loath the creature but sinne all the imperfections and blemishes and diseases and infirmities of the creature makes not God to loath it if there be not a mixture of sinne with it because they are not contrary unto God they fight not against God but sinne fights against the purity and holinesse of God and therefore Gods hatred of the creature is onely a hatred for sinne Secondly to us it is the greatest evill the argument stands thus that which deprives us of the greatest good is the greatest evill but this sinne doth Ergo. for it doth deprive us of all things that are good but especially of two things wherin standeth our chiefest good As first it deprives us of the best outward good which is God as the Prophet saith Your sinnes separate betweene you and your God and they keepe good things from you of all other good especially they hinder the comming of grace into your hearts Now what greater evill can there be then this to keepe both God and his Grace from us Secondly it deprives us of the chiefest good within us as for example First it deformes the beautie and strength of the inward man Secondly it weakens that grace that is within that is it makes us unable to resist evill this is the nature of sinne Thirdly if you cannot see it in these then come unto the effects that it workes and it will appeare to be the greatest evill First it turnes all the faculties and parts of the soule body to evill and is the breeder of all distemperature as feare and horrour in the soule Secondly it brings all the evill that doth befall a man in this life they all come by sinne all shame reproach povertie disgrace punishment comes by sinne now if you will but consider sinne in these you will see it to be evill but especially you shall see the evill of sinne in a distressed conscience what feare what amazement what astonishment and despaire what sorrow what anguish of heart is there as upon Iudas no restitution will serve no comfort will worke no perswasion will prevaile thus if you looke upon sinne it will appeare the greatest evill Fourthly sinne is the greatest evill if you consider the medicine that must come to heale it Christ must lay downe his glory for a time hee must abase himselfe hee must come from heaven to earth he must take our nature upon him and humble himselfe unto a cursed death before sinne can be healed now put them altogether sinne is evill by nature Againe it is evill because it deprives us of the greatest good both within us and without us it is the cause of all diseases shame and reproach such an evill that nothing will heale but the blood of Christ looke upon sinne thus cloathed and it will appeare the greatest evill Make conscience therefore of little sinnes for they bring great evils though the sands of the Seas be but little yet a many heaped together make a great burthen so sinne though but in an idle word thought or behaviour seeme to be but a little sinne yet lay many of them together and they will breake the soule and make it barren and unfit to good if a man owe but little debts yet if they be many if he looke and cast them up in the totall hee will finde himselfe presently to bee but a bankerupt so it is with sinne what though the sinne be but a little sinne yet give this a little vent put it to action and this sinne will proove a great sinne give once consent and in time it will be a raigning sinne and when it is thus then it turnes the soule into evill sets it on a rage imprisons it makes it to obey and to be a slave to Sathan now what greater evill can there bee then sinne thus much for the first meanes to get the Iudgement rectified which will see sinne so as to humble it The second meanes to be humbled is this you must labour to make your hearts fit to be humble and that you may doe this you must doe these things First you must labour to get some sense of holinesse that is you must get the heart in a frame of grace for except a man get the spirit he will not be humbled but when there is holinesse bred in the heart then he will see sinne to be humble hee will see sinne out of his place Take any heavy thing especially water and in its place it is not heavy but let it be remooved out of its place and it will be a heavy burthen even so will sinne bee unto you when you have once gotten the spirit you will then see sinne out of his place and to be a heavy burthen that you will not willingly beare it but you will stoope under it and therefore the more holinesse that any man gets the more will be his sight of sinne and where there is most sight of sinne there will be most griefe for sinne and this griefe is alwayes accompanied with this humiliation that I speake of and where there is the greatest humiliation for sinne there is the greatest doore of mercy opened where there is most sence of sinne there the heart is best fitted for grace and in this case the more tender of conscience the better Christian. Secondly if you would be fit to bee humble consider another thing which is the punishment of sinne if you continue in sinne you shall be damned deprived of glory you were once good consider now wherein your happinesse consists consider that you have an immortall soule and that you must be called to an account the serious considerations of these things will make you to bee humble Nebuchadnezzar when he is brought to be like a beast then he confesseth that the Lord is God and humbles himselfe even so should wee Againe doe but consider that all things are in the hands of God and that every one of you in particular are and that he is able presently to dispose of you as he will Againe consider that God is alwayes every where that hee sees all things and that he will judge all men and that a day of judgement a day of departure to judgement is appointed unto all consider also the severity of the Iudge the sentence that hee will pronounce the punishment that he will inflict the eternity of the time I say if men would but consider these things wishly they would not goe on in sinne as they doe but the want of consideration of these things keepes men from Christ. For if the adulterer would but consider what the Scripture saith that no adulterer shall be saved or if the covetous man or drunkard c. that wholly devotes themselves unto evill would but consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9. that none of these should inherit the Kingdome of God they would not goe on in sinne as they doe Againe if they did but consider that all sinne ends in paine that
iudgements shall bee more if you be an example either of euill to others or evill to your selfe I say the greater you are in place the greater should be your care because the greater is your sinne Inferiors depend upon superiors consider I pray if you bee eminent in place what a good example from you will doe unto others that are under you and on the contrary what evill will follow from being carlesse and prophane they will marke you for an example to euill therefore you see that the greater conditions that you are in the more cause you haue to be humble The sixt meanes to get humiliation is this you must be earnest with God to get the spirit for this makes the law effectuall the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickneth the law and the letter of the law will not worke grace in you no more then the flesh will except the spirit goe with it It is the spirit that alwaies enlighteneth the minde and workes a change in the whole man and puts new habits on the faculties and objects sit for those habits and here now appeares the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell nothing will make a man truely humble without the spirit If the Lord should speake unto you this day as he spake heere to Paul yet if the spirit did not shine into your hearts it would not bee effectuall to humble you it is not the word but the spirit in the word that is able to change you and make you new creatures I say if Eliah should preach unto you or one in the spirit of Eliah hee would never humble you except the spirit accompany it it will be but like the shaking of the earth unto the Iayler Acts 16. but it must bee the spirit that changes your hearts but when the spirit comes and gives but a glimps of that light in the soule then hee can cry to Paul Sirs what shall wee doe to bee saued Felix at the preaching of Iudgement can tremble but it is the spirit that opened Lydias hart to beleeue I say if you had Paul and Eliah and Iohn Baptist that came in the spirit of Eliah yet it were nothing worth if you get not the spirit therefore be ye earnest with God to get the spirit and never rest till you finde him in your soule and remember that there was a time when the Angel stirred the water at the Poole of Bethesda that they that first stepped in were healed of what disease soeuer they had So there is a time when the Lord turnes and when the spirit mooues the heart to good let vs make vse of this opportunity and strike while the Iron is hott and grinde while the the windes blow and watch euery opportunitie because the spirit will come and mooue the heart as the Angel did the water that so wee may first steppe in and bee healed therefore if you would get humiliation bee earnest for the spirit and you may haue him for asking it is Christs promise to give him if you want him it is because you doe not aske him aske therefore that you may have him and be humbled The 7th meanes is this that as we must get the spirit so we must adde the word it is true that the spirit is the only meanes to make us humble it is the efficient meanes without which nothing will humble us it is as true also of the word because the spirit makes the word as the instrumentall meanes to humble us and therefore if you would be humble you must joyne with the Spirit the Word and that you may have the word effectually to humble you you must doe these things First you must labour to get the saving knowledge of the word because it is the meanes to humble you that is the Word with the Spirit inlightens the soule for as a man that is in the darke cannot see any thing till hee have a candle so he that is ignorant of the Word he is in darknesse and cannot see his sinnes in such a manner as to humble him or as a man cannot see the motes that are in the house till the Sunne shine into the house though they were in the house before so hee that hath not the saving knowledge of the Word in his heart cannot see the severall windings and twinings and corners corruptions of his heart till by the Spirit he come unto the saving knowledge of the Word Ahab saw not the chariots and Horsemen of Israel which Micha saw because he was Ignorant of the Word and therefore the Lord saith Ierem. 31. 34. they shall know mee from the greatest unto the least they thinke they do know me but indeede they doe not but then they shall know me that is when I haue giuen them my spirit and by the spirit they haue attained unto the true knowledge of the word then they shall know me they knew me before and they knew sinne before but now they shall know sinne by the word in another manner then they did so Paul Rom. 7. saith I knew sinne by the law that is I knew sinne before but now I know sinne by the word in another manner then I did I saw it but not with that hew as I did before the law had made mee to see things in another colour then afore Labour as to get the spirit so to get the sauing knowledge of the word The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 10. that the spirit searcheth the deepe things of God now these things are showne unto us by the word they are plainely discouered unto the soule in another manner then before Knowledge workes a deepe impression unto the soule of a Christian and searcheth into the corruptions of the heart into the diuers lusts of the flesh findes them poysonable and hence is humbled for where there is the greatest knowledge there is the greatest light and where there is the greatest light there is most filth seene and where there is most corruption seene there is greatest cause of humiliation therefore that the word may humble you labour to abound in knowledge Secondly as you must know the word so you must receiue the word as the word of God if you will haue the word to humble you you must receive it as Gods Word and from God for if it doe come unto you and be not received of you as the Word of God but as the word of man it will neither enlighten you nor humble you this is the difference betweene the word that is received as from God and the Word that is received as from men if you receive it as from God it will worke effectually in you it will make you to renounce the world it will worke feare and humiliation in you but if it come as the word of man it will be slighted by you it will take no solide roote in you it will wither and bring forth no fruite in you and therefore
REMAINES OF THAT REVEREND AND LEARNED DIVINE JOHN PRESTON D. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne â—â—ntaining three excellent Treatises Namely IVDAS'S Repentance The Saints Spirituall Strength PAVLS Conversion HEBR. 11. Being dead hee yet speaketh LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke 1634. IVDAS HIS Repentance OR THE LAMENTABLE EFFECTS OF A STARTLED CONSCIENCE Delivered in eight severall Doctrines raised from the third fourth and fifth Verses of the 27. Chapter of the Gospell by St. MATTHEVV All the usefull and profitable Observations of that late Reverend Divine IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Printed at London for Andrew Crooke 1634. The Contents of JVDAS Repentance DOCTRINE I. SVch as a Mans life is such is his Name after death page 3 REASON I. God blessethor curseth man according to his workes p. 4 1 In regard of his Truth ibid. 2 In regard of his Glory ibid. REAS. II. Manappeareth like himselfe p. 4 REAS. III. Other men in the end speake truth without enuie or feare p. 5 USE I. Not to be secretly wicked for God is a publike rewarder of all ibid. USE II. To cleansethe heart from sinne by daily repentance left sin should rot the name p. 6 USE III. To encourage good men their ill reports shall soone vanish p. 7 To discourage wicked men their good reports shall not long last p. 7 DOCT. II. Sinne seemes small before it be committed after most vile and hainous p. 8 REAS. I. Lust blindes the eyes of our understanding p. 9 REAS. II. The Divell lessens the sinne before committed aggravates it afterward ibid. REAS. III. God leaves a man to himselfe ibid. Good men for sinne sometimes of God left to themselvs 1 For increase of Gods glory p. 10 2 For awakening their consciences ibid. The reason of insensiblenesse in grose sinnes p. 11 USE To beware of the Divels subtile temptations ibid. Satans deceits to draw man into sinne are 1 Promise of pleasure profit c. p. 13 2 Hope of escape and going to heaven p. 14 3 Hope of leaving it when we will p. 15 4 Neerenesse to vertue p. 16 5 Pronenesse of Nature ibid. 6 Turning away the thoughts to something else p. 17 7 Beginning by degrees ibid. DOCT. III. Tishard to discerne false Repentance Confession and Restitution from true False Repentance goes very farre both in respect of the Reasons drawne from the Grounds and Concomitants p. 19 I. The Grounds of false Repentance 1. Selfe-love p. 20 2 Common gifts of the holy Ghost to disapprove the foulenesse of Sinne. p. 21  Hate the uglinesse  3 Aiarnall apprehension of beautie sweetnesse and excellencie in Gods wayes ibid. 4 Good Education ibid. II. False Grounds of Confession 1 Passion p. 22 2 Evident discovery of sinne  3 Torture of conscience  III. False ground of Restitution is the burthensomenesse of sinne ibid. USE I. To shew the vanitie of Popish Doctrine ibid. USE II. To exhort men to try whether their owne Repentance be true or false p. 23 Two things hinder this judging of a mans selfe I. Vnwillingnesse to search the causes whereof are 1 Along perswasion of ones good estate 2. A desire to taine some delightfull sinne II. Inability to judge Helpes to judge whether ones Repentance be true or false are by I. Inward Differences five 1 An inward inclination to holy Duties p. 24 2 An abilitie to performe good purposes p. 25 3 A particular apprebation of holmesse p. 26 4 A detestation of all sinne ibid. 5 A love to God in his Attributes ibid. II. Outward Effects 1 Constancie p. 27 2 An uniformitie in life p. 28 3 Generalitie of obedience ibid. The godly man differs from the wicked in his Relapse 1 In using all meanes against his sinne and shunning all occasions p. 29 2 In not allowing himselfe in it ibid. 3 In labouring to overcome it ibid. 4 In increasing more and more in grace ibid. Differences betweene true and false confession are 1 Confession of the least and secretest sinnes p. 30 2 Constancie ibid. 3 A good ground namely Humiliation ibid. Differences betweene true and false Restitution is a cheerefull not unwilling restoring the things we love and delight in ibid. VSE III. To teach men what to judge of others Repentance p. 31 USE IV. To shew the wofull case of such as have not gone so farre in Repentance as Iudas did ibid. DOCT. IV. Good things are approved in wicked mens consciences whether they will or no. p. 31 REAS. I. Because it is not in mans owne power to iudge as he list but from the light of conscience p. 32 REAS. II. Because Godwill have glory from all his creatures p. 33 USE I. To teach us to thinke well of the waies of God ibid. USE II. Not to be discouraged with any opposition ibid. DOCT. V. Mans nature apt to excuse sinne after t is committed p. 34 REAS. I. Actuall sinneleaves darknesse in the minde ibid. REAS. II. It begets passion that corrupts the judgement p. 35 REAS. III. It weakens the faculties of the soule ibid. REAS. IV. It drives away Gods Spirit from us ibid. USE To flye sinne that blindes our eyes and binders our receverie ibid. USE II. Being falne to remember how apt we are to excuse sinne p. 36 DOCTR VI. Companions in evill least comfortable in times of extremitie p. 36 REAS. I. Gods justice who sets them one against another that joyne against him p. 37 REAS. II. Mans nature apt to love treason hate the traytor ibid. REAS. III. Their owne love being gaine or somebase end ibid. VSE I. To make us beware how we joyne with wicked men ibid. DOCTR VII The greatest comfort in sinne proves commonly the avost discomfortable p. 38 REAS. I. The Curse of God ibid. REAS. II. Sinne makes the soule sicke ibid. VSE I. To make men take beed how they turne from God to sinne p. 39 DOCT. VIII Gods wrath and sinne charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible and insupportable p. 39 What horror of conscience is shewed in six Questions QVEST. I. How horror of conscience wrought 1 By Gods Spirit p. 40 2 By the Divell ibid. Notes to discerne by which of these t is wrought are 1 By the falsehood mingled with the trouble of conscience 2 By the Affection it striketh in us 3 By the extremitie of anguish it causeth 4 By the manner of doing it p. 41 QVEST. II. What a condition such are in ibid. QVEST. III. Whether God sends it for a punishment or preparation of Grace ibid. QVEST. IV. What is to be thought of those that are in such trouble of Conscience p. 42 QVEST. V. How to be discerned from melancholly ibid. QVEST. VI. Whether it may befall the childe of God in the estate of Grace p. 43 As in joy A good thing  The conjunction of that to
is a great difference between the hypocrite and the godly man for an hypocrite purposely keepeth some roome for his sin but the godly man desires to be reproved will willingly suffer admonition and desires no exempt place for his decrest sins but would thorowly be tried But you will further object that godly men both have and doe often relapse I answer he differs much from the wicked for 1. The godly man strives against that sinne most to which he is most inclined by using all meanes against it and shunning all the occasions thereof which the wicked man doth not 2. Although the godly man relapse yet he never comes to allow himselfe in that sin the wicked finding sin pleasing sits downe and followes it as Saul who purposed not to persecute David but finding it pleasing to his lust continued therein Pharaoh for a time would let the people of Israel goe but afterward for his pleasure stayed them 3. They differ in the issue the godly man gets the victory over his sin but sin gets the victory over the wicked man 4. Hypocriticall repentance is violent and earnest at the first slack afterwards but true grace grows more and more false is like a land-flood great on a sudden but quickly dried up again but in true grace it 's as in a naturall birth the begining is small but it growes stronger and stronger hypocrites are hot at the first but quickly grown coole I deny not but that a godly man may abate of his strength of grace as a childe may fall sicke and abate of his strength and beauty but it 's but a sicknesse and commonly after it they shoot up the more so the godly though for a while they may be sicke yet afterward they grow in grace the more for that sicknesse The motion of the wicked is violent swiftest at the first but slacke afterward but the motion of the godly is naturall slowest at the first but after it 's swifter and swifter 2. Having already shewne the difference betweene true and false repentance I will now shew the difference betweene true and false confession True Confession is an infallible signe of grace many thinke it an easie matter but to confesse aright is a very hard thing Many confesse for some by-ends or some extorting cause but true Confession hath these three properties First it 's particular it confesseth the least and secretest corruption in the heart and not onely grosse sinnes But the hypocrite although he may confesse some grosse sinnes yet never comes to full particular Confession Secondly true Confession is constant but false is onely in some good mood or in some affliction as sicknesse c. Thirdly true Confession ariseth from a good ground namely a base conceit of our selves a true shame and an earnest desire onely to glorifie God with a full purpose wholly to debase themselves and a perfect resolvtion to forsake the sinne hee confesseth which the wicked never doe 3. Restitution that is true and right differs from false Because hypocriticall restitution is in necessitie when hee cannot helpe it but it 's a burden to him then hee casts it away as a dogge doth his vomit when he is sicke by it thus Iudas restored but when we care for it and it 's pleasing to us then to restore it is a signe of grace thus did Zacheus chearefully when hee might have kept it The hypocrite restores as the Merchant that casteth his goods into the Sea unwillingly yet will rather lose them then his life Thus have we seene that there is a false repentance confession and restitution much like to the true and how they differ Then seeing there is such similitude betweene false repentance and true this should teach us what to judge of such mens repentance which is onely in the time of sicknesse it 's greatly to bee feared that it 's even such as Iudas his was false and hypocriticall onely in some mood Lastly if this Repentance of Iudas was not true what shall wee thinke of them that have not gone so farre as Iudas did to repent confesse and restore surely this is the case of many now adayes All these things that were in the repentance of Iudas are good and commendable in true repentance but we must exceed it before wee can come at heaven and therefore if they that doe not exceed it shall never come there what shall become of those that come farre short of it Next marke the name Iudas now gives Christ he calls him Innocent I have sinned in betraying of Innocent blood Whence learne That those things which are good are approved to mens consciences whether they will or no. Iudas confesseth Christ innocent now this put not a new conceit of Christ into his conscience but made him confesse what before he thought in his conscience to be so But some may say that many men that are worthy Instruments of Gods glory find envie and hatred here amongst men Indeed it 's true but it will bee but for a short time before the mist will be expelled from before their consciences and afterward although their consciences for a while may be tongue-tyed yet they will openly approve them to be good men as Iudas here did Christ. First because it 's not in the power of men to judge as they will but they must judge according to the light of conscience that is in them they cannot but see what 's presented unto them by conscience as the eye being open cannot but see what is shewed to it and it 's so naturall to the conscience to see truth for light is put into the conscience even of the wicked by God himselfe Hence is that that the Evangelist Saint Iohn sayes Ioh. 1. The light shined in darkenesse Where by light is meant the naturall light of conscience which although it maketh not men obedient to the truth yet it maketh them to acknowledge the truth Therefore Conscience by the Schoolemen is called a Virgin because it is not defiled by untruths but ever murmurs against evill and assents to truth and good it may be opprest somewhat but ever keepes it selfe streight in judgement therefore the false judgement of the wicked comes not from conscience but from lusts which when they are gone as in death or often before then they speake the truth Secondly because God will have glory from all the creatures that hee hath made and they cannot but acknowledge it to be right therfore they which sinne against the holy Ghost though they hate goodnesse because they count it not good to them yet in it selfe they thinke it to be good therefore the Devils beleeving and trembling comes from their conscience This should teach us to thinke well of the waies of God although others speake against them for it is for some secret cause and inwardly they doe approve of them in their consciences while they live and oft witnesse the same at
feare there is in them the root of comfort remaining There are many examples that may bee brought to prove the same but I know none like that of our Saviour Christ who although he was in such unspeakeable horror of conscience that it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee yet this horror was mingled with faith comfort and the assurance of Gods favour So Gods Children may have such sorrow and be so drunken with wormewood that it may make them not to know what to doe yet in all this griefe the fire of Gods love is not quite extinguished but there are some sparkes thereof remaining under these ashes Here is a Caveat to be given of two things First Let those that are in this disposition of minde take heed of that that Satan in this condition may labour to bring us unto for then they are in a disease and those that are in a disease incline unto some thing Take heed then of polluting the Sabbath and other sinnes that hee may intice thee to for Sanus and AEger differ the one desires one thing the other another Secondly Something must bee done positively for the healing of our griefe when that we are in sorrow wee must pitch it upon the proper object to wit sinne and put away all worldly sorrow for that bringeth death but sorrow for sinne that bringeth life All these things thus being expounded the point is manifest That sinne and Gods wrath being charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible Indeed when the burthen lyes on the ground we feele it not but when it lyes on our shoulders So before this horror is charged on the conscience wee feele it not but then is it exceeding terrible It is with griefe as it is with joy There are three things in all joy 1. There is a good thing 2. There is the conjunction of that good thing to us 3. A reflect knowledge thereof So also in griefe there are threethings 1. There is a bad thing 2. The conjunction of that to us 3. The reflecting of the understanding whereby we know the hurt that comes to us thereby When a man feeles and sees and knowes his sinne then is it unsupportable and the reason thereof is because that then a mans spirit is wounded and cannot beare it selfe The Reasons of this point are these three First because that sinne and Gods wrath are in themselves the greatest evill as righteousnesse and Gods favour are the greatest good Men may thinke that punishment were the greatest evill but it is not for that is but the effect of sinne sinne is the cause thereof now we know that the cause is alwayes greater than the effect Now when God shall open our eyes to see this sinne and Gods wrath then it will be an insupportable burthen This is the reason that at the day of Judgement the wicked shall cry Hils and Mountaines fall upon us to hide us from the presence of the Judge because that then God shall open their eyes to see their sinnes which if hee should doe now while they are here on earth would make them cry out as much As it is with comfort so it is with griefe If we know not of it it affects us not As the Army that was about Gebezai it comforted not him because hee saw it not So for griefe although hell and damnation be about us yet if we see it not wee doe not regard it The second Reason is taken from Gods manner of working on the spirit of the creature hee then leaveth it now wee are to know That the greatest comfort the Creature hath is the fruition of Gods presence the greatest griefe is his absence if we want that wee are deprived of all comfort as if the Sunne be absent wee are deprived of all light If there were but a little comfort remaining that would serve to hold the head above the water but if all comfort bee gone it then presently sinketh The proper object of feare and griefe is the absence of good and prelence of evill and both them come by the privation of Gods presence The third Reason is taken from the nature of conscience it selfe when it is awakened because that then it is sensible of the least sinne for every faculty as it is larger so it is more capable of joy and griefe therefore men are said to be more capable of joy and griefe than the bruit beasts and in man the soule is more capable than the body and in the soule conscience of all other parts most capable and as the conscience is capable of the greatest griefe so also of the greatest comfort it is capable of the peace of God which passeth all understanding And surely this horror of conscience is nothing else but a sparke of hell fire which the Heathen had some inkling of when they sayd they were exagitated with the furies Seeing then that the wrath of God is thus insuppartable this should teach us in all things especially to labour to keepe a good conscience and to labour to be free from the guilt of sinne if the wrath of God be the greatest evill then should the whole streame of our endevours be to take heed thereof by labouring for to keepe a pure conscience Proportion your care herein to the good that will come thereby it will bring the unspeakeable comfort without this labour to keepe a good conscience thou wilt neuer have thy heart perfect therefore labour for it consider the good it bringeth Men busie their heads here to the utmost for other things as for Learning Credit Riches Honour and all because they thinke that they are worthy their labour Let us then but consider the fruit that this peace of conscience will bring let us but gather up our thoughts that are busied so much about other things and but consider this a little which if men would but doe they would spend more time about it then they d ee for now these things are done but by the bye and have not that tithe of the time spent about them that should be which we spend about other things But let such know that it is but a folly to goe about that worke with a finger which requires the strength of the whole body When this worke of the building of grace doth require the whole strength of a man and we put not our whole strength thereto it is no marvell if we doe not prosper therein Let us therefore seriously consider our wayes let us consider with what tentations the Devill daily assayeth us Consider that it were as good get ground of the raging Sea as of raging lusts Consider these things with thy selfe I am verily perswaded that the chiefest cause why there is so much deadnesse in those that belong unto Christ is because they consider not their wayes Take time therefore to consider thy wayes It is no wonder to see men complaining of their weaknesse when
speciall meanes for the strengthning of the inward man for as hee sets up the building and furnisheth the roomes and gives power unto the soule to use them so that which makes all these effectuall is this when hee gives power and efficacy unto the meanes that are for the strengthning of the inward man now you know that the Word is the onely meanes to worke new habits and qualities in us to call us and beget us unto Christ. And if the Spirit should not adde this unto it namely efficacy it would never beget us unto Christ therefore this is the meanes to make all effectuall it gives a blessing unto the meanes of grace the Word alone without the Spirit is as I told you but as a scabberd without a sword or a sword without a hand that will doe no good though you should stand in never so much need therefore the Apostle joynes them together Act. 20. 32. he calles it the Word of his grace that is the spirit must worke grace by it or else the Word will nothing availe you Againe prayer is a meanes to strengthen the inward man but if the Spirit bee nor joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the holy Ghost saith pray in the holy Ghost that is if you pray not by the power of the holy Ghost you will never obtaine grace or sanctification The Spirit is unto the meanes of grace as raine is unto the plants raine makes plants to thrive and grow so the spirit makes the inward man to grow in holinesse therefore it is the promise that God makes unto his Church in the Scripture that hee will powre water upon the dry ground The heart that before was barren in grace and holinesse shall now spring up in holinesse and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I shall powre my Spirit upon them therefore you see how the Spirit doth strengthen grace in the soule by building and setting up the building of grace in the soule and then by furnishing the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace and then by giving power unto the soule to use those habits to good and then by giving a blessing unto all the meanes of grace The use of this stands thus If the Spirit be the onely meanes to strengthen the inward man then it will follow that whosoever hath not the holy Ghost hath not this strength and whatsoever strength a man may seeme to have unto himselfe if it proceed not from the Spirit it is no true strength but a false and counterfeit strength for a man may thus argue from the cause unto the effect the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects and on the contrary that which is not the cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so I may reason that no naturall strength can bring forth the strength of the inward man because it wants the ground of all strength which is the Spirit and therefore you may have a flash or a seeming power of strength such as the Virgins had Matth. 25. that seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a fained strength because they had not the Spirit it is the Spirit that must give you assurance of salvation and happinesse And I have chosen this point especially in regard of the present occasion the receiving of the Sacrament before which you are especially to examine your selves whether you have this or no which if you have not then you have neither strength in the inward man nor any right or interest unto Christ For I may well follow the Apostles rule that they that are Christs have the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth the deepe things of God which hee hath revealed unto us by his Spirit Ephes. 1. 13. You were sealed with the Spirit of promise Rom. 8. 11. That they should bee raised by the Spirit that dwelleth in them and againe as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your selves whether you have the Spirit but above all places there are two places which prove the necessity of having the Spirit the one is this place which is my text That you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man and the other is the place which Saint Iohn hath in 1 Iohn 3. 14. By this wee know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the brethren it is a signe to judge of your spirituall strength by your love if we be united in the bond of love it is a signe that wee have the Spirit and having the Spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed so that you must be changelings from sinne to grace before you can be saved Examine therefore what effectuall spirituall strength you have what spirituall love there is amongst you and so accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you have any right or interest unto Christ and that I may helpe you in this thing I will lay downe some signes by which you shall know whether you have the Spirit The first signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you have the sanctifying Spirit you will be full of fire that is it will fill you with spirituall heat and zeale now if you finde this in you then it is the sanctifying Spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ Matth. 3. 11. that hee will baptize them with the Spirit and with fire that is he will baptize you with that Spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spirituall heate and zeale and therefore it is said Act. 2. 3. that they had tongues as of fire and againe it is said that the Apostles were stirred up with boldnesse to speake that is when they saw God dishonoured this Spirit kindled a holy zeale in them it set their hearts on fire it set their tongues on fire so when the spirit enters into the heart of a Christian it will fill it full of heate and zeale the heart the tongue the hands the feete and all the rest of the parts will be full of the heate of the spirit And it is unpossible that any man should have true zeale except hee have the spirit therefore it is said that they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance they spake with a great deale of zeale of another nature and qualitie then they did before Well then examine what heat and zeale you have in your actions so much heate so much spirit Hee shall baptize you with the Spirit and with fire If you have the sanctifying Spirit you shall know it by the zeale that is in you in the performance of holy duties therefore I say this is an excellent signe whereby a man may know whether he have the spirit
as they were and then he prooves in the third Chapter that wee are justified by faith without the workes of the Law and this he doth to humble them and then in the rest of the Chapters hee preaches of Iustification and Reconciliation by Christ because men will not receive Christ till they be humbled And thus I say humiliation is the first step to happinesse and the first beginning of grace and bringing to Christ and therefore it is that wee generally labour to humble men in preaching of the Law and then after perswade them by the promises to come unto Christ because men care not for Christ they esteeme not of him they finde no need of him till they be humble therefore if you would receive the Gospell and Christ offered in the Gospell if you would be ingrafted into Christ then you must labour to be humble But for the more full explaining of this thing some questions are to bee answered which will make plaine what this humiliation is and what a necessary condition it is unto salvation The first question is this upon what ground or for what reason is humiliation so necessary unto salvation This will be the sooner answered if we doe but consider what is that which makes men keepe backe from Christ there are two hinderances that keepe men from Christ the first is unbeleefe and the second is a neglect of Christ unbeleefe that was the sinne that kept men from Christ in the first age of the Church in the Apostles times they beleeved not that they might bee saved that is they would not beleeve that the Messias was come in the flesh but now in the second estate of the Church such unbeleefe is not the cause that keepes men from Christ neither which wee labour most to convince men of for they doe generally beleeve the Gospell but our labour now is to draw men from the neglect of Christ wee preach Christ generally unto all that whosoever will may receive Christ but men will not receive him till they bee humbled they thinke they stand in no need of Christ they care not whether they have him or no they prize him not they looke upon him a farre off they will not have him for the fetching now Christ will never be received till he be prized above all things and this men will not doe till they be humble humiliation if it be sound will give a man such a sweet taste of Christ and holinesse and such a bitter taste of sinne that nothing will satisfie him but Christ this will make his heart pant after grace and when the heart is in this case then Christ will be prized and not before but this men will not I say doe till they be humbled It is true God can come in the still and soft winde that is hee can give Christ and the Spirit without this condition and he may likewise make men fit to receive the Gospell without it but hee will not therefore hee will come in the rough winds that rends the rockes hee will first humble men and make men fit to receive the Gospell and Christ by the Gospell before they shall have him and therefore it is said that the poore receive the Gospell that is those that are broken hearted receive Christ tendered in the Gospell because they are thorowly humbled for this cause also we Preach the Law to bring men to the sight of their sinnes that they may be humbled and therefore it is called a Schoole-master to bring us unto Christ the Law showes unto men the sinfulnesse of their nature and their indisposition I had not knowne sinne faith Paul but by the Law that is I had not knowne sinneas sinne to humble mee if I had not lookt into this Glasse if I had not beene taught by this Master and this is that which makes men flie unto the Citie of refuge that is they will not runne unto Christ till they be humbled this wee see in the Prodigall Luke 15. 16 17. hee would never goe unto his father till hee could see no meanes to escape and then hee takes a resolution to goe so a sinner will never receive Christ nor the Gospell till he be humbled Now there is a two-fold neglect the first is a totall the second is a particular neglect First I say men neglect Christ totally when they refuse all the offers of grace when they will not have Christ upon any condition they will not speake when the spirit cals they will not beleeve that they may be saved these are the same with them in the Gospell That were invited unto the marriage they excuse themselves they have other imployments that they must looke unto let Christ and grace goe where they will both farmes and Oxen and wives must first bee looked after that is they minde earthly things more then Christ and if Christ will not bee had without they loose the love of these they will not come they know the feast was ready but they mind it not and this is the condition of many men in the world they will not come in within the lists of the Gospell least they should be catcht with the hooke though they generally beleeve yet they will not outwardly professe Christ this is a fearefull condition if they continue in it hee hath sworne that they shall never enter into his rest The second is a partiall neglect and this is when they make a mixture both of the love of the world and of the love of Christ they minde Christ and grace and holinesse but they minde them not altogether that is they would bee contented to doe something for Christ but they will not doe all things it may bee they will forsake a little profit or pleasure or vaine glory or coveteousnesse for Christ but they will not forsake all These are like the three grounds spoken of in the Gospell the first ground received Christ but they would not professe him so many men will be contented to heare the Gospell but they will not professe Christ because they are not thorowly humbled or if they doe chance to professe yet they will not continue the reason why the seede in the first ground did not continue was because the plow had not gone deepe enough that is they were not humbled The second ground went yet further it not onely received the seed but it sprung up with much hope of a fruitfull harvest yet it continues not it will not suffer for Christ so many men will receive the Gospell and joy in the profession of it but they will not suffer for Christ because they are not humble that is the plough went not deepe enough to humble them The third ground went yet further it did not onely what the other did but it did that which the other would not doe that is it would be contented to suffer for Christ but yet it would not doe all things hee would retaine some pleasure and some profit
more even as water hardneth Iron when it is hot but this godly sorrow works other effects therefore the Apostle saith I was glad that you were sorrowfull because it wrought repentance in you that is it changed your hearts so much for this question The fourth question is this whether there bee any difference betweene the godly sorrow and that which is false To this I answer that they differ in three things especially 1. In the Obiect  2. In the Causes  3. In the Effects The first difference is in the object the object of worldly sorrow is the punishment of sinne the wrath of God he lookes upon these without any relation to Christ but the object of godly sorrow is sinne as it stands in opposition with the love of God towards him in Christ and howsoever a regenerate man lookes upon the punishment yet in a different degree not so much because he feares punishment as that he should give his father such cause to take such displeasure against him but it is sinne that hee principally lookes upon viz. that he hath displeased so good so gracious a Father as God hath beene unto him and this is that which workes humiliation in him but the other sees the wrath of God and hell death and that finall separation betweene him and happinesse and hereupon for feare of punishment he is humbled Thus you see the difference in the objects The second difference is in the causes the cause of the worldly sorrow is either some judgement present either upon his person or in his substance or in his family or else it is some judgement that hee feares God will inflict upon him hereafter either in his riches or in his credit and reputation amongst men and therefore for feare of these he is humbled But the cause of godly sorrow is the apprehension of sinne as it is contrary unto the nature purity and perfection of God as also of Gods love towards a man he hath an eye given him whereby he sees into the riches of Gods love unto him and then reflects upon himselfe and sees his carriage towards God for such mercy and finding no proportion betweene them hence growes his sorrow that hee should thus requite God with sinne for mercy The third difference is in the effects for as they doe proceed not from one and the same ground so they bring not forth the same but contrary effects and they are three fold First worldly sorrow it drawes the affections of the heart from God because they see him as a judge they cannot love him as a Father he takes God to be his enemy and therefore doth what he can to flye from him because he expects no good from him this we see as before in Adam Cain and Iudas but the godly sorrow it makes a man cleave faster unto Christ to sticke faster unto grace it whets the affections to love Christ to prize Christ more it workes a willing readinesse in the soule to obey it puts by that which would make him flye from Christ Secondly worldly sorrow it hurts the body it breeds diseases it wasts and consumes the Intrailes breeds and brings consumption of the body it duls and makes dead the soule it takes away the rellish of spirituall things it makes a man carelesse to good it daules and makes a man unwilling unto any good But the godly sorrow it is the life of the soule it is the health of the body it quickneth the soule of man unto good it puts a new life into it it workes a readinesse in the will and love in the affections to Christ grace and holinesse Thirdly worldly sorrow it makes a man of a hot and a fiery spirit it stirres him up after evill to reproach and disgrace his neighbour it fils him full of hatred revenge and envy but godly sorrow it breeds another kind of Spirit in him it makes him of a meeke and a quiet spirit wordly sorrow will not put up reproach disgrace and wrong but this will put up all injuries and wrongs and whatsoever else hee meets withall for Christ thus you see the difference betweene these The fifth question is this how shall I know whether my sorrow be a godly sorrow or no. To this I answer you shall know it by these three things 1. By the Ingredients  2. By the Continuance  3. By the Event First I say you shall know it by the Ingredients for first they have not onely the sence of punishment which is common unto the worldly sorrow for I say howsoever it is the property of worldly sorrow to apprehend punishment yet it is likewise required of godly sorrow to be sensible of punishment but there is another light put into him whereby hee sees into the uncleanenesse of sinne he sees sinne in its owne dye not onely sinne to bee sinne but sinne to bee vile and hereupon he will not content himselfe with mercy unlesse he may have grace but the other cares not if he may be free from punishment whether hee hath strength against corruption or no. Secondly you shall know it by the continuance of it godly sorrow is constant but worldly sorrow is but a passion of the mind it changes it lasts not though for the present it may be violent and strong and worke much outwardly yet it comes but by fits and continues not like a land flood which violently for the present over-flowes the banckes but it will away againe it is not alwayes thus but the godly sorrow is like a spring that still keepes his running it is not dryed up but runnes still it is not so violent as the other but it is more sure you shall have it still running both Winter and Summer wet and dry in hot and cold earely and late so this godly sorrow is the same in a regenerate man still take him when you will he is still sorrowing for sinne this godly sorrow it stands like the center of the earth which removes not but still remaines Thirdly you shall know it by the successe and event of it it will turne the heart unto Christ it will make the heart stand more firme in grace it will turne the whole frame of the soule unto God like the Loadstone that will not rest till it hath toucht the Iron or as the needle touched will not stand till it touch the North-pole So it is with this godly sorrow when a man hath received but a touch of the spirit he will never rest till he hath toucht Christ till he be at peace with him nothing will satisfie him till Christ come into the Soule till Christ be his nothing will make him to remove that confidence and trust that hee hath in Christ all things shall goe for Christ. But the worldly sorrow hath another successe namely to flye faster away from God as I have showed in Iudas and Caine. And thus much for this question The sixt question
is this seeing the object of godly sorrow is sinne whether there be any degrees of this godly sorrow To this I answer that howsoever sinne is the chiefest cause of godly sorrow yet notwithstanding it admits of degrees there are divers degrees according unto the apprehension of the thing conceived some sorrow more and some lesse according to the proportion of grace received every one in one degree or other but the cause in every one is properly sinne but these degrees of sorrow proceed from a three-fold cause First because God will give more grace unto one then unto another where he doth intend to make a great building of grace there hee will lay a deepe foundation of godly sorrow and on the contrary where he doth intend to bestow lesse grace there a lesser foundation will serve as in a temporall building no wise man will lay a great foundation to a little house but will proportion it according to his building Secondly because he seemes to love some above others hee expresses himselfe more unto some then unto others now where God will expresse a large measure of love there hee will worke a great measure of godly sorrow as a father loves that childe best that hee beats most Thirdly because some have a greater measure of knowledge then others some have received a greater measure of illumination then others now there is nothing more forceable to make a man humble then to be spiritually inlightned so long as a man or woman doth not come unto the true knowledge of sinne and the excellencies that are in Christ and grace he will never be humbled The seventh question is this what is the least measure of humiliation To this I answer the least measure of humiliation necessary is that which makes a man beleeve in Christ viz. makes him to flye unto him and to prize Christ above all things as the Prodigall he did not at the first goe unto his father but hee considered of it and when hee sees no way to escape then he saith I will goe unto my father so a Christian that hath the least measure of humiliation and godly sorrow it will make him to flye unto Christ the least measure will give him such a sight of sinne and such a glimpse of glory that hee will prize it above all things it will shew him that there is no way to escape hell but by going unto Christ that nothing will satisfie for sin but the blood of Christ nothing so excellent as grace and holinesse is it will tell him that he that will bee Christs Disciple must doe these two things First he must deny himselfe he must renounce all trust and confidence in any thing for salvation without Christ and hee must deny all abilitie to worke that which is good without the Spirit Secondly he must take up the crosse that is he must suffer what God will have him either in his name or body or goods this is the last measure requisite without which thou wilt not receive Christ and thus much for this last question Is it so that humiliation is so necessary to the right receiving of Christ and the Gospell this should teach us to consider our condition and estate whether we have this condition in us or no let every man by this try his condition whether he hath received Christ or no and this must not be outwardly but inwardly not a sorrow in shew but in substance and thinke not that a little sobbing and sighing will serve the turne a little ringing of the hands a few teares and a little hanging downe of the head but it must be a deepe humiliation such a humiliation that proceeds from the spirit in Romanes 8. 15. you have not received the spirit againe to feare but the spirit of Adoption you once had a slavish feare a feare contrary unto this true feare which was the spirit of bondage but you shall not have it againe but that humiliation shall proceed from another ground namely from the spirit of Adoption whereby you shall feare him not as a Iudge but as a Father therefore let every man enter into his owne heart and see whether this condition bee in him or no and thinke not to come unto Christ or to bee ingrafted into Christ without it for as I said howsoever it is not simply necessary on Gods part yet it is necessary on our parts because wee will not receive Christ and the Gospell till we be thorowly humbled And that you may see the necessity of this duty of humiliation I will shew you in five particulars that a man cannot receive the Gospell except he be humbled First a man or woman must be humble or else he will not receive Iesus Christ. To receive Iesus Christ is the first act of the Gospell and therefore we preach the Gospell generally unto all that whosoever will may have Christ but you must first receive him and this you will not doe till you be humbled till yee thinke you stand in need of Christ till then you will thinke the worke too great and wages too small as for example A woman must first receive her husband and bee united unto him before shee can bee made partaker either of his riches or honour so before a Christian can bee made partaker of the benefits of Christ he must deny himselfe and cleave wholly unto Christ and receive him so as to be ruled by him and to suffer for him But some men will say this is too much what must I so receive Christ that I must forsake all things for him To this I answer it is no marvaile though thou thinke so because thou art not as yet humbled but if thou wert humbled thou wouldest never sticke at any thing when a man is humbled hee is then in the condition that hee should bee both to deny himselfe take up the crosse and to follow Christ when a man is humbled then he cares not to bee trampled under foote for Christ to suffer disgrace reproach and shame for Christ but till then a man will not somethings a man will doe but not this therefore it is necessary to the receiving of the Gospell that a man be humble Secondly to receive the Gospell is to entertaine Christ into the soule hee that entertaines Christ so must retaine him and continue with him he must not take Christ for a day or a yeere but he must take Christ as a woman doth her husband for terme of life nay after life and that in such a manner with such a holy demeanor of himselfe that he may not give the least occasion of evill that may be to Christ. You must take heed of grieving the spirit and you must resist the workes of the devill if you contract with Christ you must takeheed of despising him take heed of giving the Spirit a non-plus And you must continue in all estates and keepe as the Apostle saith your profession
every act sinne wounds the soule it would surely make them humble this is that which the Lord complaines of in Deut. 32. to 29. verse O that my people were wise that they would but consider with themselves viz. their sinnes their afflictions my love in their deliverances that is O that they would but looke backe unto the former account and see what they have done for my love it would cause them to be humble Dolour is the reluctancy of the will now the Will will not strive till there bee a change wrought neither will a man be humbled truly till there be a thorow change in the soule therefore labour after holinesse and get both a sence of holinesse and a sence of sinne and this will humble you The third meanes to get humiliation is application you must apply both what you have received and what you have paid together and then cast up the account first consider what you have received from God and what you doe presently enioy and then consider what have I paid what have I done how have I demeaned my selfe what obedience have I yeilded what thankes have I returned Againe consider the excellency that is in grace and then consider sinne that it is evill by nature that it is evill to me that it brings forth evill effects except you thus wisely apply it it will not humble you you will not feele sinne or esteeme it as a burthen because you will not see it out of its place It will be as a heavy burthen at the foote which though never so heavy yet it is not felt it will not hurt a man so long as it lyeth there even so sinne will not be a burthen unto the soule till it be applyed unto the soule by the spirit but when it is applyed then it will bee like a burthen upon the backe which a man will quickely be weary of sinne will then clogge a regenerate soule and humble him and this wisedome wee may learne of the divell himselfe when hee will bring a man unto despaire hee will still hold out before a man his sinnes and that with aggravation of them that so he may come unto the sight of them and then he will hold out the Iustice and purity of God that he will not let sinne goe unpunished that he shall not be saved that so a Christian may be out of measure dejected and thus a Christian should doe if hee will bee humbled let him still set sinne before him and that not only in the generall but also to apply it in particular unto the conscience and especially in cases of relapse for as figures added to Ciphers doe make the totall the more so relapse in sinne is a great sinne and a particular notice of them will cause great humiliation Againe let man set before him sinnes against knowledge or great sins and this will be a meanes to humble you for what is the sinne against the holy Ghost but sinning against knowledge upon an obstinate will in despight of God and the Spirit and that the sinne of knowledge is a great sinne appeares in Acts 17. 30. At the time of their ignorance God wincked that is so long as you wanted the meanes of knowledge both of knowing mee and my Spirit I little regarded it I wincked at it that is I esteemed it not so great but past it over but now the cause is altered since I came in my owne person and preacht unto you now I will not wincke at your sinne as before I will not passe it over as I did before but I will behold you in another manner After the knowledge of sinne to fall into it and then not to bee humbled is to slight a sinne and to slight a sinne after the committing of it ismore dangerous then the sinne it selfe wounds the soule more provokes Gods wrath against a man the more as a servant after a fault committed when his Master tels him of it if he shall then slight it as not regarding it the slighting of it incenses his Master more against him then the fault it selfe therefore if you would be humbled apply sinne unto the soule and come from the generall unto particular sinnes especially fasten your hearts upon great sinnes that rule in Logicke holds true that generalls worke not but particulars are prevalent As I said before when sinne lyeth like a burthen at the foote it hurts not but when it is laid upon the shoulders then it hurteth saving knowledge breakes the heart and humbles the soule on the contrary ignorance hardens more and more this wee see in Ioh. 4. in the woman of Canaan the reason wherefore she received not Christ was because she wanted knowledge to know her owne estate generall conference and exhortations to receive Christ will not serve till Christ comes in particular unto her and tels her in plaine words that she is an harlot untill then shee little regarded him then shee can bestirre her selfe then shee can confesse and bee humbled and thus hee dealt with Paul in this place Paul why persecutest thou mee and thus hee dealt with Adam what hast thou done hast thou eaten c thus he dealt with Peter Iohn 21. 15. c. Lovest thou mee feed feed feed c the remembrance of particular sinnes wrought a generall change in them and mightily humbled them therefore if you would be humbled apply particular failings and exclude none and God will not exclude thee you know that which will take a great staine out of a garment will surely take out a lesser even so feare not but if God hath given thee a heart to see some great sinne and the assurance of the pardon of that sinne hee will forgive thee all sinnes thus much for the third meanes The fourth meanes to get humiliation is this we must labour to bring things unto a propinquity that is let vs looke upon sinne past as present and so neere at hand for this is our folly wee looke upon sinne great way off and that is the reason that sinne is so little regarded of us because we cannot as we might see how odious it is the Philosopher saith that things a great way off are as if they were not they doe not hurt us and this is the cause why men are not humbled experience proves this you know death is the terriblest thing in the world but yet because we looke upon it a farre off therefore it is that it doth not affright us now to helpe you to bring things to a propinquity that you may be humbled you must observe these two rules First I say you must looke upon things that are past as present consider that the sinne that is past is as great a sinne as ever it was though it seeme afarre off that is committed long agoe it is mans weakenesse to thinke otherwise of sinne a malefactor that hath committed a foule fact a long while agoe if his pardon be
he sets forth the actions of wicked men therefore let not this excuse hinder you from being humble because you doe good Secondly the second deceit or pretence is this they say they have as good meanings as the best whatsoeuer they may speake and they have as good harts as the best whatsoeuer they doe and therefore they are humble enough that is they neede no more humiliation To this I answer briefely you lye for if your actions be naught your heart is worse and if your speeches bee rotten your meaning is farre worse then either thy action or thy speech if your speeches bee rotten and smell of hell and yet say that you meane better or that your meaning is better then you outwardly expresse it is false for we say that if wee see sparkes of fire come out of the chimney we conclude that the fire within is farre greater so if thy speeches and actions be bad thy meaning is worse there is a greater fire within actions are but the fruits of the heart or branches that proceed from it Now in a naturall plant wee say that if the fruit bee bitter the root is much more bitter because the cause is alwaies greater then the effect euen so if thou hast naughty speeches and actions if there be bitternesse in them thy meaning hath much more bitternesse in it because it is the root from which these spring therefore let not your good meaning keepe you from being humble Thirdly the third pretence is this they say it is their nature to bee thus and thus they haue a naturall inclination vnto some particular sinne and therefore they thinke that God will bee mercifull unto them in that thing and they neede not to be humbled To this I answer that this pretence of yours aggravates your sinne the more for the more inclination that there is in your nature unto any particular sinne the greater is the sinne for inclination with consent is more odious unto God then a violent lust not consented unto which may sometimes breake out in a regenerate man without full consent the more inclination the more cause of humiliation this did David hee adds unto his sins his inclination to sinne to aggrauate them the more and to humble him the more as if the inclination gaue a greater strok upon his conscience then the action it selfe as in Psal. 51. I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceiue me that is that which makes my sin the more heynous and offensiue unto God is this because it proceeds from a naturall inclination of my corrupt nature it was borne with him and it grew up with him and this was that that troubled him and thus it is with every regenerate man Secondly to this I answer that when a man hath any inclination unto any sinne there is not such an inclination but it is or may bee restrayned by the minde but if the mind giue consent then like woade it adds unto the colour and makes the sin the more inexcusable because there is no reluctancie in the will against it but yeelds it strength unto the inclination therefore if you doe thus you add transgression unto the sinne take heede of plucking away your strength in resisting your naturall inclinations for know that it is one thing to be beset with sinne and another thing to consent unto it therefore let your inclination of nature be as it is a cause to humble you and not to keepe you from humiliation The fourth deceit or pretence is from their conditions which keepe them from beeing humble especially in the younger sort who thinke themselues in such condition that they haue a kinde of priviledge and neede not to bee humble therefore the wise man Eccl. 11. well knowing the folly of youth and what a vaine thing it will bee to reclaime them from their sinnes saith Reioyce O young man in thy youth as if hee should say for you young men it will bee a vaine thing for mee to speake unto you you will not forgoe your pleasures and your lusts and bee humbled therefore for your parts reioyce that is take your fill goe on in that course that you will not bee reclaymed from But yet remember that for all these things you must come to iudgement that is you shall bee called to an account for all your vaine and sinfull pleasures and humbled for them if not humble To this I answer for any man to thinke that hee may have excuse for sinnes because hee is in such or such a condition except they bee sinnes of infirmity hee is a foole hee never knew for what end hee came into the world for example Is thy condition greater then others art thou richer or more honourable or wise or more beautifull or strong then others are thou hast the greater cause to serve God and bee humble and that for these reasons First because you haue more accounts to make up then others have and againe you haue more wages then others have and therefore you are more inexcusable if you be negligent and carelesse where much is given there much shall be required you are bound with greater bonds and therefore your forfeits are much greater if you breake with God if a Master giue great wages vnto his servant it will bee but a vaine excuse a false reasoning if hee should thence conclude that therefore he may be more carelesse then others nay rather he should conclude the contrary that because my Master doth thus and thus for me therefore I ought to be more careful and diligent then others and if it be thus before men how can you imagine that this will excuse you before God Secondly you had more neede to bee humble because your knowledge is or should be the more and therfore in Ier. 5. 5. saith God I will goe into the house of the great men for they know my name that is they have more time to get knowledge then others haue that are in meaner conditions they haue not such meanes such time such opportunitie to get knowledge as you haue they have many outward hinderances which you have not but these have broken the yoke wherefore a Lyon shall slay them and that is because they be ignorant I will not excuse them I will take a strict account of them because they ought to know me better then others that have not the like meanes that are not freed from the distracting cares of the world as they were therefore let all in high places labour to excell in grace and abound above others in spirituall knowledge and take an example from the Nobles of Berea as they were more honorable then others in regard of place so they were above others in regard of grace they searcht the Scripture they abounded in spirituall knowledge Thidly consider that as your wages are more and your talents are more and your accounts are more so likewise your
not alwayes use it so though sinne doth not alwayes appeare bitter unto you yet it is and it appeares not bitter oftentimes to some because it doth not use its sting alwayes but sinne is bitter because it is the cause of all afflictions I say sinne is the sting and edge of every affliction take sinne from the affliction and affliction will be but a bulke without a burthen or as a Serpent without a sting or a sword without an edge and on the contrary nothing is bitter nor hurts if sinne be remooved Paul had a good conscience because sinne was not joyned with it and therefore the afflictions imprisonments and reproaches that he met withall did not hurt him they had no sting in them in 1. Cor. 15. 56. saith the Apostle The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law That which gives a sting unto death is sinne and that which gives a sting unto sinne is the Law for if it were not for the Law there would be no sinne and if it were not for sin there would not be any sting or bitternesse in death Therefore sinne cannot choose but in its owne nature bee exceeding bitter and evill and therefore esteeme how you will of sinne now but if once you come to know God in his power and greatnesse then you shall know sinne to be bitter and evill and the reason is because sinne makes us to see God as a Iudge ready to cast us into hell out of his presence and utterly to destroy us What was the reason that Paul was so affrighted and astonished in this place but because hee saw God in his power and holinesse and sinne contrary unto the pure nature of God And what was the reason that the Iaylor was so affrighted was it because the prison doores were opened no but because hee apprehended a wonderfull power in God there was a glimpse of the power of God that shone into his heart and this was that which so affrighted him so you see that the more that any man sees into the power and Majestie of God the more bitter will sinne be unto the soule as wee see in Iudas he saw the wrath of God and then sinne became bitter unto him now there is a time when God beares the burthen of his children and keepes it off from them else with Iudas they would sinke under them againe sometimes hee doth not lay it upon them but they lay it upon themselves but if God lay it on they shall see sinne to be a bitter thing Secondly as sinne is bitter so it shall appeare to be so unto all men sooner or later and that for these reasons The first Reason is because otherwise God should loose his glory I doe not say that this glory shall be taken away for nothing neither sinne nor Sathan shall take away Gods glory because all things worke for his glory neither can any thing adde unto his glory but I say if God should not make sinne bitter unto men sooner or later his glory should be suspended for a time and therefore it is usuall with the Lord to prefixe unto many threatnings his owne name the Prophets use it frequently after that they have pronounced Iudgement against rebellious sinners then they adde Thus saith the Lord and you shall know that I am the Lord that is because you will rebell against mee therefore you shall know that sinne is a bitter and terrible thing because I will not have my glory suspended therefore you shall bee punished that you may know sinne to bee a bitter thing The second reason is because every sinne is the breach of a just law now God will have the obedience of every creature framed according to his law and all their actions must bee squared by this rule And the law is this Doe this and live if thou doe it not thou shall dye So that the Law is an Injunctive Law that injoynes either a man to doe or to suffer the penalty that is jnjoynes punishment to follow the breach of it so that if a man breake the Law then hee shall bee sure to bee punished For God is zealous of his Law and hee will not passe a sinner in the breach of it without satisfaction because every injunctive Law as it binds to obedience so it binds the disobedient unto punishment The third reason is because of the Iustice of God if he should not punish sinners when they sinne if hee should not make them to feele that sinne is bitter sooner or latter he should not be God therefore saith Abraham shall not the God of all the earth doe right Gen. 18. that is spare the good but punish the wicked it is equity that hee should doe so And indeed if men punish offenders that breake the just Lawes of their Prince and it is equity for men to doe so otherwise there would be no order in the world nor no rectitude amongst men how much more shall God For all the rectitude that is in the creature comes from God and therefore this being equity with men to punish offenders surely it is justice in God to punish sinners it is his nature for Iustice in God is God himselfe But you will say it doth not appeare so that God doth punish offenders for we see wicked men prosper in their wickednesse and they have no bonds in their death as Iob saith they feele sinne not so bitter as you say it is when on the contrary the godly suffer much To this I answer that mens Iudgement is contrary to the wisedome of God in this thing God knowes better how and when and where to take offenders then men can therefore though God doth suspend execution awhile yet it is not because they shall escape unpunished but for these reasons The first reason is this he suspends the execution of punishment for a time because the time of punishment is not as yet come You know the Crowne is not wonne till the race be runne out to the end so in this the full time is not come sinne is not ripe enough but when it is full ripe then he will lance them and this was the cause that the Lord did not punish the Amorites because their sinnes was not full it was not come unto the full pitch sinne is growing all the time of a mans life it is like fruit it is sooner ripe in some then in others and that is the reason that some goe a long time in sinne and yet are not punished when others are taken in the very fact there is a bound and stint set unto every mans sinne thither hee shall goe and no further and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 2. 5. that some are kept till the revelation of Gods just Iudgement till he reveale himselfe in his just Iudgement this time is not yet come and therefore it is that they are not cut off Againe the Apostle saith in
another place What if God will suffer with great patience the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction that is what if God will beare with some a great while and punish some presently What doth it advantage them have they cause to boast themselves or rather were it not farre better for them to bee cut off presently then to bee spared a while and then to have the judgement the greater therefore when God will make his power knowne to men hee will suffer them with great patience that hee may give the greater stroke it is true men cannot conceive how God can beare and be so patient towards wicked men but you must know that He is full of patience it is his nature he is patience it selfe though patience be a quality in us yet it is not so in God it is his essence The second reason is this hee beares long with wicked men for the propagation and increase of mankind for if hee should punish men as fast as they offend and deserve death how should the Church increase how should the Church stand this were to overthrow and weaken his owne power but God is wise and knowes better how to turne the evill intentions and deeds of men for the good of his Church as for example if a Captaine upon some generall fault committed by his souldiers if hee should execute all offenders this were the way to destroy his Army and so expose himselfe unto the hands of his enemies therefore he takes but a few here one and there one to make the rest to take heed they fall not againe thus doth God hee doth not inflict punishment that is present death upon all sinners but takes here and there one to make them palpable examples unto the rest as wee see daily how the Lord meets with the sins of men then when they least thinke of sinne or God The third reason why God doth patiently beare with offenders is this He doth it for the good of some that are yet to be called and therfore you know what the Lord said unto the husbandman in the Gospell when he would have pluckt up the tares let them alone saith hee untill the harvest yet howsoever this comparison doth not alwayes hold true for he did not forbeare the plucking of them up expecting any change but only least in plucking up them hee should hurt the good seed for tares will never be wheate so they that are reprobated will never convert yet it holds good in this hee lets tares grow that is he beares patiently with wicked men even with those that as yet seeme to be so because as yet they have not exprest the fruits of their conversion and therefore for this reason doth God forbeare long to punish the wicked lest hee should destroy the seed of the righteous The fourth Reason Why God suffereth long is this that he may try the heart how it will carry it selfe towards him not that hee knowes not the heart before but that the heart may now know that the Lord is patient when hee shall consider how patiently God hath dealt with him and how long he hath borne with him for this makes men more inexcusable before God and more ashamed of themselves when they shall call to minde what time what opportunitie what occasion they have had to good how they might have stored themselves with grace and made their peace with him and then how many sinnes they have committed time after time and then what checks of conscience after to reclaime them I say if men did but consider this they could not but say that God is patient The fift Reason is this although they be not afflicted as other men are yet it is not because they are therefore not afflicted at all for indeed they are afflicted with the greatest afflictions that can be other mens afflictions may seeme to bee greater but yet not so but are lesser whatsoever they may seeme to bee and that in these respects 1. Respect Because wicked men they loose the spirit God denies them grace and that is the greatest affliction that God can lay upon any sinner namely to deny grace this was the affliction that God laid upon Saul it had beene better for Saul that a thousand judgements had befalne him then to have lost the spirit the favour of God Now wicked men they loose the favour of God they loose the obtaining of saving grace therefore whatsoever they seeme to be yet the truth is they are more afflicted then other men 2. Respect The prosperitie of wicked men is a punishment for that which slayes men is a punishment but this the prosperity of wicked men doth fit them for destruction and therefore the Wise man saith Proverb 1. 32. that prosperitie and ease slaies the wicked that is the more they prosper and thrive and rejoyce in their lusts the greater stabb doth sinne give them at the heart and the more irrecoverably are they smitten therefore they have no cause to brag of their prosperitie 3. Respect Is this because they may wither and die in their sinnes and that is a great punishment for because they are not afflicted as other men are therefore it is that their superfluous branches of lust and covetousnesse and pride are not lopt off for afflictions lop these off which hinder the growth of saving grace as you know the superfluous branches of any tree hinder the growth of the other branches if they be not cut off they will make them to wither and die thus it is with wicked men because they are not afflicted they begin to wither and grow cold unto good The body doth not so much wither with age as the inward man doth by these lusts theybreed a consumption in the soule that will not be recovered 4. Respect Againe though we see them not afflicted yet they have many afflictions which wee know not even as the godly have many inward joyes and comforts in their hearts which wicked men never felt so wicked men have many strong feares in their hearts and many sudden flashes of the fire of hell in their soules much hollownesse in their hearts much sorrow mingled with their carnall joyes and often affrighted with the jawes of death and arrested with horrors of conscience though outwardly they seeme to the world to be the joyfullest and happiest men in the world yet the truth is they are the most miserable and sorrowfull men in the world for as the inward joy is farre greater then the outward joy so the inward sorrow is farre greater then the outward sorrow alone thus you see the point prooved The use of this should teach us not to delude our selves in the matter of afflictions in afflictions we are ready to conclude because our afflictions are greater then others that therefore we are greater sinners but here you see the contrary the greatest sinners are not alwayes outwardly the greatest afflicted for God