men to carry themselves towards an Almightie God maker of heaven and earth But secondly the second pretence is but God requires more of mee than that if that were enough to know God that there is an invisible God to acknowledge the Deity and eternall Power it were well but God requires more To this I answer God requires no more of any man than either he doth know or might have knowne goe thorow the whole Vniverse all men of the world that are or have beene and I say God requires of no man more than either he doth know or might have knowne I put that in because there be many men that might know more than they doe spoken of 2 Pet. 3.5 Some there are that are willingly ignorant He meaneth men that are willingly ignorant of some things but it is all one as if they knew them And this makes men of this Nation inexcusable as your ignorant Countrey-people who though they know nothing yet because they might have knowne they are as inexcusable as if they had knowne as much as any for though every Parish have not a preaching Minister which is a thing much to be wished yet there is no Countrey but some light is set up in it whither they may resort if they will and this will make them inexcusable So they that live under much meanes that are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth and so have brought a sottishnesse on themselves they are inexcusable because themselves are the cause of their not profiting as a man that is drunke though he is not able to understand the commands of his Master yet because he was the first Author of the drunkennesse which caused such sottishnesse he is inexcusable so they that neglect the Word or when the Word enters not into the heart because men delight not in it as you shall finde these put together Prov. 2.10 When wisdome enters into thy soule and knowledge delights thee when the cause that men profit not is because they delight in other things the streame runnes another way and so as the Sunne puts out fire and the outward heat extinguisheth the inward heat so they doe drive out the Word by divers lusts when they might have abstained from those other delights and have attended to the Word with more diligence they are inexcusable So that 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 the other two I but wee have no ability to performe the things wee doe know That every man is ready to say Who is able to practice according to his knowledge To this I answer It is false there is ability in every man to do according to that he knows for so farre as light goes so farre there is ability in the will and affections to follow that light there is a common light in men that are in state of unregeneration indeed sanctifying light they have not and they are able to goe as farre as their light goes and I will appeale to any mans experience let him looke backe to the course of his life and examine himselfe was there ever any particular action in all thy life from which thou wast so hindered that thou canst say thou couldest not doe it was there ever any particular sinne of which thou couldst say this sinne I could not abstaine from And howsoever we may make it a matter of dispute in the Schools yet the worst man one in whom we may thinke corruption of nature to be most strong when he comes to die he doth not excuse himselfe but acknowledge he is guilty If you consider the nature of liberty there a spontaneity in beasts by which they are carried to that which their appetite desires but that is not Liberum though Spontaneum But when a reasonable creature lookes on a thing as Elegibile or non Elegibile and not only so but is able to reason on both sides is able to see arguments for both that makes it differ from Spontaneity when there is no outer impediment when you may take or refuse it when you have Arguments to reason and see the commodity and discommodity of it your will is now free so that I may truly affirme every man hath a free-will to doe that for the not doing of which he is condemned marke it But you will object I but a man is condemned for not beleeving for not turning to God for not having his heart changed for not being a new Creature but these no man hath power to doe therefore a man is condemned for something which he is not able to doe To this I answer It is true a man hath not power to performe these but yet withall I say he hath power to doe those things upon the neglect of which God denyes him ability to beleeve and repent So that it is true though a man cannot beleeve and repent and neverthelesse for this is condemned yet withall take this with you there be many precedent Acts which a man hath in his liberty to doe or not to doe by which he tyes God and deserves this Iustly that God should leave him to himselfe and deny him ability of beleeving and repenting which as a necessary duty lyes on him So that though a man hath no ability to doe this yet he hath ability to abstaine from the things by the which he provoks God to anger and by which he deserves this at his hands not to be able to beleeve c. For proofe goe to this Chapter They knew God but they glorified him not as God therefore they having not done the precedent Acts which they should have done saith the Text God gave them up to their lusts He tooke away all ability to repent he deprived them of all the sparkles of common grace and knowledge which before they had but this is a thing which they themselves deserved first So much for the Third when we come to the use we will be more large Fourthly men excuse themselves from this their natures are corrupt and they have strong inclinations strong lusts inclining them to this or that sinne which they cannot resist therefore are excusable To this I answer It is not so none hath so strong an inclination to any sin but he is able to resist it This is the Argument Let a man have hell and death set before him nay let some temporall shame or punishment be set before him which hee shall immediately undergoe when such a sin is committed and see if this will not restraine him when the lust is most impetuous Therfore it is not because he cannot restraine it but because he will not Secondly hast not thou brought on thy selfe that strong Inclination that strange power of sinne Art not thou the cause of it For though there be originall sin in us yet we may intend that originall
to stand on nothing to hold by to sustaine him when a man is nothing is cut off the Tree he grew on before and sees that he must now perish eternally this is true Humiliation You that are to receive the Sacrament what doe we therein but offer Christ to you we preach Christ in the Sacrament he is therein indeed offered more sensibly Now what have you to doe with Christ if you are not humble Consider if this be not wrought in you and remember this that whosoever comes to the Sacrament without this Humiliation that wants this brokennesse of heart receives it unworthily and provokes God to wrath The Passe-over was to be eaten with sowre herbes and the maine businesse therein was to remember the condition they were set at liberty from to remember their bondage in Aegypt and their miseries endured there for by that they saw the greatnesse of Gods mercies So one of the maine businesses you have to doe is to consider your sinnes and be humbled to consider your miserable condition and to think it not a light matter that you may omit it Consider but that one place Levit. 23.29 you shall finde there that in the day of Expiation in the day of Atonement when they came to offer sacrifice he that on that day did not afflict his soule he was to be cut off from his people You have it two or three times repeated It is an ordinance and this is still put in Hee that comes to make an Atonement to be reconciled and offer a Sacrifice remember this ordinance for ever He shall afflict his soule and hee that doth it not shall be cut off from his people Therefore you have occasion to make use of it that are to receive and not you only for the Doctrine is generall Whosoever doth not afflict his soule he shall never bee reconciled but shall bee cut off from his people But you will say I should be willing to doe this but how shall I be able to doe it If God would humble me and set it on and convince me by his Spirit it might be done but how shal I doe it my selfe I answer Thou art to goe about it thy selfe It is not for nothing that those words are used in Ioel 2.13 Rend your hearts and not your garments He sayes rend your hearts And Ier. 6.4 Plow up the fallow grounds of your hearts that is you shall afflict your soules And Iames 4.9 Be afflicted that is suffer your selves to be affâ—icted for your selves sorrow and weepe that is the way to cleanse you Therefore a man should goe about the worke himselfe that is take this resolution Well I see I must be humbled else I cannot on good grounds take Christ for I shal not prise him therefore I will not give over labouring of my heart till it be humbled Suffer thy selfe to be afflicted as if he should say Men are not willing to suffer it if they doe hang their heads for a day they are quickly weary outward businesse comes or pleasure commands and the worke growes tedious Therefore is that in Ioel 2. Sanctifie a Fast that yee may rend your hearts that is sequester your selves from all other businesses from all other occasions sanctifie a Fast that ye may have leasure to doe it if one Fast will not doe it take another Let a man goe alone and resolve never to give over till it be done till he hath brought his heart to doe it When I have done this what shal I then do Consider your sinnes looke backe and consider how many oathes you have sworne how oft you have broken the Sabbath whether you have defiled your selves with sinnes of uncleannesse how often you have broken the Commandements looke on your idlenesse your omissions your sinfull silence your neglect of prayer and other duties Goe over all particular sinnes and their multitude will amaze you Remember the sinnes you have committed twenty yeares agoe and take this rule withall that these sinnes are the same now that they were though not in thy apprehension that is the weaknesse of our nature as it is the weaknesse of our eye we cannot discerne a thing that is a great distance from it it is its weaknesse that it cannot see things as they are but that will seeme little or nothing which in it selfe is big So it is with the sinnes that we have committed many yeares agoe we thinke them little and past but know that they are the same in themselves and in Gods esteem as they were before for he sees them as they are Therefore I say consider them lay them together and see the multitude and that will helpe to amaze thee And not that onely but consider them with their circumstances some it may be have been committed against light of conscience and that aggravates sinne it makes a small sinne out of measure sinfull When it is committed against knowledge it is not the same with the sinne against the Holy Ghost but it is neare to it Againe consider the hardnesse of thy heart in sinning the very sinne doth not hurt so much as that when a man slights it hee knowes hee hath sinned yet goes about his businesse and neglects it and this God lookes at When a man is injured the injury is not so much to him as it is to see the other to neglect it he cares not for angering me So you looke backe on your sins in a cold regardlesse and negligent manner Againe consider your relapses and fals into the same sins againe and againe though you have beene often admonished of it yea and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it And know this that relapses and fallings into sin often stand for so many sins as in numbers the second figure is in proportion to the first which is ten times as much as the first and the third an hundred times as much So the addition of sins by falling into them again and againe and that carelesly too that makes the sin a great deale more consider this And if you goe about to excuse our selves It is true if God should marke all that is done amisse who can stand but I hope I shall be pardoned my nature is violently carried I am flesh and bloud and I hope God will pity mee But this should humble you the more that you are readie to fall into sin againe and again if it be thus in your actions it is much more abundant in the heart For put case there be a necessity hast not thou caused it thy selfe Againe you must know actuall sins intend originall corruption and there is no man that is guilty of any prevalent lust but he was the cause of it for if he had not by committing it often carelessely and negligently given so much strength to it it had not so prevailed Addition of sin in every act of sin varnishes over originall sin it makes it more active
more efficacious in his life A mans weight in the ballance weighes downe the scales but if he put to his strength too that is as much more as his weight So if you have any strong sins you have cause to be humbled for it but when you put your strength to it it intends that originall habit of sin So that the necessity that lyes on thee by reason of thy nature it aggravates thy sinne Ier. 13.23 The Prophet aggravates their sinne from their custome in it they could choose not to sinne no more than the Black-moore could change his skin The Prophet I say brings it in for this purpose to aggravate sin See it in our owne case when a man comes to be accused before a Iudge if he plead he is accustomed to such a sin to swearing or drinking doth it not encrease his condemnation So that though you say I dâ—d slip through frailty yet I say you have cause to be humbled for it I will but name the second use for I have respect to the Time and Weather Secondly not only evill men but good men within the Covenant should make this use of it to humble themselves for they have need of it A man must know this when he is once humbled and come into state of Grace he hath not then done with Humiliation it is to be practised still For there is this difference between a wicked man and another Many are like a land-floud none more ready to be religious than they as your great land-flouds swell though they have no spring to feed them but with a godly man it is otherwise Humiliation is in him as a Spring he hath not done with it at his Conversion but practiseth it still And not only so but he must labour to adde to the measure of it and that will adde to his love and to his faith and drawes him nearer to Christ the more his sin is discovered It is said of the woman she loved much because much was forgiven her Others had as much mercy as she but shee had more sense of it because shee was more humbled the more you see and are sensible of your sins the more it addes to your love it makes you to prise him when you see you are so much beholden to him Againe it will adde to faith I meane not only the act of beleeving but the act of taking Christ. The more a man sees the need he stands in of Christ the more he is convinced of sin the more he takes Christ 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 shee may be morefully contented in him and more prise him And so in taking of Christ for our Lord and Husband and Saviour It is true if we will take him in earnest any measure of true faith will save us but we may doe it more abundantly for the more sense we have of sin the more greedy shall we be of him Againe the more empty the soule is the more a man is humbled the more he sees into himselfe as faith comes with an empty hand the faster hold is laid on Christ. Therefore adde still to Humiliation let it be your exercise the worser you be perswaded of your selves and the better you conceit of God it is the more for your advantage the more you can hate and abhorre your selves the more you are improved thereby for the flesh in you must be abhorred and it is our fault we doe it not enough and againe the more you apprehend Christ the nearer you draw to him And take this withall Humiliation doth not weaken assurance but workes the contrary Indeed the lesse sincerity and the lesse mourning for sin and the lesse Humiliation the lesse assurance But reckoning up and thinking on thy sinnes encreaseth it If I have so many sins how can I be saved Yes so much the rather the more thou canst see and be humbled for them the more thou addest to thy assurance and so to thy love and faith Therefore a man should make a daily practise of Humiliation for it is to a mans great advantage it is a thing too much omitted we should take time for it And thinke it your advantage to be able to see what we have in our nature how much guilt we have contracted by sinne and how our sins may bee aggravated for this will teach us to prise Christ. And so much for this point The end of the First Sermon CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION The second SERMON ROMANS 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse WE come now to the matter of Humiliation contained in these words which I have already opened and shew'd the points that may thence be drawn The first wherof which we will begin with is this That the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse You know by that which you heard before how it is gathered It will be a vaine labour to goe about to prove it you know how plentifull the Scripture is in it and you are not so ignorant of the Grounds of Divinity as not to confesse it The businesse will be to shew wherein it consists and how the Nature of man is corrupted for by making this evident we shall by the same labour prove and confirme it to you Now the way to evidence this that the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousnes and ungodlinesse is to look to the rule If you will find out the disorder and distemper that any thing is subject to the way is to looke to the rule to amend it by Now every Creature hath a law the Fire the Water the Sea yea every Creature sensible and insensible hath a law given to it which as they observe they continue in perfection and looke how farre they goe aside that so farre they be imperfect Now the Law given to man is the Morall Law and the Gospell and these two he is to observe And if you will find out the truth of this That the nature of man is full of all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse looke to these two First looke to the Law of God and see if that doe not conclude all men under sin looke therein to both the Tables It is true Hypocrites make a good shew of keeping the first Table they seeme to be forward in the duties belonging to God but looke to the second Table and that discovers them Civill men seeme to be exact in the second Table in performing duties to man but look to the first Table what their carriage to God is what little conscience they make of taking his Name in vaine of sanctifying his Sabbath of performing holy duties in an holy manner of love and feare This discovers civility that is when there is nothing else but civility Againe looke to sins of all sorts some
againe and so kindle the fire of Gods wrath which shall smoake to our destruction Thus by your words learne to know the sinfulnesse of your natures Lastly see it by your Actions Now sinnes in actions are of two sorts either sinnes of Commission and here you are to goe backe and consider what sinnes you have committed whether drunkennesse uncleannesse inordinate affections or injuries to men what provocations or rebellions against God and when you see them look on the number of them and on the greatnesse of them Consider their circumstances and among the rest the frequencie of them your relapses into them and that will make you with David Psal. 19. to cry out Lord who can understand his faults But we will not stand on this because iâ— is obvious every one knowes that actions are sinnes we will come to the second sort And that is sins of Omission which we are ready to slight and forget as no great matters but they are other things than wee take them to bee nothing hath more cause to humble us than they I say the sinnes of Omission the barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse of our lives may humble us as well as the rebellions and sinfulnesse of them We will run thorow them As first to be idle on the Sabbath-day is a sin of Omission and provokes God to anger as well as polluting it and breaking it with positive Acts. So the restraining of Prayer to neglect it to omit it or to performe it slightly for God takes prayers by weight and not by number this is not a small thing Againe to neglect the hearing of the Word to neglect the Sacraments a fault we have much cause to be blamed for in this place and thing you have often beene admonished to I beseech you learne by our Admonitions for they are the Admonitions of God let them I say learne that are guilty of it So Communion of Saints is a thing we thinke not of But Heb. 10.25 You shall see what a matter it was to neglect that Ordinance So Fasting and Prayer we thinke are not required at our hands and if nothing but the neglect of that were laid to our charge it were nothing But see what that is when the time is that God cals for it I say the very omission of that when God cals for it is a sin saith the Prophet which shall never be purged away by sacrifice but shall remaine to death Besides these omissions of Acts come to the omission of Graces I meane the want of them as the want of Love to Iesus Christ. Yet who confesses this want of love although 1 Cor. 16.22 Hee is pronounced accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration to the death So the want of Delight in God who thinkes of it Come to our Callings and see our negligence and idlenesse in them shall we give account for every idle word we speake and not for every idle houre wee spend Let young Gentlemen looke to this that passe from vanity to vanity spending their time idly and unprofitably trifling out their Seed-time Consider what this sin of Omission is And so for growing in spirituall graces and knowledge that we gather not more knowledge it being the key of heaven that wee grow not in good workes but are poore in them omitting our times and opportunities Againe our sinfull silence not speaking when we should either out of sluggishnesse or feare of men or by-respects this is no small thing God will call thee to an account for it Consider whether you have let goe occasions of doing good denying of meat and drinke kils a man as well as poison so the neglecting of duties the omission of what tends to salvation shall be death as well as actuall sinnes by which you provoke the eyes of Gods glory to vengeance Therefore in that sentence of Christ he doth not tell them what they have done but what they have not done You have not clothed me you have not visited me Learne therefore to judge aright of these sinnes of omission that they may helpe to amaze us and so much for actuall sins And so much for the Law the first part of our rule wherein we have runne thorow the corruption of the Faculties and so have discovered our habituall sins and now thorow the three kinds of actuall sinnes in Thought in Word and in Action The second rule which I told you we are to observe is the Gospell And here you thinke you shall scape well enough for the Gospell brings damnation to no body But if you consider of it right you shall finde that the Gospell is much more terrible in this case than the Law that it will humble us more and that the sins against the Gospell are much greater than those against the Law Marke this in briefe The refusing of Iesus Christ when God offers him and remission of sins by him that you may have him when you will if you will have him on such consequent conditions as are required which is to deny your selves to take up your crosse and follow him this wee preach continually I say this contempt of the Gospell your unwillingnesse to take Christ is a great sin and that that should humble you above all the rest And that you may know that I have reason to say so consider Christs speech It shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah than for such a people for such a City as when the Gospell of the Kingdome was preached to them neglected it so that the sin of Sodome is not so great a sin as the refusing of Christ. You know the greatnesse of that sin the punishment shewes it yet it is not so great as this Againe it is said of Moses and Christ being compared together That if they that sin against Moses Law are condemned how much sorer punishment shall they be worthy of that breake the Law of Christ that beleeve not the Gospell It exceeds the sinne against the other Againe consider is it a small thing to cause the bloud of Iesus Christ to be shed in vaine to trample it under foot and to count it a common thing But so doth every man that neglects it that hearkens not to it that is not ready to receive it that is not poore in spirit and so doth not hunger and thirst after Christ. Againe consider It is the chiefe Command and the breach of the chiefe Command must needs be the greatest sinne When the Disciples asked Christ what was the great Commandement he said This is the greatest of all To beleeve on him whom the Father had sent So 1 Ioh. 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should beleeve in the name of Iesus Christ. Againe the Gospell is the uttermost the Law makes way for the Gospell therefore the sentence and condemnation of the Gospell is peremptory and terrible and nothing beyond it Againe consider God was angry for the contempt
is one and a principall One even to know the greatnesse of your sins The third and chiefe use of all the rest is this This Corruption of Nature this abundance of Corruption which hath beene shewed to you should drive us to Christ. And that is our end wee doe not preach damnation our end is Salvation Therefore wee would have men to know their condition to know that they bee in state of death For that that keepes men from comming to CHRIST and the reason that so few are saved that so few take the Gospell is they are not poore in spirit And why are they not so Because they see not their sins And for this cause wee have beene thus long in opening this point that you may know your selves And this I dare say If you did know your selves if GOD had kindled a light within whereby to see your Corruptions you would not stand cheapning the Kingdome of Heaven as you doe you come now in a lame and remisse manner but you would then come and give all that you have for it and goe away rejoycing and thinke you have a good bargaine God should not then deny you you would wrestle with him as Iacob did and give him no rest till you have obtained a blessing This would awaken men out of their dead sleepe of security as that is the condition of every man by nature as he is sinfull so he is secure he considers not his sins Therefore to all that I have said you must adde something of your owne what I have said is no more able to shew you the sinnes you are subject to than a little Mappe is to shew you the whole world it doth but point to the sinnes you are subject to as a point in the margent The way to make it profitable is to goe home to your owne hearts to consider these things particularly to see how your minde your Conscience Will and Memorie is out of order to consider how you have offended in thoughts in words and in actions by sinnes of Omission and of Commission and by that meanes you shall reade your Natures in your hearts and make what I have said profitable to you And doe not thinke you may goe too farre Doe not thinke we wrong your nature in saying it is more guiltie than it is for wee doe not so I may boldly say this Take that man that thinkes worst of himselfe hee is worse than he thinkes himselfe to bee and that I may not speake without Ground looke upon the first Epistle of Saint Iohn the third Chapter and the twentieth verse If our Conscience condemne us God is greater than our Conscience and knowes all things That is the Conscience of man hath some light but what is it to the eye of GOD to the light that is in him And so much as his light is greater than ours so much more hee sees what is amisse in us The heart saith Ieremie is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it There is a depth of evill in the heart which no man can search it is deceitfull and puts false glosses on things to hide them from our eyes Therefore doe not thinke thou canst exceed but labour for thy Humiliation to see all these things in a greater measure in thy selfe than as they bee here described and that not nakedly but with all Circumstances The end of the Third Sermon CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION The Fourth SERMON ROMANS 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse AND this is a thing wee are very unwilling to do for the Medicine shews the Disease The Apostles taking of so much pains to perswade men that they shall not be saved by their own righteousnesse is an argument that it is an hard matter to perswade them It is the hardest thing in the Word to perswade a civill man that he must not sticke to his owne righteousnesse till God himselfe puts his hand to the worke for it is not in any mans power to convince him of his sinne or of the deficiencie of his righteousnesse Therefore that use wee should make of all that hath beene said to see the necessity that lyes on us to goe to Christ and that there is no salvation without him Now to make this Doctrine more effectuall to awaken you the more to rouze men out of that sleepe wherein they are by nature we will handle these two points First that the aggravations of sin are more than the sins themselves Secondly we will take away all excuses that so every mouth may bee stopped and when these two are done you will have much adoe to finde any starting-hole to keepe you from comming to Christ. For that is our End And these are very necessary For though you doe consider in your selves all the sins formerly named if it be done negligently without the Circumstances sin is a sword without an edge the Circumstance is that that gives it an edge that sharpens sin that makes it fit to wound us And secondly if the sword be never so keene and sharpe and yet we be forced to keepe it off it will not wound us Therefore we will I say in the second place take away the excuses by which men fence themselves and decline the stroke of truth decline this wound of the Law And so we will conclude this point and hasten to the rest For the first to make all you have heard before effectuall we will adde the Circumstances which is a thing necessary for it is a true rule the Schoole-men have that in moral things the circumstance is more than the thing it selfe Many times in natural things accidents are nothing in comparison of the forme but In moralibus as they say Circumstantia plus valet quà m forma For it is the Circumstance by which an action lookes if you looke round about it and see all that borders on it it will aggravate and make sin out of measure sinfull To run thorow them briefly First Consider this Circumstance in sinnes committed I speake of the corrupt nature of man that every sin committed against God is not only an offence committed against so great a Majesty for I will not stand to enlarge that Circumstance that the sin is greater as the person is greater against whom it is committed but consider the affection with which you commit it and you shall finde all this in a sin committed by a naturall man First an hatred of God in the sin They thinke they love God but if it be so what is the reason that word is put in Rom. 1.30 where the Apostle speaking of the rebellion of mankinde he reckons up particularly that which here he puts up in the grosse in the generall Haters of God You will say you doe not hate God but let me aske you this question Wouldest thou not live at liberty
suddenly which is enough to awake a man out of his sleepe of security for let him thus reason If GOD meant to save mee hee would give mee no rest in sinne for whom he intends to save hee afflicts before-hand that they may not perish with the world but those that will goe with the world he suffers to goe That is a terrible saying in the first Booke of Samuel the third Chapter and eleventh verse speaking of Hophni and Phinees saith GOD When I begin I will make an end and this is the sentence of all the wicked It is small comfort that you are free it being with you as with them that be seldome sicke that when they be sicke for the most part die for it When all things goe well with the wicked then the wrath of GOD comes like an Earth-quake which by reason of the winds being inclosed in the bowels of the earth hath a calme preceding it and so there is a calme in mens spirits before the Earth-quake of Gods wrath comes and then it is as a theefe in the night who comes when they be in a dead sleepe and least looke for him After this manner comes the wrath of God on the wicked as it is threatned Prov. 1.27 There shall come on them sudden desolation and destruction shall over-take them as a whirlewind it shall surprize them on a sudden and this may make men to tremble when they consider that sinne is attended with destruction when they sinne either GOD punishes them presently and then there is small cause of joy for the bitternesse is more then the pleasure or else he lets them alone and there is nothing in the world worse than to thrive in sin for then destruction will come suddenly The use then you are to make of it is First to teach you to see what sinne is in that it hath the wrath of God for its Concomitant Wee are apt to make a mocke of sinne we are ready to slight sin and to lay it in the light ballance of Common opinion and not in the ballance of the Sanctuary and so we come to be deceived Therefore this word Revealed must bee marked it intimates that we are backward to take notice of it except the LORD reveales his wrath from heaven and take us in hand to convince us of sin to shew us our corruption in its owne colours for we look on these things by a false light Thinke with your selves therefore what that must be which God punishes with eternall punishment See what it is in the punishment of CHRIT our Surety thinke what that is that brought CHRIST from heaven what that is that cast those Angels into hell to bee bound in chaines of everlasting darknesse Againe see it as you use to see it in the day of Death for then men are commonly awake see how it is then presented if it be not then terrible Againe judge of sin as men enlightned doe look to holy men how they judge of sin And which is without exception see how the Scripture presents sinne with this Concomitant the wrath of God as an evill and bitter thing See the Prophet Ieremie the second Chapter and it is certaine that the judgement of the Scripture is right And let all this humble you Secondly make this use of it learne to adde this to your humiliation As you must labour to see your state to have that corruption of nature which is in you discovered So you must labour for a sense of the wrath of God which if you get not you will never be humbled Labour to see God himselfe in his wrath looke not nakedly on an affliction but see God in it If a man hath a sight of him the Creator it will wholly amaze and humble the Creature Eliah was not moved with the wind that tare the rockes nor with the Earthquake though terrible but when God came though in a soft voice yet the presence of GOD humbled him that made him cover his face with his Mantle There be two kindes of Affliction one is that which the Creature is able to beare the other sort is when GODS hand is in it when they are mingled with his wrath These bee like Arrowes dipped in venome that make a deeper wound and such an one as is incurable when you feele the wrath God in any affliction let it be but a light apprehension in it selfe yet when the LORD shall set it on and mingle it with his wrath it will grow insupportable Iudas before his Treason thought thirtie peeces of silver to be a great matter and that he had got much by it but when God did manifest himselfe and revealed his wrath a little so that he saw God and had a feeling of him as every man shall have sooner or later you see what a condition he was in So it was with Belshazzer It was his feare of GOD when hee saw the Hand it was not the hand but the apprehension of GODS wrath that raised his thoughts and loosed his loynes and made his knees knocke one against the other So Paul when he heard the Word of GOD by false Samuel it cast him on his face he cared not for any thing that men did to him you know how David described his valour but when GOD comes to him that humbles him Consider what it is to have the mighty GOD of Heaven and Earth to be thine Enemie who hath all things at his Command and if hee bee thine Enemie all things shall worke together for thine hurt as every thing shall be for thy good if thou be in favour and covenant with him If thou say But I feele nothing for the present Remember though thou feelest it not for the present yet there is wrath laid up for thee God hath it in store Remember Gods dealing with them that sinned against him Shimei had committed a sinne that in Gods sight deserved Death so did Adonijah so did Saul and his seven sonnes that were hanged for breaking their oath with the Gibeonites You see how long these lay as if God had forgotten them but at length he brings them all to death Hee doth not powre out his wrath on the sudden perhaps thou shalt feele nothing of a long time but thou art condemned and when the Gaole-delivery comes thou shalt be executed for God remembers thy sins Cains sin lay at his doore though he saw it not it was not taken away but continued and it not onely continued and kept awake but it cried day and night unto him untill the crie entered into the eares of the Lord. The crie of sinne is like the crie of an Hireling to whom the just Master when the day is finished payes such wages as hee deserves So a sinner when his time comes is remembred before God though wrath hath beene restrained for a time yet now it shall seize on him Wee should learne by this to humble our selves And lastly if wee finde the wrath of God
but you see what it cost him God for that cast him away for ever So in the things you reckon small take heed you be not deceived be the thing never so small yet for that you may be contemned as well as for the greatest sin for he that is unfaithfull in the least will not be faithfull in much And take the least sin there is the same reason of sinfulnesse in that that is in the greatest as a drop is water aswell as the Ocean If thou abstaine from sin because there is an Antipathy between sin and thee as it is with every man after regeneration thou wilt abstaine from all sins You know a Pigeon wil not meddle with any feather of an Hauke because there is an Antipathy between them and the sheepe hates every Wolfe and men hate every Toad his stomacke rises at a little Toad so a right gracious heart abhors every thing that is evill and cleaves to every thing that is good indeed he failes much in performance but his heart is sound Againe there is no small sinne but it makes way for a greater as playing at small games makes us afterward to play at greater Therefore the littlenesse of the sinne excuses not for one sin admitted is of great consequence because it drawes on many that are great Now for the second some they say are small some are great and for them that be great they commit them by Accident out of infirmity and are sorry for what they have done You must know this if they were committed by infirmity the Excuse were good for even the faithfull themselves fall into divers sins out of infirmity but take heed of deceiving thy selfe If thou findest this thy Case that thy heart is renewed that thou wagest a continuall warre against thy sins resolvest never to make peace or truce with them usest all meanes thou canst againts them admittest of no occasion to lead thee to sin and yet fallest into it against purpose and sincere desire of heart it is a sin of infirmity and God will so Iudge of it but put case thou holdst not a continuall war with thy selfe but sayest I see it is a sin which I am strongly inclined to I shall be weary with resisting therefore I must give out I cannot choose now if thou leave striving and lay downe thy wasters this is not a sin of infirmity Againe if thou keepest company that leads to that sin of dost venture on that occasion beholding such objects walking on the brinke and comming neere the sin It is a false pretence that thou fallest into it by infirmity or by accident for thou allowest thy selfe in it thou lyest and continuest in it So againe hast thou used thy uttermost power hast thou prayed hard against it nay hast thou fasted and prayed against it for some devils cannot be cast out without both Indeed if a man use all his strength to resist it he shall fall into it seldome and it is to be excused thus but if otherwise it is no sin of infirmity But they say I am sorry for what I have done Take heed thou be not deceived in that Is it not a false sorrow art not thou more sorry for the effect of sin than for the evill of sin for the burning of the coale than for the blacknesse of the coale There is much present evill in sin that may make thee repent it afterward Againe if it be not so is it not a slight sorrow not proportionable to thy sin Is it a sorrow that continues on thy heart Is it a sorrow effectuall to worke any change in thee to prevent sin for the time to come Otherwise if thou say thou art sorry for it and yet fallest into it againe and again it is no true sorrow Goe to thy Neighbour and say I have done thee an Injury and am sorry for it and yet fall into the same againe and againe it will seeme that it was but a false sorrow So if thou dost pretend sorrow for thy sins and yet relapsest into them againe it is a slight sorrow that God regards not So much shall serve to take away the Excuses learne to lay this to heart and consider it and see how you be inexcusable Now to make use of it The first Vse is to justifie God learne to lay the blame where it is that is on our selves thinke not that God condemnes any without cause for every man is inexcusable And here this point is specially to be marked I doe not say men are inexcusable only in regard of Adams sin that being a Truth we all assent unto that in regard of Adams sin the ability we had we lost in him but I will goe further men are inexcusable in regard of their present condition and their actuall sins marke it well The reason whereupon he inferres that they are inexcusable is God hath made himselfe knowne to them namely by his workes and creation he goes not to Adams sin but they had knowledge enough this knowledge they practised not and in regard of the present actuall evils which they committed they are inexcusable Therefore that God may be glorified and justified that he may be true and every man a lyer know that God condemneth not for any more than he hath revealed as some have onely the Law of Nature so they are condemned onely for breaking that Law they are not condemned for not worshipping God according to the Law of Moses or the Gospell but simply and onely for breaking the Law of Nature They that have sinned without the Law shall be condemned without the Law Rom. 2.12 That is at the last day there shall no more be laid to their charge this you knew and this you broke So againe they that onely knew the Law of Moses yea at this day if there be any Iew in the world which never heard of Christ which never had meanes to know him he shall not be condemned for not beleeving in Christ but for the breach of the Law of Nature and the Law of Moses and the reason is good for by the same reason that the Gentiles shall not be condemned for breaking the Law of Moses by the same equity and ground they that have not the knowledge of the Gospell shall not be condemned for breaking the Law of the Gospell So that if wee consider this There is no man goe thorow all but God shall lay this to his charge at the day of Iudgement Doe not say I bound thee to impossible things that I laid on thee a Law thou couldst not keep thou shalt not have this excuse left thee I gave thee ability to doe much but thou didst 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 perish it is for not doing the things he was able to doe But you will say God might have revealed more I answer
the more mettle the worse but under the bridle and in the way there cannot be too much keepe the streame within the bankes and let it runne in a right Channell and then the stronger the better It is good therefore in this case to come to a disjunction which is the thing that Elijah advised If Baal be God follow him but if God be God follow him and follow him to purpose And as Luther wrote to Melancthon when he began to faint Why Melancthon if this be the Cause of God why should we be discouraged why should we goe coldly about it If it be not the Cause of God why doe not wee desist altogether This Disjunction put life into him I but discretion and moderation must bee used It is true but doth this crosse your zeale Doth one Grace crosse another Prudence doth not abate diligence but guides it in its worke It teaches not to do lesse but to doe better Therefore as for Moderation you must know it stands in avoiding the Rock in declining the extreme but Moderation in a right course is not moderation but lukewarmenesse and coldnesse Last of all to conclude this point and only to name the rest If Zeale turne away the wrath of God then where is our zeale for the Church of God Why doe not we take its case to heart why have not we the bowels of compassion to lament over its condition as if it were our own It was a most commendable thing in old Ely when he heard the newes that the battell was lost that his sons were slaine that moved him not so much but when he heard that the Arke of God was taken that amazed him so that hee fell from his seat and brake his necke Consider this and know that it is required that you be zealous for the Church Let our Gallants consider this that care not how things goe And those that will have the Church negligently regarded let them coÌ„sider that a curse abides him Who doth the worke of the Lord negligenâ—ly And know that though the Lord be angry with his Church as many times he is yet your zealâ— on its behalfe your prayers for it your cost upon it your labour about if yea whatsoever you doe for it is acceptable to God even then when he is angry with it when he afflicts i. David was angry with Absolom Ioab makes a suit to â—iâ— to call home his banished though David was angry with Absolom yet Ioabs suite to David was very acceptable he could not have come of a better message So you cannot doe a more acceptable worke than to seeke for the Churches good and to pray for its prosperity It is true indeed the Lord will take care of his Church and they that be enemies to it shall not be gainers as Zach. 12.6 They that seeke to hurt the Church of God shall be as a company of sheaves that goe about to suppresse a cole of fire which shall consume them all And they that goe about to devoure the Church shal be like a man that thinks to devoure a cup of poison but by it is killed himselfe or like a man that goes about to throw up a stone that is too heavie for him which fals backe and crushes him to powder All these expressions there be in that Chapter It is true he will not cast away the care of his Church he will defend it against them that oppose it but in the meane time if you doe not your part you shall lose your glory nay you shall be guilty of Negligence which will bring a Curse with it upon you But you will say What would you have us to doe for it I answer Wee must consider the Church abroad and at home For the Churches abroad we will not prescribe unto you any particular direction only wee will commend to you this generall That you seeke their safety and preservation and the propagation of Religion among them with all care and intention as you shall see occasions and circumstances to require But for the Church at home you see the Lord hath begunne to make a breach upon us And as it is in Ezek. 22.30 Hee seekes for a man among us that may stand in the Gappe It is well done that you have gone so farre as you have but remember that it is a thing that the Lord desires And know withall that the Lord markes what every man doth for his Church he observes who is zealous and who sits still hee takes notice who doth nothing who doth somthing and how much every man doth As in Malach. 3.16 The Lord harkened and heard and a Booke of Remembrance was written The Lord harkens and heares what every man speakes what every man doth yea to what end with what heart how his Church is thought upon Consider this therefore that you may be stirred up to doe more You will say What would you have us to doe more I will commend these three things unto you and so conclude this point First doe as Phineas is in the Text said to doe the thing he did to turne away the wrath of the Lord was executing of judgement in the punishment of Zâ—mri and Cosby that had committed that greaâ— siâ—ne And marke this when Phineas began to stirre the Lord ceased to strive And know that the Lord regards not so much what the particular sins of a Nation or Church are as what the action the behaviour the cariage of the Sâ—ate towâ—â—â—s them is Doubtlesse the action of both thâ— Houses of Parliament declaring thâ—ir zeal both â—â—w and heretofore hath â—â—â—ne a great meaâ—es of turning away the Lords wrath and will â—e more and more if you doe so more and more This is a thing I cannot bâ—â—lke seeing the Text casts me on it that this zeale of Phineas this act of his in punishing sinne turnd away the Lords wrath You will say what things should we punish Three things First Whoredome you see here â—he people committed whoredome as it is plainely mentioned by the Apostle Be not yee fornicators as some of them were and fell in one day so many thousands Another sin was Idolatry they joynd themselves with Baal-peor And there is a third sinne not mentioned here but is as frequently mentioned by the Prophets to have a hand in common judgements as any other and that is Injustice when righteousnessâ— is turned into Hemlocke and judgement into worme-wood that is a thing that must bee remembred among the rest Indeed there may be mistakes in the administration of Iustice which through ignorance and the not perfect knowledge of a cause may be fallen into but the Injustice that turnes righteousnesse into wormewood as I said before must be remembred and that is either Briberie or that respecting of persons in Iudgement which is equivalent thereunto and will come in among the rest These bee sinnes the punishment whereof
2 62 Our Hearts should melt at Christs love 3 41 See God Hell Out of Christ wee are subject to Helâ— 3 49 Aggravations of the misery of Hell 3 50 Hid. The state of Gods children Hid 2 41 Honour Sanctification stands with Gods Honour 2 89 House What kinde of House God is 2 195 Humbled Humiliation Humiliation must goe before Iustification 1 6 Israelites how God Humbled them 1 7 Humiliation two things in it 1 8 Humiliation to bee laboured for 1 18 Triall of true Humiliation 1 22 Helpes to Humiliation 1 26 Good men shoud desire Humiliation 1 30 Humiliation a remedie against Gods wrath 1 278 Hundred-fold Hundred-fold with persecution 2 223 Hunger Hunger out of Christ 2 215 I Iealousie IEalousie of God provoked by want of zeale 1 299 Idolatrie Idolatrie to attribute that to the Creature that belongs to God 1 265 Idolatrie a sinne of Israel 1 295 Impediment Impediments not removed suppresse the Truth 1 206 Impediments of two sorts 2 152 Impossible That which GOD requires of Christians not Impossible 2 255 Transubstantiation a doctrine Impossible 3 8 Imprison See Truth Inclination Inclination wrought by the Spirit 2 16 Inclination changed 2 63 Inclination changed how to bee Knowne 2 64 Independent Independent riches make men independent 2 212 Inconsideration Inconsideration keeps men in their old state 1 240 Infirmitie Men excuse sinne from their Infirmitie 1 232 Incredulity Incredulity of mans understanding 1 45 Instigate Conscience corrupted cannot Instigate to good 1 55 Inlightned Carnall men may be Inlightned 1 152 Inconstancie Inconstancie of mans will 1 50 Instrument Ministers and ordinances Instruments 2 158 Insensible Ill signe to be Insensible of Gods wrath 1 272 Inexcusable So much revealed as makes man Inexcusable 1 219 Ioy. Ioy mortifieth Lusts 1 18 Israelites See Humbled Iubile Iubile a resemblance of libertie in the Gospell 1 19 Iustifie Iustification Why we are Iustified by anothers righteousnesse 1 3 Iustification and sanctification inseparable 2 4 Iustification how it admits degrees 2 177 The clothing of the soule in Iustification 3 95 See Humiliation and Sanctification Iudge How to Iudge of things 1 270 Iudgement Sinne in time brings forth Iudgement 1 272 Execution of Iudgement commended 1 295 Iustice. What makes men acknowledge Gods Iustice 1 13 Iustice of God on whom it appeares most 1 147 Want of Iustice a cause of Iudgement 1 295 K Kinde NAture common to the whole Kinde 2 96 Kingdome Kingdome we have by Christ 3 72 Knowledge Knowledge an aggravation of sin 1 92 Knowledge in naturall men without rellish 1 155 Knowledge sinned against imprisoneth Truth 1 195 A sin of Knowledge what 1 197 Sinne excused for want of Knowledge 1 221 It is a sinne not to encrease Knowledge 1 198 Men might have more Knowledge 1 222 Knowledge of our estate at the first conversion 2 51 What kinde of Knowledge makes new Creatures 2 76 L Law THe Law shewes mans nature to be corrupted 1 34 Law how to be understood 1 35 Law the least breach of it punished 1 36 Law compared to Aegyptian Tasks-masters 1 37 Law against which men sin is exact 1 282 Law of God approved by natural men 2 104 See Schoole-master Leaven Sinne likened to Leaven 2 128 Liberty Benefits of setting the Truth at Libertie 1 171 Meanes to set Truth at Libertie 1 172 Libertie by Christ 3 73 Libertie what ibid. See Iubile Life Life promised to the taking of Christ 3 55 Life spirituall the excellencie of it 3 56 Exhortation to partake of this Life 3 57 Life how it is a Christians 3 83 Light Light imprisoned foure wayes 1 134 Aggravations of sinnes against Light 1 146 Naturall men defective in Light 1 154 The burden of Christ in bearing growes Light 2 141 Long-suffering Wee should give God the glory of his Long-suffering 1 237 Lord. Zeale for the Lord 1 285 Sacrifice offred to the Lord 2 86 Love Love mortifieth Lusts 1 13 Men sinne out of Love to evill 1 163 Love of Christ the greatnesse of it 2 39 Love cannot be counterfeit 2 92.3 29 Perwasion of Christs Love unites to him 2 179 To serve Christ in Love a part of the Covenant 3 26 Love constant 3 28 Lusts. Lusts detained keep men in their old state 1 241 Lusts why God suffers them in his children 2 35 Excellencie of the new Creature above Lusts 2 37 Old Lusts must be mortified 2 84 M Mannah MAnnah how it is Angels food 2 215 Manifest The Law of Mans judgement Manifest foure wayes 1 181 Marke Marke of Christ what 3 53 Meanes Meanes enjoyed aggravate sin 1 99 Sin excused from want of Means 1 228 Difference of feare in respect of Meanes 1 303 Meanes of Grace tend to Sanctification 2 21 Meaning Sin excused from good meaning 1 101 Mediator Why God hath appointed us such a Mediator as Christ 1 187 Memory Memory the corruption of it in two things 1 53 Mercy Mercy of God the greatnesse of it 3 22 Mercy to whom it is shewed 3 52 Metaphor Metaphors used in the Sacraments of the old Law 3 7 Ministery Ministery to be advanced 1 298 Misery Our Misery out of Christ 2 178 Forgivenesse of sinnes takes away the cause of Misery 2 18 See Apprehension Morall vertues Morall vertues nothing without change of nature 2 102 N Naked OVt of Christ we are Naked 2 209 To be Naked what 2 213 Nature Mans Nature full of ungodlinesse 1 4 33 All in mans Nature corrupt 1 41 Badnesse of Nature aggravates sinne 1 101 Men by Nature how far they may goe 1 151 How farre men by Nature fall short 1 153 God made manifest by the light of Nature 1 181 Sinne excused from corruption of Nature 1 226 What keepes men in the state of Nature 1 240 Conversion of men are turning the course of Nature 2 8 More than Nature required in the New Creature 2 91 Those that are in Christ have another Nature 2 95 Not to be content without a new Nature 2 101 Two things in a new Nature 2 112 Naturall When a thing is said to be Naturall 2 95 Good duties must bee Naturall to us 2 107 Necessitie No Necessitie of Transubstantiation 3 3 Need. Riches helpe in time of Need 2 211 Neglect Neglect keepes men from Christ 1 12 Neglect in serving of God 1 257 Net Gospell a Net 1 23 New Creature New Creature the excellencie of it 2 37 New Creature signes of it 2 49 New Creature what 2 61 New Creature the parts of it 2 84 New Creature required 2 122 Noblenesse The Spirit workes Noblenesse of spirit 2 15 Number Consideration of the Number of former sins helps humiliation 1 27 O Oath THE Covenant confirmed with an Oath 2 24 Object Faculties knowne by their Object 2 56 Objection Objection of Papists out of Iohn 6. concerning eating Christs flesh answered 3 33 Offices Offices of Christ goe together 2 20 Offices of Christ to be improved 2 183 Old Old
combate Object Answ. Differences betweene the combate in the New Creature and that fight that seemes to be in naturall men Consect 6. Thinke it not strange that you finde some aukednesse in the wayes of God at first Object Answ. Consect 7. Give God the praise of chanting thy Nature Object Answ. Observ. 4. The New Creature is Gods worke This is proved by foure Arguments Arg. 1. Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Object Answ. Arg. 4. Object 1. Answ. 1. Impediments of two sorts Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2. To what use serveth this doctrine Answ. To foure uses Vse 1. To let us see that our condition in Christ is better than in Adam Vse 2. That it may appeare that God setteth us now about a worke which he doth not inable us to performe Vse 3. To make us love Christ the better seeing how much we are beholding to him Vse 4. To make us take heed of putting off the worke when Christ cals Vse 1. See what the businesse of Preachers is and with whom you have to doe when you heare the Word Learne hence 1 To come to heare the Word with reverence and feare 2 To give the praise of any good you receive by the preaching of the Word to God onely 1 Tim. 1. 3 expect not that the Minister should come with excellency of wisdome or of words Observ. 4. What workes you finde upon your owne hearts in the preaching of the Word Object Answ. In what sense he would be understood when hee affirmeth the wilâ— of Regenerate persons to be free Observ. 5. The order first in Christ and then New Creatures Hence learne 1 Not to be discouraged from going to Christ for any defect or imperfection that is in us Reason 2. From your union with Christ to perswade you to good workes Doctr. To bee in Christ is the ground of all Salvation 1 What it is to be in Christ. What giving is 1 Of what moment this union is Vse 1. Exhortation two-fold 1 Those that have this union with Christ let them seeke to enlarge it more In what sense this is to be understood Object Answ. How it may be done Five helpes to doe it 1 Consider your misery without him 2 Labour more to know the Vertues and excellencies of Christ. 3 Be perswaded of his love to you 4 Get experience of him 5 Pray that the Holy Ghost may draw thee to Christ. Object Answ. 2 Those that want this Vnion let them seeke to get it In what this taking consists In two Acts. Motives Mot. 1. You shall finde rest Object Answ. Forgivenesse of sinne makes a man blessed foure wayes 1 In taking away that which is the cause of all miseries 2 In giving boldnesse 3 In taking the sting out of affliction 4 In making God ours Matth. 1.21 Object Answ. Sinne is a burthen in two respects 1 As it brings a man under guilt 2 As it is a sicknesse or disease of the soule Mot. 2. If you be united with him you shall be free from all evill and enjoy all good In particular consider 1 Mans misery out of Christ. 2 Mans happinesse by being in Christ. Object Answ. If you beleeve you shall be saved if not you shall be damned Salvation and Damnation are matters of great moment 1 They belong to the soule 2 They continue for ever Mot. 3. Your thirst shall be satisfied and healed Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object Answ. Iohn 6. Mot. 4. If you be united with Christ all things shall worke together for your good if not for your hurt 1 Cor. 3.18 Mot. 5. If you be out of Christ you are poore and naked and miserable 1 Poore What that poverty is 2 Naked Nakednesse what 3 Hungry Object 1. Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3. Answ. Pleasure what Object 4. Answ. Luke Object Answ. The time when some Fathers lived Why the Fathers are not so distinct in the doctrine of Transubst Damascene set transubstantiation a broach in Grecia 730. yeares after Christ. Lanâ—ranke Bishop of Canturbury 1030 yeares after Christ brought transubstantiation into England Bâ—ringerius lived foure hundred yeares since The benefits by Christ. What the wearinesse of sin is 1 In the service of sinne 1 Rest by Christ. 2 Wearinesse in the guilt of sinne 3 Wearinesse in the fruit of sinne Afflictions without sinne as the Adder without a sting 4 Wearinesse in the habite of sinne Sinne to the soule as sicknesse to the body 5 In all that sinne touches Folly quarrels at the best condition Wisdome makes the worst condition comfortable 4 Benefit by Christ. Kings have 1 Liberty Liberty what Christiaâ—s live as they list because they list not but to doe that which is good 2 Plenty Quest. Answ. 3 Peace To overcome what 3 Glory Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 6 Benefit a feast Object Answ. 1 Property of spirituall foode it endures for ever 2 Satisfieth Quest. Answ. 7 Benefit apparell
conditions Take all other things that please thy nature it is but when thou hast such a lust such an humour in such a time it is not so at all times it is not a continuall feast But you will say I find it not so I find that since I began this new course I have more trouble and perplexity of mind than I had before I was quiet before and all at rest I answer it may be so but stay a while till the Sonne of Grace hath got higher till it hath got more strength and thou shalt find it able to disperse those vapours and to scatter all those clouds It is true at the beginning there is but strength enough to move them to raise them a little but when it hath more strength they are scattered and dispersed therefore though there be a little hardnesse at the first yet goe on and thou shalt finde it pleasant The Heathen man could say Elige vitam optimam consuetudo faciet jucundam Chuse the good way and though it be hard at the first afterwards it will be the more easie If we appointed you a new worke without a new heart it were another case but you must know what we said before you shall have a new Nature and being so it will be pleasant because the wayes of God will be sutable to it So much likewise for this Last of all if we must be made New Creatures then give God the praise of that great worke of changing old men into new men I say give him the praise of it for he lookes for that at your hands Will you magnifie him for healing a lame man a blind man for they were true maladies and he was worthy of praise for them and is he not worthy to be magnified for changing the whole Nature for altering the whole frame of it Are the cures of the soule lesse than the cures of the body What if Christ should now make the lame to walke the blinde to see to take away the blindnesse of the mind to heale the sicknesse of the soule to make a man a New Creature Is not this a worke of an higher Nature When the Centurion saw the Veile of the Temple rent he said Surely this was the Sonne of God So when thou shalt see the Course of Nature turned that old Nature of thine rent to peeces be ready to say Surely this was the Sonne of God Shall we say Christ was God for turning water into wâ—ne and shall we not give him the praise of his power when we see him turne one Creature into another making Lions Lambes making you New Creatures This is a turning of the course of Nature is not your Nature carried as violently to sinne as the Sunne in his course And to turne it is as much as to stay the Sunne in his course It is no lesse to make you New Creatures No man considers it therefore let me put you in minde what it is for this is a thing you should marke Therefore Iohn Baptist gives this signe of Christ by which he might be distinguished from himselfe and all men I baptize you with water but when he comes he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is when that is done be assured that the Sonne of God is come in the flesh This is the great miracle that Iohn will have them attend unto and is not this daily done Doth not Christ baptize us with fire and with the Holy Ghost Therefore you shall see what answer he gives to Iohn Bapt. when he would know Art thou he or looke we for another Goe and tell Iohn the blinde see the lame walke and the poore receive the Gospell 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 see not this done the blind to see or the lame to goe yet we see men receive the Gospell that is are regenerate by the Gospell are made New Creatures This is a thing we should hearken to as it was a great sinne in them in Christs time to neglect the miracles he did so it is with us when wee neglect this Therefore Christ takes up Nichodemus when he tells him that men must be made New Creatures he wondering at it saith what dost thou meane by that Christ saith what wilt thou doe when I tell thee of things in heaven if thou wilt not beleeve when I tell thee of earthly things The meaning is this Regeneration is a thing done on earth that is the meaning of the place this you see before your eyes this you have experience of if you will not beleeve this how will you beleeve things that are remote from your eyes that are shut up from you which you have no experience of but only that I tell you and therefore you ought to beleeve me Therefore when you see New Creatures argue thus with your selves Certainly there is a renewing God and a renewing Spirit that is there is a Redeemer for as by the common creatures which you see you know there is a Creator as opus monstrat efficientem if you see a creature then you know there is a Creator then why should not that renewing of Christ his exercising that act of renewing among the sonnes of men put you in minde of glorifying Goâ— and of giving you the praise of it When Câ—â—â—t wrought miracles you shall finde what different successe they had saith the Text in more places than one therefore I need not quote it some of the people glorified God when they saw such a thing done others envied some glorified God others went and told the Pharisies You shall see when Lazarus was raised from the dead some beleeved and glorified God others went to the Pharisies Now I say when you see this done for this is the greatest miracle and all the miracles that is now left that men are made New Creatures and it is done before your eyes if you will see it as Christ said Hee that hath eares let him heare Take heed how you looke on it consider with what eye God never makes a New Creature but when men looke on it there is a different judgement some there are that magnifie it and desire to be made so likewise that make this use of it and so you ought to doe surely there is vertue in the Spirit a vertue in Grace an efficacie in the Word surely these be the ministers and servants of the most high God This you ought to doe but on the other side how many hundreds and thousands are there that doe as they did when they saw the miracles they envied Yea as they did with Lazarus When the Iewes saw that for Lazarus sake many went away and beleeved on him they consulted how to put Lazarus to death That is the fashion of the world when they see New Creatures men regenerate that holinesse and purity of godlinesse shines forth
in their lives and when that causes others to goe away and that for that they will beleeve on Christ they will doe 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 rerum natura Take heed of this But you will say If we knew they were New Creatures we would not doe so It is very true but doe you thinke when they would have killed Iesus and Lazarus they knew them to be so They did not know Christ to be the Lord of life the Scripture saith so Againe they thought Lazarus to be an Impostor it is likely they did but it is taken for a persecution of Christ. The Iewes that killed the Prophets doe you thinke they thought them to be Prophets when they slew them Take heed of that you know the danger of it when IESUS CHRIST wrought miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost No say they he doth it by Belzebub Christ tells them in this they blasphemed the Holy Ghost When thou shalt see a man made a New Creature when thou shalt see a man Regenerate take heed of saying this is guile and cunning and imposture for it is done by the Spirit take heed of blaspheming the Holy Ghost It is a dangerous case I say when such things be done wee should praise God and glorifie GOD for it labouring to come in our selves and not looke on it with an eye of envie and hatred and distate The different effects Christs miracles had such hath this Our scope is that you may glorifie God and give him the praise of it that when he hath done such a worke you may say this is the power of Grace and the vertue of the Spirit So much for this point that you must be New Creatures and so we have gone thorow three things which were observed out of the words First the inseparability betweene Iustification and Sanctification Secondly the having of another Nature Thirdly it must be New Now the fourth is it is a Creature wrought by God for that Word is not in vaine Whosoever is in Christ let him be a New Creature 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 those things together which have an infinite distance as something and nothing therefore it is proper to him it is he that maketh us New Creatures not that himselfe is the beginner and something else perfects it as some say but Deus est causa totius entis He is the beginner and ender he makes us New And there is much reason for it cannot be otherwise for if it were in our power of our selves to come in First it will follow that the Saints in heaven should be no more beholding to God than those that are condemned in hell For if God did give every man sufficient meanes of salvation and I have taken it and another refused it whom may I thanke when I am in heaven and another in hell not God for he gave the means equally but my selfe I tooke it and another did not and so the love God shewes it should be as much to the damned as to the Saints if he hath done on his part equally to both Againe it should not be God that makes the difference but man and so you may stand up and contradict what Paul saith Who art thou that boastest who hath put the difference If man hath free will to take Grace or refuse it and if God hath given to all sufficient meanes then thou hast made the difference God hath not Againe if this were so we must take away all Election and Reprobation for what is Election Election is nothing else but this God hath taken some to life and makes them holy as godlinesse is an effect of his Election and the wickednesse of men is a fruit of their rejection But now here would bee no Election but a meere prejudication of a reward to the thing done only but therefore God is said to have chosen us because he makes us good now by this you take that quite away But you will object Why should there be those different kinds of working We see in all other things if there be an end propounded and sufficient motives it is enough and why should God give different objects therefore they say it is but as propounding of the bough to the sheepe and the sheepe will follow If God propounds congruous objects to the faculties of the soule of man he will come in But I answer it briefly if he will come in for this congruity of objects because a bough is propounded to him First he must be a sheepe before he will follow the bough Now thou art a Wolfe by nature first therefore he must turne thy nature God must turne thy voluntatem Lupinam into Agninam therefore thou must have another nature before thou canst follow the bough Againe thou must have an eye to see that bough but we are blind by nature and till God opens our eyes and inlightens us we cannot see the excellencies of the waies of God and therefore we shall not follow it Againe there must be strength to follow but except God give thee strength though thou shouldest see it and see beauty in it too thou wilt never follow it to purpose thou will never follow it to the end Saul looked on it for a time but not to the end there must be a power of God to carry a man through all objects all impediments to the end therefore No man can come to me saith Christ except my Father draw him Not some men but no man though he have great meanes he doth not say will come but can come he doth not say except my Father allure him with congruous objects but except my Father change his Nature for drawing signifies a reluctance and backwardnesse in us Goe to experience you shall find it so when we speake to men it is true we say they be dead in sins and trespasses Doe not men heare us as dead men No man stirres up himselfe they goe away as they came and till God put life into them they will not hearken to us Againe how perverse are judgements of men they see no excellencies in the wayes of God therefore are apt to quarell and speake against them Againe doe we not find our desires so pitched on present things and our lusts so set upon them that without an Almighty Power they cannot be loosed Therefore Christ saith It is impossible for a rich man that is one that sets his heart on riches to enter into the kingdome of heaven That place is as strong as any place in all the Booke of God to shew that there is no freedome of will It is impossible for a rich man for a man that hath
When it is done without Temptation or with small Temptation 5 What it is done against Vowes and Covenants 6 When it is done against much meanes 2 To quicken our desires after Christ take away the Excuses of sinne 1 Excuse Good meanings Quest. 2 Excuse Badnesse of nature Answ. 5 The times are times of the Gospell not of the law Object Answ. Object 4 Excuse The good things we doe will ballance the evill Answ. Object 5 Excuse Others are worse Answ. Means to arme us against these Excuses 1 The Word 2 The Spirit of bondage How it worketh this in a man Doct. 2. There is a Revelation of wrath against all unrighteousnesse of men 2 Things to be observed 1 The certaintie of this wrath Proofes of it 2 What this Wrath is Three things observable 1 It is a Treasure 2 The power of it 3 The suddennesse of it Vse 1. See what Sinne is Vse 2. Labour for a Sense of the wrath of God Vse 3. Goe to Christ. Of with-holding the Truth in unrighteousnesse Three things considerable Doctr. Object Answ. 1 What this Truth is A three-fold Truth 1 The subject of this Truth 2 The Author of it 3 The extent of it 2 How this Truth is withholden Quest. Answ. Foure wayes of imprisoning the Light How great a sinne it is to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Vse 1. Vse 2. Sheweth the misery of thâ—se men that are neare the kingdome of God but not in it Their misery is in three things 1 The good things that they have doe them no good 2 They doâ— them much hurt 3 How farre they goe and yet how farre they fall short of that which is proper to the godly 1 In inlightning 2 In their Conscience 3 In common gifts 4 In their actions 5 In their Conflicts 2 How farre they fall short 1 In light and understanding In two things 2 In their Conscience Note 3 Morall Vertues 4 In Actions In two respects Object Answ. 5 In their Conflict in foure things Vse 3. Men sinne not out of want of information but out of love of unrighteousnesse How the Truth is with-held in unrighteousnesse Vse 4. Consider the danger of disobeying the Truth Object May not a man be too scrupulous Answ. Vse 5. Give the Truth leave to rule 1 The danger of restraining it 2 The benefit of setting it at liberty Object Answ. Means how to set the Truth at liberty Prayer 2 Practice the Truth 3 Communion Saints Act. 21.13 1 That there is such a Truth proved foure wayes Object Answ. 2 That they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Object Doct. 1. That Truth or Law or knowledge by which every man shall be judged is made manifest by God himselfe 1 What this Truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 How it is made knowne Foure wayes 1 By the light of Nature 2 By Gods workes 3 By the Scriptures 4 By the Saints 3 It is God that maketh this Truth evident Hence these Consectaries may be deduced Vse 1. To shew the hainousnesse of mens sinnes against this Truth Object Answ. Vse 2. Be thankfull for the Truth Vse 3. Doe nothing contrary to the Truth Object Answ. Seven Cases wherein men detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse 1 In the Commission of knowne sins Case 2. In unwillingnesse to increase a mans Knowledge Two sorts of those Case 3. In not acting and practising the Truth by the use of meanes Object Answ. Case 4. In suffocating and suppressing it Two wayes Case 5. In removing impediments Case 6. Case 7. Object Answ. Vse 4. Object Answ. Object Answ. Point 3. There is so much revealed to every man as will make him inexcusable The Excuses whereby men endevour to purge themselves Excuse 1. Thaâ— they know not God Answ. Excuse 2. God requires more knowledge than men have of him Answ. The inexcusablenesse of ignorant Countrey people Pretence 3. We hâ—ve no ability to performe the things we know Quest. Answ. Object Answ. Pretence 4. From the corruption of nature which they cannot resist Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Pretence 5. From Temptations of company businesse c. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Pretence 6. From the want of meanes Answ. Other particular Excuses First by denying the Fact Secondly By sleighting the Fault Ob. It is a smal sinne Answ. Ob. I fell into by infirmity Answ. 1. Ob. But I am sorry that I so sinned Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Means whereby men are kept in their old condition First Inconsideration 2 Some Lust. Fastiug is no Arbitrary dutie Which is proved by â—exâ—s of Scripture The definition of a Fast. The defects which we are subject to in performing that duty 1 To rest in the work done 2 To doe it for a fit 3 Not to reforme upon the doing of it There is a double performance of duties 1 When they be performed as Fasts 2 When its affections are wrought upon in the duty Ver. 1.2 The Analysis of the Text. The Israelites disease Sin The consequent of sin is wrath Ver. 3. The effect of Gods wrath the Plague The remedy was the turning away of Gods wrath Which was done by zeale And that for two reasons Five generall points raised out of the text 1 Generall point God only doth good and evill Certaine convictions for demonstrations of the point 1 Conviction The frequency of our sinning A digression touching the Sabbath proving that it ought to be sanctified 1 Because it is a Holy Day 2 It is Gods day It is further convinced 1 From the hazard of Religion by leaving man at liberty 2 From the Antiquity of its celebration 3 From the usefulnesse of a Sabbath 2 Conviction is our neglecting of dutie 3 Conviction is our not fearing and trusting him alone Quest. Answ. Discovering the Nature of trusting in God which is to be content with God alone 2 To rely upon him in Exigents Which is instanced in Hester And Daniel 4 Conviction or not walking perfectly with the Lord. Reason 2. To prove the point Reason 1. If the creatures could do good or evill God were not God Reason 2. The Creature should be God Dan. 5.23 Object 1. From the operation of second causes Answ. 1. 1 The Lord workes by them Reason 1. Which is illustrate by some comparisons By their different effects By places of Scripture Vse 1. To labour to see God in his greatnesse Which would draw our affections to God The want of it carries us to the Creature and brings us upon the danger of Idolatry By advancing the creatures in our opinions Question concerning the use of the Creatures Answ. They are to be used with a subordinate affection To looke to God in all our businesse He doth instance in particulars Vse 3. Set Faith and the Spirit on work to judge of these things Two generall points Sinne câ—uses Wrath. Which he illustrates by a Compaâ—â—â—â—n Object From the
insensiblenesse of wrath Answ. Containing in it the proofes of the Doctrine Gods wrath is a Treasure 1 Because our sinnes adde to his wrath 2 Because it lies still for a time 3 Because in time it is expended Sinne is like a stormie cloud Simile Object 2. From the generality of sin Answ. Yet all sin not alike And therefore are differently punished Vse 1. Of the Point To see sinne in its effects Which is urged from the Terrour of Gods wrath Object From the not present feeling of Wrath. Answ. It is not felt because it is not apprehended 2 Sinne remains on Record 3 And at length God will strike once for all Object The remedy prescribed is to meet the Lord. Answ. Which consists first in Humiliation In Reformation Object The smalnesse of sinne Answ. The least sinne is disobedience against God Instance of the example of Saul The example of Adam Every sinne is the setting up of another God A difference betwixt a godly and a wicked man in regard of sinnes No sinne is small for it is committed against an exact Law Mat. 5.18 The third generall point Zeale turnes away wrath 1 Proved by Scripture and instances 1 Elijah The truth of it appeares from the danger of luke-warmenesse Coldnesse provokes as much sinne Which is a stirring up of affection 2 For the Lord. 3 There must be with it intention of action Vse 1. Not to discourage those that be zealous The frequency of such discouragements The ill effects Zeale and Religion the pillars of Church and Common-wealth They are Gods Pearls though cast out in the world Vse 1. Containing many Convictions of our want of Zeale 1. From the formality of the Times 2 Conviction From our want of affection for the Lord. 2 Against sin Differences betwixt Hatred and Anger 1 Hatred is constant 2 It sets against the whole Species 3 It â—ests not but in uttâ—r deâ—tâ—uction Iudge of our Anger by these â—arkes 3 Conviction From our want of courage for the truth Object From the danger of too much boldnesse Answ. Danger of Excesse must be prevented by a well regularâ—â—g our boldnesse The Objection is prosecuted And more fully answered 4 Conviction From our want of Zeale for the Church Zeâ—le for the Church is acceptable to God even when he is angry with her It is dangerous to wrong the Church Direction what wee must doe for the Church Abroad At home Concerning the Church at home three things are â—â—mmended to â—onsideration Execution of Iudgement Specially against three things 1 Whoredome 2 Idolatry 3 Injustice 2 Contention for the Faith To which we should be provoked by the practise of her enemies Advancement of the Ministery By setting a Candle in every candlesticke By keeping out dogs that will devoure 4 Generall point If we be not zealous Gods jealousie grows hotter And his messenger must have an answer Meanes to stop his wrath is to stand in the gap Which consists in faithfull prayer 5 Generall point Iealousie for the most part shall proceed to utter destruction Two great deliverances we have had Beware the third time The story of Ahab is considerable to this purpose There is a double feare 1 A feare that puts us upon indirect means 2 A feare that sets us to work on good meanes 2 Chro. 15.2 Doct. Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable 1 How Sanctification ariseth from Iustification 1 By the worke of the Spirit Objects Answ. Quest. Answ. 2 By certaine actions in the minde and heart which are the effects of the Spirit in him 1 Vpon the understanding 2 Vpon the affections 3 Selfe-love is sanctified 4 Ingenuitie is wrought 5 Noblenesse of Spirit 6 A strong inclination 2 Sanctification and Iustification are inseâ—â— Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Vse 1. Pray that seeing God hath justified us he would also sanctifie us Encouragements to pray for Sanctification 1 Gods promise in the Covenant 2 The Covenant sealed in the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.25 opened 3 The Covenant confirmed with an oath 4 The end whereunto the Sâ—crament is appointed 5 The successe that others have had by Prayer 6 The great importance of it to us Esay 25.6 opened Ephes. 5.18 opened Vse 2. Set Sanctification as high in our esteeme as Iustifiâ—aâ—â—on The excellencie of the New Creature 1 Above old Lusts. 2 Above all worldly excellencies Object Answ. Two conditions of Adam Object Answ. 1 Iohn 3.2 Eccles. 10.5 Prov. 22.4 Vse 3. Take heed of challenging Iustification without Sanctification Iohn 3.18 Matth. 3.8 Object Answ. Signos of a new Creature 1 A Sense of it â—â—ct 26.18 2 The Vniversalitie of it 1 Cor. 5.7 Object Answ. 3 Looking upon every thing with a new eye 2 Cor. 5.16 4 New workes 2 Cor. 4.20 A New Creature what Three things in it 1 The heart must be new moulded or cast into a new frame 1 Principally his inclination is changed Quest. Answ. How this alteration of the inclination may bee knowne 2 This change is in his whole Conversation Vse Answ. 〈…〉 new 〈◊〉 itie of â—odlinesse The new quaâ—â—tie what 2 It must be done by infusion of a new qualitie of godlinesse The new qualitie what Object Answ. Vse 3 There must be a mortification of the old man Vse 2 Vse or Consectary 1 There must be something lesâ—e than corrupt nature Where â—â—od forgiveth hee healeth where he pardoneth he purifieth Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Caution Note 2 As there must be lesse than corrupt Nature so there must be more than meere Nature Observ. 2. Observ. 3. Observ. 4. Observ. 5. Observ. 1. Those that are in Christ have another Nature When a thing is said to be Naturall Caution Vse 1. Not to deferre comming to God Vse 2. Content not your selves with any thing if this be wanting All the desires that come from Nature are nothing 2 Morall Vertues 3 Transient acts of Holinesse 4 Good Intentions and Purposes Vse 3. Looke that good performances be naturall to you Quest. Answ. Simile Object Answ. Simile Vse 4. To abhor the old nature and to â—â—â—ke to have it chanâ—ed Rom. â— Quest. Answ. Vse 5. Feare not falling away Object Answ. Vse 6. Be not discouraged with the difficultie of any duty Vse 7. A change of nature is a ground of comfort Quest. Answ. Observ. 3. It must be a new Creature Consectaries thence 1 That we are redeemed from old Customes Custome hath many advantages against us 1 It gaines upon our judgements 2 It is troublesome to alter it 3 We plead for it 4 It breeds Senselesnesse Consect 2. Wonder not that the world wonders at thee Consect 3. Pull downe all that is old Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Consect 4. Wonder not at the unevennâ—sse which is found in the lives of the bâ—st men Object Answ. Difference between unevennesse in the Saints and in the wicked Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Consect 5. Expect a