati on or Church are, aswhatthea&ion, the behaviour, the cariage of the State towards them is. Doubtlefie I the a&ion of both the Houfes of Parliament declaring their zcale both now and heretofore, hath been a great j meanes of turning away the Lords wrath, and will be more and more, if youdc#fo more and more. This is a thing I cannot baulke,feeing the Text calls me on it 5 that this zeale of Phineas, this aft of his in punifh-ing fin turned away the Lords wrath.

You will fay, what things fhould we punifli ?

Three things, Firft, Whoredome: you fee here the people committed whoredome,as it is plainly mentioned by the Apoftle. Be not yte fornicators as feme of them were, and fell in one day fe many thoufands.

Another fin was Iddatry, they joyned themfelves with Baal-Peor.

And there is a third fin,not mentioned here,but is as frequently mentioned by the Prophets, to have a hand in common judgements as any other, and that is In-juftice; when righteoufnefle is turned into Hemlocke, | and judgement into worme-wood •, that is a thing that muft bee remembrcd among the reft. Indeed there may bee miftakes in the adminifkation of Iuftice, which through ignorance and the not perfed knowledge of a caufe may be fallen into ; but the Injuftice,

T that

*7$

Execution of Iudgc-menc.

Specially

againft

three

things:

i.Whorc-

dome.

t.Idola« try.

L ihju.

nice,

A Sermon freacbed before

2

Contenti on for the

Faith.

To which wefhould be provo k:dby the pn&ife of her ene mics,

chat turnesrighteouihcffe into wormc-wood, aslfaidl before, muft be remcmbrcd,and that is,cither Bribery, or that ref peding of perfons in Iudgemenr, which is equivalent thereunto, and will come in among the reft. Ihefe be finnes,thepuni(hment whereof turncsaway the wrath of the Lord. Therefore remember thefe in particular, and ccmflder what it is to fpare in this cafe • Saul was loft by fparing Lsfgag : and remember what Elijah gained,/and lehu gained by being zealous. The manner we will wholly leave to you, only, be zealous for the Lord.

The fecond tiring you mufirdoe for the Church, to turnc away the Lords wrath,is,to contend for that which maintaines the Church, ImeanejFaitb; main-taine that which maintaines you, prefcrve that which preferves you,the whole Church and Kingdome.We will therefore commend to you,that of Iude>l exhort yoti, faith he, that jot* contend for the faith which was once given to the Saints: Markc it, you are to contend earneftly,for fo much the word implies, herein we are to be contentious men. The very example of our ad-verfaries may teach us to contend for the Truth,if we confider, how they contend for the contrary* if we obferve what unity there is among them, what joynt confent in oppofing the Truth. Again remember what you are to contend for, it is for Faith, for the whole do&rine of Faith, every jot whereof is precious,and it is the Faith that was once given to the Saints, As if he had faid, looke to it, if you lofc it, it fliall be recovered no more. Christ will not come againe from Heaven to deliver this point of Dodrine. And againe, it was once delivered to the Saints,

for

the Qommons-houfe of Parliament.

for what i Certainely to beekeptaswekeepePearles and Iewels, that it may not fufter the leaft torment.

And let no man fay he harh nothing to doe to with this, for it isthe common faith which every man hath to doc with: you know in common things wherein every man hath intereft, every man is ready to main-taine his right. Confider this, and ftand for the whole Faith, for all the dodrine of Faith, and know, that | thefe are matters of exceeding great moment 5 all that we have faid before of the punifhment of Injuftice, Whoredome, Idolatry, and Superftition, <£r. is not fo much as this; for a man may turne afide to thefe fins, and yet have a right judgement,but fo long as the judgement is perverted, the foulc is irrecoverable.

Againc, thefe arc of exceeding great confequence, for what Elijha did with the Syrians, who when they thought they were led to the man whom they fought to take, were brought into Samaria to be taken $ the fame falls out where thereisanerrourof faith: that which men thinkebuilds them up unto the Kingdome of God, leads them to that which will be their definition. Therefore contend for the Faith,for the whole doftrincof Faith,for every point of Faith,and remember to contend for it earneftly.

The third and laft adion that we will commend unto you,is this,Labour to do that mod which will moft glorifie God,that is,endeavour tofetupalearned Mi-niftery in the Land and Church: you know it is a great complaint, My people ferijh for want of knowledge 5 and who are they that perifti? \^d£t. 20. '28. Evtnthe flockt that God hah fur chafed with bis owne bloud.

And at whofe hands muft it be required rr It is true,

*75

Advancement of the Mini-ftery.

Ta

we

By fetting a Candle in every Candle-fticke.

A Sermon Treaded before

By keeping out dogs that will de* vourc.

wee are the Vines that beare the Grapes, but you are the Elmes that muft hold up the Vines. It is true, wee are the Shepheards to defend the flocke, butir muft bee your care to fee that every flockc have a Shepheard.Is it not a lamentable thing to fee how many perifli for want of knowledge in Wales, in the Ncrcherne Countries,and in many places befides. Is it not your part to take care and labour as farre as you may, that every Candlefticke may have a Candle fee in it to give light t That every Parifh may have an able Preaching Miniftcr. It is true, every Pa. rifh cannot bee provided for alike* Starrcs are of dif-1 fcrent magnitudes, fome Starrcs are greater, fome are Idler, fome Starres fhine not at all, forac a-gaine fhine in another Hemifphere, and not in our owne, fome fhine like Meteors for a little time, and then difappeare againe: let it bee your care, that all Starrcs that are in the Firmament of the Church, I mcanc thofe that arc to difpence the myfteries of falvation, may (though wcakclyyet) like true Stars fhine, Thefe things we muft commend to your care, onely remember this, you know the wrong that is done to the flocke, if dogges bee fuffered among them, therefore let them bee removed • I meane thofc that endeavour to put out the light, that fo they may the better prevaile, and teach their do<5hines of dark-nefle. As when the day is done, the beaft wanders a. broad • and doe not we finde it fo amongft us * For where doth Popery abound fo much, asinthedarkc places of the Kingdome * I befeech you confider this and be zealous. I fhould have added more,butfo much fhall fervefor the third point*

The

the Qmimons-houfe of Parliament ,

The other I will but name ; and indeed I will the rather name them, though I doe no more, becaufethey follow fo one upon another. You have heard that Cods anger brings all evill, that fin is the caufe of that anger, that it is zeale that turnesaway that anger.

Now Fourthly itfollowes, that if you be not zealous, his jealoufie fliall grow hotter, it fliall encrcafe more and more. The very word Iealoufie hath fome-thing in it 5 when the Lord lookes on a Church or Na-j tion,the lofle of their affe&ion breeds a jealoufie,which is intended more and more, if there be not care to prevent it.

Therefore when the Lord is jealous, he fends fome token of his jealoufie. as when a man firikes,weknow he is angry 3 fo when the Lord fends a Plague among us, we may conclude he is angry, When a mefienger comes, the fooner he hath his anfwer the fooner he is gone, but he will ftay till he hath his anfwer: and will the Lord fend his meflenger in vaincc'Doth he not fend it for an anfwer? And what is the anfwer the Lord looks for i That you Faft and Pray,and humble your {elves, and turne from your evUl wayes,and be zealous for his fake. What clfe is the end of all his judgements £ Are they not as medicines, or plaifters to heale a Church, or a Nation or a particular perfon i They will flick on till the fore be healed, but when it is healed they will fall off: fo you fliall findthefe judgments of the Lord, as long as we remain unreformed they will flick by us, till we be healed the playfter will continue. Therefore are thofe phrafes in Scripture, his hand is ftretched out ftill and jlill; as in Deut.i 8. TiUwek heale&>be mil not make an end of correcting; he is now as it were engaged;

T 2 and

*77

4

Generall point If wc be not ■zealous, : Gods jea- ; loufie growes hotter.

And his meffenger muft have an anfwer.

■ «*•

Meanes to flop lils wrath is toftandin

the

??>

A Sermon Preached before

Which confifts in faithful! : prayer.

5

Generall point, lea loufie for the moft part (hall Proceed to u tter de-ftruclion

and you know when a man is engaged ro proceed in a thing, hemuft go on till he hath brought it to an iffue, elfe it will be counted raflineffe 5 and doe you thinke the Lord will turne from his wrath now it is begun, unlefte we give him an expe&ed iflue * It cannot be.

What fliall we then doe ! The way to flop his wrath is toftandin the gap: when a breach is made in the Sea, or in a Riveras long as the breach continues, the waters come in upon the Land $ the way to prevent further inundation, is to make up the breach.This Plague is but a g3p, a few may yet ftand in the gap and flop it: you fee what Fhineas did here alone, and it is much what one man may doc • thereiore let every man for his owne part humble himfelfe for his owac fins, let him turne from them, andbc zealous with God by prayer, by ftriving and contending with him $ for there be but two wayes to ftand in the gap,one is faith-full and fervent Prayer, the other is Zealc againft fin, and in defence of that which is good. I will fay no more of this (for I doe but name the point) only remember, that except you doe thus, this jealoufieof God (hall goc on, grow upon us, and wax hotter and hotter.

Now the laft point of all is this, that the effed of this jealoufie (if it goes on) (hall be utter deftrudlion. therefore fayes the Text, That 1 con fumed them not in my jealoufie: as if he had faid,elferay jealoufie fhould have gone, and that jealoufie fhould have gone on, and that jealoufie fhould have beene confufion. Icisyet but a Plague,the Land is yet fafc (wherein you may fee r he Lords great patience, andlongfufferingj but if r omething be not done, if this jealoufie of his be fuf-

fcred

the Qommons-houfe of Parliament.

fered to goeon, if nothing be done to prevent its further progrefle, his wrath will end in utter deftru&ion 5 you know I need not tell you, how nearewc were to this deftru&ion in Eighty eight,the Gunpowder-Trea-Ion we were brought much nearer • the Axe was then laid to the root: this was twice. I will fay thus much unto you, take heed of the third time. The Lord fayes, well, let the Tree ftand yet a while longer, let no more blowes be yet given it, that I may fee if it will bring forth any more fruit: but as I faid (and remember it) take heed of the third time j the Lord hath appointed fin to dcftru&ion, and he expe&s your execution of it. I will put you in remembrance of the ftoryof ^Ahab and Benhadad, It were good that you would reade the whole ftory, 1 Kings 20.26. you know what was Benhadads behaviour to him; the Lord delivered him into his hand, he offered him what he would have, he entred into Covenant with him, fpared him, and lent him away $ butyoufliall fee what meffage was fent afterwards, Becaufe thou haft fpared him that was appointed for deftru&ion, therefore Jball thy life gee for his life. Sinne is now in your hands, let it not efcape execution; I doe not fpeakc particularly of punifhment, that Heave to you, to doe according toyourwifdome, and according to juftice, according to difcretionandobfervanceof all circumftances. Only I fay this to you, be zealous, and remember, yea, let itremaitiewithyouasanirrever-fable truth, that thisjealoufieof Gods, if it goes on, willbedeftru&ion.

Therefore, learne hence to feare • fecurity is like a 1 Calme before an Earthquake: you toow it is faid of I T 4 ' L4ifh?

279

Two.great deliverances wee have had. Beware the third time.

The ftory; of Abab isconfide-rable to', thispur-pofe.

rfi

To £q'\:<.

A Sermon Preached before

There is a double feare: i. A feare that puts us upon indired meanes.

2. A feare

I that fees us to worke on good meanes.

L ii(h* it was a fecure people, and you know how they fared"; They vverefo fecure, that when an enemy came againft them it was like the fluking of a Fig-tree that hath the rippe Figgcs onit, which being (haken, the Figges fall into their mouth. Be not fecure, but feare, which is both a figne and a meanes of fafety.

It is true, is there a double feare: One kindcof feare indeed bringsevillonas 3 andthatwe(hallfinde was the feare of Jeroboam, who bekig afraid, that by occafion of the peoples going to Ierufalcm, the king, dome would returne totheHoufeof David $ there-fore he falls to indirect policy, and out of that feare, caufed Golden-calves to be fet upinDavand Bethel. Indeed a feare that fetsus on wrong meanes is unlaw-full, as that very thing was the deftru&ion of him,and of his Houfe, for it loft them the Kingdome. So Saul bad a feare, but that feare was his undoing, becaufeit fet him a worke to ufe ill meanes, for when he was a-fraid he went to the Witch of Endor, which was his r uine, whereas it may be, if he had fought to the Lord, he might have obtained hclpe.

But then there is the good feare thatXcommend unto you,which is oppofite to fecurity,that is fuch a feare as fets you on work to ufe good meanes: You fee Da-vidjNhm Ziglag was burnt with fire,and his men were ready to (lone him, what his feare fet him on worke to doe, to pray, to encourage himfelfe in the Lord, and and this feare turned away the evill. Such a feare was lehofaphats, when he feared, he humbled himfelfe before the Lord by fading and prayer. Let this be your feare, and letit have fuch aneffe<3 among you, to ufe fuch meanes as fliall turnc away the Lords wrath.

And,

the Commons-houf? of Parliament.

And, in a word, to conclude, and it fhall bs the laft word I will fpeake to you, marke it well, and hearken to it as newes from Heaven, as a meffage from G o D . When Aft came home with that great vi(ftory,the Spirit of God came upon Azariah* And he met Afa, and /aid unto him: oh A fa, andallludah and Benjamin he are me: if you be with the Lord, the Lordwillbe with you, but ifyou forfake the Lord,the Lordjh all alfo forfake you. And this I fay to you all j if you be with the Lord 3 the Lord will be with you,ancHf you forfake the Lord he will rejecft you.

But you will fay,what great newes is there in this Y Marke it we are apt to thinke, that to be with the Lord is not enough, but wc muft have other meanes, and props, and helpes. No, faith he, it is enough for you to fticke clofc to the Lord, and to take no other care,for the Lord will be with you,who is Almighty, and able to defend you.

Againe, we are apt to thinke, that though we for-iake the Lord, yet he will not forfake us: elfe why are we fo bold infinne i Why are not we more zealous againft fin i Why mourne we not for the abominations that areamongftus? But the Prophet an fwers us for that; if you doe forfake the Lord, the Lord mltdlfo forfake, and depart from you. Confide* it, aad the Lord give you understanding,,

Finals.

iC&Mj.i

THE

NEW CREATVRE:

Or,

A TREATISE OF

SANCTIFICATION.

Delivered in Nine Sermons, upon

z Cor. 5« ij» By the late faithfull and worthy Minifter of

Iesus Christ.

Iohn Preston.

Do&or in Divinity, Chaplaincin Ordinary to his Majeftic,

Matter of Emmanuel Colledgein Cambridge, and

fometime Preacher of Lincolns Ihke,

i - - *-- --ii , m ii ii

The third Edition.

Romans 12.2.

Be not confirmed [to this world, but bee yet transformed by the mitring of your m'mde.

G A I AT H. 6. If.

f Tot in CbriJ? lefts neither Circumcifan availetb any thing* norFncircmeipon, but a New Culture.

LONDON, Printed by R. b. for Nicolas Bourn e , and are

to be fold at his Shop at the Royall Exchange. - * * 3 7

fug

FIRST SERMON VPON

THE NEW CREATVRE.

2 COR. 5. 17.

Therefore if a man be in Qmfi y let him bee a Nen> Creature.

E have propounded to our felves this method.

Fir ft to fhew that we are out of chrift, and there our work was to humble men. Secondly, to fhew what wee have by Chrift, and how we are made partakers of him, and that is done by faith.

The third is to (hew what we fhould doe for Chrift, andherebeginstheworkcofSan&ification: for (as I told you) thefe were the three parts of the Apoftles Ambaffage: To preach the Law fir ft, that it might be a Schoolc-mafter to bring us to Chrift: And then ro preach Iuftification by Chrift: Thirdly, to preach San&ification. Now we have chofenthisTextasagroundforthe

laft, having finifhed the two former.

We will (hew youina word how it depends upon

what

Serm.I.

The de-pendance of the words.

z84

Serm.'I.

Dependence of the Tbords .

what goes before, that you may fee the fcope of the Apoftle in thefe words.

In the thirteenth and fourteenth verfes of this Chap, ter the Apoftle tels them that he was ill ufed by them . So ne of you (faith he) thinke we are no better than out of our wits. It is no matter, whether we are in our wits, or out of our wits, yet we muft goe through the work of the Miniftery, of the Gofpell committed to us for Chrifts fake, that is, we looke not to you. It is the love of Chrisi thauonfiraimth w> we can doe no other wife. When he had faid this, he gives the realon why the love of Chrift carryed him along to doc this duty, whether he had wages or not, whether he had good report or not, yet for the love of Chrift he did it: For (faith he) we thus judge \that if one died for all,then were all dead, that they that live fhouldnot henceforth live to themfelves t but to him that died for them : As if he had faid, Is there not reafon that we fhould thus negled our felvesfor Chrift, feeing he died for this end* that we fhould no longer live ro our felves, but to him, that is, he hath bought us atadeererate- therefore wee fhould no longer make our felves our end, but we muft live to him, we muft thinke what Chrift would have us doe, what worke he will fet us about.

Now when he had faid this, heinfiftethinonepar-ticular 3 wherein he fheweth that he did not live to him-felfe 5 but to Chrift: Wherefore, henceforth we know no man after the fejl); no not Chrift Himfelfe,thatis,we doe not regard any man for any outward refpeds, we doe not magnifie any man for any outward honour and excellency that he hath.

Againe, wedoe not vilifieany man for the want of

any

Ttependance of the y>ords.

285

any outward excellencies, but wc magnific every man as he excels in grace: yea, Chrift himfelfe,though he had outward excellencies, as other men, yet we love him now only in fpirituall refpefts, as he is our Media-tour j we behold now every thing according to the Spirit. Now, when he had gone thus farre, he drawes this conclufion:

Therfore if any man be in Chrift Jet him be a New Creature."] As if he ihould lay, this is a confequencc that muft needs follow. If this be true that Chrift died, that every man that lives fhould livecohim «. then if any man will have part in Chrift, if any man think he have any intereft in him to be juftified by him, he muft be another man than he was before, hemuftbeaNew Creature, he muft know no man nor thing after the flefh, he muft live to the Lord, and not to himfelfe, in all things. So that now he drawes it from himfelfe, and raifeth it to a more high and general! conclufion : it is required,faithhe,of every man living, that, if j he be in Chrift, he muft be a New Creature, thatis,hec \ muft put off himfelfe altogether, he muft be no more the fame man he was, he muft lay a-fidc himfelfe, and put on Chrift lefus, he muft be madclikc him.

We will not ftand longer to open the words, be. fcaufe we (hall doe that in the handling of the fevcrall points that (hall be delivered to you out of them. And firft wc will take this plainc point that the words afford us.

That San&ification muft needs foUm lufiifisatm. Or, if you will, take it in the words that are laid downe in the Text, Whatfiever is in Chrift, that is, whofoever will be juftified by Chrift, muft have a new Nature

created

Doft.

Iuftificati-on,and Sm&ifica-tion arc

infepa-rable.

Serm. I. created in him by God; for that is the meaning of it, " whofocvet is in Chrift muft be made a new man, he muft have another Nature,which is created in him by God, that is intimated by this word Creature.

Now in the handling of this point, we will do thcfe two things:

Fir ft, we will (hcwliow San&ificationarifeth from luftification, becaufe that is the maine fcope for which we chofe this Text.

Secondly, we will ftiew you the reafons why they are infeparable, why the one muft needs follow the other, and then further open this Do&rine toyou,that whofoever is in Chrift, muft have a new Nature created in him by God.

The firft thing that we have to doe is to (hew you how Sandification arifeth from luftification, and it hath a double rife.

The one is from the Spirit that is infufed into us prclently after wc are juftified, or at the fame time,on-ly there is a difference in the order of Nature.

Secondly, it arifeth from fomeaftions wrought in the minde, whereby a man comes to this conclufion • If Chrift have accepted me for his, if he be mine, and will juftifie me, and free me from my fins, then I will ferve him in all things.

For the firft, as foone as any man hath taken Chrift, and received that Righteoufncffe of his by Faith,there is an union betwecne Chrift and him, upon this union the Spirit of Chrift is fhed into him, Gdl. 4. 6. Becauje you Are fomj Cod hath fent the Spirit $f his Sen intoyeu$ that is, as foone as you receive him, you havethafame Spirit fent into your heartsthat dwells in Chrift: and

fo

1

How San-edification rifcth from luftification.

I By the \ worke of ■ the Spirit.

How San&ificationarifetb from IuHijicatioti.

287

fo Gal. 5.2. Received you the Spirit by the rvorkes of the Law^ or by the hearing of faith preached ? That is, by hearing thedo&rine of Faith: I fay,as foone as a man is juftified, he receives the Spirit. So like wife, Jfr.8.p. You are n$t in th'eflejh, hut in the ffiirit, &c. and he that bach not ^Spirit of Chriftisnoneof his, thacis 5 as foone as we are juftified, God fends the Spirit of his Sonne into us, and if any man have not the the Spirit of Chrift, he is not yet juftified. Andtheltkeyou have Rom. 6. 2. when fomehad made this objeftion, If grace abound, why doe we not finne the more, that grace may more abound * The Apoftle faith. It is im-ptfffible that thofe that are dead ufinne\ jliouldlive any longer therein^ as if he (hould fay, Set a fide all your carnall reafonings, it is impoflible for him that is dead to fin,to live yet therein; how can he <? As if he fhould fay, Whofoever is in Chrift, the Spirit of Chrift is font into his heart, that mortifies fin fo, that he cannot live any more in it, there is fuch a change wrought in him, he is a New CreaturCyif he be once in Chrift; that is the firftrife, as foone as we are juftified, the Spirit of Chrift is fent into our hearts.

But ft not the Spirit lent into our hearts before, when he workes faith?

It is true, but the meaning is, when we are once in Chrift, the Spirit of San&ification is fhed more plentifully, and in a greater degree than before, for there is a certaine worke of the Spirit that begetteth faith, and the fame worke of the Spirit, inks time, begetteth the degrees of San&ification.

But now, that this may notbe in notion only, we will (hew you, how the Spirit workes this,that you

may

objeft. Anfw t

Serm.I.

How San Eli fixation

The Spirit compels mentj come in

j Converfi Jon of men *s the turning the courfc of nature..

may not chink thele to be things carryed in clouds,and to have place only in our undcrftandings, but that you may know it in the experience, that every man finds in himfelfe, that after he hath taken Chrift, there is in-deed fiich a Spirit flied in his heart that changeth him. For the underftanding of this know, th^when we come to invite men tp come in to Chrift (as it is all our bufinefle to invite men to the manage) all the world ftands out, and every man gives that anfwer that they did in the Gofpell,they have bought Farmes, and ma-ried Wives- every man is fo fet on thefe outward things, that his carnall heart carrieth him to, that they will not hearken to us,fo that we may preach in vaine : you fee to how many Chrift himfelfe preached in vaine, and Apoftles had preached in vaine, if there had beeneno more than their ownc preaching.

So likewife, now the Spirit is fent into the hearts of ; men, that when we come and invite men to come in to Chrift, the Spirit alfofecretly compels them to come in. We are indeed bidden to compcll men to come in, but unleffe there be another compeller, that is, except there be the Spirit within to doe it, theworkeisnot done,unleffe there be two compellers at the fame time, the Holy Ghoft within preachingtoyour hearts, when we preach to your eares ; except there be two callers, that when we call men, the Lord fends his Spirit to call you too, it is in vaine: And that you may under-ftand this, you muft know that it is as hard a thing to move a man to leave his pleafures, and divers lufts 3 and his vaine converfation, as to turnethe whole courfe of nature,(which I call the inftinft that God hath put into every creature, to move that way that it goetb,as the

water

arifith from justification.

water to move downward,and the fire to go upward: ) Think with your felves no w,whether there muft not be an Almighty power to turne the courfe of nature s be-caufe the heart of man naturally goes downward to fin, it defcends downward with the fame propcnfity,it hath the fame &*i 9 as we call it, the fame forwardneffc and proneneffe to evill that any naturall thing hath to goe the courfe,that is naturall to it.

Now unles there be an Almighty power to turn this courfe of Nature,no man will ever come to Cbrift. As for example, That re&itude of Gods Image, that is ex-preffed in the word,come to expericnce,and look upon every mans heart living^and fee whether it be not quite contrary to it in all things, even as contrary as the motion of the (lone is from afcending towards the heavens, but when the Spirit commeth he turneth this courfe of Nature, Now when we come to do this,do you think that any man in the world is able to workeitinthe hearts of men ? It is true,a man may goe thus far 5 It is poffible for a King, or for a man in authority, to fee preferments on the one fide, and punifhments on the o-ther, to make a man do much, or to f uflpcr much, but al this while here is but a turning of thcadions of men, but to turne the inclinations of mans heart, it is proper only to (7^,man is not able to doe it in any particular : if a mans heart befet upon covetoufnefTe, Chrift fai h it is im poffible all the men in the world can change his heart: But put the cafe a man could doe it (as no man can) if hee could turne a mans heart, it would be but in a particular or two, but to turne the whole frame of the heart, to make a general! Change, to make him

another man* another

Creature V

It is impoffible for

28?

Serm.I.

Conversion of men as the turning the courfe of nature.

To turne the heart proper to God.

121

Ser. -I.

How Santtification

for any man in die world to doe it.

Or,}>ut the.cafe he could doe fo, it muft bee after long reafoning, but to doe it upon the fudden, and at one Smnon, as the Spirit fometimes doth, to take one word and by it to change the heart of man, it muft needs be the wotkeof an Almighty Power.

Therefore in the 2 Or. 3. Chap, and the laft verf. when the Apoftle fpeakes of this great change,he faith, when wee reade or heare the Word, fee there the Image of God, as one feeth his race in a glaffe, and are changed into it from glory to glory, that is^ from one glorious degree to another: but how is this done ? It is done 3 faithhe 5 £j the Spirit of the Lord. As if he fliould fay, it is impoffible for a man to bee turned into the glorious Image of God. A man may as well fay,I will make a Clod of eartha (hining Starre, as to fay he can make the carnall and dead heart of man to be like the Image of God: It muft bee the Spirit of God bim-felfe that muft doe it, it is a worke above Nature: it I is therefore done by the Spirit, which doth enlighten 1 the underftandirig, and fo bow the will, that whereas before there was in man fuch a ftrong appetite, fuch a ftrong propenfiry to illy fiicha ftrong inclination that would over-weigh all the reafon that would bee brought to the contrary, when the Spirit hath trought this works, there isfucba contraryinclination, fuch a propenfnefle to G o©i ^and'to th^t which is good,-chat it over ballariceth all the Temptations that the world, the fle(h 3 and the Devill can lay againft it*

Is not this a mighty Power that muft doc this ? That whereas there was in a man before fuch a ftrong inclination to finne, thereis a difpofitipnfo contrary

now

arifeth from luftification.

291

now, fuch a defire Wrought in him, fuch aftrong impreffion that carries him to God, to C h r i s t, and to holinefle, that let all the reafons in the world be brought to the contrary, they cannot keep him off.

But you will fay, thefe things that you fpeake are wonderfull things, how fhall wee have this wrought in us?

By being in C h r i s t this wonder is wrought in us, when a man is once ingrafted into Christ, when hec hath once received him, this great worke is wrought in. him in his heart, hec is made aiVw Creature.

But if you adde to this the fecond way of raifing this San&ification from our luftification, then you will undcrftand it yet more fully and diftinflly.

There are certaine anions wrought in our fouls,by which thisSan&ification followes luftification, and J thofe arcthefc.

Firft, when a manfeeth great reafon for it,for when a man is once convinced of a thing, thatitisbcftfor him to doe it, hee takes a refolution to him to pcr-forme it. Now when a man hath beene humbled^ and knoweth what finnc is, when hee hath had his heart prepared, when he comes in once to take Chrift, that is, when he feeth his ownc bafenefle, and Chrifts excellency; what he was without Chrift, and what he hath by Chrift, that when he expe&cd nothing but death,thenjhe Gofpell cameandfaid.Tbou (halt live: when hec fccth that Chrift deaks with him after this manner,then he thinkes furely, it is good reafon that I fhould fcrve him,before indeed we thinke his fcrviee to be an bard fervice, and we doe with him^as people that

V 2 are

Ser. I.

2. By certaine actions in the mind and heart which are | the effects or' the Spirit him. I. Vpon the under-{landing.

m

Se&m. I

HjW San titration

x.Vpon

the affections.

are under a tyrannous King,they refule to obey fuchan one ; fo dot hall the world with Iefus Chrift. they think his Law to be an hard Law written with bloud, and they think him to be an hard Governour, fuch a King as they know not how to be fubjeft unto: But whc&a man is once convinced by the Spirit, when he fees rea-fon for ir,when he is perfwadedthat Chrift will govern him for his wealth, that Chrift hath differed for him, and freed him from the wrath of God, then he thinks thus ; there is reafon that I (hould fuffer him to rule o-ver me,?and when a man feeth reafon for it, he comes then willingly to fubmit himfelfe to Chrift. This is the work of the Spirit, whereby he perfwades a man that there is reafon for ic, and it isartributed to the Spi-vir Job. 1 6.The Spirit convinced offin^ofrighteoufntsjnd of judge went,that is, it (hewes us that we are finfulJ, and that there is a righteoufmffe in C^//?toheaIethar,

And thirdly,it convinceth us that there is reafon for it,why we (hould ferve God in fen&ification and judgment. The meaning of the word, He fhall convince, is that the Spirit (hewes us reafon why we (hould embrace San&ification, and ferve the Lord in all things: Now when the heart of man is brought to this, to fee leafon and equity in this, then a man takes resolution to cleave to Chrift,to ferve him.

Secondly,as he deales with the reafon, fo he doth likewife with the affections, for he begets love in us, which love fandifieth us, it fets us on vyorke, and turnes the whole heart, as the Rudder turnes the Ship, for it fits in the Sterne of a mans Soule, and the reafon (that when we are juftified we love Chrift) is, becaufe when as before a man magnifieth him-

felft,

►«

arifeth from Iuftification.

fclfe,fetting himfelfe at an high rate 3 like a virgin that is coy andcurious a thinking no man good enough for her: now the Law comming and convincing him of the need he ftands in of Chrift, and (hewing him what he is in himfelf ,he is hereupon content to marry with the Lord thrift: Nay further,thc Spirit of God not only fhewes him the need that he ftands inof ae husband, he being not under covert,and deeply in debt, the whole weight of his debt lying on himfelfe, but it goes further, and (hewes him the beauty of Chrift ^ as loh. jq.n.To him that leves me 1mllmanifeft my felfe ^that is,1 will declare my beauty, and when the Spirit fliewes Chrift to the Soule, it makes it in love with him.

We may (hew him to you an hundred times overhand yet beget not this affe&ion in you,but the Spirits (hewing is effectual to that end,and when you love him,you muft needs pleafe him in all things, it being the care of the married Wife to pleafe the Husband,

So that whenthe heart is prepared by humiliation, and takes Chrift,love is wrought in the Soule,and love fan&ifics • for San&ification is nothing elfe but a fet-ting our felves apart from common ufes, and keeping of the heart clofc to GW,making it peculiar to him,and this love makes us to do: when the wife loves the hus-band,(he will be his altogether ,(he wilbc only to him, (he will be divorced from all Adulterers, and have no-thing to doe with them $ and thus the Lord deales with the affe&ions*

' 3. there is wrought not only a love to the Lord, but a perfwafion that it is good for our felves to ferve him in holinefle: Indeed many times,to fatisfie our afletfi-ons,we love a thing too mucb,though we do not think

V 3 our

Ser. I,

San&ifaa-tioibwhar,

3

Sclfe-love-is fanaifi ed.

Z94

Hm SanStification

Ingenuity is wrought.

our felves gainers thereby, but in this matter the Lord pcrlwades us, that it is beft for our felves to fan&ifiel him in all things, to draw neere unto him, to fan&ifie his Name in our hearts y fothat now not only love to Chrift, but even (clfe-love alto is fct onworketothe making us New Creatures • for the wayes of God art propounded as gqpd and profitable, and plcafing things, atid when the heart lookeson them,it fees them as good for itfelfe, fothat the heart turnes towards I them (as it cannot but doc to every thing that it apprehends to*be good and profitable to it.)

So that when the Holy Ghoft (hall perfwade a man that it is beft for himielfe, that he (hall beft provide for himfelfe every way, by taking Chrift,he cannot choofe but come in, when he {hall fee it is beft for him to goe to the Citie of refuge, that he cannot live elfe, and that if he comes there he (hall have life, and not only life, but a kingdome too, and that the way that leads thereto is grace and holinefk; he will goe, and goe faft enough. When a man is perfwaded, Chrift is the Citie of refuge, to whom I muft goe, clfe I cannot be fafe, and that the way to him is to be a iterator*; this makes him to goe on, and willingly too, for it is out of felfclove.

Againe , when a man is juftified and hath taken Chrift,'there is bred in him an holy Ingenuity which makes him fothankfull to Chrift, that he is afhamed to joyne Chrift with any fin: h$Rom.6.2i. Wbatfrtft bad ye in thofe things whereof ye are now ajhamed 5 you , are now afhamed to commit them any more.

A man will thinke it now an unreafonable thing,tljar ( Chrift (hould doe fo much for him, be crucified for

him

arifetb from justification.

him, and fo give him life, being before dead men that he fhould take flefh for the remiffion of his finnes, and that he, in recompence of this kindneffe, fhouldferve his Iufts. Therefore he reafons, as Iofefh did with his Miftre(Te 5 Shall 1 doe this, andfo ftnne againft Codyand mj LMajler^ he hath committed all to me • he hath done thus for me, and fhall I thus requite him t And as Na. than taught Z>d<i>/Wtoreafon, Hath the Lord made thee King over Ifrael, and done thus and thus for thee, and wilt thou feive him thus ? So that Ifay there is a holy Ingenuity bred in us, whereby out of thankfulnelTe we will fhun whatfoever may offend him.

Befides this, we are taught that we fuftainc another perfon, and every man defires to maintaine the dignity of the pcrfon he fuftaines. When a man is once in Chrift, he thinks not the courfes he lived in before,to be futable to the condition heisnowin. Therefore the Apoftle reafons, i Pet. 1.14. FaQhionyour (elves no longer after the lufts of your former Ignorance,'but bee holy, as he is holy y that is, if you take your felves to be in Chrifl^ and that yoube come unto God, admit not any more thofe lufts, which though they futed with your former (yet not with this condition; he reafons as Ne he mi ah did, Shall fuch a man as I doe this ?

Laftly, which is the chicfeft reafon of all, As foone as a man hath taken Ghrift, andisjuftified,thereisa ftrong impreflion made upon his foule, by which he is caufed to cleave unto him, and to long after him,as the Iron doth after the Load-ftone, that cannot be at reft untill it hath attained ir. A man (hall fet himfclfc in the way^ of God, though it were but to give fatisftftion to the defires of his Soule. And indeed, were it not

V 4 for

*95

5

Noblenes of Spirit,

A ftrong

inclinati-

$6

How Santtification

Ser. I.j for this, wefhouldnotfervetheLord; thisraakesus New Creatures: I fay, there is a ftrong inclination in every man that is juftified, that hee candoenoleffe •than ferve the Lord even to fatisfie that.

For example, ivhen Eliah had called Elifhah, hee could not choofe but follow him, all the reafons in the world could not keepe him backe: At the time when hee caft his mantle on him, there was an impreflion made on him; as when Chrift faid to Levi, and Peter, and Andrew , and the reft,f ollow me,their profits,and nets, and fathers were nothing, they needed no more perfwafion, for there was a fecret impreflion made up. on their hearts together with Chrifts Word, and to fatisfie that they rauft needs follow him. Such an impreflion as this, was made on the heart of Ruth tefoL lew Naomi, you lmowhowflieputhcrtoit,but2te/£ would not goe backe for flic loved her, and therefore nothing but death fhould fcparate them. And the fame was in lacoh to Rachel, fevenyeares, and fevenyeares jfervice, the length ojftime, and hardneffcof labour could not keepe him from his Vncles houfe, or drive him off, fuch a ftrong defire was planted in his heart towards her: and fuch a defire is planted in the heart of every Chriftian that is juftified, a ftrong inftind (as I may callitj a ftrong afFe&ion after Icfus Chrift, and hee muft needs goe on in the way es of San&ification, feeing there is no other way to fatisfie himfelfe.

So that putting all this together, when a man fhall fee fuch reafon for holindTe, when he (hall have affe&ions of delight therein, of love thereto, whenhcfhallfee it beft for him, and that it is impoffiblc he fhould have the L o n d lefiu chrift (whom he fo much defiresj

arifitb from luftification.

if he ferve him not in the duties of San&ification, hcc rauft needs come to a fixed refolution, I wil be another man, and runne another courfe, I will change my life altogether.^ will fervehim in holineffc and in the duties of new obedience. And after this manner doth San. dification arife from luftification i Firft,from a work of the Spirit, and then by allthefe paflages that go tho-row the minde of a man, which though they be not marked diftindly, yet are truly in the heart. Andfo much for the firft point.

Now we will come to the fecond, which is, That luftification and SanSliflcationaroinfif arable, tbejcannot hdifjoyncd.

But you will fay, this is a point that needs no proving, I would (my brethren) it did not, I would that men were perfwaded of the truth of it,but we may fee by the lives of men that they are notpcrfwaded of ir, for their lives beloofe, and they thinke that if they can call on Chrift in the day of death,and cry for pardon,it it will bee enough, and that without fuch ftri&ncflc a manmaybefaved.

Therf ore,to makcR clearc to you, you muft remember this as a ground: no man can be faved by the fecond Adam, except he be borne of the fecond Adam: As no man could becondemn'd by the firft ^4«*-that wasnot born of the firft Adam^ for the reafon why all mens natures are corrupted,is becaufe all are borne of him. If a man were created, and did not dclcend by generation from him, he fbould be free from fin s and fo could not be condemned,but comming out of his loynes, puts us into a condition of condemnation: And fo on the other fide, except you be born of the fecond Adam, you ihall

not

*97 Serm.I,

DoB.i.

Salification and luftification are in-feparable.

Reaf.x

None Hived by the fecond A* dam that are not borne of him.

iSerm. I.

•

Santtijication and

'gidf.l It is the will of Go4.

not be faved • What is that•? You mud be made New Creatures, [oh. 1.12. As ?mny a* receivedhim he made the font &f God: Whatjisthat a meere title i No 5 V.ij. They are born not ofbloudjtor of the wiBoftheflejh, nor of the willofman.bnt of the will ofGodfhat is,they are born ofthefecond^^w; and/^A.3.5. Whofoever is not born of the Spirit ,Jhallnot enter into the Ktngdome of God.

Now as our nature was corrupted in the firft Adam y there being a compact and covenant between God and him,that if Adam flood, all his feed fliould ftand with him ; but if he fell, then that all that were born ot him fliould by vertue of that covenant, compaft, qr agreement, have his fin imputed to them, and fo fhouldbe corrupted, as he was, and die the death. So there was a fecond Covenant between us and the fecond x^idam, which is the new Teftament fpoken of in Ier. 31. and in Ffeb.8.Iwillmake a new Covenant, faith God: And whatisthat ? 1 will put my Law in your minde, and write it in pur inward farts: that is, byvcrtue of the corn-pad and agreement, which is the New Teftament following upon the former, all that (hall be faved by Chrift,fhallbebornof him, th?ymuftbe new men 5 whofoever (hall be juftified by him, muft'bea new Creature.

Secondly, becaufe it is the will of God • If is true, God might have faved us without it, if it had been his pleafure, it had been no more but calling men atthej hourc of death $ but it is other wife, 1 Ihef^.lhUu the will of God, even your SanBifi'cation. And if there were no other reafon but Gods will, that thofe that be juftified (hall be fanftified, it is enough: God hath called yon to holimffci hee hath appointed it, hewils

«,

hfiification infeparable.

it, and his will is fufficicnt ro enforce it.

Againe,confider wheawe are ingrafted into Chrift, it is not {imply an ingrafting, butrve are ingrafted into thefimilitudeofhisdeathandrefurrettion , Rm.8. that is, no man is ingrafted into Chrift, but fin is crucified in him, he is dead thereto, that is, he is a dead man in regard of the life of fin, and is alive to God; as Chrift rofefromthedead,foisheraifcdtoncwnefle of life. If it had been fimple ingrafting into Chrift; there had needed no further relation,buc we are ingrafted into the fimilitude of his death and refurre&ion.

Againe, it was the end of the Lords comming • If he had come only to fave men, there had been no need of being New Creatures, but he came al(o to purifie unto himfelfe a peculiar people^ zealous of good works 3 and to deftroy out of man the works of the divell^ and to fur-chafe to himfelfe an holy generation , androyall Prieft-hood. Now whatfoever {he Lords end is, he never failes of,

Againe, you muft confider, that to whomfbever Chriftis a Prieft, hcisalfo to them a Prophet aftd a King, he is annointed to all thefe Offices: and therfore if you will be faved by him, by thjs vertue of his Prieft.hood, you muft take him as a Prophet, that is, you muft take his counfell in all things, and not onely fo,butlie muft alio be your King • you muft not onely learn his way, but you muft alio be perfedly fubjeft and obedient to him, to walk therein. Indeed as a Prieft he reconciles God unto us, but not us to God, except he come with his other two offices, for man ftands out and will not know the way • and therefore as a Prophet, He is to guide our feet into the way off tact: and that is not all, therefore becaufe our hearts are

ftubborn,

1 99

Zeaf 3 .

It is the

end of our ingrafting into Chrift.

Reaf.q {

It is the end of

Charts comming.

Reaf. j.

Towhom Chrift if 1 a Prieft, he is a Prephet j and King;

SmBijication andhftification infeparabk.

All the meanes tend this way. Fai h

Thebiou4 ofChrift.

Thc'Gof-peli;

3OO

Serm. ijftubborn, and will not come in 3 he exercifes his Kingly O ffice, and brings in fubjefiion every thought to the 0* bediencecfhis will.

Againe, look to all the means, as firft to Faith, the fame Faith that juftifieth, dothalfo purifie the heart-Having their hearts purified by faith , Afts 14. And at many as arefanttijieaby faith that is in me^ Atts 26.28. And likewifethe bloud of Chrift not onely covers, butalfoheales, Hebr.g\i^. How much more flail the bloud ofchrijl, who through his eternal! Spirit offered himfelfe,purge your conferences fiom dead works , &c. It hath not onely vertue to take away the guilt of fin, but it iseffe&uall alfo to purge the confeience from the power of fin.

Againe, the Gofpell we preach doth not onely offer Chrift, but likewife ckanfeth, Tou are cleane through my wordy John j. AndinPfaLii9,^. Wherewith Jhatta young man cleanfe his way ? By taking heed thereto accor-ding to thy word.

The Spirie,asit is a Spirit of Adoption, fo is it of Sandification, making clean the room where itdwel-leth, and making it a fit Temple for the Lord. Confi. derthe Sacraments, Baptifme doth not onely wa/h from the guilt of fin, but from the filth of fin alfo, from the blot and deformity of fin. And fo'I have done with thefe two points, how San^ification rifeth from Iuftificatioo, and that they cannot be feparated.

Before we proceed to othq: obfervations, we will, by way,of Vfc, from the infeparability of Iuftificati-onand San&ification, draw this confequcnt, that, if they be infeparable, wcfhouldgoto God and befeech him, that having given us the firft, that he would grant

The Spirit,

Baptifme

Vfe u

Pray that feeing God bath jjaftiSed us,,Jie\ would alfo fan&j

US

arifetb from faflification,

us the (econd alfo.. If you have any aflfurance that your fins are forgiven you, let him not deny you this to makeyou New Creatures, they be infeparable, and therefore you have juft caufe to pray him not to ftpa-rate them, therefore you may claime them both as your due, feeing you have his promife for both, and you muft urge him on his promife .,we defire luftificati-on for our own fake; butSan&ification, that vvemay glorifieGod: and therefore, when you come to God with this requeft, Lord make me a New Creature^ that I may bring glory to thy Name, that I may ierve thee, and do good inthe place wherein I live, he will not deny thee. Confider but this very Sacrament which we are now going to receive* you muft know chat the Sacrament fealcs the whole Covenant of God, as i Cor. : i. This is the new Teftament in my bloud^ that is, this Cup is a figne and feale of the New Covenant which I have made with man, and which is confirmed with my bloud. Now what is that Covenant ? You (hall fee it in E%ek. 7,6.16. anditcontaines three parts, all which are fealed by this Sacrament. Firtt,he pro-rnifeth to wafh them from their filrhinefle,tbat is,from the guilt of their fins, which is the fir ft part. Secondly, A new heart will I give yen t and anew Spirit I will put into you: that is, I will make you new Crea-tures, which is the fecond part of the Covenant. I Thirdly,I will call for the corn,and will incrcafc it,and willlay no famine upon you, &c that is, he will give; all outward comforts, you (hall inherit the earth, and | be heircs of the world, and of all in the world,f or the world is yours, 1 Cor.j. Allandallinit isyours. This is the whole covenant of God, and this he

feales

Shrm.I.

Encouragements to pray tor Salification. I Gods promife in the Covenant

2 The covenant fcalcd in tkc Sacrament. 1 Cor. 11. 1$. opened.

Three parts of the Coye-nam.

J02,

Encouragements to pray

Se

RM.

What keeps off from Cbrifl.

$. The Covenant ronfirmed with an oathjwg.

leaks to every one of you, when you come to receive the Sacrament, Jf you receive it worthily, for it is the new Teftaracnt in his bloud.

Andthcforefeeinghefealesittoyou, that he will give you a new heart and a new Spirit, and make you new Creatures^ you fhould go to him andclaimc it of him, for you may fuc him of his own bond written and fealed, and he cannot deny it ; therefore beggc ir, and you cannot mifTe of it.

This is a very comfortable do&rine, if it be well considered. For what is that that keeps a man from comming to Chrift, but his difcouragements ? He thinks it fo hard a thing to be a new Creature , that he cannot attaineir, that he cannot leave fucha courfcof life, and therefore he ftands off, and though he will come in, yet he will not as yet, becaufe it is a bondage intolerable.

But you do not confider what it is to have a new nature: If it were to have a new life and an old beart,it were otherwife; but the Lord will give a new heart, and if he will not deny you, but make you new Creatures, you may be encouraged to go to him: If there beany rebellion in your heart, any untowardnefle in your nature; if you go to him for the rcmovall of it, it is impoffible he fhould deny you, having made [you a fure promife, and confirmed it with an oath.

What the Lord fwearesto, he is fure to perform. In alltheBookof God, youfhall not find that he fwarc unto the firft Covenant, but there is an oath put to both parts of the fecond, Heb. 6.13. Becaufe he could net fweare by 4 greater , he [ware by himfelfe , that we wight have firong consolation , and ajfurance of forgive - neffi

for Sanfiification,

3°3

neffc of fins. And fo the firft part is confirmed.

And for the fecond, Luke i. 73. The oath which he /ware unto our fathers that he would give us ^t hat we lein» delivered from our enemies, Jlwldwalk before him who-line'ffe blithe dates of our life. Why then will you not believe it? Why will not you urge the Lord with this, and by prayer defirethe accomplifhment of it? As indeed though he gives holineffc of life, yet you muft pray for it, as welUs you muft pray for the forgive-nefle of fins.

Itwas^^»/WhisfpeechfoP4«/ 5 -^22.13. Rife Pauldvd wajh awaphy fwnes, calling on the name of the Lord; though his fins were forgiven, yet he could not have aflurance of it, without calling upon the name of the Lord.

Chrift promifcd to baptize us with the Holy Ghoft and with fire 5 that is, tofan&ifie us in greater mea-fure, yet wc muft call and call againe: So Luke 11.5, 6,7, 8. You muft knock as at a mans doore that is a-flecp with his children and loth to rife 3 but if you knock long, and weary the'Lord out, and not fuffcr fcim to reft, then he will give the Ho{y Ghoft. Therefore, haye you prayed, and yet find not your ft Ives new Creatures ? You have your old hearts, and old lufts prevailing; yet you muft at length wa(h away your fins by calling on the name of the Lord.

>And hereto you may be ftirred by the Sacrament,

vvhicbis not onely to .give aflurance that your fins are

forgiven, but likewife to draw more vertue from

Chrift, to make up the breaches of our hedrts, and

t&get more grace, and to be midemw creatures in

a greater raeafure.

So

Serm.I

4.The end wiiercun-j to the Sa crament is appointed

_ li

Serm.L,

How Sanftification

Faithwot-keth on the pro-mifes of Salification.

So that when a man comes hhher, he rauft confi&r ] wherein he is faulty, what breaches there arc in his heart and life, what impcrfe&ion there is in grace, and then he muft go to Chrift to repaire them.

And as you bring more faith with you, fo you (hall carie more ftrength and comfort from the Sacrament. So that thus much I can aflure you of, let any man come with a ftrongdefire to receive Chrift, and to be a new Creature, and let him bring faith in the promifes of faa&ification, and it cannot be but he (hall be filled: The Lord will fend his Spirit into his heart, and make him a new Creature: Wherefoever God hath a mouth to fpeak, Faith hath an eare to heare, and an hand to take: Men forget chiSj they think that Faith is onely occupied about promifes of pardon and fbrgivenefle 3 but it is not fo, you muft let your faith on work, on the promifes of lan&ification, and when you come to receive the Sacrament, you muft know you come to a Table where you have fadings, where you havefiew wines.

And thus you muft feed on Chrift,not onely taking to your felves the promifesof pardon, but likewife of fan&ification, that you may be filled with the Spirit, which is as wine to quicken you, and to ftrcngthen you in the inner man, as well as the outward elements of Bread and Wine ftrcngthen thine outward man.

So that thou maift not think thou received the Sacrament as thou oughteft, when thou goeft away as weak as when thou commeft,when there is no ftrength^ no vigour in the inner man.

And foin all thy daily fervices, when thou com-I meft to Chrift, thou muft eat the flefh of the Sonne of

man,

man, and drink his bloud, as the Israelites did every day feed on the LMannah.

You mud remember his Covenant, not onely to pardon, but to fan&ifie you, and then you (hall live thereby, and every day grow ftronger and ftronger.

I H B

SECOND SERMON VPON

THE NEW CREATVRE.

He Woman of Canaan,though (he had no countenance from Chrift, though he ieemed not to heare her a long time, though he gave her croflc an-fwers, yet he commends her faith in an extraordinary manner at laft. She had never had that commendations,if fhe had not been put tothat difficulty a little: therefore,when you preffc God, when you (land k out, and are not diicouraged, in the end you (hall have it in a greater meafure, and it i will be a greater commendation of your faith. I

° X And

3°?

Ser.IL

2 Cor. 5.17. Tlxrefore if a manbeinQirift, let him bee a New Creature.

Thcfuo ccfle thac others haye had by prayer.

\o6

sUTn.

Encouragements to pray

Grace may be deficed carnally.

And fo it was with Ucoh^ if he had not wraftled as he did, he had never had that great reward which he had 5 he never had a greater reward for any thing that ever he did in his lite, than for his contending with God, when God rcfufed (as it were; when he drove with him,when he would not do it,when he feemed to be of a contrary mind ., yet when he held out, and did not give over till he had gotten it,he never got fo much at Gods hands.

And fo I fay to every one of you • if you find it an hard task to get this change, to be made new Cr eat tires, you pray and have fought, and yet you have not got. ten it - yet be encouraged, doe it ftill, never give o. ver, you (hall have a greater meafure, as your prayers arc ftronger: for this you muft know, that when you 1 make requests to Cody according to Gods will, that then it J is the voice of his Spirit ; thireforc when you defire to be made new Creatures ,do you think it is poflible for God to.deny you? No, becaufe this defire comes from his Spirit. Now it is true, a man may defire to be made a new Creature , he may defire grace, and y«t do it in a carnall manner, that is, he may defire it, becaufe he fees that he cannot be faved without it,he may defire it as a thing of nece/fity, that will make him fafe and whole, as a thing, without which he (hall pe-rifh: Nature may go thusfarre, but to defire to be made anew Qreature^ out of the beauty and tafte of it, out of a defire to pleafe God, and to glorifie him, whofe Name is called upon you, out of a defire to pleafe the fpirit that dwels in y6u, this is proper to the Saints,it is the voice of the Spirit, and therefore go on boldly ,God hathpromifed to heare y ou,he cannot de-nie you. See

for SanBification.

See how Chrift did when he was upon the earth, thofe that were lame and blind, when they came and cried after him, and would not give him over, he did not refufe to heal every one • there was not a man that was importunate with him, but, howfoever hisDifii-fits flighted them, chrifi refpe&ed them. Now do but think with your felvesjdo you think he lefle pities the difeafes of the Soule a thanthedifeafes of the body? Do you think that he hath lefle compaflion now he is in heaven, than he had when he was on earth i Or do y ou think that His arme is (h$rtmd y that he cannot do as much now to heale the running fores that are on thy foule,as he did on earth to heale bodily difeafes? My brethren, if you do but feek to him, if you can get but word from him, if he fay but to you. Be whole, \i but rebuke thy finfulllufts, as he rebuked the (hall prefently obey him: He that was able to calm the fea, and that hath the ftrong winds in his power, is he not able to diflblve a flrong inordinate apprchenfion, a ftrong luft, a ftrong unruly affedion, and fo fet them at liberty k Certainly he is able.

You know, the woman that had fpent fo many y earcs, and all that flie had upon Phyfitians, and could do her felfe no good by all, yet when (he comes to Chrift once,youfee it was done in an inftant. So,I fay, a ftrong luft, an old luft, which is contrary to this new Creature^ which it may be thou haft been contending with many yeares, and cannotget the viftory over it $ yet if thou canft come in this manner to him, and contend with him, and knock at the doore, and never give over till thou haft awaked him, certainly hee will give thee the Holy Ghoft, he will change and renew

X 2 thy

w

Ser.I J.

Chrift a-bie and willing to give San« edification.

Encouragements to pray

I 6. The great importance of it to us.

thy heart, hec will fet thee at full libertie.

This he hath confirmed with an oath, and whatfoe ver God hath lworn,he will perform it without all re fervatioa (where he is faidto do a thing without an oath, there may be a refervation left, therefore we never find an oath to the old Covenant) but he hath fworn to perform the new Covenant y and you know this is a great part of the new Covenant, togive a new heart, to make a man a new Creature, therefore, where the new Covenant is made,there this is repeated in ler. 31. and Heb. 8.7 will make a covenant with my people, and what is that?/ will put my Law into their minds,andin their hearts I mil write them^exzx. is,I wilf make them new Creatures. Therefore, I fay, this is a matter of much ufeto you, If you goc to Chrift, and labour to have this done. My brethren, there is nothing left for us to be affured, nor ^ny other experiment that we need have that there is another life, that Idus Chrift hath done thefe great things for us, and that the Gofpell is true, I fay, there is nothing elfelcftfor us, no other experiment in companion of this, that we fee we are made new Creatures: This is all the miracles that we have $ nay, I dare be bold to fay more, It was the greateft miracle that they had in that time, when all the miracles were wrought.

And therefore you (hall find that Paul gives this as the maine argument, among the reft, That they frail be raifed againe at the lajl day , that they were in Chrift, that the Gofpell is reall andtrue. For,faithhe,W^4xv received the Spirit: We have had the Spirit which is t'leearneftjthe pledge,the annointing • you (ball find it I every where icattcred in his Epiftks, the receiving

for SanElification.

of the Spirit is the maine ground that he builds on, as in the a C^.1.23. fie hath ejlablifbed us together with with you, and bath annointed us^ and fealed us, by giving the Spirtt as an earnejl into our hearts: As if he fliould fay, this is the Argument we have, that he fliould be faved j not, for all the miracles fo much as this, that we have received the Spirit • for that it is the true an-nointing we feele it in our klves, that fealeth and con-firmethus, we cannot doubt, having had experience of fuch a mighty work in us 3 that is, the earned and the pledge we have $ and therefore^, i.ip. He prayes that they might fee theexceeding greatneffe of his power working in thofe that believe 5 as if that would be a great confirmation to them, if once they fliould find an experiment of the greatneffe of his power: And [o^Phtl. 3.10. I care not for all the world, on this condition, that I might know bim> and the vertue of his rejurreclion^ (that \s) that I might know him by the power of his Spirit, changing my heart, killing my fins, raifing me againc 5 and,in a word, making me a new Creature ,that I might know this experiment 51 looke upon all the world as drofTe and dung, as things not to be named. So, I fay, feeing there is nothing elfe left incomparifon of this, and when miracles were wrought, there was nothing like this, that we might have this experiment in our felves, we fliould goto God, and not give him over, till the work be wrought in us,that we might be made new Creatures\

That which keeps men off from religious courfes, for the moft part is difcouragement, they think they fhall not be able to go thorow it,when they heare tbey muft be made new men in allthings,that there muft be

X 3 nothing

J2L

Ser.I I.

Difcou-

ragements hinder from religion.

Encouragements to pray

Why God fuflters luft store* maine in his Children.

opened.

nothing that is old left, but all the old leaven muft be purged our, it difcourageth men,*becaufe they thinke they (hall never be able to reach it, whereas this is an afiiirance to thee, that if you go about it, you (hall not faile of your purpofe, but you (hall certainly bring it to pafle, becaufc if you feeke it at Gods hands, he cannot deny you, only I told you, you muft pray.

It may be for this purpoie God will not healethcc altogether, but fuffcr many lufts to grapple and to contend with thee, that thou mayeft be taught to doe this duty: and therefore we fhould learne togoe to Chrift, we fhould feed on him every day, and by that meanes w*c (hall be renewed, we (hall get new ftrengrh - other-wife what is the meaning of that, Inthis mount hewill makeafeaft of fitted Wtnts y and of fat lings, of fat things full of marrow, of Wines fined and purified? Efay 25.6. The meaning is this 5 when you come to Christ to renew your Communion and your Covenant with him, which is done through Faith and Prayer, yon draw nearer to him, and rhat ftrengthneth rhc fbufc, as CWannah firengthned them in the wilderncfleyhatyou live by it for every day there growes new diftanccs betweene Christ and us, we letgoeour hold,as it were,in forne meafure,and begin to fall off from him a little; therefore, every day we fhould renue this Co-venant,efpccially when we come to the Sacramenr: As Ionathan and David, they renuedthe Covenant of God a-gaine that was between them,as if there were a new Solemnity of manage, if ic wereoftentobe renued, to make the parties joyned more united: make no quefti-on of it, we fhould renue our match with Chrift, wee fhould come neercr to him, that we may ftrengthen

for SanBification.

3"

our foules, bccaule we recover our Communion with him. For what is San&ification, but a drawing neare to the L o r d i And then we draw neare when wee renue our Communion., and our Covenant with him^ when the match is renewed between us- and if we doc fo,we (hall go from him every day,as men refreshed at a banquet, like men that have fed on fat things full of marro\v, as men full of Wine. Be yon filled, net with Wine y whexein is exctffejottt with the Spirit; What is the meaning of that dntithejis,but to fhevv that the Spirit is like Wine, it ftrcngthens, and how receive we the Spirit f Is there not the fame meanes of rcnuing of it from day to day * Is not the lame meanes of rcnuing of it 3 as there is of receiving of it at the fir ft ? Didft not thou get it firft by going to Chr ift,and lhalt not thou ftill re-gaine and repaire thy ftrength by that meanes i I cannot ftand to prefle this farther.

Secondly, in that they are put together thus, Iuftifr-cation and Sandification; hence we fliould be ftirred up to prize it, to let it at the fame rate as we doe Remif. fion of finnes,bccaufe wc fee the Holy Ghofl doth fo. For feeing this thing is promifed,fceing it is chofen out among the great benefits we have by Chrifi, that we fhal be renued, we fhould learne fo to judge of it,to fet it at an high rate, in our conceits, to conforme our judgement to the judgement of the Scriptures.

Every man would be content to be faved, but to be made zNew Creature, men are fofarre from reckoning it a priviledgc, that they reckon it a bondage: yon would f aine be free from Hell, you would faine goe to Heaven without fuch a neceffity put upon you; this i^ the common falhion of men • but mark, the Holy

X 4 Ghoft

Serm. I,

opened.

Ffei.

Set San-dification 3$ h ghin oureflcem as Iuftifi-cation.

SanBification to be priced

The excellency frfthe new CttA*

tare* i. Above old Lufls

Ghoft puts this among the great bencfirs we have by Chrift. You know the comming of the UMefsias, how ic was magnified by the Iewes, what great things they (hould have when Chrift fhould come. What were thofe great things < One of the chicfe was, to makcthem»£tvC^4/tfW,tofet them at liberty from their fpirituall enemies, that they jhould be taught of Godjbat they jlmld have his Law written in their hearts , and have their hearts circumcifed to love him, that they fhould have new hearts and new fpirits given them 5 1 this is that great benefit that hath been fo much magni-1 fied fo many yeares before the comming of Chrift, It is that which the ^poftles, when they came to preach the Gofpell, fet outas fo great a priviledge • learn we to prize it, for certainly there is nothing in the world fo precious as grace, whereby we are made new Crea-tures. It is a true faying, becaufe indeed there is no excellency that is like it, if you would re&ifieyour judgements, and teach them to apprehend things as they are; therefore let us reafon with you a little for that old man, thofe lufts that you prize fomuch, that you will not part with, that youcherifh andnourifli in your felves, and you are enemies to thofe that are enemies totbem, I fay, confider wbatyoiftfoe, this old man, is it not the fickneffe of the foule ? Is it not the filth and the fouleneflTe of the fouler Is it not the flavery and bondage of the foule i And the new man, is it not the contrary < Doth it not excell it i Therefore as much as health exceeds fickn: fTe,as much as cleanneffeexceeds impurity, foulnes and filthineflc, as much ss liberty exceeds flavery and bondage 5 fo much and more doth the new man excell the old man.

Befides,

asmuch <ts ItiBification.

Befides, if you looke to other things, take all o-chcr things which the world hath, all the profits, ail the pleafures j all the learning and knowledge whatfoever it is, that in the world is precious, yet to be made a new Creature, goes beyond all,becaufe,in-decd, it puts you into the fame condition that Adam had in innocency: you will fay, to be made like Adam againe, to be reftorcd to that happineflc 3 it is beyond all that the world can afford: N ow to be made a new Creature, it puts you into that eftatc.

But, you will fay, that is not fo, Adam was in Para-dife, he had outward contentments in abundance, but to be made a new Creature is not fo.

It is true, there were two conditions that Adam had-one was his outward condition, being placed in Para-di(e, the other washishappinefle, tobcaito«> Creature : this was incomparably beyond the other, as we flialleafily make thatplaine to you. Put cafe there were a man that had fairc Palaces, and Gardens, and Orchards, and all things that his heart could defire to have, but all this while he hath not health 5 would he regard this? On the other fide; fuppofe he had health, put him into a Cottage, if he have ftrength■ would he not beare it well enough i That is our cafe. When Adam had all that, when he had loft Gods I-mage, when he had loft being a new Creature, he was like a man that was fallen into a great ficknefle, he was fallen into terrour and horrour of confeience, what good could all that do ? A man that is out of Para, dife, that lives as we do among men, that hath Gods Image renewed on him(which he loft) that is, made a ' new Creature Jbt is happy, when Adam was roiferable. \ Let

3'3

Ser.II,

a. Above all worldly excellencies.

06je&.

Anfw.

Two conations of

Grace the health of the foule.

Sbr. I,

Santtification to be priced

Grace s Mans proper excel lency.

0b\eB.

Let us confider a little, What was it, thinke you 3 that made ^Adam happy in Paradife i Was it the being in a Garden full of plcafant things '. No, it was not tbar, but his Communion with God that made him happy. Therefore you fee wherein his mifery confifted, it confided not in the lofle of Paradife, for there hee was (till, hee had all that he had before for outward things, but hee felt fliame and horrour of Confidence, hee tele inward trouble and anguifhof fpirit, when he heard the voyce of God walking in the Garden: therefore it (lands not in that, but to be made a New Creature, is to bee put into the inward condition thai ^Adam was in, and therefore you have reafon to feck-it. If any thing in the world bee worth the feel it is this, to bee made a New Creature. Ail other things are not the proper excellency of a man, you know the Angels and the Saints want them, boo the beads enjoy them, but the excellency of man is tq bee made according to the fir ft Rule, tobeefquared according to the Image of God, after which hee was firfl created, and hee is never well till hee come to that. As no Creature is well till it have that excellency belonging to thekindeof it: this is an excellency peculiar to man, therefore feckehappinefieasloogas you will in other things, you (hall never finde it, but in being made New Creatures, in having Gods Image repai: e J,in being (an&ified inbody,and foule, and Spirit, this puts you into an happy condition.

But, you will fay, thefe are but Notions,im3ginary AfTertions, we f cele not fuch things,give me that man chat hath the fenfe of this,that feeles more fwectmcfleio this, than Adam did in all his outward Paradife which he had f To

!

as much m Iuftification.

To this wee Anfwer :

Firft, that there is a fenfe of it, though fpirituall grace bee a thing thatisnotexpofed to the fenfes, yet there is as true and as quicke a fenfe, as there is of outward and corporall delights ; becaufe, when you arc made New Creatures, you have a new life, and that hath new fenfes in ir3 It hath a #fte, hunger and thirft, it hath as quicke a fighr, it hath every thing that the other hath- you know, the apprehen* fion of all the comforts wee have, is not that which ftands in the outward fenfes, that is not worthy the name,but the apprehenfion that the will and undcrftan. ding hath of things- it is every mans minde, that makes a man to live happy or miferable, that is, his apprehenfion of things, when thou liveftanewlife 5 and thy apprehenfion is altered and changed, rhou haft as qaicke a fenfe of thafe fpirituall priviledge^ in C h r i s t, efpeace ofConfidence, of joy in the Ho. ly Ghoft y of all the benefits that rife from his Paffion 5 thou wilt have as quickea fenfe, as ever thou hadft of outward delights.

Againe, if thou wouldeft have fuch a fenfe, kt me fay this to thee, the time is not yet come thou (halt have it, and have it in aboundance, but as yet (as it is faid) Wearethefinnesof Ged^hut it appeares not what we tyallbe .• It is true on both fi Jes,thofc worldly men that brag fo much of their prefent fenfe thar they have, and that others want, it appearesnotyetwhatcuherfhall bee, but you are mingled together, and there is one common condition to all, becaufe this is the time of try all Marke the wife General!, hce doth not like of a Souldier atthefirft, but when he hath tried him,

and

Ser. I.

I

The new life hath new fen-fcs.

The apprehenfion makes happy or miferable.

2

The Irate of Gods

children

hid.

Santlijication to be priced

EctleJ.

and hath differed both to run out their courie, the vali. ant man, and thofe that are cowards 5 when their courfe is finifhed, and when thebattell js done, that is the time of conferring of honours. The wife Matter doth not reward his fervants at the firfl:, but he lets them alone, the good fervant and the bad, till their time be out, till the time of their wages come, that is the time when he makes the difference. So doth the Lord, for this time the battell u not to thefirong, that is, men have not their reward here for the prcfent time. Even as it is upon the Stage, but are let alone till they have a^ed their part, there is no alteration, but when they come off from the Stage, that is the time when the one is commended, and the other is difcommen. dcd. So it is with theSonnes of God, and the fonnes of men, God lets you both alone for the time, till you be gone off the Stage, that is the time that you muft look for the difference $ therefore be not prepoftcrous in your expe&ation, be not difcouraged, becaufeyou have not fuch outward contentments, becaufeyou are not above, but below, for the prefent life, the time is not yet come$ for God doth not yet rule the wor!d,as he will do | he hath, as it were,lcft the world to be ruled by others, he hath left men to rule: now errour comes from the face of the Ruler, ( as the Wife-man faith) that is, there is that obliquity in the hearts of men, thofe that are in place of government generally, That Servants ride on borfe.back, and Princes and Wife-men goe as Servants on foot. The reafon is,becaufc men rule the world 5 For errour (faith Salomon) is from the face of the Ruler. But now when God fhall take all the govcrnement into his own hands, when he fhall be

abfolute

as much as Iaftification.

abfolute King in the exercife of his dominion, then he will fetall ftraight, and not before; then (ervants (hall go on foot, and Princes and Wife-men (hall ride on Horfe-baclq thereforecxpe<5t not thou ityer, the time is not yet come that thou fhouldeft be on horfeb3ck, thou mufl be content to go on foot yet. And there. fore,though you have not the prefent fenfe, go on not-withftanding,holdoutthyexp?<5tetionawhile,though it appeare not yet what thou (halt be, yet it will come when thou (halt have the (enfe of it in abundance.

Thirdly and laftly, though thou have it not fully, rhough the time be deferred till the day of the declaration of the wrath of God on the one hand, and of his favour to the Saicnson the other, yet by being new Creatures , you fliall have outward comforts in great a-bundance, you (hall not fare the worfe, but much the better for it; forthepromifeisfurctothofe thatfearc the Lord: To humility and the fexre of God, to them us ftmifedriches , and ] honour ■, and life: And God pcr-formes it in this life,though the full harveft be kept for afterwards: though you have but the firft fruits of the reward, as well as you have but the firft fruits of the Spirit* yet, in this life, as you walk more perfe&ly with him, fo he will with you; and the lcfie you walk with him, the leffe he will walk with you, (that is J fuch an evenneffe you fliall find in the wayes of God to you, fuch a meafure of j udgement and mercy, as there is evenneffe or uncleanneffe of your hearts, as there is lo much new, or fo much old. Let us labour to make our wayes more per I eft, and we (hall bemoreperieft in our outward eftate, we fliall be better in our wealth, we (hall be bleffed better in our name, thou (halt be

mores

P7

Ser.IJ

Men fare not the Worfe in-outward things for holineflc.

PfO.12.4,

Ser.H.

hflificatim not to bee claimed

Kfi3-

Take heed of challenging Iuftificati-onwiih-out San-ftification,

Iudgment \ of the 1 Gofpell.

more chccrcfull in thy Spirit, thoufhaltbebleffedin thy Wife and in thy Children, at thy going out, and at thy commlng in, in every thing: fo that the prefent wages that you (hall have, fet afide that which is deferred tor the future, it is exceeding large to the New Creature-, there is comtort enough in the thing, .holincffe is reward enough to it felf e,if you (hould nave no more. If a man bee in ftrength and health, whatif you put him into a Cottage, what if heebeputintoprifon? Hee can beare it well enough: if there were no more but to be made a New Creature^ were enough to make your hearts to defire that condition, but befides that, it brings outward comforts in abundance 5 or, if you have not abundance, it will make a little inftead to you of agreatdeale.

So much for this, becaufc I have other things to de-liver.

Thirdly, are they infeparable r Then take heed of challenging the one without the other 5 doc not th inke that you are in Chrift, if you finde notthei\ta* Creature: And this Do&rine is of much moment, for this is that, that we (hall all be tried by at the laft day, and it is that peremptory Sentence that can never be re-voked,becaufe it is the Sentence of the Gofpell, therfore you muft know this, that all the judgements that are pronounced in the Gofpell, they are without all refer-vation, there is no more revoking of them, therefore Paul faith, Rom. 1.16. Hee Jha/l judge the fecrets of mens hearts according to my GefpB: So that you muft know that the Gofpell hath a judgement, and a terrible judgement as well as the Law. (There is a judging by the Law, that is,) men that-have lived without the

knowing

without IuHification.

knowing of Chrift, they (hall be judged by the Law but when we come to Chrift, to live under the Gof-I pell, (as we all do) we fliall be judged by theGofpell-1 What is that i Thofe that receive not Chrift fliall be damned: that is one part of the Gofpell you know-therefore you fee that there is a judgement there $ He that beleeves jhall befavedfiut he that beleeves not fid he damned.Wcl^s it is true concerningthe point of Iufli-fication 3 he that beleeves not and takes not Chrift,(hall be damned for it: So it is as true in the point of San&i-fication 3 he that is not a New Creature,he that is not borne again,he fhallnot enter into the kingdomeofGodjoh.$. 3. There is a peremptory judgement: therefore confider with thy felfe, when thou commeft to dye, what thou wilt fay then, Satan will then come and lay thy fins to thy charge, thou muft then thinke what thou haft to anfwer, thou haft nothing to fay but I am in Chrift: well, but how doft thou prove that, he will aske thee that queftion, Art thou a New Creature ? If thou doe finde that thou art not a New Creature, thou art not in Christ, and thou needed not a new condemnation, but thou art condemned already. For Chrift found all the world in aftateof condemnation, and if thou be not in him, thou art in the fame eftatq,: and therefore if thou fhould but hearethefe words, if we ffiould bee filenr, and fhould but reade thefe words, Whofoeveris in Chrift, let him be a New Creature : it may make a man tremble,and look about him, and confider hiscftate,and take heed of dif-joyning thefe things that the Lord hath joyned together : if being in Chrift, and being a New Creature be infcparable.thinke not that thou canft take Chrift divided.that thou canft take him

halfe,

Ser.II

,310

h/lification not to bee claimed

3/^.3.8.

i

I Difference J between a temporary* and true belec-ver.

halfe, and leave the other part,that thou canft take him as a Saviour ,and not take him as a Prophet,and a King • thinkc not to have luftification, and to want Sandifi. cation : and therefore, you fee, when the Gofpell was preached,this was the maine thing that was urged, CWark. 6.13. when the feventy were fent out (faith the Text) this was their preaching, it fets downe the fumme, that men fliould amend their lives. When Chrifthimfelfe was to preach, CM At. 4.17. this was the furame of his Do&rine, Ctmend jour lives, for the Kingdom* of Heaven is at hand. Paul, when he would tell them what was the fumme of his preaching, ABs 20. 21. faith he, Wegoeaboutpeaching, witnepngto lewes and Grecians repentance towards Cod, and faith towards chrift. So that this Repentance that-makes a I man a New Creature, it was prefled as a thing of abfo-lute neceffity, as well as the taking of Chrift. You know, when John Baptifi came, what he called for, Fruits worthy of amendment of life. Deceive not your felves, apply not the promifes of the GofpelJ, except you finde this Symptome of being in Chrift,that you arc made New Creatures.

Tfiis diftinguifheth betwecne a Temporary belcc

ver, and another$ both goe thus farre, both have

an inflrion into the R>oot,but the Temporary bclecvcr

partakes not of the fatneffe of the Root, he receives not

life from the Root: It may be thou haft taken Chrift

in thy fenfe, but haft thou tafted of the fatnefle of the

Root, haft thou drawne life from him, art thou made

a New Creature, as a graft that is put into a new ftockc :

when we are engrafted into Chrift, there is an invcrfi-

on of the order, there the ftocke changeth the graft-

Without SanEiification.

in the other, the graft changeth the ftocke into its Nature. Againe, when thou takeft Chrift without this, it is as putting floncs one upon another,when there is nothing to cement them, and to glew them together. whofoever is in Chrift, is built upon him, as upon the corncr-ftonc $ now an Hypocrite may be built on him, as well as a true profeffour; but here is the difference, they are living ftoncs,their Nature is altred,they differ as much from themfclves what they were bef orc,as li-ving things differ from dead ft ones; foit may be thou haft had anadhefiontothebodyof Chrift, thou haft ftucke to it, as it were; but, if thou be a true member, then thou art knit to it by ligaments and finewes, thou haft communion with the head, there is an influence of bloud and fpirits into thee: therf ore confider that with thy felfe • it may be, thou liveft inthe Church, and art fuch a member of it,as a glaffe-cye is of the body: but haft thou communion with the head, art thou made a New Creature by being in Chrift i Is thy heart changed and fan&ified by being in him * If itbefo. then conclude, thou art in Chrift For, if 4 man be in chrift l be is a New Creature. Examine thy felfe in this, deceive not thy felfe, to whomfocver he is made Righteoufnefe 9 bee u made SdnStification. Itisimpofliblctheyfhould be dif-joyned, fas I told you in the morning J his bloud hath not oncly a vertwc to cleanfe thee from the guilt of thy finnes; but a power tofurgethj confei-erne from detd works fefervetbe living Lord^ebg.i^. And whercfocver it is a plaiftcr to cover thy fins, it doth likewife hcale and cure them: thereforethinkc not that thou art in Chrift, except thou findc this to be thy condition.

Y Yea,

i

if

Serm.II.

Signes of aNew Creature.

Anfa

Signes of a New Creature

I A Senfe of it.

Yea, but you will fay,Is there luch a condition in the world i Who is it that finds himielfe luch a New Creature? This I find, that my old lufts rcturne.the fame inclinations I had, I find them .(till, and this experiment I of being all new, that all old things arc paffed away, I have nor yet had 5 what (hall we fay to this f We will anfwer it very briefly; Though thou haft it not already, yet thou mull: not be difcouraged, thou muftjiot fay, there is nothing done, becaufe all is not done: for motions arc denominated from the tcrmes they tend to, not from that they | are abeady: when a thing is a little white, though it be not perfe&ly white,we fay,it is white: when the Lord begins new qualities, if it be in ficicerity,it is properly faid to be a New Creature, forintimcit willcome to that, that will be the iilue of it: therefore tfrat which (lands you in hand, istoconfider, whether you be fo or no • for indeed it is a difficult thing to difcerne, and needfuli for you to confider it: therefore I will briefly (hew you how you (hall difcerne ir.

Ficft v you muft kflow you (hall have a prcfent Seafe of it, you (hall feeleitinyourfelvcs, you (hall know that fuch a change is wrought in you: for this is the difference betweene the Soule of a Man, and the foule of a Beaft 5 a Beaft cannot jeturne upon his adion, to know whether hee have done fuch a thing or no, but the foule of a Man is able to doe ic.

it is capable of reflect a&s, as we fay, itcanrecoile

and returne upon it felfe, and can confider what is

| done with it: therefore examine thy felfe by this,thou

t mayeft know, whether fuch a change bee wrought in

thy heart or no. See it in other things, thoucanft

tell

SignesofaNew (feature.

M

SfiR.IJ.

tell what thou delighted in, thou canfttcU what thine inclination is* for a mans inclination is of a quicke fenfe, it puts him forwards it carries him to that which hee defires: therefore thou mayeft fee the fcope of this, thou mayeft deceive another, thou canft not deceive thineowne hearr,efpecially in judging this, whether thou bee a New Creature. If thou judge ftri&Jy of thy felfe, if thou have a right rule to examine it by, the prefent fenfe of it may be an aflurance that thou art made a New Creature: for to be a New Creature is nothing clfe, but to be turned up-fide downe 5 whcn a man changeth his courfe (as it were, from Eaft to Weft) when he fayles to a quite contrary point of theCom-paffe, whep the Rudder of his life is turned: therefore Paul faith, he came to preachy tnrne men from darkened to light, from the power of Satan to Cod: Therefore' ***•»?•»•• there is a contrary courfe,it is a turning, it is true,if the New Creature were but a buckling^but a bowing of the courfe, it would bee hardly difcerhed, but when it is from contrary to contrary,fuch a thing is eafily found.

I know fuchathingas I h^ed,now I loveit,I know fuch a duty that was tedious,now it is dclightfull $ f uch a thing I could not do,now I can perform it y gee tho-row all the parts of thy life, thou mayeft have a prefent fenfe.

Wonder not at this Do&r ine, for if it were not thu^, no man could have aflurance at the fir ft conversion of j his heart to God, if it were not that you might judge j your fclvcs by a prefent fence you have, by that altera-: don, by that refleft aft of thefouk; for whenlfay^ fenfe, I jaieane that inclination of thy foule; If wet \ could not judge ourfelvesbythat, nomanathis£rJ!i

Y 2 comming

}M

Serm.H.

Sixties ofaNcw Creature.

Men may know their ilate at their firft con-vcrnon.

2* The Vni

verfalit of k.

comming to Chrift could judge of himfelfe,till he had flayed (omctimc; and then at what time (hall we fet li-mits,(hall we flay at a day,or a week or at a moneth.oi a yeare ,pr feven yeares: therfore a man may have aflu-rance from the inclination of his foule,; that there is a change in him J or clfe we (hould never be able to comfort men in an exigent: For, except they had had try. all, except they had a long time to live, except they might come toconverfc,and be put upon it by tempta tion and tryall, no man could comfort himfelfe: ther-forc that is one thing to try it r you (hall finde a change wrought,you (hall find the inclination of the Souk turned another way i Goe thorowall the particulars,iook thorow the whole re&itudc of the Xfcnage of God, ex-prefled in all the graces of that whole line, and looke to your heart what it was before, and thou (halt finde in every thing an alteration, that is one thing to Judge it by.

a l >\ you (hall judge fomething by the univerfality of it • Whenever is in ChriH is a New Creature: The meaning is nor, that the fubftancc of a man is changed,but the order and frame of his foule is altred, there are the fame firings, as it were, but there is anew tune put to them- there is the fame foule, the fame faculties, but there is a new order there. Mark, as it is in all things that confift itvordcr,there youmuft have the wholc,or none at all, the harmony that hath not every firing fet aright, in (ome meafurc, it is no harmony, but the harmony is diflblved. Beauty that confifts in a conformity of all the parts,except there be a concurrence of all,the beauty is diflblved, it is nothing; fo in all thingselfc : therefore confidcr with tby {clfe, art thou made all

new?

Signes of a New Qreaturc.

new i For thou muft know that God workcs not by halves- no man ever had an heart halfe new and old; in enc worke of Redemption and Re-creating, and repairing of mankinde, there is not a work of the Lord but it is perfed. It is true, it is not ripe yet, there is a time for the maturity of it, it (hall grow to full ripeneffc; but yet the Lor d lookes on it, and it muft bee very good, that is, there muft bee all of it: therfore confider with thy felfc, Art thou all new r Is there not fome exempted place in thy heart and life that is yet old, as old as it was i If there be, certainly thou art not yet made a New Creature.

Take Tufa for example, you (hali finde this, he had old ft ill, his covetoufneflc yet remained in him, that was not renucd: thence it was, thatinthePaffeover, there was f uch a ftrait charge, that all the leaven (hould be purged out 5 you fee how it is repeated, not a jot of leaven (hall be left. So faith the Apoftle, all muft be new and unleavened, teaufi Chrifi enr Fafliwtr is $ffc* red fern*.

But the naturall man will fay, this is impoffible 5 for then we (hall have no (in f

My brethren that is not the meaning of it •, the meaning is, that thou muft be purged from all the old leaven, that is, thou muft allow none, thou muft ft rive a-gainft all, thou muft hate all, thou muft doe thy beft to cleanfe it out,and not fuffer any to be there willingly,as to take poffeflion in thy heart$it may bcthereas a thcefc, (as it were,as a Creeper in) but otherwife it is not to be there: therefore confider that, Let them looke to this that thinke ftoppage is payment, that take liberty in | fome things, and thinke to recompenccitbyamore & Y * ftrift

J1L

Si r.I J.

t C*>W

ob)elt.

Striving J agaiuft all Onnc 0

$i6

Signes ofaNew Creature.

Serm.H,

ftrift care in other things: for when a man comes to this, to fupcrerrogare in fomethings, and tobcncgli-gent in others, it is an evill figne, it is a fignc thou air not a New Creature, for then all would be new; I fay, it is an ill figne, that there is no lite there, it is a figne, that all thas thou docft otherwife is but counterfeit: therefore it is worth your oblervation, that when any man ferves the Lord, when hee doth it not with his whole hearr,it is reckoned as counterfeit^there be but one old place in the hcart,if there be but one old luft living there,God takes all as fained,/*^ .10. 7ou didnot turne to me with pur whole heart, but fainedly : As if he fliould fay, If it be not done with the whole heart, it is fained, it is a figne there is no life there, if a man abound in duties never fo much- let him be excellent in prayer, excellent in almes-deeds, in doingjuftice, let him come to Church, let him doe what he will, if there be any thing old, yet it is a figne he wants life,for where there is lite, there is augmentation of parts • a man that is living encreafcth in all. If thou find fome part of thy foule, of thy life,to be augmented, and not the reft, thou art dead, a dead thing may be capable of it, you may encreafe one part of wheat, or of filver,or gold, but the other part continues as it was, but all encreafe in living Creatures, it is a generall encreafe,there is nothing ftands ataftay $ if thoufindearefervatidn in fome things wherein thou takeft liberty, andftan-deft at a ftay, thou art not yet a New Creature.

Thirdly, thou {halt know, if thou be new by this, thou lookeft upon every thing with a new eye, every thing is prefentedto thee in a new manner; this I take from this very Chapter,the Apoftle faith, We know no

■»'. 1.

Signes of a New Creature.

V-7

man after thepjh ^therefore whofiever is in Chrijl let him \ be a New Creature: As if he fhould fay, I am a New Creature, or elfe I could not be in Chrift • as I,fo every man elfc mult be: for that inftance he gives of living to the Lord, of being a New Creature y he knew no man after the flcfti. Looke to thy felfe in this, doft thou looke upon every thing in the world with a new eye, (chat h) upon all the particulars; thou looked upon fin in another fafhion than thou didft before, thoufeeft more in it, than ever thou didft i Thou looked upon fpiricuall grace ih another manner, thou feeft more ex cellency in it, than thou diddeft 5 thou lookeft upon | the world in another manner, than when thou didft ' magnifie it, and the things of it, the d gnity, the honour and the wealth; thou art not able to fay as Paul : They areas droffe,as a withering flower: thou lookeft upon good and ill men after another manner, a vile perfon will bee defpiied in thine eyes, lethimhaveall outward excellcncics,and he that feares the Lord,thou wilt honour him, let him be never io bale: thou loo. keft on thy felfe after another manner, thoudoeftno more behold thy felfe as thou didft, to thinke thy felfe perfe&ed, by adding to thy outward condition, to thy outward comforts.and conyeniertcies, though that be a thing that isnottobedefpifed, yet a mans fdfelyes not in that, but himfelfe is the inward man, the Regenerate man ; thou wile not care to have thy out ward man periflb, thou wilt not care what loftr thou be in J any thing elfe, thou wilt reckon that thy felfe, there- j fore thou wilt deny tho(ethings 5 becaufethou reckol neft not them thy felfe 3 for it is impoflible that a man \ fhould deny that which is himfelfe, but thy judgement i Y 4 is

;z8

Suit. II*

Signet of a New Creature.

*+-+•

Faculties known by the obje&s.

is alcred, thoulookeft with another eye upon another felfe, than thou didft before, and therefore thou denied that which before thou tookeft for thy felfe, and nouriflied'ft for thy felfe. Now a man looks upon Go J with another eye,now he Tees his beauty,and his excel-lency,he fees there is norhing in the world to be defi red in comparifon of him 5 before he was (hie of him, and ran away from him, as Adam did. Ic is the ftate ot every carnall man,he prefents God terrible,he hath no delight in God, he lookes upon him, as upon a Indgc, as oae he ferves of ncceflity- but I fay then,you will know the Lord,/*r. 31. when you are taught of mzjhen you (battfaow the Lord-, when you are made New Creatures, then yott [hall know me, that is, you (hall fee me in another fafliion than ever you did, you (hall looke on me with another eye, you (hall know me then, as to love me, to defire mce, to long after nothing fo much as Communion with me. I might runnethorovv more inftances, but the time calls mec away. Thou wilt look upon every thing with another eye, they will be prcfemed with another (hape, for there will be a new Heaven and anew Earth tothee,I fay,all will be new to thee: for mark the newncfle of any fenfe, or of any faculty, when itis renewed by any infufed quality, it is not fo much difcerned by it felfe, as by the obje# ; as, if a man have a new rafte, and anew favour,a new tafte in health, how fliall he know it i Give him meat and drinke,and what you wiH,k»all the objefts of the tafte, you fliall finde anewrcli(b.

So if you w ould know of your hearf,if it be new,go to the objc<Jts that thy heart is converfant about, lie if thou looked upon them in another fafliion, if thou

have

-

Signes of a New Creature.

3*9 (

have a new tafte, and a new rclifh in thee: for if there bee a new heart in thee, thou mayeft fee it outward-j ly 5 thou wilt fay as Saint Paul faid, I know no man, \ or any thing after the flefb , after the outward con-1 dition 5 this note will try it, if you apply it to your * felves, after once the change is wrought ? that you j are made New Creatures, there is nothing that is j prefented to you after the fame manner as it was, eve- j ry thing is changed with you, as if you were brought into a new world, you will fee them to be other things than you did before $ butlcannotftandtoprefle this further,

Againc, if you would know whether this be in you or no, then confider, whether your workes be akred : for wee hav^ a rule in Philofophy, and a true one, and we will apply it here; i^s athingis in king, fo it i* in nothing: If there be a new difpofitioninthee, if there be another Nature, there will be-a new kindc of work j for all things in the world worke according ro their being, and there is nothing that hath an effence and a being,but the operations and ads of it are futable to it; therefore, if thou wouldeft know,looke to what thou doeftj It is not therefore thy good purpofes or I thy good meanings,but thy doing: therefore examine thy felfe, haft thou left any oldcourfes? Haft-hou* given over thy drinking 5 thy gaming^thy finofunclcan-nefil*,thy breaking of the Sabbath i Wilt thou fay that i thou haft anew heart,and yet keepeft thy old companyj (till < That thou haft a new heart,and yet ufeft thy old fpeeches ftill? That thou haft a new heart, and yet ploddeft in the fame old tra& that thou didft t Look what thou waft wont to doe, thou doeftftillj thou

waft

Ser.1T

New woikes.

Sbr.IL

Slgnes of aNewCreature.

z Cor. 4. M.

waft wont to fpend the Sabbath thus and thus, and thoudoeft fo ftill; thou waft wont to negleft prayer, to performe it in a remifie manner; thou waft wont to bee a negligent hearer, without recalling it 3 and working it upon thine owne heart, without growing in knowledge, and thou art fo ftill • thou waft wont to have fecret by-wayes, that thy heart knowes were nor gbod, and thou holdeft them ftill: wilt thou fay thou art a New Creature ? It is impoflible. If we bee New Creatures, there will be an alteration certainly in our lives: And therefore to you that fay, I purpofe to do better, and I intend it,'my meaning is good, I fay, to you the Kingdom of Godjlands not wword> and in purpofe, and in meaning, but in power. Thou art made a New Creature\ that is, the inward frame of thy heart is altred, and, if that bee altered, there is an ability followes it, that inables thee to doe the duties of new obedience, and to abftaine from the contrary: therefore examine thy (elfe by thy adtions, and fay not now, though Idocnotliveftri&lyandprecifely, for (hew, as others doe, yet I doe as much in fubftancejfor if thou be a New Creature,xkou wilt be as much in (hew too, the operation and ad ion will follow^if the in- fide be ckm?,Mat.23. the out-fide will be fo, though it be true, we oft finde the out-fide cleane, when the in-fide is nor.

Therefore, it is no ftrange markc that I give,that examining your felvcs by the out-fide fhould be a meanes to know if you be New Creatures ; for, though we can. not fay that becaufe the our- fiJeis good, the in-fide is fo too- yet we may conclude, it the out-fide be not good, certainely thou art not a New Creature yet.

Therefore

Signes of a JS[ew Creature.

\J} 1 _

Therefore, lee none fay they have a good intention, j Ser.II. although' their workes be bad. For although this be not a good affirmative Argument, if theout^fidebe good, the in-fide willbefoalfo; yet it is a good Negative Argument, if the out-fide be not cleane, the in-^ fide cannot be cleane;: As in ler. 3.4, 5. will you not from this time crie unto me ;, thou art my father, and the guide of my youth ? &c. All this is well fpoken. But behold, thou haft fpoken and done evill things <u thou couldeft. So that good profeflions will not ferve the turne when wc doe evill ; God judgeth ■ not by our intentions, but according to our workes.

THE

Ser.UI.

TEIIRD SERMON VPON

THE NEW CREATVRE.

k New Creature * what.

a Cor. j. 17.

Tlxrefore if a man be in Qirift y let him bee a New Creature.

Vr bufineffe now fhallbetoflicwwhata New Creature is, and co apply it as we goe along, that you may know upon good grounds whether you bee New Creatures or no, that fo you may have comfort if yoube,or elfc that you may feeke it, if you be not.

To be a New Creature is nothing elfe but to hate a heart new moulded by the infufion of a new quality of grace, and by the deftru&ion of the old. There arc three things to be marked:

Firft, the heart muft be new moulded. Secondly, it muft be done by the infufion of anew quality.

And thirdly, there muft be a mortification of the old man. Let us goe thorow thefe three diftin&ly, and apply them as we goc.

Firft,

A !>{ew Creature, H>bat.

t

Firft, the heart muft bee new moulded, orcaftinto a new frame. You may fee this by comparing it with the old man, we (hall know the one by the other: you (hall finde that when Adam's nature was corrupted, there was a difordcr in all the faculties. As for example, in the Ruinc of aPalacc, there are the materials left ftilljonly the order is taken away • fo in rhe corruption of nature, there are the fame naturall operations, but all is disordered and turned up-fide downe-thus was the confufion of man after the fall. But the New Creature doth worke the contrary, itfetsupthe houfe againe, and reftores us unto our firft cftate in Adam. When a man is made a New Creature , his foule is put in joynt againe^ fo that the face of every faculty lookes towards God, whereas before it looked towards the world, fin and hell, the foule is quite altered, as a man that turnes his face from Eaft to Weft,wherc-as a man had before his back, now he hath his face turned to heaven; therefore it iscalled Turning to the Lord. Obferve here two things :

Firft, when wee fay r you muftbeecaftimoanew frame, it is not enough to have the a&ions of the foule changed, but the whole bent of the foule.

In a regenerate man,the turning of the anions is nothing, for even vvhea he doth that which is cvill, the bent or poficureof his foule ftands to God, although it be tranfporred todocevili, and it is true on the other fide, although an evill man doth good a&ions, yet the bent of his foule lookes another way, for therein ftands the alteration of the New Creature, even in the bent of the faculties, which is to turnc us fiom Satan unto God*

AriHotle

Ser. J

A New Qreature, T»bat,

gBft

How 'this alteration of the inclination may bee ' knowne.

Anftotle hath an obfervation, It is one thing, faith he, to doe an Aft of Art, and another thing to doe it like an Artift. It is one thing to doe an Ad of mufike, and another thing to doe it <4rf//Mike: If one doth a thing,and have no Art in the doing of it,hcdeferves no commendation ; fo there is a great difference betweene doing any of goodnefle, and having the a&ions of the Soule well habited; for when you only doe the ad without the bent of your foules, that way, Go d regards it not at your hands, but whenthe inward frame of the heart is fet right, whereas it was contrary before, it is a figne of a New Creature ; Apply this to your felves.

But how (hall wee know whether the frame of our foules be thus altered or no i

You (hall know it by this: If there be fuch an alteration of the inward faculties, you (hall find your felves ready to every good work. When a man hath no na-turallinclination unto goodneffe 3 without forcinghim-felfe, it doth undoe the adion • but when a mans heart is fan&ificd and made new, hee prefently falls upon good workes, Be is ready to every good worke y for every good worke, and ftands ready for it 5 he doth what he doth readily,wi,hout much adoe; for when the heart is changed in a man that is a new Creature,he is like a Con-duit,do but turn the cock,and there needs no forcing of the water out; fo when a man is become a new Creatwe, he is ready to every good worke (like a good wife that is ready to bring forth fruits unto her husband; where as before he brought forth fruit unto fin and death.

Againe, you (hall finde that you doe good things with facility and delight, and that is a figne that thy

heart

A New Creature, •frbat*

heart is turned another way. It is the property of a good man to delight in the Lord his G^and what he delights in,he makes his own,what he doth,hc doth with facility;^ Commandcments are not burtherforne to him, the yok of Chri(l is eafic: therefore, if thou art new, thou art eafi: in thy obedience, whereas another man that hath no fqch change wrought in him,doth delight in nothing but to doe e viil,to doe well he hath no plea-fure, Gods Commandemems are burthenforne to him 5 there fore the Lawes of God are too ftrait for him, that he cannot march in them,as David could not marching///; Armour, for it was too heavy for him. A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delighr.

Bur this is not all* if thy foule be fafhioned andcaft into a new mould, thou wilt not only do? good things readily, but well and handfomely (to ufc our common terme) when as other men bungle at good works, and know not how to turn their hand unto themiThey doe them indeed, butasthe Wifeman faith, ^0.26.7. ^As the Ugs of the Ume are not equally fo is a Parable in. a fooles mouth .- VVhen they come to do any good anions, it is like aParabkin a fooles mouth, the Parable is not fit for his mouth • as when aman hathone legge longer than another,he is lame ;fo a Parable in a fooles mouth is not equall to his raouth,thc aftion rr ay be good, yet hee doth it but lamely, it h beyond his reacb,he doth not doe a&ions as he fhould,but an holy man doth them as a workeman, I fpcake not of doing them before men, but before God, who judgethrigh teoufly, when he comes to performe an holy duty 5 he doth it as it is meet, hee prayes fervently, andconfe-

crates

JV)J

S£r.I[T

Sbr.1I.

A New Creature, 'tobat.

*. This change is in his

tthole

Conycifa.

lion.

crates himfdfe unto the Lord with delight, He Jhewes merej with cbterefultnfe,znde\c:y grace hath his peculiar property, wherein the goodneffc of it confifts 5 as Faith, Love, and Hope, are the concomitants of bis adion% wherein their excellency confifts, whereas 0-ther men doc the fame duties, but not wi h that afft&l on that they fhould, and they doe it but with a dead heart, they arc workes of vcrtue, and have the lineaments ot true ones, but they are dead workcs,becaufe life is not in them.

Therfore confider how thou docft things j the mat-ter is not fo much what thou doeft, as how thou doeft them.

Againe,?f thou bea New Creature,thou (halt know it by thy doing of goodconflantly'as a man that doth it natugally. in Nature, you tnow, the habits and in-dinar ions are clofe and neere unto us, and growing in us 5 therefore, if thou doe good in thy conftantpra-dice, it is a figne thy heart is changed. This is the firft thing, there is a new frame, all thebent of the faculties are changed, and by this you may know it, if you doe good readily with facility and delight and con* ftantly.

O ne thing more obfervc in this new frame, there is not only a bending of the fouleto a contrary point (as it were) but moreover all muft be changed 5 as for ex. ample, Caft any thing into a new mould, there is not only one part altered, bur all • foif you be New Creatures, you muft finde this in your felves, that you doe not make choice in the duties of godlincfle, but take all, and omitno:hing- Tou mufi bee holy wallmanner ofc9»verfoio»i thofe words are added in all manner

of

A New (feature y V>kat.

of converfation, and they are muchtobeeobferved that is, in all the turnings of a mans life: As, if he bee a Magiftrate, hee muft bee exa<5fc in hearing of Caufes, neither to fearc any mans face, nor to bee moved by any mans favour: if hee bee an husband, his ipeeches and anions muft be holy, his fpeeches muft bee graci. ous: If thou be a Subjeft in reverence to the King, and refpc&ivc to othcrs,thoumuft be holy in all manner of conversation, otherwife the frame is not altered, this muft be of ncceffity; for that which God requires of us, is the keeping of the whole Law, as lames faith, Um.\ .2 o. where he fpeakes of keeping the Law Evangelically, For wbofiever fhali keep thewhole Law, and jet fdile in one point, he it guilty of all.

Goethorow the whole Latitude of our obedience -if in one part thou wilt favour thy felfe, thou art guilty of all. Inthe fame B^HikMm*i.26lfany mAn among jsuftemethtobe religious, andbridkth not hit tongue but deceives hit own heart jthat mans Religion it invaine.That which is here faid of the tongue, may bee faid of any thing clfe. Doeft thou doe thus and thus, doeftthou fan&ific the Sabbath,doeft thou goe to God in prayer, goe to aU[particular duties, I know not what to name unto you, and yet in any of thefedoefaile ; confider that the Apoftle might as well have faid unto thee, for that thy Religion is in vaine (he fpeakes of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner) a man muft fet him-felfe to keep every Commandement,and if he doe but take liberty in any, he is guilty of the whole.

Take this for afurerule, what God requires of us in the Gofpell hee gives us ftrength to per forme, but if our hearts were not altogether new moulded, the

7 worke

ShrJU.

»*

A New Creature -T»brt.

Ser.HI

Vfi.

objeft.

worke would be more than our ftrcngth 3 therefore^ neceflity, the heart muft be altogether new moulded. Therefore the Apoftle faith, (and what hee (a ith is common to all the Saints) I candot alt thing* through Chrifi that firengthntth me. Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him frUy fay fo: Ifthoubein Chrift,thou haft a new frame in thy hearr,which makes thee able to doe all things through Chrift.

Confidcr of this, and apply it to your felves, for it is a matter of muchmoment 3 (asthe Apoftle faith; We dre M ajhamed to write untoyw oftbefe things againc, and again: So it is a point we have touched before^ (yet we will fpeake of it againe and agaitie. ) Confider with thy felfe,whether there be luch* general change in thee or no: for the goodneffe of a thing confifts in the order , elfe the whole is diffolved $ as in beauty there are two things wherein it confifts, the frame and order of it, that wee fay is beautifull, when the frame is good, and no part is to bee admired above the reft; fo it is the frame and order of the Soule wherein its beauty confifts, when the whole frame is right, and thou art enabled to doe the whole duties of new obedience,

ObferveGods dealing in this cafe; when Saul had failed in one thing, God caft him off.

Bur, you will fay, this was an hard judgement, did not David faile many times as well as hee i

It is true, but here is the difference, Saul had a natu-rall heart to doc evill, although hi$ profeflion was good s yet when hee was put to the triall, whether hee would take the fat Shcepe and the Oxen, he did it; yet you muft know, k was not for that that God caft him i

A New Qrtaturt y Tbbat.

off, but becaufe the frame of his heart was not good i for he would have done it again and againe, an hundred times over ;I fay,the difpofition of his heart was eviJL Balaams eye unto the wages of iniquity marred although hee kept himfclfe aloft, and carried the matter fairely, but like the Eagle he had his eye upon the prey. this fe-crec eye marrcs all. Doe not think that this isbut a notion, doc not fay, who is it but dothfinne ? And wee may goc to heaven although we be not fo exa&, as the Preacher faith we fhould be. No, ic is no more than fo, we may fee good reafon for it,if we obferve it well: Ic is a good argument which wee have in Philofophy, A cup or di(h that is beared thorow is no di(h,yet there is but one hole in it, becaule it is now of no ufe,which makes it none, becaufe it is as good as none.. Take a difli boared thorow, power water into it, it will hold none: fo take a mans heart, (for the reafon will hold good in that) and letthercbebutlomefecretleakein it, or fome fecrct evill difpofition, although Saul doth well in every thing elfe, yet it he harbour any finne $ or although Sdlaam doe well in all things elfe, yet if there bee rcfpe& unto the wages of Iniquity, they are both but like a di(h with an hole boared thorow, that take up any thing, there willbeanifluingout.

Therefore deceive not felfe,thou art no New Creature, except thy heart bee perfe& in all things: This which wee deliver unto you, take it no other wife than what with reafoo you (hall find grounded upon a fure word in let* 2. They fought me not with their whole heart, hut fainedly : When a man fcekes God, but not with his whole heart, God reckons it but a counterfeit feek-

ingof him.

Z 2 Therefore

J}9

Se&.IIJ.

Similit.

3m.UI.I

uf New Creature 9 *&bat,

2. It muft be done by infufi-onof a new Quality ot godlmeffe

Therefore, I befeech you looke unto your felvcs, fee, whether you be holy in all manner of converfati-on, I cannot goe thorowparticulars, but I muftkave this to every mans brcft, who muft refled upon his ownc heart. Confider with thy felfe, if fometimes thou giveft liberty to thy felfe in ill,, or in the duties of new obedience to pcrforme them (lightly, as good never a whit, as never the better: if thou docft any duty, which thou knoweft to be a duty, and not truly, know it is not accepted: If you continue in finnc, and will not know it to be a finne, as in your inordinate gaming, and the vanity of your fpeeches, although thou thinkeft them fmall, yet they are able to kill thee; the biting of a Viper is as fmall a thing, yet it will bring death with it: foif any none be allowed in thee, thou art not a New Creature, thou wanted this new moulding, thou art not yet caft into a new frame. So much for the firft part.

The fecond thing whteh we obfervedin this defcrip* tion of a New Creature, is that,

c/f man muft be caft into anew m$uld 9 bj the infuji-en of a new quality of Grace.

A mans hcait is not put into a new frame by the tranfient ads of the Holy Ghoft (as in building of an houft, there is no more for a man to doe, but with his hands to joyne one thing with another,) but it is done by the infufion of a new quality.

As in Adam there was not only a defc<9 of weaknes, but of wickedncflTe,fo there muft be a new quality infu-fed into thy heart, clfe thou art no new New Creature. In all things in the world that have a&ions there is a quality-as the fire moves upward,and there is a quality

*4 New £reature, Tbbat,

345

The new

quality,

what.

.of heat in it, as cur Saviour Chrift faith of the tree, it ! muft be good before it can bring forth good fruit, and as in the Heb. i2.18. Wherefore feeing wee receive a Kingdom that cannot be ftaken,let m have grace whereby we may ferveGod, that we may pleafehim with reverence and feafe • that is, there muft be a new quality wrought in the heart, whereby we may be enabled to fervc the Lord with reverence and feare.

The queftionyou will aske me, will be,what is that new quality £ Not to (land upon generals, for it is not that which profits,but to pitch upon it, I will fhewy ou what it is by two places of Scripture, Gal. 3.1$. For in Chrifi lefua neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor Fncircumcifion ;but a New Creature • compare this**vith GaL j. 6. For in chrifi left** neither Circumciften avau leth Anything, nor Vncircumcifion, but faith which wor-keth by love: Would yeu know what this new quality which isinfufed, is *r It is faith and love, thatis,when this is once wrought in thy beart,thatthy heart is horrible and broken, which makes thee to know what fin is, and w hat the wrath of God is for fin, and thou defircft Chritf, and thouhaftthy heart calmed againe through btleevingjthoudoeft bckeve that Godo&txs his Son unto thee, and thou art willing to take him, not as a Saviour only,butas a Lord alio to obey him,not as a Prieft only, but as King to bee fubjeft to him, not as a frierd only, but as an husband, if this be done, it is properly faith.

Agarne, confider whether it be done out of loveor out of fcare, left thy Creditours fltould come upon j thee, and caft thee into that eternall prifon, wherethou i

((bait pay every farthing, this is not out of love. Z 3 Againe,

Hewto take Chrift.

Old men,

wh3t.

Againe,doft thou take him for his kingdome and his wealth only i That is the difpofition of an harlor,who takes her husband for his health, and not becaufe flie loves him, but thou muft take him for love 5 The Fir. gins love thee, Cant. 1.2. The harlots doe not fo 5 but the Virgins love thy goodly perfon.

Againe, thou muft not take him in a good mood, but till death doe part you, thou muft love him for ever: No man loves a man truly, but he is rooted and grounded in his love; when thou doeft fiodc thy heart (o humbled, that thou doeft reckon finne the greateft evill,and doeft hunger after Ghrift, and doeft keep him as thy life, when thou doeft all thisfrom a love unto him, thou art a Kew Creature, when thou takeft Chrift with love,and fuch an one as is a working love, now be allured that thou art a New Creature^ for this is that wherein it confifts.

I obfervc this by the way, for thofe that thinke they never have been humbled enough • the Ntw Crea turc confifts not inthat,but in faith and love: Haft thou faith and love i Then thou haft the thing it felfe, and if thou baft that, thou haft the preparation. That is the firftexprefllon. Another is in .E/A.4.22,23,24* T/W yee cafi off, concerning the conversion w times paft, the old man which is corrupt through deceiveable Iu(ls, and bee I rentted m the Spirit of jour minde,andput on the new man, i which after God is created in righteoufnejje and holtnejje proceeding from truth.

There you have the thing named, whatitistobea New Creature, and what it is to be the old man ftill.

To be the old Creature, or the old man, is nothing elfe but to be guided by luft,which comes from errour

in

A New (feature,y>kat.

in judgement and underftanding. But wherein confifts the new man i The new man confifts in holinefle wrought in the will,which proceeds from truth revealed unto the underftanding- fo when the under ftan. ding, and the judgement is rectified, thou art made a New Creature. Againe, when the will is corrupt by lufts, proceeding from errour in the underftanding, thou art in ftate of an old Creature. The old man ftands properly in lufts 5 therefore, faith Peter, i Pet. I. 4. Fly the corruption which is in the world through luft; All the corruption of mankinde ftands in thefe inordinate lufts. Others wee may looke on as the Fruir, but this as the Root. What arethofelufts * lohn fhewes them by three heads, 1 lehn 2.16. The lufts of thefle(h, the lulls of the eye, and the f ride of life. The old man ftands in thefe three. Take tne firft luft, even the luft of the Eye. A man lookes upon wealth to make him happy in this life, (I meane no other wife) and looking upon this, he lufts after it: Doebutre&i. fie his judgement, and let wealth be prefented to him, as it is in itfelfe, and he will come to be affeded with it, as Paul was, who accounted all but drojfe and dung, he will fay then, why fhould I fet my heart upon that which is nothing but vanity < I fay, when the underftanding is re<5tified, you will look upon wealth aright, and as you (hall fee it at the day of death ; for then we are as a man awakened out of a dreame, we will looke on it then, as it islam. 1.10. Let the Rich manrejoyce that he is made low, for a* a flower of the gra(fe,fi [liall he vanijh: The meaning of this is, when a man is made a New Creature fat is brought down in his conceit,wher-as before he thought himfelfe a great man, becaufc of

Z 4 his

J47 Ser.IIJ.

?4»

A New Creature, Tblut.

Sbr.HIJ his wealth : N rw Rdigioi command that makes him and lschimbegladof k; Why? What reafon

low.

huh a mmtoh

thing of mom :n:,

glad of it <

[adred if wealth were a it were another matter, butheewas deceived. Riches are but as rhe flower of grade. A wife mm lookes on Riches as~flower$ of the Garden, which Children, and the w*akeft doc much magnifie. Indeed, if they were of great moment, he loft by it, bur, as Umts faith, They are httt *s fiomrs of thegrajft, worth little?

For the Luft of the flefh- that is, another thing whereby this old man is feene. A man lookes on outward pleafures or delights, as abfe to give fatisfa£ion, and as the greateft delights in the world, let his judgement be re&ified,he lookes upon them as Enemies that fight againft the foule, as the works of darkneffe which hee abhorres, and fo hee comes to L$t$ difpofition, I Whofe righteous foule was vexed to fee the filtkwefe of the Sodomites; When his judgement is right, be looks on them as bafe and vile things, as Enemies unto his foule, that will be his deftru&ion.

For the Pride of life: Man looks on outward things as the onely excellencies, which makes him admire them fo, but when his judgement is once rc&ified, he lookes upon them as the 'Apoftlc doth, who accounted them but empty things, as bubbles blownc up by boyes.

To conclude, when the judgement is reftificd, in (lead of Errour and deceit which is the Root of the old man, whence comes theie three great lufts (which arc chc mainland from which all the reft will follow) then the lufts are diflblved, and the new man comes from truth,

ATS(eu> Creature y Tbbat.

truth, as die other is corrupted, and comes from deceit. So you fee what it is to have this new quality, to have the judgement re<3ified, and the luft diflblved.

And not fo oncly, but there muft bee new defircs wrought in thee. A carnall man over-values carnall' things, and in ipirituall things he comes farre too fhort, like a man that lookes upon a banquet when his belly is full, hee hath no appetite unto ic: So a carnall man lookes upon finne and forgivencfle. But when a man hath his judgement re&ified, hecomes to have many holy defires, and in this (lands the New Creature.

Againe, it comes from knowledge of the Spirit.

But, you will fay, we have knowledge, and, if that would doe it, then they that know moft are beft men f

But you muft know what manner of knowledge this \%(Thenew rnxn muft be renuedin knowledge :This is fuch a knowledge of holineffe, as the Holy Ghoft reveales unto us, and except this knowledge bee revealed unto you,our revealing is nothing ±We preach Wifidom^hich the Primes of the world know not, neither can know.

Take K^iriflotle or others which are the Princes of the world for wifedome; they know not thefe things, nay, if they were taught them, they could not learne them, for they are revealed by the Spirit; and if wee preach unto you never (ooft, if the Spirit doc not reveals them unto you^it isnothing t Wee feethac by experience, that a man that can reafon againft thefe and thefe (ins,can fpeake of the vanity of thefe things, can give twenry better reafons againft them than another man,yet he feekes after them as much as any: The wife-men and ftrongeft Wits which can fay moft a-gainft them, yet have not their lulls diflblved, when a

poore

J49_

Ser.III.

ob\ett. An(w.

What knowledg makes a Newcrca; ture.

Ji-

Ser.HI.

A New Qreature, fbbat.

poorc man that is truly fandtified, although he cannot fay the hundredth partagainft fin, as another man, yet he doth hunger after Iefus Chrift.

Therefore it rauft be the work of the Spirit^ Cor.3. ult. Bur, wee all behold as in a mirrour the glory ofthe Lord with open face, and are changed into the fame Image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord: that is, when we look into the word we fee the Image of Cod, fo may another man too, but he doth not fee the glory of it, he doth not look on it as a defirable thing,as a thing he is in love withall. God (hewes CMofes his glory 1 he never (hewed his glory but to the Saints: The greateft t< queft that Mofes defired,was to fee the glory of the Lord $ / will/hew thee my glory, faith God, that is, thou (halt fee as much as (hall benecdfullfortheeto fee in this life. God (hewes himfelfc unto us in his Word, and when hee will (hew a man his glory, hee makes him to have a love to it, and then he is transformed into his Image. Another fees it, but he is not transformed into fuch a knowledge as convinceth the minde of finne; when wee teach knowledge, it is as the Sparkes in a darkc roome, or as thcStarresina darke night, the roome is darke Drill; fo it is with all knowledge,till the Holy Ghoft doth teach it: we may beget a thoufand fparkes in you, but they will not turne the darkencfle into light. But when the Holy Ghoft comes, it doth not only appeare there, but it changeth us from darkeneffe into light.

You muft know, that when wee preach only, it is as when the light (hines, the windowes being (hue againft it, there is none (hines into the houfe • fo when men thinke they undcrftand moft, yet they want this light

to

A New Creature, fbbat.

35*

to(hineintothehoure,Z«/t.2 4.45 .Then opened he their \ Ser.UI.

under/landings t that they might'under (land the Scriptures. \

They had heard Christ before, bur they under- ! flood not his Word; like thofe which (owed feed on I ill ground; and therefore received not the fruit of it, bwt when the Holy Ghoft comes into thy heart, that will convince theeofeviU: itwi!lcxpelldarknefle,and . Rt right thy judgement; otherwifc, though you heard Paul preach, yea, Chrift himfelfe, were your Iudge. menrs never fo good, yet it would not be done till the Holy Ghoftteachethyou, youwillncvcr know him, never fee him aright in his glory, never fee him fo, as to delight and long after him, foas to defire nothing in the world fo much as communion with him.

Thus it is when hislmage is renewed in Knowledge | and Truth, and where this Knowledge and Truth is, HolincfTe inftantly followes.

There are many that know and pra&ifenot; and there are many which neither know nor pradife, but where this Image is, where ever they know they pra-affe:

Well 3 let us apply this unto our felvcs briefly.

If to bee a New Creature,' there is required of us this Faith and Love, Truth and Holindle, Knowledge aid Rightcoufncffe $ thenletuslearnenottobe . deceived, to regard nothing elfc in comparifon of this, j Doe as the Apoftle, Gal. 6. 15. For in Cu k 1 sr\ I e s u s neither Circumc'tfionavaileth anj thing, nor Vn- \ circHmcifion, but a ?{ew Creature; that is, it is no mat- j rer for aiy thing in a man, Circumcifion is no better than uncircumcifion: Go thorow all the duties of Re-j ligion, you fliallfindc them nothing till you be made a

New

To prize the New Creature.

SerJII. New Creature. I know many doc many things, they come ro Church, and give almes ; well faith the Apo-file, Circttmcifton and uncircurncifion U4llone ; fo (ay I, Prayer and no Prayer is all one ; doing juftly amkm-jaftly, it is all one, untill a man be a New Creature: Therefore, faith S. ?aul % I Cor. i$.$ % Though I give all my goods to the poore (which is a glorious a&ion^ nay, though I could be content to be a Martyr) though I give mj body to be burned, andh&vtnot love,itprofiteth nothing: So except you be New Creatures, your labour is loft, for Nature may doc much without the knowledge of the Gofpell. As the Earth brings forth graffe ot it felfe, and fome flowers of the lowcft forr, but to bring forth a ciop,and flowers of the fineft (ort, it muft be tilled, and there muft be feed put in 5 Nature, I lay, may doe much, but this New Creature muft come from an immoitall feed fowen in the heart, by God himfelfc.

Therefore loolce whether thou haft that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the comfort we have, when the body is decayed and waxen old 5 yet let us not be difcouraged, though this outward man decay and perifb, there is a new youth fpringing up.

This is all the comfort we have, that when the old houfe is going downe, wehaveanewhoufefcttiogup in ftead of ir. Every man is glad to fee an old houfe pulled downe, and a new f et up in ftead of it $ bat to fee an old houfe going downe, and no new one to be fet up, the mine of it is a moft miferable fpcftacle.

Take a Husbandman, whohath taken great paines in plowing and Cowing his ground, when he fees his corn

it

A New Crea(ure, Tbbat.

is rotten he is glad of it, becaute he knowes new will come up in {lead of it- fo when we fee the body decaying, and our day drawing towards evening, when the Sunne of life is ready to be fet upon us, when we fliall grow no more: this prefents nothing butconfufion, yet here is hope for us; There is light Sow en unto the the righteous: All the confolation and all the comfort we ha v? in thefe dayes of our vanity, is, that we have a New Creature, that is sot fubjed to vanity.

FOYRTH SERMON VPON

THE NEW CREATVRE.

2 COR. 5»I7.

Therefore if a man be in Q?rift y let him bee a New Creature.

553

Sb

*

w we come to the laft thing to be ob "eryed in the New Creature 3 which is, muft b"e\ that there is not only an infufionofa | ^ O ort ^ e new quality, but a wcakning of the old; Therefore we put that into the deferip-tion. A man is a New Creature when his heart is caft into another mould, by the inf ufion of a

new

J. There

tion<

old man.

Jit.

Ser. IV.

2. Parts o^ a New Creature.

Simile*

A New (feature y ^haU

Vfe.

To mor-tifie old lufts.

new quality of gtacc, and by a deftroying of the old.

And thisiselpeciallytobeobferved, becaufc there be two parts of the New Creature, a mortification fcf fin, as vjgell as a vivification. For, common Nature is like a Bowie betweene two biaffes, Corruption is the wrong biafTe, carrying us out of the way $ and Grace the good biafle carrying us into the way: So you muft knock off the old biafle, as well as puc on a new one, that is, Common Nature lyes as an indifferent thing betweene Grace and Sin, the Flefh and the Spirit, Cor-' ruption and Holinefle; fo that as thebody is betweene health and fickneffe, fo is Common Nature betweene originall fin, v%hich is as the fickneffe or death of the Soule, and Jholineffe, which is the healthof k. Now it is not only required that there be an infufion of the new quality, but like wile a weakning of this old, both can-qot ftand together, fo farrc as you ftrengthen one, the other is weaknedyit is alwayesfo where is contrariety, where there is do contrariety two may ftand together; but when things bee oppofitc, the comraing in of the one, is the weakning of the other, the com-mingofheat is a weakning of cold: this is of fpeci-allufe.

And this ufe we are to make of it 5 that hence then you fee this will follow,that if you finde much newncfTe in your fclves (according to your owie opinion; you finde you can do many things, you could never do before 5 you arc able to doe thefc and thefe duties of new obedience: well, fuppofe it, yet except there be a mortification of the old lufts 5 if thou find that there be any lufts continue in thee, in ftrength, that, in that regard, thou art the fame man fttlljWhatfoever addition there

be,

A New Creature, ^bat.

355

be, ic is rto matter, it is ccrtaine thou art not yet a New Creature: ior a New Creature confifts not in fuperin-dudion of the new quality, the old remaining j but in a weakning of the old too. It is not only a fuperadditi-on of the new, but the death of the old alfo: Therefore, if thou findeft any corruptions continuing in the fulneffe of their firft ilrength,n©t weakned at although thou haft all fignes of grace, all parts of zNtwCru-turi) to thy feeming,yetthouart deceived; becaufeif thou wert ne VI there would be a mortification of the old lufts.

Soagaine, it is true on the other fide: Put cafe thou finde a grcat'dfange in thy felfe, fuch lufts as have been vigorous arid lively, thou findeft tobe now dead, except it be by the ingreffe of this New Creature, thou 1 haft little caufe t© comfort thy felfe^ for thofe lufts arc but covered and laid afleepe for a time, and will wake and rife againe: as Sampfon when he was tyed with cords, rote againe, and was as ftrong as ever he was, when the oporf unity came, \yindit tv4* toldhim , the PMiftimsM*ptotkee,S4mpfb»:So\uR$arQ laid cfleepe, till the opportunity comes,whcn all the threed of good purpofes breaks, and they rife againe in their ftreagth: therefore, if there be not a New Creature, brought within thy foule,thy lufts are but laid a (kepe,they will rife againe: Or put cafe they be dead, and rife no more$ yet, except it be by the ingredience of this New Creature, they are but dead of themfelves, andfolongas they die of themfelves, God regards not that death: for that which is required of us in ^w.12,.i. is,that wefacrificecurfehes: Now two things are required in the Sacrifice: one, that it be flaine, that it dye not of it

felfe,

Ser.IV.

Sin may feeme dead when itfleepetii.

'Ser. IV,

A New, Qnature y ?b4t.

felte, for that is not a Sacrifice. Secondly, that it be offered to God, and not to any othe* god. Now this we oft finde, that lufts dye of themfelves, change of age,experience,opcrationofcircumftances,time,place, and many things may alter the defires: for, you muft know, The world paffith away, and the lufts $fit: that is, I they arc of a tranfitory nature. A man doth not defire that, this y cere, which he did the laft. Doe we not fee, many have becne riotous and prodigall in youth, yet there is a great change in them, not for grace, but age, and ufe, and experience, and many things, make alteration : Thcfe are not flaine to the Lord, but they dye of themfclves, fo God would not accept them.

Againe, they maybe flaine, butnottothcLoii d, thou mayeft offer them to thy fclfe, which is the fame, as if thou offeredft them to another god, that fe^ a man may finde much cvBl and inconvenience, much bitter-neffcinthem, it may be, they havs brought fhame and mifery on thee,

Againe, thou mayeft fcare Gods judgement* and therefore mayeft reftraine thy felfe^ In a word, If thy felfe be thy end, in abftaining from any fin what ever it be,there is a Sacrifice, thou haft flaine if, but not offered it to the Lord, it is not done to him, It is not be* caufc thou loveft the Lord Icfus: therefore it is not a fruit of the New Creature, for till then every man makes himfelfe his end in all he doth, but when he is made a New Creature, he makes the Lord his end.

This therefore is the ufe of this: there muft be two parts of this New Creature, Vivification, and Mortification, an inf ufion of the new Quality, and a weakning of the old. Becaufe this is a point ot much moment, I

will

A New (*reature, libat*

will preffc it a little furthered deliver this RuIe,I fay, this other Confe&ary may be gathered : If it be to, then thou muft finde in thy felfe thefe two things.

Thou muft finde in thy fclfe fomcthing more than Nature, and againe, thou muft finde in thy fclfe fome-thing lefle than Nature : Thou muft have leffe than what thy corrupt nature had in it, and more than com-moo nature hath in if, or elfcthou wanted this third part of the New Creature, this third thing wherein it confifts, thcinduSionofancw Quality, andawcak. ning of the old: We will urge this a little.

•Firft, there muft be a lefferiing and a weakening of what was there before: for,you muft know every man hath fomc perfonall infirmities, lome finnes more peculiar to his Nature than others, fomcthing wherein he is weake, every man hath it, one of one forr, another of another fort; every man hath a more inclination tothisorthatfinne, which is bred and borne with him. If thou findeft that this continues with thee ft ill, that thou haft the fame running fore on thee, that thou hadft, that thou findeft no alteration in that, that there is no leffcning,no weakning, no deftroying and mortifying of that, then thou art not a New Creature, and confequently, thy fins are not forgiven, for Iuftificati-on and Sandification arc inseparable. If thy fins were pardoned, they would b~ healed, that is the thing you muft confider. It is certaine therefore, if yow doe not find them healed, you are not yet in Chrift $ for if thou wert in Chrift truly, there would a venue come out of him that would heale the bloudy-iffuc 3 forthevertue of his death is never dis* joy ned from the merit of his death,where ever he forgives fin,he cures finnc: there-

A a fore

V>7 Ser.JV.

2. Vft

or Con-fiftorj.

1

There muft be fomething iefifc than corrupt nature. Where God £or-givetk, he hcalech > where he pardoncth he purify eth,

Seh.1V.

Ruf ij,

It Hands. WithGods honour,

With our comfort.

Reaf.3

With Gods fervicc.

v^ Nw Creatureylbbat.

fore if thou findeft that he hath not cured any finne, know it is not forgiven. You may fecit every where; Mary M&gddtnj& much was forgiven her,fo (he had a great cure wrought in her,(he was changed,(he became another woman, you fee how exceeding holy (he was $ when Chrift faid, Thy fins are for given, (he went aw^y with another heart: So ic was with iW,whcn once his fins were forgiven, when God fent word by Ananias that he was achofen wffell, withall he was made a gk), ripus profeffor of a raging perfecutour, there was 2 healing of fin, as well as forgiving of it. So David, when his fin was forgivcn,when God told him by 2?j-tha* fo much,hisfin was cured,he did not commit adultery againe: therefore in the one and fiftieth PfaL the cure (lands on record,that all the world may know,that where God forgivetb, he healeth likewife. So Peter, when God had forgiven him that finnc of denying his Matter, he cured it too.

To adde a little more,I fay/m muft be heafed,if it be forgiven ^ for it cannot be othcrwife, if God take any man j:o beare his Name, and his fins be not healed, his Name (hould be blafphemed, it would redound to his difhonour.

Againe, if he (hould forgive and not heale as, vrc (hould have no comfort from him, norhenofcrvke from us: we (hould have no comfort from him,becaufc of the rage and vexation of ruling luft.

Againe, he (liquid have no fervicc from us. for how can we ferve him when we are not healed f Can a ficke man do any fervicc < He muft be healed, andreftored to health firft. Now do you think, God will put his children in a condition, that neither they (hall have

com.

A New (reature, flpkat.

J5?_ 3

Ser,I\v

comfort from him,nor he (ervicc from them • therfore it is of ncceflity 3 wheaefoever fin is forgiven, it is heal-ed : Therefore in Hofea 14. When I take way your iniquities, I willhealt your rebellions. So in Dcut. 30. 6. t when he will have mercy upon them, faith he, imlld-fo orcumcife your harts, and the harts of your feed^that you (Stall lovt me with all your finked with aUyourftrength; He never pardons, buthelikewifecircumcifetb. So in Ier^^dwtUfet mint eye upon-yor for geod.thzt is,l will pardejn you,3nd receive you to mctey,and alfo will give you an hem to knotb me, [i that jottjball be my people, and I will be your God: Vox you fhalltume to mc with all your heart. In a word 5 they are never dif-joyned -take it for a fure rule,as Euk. $6.2 6,1 wiH wafh thee from thy idols, that is, from thy lofts and Idolatry,and will give thee a new heart, -mtd-tjKw flint* he never doth one without thcoftber- therefore apply it. It may be there be many particular fins which thou thinkeft are forgiven, Sabbath- breaking,S wearing, Vnclcannefle,go thorow any I g^ticulatfiOj iiflttey be npt healed, they be not forgi-v&WXlA fo thou^rt in a miferable condition. Therfore, dpenot fay, though I fin againe andagaine, yet God is mcrcifull, and, I hope ready to forgive. It is very true • but thou muft know, that he is never mcrcifull to for-give, but he is asieadytotealc arid cure thy firisKke. Wife.; therefwed^iVeBotyoiirfelyes inthar.

Onlyi>£fcre! I paflfefrom this point, miftak'e me not, my meaning is not, that it is fo healed, that there isjiot the leaft vigour kft in it, that it is fo dead & buried that thovtflmU never heate of fe?againe, that thefpring of o- % mortified, ^I^ri^lic6r r i^tiori fed»od up^ijhat none ofitipldfsbut, the meaning is^ it is: healed, thatls^ Sinis pulled downe ]',

A a 2 from

Caution

Sin may

rcmaine 3

;though

A New Creature, tthat.

from his Regency, it may aflaulc thee, as a Rebcll, but it comes no more as a Lord, as a King ; it is put out of pofleflion, it may creepe in as a Thcef e 5 but it comes no more as the owner of the houfe 5 fortius is refigncd up to grace and the New Creature, Sin creepesin, as it were, but there is another Mafter of the houle, fo that now thou may eft fay, Jdoe it not , butJimetbdt dwtRetb in me, that is, that creepesin. thy denomination is from that, that bcares rule in thy heart ; for that is all that is done in Regeneration. Sinne is put out of pofleflion, and Grace is now the Ruler, the Lord of the heart $ therefore we may fay, it is healed, that is, it is fo (hut out, that thou haft dominion over it, it may affault thee now and then, it may overcome thee now andthen, tut it dwelsnot in thee, thou never entertained it as a gucft, thou never biddeft it welcome, thou never raakeft peace with it, thou haft perpetuall wane with it, as there was with tiit^Am&Ukitts.

Againe, corrupt nature muftMelefletttd, weakened, and mortified 5 fo there muft be more than nature in thee $ that is, shou mbft be able todde raort than any natural man in the World candoe,or tharfthfcu waft ever able to do before this change was wrought in theej for,you muft know,Grace doth not only mortifie and heale fin,but it goes beyond the power of nature;as we fay, Phyficke helpes where Nature failes, and Art helpes where Nature fals fhort: Such a thing is Grace where Nature failes, there is ufe of Grace, indeed elfe what were the efficacy of the Word, andthevcrtue of the Spirit, and the power of Chrift < If they did notenable a man to dot more than nature doth. Grace

comes

A New Creature, ^hat.

comes from an higher Well-head than Nature, therefore it raifeth a man to an higher pitch than Nature can afcend to. Therefore confider, if thou haft that which goes beyond nature ; Samtfon had a ftrength beyond Nature, he could doe what a common man could not doe, but God being with him, he had more than the ftrength of Nature. How do we know that c He was able to carry away the gates of the City, &c, which none elfe could do s therefore there was in him ftrength above Nature: Now examine, canft thou doe that which no man elfe can doe that is a mecre natural! man tr Thou muft have a ftrength put into thee, which none can reach to,that hath nothing but Nature in him, [ that is/ranft thou love the Lord Ielus & the Saints? An Hypocrite can counterfeit many things, but not love. Againc, canft thou delight in the Law of God, in the Inner man, I aske not if thou canft approve of it, but canft thou delight in it, counting it as meat and drink to ! doe the will of tbj father ? this is a thing which cannot be counterfeit. So,canft thou deny thy felfe?Iask nor, lif thou canft deny this or that particular finne, but the 1 whole body of fin, if thou favoureft the things of the 1 Spirit, if thou canB morttfie the deeds of the body > and walke according to that Spirit. In a word, whatfo-j ever it is, if thou art a New Creature, thou muft finde thy felfe able to do that which no naturall man can do, and which thy felfe could never doe before^ for,other-wife what wilt thou have to anfwer for thy felfe, when the deftroying Angcll fhall come, if hee finde not in thee more than Nature, the deftru&ion {hall pafleon thee, as it was in the Takeover , except there was found bloud on the doore-pofts, they dyed for it: Now the

Ser.IV.

Love cannot bee counterfeited.

Aa 3

bloud

\6i

A New Creature, Tthat.

Ser.1V.? bloud thac this deftroying Angell muft fee, whenhc

-(hall parte over the world, is thac which is more than

Nature. You muft know the bloud of Chrift leaves an impreflion, Their garments were made white in the bloud oft he Lamb* ; that is, not onely the guilt of fin is taken away, but a new vertue is put on them, a new efficacy is put into them, and if thou haft not the vertue of the bloud of Chrift, as well to purge thy confeience from dead wor kes, as to take away the guilt of fin $ all is nothing, you muft know all the old world (hall be de-ftroyed, and the workes of it, and whatf oever is in it, vrhattoever is old fhallbedcftroyed ; the Lord will fpare nothing but what is'new, He makes a new Heaven % And a new Earth ^ and what is new (hall be fpared* when he comes to take an examination of men,and findes nothing but old in thee,, thouart fure to be deftroy ed • if thou be new he will fpare thee, there is a blcffing there, this is the raarkc in the forehead, this is that new Name, this is that certaine watch-word, which if a man know nor 3 he is counted as an enemy: you have a fafliion fom-times ro give markes, if they have that raavkc,that token in their hand, they are knowne to be of them that arc allowed. So there is a certaine fealing of men to life,God gives a new name,a white fione with a new name written on it y which none can readebut Cod and thy felfe; I fay,cxcept thou art a new Creature (for that is the new name) the Deftroying Angell (hall not fpare thee, but thy fins (hall be caft on thy confeience, asufuallyhe doth when thou art on thy death-bed; he never bindes the burthen till then, you have it before, but you never feelc it till then, but when God (hall charge it on thy confeience, what wilt thou fay f If thou findeft not

theft

A New (/cature y *tokat

thefe two things,a weakning of this old naturc,an healing of fin, and fomething more than Naturc,thoucanft not apply the comfort of Iuftification, thou art not in Chrift, for thou art not a new Creature, which con-fifts of thefe two parts,Vivification and Mortification. So much for this point-So wc have done with this,that Iuftification and San&ification are infeparable; all this is drawne from the conjun&ion, Whomever is in Chijl is 4 New Crcdture,2 they arc not disjoyned, if you have one, you have the other.

N ow this is further to be obferved, // he muft bee a New Creature^ then hee muft hdve a new Nature •> Hee muft have another Nature,for he is nude another man, that is, he is fo altered, as if he were another man, as if another Soulc came to dwell in that body $ therefore, there muft be another Nature.

Againc,it muft be a ?{£*> ere Mure ) therefore wee mttft obfervc fomcthing from that word New.

And fourthly,we will obferve f omethiag from this, that it is a Cresture, and fo is created by God, no man is able to doe it.

Andlaftofall, the order; Rmin Chrift y and then a New Cresture.ThcR be the foure things we have to do.

Firft,therc muft be in thee another Nature, that is,it is not enough to be altered in this and that particular, but thou muft have another Nature 5 for you (ball find, that when a man is in Chrift,the whole nature is chang. ed, Li$ns be turned into Lambes, that is, the very Nature is altered. A Lion doth not carry himfelfc like a Lambe, and remaincsaLion ftill; nor a Serpent like a Dove, and remaine a Serpent ftill 5 but the Lion is turned into a Lambe,that is,thcre is.another nature given s % Pet.i .4.

Aa 4 Wee

J65

Sbr.IV.

Obf 2.

Obf. } . Obf. 4.

Obf 5.

Obf 1.

Thofe that arc in Chrift have another Nature.

Sbr.IV.

I

When a thing is -faid to be naturall.

2 It is received from parents.

Cattm

A New Creature, Tbhat.

We are made psrtakers of the divinewture: there is the very word ufed, that is, we have another nature given like the nature of God, and it hath in it all the properties of Nature. As how will you know when a thing is naturally You may know it by this that is natural!, not which is begotten by precedent a&ion, but when the faculty is infufed, and then weexercife the operations of ir. So it is in all the faculties of Nature, you have fir ft a fenfe of feeing given you before you fee; In the things that arc not naturall, there the a&ions go before the thing, before the faculty or habite; as 3 when a man learnes any thing, thatis not natural!, as to play

on a Lute,or any other Art, he doth many a<aions,and then he hath got the habit y and when he hath gotit,hc doth it eafily, for what is naturall is planted in a man; fo is this, it is planted in the heart,' as the Senfes are, it is infufed into the Soule a and then we excrcife the operations of it; fo that it is another nature, it is juft as the thing thatis naturall.

Againe, Nature is that whicl^we receive from our Parents,and whcreby # we are made like to our Parents. As the Sonne is taken from the Father, and is made like him • fo this New Creature is wrought by God *3nd by it, we are made like him. Therefore, Chrift is faid to be formed in us ^ I tr&vell in birth till chrift be formed in j oh: that is,till the Holy Ghoft do change the whole Soule into another Creature 5' fo as it is made like Chrift in every thing, as the Son is like the Father 5 only the difference is in the degrees, as the Son diffcreth from the Father in degrees, yet he hath all the lineaments of the Father, foyouarebornc of Chrift, and are like him • Borne, not of the will of man, nor of the rviS

■ »JL

AT>{ew Creature^ fthaL

of the flejh, but of the will of GOD, if you bee New Creatures.

Againe, that is Nature, which is common to the whole Species, to the whole kinde^ what is not naturall, one man hath, and another man wants, and this we finde in the New Creature, the whole kindCj that is, all the Saints that arc living in all places, they have the fame Nature in them, that is, they have the fame fpirit in them, though they be a thoufand miles afun-der, though they never faw one another,yet they may know one anothers mindes, for one minde dwcls in them 5 when one minde dwelsin divers, they be of the famedifpoficion, fo this nature is common to them all.

Againe, what is Nature it cannot be altered againe a for that is the property of Nature, it ftill flicks by us, and will not be canged 3 bur,as Arijlotle obferves,throw a ftone up a thoufand times, it will returne againe, be-caufe it is the nature of it to returne 5 fo what is the na -ture of a man, put him from it an hundred times, and an hundred times ag line over, yethereturnestoita-gdne, becaufe it is naturall to him: Soit is with this New Creature, when the heart is once framed aright, though the Saints are fometimestranfporced, though fometimes they are not like themfelves, though feme-times ftrong lufts Ieadethem captives, yet they returne againe, though it were an hundred times done 5 for na ture will not be put off, you cannot lay itafide againe.

Laftofall, Nature is a thing that cannot be taught, no more can this New Crcaturc,no man can teach you tabe New Creatures. Arts may be< taught, and things not naturall may be taught, but this no man can teach you. We may fliew what it is to be a New Creature,

we

Ser.IV.

3

It is common to the whole ktnde.

4

It cannot be altered.

5

Ic cannot be taught.

}66

Ser. IV.

A New Qrtature, Tthox.

Vfil.

Not to defer com, mine to Gol

we may declare it to you, but God muft doe it. Indeed he cals it Teaching,but it is fuch a teaching(as I told you) heteachcth Bees and Aatsto doc after their kinde, he teachcth the Storke and other creatures to do thus and thus, that is, he puts into them an inftinft to doc fo: In this fenfe he tcacheth ihec to be a New Creature, he puts an inftinft into thee. All thefe properties are in Nature ; thcrfore we may conclude, whofoevei is in Ghrift muft have another nature. We will now make ufcof it.

There be many things profitable arifing from this, that there muft be another nature,

Firft, then learnc hence, not to defcrrc comming to God, becaufe if Repentance were nothing elfe, but an | abftinence from the a&s of fin, a refolution to change yourcourfes, and a feconding of it with fome futablc endeavours, you might goe farrc, and it may bee, come in hereafter, when you will your felves: but if it be another nature that is required, take heed of reiu-fing, when God will come and make an offer to tbec, becaufe another nature is required. What wilt thou do? Put cafe thou hadft never fo much warning before thou dieft,if thou Ywi&Ezekitbs warning,if thou hadft fifteene yeares given thee, art thou able to change thy na ure i What then art thou bold on 1 Whydoft thou defer toturneto God i Whenever God cals for thee, there muft be beauty in thee, thou muft have (as I may (ay) a countenance well favoured in fome degree 5 now if thy face be but befmeared with dirt, thou mayeft waft it off, but if it be the changing of a Black-moores skin,how wilt thou do that + Cm the bUck> moorc thtngt bU skin ? Therefore,feeing it is achaogcof Nature, be not too fecure : Tbinkc not thus (for itistheonely

thing

A New Creature, Tt>hat.

Good,

purpofc*

thing that keepes men from commingto God; I will Sbr.IV. come in, but k fliall be hereafter, I will goe yet a little J"" further ; this is a very dangerous cafe, becaufeitisa' changing of nature tlfat is required, and no Creature in Heaven and Earth is able ro doe this. Therefore,when thou commeft to die, or when any crofle comes, thou mayeft be willing to changc,and thou mayeft take pur-pofes to thy (elfc ; but doe we not fee by exp?rience,in j ,n * xtr <-fuch cafes, the Nature is not altered,doe not all returne | Slmcuuc to their by as, there is not one of a thoufand but doth it,! becaufc it is a forced a&ion. Now a ftonc forced upward returnes againe, fo there be many forced adions io time of Temptation, and the houre of death, but (till the nature is the fame, therefore men returncagaine. Therefore know this very heart of thine, the very nature of it muft be altered, it mad be changed into a light ayric vapour,thatmay afcend,elfe it will not hold out, and thou (halt have ao comfort from ir, and when it is turned into an ayrie vapour, it muft bee done by \ a light and heat that comes from heaven : So muft thy ! heart, it is the Holy Ghoft that muft doe it, it isoncty the Author of Natur*that can change Nature, he that \ made it can renew it. And asoncly fire begets fire, fo \ onely the Spirit begets the qualities called the Spirit 5 1 the Holy Ghoft muft breathe this breath of life in thee. This is a thing not cbnfidered, thcreforcyou are bold to put it off; if the Holy Ghoft were at thy command, if hee would breathe when thoulifteft, it wercano-ther cafe, but he breathes when and where he liftcth, nothing is-fo free as the will of the Spirit, he breathes whete he lifts : That it is no more in thee to alter him j than the winds, when they blow to the Eaft,canft thou;

caufe i

The vrork ofikcSpi ritfrce.

;6S

sTr.iv,

A New Creature, Ttb&t.

caufe it to blow to the Weft, no more canft thou alter the will of the Spirit: Thereforctake heed of refufing the offer• when the Lord will offer, it is a dangerous thing to refute. •

What the Lord bad them in the Gofpell to doc, he is ready to doe himfelfe 5 When you cotnc into a Citie, of fer peace, if they will receive it Jo it is, let it come on them ^ but if they willnot, Hay not there, let them go,jbake off the duft of your feet agtinjl them • fuch a people (hall pctifli. Confider that, and fee if the Lord be not ready to doc it himfelfe. If he make an offer, as he did, when he gave his Dlfciples this command $ take heed that hegoenot away in anger, he knocks at thy heart againe and again, take heed that he go not away in wrath. It is the Lords manner, no man knowes the time of his offer, fome-times at the third, fometimes at the fifth, and Sometimes at the laft houre • the time is not in thy hand, but whenfocverhe offers take heed of refufing, for if he growes angry, he turnes no more, When hefha/lfweare in his wraths &c. PJ4L9 $.tdt> that is a place worth con-fidcring.

The Apoftlc perfwades them not to defer Repen-\ tance, # but to come while it is to day, /put it not off$ and he gives them two reafons, Left you be hardned through the deceitfulnejfe offinne, that is, you will not be a We to come in.fin will harden you^againe,left the Lordfweare in his wrath^as he did to the Ifraelijes. Now, you muft •marke, they offended him, once, twice, and thrice,ftill the Lord bore with them, they were rebellious at the Red-fea, and prefently after, yet this the Lord bore with, but there was a time when the Lord will beare with them no longer, yet they lived many yeares

after,

A X^ew Creature, Tt>b*t.

afteir,tbenhe fware in his vvrath,and then they were de. ftroyed. It is true, the Lord is not fo angry for every refufing and fin, which thou committeft, but when he comes ro fweare,there is no retracing of it then 3 whet -foever you find an oath in the Scripture, there is no rc-fervation r when he fware, he never returned againe. Therefore take heed of angring the Lord Iefus,though he be the Saviour of the world, yet kifft the Son left hit beangrj. Take hecde of defer ring/or achangeof Nature is rcquired,which is a thing that thou canft not do, but the Lprd muft doe it,

Agaiqq, if it be a change of Nature, I will but urge this a little.

Then we may learnc hence to know, that all the dc-fircs that comes from Nature arenothing, for that is riot to have another Nature : They are Bhwers, that have a beauty in them, butthcyarethe Fiomrs of tit Graffe, fubjeft to corruption, as well as the ftalke on which they grow, therefore God accepts them not.

Againe, it is' not Morall Vermes, for that is not changing of Nature, for they may bee got and loft againe.

Againe, it is not the Tranfient a&S of Holineflc which the Holy Ghoft workes in the heart, when hee comes as a paffenger for a night,or as a Sojourner for a moncth or two,but he muft come to be an Inhabitant, and foas the Soule is in the body, to make the Nature another Nature.

Laft di all, it is not any good In tendons, any good Defircs, any good purpofes,but another Nature, Therefore, take heed that you doc not deceive your

f elves,

3^_

Ser.1V.

Vfe

e.i.

Content not your felvcsWith any thing if this be wanting. Al the dc-fires that come fro nature are nothing.

2 Morall

Venues.

Tranlienc afts of holinefle.

4 Good intentions, and pur-pofes,

A New Qreature y what*

felves, and that is a thing we arc exceeding apt to bee deceived in,becaufe we have other purpofes we thinke all is well t thisweemuftlooketo, for there bee many times when men are very prodigall of good purpofes, as when they come to receive the Sacrament, or m time of apprehenfion of death, or it may be you will purpofe to leave fin, when you havefmarted for fome fin you have committed 5 you then meane to alter all, and you thinke you are well, becaufe you have other defires and purpofes in you,but it is not fo, there muft be another Nature, that is, thefe purpofes G o t> tt-| gards as nothing, for indeed they arc worth'fiothihg, j when there are new purpofes, and the old Nature Con. J tinues ftill, they come to the birth, and when they ! have done fo, There is mftrength u Bring forth y that is, I when the purpofes axe new, and the nature oId,they are I not able to dwell there, but it is like a new f eeec in an i old garment, that is, old nature is not able to fute with \ new purpofes, but the pcece brcakes forth, and the rent J is greater than it was. So ufually it is, when we have \ the old nature, and take new purpofes, there is not a | futablentffe, and the rent is made greater than it was. I A man returnes againe to fin,and is worfe than he was 5 j but when there is another Nature,as well as other purpofes, then the purpofes live there, as Creatures live in their owne Element, and as branches live and grow on their owne roots, but when purpofes are holy and good, and the naturcbad, they are as Plants planted in a foile not proper to them, where they will not grow nor profper, becaufe the foifc is not furable to them : therefore let m not content our.fdves with thefe g6od J Purpofes and Tranfient At5te, there butt bee another

A Ntw Creaturtyf^bat,

171

\

ther Nature. For thefe good purpofes^what arc they but as bloffbmesnipt with untimely frofls ? they may make a f aire (hew, and come to nothing, as a tree that promifeth largely > hath bloflomes very faire, but you /hall finde no fruit on it; fo it is when Nature is not good : There is fo much in Nature, that Is in a man not fan#ified 3 that he hath thefe two thingss

Fir ft, he may approve of the Law of God* And fecondly have a defire to be faved. $

Put thefe two together, Approbation of the Law of God, and Defire to be faved ; they will bring forth a purpofe of change of life, they are able to doe that, but now the heart is not changed : As in Deutero-nomit the fifth Chapter, and the nine and twentieth Verfc you {hall finde an expreflion of it there, when <JMofes told the people, that God would fpeake to them by a man iikc thcmfclves 5 they made a faire promife that they would do all that the Lord com. manded them: UM$fes anfvvered them, You have faid well • But, O: that thtrt were an hurt in this people to ketftJJods Commandements, and to doe them, that it may goe well with them and their children. As if hce had faid, I know you fpeake no more than you thinke, 1 know that you are refolved to doc* what the Lord will appoint, but you # have your old hearts ftill: Oh that then were .an heart there.

So they that take new Purpofes to themldves, it is J well: but we may fay, O that therewere in them an j heart! Folk fares with men in this cafe, as with them f fpoken of in Scripture • one fad, hee would got into the

Vineyard > and did not.

It

Ser.IV.

Naturall men may appprove of Gods Law.

J7»

Seh.V.

• t ;

A New Creature,V>hat.

It is a frequent caie, when men fay, they willgoc > into Gods Vineyard, they doe not, becaufe they are not able, till they have another Nature : It is an intent above their ftrength -therefore content not your felves with Purpofcs.

- •

FIFTH SERMON VPON

THE NEW CREATVRE.

]

Look thit good per formances be natural to you.

2 COR. 5.I7.

Therefore if a man be in Qhriji y let htm bee a New Creature.

Htrdly,if this be required of every man, that he have another Nature, then we muft lead you a (Up further than wee did before, you muft not onely, not content your felves with good purpo. fes and defires, W more than that, withgoodand holy anions: Itis not enough that you doe the anions ihatare holy and good, that your lives be holy an.d good in great me afure, ; or for a fir, but the Nature muft be altered, that is, jp is not enough that thou excrcifeft meekencfle and temperance, gcntlenefTe

and

•

A New (feature y Tt>kat.

and humility, but thou muft be an humble man, and a meckeman, a man lowly in fpiric,of afobcr and temperate dtfpofition, thy very nature muft be turned into this 5 that is, thefe graces muft be fo incorporated into thee, as if they were con-naturall to thee: therefore it is faid of David, not only that he did what was good, and Gods will, but he had an heart after Gods heart: fo it muft be true of all the Saints, for God delights not but in the heart: Therefore in Pfal. 5 1.6. Thouloveft truth in the inner parts, therefore haft thou taught mew if dome in the fecret of my heart: that is, though the'out-ward performances be good in thcmfelves, yet thou delighteft not in tbem, that which thou delighteft in, is to h3ve another Nature, to have truth in the inward parts • that is, when the inward frame of the heart is al-tered,when that is fet aright,therefore thou haft taught piewifdomein my hidden parts, in my heart, thou haft not oncly given roc wifdomc to behave my felfc well abroad in my adions and carriage, but thou haft made me wife in the fecret of my heart.

It is faid oilojhua, he had another Spirit, elfc he had not come into that Land: therefore fee if thou haft fuch a change in thy heart,that thoudoeft not only do good things, but that thou doeft them in that manner, that thou doeft naturall anions, that is, in fuch a manner, that thou canft not but doe them, as llohn^.p. They cannot finne, for they are home of God. They have ano-thcr nature, what followcs on that * Therefore they cannot fin, as a man cannot doeagainft Nature, they cannot doe any thing againft the truth.

Againe, on the other fide, they cannot cbufe but do good, as a man cannot chufe but do that which is naturall to him. Bb Doe

373

SfiR.

Sir. V.

J New Creature, "bint.

£»fft»

How to know oui nature is altered.

I

; It iseu-ftomc.

Doc not fay, ThisRuleisftri<a,whocanheareit? Doc wc make it ftraiter than the Holy Ghoft doth * What elfe is the meaning of if, Whomever u in Chrifl, ti d New Creature ? that is, hath another Nature . all we doe, muft come from another Principle, which is the fame to thee now, which Nature was before, all muft be altered; as we fay of Creatures, that which is dogs-meat, is afheepes poyfon 5 fo it is true of men, when the Nature is changed, there is not only an alteration of a<2s,but what was his meat before, is now his poy-fon I and what was poyfon to him before, is now his delight, it is that he feeds on.

But you will fay, How /hall I know when my Nature is altered i It is a matter of great moment, no man can be faved without ir, and it is nothing to have holy purpofes, defires, and adions^ but the Nature muft be altered -therefore it ftands us in hand to know it.

You fliall know it briefly by this: Firft,whatyou doe naturally,you do itconftantly, you doe it ordinarily : for Nature is a conftant thing. In things not natural], there may be much inequality, they may continue for a time,and belaid afide againe, as a peeceguilded over, long wearing will weare offche guilt 5 but what if the Lead or Silver be turned into Gold f Tnen it will bee ftiil the fame: fo it is with the man, whofe nature is changed, he will be conftant, the fame nature will hold out and continue. A Wolfe that puts ona SheepeS clothing, may bee like a Sheepe, but is not turned in to a Sheepe; we are turned into Sheepe, as Chrift turned Lions into Lambes, Serpents into Doves, that is, he alters the very nature, when that is done, then a man is alway like himlelfe,indeed he doth it by dcgrees,as you

(hall

A New Creature, Tt>bat.

(ha!i heare hereafter, but he is ftill the fame. There-fore confider what conftancy, what evenncfle, what equality is in your Nature $ for if there be another nature given you, if you be other men, youdocnotaft another perfon,for then you may be ready to put it off, and lay itafide, but your nature is altered, and fo your carriage will be conftant,

Againe, what is naturall to thee, is pleafant, becaufe indeed all plcafure is nothing clfe, but a futablenefle to our Narure. Let the nature be what it will be; any thing futable ro ic will be pleafant: Therefore it is a conclufi. on the Philofophcrs had, that, that light which is Con-venientipma nature , is the pleafanteft light* Now if thou have another nature, all the wayes of God will be pleafant to thee, // will be meat anddrinkeie theeto dee bu will.

Againe, if it be naturall, thouwiltaotbcfubje&to wearineffe. Another man is ftill going up the hill, when he isabouc holy duties, and growes weary, and fits downe, and is not able to continue- butwhatwe dor naturally, we are not weary of5 The eye is not weary with feeing,northe tarewith hearings becaufe it is naturall: The affiduity Of holy duties, wearieth out any man that hath another nacure • but let the nature be altered, and he holds out, they be Co t arrc from wearying him,that theyabilitate him, th^y make him more able, he burthen growes lighter, and the way more eafie, when to another man it is hard, and he cafts it off

Againe, if it be naturall, it wiilour-grow the contrary, it will weary it out 5 for Nature is neercr to as, than that which is adventitious. Sin is put out of pof-feffion,a mans felfe is altered, fin doth not dwell there,

Bb 2 but

Ser. V.

2 It is pleafant:

3

It is unwearied.

3,

It will wear e'out that that is contrary,

Sk*. V

Simile.

Ob\tti.

Two

things in a new nature.

A New Creature, Tbkat*

but it comes in there. Now there is another nature which weares it out, as a Spring doth mud, let mud fall into a Spring, it will worke it our, for it is a living water, ftill working. So if a mans nature be changed, if a man fall to finne, yet there is a Spring, and that nature will returne againeand againe, and workeitour, if not to day, it will to morrow,becaule there is a Spring there. Againe, where thereis not a New Creature, it will never leave fetling till it have corrupted the whole.

But an Obje&ion will come in, I cannot finde this change of nature, I finde that the fins I delighted in before, 1 delight in ftill • thofe evill inclinations which I had before, I have them ftill, I finde not fuch an inward alteration, I finde that lean fuppreflcthem, and re-ftraine them, but the change of nature I findenot.

This is a great Objection, and needs an anfwering.

To this therefore I anfwer, two things thou fhalt finde in thy felfe,if thy nature be changed, if thou have another nature in thee, though there be fomething in thee, that doth like the objects of thine owne lufts, yet there is fomething in thee that abhors them, though there be an inclination that carries thee towards them, •yet there is a contrary inclination that refifh them, fo there is fomething ftill that comrades and oppofeth them.

And that is not all, there is, befides this, a weakning of the vigour which before they had, there is not that ftrength in them that was before. So that there are two things in every man that hath a new nature: Firft, though-there be much of the old there, yet it is excee. dingly weakned and mortified. And fecondly, there is much new that was not there before. In every facuJ-

A New £re<ttnre, lt>hat.

]77

Similie.

ty there is f omething new, that puts a good tincture, 1 s ^r. v. a beauty, and glofle on every a&ion thou doeft 5 fo as though thou doe much of the old, yet not fo much as thou didft before, and thou doeft much that thou couldft not doe before. Therefore be not difcouraged, though there be fome inclinations left ftill, yet the ftreame is weakned, the vigour is abated: and againe, there is a contrary ftreame that oppofcth, rcfifteth, and overcommcth it. It may be at the firft, thou may* eft finde it more difficulty but in continuance thou fhalt find it more evident.I cannot better reft mble it to you, than by a man newly recovered out of fickneffe, take a man that is newly recovered, as foone as his difeafe begins to lofc his ftrength, and health begins to enter, the health is exceeding little at the firft, but you (hall finde this in fuch a man, that health is in every parr, and y ou (hall find it will grow ftill and get ground. And againe, although a man be exceeding weake, not able to goe out of his chamber 5 not able, it may be, to goe out of his bed, yet the ficknefle is gone and fubdued, and health hath got the vi<3ory ;fo the ficknefle growes weaker and weaker, and health ftronger and ftrongcr: fo Sincerity is the leaft of all Graces at the firft, and growes to be the greateftat the end: therefore, though there be the fame inclinations in thee flill,yet it is like a fickneffe when a man is upon point of recovery, when | the health begins to enrer in, there Is a great weaknefle s remaines, but the health over.ballanceth it.

Therefore,be not difcouraged for that, only,be fure that thou finde thofe Inclinations die in thee more and morej and that health growes more and more; for lufts are faid to be mortified, not becaufe they axe a<3ually

B b 3 dead

Sincerity little at the firft,

?7.8

A New Creature^ Tbhat.

Sek. V

rfe4.

To abhor the old nature, g to feek to have ic changed.

Rom.7.*-

dead already, but bccaufc they are dying, a wound is given them,and they will bedead. Amanisfaidto have a new life, becaufe he is growing towards it. fo a man is a New Creature, not becaufe heisperfe&ly new, but that is the end he lookes to.

Fourthly, if vvee muft have another Nature, then furcly, the Nature we had before the old Nature, muft needs be very bad, for nothing is to be changed, but you change it for the contrary • Now if thisbc requi-red as good, the other muft beabhorred as evill: therefore learne, not to excufe your ownc nature, or your fin from ir, but abhorre it $ this is a point of great ufe, anddire&Iy flowing from the words: If another nature be required, the old nature is bad, and muft be ha. tcd,abhorred,and emptied forth: now becaufe men are exceeding apt to excufe thcmfelves from our nature* they think their fin is fo much lefle, becaufe they have a ftrong inclinatioato it. They arq deceivedinthis,for the finnc is fo much the greater y if theSparkebefo much, what is the Fornace within t If the Branches be fo bitter,what is the Root ? Therefore make this ufe of the aftuall fins which you commit, they (hould be as rivers to lead you to the Sea of corruption within you: You (hall fee, the Saints made this ufe of their inward corruptions. Paul, feeing the rebellion of his flefh, it led him to the body of finne, amazed him, he complained before, but when he came tothar,hegrewtoan extremity of complaint, as iftbat were worfe than all thebianches. SoX>4^/Wconfideringhismurther, &c. made him to know what it was to be conceived in fin, for at that time he comes to that complaint in the one and fiftieth Pfalme, I was conceived in finne, and in ivi-

A New (feature ^Tbhat.

quity hath mj mother brought me forth ; 1 fay 5 thefe particular finnes fliould lead us to know our nature. So did lob when he faw what his failings had beene, he lookes tohimfelfc and abhorres him felfe. It maybe, this hath becne taught you, you arc to be humbled for your finnes, and for the evill anions that you have done 5 and this you ought to doe, but we muft lead you further, you muft be humbled for your nature, and indeed this humbles a man,a man is never humble til then-for a man may think his anions bad, & confeflc them, yet he may thinke his Nature is not bad 5 but when he fees that his nature is bad, heabhorshimfelfejnow, humiliation is like that: when a man comes to abhorre himfelfe, it is a greater degree, than for a man to abhor his a&ionsj as it is (aid of lob, he abhorred himfelfe j fo thou muft learne to abhor thy felfc, to abhor that nature that is in thee. We are very backward in this, every man is ready to excufe himfelfe, though I did this and that, it is my nature, but thou muft know that the corruption within,is more than the fin without. Now this humiliation muft not reft meercly in this, to abhor thy felfe,but it muft lead thee f urthcr,to have it renued, as thou wilt never feeke to have another Nature till thou be humble* when thou commeft to abhor

j thy felfe, thou wilt labour for another felfe, and not before, thou wilt then be content,yea defirous that that old heart of thine may be broken in pecces, and that

I thou be made new.

Bur, you will fay. What {hall I doe to have this old Nature made new <

Goe to Chrift, the fame anions hee ufed when hce raifed Lazarus, the fame a&ions he doth, when he

B b 4 raifeth

V9

Sbr. V.

A New Creature, ft>hat.

How to get our natures re-nued.

Feare not falling a-way.

raifeth any to lite-therefore the fame courfcmuft be taken, that was taken tor tikLdzaru* from the dead: What was that '. To beleeve in him. You have in lohn 11.4. it is faid, This is befallen him, that the glory of the Son of man may befeene: that is,that Chrift may be glorified. So the blinde man was faid to be blinde for the glory of God: So it may be faid of the old Nature in man, of the death that hath gone over all mankinde. therefore it is that God may be glorified, that is, may (hew his power in renuing it:Thercfore, as Chrift faid to Mary ,t)id I not fay to thee beleeve? Beleeve only, and thou jhalt fee the power and glory ofGod.So fay I to every one of you 5 only beleeve, that is, goto God, befcech him, and give not over, and beleeve that he is able and willing to do it,and he will not deny thee, he will raife thee from the dead, he will change that old nature of thine y and know it is no fmall matter to beleeve he can doii^LordfaithheJfthou wit, thou canft make me clean. It was a great matter to fay fo: Examine thy felfe, and fee if it be fo with thee, canft thou fay to Chrift, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canft heale this nature and difpofition of mine f Men are difcouraged when they fee fin hath got ground of them, they have had a long combate with ir, and cannot overcome it. It is an hard thing to go to Chrift and hy,Lori,thou canfi make me wbolc-Jbut thou muft beleeve, for he can doe it, and doth it daily, therefore goto him, beg earneftlyof him, and he will change this nature of thine, and make thee a New Creature.

Againc, fifthly, if wee have another nature, then doe not feare falling away, for when a man is made a New Creature once, he hath another nature,if G race

were

A TS(ew Creature, Tbbat.

were nothing but a thing infufed, an adventitious qua-licy,that did only adhere to us,we might lofe it againe, but having another nature, never feare that thou canft be changed to the contrary, for thou haft another Nature. Indeed you muft goe thusfarre, you may lofe Flown (as we (ay) but not Radicem^ aftum, but not Po-tentiam, you may lofe the Flower, the branches may be cut downe,but life remaines in the Root 3 you may lofe the Aft, but not the power, you may lofe the degrees • you may lofe it Gradttdiur^ notTotaliter. And laftly, you may lofe the fenfe, you may have CratUm fine finfu gratU, you may lofe the fenfe of it, but not the thing - you may lofe the ufe, the root and lubftance you cannot- you may lofe the degree, not the whole: that is, when you are once a member of Chrift, there may be a benumming, that may hinder the influence of bloud and fpirits, but fo as it (hall never be gangrcd, it (hall never die againe 5 there may be a cloud on you, but the Sunne (hall never fet on you.

But, you will obje&, Grace of it felfe is of a mutable nature 5 for that which is fubjeft to decay in parr, is fubje& to decay in the whole. Againe, it is a Creature, and every Creature is fubjetft to perilh. Againe, we fee that the Angels and Jdam in Paradife had grace as true as we, yet they fell from it.

Ianfwer, It is true 5 Grace of it felfe may perifh, it is poffible, it may dye, for it is a Cteature, and may periflias well as any other, confidcredinitfelfe, but if wee confider it as united and joynedtoChriftle-fus, fo it cannot faile you y for, you muft know, Grace in every mans heart, is like light in the aire, and like water in the Ciftcrnc: now it is true, if the Sun fer, the

light

382

Sbr. V.

0b\c8.

Anfo.

Grace u-nited to Chrift cannot periih..

J?:

Ser.

V.

A New Qreature, 'tohat.

light will vanifli, and if the Spring flioulddrie up the water, the River would dry up too: buffering the Sun never fets, that is,Chrift never departs from you,whcn he hath taken you to himfelfc, and feeing the Spring never dries up, though grace of it felfe be of a mutable nature, yet by rcafon of that conjun&ion with him, it can never be altered, and thence it is that you cannot fall off. It is true, if we were cut off from Chrift, Grace fhould wither, as the Branch being cut off from the Root, but being knit to him, theSapmuft be in the Branches, becaufe it is in the Root, and life will be in the members, becaufe it is in the Head: therefore, we fay, no man can fall from Grace* bc-I caufe heccannotbeecutoff, once on, and never off, once his, and never feparated againe, as Rom. 8. 35. The Apoftle goes through variety of things, that j may feeme to be able to feparatcus, but nothing can, and feeing nothing can feparate you, you fhallbave alway Sap, that is 3 Grace, it (hall never be taken from you, when once you have it. So that if a member may be cut offfrom Chrifts body, it might perifli and dye, but as Chrift dyes no more,(bevery one in Chrift dies no more; Rom. 6. p. Chrijldyes no more^fi every one in him dyes no more ; that is, he lives as Chrift lives:There-tore, if there can be no disjunction from Chrift, thou maytft comfort thy fclfe, thou (halt have grace for ever. Therefore comfort your felves, my Brethren, with thefe wordSjdo you regard an Inheritance above a Leafe, becaufe an Inheritance is a conftant thing i Doe you regard Pearles above Flowers, becaufe they will not wither i Why then doe you not get Grace, which is fo conftant a thing. Be not difcouraged, giuc not

A New Creature, >W,

&

over your fight -, for feeing Grace (hall never have an end in you, you (hall be fure to overcome, you may have many an hard bickering, but you are fure to hold out, Difcouragemcnt is a great meanes to make a man fie ftill • I (hall never get victory over my fins, and then I fhall be cue off, No,icisimpoilible, whenitisonce planted, it (hall grow, thou (halt have the viftory.

Sixthly, if comming to Chrift, we (hall haveano. ther nature,thenbe not difcouraged to fet upon fo holy a work. Indeed, if this neceflity were laid on thee, to ferve God in newneffe of life with an old heart,it were an hard task,and very intolerable, thou hadfl: reafqn to fitdowne and never attempt if. But this is for comfort, Thou (halt have another nature; AH difficulty arifeth from difproportion, bctweene the faculty and the ob-je&, or the thing to be done. As for a man ofa (hallow underftanding,tobe put to ftudy an hard ihing,the difficulty is,thereis no proportion betweenchisuhderflan-dii>g and theburthen of the thing.lay agreat burthen on a childe,and he cannot bcare it,but were he as ftrong as the burthen, it were nothing. If Godfhould impoic on thee newntfle of life, and' faffer thee to keepethy old nature, it were an hard task^ and thou wilt never per-forme it,thou wilt find thatdifficulty in it, by reafon of the difproportion bctweenc thy nature and the duty 5 but feeingthou (halt have another nature,be not difcour ragedjgo on with comfort, and remember that the bed nature in the world, if God change it nor, it will not ferve the turne. And the woife nature, if thou thinkeft thou haft a worfe nature than others, if he will change ir,;he is able to do ir, with readinefls and facility,there~ fore be not difcouraged.

Agaioe,

Se«. v.

rfi

*5

Be not difcouraged with the difficulty of any du-

<y«

Difficulty whence it

j84

Se"r.V.

A New Creature ^bat.

vft 2.

A change of nature is a ground of comfort

Two

things in firft fruits

Againe,if thy nature be changed,thou muftbc com. f orted: Comfort your felves in this 3 that you have another nature (and fo we will end this point) for it is a very great comfort, a comfort beyond that which perhaps youiraagine, for the Saintsare too flow,too backward to confider their confolations, their privi. ledges, the glorious condition they are in: therefore glory in that, comfort thy felfe in that, that thou haft another nature given thee.

But, you fay j what benefit have I by that i I will not (land on it, but name one place, lames i. iS.He hath beget m againe with the Word of truth, that rpejhwld be a kiude of firft fruits of his Creatures r that is, he hath given us another nature: And what doc we get by that i by this meanes you are made frimiti^ the firft fruits of his Creatures.

There are two things in that, when wc arc laid to be firft fruits, we arc the crcame and the prime of all his Creatores, as the firft fruits were the creame of all the field, the top of all the Creatures of God; and is not that a glorious condition that this new Nature puts us into that be changed > that it will make you the higheft in that kinde, this is a great priviledge: there is a wonder-full difference betweene Angels aad Devils, one is the top, and the other is the bottome, all the difference is only this, New Nature: therefore, when thou haft a New nature, thou art put into a high and glorious con-dition, and this is the firft fenfe, that we arc New Creatures.

Then there is another, by being the firft fruits, you fan&ific the whole field $ all the world fares the better for you 5 for the firft fruits are, not only tlie

beft,

A New Creature, 'tobat.

bed, but they fanftifie all the reft, that is, all marikinde receives good from you.

When Let was out oiSoiomejx was fet on fire,when the Ifraelites were once out of the red Sea, the waters returned and drowned Pharaoh: So Gods children fan-difie the whole lumpc : therefore you have a great privilcdge by being New Creatures : So much for this, that you mud have another nature.

Now the next point is, there muftbeanewnefle, Whomever U in Chrift y let him be a New Creature: From thence many things are to be gathered > As firft 3 if we muft be New Creatures, then are we redeemed from old cuftomes, there is a lingring in our nature after that we have becne long accuftomed to doe, old haunts are very prevalent. Cuftomc is as an Iron chaine, to tyc us to the things that are evill. Now thou muft be a New Creature, Old Cuftomes are fuch as Chrift died to redeeme thee from; Even from the vaine convention you have received frem pur Fathers. Therefore, you that arc held in any by.wayes, remember that you are bound tobe New Creatures, and take heed th3t cuftome prevaile not with you $ for it is exceeding prevalenr,be^ caufe it is pleafant, as what a man is long accuftomed to, is very pleafanr, for cuftomc breeds another nature, and what is fo futabl'e to us, as things con-naturall with us, and what are fo, are very pleafant,

A man will be:loath to come out of a thing which he hath much beene accuftomed to: Firft, it wins of our Iudgements,or our opinions,and that is the rcafon why young men are not able to judge,and other men that are accuftomed to evill courfifs have judged already, and will not judge againe 5 and by this meanes cuftomc pre.

vailes

f ft f

Ser. V.

Olj. ?•

It muft be a new creature. Confe claries thence.

I That we 3re redee-m ed from old cuftomes.

Cuftome' hath many advantages a-gainft us I. It gains upon our

mems. )

Se"r.V.

A New Creature, what.

i. It is

croublc-fome to alteric 5. Wee plead for

4 . it

breeds

Senfcicf-

neife.

vailcs exceedingly, for it is nptonclypkafant, but it wins of our judgement.

Againe ic is exceeding troublefome to change,whcn a man is accuftomed in a thing, ic is eafic to continue in that courfe, but to go out is troublefome,

And againe, we thinkeitadi£paragemenr,whathave we lived thus long, thus many yeares together jp this traft, and (hall now change it?

And which is worfe than all the reft: Cuftome breeds a fenfekflenefte- Take heed that you be not hard-hed through the dtceitfulnejfe of fin-, that cuftome ;akes not away all fenfe-, Con[uetudofeccanditoltitfenfitmpecan • It is not an eafie thing to leave an old cuftome; but remember,that tfjou be in Chrt/l, yon mufl be New Creatures ; He fhed his bloud toredeeme you from fin,that is, he hath paid a decre price toredeeme you from the bondage of cuftomes, from ysur oldConverfationfhzTC-fore doe not fay you have long done it, and will doe it ftill, Antiqua confuetudo, is nothing elfc but vetuftaa er~ roris : Men do excufe their evill a&ions from their cuftome in t hem,but know it is no good exaife, to excufe fecond errors with a former.

Doeft thou think it a good excufe to (3y,I have done it thus long,and therefore willdo it ftill < Yeeld not to it, but know thou ought ft to be changed, have this ftill in thy minde, thou muft have a new nature, thou art re. deemed from thy oldcuftomes.-and this I fpeak not only to the old,but to the young. I call it old, not becaufe men have long continued in it, but becaufe it is futable to the old nature. You fhould therefore rather make a contrary ufe of it,and be ready to fay,feeing I have continued in fuch a courfc fo long,it is time for me to alter-

it

A !>{ew Creature y fbbal.

it is too much that I have fpcntTo much time amiffe, J have fuffered Chrift to waft,and knock til his head be wet with the dew,he fllal wait no longer, I wi] how of en to him : for therefore arc we New Creatures, that we may be redeemed and freed from thefe old cuftome*.

Secondly, ifthoumuftbenew, then let it not feeme ftrangetothee^that the world wonders at thee 5 for any thing that is new 5 we are apt to wonder ar 3 as at new fiars that have not appeared before,& at newfafhions. This is the Condition of all Saints to be wondn d ar, I and the children whom thou half given me, are as-figms andwon. ders inifraei. If it were among Turkesic were another matter, but it is fo in I'fracL

Be nordifcouraged for this, make account of it, the world will wonder at New Creatures ^.wd let it not fecm ftrange 5 for when thou knoweft -that iU'theworJd lyes in wickedneffe, as in i John 5.19. And knoweft that thou art a New Creature,why wilt thou be difcouraged^Let the Mathtmatitionho. working according to his Art, he drawes lines according to his Rule, if a Countrey-man laugh at him, will he give over and be difcouragedc' He will not doe fo,for he knowes it is the mans ignorance: ,fo if thou approved thy felfe to God, if thou keepeft q good conlcience in dXUhings towards God, and towards ttWtfheworld wilwonderatir,yetthougoeftby Rule, it is their ignorance,it feems ftrange to them,and there-fore they fpeak evill. It is the multitude that doth if,and the multitude dothalway caft fhameon thar,w ch (hamcs theffi: know it is the fafhion of the world todo'e fo, the life of tltc Saints is a fecret cenfurc,now there is no way for the world to helpe.themfelves, but tobkmifh that w iich fhames them> to caft fhame on that, to blemifh that as much as can be. There-

_L 8 L

*5e R. V.

Conftci, p.

Wonder not that .the world j "Wonders at thee. Hay 8.18.

tVhythc world dif-graces rhe Saints.

A New Qreature, what.

SZR.

Therefore the old world doth put away all, that may dilcoverthem : As the Painter when he had pi. ftured a Cocke very ill, commands his Boy to drive a-away all true Cockes from the pifture $ for, faith he, if they come neere it,all men will fee what a bungler 1 am, but if no true Cockes come neere, it may paffe well e. nough: After this manner doth the world, As long as no New Creature comes neere, their oldnefle is not fcene, it is not taken notice of, they doe well enough, but if there be one in a Countrey or Towne, or bne of a Society, whofe courfe is of another fadiion, that hath another life,that is,a New Creature,when he ftands by, the old will appeare, and they will have it driven away: I would the times werenetfuchasthatlncedeprefie this.

Indeed it is a great weakeneiTc to be difcouraged in the wayes of God, and to be aihamedof that which (hould be our glory. It hath alway beene the manner of the world,and that may comfort thee • for the world is as the Sea that cafts out Pearles, but this is my comfort, fome will gather them up, fome know them to be Pearles, and prize them fo, though the world cafts them out as mud, yet the Lord knowes what thou art, The world loves her 0 w«,but what is not like themfclres, the world canncjt love. as the Ethiopians pi&ure Angels blackeand Devils white • fo doth the old world, what is blackelikethemfelves, they reckon beautifull, but they that have the true beauty they honour not, bc-caufe they are not likethem.

Therefore if thou findeft ill entertainemeut in the world, thou rauft know, every New Creature fhall have it : And let me fay this of the old world, that are

ready

J. New (feature, Tbbat.

ready to caft (hame on the new Creatures,you (ay yoa doe it not to the New Creatures, not tathem that are religious, but you doe it to Hypocrites: Let me fay thus much to you before I paffe this point. Thofe Men whom of all others you may thinke not to be New Creatures, may be the beft men $ as a Philofopher an-fwered, and it was a wife anfwer, when an ignorant man asked him, who was an happy man, whereas Men reckon Kings and Princes happy Men ? He anfwered, He that of all others thou thinkeft raoft happy, may be moft unhappy; and he whom thou thinkeft moft unhappy, may be moft happy: So thofe that be difli-ked for the moft part, are thefc New Creatures, and thofe Men fpoken well of, are of another flock, like themfelves.

Thirdly, if we muft be New Creatures, then pull downe all that is old ; for whatfoever is old muft be re. je&ed, a Man muft in every thing be another Man than he was: So as thou mayeft fay, I had fuch a luft, fuch a dilpofition, my delight was in fuch things, fuch Men, fuch company • now lam changed, all is made new. So chat rhy bufineffe is to pull downe now,and to build up, that is the bufineffe ofevei y Man to be ftill plucking downe the old building, whatfoever is old, whatfoever is in thy fclfe, in thy oldfclfc, thou muft be emptied of, and thou muft be new, that is, Thou muft t>urgt out the old leaven ^ : Cor. 5 7. Purge out the old leaven > for chnfl pur Pajpover is offered; Ifthatwasto be done for the fhadow, muft k not be done for the lubftauce * The Apoftlepreffethitfo, Purge out all the old ieaven> all muft be purged, all old things mufl be taken away 3 there was a ft rait charge that they muft

C c fearch

389

Ser. V.

Confett. 1-

Pal downe all that is old.

Ser.VI

Sin like old leaven

Ob)e£i. Anfw.

$£&-

ji New Creature, Tehat.

fearch their houfes, yea, every corner of their cup. board, nor any place fliouldbcleftunfearched, and it was to be done exa&ly, that in the lcaft corner there fhould be no leaven left: So thou muft fearch all the corners of thy heart, all the turnings of thy convention, the old leven muft be purged out all, out of thy un-^erftanding, out of thy tongue, there muft be no more thy old fpeech and language, out of thine eyes, there muft be no more wantonneffe • out of thine eares, every part of the old man, of the old leaven, muft be purged out of the whole Soule, there is noqgeftionof that, and of thy body too 5 all the manner of thy convention muft be holy; all old leaven muft be purged out, becaufe it is old leaven; and you muft kecpethe PaiTcover with that which is new, with new doughy with the New Creature.

For fin is like old leaven, now leaven when it is old is the worft,as every thing gets ftrength from their age, and it is oi that Nature, that if they do not purge it out, it will leaven the whole lumpe: iftherebeanyjotof leaven lefc, it (hall fowre all thy heart. Sin is like a fretting leprofic that will run over all 5 f 0 leaven is ftrong, it fowres quickly and fpeedily.

But you will fay, How (hall I doe th&, then I /hall be free from all fin i

The meaning is 5 thoumuft diflike all 5 fin muft be put outofpoiTcflion, it muft be emptied forth, thou muft be in war with it all, that is, thou muft refift all, if any be not purged out, that thou fuffereft it to lye quietly without rending, it will leaven the whole, therefore purge all out.

But muft all the old bulling be pulled downe; Is

there

A New (feature^kat

there nothing to be left there i What (hall we do with our natural! difpoiitions f

You muft know,that only the oldnefle is to be taken away,but the nature it felfe is to continue,there is much ufe of nature, only you muft know, grace takes away the obliquity,the oldncflc,thc fowreneffeof it^and puts a fweetneffc into it. As a Ship under faile, the wind is profitable to drive the Ship, elfe it will not go, all the matter is in the Rudder,that it be turned the right way. So Nature, the ftrength of Nature, affe<ftions,or what-focver they be, arc like the wind to drive theShip,thou mayeft retaine them, only godlintfle muft fit at the Sterne, the obliquity muft be taken away, the nature muft beleft,thou muft fo pull downe the old building, f har the fame materials may be ufed againe, the natural! affe&ions may continue in thee ftill, but there muft be another Auriga, another to drive them, and that is this newneffe.

For example, a man is naturally fad, he may continue this, the oldnefle of that is, that it fpends it felfe in earthly forrow and worldly difcontent, when grace comes, when the new man comes, it powres it felfe forth in Prayer, Is any man fa J f Let him pray.

So it may be thou at c naturally merry,grace takes not away this difpofitton,but wheras before it wasfpent in vanity«now he thtt is merry fings Pfalmes^Let him that is merry fing Ffalmts-jhdX i*,» mans memnefle is turned to an holy cheerfulnefle, the diflblureaeffe is taken away, but the difpofkion continues fiiiliReltgte eft /^though not^tjfiluta.So it may be thou art ol a tacile nature,bc-fore it was to evil, aj»d fooo drawn away by evil,when grace comes thou muft be facile to good. It may bee

Cc 2 thou

179

Ser.VI

K^fft/W.

Grace tikes not away na-. turc, but the oldnefle ©fit.

J1L

Sbr.YI.

Cortfeft,

Wonder not at the uneven-neffe which is found in the lives of thebefl men.

A New Creature, *»hat.

thou haft a fturdy difpofitiorij full of raetall and courage, whereas before it was to attempt evill things with much violence, now it is fet on good enterprizes with as much zeale, fo there is nothing to be pulled downe, only the oldncfie muft be taken away.

f?f?f*$S|f?<

The

SIXTH SERMON VPON

THE NEW CR.EATVRE.

2 COR. J. 17.

Therefore if a man be in Qirift^ let him lee a New Creature.

Gaine, if we muft be New Creatures, if that muft be the condition of every man to have another new man begun in him 5 then wonder not at the unevennefTe which is found in the lives of the beft of the Saints. For if there be 1 omcthing new, and fome-thing old, (as there is) there muft needs be an uneven-neffe, as where there be two contrary principles, mo-ving two contrary wayes, the body moft needs be moved with tome unevennefle, and ancquality: therefore be notdifcouraged, for that you are not perfeft in all things,

A New Qreatnre, Tbkat.

things, you have fomething new in you, and fomething old • only take heed you be not miftaken in it. For there is a great difference betweene theunevenncfle befalling the Saints, which are New Creatures, and the uncven-neffe in the wayes of the wicked, there is a great difference bet ween the failings that they are fubjed to,who are upright-hearted, and betweene the failings of them that are rotten and not found at heart.

You will ask, how (hall I know the difference t This is the difference:

There be fome men whom Saint /4«w complaincs of in his firft Chapter, that arc unftable in all their wayes, and in the fixth Chapter of Saint Matthew, that have not a fingle eye: if the eye be Jingle, * 11 the body u light 5 but if the eye be double^ all the body is full oj darke* neffe: That is,there are caufes why men walke unevenly, one isbecaufe they arcasinl/v/^ they know not which way to choofe, they are yec in doubt what to pitch on; as a man Handing between two obje#s,& not knowing which way to choofe, but fometimes will be with one, fometimes with the other, according as his different temper guides him,he will not pitch refolutely on either: So it is a double eye, becaufe of the obje&s 5 it lookes on two obje&s, now on one, and now on an. nother $ now it is carried this way,now that way.This is a thing every where condemned in the Scriptuie; but there is difference betweene this and a fingle eye, that hath one obje<ft,that hathchofen God for his God,but foliowes him with much weakncffe,with much imper-fedncfle. this man hath a fingle eye, and hath pitched on God ; another hath two things in his eye, Onething I ig defire, faith David, andenething mil ifeekefer, &c.

Ser. VI,

Objett. Anfw.

Difference betweene uneven-nefTc in the Saints, and in the wicked.

Eye fingle and double.

Cc 3

And

Ser.VI.

Anfw. Ob\t£l.

A New Creature, Tt>bat.

Ob\ett.

Relu-ftance i* the Saints when ihey fin.

And I have chofen to run the way of thy Commande-ments. So all the Saints, one thing theytfcfire which they pinch on, they have refolved to fcrve God with a pcrieca heart s another man is unrefolvcdandknowes not which to choofe, therefore is to and fro, off and on, now very forward, and then backward, religious in a good mood, and then off againe. This you muft take heed of, for here you ought to bedifcouraged, this is not our meaning, when we fay you muft not be difcouraged for your unevenneflTe.

But how (hall I know it, a little further t

By this, if your eye be fingle, that you have chofen that one way, that you have pitched on ir, that you be more than in Mquilibrio^ where the ballances hang even,you (hall know it by this,the failings ofthe Saints are never in that degree that theirs are, that have not found hearts, that is, luch a man though he ferve God for a fit, yet when heisoffagainc, he is like a mm in a Mask, he is no more the fame man he was, but there is a broad alteration betweene what he was before, and what he is now. The Saints in their worft ftate have a tin&ure of holineffe, a threed of Skarlet runs through their whole Iives$ after they are once changed, they never fall in that degree, they have a feed in them that will never let them go fo far.

Bar, you will fay, this is a notion^ how (hall we {ee it by experience *

Thus; they never lye fo long when they fall into a fin, they arc not well, and they fhew it by rcfifling a. gaine, they cannot continue in it: for there is a cerraine reludance againft it, that raifes tbem againe, they fall fornetimes into ill company, fomctimes in wayes of

wicked-

A New (jeature^kat.

V9

wickedneffe fomctimes into dcadneffe of fpirit • but they are not content with this, they are like men out of their owne element. Another man for the fits of his re-ligion is out of his element, and is never well till he be fetled in his owne Center againe; you fee it by Saul, Saul had very good fits when he perfecuted David, furely he was in good earned when he faid,he would do it no more,and David was more righteous than he, he wepr, and his heart melted, but he was fick of ir,he was out of his element. The Saints have certaine fits, but they are fick of finne, the other are fick of the good, neffe and godlineffe which they have, and are never well till they be fct at liberty againe, that they may walke againe in their old waycs, lb there is great difference in their degrees,

Againe, fuch a man, faith Saint lames, is unjlable in alibis wayes, that is, a man whofe heart isuprighr,there is fomc inequality to be found in his life, fomeune. vennefle, yet it is but now and then, and by accident as it were, becaufe the graces he hath be true, and good, and though fometimes he fals, it is but by accident. Take a true Drug, and a falfe and counterfeit Drug 5 when ever you will put a falfe Drug to trial], it will not worke. Take a Drug that the Apothecary gives you, it may have the colour and frnell of a true one, it may be you cannot tell how to finde it out, but in working you may, if it be falfe it workes not; So take a Bow that is rotten, draw an arrow to the head, and it is fure to j brcake ; this fimilitude the Scripture uftth, Theyflarttd afide like a broken bow, that is, when I put you to trial), you flye back, for you are rotten;* So thofe that are not found, it is not their ftabiliry that makes them go,

Cc 4 on

Ser,

A New Creature, T»hat.

men doe good it is Tor want oftempta tion.

Sb R.VJ.j on in the wayes of God for a time, but want of tempta-Whenevill c * on t0 P ut r ^ ern t0 lt ' V\xluda& toir,put Saulto ir,and you (hall quickly findethem: But take a true drug, or. dinarily it works well,but by accident it may not work: A good Bow may be broken, by accident 5 fo a grace that is true and right, may fometimes faile of working. I cannot better exprefTe it, than by this fimili-tude: Take a (hip bound to a certaine Haven, ir pitches there, the Compaffe is to fet the right way, but it may be carried away by crofle winds, yet there is a ccr. taine Haven which it tends to:Sorthere is acertaine Haven, which all the Saints of God goe to, howfocver they are tranfported by temptations and lufts, yet the Compaffe ftands the right way; Another is carried afide by unccrtaine winds, ( for that is a Scripture fimi-litude^} that is, there is the winde of a good mood carrying them towards God, let them be turned, they goe another way, they are not bound to acertaine Haven, they are not pitchr, the others arc carried afide by accident, fometimes they miftake the way, fometimes they fall and flip in the way, but that is their journey they travell to Heaven.

Laftof al), thofe that are uneven- outoffalfencfle of heart, and not wcakneffc of grace, they never bring forth fruit. I findc that to be the Scriptures Rule in the eighth Chapter of Saint Luke, in the Parable of the Seed, you (hall fee, it is faid of the third ground, which went furtheft of the three, that it brought not forth fruit; for the thornes grew up, that is, the world and the pleafures of divers lufts, and choaked it 5 fothefe men bring not forth fruit.

But, you will fay, they doe bring forth fruit, doe

they

object.

A TS(ew Creature, ibbat.

Ser.VI.

Critcs bring not forth fruits-

they not do many a&ions in good moods? may not an hypocrite go far i May he not have many bloifomes <

Yes, but they are but bloffomes, there is fomcthing ^4 n r w greene, but they are but blades, the corne never comes! H yp o-toearing, that is, they are never ripe: now a thing muft j be ripe before it can be called good fruir, they never \ bring forth ripe fruir, that is, fruit indeed; they bring forth fowre grapes,£/5; 5 2* Idid thus and thus to my j Vineyard, and it brought forth wildeg; apes; icmay be, to mens feeming they be as good as any, they may looke as well asthebeft, but tnfte them and they are fowreft, there is not any fruit, that is only the property of the laft ground, to bring forth fruit wirh patience. Now it is true of all the Saints, though they be weak^, yet they bring forth fruit, and true, and ripe, and plea* fant fruit, fuch as God delights to cat of; Come let us rvalkc in the Gardenedgatherfomefruit , as in Cant 5. i, The other bring not forth fruit. Take the befta&ion they doe, being readily examined, it is net good, there is fomething there that marrcsir^ and God fees this, they may be very faire in the eye of man, but they are abominable in Gods fight. Therefore if thou have a new nature, be not difcouraged forthyunevenneffe, which the beft of the Saints are liable to.

Againe,this is another Confcdary from this point, and we may putthele two together,becaufe they are two branches comming from the fame Root: If there be another New Nature put into us, then Cxpcfia combate; for certainly new and old will not agree together ; you cannot put two contraries together, but there muft needs be a fighting,theremuft be aconremi-; on: therefore exped that,and know you are not right $ j

there

Ex peel a corn bate.

J9»_

Ser.VI,

A New Qreature y Tk>hat.

Oh]iti t

■

bifferen-cesbe-t ween e the combate in the new Creature, and that fight that feemes to be in | naturall • men.

I ! Tn the ifubjed.

i 2 i In the fuc-

ciffcs.

there is no new Nature there, except you findefuch a controverfiewithin.

Bur, you will lay, this is not fo furea figne, for be-fore this ! found many acombatc-and doc not Heathen men cxpnffc what reluflancethey have had? Hivenot civil} men, carnall men, and menignorant ot the wayes of God, a great con Aid many times, betwecne the confeience checking them within, and the adions they doe i

I anfwer, it is true, but there is a great difference be-tweene the Combate, that is, betweene the new Nature, and the remainders of the old, and betweene the naturall confcicnce, thofe glimmerings, thofe fparkes, thofe good delires which even they may have that are not fan&ified, for you (hall fiade all thefe differences i

Fir ft, in them that are found, there is alia ftdes belli, there is another feat of the warre: for where before it was in the confcicnce, it is now throughout the whole fcule, there is a difference in the Subje#,every faculty is fet againft it felfc- becaufe before, the light was (hut up within the wals of confeience, butitwas not fhed into the whole foule, it lay glowing as aSparke there, but it was imprifoned,you imprifoned the truth, and would let it goe no further 5 but now it (heeds in-(rothe foulc, what the under (landing knowes, isinfu-fed into the will, and all the affedions • fo there is a ge-nerall charge, and when the change is general!, the combate mutt needs be generally the combatemuft now bs in every parr, whereas before it was but in one,' Againe, there is a difference infuccefle, for inthc condition betweene the confeience and the reft of I

the*

A New Creature, 'frhat,

thefoule, the conference (till lofes, and the other gets the vi&ory: But in the other, alvvayes the new man' prevailes^T^ Houfe of David prevatles againjl the Houfe tfSaul: There muft needs be wars betweenerwocon. trades, buttheHoufe-of Davidgrcwcsjlronger : So,by which our Divines ufc torefembJethis, lacebgotthe better in the end: So there is a different fucccffe,the new man outwreftles the flefli. Sometimes a man is foiled, but we doe not fay a man hath loft the batcle becaufc he hath a wound, or a foile, or hath bcene beaten back a little,he hathgot the victory that wins it in the end,and that is the cafe of all the Saints.

Thirdly,there is difference in the object about which the controverfie is. The common nature hath but a common light, therefore fees but grofle finnes, as your eyes fee only Starres of a greater magnitude, when a man hath a glimmering light, things that be great and confpicuous he difcernes, that isa!l he doth. A natu-rall mans contention is about fins of a great nature, be. caufe light goes no further ♦ but in them that be fan&i-fied, a deare light comes into the houfe, and (hines as thorow a glafle in 3 cleare day, where you doe not / onely fee the great heapes of dirt and dull, but the! fmalleft motc ; the others doe not fee the mores, becaufc they have not that peculiar light, therefore they arc never troubled about motes: Sothe contention differs in the objed • the Saints contention is about fmall; things, about the very manner of doing holy duties, j about the inward turnings ofthcaffedions, about the [ fanclifiedntfTe of them about ill thoughts, they have aj peculiar light-this doth not put out common light,but j makes you fee more than you did b fore; there bee j

many!

Ser.VI.

I __

3

In the ob

A New Creature^bat.

p

4

In the

continuance.

Confeet 6.

Think it not itrans? i hat you finde Tome aukednefk in the wayes of God at hrft.

miny hundred fins now, which you never faw to be fins before. Had not Paul a new light i Before, he had not confidcrcd that luft was fin,but after war ds he knew it: In the Saints, the 3ffe<Stions wherewith they per-forme holy duties, yea, their affe&ion to their ill affections, the controveriie is about that.

Laft of all, there is difference in the continuancc-this contention of the naturall confciencc lafts but for a : time, but it being betweene the old Nature, and new, it continues to the end, it is never given over,others may beincontroverficforafit, but hold notour, becaufe the caufe of controveriie continues not, it is wornc out and overcome; but in a new Nature, when it begins it lafts for ever, there is no end: So you fee there is difference. If then you have new Natures, expc<3 a corn-bate • yea, fo as if you have it not, be fure there is no new Nature there.

The fixth Confe&ary, that I will deliver to you, is, that if you mud be New, then let it not feeme ftrange to you, though you find a little aukednefie in the wayes of godlineffe at the firft-,for new things are a little trou-bleibme, fudden changes are fo when the thing is new. Be not difcouraged, it is that you muft expe<ft, and re. member that cuftome will make it pleafaar, when you are ufed to it a little. Therefore complaine nor, lay not afide the Armour of God, becaufe it is a little heavie and ungaincfome at the firft 3 as David, who would not goe in Sauls Armour, becaufe he was not accuftomed to it lay it nor afide, when thou art accuftomed to it, thou wilt bear it wcl enough.Cuftome makes the worft things, even grievous things pleafant, how much more when one fals on that which is good indeed:'Therfore you

A 1S(ew Creature^ ithat.

401

Ser.VI.

Chnfts burthen

bearing.

you mull know, this is the nature of the burthen of Chrifts Commandements which he cals a burthen,the more you bearcit, the lighter it is, and there is good reafon for it, becaufe indeed it is not a burthen to the |[ o °™ c ? new man, but a deKghr, though to the flefh it is a bur-then, the longer you beareic, the better it is: If you reckon it a burthen, as it fecmes to be at the beginning. yet remember it, as phyfick is a burthen to a fick man ; you know a fick man reckons it a burthen to take Phyfick, and eat wholefome meats, but it is that that takes away the difcafe: So is godlinefle, it is a burthen as phyfick is,andas wholefome diet is,but it partly heals, and partly ftrengthens: therefore the longer you goe in his wayes, the leffc burthenfome they will be, the difeafe will be taken away: as the more phyfick and wholefome meat, the more the difeafe is weakned, and the man ftrengthened. This deceives us (and take heed of being deceived) we thinke we mud be tied from drinke,and have the Dropfie ftill,and have our Feavcr ftill, we thinke we muft eat wholefome meats, and be fick ftill,it is impoflible it fhould be fo, you muft know therefore, that the Dropfie is healed, and then what if abftinence be commanded i You muft know that fick-neffe is cured, and health is come in the roome 5 then what matter is it, if you are bound to thefe dudes i They are burthenfome before, they will not be now. Therefore be not dilcouraged, the infoIcnce,the un-couthncfle, the unaccuftomedneffeofa thing makes it ufually burthenfome. It is not fo with the wayes of wickedneffe, they are pleafant in the beginning, but bitterneffe in the latter end : but the wayes ofgodli-nefle, though they are a little auke and hatd at the fir ft,

vet

Ser. VI.

A New Qreature, ffihat.

object.

K^ipfnu

yet they are pleafant inthcend,and you muft be content coendure a little paints fas we lay) g*if*gitmUm % fugitfarinam :■ If you will not take paines at the Mill, you (hall not have any meale^if y ou wil not take a little paines at the beginning, you (hall want the fruit of it: therforc be content with ir 5 that you may have the fruit. A man doth not fay, becaulc a new fute,®r a new paire of fhooes is hard at firft putting on; therefore I will go in rags, but he faith, the new is better than the oldj and after I have worne it a while, it will be more eafie. So be fure the wayes of God will be as eafie as plea-fing; yea, more pleafing than any thing, for they are jucundaperfe, plcafing in their owne nature, others are pleafing to this or that humour, to this or that cafe: now this is a true rule,whatfocver isfo,/*r/i?,isalwaie$ Co. So thou (halt finde this new man more cafie and pleafant, for thou (halt finde it to be fo at all times, it is a continuall feaft pleafing in all conditions. Take all other things that pleaft thy nature, it is but when thou haft fuch aluft, fuch an humour in fuch a time, it is not fo at all times, it is not a continuall feaft.

Bor, you will fay, I finde it not (o, I finde that fince I began this new courie, I have more trouble and per. plexity of minde than I had before,! was quiet before, and all at reft.

I anfwer jt may be fo, but ftay a while till the Sunnc of Grace hath got higher,tillit hath got moreftrength, and thou (halt finde it able to difperfe thofe vapours, and to fcattcr all thofe clouds. It is true at the beginning, there is .but ftrength enough to move them, toraiic (hem a little;but when it hath more ftrength, they are (battered and difperfcd ; therefore though there be a

little

A New Creature, "tohat.

!_i?Lf

obferv.

Give God the praife ofchang ingthy N.uure.

little hardneflc at the fir ft, yet go on^nd thou (halt find itpleafanr. The Heathen Man could fay, Eligevitam optitnam^ & unfuetudofaciet jucundam : chufc the good j way,and chough ic be hard at the firft 3 afcerwards it wil be the moreeafie* If we appointed you a new worke without a new heart, it were another cafe.bur you mud know what we iaid before, you (hall have a New Nature, and being lb, it will be pleafant, becaufe the wayesofGod wiilbefutabletoit. Somucbiikewife for this.

Laft of all, if we muft be made New Creatures, then give God the praife of that great worke, of changing old men into new men, I fay, give him the praife of ic, for he lookes for that at your hands. Will you mag. nifie himfor healing a lame man,ablind man (for they were true maladies, and he was worthy of praife for them)and is he not worthy to be magnified for chang. ing the whole Nature, for altering the whole frame of it,? Are the cures of the foulekffe than the cures of the body ? What if Chrift (hould now make the lame« to walke,the blind to fee, to take away the blindneffe of j the minde,to heale the fickneffe of the foule, to make a man a New Creature: Is not this a worke of a higher j Nature t When the Centurion (aw the Veile of the j Temple rent,he hid^Surely this was the Sonne ofGod: So j when thou (hah fee the Gourfe of Nature turned, that | old Nature of thine rent topeeces, be ready to fay,! Surely this was the Son of God: Shall we fay Chrift was \ God for turning water into wine, and (hall we not give | him the praife of his power, when we fee him turne one Creature into another i Making Lions Larnbes, j making you New Creatures i This is a turning of the ;

courfe'

A New Creature ^bat.

courfeof Nature, is not your Nature carrried as violently to fin, as the Sunne in his courfe i And to turne ir, is as much as to ftay the Sunne in his courfe; It is no leflc to make you New Creatures: No manconfiders ir, therefore let me put you in minde what it is, for this is a thing you (hould marke,

I hcrcf otclohn Baptiji gives this figne of Chrift, by which he might be dittinguifhed from bimfelfe, and all men, / baptize you with water, but when he comes, be jhall baptize you with the Hoi) Ghofl and with fire, that is, when that is done, be affuredthat the Son of God is come in the flefb.This is the great miracle that lohn wil have them attend unto 5 and is not this daily donefDoth not Chrift baptize us with fire and with the Holy Ghoft ? Therefore you (hall fee what anfwer he gives to John Baptiji when he would know, Art thou he, $r looke we for another? Goe and tell lohn, the blinde fie, the lame walke, andthe poore receive the GofpeU, that is,I have made them New Creatures: This is put with the other miracles of healing the blinde and lame. It is true, we that live fee not this done, the blinde to fee, or the lame to go, yet we fee men receive the GofpeU, thar is, are regenerate by the GofpeU, are made New Cfea tui cs: This is a thing we (hould hearken to; as it was a great fin in them in Chrifts time, to negleft the miracles hedid-foit is with us when we negled this.Therc-fore Chrift takes up Nicodemus, when he tels him that men muft be made New Creatures, he wondring at it, fairh,what doft thou meanc by thac < Chrift faitb,what wilt thou doe, when I tell thee of things in Heaven, if thou wilt not belie ve,when I tell thee of earthly things : The meaning is this, Regeneration is a thing done on

earth

ji New Qreature, Tbbat.

earth (that is the meaning of the place) this you fee before your eyes, this you have experience of, ifyou will not beleeve this, How will you beleeve things that are remote from your eyes t that are fhut up from you, which you have no experience of, but only that I tell you, and therefore you ought to beleeve me i Therefore, when you fee New Creatures, argue thus with your felves. Certainly, there is a renewing God, and a renewing Spirit, that is, there is a Redeemer • for as by the common creatures,which you fee, you know there is a Creator (as, opus wnfirat efficientem) ifyou fee a Creature, then you know there is a Creator, then why fhould not that renewing of Chrift, his exercifing that ad of renewing among the fonsof men, put you in mind ofglorifying God,and of giving him the praifc of it t When Chrift wrought miracles,'you fhall finde What different fucceffe they had,faitb the Text in more places than one, (therefore I need not quote it )fome of the people glorified God, when they faw fuch a thing done, others envied, fome glorified God, others went and told the Pharifies. You fhall fee when Lazarus was raifed from the dead, fome believed and glorified Godmothers went to the Pharifies: Now, I fay,when you fee this done, (tor this is the greateft miracle, and all the miracles that is now lcft)that men are made new Creatures, and it is done before your eyes, ifyou will fee it • (as Chrift faid) Be that hath eares, let him beare* Take heed how you lookc on it, confider with what eye, God never makes a New Creature,but when men look on it, there is a different judgement; fome there are that magnifie it, and defire to be made fo likewife, that make this ufe of it, and fo you ought to doe, furely

Dd there

4<>5

Ser. Vi,

s£ZvF

Moft men envic the new Creature.

0b\e8. Anfo.

jt New Creature, Tbkat.

there is vercue in the Spirit, a venue m Grace, aneffi-cacy'in the Word; furely thefe betheminiftersand fervants of the moft high God. This you ought to do 5 but on the other fide, how many hundreds and thou' fands are there that do as they did, when they faw the miracles, they envied i Yea, as they did with Lazarus, When the lewesfatv that for Lazarus fake, many went away and beleeved on him, they con/kited how to put Lazarus to death: That is the f afliion of the world, when they fee New Creatures, men regenerate, that Holineflc, and purity of Godlinefle Alines forth in their lives, and when that caufes others to go away, and that, for that they will believe on Chrift, they will doc as they did with Lazarus, they will have him put to death, that is, they will have him removed out of the way, they will have him taken, ex return natura. Take heed of this.

B it, you will fay, If we knew they were New Creatures, we would not do fo r

It is very true, but do you think, when they would have killed lefus and Lazarus, they knew them to be fo i They did not know Chrift to be the Lord of life, the Scripture faith fo. Againe, they thought Lazarus to be an Impoftor s it is like they did, but it is taken for a perfecution of Chrift. The Iewes that killed the Prophets, doe you think they thought them to be Prophets when they flew them * Take heed of that, you know the danger of it, when Iesvs Christ wrought miracles by the power of the Holy Ghoft: No, fay they, he doth it by Belzebub: Christ tels them, in this they blafphemed the Holy Ghoft. When thou (halt fee a Man made a New Creature,

when J

A New (feature^bat.

when thou {halt fee a man Regenerate, take heed of faying, this is guile, and cunning, and impofture, for it is done by the Spirit 5 take heed of blafpheming the Holy Ghoft. It is a dangerous cafe: I fay, when fuch things be done, we fhould praife God, and glorifie God for it, labouring to come in our felves, and not look on it with an eye of envie,andhatred,and diftaftc. The different effe&s Chrifts miracles had, fucji hath this: Our fcope is, that ye may glorifie God, and give him the praife of if, that when he hath done fuch a worke, you may fay this is the power of Grace, and the vertue of the Spirit. So much for this point, that you muft be New Creatures,and {q we have gone tho-row three things, w ch were obfer ved out of the words:

Firfi, the infeparability betwecne Iuftification and San&ification.

Secondly, the having of another Nature.

Thirdly, it muft be new.

Now, the fourth is,it is a creature wrought by Ged, for that word is not in vaine, wkofoever is in chritt, let bim tea New Creature :2 The meaning is this • we are New Creatures, that is, it is-God that worketh it in us, for Creation is proper to him,no Angell nor Creature under the Sunne can knit thofe things together, which have an infinite diftance, as iomething and nothing 9 therefore it is proper to him. itishethatmakethus New Creatures, not that himlelfe is the beginner, and fomething elfe perfe&s it, as fome fay, but J>emefi cm-fa totitis mis, He is the beginner and ender, he makes us New.

And there is much reafon,for it cannot be otherwife, for if it were in our power, of our felves to come in:

Dd2 Firft,

407 Sbr.VL

ThcNewl Creature is Gods worke,

This is proved by foure Ar-

SfiR.VJ.i

Arg.i. |

Elfc good men were not beholding to God,

A New Creature, Tphtt.

Arg.z

Elfe not God but men, (hold difference thctnfelvs.

drg>3

fclfe we take away Election and Reprobation.

objetl.

Fir ft, fc will follow that the Saints in Heaven fhould be no more beholding to God, than thofe that are con. demnedinhell: Fof, if God did give every man fuffi. cient meanes of falvation, arid I have taken ir, andano. thcr refufed ir, whom may I thank when I am in Heaven, and another in Hell, not God (for he gave the meanes equally) but myfelfe, I tookeir. and another did not, and lb the love God (hewes, itfhouldbeas much to the damned, as to the Saints, if he hath done on his part equally to both.

Againe, it fhould not be God that makes the difference, but man, and fo you may (land up and contra, did what Pdul faith, Wfo art thou that foftefl, who hath put the difference ? If man hath free will to take Grace, or refufe it, and if God hath given to all fufficient meanes, then, thou haft made the difference, God hath not.

Againe, if this wcrefo, we muft take away all Ele-<3ion and Reprobation $ for what is Ele&ion * Election is nothing elfe but this, God hath taken fome to life, and makes them holy, as godlineffe is an efftd of his Eledion, and the wrckednefle ofmenisa fruit of their re jedion: but now here would be no Ele<aion,but a meere prejudication of a reward to the thing done only 5 but therefore God is faid to have chofen us, be-caufe he makes us good 5 now by this you take that quite away.

But you will objedl, why fliould there be thofe different kinds of working { we fee in all other things, if there be an end propounded, and fufficient motives, it is enough:and why (hould God give different obje&s? therefore they fay, it is but as propounding of the ___ ^ bough

7be New Creature, fbhat.

4°9

Ser.VII|

^dnfw

bough to the fheepe, and the fheepe will follow: If God propounds congruous obje&s to the faculties of the foule of man, he will come in.

But Ianfwer it briefly, if he will come in for this congruity of obje<fts,becaufe a bough is propounded to him :

Firft, he muft be a (heepe, before he will follow the bough : Now thou art a Wolfe by Nature, firft,therc~ fore hee muft turne thy nature } God muft turne thy vetmtatem Lupinam into \~Agninam ; therefore thou muft have another nature before thou canft follow the bough.

Againe, thou muft have an eye to fee that bough, but we arc blinde by nature,and till God opens our eyes and inlightens us, we cannot fee the excellencies of the wayes of God, and therefore we fliall not follow it.

Againe, there muft be ftrength to follow, but except God give thee ftrength though thou fliouldeft fee it, and fee beauty in it too, thou wilt never follow it to purpofe, thou wilt never follow it to the end. ^/looked on it for a time, but not to the end, there muft be a power of God to carry a man through all obje&s, all I impediments to the end$ therefore, TQ man can come to w(faith Chrift) except my Father draw him: Notfome men, but no man, though he have great meanes 5 he doth not fay, except my Father allure him with congruous obje&s, but except my Father change his nature 5 for drawing fignifies a rclu&ance, and backward* ncfle in us.

Goe to experience, you fliall finde it fo; when we fpeak to men, it is true, we fay, they be dead in fins and trefpaffes: Doe not men heare us as dead men?No man j««h«hit.|

Dd 3 ftirres

4rg. 4

Experience

410 I The New Qreature^hat.

Ser.VII

ohjtfi.i

Impediments of two forts.

ftirres up himfelfe, they goc away as they came, and till God put life into them, they will not hearken to as.

Againe, how perverfe are judgements of men? they lee no excellencies in the wayesof God$ therefore are apt to quarrelland fpeakc againft them.

Againe, doe we not finde our defires fo pitched on prefent things, and our lufts fofet upon them, that without an Almighty Power they cannot be loofed? Therefore Chrift faith, Ic is impoflible for a rich man, that is, one that fets his heart on riches, to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. That place is as ftrong as any place an all the Book of God, to (hew that there is no frecdome of will 3 it u imptfiiblefer a rich man^ for a man that hath this one luft, (he might have faid of any other luft) whofe heart is fct on gaming, on any other fin, it is as impoflible as for a Cable- rope togotkrew the eye $fa Needle: But then (faith Teter) n$ manjhatlbe faved: and indeed no man (hall be faved, if there be no more than his owne ftrength, but God will put to his Almighty power, to change his nature, to mortifie thefc lofts. Therefore, this we finde by experience, it is not a notion that men are not able to come in.

But you will fay,thisisadifcouragingdo<arine, if God muft do all, what (hall we do t. it teachcth every man tofitftill.

I anfwet, No,it will not teach men to fit ftill,bccaufc there was no man ever went about it, that ever found any impediment: Therefore hs muft know, what is an impediment. Impediments (when a man cannot doc a thing} are of two forts: One is, when I feefucha thing as 1 defite, but there is a doore lock on me, and I cannot come at it, or I am fettered, and cannot goto

if,

-

7be New Creature, lohat.

4U

it, or it is in another mans hand, and I cannot get it out jSmcVil of his hand 5 here a man may complaine. Thefccond Impediment is, when the thing lyes before thee, thou mayeft have it, if thou wilt; every thing lyes ready, and {imply it is becaufc thou wilt not. Here now no man can complaine, faying Why is there fuch an Impediment i Why may not I come in r Was there ever any man refolved with bimfelfe, I will live a godly life if lean * No, it is not that, all the extrinfecall impediments are taken away, and all the matter is in thy will, tbot* refufeft to come in, and mlnottvalkeintbatway. Here Ijetb the impediment.

Againe, it is not a do&rinc of difcouragement • for, v-^q^a you muft know, though God doth it by his Almighty Power, yet he workes in us, In mod* inteUigentium, He ufes us in the worke, and he ufeth us after the manner of men 3 for every man doth x^iStus agere • he workes in us by propounding reafons, and arguments to move withall 1 thou undcrftandeft them, and knoweft them: therefore it is as much asthoucanftdoeinthebegin-ning to thinke, what reafons there are to move thee to go in,tobetake thy felf to a godly eourfe,and to change the old haunts thou baft lived in before,

Againe, thou muft keep from the impcdiments,thou ^*> 3 muft kcepc out of ill company, that deftroyes this. Thou haft many good fparkes in thee,thou muft blow them up, thou muft lay thy felfe by the poole, till the Angcll comes, and moves the waters- there be many things thou muft doe, and though the Candle cannot light it felfc, yet, when it is lighted, it is but putting oyleto it, and we may maintaine the flame: though thou canft not begin thy life, though thoucanftnot

Dd 4 make

s^vn

Freewill in men regenerate.

The New (^nature, Tbhat.

To what 11ft ferveth this

do&iinc.

Anfo.

To fours ufes.

rfei.

Tojet us fee that our co-dition in Chrift is better than in Adam.

make thy felfe a living man when thou arc dead,yet 3 when there is life, thou mayeft ftir, and move thy fdfc^ thou mayeft eat and drink in ftrengthof that life-when the fire is kindled wc may raaintaine it.

I fay, we preach Free-will to the Regenerate ^ for certainly, fo much grace as they have, fo much Freewill they have, for Free-will followes grace, as the fliadow doth the body; fofar, as wearereftoredto ^A&ms condition, fo far we have Adams Free-will.

Therefore we maintaine Free-will in the Regenerate, and as far as thou art Regenerate, thou haft Freewill, thou mayeft doe more than thou doeft.

Therefore doe not fit downe and fay, I cannot doe it, for thou mayeft doe it and if thou haft but a little ftrength, thou mayeft improve and husband it, as well as any other talent, and it (hall increafe and grow in thee.

Laft of all, you will fay, But what ufe is there of this do&rine, 'o tell us that we are New Creatures, and God muft make us New Creatures, and he muftbeget us by the Word of Truth ? What ufe is there of it ?

Very great ufe. One great ufe of it is this, if we doe not thus hold with God, that we are dependant upon him, and know that it is hee that wrought that worke, wee ftould bee but in the ftate oi^idam. Now this is the greate advantage wee have by the GofpelJ, we have not a ftocke in our owne hands,, but are kept by tbeporver rfGodtofdvation. Qthcrwile, if it were true that wee take Grace, andrefufe it, according to liberty of will 5 you muft know, this will coniequemly follow on it ; if thou canft take it out of liberty of will, thou mayeft

lee

-

The New Qreature y "tobat.

let it go againe: never any man holds one, but he holds the other alfo; I fay, thou may'ft fall from it againe. Now, if thou mayeft take it, and fa 11 from it againe, thou art as i^4dam was ; how miferable then is thy ; condition? But by this dodrine thatwe arc in Chrift, j that Chrift hath made us New Creatures, that the worke hath beene begun by him, and we are now com mitted to his keeping, we are in another condition than we had in Adam.

Againe, there is this end of this do<3rine: iftftis do-drine were not preached, thou woukkftgoe about a work,which thou wouldeft never be able to performe-for if thou haft this opinioa, I may doe it out of liberty of will, thou wilt goe about a worke without ftrength, thou wilt goe about to leape over a great ditch with a fhort ftaffe. Now when a man will not fetk to God, the worke lyes undone: he thatwillnotbeftrongby Gods ftrength, (hall not be ftrong : when thou art taught, it is God that doth it, it will teach thee to go to God and Chrift, and pray them to doc ir 3 and fo the wotke will be done to thine hand, which before could never have beene done.

Againe, if thou couldeft take Chrift, and come in, thou wouldeft bee lefle beholding to Chrift, and fo lovethy felfe, and be kfle humble. On the other fide, when thou (left thou haft nothing, thou wilt doe as wives, who, feeing they have nothing, no beauty, they love their Husbands better all the dayes of their life : Why dorh Chrift prefle it fo, I have loved you, and you have not loved me, I have taken you, and y ou have not taken me i It is a great matter when the wife faith, 1 have took you, I have chofen you,I loved you:

we

JL'L

Ser.VII.

That it may appeare that God fetteth us not about a worke, -which he doth not in-able us to performe.

To make w love Chrift the better] feeing how much we are beholding to bin..

Ser.VH

To make us take heed of putting offthewoik when Chrift cafe.

Ffei.

See what the builnes of Preachers is,and with whom you have to do when you heare the Word.

Tlie New Qreature, what.

EpheT. s.ie.

wc cannot argue thus with Chrift, for Chrifls CM*.. memo is ever and anon, I have loved you, and not you me.

Laft of all, this ufe you may make of it, learneto depend on Chrift with much f care, to take heed of putting offthe worke, when he cals, take heed of denying him, if the other do&rine were truc,you might be bold to put off your Repentance, but take heed of that, when it is God that workesin you, when God muft doe it, and hce doth when hee lifts, when it is the Spirit that doth it, and it breathes when and where it lifts; this may make you feare andtrembk. So you may fee there is an end of this dodrine; now we will make a little ufe of it, and fo end.

Firft, if it be Chrifts worke, if it be he that muft be* gin it, ("for it is a creature) then you fee what bufineffe we have in hand, that are Preachers of the Gof pell, our bufineffe is to make men other Creatures, which is a tranfeendent worke, it is the worke of God, and not of man: this is the errand we are fent about, and the work wc are taught to do every Sabbath 5 and every Sermon which we preach to you, to turne Lions into Lambes, to transf ormc the heart of man, and to make you New Creatures. This I fpeake of, not for our fakes, but for yours, that you may make ufe of it: you muft learne to know, when you heare the Word, what a&ion you have in hand, and whom you have to doe with, that 1 is, with the Almighty God, and not with Man; for, alas, my brethren,what arewe abletodo? Ephef. 2.10. Tou are Gods mrkmanjhip in Iefits Chtifi^ treated 'to good mrkes, that you fhouldmlke in them: It is true, we are the inftrumentSjbut ye zxcGods workmanfliip.Take the

beft

The New £reature y y>bat,

4* J

beft Inftrumcnt wherewith we make any artificial thing,

an Axe or a Chifell, or whatfoever it is, you know, if

: there bee not an influence from the Artificer, it will

make no ^rtificiall thing, it will ftrike when you ufe it,

but it will not make any artificiall thing, if there be not

an influence from the Artificer: So we are inftruments,

1 and the Word is an Inftrumcnt, butiftherebenotan

1 influence from God, the worke will not be done, you

I will never be made New Creatures.Therefore you are

1 Gods workmanfhip created to good workes; he doth

j it, and remember you have to do with him: You have

I an clegantexpreffionofitinrOr.3.2. You are chrifts

I Epijlle adminijlred by usj and written not with lnkc^ hut

\ I with the Spirit of the living God: That is, the law of God

fj is written in your hearts. You know, regeneration is in

many other places of Scripture, kA wrltingtheLawof

God in their hearts* then there is a writing, and in this

fenfc the Saints are called an Epift/e^ut they are Chrifts

Epiftle y we are the Pen, and he is the Writer,he handles

the Pen, and what (hall the Pen do, when there is Paper

and nolnke * Will there beany Epiftle written i Now

what is that, you are Chrifts Epiftle not written with

Inke, but by the Spirit of God t We doe but apply the

Pen to the Paper $ but if God put not Inke into the Pen,

that is, the Spirit of the living God, nothing will bee

written in your hearts. Therefore, remember what

you have to doe, and with whom $ not with us, for we

are able to doe nothing: not Paul or Apollo mighty in

Scriptures, Wearethe Ministers by whom yon beleeve. It

is God that doth it, wee are but thofe by whom

you beleeve: Peter, if that ever any mm was able fo 1

to doc it, hee was, that had his tongue fee on fire by the

Holy

Ser.VII.

2 Cor. 3.2.

Miiuftens and Ordinances, in-ftruments.

GaU.g.

37;e Ne# Qreature } what.

Lufce *4-4 5

Learne hence. i. To come to heare the Word with reverence and feare.

Holy Ghoft, yet he was not able to doc it, GaUth, 2 . 8. Hee that wot mighty by Peter over the circumcision y God was mighty by Peter: but the worke was none of his 5 wee are the Rammes homes, but who throwes downethe wals of Ierichof Are we able to doc it i No 3 my Brethren, no more than Peter was able to open the Iron gates. It is true, when Peter came to them, they opened, and not before, but it was thcAn-gell that did it. So when wee preach the Gofpcll^ there bee everlafting doorcs*, can wee open the Iron. gates * No more than any man can open Iron.doores. Therefore Lydiashem was opened, elfeiWmight have preached ld|g enough in vainejinZafothclaft Chapter, He opened their underfiandings^ that they might underftand the Scriptures. If he had not opened their under (landings, as he was God, he had done them no good, when he preached to them as man: Therefore it is God that doth it.

But, you will fay, of what ufe is this to us, that God doth it f

It is of much ufe: therefore, when you come to this place every Sabbath day to heare the Word, when you fee you have to doe with the mighty God (we are the Pen, it is God that dorhit)learne to come with reverence and feare • learne to fay of this placets lacob did, when he faw God, when he faw the Ladder, and Angels afcending, and defcending. Surelythisisafeare-^ full place, and no other than the gate of Heaven, and the Houfe of God; it may be you thought of it before : You come to heare Sermons, or Le&ures,and Declamations^ have your underftandiogs bettercd,butyou

doe

AlS[ew Creature^ Tbbat.

doc not remember that it is the gate ot Heaven, and the Houfe of God: you fee not God (landing over us, you (hould overlookeus, it is the gateof Heaven, that is, you (hall never come to Heaveaordinarily, if you goe not through this gate, it is the Houfe of God: And in. deed when you come hither, your eye mart be upon him more than upon us. expe# and wait what God will doe on your hearts, in fuchatime, if you come and heare $ and God hath done nothing, obferve that, and fay, his becaufe God hath with-holden his hand, therefore my heart is not quickned at this Sermon; if any thing hathbeene doe, know, it is a fparke kindled from Heaven, therefore cherifh ir, looke well to it, for it is a fparke kindled from Heaven: therefore, doe as they did in the Law, lee what David did on the Altar which he built pn Mount Moriah, when the Altar was built, they layd the wood and Sacrifice, and looked to God when he would fend fire from Heaven: So we are the wood, look to God for fire, if you can get a Spark, be fureto maintaine it; for-that was the manner of the Priefts, when they had a little fire from Heayi n, they al way gave fcwell,they r ever let ir go out againe. Lo^k to it diligently, if you havegor a {park from Heaven, let it not go out againe, (as it is the cafe of many thou-fands to doe) there may be fpa; kes, and you may heat your (elves by them, and it may be bpt fire from earth; Whena Sacrifice was kindled by common fire, God accepted it nor, though it burnt as other fire, yet it was nofaerificc to God. Moral! reafon and naturallwif-dome may kindle a fire, that maybe very like true fire, but it is not from Heaven: Therefore come with much feare to this place, like men that have your eyes on

God,

417

Ser.VI,

Fire from Heaven to be chcri-(kid,

a. To give the praife of any good you receive by theprea-ching of the Word, to God only. i Tim.

A New Qreature, fbbat.

God,feek him not for fa(hion,and know it is to no pur-pofe,if God fent not his Spirit from Heaven.

Againe, you will fay, what ufc is there of this, that it is God chat doth it, and not man.

I fay therefore^give the praife and glory of it to God, give it not to us, but to him, this is not a Itght notion, but of great moment, for it will make thee love the Lord Icfus: Saint Paul puts this among the greateft mercies j He hath bttne mercijull u me with frith and kve: that amazed him, that he could never be thankfull enough for it, that is, he hath wrought in me faith and love, therefore gives him the praife. It is God that dothk, we are but the inftruments 5 we praife not the Trumpet, but the Trumpeter, we praife not the Pen. fill, but the Painter. It is God that doth the worke, give him therefore the whole praife of it • this is a matter of much ufe to you. For when there is a Minifter of God, that hath bcene an inft rument of bringing you to Heaven,you will love this man, prize him,and mag-nifie him in your thoughts, and you do well 5 but re* member, that you take nothing from Chrift 3 alas! What is the Pen to him that writes the Epiftle t What arc we, my brethren? Give not to us what belongs unto him § nothing unto us, faith Fail, we have done thus and thus, but it is nothing, it is Chrift that hath done all,and let him have all: as the fervants of Chrift, wemuft be wary, that we rob not our Mafter of mens affe&ions, for we are but fpokeftnen to prefent you to Chrift J therefore be exceeding wary, give your affefti-ons to the Lord, to whom they belong: If ever you receive any good by any Sermon, if you be quickned, if ever a little enlivened by the power full preaching of

the

A New Creature, ibbat.

the Word, give glory to Chrift:, and fay he hath done it, let him have the praife of it 5 love himfomuchthe more, for of all graces, nothing is like that to worke grace in your hearts.

Againe,if you will fay, what ufe is there of h< That it is not the Minifter but God that doth it.

Then doe not expeft from us, that we fhould come w th excellency of wifdome,or of words,that we fhould come with wit, and eloquence, and learning. Will this make a New Creature i No, it will not doe it; for it is God,that makes men New Creatures,and if it be fo,he will do it by his owne Inftruments, that is,by his owne Word: Thus Paul reafons, i Cor. 2. We preach the Go-fpell, not with excellency of words, for then the death of c£W#wouldbcofnoefFe<ft$ that is, nomanwillbea New Creature, and Chrift would dye in vaine: therefore we preach the Gofpell in the evidence of the Spirit and power,thef ejgo togethcr^evidence of fpirit & power. What then is this preaching in evidence of the Spirit i Ccrtainly,it is never evident that the Spirit fpcaks, but when you know the Word fpeake: therefore, when any man knbwes,that it is the Word we preack, there is an evidence, it is a fpeech of the Spirit, and when the Spirit fpeakes to the heart, there is power, and that was thereafon that Chriftdidfo much goo&.Hetaught with authority, and not as the Scribes. What is that to come with authority * As when a Conftablccomes in the name of the King,he (hewes his evidcnce,he hath that which makes evident to him, with whom he hath to dcale,that he comes from the King:We preach with authority, then only when we fpeake from God to the confcicnces of men: this confifteth not in excellency

of

4*9 ser.vi.

5. Expca

not that the Minifter fhould come with excellency of wif-domc, or of words.

s7r7v7

A New Creature, tvhat.

of words, but fo much as there is of God, lo much authority. Therefore come not with affefiation of ex. ccllcncy of words and wifdome: if we had all the wit in the world to fet the word of God in ir, it is better than that in which it is fet-as the Diamond isbettcrthan the Gold in which it is fet. If you were to chufc a Minifies chufe not fuch an one, defire it not,expe& it not, the f oolifhneffe of preaching, is wifer than men, it will do more than all the wifdome of man, though it is but fooliflineffe to fome, Wefpeake m[dome to thcrn that art ftrjett, faith Paul, they that be pcrfed, will account it wifdome, it is foolifhncffe to them that are children and unable to dikerne.

Againe, though it be but foolifhnefie ob the outfide, yet there be trcafures within, and God hath hid thefe trealurcs under bafe out-fides, that men may (tumbleat ttiem, as men that hide trcafurc under draw, the too-lifhnefk of preaching faves the foules of men 5 therefore feeing it is God that doth ir, he will uk his owne In-ftruments, God workes by it* Can words, can all mo. rail wic make a New Creature * No, it is God; then why 4pewe make a queftion { The more the word is difcovered and brought home, the better it is • becaufe indeed, when we preach any thing elfe, you dobut fee a Creature and you think you have to do with a Creature 5 for you can anfwer wit with wit, and learning with learning 5 and when you fee you have to do with men, though never fo excellent, yet they are men: But whei) Chnft fpeakestotheconkience, now the heart is brought downe, when ic feeth it hath to doe with God,t hat only hath to do with the confeiences of men ; therefore expea not the contrary, and remember that

God

A New Creatue, Tbbat.

God is the doer of it, it is hee that writes the Epiftle, chough we be the Minifters. It is therefore not without ufc that we preach this do&rine to you.

And to all that I have faid adde this one more ; Therefore if you find that there hath not bin a mighty worke of G§d wrought in your hearts at any time, when you have heard the Word, know yow have !heard in vaine, for the labour is loft, if there bee no more than the worke of a man. There-fore you muft know there bee two Preachers at the fame time, one that fpeakes to the heart powerfully, that makes you New Creatures, that baptizeth you with the Holy Ghoft and with fire, and then there is a preaching to the eares : And there are two hearings, one is, when you can repeat, and recall the Word to memory, but there is another faving hearing, that is, when it is ingrafted. ? And when is iz ingrafted i Even then when it maketh you New Creatures, as a graft is then grafted when it changes all the Stock. Therefore confider whether you doe fo heare, or no, that it hath bred fuch a change in you, and know, otherwifeyou have heard it in vaine. For what doc wee doe when wee preach the Word? wee doe as Gthezi did, hee came running with Elijhas ftaffe to raife the child, but hee could not doe it, for though hee had Elijhas ftafe, he had not Elijhas jpirit: So wee come with the ftaffe, but not with the Spirit ; therefore thou art not raifed 'to life, for there is the ftaffe without the Spirit: therefore doe not thinke thou haft heard to any purpofe, if the Stocke be not turned, if thou findeft not the Spirit there. What doe wee, when we dreffe upa Sermon never fo well? It is but the rigging of the failes, and

Ee wha

Ser.VIL

What wotkes you finde "pon your ovvnc hearts j in preaching of the Worde.

Ser.VI.

Tlie Ne^ Creature , what.

what will all this doe without wind ? Is not the Spirit r.hewind* What are Organs without breath * There is no muficke made : And what is all our preaching, whan the Spirit is abfent i That is all in all, indeed it is thefword of the Spirir, but what is it without the Almighty hand of God i It is {aid of one, who hearing that Scanderbegs fword had done fuch and fuch ftrange works,wou!d needs fee it^and fent for the Sword^when he faw the fword, he faid, he faw no fuch matter ia it $ Is this the Sword that hath done all this < Scwderbeg fent him word againe, I have fent the fword, but not the Armc that handled it. So the Word we preach to you, is but the Sword of God, God lends you the Sword many times, when he keepes the Arme to him-{clfe: It may bee you have not feene to great things done by it as we tell you of, That it is the power cfGod tofilvatkn , that it is the Word of Truth that begets men againe • the reafon is, becaufe God referves the Arme to himfelfe. Therefore, when you come to hearc, as you have the Sword, pray earneftly that the Arme may goe together with the Sword, that God will make it lively and mighty in operation, to caft downc your Iufts, to pierce as a two-edged (word, di* viding betweene the bones and the marrow, the joynts and the fpirit • that is, that you may know your felves better than you did before : And all this ufe you may make of this, that you are Creatures, and no man can make you Nw Creatures: Ic is God muft doit.

THE

THE SEVENTH

SERMON

VPONTHE^fiJF

CREATVRE.

2 Cor. 5.17.

Therefore if any man be in Q>rift y let him let a 2^ew Creature.

Vt, you willobjed, God workesin [ ofjeff 9 us the deed, even every deed, fo that a man hath not Free-will after he is Re-

generate.

To thisweanfwer, that fo far re as

his grace, and the ftrength he hath , goes, fo f arr he is able to keepe the Commandements ot God, by vertue of a general! concourfe: It is not denied that a man cannot move his hand, nor doe any a-(flion without the generall concourfe of God • bur that God never denies,but as he gives the Creature abiliry, fo he vouchfafes a generall concourfe to it. As it is true in that, fo in all aftions of grace, a man cannot doe any thing without a concourfe: But when a man hath grace, there be two things wherein a man hath need ot

Ee 2 fpeciall

In what fenfc he would be under-flood, when he affirmeth the will of Regenerate perfos to fee f iee .

Two

things wherein we need fuperveni-cnt help.

Otf.5

The order firft in Chrift and then New Creatures, Hence learne. i.Not to be difcou raged from going to Chrift for any defe <ft, o; impcr fcciiun that is in, us.

Hie New Creature Tbhat.

fpecialliupervenient helpe irom God: Firft, wnenhet is called todocaworkc, which is above the ftrength hee hath received • here muft be more ftrength, there muft be a new addition , for the worke goes beyond the ftrength ■ As a child may goe onplainc ground, but if you will have him goe up a paire offtakes; you muft lead him your helpe; So a Chriftian may doc a-flions proportionable to the grace he haih received$ yet being called to fomewhat above that pitch, hee muft have a new helpefrom God Secondly, when a man is affaulted by a temptation, beyond the ftrength he hath reccived,here needs ftrength beyond his owne to hold him up : A child may (land alone, but if one thrufts him, you muft hold him up or elfe he falls- (o the Lord muft put under his hand, and wee muft have helpe above that wee have received, but otherwife the pofition is true, fofarre as we are regenerate, fofarre we have Free-will, which followes grace : So much life as we have, fo farre wee may move and ftirre ow fclves. And intbefe calesit is true, that weneed more helpe from God beyond the grace we have received.

The fifth thing to be obferved is the order, firft in Chrift, and then a New Creature s out of which we are briefelytto obferve this.

Let no man looke for San&ification, before he is ju-ftifitdjthat is,Let no man<be difcouraged from coming to Chrift , becaufc he finds not in himfelfe that godly forrow for finne,that ability to repent, that difpofition of heart, which hedefires to have: for £ New Creature followes it-we muft firft be in Chrift before we can be New Creatures. And this is a common fault among us, we willfaine have fomcthingbefore we come, wee

thinke

,

A New Creatue, Tbbat.

hinke Gods pardons are not free, but we muft bring

bmethinginourhand : You know the Proclamation

unncs thus, Buy without mmyfhzx. is,come without a-

ly excellencic at all, becaule wee arc commanded to

:©me and take the water of life freely: Therefore, doe

r iiot fay, I have afinfull difpofition, and an hard heart,

2nd cannot mourne for fin as I fhould, therefore I will

[lay till that be done^it is all one as if thou fhould'ft fay,

A muft goe to the Phyfitian,but I will have my wounds

tvell,and my difcafe healed firft^and when that is done,

I will goe to the Phy fitian. What is thy end of going

to him ,but to have thy difeafe healed? Doeft thou

thinkc to have thy difcafe healed before? I fay it is the

fame foily :Thc end of going to Chrift is,that this very

hardneffe of thy heart may be taken away, that this

very deadnefle of the fpirit may be rcmoved,thatthou

mayeft be enlivened, and quickned, and healed, that

thou mayeft hate finne$ for he is thy Phy fitian, looke

not for it before-hand, thou muft fir ft bee in Chrift,

before thou canft be a New Creature.

Againc,if we muft firft be in Chrift, before we can be New Creatures, if that be the order, if that bee the motive and the thing that carries us on, then let us be content to ufe the motive that God ufeth. The Papifts propound other motives to good workes; they tell them, they (hall have Heaven, and efcape damnation for them. Is this a good reafonto move men to good workes 1 But the courfe of Scripture is otherwife: Thou art in Chrift,' hee is thine, therefore bee a New Creature, confidcr what he hath done for thee; therefore labour to turne to him. Againe, confider what thou hadft beene without him, what thou baft by him,

Ee ^ and

_ 4 2L

Ser.VH.

Reaf.i

From yout union with Chrift 3 to perfwadc you to good works.

We are firfl in QoriU;

Dott.

To be in •

Chnft,is j the sroiid

Sea.VII, j and, by that, ftirre up thy felfe to doe for him, what he j requires. Therefore the Apoftle comming to anfwer j that queftion, If grace abound, why doth notfinnef j abound? Why doth not a man finne more? Hedorh I not (ay, you fhall have thefc and thefe motives to draw ' you from finne, but hee tels them, whofoevcr is in Chrift, is dead to finne, and if you be dead to ir, how (hall you live therein i If you be in Chrift, you will be New creatures ,there needs no other motive to make you fo. And fo much for this, becaufe we will haften to the point, we intend to handle at this time. If any man be in Chrift, let him be a New Creature.] The laft point we are to obferve in this Text, is : That, to bee in chrift is the ground of our fahation: That is, of all the privilcdgcs we have, and of all the graces we have (for in thofe two things doth the king-;i dome of God confiftj itisthegroundofalltheprivi% vation. ! ledges wee have» we have them therefore becaufe wee ; bee in Chrift; It is the ground of all the graces wee j have, be<:aufe we arc in Chrift, therefore we are New I Creatures • therefore wee have the Image of God re-! paired in us, which is nothing but the bundle of all graces, as the old man is the bundle and heape of all corruption and finne.

Now we will fhew what it is to be in Chrift, and of

what moment it is; then we will make ufe of it: The

j two firft arefoneereconjoyned, that we will handle

I them together, what it is to be in Chrift, and of what

| moment it is to bee in Chrift, that*is, to bee united to

j Chrift. A man then is faid to be united to him, when

hee may truly fay that which is in the Canticles y <Jitj

Cant. 6.3. Beloved is mine, and I anrhis: When a man can lay,

Chrift

What icis to be in Chrift.

Ani then JSlew Creatures.

4*7 \

What giving is.

Chrift is mine, and I am Chrifts,thenweareinc£n/2, j Ser.VII<; for then we arc his. Now that this may be done, there mud be a mutualla&of giving and receiving, that is, it is God that gives his Sonne, and Chrift that gives himfelfe, as the Apoftle fpeakcs, He loved me, and gave I himfelfe for me. When this is done on Gods part, and ■ we have taken him, that makes Chrift ours • So there! muft bee a giving and taking to unite us unto Chrift-1 there muft bee a giving, that is, the Father muft give Chrift: now giving is nothing elfcbut guodmeum eff 9 effcere tuurn nutto]nre cogent e.This definition the Civil Lawyers give of it, and it is a true one: So the Lord gives Chrift to us, he makes him ours, nothing compels him ro ir, for if it were by Law, it were not by gift-but by debt: I fay, he gives Chrift, and freely,and to give him, is nothing ej(e,but to make him ours. But to give him is nothing, it is not enough except we take him likewife, for giving and taking are Relatives, remove one, and the other is taken away. Though God give his Sonne freely, yet except we take him, that gift is no gift ; therefore there muft be a taking on ourparf, and when thefe two are done, when God hath given Chrift, and wc have taken him, then we are united to Chrift, and we are in Chrift, and he in us • as in marriage, the husband gives himfelfe to the Wife, and (he takes him; again, the Wife gives her felfe to the Husband, and hee takes her- arid when this is once done, and done really, they are united together. Andfucha match is made bet weene Chrift and us, there is a mu-tuall giving and taking on both fides; and when this match is made, Chrift is faid properly to be talis, and wee in him: Yea, to goe a little further. Marriage is a

E 4 neere

sZZvn

Our union with Chrift nearer the marrUge.'

The New Creature fthat.

neere union, yet but a Relative union• but there is

fomething more in this, Chrift hath taken our Nature, He is bmt of ottr bone* dodflefi of eurflcjh ; And again, hee hath given us his Spirit, that the very fame Spirit dwells in us, as doth in him, that we may be faid tob: fpirit of his Spirit. This is more than is in mariage, this is a neercr union; therefore the Scripture ufetha neerer expreflion, we areas members of the fame Bo. dy, he is the Head, we the members, we have the fame Spirit that he hath, we are flefli of the fame flefb, and bone of the fame bone, fo neere an union there is be-tweenc us. So then, there is more than a Relation, in our being in Chrift, hce indeed comes in to us, asthc Sun is faid to come into the houfe. You know, the Sun is in the Heaven, but when the light comes, we fay the Sun comes into the houfe-forjthere comes a reall light, which is an effedof the Sun: So the Sonne of God Iefus Chrift, though he be in heaven, yet he comes into the heart, by his Spirit, as the Sun doth,by the light which revives us,and quickens us, and works a change ! in us. Againe, wee grow into Chrift, as the branches I grow into the Vine, into the Root, into the Stocke, fo that wee arc one in another, and we grow one in another, as thef branches grow in the Vine, and the Vine groweth in the branches: Such a mutuall union there lisbetweeneus. x. ofwhat And thence come all the benefits, (which is the fe-I moment j cond thing I will (hew you, that is, of what moment J this union j c j s .)j f a y 5 h ence C0me a i t h e benefits we have by him,

in that we are united to him after this manner, that wee \ are in him, as the branches in the Vine -thence it is,that [ we are made 2{ew Creatures, that is,there is a new Sap

toed

is.

TbeNrw Creature ^hat,

429

(hed in the branches, which weares out the old Sap>thc j Ser. VU old man, originallfinnc which was there before, and changeth ir by the ingredienceof the new Ssp. So doth Chrift: Therefore we arc faid to be ingrafted into the fimilitude of his D:ath and Refurre&ion, that is 5 the oldnarure in us is worneoutbythecomming in of the new : now as C h r i s t did die, but revived againe • fo we put on another nature, fo wee have this benefit by this union, wee are made New Crea. tures. Befides this, we have an hundred others,when we are in Chrift we are under covcrr, he hath intercft in all our debts, and wee have intercft in all his riches, as the husband is bound to pay all the debts of the wife, when hee hath married her, (he is under covert, (he hath intereft in all her husbands riches - fo we have intercft in all the wealth of Chrift, and that is a very large wealth, as you have it exprefled in 1 Cor. thclaft Chapter, Paul, and Apollo, &c. and the world is yours, it is a wealth beyond all that men can give you. The world is yours, no man in the world can goefo fane, Princes may reach thorow their owne Kingdomes, but the World is yours, that is, Chrift who hath the command ef it, caufeth every thing there to fcrve your turnc, even every creature that man cannot com mand$ the wind and the feas obey him for your good 5 for you have intereft in all his riches, there is nothing in the world j>ut is yours, Things frefent and things to come arc ourL If men can bclpe you to things preient, yet things to come arc beyond their reach. If the things.affthisjife beetheirs, yet Death is not theirs-but herein Chrift likewifefurniiheth you. In a word, you have intereft in all his wealth, looke how farrc he

can

A New Creature, Tbhat.

SER.VJI|can goc beyond a man, fofarre are you advantaged by 1 him, and have intereft in all his riches, hee hath inte-| reft in all your debts, you are under covert, and no. ! thing can hurt you, the gates of Hell, Men, Divcls, Sinnc, and all the Creatures in Heaven andcauhare not able to hurt you,becaufe you are in bim,you are as Coneyes in their Burrowes, he covers you, hekeepes you fate. If our eyes were opened to fee this, as the Apoftle Fwls were, we fhould magnifie ir, and (land amazed at it, when he comes to expreffe what we have by Chrift, he knowes not how to expreffe it \ In him \ are all the treasures tfwifedome and knowledge, and they are ours; he hath a Kingdome, that is ours: Hee is all ! Sonne, fo are we ; hee is an Heire,fo are we, nothing | can hurt us, but it hurts him. Therefore make ufe of this, when any thing is obje&ed that is terrible and grievous, anfwer it with this, I am in chrift. When thou wanted any thing,know thoucanft not be denied, for thou art in Chrift. Set all our thoughts on worke, to looke to all the things mans nature is capable of, that you defire to make you happy, we have them all in him. 0 the length,and height y and depth of his mercy ! Indeed it is fuch a depth that we cannot fadome, and Va height we cannot rcach,and a length we cannot mea. f fure; all this we have by Chrift: if we had but Pauls fpirit to apprehend it,and a littlecrevife of light opened to us, as there was to him, that we might fee into this unfearchable riches oi Chrift,wz would ftand amazed. I cannot ftand co enlarge it any further, you fee what it is to be united to Chrift, and of what moment. Now we will come to make fome ufe of it. If it bee fo glorious a condition to bee united to • _ _.__._ Chrift,

A New Qreaturej Tbhat.

1 Cfuift, it fhould inflame us then with a ckfire to be in him, with a defire to be in this condition 3 for, if you have the Son, you have life, i lob. 5.12. Rabat bath the Son hath life>and aH things elfe pertaining to Ufe, god-lineffe, andhappinejp; he that hath net the Sonfath not life, that is, hee is yet in death and condemnation; have Chrift,and have all things- therefore it is an happy and glorious condition.

Therefore let thofe, that have if, defire to enlarge it more and more,and thofe that want ir,let them feeke to get it.

Fir ft, I fay thofe that have it, Jet them labour to in-

I large it. You will fay, If a man bee in Chrift, how can hee bee more + If hee be united, if he bee maried to him, how can he be more ? Iuftification admits of no degrees: Therefore this isapoint worth your confide, ration, That you may he more in Cbrijl.

It is true, Iuftification in thisfenfc, admits of no degrees, but it is indivifible, either you are married, or not married; either you arc in him,or not in him • fo farre, indeed, it admits of no degrees: But now when a Spoufe takes an Husband, (hee hath fo much wilasto refolve to make fuch an one her Husband, yet ;here may be degrees of willingnefle, iliee may will it more,theremay be more defire of if, there may be a greater approbation of it ..fo, though it be true,that e* very man that is juftifiedin Chrift,is within the Covenant, within the doore 5 yet he may goe in further, or lefle farrc when hee is within : So I fay you may be within the Covenant, but this taking of Chrift, this j being in Chrift, this receiving of him, admits of dc-<

grees,

-ILL

Ser.VJI

Vje 1.

Exhortation twofold, r. Thofe that have this 'union With Chr'ift ice thsm, Ceeke to enlarge it more.

In wh.it fenfe this is to be uiidei flood

;->•

Ser.VII

The New Creature, Ivhat.

Objeft.

How it may bee done. Five helps to doe it.

I

Confider yout misery without him.

grees, becaufe, though one be married to an husband, that there is fo much will,as to refolve to take him,ra. ther than refufe him, yet this very will of taking may beftrongcr, as her afte&ions to him arc more, the rea-fons are ftronger and larger that invite her to take him: So the union with Chrift may be neerer yet, the knot may be yet ftraiter, and as that incrcaleth, fo all thceffe&s, and confequences of it increafe: Therefore the thing we would exhort you to, is to bee more io Chrift, to get you nee rer to him*

You will fay, How (hall that be done i

Confider whatitwasthatdrawedyoutohim, and to labour to intend all that, that when you have taken him, you may yet make the union neerer and better than it was.

And thefe five things will doe it:

Firft, confider your mifery without him, you did confider it before, which caufed you to take him for your Husband, when you faw you could not live without him, but when you finde that mifery to b?e yet more, your confolation will be ftronger, you will more approve your a&ion of taking him, you will prize him more. Therefore, if you will bee yet neerer to Christ, reflect often on your felves, on your owne condition, and fee what you are without him. Confider what your finnes are, how* you fliould have peri(hed, if you had not taken him ^ how mifcrablc you are (till, how unable to help your felves • and the more humble you are, the poorer in ; fpirir, and the morcgreedily you will receive him, the more degrees will be added to the taking of the Lord Iefus. For that is one great meanes,to teach us to prize

Chrift

The New Creature^hat.

43?

Chrift, even to know our miftry. TheProdigallfon was taught to prize his being in his Fathers houfe by the extremity of want he was in, the more he felt the want of it, the more he prized it. Labour therefore to know what you are, out of Chrift,to feele the want of it, to know that you cannot fubfift, you cannot be without him.

Againe,fecondly, labour more to know the vertues and the excellencies of your husband 5 for as they are more explicated and difcovered to you, fo you will love him more. As one that is married, the more (he fees in her husband,the morefhedefires him,themore glad (he is that the match is made, there is a greater degree of will to take her Husband. Labour to fee this beauty in Chrift,to fee what he hath done for you 5 was he not crucified for you i He loved me, faith Paul, and gave bimfelfe for me, be died (or me. Confider all that he hath done, confider the great dowry, the riches he brings with him, all the benefits and priviledges hee brings with him, and you have by him, looke well up. on him, confider the number of them, and the waight of them $ thinke of all the advantages you get by him, the more you fee this, the more thofe vertues and excellencies of Chrift are explicated, and unfolded, and made manifeft unto you, the more you will love him, and the nearer is the union betweene you.

Thirdly,be perfwaded of his love to you, the more you are perfwaded of your husbands love, the nearer your hearts grow to him. Thinke what it was that made Paul love the Lord Icfus fo much, it was the ftrength of his faith, he knew the Lord loved him,and , that Chrift had received him. If we could but once I eet

Ser.VII

2

Labour more to kuowthe j Vertues & excellencies of Ch ift.

3

Bee perfwaded ofj his love* to you.

Ser.VII

A New Creature, what.

1 4

Get experience of him.

5

Pray that the Holy Ohoft may dnvw thee to Chrift.

gee into Pauls condition, thac we could fee thcuafear-chable riches of Chrift,the beauties of our husband 5 rhe advantages we have by him,if we had Pauls faith to be-leeve his love, we fhould be able to doe as he did, ro reckon all as drofle and dung, we fliould prize nothing but Chrift, and we fhoulddraw nearer to him: There-fore, labour to ftrengthen your faith. Sodidcj*f#. fes,h was the ftrcngth of his faith that made him cleave j fo faft to God, as he did.

Fourthly, get experience of him 5 for it was Pauls experience that united him nearer to Chrift, the experience that he had of Chrift in the mortification of his lufts, in all the courfes of his miniftry,in all thediftref-fes and troubles that he paiTcd thorow, he ftill haoex-perience of him, and the more experience you have of the Lord It fus 5 the nearer you come to converfc with him,and the more you wil love him^and joync to him : StrangeneiTe disjoynes affe&ions, wee fay there is ftrangenvfle when men falute not, when there is not a neare converting: Strangencffe doth dif.joyne the heart. Againe, neareneffe of converting and walking with him from day today, drawes us nearer to him, and intends the will of defiring him tobcourHuf-band.

Laft of all,thereisacertaineimpreflionmadeinthe fpiric of man by the Holy Ghoft, which caufeth him to draw neare to Chrift, that makes him prize him more. As there is in the Iron a certaine narurall qua liry to follow the Loadftone 3 fo there is in the Saints towards Chrift: And if we fceke a reafon why Paul and the reft of the S unts that-excelled fo, were able to prize Chrift'above all things, and to count all things

lolTe

A New Qrtatnre, Tbbat.

lofle in rcfped of him, the true reafon is,it was the im. preflion made upon their fpirits by the Holy Ghoft 5 there isacertaineattra&ivevertueputintothem, enabling them to prize Chrijt above all,and to draw neare to him 5 therefore you muft know, it is the gift of the Holy Ghoft to inable us to prize him. Therefore to all the reft adde-that, feeke to the Lor d that hee would worke it in your hearts, that youmaykarne to magnifie him. Thus you muft feckc to encreafr the union, to adde degrees to the will, by which you

I are content and refolve to match with Christ, and to bee made one with him: And this is the thing that you are to bee exhorted to, not onely to know fhis> but to exercife it: when Paul had once tafted the fwcetneffe in Chrift, he could relifh nothing clfe, hee counts all other things as droffe: So fhould we, if we had once experience of it.

Therefore we fhould learneto renue this union from day to day, and, as I faid before, We fhould eat hisflejl), and drinkc bis bloud every day ,• that is, every time we renue the covenant with God, we renue the mateh, as it were,betweene us,we eat Chrifls flefh 3 and drink his bloud s /jfe is that bread that came dotvnefiom heaven-, thej ate (JMannah in the wildtrnejfe and died , but hee that fetdeth on mee y jhaU have life everhfling i Therefore eate my fleflianddrinkemybloud, that is, take mee, come to me, for eating of his'fie (h is nothing but to come to him, to take him,to receive him: Now, faith he,the very aft of taking me is your duty,as you renue that every dayjo you take me a new,as it were, and lo there will come new ftrength to you, as from bread or CMama, when you eat it,or from fkfh and wine,when

you

Ser.VH

Eating Chrifts flefh,what

Ser.YII

37;e New Creature, Tthat.

-*AW>

\0bjeii.

Ncccflific of feeding on Chrift daily.

you eac and drinke it, To doth there from me,when you rcnue your eating of my fkfh, and drinking of my bloud, that is, when you renueyour a& cf taking and receiving me. There comes new ftrength to you, that is, you (hall have new comforts and confolations, you (hall be incouraged the more, herein you draw nearer to me than before: For, as your union wich Chrift at the firft, doth make a way for the Spirit, andcaufeth it to be fhed in your hearts, fo the more this union is encreafed, the more you are filled with the Hely Ghojl : So you get new ftrength from day to day,as this union is more confirmed: It is like a new eating and drinking, your Peace is more abundant, and your ftrength is more enlarged, you are more full of joy in the Holy Ghoft j every grace is more encreafed and ftrength-nedinyou, therefore cxercife this union, eathisfle/b, and drinke his bloud every day.

But, you will fay, what needs that, when wchave once done, is it not enough i

No, it is not enough- fortheregrowesadiftancc betweene Chrift and you from day to day, a little negle#, that Very omiffion of duties, yea, though it were no finfull omiffion may caufe it. As the body is fubjc<5t to wafte, and needs eating and drinking that it may be repaired; So doth the foule and inner man, there is a continuall wafting of ftrength, and you muft eat his fle(b and drink his bloud every day to repaire it, that is, you muft renue the union, that grace may be ftrengthencd and renued in your hearts, thatthofe fpi-rits may be repaired, that you fpend every day, that your very ftrength may bee renued -you (hall find this true by experience,the more you doe this,more neare

you

A New Creatue, ivhat.

you get toChriJi, the more you renue that match and make a new marriage with him, youfhallfindenew firength commingtoyou, you fliall finde your hearts draw nearer to him,and further from fin,you fliall find your felves made morefpirituall, more heavenly minded, you (hall find your felves more ftrengthned, you will be afliamed to finne, when you (land in fuch neare cermes wich him, there willbc a fecret influence of the Spirit in your hearts.

Therefore exercife this union, and, as you muft ex-ercife it from day to day, fo know fhe comfort of it, and improve and husband it well. It I have Chrift for my Husband, fliall he be my Husband in vainer Shall I have him, and not make* ufe of him * No, you muft learne to make ufe of him, learne to ufe him,as he is a Prophet, a Prieft, and a King: If you would bee more cnlightned, goe to him as a Prophet, befeech him to enlighten thee, to give thee wifdome, to give thee the Spirit of Revelation,and he cannot deny thee. If thou haft committed a finne, ufe him as a Mediator, as a Prieft 5 for hei&thy Husband, thou haft him for chat purpofe, forget not that Chrift isaMediatour: We fall into fin from day co day- but, if wcknew really what it is to have Chrift an Interceflbur, to have htm our Prieft, to makcan attornment for our finnes every diy, we fliould learne to prize him more, wee fhould be full of comfort, wee (hould doe in another manner than we doe: If there be any fttong luft which j thou canft not fubdue, know that it muft be done by J him, as a King, he muft bring it into fubjedion, hee muft circumcife thy heart: Therefore know what is in Christ, tor all that is in him is thine,and he is full

Ff of*

Sebl.VIL

To improve Chrifb

offices.

The Nis* Creature, what.

Ser.VII

3

►Thofe that want this Vnion, let them feek to get it.

In what

this taking confifts* In two Ads.

of treafure: When thou haft the field, what fhouldeft thou doe but digge the treafure,to know what is there 5 when thou knoweft thou haft fuchatrealurcinhim' that hee is full of all grace 5 Wilt thougoepoore, and mifcrable, and naked, and in ragges* having fuclu full wardrobe there, why doft not thou goe and futc thy felfe from top to toe i Why doft not though grace of all forts to adorne and beautifie thy felft wit h. all < For all treafures arc in him. Why doeft thou goe ftarved, hungry andthirfty- drooping all the day * If thou haft him, "hee hath fadings, and fined wines, he bids thee to a Feaft.that is, there is abundance of comfort in him, there bee Priviledges there, if you consider of them, if you will feed on them as a man doth on meat, you (hall be comforted with them, as a man rcfreihed with Wine. Confider what is in Chrift,and make ufe of it, and know there is not only plenty in him,but bounty too-in him is al f ulnes,and why is it in him i not for his fake,but for ours,he hath filled him felfe for us, and he is not only foil, but bountiful], hee hath an even hand to difpencethatgoodnefTe ^ therfore make ufe of it*

Now the fecond part of thh exhortation,! told you, belongs to them that yet are not in him,that they would be content to take the Lord lelus for their Husband-for, if the being in him be the ground of all falvation, it is motive enough tobringyouin: Nowyoumuft know that the Lord offers him to you,he is expofed to you, if you will but take him.

You will fay, in what confifts this taking t It confifts in thefe two A&$« oneisapcrfwafion, that the Lord is willing to come to thee to be thy

Husband,

And then lS(ew Creatures.

Husband, to be thine: Thefecondisarefolution, on thy part, to bee his, if thou canft be content to give thy fclfc up to him, tofervehim, to love him, to live no more to thy felfe, but to him altogether. Now, when we exhort mcato come in to Chrift, it may be, : For the firft A&, you will be content to be perfwaded I of it, that he is willing to take you ; though there bee

I a difficulty in that, yet, it may be, you will goe fo far. | but when you come to the fecond, to rcfolve to give up f yourfelvestohim, to be his for ever, and to ferve him

• him in newneffe of life: here every manisataftand, H here men dealc with God,as they, that were invited to

II the Marriage,they made light of it,and went their way (one to his Farme, another to his Oxen, &c. So is it J here with us, for the moft part, they make light when

wee offer Chrift, they goe about their bufineffe, one about this vanity, another about that, they will not come in, and take him $ and what (hall we fay to per-fwade men,to come in to Chrift { Indeed it is a dangerous thing to refufe to come in. You are the men tnat are invited, and we arc meffengers Tent to invite you $ every man muft apply this to himfclfe, he muft thinke, I am the man invited i therefore I muft confidej what' anfwer to give • for you (hall finde of them that were invited and did not come, not a man of them /hall taft of the Supper,not a man of them that was invited muft come. There were many thoufands that were never bidden, yea, many hundreds that live in the Church were never bidden to the Feaft •, that is, C h r i s t was never clearely offered to them -but when Chrift is propounded to you, (as you know he hath oft bin) this is the very bidding of you to the Supper. Take you

p f 2 heed

Ser.VII

sb*7vh.

Motives Met. i

You {hall finde reft.

77;e New Creature 7t>hat.

ob\tft<

I Forgive-nefieoffin makes a man blef-ied foure wayes.

heed of refilling; It may bee, many others there are chat were never bidden,but when youhavebin bidden, take heed, not a man of them thai have bin bidden and refufed, flialltafle of the Supper. Now you know,we are bid while wee are in this life, this is the time of grace, bat yet when a man retufcth this bidding at this time, or any other time, take heed left he bid youno more, he lent no more to them that refuted; Let them done, and they f])*ll beJlaine before me: Buthowfoever, our bufineffe is to compell you to come in, that is, by ftrong arguments, by reafoning with you, by perfwa-ding you, tffcdually to come in. Therefore, co fider thefe Motives. Firft, you (hall finde reft to your foules, come unto m aSyee thttare mar3 and heavy laden ,and you [hallfind rtfl,Matth. 11,28,29. Reft is that which every man would have: For finnc is a wearintfle to the Soule, it wearies you with the guilt of it,with the taint and cor-ruption of it, You frail finde reji unto your foules,thzt is, if you wereiri me once,you{hould have your fins forgiven you. Which Vivid magnified in ffalm. 32.1. Blejfed is be tvhofeftnne is covered.

Buw you will fay, this isafmallmercy, you/hall have your fins forgiven, will this move men to come in t who cares for forgiveneffe of fins 5 if we/hould come and make offer to men, that they fliould bee free from croffes and troubles, that they fhall have prefent benefit, and honours, and riches, that were a motive indeed to bring men to Ghrift *

Thoufoole,if thy fins be forgiven thee, fhall not all mifery be taken away i Is not fin the firft linke of the chaine i The firft wheele that drawes on all thy mife-

ries

And then 2s[ew Creatures,

ries; if thy fins be forgiven, all thy miferies flialj bee (tattered, all thofe clouds fhall be dif perfed: Therfore the Scripture compares fin to a Cloud; What hinders good things from thee but fin t When a mans fins be forgiven him, he (hall have them in abundance; Be of goodcomfort ,faich heJThyfins be forgiven thee: Till then, a mans heart is never filled with comfort 5 but, as I faid, it is clouded with many difcomforts 3 forrowes and perplexities 3 therefore they are compared to clouds,becaufe they (hall be difperfed as clouds: when thy fins are forgiven thee, all thy life after is as a Shun, fliine day,when all the clouds are fcattered: Therfore, Be of good comfort.

Againe, thou haft boldncffebyit • The Innocent is bold as a Lion: thou art bold with God 3 For thou com. meft with boldneffe unto the Throne of Grace: and thou haft boldneffe 3 when thou haft to doe with men, when trouble and persecution comes, then art thou as bold as a Lion, when thy fins arc forgiven thee.

Againe, when thou commeft to beare any affii&ton, it is nothing when finne is forgiven; for finnei^the fting of affli&ion, and what is the Serpent when the fling is gone? Affliction is nothing; death is nothing; you fee what they were to Saint Paul, impri-fonment and death were nothing to him, becaufethe fting was taken away. In a word> thou art ableffed man, if thy fins bee once taken away : David lakh, Bleffcd is he whofe fmms are forgiven. When David looked round about, and considered who wasblef-. fcd 3 he pitched on this, Bbffedis theman rvhofe firmeis forgiven. If fome other had looked about him, hee would have faid, Bkflfcd is a rich man, a man in honour

pf 5 and

J 4 1

Ser.VII

i. In taking away that which isthccauCe ofalmtfe. ries.

2.In giv ng boldneffe.

I . In taking the Ring out of affliction.

T/?e Neu> Creature Tfrhat.

4. In mi king God ours.

An(w.

Mat. *.u

and dignity, and credit., and that hath health, he is a bleffcd mar.

No, faith David, but he is a bleffcd mznwhofe fns are forgiven, wbofe iniquities are covered, becaufe fuch a man God lets himfelfe to make bk fled • for blcflcd-ncflc is the heapc of all good things. Now, who can give that but God, who hath the command of all things? Cananj but hec^ufc all things work together for thy good t And if any thing be wanting, thou art not bleiled.

Again when thy fins be forgiven thee, God is made thine hee is reconciled to thee, for thy finne is taken away 5 and when God is thine, thou art a blefled man 5 for he brings all good things 5 and he is the Buckler that keepes off all evil!, he is a Maflerof the Creatures. Now, you know, the Mafier is he, who can rate the dogge when he fals on a Gucft or a (hanger, and it is only the Matter that can doe ir. lc is he that can rate any evilland fuppreffeit • thou haft him,there fore thou art abkfled man,and thou haft him by having thy fins forgiven thee; that is the great promife, that he fhould fave his People from their fins, he needs fay no more 5 when he faith, Hejhallfave his people from their fins 5 for then he faves them from all trouble and mifery in the world. Therefore this may be a great motive, it was Chrifls owne motive, when hewouldinvitem nro come to him, he faith, Come unto me all jet that are weary and heavy laden, and I rvilleafe you: That is^th y fins, that are as an heavy burthen, (hall be taken off of thee Bar, you will fay, I feeleno burthen of ir ^ No,butthou ftialtfinditaburchcn,when God fhall fee every man to beare his burthen, when God (hall.

charge

A New Creatue, lehat.

charge it on thy confidence, and it is thy wifdome to have it taken off, though thou finde it not a burthen. I fay, guilt i$ a great burthen,which will bindc thee over to damnation. It is a great burthen when confeience is awaked.

Againe, Corruption is a great burthen, for it wea* ries a man. Sickneflc is a wearineffe to the body; and Sin is the fame to the Soule, that fickneffe is to the b». dy. A ficke man is weary of every thing,weary of his bed,of his Chamber,of his dye t,he is weary of fitting, of Handing, for he is ficke. So it is with every man that hath not his fins forgiven him, he is weary not only of the guilt,but he is weary of every thing. Put him in the bed condition, he findes no reft, and in that he is weary of every thing. That which they fay of Folly, it may be more truly faid of every wicked man,that every condition is miferable to him, he is weary of every thing, hehathnoreft.

Farther, when thou art in Chrift, he will give reft tothyfoule, that is, hee will take away the power, as well as the guilt of fin, he willheale thy fickneffe,and then the woi ft condition will be pleafant, to thee, thou wilt finde reft in a Prifon, thou wilt finde reft in fickneffe, thou wilt find reft m death, every condition,yea, the worft, will be fweet unto thee j before, in the beft thou founded none,for there was a reftlefneffe within, but when thy fins be forgiven thee, thou fhalt finde reft to thyfoule.

443

Ser.VII.

Sinneis a burthen in] two ie-fpeds. i. As it brings a man under} guilt. 2. As it is a fickneffe or difeafs of the foule.

F4

THE

SERM. VIII.

Met. 2.

If you bcc united With him, you &al be free from all cvill, & enjoy all good.

itfjfc.uo.ij.

'^^^^^

$$<

THE EIGHTH

SERMON

VPONTHE^fir !

CREATVRE.

2 Cor. J.17.

Therefore if any man be in Qirift, let him bee a 2s(eu> Creature.

0 d hath planted in every man felfe.love 3 every manfeekes his owne happinefle.

Two things every man would have 3 they would bee freed from allevill, and enjoy all good things; if they could findethefe in C h r i s t, men would be pcrfwaded to come in. Now we can aflure you that both thefe you flball find in Chrift, you (hall by him be freed from all cvill, and be compaffed about with mercy on every fide : Firflyl fay you fliall be freed from all evill, for what Chrift faith to all his Difciples, Luke 10, Toufiall tread on Serpents Mid Scorpions, and all the power of the

Eneray^

J. New Qreature, Tbhat.

Enemy, and nothing (hall hurt you, may be applied to all the Saints, though there be many hurtfull things in die world, yet nothing (hall hurt them. Itistmcin deed, they may have to doe with Serpents and Scor pions, that is, evill things may fall upon them, as well as upon others^you fee the (ame condition falsto all,yet I it (hall not hurt them ; according to that in Luk.i.j^. i| That we being delivered-from our enemies, is that, we may Wferve him without feare : Markethat, you (hall be de-jlivered from all your enemies^ you will come in,that iSj there (hall not an enemy in the world be able to doe you hu t, and you (hall live without feare, that is, the great advantage you (hall havc,as if he fhould fay,other men feare athoufand things,they feare death,they feare ficknefle, they feare loffe of friends and good name • but when a man is once in Chrift, he fhall be delivered from all his enemies, he (hall (erve the Lord without feare, becaufe nothing is able to hurt him; for what could hurt him * Either it muft be the Devill or men, or fome other Creature, but none of thele can hurt him. Is not GodtheGovernourof thehoufe- Ishe not the Matter Js not he able to rate the Maftivcs from flying in the face of any of his friends that come to him, yea, hee is able to doe it, and none but the Matter of the houfc is able to doe it: None can keepe the^ Creatures from hurting of you, but he that hath the command of all the Creatures, therefore if you will come in, nothing (hall hurt you, hthz Buckler and a (hield to compaffe you roundabout: Hee will bee your i'irong fortrefle, into which no Creature fhall be able to (hoot an arrow.

But befldes this you fhall have all things elfe that (

you

44?

SERM. VIII.

Lull x «74

God s

children freed from feare.

SERM.

VIII.

pfal. 90.1.

The New Creature, Tbbat.

it

What kind of houfe God is.

In particu-

lar,confi-

der.

1. Mans mifery out of Chrift. i. l^ians happineflfe by being in Chrift,

youcaa defire, The Lordkimfelft fhaUbeyour habitatiA on ^from generation to generation, Pfal.90.1. That is,you■ (hall dwell in the Lord, and you fhall not dwell m him for a fit, as we doe in our houfes of clay , but for e-ver,and looke what an houle doth, that doth he,he will keepe you fafe, and defend you fromevill, he is an houfe thatitfliallnotrainethorow, and fuch an houfe he is, as will goe with youwhitherfoeveryougoe, he is our habitation from generation to generation; yea 3 fuch an houfe as will not onely defend you, but rcfrefh you with all manner of comforts, forhoulesl are made for delight, as well as for defence. What. (oever you want, he will helpe you to; If you be ficke, he is able to heale you 5 if you be weake, he is able to ftrengthen you; if hungry, to fatisfie you; whatfo-ever condition youarcin, heisabletofurnifliyou,if 1 you need any krvfee from any Creature in heaven or earth,hewill give command to al the Creatures to wait on you : In a word, every man that comes to Chrift (hall be like aSpoofe, whom an husband hath placed in an houfe well ftored with abundance of all things that her heart can wifli, and all this you fhall have if you will come in.

But becaufe Generalls move not fo much, we will

come a little to Particulars, and will infifl upon thefe

two, as the onely things that can move us to come in,

Firft, themiferies, hurts, and inconveniences you

areexfofedto, outof hira.

And fecondly, the happinefic you /hall have by being ingrafted in him^and m iried to him. If you were to perfwade a woman to marry fuch a man, you know thefe are the two Arguments which muft winneher.

The New Creature, v>hat*

If you marry not you will be undorv, you know you are in debt, and the debts bee debts which you are! not able to pay • and, if you cannot pay them, you are fure to be cad into Pi ifon, and to lye in that Prifon till | you have paid the utmoft farthing, this is your condition if you will refute. Againc, on the other fide if you will take him, you fhall have a Husband that (hail make you rich, that will pay all your debts for you, and make you honourable, you (hall want nothing. If you will take an Husband whom you may love, take Chrift, for whatfoever is amiable is in him. Thefe two ferious confiderations will make her come in, and bee willing to marry and to take him for her Husband. And fo it is with us, if we confider what we arc out of Chrift, and what we (hall have by him, ir will move us to take him. You know, ir moved the Prodigall fon, bee faw that if he lived out from his Fathers houfe.he muft needs perifh, he could not get huskes to live by. Again,if he would goe home, there was bread enough, his fathers fervants living there in plenty,and thefe two moved him to rcfolve to come home.

You will fay, what are thofe evils in particulars that we muft needs fall into, if we come not in to Chrift, and what good (hall we get by him t

To this end, I will name fuch arguments asareufed in Scnprure for this purpofe, for you know that the ^ufoeffe of Chrift himielfe, and his Apoftles was only to bring men unto him, and therefore we will optn (uch arguments as we finde there, as bri< fly as wc can.

And fKft, you have this for one m^ine motive to bring men in, M*rk. \6a6* if youw'illbdeevtAndbt bapfi&edjoujhallbe favedjf )0U mlhotbdeevejcnjhall

be

J47

SERM. VIII,

Obje£t.

If you be-le^vej, you Owllbcfa-ved if not, youfliU be damned. Mar. 16.16 !

A New Creature, D?hat.

Mat. 3,

i

S E RM. be damped: 6oe, faith Chrift, into all the world, preach CI. the Gofyellto every Creature. What ftallwe fay when thou haft given us commiffion? faith he, no more but this, Goe to all the world,Tell them if they will come in and united to me, if they will take me for their hus band and Lord, they (hall be faved, ufe that for a mo. tive on the one fide, and on the other fide tell them, if they will not come in, they (hall be damned: And this I you (hall find was pra&ifcd, Matth* 3. John tels them, a J tfl°* wM comc m and repent y you frail have the King-dome : That is, if you will leave your finnes, if you will be married to the Lord, if you will be divorced from allother husbands, and turne from all your evill wayes, youfhallhaveakingdome, thatisyoufliallbi faved; but if you wiil not, what then f The^Axeis laid to the root oj the tree, and you (hall be cut do wne. So,we fee, when the Apoftle fWcame to doe this bu-fiaefie with Felix, to have brought him to Chrift, if he could, what eourfc takes he 1 he tels him of his mi feries out of Chrift^ Reasoning of Temperance, Righte-oufnejje, and judgement to come $ he told him what f o*; bricty, and Righteoufndle, and Temperance was, io another manner than ever any Morallift had done : \Now the Endi&ment being not enough without the Sentence, he addes the judgement to come. And it is, as if he had faid •Thoufecft how (hort thou art of that Temperance and Righteoufncffe, that even namral! confeience requires ofevery man,and thou muft Liow, there is a judgement to come, though thou perhaps feeleft it not tor theprefent, yet there is a damnation and wrath rcftrved for thee ; thereby (liewing themi fery hee was in, if became not home ro Chrift 5 and

that

:;

TlyeNew Creature ^hat.

that is partly fctdowne, and is probable, the other was not omitted, though it be not exprefTed there. And fo Peter dealt with theni, <^43s2. Hz fhewed them their mtfery^and fo the Lord dea!t with the Gao (er, He teacher^ to fee what cafe he was in, and upon theiight of thattoenquireafrer folvation. Asindeed rhe thing that brings men unto Chrift, is to make them fenfible of falvation or damnation, and when the Gjo-Icr came to this, to thinke of falvation, Sirs tvhatjha/ll doe to be faved? That was it that made him wiling to doeany thing, wharfoever /W appointed him to do?. for now he had a fenfe of the wrath of God, a fenle of thofe terrors, he began to fee the Almighty Power of God, he began to have his heart fmitten with the ap. prehenfion of lodgement, and when he wasfmitten with that tie began to enquire after falvation, and his heart thus prepared with thefe two motives, thefeare of falvation and damnation, he was fit to come in, then, faith the Apoftle, Believe and thouJhalt befaved .» So I fay, that is one motive, if you .will not come in, you fliall be damned, if you will, you (hall be faved.

But now we have another bufinefletomakemen regard thefe. O ne would thinke that men fliould not need much perfwafion to tell them of damnation, that great cvill, and of falvation, to be a thing that much concernes them, but there is that deadneffc in the heart of man, that it regards neither. Therefore, let me fay a word or two, to ftewthat thefe two be matters of great moment: Ftrft, this Salvation and Damnation chiefly concernes you all, other things are but trifles in comp&rrifon th: reof ,becaufe Solvation and Damnation belong to the Soule. It is the foule chat istobe{aved,or

to

SERM, VIII.

Salvation and Dam« iwn'on^are matters of greate moment-i. They bclongto the foule.

A New Creature, ^hat.

SERM. VIII.

The fonle to be regarded c-fpecially.

2. Tlvy continue for ever.

to be damned. Now the foule of man isa mans ownc fdfe • other things are but the out. fide, as it were, and that is the reafon that Chrift faith, What matters it, if j$t$ winne the whole world , and lofe your ownefcuU? As if he (hould have faid, Thy foule is thy felfe 5 therefore to win other things and to lofe that, it is great folly ^ what is it to fave the fhip and lofe the fraught i To fave the fliooe, and lofe the foot, to fave the cloaths, and to J have the body deftroied * So,what is it to thee,to have j thy body, thy eftate, and namc,and all outward conveniences right, and fuch as thou wouldcft have them to be, and thy Soule that dwells within, thy Soulc which is thy felfe, for thofe doe but cloaththe Soule and wair it, when this is loft, what are all thefe ? Therefore, it there be any wifdome in the world, it is wifdome cer-taincly to regard that, and if there be any folly in the world, it is to negU& that, becaufe that is all in all to a man, If newes come to a man, your friends aie loft, your .goods are loft, you are wronged in your name ; Suppofe he had as many meflengers of illtidings,as lob had, yet when a man considers ferioufly, this is but a rending of the cloaths, but the tearing of the (heath,bui the breaking do wne of the houfe,as it were,but the man \is whole and fafe, as long as the loule is Uk % as long as ' (alvation is furc • as long as a man is free f torn damnation, it is nothing: Therefore, to a wife man, that will confider things ferioufly, there is no motive to this, if you will not come in to Chrift, you fhail be damned, if you will, you (hall be faved.

But let me add this more,Salvation and Damnation continues for ever: Take all other thingsV even the beft, and vvorft things in the world, they are foone

blowne

A New Qrtature, H>hat.

[blowneover, and, as you know, of no continuance-but Salvation is a thing that abides for ever. And this is a thing you regard much in fmallcr matters 5 take any good thing, if it will laft but a day or two, you regard k not, but as things are of more durance, fbyoufeta greater price on them. Why will you not minde this I then i If you come in to Chrift, you (hall be faved, j you fhall have cternall life. But, now comes in the o. I ther, If you will nor, you (hall be damned, and thar re-I maines for ever: Remember , faith the Wife-man, the dates of darknejfejor tlnty aremany^ that is, infinite; and : this (hould workeonaman ; that damnation fhall bet perpetuall. Take a man now,when he is fallen into any I mifery, and fee what it is that comforts him, you fhall finde nothing comforts a man in mifery but hope; for, if there be no hope fas we fay ) the heart would breake: . But, now come to this, of damnation there will bee no end, there is no hope there; when a man kin mifery, i he lookes about him, and begins to thinke, Is there any 4 evafion * If he find there is none, he begins then to I thinke, yea but is there any comfort to mingle with it * I No: But what kind of mifery is it i It may be by one I. mifery. I fhaU be free from another, this doth mode-I j rate it, bat if all kind of milcries come, that a man hath I no way in the world to evade them , not any thing to mitigate them^this is thar,that fwallowes up the Soulf, land this over-whelmes it with griefe$ and this is the 'condition of a man fubjeft to damnation. Now, I fay this briefc argument we are to ufe; If you will not come in, you fhall be damned, if you will come in, you fhall be faved. Well, perhaps all this will not workc upon you,thcn we have this to fay to you, Our commiflion

extends

SERM

vur.

SERM. VIII.

We an firji in Cbrift j

Your thirft (hal be ia-tisficd & healed. /0&.4.IO.

\*Anfw*

extends no further 5 if this will not move you,you arc not to be wrought on by us, but we muft leave you to your felves, and toyourowncwayes, togoconand peri(h, and receive your Portion with thofethat are 1 hardned through unbelieFe, whofe end is damnation, ] and your bloud (hall be upon your owne heads, for that is all out Commiflion to propound thefc two to you. It muft be Gods workc to make yotir hearts fen-fiblc of thefe things, wee can but propound objefis: And fo much for the firft, He that comes in flail be fa-ved, he that doth votftuUbe damned. # The third Motive, Itakefrom lohn 4.1 o. when the Lord had that converfe with the woman of Smt-ria, what faith he to caufe her to come in? Woman, if that* had ft asked of me, I would have given thee the water of life: He that drinkes of this water (hall thirft againe, but he that drinkes of the water that I flail give him, flail thirft nomtjre, but it fhallbeinhimaWettJpringhguf >to everlafting life: So, that is the Argument, if you will come in to Chrift, you (hall thirft no more, but you (hall have your thirft fatisfied,and you (hall have water given you, which will be water of life. What is that? That is, If you will come in to Chrift, two things you (hall have by it: Firft,your thirft that you had before, that difeafe of thirft,that every manliving is fub-je& to, untill he be in Chrift, that (hall be healed 5 that is, every man hath many things he \ hirfts after 3 as take every nati rail man, he thirds after credit?, and wcahh, and honour,and life,and after a thoufand things which the nature of man is fenfible of: Wdl,faith Chrift,this thirft (hall be healed in you, if yotcorae in to me.

How

The New Creature, y>bat.

How fhall it bee healed < By breeding in you a right third: by bringing the foule into health, as it were* It is, as if he had laid, I will reveale things to you,which you fliall prize above all thefe, when you (hall fee their precioufncfle,and the need you ftand in of them: for thefe two things make thirft, then the other, Chrift heales it in you: As, take every man that is regenerate, to whom God hath revealed better things, Evenfuch as the eye hath not feene, nor the eare heard\neither hath entredinto the heart of any naturaUman. I fay, the heart fets fo by thefe things, it fo magnifies them, that they take up his heart altogether, that he no more thirds after other things, but his defires grow remifle in them, though they were all taken away, he could be content, he hath better things, there is a true thirft come in,which hath cured the falfe thirft, as the true Serpent devoured the falfe.

But, you will fay, wee finde not this experience, doe not regenerate men thirft after thefe things as well as others *

I caonot deny ir, they thirft after them too much, but yet this thirft is healed,!or now they doe not thirft after them, as things wherein their happiqefleconfifts, their hearts are in a good meafure taken off them, they lookc on them with a right eye, and fo their thirft is faid to bee healed, not becaufe the worke is perfed, but becaufe it is the way to bee healed, and will bee perfefied. And fo we muft fupply al the reft. Lufts are faid to be mortified, not becaufe they are fully desd ? but becaufe they are in the way of death, and will dye perfcftly 5 therefore wc apply the name of mortification to them: .So itis in other things,we fay water

Gg is

_i 5 t

SERM. VIII.

I

■Sssfi* I

O&jetl.

*^dnftv

Difcafed thirft healed in the

Saints.

J3£

SERM.

vni.

Xfo New Creature ^hat.

lobf. x*

3/0*. 4. If you bee united with

a»/?> all

It nines fli work to gcther for your good if not, for youihurt.

is hor, though it have but a little heat, and a thing is whire, though it doe but begin to be white • and fo we fay a thing is healed, though it be but begun^nd be not perfe&ly healed: Even (o in this cafe every man that comes to Chrift,his third is healed,he thirds no more, becaufe his foule is put into health: As if you (hould fay to a dropfie man (for when his thirft is healed, his difeafe is cured)you fhall have the thirft of an healthfull man, but this difcafed thirft you fhall have no more. So, if you will come in to Chrift, this may invite yoiv you fhall thirft no morc,you fhall be put into that hap-py condition, that your ftrong lufts that were your thirft before, fhall be healed in you.

And bcfides, another thing is, you fhall<Bot die $ \i 1 is water of life that Chrift gives, as if he had faid, you J may drink this Well-water and thirftagain, and drink againe, andthirftagaine, and then you die* this water will not give life • therefore he addes that word, Water of I fey. Thiswtfer that 1 give yotiy^all^make you live for ever, it Jhail give you eternall life, lam the living bread that came dotvne from heaven, he that eats of meJhaUnot hunger P wd he that beleeves in me jhall not thirft, but (ball live for ever. But this I preft in the other, and therefore I will not ftand longer on ir.

We will name a fourth Motive, that you find ordinarily in Scriptures, If you come not in to Chrift, all things (hall worke together for your hurt, and if you take him, ^All fhall worke together for your good: I fay, if you doe not, all things fhall worke togei her for your hurt. This is the mifery of every man out of Chrift, lee him be in what condition he will, every thing owes him an ill turne, and will doe it one time or other: ' Profpcrify

The New Creature, what

Prolperity is bad for him, that flayes him, and his af-fli&ions come for hurt to him, they are like the lopping of a tree out of feafon, which tends to the deflru-#ion of the tree- but it is quite otherwtfe with the i godly, they have affli&ions, but they are in feafon, which makes the Tree grow better. Take the beft things in the world, the very Word that is preached, the cnlightnings and good motions they have from the Spirit, they all tend to the hurt of the wicked, for they encrcafe their condemnation, every thing worses together for their hurt, whatfoever they enjoy: On the other fide 3 if you will come in,ali things (ball work together for your good, that is, they fhall joyne together for your advantage, one thing fhall be ready to help another, and nothing (hall befall you,butit fhall work for your good, becaufe when all is fummed up,as whatfo-ever befals the wicked, puts them further from God: Againe, whatfoevcr befals a good man, it drives them nearer to God,and that is a fure rule nothing doth good, but that which drawes us nearer to the fountaineof all good* and nothing doth hurt but that which drives us from God. Now, whatfoever befals a good man, it drawes him nearer to God: Sinne, which of all other feemeth to doe him moft hurt, yet it drives him nearer to God, becaufe it makes him to empty himfclfe, of himfelfe more,it makes him fee his owne mifery more, and to prize lefus Chrifl more, though they be in them, felves poifon,yet God turnesthem into medicines,eve^ ry thing workes for his good, that is the meaning of that, All things are yours, Paul and Cephas, that is^every thing in theworld(doebutferveGod) life and death are for your advantage, that is, whatfoever is in life,

G g 2 _ life

_ 4 iL

SERM. VIII.

Sin drives the Saints nearer to God.

i C*r.j.i8

SERM YUI.

71?e New Creature, what.

life and all that belongs to it, is for your advantage, that you may grow rich in good workes,, the longer you live, the bectcr: Againe, when death comes, with all the harbingers of it, it is for your good. SickncfTes, which are degrees hereof, they being but the (hires by which wee defcend downc to the chambers of death, death and all the precedents of death, even all thefe petty deaths are for your advantage, yea,whatfoevcr is in the world is for your good • Things frefim and things to come, are purs: Even as in the field, we fay, every thing is for the Whear y the ftalke, the earr, the chane, the fowing, the plowing,the threfhing,the win-nowiog,. the barne and granary, every thing is for the wheat: So the wheat that growes in this great field of the world, are onely the Saints, and every thing in the World is for their advantage, Summer and Winter, Froft,and Snow^wetanddry, that is, weale and woe, good and evill, affli&ioaand profperity, all is for the advantage of the Saints, their winnowing and temptation, all their threfhings work together for their good. And this you (hall have by Ghriftjifyou will come in to him, every thing (hall oweyou a good turne, you (halllookc on nothing, but it is for you. All men, yea the bed of them, Taulmd^foUoyandx^fhas^xtiox your fcrvicc, whatfocver gifts they have^ they are all given for yourufe. Let this move you to come in- if yoq will not,how ever you may live in this world, and enjoy fome fweetnefle with them, that have their portion in this life, yet they (hall doe you hurt., and in the latter end fo you (hall find it,

THE

THE NINTH

SERMON

VPONTHEK ST ^

creatvre.

457 SEa.vn.

2 Cor. 5-i7' Therefore if any man be in Qtrift, &* him bee a "Hew Creature^

Here is one motive that remaines, and that isthis,wbich you (hall finde,*w«/.3.i7.

AW. 5» Ifyou be«

Ftrtk*frtft»l™ricb4*de»cre*fiJi* out of

*'» («*&, «»»^ A«w ««/ «f nothing. »nd knwtfl net that thw art wretched, and mi-

m ov d'Swithfenabkthings upkafeththeHoy rhoft to exprefle our fpuituall mifery,by'that: miferv, m! we are fcnfible o? 3 which is outward 5 If you be W f AS vou are poore, and naked, andmife <,U n° f incomeintoS, ycufhallhavethecon-

CUl S S r{r,ifyo«bcouto{Chrift 5 youare P oor e -

briJt,yovL arc poo>e, and naked and raife-rable.

1. Poore.

(What that

Ser. )X(

Riches what end they fcrye for,

To fetch in what wewanr.

>•■

The NeV> Creature, what.

It is<the want of what(oever may make th^-foulc rich; for, you know, there is a double riches; charge thofe that anrich in this world, where there is an intimation, that there are men that are rich in another world: Andfo Luk.iz. So is he that is rich in this world, andis not rich towards God. And Rev. 2. / know thy poverty t but thou art rich: thatis 3 thouart rich in grace,and ingood workes, though thou art poorc other wife, andthere. fore there is a poverty thatconcernes the foule, a fpir i-tual poverty which is found in every man out oichrifl. Poverty, you know, it is a thingthat every man fhuns, hee would not be poore, and you (hall finde, that look what reafons there are, why a man (hould not bee poore in his outward eftate, here is the fame reafon, why they (hould not be poore in their fpirituall eftate. For to what end ferve riches f Riches ferve.but for this purpofe, to procure things ncedfull for us, if wee want bread, or wine, orhoufes, or any thing, riches will procure them,and therefore we prize riches: And fo likewife there are fpirituall riches, that will pro-cure things needfull for our foules, and, if wee want them, we (hall want that, that is profitable for us, we fhall want thar, that is neceflary for our falvation. For riches doe but fet men a work, to doe us fcrvice • riches can doe no more, than men can doe: but thefe fpiritu. all riches fet Godaworke, to doe us good- they are beyond the other, as muchasthchclpe of God goes beyond the help of man,when youneed any thing. If you be rich in Chrift, if you be rich in grace, if you be rich ingood works,it is but putting up your requeft, and you (hall have it at the hand of God, if you want them, you (hall have whatsoever he is able to doe for

____ . you:

Ihe Hew Creature,tttbat.

you: Now if you bee out of Chrift, faith the Text, youarepoore, (that is) you want thefe fpirituall rich-es 3 youhave no ground to goc,and to make your fuit to God for any thing.

Againe, riches (land us in (lead m the time of need ; for why doe men lay uptrcafures? that when death comes, when there comes a time of need, the riches that they have laid up, may ferve their turne, they may have thofe ready for their ufe, when other men want them. Are not thefe riches for the fame purpofe? Will there not come a day of need, will there not come a

Btime of fpending, when there will be no leafure to gather at the day of death i Then all the feed fowne to the fpirit,all the good works that we have laid up, will be as a treafure, and at that time will doe us good: And J that is the difference between the death of a godly man, and another 5 when a wicked man comes to the time of need,hc hath nothing to fuftaine him,he hath no oile left in his lampe 5 he hath nothing to helpe him up $ but the godly man hatha treafure, that he hath gathered, all his life was to lay up a treafure: And this, my Bre. thrcn, you fhall find to be a great comfort at that time, that when you come to dye, all the fahhfull prayers that you have made, all the good works that you have done, all the fincerity that you hare ftewedin denying your felves, in paffmg by the things that ] worldly men catch at 3 in doing things, that it may be, have brought trouble and (Under, and difgrace 3 and perfection on you, you fhall then finde it a treafure.! Take two men, when they come to that day, the one rich in this world,another rich in good works,and con-fider which of thefe two conditions you would choofe ;

G g 4 2nd

_4J9_

SeR.IX-

The New Creature vhat.

2. Naked. Nakedncs what.

and therefore it isnot a Imall matter to be rich: Now when you are in Chrift,you are rich; out of him, you are poove,and have nothing to ftand you in ftead in the time of need.

Again, this a man hath by riches,that he is indepen-dent.he needs not to ferve others,& therf ore you know :he Provetbc is, that a rich man he canliveby others, and without others, and that is ir, they boaftof-. So it is with all the Saints, they may (ay to all the world, they can live without i% becaufethey have Go d to bee theirs, they have all his treafurcs opt n to them, they have enough in him, for he is all-fufficient,though they have but him alone for their portion, yethecis cnough 3 as he faith to ^Abraham,! am all fufficiem y and why, there are but two things that a man can de/ire ,to bt free from evill ; and to er j j>y good,faith he,/ am thy Buckler, to keep thee from evill, and thy exceeding great reward to give good to thee:. that is, thou fliah have en ough,if chou enjoy me. Now,if you be out of Christ, you fhall be poore^ that is, you (hall want thefe riches, you want the riches of grace, and of good workes, that fhould ftand you in ftead in the time of need,which wil fetch any thing in for you,when you want it,which will make you more independent, and ftand upon your owne bottomes,which is that that every man defires.

Again,if you be out of Chrift,you are naked. Na-kednes is a want of that which fhould adorne us,which fliould beautifie us, and that is the cafe of every man out of Ch r 1 s T,thereisnobeautyinhim. It is the Lord only that cloaths us with beauty. As it is faid of Saul P Wee ft jor Saul, jet Daughters of lervfalem, for he clothed you with Scarlet, and did lung ornaments of __ gold

The New Creature y lvh at.

t

gold upon your appare/L Ic may truly be faid of Chrift, chat hecloaths us with fcarlet, and hangs ornaments of gold on our apparcll, that is, it is he that makes us .Priefts to his Father: Now the Priefts in the old Law, were but a type of us, we are the Priefts indeed, you know they had Iewels, and embroidered garment<;and fo all the Saints have the fliining graces of the Spirit, which adorne and beautifie them: when a man becoms fo beaurified, then his fight is comely, his voice is plea fant, and his prayers are acceptable. This benefit we have by being in Chrift, that it makes us comely in the iight of the Lord, we (hall be made beautif all; Indeed Salomon in all his Royalty was not fobeautifull as one of the Saints: It is faid,the Lillics are much better cloa-thed than he: And why? Becaufe that was a cloathing ofGodsownc worke, this is the cloathing of Nature, but the cloathiog of Grace goes beyond the cloathing ofNature •, IfthecloathingofNaturebebeyondthat of Stlomonjjb indeed it is for narusall excellencie)fure-ly the cloathing of Grace goes beyond that, this you (hall have by Chrift : when you come to him, you come to a rich Wardrobe, where you may fute your felves from top to toe,that you need want nothing,and by the way, that ufe you may make of it, when you come to him, where there are garments of all forts, where there is change of raiment, why fliould you fuf-fer your foules to be naked in any part,I,knew you tec. kon it undecent foramantobeunevenlycloathed,to have fome garments rich and precious , and to have fome vile andbafe, and why will you fuffer your felves then to goe fo unequally claddt may be you have graces in one kind, but you want others, if you come in to

him,

4$

SERM? VIII.

! 4^z

The New Creature, Tbkf.

Ser .XI.

j Hungry

I0I1.4 3

Manna

Angels foodjhow

x Cor.io-

him, it is he that cloaths you, you arc naked without him, this benefit you (hall have by him, you (hall bee cloathed and be made beautiful,you (hall have that glorious attire, that will make you glorious within, which will make you comely in the fight of God $ if not,you (hall be naked, and therefore you (hall be reje&ed, you (hall want that beauty which God onely accepts,

Againe,if you be out of Chrift,you(hall be hungry a you (hall be wretched and miferable,for I pitch on that generall one, becaufe that is one of the outw^d mife. ries, when a man is hungry, when he is ftarved, when he wants that which (hould ftrengthen him,and refrelh him a and maintaine his life. This is the cafe of every man out of Chrift, he wants that which (hould feed him , that which (hould ftrengthen him, for mud know, that the foule hath a meate as as the body 5 otherwife , why doth Chrift 1 have a meat to eate that jou know not of * They wondered to fee him ncgled his dinner, when he ftood talking with the woman of Samaria, lob. 4. Why faith he, J have another meat to eate. And why dcth David fay, Thy law is/weeter to me than the honey, if there were not forae what that his foule did feed on? And fo, Why is it faid than Manna was Angells food? You know Manna was a materiall thing, fuch as a fpi-rituall fubftance cannot feed on,but becaufe by that Manna Chrift was rcprefented? You know he is laid to be the true MannafThe truehreadthat came down fi am he4 vtn-fhc Angels they feed on this,and k\ that refp cr&jt is called Angels food, they feed on the fame fpiritual meat, 1 Cor.io.7 our fathers did eate thatfj>iritual meat, that is, the corporal meat did typifie the lpiritual meate^vhich

is

you well (ay ,

I

,-

The New^reature, Tehat.

463

Phil.4.ig

is Angels food 5 therefore there is a food, that the foulc - SsrJx

feeds on,, out of Chrift, there is none of this, but your 1 ""

foulesare ftarved,are miferable and wretched,For whar is it that food dothflt maintains life in a man, take a-wayfood,andyoudieforit.Nowit is Chrift that gives that^HisJlefl) is meat indeed\and his blood is drinht indeed: that is 3 If hofoever belecves not in him y whofcever partakes not of him, he dies for ever.

Againe , meate ftrengtheneth , and fo doth the Lord when wee come to him, hec gives fpirituall ftrength, Without him we are able to doe nothing: A5 you have /r, loh. 15. Without me you are able to bring forth no fruite .• But as the Apoftlefpeakes, ?&/. 4. Through chriji I am able to doe every thing : It is the Lord thit gtyeth ftrength : If you will come in, you fhall hare ftrength given you, which is the property of meate,

Againe, meate refreflieth and revives the fpirit, fo doth the Lord by his graces, by the joy of the Holy Ghoft- by peace of conscience, by thofe things that he puts into the heart of every believer, I fay,they refrcfli thefoule, more than flagons of wine, and there is as e-vident refreshing : and theref ore you know that metaphor is ufed often in Mfay 26. 1 will mate afcafi of fined mnes, and of fat things .• And in CMat.22.hc calls them to come in, for hisfatlings were prepared , and all things were rtady.

What is the reafon that the Lord refembleth fpirituall things by a Feaft i Becaufe they doe the fame things as a Feaft doth $ a Feaft is a refrefhing to a man, a continuall feaft is a continuall comfort , and this | yon (hall have , if you will come in to the LordI:

ifa.26.

Mat. 22.f

Sp irituall things re-fcmbled to a Feaft, Why..

jit

SERM. Vlil.

Ob\ttt*

We are firft in Chrifi ;

i^iftfrv.

S^kituall things pre-fcnt in the firft fruites*

if you will nor come in you (hall be ftarved , you (hail be wreched and miferable. This you (hall have by the Lord hfa. Let this move you to come to.

But now a man will be ready to obje& , you tell us of thefe things, and indeed thefe are goodly things , if they were prefent, if they were reall, if they were not Imaginary things onely, that confifted in notion , and in fpeculation ; if they were things that were fenfible, but they are not fo 5 thefe things are future things, they are remote things, they are things but in Imagination, they are things that wee have no feeling of, they are things that if weelooke after them, wc ftalllofe other things in this life C

This Obje&ion all the world makes againftfuch motives as thefe, and therefore I will anfwere thefe briefly, and proceed.

Firft, whereas men fay, they arc things that are far off, (and indeed fuch things move not much:) I fay, they are already prefent, they are a great parr prefenr, wee have the firft fruits prefent, though the harvcft be deferred, and wee may boldly fay to you, that thofe very gleanings for the prefent, are beyond the vintag< that the children of this world enjoy, the peace of col fcience, the joy of the Spirit, boldnefTe in death, fccu-rity and freedom from all deaths, and dangers, famili aricy and acquaintance with God, to enjoy his favour with all that he can doe, the graces thar prevent us, the bleffing that follows us in all our anions, 'he comforts of the Saihts,whofe hearts are made g! he 1 ghc

of Gods countenance $ thefe things, I fay ^re beyond the wine and oile, beyond the -dainties a^d honours which they have, who have theirportion in this Jife$

therefore

The New (^nature, Tbhat.

therefore you have fomething for the prefent: Indeed the out-fide of thefe things are but bafe 5 but the in-fide is precious. This is the difference becweene heavenly things and earthly • in heavenly the worftisfirfl, the j beft islaft : In outward things it is true, the beginning is fwect^but the latter end is bitterefl-but let that be one anfvvere to if, that you have mi ch of it for the prefenr. And be fides this, remember though you have it not prefent, yet you fhall have it after $ and what great matter is it to want a little, to enjoy more for the fu-ture t Are we not content to buy great reverfions with I the lofle of a little money for the prefent, for we fay it I will come in * Are we not content to endure an Ap. I prentifhip of feaven or eight yeares, for our greater advantage ? Doe not men willingly ferve a Matter, or a Miftrcflc,a longtime,for hopes hereafters Now what follyjyca,what Athcifmc.and unbelief is it for a man in things that concern falvation 3 not to be content to want a little for the prefent, to enjoy happinefle for ever? If a man fliouki be put to his choife,whether he would have five {hillings to day, or many thoufands to morrow, a man, no queftion would have it to morrow. You know , this lite is not fo much toeternirie, as to day is to the next day $ why fhould we not be content to want a little ,that we may have the more afterwards.

Aod befides, if you confider what men are, men are reafonable, and to what end is rcafon given you, but to looke on things paft andfuture i That is the part of a Beaft orely to looke onprefent things, you fhould doe more than theBcaftsdoe, you fhould looke to things that are future^ and fhould order your lives according to that- And what have you faith for i For faith I

is

4*?

Ser.TX

We (hell have full-netfe of them after

1

Reafon,

and f uh (hould helpeusto mind future things.

The TSltw (reature, what

Qb\t8.i

Spiritual!

privileges

reall.

K^infa.

Spirituall

things

fenfiblc.

is that which diftinguifhech a Chriftianfro^i another man,as reafon diftinguifheth a man from a bcaft,furely this (hould teach you to goc beyond reafon 3 tcafon tea-cheth you to goe beyond that which is prefent, and Faith carries you beyond that 5 and therefore you (hould have an eye to things future, to things to coine, and not be occupied in things prelent , and therefore, though you have not thofe things for the prefent, you (hall have them , and you (hould be content to want a, little, that you may enjoy the more for the future- you (hould confider things future and not prefent, if reafon teacheth you to doe fo, much more will Faith.

But it will be obje&cd againe, It is true -, but thefe things ttha you tell us of, they are not reall things, they are things that confift but in notion, and fpeculation $ It is not fo,You muft know that thefe fpirituail Pri-viledges are reall. All that are in Chrift, arcastruely Kings and Priefts, they arc as truly Sonnes and Heires apparant, and have all the promifes of God intailed upon them and theirs, (as any Princes in this World) and there is no regenerate man that knowes this, that will change that glory that is referred for him in Heaven, for any earthly Kingdome.

But we have no feeling of thefe things i We anfwere againe, that there is a fenfe of them, as quicke a fenfe and apprehenfion of them, as there is of any other; for what is it that makes men fenfibk of thefe outward riches, and kingdomes, andhoiours* nothing but this, becaufe the undcrftanding magnified! fuch things, and the affc&ion loves anddefiresfuch things, when you enjoy them, theft you arc refrcflied with them • for pleafure is nothing elfe D but the fuiting

of

The New Creature•■ "tohat.

467

Pleafure, what, y

of a mans dcfires whatfacver they be: No man would Ser. IX take pleafure in any outward things, butbecaufe, firfl: he defires them, and the fatisfy ing of that, is that that breeds a pleafure: now when you come home to Chrift, you muft know that you (hal have other defires,as you have it in this Text, ToujhaUbe made new Creatures,you fhall have other affe&ions than you had before, and when thefc are fatisfied, you fhall have as true Pleafure and rejoycing, as ever you had in the other •, for, if that be a true definition of Pleafure and rejoycing, that it is a fatisfying of thedefire, a fatisfy ing of the appetite, whatfoever it is, when that is changed 5 Whyfhould you doubt, that you fhall not have as much fenfe, and as quicke an apprehenfion, yea, why may we not fay, you fhall have more i For this I will bee bold to af-firme, that the objeft is greater, and the faculty is more capacious and apprehenfive.

The obje& is greater, for it is durable riches, it is durable honour, a durable kingdome, greater than any Kingdome upon the earth. Look on all things that God propounds to the fons of men, and they are farre beyond the things that are here below : To be the fon of God is mQtethantobcthefonofany King, to be an heire of heaven,to be an heire of all things, is more thantobe an heire apparant to a Crownc • whatfoever is propounded, I fay it is bey on dir, therefore the ob-je<ft is greater. Then come to the faculties, they are more capacious, they have a more quickeand lively fenfe and apprehenfion, as the Rational! faculties, the Vnderftanding, and the Will, their apprehenfions are deeper than thofeofphanfie, of fenfe, or fenfclUppe-citc 1 and therefore you fee the griefe of the reafonable t part

The New Creature, ft>hat.

ob.^.

Anfo,

pare is more than tha: of the fenfes, and hence it is,that the mifery of thofe that are in hell, goes beyond the mrferies of any in this Iife^and fo the joyes of thofe that are in heaven is beyond the joy of any in thislife-.Mao,as he is more happy , fo is he more miferablethan the Beaft, and why fo < Becaufe the faculty is larger, and therefore a man that is heavenly-minded, a man thai lives by faith, that is, in Chrift, hee hath greater things to enjoy, than a worldly man hath, or can have.

Againe, the thoughts, the faculties that are taken up about them, they are of a larger apprchenfion, and have a more deep and quick fenfe than the others have-and therefore in matter of fenfe, we cannot yceld that thefe things are not fenfible, For it u peace of'Con[ci-ence that pajfeth all under Handings it is joj unjpeakable ani glorious. Ic is faid fo of no outward thing , and therefore thele are farrc beyond them •> that (hall lerve to anfwer that objection.

And fo wee have gone thorow three of them, that they are things abfent, that they are things that arel notreall, that confift in notion and fpcculation, that they are things not fenfible.

Now there is a fourth objedion, but I muftlofe \prefcnt things for them 3 if we might have him and enjoy our pleafures, if wee could have him and enjoy riches and honour, wee would be content, but wee muftbeataloffe?

But to this we anfwer, thatyoufhallbenolofers, no not for rhis life, you (halibut make an exchange, and change for a better ^ What is it that Chrift requires of you? itisbuttodocfomethingforhisfake, and to fuffer fomething ;if you doc,it is butfeed fowne

to

The New Qreature, v>bat.

to the Spirit, and as in other feeds, every feed bringeth [ SbrJx. forth more abundantly, it rifeth with a greater plenty • fo every good worke you doe, it will doe you good at one time or other,you (hall be fure to have prefent wages for it,and for that you [uftct y M4r. lo.YoufhdlhAvt m hundred j$\din this ltft> and fee afidc etemail life, for every thing chat you lofef or Chrifts fake 5 yoU fhal have |an hundred fold: Many particulars there he reckons up, if you lofe friends or goods, whatfoevcr you lofe, yon {hall have an hundred told in this life with perfe. cution • for there is the objection.

O but we fee they are perfecuted, they are freneath and not above, they are trampled on, they are mife-rable.

Why though they be,yet with perfection you fliall have an hundred fold,that is-you fliall have an hundred fold more comfort: As, I will give you but this it) ftance.

Take Pdul, hewasperfecutcdandaffii&ed,hadnot hee an hundred fold? Take a man that lives in abundance, and in plenty of all things, compare hiscondid on with that Apoftles 3 and fee whether he had not more joy of heart, more comfort in thofe affli&ions, wher* he went from PrifontoPrifon, fromaff!*<5iiontoaf. fli<5Uon, than Nero had in his Palace, or than men havt that enjoy outward things in abundance, for they are :iot outward things that will comfort us, them a man may have in plenty,and yer want the comfort of them, as many thoufands have had. So much (hall fcrve for the anfwering of thofe obje&ions. Therefore, fince cbcre are fo many motives to move you to come in to Christ, the impedimenrs which you findc in the

H h way,

Hundred ibid V?ith perfecuci on.

JHappitKS Wh.u.

470 Tb* New Creature, ffibat.

Sj.r.IX! way^theobjeiaionsofthefle^aadthcptijeiaionstbat come- from Satan are but delufions. Why {hould you not come in < Hz is the ground of all comfort; have him, and have all* want him, and want all things: I Ioh t 5.. He that hath the Sen, hath life 5 he that hath not the Son> tht wrath of God abides upn him: Thacis, hce chat hath the Son, hath life, and all things that pertaine to lift 5 that is it that makes a man happy,as you know every thing is laid then to he happy, when it hath that Which is agreeable to that being, agreeable to that lite] that it leades. A man that leads the life of nature,is hap-m for this world, according to his condition,when he I hatb every thing that belongs to this life, when he hath I wealth, when he hath houfcs 5 when he hath all conve-1 niences. Now, when a man hath the Son, heehath j fpiritualllife, and all things pertaining to k,therc is no- j thing wanting to make him happy ; when hec hath no; I that. The wrath 0/ God abides on him 5 that is, the Loni! is his Enemy, to afflid him, even He that k the Go-vernour of the world y and hec is not his enemy for j j fie, but the wrath of God abides on him for ever. An l therefore, fince the Lord is the caufe of all our com ' fort, he is the ground of all Salvation, both of all th: graces, and of all the Priyiledges that follow upon it t this (hould move us to come in, and to take him. thof< I two arguments, Ifay, the mifery that you arc in,out o. I him, and the happinefle you (hall have by him: butll will urge this no further, fo much (hall ferve for thi-Text.

finis:

»

:sil

BP Si

THE

C VP OF

BLESSING:

T>ELive%ev I^C

Three Sermons upon i Cor. io. \6.

By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of I e s U s Christ,

v

lOH tf Pr E S TON,

). in Divinity, Chaplaine inordinary to

his Majeftie,Mafter of £«wfltf«/Colled°e in

Cambridge, and fometimes Preacher

of Lincalm INNE,

The Third Edition.

LONDON,

Printed by T^B. for Nicholas jj| B o u r n e, and are to befoidat [.his Shop at the Royall m& Exchange. 1637. feS

r-,^

THEC.VP

OF BLESSING:

Delivered in three Sermons, upon

i Cor. 10. \6.

The Firft Sermon.

i Cor. io.i6. The (up ofBlefiing, that Doz blejfe, is it not the Qommunionof thebloudofQirift? &c«

F all the a&ions wherin we are converfant throughout the whole Tra6t of life,none are of fo great confequencc as thofe wherin we have to doe with the Mighty God cf Heaven and Earth: And among all thofe, none fo weighty, as that wherein we draw nea^ reft to him, as wee doe in this holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper. And therefore, nothing concerncs as more than that we doe not receive it unworthily, be-caufe the Lord wil be fan&ified in thofe that draw nea-reft unto him, that is 3 either intheholincffcof their

H h 3 hearts,

JUL

SERli I.

_47j_

Sbrm.I.

Tkt&pofBlefing.

In the Sacrament there is a communi cation of the body and bloud of Ckrift.

hearts, or in executing bis juft judgement upon them: And therefore that at thistimc, and others alio, you may not come unprepared to the holy Sacrament, we have purpofely pitched on thefe words: The Cup ofBlepng that rve blef[e~] Sec. In which yec (hall finde thele three parts: Firft, that in this Sacrament there is a true communicating of the body and bloud of Chrift.

Secondly, the meanes whereby this communication is made to us, it is the breaking of the bread,and by powring out the Wine: it not the bretdthat we breake the Communion of the body tf Chrifi ? &c.

And Thirdly, thefetting a-parr, or the blefling, or fan&ifying of thefe elements to fuch a purpofe, The Cup of bleftng which we blejfe, is it not the Communion of the bloudoj Chrift?

Now for the firft of thefe, I fay, in the Sacrament there is a communication of the very body and bloud of Chrift: The Papifts affirmc thefatre- but all the queftion is, in what manner there is this communicating of his body and bloud, they fay, corporally that there is Tranfubftantiation there, we fay the thing is really done, but it is done fp'iritually, it is done myfti-cally, it is done facramentaliy.

The reafon of our difference, is becaufe of thefe words of our Saviour, This is my body. And the Po-pifh indeed is fo ftrangc an opinion, that I would not walte time in confuting of it, but that I know there are divers amongft our feJves that doe willingly leave the Ppifts in other points, yet they are held wichforae fcruple with this, they know not how to contractor fuch plaine words, This is my body, and therefore they

cannor

The Cup of jBlefting.

cannot bee perfwaded but that there is fomewhat in it more than our Divines sflirme. and therefore it (hall not bee needlcffe to fpend a little time in (hewing you the falfenefleof this opinion.

Firft, I would askc this queftion, whether there be neceflity or no, that therefhouldbefuchaTranfub-ftantiation 5 for furcly, if there be not neceflity, if that bee but an arbitrary thing, we may as well deny it, as they affirme if,

Againe, fuch a monftrous conceit as this,compoun. ded of fo many ingrcdiences, of fo many ftrange miracles, the leaft of which goes beyond the higheft in all the Scriptures,I f ay,is not to be put upon us without neceflity-themfdves grant,that,unkfle there be a necef fity, we have no rcafon to receive it at their hands: And therefore we will enquire firft, and fee what neceflity there is.

Firft, I fay, there is no fuch neceflity that there (hould bee any fuch Tranfubftantiation, anyfiichcor-porall prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament, neither in regard of the thing, nor in regard of the words, This is my body.

I fay, it is not neceflary in regard of the thing: look to all the ends of the Sacrament, you (hall finde that you may have all without fuch a Tranfubftantiation.

Firft, if the end of the Sacrament be to bring chrift to our remembrance, as himfelfe faith, that it was his end, Hoe this, (faith hee) as often as you doe it, in re. membrance of mte : certainely, it is not neceffary that there fhould be a change of brcadinto his body for that purpofe, becaufc the Sacrament it kite with thofe words inftituted are enough for his remembrance;

H h 4

And

4??

Serm.I.

Againft Tranfub-ftantiati-on.

2 There is no oecef-fityof it.

In regard of the end sot" the Sacra-ment which are.

I To bring Chrift to our remembrance.

I

TheCupofBlefing.

Serm.I.

2 Tofhew forth the Lords death.

To unite

tismoreto

Chrift.

And befides this,the very word,2fc/fw*for,(hcwes that he is rather abfent than prefent, for wee remember not things prefent, but remembrance is of things abfent : BefideSjthe other Sacrament reprefents ChriB, andcals him to remembrance, where there is no fuch Tranfub-ftantiation: and thertore it is not for remembance thai it is needfull that Chrijl (hould be corporally prefent. 1 Or fecondly, is it needfull for this, the (hewing forth the Lords death till hit come: Surely, for this it is not needfull neither, for in preaching wee (hew forth the Lords death, As the Apoftle faith to the Galatbians, chrijl was fo plainelj Breached, that he was as good as crucified amongft them: And therefore it is not need, full for the {hewing forth of the Lords death till he come: befides, there is a particle put in there, that may helpe us a little, till he come, which prefuppofeth that he is not yet here, and therefore it is not neceffary for that end.

But againe,is it neceffary for our union with Chrift, for that is another end of the Sacrament, that we may bee united to him s furely if the union were corporal], then indeed there might feeme fome neceffity of it, if wee were (o united to Chrift, as when two boards !are clapt together, where one touchcth another: but lyou know there is no fuch corporall union, itisfpiri-tuail, and not corporally is by faitb,and not by fenfe i What is the union between Chrift and us i Partly relative, as the union between the husband and the wife, and you know if the husband and the wife bee a thou-fand miles afunder there might be fuch an union: And partly it is reall, atruereallunity, when chriBs Spirit d wels in us, which may be done without the corporal] prefence

JbeCnpofBlefiing.

prec nee of Chrift: And therefore certainly it is not needfull for the unking of us to Chrift, becaufe this union is fpirituall, it is done by faith, by communicating the Spirit of Chrift in us $ and therefore in this regard it is not neceflary that there fhould be a cor-porall prefence in the Sacrament.

Laft of all, is it neceffary to encreafe our faith, for that likewife is one end of the Sacrament, that our faith may be ftrengthned: Why furely,it is not need-full for this purpofe, No 5 I fay, it cannot ftrengthen faith, becaufe the meanes, you know, isfubordmate to the end, it isleffethantheend, whereas the faith that is required to beleeve the Tranfubftantiation, is far beyond the higheft pitch of faith exprefled in all Scripture: I fay, it cannot bee, that that fhould bee made a meanes to helpe faith, that is beyond the thing that is to be beleeved, (marke it J confider what it is we are to beleeve, we are to beleeve that Chrift tooke mans nature on him for us, that his fufferings and crucifying belong unto us,&c. Is it not much eafier to beleeve this, than to beleeve that a peece of bread is turned into the body of Chrift? Though you fee nothing, though you tafte nothing but bread : I fay, it is much eafier: Now as we fay, we muft no: blow a fparke too much for putting it out 5 now to have fuch meanes as thefe to helpe faith, that cherilh eth not the fparke of faith, but blowes it out, it doth not helpe faith, but over-whelmes faith, when the meanes ufed to ftrengthen are fuch as are beyond the thing to be ftrengthned: Therefore in regard of the thing there is no neceflicy, that there fhould be any corporall prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament. But

SerM. I.

To in-

creafe our faith.

478_ Serm I.

2 No necef-ftty in regard of the words

The ftp ofBlefing.

Metaphors afed in the Sacraments of the Law-

let us conficler whether there be any neccflity ia regard of the words,T£# is m) body: Surely ,there is not any neccflity here, for the words may have another meaning, This is mj body, that is, this is the figure of my body,or this is the Sacrament ofmy body,and therefore it is not neceffary, fpecially feeing it is fo frequent withScrip ure to ufe metaphors in thiskind, I need not name them to you: you know Chriftis called a Rock> he is faid to be a Lambe r to be a Lion, and in another cafe ludas is faid to be a Devill, the Seed is faid to be the Word, nothing more frequent, Chrift is faid to be a Vint: I need not give you more inftaoces: Htr$d y Chrift calshim Fox : The meaning of ail this is, that they are types and fignes, like fuch and fuch things. Buc yet it is the manner of the Scriptures fpeech, and therefore it is not of neceflity ? that thofe words Jhould be fo taken, for words arc like cloathes, that may fit more backs than the ovvn-ers i the words may agree to fomewhat elfe, there is not a word here, buck may agree to divers things: Body, it fignifies divers bodies: the Word, This, fig* nifies as many things as you point to : and therefore there is no neceflity that they (hould fignifiea corpo* rail prefence of Chrift.

But you will obje<ft, I, but in a matter of this moment, as the Sacrament, the Lordfpeakesdiftin&ly and exprefly, there he ufeth no metaphor, though in other cafes he doe.

To this I anfwet briefly, it is fo farre from being true, that he ufeth them notin the Sacrament, that there are none of ail the Sacramenrs,but £ is ufed. In the Sacrament ot Grcurncifion, This the Cow.

71 *nt*

The Qup of Blefing.

nant , &c. In the Sacrament of the Paflfcover ( which were the Sacraments of the old Law ) (he Lamfo is the Paffcover , in this very Sacramenr. To goeno further for inftances, take but the fecond part of it, This is the Cup $f the NwTe/lamem in my bloody where you (hall , finde two types and figures, this Cup , taken for this Wine ; This is the Cup of the New Tefiament , that

J is, the Sacrament of the New Teftament: And there-fore we fee , there is no neceffity in regard of the words: and there is no neceflity, fince with a little buckling and fwerving, This is mj My , that is, this is the figure of my body, wc have a convenient fenfe, why lho»ld wc faine fuch a monflrous thing,that bread is turned into the very body of Chrift, and the wine into the very bloud * What needs fuch a monflrous fetch as this , to helpe the words to a meaning j? ; What need or neceffity is there, that they fhould be (o interpreted t And therefore wee fee in the firft place .[that there is no neceflity, and ifthere be no neceffity 3 it is not to be put upon us, for if that be an arbitrary thing, we may afwell deny it.

Secondly, as there is not neceflitie, fo there is not poflfibility, (though it werepoflibk ) they would not get much, for there are many things that are poffible that are not done: But it is not poffible5 ^ werc P°f-fibk, then it muft ftand with the power of Go ©: Bur the power of G o d is not ufed, but where the glory and wifedome of G o d goe before, for it is the har-bengcr of his glory and wifedome. The power of God is not ufed, but if it be for his honour, there-fore it is (aid 7 Codcamot lye, becaufe it is not for his ho. nour, and he cannot deny himfelfe, becaufe it is not

for

Set, m.I.

There is nopoffi-bility ©f

Sekm.I

I

It isa-gainft the glory of God.

Glory ap

peared in

Chnfts

loweft

humiliati

on,

2

Againft his wife-dome.

TheCufofBUJSitt£.

for his wifedome and his glory; Now I fay fince this is not for the glory of G o d (i or it is againft his glory ) that there fliould be fuch a converfion of the bread into the body of Chrift, and it is againft his wife-dome: And if it be againft thefe, thenccrtaincly, tht power of God muft not be called to it : Now I fay i it is againft his glory, becaufe whenfocver the Lord appeared , he appeared alway in glory , though fome-times he appeared as a man, yet there was fuch a Ma-jeftie that caufed them to tremble that beheld him: Shall we fee God and live i You fee when he appeared to £//**, what Majsftie he came in i What barbengers he fent before him ,the Windih& rent the Rockcsfltid a Fire, &c.

But you will fay Christ humbled himfelfe to death as a man, therefore he doth not al wayesappeare in glory.

It is true, and that was the loweft degree of UumU Union $ and yet when he appeared as man, there was fome fparke of his Divinity appeared there: But that Chrift fliould appeare in the likcneffe of a peece of bread that thou mayeft put in thine owne mouch,furcly this is a monftrous thing,it is againft the glory of God. Doe you thinke, if Chrift fliould come downe upon the earth, after his Afcenfion, and exhibite himfelfe to be worfhipped amongft us,that he would prefent him felfe in the forme of a peece of bread i Itisimpoffi-ble, it is not for his glory, nor the honour of his name, and if it be not for his glory, then certainely the power of God muft not bee brought downe for the working of it. And as it is againft his glory, fo it is againft his wifedome, for the Lord doth nothing to no purpofc,

he

IhtCupofftkfing.

hee doth nothing in vaine,hee never wrought miracles when they might be fpared, where the thing might be done without a> miracle. Since this might be done without a miracle, all that we have by Chrift, all that is reprcfented in the Sacramcnr,what neceffity is there* And if there be no neceffity, it befeemes not the wife-dome of G o d to doc it: Againe , would not the fmallcft miracle, really and vifibly expofed to fenfe, helpc more than fuch a miracle as this : Befides all this, I fay, itisnotpoflible(makeyourownefenfes Iudges ) you fee nothing but bread ;■ now this is a fure rule, that of all demonstrations ot reafon that wee have to prove things , nothing is fo fir me as that which is taken from fence: To prove the fire is hot, wee fcele it hot r or honey tabee fweete, when wee taft k to bee fweetc ; There is no reafon in the world makes it fo firme as fenfe : As it is true in thefe cafes, fo it is an undoubted Truth in Divinity, that in all matters of fenfe, fenfe is a competent Iudge: Indeed, if it bee a matter of reafon $ there fenfe is not able to judge, the eye is able to judge of his owne fenfe, of founds it cannot judge y but, I fay;, obje&s proper to fenfe , peculiar to fenfe, in thefe fenfe is a competent Iudge. And therefore Chrift hirafclfe, in this very-bufinefle, whea hee would prove that hee had a true body, hee fends them to their fenfes, \>i $itit hath> not fitJIi andbantsa*yott fee methave : And Thomas hee bids, Put th hand intomyfidtandftelt, &c. Hee lends them to their fenfes : Looke tho-row the Scriptures, and fee if there bee one miracle there, if fenfe be not a competent judge according to that part of the miracle that concernes the fence 5

would

481

Serm. I.

Againft

Serm.I.

The C»pof ®lefing t

4

Againft reafon.

would you not thinke it ftrange, if Chriftlhould have come to the Mafier of the feaft, when he wrought the miracle, dnd have faid, S*f,you muftbeleevethatrhis is wine, though you fee nothing, though you taftc nothing but water, yet you muft beleeve that it is turned into wine 5 And if God fhould have f aid unto Mofes, ] Thoughrhou fee nothing but a Rod,thou muft beleeve it isturned into a Serpent: If there had been no change indeed,and fuch as fenfe might fee, we would think it a ridiculous thing,and next doore to an Impofture: And therforc certainly in matters of fenle,fenfe is axbmpe-tent Iudge - and therfore when allthe fenfes tell us that it is bread when wee taft, when the eye and the touch, when every thing makes it evident that it is bread,why {hould we fay there is any thing elfe hut bread ?

Befides, if we willaddc to fenfe, reafon ^ it is Againft reafon, as well as againft fenfc. It is againft reafon that Chrift fhould be in heaven, and yet have ten thoufand bodies on earth, and yet Chrift hath but one body,and a body can be but in one place; And againe, this body muft bee without all circumfcription and qualities and properties of a body. And againe, that the bread that wee fee (houldbee no bread, fay they, there is the whiteneffeof bread, there is thetafteof bread, there is the quantity of bread, and that is all: I woaM but aske them one thing, when this bread is eaten, fince there is nothing there, but thefe accidents, there is nothing but the meere quantity, and the like : I would aske, whether it nourifh the body or no 5 they muft needs anfvver no, if they follow their principles, becaufe the body of C h r i s t is not there, they fay it is remooved asfooncasthebreadisdeftroytd,

whet)

The Cup of !Ble[$ing. ! 482

I when it begins to turneinto flefli, it lofeth thefeacci-dents 5 wdl j the bread rcturncs not againe, there is nothing but accidents of the bread, and yet certainly it' doth nourifti * for it is reported by credible Authors, that fome have been fo holy, that they would feed up! on nothing elfe but the Eucharift i for a prieft maycon-fecrate a Cdler of wine, and as much bread as he will, and may feed upon this, and with thefehee may bee nourished, #id yet there is nothing but accidents of breaAIn a word 3 the Schools thattraverfe thisfo acute. ly arenotfausfiedarallinthis, but they leaved as a wonder, as a thing that cannot be explained ?: So it is againft reafon, as it is againft fenfe.

But you will fay, faith is beyond fenfe and reafon, it is true, it isbeyond both, but it is not contrary to both 5 faith teacheth nothing contrary to reafon, for fenfeand reafon arc Gods workes afwell as grace, now one worke of God doth not deftroy another 5 if they fliould 5 there muft be an imperfe<ftion in the workman, and therefore 'grace and faith contrary not fenfe and reafon * indeed it elevatcth reafon, and makes it higher, it makes it fee further than reafon could, it is contrary indeed to coifriipt reafon, but to reafon that is right reafon, itisnotcorifrary, onely it raifcth it higher: And therefore faith teacheth nothing contrary to fenfe and reafon.

But befidesthefe, ifweefhewthem Scripture too, what will they have then to fay * when we fay it is a-gainft fenfe and reafon, fay they,the Scriptures affi rme it, if it doe, we will yeeld. Let us examine the words, iff the Scripture affirme it -. Ves, fay they, the Scripture faithr, This is mj Body , they are Chrifts words j but it

the

Sekm.I.

Againft Faith.

6

Againft Sciipmrc

Serm.I

TheCnpofBlefing.

the Scriptures fay fo, yet che Scripture faith no where, ( that that bread is turned into the body, that no where faith, that there is luch a Tranfubftantiation, onely thofe words ufed, which as you heard, may bavcatne. taphoricall, tropicall, figurative fenfc : Butbcfidcs J this, what it the Scripture fay the contrary? you (hall finde this in the next Chapter fife times called Bread and after v is confecrated too, as the Apoftlc faich, The Cup afBksfing that we blefle,andtbe bread that we breake; After hce had blcffcd the bread, then hee tooke it, and after he tooke it, then he brake it, he thus tooke that which is called Bread.

Againc, they fay the body of Chrift is not broken, but that is broken, which is alwayes after the words of Confecration, but it is the bread that weebreakc.

Againe, if it could be understood otherwife, you fee what a Tautology would be in the words, The Bread that me breake, it u the Communion of the Body of chrtfl-If the meaning was, that it is the body, here the words muft be thusrendredj The body that we breake, is ir not the communion of the body i But, I fay, five times you (hall finde it in this next Chapter, that if is Bread after the words of Confecration $ and you know in* faid to bz Wine, Chrift faith, he mil not drink of th< fimt of the Vine • by which hemeanesthe very wir^ which was before in the Sacrament: and therefore certainly they finde nothing that affirme it.

Befides -if it were the meaning of Chrift, Thu is my body \ what is the reafon the Diiciples never asktd my queftion about it? What is the reafon the Fathers, that followed in the firft times fpake not of fuch things? I need not trouble you with that. Now you

ihall

Jhe Cup of fclefiing.

(hall find all along from the fir ft, that the Fathers make no fuch mention of that 5 but not to ftand to preffe this further becaufc I fee the time paffeth, and this thing I intend not to ftand on: You fee therfcre the falfenefle of this opinion, that this Communion of the bloud of Chrift, and of the body of Chrift, fhould be through any reall corporall Tranfubftantiation. Bur what is it then ? Wee are to diftinguiffo betwecne the inward and the outward a&ion, there need no more but that with the outward aftion, with the mouth of the body we take the bread and wine 5 and with the inward a&i-on, that is, by faith wee take the very body and bloud of Christ* thefe wee diftinguifl^thefe they confound : But, I fay, wee agree in the thing, wee fay Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament, as truely and really as they,only there is difference in the manner, weefayitisfpiritually, they fay it is corporally.

For what is the Sacrament * (to open it to you) and fo I will come to make fome ufe to you.

This Sacrament is nothing elfe, but the Seate of the Gofpell of the New Covenant; and it is indeed nothing elfe, but a vifible Gofpell. for what is the Gof pell? the Gofpell iSbut an offer of Chrift, to all that will take him, forrcmiflionof finnes; now the fame tilling which the Gofpell preacheth to the eare, that fame the Sacrament preacheth to the eye, that is, in the Sacrament there is an offer of C h h i s t to us, Take andeAte 9 that i$,,takrChrift,tt^/e fodj was broken, andwhefe bloud W [bedfor j outfit him for remiflion of fins: I fay the fame is done,only the Gofpell prefents it to us under audible wo^and the Sacrament prefents

Ii it

485

Serj*. IJ

The Sacrament the Scale of the Gofpell.

The condition oo Gods part.

Tht Qup of ^Blefing.

Gofpell whit.

4 8^

sIrk^S k to us under vifible fignes: cms is all the difference: j I If wee would know what the Sacrament is, confider what the Gofpell is, and the Covenant, and you ftall knew what this is, for it is but a Sealc, but a memori-all of the Gofpdl $now what is this Gofpell t It is no. tiling but this, when God looked on mankind, as fallen in K^id*m> he tooke arefolutionin himfetfe to recover them againe, by giving his Sonne to them: Now this mufl bee manifefted to m n 5 therefore hec (ends his meffengers to declare to the fonnes of men,to let them know their eftate by nature, and to tell them that hce hath given them his Sonne to fave them from their fins, anekp reconcile them to himfelfe, to give them title to the kingdorae, from the hope of which they were fallen: this is one part of the Gofjx 11, this pro. I 1 mifc which he hath made, which I fay, is nothing elfe but a meere office of Chrifh

But there is another part, which is the condition re-

quired on our part^when Ckrili is thus given,you muft

ferve him,and love him, and obey him,and turne from

all your evillwayes, you muft bee his, as he is yours:

now when this covenant and agreement is made be-

t weene us,he puts his Seale to k, this Sacrament of the

Lords Supper: As lwb and Lata*, when they had

made an agreement one with another, that they-mould

not hurt one another,they pitched ftones upon an heap,

This fhallbe a mtnefft between us, that is,if either of us

breake the bargaine, let this heapewitneffe, that there

was fuch a covenant made: And as God himfelfe

di i , when he made a covenant with Noab, that the wa-

!' ters fliould no more overflow the earth,he fet his Bow in the clouds^nd that was a witneffe,that when I fee the Bow

The Qufof^kfiing.

Bow in the cloud, if I goc about to drownc the earth againe with water, let this witneffeagainft me: So in rhcPafleover, when hec madeapromifethatthedc-ftroy iug Angell fpare them, hee commands them that they fhould fprinkle the doore-cheeks with bloud, that : when ta fees the bloud, that witnes might fecure them, i that the Lor d would remember what hee had pro mifed when hee bad feenethat: And as among men, when a man conveys cither lands or money ,to another man, they uie to confirme the bargaine with feales or with fome fignc or memoriall, that when they for-get the bargaine, or deny it, or goe about to brcake it, it may be faid to them, This is your hand and feale 5 the thing is done, you have paft it, it cannot be recalled -if you doe, this will witneffeagainft you i So the Lord here, when he hath made his Covenant with us, I wili give you my Sonne, And you againe ffiall give your felves up to him, hee put his hand and feale to it, as it were, hee addes this Sacrament that will bee a wit-nefle againft him, if hee fhould goe about to breakt the covenant, as ids awitnefle againft us,if webreake, the Covenant of faith and repentance, that is rt quirt df on our part: You fee therefore what the Sacrament i*, ic is nothing but tbeSealeof theGofpell, prefendngj that to the eye, which the Gofpell prefentsto rhe earc* for it prefents God as it were, becomes with Chnf* in his hand, faying this to us, This ismySw, his body is broke* for you, and his bUudflxd ] for jw,tai:t Him, kc Htm be yours, only remember that yen ferve H.m, that you love Him,thaty$u ohy Him agaio,and let this Sacra ment be a figne and a witneffe between us: fo that as the Gofpell hath two parts, one is a relation of all that |

IU Chrift 1

S.ER.M . I<

The Cup of fBlefing.

r ■ -

l Parts oxj the Gof-peil.

Vje L

To con

firme us in the affu-rar Cs of forgive J*e&

Chrift hath done; and another is the giving arid offering Chrift to us, fo in this Sacrament there is a reprc-icnting of Chrift, he was crucified, his body was broken, hisbloud was fhed, and a deed of gift is delivered of Chrift to us, Take and eat: And therfore know that it is not abarc figne, but it is a figne of the Covenant • and thereis a difference bctweene thofe two, to fay the Sacrament is a figne of Chriff,md a figne of the Cove nanr,even as there is a great difference between the wax that oncly beares the impreflion of an Image ftamped uponit,and between that which is a feale to a Deed^that is the figne of the covenant of bargaine,and agreement, for that gives intereft into the thing, that gives Title to I the thing,thatconveycsthethingtous, thatbindesthe owner perpetually to the performance of the thing; fo the Sacrament is not a naked figne, reprefentiag this a& of Chrift, but it gives us intereft, not onely into fome benefits, no, he faith not, you (hall have remifli on of finnes, or you (hall have adoption, but he faith. Take , this is my Body : By body is meant whole Chrift, by a Synecdoche, wee have Chrift and all things elfc.

What ufcare wee to make of this i Surely itis of great ufc many wayes: Firft, we muft make mis ufe of it, which is the mainc end of the Sacrament, to con. ffrme our faith in theafluranceof the forgiveneffe of our finnes, as like wife to renew our Covenant, and the condition required on our part,.when God hath laid hee is willing to pardon our fins, ifhe had but bardy (aidit, it had beeneenough, God cannot lye: But left it /hould not be enough, he hath not only faidir, but he hath fworne it, Heb. 6. Be hath fmrrte by himftlfe y

that

The Qup of <Blefiing.

Two Sqalcs.

A difficult thing to frdeevc.

___

tfat by two immutable things we might bavejlrong confo-Ution: Beiug vViihng, faith the Apoftlc, to fhewtothe hures of promife the ftableneffe of his Counfdl 3 hee ; bound himlelfe with an ouh 5 bur yet left shacfliould not i beenoug\ he harh added feales to it, he hath given the j inward feale of the Spirit, and the outward feale of the I Sacrament; as if helhould lay,Ihavcpromifedtofor-I give you your fins, let the Sacrament witneflc againft fl me, if I performe it nor: Here by thewayobierve, I how difficulc a thing it is for us to beleeve s you may thinke it an eafis thing when you are in health, when I; you are well; but when death comes, when temptati. on comes, when trouble of confidence comes 3 1 fay, I you (hall finde it a difficult thing, you (hall find a need [ of all thefehelps• forcerrainly God fwearesnotin I vaine, he would not have bound himlelfe with an oath 3 I to be ready to forgive fins,if there were not exceedingly need of fuchhelpestoconfirraeus., and therefore I you have Meed to fet your felves more diligent about it 3 ; make this ufe of the Sacrament, labour to confirme your felves in this affurance: So that as the Jpoflle faith, \Tou may haveftrengconfolationjhax. is,when thetetnpta-Irions of Satan ihall affault you with objections to the f| contrary^ou may be ftrong,and not (haken: And why (houid you bee doubtfuil (if wee fhould a little reafon with you) that you may receive the fruit of this, for vhy (hould you feareitfFor firft,the Lord proftfleth, f would mt the deathofafinner as 1 live: And why will you iyejhyto hjuje ofljraek What is the meaning of this r fit to fhew that the Lord hath an exceeding great \J^ r ^' d jefire, earneftiy longs to favc the foules of men, In- j thcUvi i :d hee faith not that hee will give every one grace pun of

Ii 3 t0

Reafons to armc us a gainft doubting of forgtvt nefle,

men.

Serm.I

The ten-dcrncfle in men teachcth it.

Lu\t

Els Cbrifls death werevoyd

TlxQipof Bkfing.

Fear© put for the •worfliip of God.

to' come in, but if hee doc, ^As I live faith the Lord, I will not his death, that is, I am ready to forgive him: Befides this, confider what a man is ready to doe, confider how tender hearted Fathers and Morhers are to their- Children $ if we finde fo much mercy there, confider how much there is in God y that mercy that is in us. is brut a drop to the Ocean, itisbutabeamc, to the urine ffe that is in him: if you that are evill can give good things to your children,how much more ft all your heavenly Fatkrdotit? Againe, confider if the Lord were not ready to (hew mercy toyou,that chrifi fhold not be of none effeft, that is, the bloud of Chrifi fhould: be ftied in vaine. And doe you think the Lord would fend his Son to fuffer death, andtofufferitinvaine * and that fhould be in vaine, if he fhould not be ready to receive men to mercy,when they come to feeke it at his hands •, befides if the Lord fhould not doc this, no flefh fhould be faved: P/4/.130.3. faith the Plalmift there, if thou Lord fhouldtft marke aU that is done amijfe, who could (land!' The meaning is this,if the Lord fhould not be ready to doe this,which he hath given to the Sacrament to confirme, namely to forgive fins, if hee fhould riot be ready to doe it, if he fhould marke ftrait. ly what is done amiffe, who could ftand, that is 0 who fhould bee faved i Now certainely the Lord hath made man for that purpofe, man fhall bee faved, none were made for damnation: Befides, there is ahother argument. There ismtrcy with thee that thou mighteft he feared: Feare is takenior the Worfhip of God,that is, if the Lord fhould not receive men, none would worfhip him, none would ferve him 5 when there is no hope, take away all hope, take away all endeavour.

The (upoftBUfing.

If this will not perfwade you, t-onfider whac the Lord hath done for others* how many ihoufands of other have had their finnes forgiven, and then thinke, had bee mercy forfuch andftjeh, and hath he not mercy j enough former Hathnoc Christ taken thy nature as we'l as theirs <f If all this will not perfwade I you, corrfider how mercifull Chrift was in the dayes j of his flefli> he was exceeding gcnde,cafie to be entrea-I ted, you (hall never find that there was any that asked I at his hands,but he granted it: And thinkyou that heis I leffe pittifull now to mens foules, than he was to their bodies i Doe you thinke that now he is in heaven, hee hath laid afide his mercifull difpofition * No, Htb.^. \ Wee have 4 mercifull High Priefi that is touched with our i infirmities y that is ready to forgive: Oh, but my fins are exceeding great f what though they be, is not the Lords mercy exceeding, is it not like the mighty Sea, that drownes Mountaines afwell as mole-hils : My finnes are of divers forts, what if they be i in the Lord there is multitudes of mercies, as many as thou ha/i pfins: I,butthcy have oft beenc repeated,I have oft fallen into them again and again: What if thou haft * Is not his mercies renewed every morning: And, Zach. 13,1 There is a fountains opened for the houfe vf ludah and lerufalem to rvajb in: Nor a cifterne, butafoun-taine, har i$,asthereisafpdngoffininus, fothereis a fpri'ng of mercy in God, there is no end of his mer-cy, therefore doubt not in r gard of that.

riur again, I am unfit, if I were fit and ready for this

491

Serm.I.

s 4

Confide? what God hath done for others.

5

The mercy of C^rift when he was upon arch.

Objett. ^nftv.

Gods mercy greater than our ins.

I might receive fruit from the Sacrament, but lam

unfit? Why? If thouthoughtcft thyfclfefit, thou

flioukfeft not have it s even therefore, becau(e<hou

' I i 4 Eelcft

ob\e£i. ^Anfiv.

A ii-ht of our unfit-nes makes as fit for mercy.

TheCupofBlefing.

-7 1

eelcft thy felfc unfit, therather thou (halt be rceeived *o mercy: the Lord lookes for this at our hands, tha. wc fiiid and fcclc fuch unfitneffe in our fouks,thc rnoir' we arc humb-ed,thc lefle wefind in our fclves,the more ready the Lord is to receivers to mercy: B.fi *ss,this very unfirmfie, 1 would aske thee > but what it is 5 Is it not fin? It all fins be forgiven, if the pardon be gene-rail, then it is contained among the reft, andfhallnot | be any impediment: And therfore make this ufe when you come to. the Sacrament, thinke not that God is backward to forgive, that he will not be as good as his word, certainely he will • and know this,that what he hath faid, and fwornc, hee will performe, Heaven and Earth jhall pajfe away, but his Word {hall not pajfe. This indeed is pur chiefeft confolation, that our faith is not built upon perfwafions and imaginations of our ownc, that our finnes (hall be forgiven, but it is built upon the furc Word of God: And as Saint Paul faith, Gala. i. lj an Kyingellfrom heaven fhould preach any other Cof pell, you fhould not receive it from him. So when you have this fure Word, that God hath given you a gene, rail pardon, Come unto me aUyee that are weary, and heavy laden, &c. You may build upon this fure Word: i^Now when you put all thefe together, that the Lord hath faid it, and put his feale to it, if he fhould not doe it, the death of Ch kist fhould bee of noneeffed, no flefh fhould be faved, no man would worfhip God. Againe, there is nothing can be an impediment to us, not the greatnefle, and multitude of our finnes, and our relapfe into finne, not our unfitnefle. why fhould we doubt i But now this is the condition ooGops part.

Then

7he Cup of <BleJTtng.

49?

Se

RM

our pare.

I To take Chnft.

Ioh.i.X2.

Then fee the Condition required on our part. what is that?

Firft, it is required that we take the Lord Iefus ' ; diiiorJof Cbrift, for though the Lord give him in the Sacra-i th -cwe -ment, though he offer him in the Gofpell, except wee : take him, he is not otirs. If we beleeve that one will give ns a thoufand pound, that makes not a man rich, if he be ready to give it, it is the taking that makes us rich : If wee beleeve that there is fuch a foveraignee k&uary that is able toheale, that beleeving doth not heale, ic is the taking of it, ifitbenottakenitheaks not. And therefore there is required a taking of Chrift 5 So many as received him , he g*ve power to*be thefons of God. So many as received him. If a Virgin believe that fuch a Suiter is willing to take her for his wife,except flhetake him for her husband,itis no match. And fo to beleeve that Chrift is ready to forgive and pardon our finnes, to beleeve that God the Father will give Chrift to you as he hatb ^Touta Son is given, Efa. 9.6. To believe this except we take him, it doth not profit, hec is not ours till then : This taking is that which the Scripture calls Faith, this is a beleeving in him : If you would know what this taking is, it is nothing elfe but the very accepting oichrifi for our King, Lordmd Husband : So that look what it is among men, if you would aske what it is for a fpoufe to take fuch an one for her husband,f or a fervant to take fuch an one for his mafter,for a fubjeca to take fuch an one for his King, it is no more, but this,the very a<St of the will,whereby they content, and accept fuch an one for their husband, for their Matter or King . it is the taking of him, and (thh is the taking of lefus drifts fay, when we (ball ac-i sept

r.

What it is to take Chrift.

Serm.I.

TbeQupofSUfing.

2

To (ervc him. .

3

To turnc fcom Gn,

cepc him, when we fee God hath given him to us, and thathe hath given himfelfe, when we uke him for ouj Lord and Matter, that fcthe very a& of the Will, whereby we rcfolvc to make him ours, and relolveto give up our (elves to him , as he is given to us; That is the fir ft condition that is v quired, wee muft take him 5 1 and this the Scripture calls faith. Is this all? No, there is fomewhat elfe required, you muft take him in deed afwellas in will, that is, you muft fo take r.im , as to ferve him,and only him,to turne from all evil ways, and therefore the pardon runnes fo,though it be a gene-rail pardonjas there is a general proclaim ion. whatfo ever yoar rebellions be , it is no matter for all kind of rebellions, there is neither any finnc nor any perfon excepted, but then this condition runnes along with it, you muft take him for your King: Is ib<rt aU * No, you muft lay downe your armes of rebellion, you muft renounce the Colours and Tents of the enc-mie, and come in and be fubjed: to him, you muft live by his Lawes: And therefore befides taking of mm, there is required that wee bee ready to obey Chr .it indeed, and not to take Christ onely as a Saviour; I Every man is ready to take him as a Prieft to (aw them from their fiones, but to take him as a Kiftga,'^ a Lord, fo as to be fubjeft unto him, here all the world is at a ftand ; asthcyoungman when he cam* to Christ, and hec tells him what hce muft doe, Goe fell all 3 &c. He would not take hi rhii

condition 5 here every man is ready to mxh

wee arc willing to follow Christ thorov* faire way, but not thorow foule and rough*ayj wee are willing to take him with a Crovvm* tf

g!vy

The Cup of fckfiing.

4S>J

4

To fcrve him in love.

glory, but aot witha Crownc of thornes ; weear c | Serm.I. willing to take the fwect, but not the fowre: Bu r wc muft know , that ifwc will take Chrift, we muft likewife obey him, and takehitn as an Husband 3 our will muft be fubjeft to his will 5 wc muft take him as a Lord, we muft be fubjeft to him in all things, we muft keepe his Commandements $ and therefore he hath Co cxpreft it, Jfyouwillfujfer with him,you f\)^Hr eigne with him , not elfc • 1/ you will obey me and ktepemy com. mandemtnts , then yon Jlmll be my D;fciples y if you will follow me , and deny your fclvts , and take up your croffe^ &c. Take up my crofle daily.

Therefore a fecond Condition is this, which the Scripture calls fometimes repentance and converfion to God, fometimeobedience.

But is this all? No 3 there is one more required, that we doe all this out of love, forwhenamanisin extremity, when he is driven to an exigent,- now to takeChrift, andtokeepe hisCommandementS; per-haps he will be willing to doe, to expedite himfelfe out of fuch a ftraite : bur will the Lord regard this ? Surely no, except it be from love 5 therefore Gal 5.5, you fliall finde them all three put together, Neither Circumcifion availeth anything^ noruncircumcifion>but faith that worketh by love ,• there you have the fir ft Condition, which is faith. The^fecond, which workecb, it is not an idle faith, but it is a faith that fets you 2 wotke 5 and then you have the third, they are work:s thac come from love. A rmn willbc ready to doe any thing to fave his life; you know a Merchant when he it o^ the f a, a3s awsy his goods,when he is in extreme danger, not becaufe he and his goods are fallen our,bu* 6 5 tc

Serm.I,

The Cup of Bkfing.

-

Feare of a fleecing nature love conftant.

to lave his life he will doc ic: Take a covetous man, fci him be on the racke, he will be ready to doe any thing, but yet the man is the fame : And fo for a man to doc much for Chrift, to doe as we are ready to doeintu time of extremity, when death comes, when ficknefli 1 comes, when we are under fome great ctofle that is up^ on us, when confeience is trouble d, I lay, in thefc cafes to doe it, the Lord regards it not: This therefore is the Condition that is required to be done out of love $ ic is a rule in the Civill-hw, Contrail** qui fit per minasjiuL Imejl 5 The contracts that are gotten by thrcatnings, are no contra<5tsatall,butifaVirginconfent, when fheeisfrce, when it is done without ccmpulfion, that makes the match: Soitisbctweene Chrift and us, for us totakehimandtokeepe his Commandements, and to doe it out of feare and other refpe&s, this Chrift regards not j it is love that nukes the match : If wee take him out of love, if all wee doe, be done out of love, then there is a match bet weene us, other wife not. And there is good reafon for that, becaufe feare is of a fleeting nature, it foonepafles and vanishes a way, but when it is rooted and grounded in love, when that which we doe,comcs from this prir#ciple,then we hold out and cleave to Chrift, without feparating againcj when that proceeds from feare, we doe it nor with de-' light, we doe it not with propeofenetfe, withproclivi ty of minde, with an inward willingntflc. Now the Lord fo loves acheerefullgiver, acheerefullfervant, and a cheerefull perfoimer, that he loves no other; And therefore that Condition is required 5 to Delight w the law, in the in ward man, that wee doe not onely keepe his Commandements, but that they be not grievous

The C«P of Blefing.

497

Hcb.

pi4

C.or.i6

vous to us, and what we doe be done out of love ; and [ Serm.I

therefore it is required, when we doe this, that wc love "

the Lord Iefus Chrift. I will befboldtofay t a man may day and night as earneftly as Hannah did , he may keep the Commandments of God without reproofe, a? Zachary and Elizabeth did for the outward ad, hee may abound in the worke of the Lord^but whatfoevei he doth, if he doe it not out of love, God lookes upon fuch workes, as upon a dead carcafe; fothey arc called Fid. p. Dead workes , that is, workes that are good f 01 fubfiance, and circurnftance too, but yet they are dead, becaufe they come not from love, there is no life in them : Therefore in 1 Cor. 16.22. Whofotver loves not the Lord Iefus, faith the Apoftle, let him be accurfid. Wh&foever loves not the Lordlefm y that is, whatfoever a man doth befides, let him profeflfe what he will, and pcrforme wh3t he will, if he love not the Lord Iefbs,he is accurfed: And that I fpeake not this without ground, looke iCw.13. Take* the moft glorious anions that a man can performs, if a mmgive his body to be burnt, that is, to be a Martyr, if he gives his goods to the poore, which is an high a&ion for a man to part with all hee hath • if he doe that which Chrift required ot the Young man, to dwy himfelfe : If a man were abk to preach the Gofpell, if he had guiftsasan Angel, as the Apoftle fpeakes, If he were able to (peake with the tongues of men and Angels , and tf it were without Uve s God regards it not: Love is a dilUngui/hing Character, an hypocrite may goe very far, but love hee cannot 5 it is love therefore- that fcts an high price upon all that wee doe : And therefore you fhall finde r rom the beginning of Gencfis 3 to the end of the

Revel*

iCoim^.j

Hypocrkes cannot love

Serm.I.

The Qup of Blefing.

RevtUtion, the Prormieismade{UUtothe Affc&ion, and it is the Affc&ion that makes a man a good man; he that fearcs the Lord 3 and he thtt loves the Lotd,and he that delights in the Commandements of God,&c. And therefore it is not enough that we take Chrift,and that we bekevc in Him, that we do the works that H: commands us,but that we doethem oat of love: And this is the Condition that is required on our part. So you fee now whatthe Gofpellis, whatthefummeof it is: that is feakd in the holy Sacrament, it is this covenant on Gods part," that his ready tofirgivtusi wherein you muft ftrengthen your faith, when ycu draw neare to him. And a-gaine, this condition on your part, Faith and obedience out of love, as you have heard: This is the firft ufethat you are to make* I fhould proceed.

THE CVP

OF BLESSING;

Delivered in three Sermons-, upon

i Cor. 10. 16.

J99

Ser.1I.

The Second Sbr mo n .

I* Gor. 10. i&

The (up tfftUfiwg, that Tt>e bkjje., is It not the Communion of the bkudof Qniji ? &c«

E EIN G wee have the fame occafion for which Itookethis Text, being tore-ceive the Sacrament againe the next Sab-batb a andfo along • I thought it better to continue it, than to divert to another . [when wee handled it the laft time, we told yoa then [were thefe three parts in the words j

Firft, there is a true Communion of the body and >loudofChrift. Secondly, the meancs by which it is conveyed to

us.

JOO

The Cuj> of <Elefing.

i^tug*

which

us, the bread and wine, the outward elements, God hath fan&ified to that purpofe.

The third, is the adopting or fitting thcfe dements for fuch an end 5 and that is by fan&ifying them, by bltfTing them, by fetting tbemapait 5 The Cup of Blefling which we bleffe, &c.

The point we delivered was this, that in the Sacra-menr there is a reall and true Communion of the body and bloud of Chrift to every Receiver.

Wee told you the difference betweenc the Pnpifts and us 3 we both agree that Chrift is really in the Sacr.i menr, they fay it is corporally, we fay it is only done by faith* Butto ufe an expreffion of Lsfuguftine,which he hath upon the very Text, faith he, lohn Baptift laid he was not Elias, and yet Chrift faith John was Eltas: faith he how (hall we reconcile thefe two ? they are thu* re c&nctled^lohn^fpeakspreperly^and chrift (pake figuratively, and therefore theycroffe not one another (he gives rhis very inftance) £q faith he, when Chrift faith, This is my body , and we fay k is not his body, but bread, (they are {^dugnftines owne words) faith he, the meaning isthis, It isthebody, ifwetakeitfigurarively, and itis not his body 5 if we fpeakc properly $ fo rhat as it was with the Temple of his body, when he fpake of it, y will deftroy this Temple , and build it in three fayes, they underftood it ofthcmatcriall Temple • andean;* the Text, They were reckoned as jdfe witness *ga<n(l Chrijl : So when Chrift fpeakes thus of his b,>uy, This is my body , when they underftood it maierially J and corporally 3 when it is a thing fo frequent 0 id ufual! with him to fpeake Metaphcdcally, I fay, they fhaJl bee found falfe wicacfles againft him, in _ applyj'.^

The Qup of <BUfing.

applying this to his materiall and corporall body, that hee underftands of his myfticall body, which is received by faith. I will not ftand to repeatetnore of that I delivered then, left the time prevent us in that which remaines.

Oncly one thing which I then omitted, and that is a great objc&ion of the Papifts * out of the fixt Chap , tcr of Saint lohn , where Chrift fpeakes fo much of eating his flefh, and drinking his blood, which, fay chey, mud needs be underftood of a corporall mandu cation, of eating his body and drinking hisbloudin

t-he Sacrament 5 we will fpeake one word of this, Firft, that this cannot be the meaning of that claufe, evident,becaufe the Supper of the Lord was not then . jftkuted 3 and therefore it could not be he fhould have i relation to that, becaufc Chrift fpake to thofc that [might understand him, the words were intelligible at thelcaft : Now it was impofliblc that thole that heard him, (hould under ftand him of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, becaufe it was a thing that was not, and lif they fay that was their dulneffe: I anfwer, it is not lduInefle,not to conceive that which firaply could not I bee knowne : This that had no being, could not bee I knowne • aud therefore this is certaine he had not relation to that.

Bcfides that, if you marke the courfe of the words, you fliall finde he faith there, that rather the flcfli is turned into bread, than the bread to flefh, faith fe#, / am the true bread, that cd&Aowntfrom heaven ', he repeats that often in the Chapter, verie 51. lam the living mad , and my flefh is bread , and 1 give life to the world: 1 So that you fliall finde more reafon, if you sead that

K k Chapter

501

Ser.II. |

Objeai-ons of ihc Papifts out of John 6.

AttTvtcrcd.

J02 Ser.II.

TbeCnpofBlefing.

Many fa vcd that never, eate thcflei^of Chrift in the Sacra, mcnt.

Chapter, why the flefh (hould be turned to bread,than the bread into flefh.

But befides that, the eating of Chrifts flefli, and the drinking of his bloud, is alwayes taken in a good fcnfe, and it is alwayes peculiar to the Saints: And therefore, verfe 53. 54. you (hall finde both exprefkd : Bxctft * man eate his flejh , and drtnke his blond, he hath no life in him: Againe, Whefeever, (without exception ) eaicsh flefh\ anddrinkes his blond ', he hath eternalllife, andChnfi ml raife htm uf at the loft day : So if you take the words generally as Chrift expreffeth them , and fo they muft needs beundcrftood. Then it is impofiible that his flefli {hould be eaten in the Sacrament,and his bloud drunke, becaufc many thatfhould eate his flefh there, in a cor-porall manner fhall not be faved, which you know chemfelves grant. Befides,thefe are many that never ear hisflefli, nor drinke his bloud in the Sacrament, that are faved, and have life in them, as you know th Thcefe on the CroiTe, went immediatly to Paradife, though hee never eat the flefh of Chrift in the Sacra ment nor dranke his bloud : All rhe Patriarkes before Chrift, Didmt they dnnkt th fame ffirituaMdrinke , di they n&t eate the fame (prtiuaU meat 7 a* we dee ? but they never cat it in the Sacrament : CMary Magdalen, when (he had never tafted of the Sacrament,faith Christ, Gee thy way , thy(irmes are forgiven thee : What need I give you inftances of children that dye i It is the opi* nion of the Counccll of Trent^ they fit itdownein plaine tcrmes, That chiIdrco,lBt arc baptized,thoi?gh r hey eate not the Sacramenr, and drinke of the bloud of Chrift, and eate his flefli, are faved: Andthercfore Chrifts ownc words muft be meant inthis fenfe, and

cannot

■

The &p of Biffing.

cannot bcc underftood of a corporall eating of his flefh and drinking of Irs bloud. But becaufe thofe words, Vnleffe yee eatemyfi.jl), and drink my blend , yec cannot have life $ arc a place which the Papifts doe much urge, as if it were impoflible to bee anfwcred , and ap-peale herein to the Fathers* Wee will fliew you brief. ly , that it was fo interpreted by the Fathers that lived neare the Apoftles times, as by us, now, before there were any Popifh Dodors to corrupt the glotk^s origen ( that was very antient) upon the fifth of Matt hew, faith this, That if it could bee, that he that remaines an ill man, could eate the flefh of chrtfi anddrtnkhis bloud ', then it could never be faid, lehn6. Whofoevc* eatcs my flefh and drinkes my bloud, hath etemail life, andlwiUraife htm up atthelaflday. Againe,alfo,o^^^^inhis 26.Tra&, upon the Gofpell of Saint lohn, faith this, Whofoever is not 4 member ofChriJl y he eates not his flefh, he drinkes not his bloud, though vifibly andcorporally hee crujl) with his teeth the Sacrament of the body and bloudof chrift: Marke the words, 77* Sacrament of the body and bloud of Chrift: But it is vaine for me to infift upon the particular faying of Auguflme, becauie thole that are acquainted with his fayings, if they dealcingenuoufly,they know they are every where fcattered, that hecis very clcare andevi. dent : But I will name one that is exceeding perfpicn-ous, in his third booke,D<? Dotfrina chripana, CAp.13. hee gives us this rule for tht interpreting of Scripture; (fweflnde that commanded flat isflagitious y and hurtful!, andeviS, wee muft not interpret Scripture fo, that fuck a thing is to be done : As for example, hee gives this in- j ftance, John 6. Chrift fpeaks of eating his flefh , and drinking bis bloud, faith he, this is a flagitious, an cvill,;

K k 2 and *

Sbr.II.

Expofiii-onof the Fathers on Iohn6.j$

Origen, on Mat j

Lsfug.

en lohn.

Lsfug*

De T>ott~ rina Cbrh

TheCftpofBlefiug,

AihwtofM*

Am

leofj

hee,

lohn 6.

ertullian-*D* re/itr-reflio Cat-

it.

Eufeb'm contra. MarciWi

ndanhainous thing^that a man abhors when bethinks of it-and therfore the words arc not foto be underftood, but you mud underfland them fpiritually , and figura. tively 5 you muft, when you heare thofe words-icmem* ber that Chrifisflejh was crucified for you^and that bis blood was jhcdi and fo the words are to be interpreted . Am brofi upon the ixS Pfal. having occafion to fpeak the Sacrament, hath reference to this, lob. 6. faith he Cbrifi is the bread ef life, be that eates life cannot die howjhall be die , (faith he ) Cbrifi is the bread of life, bee that eates him therefore, cannot die, therefore (faith hee) none are [aid toeate theflefh ofchrij^and drinkehis blond, but they mufl needs live for ever , for he eates that which is life. CAthanafius hath fpecchesas plaine as thefc, It is not, ( faith he) corporally but it is (pirituall, that which Cbrifi ffeakes concerning eating of hisflejh, and drinking of his blond , ( faith he ) that fmall body of his could not feedfomany, faith he, is reckoned the meate of. the whole world: And therefore, faith he, in the latter end of that Chapter, When cbrift badfinijhed his [fetch of eating his flefh, and drinking his bloud, befpeahs of his Jfcenfton into heaven,that hee might draw us from car nail conceits, to raife our mind to under'(I l andthe thing Spiritually, to af ' cendto him by faith, and to know the fpirituall nounjhment of thefoule, and not corf or all of the body. Bcfides him, Tertulhanm his Booke , De refurreSlione carnis 5 Eu-fibim contra (JHarceHum, not to name other particulars , they all interpret the place thus: And there fore let notour Advcrfaries fay, it is a new interpretation $ it isiaftned on the words by Calvin and Be za, as they doe 5 it is the interpretation of the Fa-thers, nay, I will goe further, it is the interpretation

nor

The Qup of Bkfiing.

I not of ttic Fathers oncly , but of lorn c of their owne Writers • Ca)etdn upon the third pare of Thomas t xht 8o.Queftion, faith plainly, To eAttthefleflnf cfotfl, is to believe in Cbrift. And Bid in the Canon of his Mafic, and Camjius upon ihccorinthtAns, and others of their owne Writers, which is enough to make it cleare to them, that this is the meaning of the words,that wee have f aid before it. So much fhall ferve for the anfwe-ring of that obje&ion.

Wee fliewed the laft day in what manner Chrjft is in the Sacrament (I will not ftandtorcpeateit)wee come to draw fome confe&aries from the point, thar there is a reall Communion of the body and bloud of Chrift in the Sacrament:The firft was for the ftrength ning of our faith: If God had (aid it only, it had beene enough, God that cannot lye: But I told you, he had not only faid it, butfworneit, and not only fworne it, but put to his Seale: And therefore wee have reafon to believe him $ only I told you what was required, if we will partake of Chrift : Firft, wee mufttakehimby faith : Secondly, that is not all, wee muft take him in deed, as well as in word, that is, we muft obey him, and live by his Lawes 5 we muft lay downe the armes of rebellion, and come in, if wee will have pardon; Thirdly, it is not enough to doe this, but wee muft doe ill out of love. Now when a man heares of this, thai Ihhis is required in taking of Chrift»here,I cold you, lithe worldisataftand, there is no body willbccon ■ entto take him, when they heare tbefe conditions,that chey muft deny themfclves itl every thing, in their profit, in their pleafures, in their credit, and muft take up every crofte : and when they meetacroffe, they

K k 3 ?uft

607

Cajetan.

Bid.

CmCm

I Ser. 11.

S

!

Ihi Cup of fBlefing.

rfei.

Tofhew

the great nefleof Chrifts love.

maft not balke the way, but theymuftgoethorow, when they hcarc they raufl follow him and fcrve him: I fay when men heare this, they refufe Chriftjhcy will not come in to God : Now whatisourbufineffc, bu> to invite men to come in to God, and to compell them, as he faith, That my houfe may beefull -we are the Mef-fengers of the Lord, fent that wee may invite men to this banquet, 1 meane not to this Sacrament, but to the thing : And therefore wee will make it the fecond Confe<5tary,and fo proceed.

If there be here a reall Communion of the body and of the bloud of Chrift, then here is the gift or offer of his body and bloud: Confider therefore the greatneffe of Chrifts love, that hee fhould regard us lo much, as to take oui Nature, to cloathhimfclfe with our fle/h and bloud, that he might be crucificd,inthat, I fay, this is an extraordinary love .* Compare but our condition with the Angels that were fallen, and wee {hall fee the greatneffe of this love : The Angels that were fallen (and wee were funke in the fame mire) when God

I" looked down!rom heaven, and faw the miferable con. dkion of both, (faith .the Author to the Hebrews ) hee had companion on us, but on the Angels hee had not compaffion: which difference fhewes his liberty, and fignifieth his mercy towards us, as you fliall finde in CWalacky, the Lord reafoning with Ifraell, thns have 1 loved yw, and yet you/ay , Wherein haft thou loved u*? faith he, Was not Efau Jacobs Brother iand 'yet Iaiob have lloved ? andEfau havelhated. So, I fay, the Lord hath loved us, indoing this for us, in givingthis body oi his to be broken, and his bloud to be fhed, hee hath loved os, and hated them ? And why hath hee put this difference,

m

The Qup of <BUJSing.

difference, but bccaule he loved us * And therefore Paul, as hee is excellent, when hee comes to feefbrth chis pour, Ephefz. hee faith. When wee were children of math, when wee were dead in trefpaffes andfnnes, when wee were enemies^ hee that is rich in mercy Recording to the greatneffe of his love > hath quicknedns , and jet us to. get her with Chrift in heavenly places , (markeitj when wee were in this condition, dead, it was hee that was rich in mercy, according to the greatneffe of his love, &c. You flidllflnde that the Apoftle, whenfoevcr hee comes to this matter, knowes not how to expreffe himfclfc, but as a man that ftood amazed at the greatneffe cf Gods love, hee had histhoughts fwallowed up withir,£/A.j.i9. Thatyottmay know the love of chrift, which paffeth knowledge^ that you may comprehend the length , and breadth^ and depth 9 and heightof the love of Chrift , &c, which cannot bee meafured: that is^ the love of Chrift was exceeding great: And this is that you are to doe now when you come to the Sacrament, and not only then, but at all times : For it is profitable for us to doe this, Dot'that( faith Chrift ) in remembrance of met, what is that wee (hould remember * His love : And why his love i to gaze upon it, only to know it * No, but to bee moved with it, to love him againe, to take him, to fearc him, to fetve him, to obey him y for that end, you fhould remember ir.

When Panl was going to Damafcus , you know the

I Lord met him by the way, and when hee had met him,

| Paul ( faith hee) lam lefts whom thou pe?fecnteft 9 lam

Iefus that was crucifed for thee, I am lefts that gave my

body for thee, and as many *s receivemee: You knew

when Paul heard this, it melted, it foftned his heart $

K k 4 and

The con-fideration ofChrifts love {hold melt our hearts.

Srr. II.

The Cnf) of Blefing,

and drawls from him that holy, and good, and humble expreffion 5 Lord what wilt thou that 1 doe? As if he (hould fay, I will doc whatfoever thou wilt have raee. I fay, it was this love , J am Ufa whomth&ufcrftcuujl^ that melted the heart of Paul: So I may fay , to every one that heares meat this time; If there be any among you,that, live in any fin, whatfoever it is, be it fwca ring, be it drinking, be it fornication, be it Sabbath breaking, bee it what it will, I may fay to him, as if a voyce fhould come from heaven , as it did to Paul, It is lefus whom thou provokeft, it is he, whom thou offendeft, whom thou wrongeft, who*m thou di(honoureft,it is lefus that was crncified for thee, that lefus that gives his body and bloud forthee, (hall not this melt thee ? fhall not this affright thee fome-what? (hall it not bring you on your knees, arid make you fay , lamafinnefullwretch , not worthy to bee received into the number of the Saints ; Lord, what wilt thou that I doe? I will doe it, I will continue to doe this no more-, Surely this is aftrong motive: Paul thought fo : I befeechyouby the mercies of God that you would come in : Ta-keitintheProdigallfon, . when hee comes home, and expe&s little (as hee had \ reafon to expe<9 little from his father,when he had car-ried himfelfefo rebellioufly ; when his father ufed him in that manner, when he provided a feafl for him, and put the robes upon him, and rings upon his fingers, how thankful was he? how-was he affe&ed?how would a man be affeded in fuch a cafe c* So, I fay, that is our condition,we have caufe to look for nothing but death, thereupon comes the Gofpell, that comes and offers | life,that overcomes withkindnefle,as it were: the Lord

conk*

IbcCnpofBlefing.

comes and tells us, well, notwithfhnding all this, you (hall be received to mercy ; goe, Take, this is my body which u given for you i I fay, this would move an ingenuous difpofition : You know Mary Magdtlcn was moved with this, when (he was fuch a finner, and fa vv that God had received her in that manner, that melted her heart • fo that (he watred his feet with her teares: So (hould wee bee affe<5ted, if we did ferioufly con-fider the greatnefie of C h r i s t s love, / will give you my body and my blond, this is a great thing,if we were able to confider it aright, that the Lord (hould give us his body and his blood. There is no love like this, He hath lovedme (faith iW) andhavh given him-fdfejor mee : And this is that indeed which (hould bee the mod efte&uall motive of all others , that there is a pardon that Chrift ftill makes offer of to you $ Indeed there is nothing elfe brings us into Chrift but this , o. ther things may prepare us,but no:hing brings us in bur this:, You know, a Pirate, as long as a Proclamation of rebellion is out againft him, will not come in, but a pardon being promifed, and advancement annexed to it , that, if any thing, will bring him in : The thcek runnes away, as long as there is Hue and Cry, but the promifc of pardon makes him returne back : So I fay, it is not the Law that brings you in, that may prepare you, but it is this Gofja 11 j for, as I told you, the Sa-cramentpreacheththeGofpelitotheeye, as wee doe to the eare- and when mercy is promifed, when a pardon is promifed, agenerall pardon, without exception of perfons, or finnes, me thinkes this fiiould affe<3 you, and bring you in: As it is faid 5 hr.$.Smk the Lord, If one of you have pit amy his Wife, pit bit re-

turm

Ser.IJ.

.Ser.1I.

The Cup of Briefing..

Two things to invite tis ro come in

to Chrift.

tnrne to her againe? Nobut you have played the harlot in many places, and many times, and yet returnetomefaith the Lord:and fo I may fay to every roan that heares me, chough thy finnes be never fo great, like that finnt of I. dolacry, like that finnc of playing the Harlot, though ihat were frequently commited, though it were done ofr, many times, yet return, faith the Lord, ifthmmlt come in^ thou {halt be pardoned, and not fo only,but who-feeverreceiveth me> faith Qhiift., full bee made thefonne of Cod.

Confider this i bee affe&ed with it, let it not be in vaine unto you, when you heare thofe pathccicall fpecches,i lohn. Hecametohisorvne,dndhis exvne received him not : And againe, o£ I rufalem, Ier*faltm,h&w oft ,would 1 have gathered thee, &c; I fay, when you heare thefe things , it may bee you think with your {elves , thefe were rebellious people to ufc Chrift thus: you think if it had becne your cafe, if you had becne there among them, you would not have dope it: Well ,1 fay, it is the cafe of every man that continues inanyknownefinne, Chrift offers himfelfc, wee make offer of him, when wee preach the Gofpell, in the Sacrament hee is offered,he is made like a common dole, all may come that will, and certainly all that hunger doe come • but when thou gocft on ftill in thy finnes, thou art one of them to whom Chrift is come, and thou wilt not receive him- thou art one of them,whom hee would gather, and thou vilt not: No but thou wilt goe on, thou takeft the Grace of God in vaine, thou trampled the bloud of Chi ift Iefus under-foot, as j a common thing, thou doeft what thou canft,that the j death of chrift fhould be of no effe£, thou recompen-I ceff

The Cup of ( Bleping.

ceft to the Lord, cvill for good, docft thou think chat the Lord will beare this at thy hands * Nofurcly, hce will bee revenged on fuch a man, on fuch a people as this; Butyou will fay,itis an hard thing todothisthar you exhort us to: And therefore, that I may not oneJy fhew you what the duty is without affording you fome helpetodoeit, wc will addefome things, chat may invite you to come in: And take Chrift thus offered in the Sacrament, and which is continually offered by andintheGofpell.

And what is it that fhould invite us i But two things (to goe no further)one is the niifcry out of Chrift; the fecond is the happinefle you fhall have by him : And that is the bufineffe we have principally to doe, at this time, that wee might invite you to take the body and bloud of Christ, that is, to take the Lord him. felfc, who is offered cffe&ually and freely to you t He makes proclamation to all that will come and take of the waters of life freely. Now if wee confider what fliould invite the fonncs of men to come in, thefe two things will doe it, their mifcry out of Chrift, and their happineffe by him : As the Prodigall, what did invite him to come home i The mifery he was in, he faw hee could not live, he could not get huskes to Maine him: On the other fide, in his fathers houfe there was bread enough ; thofc two together wrought on him, and brought him home : So wee, when wee invite men to the maniage of the Kings Son, that is, to marry the Sonhimfelfe-What fhould wefay*toinvreth:ntf We bring them to confider onthconefide, I cannotlive without Chrift h lam undone, I periflrif Idee : A-gainc, on the other fide, by matching with him, I

(hall

Ser.H,

The Cup of <Blefing.

Our mile-ry cut of Chrift.

Ioh. ?.$*•

Rom ^.

fhall have all by Grace that hee hath by Nature: Khali be a Sonne of God,a King and heire of all things, I fhall have that all Chrift hath: I fay thefe two fliould invite us to come in ^and therefore we will doe thefe two. Firft, fhew you the mifery you are in out of Chrift, Iohn 3.18. faith the Evangelift there, He that Btlieves net in Chrift is condemned alre&die: ( Markc) Hee needs not a. new condemnation, but hee that believes not in Chrift is condemned already \ He that hath not the Son, hath not h fe: Is not this mifery enough to be in a ftatc of condemnations lohn 3. Hee that obejes not the Son, the math of God abides on htm : And what is that wrath of God ? If the wrath of a King be a meflcnger of Death,what thinke you of the wrath of God * Who knowes the power of his wrath? Rom. 9. What if hee mil to fhew hu wrath >, and to make his power knowneffuffer with patience thevefftls of wrath, appointed to deflruftion? that is, whenthe Lord fhall come to execute bis wrath on evill men 3 hee will ufe all the power he hath to exe. cute the fierceneffe of his wrath on them : And therefore it is a terrible thingtobeefubje&to the wrath of God: But becaufe that moves not fo much,bcing gene-rail, you will aske wherein this wrath of God is f eene, and wherein more particularly is this mifery in beir.-g out of Chrift . I will name but thefe three particulars.

Firft, you fli 11 be fubje& to Death ? fubjed to him that hath the power of Death: You will fay, this is no fuch mifery, for are not holy men fubjeft to death, as well as evill men c I 3 but there is great difference $ the cvill fhall be fubjetf to death, as an enemy, the fell e-nemy that fhall be deftroyed is Death, which (hewes _ that

1

1

IkeCupofBlefing.

that Death is an enemy $ I fay, they are fubjc&to Death as an enemy $ Death may come to two men, and be a friend to the one, and an enemy to the other, that which he faith, Death is the rich mans enemy, and J the poore mans friend, we may better apply it to the godly man, and to the evill man: And iurely it is true, death is the godly mans friend, and the wicked mans enemy j the fame death, as you know, the fame mcf-fcnger comes to call Pharaohs Butler and his Baker 3 hee came as an enemy to the one, and as a friend to the o. ther, became tocall the one to promotion, andtheo-ther to execution, fo doth death : Now death 3 when that comes as an enemy, is terrible, whenthat comes with a fling, death indeed without a fling is nothing-but death , when it comes with a fting,and the fttogcf death is finne j this wecconfider not, that dsathhatha iiing, it is a Serpent y that often flings without hifling, with out wa^ningjit comesfuddenlyjit comes certainly, we fee continually how men fall from the tree of life, as leaves in AutumnejNZ confider not this: but this is a-mong the mifcries, that wearefubjed to death, and that is a great mifery, Thofe that can looke upon o-ther miferies and dangers, and out-face them,without being daunted, when death comes, that appalls them, that loofes the joynts, that makes them tremble, that >nakcs their knees knock together: You know it is faid ol ^»/,D4v/WprofefTeththat he was valiant as a Lion, in hisfongs of him 5 when the newes of death comes, he *als tothegrpund, there was no ftrength in him : all are petty miferidfrto this, this is the great Giant that makes the ftouteft heart 10 tremble at his approach. But is this all , that wee are fubjeft to Death , j

when I

■J!L

Ser. II;

Wee are fubjeft to death. Difference ofthefub

JC&IOR tO

death in good,'and, bad men.

$ER..IJ.

2

Sub jed to the feare of death.

TbeCupofBlefing.

3

Subjeft to Hell.

when we are out of Chrift if No, wc are (ubjed to the feare of death likewife , which is an hundred times work than death it felfe, #^2.14. He bath delivered us -from him that had the power of death,he hath delivered usjthat for feare of death were allow lives fub\t£t to bond age : I fay, the feare of death, is worfe than death it felfe, becaufe death continues but a moment, it is foone gone, but thefeare of death continues alwayes, a long time, like the hand-writing which kept Beljha&zar in | feare • fo this feare of death keepes us in a continual! trembling, this is that that imbitters all our comforts, that fowres all our joy,this feare of deatb,they were all their lifetime fubjed tobondagethroughthefeareof death : Therefore it is not faid that death is bitter to him that lives in pleafure, but the remembrance of death • all the joyes and comforts that wee have in this life, what arc they when they are accompanied with this? I fay,there is nothing terrible,but fo farre as it is miagled wich this feare : All evill and dangers are fo farrc terrible, as they are harbingers of death, as they are crackes to give warning of the fall of the whole houfe that fhall never bee repaired againe : Whatfoe-ver pleafure wee enjoy, this is the gall that takes away the fwcccnesof all, though the pottage were other-wife good when xhtCelloquintida was in them, there is death in the pot 5 fo I may fay, when death is joyncd, what fwecmeffe is in them? That is the condition of every man living out of Chrift, hee is not only fub-je& to death,butto the feare of deathcontinually.

But is this all * No, there is yet rifcre, thereis Hell, death hath a P3ge that comes behindc him, thar is ten times worfe than himfclfc , Revelation 6.7,8

linked

The Cup of file/ting.

l looked and fatv a falc horfe , and the name of him that rode on him was Death, and behind him followed Hell; That is, Hell is the hookc tha; is hid in death, when we are once taken with that hooke, wc are kept there for ever: )f Dea*h fhould come wichour hell, it were another matter, Death is but the lightning, it is Hell that is checrackcof thunder : and fhall wc l\k children be a-fraid of the lightning, and not be afraid of the bolt * It is hell that is the gate that kecpes us for ever, Death is but thearreft, that carries us thither. Therefore consider what it is robe fubje&to hell; as our Saviour fairh, What mil that avaxle a man to winthe whole wotld^ andlofe hisfoule ? Confider well of that (peech, What will that availe you to lave all things elfe, ifyoulofe your foulest as if a man (hould lave the paring of his nailes,and lole his fingers^as if he (hould fave his fliooe, and lofe hisfoote- as if he (hould fave the (hip^and lofe rhe fraught 5 as if he (hould favethe houfe, and deftroy the man that dwells in it 5 foit is to fave other things, andlofe thefoule : No, it k the terrible thing, Hell, that followes Death : in all other miferies, yet this is our comfort, that death will come in the end, and put a full point and period to them ; but this fecond death, H 11, is fuchadeath, as hath no other death to end it: Therefore,as we fay, But for hope the heart wouldbrtake^ furely there is no hope, and therefore there is a breaking of the (oule,as well as torment of the body: There-fore confider what Hell is, what eternity is, this is the mifery wee are in out of Chrift, you are fubjeft to the reare of death, you are iubjeft to death,and to Hell too? Death is but the ftalking-horfe, it is Hell that is the Fowler, that hath the peece and the (hot to deftroy us

utterly.

Ser.IL

7beCttpof®lefitn£.

utterly. And therefore confider what cafe you are in J out of Chrift, what mifery you are in out of him, that ] when Hell and death come • as (fcce faid, Vp Sampf**, for the Pbilifiims m on thee 5 fo, when wefhaltlay, Hell and death is on you, and your haires arc cut oft, that is, Chiift is gone from you (forthcoming off his lockes, was but an emblem that God was departed from him ) I fry, when they arc on us: If Chrift bee away 5 whatacafearewein* Shalhhey nottakeusand carry us to that prifon, there to lie for ever i Therefore confider this, it is ccrtainc, thedeftroying Angell will come,and commonly he comes in the night- Death c%mmeth when tUu leafi UoJceJtfir him,4t a theefe: I fay, the deftroying Angell will come • what will their con. dition be then,whcn there is no fprinkling of the bloud on the dooie-pofts of thy fouler It is the cafe of e-very man out of Chrift ; What are wee out of him* When the avengers of bloud, when thepurfuers (hall fet on us, and purfue us, from whom wee cannot fie. And when wee (hall be (hut outf torn the homes of the Altar, when weeannot come to Chrifi the Citic of Re fuge,it is a terrible thing, if we confider it ferioufly. It is faid that x^arm, when he caufed the people to com mit that finne,or was an inftrument rather, it is faid that hee left the people naked, why ? Becaufe he deprived them of the prefence of the Lord: Now when Chrift fliall be taken from us,when we are without him,when we arc deprived of him, are wc not naked i Isnotthe hedg broken downe * There is nothing left to (helter us 5 what are wee without him ? but as the Coneys out of the rockes, that have nothing to (helter us from the devouring Lion : Now UMofes was but a Type,

5«7

Obytt.

^Aufw.

it is Chrift that holds the hands of God 5 that he cannot! deftroy us, it is He that ftands in the breach, and keeps out the inundation of evils, that wee be not overwhelmed with them - He is the Arke of God, that caufeth the houfe of Obed-Edom to be blcfled; and wee have more caufe to take to heart the want of Him, a thou-fand times, then they had to lament the loflfe of the Arke, when it was among the Philiftims, for the Arke was but a type of Chrift: This is the ca fe of every man living out of Chrift,

I but, you will fay, Chrift is mcrcifull, He is very ready to forgive, I hope I am not out of Him, but He is ready to receive me *

It is very true, He is mercifull,but to whom i fure-ly not to the wicked, Hec holds not the wicked innocent 5 to fpeake plainly to you, Whofoever continues in any knowne finne, be it never fo fmall, to fuch a man Chrift will not be mercifull: No dnnejhallhave doml nion over you> Rom. 6. for you dre not under the Law, but under Grace: As if he fliould fay, there are none whom Chrift takes to himfelfe, and puts into the condition of grace, but hecfreesthem from thedominion of every finne, there is not one ruling luft there : You know here are many paths that lead tohell, the way that leads the right way is but one, error is manifold; there are a thoufand paths that lead the wrong way , and will not one path lead to hell ayyell as a thoufand < H> thai s in Chrift hath crucifiecTOie flcfli, andallaffc&ions 3 there is not one raigning luft thereto that as Antichrift oad his marke,and they received the marke of the Beaft: So Chrift hath his marke too; as you have it, Ezck.p. The Writer warked all that mourned , God fee a marke

LI upon

j.

Rom. 6,14

zz.

y% l The Cup of <BUfing.

SerJI. I upon them, and hee fets a marke upon all thofe that he is mercifull to.

You will fay, ; what is this marke of the Lord i Yoi-{hail finde-, a Or.4.1 j.Wbofoevtr is in Chrift bt is 4 new Creaturejhat is the marke of the Lord Iefus: Aiid thuc fore,if thou would'ft know whether Chrijl will be mer cifull to thce,confider if thou find that mai ke there, Art thou a new Creature?that is, art thou made all new, as it J thou bad'ft another foule dwelling in thy body,for thou muft not be new by half s,thy whole fpirir muft be new\ Againe, if you will come properly to this marke, youfball finde, Ephef. 1.2 Cor. 1. what it is, The Seale\ and marke that cbrijlfets , ishisfpirit : Whofoever hath notthefpirit ofChrijl is none of his : YouknowMer-j chants fet iealcs upon their goods, to know them,) that when they meete with their feale they may fay,; This is my parcell of goods : So it is in the multitudes of men 5 All that Chrift will be mercifull unto, he fets his feale on them, and where he fihdes his feale and his marke, thofe hee knowes to bee his • That Seale is hit [anftifying Spirit that hie hath given ta , it is a Stale or earneji 2 Cor. 1. and Epbef.u Hee hath feaUdm totih the Spirit of Tromife : that is, with the Spirit that hee . hath promifedtous. Soconfider if thou have that Spirit then, to fan&ific and to change thy heart, to make chee another man than thou art by natur^to enable thee to doe more than thou c||ft doe by nature $ lfthoUj have not this feale of Goer, thou art yet none of his:. But you will fay, I have the Seale, I hope I have the! Spirit: Well, it is well, if thou haft; but know this,, that Chrift never gives that priyie Seale and Signet of; his, that inward Seale that none knowes, fave thofe

thac.

Ephcf.s.11

-

The Qup of Blefiing.

that have it 5 but there isaBroad-feale like wife that folio wes, that Scale fpoken of, iTim.i, This foundation oft he Lordremainethfure, and hath this Scale, The Lord knoweth who are his , and let them depart from iniquity that eaSupon the name of the Lord; he adds to that other, a parting from iniquitie, from all kindeof iniquitie 3 there rauft bee none exempt place in thine heart, nor in thy life, wherein thou wilt have a privilege, thou continued not in the leaft finne, but departeft from all iniquities then thou haft this Sealeafwell as the o-ther: If thou want thefe two Seales, if thou bee not a New Creature, if any finne have dominion over thee , if there bee one living luft in thee that is not 'mortified, that is not healed, I afilire theethounever haddeft yet any part in Chrift : and if thou bee out of Chrift, thou feeft what thou art fubjeft to, to the wrath oi God, and you fee the particulars, you are fubjeft to death, you are f ubje& to the fcarc of death, and to hell s and this is the cafe of every man out of Chrift ^nd methinkesthis (houldfome what move us to come in, and to take him. But this is not all,that which we have by Chrift may invite us a great deale more for. cibly: Ifwecould but open the Casket, and (hew you the Iewels, or if we could but unlocke the treafures that arc hid in Chrift, it would bring a man in love with him, it would make men doe as Paul, Account aUdrojfe anddung^ that they might have him. Well, though wc t cannot 'doe it fully, yet wee will endeavour to doe it a little: You will fay, What fhall wee have by Chrift i Firft, you (hallhave life by him, Iob.6. theplacefpoken of in the beginning, Hee that believes in mee, fhall have etemail life, and I witlraife km up at the la ft day :

LI2 VVhen

V9

Shr.II.

Benefits by Chrift]

Life.

iSer.IL

loh 4-M-

Rcv.^.7

7heCuj)cfm/?mg.

When hee comcstofpeakeof water to the woman of Samaria, lohn 4. when he would commend to us a motive to ftir us up to come and take him y andtodririr, &c. hee faith, Hee that drinkes this water frail thirft^ more : That is, hee {hall Uve for ever ; it is water tlL (hall keepe life in him for all eternity 5 when (he heaife this, (he hearkens to heare cf water that could keep li fo* ever. When you readethe ftory in Gentfis, that tk Angel was fit tvithafoordfiaken, to keepe man from coaming to tafi of the tree of life 5 you would thmke with your (elves, if the Angels were removed now, or thet e were a man fo happy, that the Angell would give way to him, that he might come and eate of the tree, and when he had eaten to live forever, you think that mar. in an happy condition. Now the Lord doth fay, Hee that overcomes 1 mil give to eat of the tree in the mid deft oftheparadifeofGod: That is,hefhal cat of me,and live forever 5 this is the great happineffe we have.

When Chrift would ufe a compelling argument to move, Rev. 2.11. Hee that overcomes jhali not be hurt of the feconddeath: Why, is it fo great a matter? Ohthat is all, not to be hurt of the fecond death : The fir ft death is nothing • the firft death is but the doore, it is but the gate that leads to the pafling thorow $ the firft death is but a going over the threlhold, the breadth of it is bur a ftep, andxhe length of it is but a moment of time or two: But the fecond death ^ there are the chambers of death, as Salomon fpeakes, where you (hall be led from one mifery to anorher,and where you (hall dwell for e-ver: And therfore confiderthis,if you take Chrift,you foalnot be hurt ofthe fecond death.lbrfecchyou confider fcrioufly, reckon nothing fo fweet 3 if this life be fweet,

that

The Qnp of (Blefiwg.

Mat is but a fpanne long , is not aboundance of life much fwcetcr t It is naturall to every man to de-fire immortality , if you could but have this life continued , let every man aske his owne brcft what hee would give, that his life might bee con

tinued , that hee might bee immortall i If there were fuch a thing as the Alchymifts fpeake of,if I could draw out the thred of this life to keepe it firm* and even as they dreame of 5 what would you give to obtaine it f And will you not regard this that will doe that indeed f W ill you not take Chrift, which is life indeed, which will give you another life of im* mortality * for you muft know that ic is not immortality (imply that mandefires. The Naturalifts were deceived in that, for a man had rather not to be than to bee in mifery : And the foules in hell are immortall h and therefore it is not immortality that wee defire (imply 3 for death is nottheextiDgui(hingoflife,buttht mifery of life : And therefore, where the Scripture fpeakes of the lolfe of the foule, it is to be meant thus; a mans finger or his joy nt is loft, when it is feized on by an incurable fore : So when eternal! mifery is on the foule, when the foule is loft, and yet you have the joynt (till, you have the loule (till, you have life (till: and therefore it is not immortality (imply that wee de. fire, if wee confider what it is, but it is happinefle, it i» fucha life as is not onely immortaUytat happy wi hall; his life Chrift hath promifcd,we (halllive,andan hap pylift, fuch as Saint Fa»l cxprcfleth, 2 Cor 5. faith he, Wee defire not to bee unclothed, but to bee dethed upon, that immortality might beefwdtiovedttfrfhfe.' As if hcefhould lay, confider with your lelves, you

thit

5**

Sb*.II.

ft • I' ' ' I '» "

ReCuprf bhfing.

that love this iuc fo well, that you negled that whi ch is to come, faitn he, we love our lives as well as you, we are not weary ot chem, no more than you are, wee defire noMobeuncloathed ,no, but wedcfirethatiri) mortality may bee fwailpwed up ot lilr^how,fwallow- I ed up? as we fee arudedraughtinapi&ure, fwal \ lowed up with the pi&ure when it is perfected, as child-hood is (wallowed up of man- hood, as the glimmering light is fwallo\y.ed up of tbe.perfefijig.bt ; fo their immortality is Cwallo^edvotJjfe^^atis^ if there bee a fmall poore glimpfe of cemfore'here , faith Paul, wee would not be ndofthef^ we would be content to have-tbefe as well asi you, onely we would have Ithem {wallowed up gi pei%S life, >we woyuldjiauc im perfection fwallowed up of perfe&ion: And thcfefpn lokfaiih, IwiStvaitet.i/Imy change come • be faith nor,tiJl my deftru^ion cprpe. v .tillmy periflbingcome, or till my death come s but I will waite till atychangeeome i andhethat;changeih 3 dothit for the better: Ifyou wiJi take Chrift, you (hall have this immortality and life: perhaps you will fay, but I could be content to have this temporall life continued: And haply ,mj brethren, if the Lord would make that promife, that hee would proclame to men, that they fhould-have immortal] Ufa liere, ic may be he (hall have more followers than now 1 he hath, when heprQmifeth immortall life in heaver); 1 but to takeawaythatinaword ; Jfay, itjsafodiift| choyce,if you might have it: For what have you heref Here the body is tormented with difeates, thefpiriris wearied with vexation, andiheflate isafi&ultedwith lofles and croflfo ; evill things \youod us with forrow, and the good things wee heare, dQebu.tinfe#ouraf I fetfions,

The Qup of (Blefiing.

5*J

fe<2ion£ and weary us ft ili,and yet they whet our tired \ apperireswitria new edge. In a word, every condition here is peftered and troubled with bufinv (Te 5 one in-. vires and drawes on another : wee are hampered with cceding fetters, and makes this fhort life more Aion than It would be,with carefullgriefe, with bitter feares, >and with corrupt joyes 5 andatlaft 5 3llcutorTandend, as many men many times fpread their branches and' flourish j their eftate over fwallowes their wifties, theii [JuccciTe exceeds their defires : now on a fudden, their pdmpc is no wheretobe found, theirdefiresvanifl> 3 rhe floud of their wealth is dryed up, the owners and their goods perifruogether 3 thry will not lee thh by experience. What is it in this life you Would have, rr therewere immortality + But, I fey, ir cannot be fo, chat is not fo ; youcarfnot have immortality in this life, but as evidently as you Teethe heavens roll about every day^ (b prainefy wee in ay fee, if wee will take it into •cp> (iteration, mankind hurried along with an unwea 'rietf motion to the Weft of his dayes $ their pofterity {foiling after them by an unrept aleabk law ot fuccc ffi on : our fathers you know ate gone befor^and we are parting, and our childrenihiil foil w us at our hec'K s! that as you feethiebillowes; of the Sea , one turr.ble on the neck of another,. arid in the end all are daded upor» 'he There j. fo all generations and ages in the end, an plir on the bankes p{ deaih, and this is the condu ion of ttyef'y man: J Is fthot ourwrfedomethintopa>vid, (ofartothei life? CmairWly^ifihcrebeanv mUdothc in the world,it is wifedom to remember our latter end. TheAvifeft among the Heathen were wont to fay 5 f htti ; 'fnould bee nothing but a meditation of death:

L 1

that

Ser.IL

The C»f<f duping.

.

that is ,a wife man through the courfc of his life, ftould bee ftill fining and preparing himfelfe for death ; and (hall Chriftians come behind them t~ It was a wife fpeech of Peter to our Saviour, Lord, whitherJh*Ht*ee goe(tkm'h*fl-the words ofeternallife: as if he fliould fay, there is no motive to that,furcly wc will not fcave thee: therefore, I fay, confider, here wc are but Tenants at will, wee may bee turned out of doores to morrow, therefore let this be a motive to win toChrift, you fcall have life. But you will fay, I hope death is farrc off, yet I have time enough: well, take heed thoube not deceivd in that> for there isacollufion there: as the Painter by collufion of colours, makes a thing feeme farre off,wben it is neere at handrfo wc by our folly and vanity,our fanfic mif-apprehending of things, we look on death as farrc off, when it may bee it is at our heeles, at the next doorc v thou knoweft not how foone thou may ft meet with it, therefore fay nor, it is farre off • but thinkc with thy felfe , goe fit alone, but a little time together, and then thinke with thy fclfe 1 muft die $ it is appointed to mc as to *&mn, once $$ die: Confider, if a man might die t wife or thrice per haps he WQuld be ready, he would be prepared 5 bot confider thoumuft die but once, if thou be not prepared, there is not a fecond opportunity : and then confi. der,thy foule is immortall in an other p!ace,it muft live for even And then remember Cbrtfi faith, thou (halt have life, if thou take him,thou flialt live for ever; then thou wilt finde it an exceedingblefling worth the ha. ving,u is that that may wooe you and win you to come in and take C hrift y to love him, and to f er ve him, and to obey him-certainly if you wil not now be moved with

7heCupof<Blefiing.

it,yec when death (hal comc,thcn you (hall find that be-yond all thctrcafure, tohavethatwhitc-ftonewitha new name in it: that (tone was a figne of abfolution that a man was quitted , that his fins are forgiven, that hec hathincereft in chrifi and eternity,that eternal life is for him in heaven -this is the firft motive to win you to Chrifi.

Secondly, if you will come in to him,you (hall have all your debts payed, you (hall be under cover, that is, you (hall have all your finnes forgiven, that when the creditors come with anarreft, with a judgement and execution, you may be able to fay; no, they are none of my debts , goeto my husband, hee muft pay them and not I: I fay, when you have Chrift, when Satan (ball come, when finne (hall come, you may put them over to Chrift; for now you are bis and he is yours, he hath taken our debts on him: is this a fmall thing t Ffil. 32. i. faith David, Blejfcd isthe manwhoftfins mifir-gfot»,andwbe[c iniquities are covered: Marke, blefled is the man whofc fins are forgiven. Perhaps if one of us fhould feeke a happy man, we would fay, that he is a happy man that lives in health and in wealth , in credit and aboundance of all things : hee that hath the favour of Princes, hee that hath fome notable excellency to make him famous among men,fome fuch thing we would take for happinefle: But when David comes to look through the world,and all the felicity in it: oh faith David, Be is ahafpy man that his fins &re forgiven i And there is a good realon for it, becau(e when our finis forgiven, we are reconciled to God,and God only can make man happy. For wherein doth happines confift,bm in a freedom from all evill, and in enjoying

J 2 !

SER.ir.

Our debts paid.

lf£6

TheCup.of.fBtefing.

ot ai g-oo'd,y ou know this is happim s: Now fin, is it not t he firft link in the chaine of illsf As the under, whceles in a Clock or Watch depends upon thefirft, foal! tnifcrics depend upon finne, as tru* Matter ill of all • rake away th3t, and all the whceles (land(lill ■ they m ve not a jot to doe Us the leaft hurt : takeaway finne, take away all . this ill in finne is a bar, and flops from us all good things; take away finne,and you {J^atl crjoy all that in abundance that your hearts car defire i If you have not your fintiesforgiven, whar will it availed If youcomctoaPiifonerandtdlhim, you (hall have the be ft Lodging, you (hall have a Pal llm&d} Y^uihaH have Orchards , and Gardens to walkem >,' you (hall have Gold and Silver, as much as you will defire, you (hall have honour put upon you, would not heaniwer C Alas, what would all thisavaile without a pardon r So I lay to men, that magnifiethe things ofthk world io much, and n million of fihnes thep think not of $ I fay , what if all this, willit rtttffi? without a pardon < No, therefore this is a great mo:' tive co bring us in to Chrift,that out fi nes may be f 9jf] •giveri. -Therefore that great promife went of thzMef-fuk, that when hee (hould come inroY^e world [ { hefc ihculd fave his people from thefrfinrtfs : and this is a mercy, which though you may flight now in h?al;h md ftrengrh, yet when thetimes come that God (hall charge finne upon your confek nces, tte'aKhey fcc?^ fltf weight and burden of it, you (ha)l-fificte ndrfkTcy like to this, that you may have your fimes forgiven 5 then he e thac bringeth the glad tidings of peace , hi? feet will tebc-auufull: the thing is the iamc,if we had hearcsto confider of k: if wee were poore in-fpiri^ff wee knew

fe

IbeCupoffBlefing.

vvnat finne were, if Wie had ever felt the bitterneflc of Satans yoke, that wee were weary of it, wee would come id and reckon it a great matter, to have our fins forgiven : this is the fecond: I (ball profecutc the reft at iome other time.

527 L-

Ser.III."

T H F

CVPO F BLESSING:

Delivered in Three Sermons, upon

i (or. 10. 16.

The Third Sermon.

1 Cor.to, 1 6.

The£upof^leJ?ing^thatwebleJfe y ktt?20ttbe Communion of the blond of Qbri/l? The bread that V>e breake , is it not the Qommunion of the body of ChriftJ

HE point you know wee have delivered out of thefe words, is this, that in the Sacrament 7 there is a true reall Comrnuni- J cation^ or giving, or offering of I s s us C H ri s t ^ of his body , and of his bloud, to all worthy receivers : We have (hewed you the, difference 5 betweene the Papifts and us in this

J -

u.

*

Ser.III.

TbeCupofBlefing.

The Time when Comc Fathers li red.

Whfthe Fathers are not f o

diftind in theDo-&ri ne of Tranfubft.

They will have here, a rcall corporal! pretence of Chrift.

We fay, it is true ; but it is Spiritual^ but it is My-fticall, but it is Sacramentall.

Wee have (hewed you the reafons, by which we rcfelled that opinion ot theirs • That there is no necef-firy, neither in regard ofthc thing, nor in regard of the words -and if there be noneccffify,wemaynotgrant it: o&er reafons wc (hewed the laftday •, but not to (land to repcate them.

The iaft day, (becaufc they ftand fo much on fa. thers ) in this point, wc (hewed you the opinion of divers of them: ofOrigenyOfi^thdndfi**, i^imbrtfc, Ter-tullUn> ^uguftine, and the reft. To that wee will add but this,to cicare that point concerning the opinions of the Fathers. You (hall finde that Irtmtw thatjlived within feventy yeares after the death of Saint lohn^ is clcarc in this point; that the Bread and Wine, are but Sacraments and Figures of the body and bloud of Chrift: after himthirty yeares, lived Clemens aUxah* drinus^ TertuBian and Origen, for they lived much about a time.

Origin was the Schollcr of Clemens K^ilexdndrinus • thefe doe as evidently explane it, as any of our divines, though not fo diftinftly, becaule the controverfic was not then moved: and therefore you muft not expe& fo fall and fo cleare and diftinft expreffions, <as you have in thefe times, when wehavemoreoccafionto doe it, I will not trouble you with Citation, left I fpend time too much: but you (hall finde it fo in them. After their time, Angufiine exprefteth it fo iully,as that CAhin , or Sezs , hath not done it more ckarely, as I

(hewed?

The Cup of Blefing.

(hewed by fome Allegations , out of him thelaft day. From his time I doc not findc, that this opinion of rheirs had any footing iothe Church, tillthetime< £ Damafcene,t\\2X lived in the yeare feven hundred thirty. Heewasthe firft of all that we can remember or we iiave read of, that began in the Eafternc Churches, this opinion of Tranfubftantiation ; chrtfoHmt hath fore hard fpeeches,but fuch as may well be interpreted-if you looke on him inthe trad of his writings 5 you (hall fee evidently, that he never dreamed of any fuch reallprefenceasthePapiftsaffirmc. But I hy,Dam.v fcene was the firft that let this falfe opinion abroach in the Eafterne Churches, in the Greek Churches about a hundred yearcs after. In the wefterne Churches, in //*/y,andthofe parts, it began a little to be fet on foot, in the time ofC^/^cWv/arEmperour 5 who being roubled with thatcontroverfiefet\EmnjwawQrke,a Presbyter ,.a learned man, one of the moft learned of thole times 5 and defired him to expreffe his opinion in that point: Hee writ a learned bookc of it, and fo the controverfic continued in good ftate and condition, till two hundred yeares after, or leffe, betweene one, and two hundred. And the firft nian that J>egan to infufe his poifon into the Church was ore Lmfrmkt^ Arch-Bifhop of Canterbury in England: a man learned y but very pernicious to the Church. After histime.c m opinion began to be fomewhat hot 1 and then Bertngarim wrote againft it ; who upon his condemnation rerrs-&ed it, but before his death repented the reti-aftationj and upon writing his retra<5tation,it began tobeepuc upon men by neceffity, by the Pope: which was done in the time of Ber»ard"JAOD yearcs fince* I have done

Ser-.IIJ,

T>imafce -Tie fet tra-fubflanti-acion a braachin Grcci" 1 , 7 ? o.y-aies after Chr':tf Lavfrankc Bifliop of Canterbu-iji j o 3 o yearcsafter Chrift brought tranfubfl 4 :uricn into England.

Ser.III.

7beCttpof<Blefing.

The benefits by Cbift.

What the wearineflc cf finis, i In the fervice of finnc.

this, that thofe may bee latisfied that are not fatisfied with the Scriptures, and with the rcalons that were brought,bat would know the opinions of the Fathers. To ftand to cite all the particulars were a vaine worke: So much for that*

After we (hewed the falfeneffe of their opinion, wee (hewed in what manner Chrift is communicated to us in the Sacrament: Not to ftand totepeatc it. Wee are now to come to thofe other particulars bleflings or comforts which wee have in Chrift, which fliould invite us to come in and take him.

The next therefore isthis,you have it in Mau,u.$o. Comtto me , faith he, aJlye that aretPedrj tndkcavitU dtn^ndtwill eafijto ; you (hall find reft to your foules: that you (hall have to invite you, if you will come in and take Chrift,you (hall findc reft to your foules: that is, looke whatthe Haven is to the Sea-faring weather, beaten man $ look what a coole refre(hing (hade is, to a man that is fcorched with the heateofthe Sunncj looke what a cover is to a man that is beaten with the ftoi me to the (hore, fuch is Chrift to thofe that come in and take him : And therefore that we may know what this reft is, which you (hall finde if you come in to Chrift: Let us finde out what this wearincfle is. Now in (inneyou (hall finde this wearinefle. Firft, there is a wearinefle in the fervice of fin, there is no bondage to the bondage of tyrannous Ms, they are hard matters, they fet you to hard taskes 5 if they fay goe, you muftgoe $ if they fay come, youmuft come.

Chrift fets you at liberty from this bondage, by mortifying of (inne, and-killing it; as CMgfes did the

iEgyp'ian.

TbeCupof!Bleftm&

iEgyptian, that ftrove with the Hebrew, which is a de-liverance far exceeding that cue of the bondage of JE-gypt > which was fo much magnified, as much as the fubftance exceeds the (hadow.

This is one kinde of reft you (hall have by Chrift ; you (hall be delivered from the bondage of finne.

Againc, there is a wearineffe in the guilt of fin committed , which haunts us like furies, and ever and anon gives fecret whippes, fccret twinges to the fouk; from rhis Chrift delivers us, For being jufttfed by faith, rvu have peace mth God y Rom. 5.1. That is, the cohfeience is calmed, it is quiet, which before was full of horrour and vexation*

Againe, there is a wearineffe in the fruits of fin, the lodes, the croffes, the ficknefle, the imprifonment, dif. grace; all which are but the fruites of finne: There is a wearineffe in thefc, and from all thefe Chrift delivers us, partly in freeing us from many of thefe, that other-wifewe (hould havefelt $ and partly in taking away the venome and fling from thofeweedoefeele : For that which is faid of Death, oh Death where isthyviflorj, &c. The Jling of Death is finne, it may be faid of every calamity. The fting of imprifonment, the (ling of fickneffe, the fting of difgrace, the fting of all mifery is finne.

What is the Adder when the fting is away * So 5 what arcall thefe, when finne is removed?

You know what they were to Paul , what he endured , how many prifons he went thorow, how oft hee was whipped,how oft Ik was ftonedjhow many things heluffced 5 you have a catalogue of them, ten or eleven, and yet all was nothing to him • he was happier in

thefe

Ser.IIL

i Reft by Chrift.

» Wearineffe in the guilt of finne.

$ Wearineffe h\ th« fruit of fin.

AfHidi-ons with-outfin,as the Adde without a fting.

lbeCupof<Bkfing.

neflc in the habit of finne. jj Sin to the foule, as fi:knefle to the ho-

\

V In all hat finne touches.

thefethan Nero was in his Palace : But whar, (hould I give you an inftancc i

Take \^idam in Paradife, when he was in Paradife, yet when he had but the fting of conscience, you know he was filled with horrour.

fAul againe, when hee was fore whipped in the day, and his ieete were faft in the ftocks,' and the fting of fin was tooke away, and he enjoyed a good confcience s Si-las and he fung that the prifon rung of them: 1 fay, this condition you (hall have in Chrift, you (hall bee delivered from finne, from the fting of finne, from the f ruic of finne ; but befides this , as there is a wearineffe in the fervice of finne, andawearinefleinthe guilt of finne, and in the fruit of finne. So yet there is more wearineffe.

There is a wearineffe in the habit of finne, (for finne is to the foule as fickneffe is to the body,)

Now a man that is ficke is weary of every thing, hee is weary of fitting, he is weary of lying • fothe foule while fin abounds in it,is weary of every thing • a man is weary of himfelfe,he is weary of his owne company. Now when Chrift comes, he takes away this wearineffe, and gives grace, which is to the foule as health is to the body, that cures all the diftempersand gives reft unto it, but yet there is more than this.

There is a wearinefle in alhhat finne toucheth, in all the conditions of this life there is a wearinefle.

A man is weary of folitarincffe, and he is weary of company, he is weary of bufint ffe, he is weary of idle-nes, he is weary of high condition,forthat is fubjYfr to envie, as the wind is moft boifterous upon the cop of hils. And he is weary againe of low condition, for the vailcyes

The Qap of QkJSing.

Icycs arc over- low there a man is ftill fubjefi to injuries, and to be trampled on; that place us were you will 3 by reafon of finne,it makes every condition weary to us.

But Chrift comes to take awav this wearineflc, like-wife by teaching us how to accommodate our felvcs to all conditions, by teaching us how to want, how to a-bound, how tobe well, how to bee ficke, how to live, how to dye, and this hee doth by giving wifedome 5 for folly will quarrcll at the beft condition: wifedomc' makes the worft condition comfortable. This the Lord doth : thus hee delivers you from the wearinefle of fin: this reft you (hall have if you will take him, be. caufe when he comes into the foule, he cafts out finnc, the caufe of all thofc Tempcfts.

As Unas when he was caft out, you know then there was a calme : I fay, fuch reft you fliall have in Chrift; out of him, there is nothing but trouble, and dilquiet, and rcftlcffenefle: and this is the third benefit, that ma^ invite you to come in and take him. Ctme unto meejou that are weary , andyon (ball fitiie eafe , and reft to your foulcs. And now what would you havebefides * there is nothing that your hearts candefire, but you (hall have it in him. And becaufe wee are fo much moved with fenfible things 5 the Scripture fetsforth the good things we haveby Chrift, under notions of fuch things as arc fenfible, aswecfeelethefweetneffcof them,as we can taft in this world : that is a kingdome, riches, peace, goodly apparell, &c.

Firft, therefore if you will come in to Chrift, yon (hal have akingdome:the kingdome,that is the Epitome of our happineffe, and the journey es end to all our de-fires.

M m You

SbrJU.

4 ,

Benefit by Chiift.

Kingdome

Ser.IH.

TbeCupvfBlefing.

Kings have,

I

liberty. Liberty what.

In What

Irefped ;Chriftuns lire as they lifr.

You know \vhen ihc<JWefitai was to come, what cxpe&ation the lewes had of a kingdome that fhould be reftoredto them : how frequent are the Prophets in fetting forth the glorious luftre of that kingdome-when thcCMefi* cailfc it was fulfilled; for faith hec. I Matth. 3. Repent, for the Kingdome of God is at hand: and, \Feare not little floe ke, it is jour Fathers willto give jou a Kingdome.: And RevtU i • Hce hath made n$ Kings and Priefts..

You will fay, wherein is this Kingdome, wherein doth this kingdome corfift? Looke to all the properties of a kingdome, and you ftiall finde all in this :

Firft, one thing wherein the freeneffe of Kings con-fids, is,that they have their liberty ^others arc Spbje&s. Now what is liberty t

Liberty is nothing die, but a power to live as.you will. This you have by Chrift • becaule, hee gives his fphit as foone as you take him $ he fends his fpiritinto ybut hearts , that re&ifiesyour will y that fees all right and ftraight within us.

Novy when your will is redified, you will, tha. which you ought ^ when you have this, you live as ycru lift, becaufe you lift not to doe but that whkh is good and fo you have liberty in lob. 8 36. The Son jhalLmake \)6ufrce^ that is, you (hall be fubject to nothing :as^W faith, Wee wikbe brought into fuLjeclion to nothing ; tvee will not befubj;A to iuft, we will not be fubjeft to any thing, you thaWferve nothings as he faith. We are bought with a price snare not the fervants of wen • Wc need feare nothing. Luk.i.j+.That being delivered from ihe hand* of al our enemies we might ferve him withoutft unr ;becauie when youfearchim, you need fcarenothing bifides. .As

The Cup of <BUJ2ing.

As the true ferpent atcupthefulfc ; (o the true feares eatcs up thcfalfe. When you are ia him,youare at li. bcrty, you are delivered from all your enemies. Take any other man, (till hee feares fomething, heefeares death, hee feares fickncffe, he feares the lofle friends, loffc of favour of the Prince, hee feares the lofle of fomething or other. But when a man is in Chrift, hee is delivered out of the hands of all his enemies • he need fcare nothing, for what fhoulckb^t him { It muft be tome of the Creatures: but alfthey are like Maftifes rated by the mafters command, as it is oncly the matter that can doe it, and hee doth rate them,that they (hall not flic in the face of his friend, though they may affault his enemies: and doc but thinke with ybur felves,what a 'happy condition it is, what fafety you have in Chrift, that nothing can hurt you, and therefore wee are bid-1 den, be in nothing carefull. If any thing could hurt you, wee might be carefull in fomething, No, faith he, Bee care full in nothing , Chrift takes care for you : Nothing (hall hurt you, and fo, K^iU things jhaBworkefor jour good, And if fo be then nothingcan hurt you, this is that you (hall have by Chrift, one thing, you (hall have, liberty.

But another thing wherein a Kingdome confifls, is Plenty : that is, you (hall have abundance of all things. What was Salomons Kingdome? And what were other kingdoms of the world but plenty of all things i

What (hall wehave then, you will fay? Shall wee have meat and drinke, houfes and Vines t '

No, thofe are too bafe things for the Kingdome of Godtoconfiftin. Rom.i^ 17, The Kingdome of God confifts in righteovfntffe , holjneffe , peace , and joy in the \

M m 2 Holy

sl

Shr.III,

1 Plenty.

Sueft.

Sir. HI.

3

Peace.

The C»(ofBUpi»g.

I

To overcome, what.

ffolj Ghojl: that is, there (hall bca re&itude in all your (buies, that it (hall bee free from diforder, from di-itempcr, from obliqnty.

Befidcs, you (hall have peace, that is a companion of a Kingdome • you (hall have peace, that is, your foules (hall bee quiet, there (hall be a fercnity there, as the Sea is when it is without wind or ftorme.

Againe,you (hall have joy, your hearts fhalbe filled with the confolatiom^f the fpirit, thefe things you (hall have if you will come in to Chrift, which goes far beyond the pompe and plenty and abundance of any other Kingdome.

But befides this, that you (hall have the liberty f the plenty, and abuadance of Kings, you (hall likewife have the power of Kings: as the Apoftle faith/jfc king-dome of God is not in word, hut in power • that is, you (hall not onely fay, I wifli I could live a holy life as others dee • I with I could mortifie fuch and fuch lufts • I wifli I couldpbftaine from fuch fins,anddoc fuch duties,but you fhS\ have power and ability to doe them. lam able to do all things , faith S. Paul, through Chrifi tbatftreng. thins me.

Againe, befides this you (hall have the victory of Kings, you (hall be overcome of nothing: to be in dif-gracc, to be in Prifon, is not to be overcome.

But to be delivered from a mans way, to be put be-fides his intention, to fall from a mSns fteadfaftneffe, this is to be overcome: Thus faith the Apoftle, We are in poverty, hut not overcome .• Such Kings were all the Apoftles, they marched as Kings in the world, they triumphed over all theoppofitions they found, they trod under foot Satan , and the power of the Enemy. ^„ , , - Againe

The Qup of <Bkfing.

W

Pfai. 4 M<S

Objeti.

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Againe, befides all this, you fliall have the glory of Kb* III Kings : For ^hat are you, whenyoucoraetoChrift 3 | 4 ^ r --but fonnes of God, heires apparent in Pfd. 45. Princes in all Lands , others are; but Princes in their owne dominion, but hec will make you Princes in all Lands.

But you will fay, we fee no iiich things.

No , but Ecclefi 10. Tw are Princes , though you Iwalkt on foot as Servants • and they are but jfervants, al though they ride en horfe-back like Princes. Therefore, 1 John 5. Tou are the fons of God, but it afpeares not yet what you [ball be. Whenwe havcadfced our part, and arc gone off the ftagc,whcn the part that we have fuftained (hall be taken from us and them^then they (hall appears that they are fervants,and that thofe that arc come in to I Ghrift are Princes.

You will fay, This were a good thing, ifitwerea reall Kingdome, but thefeare imaginary things f

I anfwere, it is not fo,the Kingdome of Chrift is as real] as thefe outward extcrnall Kingdomcsare, and why fliould it be worfe efteemed, becaufe it confifts pot in outward things •, for what is the body tuit the •(heath, the fachell, the fhell of the fouled it is the foule *hat is the man, the perfe&ing of the foule,is perfe&ing of the man. Theref ore,the kingdome that is fpirituall, muft needs be beyond that which is outward and cor-porali,efpecial fuch a kfogdome as this^that confifls not 'n the titles of authority, but is fuch a kingdome, as the J 'ifePhilofopherfpeakesof, faith hee, Some, nature hath made Kings, as the Eagle the king of birds, the Lion the King of beafts 5 tbereis an excellency in Tome, •»id ch.of Nature hath made Kings.

I fay, fuch Kings Chrift will make you 3 for when ' Mmj the

OtjtO. J*fo.

The Cup of t Blef?mg,

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Riches.

objetf. Anfw.

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$m. 1II.\ thsKingdome of Grace comes into the heart, it puts a Royall difpofitioninto you, it makes yonexcell othc men, as much as Eagles exccll other birds, as much as Lions excell other beafts, as much as Lilies exceed o-ther flowers, fucha Kingdome you (hall have, if you will come into Chrift, you fhall have the liberty of Kings, the abundanccand plenty of Kings, the power of KingSjthe vi&ory of Kings,and the glory of Kings i 1 and this is the fourth thing you (hall have by him, if you will come in and take him.

But is this all you (hall have by him i No, you (hall not have an empty kingdome 5 but you (hall have riches with it 5 Chrift will make you rich, and Riches you know is that which all the world : feekes after. In Revel. 3. / counfefltbee, emend buy goldtriedby the fire, that thou may eft be rich: And Revel. 2. to the Church of Smyrna ; I know thy poverty, but thou art rich. Luke 12. Such are tbefe that are rich in the world,and not rich towards God: So that there is another kindc of Riches, the Riches that Chrift gives. And what are thofe?

Riches are but a Metaphor, that is,you fhall have a-bundance of good things; for if we have much, if it be d t ofle, it is not Riches • it we have gold, if we have little, it is not riches . but when there is that which is pretious, andabundance of ir, then it is (aid to be Riches : I fay 3 you (hall have abundance of good things by Chrift.

But you will fay what are thofe * Firft, you (hall bee made rich in all graces, in faith, in Ioyc, in patience, in temperance, in meekeneflc $thefc are riches, thefe graces you fhall have from him, that

(hall

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539

i Ti.a.iio

(hall make you ready to every good workc, as you Ser.III. have it, a Tim. 2. Tou (hall be vefeSs ofhonour prepared for every good voorke: It is a Metaphor taken from vel. fels,thac as you would take any vcffell, as a Salt or a Spoone, or a Cup, they are fit and ready for your fer-vicc that they areapplycd to : So if you would know what you (hall have by thefc Graces, when we tell,you (hall have Grace 5 they fliallfafhion and fit your harts,as vcflels are fitted for al the duties of new obedience: this you fliall have by grace, and without thefe graces, you arc able to doe nothing -as without the faculty of hearing, without the faculty of feeing, without the faculty of memory, you are not able to doe any of thefe, but' with them you are able to doe therewith facility,whh-out wearineflc.

A man that hach the faculty of feeing, feeseafily ; the eye is not weary of feeing, nor the eare of hearing. This benefit you (hall have ; you (hall be made rich in thefe graces, that (hall make you ready to every good worke, that (hall fill your lives with the fruitc of righ-teoufnes. As when a tree is full of fap, it will foone be filled with bloflbmes, and with fruit. So will you when you are rich in grace* therefore the Saints are (aid to be rich in all fpeech. Why < For they were rich in knowledge firft, and every grace ; that is the way to make you rich, to be rich in grace.

But is this all?

No, you (hall like wife bee rich in good workes $ as Chrift faith, A>/Sm 5.5. Without me you can doc nothing, but by me , you flail be able to doe all things.

But you will fay, what are thefe riches worth, to bee j rich in grace, and to be rich in good workes 1

M1T14

They

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Ser.III. They arc much worth every manner of way: for

— firft,why do you prize riches 3 butbecau(e they can pro. cure any thing that you need i If you need Wine^it yor need Bread/if you need apparell,if you needednveni zut houfes, riches you know will procure them of t\k hands of thofe that havethem, when you want them: t So thefe riches will procure at the hands of God, what you need.

If you need counfell in difficult cafes 5 ifyou need fuc ceffe in doubtfull bufinefle, if you need health when you are fickc,thefe riches will fetch them in for you; a< they did to Hezekias when hee was ficke , Lord thou I knorveft that I have fervid thee with a ferfefl heart. And what then t

Therefore give me health, and hee prevailed: it will bring you friendfhip when you need it,fr6m your enemies, that can hurt you, and are ready to doe you hurras/*^, you know what a feare he was in of Efau, but when he went to God,he prevailed with him. When you are in the j awes of death and would have life, this will procure it at Gods hands $ as it oft did to David, Pjal. 11^.3. When the flares of death had compajfed wee about, 1 fought unto thee, and thou deliver~edfi me. I fay, this you (hail have by thefe riches, whatfocver you /wantitwillfctchintoyou. Forasitisfaid, fwmlyes at the doore to doe you hurt at one time or another : So you may fay of grace 3 of the good workes you have done,they will do you good one time or another.-f or as k was with Cornelius , his prayer and his good workes <:ame into remembrance before the Lord^ when it may bee himfelfe had forgotten them : So I fay, God will remember all thefe: and as yee therefore reckon riches ___^_ pretious,

TbeCupoffBlefing.

precious, becaufethey will fet a man a worke , to doe you fervice,todoe you kindneffes; and Riches can doe no more than men candoe, andtheyare pretioushe-caufe they fee men aworke : thefefetGod a-worke, and they will doe as muchfor you as God candoe.

Now thefe are riches indeed, as far exceeding theo-thers, as thehelpc and power of God, doth exceed the heJp and power of man,becaufe they fet God a. worke, they (hall fetch from the Lord whatfoever you have need of.

But befides this I fay, they can doe much for you every manner of way.

Another property of riches is> to make a man unde-pendant, to make him ftand on his bottome ; as rich men fay, I can live by you, and without you: So thofc that .are rich in grace and good workes, they may fay to the world, and tothefliopof vanity in it, as/W faith, Tbey bAvedroffe, ibavebttterthmgs provided * % I can live by you, and without you 5 this you (hall have by Chrift, and there is no way to have independance but this : but befides, this is our comfort beyond a]J, that thefe riches will ftand you inftead in the day of dearth. For why doe men gather treafure but for a day of dearth, for a time of poverty, for a time of ne-ceflity ^ for hee faith, then my treafure will ftand me in (lead. I fay, fuch a treafure is this that you have by Chrift, when death comes which is a time of fpending, and not of gathering, then this treafure (hall (land by you to fuftaine you, to comfort you, to uphold you, all this you (hall have by thefe ricks that Chrift gives you, and is this a fmall thing t , Taketwo men when death comes, when the time otlj

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Ser.III

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need comes 5 rake one that is rich to the world, and another that is rich to God and rich in good workes ; now by'good workes (by the way; know that I meane not almes deeds onely, for that is the error of Papifts: but by good workes I meane alio, the laying up of many f aithfull prayers, the keeping of fimplicity I and finccrity in our lives and converfation, the keeping [ of a clcareconfciencetoGodandmcn, thefcrvingof God with a perf e& heart, thefe are the riches I fay.

Take two men, the one rich in thefe kind of riches, another that is rich to the world • when theft two die, which of the two riches would you chufe i I fay this is a thing that may win you to come into Christ^ hee will make you richlyou (hall have treafures laid up, you foall bee rich in grace, and in all good workes. But is this all i

No, you fliallbee rich in allkind of bleflings, in all kinds of comforts, in all kinds of priviledges, it may be this will winne you more. In i Cor. 3. 2$. Font is yours, and ApoUos is yours, the world, life, death, things prefent , and things to come, theyare yours, and you are Chrifis , and ChriH is Gods. Marke ; there is nothing but a Catalogue, an Inventory of Ghriftian riches, faith hee, Paul and Lstpoilos. What are thefc^ali the gifts and learning that they have, it is for your ^kes ; they are your fervants, they arc batmen that watch o-1 vcr you for your falvation • all the excellent gifts that God hath given to the fonnes of men, they are but your riches* But is this all?

No, the world is yours,and all in if. You will fay, wee find not this, for who hath the

The Cup of !BleJ?in£.

the world ac will i Who amongft the Saints i

Though you have not, yet the mifery that you find in the world, the want of wealth as well as the enjoying of it is yours, that is, it tends to your advantage, all is but for you. As in the field of w heat we may fow, all is for the wheats fake ; the foyle is for the wheat, the Husband-man is f or the wheat,the ftalk, the care, | the dew,the barne,thc thre(hing;al is to ferve the wheat: fo we may fay of a Chriftian , in this world.

The world it felfe that is the field, is but for the wheate, for Chriftians : the Husband-men , Paul and K^iftUos and Cephas arcbut for you.

And if you objeft ; but alas wee have many bitter ftormes and affliltions, for all you make thefe promiies unto us.

It is very true, but all thefe are for the wheat 5 as you know the wheat mud haveafummerandawinter, it muft have froft and fnow, it muft have wet and dry, or elfe it will not ripen: no more will you, you muft have weale and woe, you muft have affii&ion as well as pro-fperity ;bm this is lor your comfort, all is for you: the world is yours.

Is this all?

No, life is yours, death is yours 5 that is, this life is nothing but a fitting, a preparing, a fquaring ofyou for a better life, for eternity.

Why i But death is terrible.

No, it is your advantage, for you (hall dyejuft then when it is beft for you ; death {hall ferve but as a (ervant for your advantage. That as a man would have a tree that (hould grow, hee lops it j uft in the time and fcafon 5 but treesthat he would havedeftroyed, he cuts

them

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them at any time. All the Saitr.s have this comfort, that death comes for their advantage ^ God cuts them not downe, he lops them not, hce puts not in the fickle till they bee juft ripe : for death is theirs, and left chis (hould not be enough,he faith, things prefent> and things to come are jours*

Men will fay ., you promife for eternity indeed, but what doe ye for the prcfent i

Why 3 godlinefle hath the promife of theprelent life.

Yea, but if it bee well with us for the prefent, yet we know not what may befall us.

Things prefent therefore, and things to come, faith he, all this is yours : and if all this will not content you ,1 will add one thing more, the Lord himfelfe is yours 5 fo that take God and looke on him in his grcatneflc, in his mighty power 5 God that is Lord of heaven and earth, I fay, he is yours, all that he hath is yours, all that hee can doe is ^ouis. And therefore when hee fpeakes to Abraham , yylbraham , faith he, / will bet thine , if thou wilt be mine , / mil be to thee an exceeding great reward : You fhall have God himfelfe for your portion.

You will fay, how can God be your portion f Yes, he himfelfe is yours, for you mufl know that findiiig'Meaicthebert riches : Loving favour,Pro.2i. is better than life ± he that is rich in friends^ is better than he thai isrkhin money , and among friends, who is Uketo God!

It was the fpcech ofthe Heathen, when he was askd

where his trcafure. was, laid hee, Where Cyrus my

friend is, that is, I reckon my friend my chiefe trcafure.

_ , I fay

TbeCupofBlefa

I (ay God isyour friend,ashe was the friend of {Abraham , (o he is the friend of alhhe Saints^ you have him and all that heecandoe, for that wee may truly fay 3 there is no end of a Chriftians riches.

S. Paul when he confidered this, Eph. ^Aayxb y Tbis is a glorious priviledge , that 1 jhould preach among the Gentiles , The unfearchahle riches ^/Christ, Hce j could finde nobottome,he knew not the meafure, the length, thebredth, the height, of thefe riches, and un-fearchable riches of Chrift. Vv f e give you but a little glimpfe 5 if God open acrevifeof light to you to fee thefe riches, yoa will bee content to doe asthe.Mer-chant, to fell all for the Pearle, for it is worth all that you can fell for it, I fay, if you could fee what it were, if you could difcerne and judge of it with righteous judgement, you would regard nothing in the world be-fidesjbut you would then fay,l wilgoe and take Chrift, fot there is riches indeed : and hee is a happy man of whome God faith, as Hfc faith of that Church, J know thy poverty, but thou art rich: So you fee you (hall have a kingdomeby Chrift, and you (hall have rkhe$ 5

But is this all {

No : for I tell you, the Scriptures prefent them to as under fenfible things, things that we can feelc,be-caufe that we are lead with fenles in this life he faith, if you will come in to Chrift He will make you a feaft 5 Efay faith, 25. 16. Inthe LMount of the Lord^Heemk provide a Feaft ^ $ffined Wines, of fat Wines flned and pu* rifled, of fallings full of marrow: and frequently ic is repeated in Scripture, that Chrift will make you a feaft, they were fent to come totbe feaft of the King^Mat.22 4. His Wine was drawn, His Failings was prepared 5 that

is,

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is, any thing you (hall have by Chrifl: you (hall have a Feaft ;

What is this <

Looke what meat doth : meat is called a Feafobe-caufe it maintaines life; and fo doth this: it breeds and maintaines life,yea immortall life, as the food is of an immortal] nature, it is the bread of life.

Againe, meat breeds ftrength • fothisftrengthens | you in the inward Man, to do holy and fpirituall duties, as the corporall meat.flrcngthens the outward man to labour and excrcife.

Againe, a Feaft brccdes joy andchcerefulneffe; fo doth this. As the corporall feaft cheeres the heart and refrefhes the fpirit • fo if you would know what this feaft is, it is that which breeds and maintains Spirituall life, and ftrength and cheerfulncfle. You will fay 3 what is that i By indu&ion of particulars what is it nor-you (hall findc what it is.

Fir ft, it is not that which continues you in a being, for that flones have, and yet arc farre from having this life.

Againe, It is not that which gives ypu vegetation and motion and fenfc, for that Beafls have, and they have not this life.

Ag, ine, It is not the cxercife of reafon, and under-ftanding • for that reprobates and Devils may have,yet dye the fecond death. What is it then?

It is that which breeds and maintaines, that holy a n d regenerate men live here,and which the Angels live in heaven for all eternity 5 that which breeds that life,

TbeCupoffBlefinz.

r you muft know that the foule that is withinus,hath its food to feed on, is well as the body. The foule hath its food: that is, wherefoever there is the Hidden Man> £ where there is the New man^hz Hidden man of the hearty P as S.Peter calls it, itmuftbcfedaswdlastheoutward man j it muft have dinners,and fuppcrs,and break fafts-if there bee life, there it muft have all this: otherwife, ! what is Cbri/ls faying when he faid, I have other meate that you know not of: and what is Davids meaning when he faith * Thy word is [meter to met than the hony or the hony combe. If it be not the foule, the regenerate man wichi/i, is fed with a kind of food. And what is nb± meaning, when hee laid i Bee found it fatter than his appointed meales . that is, he would let his body fter ve: it (hould want at leaft, rather tha-* his foule fliould be deprived of the ordinary meate it fhould have. In this fenfe OHanna is faid to bee the food of Angels : why could Manna be the food of Angels t If thele material! and fubftantiali foules and the Angels had not fomc-whatelfe to feed on: Manna was Angels food • Angels have not mouthes to eat? itf anna, there tore it is not ihc corporall Ji/awmhatisfaidtobe Angels foodh

What then?

It was Chrift that was typified by CManna> as hee hiih) lo/w 6. lam the true Manna, the true bread thxt came dorvtiefrom heaven : the fathers ate the iamc (piri-vu^ll meate 5 fo k was then the fpirkuilUf/^rf that was Angels food -, and if Angels food, then the food oi our loules, for our louks and Angels feed alike. You will {ay, yet clearc unto us further * hat this is.

If we come to eate Angels food, you (hail finde in tihn 6, Seeke not for the meate thatptrificth, but for the

mt ait

_547 Ser.II/.

Iohn

lohn 6 ' y j

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Win

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Property of fpiritu all foode

meate that endures for ever, faith Chrifi , which the fon of man {hall give you, for him hath God the father fealed. Marke, Seeke the meAte that endures for ever • fo then there is anothe r feaft,another meate; and if you would know what it is,this is one property, it is meate

it endures- ^ cn d ure s for ever :that is, other men when they ear, the.fweetneffe is gone as foone as they have eaten • but j the fweetneffe of this continues : that is, what profit J have you had from hearing the word , what com-fort you have had from praying to Go d , from ferving God with a perfed heart- thefe comforts continue for ever. As twenty y cares after a man may fecle the fweetneffe o£a good Sermon, of a faithfull prayer, of a good worke, of ferving God with a perfeft heart and a willing minde • I fay, many yeares after hee may find the fweetneffe. So that here the Glutton hath his wifli; you know the Glutton wiflit that he had a long necke, that he might be long in tafting the fweetneffe of his meat. I fay, here you may be long in tafting the fweetneffe ofir* for the fweetneffe of the meat continues heere*, and not the fweetneffe onely, but the ftrength of it continues for ever. The ftrength of other meat vanifheth in a day, as the fweetneffe is gone in a moment, but the ftrength of this endures for ever, and will make you live for ever- that is one property of this mear- feek this meat,for it endures forever.

Another you (hall finde in Efi. 5 5. This meatfatis. fieth 3 why doe you lay outfilver and net for bread^ and why 'doe you labour andare not fatisfed • Come buyojmeWine andMilke, that you way btfatisfied.

Take other meat in the world, it doth not fatisfie, I mcane, perifhing meat $ outward things they doe not

fatisfie

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fatisfic: and therefore this is called a feaft, becaufein a( SbrJII feaft there are all forts ofdifhes, there is variety off -dainties, there is nothing wanting : and fo hee faitb 3 if you come home to Chrift ; the Soule fliall have what foever it candefire, remiflion of finncs, reconciliation I with God, joy,peacc, freedomefrom the fecond death, j provifion, all things.

In a word, as in a banquet, in a great Feaft, there i all forts of things 5 you have fweet odours, you have mufique, and all variety of diflies, all forts of wine: fo faith he, if you will come home to Chrift, you dial 1 have all things that your heart can wifh or defire.

Now there is nothing in the world that can give fa-tisfa&ion to thefoule, you fliall never have all things elfe; but as Chrift faith, If you drinke of other xvjer, you jl)4llthirjlagaint ?"• this is that which fatisfieth, becaufe all other things are but particular.

Health, you know, will ferve but againft fickneffe. Wealth and Profit will ferve but againft poverty. Credit and Honour will but ferve againft Dif-grace.

The foule is now of a greater latitude 5 it is onely God, utiiverfall good, that can make a great Fcaft to fatisfie it, hee onely can fill all the corners of the foul"; none can make a fcaft to fatisfie the foule but onely the Lord, becaufe hee istheuniverfallgood, heefilsthc foule every way.

Other things doe but weary , they fatisfic hon when a man hath all he can have, fomethir.g more hee would have, though he know not what, li^y, there is nothing can fatisfie but the Lord onely, it is hee that J makes the Fcaft 5 and thence is that fpeech, Why dec you j

N n lay

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lay forth money , and not for bread ? Why doe you labour without being fat isfied?

But yet there is one propertic more by which yon (hall know what this feaft is: it is a continuall Feaft: that is, i: is not onely a feaft: but as Ifaid before,there is a continuall tra<5i, a continuall ftrcame of comfort without interruption or intermiffion • \^i goodconfei-erne is a continuall feafi : that which is faid of a good confciencc , may be faid of this Feaft that Chrift will makeyou. Otherfeaftsbe not continuall}, thefweet-nefle of one bit is gone, before another comes $ and when you eate well and are fatisfied, youdefireno more, you are glutted with it, and there is an end: ,but it is not fo herewith this meatejn this Feaft, be-caufe here both the appetite and the meat continue $ therefore I fay it is a continuall feaft, becaufe both the appetite and the feaft continue, they laft and endure r I the ftomack and the feaft, thedefireand thcobjed^ I that is, your drinking (hall not take away your thirft, and your thirft againe fliall not want drinke : and that J is the meaning of that, Ephef.^iS. faith hce, Be not j filed with Wine , wherein is excejfe , but be filled with the Spirit. Markc, the meaning of that is this, faith hce, if you taiftc Wine and the fweetneffe of if, in time you are fubjeft to excefie ; when you drinke a little your thirft is gone, goe further and there is execfle.

But now come to fpirituall things, y our defire continues 5 (till there is thirft, and ftill there is drinke- you (hall ftill have a ftrong appetite 5 and you fliall ftill have meat, one takes not away another, there is a continuall feaft, and therefore be not filled with wine wherein is exceffe: that is ,the pleafuis of it is foonegone • but bee

filled

The Cup of Blefiing.

filled with the Spirit that fhall refrefh you, m6re than any cups of Sack, than any flagons of Wine, I fay 3 th;s comfort you (hall have, that this feaft (hall continue with you.

When fickneffe comes, what will other things doe us good * Take all the comforts in the world, they

j admit interruption. If a man live in aboundance of all things, yet fnmanyj cafes there sre many troubles, wherein wee (hall have no comfort from thefe, but this feaft (hall continue with you, it (hall lye downe with you • it (hall goe with you to your ficke beds, and there a good confeience will bee a continuall feaft ; it will goe to prifon with you, and there it will refrefh you 5 it wil paffe with you through ill and good report, and there it will comfort you y it leaves you not in death, but there and in all changes of this life, it (hall be with you to refrefh you, and toxheere your fpirits more than any Cordiall: this you (hall have by Chrift if you will take him, fuch a feaft hee will make you. But you will fay, wee finde no fuch thing, wee finde do fuch fwectnefle in Chrift.

It is becaufe you are not hungry. Come and tell fuch an oneasF4«/was 5 of fuch a banquet ; oh how acceptable would it be ! Come and tell a dying man that hath felt the bitterneffe of (inne, the fiercenetfc of Gods wrath, fuch a man would come as an hungry

I man to it, tofuchamanitwouldbemeaieanddrinke

indeed 5 and fo it would be to you if you were hungry.

Where there is a great dole made, the poore come,

thofe that are hungry come : fo the poore receive the Gofpeljthole that are hungry wil come,and to thofe it is afeaft. And thereforeas Chrift concludeshis Sermon,

N n 2 when

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Benefit, apparell.

2L

Ser. III.I when hce had ipoken of things belonging to theSpiric, I things bclongingtoetcrnall life,(aiih he there, He that bath an eare to heart 3 let him heare: as if hee ihould fay, We propoundtoyguthefe things, but it there be not a heart within, if therebce not an eare to heare, all our labour is loft: Sol (ay , except you have that taft, that you tafk how bountiful! the Lord is, snd what a feaft thrift hath prepared for you -> all our labour is to no purpofc.

But is this all wee (hall have by Chrift? Sure here is much ; you fhall have aKirgdome, you (hallhave riches , you fhall have a'feaft, 1 will adde but one.

You fhall have gorgeous apparel!; a tiding that wee prize to be fomewhar, out of the weakrtfle of our flefh lb trifling is that: yet becaufe we prizeit, itpleafeth God to, let forth the glorious condition wee have by Chrift undct this notion. In the fecond of the Reve laUon, I willchathjou with whiteraiwent ; and Rev, 3/2, To him thatovercommttb wilt I give the morning-jlarre: Buy of me white garments to cover jour nakedneffe : So I fay, if you will come in to Cbrift,you fhall have gorgeous apparell $ now every man naturally feekes fome excellency in one kind or other.

Now what is fo excellent as this? To have the imape of God renewed in us: that excells others,as the beauty of the morning- ftarr excells others, This you (hall have by Chrift, you (hall have your foules cloa-thed with beauty, you fliall have them adorned with Rubksand Saphires, that is. with all the (hining graces of the Spirit 5 yoaflia!lce/uftified,thatis, you fhall be wafted 3 you fhall be fan&ified, lb fhall all the

Saints

The Cup of Blefiing.

Saints bee clad, fofhall ail the Saints be cloathed that will come home to thrift*

But you will fay, tell us in plainer tearmes what this cloathing is.

This white array, partly is a figoe of the dignity which you have by Chrift ; as Kings in ancient time were wont to be cloathed wirh white apparcll on fo-kmne times, which was a fignethat they were Kings.

Againe, as TtttuttUn reports ; Servants were wont to weare white array whenthey were fee at liberty, in token of manu-miffion • fo it is a token of the fteedome you have by Chrift.

Againe 5 Chriftians 3 as TtrtuUian reports,were wont to weare white array all Eafterweeke, in token of the fincerity that Paul bids us keep the PafTeovcr with. So when he faith 3 you (hall be cloathed with white array 5 the meaning is,you (hall have the dignity of Kings, the freedomeof fervants that are fet at liberty $ youfhall have fincerity given you ; you (hall have in a word whatfoever may adorne the foule. I will not hold you long. . This cloathing ofthe foule ftands in two things.

InIufttfication$

And San&ification.

There is a cloathing of Iuftification, that you fliall have,if you come in to Chrift.

Firft, we are faid to put on the Lord Iefus, that is, you (hall come cloathed with him % and when you come cloathed with Chrift, come and welcome 5 as you know Ueob got thebleffingwhenheecameinhi$ brothers cloaths. In Revelation 12.1. there is mention of a woman cloathed with the Sunnc : what is that?

Nn3 ev^y

SerJU.

1 Cof.j.

TheCupof ( Blefin&

jf4

Ser.III.J every man by nature is vile and bafe and miferablc. but when hee is cloathed with Chrift, hee is like one cloathed with the Sunne.

Now you know the Sun is a mod glorious creature • of all the creatures that God hath made, that when hee would chufe a creature, that was the moft glorious that our eyes have fcene, he pitcheth on that •, and luch are wee when wee are cloathed with Chrift. that is, Godlookesonus, as on men that are as glorious as the Sun in his brightnefle 5 and this you (hall have by Chrift, But is this all?

No: though it were all,it were much 5 becaufe by this wee may bee admitted tothe prefence ofthe Lord: without it you cannot. But this is not all 5 you fliall be cloathed like wife with the graces of Sandifkation-that is, ^ when you come to Chris t, that (hall bee verifiedf which David faith oi Saul • ohyo*daugb-ters ef lerufakm tveepctox Saul 5 he cloathed you with Scarlet, and hung ornaments of gold onyourappa-rell: I fay, Christ cloathsthe foule with Scarlet, PfitL 45.13. Tbe foule goethclmbed in imbroidercd gold, in garments of needle- mrke 5 that is, when the Lord j comes to a foule, hee comes as a King of glory ; o. J ther Kings bring their glory with them, and when they goethcy take it with them; but when Christ comes to the foule, hee makes it a glorious houfe for himfclfe to dwell there : the raateriall Temple that was fo ftately and fo glorious 5 the Temple of the Iewes, you know it was but a type ofthe Temple of the Holy Ghoft; that is, ofthe foule of a Chriftian 9 for indeed, thofe are the Temples wherein the Lord delights to

dwell*.

The Qup of fflefing.

555

dwell ; it is certaine, thzt Salomon in all his royalty was Ser.iii, not cloathed like one of tbefe : for (hall Christs power bee leflc in grace than it was in nature * Hee that .cloathes the LiUies^ jhall hee not cloath his fervants with beautj f and confider this, that this is not a (mall matter to bee thus cloathed.

The great Go d of Heaven and Earth, and not Goo oncly, but holy and wife Men that are able to fee through thefe trappings, regard not what cloathing the body hath, but they lookc how mens foulesgoe apparelled. I fay, C h r i $t will thus apparell the foules of all thofe that come into Him: that as ^Aaron had all variety of prctious Pearles, of gorgeous apparell • fuch Priefts will Christ make everyone to G o d his Father : and therefore if you will come in to C h r i s r ; this wee can promife, you {hall put on the Lordlefus 5 you (hall put on the Sun.

Againe, you (hall bee cloathed with Diamonds, that is, with all the (hining graces of the Spirit.

And now what will you doe when you come to a rich Wardrobe , for fuch is C h r i s t to us, there you may fute your felves from top to toe.

You reckon it undecent, foramantowearefome jpart of his apparell rich and precious, when other parts are bafe, and old, and ragged : why, doe you not doe this with your foules? why doeyoufuffcr your foules to goe ragged as it were , tobecfoune-qually, lo unreverently clad? It may bee thou haft the grace of bounty, but not of chaftity 5 it may bee thou haft the grace of governing thy hands, but not of governing thy tongue 5 it may bee thou haft the grace to fpeak well, but not to pray fervently : there is

Ser.HI.

IkeCupofBlefing.

fome unevennefle in the cloathing of thy foule. W hat wile thou doe then i Goe toCHRisr; there is change of raiment: that is, there is garments of alftbrts to cover thy na- j kednefie and to adorne thy foule ; all thefe things you | (hall have by C h r i. $ t ; you (hall have a kingdome, you (hall have riches, you (hall have a feaft, you (hall bee cloathed with white array.

So you have ftene now, the (econd confe&ary that rifeth from thisDo&rine, wherein wee are exhorted to take Christ, to invite us to it: wqe have (hew. ed you your mifery out of him, thehappineffeyou (hall have by him.

Now there remaines no more, but that you bee content to come in and take him and ferve him for the future 5 fo you may have him : therefore what fliould hinder y^u , why doe you not come in and take Christ?

Onely you muft know this, that you muft take him for your Matter, foas^to ferve no other Mafter^ you muft take him for your husband, fo as to bee divorced from all other lovers: for this know, that C h r i s t and good fellow(hip,that C h r i s t and fornication,C h r i s t and fwearing 3 C h r i s t and ambition, Chris t and ferving your (elves and the times will not (land together, you muft bee divorced from all thefe : if you will have Christ you muft take him as a Husband, to be to him a love, to love him, to have your wills fubjed to his will, you muft take him for better,for worfe • you muft take him with all variety of conditions, denying your felves and take-ing up your croffe and following him 5 if you takehim

thus

7be Qip of!BleJ?ing t

&

thus you fhall have him, and when you (hall have him, you (hall have all things with him.

As C h r i s t faith to his Father, wee are we y thou in mee , and I in thee • and then all mine are thine, and thine are mine. So wee may fay , every one that rakes C h u s t 3 is made one with him 5 all C h r i s t $ is yours, and yours is his 5 that is,hee takes your names, hee takes your debts, and you beare his name, and have intereft in all that is his -, what hee hath by nature, you have by grace ; and when you have him once , then you may bee bold to come and take thefe Elements of Bread and Wine: but if you have not him , then know that you are but intruders upon the Lor d s Table-for his Table is provided for his friends, and if his enemies and Grangers come in, and intrude on ir, hee will not take it at your hands 3 but command you to bee bound hand and foot and to bee caft out: I fay, consider therefore, theoffersof Ch r i s t are large 5 youthatare to receive the Sacrament at this time, or at any other time, I fay, confident ^ if you have Christ him. felfc,then you may boldly come • if you have not the Lord you have nothing to doe with thefe. And know,if it wasfucha fearcfull thing to touch the Arke, which was but a type of *C h r i s t , and had but a legal holinefie in it,tha-.: God ftruck yzziah with death, becaufehee was fo bold as to doe it. If it were fo dangerous a thing to meddle with common fire, as wee fee in Nadab and i^fbibu, that was but a type of this • what will it bee, whsn wee (hall dare to take the body of the L o r e> I b s u s , not being worthily prepared f Hee is the fubftaflce, there is the holinefie of, which that was but a type; therefore take heed of med-

O o

Skr.

mg

ISilR. HI

IbeQtpopBlefing,

ling with them, except you have taken him indeed,

except you have changed your hearts 3 except you bee

New CrMfwtf,except you have the ZtWhim-

fclfe^youmay not meddle with the

Bread and Wine, the Sacrament

of his body and bloud$

and fo I end.

Ff NJ S

$$ m %# m £& &fo

*&& *sJ& &i» *&^ *%& «&*

<j^gt> cr^t. ^v *^* ^t* *wfc o^*«

$$k g& «i «$? Aft $& g&

«3& £ttk $& && «&£» *raS sb»

/WfcflrrgjWt/WtW./M** r?3bti«i /f^SCSi /»avj\

<T$V #^ -T** #£* «?vv <r** c?^t»

r^v *yv <?v^ *£* ^v* ***

THE TABLE.

A

Ability i

MEN excufe their finne from want of Ability, Fart ,, Pag. 205 sAbUitj of Ch'rifl to Ci»6ii& us,

a, 307

Conscience corrupt in the office of

ssftfcujing, ty 52

asfElions.

Corruption in our eAEiions, 1,68

AElions of carnall men, I, 141

Attions of natural! men defective

in two things, I, 146

Intention of ^#'<?» in zeale, 1,

264 ABivenefie. ABiveneJfe of confcience corrup-

ted.

h5*

%Adam.

God juftin requiring of us according to that he gave to Adam,

Adams fin charged on us, 36 Two conditions o?Adam,i,i 13 Our condition in Chrift better

than it was in Adam, 2^412 See Home,

AffeBions.

AffeBions corrupted>. 1*^9

AffeBions mull be wrought upon

in the performance of duties,

Godefaemes us according to our AffeBions, I>^3

What (houid dtzw-out „ AffeBions to God 3 1,246

Zeale a ftirring up of the AffeBions, i) 2( ^4

Want of AffeBions to (/^argues want of zeale, 1, 268

Worke of the Spirit upon the AffeBions, Z } i9i

ssfffliBions.

Forgiveneffe of finnes takes the fhngout otnAjfliBions, z f 441 Altered.

Nature cannot be Altered, 2,365

Cuilome hardly altered, 2, 3 86 Alike.

All fins not Alike, V ? 5 5

qAU. Carnall men do many duties, out

not^//, 1,14^

O O 2 Anaer

The Table.

Anger,

Difference betwene hatred and

An<rcr 9 1,268

Zeale for the Church acceptable

to God, when hee is Angrie

with it, 1,271

Apparell.

zApparell one benefit by drift,

?>5S 2

What that Apparell is, 3, 5 5 3

How to makeuie of this <ts4pfa-

rell y 1,^6

Apprehenfion.

The Apprehenfion makes happy or

Affurance en created by humiliation^ i> 7 9 Authority, To preach with Authority, wkat,

2,415? B Baptifme.

BAptifme tends to fan&iflca-tion, 2,300

Bcleever^ Beleeving* Difference betweene temporary and true Beleevers^ 2,520 Beleeving difficult, 3,4 8p

Blindnejfe. Blindnejfe of mans under (landing

Why mans underikndiog is

ForgivenefTe of fin aufech Bold-

*#> 1,441

Bondage. Spirit of Bondage, anhelpagamit

finrull excufes^ ' 1,100

Spirit of .Bondage how it workes,

1, 101

Blinde.

Ibid.

^Boldneffe. Exceffe of Boldnejfe \\ow preven.

ted.

I', 270

Borne.

Thofe that are faved by the fecond Adamite Borne of hint, 2,297 Burthen. Sinne in what relpefl: a Burthen,

2,443 Bufinejfe. Too much Bufinejfe a great impediment, I, ipi

C

Caufes.

GOd workes by fecond C**->', 1,244

Change, How to know we we Changed,

2 >374 To give God the praife of our

C^nge* 2,403

What keepes men from Chrifi,

1,10,2,302

What makes us prize Chrift, I,

7j

End of our ingrafting into C^W/?,

2,ipp

San6tirlcation by the bloud of Chri/ly 2 ,3Co

How to take Chrift, 2, 345

What mould move us to love

Chrifi,

The Table.

Chrifr,

413

Before we are new Creatures, we

areinC^w?, 2,424

To be in Chrifi, what, 2,426

Priviledges of being in Chrift, 2

428 See Tightens. Church. Pillars of the Church, I,26*5 Want of zeale for the Church, 1,

270 Danger of wronging the Churchy

1,271

Directions whatwemuftdofor

the Church, M7 2

Circumstance*

Confideration of fircumftanees

helpe Humiliation, 1,25

Circumstances aggravating finne,

OvilL Difference betweene prophane and Civi/i men, l > ll 7

Clearenejfe. Ctearenejfe of confidence corrupted, 1,51 Cloud. Sin like a ftormy £YW, 1,254

CoUnefte.

Co/dnejfe provokes God as much

as fin, ij 2 $3

Comb ate.

Combate to be expected of Cfari-

ftians, 2, 3 97

Difference of the Combat in Chri-

ftians and others, a,3^8

Comfort.

Comfort the end of the Scriptures,

1,2

San6tificationforour Comfort, 2,

304

Comfort from the change of Na.

ture, 2,384

The end of Chriits comming, 1, 18,209 Compel/. The Spirit Compels men to come J in, 2, 288

Communion. Communion of Saints fets the truth at liberty, 1,1 do

Communication. Communication of the body and bloud of Chrift in the Sacrament, 3>474 See Truth.

Condemnation. Imprifoning Truth, brings great Condemnation, 1, 125

God juft in the Condemnation of men, 1,215

Conflict;. £onftcl in carnall men, 1,14I Conflict in wicked men failing in foure things, 1**48

Content. He thattruftsinGod, is Content with him only, I> 2 3P

Conscience. Conscience corrupted by nature,

Qj Wherein

\

The Tabic.

I

Wherein Conference is corrupted,

>, 51,52

Signe of a good Conference, 1^3

Conference in naturall men may

doe many things, 1,140

Conference good in two relpe&s,

144 Contrary, Contrariety. Contrariety of the will to God, 1

46

^Nature workes out what is Con-trary toit, 2 >375

Conversation] Converfation.the change in it; 2,

374 Confiant.

Hatred Confiant, 1,268

What is naturall, is confiant, 2,

33<5

Confiant.

Confiant feaft by Quill,$48,5 jo

Conviction. Convictions of unbeliefe, 1,236 Conviction wrought by the Spirit,

Corrupt. We mart have leffe in us than nature Corrupt, 2*357 See Nature*

Covenant, Covenant fealed in the Sacrament

2,391 Covenant on Gods part, 3,485 Covewant on our part. 3,49 3

Creature. Creature cannot doe good or evilly 1,243

^447

Creature, how to be ufed, 2,*4p See God.

Cuftome.

Cufiome in finne fupprefferh the

Truth, 1, i8p,2o2,2o8

Cufieme, the advantages ic hath

againftus, 2,385

D

Damned.

HE that beleevethnot (hallbe^ "Damned^ Bay Sabbath Gods Day, 1,237

Debt. Our Z>^£ payed by Chrift, 3,5 25

Not tabe difcouraged for 'Defects

Delay. Deldy when God cals dangerous,

i>i8

Commmg to God not to be Delayed, 1,366 Not to Delay when Chrift cals,

2,414 • Delight. Delight corrupted, x, 6* 1

DenialL D*Hia/l of God in finne, 1,84 Denial^ one excufe of fin, 1,211

Death.

Why God puniiheth finne with

eternall2><f^, ^172

Chrifts Death (hewed forth in the

Sacrament, 3A76

Death of Chrift, how made void,

3>4°9 Out

The Table.

Out of Chrift wee. arelubje&to

Death, 5,546

Beathhovt it is ours, 3, 547

<Defpifed. God Defpifed in the commiffion of finnc, 1,85

DeftruEiien. Hatred feekes the c Deftrutlion of a thing, * 9 *69

Iealoufie of god, brings < Deftrn-ttion, I, 2 78

Wefires. Be fires from corrupt nature nothing, 2, $6? TH/grace. D if grace of good men from the world,

<Difeafe. Sinne the Difeafe of the foule, 2,

443

Difference.

'Difference betweene men, made byGW, 2,408

Difficulty. 'Difficulty in duties jliould not difcourage us, 1*383

c Btfconragements. 'Discouragements hinder from religion, a, 3QQ Bifobedience* 'Bifobedience of mans will, 1, 47 Bifobedience in fmall things great

4*

"Difibedience againft God in the leaftfinne, 1,2 do

'Difpofition. Bifpofition in man double^ 1,74

Bivinity, See Per/wade.

Bogges. Bogges to be kept out of Chrifts flock, 1,276

Boubting, Reafons againft Boubting of for-giveneffe, Z>*fi9

Buty. Performance of But] double, 1,

?33 E

THe mercy of Chrift when he wason<5V*r^, 3>49l

EffeB. 2,3 87 j To fee finne in the Effe&s of it,

1,255

Eleclion. See Reprobation.

Enemy.

Enemies of the Faith, what to

learneofthem, # *>*74

Emvhj*

Enmity of the und er ftanding, I,

Moft men Envie the New Creature, 2,405 End. End of God, by whom it is crof-fed, 1,134. EviB. See good. Ever. Salvation and damnation continue for Ever, 2,4^0 Spirituall food endureth for E-ver, 3>54 8 Oo 7 8xfe-

The Table.

Experience, experience (hewes God to be the Author ofgrace, 2,427

Experience of Chrift helpes to unite ustohim 3 2 >434

Excellency. Grace preferred before all other Excellencies, 2, 3 12

Grace the proper Excellency of a man, 2,314

Knowledge of Chrifts Excellency unites us to him, 2,433 Exigent. Triall of truft in GW, is in an Exigent, 1,240

Expend. Gods Wrath in time is Expended,

^253 j Excufe.

IConfcience corrupt in the office ofExcufing, 1,53

Excufes of iin a I ,P3 ,203

Meanes to arme us againtt thefe Excufes, 1,100

Eye. The New Creature lookes on things with a new Eye, 2,3 id Eye doable and fingle, 2, 393 F Faculties-

Faculties in man corrupted, 1, 40 F**7A. £*&& to be contended for, 1,2 74 Frfii&fan&ined,

,230

2, 300 Faith workes on the promifes,

2,304

Faith encrealed by the Sacra-

WSfei • • n 3 '^7

Tranlubitantiation agamu taith

Fafi. Fafi, no arbitrary duty, 1 Fafi defined,

Falling away. Falling away, why not to be fea* red, 2,381

Fault. Men exculefinne by lighting the Fault, i,2ii

Feafe. Feare corrupted, 1 , 62

Feare to be placed on God onely,

1,239 Gods jealoufie fhould make us Feare, 1,279

Feare doubled 1,2 80

The Word to bee heard with Feare, 2,416

Gods children freed from Feare,

*>445 Feare put for the worflhip of God,

Feare or a flitting nature^ 3, 49 6

Out of Chrift we are fubjeft to

the Feare of death, 3,512,? 14

Feasl. '

Spirituall things rcfembled to a

Feaft,why, 2,463

F^y?,promifed by Chrift, 3,545

Feeding. Neceflity of daily Feeding on Chrift, 2,43d

Fit

The Table.

Fit. What Fits usfor mercyj 3, 4PI

Firfl fruits.

Two tilings in Firfi-ftuits, 2,397

Spirituall things wee have in the

Firp-ftuits, 2, 464

Fire.

Fire from Heaven to be cheriftied,

To eat Chrifts Fltfi, what,2,43 5

Food. Propmies of fpiiitual/W, 3,548

Forget. Memory corrupt in that wee ought to Forget 3 1,50

Men choake the truth when they labour to Forget it, 1^ 18 8 Forgivenefic. Forgivenetfe of fins Jiow it makes blefled, ' 2,440

Confirmation in the affurance of Forgiveness 3,4 8 8

Formality. Formality argues want of zeale,

1,267 Free. The worice of the Spirit Free y

Fruit. Hypocrites bring not forth Fruit,

2 >397 Wearineffe in the Fruit of iinne,

3>53 x

Fulnejfe.

\ Fufoejfe referved for Heaven, 2,

j ¥$

Future.

Helpes to minde Future things,

2,465 G Gifts.

C^Ommon Gifts in naturall ( J men, i 3 140

Giving. Giving, what, 2 >4*7

glory. Tranfubftantiation againft Gods Glory, 3>48o

Glory appeared in Chrifts humiliation, ?6. Glory pne benefit by Chrift,3,5 3 7

God.

The law of mans jugdement ma-

nifefted by god, 2, 166,167

None can doe good andevillbut

God, 1,242

If the creature could doe it, it

were God, ** 2 43

In all things to looke to God,

1, 24P

Every fihne fets up another God?

1,260

Converfion of the heart proper to

God, 2,403

New Creature theworkeofGW,

2,407

The praife of all good to be given

to God, 2,418

God, how hee is made ours, 2 a

442 Sinne drives the Saints neerer to God, 2,455

See portion.

Good

The Table.

Cjood.

Men excuie the ill in them by the Good, l}9?

Good things in ill men doe them no Good, i, 1^2 i

God onely doth evill and Good, '

Thole that are Chrifts, all workes

for their Goody 2,454

Go/pell. G off ell fhewes mans nature to be

corrupted, 1 „ 1

Sinnes againft the </<$*///the

greatnefleofthem, tl) ji

Sinne excufed by living under the

9*fpeU, 1>96 \

Goffdl tends to ian&ification, 2,

T i -3°°!

Judgement of the GojptU, 2,318

Gofpell, what, 3^85

£*#*//, two parts of it, 3,488

Grace.

Grace defired by carnall men 2,

306 Chriftians rich in Grace, 3,53^

Cjreatnefte.

We (hould labour to fee God in

his Great**ft, I, 246"

guilt.

Sinneaburthenasit brings under

Wearmefle in the Guilt of finne,'

H. 3 '» I

Habite.

WEarineffe in the Habite of finne, 3,532

Hapfjttejfc, Hapfweffe, a motive to come to

Chnft, 2

Mans Htppiuefcby Chrifl^^ Happwejfe, what, 2; 4?Q

Hardnejfe. Hardaejfe ofh&xt m finning, 1,

2r

Hatred.

Hatred, the properties of it, 1 * T #*^ of God, i/L

H*/r*</ of the truth, 1J 2 *

H»/r^ and anger differenced, /

Healeth. WJiere God forgiveth he Hea-

Health. "'\

Gracethe Health of the foule, 2

Supervenient fity, needful! in two things, 2 ^

I Heart.

\ The £W; muft be new framed,

O ur Hearts (hold melt at Chlffts

Out of Chrilt we are fubjeft to

Hell, 3, J14

Aggravations of the-mifery 0 f

riid.

The iiate of Gods children Hid,

2 '5"73 /

The Table.

Honour. San&ification ftands with Gods

Honour.

*,V%

Houfe.

What kindeof Houfo God is, 2,

446

Humbled. Humiliation*

Humiliation mud goe before Iu-

ftification, 1 j 6

Ifraehtes, how God Humbled

them, 1,7

Humiliation ,tw.o things in it,i,8

Humiliation to bee laboured for,

1,17 Triall of true Humiliation y 1,20

Helpes to Humiliation, 1 y 24 Good men lhould dcfire Humiliation^ 1,27 Humiliation a remedy againrt Gods wrath, 1,258 Hundred-fold. Hundred-fold with perfection,

2,46*?

Hunger,

Hnnger out of drift, 2,462

I

fealoufit.

ISaloufie of God provoked by wantofzeale, *> 277

Idolatry . Idolatry to attribute that to the Creature, that belongs to God, 2,246 fdolttry, a fin of Ifrael, 1,273

Impediment, fmpedimentj not removed, fup-prefle the Truth, I,15>Q

Impediments of two forts, 2,41 o

fmpojfible. That which God requires of Chriftians not Impoffible, 2,4.13 Tranfubitantiation ado&rine /?»-/>#£/*, M7p

Imprifon. See 7Vw&. Inclination. ( 2,2 9 j

fnclinati$n wrought by the (pint, inclination changed, 2, 334

Inclination changed^ how to bee knowne, 2,334

Independent. Independent riches make men independent, 2,460 fnconfideration. Inconjideration keeps men in their oldeftate, 1,221 fnfirmity.

Men excufe finne from their fn» firmitj, 1,213

incredulity. . Incredulity of mans undemanding,. 1,42 Inftigate, Confcience corrupted cannot fn-Jtigate to good, 1,51 Inlightned* Carnall men may be Inlightned,

1,14° fnconfiancy. Inconstancy of mans will, 1, 47

Jnftrument.

Minifters and ordinances fnftru-

ments, 2, 415

Infenfible.

Ill figne to be Infenfible ol 'Gods

wrath:

The Table.

wrath, I> 2 5 2

Jnexcufable,

So much revealed as makes man

Jnexcufable, 1,201

?oy.

Joj mort lfieth Jults, i, 16*

J/raelites. See Humbled*

futile.

fobile, a refemblance of liberty in

the Gofpell,

i>*7

Jufiifie. Juftification,

Why we are Juftified by anothers righteoumefle, 1,3

Jofttfication and fan&i&ation in-leparable, 2 > 2 **5

Joflification , how it admits degrees, 2,431

The clothing of the foulein///-ftification, .3>5 5 2

See Humiliation & San&ification fudge.

How to lodge of tilings, 1, 2 j 1 lodgement.

Sinne in time brings forth Judgement, i 3 2 5 2

Execution of lodgement commended, Ij 2 7j Juftice.

What makes men acknowledge Gods foffice, 1,12

Joftke of God, on whom it ap-pearesmoft, 1,135

Want ofJoftice, a caufe of Judge-

K X ' 27?

Kinde. Ature common to the whole Kinde, 2,365

7»f#r

N

Kingdome. Kingdome we have by drift, 3,

Knowledge.

Knowledge an aggravation of fin,

1,86

Knowledge in natural! men without relliib, I>l43

Knowledge iinned againft, impri-foneth Truth, 1,180

A fin of KnowledgeSet, i, 181

Sinne excufedforwantofif/w*-Mge % I,20j

It is a fin not to increafe Know-ledge, 1,182

Men might have more Knowledge

1,204

Knowledge of our eftate at the ft-ft conrerlion, 2,3 24

What kinde of knowledge nukes New Creatures, 2,34$

JL Zur.

THe Z*» (hewes mans nature

to be corrupted, 1,32

Z*»,how to be underftood, 1,53

Law y the leaft breach ofitpuni-

Qicd, 1,34

Law 9 compared to ^Egyptian

Task-mailers, 1,35

Law againft which men &i is ex-

ac~t, i 1,252

Law of GW approved by naturall

men, 2,371

See Sch*ole»m*fter.

Lsiaven.

Sinne likened to Leaven. 2,390

The Table.

Liberty. Benefits of fetting the Truth at Liberty , ^^57

Meanes to let Truth at Liberty,

Libert? by Chrift, 3,534

■Liberty, what, Ibid.

See Jubile.

Life: Life promifed to the taking of Chrift, h5 i 9

Life fpirituall, the excellency of

k > 5,521

Exhortation to partake of this

pff, ^ 3,$**

X^howitis a Chriftians,3,524

Light, light imprifbned foure wayes, 1,

l2 3

Aggravations^ of finnes againii

Light, * i,i34

Naturall men defective in Light,

1,141 The burden of Chrift in bearing growes Light, 2,401

Long-fuffering. We (hould give God the glory of his Long-fuffering, 1^218

Lord. Zeale for the Lord, 1, 2-^4

Sacrifice offered to the Lord,i, 356

Love. Love mortifieth lulls, 1,1 6

Men fin out of Love to evill, 1,

150

Love of Chrift, thegreafcneffeof

it, 2,505

Love cannot be counterfeit, 3,3 61

3>497

Perfwafion of Chrifts Love units

to him 2*433

To ferve Chrift in Love a pare of

the Covenant, 3*494

Z^conftant, ZA9&

Lusts* Lufls detained, keep men in their

old ftate, 1,221

Lufts , why God fuffers them in

his children, 2,310

Excellency of the New Creature

above Lufts, 2,312

Old Lusls mull: be mortified, 2,

354 M LMannah.

MAmab , how it is Angels food,* 2,4^

Mamfeft. The law of Mans judgement Mamfeft foure wayes, 1,167 MarJ^ Mark, of Chrift, what, 3,5:18

Meanes. Meanes enjoyed aggravate finne,

i,pa

Sin excufed from want of Means,

I,2IO

Difference of feare in refpe& of

Meanes, 1,280

Meanes of grace tend tp San&ifi-

cation, 2,300

Meaning.

Sinne excufed from good Mean-

ing> l,?3

Mediator

The Table-

Mediator. Why God hath appointed us fuch a Mediator as Chrilt ,t>i 72

Memory,

Memory i the corruption of it in

two things I,4P

Mercy.

Mercy of God, the greatneffe

of it, 3,491

Mercy 9 to whom it is (Viewed^

Metaphor. Metaphors ufed in the Sacra-, ments of the old Law, 3,478 Lfyfrniftery, Mtnifkery to be advanced, 1, 27 j

Mifery. Our ifcrVtr? out of (Thrift, 2,432 Eorgivenefie offinnes takes away the cauie of Mif&y, 2*441 See ssfpprehenftQn. Morall vermes* Morall vertues nothing without change of Nature, 2 \ 3 6$

N 2£*ked.

OVt ofChniiweareiV^, 2,4s 7 I To be linked, what, 2,460

Nature. Mans Nature rul of ungodiineiTe,

All in mans Nature corrupt, 1,38 Radnefle of T^ature aggravates

finne.

i>94

Men by 2{ature 7 how farre they nuygo, 1, i:p

Hjw farre men by Nature fall ftort, 1, M*

God made manifeft by the light of Nature, I >1^7

Sinne excuied from corruption of Nature, 1,26,207

What keepes men in the Hate of Nature, I,22i

Converfion of men are turning the courie of 'Nature , 2,2 8p

More than Nature required in the New Creature, 2, 360

Thole that are in Chrift have another Nature, 2 >3^3

Not to be content without a new Nature^ 2 yl6&

Two things in a new Nature, 2, NaturalL (3 y6

When a thing is laid to be Natural/, 2, 364

Good duties muft be Naturail to

Neceffity.

No Nccejpty of tranfiibftantiati-

on, 3,475

Need.

Riches helpe in time of Need, * 3

NegleU. (4jp

NegleU keepes men from Cbnfi,

1,11 iV<?g/*#in<fervingofGod, 1,23^

Net. GofpellaiW, 1,21

New freaturr. New Creature -, the excellency of it, 2,? 12

New Creatur /,(ignta of it, 7,322

T^ew

The Table.

New Creature, what, 2 t 3 3 2 iWw Creature, the parts of ir, a,

3J4 iV*w Creature required a 2,528

2{obleneJfe.

The Spirit w@rkes 2{obleneffe of

fpint, 2,468

Number*

Confederation of the 'Number of

former fins, helpes humiliation,

o '•"

TTHe Covenant confirmed with zxi Oath, 2,302

Faculties knowne by their 04-

jett, 2,328

Objection.

Objeftion of Vzpiih out of ?<^w 6*

concerning eating Chriftsflcfti

aniwered, 3>J 01

Offices.

Offices ofChriftgoe together, 2,

2pp

0#rc/ efChrift to be improved,

o/d.

Vld man, what f a > 3 4^

0/i man muft be mortified, 2,353 Old nature to be abhorred, 2,3 78 Old cuftome wee are redeemed

fr0m , 2,385

All that is Old muft bee pulled

downe, 2 ,3$p

Grace takes not away nature, but

the Oldjtetfe of it, 2, 3$ 1

Omijfian. Sinnes ofOmiJfion 3 1,68

Omiffion of a6fcs, /£,

Omijfion of graces, 1, 6p

Omiffion of occasions, 70

Opinion.

Opinion advanceth the Creature

in our thought?, 1, 2 47

Original! fin.

Original! fin^ 1,37

Original! fin f how it is one finne

and many, i,3P. How it is

privative and poliuve,, lb,

Aciuall finne leads us to Original

Others. fl,9$

Sinne excufed from the badneffe

of Others, 1,98

Succefle of others with Goo

fhould eiicourageus, 2, 305

Outward.

Men fare not the worfe in Out-

ward things for he-linefle, 2,317

Overcome.

To Overcome, what, 3, 5 3 6

P

parents.

NAture received from Parents 2, 364

Fajfeover. Takeover , why eaten with fowre herbes, 1,23

P*w* one benefit by Chrift, 3,

Pearle. (5^6

Zealous men Fcarles, i y i66

Ter/bnall

The Table

Perfona/l. Men condemned for th&xperfc-paltfms, I, 36

Perfaadei Hard to per/wade Men in Divinity, 1,42 Perfitl.

OFperfeli walking with God, 1,

Pleafant, That which is naturall is pleafant^

Plenty, Plenty one priviledge by Chrifr,

Portion. God is a Chriftians/w-fr**,? ,544

" ; *Poere. OutofChriftweare^r^2 3 457 To be /ww, what, 2,4 5 8

P*nw of Gods wrath, 1,106

Pratlife. Pratlife fets the Truth at liberty,

Want o£prattife of known truths a great fin, 1,1^84

Prayer. Prayer fets the truth at liberty,

1,158

Prayer flops Gods wrath, 1,278

Prayer unites us more to Chrift,

Preaching* The Minifters bufinefle \n preaching, ~ 24I4

To fee how the word workes in

1,46

the preaching of it,

Pride. Pride of the will of man

Prize* New Creature howtobe^m*^

See Chrift.

7 riv Hedges\ Priviledges of a Chriftian, real!,

2,466 Prophane. Difference betweene civill men and prophane^ 1 r-117

Vrofejfe. Truth not profefed, is unrighte-oully detained, 1, iqj

Pronenejfe. Preneneffe to fin, no excufe of it,

Promife.

Promife cf God (hould incourage

us to pray, 2,301

Punijhment.

Punijkment of with-holding the

Truth in unrighteoufhefle, 1

I-

7urpofe 9

Good pHrpofts in extremity fel

dome true, a, 967

Good ptirpofes nothing without

ckange of nature^ 2, 3 6^,

NEw Quality infufed in fan-£tification, 2,340

New gxality, what, 3 4 1

Reafbn.

r

The Table.

R

"TRanfubftantiation againft rea-

X /«», 3.482

Record.

Sinnes committed remaine on Re-

cord, l i 2 57

Recreation. Recreation too much tried, is an

impediment, I, IP I

Reformation. "Reformation muft be joyncd with

Ming, 1,232

Reformation a remedy againft

Gods wrath, ' i,2jp

'Relapfe into finne, 1,26"

Relijb. See Knowledge. "Religion, "Religion impaired by the neglect of the Sabbath, i> 2 37

"Refuel an cie. ReluSiancy in the Saints when they fin, 2, 394

Remaine. Sinnes Remaine in Gods people,

*,3 5P ^Remember, ^Remembrance.

Memory corrupt in that we ought to Remember, 1, 4p

Confcience corrupt as it is a Remembrancer, I > 5 I End of the Sacrament to bring Chrift to Remembrance^ 3,475 Renewed. How to get our natures renewed,

2,380

"Reprobation. Election and Reprobation , how

fruftrate.

* ai o*

Refi

Men prone to Refi in duties, 1 p

231 Reft, a motive to take Chrift^ % >

n . 440, 3,53 x "Refirame.

Confcience corrupted in its TcV-

firaining power, 1,53

"Riches, for what end they ferve,

2,458 "Riches of a Chriftian is Chrift, 3,

5 3* ^Vfej by Chrift, what, 3, lb. Riches, the property of them, 3,

541

Right eoufneffe.

Rigbteovfnejfe of Chrift imputed,

»* 37

See Inftifie.

S

Sabbath.

SAbbath ought to be fan6Hfied, Mai

Antiquity of keeping the Sabbath

1,238 VfefulnefTe of keeping the Sab-bath, Sacrament. lb. Sacrament a feale of the Covenant, 3,301,3,48$ Sacramentythe end of it, 1,303,3, Sacrifice. 47 J Two things in Sacrifice 3 2,355 p p Salvation.

The Tabl,

Salvation.

Being in Ciniii the ground of all ^Salvatvn, 2 425

He chat beleeveth hath iW^,;.

"?* 2, 4 a 7

Damnation and Salvation of great moment, 2,449

Caod defires Mans Salvation, 2 San flification. 43.

Iuftification and Salification Separable, 2, 2 »j, 2.97

Salification> how it rifech from justification, 2)28<5

1,142

2 > 2 5^

SanElifica ion, what, 2^292

Incouragements to pray for J**.

ctificcttion y 2 2 0J

Svilification the neceflity ofic,

o rr*> i 2 *3o8

Santtificanon, how to prize it,

Not to challenge Iuitiflciion

without Sanclification,2, 3 [ g

Cloathing of the foule in ,?**#*.

itttisfie. SpmtuM food Satisfied, 3)H 8

Schoole-mafier.

Scripture. ( x f0 '

Gods truth manifefted Vth° Scripture, , ^

S?' ftanCiati0n aga ' nft ^'>-Secrets, Secrets of Gpd not kno lV ne by

[ carnall Men,

Selfe~love Selfe-love lanctirie J. Senfe. The new life hath new JV^ 2

Prefent^^ a |]g neofcheN 3 ^

Creature 2

Tranfubitanciation againft sfnfc

Senjible. ^^wj^or'confcienceloft i,

;SpiritualI things J«t#/,, a JJ

Senfitive appetite.

Senfitive appetite corrupted, 1,54

Selves,

Men mu/l be hummed to know them/f/z,^ J}

O aS t0fthec0venantt0/? ^'

^W though: to bee Jefle than r . lhe y be > 1 2,-

Jw aggravated bycircumftances,

Difference in Sins, 1} sl

M» y w (hould labour to fee what

r *, lop

frequency of Sin, argues want or

^ I 2 6

Difference of Men in regard of [Zealeagamft^ T , 26 g

J he Table.

Striving againft Sin, 2,325

Turning from Sin, a part or the Covenant, Z*<\9\

• See Perjonall and Wrath. Sincerity, Sincerity wanting in carnal mens actions, ij*47

Sincerity little at the firft, 2,377

Sicknejfe. Sin the ficknejfe of the foul, 3,5 3 J

S/eepe. Sinne leemes dead when it is aSleepe, 2 >35 5

Men excufe fins by thinking them

Small, 1,211

No iih Small\ and why, 1,262

Species.

*Y*s*kii

Hatred fets againil the whole Species , 1,26^

Spirit,

Good things in evill Men wr. ught by the Spirit, 1,132

Morall vermes 5 the gitcs of the

%W>, .1**45

Workof the Spirit in fanchfi ati-

on, 2,201

.i^mwo&es/bbHnerte, ,2, 00

Sor ow, Sorroyp corrii} seed, 1,62

^inntf excufed by pretended Sorrow, 1,214 Soule. Matters of the Soule of great moment," ; 2,449 Soule to be regarded efpeciaily,

■ fiiM?

T

Taking. /flgot'Chrnr, what, .2,

34i. 3,493

No lolte by Taking ot Ciirnt, 2,

Two things mould invite us to r^Chriit, 3,510

Taught, Nature cannot be Taught, 2,3 65

Temptation* The leite Temptation, the greater the fin, 1,88

Sinne excufed homTemptatioyi,

1,209

Evill Men Joe good for want of

Temptation, *> SP^

Thanke. See Truth.

Thoughts.

Thoughts corrupted, 1, 6 g

Thoughts, the importance ot

them, 1s 6 A

Thoughts of two forts, I, &4

Thirfi. r^V/fatisfiedinChrifi:, 2,452 WmxThirft heal'd in the Saints,

.2,4)3

Tranfubfiantiation.

Arguments againil Tsanfubflan-

tiation, 3.475

Fathers not ditfinct againil Tr*»-

fubftantiation, 3'5 2 °

Tn-ifubfl'intUnon &Z abroach by

Damascene, ■ 5 2 9

Tnin-ubftantiation brought mtQ

Engl'-nL -«. 3/r*

Pp 2 Treafure

The Tabic.

Treafure. Gods wrath a Treafure, 1,253

Trafi. Truji in God, ths nature of it, 1,

Truth. (239

Truth with-hcld in unrighteouf-neffe, i,i 1^,165

7^^, what: 1,117,1*6*

rrSikhe fubjeft of it, 1,118 7V^|he Author of it, 1, 11 p 7V/#fc> the extent of it, 12 o Truth,how it is with-held, 1, 121 Truth, why Men imprilon it, r,

122 Truth\ imprifoned a great finne,

Truth, how with-held, 1,151 7V-**A (hould rule, 1,15 5

Truth, the danger of retraining it, 1,156

Truth, the benefit of giving it liberty. 1, 157 Tm&, manifefted foure wayes, 1,

16 A Truth, the heinoufneffe of finnes

againftit, I>l7°

Truth, to be thankfull for it, 1,176

Truth, to doe nothing againft it,

1,178 Seven cafes of detaining the

Truth, I,l8o

Truth (hould be communicated

toother: I5I92

Happineffe and miiery attend

neglefror obferving the !Tr*f 6,

Want of courage for the Truth,

(hewes want of zeale, 1. 260 V Vaine*

GOds Name taken in vaine, how, 1,17/

Vanity. Vanity of Mans underftanding: \

Violence. 0>40

Humbled Men take Heaven by

Violence, I, 15

To take Heaven by Violence what,

Vnevenncjfe. (l,Ib.

Vnevennejfe in the beft Men, 2,

392 Vnevennejfe in Saints and others

1

\V»

IV'

different.

*,3?3

Vnheleefe Vnheleefe keepes from Chrift, I,

Io

Vngodlineffe. See Nature.

Vniver/alitji,

Vniverfality of the new Creature,

Vnion. (2*324

Vnion with Chriff, the neerneffe,

of it,

2,428

Vnion withChrift, of what mo-men^ 2, lb.

VnUn withChrift, tobeencrea-fed, 2,431

Vnion with Chrift how encrea-

fed,

43*

Vnion with Chrift to be fought

after, *>i3%

Vnion with Chrift, the end of the

Sacrament, 3>47°*

VtfMATied.

That which is natural! isunm*-

mi

The Table.

~ried 2 » 3 7? I Wi ^ tne in conftancy ofit » 47

Vnderfading. % \ WW> the difobedience ofic, i,

Vnderpnding in Man corrupted,

Vnder fading the vanity of it,

lb,

Vnder fading blind e, 1,4.1

Vnderfadinguntezch\bk, 1,42 Vnder fading, the incredulity of

Understanding the enmity of it,

Vnderfading wrought on by the Spirit, *,*?!

Vnteaebable. Vnderftanding oUAmVnteack-

able, *,4»

Vnrighteotifnejfe. Wrath revealed againit Mens T»-rigbteoufnefe, * * * °3

SecTrutb.

p<wv/broken aggravate fin, l,pi W W*nt.

Iches fupply what we )^/tf,

tirearinejfe

R

fT*//of God our San&irlcation, 2,

28? fT*//, free in Men regenerate, 2,

154 Jfi// of regenerate Men how free,

2 ,4*3 Willing.

Willingnejfe to bee humbled for finne, I* 24.

Chrift Willing to fan&ifie us, 2, Wifdome. (307

Wifdome of words not to be expected from Minifters, 2,419

Tranfubftantiation againil Gods Wifdome, $9 4$°

Wander.

The world Wonders at the Saints,

Word. Words corrupted, 1, 6*6

Importance of Words, l 9 lb. Word of God a help againft exeu-iesoffini 1,100

Worses. Gods truth manifefts his Workes,

1,167

ffearineffe in fin, what, 3,530 ; New Works difcover a new Crea-Whoredome. j ture, 2, lift

UpW^^tobepunifhed,!,^ j Motives to good Workf*, 2 >4 2 , Will. A Chriftian rich in good Workes,

^^thedepravedneffeofit,l,45 3> 53P

Witt, the contrariety of it to God, World.

1, 46 w^rUis a Chriftians,how^,5421 WilL the pride of it, I, lb A See Vifgrace.

p r I \ Pp 3 ^"" /;

MM

The Tabic

Wrath.

Wrai' , 110 vv revealed, i ,4

Wrath revealed iguinit unnghte-

oufiicfle, t, 103

Two rfiings ia Gods ^ **£, 1,

104

Wrath of God, what, 1, I o 5

-athof God,tne certainty of i^

i 3 104

Wrath of God, the power of it,

i,ic5 Wrath the fuddenneffe of ic, 1,

107 Wr*il-< 2 v/c ihould be fenfibleor

i.iio j Wfruh- provoked by imprifoning

the Truth :

126

I u*c iiu, j I, 120

Wrath caufed by finne, 1,252 Wrath encr c aied oy oar fins, 1,

*53 Wrath, why it is not felt, 1,257

Wr^h) remedies agamft it,1,15 8 I

251,278

Z

Zeale, j -^%8ale turnes away wrath, 1,.

252

Zeaie, what, 1, 264

Zeal014sM.cn not tobedilcoura-

6$,; '1,255

Convictions ot want of 2r<?#/?, 1, I 255

FINIS.

^y

v:

\

^-s^kAjn

w*A^

5--^^ <Wr v3 A h \ «W? \

\ f\ .

fk

X

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