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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	sin_n	will_n	1,889	5	6.7849	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46526	Compunction or pricking of heart with the time, meanes, nature, necessity, and order of it, and of conversion; with motives, directions, signes, and means of cure of the wounded in heart, with other consequent or concomitant duties, especially self-deniall, all of them gathered from the text, Acts 2.37. and fitted, preached, and applied to his hearers at Dantzick in Pruse-land, in ann. 1641. and partly 1642. Being the sum of 80. sermons. With a post-script concerning these times, and the sutableness of this text and argument to the same, and to the calling of the Jews. By R.J. doctor of divinity.	R. J.	1648 (1648)	Wing J27; ESTC R213600	381,196	433

be humbled enough Sect. 5. The former exhortation further followed that our sorrow may be to repentance CHAP. XVII A Case shewing when a man is humbled enough Sect. 1. Directions what to do in case of a seeming defect in our sorrow Sect. 2. Signes of true sorrow 1. From the Antecedents of sorrow And 1. What sorrow is not sound scil That which is caused by envie anger natural causes whether outward or inward by melancholy and that which is grounded on any power of mens will CHAP. XVIII Signs of true sorrow from the true Grounds of it Sect. 1. And first If it be for sin and upon a true sight thereof more then for punishment Sect. 2. How to know whether our sorrow be for sin as it is sin And first If it be in our prosperity as well as adversity Sect. 3. If it be for all sin in our selves and others Sect. 4. True sorrow is occasioned by some hope and glimpse of mercy CHAP. XIX Other Trialls of a sufficient Humiliation from the Concomitants and Effects thereof Sect. 1. And first It is generally shewed what is sufficient Humiliation Sect. 2. The truth of sorrow shewed from two Properties seven Effects and six Concomitants of it Sect. 3. From other Concomitants gathered from the Text As 1. Confession of sin even to man Sect. 4. Detestation of sin an effect of true sorrow for sin Sect. 5. True Contrition in the heart fils the head with care and causeth Consultation about the Means of cure and is not cured but by spirituall means Sect. 6. Self-denyall accompanieth true Contrition Sect. 7. The contrite heart is an obedient heart CHAP. XX. AnVse of Comfort to the truly contrire CHAP. XXI Vses fourthly concerning All. 1. Instructing how to carry our selves towards such contrite ones 2. Reproving and censuring their censurers and persecuters Their doom CHAP. XXII An Exhortation to all of all sorts to get this mournfull disposition of soul for sin With moe Lets removed CHAP. XXIII Where is shew'd another effect of the word and what these yong Converts said And that the heart being once affected sheweth it self by words and thereby may be discovered CHAP. XXIIII Shewing that in trouble of conscience for sin Means should presently be used Why withVses CHAP. XXV Sect. 1. That comfort to our troubled consciences is to be sought onely of Gods faithful Ministers Why Sect. 2. False Means of cure are to be abandoned What they are Where the Libertines Objection against us is answered Sect. 3. With two other Vses shewing 1. That few are pricked 2. A difference between the sound and unsound in trouble of soul Sect. 4. Three Directions to be in such case followed which the Apostles being sought unto do give And no other in effect to be given by Ministers With three other Directions to be followed in case of wrongs done by us to other men to regain our peace CHAP. XXVI The Apostles considered also according to their 1. Order 2. Number And that Direction and Comfort is to be sought of others as well as of Peter and much more then of Peters pretended Successor the Pope CHAP. XXVII Gods Word cures as well as kils CHAP. XXVIII Shewing how Gods Ministers and people are and shall be sought to and honoured at one time or other by those that now disrespect them Why With doubleVse CHAP. XXIX Shewing what Titles were given to the Apostes and what now are usurped by the Pope and kindely taken by others CHAP. XXX God teacheth us by Men the ground and Reasons why with diversVses concerning both Ministers and their hearers CHAP. XXXI Sheweth that Ministers are Brethren one with another and with their people WithVses CHAP. XXXII Consultation of many about the good of their souls is no Conventicle CHAP. XXXIII That there is the same means of cure in like case for all distressed in conscience CHAP. XXXIIII The chief care of Christians should be how they may save their Souls CHAP. XXXV How such as God will save must be qualified And first That they must question their estate and shake off security WithVses CHAP. XXXVI Such as are converted and saved must seek salvation out of themselves Where largely of Self-denyall Sect. 1. But first That men by sin bring themselves into great straits Sect. 2. Why we are to deny our selves and all goodnesse in our selves in the matter of salvation Sect. 3. Use 1 of Instruction and Exhortation to denyall of our selves as in other things so particularly in duties concerning Conversion Sect. 4. Containing a more generall Exhortation to self-denyall And shewing first In what things wee are simply and absolutely to deny our selves Sect. 5. Shewing secondly in what things otherwise lawfull wee are to deny our selves And first In things naturall and these of three sorts Sect. 6. Secondly In things spiritual as in Duties Gifts c. Sect. 7. Thirdly In things eternall as first In some accidentals of glory as in the degree and time of it Sect. 8. Secondly In glory it self And first In the salvation of others Sect. 9. Secondly That in some case wee should be ready to deny our selves in our own salvation Sect. 10. Containing a second Use or a reproof of such as being convicted by the Word do yet oppose it and are all for themselves Sect. 11. A third Use Incouraging and Directing what to own and shewing for what we are to deny our selves And first for God in his Attributes and glory Sect. 12. Secondly for Christ in his Excellencies and All-sufficiency by making him All and in all things to us Sect. 13. Thirdly Shewing we are to deny our selves in other things for the eternall good of our souls Sect. 14. Fourthly Shewing that the publick good of others of the Church and Common-wealth is to be preferred before our own private good CHAP. XXXVII Sect. 1. Shewing 3 That such as God converteth and saveth must be willing and plyable to Gods will and ready to submit to him in matter 1. of Salvation 2. Of Religion and worship 3. Of Obedience Why With Uses Sect. 2. An Exhortation to Obedience with the comfort of it at Christs coming contrà Terrour to the rebellious and disobedient The generall Method of the whole TREATISE on Acts 2.37 Where three things What these young Converts 1. Heard 2. Suffered 3. Said 1. What they heard where of 1 The time of their Conversion Now and not till now Chap. 1. 2 Persons They where their 1 Quality Chap. 2. 2 Number Chap. 2. 3 Means of their Conversion when they heard this where 1 The Act Heard Chap. 3. 2 Object This 1 general Chap. 4. 2 special Chap. 4. 2. What they suffered They were pricked in heart which passion is considered in a threesold relation 1 To Peters Sermon as an effect of it Chap. 5. Sect. 1 2. 2 To the sinners themselves as a fruit of their sin Sect. 3. 3 To the whole work of Conversion and as the first degree and beginning of the same Sect. 4.

though they pretend they do well in rejecting of them is to be sorrowed for Yet doublesse some do too much please themselves in it thinking now they have just cause to cast off these precise preachers and Doctours of despaire who do all they can to shame men and drive them to despaire and to hearken to such as will not make the way to heaven so narrow 3 Naturall sorrow grounded on naturall causes is not saving sorrow 3 There is naturall sorrow proceeding from naturall causes either more inward and lesse discerned as from melancholy sadnesse of disposition heavinesse of heart and naturall feares and terrours whereby they dare hardly be alone especially in the dark and are often heavy and dejected but they can scarce tel for what Not that which is from occasions which are outward by which we are not to measure our sorrow for sinnne or more outward palpable and known as from crosses and losses in estate friends health liberty name and from toyl labour trouble and vexation in their callings and conditions of life Such sorrow as this causeth mistakes in judging of true sorrow divers wayes some finding their sorrow excessive and that they can shed plenty of teares for worldly occasions Evcesse in such sorrow causeth some doubtings in the godly of the truth of their sorow for sinne as if it were as losse of wife husband child friend c. but that they cannot so sensibly mourn for their sins do hereupon question the truth of their sorrow for sin as not sufficient or enough because not so great as they conceive as worldly sorrow is in them but without just or sufficient ground seeing 1 worldly sorrow runs with the stream of nature which it hath to help it not enough But it should not Why whereas spirituall sorrow runs against the stream of nature and is meerely from grace which often receives resistance and abatement from the opposition of nature and carnality 2 Sorrow would be considered as in the will well guided and led by soundnesse of judgement and not so much as it is in the sensitive part of the soul and so sin is most hated and abhorred and in gods account and acceptance most sorrowed for whilst it is by true judgement acknowledged a greater and truer cause to deserve and procure sorrow then any wordly losse or crosse whatsoever 3 sorrow for sin may be and is in Gods deare children greater in vertue though the other seem greater in quantity as good corn in time will overgrow the weed which for the present is higher and as the small spring or fountain and still stream fed by a spring will outrun and outlast the violent land-flood which though for the present it run over its banks and make a greater noise yet when the great rain that caused it is done It soon runs it self dry but the other still keeps its tenour and constant course An affection then whether of Joy or grief is not to be measured by the sudden indeliberate passing motion of it How we are to judge of the affection of grief and joy but according to the setled habit in the judgement and estimation and as is said dislike in the will for as on the one hand a man sometimes laughs and cannot but laugh at a toy in which he yet joyes not so much as in many other things concerning which he doth not for the act of laughing so lively carrry himself so on the other hand a man may be more stirred and moved whether with anger or with sorrow for a trifle or a thing of lesse concernment in the main then for a greater matter and spirituall losse for which yet more solidly truly and lastingly he mourns Lighter sorrows make men cry out Difference betweeen naturall and spirituall grief in regard 1 of causes when greater do more deeply affect and are thought on more in silence As then there is great difference in the cause of sorrow wordly grief being caused by worldly and nnaturall causes but true sorrow is wrought by the word and is for sin so also in the continuance naturall grief pain and sorrow wears away with time as who grieves now for the pain sorrow sicknesse or losse he suffered many years ago whereas true contrition 2 Of Continuance even after pardon will and ought to be renewed for our further humbling all our life long in remembrance of sinnes of youth Caveat long since repented of Onely to such I say let this serve to humble you the more when you find your selves so excessive in worldly losses greater sorrow for natural causes then for sin should more humble us but not dishearten us and so remisse in the other be hence excited to mourn the more for sin to check your hearts for this inordination and to turn the stream of your tears into the right channell and if such a crosse or losse be so bitter cry out oh bitter sin of mine which hath caused all this sorrow Howsoever measure not thy sorrow for sin as not by other mens scantling as is lately said so not by thy own greater sorrow as at least thou thinkest in and for temporall evils But far be it from thee to mistake sorrows labour toyl and suffering in and for temporall things for or in stead of saving sorrow and such as will bring thee to heaven Bodily sorrow is not godly sorrow simply as is mistaken 1 By Papists in their sufferings 1 Voluntary as yet divers do who having as yet never shed one tear or so much as fetched one hearty sigh for their sins either all many or yet any one yet perswade themselves that their sorrows sufferings are to salvation Such are the Popish sort generaly who ascribe so much to their sufferings whether voluntarily inflicted on themselves by hard usage of the body by whippings scourgings fastings pilgrimages the like where they take penni worths on their skins but their sins souls are no whit touched or mortified but increased rather a superstitious conceit of merit and satisfaction made thereby to Gods justice or justly inflicted on them by the hand of justice for their disloyalties 2 Inflicted treasons conspiracies poysonings or attempts to destroy their Soveraign Liege Lords Kings which just punishment of theirs they will falsely call martyrdome and a Baptisme of blood washing them from all their sins without any other sorrow for their evil deeds in wh ch they rather glory rejoyce standing in stead of all other punishment to them either in Purgatory or yet in hel which by this means they hope and suppose they do escape prevent 2 By common Christians who acknowledge no other sorrow for sin then such as is outward Others there are who through their ignorance or rather as they are leavened with Popish principles conclude with themselves they need no more sorrow then such as they have found for if sorrow be good they have had

in prosperity Trials whether our sorrow be for sin as sin NOw the better to judge of our sorrow whether it be not more out of fear or feeling of punishment and shame and such like evils then for sin as it is sin Let it be considered First 1 Sorrow for sin as sin is as well in prosperity as adversity whether we can humble our selves and grieve for our sins against God as well in our prosperitie when all things in the world go well with us as in adversity in wants in our feares troubles dangers c. I know evill men and hypocrites can in their prosperity rejoyce or rather seem to rejoyce in God as their God Hypocrites hence discovered 1. By not sorrowing in their prosperity Job 27.10 but can they then mourn for their offences against God as being then more apt to sin against him then at other times I trow not Will the hypocrite alwaies call upon God No. Will he mourn for sin whiles he may yet sin in regard of health youth occasions and opportunities to sin No he makes that his time for taking liberty against God he will repent and cry God mercy and sorrow for his sin when he is old and that the yeares come in which he shall say which many take for their time of sinning I have no pleasure in them Or in case of some dangerous sickness crosse disaster bodily weakness or the like Oh thinke of this you yong men especially on whom God calls for repentance young and healthy men especially and to remember your creator in the time of your youth or as the word implieth of your elections when you may yet chuse the good yet not by any power of will of your own and refuse the evill that is before the time of age sickness and death come when through infirmity of body debility or want of occasions and opportunities you cannot sin at least in act for many kinds of sin though you would as now you will not when otherwise you may and when God chiefly expects it from you Never then tel me that your sorrow if there be any so much as in seeming in you can be sound at such time as Gods hand shall be upon you 2 By their forced sorrowing in adversitie For I know secondly That hypocrites yea very profane wretches when by affliction sickness dangers by sea or by land Gods hand lyeth heavy upon them they can then humble themselves and seem sorry as King Ahab did and the incredulous and disobedient Israelites who when God slew them they sought him they returned and inquired early after God Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth for their heart was not right with him Psal 78.34 ● 36 37. and so they lying and dissembling or at least deceiving themselves in heart return but not to the most High they in grief and sorrow seek the removall of Gods stroakes but they grieve not that they have provoked God to strike them being as ready when Gods hand is removed from them and when without apparent danger they think they may to sin against God even with delight as ever before But thus either to forsake sin when sin for the acts thereof forsakes them first or to sorrow for sin onely when Gods hand is upon them or in regard of the shame or punishment of it in this life or in hell is a signe of unsoundnesse and if thy sorrow whosoever thou art be no other then this thou hast cause to sorrow and repent of thy sorrow and repentance and exceedingly to question the sincerity of it and Gods acceptance if thou canst not as heartily at least truely and sincerely mourn for thy sin in thy health as in sicknesse in thy youth as well as old age in thy prosperity as well as adversity SECT 3. True sorrow is for all sin in our selves and others True sorrow is for all sin 2 IF thy sorrow be occasioned and wrought in thee for sin as it is sin and as it is a disobedience and dishonour to God then it will be against sin not onely at all times In our selves and in others but against all sin both in thy self yea and in others also 1 In thy self Thou wilt both hate every false way and desire to be rid of all sin as well as to have all pardoned 1 In our selves 2 Tim. 2.19 yea also mourn for all as well as any one as knowing any one sin persisted in with delight will amount to as much in Gods account as if thou wert guilty of all Jam. 2.10 And though thy sorrow be not so great for some one sin as for some other all sins being not alike hainous yet it will be true and sincere against all because all sins There being the same nature of all sin though not all alike are against God and his will revealed against his holinesse soveraignty crown and dignity will and glory This quatenus or as all and each being against God when we say wee must mourn for sin as sin being a reduplicative implyeth a universality because there is the same nature in all sin every sin being against Gods holinesse wil soveraignty and glory so that he that is sorry for any one sin in that regard Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit will be sorrowfull for every sin and he that is not sorry for all sin upon the same ground and respect is truely sorry for no sin at all True sorrow is 1 For smaller sins as well as great 2 Et contrà Try then thy sorrow hence Is it 1 For lesser sins as well as greater Davids heart smote him for that which as I take it was in it self no sin even for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment 1 Sam. 24.5 2 For greater sins as well as lesser seeing hypocrites often strain at a gnat and swallow a camell 3 For such sins as the world taketh no notice of 3 Is thy sorrow as well for such sins as the world takes no notice of to wit for spirituall pride inward lustings and pleasing thy self with contemplative vanities arguing sensuality of heart covetousnesse ambition revenge c. as for more open and shamefull sins Thus it should be God is dishonoured and disobeyed by these and they are against his holinesse as well as more open sins 4 For naturall corruption 4 Art thou humbled at the uncleannesse of thy nature the depravation of thy soul yea deprivation of Gods image according to which thou at first wast made Is it a burthen and grief to thee to finde so much untowardnesse in thee and aversenesse from whatsoever is good holy or true and such a pronity and readinesse to imbrace errour admit of sin and to do evill This was part-cause of David's sorrow when bewailing his actuall transgressions hee traced them home to the root and originall confessing and bewailing saying Behold I was shapen in iniquity and

is a new Creation it is either a Being of nature or a Being of grace each respectively of nothing as it is taken negatively But man and before it we the best are nothing both negatively in respect of his Being of grace since the fall through sin in which he is dead and that in all powers and faculties is nothing First negatively I mean not in regard of substance either of soul or of faculties but of the qualities of those faculties according to which he was at first made after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness holiness and in the truth of them all Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.24 so that before his calling he is a meer Non-ens and hath no being for God is said to call those things that are not 1 Cor. 1 28. So the heathen before their calling were no people and 2. privatively not before but after the habit of grace lost both in act and power Rom. 10.19 Deut. 32.21 Hos 1.10 And 2. privatively not in a physicall sense as Philosophers speak of privation who make it a principle of generation and to include in it a disposition to the habit which it precedes but in the logicall and more proper sence as it implieth a deprivation of some former habit as in our case of the image of God and that not such as sleep is but such as death is being a privation not of the act and exercise onely of the faculty as in sleep but of the faculty and power it self we being dead in sin and not made alive with respect to spirituall and supernaturall objects of which the rule holds that from the privation to the habit as from death to life thore is no return that is ordinarily and by naturall causes Otherwise if we speak of an extrordinary regresse and miraculous none who is not an Atheist makes any question Only we may grant a remote possibility and capability especially in man as also in the lapsed angels so farre as Gods most holy and just will puts no bar but we must deny all disposition in the instruments and of the subject it self to the habit but by the effectuall power of Christ and so must exclude all active power in man to his own conversion which is not by Gods grace newly infused into him who works not only the will or power to will but the deed and act of will Phil 2.13 And so Christ becomes the cause and fountain of new life unto his elect who by his mercy and power are ingrafted into him as into a new stock from whom we receive new life being as dead and buried so also risen and quickned with him Col. 2.12 13. and from whom we receive forgivenesse of sin redemption and life whereby our youth is renued like the Eagles Psal 103.3 4 5. And we return to the daies of our youth Job 33.24 25. Which change being by the renuing of our mind Rom. 12.2 is wrought by the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 and is continued and wrought by degrees daily whereby such as wait on the Lord renew their strength and mount up with wings as Eagles c. Isai 40.31 SECT 3. Use 1. Of Instruction and Exhortation to deniall of our selves as in other things so particularly in duties concerning Conversion Vse 1 WEe To deny our selves and to acknowledge who would shew our selves true converts and such as truly hope to be saved must hence learn in all things to deny our selves especially in this great business of our salvation and indeed to see and acknowledge our selves to be nothing in our selves at best but as a rude lumpe and Chaos like the earth at the first creation our selves to be Nothing which being made of nothing was it self then without form void and dark Gen. 1.2 We must ever acknowledge that without Christ and faith in him which in in its own nature implieth and includes selfe-deniall all our gifts of nature or of common grace are nothing so that as Paul said concerning one grace 1. In regard of gifts charity so I may say of Christ and of faith in Christ without Christ and true justifying faith in him though I had the gift of prophesie and understood all mysteries and all knowledge though I spake with the tongues of men and Angels and though I had all miraculous faith 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. and had not Christ and true justifying saith in him I am nothing All knowledge is nothing 1 Cor. 8.1 1 Tim. 6.3 4. And as all our gifts 2. In regard of priviledges without Christ so all priviledges without Christ must be accounted nothing That of a Jew or Circumcision Gal. 6.15 and 1 Cor. 7.19 3. Of our Confidences As riches Idols Isai 44.10 1 Cor. 8.4 strength of kingdomes power of will That of the Gentile which was wisedome as we have heard is nothing All our Confidences or things which men trust in are nothing as Riches Prov. 23.4 5. with Psal 37.16 Idols in which the Gentiles trusted and Idolaters now are nothing All the strength of Kingdoms and nations with God Nothing less then nothing Isai 40.15 17. All power of will or other wise in man nothing Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 All our own endeavours like those of Peters who fished all night and catched nothing till Christ came Luke 5.5 Joh. Indeavours righteousnesse 21.3 In a word all confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.5 6 7 8. all our legall righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 Yea Christ himself Christ himself if he be not all to us if he be not all to us shall profit us nothing Gal. 5.2 Though in nothing we be behind the best yet we must say as Paul did that in and of our selves we are nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 All without Christ must be accounted but as cyphers and that is nothing So that if any man thinke himself to be something when he is nothing and that is the state of us all he deceiveth himself Gal. 6.3 We must then see and acknowledge our own nothing The knowledge hereof is rightly made the fountain of all other vertues The knowledge of our own nothingness is the beginning of all goodnesse He only that knowes what this nothing or his nothingness is First how inconstant and vain all earthly things are Secondly how weake his own nature is Thirdly how base and vile sin is and how of no reckoning evill and sinfull men are he will 1. Not set his heart on earthly or transitory things but on heavenly and divine things 2. He will be humble and distrust himselfe and set his rest and put his trust only in God his mercy truth and power 3. He will avoid sin and sinfull company as vile and as finding no content therein In a word he will love desire affect and admire nothing but that which shall be judged something and that is nothing in or of himselfe as the new creature 1 Cor. 7.19 2 Cor. 5.16 17 2.

faith and repentance to their sacrifices as types of Christ testifying their self-deniall confession of their guiltiness and their faith in Christ by presenting the sacrifice to the Priest to die in their stead so taken by the wisest by laying their hand upon the head of the same as it were so translating their guiltsness to it But most through their ignorance and error offered their sacrifices without respect to Christ though much mistaken by most who rested in outward works rested in the bare work done without saith repentance or renovation of their lives made God beholding to them for their pains and cost and in a word sought their justification therefrom as Papists in great part at least seek to be justified by works This I will not say but might be the meaning of that young man who came to Christ saying Good master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life Mat. 19.16 17. and Christ to convince him answers him accordingly If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements And of those in John Joh. 6.28 What shall we doe that we might work the works of God yet these here did not so But we cannot conceive that these here yea or any truly touched in conscience for sin did any whit aim at or trust to any works or worth of their own No who being convinced of their guiltinesse and danger they are now and not till now convinced of their sin of crucifying Christ are afraid of his power and justice and seek nothing more then his favour and pardon only they know not how to obtain it conceiving it a thing not wholly impossible therefore finding and seeing no help in themselves either from any worthiness or goodness renounce themselves and seek direction from the Apostles wisedome or power of theirs they renouncing themselves in all these seek direction from the Apostles saying What shall we do as conceiving God would not deal with them as with stocks or save them unwillingly but by directing them to that way and course whereby they might attain to his favour not limiting God to the condition of works which thus they confesse in effect were none good in them seeing their ill deeds put them into this perplexity in all self-deniall but seeking pardon and life some other way unto which they should be directed being resolved to follow such directions given them by the Apostles of Christ who knew his will and mind though it were with the losse of all name credit with men wealth who are directed liberty yea temporall life it self and that they were injoyned any thing though never so hard harsh to the flesh or hazardous to faith and repentance Therefore as our Saviour directed those Jewes to saith in him saying to their demand Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent and John tells us This is his commandement 1 John 3.23 that we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ So Paul directed the jaylor and Peter here these Jewes to faith baptisme and repentance things to be done yet not barely at works but as leading to Christ though not barely to be rested in as works but as they lead to Christ being sanctified of God to that end and all of them implying self-deniall And it is Gods manner to bring men to despair in themselves before they can hope in him to throw away all their own works and righteousnesse as so many Idols and to say with Ephraim repenting Hos 14.8 What have I to do any more with Idols And with Paul Acts 9.6 who also at his conversion asked the like question Lord what wilt thou have me to do Phil. 3.7 8 9. What things were gain to me those I accounted losse for Christ for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law Reasons why we must deny our selves in matter of salvation especially but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith And good reason for it he seeks as our good so his own honour thereby And therefore injoynes us in our Ministery by which men are converted and saved to convince men to make them know and acknowledge all their abominations Ezek. 16.2 to beat them out of themselves to take them off their own bottoms and roots that so we may ingraffe them into Christ the true Vine 1. Gods glory even that of his free grace in a word by the Law to make them know their sin and impotencie that whether he save or passe them by yet every mouth might be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 20. to 26. or subject to the judgement of God and that their justification may be acknowledged to be freely by grace and not at all of works And as God on his part will have it thus for his own glory even the glory of his own free grace Ephes 1.6 so it is fit that we as we desire or expect the salvation of our souls do seek it out of our selves and that for these two reasons 2. We are so to do because 1. All the causes of salvation are without us Acts 16. Ephes 2.8 First All the causes of salvation are without our selves 1. God the Father is the author of it 2. Christ the purchaser 3. The Holy Ghost the applier and perswader of the heart 4. The Word preached the outward means which God sends whither and to whom only he pleaseth And 5. Faith the instrument whereby we lay hold on salvation and on Christ yet it is the work of God Joh. 6.29 And his gift which we have not by nature or of our selves but by the mighty working of his power Eph. 1.18 19. 2. It is not in man to direct his steps neither is the way of man in himself Jer. 10.3 Our wits are uncapable of heavenly mysteries 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Because of our natural ignorance and impotency to save our selves Our wisedome foolishness 1 Cor. 1.19 20. Our reason enmity against God and his Law Rom. 8.7 Our own thoughts and purposes evill Gen. 8.21 Our knowledge and affections brutish Jer. 10.14 Psal 73.22 Our new birth is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. For all flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field c. So that we must be quite turned out of our selves and be born again Joh. 3.3 and become as little children Mat. 18.3 else we cannot see the Kingdom of God Our new birth is a new Creation and that is properly a motion from nothing or not-being to something or to a being Now Being is double Our new birth