it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps that is we are too weake for any such worke without Gods grace assisting of us and therefore we have good cause to bewaile our misery to lay aside our pride and confesse our poverty and to seeke some other meanes of helpe and redresse at Gods hand 2. To set out Gods power this is his priviledge that hee onely is able to do this work there are three wayes whereby things came to have their being existencie by Generation Art or Creation the two former must have matter to worke upon either in potentia as generation or in actu as Art and where there is not a matter to worke upon they can doe nothing now for as much as this worke of regeneration Eph. 4.24 the new creature is called a creation it is beyond the worke of a creature and onely a priviledge that doth belong to the holy Spirit to create in us qualities of holinesse and thereby to abolish the whole body of sinne thence it is that the Lord saith I create the fruit of the lips to be peace Isa 57.19 and the Prophet complaining in another place to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed it is that mighty and potent arme of the Lord that doth this worke it is by his power and therefore he must have the honour of it As Joab when he was in hope to take Rabbah hee sent messengers to David that he should come and take it 2 Sam. 12.26 because the honor that would have been given him was too great for him how much more should we seeing out hope is in the Lord and our successe chiefely by his power give all the honour to him CAP. XX. Certaine instructions from the doctrine premised FRom this doctrine of mortification we may observe divers necessary instructions both for the information of our judgement and well ordering of our lives as 1. First wee may learne that such a doctrine as doth give liberty to the flesh was never given by the spirit of God for the spirit is given us not onely as a bridle to curbe and keepe in sinne neither a scourge to castigate corrupt nature but chiefely as a sword to kill and destroy the very body of sinne it is the counsell of Saint Paul Gal. 5.13 that we being called to liberty should not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh that is if we doe not use our liberty with great caution and watchfulnesse wee will make our liberty to be a snare to us the word used by Saint Paul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth occasion it cometh as some think of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to make an assault Acts 14.5 because that if you give but your selves liberty never so little more then is fit the flesh will make an assault upon you as it is said of the Lion that if you come but within his reach when he is caged up hee will not misse but fasten upon you so is it in this case therefore we must beware that we doe labour for temperance and moderation otherwise the flesh will seise upon us and so while we give liberty to the flesh we lose the peace of our conscience and that peace with God unto whom wee have had free accesse and audience in our prayers Therefore know this that the more liberty we give unto the flesh the more we doe deprive our selves of our Christian liberty as the more delight that wee take in the sinfull pleasures of this life the lesser and lower will be our delights and contentments in God Herod did like well of the Baptist and heard him gladly but yet his lust and the delight he tooke in Herodias and her daughter hee did eclipse it at the best and in the end tooke it quite away Psal 32. Psal 77. Nay how was David straitened of that spirituall freedome after such time as he had given liberty to the flesh behold how many teares how many prayers how many sighes and groanes did it cost him before he was restored to his former comfort and consolation againe the more liberty a man takes for the flesh the more hee doth enthrall himselfe as the bird once in the snare the more shee doth struggle the more shee doth entangle her selfe little doe men know what disadvantages they cast themselves into when they take liberty to sin 2 Pet. 2.20.21 there is a heavie doome propounded against them if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them then their beginning if any shall say but what benefit have wee then by our Christian liberty Gal. 3.11 I answer much every way wee are freed by Christ from the curse of the Law from the irritation of it whereby it was an occasion to make us sinne more and from the rigour of it whereby we are bound to performe it and live or else in the not doing of it perfectly to die eternally we have a comfortable and free use of the creature Heb. 4.16 and free accesse to the throne of grace in time of need for the receiving of all good things both the benefit of soule and body in all these things wee see we have much liberty granted unto us but no liberty to sinne you will say how may a man doe that that hee may give no liberty to the flesh When a man will not take the full liberty that hee may take all things are lawfull 2 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not expedient it may be lawfull to goe neare the banck of a deepe river but if his foote should slip or that he should tread never so little awry he would fall into very great danger so is it here when men hazard themselves to the utmost bounds of their liberty ten to one but they drop into one sinne or another and so procure unto themselves one misery after another Gen. 34.1.2 Si tu otiose spectes otiose non specteris si tu curiose spectas curiose specteris Ber. Dinah went but out to see the daughters of the land peradventure the thing might bee lawfull enough yet because it was the utmost bounds of liberty she not being cautious lost all the fairest ornament about her before her returne thence is that of our Saviour if they say unto thee behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chamber beleeve it not why it might be lawfull to go and see suppose it might yet because there is a snare laid open in lawfull things wee should take heed we prevent if it may be the occasion 2. If you would not give liberty to the flesh shake off dulnesse in the performance of good duties Mat. 26.41 the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake the flesh is short-paced and too too ready
to it we make the sinne double Or they did sinne but it was with no ill intent and therefore it was but an infirmity I confesse the more evill there is in the intention the more wicked is the action but I doe not see how there can be an evill action without an ill intention for if the tree were good then the fruit would bee good and therefore let mee tell you that to excuse your sinne is all one as to cover your sin Prov. 28.13 and you know that he that hideth his sin shall not prosper CAP. V. Arguments to prove sinne active NOw it remaines that we give some arguments whence it comes to passe that this enemy is so active 1. Stoutnesse 1. The first is taken from that stoutnesse and stubbornesse that is in it Rom. 8.7 such a height of pride is in it that it is not nor cannot be subject unto the Law of God nay it is not afraid to contest against the holy Ghost Acts. 7.51 and to say unto the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Law what is the Almighty that we should serve him Job 21.14.15 c. And hence it is that Saint Gregory in his morall makes it regina peccatorum vitiorum for whereas all other sinnes fly away and labour to bide themselves from God as Adam did amongst the trees of the garden and as Saul among the stuffe but onely this stoutnesse of spirit is that which labours to rebell against God nay and to exalt it selfe above God and all that is called God the Lord would have his will to bee done 2. Thes 2.4 Vult Deus fierl voluntatem suam superbus vult sieri suam Ber. Ser. 4. vig. nat Psal 2.3 1 King 12.25 Vt melius posset resistere regno Juda ipsum infestare aedificavit sortalicia but the proud heart will doe his owne as they said Let us breake their bonds in sunder and cast their cords from us Now all this resistance cannot be done without much action and motion Wee read that when Ieroboam revolted with the ten Tribes from the house of David he built Sichem and Penuel two strong holds to defend himselfe and his Kingdom from the inroads which might be made by his enemies So it is in this case that when a man begins to revolt from God thÌ„e he cosiders how he may fortifie himselfe against him and this is done by our high thoughts that labour to build to themselves strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 So as Gods word if it may be shall not come neere Judg. 1.19 but they will repell the force of it As it was said the Lord was with the Tribe of Iuda and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountaine but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley for they had chariots of Iron So a Minister of God and with whom the Lord is pleased to doe great things yet some men have so fortified themselves with such stiffe neckes and such brazen foreheads that you may as soone fill the skinne of Leviathan with barbed irons Job 41.7 and his head with fish speares which Ioh made a thing wondrous difficult if not impossible as to make any entrance upon him or to convert him unto God 2 Experiments of it 2 That sinne is so active may appeare in respect of the many battels it hath fought and the many victories it hath obtained some it hath foiled as it began with David on the top of his Towre and there it drew him to lust and lust drew him to adultery and his adultery drew him to murther and it left him not there but made him to cover it with a faire pretence that the sword doth devoure one as well as another and in this case men are like Rachel that first stole away her fathers Idols and after wards when they were sought for sate on them So is it here first to sinne and then to hide it and thus it foiled Peter it found him first in the High Priests hall there hee sinned against knowledge in denying hee knew Christ and against equitie in that he denyed that he was any of his Disciples yea against that promise that he had made that though all men would forsake him yet will not I. Whereas hee was the first And as it hath soiled many of Gods deare servants Judg. 4.21 so hath it conquered and quite overthrowne others Judg. 4.21 and fastned them to the ground as Iael did Sisera that they never rose againe thus it did with Iudas the hope of gaine made him that he betrayed his Master and then went and hanged himselfe thus it was with the Angells that fell that they fell so wittingly and so desperately as there was no place found for repentance as there was for man after his fall Now as it is with a man that hath fought many battels and that hath obtained many victories sure no man will deny him to be active so it is in this case sin having given so many foiles having gained so many victories who can say but sinne is full of action and restlesse till it have accomplished its ends 3 The force and helpe it hath 3 Wee cannot marvell though sinne be active seeing that Sathan helps it forward in some he playes the Rex and rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 and note this where men are sonnes of disobedience there are they also servants unto the Prince of darknesse 1 Pet. 5.8 they come at his call and goe at his command nay hee makes them as like himselfe as may be the devill is fierce and cruell thence he is called a roaring lyon and are not his servants so No Beare more salvage no Tiger more fierce no Lyon more cruell than they are It is better saith one to be a beast than compared to a beast for a beast is good in his nature but a man that is like a beast he degenerates from that nature that should be in him How doth Pharaoh cause the male children to float on the river How doth Manasses cause Jerusalem to swimme in blood And what a monster was Herod that slew all those innocent babes from two yeares old and under Inv. Sat. 8 Nay how like was Nero to him that caused Christians to be put into coats laid over with pitch and brimstone Hino ausi quod liceat tunica punire molesta Juv. Sat. 8. Host is callidus taâ—da ad mortem supplicia conquirens animas cuprebat jugulare non corpora and to burne all night to the end they might shew light to those that passed by The devill hates our naturall life so doth hee make his servants to seeke to take away the pretious life of men as you have beard nay hee labours to take away our spirituall life that is to destroy our soules as when Christ had sowne the good seede Matt. 13 19.
King 21.29 Ahab when hee heard what God had threatned hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and lay in sackcloth and went softly now here was a truce made betweene God and Ahab but no reconciliation Seest thou not saith God how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the evill in his daies but in his sonnes dayes will I bring this evill upon his house so that the judgement is not taken away but deferred but now this spirituall warfare doth aime at peace and ends in it there is no affliction that is pleasant for the present but grievous Heb. 12.11 neverthelesse it bringeth forth the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse though this burthen be heavy yet is it the way to ease and as after a toilsome labour comes the quietest rest so after this warre the most settled peace 1 King 19.11 c. as it was in that vision that Eliah saw First came a strong winde that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces after this an earthquake and after this a fire and after all a still voyce so it is with a Christian that after many tumults and garboiles in the soule between these two enemies the flesh and the spirit comes the still voyce with joy and peace 2 Another end is honour a man that is a good souldier under Christs banner doth endeavour to fight manfully that he may honour his cause and his captaine and good reason the cause is just for it is for the defence of Christs right in our soules and we never had a better Captaine than Christ is Rev. 6.1 who rides on conquering and to conquer who hath led captivity captive and a prince against whom there is no rising but on the other side in that seeming warre that there is to be found in wicked men Mat. 6.16 they chiefly aime at their owne praise as they in their private fasting and workes of mortification disfigured their faces and were of sad countenances and all this is to be seene of men but God knew their hearts to be farre otherwise or at the best the chiefe and that a wicked man hath in any trouble or contention against any sinne it is himselfe either for the preservation of himselfe or for his owne advantage and the reason is because as the man is so are his ends if a man be flesh then his ends cannot but smell of the flesh 3 The last end of this holy warre is terrour and feare a man warres to that end that thee may put the enemy into such a feare that hee will be afraid to offend any more so a man in this spirituall warfare when the heart is once smitten hath true remorse for sinne hee will be afraid to sin againe as you have examples of David and Peter a hundred Bathsheba's would not have allured David to have fallen into that sinne againe the voyce of a silly damsell made Saint Peter to deny his master but after he felt the smart of it and had repented of it hee was not ashamed of his master no not before Princes and Judges of the world on the other side a man that is not sound at the heart though his mind may be at present troubled and tremble in respect of some foule and great sinne that stares him in the face and lyeth heavie upon his conscience yet doth it worke no change in him but after the tempest is over 2 Pet. 2.22 hee turnes with the dogge to his vomit and with the sow to his wallowing in the mire with as fresh Prov 23.34 35. and as free an appetite as ever hee did unto his sinne Solomon compares such a man to one that lyeth on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea and saith they have smitten mee but I felt it not thy have beaten mee but I was not sicke and therefore when I awake I will seeke it againe 5 They differ in their event 5 In the event this warre that is betweene the flesh and the spirit alwaies ends in a victoriour conquest over all the enemies of it as they say of truth Magna est veritas 2 Cor. 12.9 praevalebit so may I say of grace great is the power of it and it will prevaile Paul was not without this buffeting of Satan and behold the grace of God was sufficient for him to enable him to beare out the quarrell against his enemy And further hee saith When I am weake then am I strong it is with a Christian in this case as it was wiâ—h Rebeccah when she had two twinnes strove in her wombe shee comes to the Lord and saith Lord why am J thus the Lord makes this answer two nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other Gen. 25.22.23 and the elder shall serve the yonger so it is in this case here are two nations that strive within us the old and the new man and they are contrary one to another yet this is your comfort the elder shall serve the yonger the new commer shall cast out the old inhabitant Now who would not take that side on which he is sure to conquer Then must you joyne with the spirit against the flesh though you may be foyled yet you shall never be conquered for if God be with us who shall or can stand against us Hee that is with us is greater than hee that is against us it is reported of Cesar and Antony that they were wont often to wrastle together and though Antony was the stronger man yet Cesar alwaies gave him the fall the reason being demanded why it should be so the answer was made because Cesar was guided by a better Genius so if you demand whence it is that such strong and potent lusts do all fall downe before us and none of them able to stand I answer 1 Joh. 4.4 it is because wee have a better Genius greater is hee that is with us than hee that is in the world on the other side all the warre of a wicked man it never brings any thing to passe they are like the children of Ephraim that went out harnished and carried bowes yet turned againe in the day of battell Psal 78.9 what show soever there may be of goodnesse in us yet if it be not in truth it will not hold in the fiery tryall CAP. XII Shewing further the difference of this combate by the weapons of it which is cleared by two propositions 6 THe next thing wherein they differ in this conflict is in their weapons 2 Cor. 10 4. the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall so that looke what difference there is betweene a carnall and a spirituall man so much difference is there betweene a carnall and spirituall weapon if yee should see men goe to warres and instead of warlike munition one should carry a
Amazia 2 Cro. 25.2 that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart so in this case the things that they doe are good for the matter but for the manner Mal. 2.3 it is done with such cold and superficiall devotion that God saith hee will spread dung on their face even the dung of their solemne feasts yea Prov. 15.8 Es 66.3 Jer. 6.20 Amos 5.21 best things being abused become the worst and God doth much abhorre them when they are not one in sincerity therefore it is that the prayer of the wicked is abominable and all the splendid and fairest actions he doth are but guilded and painted vices That is the right circumcision Rom. 2. ult which is the circumcision of the heart 2. Propos Eph. 6.13 2. The next proposition is that spirituall weapons will prevaile unto this worke of mortification it is a good exhortation you on the whole armour of God furnish the head with the helmet of hope have your brest garded with the brest-plate of righteousnesse and your loynes girt about with truth in your right hand the sword of the spirit and in your left the shield of faith and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and as so many Centinels you must adde hereunto prayer in your spirit watchfulnesse over your owne hearts and perseverance in so doing all your dayes I should be tedious if I should handle these at large and shew you the vigor and vertue of every one of these peeces of spirituall armour I shall therefore speake so much of them as may concerne our present purpose to put a difference between these and all carnall weapons How spirituall and carnall weapons differ They differ in respect of their Author viz. it is called the armour of God these are weaâ—ons that were fashioned in Heaven so as they are heavenly both for the matter and forme 1 Sam. 21.9 that as David said of the sword of Goliah that there was none to it so may I say of these that there is none equall to them for the depressing of high thoughts and the pulling downe and demolishing the strong holds of sinne other weapons are such as are made by the flesh and Sathan together and cannot bee able to cut any sinne for if that the flesh and Sathan should be divided against themselves how should their Kingdome stand if that Sathan doe depart from a man for some small time it is but as a man that leasses his house when he takes a journey but yet retaines his right and property in it still Mat. 12.48 that so at his pleasure he â—â—y returne and then makes 〈◊〉 later end of that man worse then the beginning was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum â—ritur ex defectualicuius causa sed benum non nist ex causis intâ—gris 2. They differ in respect of their compleatnesse for this armour of God is called the whole armour or compleate armor of God They say in the Schooles that evill may arise from the defect of any one cause but to make an action truely good it must have all the causes entire so it is in this case 2 King 22.34 to have your hearts truely mortified and this spirituall warfare to prosper in your hands you must have this compleate armour Ahab was smitten with an arrow betweene the joynts of his harnesse Now if Ahab was smitten with his compleate harnesse on much more may this cunning enemy smite and wound our soules Judg. 20.16 when wee are not armed with every peece of this spirituall armour Hee is as cunning as those left handed Benjamites that could sling stones at an haires breadth and not misse how did this fiery dart of Sathan stick in Pauls flesh how did his envenomed arrowes waste the spirits of holy Job that had they not been fortified with this armour of proofe they had not been able to have stood on the other side though an unregenerate man may pretend he hath a good hope in God Heb. 11.1 yet wants hee faith as the ground and if he say he hath a good faith yet wants he the sword of the spirit the word of God and so is an ignorant man 1 Cor. 2.12 and knowes not the things of God or if he have the word of God yet wants hee the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the girdle of truth and sincerity there is ever something that is wanting and hence it is that they are not able to stand in the time of tryall but are made such vassals and led captive by him to the dishonour of God and their owne just condemnation therefore the exhortation that the Apostle useth shall be that of mine Finally Brethren Eph. 6.12 put on the whole armour of God that you may bee able to stand in the evill day 3. It is armour for the fore-parts to shew that so long as wee stand to it and fight out our good fight wee are safe enough all shall prosper in our hands but if wee turne our backes on our enemie then is it that wee are wounded and everthrowne Josh 7.8 It was the complaint of Ioshuah O Lord what shall I say when Israel turnes their backe before their enemies But alas what shall wer say when a man that hath this spirituall furniture on him the feare and dread whereof were able to put an ordinary enemy to slight the shield of faith being able to quench his fiery darts and the sword of the spirit able to give him such a strong repulse as that he is not able to stand before it submit your selves therefore to God James 4.7 and resist the Devill and hee will fly from you It is reported of the Crocodile that if so be that you flee from him hee will follow after you and teare you in peeces but if you stand to him and feare him not but contend with him hee will flee from you Beleeve it brethren there is noe way to this to withstand and resist Sathan and the flesh for if you turne your backes on him seeing you have no armour for behinde you will never be able to hold out long but will become a prey unto him and therefore if you bee in a roome at prayer or about any holy duty as reading the Scripture or any devout meditation if there Sathan shall present himselfe when wee are best imployed feare him not neither quit your place for feare of him let him not gaine that advantage of you neither give place to the Devill for greater is hee that is with you then hee that is against you Exod. 17. As it was with the Israelites so long as Moses held up his hands Israel did prevaile An quia fugisti ex acie putas to manus hostium evasisse libentius te consâ—quitur fugientem quam sustineat repugnantem Ber. Ep. but when hee held them downe the Amaleckes did