Because and it may be so translated Although the Imagination of mans heart is evil c. Yet the Chaldee Paraphrase â—eptuagint Hierom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. and Montanus render it Because But though it be so translated yet that is enough to make good the Truth and Doctrine which I urge from this Scripture Qaia cogitatio Montanus The Covenant that the Lord makes with his People is such a Covenant as the Lord made with Noah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldee Par. so saith â—he Prophet Isaiah What then Therefore if God be in Covenant with a man he shall never lie under wrath again for though the World sin the World shall never be drowned again and so though he do sin he shall never lie under wrath again Now as for the People of God they are all in Covenant with God they are under this gracious Covenant and therefore though the Mountains may be removed Gods Mercy shal never be removed from them and though the great Hills may be thrown into the Sea the People of God once in Covenant with God shal never be thrown into Hell and tell me then Have you that are the People of God any just cause or reason to be cast down or to be discouraged Answ 3 Thirdly If the very sins of Gods People through the over-ruling hand of Grace shall be an occasion of more Grace and Comfort to them than ever they had in all their lives before then surely they have no reason to be discouraged in this respect Now mark it and you shall find That God doth never suffer his People to fall into any sin but he intends to make that sin an in-let unto further Grace and Comfort to them This ye see in the first great Sin that ever was committed by the Children of Men the Fall of Adam the Lord himself came and preached the Gospel preached Christ unto fallen Man and surely when God himself preached the Gospel we are to think the man was converted Now the greatest Blessing that ever the World saw was the Righteousness of Jesus Christ but how came that about God suffers man to fall and mans Unrighteousness must usher in Christs Righteousness The Scripture tells us that the Lord suffered Hezekiah to fall that Hezekiah might know all that was in his heart he did not know his own heart before and therefore the Lord let him fall that he might know his own heart But if you look into the Romans Chap. 11. you shall find in so many words what I am now speaking verse 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbeleef Why That he might have mercy upon all O! what a blessed design upon Unbeleef is here Therefore God concludes all under Unbeleef that he might have mercy upon all Sin gets not but is a loser by every fall of the Godly And if ye look into the Scripture ye shall observe That when the People of God fall usually they fail in that Grace wherein they do most excel and wherein they did most excel therein they did most miscarry Abraham did most excel in Faith and therein he did most miscarry Moses did most excel in Meekness and therein he did most miscarry we read of no other sin concerning Moses but his Anger Job did most excel in Patience and therein he did most miscarry Peter did most excel in Zeal and Resolution for Christ Though all the World for sake thee yet will not I and therein he did most miscarry denying Christ at the voyce of a Damzel I say ye shall observe this That the Saints fell and failed in that Grace wherein they did most excel and they did most excel wherein they did most miscarry what 's the Reason of this but because the Lord by the over-ruling hand of his Grace did make their very miscarriages in-lets and occasions to their further Grace and Holiness God hath a great Revenue from the very infirmities of his People He doth never suffer any of his People to fall into any sin but he hath a design by that fall to break the back of that sin they do fall into Now then have the Saints and People of God any reason to be discouraged in this respect By their sin they may be and are often times suspended from their Comforts and use of their Priviledges but by their sin they do not lose their right thereunto Ye know how it was with the Leper in the times of the Old Testament among the Jews when he was carried out of the City or Town from his own House by reason of his uncleanness Or now if a man that hath the Plague and be carried from his own House by reason thereof the Leper then and the man that hath the Plague or the Pest now may say Though I be removed from mine own House and have not the use of my House yet I have a right to my House still and though I cannot come to the use of my Land yet I have a Right to my Land still So a Godly man may say as concerning his sin This sin of mine indeed it is a Pest and the Plague of my Soul and a Leprosy but though by this Leprosy of mine I am now suspended from the use of my Comforts yea from the full use of my Interest in Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding I have an Interest in Christ still I have not lost my Interest still I have Right to Christ although I cannot come to the use of him as I did before yet I have right unto Jesus Christ now as I had before And if all these things be so Why should a godly man be cast down or discouraged in this respect Surely he ought not to be so Object But suppose a mans sins be such as never were pardoned before and truly that is my case for I have sinned a great sin and I do not read in all the Word of God any example that ever such a sin as mine was pardoned Have I not reason now to be quite discouraged and cast down Answ No For I pray what do you think of Adam Adam sinned a great sin in our first Fall the Lord himself came and preached the Gospel to him The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Should Adam have said O! but there is no hope for me for I have no example or precedent of pardon Adam could have no Example of any that was pardoned before him because he was the first man and the first that sinned Should he have sate down and been discouraged because he could not find any Example for the pardon of the like sin that he had committed You know what our Savior Christ said Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unless it be the sin against the Holy Ghost every sin though it be boyled up to blasphemy You say you have no example for the pardon of such a sin as yours is but doth not your sin come within the compass of these words Every Sin
for them for whatever God gives in time he gives upon the account of Christs Merit but in time he doth give Grace and Holiness for he doth bless us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Now Grace and Holiness are Spiritual blessings and therefore God doth bless us therewith in Christ 2. Look what the Father promiseth that he doth give out upon the account of Christ for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Grace and Truth comes by Christ the fulfilling of the Promise is truth but God the Father hath promised Grace as wel as Glory I will write my Law in your heart I will take away the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh I will give you a new heart saith God 3. Whaâ—ever Grace is derived from Christ and communicated by him to us he merited for us But of his Fulness we do al receive even Grace for Grace 4. We pray to God for the Conversion and Regeneration of sinners and we beg this in the Name of Christ thereâ—ore Christ hath merited not only Glory but Grace and Holine s. And 5. The Apostle tels us expresly in 2 Tim. 1.9 That we are called with an holy Calling in aâ—d by Jesus Christ Wâ—o hath saved us and called us with an holy Caâ—ling not according to our Workâ— but according to his own purpo e and Gâ—ace whiâ—â— he hath given us in Christ Jeâ—us before the Woâ—ld began As God doth work al Naâ—ural things by Second Cauâ—es so he doth work al Supernatural things by Christ By Câ—rist â—e dâ—d make the old Creation as he was the Eteâ—nâ—l Son of God and by Christ he makes the new Creation as our Mediator Now look what the Father worketh by him that did he merit for us but our new Creation is wrought by him and theretore he did not only merit Heaven and happiness but al our Grace and Holiness for us 2. He did not only merit the impetration of our Redemption but the application of it also the application of the means of Grace and the application of his own Merit for his Death is made the Reason of this application Meritum Christi sufficienter operatur ut causa universalis salutis humanae sed oportet hanc causam applicari per scripturam et per fidem formatum et ideo requiritur aliquid aliud ad salutem nostram praeter meritum Christi cujus tamen meritum Christi est causa Tho. Aquin. quest 29. de gratia Christi art 7. Esai 53.11 By his knowledg shal my righteous Servant justifie many for he shal bear their iniquities so again Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God and for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Covenant Now if Christ shal therfore justifie many because he did bear their sins then he did merit this application for al those whom he died for 2. If Christ did not merit this application then there is some Grace which is not from Christ Haec applicatio est maximum Dei donuÌ„ et maxime necessaria ad salutem sed Christus meruit nobis omnia Dei dona et omnia media necessaria ad salutem ergo haec applicatio est ex meritis Christi Suarez disput 41. sect 2. Nemo propter solum peccatum originis damnatur Armin. contr Perk. Arnold Corvinus contra Tilen p. 391. or this application is no Grace but the application of Grace and of Christs Merits and Redemption is Grace and there is no Grace which we have but is al from Christ 3. Our other Adversaries tel us that no Child perisheth or is damned only for Original sin but that sin is taken off from al by the Death of Christ therefore the death of Christ and his Merits are applied unto al Infants and if so then he hath merited the application of Redemption for al or else he did not die equally for al as they say 4. Look what God hath promised that Christ hath merited but he hath promised the application of Christs death Merits for saith he My Servant shal deal prudently he shal be exalted so shal he sprinkle many Nations Alias non perfectius meritum Christi esset causa salutis pâ—aedestinatorum quam non pâ—aedestinatoruÌ„ quia quod attinet ad sufficientiam meriti aequaliter respicit omnes homines sed differentia est in hoâ— quod quibusdam applicatur illud meritum quibusdam non ergo si haec applicatio non cadit sub merito Christi meritum Christi â— qualiter râ—spiceâ—et praedestinatos et non p aedestinatos Zumel quest 23. art 5 Isa 52.15 And 5. If he did not merit the application as wel as the impetration of our Redemption then he merited no more for those that are in Heaven than for those that are in Hel no more for those that are saved than for those that are damned For he merited the impetration of Redemption for al the particular men of the World say they But he did merit more for the saved than for the damned else those in Heaven have no more cau e to praise God and to be thankful unto Christ than those that are in Hel. Surely therefore our Lord and Savior Christ when he died did not only merit the Impetration but the Application also of our Redemption 3. He did not only merit a sufficiency of Grace for us but the efficacy of Grace also Hoc etiam salubriter profitemur et credimus quod in omni opere bono nos non incipimus et postea per Dei miserecordiam adjuvamur sed ipse nobis nullis praecedentibus meritis et fidem et amorem sui inspirat Concil Araufican 2. can 25. For look what Grace the Father gives in time that the Son merited for he blesses with al spiritual blessings in him but the Father doth not only give forth a sufficiency of Grace but the efficacy of it for saith the Apostle he worketh in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wil and the deed 2. Look what Grace the Father promiseth us that Christ merited for us but the Father promiseth not only a sufficiency but the efficacy of Grace I wil put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my waies saith God 3. Christ is the Mediator of the new Covenant upon the account of his Death Heb. 9.14 15. therefore whatever Grace is promised in the New Covenant his Death is the meritorious cause of but the efficacy of Grace is promised in the new Covenant I wil write my Law in your hearts Heb. 8. 4. The Death and Obedience of Christ is more meritorious for us than the Sin and Disobedience of the first Adam was against us Rom. 5. But the Sin and Disobedience of the first Adam did not only merit a sufficiency of evil but the efficacy of evil upon our Nature and therefore the Death
and then he recovers his Peace O saies he what an extraordinary blessing and mercy is this Now God will somtimes raise the price of this Commodity from an ordinary to an extraordinary blessing and therefore he doth suffer his own Children and deerest Servants to be thus discouraged and their peace to be interrupted Thirdly God is a tender Father and he would have all the Love of his Children he would not have his Children to love their Nurse more than himself Our Joy and Peace and Comfort is but the Nurse of our Graces now when God sees that his Children fall in love more with the Nurse than with himself then he removes the Nurse and causes their Peace to be suspended and interrupted he will not have the Nurse to be loved more than himself Fourthly Somtimes God doth suffer this cloud to arise upon the Peace and Comforts of his People Ignorandum non est consolationes spirituales esse infantium ciâ—um lac dulce quo Deus nutrit suos a mundi voluptatibus avocat ut harum volupâ—atum inescati dulcedine alias omnes consolationes contemnant amoris Divini dulcedine capti omnem amorem mundi abjiciant Deus negat suis consolationes ut siant perfectiores Granateus that he may train them up unto more perfection Comfort is the Childrens Milk ye may observe therefore that the weaker Christian hath somtimes more lively sensible Comforts than the stronger Christian hath Why but because this inward Joy and Peace and Comfort is that Milk and sweet Honey whereby they are drawn off from the pleasures and sweetness of the world and as these Comforts do wean us from the worlds comforts so we have need to be weaned again from these weaners which God doth somtimes by restraining of them and so we grow up unto more perfection Fifthly Somtimes again God sees his Children do grow vain and light and froathy and wanton and secure under their Peace and Comfort and then he withdraws himself hides his face and so they do lose their Comfort This was the case in Canticles 5. where the Spouse saith My soul failed within me at verse 6. But why I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself And why had he withdrawn himself He comes and makes a tender of Love and Mercy verse 2. and she would none verse 3. I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them that is I am now laid to sleep they are words that import security and upon her security he withdraws himself and being withdrawn her soul fails within her And thus it is many times with the Children of God in their particulars the Lord sees that they grow secure vain froathy and wanton under their peace and comfort then he withdraws himself and their peace faileth Sixtly Our Lord and Savior Christ is a tender Chyrurgion who hath set all our bones which we our selves have broken by our sins You know that a wise and an honest Chyrurgion though he desire his Patient may be quickly cured yet if he sees the Plaister doth not lie right he takes it off again for it is not laid right saith he So doth Christ do he sees that the Comforts of his People somtimes are not right laid and therefore saith he though I desire this poor wounded soul may be quickly cured yet because this Comfort this Promise this Experience doth not lie right it must be taken off again Now the Comforts of the Saints are so laid somtimes as the very laying of them doth breed discomfort As in the sowing of Seed it is not enough that the Seed be good but it must be well sown else the very sowing thereof may cause weeds So though Light be sown for the Righteous yet somtimes it is so sown as that the very sowing thereof doth breed these weeds of fears and discouragements that you may say and that without Prophesie Here is a poor soul that ere long will be much discouraged though for the present full of comfort Object But this is hard to say Can ye foretel a mans Discouragements even in the time of his Comfort who is there among all the Saints so comforted concerning whom you may say surely this man will be much discouraged again Answ 1 First When a man a good man doth lay his Spiritual Comfort upon outward Blessings you may say before-hand this mans Comfort will never hold but ere long he will be much disquieted and this was the reason why the Saints in the time of the old Testament labored under so many Discouragements even because they measured the Love of God so much by these outward blessings Psal 143.4 Therefore my Spirit is over-whelmed within me Why so Verse 3. Because the enemy prevailed He measured Gods Love too much by these outward things and therfore when the Enemy broke in upon him he thought God did not love him and so he was over-whelmed thus in regard of all outward blessings Seest thou therefore a man who raiseth his perswasion of Gods Love from the smiles of any Creature say of such a man before-hand O this poor soul ere long wil be in the dark and under some discouragements Answ 2 When a man is unthankful for true Peace and unhumbled for false Peace he cannot hold his Peace long Before a man is converted he hath Peace within For when the strong man keeps the house all is at Peace but it is false Peace after a man is converted he hath Peace within and it is true Peace God expecteth that a man should be humbled for his former false Peace and thankful for his present true Peace Now when God sees one both unhumbled for false Peace and unthankful for his present true Peace the Spirit of the Lord is grieved so it withdraweth and the soul is comfortless Answ 3 When a man doth raise his Comfort only from somwhat that he doth find within himself from Grace that he doth find within and not from Grace without from Christ within and not from Christ without then his Comfort will not hold Perpetuum est quod habet causam perpetuantem that is perpetual which hath a perpetuating cause Grace without is perpetual Christs own personal Obedience in the merit of it is perpetual but the actings of Grace within us are not perpetual or not perpetually obvious to sight and therefore cannot perpetually comfort Indeed our Grace within and obedience is in some respects a cause of our Peace First a Causa sine qua non a cause without which we can have no Comfort for a godly man can have no comfort if he have no obedience Secondly A cause which doth removere prohibens remove what hinders our Comfort namely our sin Thirdly A Cause witnessing for there are three that bear witness The Spirit Water and Blood Water which is our Sanctification is one Fourthly A Cause confirming for by our Obedience and Sanctification our
your own condition and pitch upon sin as a breach of Gods Law a transgression of the Law of God a dishonor done to God and as a breach of the Law of Love between Christ and you Thus I say if you would be humbled and not discouraged rather mourn over your Condition in order to your Sin than for your Sin in order to your Condition Answ 4 Fourthly In your Humiliation take heed that you do not meddle too much with Gods Prerogative and with Gods Peculiar In Humiliation a man is to meddle with that which belongs to man Some things there are that are peculiar to God and are his Prerogative You see how it is with the Birds of the Air so long as the Birds fly up and down here in the Air they do live comfortably but if the Birds do fly up to the Element of Fire it wil burn their Wings and they will fall down head-long So here so long as a man in his Humiliation keeps within his own Compass and Element he may walk comfortably there but if a man in Humiliation will soar up unto Gods Prerogative certainly his Soul wil fal down upon the Earth and be much discouraged Now I pray what is more the Prerogative and Peculiar of God than this To know who is a Reprobate and who is not When a man is humbled and grieved about his Sin and he finds that he hath sinned much against God and thereupon he concludes himself to be a Reprobate is not this â—o come upon Gods Prerogative The Scripture tels a man indeed what he is for the present That a man for the present is a Drunkard or a Swearer or a Sabbath-breaker or an Adulterer and therefore the Scripture tels him for the present that he is in the state of Nature and under the wrath of God but doth the Scripture tel him that he is a Reprobate that he can never be converted and turned to God Surely this is Gods great Prerogative to know his Secret which he reserves to himself and therefore when a man goes to be humbled before God and concludes O! I am a Reprobate and there is no hope for me and I shal never be converted this is to soar too high into Gods Prerogative and he wil burn his wings and he wil fal down into great Discouragement Therefore in al your Humiliation take heed that you do not fal upon any thing that is the Peculiar and Prerogative of God for then you wil not be humbled but discouraged Answ 5 Fifthly The more you are humbled and grieved by the Sight of Gods free Love and Grace the more you wil be humbled and the less discouraged When you come to Humiliation you are humbled because you have sinned against God but how do you present this God to your own soul Do you present him as a Judg only or as a Father also Do you present the Lord unto your soul only under the Notion or Attribute of his Greatness or under the Notion and Attribute of his Goodness also Luther said thus When my heart is brisk and jolly I present God unto my self under the notion of his Greatness but when my heart is low and fearing then I present God to me under the notion of his Goodness One while I consider Christ as my Example another while as my Gift when my heart is too high then I consider Christ as my Example when my spirit is too low I consider Christ as my Gift So do you also I know you wil say I cannot somtimes present the Lord unto my soul under the notion of a Father because I have no assurance of his Love Yet you may consider the Lord as gracious in himself as good in himself and loving in himself and say I have thus and thus Sinned against a gracious God and although thou hast not assurance of Gods Love to thee in Particular yet if you can present God to your soul under the Notion of his general Goodness as good in himself you will never be discouraged but be humbled Answ 6 Sixtly and lastly If you would be truly humbled and not be discouraged not discouraged and yet humbled then beat and drive up all your sins to your unbeleef and lay the stress and weight of all your sorrow upon that Sin As in matter of thankfulness if a man do run up every Mercy unto the Fountain Mercy the Blood of Jesus Christ he wil be most thankful So in the matter of Humiliation If a man do run up every Sin unto the Fountain the Head Sin he wil be most humbled Now what is the great Sin the Fountain Sin the Head Sin of al your Sins but Unbelief and beleeve it he is never far from Faith that is humbled for his Unbeleef and he wil never be discouraged that is not far from Faith Now therefore if at any time you find your soul in any Sin then say This hath my Unbeleef done I did not think that I had had such an unbeleeving heart O! what an unbeleeving heart have I This even all this Sin hath my Unbeleef brought forth Now the Lord heal my unbeleeving heart A soul grieved for unbeleef wil never be discouraged too much nor be humbled too little he wil be humbled in truth for sin because he is humbled for his unbeleef which is the mother Sin yet he wil not be discouraged because he is humbled for that which doth cause al discouragements Lay therefore the weight of your sorrow upon this Sin and you shal be truly humbled without unjust discouragement And thus I have dispatched the first particular by al which you see That a Gracious Godly man though he hath just cause for humiliation yet he hath no just and scripture reason to be discouraged for his Sin though he have Sinned and Sinned greatly yet no discouragement is to grow upon this condition And thus I have done with the First Instance A LIFTING UP In case of WEAK GRACE Serm. V PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 2 SOmtimes the Discouragements of the Saints do arise from the weakness of their Graces O! saies one I am a poor feeble and a weak Creature some are strong in the Lord and in the power of his Might who do a great deal of Service for God in their day but as for me I am a poor Babe in Christ if a Babe and so am able to do little or nothing for God Therefore I am thus discouraged and cast down have I not just cause and reason for it Answ No For God is able to make all Grace to abound towards you that ye alwaies having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good Work 2 Cor. 9.8 And if God have recompenced your weakness with Wisdom then surely you have no cause to complain of your weakness Admonemur nullam creaturam propter parvitatem contemnendam esse quando qui dem quod illis in
to her Verse 13. Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die I have not found thy Works perfect So that though your Grace be weakened and that by your own sin insomuch as all seems to be ready to die yet there is a Promise belonging to such a condition and therefore no just cause or reason for Discouragement though much cause of Humiliation Object But I am not discouraged at the weakness of my Grace because of mine own guiltiness only but because of its likeness and similitude unto common Grace I know that it is a contradiction to say That a little Grace is no Grace at all but my little is so little that I even fear that it is none in truth If the piece of Coyn that I have be little yet if it be Gold it is well but if it be little and a Counter too then what am I the better Now so it is that I fear my little is but a Counter and not true Grace indeed therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ No For though your Grace be never so smal yet if it be good Coyn and not a Counter then you have no reason to be discouraged in this regard Now to satisfie you in this scruple I 'le tell you what smal weak little Grace will do and not do in opposition to common Grace It will not oppose much Grace the least Spark of fire will not oppose the flame or resist the flame Water will because Fire and Water are contrary and so false Grace will oppose the highest degree of Grace saying What need you be so strict and precise You may go to Heaven with less ado but the least degree of true Grace wil not oppose the highest It loves Examination it loves to examine and to be examined for it is sincere and sincerity is much in examination it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it holds up all its actions to the Sun and light it doth love the work of examination false counterfeit common Grace doth not so It is very inquisitive after the waies of God and after further Truths As the man that climbs up into the Tree first gets hold on the lower Boughs then on the higher and so winds himself into the body of the Tree till he comes to the top So doth a Christian do he begins with the lower then unto higher and so to higher discoveries at the first therefore he is most inquisitive What shall I do to be saved saies he and again Lord what wilt thou have me to do False and common Grace is not so It is much in the work of Humiliation it grows in a waterish place Now suppose that two Herbs be much alike the one soveraign and the other naught and it be told you that the soveraign good Herb grows in a waterish place and the other on a Rock will you not easily discern those by the places where they grow Thus it is here the weak Grace of the Saints grows in a waterish place it is much in Humiliation but the common false Grace of Hypocrites grows on a Rock As a weak Christian is very apt to rest upon his own doings so he is much in doing and in the work of Humiliation most It works according to the proportion of its own weakness it staggers at the Promise yet it goes to the Promise it doubts of Christs Love yet it doth run to Christ it stumbles yet it doth keep its way it is ignorant of Christ and not so forward in the knowledg of Christ as it should be yet it is laying of the foundation Heb. 6.1 It is the fault of a weak Christian that he is alwaies laying the foundation yet he is laying of the foundation though it works weakly yet it works according to the proportion of its weakness but the common false Grace doth not so It is willing to learn of others For saies a weak Christian I am but a Babe in Christ and therefore why should not I be willing to be carried in others Arms The less I can do the more I will receive as the strong Christian is much in doing so must I be much in receiving It is not thus with that false and common counterfeit Grace But as the Naturalists do report and write of the Lyon That he wil not eat of any Prey but what he hath hunted down himself other Beasts will Aelian de Animal they wil prey upon what is killed by others but the Lyon King of the Beasts is so proud that he wil not eat of that which is killed by another So men that are strong in Parts and Gifts and have no Grace withal will not eat of that which they do not hunt down themselves if they hunt it down then they wil close therewith else not A strong-graced Christian will and a weak-faithed Christian will but he that hath Parts and Gifts alone cannot rellish that so well which is brought to hand by another .. It is very sensible of it's own weakness A weak Christian is weak and he doth feel his weakness and is very sensible of it not a man in all the world Deo placet fides infirma modo nobis non placet fidei infirmitas Austin saith he that is more weak than I. Now ye know that if a Lady or Queen come to an House she hath a great Train attending upon her and though ye see her not yet if you see her Train you say she is there still Such a great Queen is Grace though a man have never so little of it yet it brings a great Train with it and though you see it not yet if you see the Train will ye not say surely the Grace of God is here Thus now it is with you that are weak in Grace these Seven things and a far greater Train than these you may see in your lives and therefore certainly you have no just cause and reason for your Discouragements in this respect Object O! but yet this is not the thing that doth pinch with me I hope through mercy the Root of the matter is in my soul that this great Queen of Grace hath taken up her lodging in my heart but yet I am exceeding weak in Grace and very feeble still some are weak in Grace because they are but new Plants new Converts lately brought home to Christ and are yet Babes in Christ and so they have excuse for their weakness but I profess that I have been converted a great while yet I am weak I am an old man or woman yet I am weak in Grace I am an old Professor and yet am weak in Grace therefore I am thus disquieted have I not just cause and reason now Answ No For though it is a shame for an old man to go in Coats or to be carried in the Arms like a Babe as every weak Christian is and though Christ will upbraid men of their slowness and dulness that have long
this Work I wil admire and though I cannot reach it yet I wil not blaspheme and â—peak against it And if heretofore Christian thou hast found God breathing upon thy heart in any Ordinance publick or private Hinc discimus quantopere nobis ab odio fratrum câ—â—ndum est quandoquidem eo sit ut quandoque odio hominis in ipsam Dei vâ—ritatem feramur precipites Cartw. Harm â—ag 357. or in any Way of God take heed as for thy life that thou dost never speak evil or blaspheme that way of God wherein thou hast sound the Spirit of God breathing This Sin is alwaies accompanied with invidentia fratrum with the envy of the Saints and therefore some have thought the Sin against the Holy Ghost did consist in it in the envying of the Saints but though that be not it yet that accompanies it Canst thou not find thy own heart rise to those heights of Graces that others do take heed you never envy the Saints lest you fal from envying those that are good to oppose Goodness it self which is the proper Work of the Holy Ghost And if indeed you would be kept from this great Transgression then take heed of al declinings and the steps thereof There are three steps as in our Conversion to God so in our Apostacy declining and going out from God Three steps in our coming in to God First a mans Affection is taken with that which is good Then his Judgment is convinced And then his Wilstrikes in and he resolves with al his heart and soul to cleave to the Lord for ever So in a mans Declining and going out from God First a mans Affection declines Then his Judgment alters I thought so and so indeed before but now I am of another mind And then it comes to his Will and he wil go on and let Parents say and Ministers say and Friends say what they wil yet he wil go on and that because he wil. Now saith the Apostle If any man sin wilfully after he hath received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin therefore as you desire to be kept from this great Transgression doth your Affections decline take heed your Judgment do not alter Doth your Judgment alter take heed that your Wil be not perverse O! take heed of al Declinings and the stepâ— thereof But finally Forsake not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some have been but as heretofore provoke one another to Love and good Works and so much the more as you see the day approaching and what I say to you I say to al and to mine own soul Let us breath after the Spirit and walk in the Spirit For there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O! let us pray to God for his keeping Grace it is he alone that keeps us and the Lord keep al our souls from this great Transgression OF THE SIN OF INFIRMITY Wherein is shewed besides other things I. That a man may possibly fall into the same Sin again and again yet be a true Disciple II. That this Sin may be but a Sin of Infirmity III. That being so Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. OF THE SIN OF INFIRMITY Matthew 26.43 Preached At Stepney And he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy IN the Verses next precedent and consequent you may see the difference between the true and the false Disciple both sin'd but they differ in their sin and in the issue of it The true Disciple sleeps when he should have prayed and he slept again and again that was his sin for our Savior commanded them to watch and pray but Christ wakened them and would not leave them sleeping he came to them with his wakening mercy and they were awakened that was the issue of their sin But the false Disciple Judas was awake and he watched unto what was evil the good Disciple slept unto what was good and the false Disciple watched unto what was evil that was his sin For while Christ yet spake ver 17. Lo Judas one of the Twelve came and with him a great multitude with Swords and Staves from the chief Priests and Elders of the People Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast and forthwith he came to Jesus and said Hail Master and kissed him This was his Sin wherein our Savior leaves him and doth not awaken him but suffered him to go on leading him forth with the Workers of iniquity That was the issue of his Sin In this 43. verse you have the true Disciples Sin and his Lords Grace his dealing by Christ and Christs dealing by him First He slept when he should have been at Prayer which Sin is described by the Cause thereof and by the Repetition of it The Cause of it in these words For their Eyes were heavy this sin therefore was a Sin of Infirmity a Sin of Weakness and so our Savior cals it verse 41. for saith he The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak The Repetition of this Sin you have in these words He found them asleep again Christ had wakened them before and commanded them to pray but they slept again and again thus did they deal by Christ Secondly But how did Christ deal by them he did not leave them in their Sin not cast them off as he did deal by Judas but he came to them again and as they slept again so Christ came again his waking Grace and Mercy was as high as their slumbring Sin they sin again and he comes again So that the Doctrine from the whol verse is this Doct. Though a man do sin again and again yet if his sin be a Sin of Infirmity Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off For the opening and cleering whereof Three things will fall under our Consideration 1. That a man may possibly fall into the same sin again and again yet be a true Disciple 2. That this Sin may be but a Sin of Infirmity 3. That being so Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off First It is possible that a good man may fall into the same sin again and again I confess it is an Evil thing so to do and a great Evil In some respects it may be worser to fal into the same sin than to fall into others for this may more wast ones Peace and destroy the Assurance of Gods Love sins against Light do the most darken Now when we have repented
in by way of performance but by way of Christ Page 94 Object I have no parts in Duty therefore I am discouraged ibid. Answ 1 God accepts the desire for Christs sake Page 94 2 Thy parts are â—â—swerable to thy grace Page 95 3 Parts and gifts do not commend our Services unto God ibid. 4 Parts recompenced some other way Page 96 Object I want the grace and holiness of Duty ibid. Answ Pearls may grow on Rocks so may some graces on thy rockie heart Page 97 1 Are you contented with the straightness of your condition Answ Negatively ib. 2 If your condition here be no other than the condition of the Saints you have no cause to be discouraged ibid. 3 You would fain have enlargements represent your condition to God Page 98 4 It is Gods way to restrain prayer before he gives enlargements ibid. 5 Dulness in prayer is an ill sin yet the sence thereof is a good sign Page 99 6 Prayer is not powring out of many words but the powring out of the Soul unto God ibid. Object I am not only dull in duty buâ— full of distraction Page 100 Answ This is a great evil yet no cause of discouragement for three Reasons ibid. 1 All men have some distractions in dâ—ty ibid. 2 Distractions shall not hurt us because they please us not Page 101 3 Our distractions move the Lord to pity us ibid. Object I pray and am never the nearer should not that discourage me Page 102 Answ Negatively 1 It is a great mercy that God wil receive my prayer though I never receive the thing I pray for ibid. 2 Gods Children usually think God hears not their prayers when he doth ibid. 3 The Lord not granting your prayer is not alwaies matter of discouragement but somtimes of encouragement Page 103 4 Whoever waited on God by prayer but be received more than he prayed for Page 104 5 Should God presently answer our prayers alwaies we should be discouraged Page 105 Object 1. I fear God denieth my prayer ibid. 1 Answ Affirmatively It may be so to his own children ibid. 2 If the thing you pray for be good for you and you continue praying it is a sign that God rather delaies than denies you ibid. Object 2. I fear God is angry with me Page 106 Answ Was not God angry with Jonah and the Canaanitish woman Page 106 Object 3. But she beleeved there is much unbelief in my prayer ibid. Answ Was it not so with David ibid. Object 4. I am self-ish and pray only by reason of affliction ibid. Answ So it was with Jonah ibid. Object 5. My prayer is not well prepared ibid. Answ Hezekiah prayed for those that came unprepared ibid. Object 6. I am full of passions ibid. Answ What think you of Elijah ibid. Object 7. My condition is such or such ibid. Answ The condition of distressed men paralel'd in Scripture when they look toward Christ ib. Application 1 What encouragements here are for all poor souls to come unto Christ Page 107 2 What a vast difference there is here between a godly and a wicked man ibid. Quest What must I do against discouragements that come from mine own failing in duty or Gods not answering me Page 108 Answ 1 Lay not the weight of your comfort upon duty ibid. 2 Consider that difficulty commends duty ibid. 3 Leave the success of our spiritual things unto God himself Page 109 Sermon VII INSTANCE IV. Object O! I want assurance of the love of God must I not be then discouraged Page 111 Answ Negatively Yet it is a sore evil Page 112 He that wants the assurance of Gods love is neither fit to receive mercy from God nor to praise God ibid. He that wants the assurance of Gods love converseth too much with Satan ibid. Quest How may it appear we must not be discouraged when we want this assurance Page 113 1 Answ negatively For want of Assurance is not that unbelief that condemneth us ib. 2 Want of Assurance shal turn to the Saints good Page 114 They gain experience by it to see the emptiness of their own righteousness ibid. A man learns thus to comfort others Page 115 3 A good man may have comfort though he want assurance Page 115 Object I have no Promise to bring me comfort Page 116 Answ Negatively 1 That must not discourage a Christian for have you not the word of the Gospel ib. 2 The promise of grace belongeth to you proved by three Reasons 1 You do or have rested on the Promise 2. If the Command belong unto you why not the Promise 3. It is your duty to rest on the Promise Page 117 Object 2. Gods Promise in Scripture runs upon some Condition which I cannot perform ib. Answ 1 A good man may apply the Promise though he hath not performed the Condition ib. 2 The condition of one promise is the thing promised in another promise Page 118 3 The condition of the promise is performed for you better than you can perform it ib. Object Instead of a promise there is a threatening on my Soul Page 119 Answ 1 God hath two Arms to draw his Children to him the Arm of Love and the Arm of Anger ibid. 2 Joshua somtimes lost the sight of the promise and for the threatening you know how it was with David Page 120 3 A Threatening from God may be repealed but a promise shall never be repealed ibid. The Reason is God never repeals in the matter of the Gospel Page 121 Object I have assurance of Gods displeasure must I not then be discouraged Page 122 Answ Negatively 1 It may be you look on the back side of Gods dispensation wherein appears his Anger ibid. 2 There is no such testimony of Reprobation in all the Scripture ibid. Object I have been without assurance these many yeers yet living under Gospel means therefore I look for none Page 123 Answ Negatively 1 Our evidence for Heaven is in Gods keeping ibid. 2 Consider four Propositions 1 A man may have saving Faith who hath no assurance of Gods love ibid. 2 A man may have strong Faith and assurance yet many doubts Page 124 3 A man may have strong faith and assurance yet for a long time be deprived of the feeling of it ib. 4 A godly man may live and die doubting ibid. 3 Though some may die doubting and yet be saved a man may from Scripture fetch Arguments from whence he may ordinarily conclude he shal be saved Page 125 Arg. 1. There is a faith of Reliance from whence we may conclude a faith of Assurance Page 125 Arg. 2. God hath done great things for thy soul in trouble thou maiest conclude he will do more ibid. Arg. 3. If thy heart be upright in the matter of assurance God wil give it thee ibid. Arg. 4. If a man can praise God for what he hath though his condition be very sad Page 126 Arg. 5. If the Lord be the health of your countenance you shall
discouraged Page 267 Obj. But besides National miseries I have many Personal Afflictions therefore c. Page 268 Answ Negatively for 1 It is no new-thing for the Saints to be personally afflicted ibid. 2 When they are afflicted they are in some respects more sensible of their affliction than the wicked are ibid. 3 As they will be sensible of affliction so they are very apt to be much discouraged by reason of them ibid. Four things considerable to cleer this Truth Page 269 1 What the Sufferings of the Saints are ibid. 2 Whence they proceed 3 What accompanies them 4 What follows them Page 269 For the first 1 They are parts of Christs Purchase for them ibid. 2 They proceed from Gods love Page 270 3 Much supporting Grace accompanies them Page 271 4 They bring forth quiet fruits of Righteousness Page 272 Object 1. My afflictions are without end therefore c. Page 273 Answ Negatively For God takes away your comforts for a time that you may not be drunk with them ibid. Object 2. My Afflictions are not usual but new ones and strange Page 274 Answ You think so but not truly ibid. Object 3. I want all kinds of Mercies my Afflictions have no bottom ibid. Answ It was Davids case ibid. Object 4. But my dearest friends hate me therefore c. Page 275 Answ negatively For Our greatest Enemies may prove our greatest Friends ibid. Object 5. But my afflictions expose me to all Temptations therefore c. Page 276 Answ negatively For 1 May be you are mistaken ib. 2 God by affliction cals a man to some other work ibid. 3 No affliction doth expose a man to a new sin that makes him sensible of his former sin ibid. 4 When a man thus fears it is a sign of Grace Page 277 Object 6. My sin is the cause of my affliction and I know not what sin it is therefore c. ibid. Answ negatively For So it was with Jonah so with David c. ibid. It is somtimes better for a particular sin to lie undiscovered Page 278 Object 7. But I fear my afflictions come from Gods displeasure therfore c. ibid. Answ negatively For 1 Afflictions argue Gods love rather than his hatred ibid. 2 Is there any thing in God that is not a friend to all the Saints ibid. 3 But what are those visible Characters of love engraven on affliction Page 279 1 If affliction be a blessing then it comes from love ibid. 2 If affliction end in our love to God then it comes from Gods love tâ— us ib. 3 If affliction teacheth the mind of God then it doth come from love ibid. 4 If iâ— be but in measure and at a seasonable time then it comes from love ibid. 5 God is more especially present in affliction than at other times Page 279 Object 8. But our whol Nation is afflicted therefore c. Page 280 Answ negatively This is a sad thing If ever England had cause to be humbled under the hand of the Lord it is now Yet say to the Righteous in evil times it shal go wel with him ibid. Quest What must we do to bear up against all discouragements Page 282 Answ 1 If you have assurance of Gods love in Christ hold to that if you have it not this afflâ—ction shal bring you to it ibid. 2 Remember much your Fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings ibid. 3 Labor more to be a stranger to the world and to live by Faith ibid. 4 Consider what Christ hath born and left you to bear Page 283 5 Consider frequently and seriously what abundance of good you and others may get by your afflictions ibid. 6 When afflictions come look not only on the evil of it but on the good of it too ibid. Sermon XI INSTANCE VIII Object Either men think they are not called forth to work for God or they want abilities or they have no success therefore Page 285 Answ negatively For 1 Is Family work nothing There is a three-fold sweat saith Luther Political Ecclesiastical Domestical Page 286 2 Is it nothing to be trusted with the work of your Christian Station ibid. 3 Is it nothing to be imployed to comfort others ibid. Object 1. But God doth not imploy me in the world I am an useless Creature therefore c. ib. Answ 1 It is a great blessing to be imployed in any Service of God ibid. 2 The more a man doth for God the more he doth honor God Page 287 3 By being imployed we are kept from Temptations ibid. 4 Great imployment is the mercy promised ibid. 5 The more serviceable a man is for God the more will God be apt to pardon his failings Page 288 6 If a man be faithful in Gods work God will bless him Page 288 7 The serviceable man for God is the only man that doth live and speak when he is dead ibid. I may be Gods Servant though I am not imployed by him in his Service For Page 289 1 The Service of God is two-fold either publick or private The private Service is the saving Service though we have no publick imployment ibid. 2 Special or publick imployment is various also either in a mean or a great imployment ibid. 3 Though God do not use me at present he may use me afterwards Page 290 4 A man may be so imployed and yet go to Hell and he may not be imployed and yet go to Heaven ibid. 5 You must rejoyce when others are imployed ibid. Object 2. But I want abilities therefore c. Page 291 Answ negatively For 1 Gods greatest works are not alwaies done by the greatest abilities ibid. 2 Our best abilities are from God ibid. 3 The Spirit of God doth not alwaies breath alike Page 292 4 If God call you to a work he will give you needful assistance in that time ibid. Object 3. I fear I intrude into Gods work because I want abilities ibid. Answ Negatively 1 God somtimes first calls a man and then gives abilities afterward ibid. 2 If Gods door-keepers do judg you able you must rest on their judgment Page 293 Though I am to judg of mine own grace yet others and not I must judg of my abilities ibid. Object 4. I fear I am an intruder because I meet with so many difficulties ibid. Answ 1 What good action doth not ibid. 2 The greatest Call from God usually finds the greatest difficulties Page 294 Obiect 5. God I beleeve hath called me to his Service but I am unserviceable ibid. Answ That is ill indeed ibid. But this complaâ—nt sheweth you are willing to serve God therefore be not discouraged Page 295 Object 6. I work and have no success in my work therefore c. ibid. Answ Negatively 1 You may mistake the success Page 296 2 Gods dearest Children here somtimes labored all night and caught nâ—thing Page 296 Object 7. I fear God hath imployed me in the way of judgment and not of mercy therefore Page 297 Answ negatively For 1
wâ—â—lst he liveth Page 358 4 He that dieth in any sin against the Father or the Son shal never be forgiven 5 This is asserted from 1 Joh. 5.16 ibid. 6 A man may sin this unpardonable sin whilst he lives ibid. 7 It is a sin a man may know another man to be guilty of whilst he lives ibid. 8 A man may speak a word against the holy Ghost whilst he lives ibid. 9 All wicked men dying impenitently under the Gospel should sin this sin ibid. 2 Affirmatively ibid. 1 It is a malicious wilful opposing the holy Ghost ibid. 2 He that commits this sin blasphemeth the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost ib. 3 It must be malicious blasphemy Page 359 Quest How can a man sin maliciously since he will is alwaies carried to what is good ibid. Answ Affirmatively For 1 That good is either moral good natural good or profitable good but the will is not alwaies carried upon that which is honestly good in appearance c. Page 359 2 If this were a reason the Devils do not sin maliciously ibid. 3 Though every man sins ignorantly yet every man doth not sin out of ignorance for then Page 360 1 Why is there so vast a difference between a sin of ignorance and presumption ibid 2 If every sin should arise from ignorance in the understanding the will would be alwaies carried upon honest good at least in appearance ibid. 3 If it were so the will could not fal off from the dictate of the Vnderstanding Page 361 4 If the will alwaies follow the understanding then the created and defiled will of man cannot tend unto any object upon any reason upon which the Divine will of God cannot â—end unto its object ibid. 5 All men confess a sin of malice and a sin of ignorance ibid. 4 Suppose that some ignorance in the understanding be the remote cause of the sin yet malice is the next and chief cause Page 362 5 A Question answered how the will should be alwaies carried upon that which is good and yet a man may sin maliciously ibid. 6 It is a malicious sin against the Holy Ghost after he hath been convinced by the Holy Ghost Page 363 Quest 2. Why is this sin unpardonable above all others ibid. Answ 1 It is not because it is hard to be pardoned Page 364 2 It is not only unpardonable in regard of event ibid. 3 Nor is it greater than Gods mercy ibid. 4 Nor because it is a sin against the means of pardon ibid. 5 Nor because a man doth not repent thereof ibid. But it is unpardonable because God hath appointed no sacrifice for it ibid. Application 1 If the sin against the Holy Ghost be unpardonable then the Holy Ghost is God Page 365 2 There is great necessity to know what this sin against the Holy Ghost is that if a man have sinned tâ—is sin we may not pray for him ibid. 3 Think on Gods mercy that hath kept us from this great sin ibid. Object 1. I fear I have sinned this great sin because my sins are so great Page 366 Answ How great may that sin of yours be and not be that sin Page 366 Object 2. I fear it for I have fallen fowly into it gross sin ibid. Answ So did David ibid. Object 3. But I have lost my communion with God ibid. Answ So did the Church of Ephesus Page 367 Object 4. I have resisted Gods Spirit ib. Answ A man may do so and yet not sin against the holy Ghost ibid. Object 5. I have denied the Truth ibid. Answ So did Peter ibid. Object 6. I have been a blasphemer ibid. Answ So was Paul Page 368 Object 7. I have sinned maliciously ibid. Answ Maliciously is taken three waies Either sinning from some ill habit as all wicked men do Or out of passion as Paul did Or out of liberty of his own will and self-conviction Had you sinned this last way you would not be troubled about it but wel pleased with it ibid Object 8. I have forsaken God and God hath forsaken me ibid. Answ David thought so ibid. Object 9. I despair Page 369 Answ You know what Heman said All thy waves are gone over my head ibid. To cleer this I ask five Questions ibid. 1 Art thou willing to forgive men that have trespassed against thee ibid. 2 Have you opposed the waies of God out of malice ibid. 3 Do you not desire to be humbled for your sin ibid. 4 Do you not desire above all things the breathings of Gods Spirit upon your heart Page 370 5 Where do you find in all the Bible that they that sinned against the Holy Ghost are afraid that they have sinned it The great misery of that man who hath sinned against the Holy Ghost ibid. What great comfort is here for Beleevers that cannot commit this sin Page 371 Applic. 4. If this be unpardonable what great cause have we to look to our selves ibid. Quest What must we do to be kept from this unpardonable sin Page 372 Answ 1 Do as David did against presumptuous sins ibid. 2 Be alwaies humbled for lesser sins Page 372 3 Fear alwaies ibid. 4 Resolve to do good Page 373 5 Do not blaspheme what you understand not ibid. 6 Never blaspheme the way of God that thou hast found to be true ibid. 7 Take heed of all declinings ibid. 8 Forsake not the assembling your selves together as the manner of some is ibid. Of SINS of Infirmity ON Matthew 26.43 THe difference between the true and the false Disciple Page 377 The Text divided ibid. Here is the Disciples sin and the Lords Grace Page 378 1 They slept ibid. 1 The Cause for their eyes were heavy ibid. 2 The Repetition he found them asleep again ibid. 2 Christ comes again ibid. DOCT. Though a man sin again and again yet if it be a sin of Infirmity Christ will come to him again ibid. Three things considered in the opening of the words ibid. 1 A good man may fall oft into the same sin 2 This sin may be but a sin of infirmity 3 That Christ will not leave him for it ibid. I The first Proposition proved Page 379 II The second Proposition proved And to cleer it consider what a sin of Infirmity is Page 380 1 It is a sin of weakness in Scripture Phrase ibid. 2 Infirmity is a defect in one that hath life Page 381 3 It ariseth not from wilfulness but from want of strength to resist ibid. Quest 1. Is every sin a godâ—y man commits a sin of Infirmity ibid. Answ Negatively with the Reasons ibid. Quest 2. Is any sin a wicked man commits a sin of Infirmity ibid. Answ Negatively with the Reasons ibid. Quest 3. Can any great foul sin be a sin of Infirmity ibid. Answ Negatively with Reasons ibid. Quest How may I know a sin of Infirmity Page 382 Answ First Some mistakes are observed Secondly It is answered Negatively Lastly Affirmatively Page 382 1 There are mistakes on both
man can foretel future things by the Stars then what need of Prophesie The Lord tels us in Esai 47. that he wil bring evil upon his People which they with al their Astrologers should not be able to foresee and hide themselves from verse 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee and thou shalt not know whence it riseth No! but we wil might they say go unto our Astrologers Do so saies God verse 12. Stand now with thine Inchantments and with the multitude of thy Sorceries if so be thou maist be able to profit and verse 13. Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee Behold they shall be as stubble verse 14. Iâ— Aâ—â—rologers and Star-gazers can foretel the several Changes in States and Common-wealths and what great things shal come to pass therein and how they come to pass then why doth God say here that in spight of al them thou shalt not know whence this evil comes verse 11. Surely therefore such things as these are not to be read in the Book of the Heavens Quest But is there no Light of Knowledg to be had from the Stars and do not the Heavens teach and declare the Lords handy-work will ye condemn all Astronomy Answ 1 Astronomy No. There is much difference between Astronomy the Lawful knowledg of the Stars and Judicial Astrology whereby men would foretel al Events I gâ—ant First Thâ—t there is a teaching Work in the Heavens The Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and so do al thâ—â—â—â—â—â—tures yet this â—eaching is not able to convert the Sou◠〈◊〉 therefore when the Psalmist had said in Psal 19. The â—â—avens declare c. he comes to shew where the true converting teaching is to be found even in the Scriptures verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Secondly I grant also That the Stars are for Signs So the Word saith Gen. 1.14 Let there be Lights in the Firmament to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for daies and for yeers But how for Signs of the Weather As the Sun when it setteth with a red Skie foresheweth a fair day to follow Matth. 16.2 Yea and somtimes they import and are signs of Gods Displeasure Luke 21.25 Ordinarily they are for Signs to know when to sow and plant and prune and reap And are Signs to sail by for the Marriners at Sea Yea Thirdly I grant that the Stars have a great influence upon these Sublunary things even upon the Bodies of Men and Women Answ 2 Secondly But though the Stars have a great influence upon this neather World are signs of weather and have a teaching power with them as al other Creatures have Yet if a man shal undertake by the Stars to foretel future Events which are accidental depending on the Wils and Actions of Men he doth plainly step into the Chair of God this is Gods great Prerogative therefore saith he Esai 41.23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods Those men therefore that wil undertake to shew the things that are to come hereafter would be known to be gods But though they would be gods themselves yet why should they not let God be God stil Qui fatum ponit Deum tollit he that sets up a Fate doth destroy God and if al things come to pass by Influence of the Stars else they cannot pretend to foreknowledg of them then al things must come to pass by a Fate Yea what doth this practice otherwise than as Austin observes wel make God the Author of all the Sin in the World Malti hoc dicunt fatum mihi fecit stellae me fecerunt ita jam per circuitum ad Dâ—â—m volunt perveniâ—e per circuâ—tum vâ—lunt peâ—venire ad Deum accuâ—â—â—dum qui nolunt de câ—mpendio venire ad Dâ—um placâ—ndum â—â—dicunt fatum mihi â—ecit q id est fatâ—m stellae mei câ—â—â—â—â— quid â—unâ— stelâ—ae certe isiae quâ—s 〈◊〉 C lo peâ—spicimus et quis eâ—s feciâ— Dâ—us qui eas ordinavit Deus erâ—o vides qâ—â—d voluâ—tii dicere Deus fecit ut peccatem ita ille injustus tu justus quod iâ—si ille fâ—cillet tu non peccassâ—s tolle istas excuâ—ationes in peccatis memento illius Psalmi Ne declines cor meum in verba maligna ad excusanda peccata c. Ad haec magni viri sunt qui defendunt peccata sua magni sunt qui numerant sâ—dera Et computant stellas et tempora et dicunt quis quando Vel peccet vel bâ—ne vivat et quando Mars facit homicidium et Venus adulterium magni Docti viri videntur in hoc saculo sed quid ait Psal Ne declines cor c. Austin in Psal 31. Omne Corporale signum vel est effectus ejus cujus est signuÌ„ sicut fumus significat ignem a quo c usatur vel est cum non potest autem dici quod dispositiones Caelestium Corporum et motus sint effectus futurorum et ventuum nec possunt reduci in aliquam superâ—orem rem communem quo sit corporalis c. Aquin. 22. Quest 95. Art 5. Seductus enim ab inimico cum esset fidelis d u Mathematicus fuit seductus seducens deceptus decipicus illexit fefellit multa mendacia locutus est contra Deum qui dedit hominibus potestatem faciendi quod bonum est et non faciendi quâ—d malum est iste dicebat quod adulterium non faciebar propria voluntas sed Venus justum non faciebat Deus sed Jovis et alia multa Sacrilega non parva quam multis eum putatis Christianis nummos abstulille 〈◊〉 quam multi ab eo emerunt mendaciâ—m c Austin in Psal 71 post â—ractâ—tum cum Mathematicus in populo monstâ—aretur For if these Astrologers can foretel future things which depend on the Will of man and that by the Stars then the Stars and their Influence must be the cause thereof For as Aquinas observes If such a Constellation be a Sign of an Event then it must be the Effect of it or the Cause of it the Effect it cannot be And if the Influence of the Stars be the Cause of al sinful Actions then God must be the cause of al sin for he hath made the Star and given it such an Influence This doth so cleerly follow that Austin telling the Story of a mans converting from this wicked Art saith the man did confess that whilst he practiced that Art he with others held that Adulterium non faciâ—bat voluntas propria sed Venus A mans own will was not the cause of Adultery but the Sâ—ar Venus a mans own wil was not the cause of Murder but the Star Mars Thus saith hâ— doth this Art of Judicial Astrology lay the Sin of al the World upon God himself and it must needs do so for
Lord give you a cleer understanding in al things CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein is shewed I. The Travel of Christ or Christ in Travel II. His Assurance of Issue III. The Contentment that he doth and shall find therein By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Sermon I. ISAIAH 53.11 He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied IN this Chapter we have a ful Treatise of the Sufferings of Christ wherein the Prophet Isaiah speaks with such cleerness as if he rather were an Apostle after Christ than a Prophet before him Bernard tels us that there are three things which we are especially to mind and behold in the Sufferings of Christ the Work the Manner and the Cause thereof In the Cause he was Innocent in the Manner Patient and in the Work excellent saith he But the Prophet Isaiah doth insist on four things 1. The greatness of Christs Sufferings which he expresseth in many Words That he was despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs that we hid our Faces from him despised and esteemed him not ver 3. that he was stâ—icken smitten and afflicted of God ver 4. Wounded and bruised ver 5. Oppressed afflicted and brought as a Sheep to the slaughter ver 7. Imprisoned and cut off from the Land of the Living ver 8. bruised by his Father and put to grief ver 10. In travel of Soul and numbred amongst Transgressors ver 11 12 2. The Cause of his Sufferings which aâ— the Prophet 〈◊〉 â—aâ— for our sins he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities verse â— 3. The Manner of his Sufferings He is brought aâ— a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth verse 7. 4. The Fruit Issue and Success of his Sufferings For he shall see his Seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand verse 10. And he shall see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied verse 11. So that these words do plainly hold forth the fruit and issue of our Lords Sufferings and the certainty thereof The Sufferings were great for they are here called a Travel and the Travel of his Soul the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a toylsom painful and wearisom Labor such a Labor say some as is used by those that grind in a Mil Mercerus such a Labor say others as Adam was to use in the sweat of his Brows after the Fal Avenarius as a Curse of sin unto which the Holy Ghost doth here relate because our Savior in these Sufferings was made a Curse for us Forerius Es 53. such a Labor say others so great so painful as women do endure in their sore Travel English Annotations and indeed the word signifies as much and so it 's used in Psal 7.14 Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief alluding to the pains of a Woman in Travel and so it may be wel translated in this place for the word Soul is a Feminine term as if the Holy Ghost would decipher the Sufferings of Christ by the pangs of a Woman in Travel Now this Travel is also said to be the Travel of his Soul not only because it was a great and sore Travel but because it did extend to his Soul The word Soul is indeed somtimes used for ones Life and somtimes for the Person of a Man But then it doth not exclude the Soul but include it rather So here he shal see the travel of his Soul that is that travel which is not only in his Body but his Soul too This he is promised to see He shall see the Travel that is the Fruit thereof So Psal 128.2 Thou shalt eat the Labor of thine hands that is the Fruit of thy Labor what thine hand hath labored for seeing doth note enjoyment and the enjoyment of the thing desired So Psal 54.7 Mine Eye hath seen its desire upon mine Enemy the word Desire is not in the Hebrew but the Original runs thus Mine Eye hath seen upon mine Enemies We ad Desires because that is the Sense thereof for Seeing notes enjoyment of ones desires and therefore in that the Prophet saith he shal see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied the meaning is That Christ shal so enjoy the issue and fruit of his Sufferings as he shal have ful content and delight therein And so the Doctrine from the whol is this Doct. That Christ shall certainly see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied He did not lay down his Life at a venture nor suffer so many things at uncertainties but he had assurance of success He shall see saith the Lord by way of Promise both to him and us the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied For the opening and cleering hereof three great Arguments wil fal under our Consideration 1. The Travel of Christ or Christ in Travel 2. His Assurance of Issue 3. The Contentment that he doth and shal find therein As for the Travel of Christ His Sufferings were very painful a Travel and an hard Labor Acts 2.24 it 's said that he was somtimes in the pains of Death some Books read it in the pains of Hell but the word rendred Pains signifies the Pains and Pangs of a Woman in Travel Haec vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et partum significat et dolorem parturientem Vict. Strigil Perk. Gal. 4. It is the same word that is used by Paul Gal. 4. My little Children with whom I travel in Birth and it signifies not only the Travel of the Woman at the Birth of the Child but the painful bearing thereof before the Birth these Pains and Pangs did as it were fal on Christ in his Sufferings So that in al the Sufferings of Christ ye may see Christ in Travel He was in Travel for us and this Travel was an hard Labor For It was A sore Travel A long and a tedious Travel And An helpless Travel First It was a Sore Travel both in regard of his Soul and Body First As for his Body His Sufferings were very painful For they were Universal Extream and Lingering They were Vniversal for he suffered from al hands Somthing he suffered from the Jews and somthing from the Gentiles somtimes from Men and somtimes from Women from and by the hand of Magistrates Kings and Princes from and by the hand of Priests from and by the hand of the Common People and the Soldiers Why do the Heathen rage and People imagine a vain thing the Kings of the Earth stood up and the Rulers took Counsel against the Lord and against his Christ Acts 4.25 26. He did not only suffer by the hand of strangers but from his own Friends and
be determined by some act of Man Ego autem stultus à scientia Dei et vanus c. postea vero videbar mihi videre à longe gratia Dei omnia bona precedentem tempore et natura sicut anima in omnibus motibus primus motor Bradward de causa Dei Lib. 1. cap. 35. pag. 308. But the wil of God as Bradwardin demonstrates is the first Agent Primum liberum primum agens et primum determinans first free the first Mover and the first Determiner the serious consideration whereof was as he professeth the first beginning of his Conversion to the Grace of God from the error of Pelagianism and Manicheism Neither can the Death of Christ be the cause of any such Decree for the Decrees of God are eternal The death of Christ was in time and that which is in time cannot be the cause of that which was from al Eternity Surely therefore this general Decree is none of that Issue wheâ—ewith our Lord and Savior Christ was in Travel Sixtly Some think again That the next and great Effect of Christs Death was to bring al the World into the Covenant of Grace that whereas before they had broken the Covenant of Works by the first Adam now al are brought into a Covenant of Grace by the Second Adam Answ 1 But this cannot be for as the Covenant of Works was made with the first Adam and his Seed only so the Covenant of Grace is made with the Second Adam and his seed only But the whol World are not the Seed of Christ for the Lord promising him to see his Seed doth not promise him to see al the World 2. The Apostle Paul tels us That the Ephesians before their Conversion were Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise being without hope and without God in the World Ephes 2.12 which could not be if al the World were taken into the Covenant of Grace by the Death of Christ 3. If God deal with al Man-kind in a Covenant of Grace then al Man-kind should certainly be saved for if whatever God requires on mans part God doth by that Covenant undertake that man shal perform then al must needs be saved if the Covenant be made with al but whatever by this Covenant God requires on mans part he undertakes to perform Doth God require that we should act from an inward Principle of Grace I will write my Law in your hearts saith he Doth he require of us to know him this he undertakes for us by this Covenant Ye shall all know me from the greatest to the least Heb. 8. Doth he require us to fear him I will put my fear into your hearts Doth he require Faith and Repentance at our hands I wil take away saith he the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh and I wil circumcize thine heart Deut. 30.6 Doth he require Obedience at our hands he undertakes for us also that we shal perform the same Ezek. 36.27 I wil put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my waies So that if God should deal with al the World of Man-kind according to the Covenant of Grace then al the World should be saved but al the World are not saved surely therefore this is none of those effects which our Lord and Savior Christ travelled for Seventhly Some think that Christ by his Death hath obtained a sufficiency of Grace for al men so that al men may or may not beleeve if they wil and this obtainment of this sufficiency of Grace for al they think is the great and next Effect of the Death of Christ But this cannot be for the thing is not true viz. That al men have a sufficiency of Grace by Christ to beleeve on him for if al the men of the World have such a Power from Christ to beleeve on him then 1. The Jews had a Power to abstain from their Unbelief in putting Christ to death and yet they had this Power from the Death of Christ and if so then it was possible that Christ should not have died by the hand of their Unbelief and yet possible by vertue of Christs Death for them to abstain from the putting him to death which is a Contradiction Neither can it be said that they had this Power given them upon the fore-sight of Christs Death for the same fore-sight did fore-see that Christ should be put to death by the hand of their Unbelief 2. If al men have such a Power to beleeve in Christ then either they must have an inward Principle of Grace and Faith or they can act without an inward Principle but they have no inward Principle of Faith and Grace for then they should be Beleevers for it is the inward habit and principle which denominates the man and not this or that act for a man is a Beleever though he be asleep Nor can any Creature put forth an act without an inward Principle suitable to the Act the Eye cannot act in seeing without an inward Principle of sight nor the Ear hear without an inward principle of hearing the Herb cannot grow without an inward principle of growth nor the Beast move without an inward principle of motion nor any Creature act without a precedent inward principle But al the men of the World have not an inward principle of Faith and Grace and therefore al the men of the World have not a power to beleeve 3. The Apostle Paul tels us plainly that a Natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he 1. Cor. 3 1â— but if he have a power to beleeve then he can receive them for receiving is our beleeving 1 John 12. Neither can it be said that by the Natural man we are to understand the weak Christian for if the weak Christian cannot receive the things of God much less the wicked and the pure Natural man nor doth the Apostle speak of a Natural Man as he is meerly considered in the state of Nature abstracted from al Gospel Grace and the means of Grace for then he should speak to no particular case in the World for according to our Adversaries there is no man in the World but hath some Gospel Grace or means of Grace 4. Our Savior Christ tels the Jews John 10.26 Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep it seems then that al the world are not the Sheep of Christ for saith he ye are not of my Sheep and the reason why some do beleeve is because they are of Christs Sheep and why others beleeve not is because they are not of his Sheep Now if the reason why some beleeve and others not is because some are of his Sheep and others not then al the world have not a power to beleeve for if al the world have a power to beleeve then those that are not of the Sheep may beleeve and if those that are not of the Sheep can beleeve why doth our
no sin Now it cannot be said that he who knew no Sacrifice was made a Sacrifice for us indeed it follows by Consequence that he was made a Sacrifice for us which he was on the Cross For he offered up himself once for all saith the Apostle Heb. 9.26.28 which cannot be understood of his appearing in Heaven for us for that he ever liveth so to appear for us seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us Heb. 7. and when he gave himself unto God for us then he was made an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Ephes 5.2 But when he died for us then he is said to give himself for us Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me that is who loved me and died for me yea the very same word that is used for the Sin Offering Levit. 16. is attributed unto Christ Isai 53.10 When he shall make his Soul an Offering for sin The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sin-Offering Now the Sins of the People were laid on the head of the Sin-Offering and Christ being our Sin-Offering when he died on the Cross our sins were then laid on him and imputed to him 2. As our sins were charged and laid on him so they were laid on him by the hand of the Father Isa 53. It pleased the Lord to bruise him and he hath put him to grief verse 10. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all verse 6. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth somtimes signifie to pray and intercede but so it cannot be taken here for then the words should be read thus He hath made our Iniquities to pray or intercede on him or by him or with him but there is no good sense in that neither can it be said Verba Prophetae sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum Socini interpretationem orat pro illo 1. Christo sed hoc absurdum hac interpretatione itaque rejecta dicit Socinus vertendum esse Jehova occurrit per eum sive cum eo iniquitati omnium nostrum sed neque haec interpretatio consistere potest nomini enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulla prepositio apposita est quae tale quicquam innuat docendum enim esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut autem ababsolute positum ita accipiatur neque ratio suadet neque syntaxis patitur nec simili exemplo ostendi potest Sib. Lubbert de Jes Christo servatore contra Socin Lib. 2. Cap. 5. p. 162. that the word here signifies to obviate as if the sense should run thus He hath made him to obviate our sins or our sins to be obviated by him which is that Interpretation which the Socinians do most adhere unto for the word is in Hiphil noting an efficiency and causality without any Preposition before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin and therefore according to the Interpretation of the word the words must be translated thus He hath made our sins to obviate by him or on him which is no sense but rather than men wil lose their own sense and apprehension they wil make the Scripture to speak no sense The true Translation and reading of the words is thus He hath made our sins to meet on him and so our sins were laid on Christ by the hand of the Father 3. As the Father laid and did charge out sins on Christ on the Cross so he laid them on him by way of punishment our sins being the meritorious cause of his Sufferings and his Sufferings being the Punishment of our sins for what is a Punishment Paena vel supplicium est malum passionis quod infligitur propter malum actionis but a just inflicting of some Natural evil for some sinful evil It is the inflicting of the evil of Suffering for the sinful evil of Doing Now when Christ died on the Cross He was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our iniquities Isa 53.5 And where do we read either in Scripture or any Author that a man is said to be scourged wounded or afflicted for a fault but it notes a punishment and that such a fault is the meritorious cause thereof When God threatens to punish men for sin he threatens them with the bearing of their Sin So Levit. 20.17 He shall bear his iniquity is the same with he shal be killed verse 16. and he shal be cut off verse 18. So Numb 14.33 Your Children shal wander in the Wilderness and shall bear your whoredoms that is the punishment which is due to them So Ezek. 18.20 The Soul that sins shal die and the Son shal not bear the iniquity of the Father that is the Son shal not be punished for the Fathers sin So that in Scripture Language to bear the sin of another is to be punished for another So the Goat did bear the sins of the People and Christ who was our Sin-Offering did bear our sins on the Cross Isa 53. 1 Pet. 2.24 Who himself bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree Why so but because he did bear the Punishment that was due thereunto 4. As he did then bear our sins on the Cross so he accepted thereof and did willingly undergo this Task for saith he Lo I come to do thy Will thy Law is within my heaâ—t I delight to do thy Will Longe à salute mea verba delictorum meorum Longe hic Divinitus loquitur verba delictorum meorum quia nostra peccata reputat sua Hieron in Ps 21. et 41.5 Sana animam quamvis peccaverim tibi quamvis ego sum omnium maximus peccator imputative imo peccaâ—um 2 Cor. 5 ult et Phrasi Hebraea peccaverim tibi ratione officii quod sustinco Redemptor non personae quaÌ„do sum integer et peccatum nullum feci Tarnov in Psal passional p. 233. in Psal 41. quod igitur ad Deum Patrem spectat se non esse ratione officii innocentem fatetur ô Deus Pater inquit qui ratione humanae naturae es Deus meus Ps 22. tu novisti stultitiam meam hoc est peccatum Christus peccator Tarnov in Psal 69. p. 263. which he speaks in reference to these sufferings Heb. 10. Psal 40.8 and John 10. he saith I lay down my life no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self verse 17 18. yea and when our sins were thus charged on him he did accept of that Charge and cals those sins his Psal 40.12 Mine iniquities have taken hold of me so that I am not able to lookup which words are the words of Christ as appears plainly by the former Verses And so again Psal 69.5 O God thou knowest my foolishness and my sins are not hid from thee which Psalm is a Psalm of Christ who standing in our room and stead speaketh thus as being made sin for us So that as the Father charged our sins on him so he did accept of that charge 5. As he did
Ages and from Generations And saith the Psal He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them He doth not say they have not known them as Israel but he saith The Lord hath not dealt so with other Nations as for his Judgments they have not known them neither can it be said that God was ready to have made known this Truth unto al the World but did not because of their sin for then it should have been declared to them that such Truths of the Gospel should be made known to them if they did not sin but that hath not been declared to al the particular men of the World and therefore Christ did not die for al men thus conditionally Seventhly If Christ did die and merit thus conditionally for al men then al the particular men in the world are under a Covenant of Grace for those that he died for are to receive the Blessings of the new covenant upon the performance of the Condition saith this Objection But al the particular men of the World are not under the Covenant of Grace for the Apostle saith of the Ephesians before their Conversion that they were strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World Ephes 2.12 And God wil write his Laws in the hearts of all those that are under the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8. But al the particular men in the World shal not have the Laws of God written in their hearts therefore the Covenant of Grace is not made with them and therefore Christ hath not merited that the Blessings of the Covenant shal be given out unto al the World upon Conditions Eightly If al the Benefits of Christs Death and Blessings of the new Covenant should be given out upon some Condition to be performed by us as Faith and Repentance then our Faith should give us a Right and Title unto al those Blessings and Benefits As if I sel a thing upon Condition that a man pay me so much Money his payment of the Money being the performance of the Condition gives him a Right and Title to the thing Or if I promise to give a man an hundred pound upon condition that he go of such an Errand for me if he go his very going gives him a Right and Title to the hundred pound because he performs the Condition But though Faith be our hand whereby we receive the Benefits of Christs Death and Blessings of the Covenant yet it doth not give us any Right or Title to them al our Right and Title is in Christs Blood his Death his Satisfaction and his Obedience and in that alone Ninthly This Objection doth suppose the Covenant of Grace to be Conditional but the Covenant of Grace is free absolute and without al Conditions to be performed by us For The Lord hath delivered it without al such Conditions We read of the Covenant of Grace in Jer. 31. in Ezek. 36. in Heb. 8. but where do we find any Condition annexed to it And if God make no Conditions why should we Shal I hang my Pad-lock upon Gods Door of Mercy This Covenant saish the Lord is as the Covenant which he made with Noah Did he promise Noah that the World should be drowned no more upon Conditions of our Faith or Obedience No but saith the Lord I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake although the Imaginations of mans heart be evil Gen. 8.21 It may be you wil translate the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because but it comes al to one In the Covenant of Grace the Lord saith He wil write his Laws in our hearts there is Converting mercy promised and that we shal al know him there is enlightening Mercy promised both the Habit and the Act of Grace promised and he gives this reason For I will be merciful to your unrighteousness and your sin and iniquity I will remember no more Heb. 8.11 12. Now if forgiving mercy be the reason of sanctifying Mercy if our forgiveneâ—s be the cause of our holiness then no act of our Grace or Holiness can be the Condition of our forgiveness or of the Covenant The Spirit of God is promised in the Covenant I wil put my Spirit into you saith God but Faith and Repentance are not before the In being or Gift of the Spirit Surely therefore all the Blessings of the Covenant are not given out upon these Conditions If the Covenant of Grace should be thus Conditional then the Covenant of Grace should be harder than the Covenant of Works made with Adam in Paradice for then the Condition was to be performed by our common Person who was strong and free from al sin but now we are weak and ful of al sin and therefore if the performance of the Condition lie upon our hands the terms of this Covenant wil be worse and harder for us than the terms of that Covenant of Works neither can it be said that if al men have a sufficiency of Grace and power to beleeve that the performance of the Condition of this Covenant wil be easier than of that for who doth not know that it is an harder thing for one of us sinful Creatures to beleeve than for Adam to abstain from eating the forbidden Fruit But surely the Covenant of Grace is easier and sweeter than the Covenant of Works and therefore the Condition thereof was performed by Christ our Second Adam and there is now no Condition of the Covenant to be performed by us Yet it is our Duty to beleeve and repent and obey which we are commanded to do by the Gospel but al our Repentance Faith and Obedience is a Fruit of that Covenant not the Condition of it As in case Adam had stood his Seed should have obeyed yet their Obedience should not have been the Condition but the Fruit of the Covenant and as his Posterity could not have had Life unless they had obeyed yet that their Obedience was not the Condition of that Covenant So though we cannot be justified unless we beleeve nor be saved unless we repent and obey yet our Repentance Faith and Obedience is not the Condition but the Fruit of the Covenant Christ and Christ alone our Second Adam did perform the Condition as to us the Covenant of Grace is free absolute and without al Conditions Obj. But all Divines say That Faith and Repentance are the Condition of the Covenants Ans Not all not so Luther Duplices sunt promissiones Dei legales quae nituntur deorsum in nostris operibus sicut illae si feceritis bona terrae comedetis aliae sunt promissiones gratiae sicut Jer 31. scribam legem meam in cordibus eorum hae promissiones non nituntur deorsumsed simpliciter bonitate et gratia Dei quid ipse velit facere Luther in Gen. 4. cap p. 88. Hos 2. Desponsabo
shal see their perseverance and Salvation Vse 3 But more practically This Doctrine looks wishly upon both Godly men and Ungodly It cals upon those that are ungodly to delight themselves in the Lord and to satisfie themselves in Christ in the things of Christ and in the Seed of Christ Doth Christ delight in his Seed and wil you hate despise and scorn his Seed Is he satisfied in seeing the Travel of his Soul in the saving effects of his Death justifying sanctifying and comforting the Children of Men and wil you be displeased therewith Wil you be pleased and satisfied in your sins and vain Conversation when Christ is satisfied in the Redemption of Men from their Iniquity and vain Conversation The Conversion of a Sinner is the Fruit of Christs Travel wherein he rejoyces and is delighted with a great delight and doth it grieve you to see a sinner turned from the evil of his waies Take heed how you walk contrary to Christ for if you walk contrary to him he wil walk contrary unto you and either he wil rejoyce and be satisfied in your Conversion or he wil be satisfied in your Damnation and if you do not convert and turn unto God how can you think that you are the Seed of Christ whom he hath travelled with But This Doctrine looks wishly also upon the Godly such as are the visible Seed of Christ and to you it saith 1. Why should you not be contented and satisfied with Christ alone al his delights are in you why should not al your delights be in him Is he satisfied in you why then should not you be satisfied with him and with that Condition which he carves for you Through him the Father is satisfied for your sins and he is satisfied in your person why then should not you be satisfied about your Condition 2. Why should you not labor to convert and draw others unto Christ Thereby he sees the Fruit of his Travel which is his delight wil you not do what you can to advance Christs delights And 3. If Christ be satisfied and delighted in you why should you not improve his Affection for the good of the Church King Ahasuerus was taken with and did delight much in Esther and she improved his Affection for the good of the Church have you gotten the heart of Christ the affections of Christ and will not you improve them for the good of the Church surely it is your Duty And 4. Upon this account why should you not labor to excel in Vertue his delights are in his Seed and they are such saith the Psalmist as do excel in Vertue Psal 16. Now therefore that you may in some measure answer the delights of Christ O labor more and more to excel in Vertue Quest What excellent things shall we that are the visible Seed of Christ do that we may answer the delights contentments and satisfactions which he doth take in us Answ 1 Many First in reference to Christ himself and his Service It is an excellent thing to have and bear the same mind to Christ that he had and bare unto us he did neglect his own Glory to procure our Comfort so for us to neglect our own Comfort to procure his Glory is excellent in time of Temptation to look upon Christ as our Gift and in time of presumption to look upon him as our Example to trust in Christ as if we had no works and yet to work as if we had no Christ I mean for a man to be so obedient to the Commandement as if he would be saved by the Law and yet to rest on the Promise as if he would be saved by Grace and in al our Service to God in Christ to walk by a Law without us and yet by a Law within us by a Law without us as our Rule and by a Law within us as our Principle These are excellent things in regard of Christ and his Service As for the Ordinances and means of Grace It is an excellent thing so to use the publick Ordinance as we may be more fit for private Exercise and so to use our private Exercise as we may be the more fit for publick Ordinances to wait upon God in the use of al means yet not to tie the workings of the Spirit unto any one particular to observe what that Ordinance is that is most decried and dispised by the World and to advance and honor that to worship Christ in a Manger These are excellent things in regard of the Ordinances and Means of Grace As for your Graces Gifts and Comforts An excellent thing it is for a man so to exercise one Grace as he may be fit for another so to exercise his Faith as he may be fit for Repentance and so to exercise his Repentance as he may grow up into more Assurance to make al your Graces Parents to your Comforts and your Comforts Hand-maids to your Graces that your Gifts may beautifie your Graces and your Graces sanctifie your Gifts to be of high Parts and a low Spirit to know much and yet to love respect and honor those that know less These are excellent things in regard of our Gifts Graces and Comforts As for your Condition It 's an excellent thing for a man to be thankful for his present Condition and yet not to be in love therewith nor to live thereon it 's ill to murmur in any Condition it 's good to be content in some but in every Condition to be thankful is excellent To fear the Lord in Prosperity and to love him in Adversity never to think that my condition is extraordinary to trust God with my condition by Experience and yet to trust in God for my condition over and beyond al experience These are excellent things in reference to our Condition As for your Converse and dealing with men An excellent thing it is to use no Company but such as you may receive sâ—me good from or communicate some good unto to take no offence and to give none being very unwilling to give offence and very backâ—ard to take it to rejoyce in anothers Graces and to grieve for anothers sins to be a Lamb in ones own Cause and a Lyon in Gods of a sweet and meek disposition yet zealous and active for God and in al our dealings with men to deal with God through men saying if they curse or bless God hath bid them do it and in case that any man offend you to be more ready to forgive than he is to acknowledg his offence that your forgiveness may rather draw out his acknowledgment than his acknowledgment draw out your forgiveness These are excellent things in regard of our converse or dealings with men As for your Callings and outward Estates It is an excellent thing for a man so to use his particular Calling as he may be fit for his General and so to use his General as he may be fit for his particular To make your Sail fit for your
be our future Judg yea our best Friend and our dear Husband Now if you abstract the terror of any Object from the sweetness of it no wonder if you be much discouraged It is our Duty to behold things as God presents them and to take things as God doth give them What God hath joyned together no man may put asunder If you consider the sweetness of an Object or Condition without the sowrness of it then you may grow too wanton if you consider the terror of an Object or Condition without the sweetness of it then you may be too fearful But if you think on both together then you will fear and beleeve and beleeve and fear and so be kept from Discouragement Fifthly If you would not be discouraged whatever your condition be Labor more and more to get your self-love mortified even Religious self-love All your Dscouragements are from self-love not from the venom of your condition but from the poyson of self-love O but I am discouraged because I have no assurance Well but suppose you had assurance what then then I should have Comfort And is not here Self O but I am discouraged about my everlasting Condition And is not that Self doth not that word Condition sound ones Self I dare boldly say there is no tumult or immoderate Discouragement in the soul but hath Self at the bottom Could I leave my self and my Condition with God and Christ and mind his Service Glory and Honor more God would take care of my Comfort but when I mind my self and my condition so much and his Service Glory and Honor so little no wonder that I am so much discouraged Therefore labor more and more to mortifie self-love and so shall you never be discouraged whatever your condition be Sixtly In case that Temptation press in upon you and urge you to sad Discouragements speak to this purpose unto your own soul Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate There is none of all these doubtings unbeleeving fears and discouragements but you will be ashamed and repent of afterwards You know how it is with the Traveller he thinks the Sun is not yet up and so he loyters and sits down but the Sun creeping up behind the cloud at last breaks out upon his face and is got before him and then he saies O what a fool was I to think the Sun was not up because I saw it not what an unwise man was I thus to loyter and sit down So it will be with you you now lie down upon the Earth and your belly cleaves to the dust by reason of your Discouragements but the Grace of God and the Love of Christ is creeping up behind the dark cloud and it will break out at the last upon you and shine into your face with the Golden beams of mercy it will prevent you and be before you and then you wil say O what a fool was I to be thus discouraged what an unworthy Creature I to doubt thus of Gods Love I have sinned I have sinned by all my unbeleef now the Lord pardon me all my doubtings I am O Lord ashamed of these my doubtings and questionings of thy Love pardon them O Lord unto my soul This is that which you must come to you must at last be ashamed and repent of these your unbeleefs doubtings and fears and therefore when-ever they press in upon thee say at the first unto thy self Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate by yielding unto these Discouragements And for this very reason because that Discouragements are to be repented of Therefore the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged whatever their Condition be And thus have I spoken to this Truth under a more General Consideration through Grace I shall labor to cleer it further to you by Particulars A LIFTING UP In case of GREAT SINS Serm. IV PSALM 42.11 Stepney May 7. 1651. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. THE Doctrine or Observation that now we are pressing from these words is this That the Saints and People of God have no reason for their Discouragements whatever their condition be no just true Scripture Reason for their Discouragements whatever their Condition be It is cleer by the Words and proved the last day by some General Considerations Now more Particularly to make it out by divers Instances Nine things there are which usually are the Grounds and Occasions of the Discouragements of Gods People 1. Somtimes their Discouragements are drawn from their greater and grosser sins 2. Somtimes they do arise from the weakness of Grace 3. Somtimes they are taken from their failing in and non-acceptance of Duty 4. Somtimes they are drawn from their want of Evidence for Heaven and non-assurance of the Love of God 5. Somtimes they do come from their Temptations 6. Somtimes from their Desertions 7. Somtimes from their Afflictions 8. Somtimes from their Unserviceableness 9. Somtimes from their Condition it self Now if in all these Respects the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged then we may safely conclude That a godly man should not be discouraged whatever his condition be I shall labor therefore through the Grace of Christ to make out this great Truth unto you in all these Respects and begin with the First at this time Somtimes the Discouragements of the Saints and Instance 1 People of God are drawn from their Sins their greater and grosser Sins The Peace and Quiet of the Saints and People of God is many times interrupted by their Sins O saies one I am a man or woman of a rebellious heart I have so sleight a Spirit so unholy and uneven a conversation that when I reflect upon my heart and life I cannot but be discouraged I know indeed it is a great evil for a man to labor under a â—ore temptation or a sad desertion but were my heart good my life good my conversation good I should not be discouraged but as for me I have committed and do commit such and â—uen great sins have I not reason and just reason now to be discouraged Answ No For Discouragement it self is a sin another sin a Gospel sin now my sin against the Law is no just cause why I should sin against the Gospel I confess indeed there is much evil in every sin the least sin is worse than the greatest affliction Afflictions Judgments and punishments are but the Claws of this Lyon it is more contrary to God than the Misery of Hell Chrysostom had so great a sence of the evil of it that when the Empress sent him a threatening Message Go tell her said he Nil nisi peccatum metuo I fear nothing but sin And in some respects the sins of the Godly are worse than the sins of others for they grieve the Spirit more they dishonor Christ more they grieve the Saints more they wound the Name
of God more they are more against the Love and Grace and Favor of God than other mens sins are And the Lord doth see the sins of his own People yea so far he sees sin in them that he doth chastise and afflict them for it not only from their sin but for their sin and therefore saith the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.30 speaking of the unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper For this cause many are sick and weak among you And he doth not speak only of Saints in Appearance and in Church-Estate but of such also as were Saints indeed and therefore he saith We are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world He puts himself in We are judged that we may not be condemned with the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 3.19 Our Savior Christ saith Revel 3. As many aâ— I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent it seems then it was for sin committed else why should he say Repent and repent therefore Repentance is for sin committed already and these were such as he loved too whom he threatens thus to rebuke and chastise and doth any Father rebuke chastise or correct his Child only from sin and not for sin Was not Moses a gracious and an holy man and yet for his unbeleef and sin he lost the Land of Canaan Was not Sampson a good man and yet by his sin he lost his Eyes and his Life too Was not David a gracious and a holy man and yet for his sin the Lord said The Sword should never depart from his house and yet Christ had made satisfaction for his sin too as well then as for the Saints now But now though there be never so much evil in the sins of Gods People yet they have no reason no just cause or Scripture reason to be cast down and to be discouraged in that respect Quest But how may this appear That notwithstanding the sins of Gods own People do grieve the Spirit of God are a dishonor to Jesus Christ and do wound the Name of God and the Profession of Christ so much That yet the Saints have no reason to be discouraged or cast down Answ 1 First They know or they may know that they shall never be condemned for their sin whatever it be There is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Christ was made sin for them and if Christ be made sin for me then my sin shall never hurt me Luther is bold here Fateor me peccasse sed peccatum meum damnatum in Christo est qui est peccatum damnans est autem peccatum illud damnans fortius peccato damnato Luther for saith he Christ is made sin damning our sin is sin damned I confess indeed said he that I have sinned but sin damning is stronger than sin damned and Christ was made sin damning for me The thing is true though the expression be strange Christ was made sin for Saints therefore their sin shall not hurt them It stands not with the Justice of God to exact the payment of one debt twice Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath not only been arrested but in Goal for the debt of the Saints and People of God and he hath paid it to the utmost farthing he hath paid it better than they could have paid it themselves if they had gone to Hell for if a Godly man had gone to Hell and been damned for ever he would have been alwaies paying but the debt would never have been paid Christ paid it all down for the present And if you look into Scripture you will find That the Lord doth not condemn a man no not a wicked man barely for the act of his former sin but because he wil not turn from it Psal 7.11 The Lord is angry with the wicked every day verse 12. If he turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor The Lord hath prepared Instruments of Death against every wicked man but yet notwithstanding though a man be never so wicked if he turn unto the Lord God will not discharge those Instruments of Death upon him yea though his sins have been never so great but saith the Text If he turn not not because he hath sinned before only but because he turns not from his sin he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready Now there is alwaies in the Saints and People of God a turning disposition although they do sin against God there is alwaies I say a turning disposition in them and therefore the Lord will not discharge the Instruments of death upon them surely then they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect Answ 2 Secondly As Godly men shall never be condemned for their sins so their sins shall never part God and them What is the sâ—eming Reason why some are so discouraged about their sins but because they think they shall not only lose the face and presence of God by their sins but that they shall lose God himself But now I say the sins of the Godly shall never part God and them their sins may hide Gods Face But as their sins did not hinder God and their coming together at first so their sins shall never part God and them their sins may cause a strangeness between God and them but shall never cause an Enmity their sins may hide Gods Face from them but shall never turn Gods back upon them those whom God Loves he loves unto the end I am the Lord that changeth not saith he And as the Prophet Isaiah speaks As the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah such is the Covenant that he makes with his People Now look into Genesis Chap. 8. and you shall see what the Covenant is that the Lord made there with Noah and with the World by Noah When Noah came out of the Ark he built an Altar and Sacrificed verse 21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the Ground for mans sake Why For the Imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth You would think this were a reason why God should curse the Ground again for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth man is wicked therefore surely God will curse the Ground again nay saith the Lord but though you that are poor Creatures think so yet I that am the God of all Grace I make this Covenant with the World by Noah That I will not curse the Ground any more for mans sake Because the Imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth continually Sensus enim et cogitatio humani cordis c. Hierom. I confess indeed the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Quamvis Although as well as Quoniam
and Blasphemy Surely it doth Have ye any reason then to be discouraged under the power of this Objection Object But suppose that a man have sinned greatly against his conscience or against his light against his knowledg hath he not just cause or reason then to be cast down and to be quite discouraged Answ No For if there be a Sacrifice for such a sin as this is then a man hath no reason to be quite discouraged cause to be humbled as you shal hear afterward but no reason to be discouraged Now in the times of the old Testament in the times of the Law among the Jews there was a Sacrifice not only for sin committed ignorantly but also for sin coâ—itted against light and against consc ence and I appeal to you who ever you are that make this objection do you not think that Peter when he denyed his Lord and Master sinned against his conscieâ—ce against his light and against his knowledg surely then there is no reason that a man should be quite discouraged no not in this respect Object But suppose that a mans sins be exceeding great gross and hainous for I do confess that possibly a Godly man may sin some sin against his light and against his conscience somtimes but as for me my sin is exceeding great gross and hainous and have I not just cause and reason now to be discouraged Answ No not yet For though your sin be great is not Gods mercy great exceeding great is not the Satisfaction of Christ great are the merits of Christs blood smal is not God the great God of Heaven and Earth able to do great things you grant that God is almighty in providing for you and is he not almighty also in pardoning wil ye spoil God of his almightiness in pardoning You say your sin is great but is it infiniteâ— is there any more infinites than one and that is God is your sin as big as God as big as Christ Is Jesus Christ only a mediator for smal sins wil you bring down the satisfaction of Christ and the â—ercy of God to your own model Hath not the Lord said concerning pardoning mercy That his thoughts are not as our thoughts but as the heavens are greater than the earth so are his thoughts in this respect beyond our thoughts Hath not the Lord said in Isa 43. unto the people of the Jews at vers 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the smal cattel of thy burnt offering neither hast thou honored me with thy Sacrifices Vers 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with mony neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy Sacrifice but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thy iniquity yet vers 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression for my own sake and wil not remember thy sins Here are sins and great sins and if the Lord wil therefore pardon sin because it is great unto his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoniam grandis est Hierom. then surely they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect Now look what David saith in Psal 25. vers 11. For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great mark his argument pardon mine iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldee Par. for it is great if David use this reason then may you also and if this be a reason why God should pardon sin because it is great then this cannot be a reason a just reason why you should be discouraged Object But suppose that a mans sin be the sin of revolting declining for this is my case wil some say I have striven and striven against my sin a long while and I return unto it again times were heretofore that I have been exceeding forward and ready unto what is good but now I am much declined abated and even gone backward with revolting and deep revolting and I have layn long so even for many years have I not reason and just reason now to be discouraged and cast down within my self Answ No not yet For though this be a sufficient cause of great humiliation for backsliding in scripture phrase is called rebellion and rebellion as the sin of witch-craft yet a good man hath no reason to be discouraged in this regard for thus saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shal he return unto her again shal not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers yet return again unto me saith the Lord. And vers 12. return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I wil not cause mine anger to fal upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I wil not keep anger for ever again vers 14. Turn O back-sliding Children for I am marryed unto you if ever the Lord Jesus Christ did betroth himself unto any soul he wil never put that soul away again I hate putting away saith God Men put away their wives among the Jewes but saith the Lord I hate putting away And Isae 50. vers 1. Thus saith the Lord where is the Bil of your mothers divorcement whom I have puâ— away or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you Among the Jews the husband did put away his wife upon smal occasions As for adultery you know that was death he did not put away his wife upon adultery she was to dy for it but the husbands put away their wives upon other occasions and when they put away their wives they gave the wife a bil of divorce that so upon al occasions the woman might shew thereby that she was free from such a man Now saith the Lord you that charge me and complain that I have put you away come and shew me the bil of divorce Thus saith the Lord where is the bil c. Poor soul thou complainest that I have put thee away come then and shew me the bil of divorce let any one who complains that I have put him away and cast him off come and bring out his bil of divorce This ye cannot do men indeed put away but if ever the Lord Christ doth match himself unto thee he wil never put thee away again And whereas you say That you are declined and have much revolted and so have continued even many yeers Consider whether you be not mistaken Every abatement in affection is not a declining in grace possibly we may not grieve for sin afterward so much as at our first conversion yet we may hate it more at first you may pray more against it yet afterward watch more against it we never see the face of sin so ugly as in the glass of Gods free love do you not see the
free love of God more possibly your affections might be higher at the first but is not conviction more cleer and ful as affections dry up so we grow more setled in our judgment and if your judgment be more setled you are not declined though your affections be somewhat abated And whereas you say That you have returned to your sin again and again and have continued under your revolt for many yeers I shal only tel you what Mr. Bilney a blessed Martyr once said hearing a Minister preach very terribly against sin and saying thus Behold thou old sinner thou hast layn rotting in the grave of thy sin this threescore years and dost thou now think to go to heaven in one yeer dost thou think to go forward to heaven more in one yeer than thou hast gone backward to hel these threescore yeers Ah! said Mr. Bilney here is goodly preaching of repentance in the name of Christ Had I heard such doctrine preached heretofore my poor soul had despaired for ever but saith he the Lord Christ dyed for sinners young sinners and old sinners for one as wel as the other such as have layn long in sin aswel as those that have layn but a little while in sin if they wil come home unto Christ And you know what our Savior saith if thy Brother transgress against thee forgive him But Lord he hath transgressed against me once and I have forgiven him yet saith our Savior forgive him again O! but Lord I have forgiven him again and again and yet he returns to his fault again then forgive him again saith Christ But Lord how often shal I forgive my Brother Saith our Savior if he sin against thee Seaventy seven times and saies that he doth repent do thou forgive so oft And now shal the Lord Jesus Christ injoyn us to forgive our Brother if he sin against us seventy seaven times and wil not the Lord Christ forgive much more if a poor soul do turn unto him and say Lord I repent me that I have sinned against thee Wil the Lord Christ command me a poor sinner to forgive so many times how often wil the great God forgive what seaventy seven times nay seaven hundred times seaven hundred And have ye any reason then to be discouraged in this respect surely you have not Object But suppose that a man have sinned fowly greatly and he cannot repent or be humbled enough for that is my case I have sinned I have sinned greatly and now after al my heart is hard and I cannot be humbled enough O! I cannot repent enough hath he not just cause and reason for his discouragement now yea now to be quite discouraged Answ No not yet For what if the Lord wil have your humiliation from you by degrees should you be so or so mucâ— humbled for the present it may be it would be with you as it hâ—â—h been with others you would never think of your sins afterward but may be the Lord wil have this work of humiliation to stay long upon thy soul and he wil not give it you al at once Some there are that when they come into a house they pay a great in-come and little rent others pay a little in-come and a great rent so it is with souls that come to Christ some at the first lay down a great humiliation and they have lesser of it afterward some have less at the first and have more afterwards by continuance in it and what now if the Lord wil lead thy soul in this latter way this latter way may be the better way if the Lord think fit Sepe negatur cum quaeâ—itur et conceditur cuâ— non expectatur ut ex eo constet esse ò pus divinae graciae Bonavent Again It may be that if you had so much or so much humiliation now at the first you would think that in and by and for your humiliation you should have acceptance with God and the remiâ—sion of your sin if you be kept off from this rock danger by your want of that degree of humiliation which you would have and so be trayned up to prize the Lords free Grace in giving you humiliation have you any cause to complayn Again If you had so much or so much humiliation for the present iâ— may be then you would have the less humility a little humility is as good as a great deal of humiliation as good being humble as being humbled Now because thou art not humbled therefore thy soul is kept humble hadst thou many tears and abundance of tears may be then thou wouldest be proud but the Lord doth deny thee tears and thou art not humbled to the degrees of thy own desires and so the Lord keeps thee humble by the want of thy humiliation Again It may be that if you were humbled so or so much at the present or at the first you would have the less fear of your own heart The more humbled it may be the less after-fear and the less humbled the more after-fear the less humbled sometimes the more a man fears his own heart and his own condition Gracious fear is as good as humiliation and if that which you want in humilâ—ation you have it made up in fear have you any reason to be discouraged I know it is usual with Satan to say unto the people of God at their first coming on to Christ that they are not humbled enough and so keeps them off from Mercy and Grace But I pray tell me Can ye ever be humbled enough Can there be any proportion between your sins and your humiliation The Truth is we should labor that our Humiliation be answerable to our sin but God is not pleased with grief for grief God is not pleased with sorrow for sorrow the end of all our sorrow and grief is to imbitter our sin to us to make us to prize Jesus Christ to wean us from the delights and pleasures of the Creature to discover the deceitfulness and naughtiness of our own hearts In scripture phrase and language or the new Testament Repentance is called an after-wisdom an after-mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bethinking of ones self it is called a conviction now though you be not humbled unto the degree which you do desire yet notwithstanding do you not bethink your self are you not convinced of the evil of your former way hath not the Lord now given you an after-wisdom and do not you say concerning your sin O! if it were to do again I would not do it for al the world Thus it is with the Servants and people of God though they cannot be humbled so much as they would be yet notwithstanding they are thus far humbled thus far grieved that their sins are imbittered and themselves thereby weaned from the delights and pleasures of the world convinced of the evil of their sin and what they want in humiliation they have it in humility the less humbled the more they are kept
man had Faith for he said Only lay thine hand on her and she shall live yet his Faith was weak for he limited and stinted Christ both to time and means Come down and lay thine hand on her In the 8. Chapter a Centurion comes to him for the cure of his Servant and he was strong in Faith for saith Christ I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Christ doth prevent and goes before him for when he said verse 6. My Servant lies sick Jesus said to him I will come and heal him Here Christ offered to go No Lord saith the Centurion Speak the word only But the Ruler desires Christ to go with him and he followed him Christ prevents the strong and he followeth the weak he commends the strong Centurion he condescendeth to the weak Ruler What then though the weak Ruler be not commended as the strong Centurion was should he be discouraged No Because Christs condescending Love was as fit for him as his commending Favor was for the Centurion Strong Grace shall be more commended but weak Grace shall be much encouraged by the condescending Love of Christ Fourthly If Christ have put a Why and Wherefore upon the Discouragements of the weak then they have no true reason to be discouraged in regard of their weakness Now if ye look into Matth. 8.26 ye shal find that our Savior saies to his Disciples Why are ye doubtful O ye of little faith Ye read in verse 24. that there arose a great tempest insomuch that the Ship was covered with Water was not here cause of fear yet saiâ—s Christ Why are ye feaâ—ful yea it is said that their Help was asleep Christ was their only help in the storm ver 24. He was asleep had they not then cause to fear yet saies Christ Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith The like ye have in Matth. 16.8 Jesus said O ye of little faith why reason ye amongst your selves because ye have brought no Bread Here is another Why put upon their Discouragement So again Matth. 14.31 when Peter began to sink he cried out and Christ said unto him O thou of little faith wherefore did'st thou doubt Here is another Why or Wherefore put upon the discouragement of a weak Faith Now why doth our Savior speak after this manner to them Why do ye doubt and why are ye fearful Not only to reprove their doubting and discouragement but to shew that there was no reason for it Though their outward discouragements were great and their Faith was but smal yet he tels them that they had no reason for to be discouraged Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith It seems then by these Why 's and Wherefore's that though a mans Faith be smal and his outward discouragements great yet he hath no just and true reason for to be discouraged Fiftly And if a Christian would be discouraged if he did not somtimes find a weakness and smalness of Grace within him then he hath no reason to be discouraged because he doth find this weakness Now ye know that the Kingdom of Heaven both without us in the Gospel and within us in regard of the saving effect of the Gospel is compared to a grain of Mustard-seed which saith our Savior is the least of all Seeds but grows up in time to that stature height and bigness as the Fowls of the Air come and make their nests in it So is the Gospel both in the preaching and the effect of it it begins low and is very little at the first and therefore if a man should not find his Grace to be smal at the first he would doubt whether ever the Kingdom of Heaven were in him or no saying The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a grain of Mustard-seed the least of all Seeds but I have not found it so in my soul I have not found this littleness and smalness of Grace and therfore I do fear that the Kingdom of Heaven was never in my soul in truth Thus men would doubt and be discouraged if they should not somtimes find their Grace to be smal And if so then why should a man be discouraged because he doth find it thus Surely he hath no just cause or reason for it Object O! But yet it is an uncomfortable thing to be weak strong Christians are full of Comfort they have assurance of Gods Love and are full of joy but the weak are full of fears and doubts This is my condition I am most uncomfortable therefore I am thus dâ—scouraged have I not cause and reason for it Answ 1 No For though the weakness of Grace is usually accompanâ—ed with doubts and fears and the strength of Grace with assurance joy and comfort yet it is poâ—sible that a man may have a great deal of Grace yet may have no Assurance and a man may have Assurance not doubting of Gods Love and yet may have but little Grace Answ 2 Ye must know That there is a difference between uncomfortableness and less comfort If a man be possessed of a great Estate in the World he hath more comfort than another who hath but the pledg and earnest of it but though I am not possessed of it yet if I have the Earnest and Pledg of it I may have much comfort in it Now the least Grace is a Pledg and Earnest of more yea of the greatest measure and is it not a comfortable thing for a man to have the Pledg and Earnest of Glory Such have all those that are weak though they be but weak in Grace Quest But how shall I know that my little is a Pledg and Earnest of more Answ 1 The Spirit of Adoption is a Pledg and Earnest of the whol Inheritance and though you cannot do so much Service for your Heavenly Father as your Elder and stronger Brother doth yet if you do not only obey God because you see a reason in his Commandements but because there is a Child-like disposition in you then have you the Spirit of Adoption and so your little is a certain pledg of more Answ 2 And if you mourn over your little and wait on God for more then is your little an earnest of much Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also saith the Apostle which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selveâ— waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bâ—dy He proves That the Romans had the first-fruits the Pledg and Earnest of more in the Spirit by their groaning and waiting Do I therfore groan under the present burden of my own weakness waiting upon God for more then have I the fist-fruits of the spirit and so that little which I have is a Pledg and earnest of more and upon this account though your Grace be weak and smal in it self yet considered as an Earnest it is much and is it not a comfortable thing to have the Pledg and Earnest
of Glory Such is the Comfort of al those that are weak in Grace and therefore why should they be discouraged in regard of their weakness Object O! but I am not discouraged at my weakness in regard of the uncomfortableness of it but in regard of the unserviceableness of it for if I were strong in Grace I should be able to do more Service for God then I should be able to resist my Temptations and to overcome the evil One for the Apostle John saith I write to you yong men because ye are strong and have overcome the evil One But I have great Temptations and but smal strength to resist them I have a great deal of work to do for God and have no strength to do it with therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For the Spiritual Battel is not alwaies to the strong our Victory lies not in our selves and our own habitual strength but in Christs fresh assistance How often have the strong fallen and the weak stood We read of that yong King Edward the Sixth That when the Emperor sent to him desiring that his Sister Mary afterwards Queen of England might have liberty for the Mass in her House this yong Prince did stand out against that Temptation when all his Counsel was for it yea when that good man Bishop Cranmer and that other holy man Bishop Ridley did yield thereunto and pressed the King to it insomuch as the King did break forth into tears desiring them to be contented whereupon the Arch-Bishop Cranmer took his School-master Mr. Cheek by the hand and said Ah! Mr. Cheek you have such a Scholler that hath more Divinity in his little finger than all we have in our whol Bodies Here the weak stood and the strong did fall the weak did resist Temptation when the strong did yield for our strength lies in Christ without us not in our selves within us And if ye look into the 2. and 3. Chapters of the Revâ—lations ye shall find That whereas all the Churches are charged with some sin or other only the Church of Philadelphia is charged with no sin at all but commended for keeping the word of Christs Patience and yet this Church and no other is said to have a little strength 2 Cor. 12.9.10 And ye know what Paul saith When I am weak then am I strong most gladly therefore will I rejoyce in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me Answ 2 Though your Grace be weak yet you may do much for God in your day The Tongue saies James is a little Member and boasteth great things behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth Chap. 3.5 Behold also the Ships saith he verse 4. which though they be so great yet are they turned about with a very smal helm quod autem tam minuta et infirma animalia in rupibus domicilia sibi exculpeut confirmare nos debet ut non dubitemus etiam infirmi et imbellos quae difficilia sunt aggredi dummodo officii ratio id postulet Cartw. in Pro. 30. in vers 14. quatuor parva sunt in Terra And shall not a little Grace do as much as a little Tongue or as a little fire or as a little Helm Surely though Grace be little yet it may be an Helm unto all your life a Rudder unto all your Practices Ye see how fruitful weak things are in Nature the strongest persons have not alwaies most children but the weaker The Herring is a weak Fish in comparison of the Whale and what abundance are there The Dove is a feeble Bird in regard of the Eagle and yet how fruitful is it The Vine is a weak Tree in regard of the Oak and yet it is more fruitful So in Grace you may be weak in Grace yet you may be very fruitful The Jaylor was but weak in Grace as soon as he was converted nor Zacheus nor the Thief on the Cross yet what Clusters of Divine Grapes did presently grow upon these Branches And if you may be very fruitful in good though weak why should you be discouraged in regard of your weakness Object O! but I am not discouraged at my Weakness in regard of my unserviceableness or unfruitfulness only but in regard of my own guiltiness for I have made my self weak in Grace by mine own sins I have fallen into sin and so have weakened my self and Grace my Grace is not only weak but it is weakened and weakened by sin therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For possibly you may be mistaken Some do abate in their Natural Parts and they think they decay in their Graces as some grow in Parts and Gifts and they think they grow in their Graces But if you have not fallen into any great and gross sin then no such Spiritual Disease or Feaver hath seized on you whereby your Grace should be weakened Answ 2 But suppose the thing be true which you do object That you have sinned and by your own sin your Grace is now weakened then have you cause indeed to be much humbled before the Lord yet not to be discouraged For If nothing have befallen you but what may possibly befal a true Beleever then you have no reason to be cast down as without hope Now ye know how it was with Sampson he was strong and of great strength inward and outward yet his strength was taken away and he became as one of us How so why he had laid his head in Dalilah's Lap and so he lost his strength and was weakened by it but it cost him dear both his Eyes and his Life too And if you have so laid your head in Dalilah's Lap that your strength is abated it may and it is likely it will cost you dear yet this case is no other than what may befal one recorded for a true Beleever And though your strength be abated and your Grace weakened through your own sin yet being true saving Grace it shall never be annihilated for it is the new Creation and nothing created by God can be annihilated by us Man is created by God he may be killed by man but he cannot be annihilated and brought to nothing The Tree and Wood may be burnt to Ashes but it cannot be annjhilated and brought to nothing for it is part of the Creation Now your Grace was created by God also if true though smal and therefore though it may be weakened by your sin yet it cannot be annihilated and brought to nothing And if yet the Promise do belong to you and to your Condition then you have no reason to be discouraged or cast down in respect of this .. Now if ye look into Revel 3. ye shall find That as there are many Promises made to the several Churches so there are Promises also made to the Church of Sardis yet this Church had fallen and weakened her self for saies Christ
of Gold or Silver in his hand and saith the Father if you can get this out of my hand you shall have it so the Child strives and pulls and works and then the Father opens his hand by degrees first one finger then another and then another and at last his whol hand and the child thinks he hath got the money by his own strength and labor whereas the Father intended to give it him but in that way So here God intends to give us a mercy in the way of Prayer and he sets us a praying for it and we think we obtain it by the strength of our own prayer as if we did move and change the will of God by our Duty but all the enlargements in the world make no alteration in the will of God he is immovable unchangable and the same for ever But he will give out his blessings in a way of prayer therefore it is our Duty to pray yet we must not be discouraged though we cannot pray as we would Fourthly It is usual with the Lord to restrain Prayer before he doth give enlargement and to make a man speechless before he openeth his Mouâ—h Luke 1. we read so of Zacharias a gracious and holy man at the 67. verse it is said of him that He was filled with the Holy Ghost and he prophesied Yet if you look into the former part of the Chapter you shall find that before he was thus filled with the Holy Ghost and Prophesied he was dumb and stricken with dumbness verse 20. saith the Angel to him And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak So he continued dumb before he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied It may be here is a further Mystery in this quando oramus non ideo oramus ut per hoc Divinam dispositionem immutemus sed ut impetremus id quod deus disposuit sanctorum oratio nobis impetrandum Tostat Mat. 6. for Zachary was a Levitical and a Legal Priest and our Lord and Savior Christ being to come into the world immediately who knows but that Zachary was thus stricken with dumbness to shew that the Lord will silence all our Legal Performances before he wil enlarge us with the enlargements of Christ and of the Gospel This is Gods usual way with his People it may be thou hast gone on in Duty in a Legal manner and now thou art stricken with dumbness yet if God have a design to discover more of Christ to thy soul and to enlarge thee with the Enlargements of the Holy Ghost have you any cause to complain Fifthly As for the dulness of your Heart in Duty and Prayer though dulness be an ill-ill-sin yet the sence thereof is a good sign As the Tâ—â—stle is a good sign of a fat ground though it be an ill Weed so the sence of your dulness is a good sign though it be an ill sin for it argues that you are used to private Duties for dulness in private and pride in publick Duties is the Temptation Only here remember Three things 1. That you do not measure or judg of your everlasting Condition by your present Affection 2. That you do not forbear Duty because of your dulness in it because Duty is a great remedy against it and whither should a dead soul go but to the living God 3. That one great cause of your dulness is your doubting and discouragement and therefore no reason that you should be discouraged because of it lest you augment the same Sixtly What is Prayer and the Nature of it Prayer is the powring out of the soul to God not the powring out of words not the powring out of expressions but the powring out of the soul to God Words many times and expressions are a great way off from the soul but sighs and groans are next the soul and have more of the soul in them than words and expressions many times have now thou complainest that thy heart is straightened and dead and dull but when you are so straightened in Prayer do ye not at that time powr out sighs and groans after Prayer saying O! what freedom once I had O! Lord that I might have the like freedom again And whereas you say now that your heart is hardened in Duty consider whether there be not a great mistake about hardness and softness of heart Durum est quod tactui non cedit molle cedit A hard thing doth not yield to the touch but a soft thing doth Wax yields when it is touched because it is soft and Wool yields when it is touched because it is soft but an hard thing yields not And upon this account it is said of Pharaoh That his heart was hard why Because he did not yield to God he had not a yielding disposition Now there is many a poor soul complains that his heart is hard and yet notwithstanding he hath a yielding disposition to every Truth a yielding disposition to every Affliction and Dispensation of God Wherefore doest thou complain and say O! my heare is very hard yet if at this time thou hast a yielding disposition to yield to every Truth of God and to yield to every touch of the Lords hand know from the Lord that here is a soft heart be not mistaken but many are mistaken and because they are mistaken herein and it is bâ—t a mistake therefore they have no reason for to be discouraged Object But I do not only want enlargement and softenings of heart in Duty but I am oppressed and filled with distractions my heart is not only dull and dead and straightened but I feel many positive evils As the Leaves of a Tree are eaten up with Catterpillars so I may say my Duties are eaten up â—â—th distractions I never go to Duty but the Lord knows a world of distractions come in upon me and have I not just cause and reason to be discouraged now Answ Surely this is a great evil for as one saith well Tantum temporis oras quantum attendis so much time you pray as you do attend in prayer and upon this account if the Lord should abstract all the out-goings of our souls in Duty and all our distractions from our prayers O! how little of prayer would be left many times It were an incivility you wil say when a Petitioner hath gotten the Kings Ear for the poor Petitioner then to turn his back upon the King and what an evil must it needs be when a poor soul hath gotten the Ear of God then to turn the back by way of distractions upon the Lord who comes down to hear his Prayer We use to say When the Candle burns the Mouse bites not or the Mouse nibbles not when the Candle doth not burn then the Mouse eats the Candle but when the Candle burns the Mâ—use doth not bite the same And so long as a mans heart is warm and inflamed in prayer he is freed from distractions but when a mans heart is
now from home and travelling 〈…〉 a strange Countrey and do you think it is possible 〈◊〉 â—ould it not be a wonder that meeting with so many cross waiâ—s you should never be at a stand about your Condition or question your way whether you be right or no Give me leave to propound you a Parable Suppose two men one goes very brave fares deliciously is very merry and full of money yet hath no Lands no Calling nothing left him no friends to maintain him nor no honest way known to bring him in money and yet he is full of it The other works hard fares meanly goes plainly and he is oft complaining I fear I shal want and miscarry yet he hath a Calling some Land good Friends and some Money Which of these two think you doth come most honestly by his Money Will you not all say the latter For though he hath but little yet he works hath a Lawful Calling waies known for to bring it in But as for the other though fine brave and looks high yet he hath nothing to bring it in I sear he comes not well by it So Spiritually there are two sorts of People in the world One that is very confident of his Salvation and full of Comfort yet he prayeth not in private reads not meditates not examineth not his own heart takes no pains about his soul but is often spending keeping ill company will be somtimes drunk swear and be unclean yet he is very confident he shall go to Heaven The other praies hears reads meditates walketh with all strictness in his life and conversation yet he is alwaies doubting and fearing but through Grace he hath some Comfort Which of these two think you is in the best condition and comes most honestly by his Comfort Will you not say surely the latter for though he fears yet he is alwaies doing working Heaven-ward The other though confident and ful of Comforts hath no good way for to bring them in and therefore surely his Evidence for Heaven is stolen his Comforts are all stolen But as for the other though he hath but little Comfort yet he comes truly by it Thus it may be with you whilst others swaggering it and braving it out with their Comfort and false Confidence go to Hell and perish everlastingly It is a sure Rule That Gods Promise of Mercy doth suppose our Misery if he promise health he supposeth our sickness if he promise Grace it supposeth our sin Now though in the times of the old Testament God promised much outward Blessing yet in the times of the new Testament the Mercy promised is To send the Comforter the Spirit who shall bear witness unto our Spirits that we are the Children of God often our Savior saith I wil send the Comforâ—â— Why but to show that in the times of the Gospel the People of God shall labor under doubtings and be full of fears about their Spiritual estate and therefore though you do doubt of your Child-ship which is your evil yet your state herein is no other than what may be the state and condition of Gods own People in these Gospel times why therefore should you be discouraged in this respect Object 3 But I do not only doubt of my Child-ship I am not only tempted to doubt whether I be the Child of God or no but I labor under sad and searful temptations I am tempted to strange and horrid things such as I fear to name I am even tempted to make away my self tempted with blasphemous thoughts to doubt whether there be a God or no whether the Scripture be true and to say that I have sinned against the holy Ghost such and such things I am tempted to as my very soul and flesh doth tremble at and have I not just cause and reason now to be discouraged and cast down Answ I confess this is sad indeed I do not read in Scripture though I read of many sins of the Godly that ever any Godly man did make away himself It is a good Speech of Austin Sibi auferendo presentem vâ—tam abnegant futuram Men by taking away their present life deâ—â— themselves their future life But because saith Mr. Perkins 〈…〉 â—one this whose lives have been counted honest 〈…〉 â—ly therefore my Sentence is thus I dare not 〈…〉 damned because of their former life and I dare not say they are saved because of their sinful death yet for the Temptation it self I say if it do not come to act as there is no Duty which a Godly man doth perform but a wicked man may do the same yet remain wicked so there is no Temptation which a wicked man may yield unto but a godly man may be tempted unto yet remain godly was not Christ himself tempted by Satan to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple yet he did it not Only my Counsel and Advice from the Lord is If any be troubled with such a Temptation be sure you reveal it and discover it presently and as for those horrid blasphemous suggestions which lie so heavy upon your souls which make your heart and flesh to tremble at the rising of them Ye have read how it was with the King of Moab when he could not break through the Hoast of Israel nor make them cease from following the Victory he presented unto their view a horrible Spectacle sacrificing on the walls his own dear Son and Heir to the Crown that so the Israelites being not able to endure the view of that inhumane sight might give over the Victory Thus doth Satan do when he cannot drive a gracious soul out of the field any other way then he presenteth such horrid inhumane suggestions to him that he may scare him from the good waies of God it is not in our power to hinder Satan from presenting these things to our thoughts When you come into wicked ungodly and prophane Company if they wil swear and curse and blaspheme you cannot hinder them from speaking nor your self from hearing you may sit down and mourn saying O! what Blasphemy is here what Cursing is here but do what you can they will fill your Ears with these things Now Satan being a Spirit he is able to present these Blasphemies to your Spirits and you cannot hinder it you may cry out and say O! what Blasphemy is here O! what a burden is this to my soul But he can present them to you whether you wil or not and did he not present these things unto Christ himself All these things will I give thee saith he if thou wilt fall down and worship me what greater Blasphemy can be imagined than that the God of Heaven and Earth as Christ was should worship Satan yet hereunto he did tempt our Lord and Savior And if our God doth so order the Temptations of his Children as that thereby they are kept from sin have they any reason to be discouraged now by these horrid Temptations Many a man is kept from
Because they were upon a Covenant of Works So when men are under a Covenant of Works if they miscarry but in one action though tempted thereto by Satan yet God may cast them thereby Now al the wicked stil are under the Covenant of Works and therefore though it be but one act wherein they miscarry and they be drawn thereunto by Satan yet God somtimes doth and justly may cast them thereby unto al Eternity But as for the Saints and People of God they are not under a Covenant of Works but of Grace al of them are so and therefore God deals graciously with them not measuring them by any one carriage under one Temptation No saith the Lord it is but the time of their Temptation I wil not measure this man or woman by what they are now but as they are when they are cool most themselves and out of Temptation O! what a Gracious Priviledg is this Who would not labor to get into Christ to become Godly to be in this Covenant of Grace And as for you that are Godly tel me upon al this accompt Have you any just cause and reason for your discouragements under your Temptations Surely No whatever your Temptations be yet you have no reason for discouragement Quest But what then What shall I do that I may bear up my heart against all discouragements in this kind that I may not be cast down or discouraged by reason of my Temptations I confess indeed that there is no reason why a godly man should be discouraged in this respect but yet it is a hard thing to bear up against all Discouragements in time of Temptation What shall I do in this case that I may not be discouraged whatever my Temptations be Answ I will say nothing to your Natural Temper If Temptations arise from Natural Causes then Natural Means as Physick are to be used and applied and People should do well to be perswaded thereunto But somwhat by way of Direction Spiritually First If you would not be discouraged under your Temptations Take heed that when you are in Temptation you do not expect too much from any one means of help over expectation breeds discouragement disappointment doth breed Discouragement it is not the sadness of your Condition but Disappointment that doth cause Discouragement If a man be in debt and under an Arrest so long as he thinks he hath friends to bail him or some Goods and Commodities to make sale of he is not discouraged but if he expect much from his friends and all fail him and his goods be seized that he cannot have help come in at that door nor from any other means which he expected from then he is quite discouraged If a man be in the Water wherein there is danger of drowning so long as he can get hold of somthing that wil bear him up he is not discouraged but if he lay hold of some tuft of Grass on the Bank side and that breaks he falls back again and is more plunged into the Water and if he be not scared out of al thoughts he is more discouraged than ever So here In Temptation we are as in the Water and in fear of drowning crying out We sink we sink then we fly to some tuft of Grass some means or other and if that break or fail then we are quite discouraged Would you not therefore be dejected or cast down in time of Temptation take heed that you do not lay all your strength upon one tuft of Grass this or that mans Counsel this or that particular means but say rather I am now indeed in the deep and in fear of drowning see no means of deliverance but Gods waies are in the deep and he is infinite he hath waies and means that I know not of therefore though I use the means yet I will not rest on them and though all tufts of Grass break and Anchors come home yet I wil wait on God Secondly If you would not be discouraged in time of Temptation Take heed that you do not say of your Temptation This is no Temptation Satan tempts first unto what is evil and then he tempts Gods People to think that their Temptation is no Temptation as long as a man thinks it is but a Temptation he thinks it wil not last long it is but a Temptation it wil not hold alwaies and so his heart is in some measure upheld with hope But when Satan can perswade that the Temptation is no Temptation but a worser matter then the heart sinks and dies take heed therefore that ye do not say that your Temptation is no Temptation Thirdly Consider what infinite Engagements are upon Jesus Christ to succor and relieve poor tempted souls you can never be discouraged under Temptation so long as you think how mightily Christ is engaged to help those that are tempted and engaged he is many waies Engaged by his own Temptations for hâ— was therefore tempted that he might be able experimentally to succor those that are tempted Engaged he is by Promise for he hath said he will not quench the smoaking flax yea though it hath more smoak than fire Engaged he is by his Interest in you and his Name upon you Engaged he is by his own Gracious Disposition when he was upon Earth he cured those that were vexed by Satan Art thou now tempted thou art now vexed by Satan Christ is as gracious in Heaven as he was on Earth Engaged he is by Office for saith the Apostle We have not such an High-Priest as cannot be touched with our infirmities but was in all points tempted as we are that he might succor those that are tempted he is our great High-Priest When the man-slayer was pursued by the Avenger of Blood if the man-slayer fled unto a City of Refuge he was safe there where he was to stay til the death of the High-Priest and when the High-Priest died then he was set at liberty The Lord Jesus Christ is our High-Priest by whose Death we are set at liberty and by whose Life we are al preserved it is his Office to succor poor tempted souls pursued by Avengers of blood and if a good man be faithful in his Office much more wil Christ by whom al other men are faithful Yea God our Father hath erected an Office for the succoring of poor tempted souls and Jesus Christ hath this Office whenever therfore you are tempted fear you shal miscarry under your Temptation then remember Christ and say O! but the Lord Jesus is in Office he is bound by Office to succor poor tempted souls and such a one am I he is engaged by his own Temptation he is engaged by Promise he is engaged by his Interest in me and his Name upon me he is engaged by his own Dâ—sposition he is engaged by hâ—â— Office and therefore though I be tempted unto what is evil yet avoid Satan for I shal be delivered I am tempted but I shall be delivered for the Lord
and become his Enemy and did not Job's Friends think that God loved them and was their Friend and his Enemy yet if you look into Job 42. you find that God was more pleased with Job for he was fain to pray for them before they could be accepted and know ye not that it is Christs usual manner to personate an Enemy when he intends the most Friendship to seem a stranger when he intends the most communion It is said that God was angry with Moses Exod. 4. yet even then he gave him such a Promise of mercy as he had not before ver 14 15 16. Ye know what Davids choyce was Lord let me fall into thy hands and not into the hands of men for with thee is mercy It is somtimes a mercy to be immediately chastised by the hand of God our Father God might turn us over to the hands of men but if God wil take us into his own hand and chastise with his own hand immediately there is love in it If a Prince should say to his Officers My whol Kingdom is before you do right and execute Justice and Judgment but as for such and such a Family if they shall commit any fault I wil chastise them immediately with mine own hand you shal not meddle with them I wil do it my self would not this argue love Thus it is with the Saints in the time of Desertion then God takes the soul into his own hand all Creatures and Officers of his Anger stand by and meddle not in other Afflictions God turns us over to his Officers but in Desertion there he doth correct immediately and therefore though he strikes yet there is Love at the bottom and the more Christ doth sympathize with you in any Affliction the less cause you have to be discouraged Christ is our sympathizing High-Priest in al our Afflictions but the more we are like to him in any Affliction the more he doth sympathize and his heart let out the more unto us Jesus Christ was in Desertion himself and not only forsaken but for our sakes under the wrath and displeasure of God his Father and therefore when he sees a soul not only deserted but under anger and displeasure of God then he saith O! there is a soul that is in my case and so he does most commiserate and compassionate that person have you then any reason to be discouraged in this respect Object 3 But this is not my case For I am not only deserted forsaken under manifestations of Christs displeasure but I have sinned and drawn down this Desertion upon my own soul and therefore now it is that I am thus discouraged and have I not reason for it Answ No For God doth not alwaies desert and forsake his People for their sins somtimes he doth and somtimes he doth not as appears by comparing the 3d and 5th Chapters of the Canticles and it may be he doth now withdraw from you not for your sin and if there be but a may be of it there is no reason for discouragement But suppose it be so look I pray into Isay 57. again and see what the Lord hath promised to a poor soul in this condition ver 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Wil ye say the Lord doth not only hide his fâ—ce from you but he hath smitten you So here Wil ye say O! but I have sinned and drawn this desertion upon my self So here For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him Will ye say O! but I have sinned on both sides of this Desertion I have sinned before the Desertion came which sin was the cause of it and I have sinned since I have been deserted by my frowardness and peevish carriage So here For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and hid me there is sin on the one side and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart there is sin on the other side of Desertion Here is sin on both sides what then is there any hope or comfort or mercy for a heart in this condition Yes saith the Lord I will restore comfort unto him and to his mourners O! but it is not comfort that my soul desires but I have a foul filthy unclean wicked heart of mine own O! that my heart were healed Is there any hope of healing mercy in this condition Yes saith the Lord in the Text I have seen his waies and will heal him O! but though I be healed I shal sin again and wander from God again nay saith the Lord But I have seen his waies and will heal him and will lead him also But I see no means or likelihood of al this how can it be Yes very well for saith the Lord ver 19. I create the fruit of the Lips Peace peace peace to him that is afar off and I will heal him again O! what Comfort is here what an upholding Promise is here Can you read it or think of it and your heart sink before it Object 4 This is but part of my condition for I have sinned Christ hath forsaken me I have sinned Christ hath smote me and he goes on smiting goes on angry goes on displeased I have been deserted a long while in the dark a long while and I am so far from the light that it doth even grow darker and darker my condition being more sad every day than other every day I am more deserted and my condition worser have I not reason to be cast down and discouraged now Answ No For when was it worst with the Israelites They had an ill time of it al the while they were in the Land of Egypt a dark time but was it not worst with them immediately before their deliverance Did not the Task-Masters then beat them When was it worst with David ill at al times in the Wilderness but was it not worst with him at Ziklag when he had lost his Wives and his own men took up stones against him Psal 10. we read that David saith Why standest thou afar off O Lord and hidest thy self in the time of trouble hiding is more and worâ—er than standing afar off When the Sun is going down then it seems to be far off but when it is hidden then it is set and is further off So saith David Lord thou art not only afar off but even out of sight quite out of sight and art hidden from me his Desertion grew higher and higher And if you look into Psal 13. you find that he speaks to the like purpose How long wilt thou bide thy face from me how long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever As hiding is more than standing afar off so it is worse than forgetting For as Musculus observes wel forgetting is but Remissio amoris a man that loves another may forget him yet he may love him well but
and quiet under the hand of God then he is called to that other work which his Affliction doth lead him to It may be your Affliction may hinder you from your former work which God hath call'd you from but it doth not hinder you from that work whereunto you are now called by your Affliction And what though my Affliction doth hinder me from my former work yet if God wil not fault me for the neglect of that have I any reason to be discouraged becaus I do not do it This is certain That if God cal me to a new work he wil never blame me if I lay by the former You wil not blame your Servants if they lay by their former work when you call them to a new and when God leads into a new Affliction then he doth cal to a new work Answ 3 And as for matter of Temptation and Sin this is certain That that Affliction doth never expose a man to a new sin which doth make him sensible of his former sin Now as you have heard the Afflictions of the Saints do both discover and heal their sins making them sensible of them which they were not before And if you look into Psal 125.3 you find a Promise to this purpose The Rod of the wicked shall not rest on the Lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hand to iniquity As it is with a Master that sets his Servant to beat the dust out of his Garment though he cause the rod or stick to pass upon the Garment yet he will not suffer it to rest so long upon the Garment as it shal be torn thereby Your Affliction is Gods Rod and he suffers it to pass upon your Garment Why That he may fetch out your dust therewith but he wil not suffer this Rod to rest so long upon you as to tear your Garment Lest the Righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity saith the Text. Answ 4 And if this fear of yours be a good sign of your Grace then why should you be discouraged in this respect Now what better sign of Truth and Uprightness of heart have you than this That you are therefore troubled at your Affliction because it doth expose to Temptation and Sin and because it doth hinder you from what is good Do you not say so Lord thou knowest I am therefore afflicted under this Affliction not because of the burden of it so much but because thereby I am hindred from doing and receiving good and exposed to such Temptations as for the Affliction it self though it be great yet Lord thou knowest I should submit to it and be quiet under it were I not thereby exposed unto what is evil Here now is sincerity here is uprightness and will you then be discouraged nay rather have you not cause and reason to be much encouraged Object 6 This is not my fear or cause of my discouragement but I am under a great and sore Affliction so and so afflicted and I fear I have brought my self into this Affliction by my sin had not my sin been the cause of my Affliction I should not be troubled but O! my Affliction is great and long and I am perswaded that my own sin is the cause thereof yea and that which aggravateth the matter is I cannot find out what the sin is if God would but discover it to me I should be more at quiet but my sin is the cause of my affliction and I know not what the particular sin is that hath brought me into this affliction and have I not just cause and reason for my discouragement now Answ No For did not Jonah bring himself into his Affliction by his sin and yet when did God more fully appear to him than when he was in the Whales Belly Did not David bring himself into his Affliction by his sin he sinned in the matter of Vriah and the Lord said The Sword shall never depart from thy House and what was the Sword of Absolon but an Affliction which dropped out of that Threatening brought upon him by his sin and yet when was Davids heart in a better frame If saith he the Lord have any pleasure in me he will bring me back to the Ark again if not let him do with me what seemeth good in his Eyes And when did God more fully appear to David than under this Affliction for he prayed The Lord turn the Counsel of Achittophel into folly and God heard him presently And if ye look into Deut. 4. you shall find a standing Promise made for your Comfort in this matter verse 25. If you shall corrupt your selves and make a graven Image or the likeness of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you this day That you shall soon utterly perish from the Land ye shal not prolong your daies the Lord will scatter you among the Nations and you shall be left few in number among the Heathen and there you shall serve gods the work of mens hands But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thine heart and all thy soul 1. Here was a great Affliction to be driven out into another Country 2. This Affliction was caused by their great sins 3. Yet the Promise is That if from thence from this valley and bottom they did seek the Lord he would shew mercy to them And all this in the times of the Law and is not God as gracious now in the times of the Gospel as then in the times of the Law And what though you cannot find out what the particular sin is it is good to search but somtimes it is better for a poor soul that it is not discovered For if I be under an affliction for some particular sin and find it out then I am once humbled for it and go no further but if I find it not out I search and search and so am humbled continually for many sins and therefore I say it is somtimes better that the particular sin is not discovered Why then should a godly gracious soul be discouraged in this respect Surely he hath no reason for it Object 7 Yet there is one thing sticks with me in regard of personal Afflictions I fear that they do not come from Gods Love were I certain that this Affliction did proceed from Gods Love then I should never be troubled but I even see the visible Characters of Gods displeasure and anger engraven upon my Afflictions and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For if Affliction do rather argue Gods Love than Hatred then have you no reason to be discouraged Now though Affliction do not argue Gods Love yet I say it doth rather argue Love than Hatred A man may be no Father to a Child yet he may correct him But if two Children commit
Rom. 12.1 Which is your reasonable Service So also Revel 2.19 I know thy work Charity and Service This latter Service is the saving Service that Service whereby in special manner we are called Gods Servants and in that respect we may be serviceable to God though not in the former Secondly As for the Service of special Employment that is also various Somtimes God doth cal a man to one kind of Service somtimes to another He hath several waies of employment he employed Moses one way in giving out the Law and hâ— employed Ezra another way in restoring of the Law Both were employed but their Employments were very different In 1 Sam. 30. we read that when David fought against the Amalekâ—tes to recover his Wives and substance some of his men stayed and tarriâ—d by the Stuff to preserve that and saith David verse 24. As his part is that goeth down to the Battel so shall his part be that tarryeth by the Stuff they shall part alike Now it may be you are one of those that stay by Christs Stuff being employed in some lower and meaner Service Christ hath a care of you and though you stay at home yet you even you shall have part in the Spoyl as well as those whose work and employment is more honorable Thirdly Yea though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterward God did make use of Joseph but he first laid him by God did make use of Moses but he first laid him by God did make use of David but did he not first lay him by Quidam eundem putant Emman Sa. Alp. Salmeron in Acts 1. Vide Transl Syriac in Acts 15.22 And if Barnabas the Companion of Paul were the same person with Barsabas as some do verily beleeve though the Syriack Translation is plainly against it because the Name of boâ—h was Joses or Joseph as appears by comparing Acts 1.23 with Acts 4.36 And because this Joses was not called Barnabas from the beginning but named Barnabas by the Apostles Acts 4.46 If I say Barnabas were the same with Barsabas then it appears plainly that God doth not alwaies lay a man by to use him no more for what abundance of service Barnabas did the Book of the Acts doth declare yet he was first laid by in the choyce that was between him and Matthew for the lot fell on Matthew yet Barnabas is sent out afterwards by the Church Acts 11.22 and by God himself Acts 13.2 and much Service he did do for God So that though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterwards Fourthly And if a man may be employed for God in some special Service yet may go to Hell when all is done and a man may not be employed and yet go to Heaven afterward then why should you be discouraged because you are not so employed Now what think ye of those which ye read of in Matth. 7. they say at the last day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name cast out Devils in thy Name and done many wonderful works in thy Name Works and great works and many and wonderful they did and all in the Name of Christ yet he wil say to them Depart from me for I never knew you or I know you not Yea did not our Savior Christ say concerning Judas I have chosen twelve and one of you is a Devil A Devil yet an Apostle what greater Work Service or Employment than the Work of an Apostle yet possibly a man may be an Apostle in regard of Employment and a very Devil in regard of Life On the other side how many good and gracious men are there in the world who were never used or called forth unto any special Service such as are now in Heaven and shal be so unto al Eternity What then though you be not employed or used as others are yet surely you have no just cause or reason to be discouraged in this respect Fiftly And if it be the property of a good man to rejoyce in the Service of others then why should you be discouraged because others are employed and you not A Godly man doth mourn for anothers sin as wel as for his own because he mourns for sin as sin and as a dishonor unto God So he rejoyces in the Service of another as wel as in his own becau e he rejoyces in the work it self and â—ecâ—use God is honored You would have Gods Cart to be driven through your Gate Why is it not because you may have some Toll thereby Paul said However Christ is preached and therefore I rejoyce and if Christs work be done whose hands â—oever the work comes through why should you not rejoyce And if it be our Duty to rejoyce then surely you have no Scripture ground and reason for your Discouragement in this regard Object 2 But I am not discouraged because I do want Employment or Service I have more work lies upon my Shop-board than I can turn my hand unto but I have a great deal of work to do and I have no skil to do it O! I want Abilities I want Sufficiencies I do want Endowments therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For Gods greatest Works are not alwaies done by the greatest Parts and most choyce Abilities Gâ—deon did a great Work for God in his Generation yet saith he Judg. 6.15 O my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel behold my Family is poor in Manasseth and I am least in my Fathers House As if he should say if this great work be done it must be done by some strong and potent Family or Pâ—rson but as for me I am the least in my Fathers House and my Fathers House is the least in Manasseh yet saith the Lord to him I will be with thee and thou shalt smite Midian as one man I have read in Scripture that the People have been too many and the means too strong for God to work by but I never read that it was too smal or weak for God to work by God saith Who hath despised the day of smal things And if he wil not have us to despise the day of his smal things surely he wil not despise the day of our smal things Did not the weakness of the Apostles overcome the strength of al the world Who doth not see what weighty Buildings God hath somtimes laid upon our Laths He is able to make as great a hole with his Needle as with our Bodkin Answ 2 Our best Abilities for Gods Work are from the breathings of the Spirit of God Water is weak in it self but when the Wind blows upon it how strong is it So if the Spirit of God breath upon us we are strong though in our selves as weak as water Not by might nor by strength but by the Spirit of the Lord saith Zachariah And if ye look upon that great Service of the re-building of the
deadness in you that is opposite unto liveliness have you any reason to be quite discouraged and cast down The Trades-man complains that his Trade is dead and you complain that your heart is dead this argues that your Trade is there and that your Trade is in the matter of your heart Answ 4 Fourthly As for your unprofitableness and unfruitfulness under the Means and Ordinances ye know that there is a difference between Unfruitfulness and less Fruitfulness the good Ground brings forth Fruit in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold thirty is less than sixty yet this is not unfruitfulness sixty is less fruit than an hundred fold yet this is not barrenness A good man may be less fruitful than another or thâ—â— he was formerly yet he may be fruitful and it may be thus with you But suppose you cannot profit under the means and be indeed unfruitful yet there is a great deal of difference between the unfruitfulness of the good Tree and the barrenness of the barren fig-tree 1. Though a good man be unfruitful yet he is very sensible of his unfruitfulness O! saith he there is not a more barren vile wretched unprofitable heart in all the world than mine 't is not so w th the barren soul 2. Though a good man may be too unfruitful yet he doth not cumber the ground the barren fig-tree doth Luke 13. that is he doth eat out the heart of the soyl from others doth hinder others he is a cumber to the place family where he growe and lives the good man is not so but though he is unprofitable in his own eyes yet in truth he is profitable to the souls of others 3. Though a goo◠〈◊〉 doth not profit so much as he should and would yet he is 〈…〉 that any means should be used with him for his profit and growth even to be digged about and dunged And I will dig about it Luke 13. and dung it Upon which words saith Bernard Non refugit faeditatem medii qui expectat facunditatem animae Dung is a means unsavory and he that desires the growth of his Grace wil not refuse the foulness of the means that means which to flesh and blood is unsavory 4. Though a good man may be very unfruitful yet God wil not cut him down he wil prune him and cut him in such a time as he may grow thereby but he will not cut him down But the barren Fig-tree he will cut it down cut it down saith the owner why should it cumber the ground any longer But however it be Art thou unfruitful unprofitable under the means then have you cause to be humbled Humble your self therefore before the Lord your God yet be you not diâ—couraged Object 4 O! but yet this is not my case only for I do not barely complain of my unprofitableness under the Means and Ordinances though that is much but I fear that my Spiritual condition is not right and if my spiritual condition be not good and right after I have lived thus long under such searching means and Ministry I fear it will never be right I do not read in all the Scripture that ever an Hypocrite was converted Publicans and sinners I read of but I do not read of an Hypocrite converted and having lived under the means of Grace thus long if now my c ndition be unsound then I am an Hypocrite and indeed this I fear and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason for it Answ 1 No For though you have lien long under the means of Grace and are not converted yet there is hope there is hope concerning this When our Lord and Savior Christ rose from the dead the stone was rouled and removed away and when the Lord Christ doth raise up a poor soul he will rowl away the stone though it be as heavy as death though it be as heavy as Hypocrisy though the stone be as heavy as Hell it self yea Christ wil rowl away the stone though it hath lien long upon you And I pray what think you of Paul was not Paul an Hypocrite before his Conversion Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites saith our Savior and saith Paul concerning himself concerning the Law I was a Pharisee our Savior saith that the Scribes and Pharisees were Hypocrites and Paul saith concerning himself he waâ— a Pharisee and yet he converted There is one Hypocrite then converted and you may read of orhers Answ 2 But is not this usual with Gods own Children do they not speak it somtime out thâ—t they are but Hypocri es I am but an Hypocriâ—â—e Ye read of that blessed Martyr Mr. John Bradford that being in Prison and writing to a friend he Subscribes his Letter thus Yours in Christ a mâ—st unprofitable haâ—d-hearred mi erable sinner And another Letter he subscribes thus Yours in Christ a very pa nted Hypocrite John Bradford Some here are that think their souls are sincere and yet they are most unsound Some again think they are unâ—ound and yet they are most sincere Answ 3 But to come a little neerer and yet I must but touch upon it Did ever Hypocrite long and mourn after the Preâ—ence of Goâ— in Christ as the best thing iâ— al the world Did ever Hypocrite dwel and abide in the work or private examination of his own soul Did ever Hypocrite love Grace better or more than Gift oâ— that most which is the most Spiritual most savory Did ever Hypocrite desire Peace Comfort for Grace sake not rather Grace for Peace sake Do Hâ—pocrites ordâ—narily think they are Hypocrites where do you find that in the Scripture that Hâ—pocrites ordinarily think they are Hypocrites If Hâ—pocriâ—ie be a mans burden it is not his condition Did ever any Hypocrite walk contrary to himself to his former self when men were truly converted they did So you read of Zacheus before he was converted he was a grâ—â— Oppressor and a covetous man but being oâ—ce converted saith he Lord behold the half of my goods I give unto the poor and if I have wronâ—ed any man I'â—e restore fourfold here he walks contrary to himself So the Jaylor before he was converted he imprisoned the Apostles and whipped them till the blood ran down upon their backs but being converted he hath them into his houâ—e sets meat before them and washeth thâ—iâ— wounds he walks contrary to his own former self So Paul before he was converted he persecuted the Saints and the Gospel after converted then he did preach the Gospel which before he persecuted thus he walked contrary to his former self I have read or heard of a yong man that was given much to jeering and scoffing and his Mother being godly he would frequently jeer and scoff at his own Mother it pleased God at the last to work savingly upon him and then he would never come into the presence of his Mother but he would fal down upon his
is used by the Septuagint Exod. 21.13 14. And thus did those Pharisees â—in for the Evangelist tels us That when Christ saw their thoughts verse 25. He said unto them c. So that it was not a bare opposing or blaspheming but a malicious opposing and blaspheming this great Work of the Holy Ghost which made them so deeply guilty Quest But how can a man sin ex malitia or maliciously seeing that voluntas semper fertur in bonum omnis peccans est ignorans Now if the Will be alwaies carried out upon what is good and every man that sins doth sin ignorantly how can any man be said to sin maliciously or ex malitia Answ Yes very wel for although the Will be alwaies carried out upon that which is good yet that good is either morally Good called Bonum honestum honest Good or Naturally Good called Bonum utile or Jucundum profitable or delightful Good Now the Will is not alwaies carried out upon that which is honestly good in appearance for Voluntas est Appetitus universalis the Will is an universal Appetite And if the Will should be alwaies carried out upon that which is honestly good in appearance then as Suarez reasons wel every Thief and Adulterer should be an Heretick which no man wil say And if the Will may be carried out somtimes upon that which is pleasantly or delightfully or Naturally good then it may hate that which is Morally and Spiritually and Honestly Good for Amor Odii causa Love is the cause of Hatred the Will doth naturally hate that which â—s contrary to the thing loved and if the Will may hate that which is honestly and spiritually good then it may oppose and blaspheme the same and that out of hatred and malice for every man speaks evil of and opposes what he hates If this be a Reason why a man cannot sin maliciously or ex malitia Because the Will is alwaies carried out upon what is good then the Devils and damned in Hell do not sin maliciously or ex malitia for they have Wills in Hell as wel as men on Earth but I presume it wil not be said that the Devils and damned in Hell do not sin maliciously for then if they sin upon some mistake and ex ignorantia â—on existimo absolute necessarium ad operandum malum per voluntatem ut praecedat dâ—fâ—ctus erroris in judicio intâ—llectus vel speculativo vel practico Suar. Metaphys disp de necess et Conting Eff. 1. Sect. 7. Prima Propositio Cum perfecta scientia et consideratione vel habituali vel naturali potest esse peccatum et defectus in voluntate est communis sententia et certa de fide Secunda Propositio Non est necesse praecedere in intellectu aliquem errorem speculationum qui fit quasi origo ad peccandum Tertia Propositio Ad peccandum non est necessarium ut praecedat inconsideratio speculativa tanquam origo peccandi Quarta Propositio Etiam ad peccandum non est necessarius error practicus qui peccatum antecedat et sit quasi origo ejus Quinta Propositio Moraliter loquendo semper in omni peccato occurrit aliqua inconsideratio practica vel pravitatis objecti vel actus licet si absolutam voluntaâ—is potentiam consideremus neque iste defectus intellectus simpliciter videtur necessarius ad peccandum Sexta Propositio Licet cum actu peccati semper sit conjunctus ille defectus intellectuâ— non tamen ille est prima origo peccandi sed potius illa reducitur in defectum voluntatis Septima Propositio Voluntatem posse peccare est defectus quidam naturalis ipsius voluntatis Suarez de Causis propriis et interior peccatorum Disputat 5. Sect. 1. they should have some excuse for their Sin 3. Though every man that sins doth sin ignorantly yet he doth not sin ex ignorantia out of ignorance Ignorance is somtimes the cause of the Sin and so the man sins out of Ignorance somtimes Ignorance is the Companion and Consequent of the Sin and then he sins ignorantly Now it 's granted That every man that sins doth sin ignorantly there is alwaies a darkness and obscuration of the mind which goeth along with every sin but every man that sins doth not sin ex ignorantia out of ignorance I say it is not true that every Sin doth arise from some precedent error or ignorance in the Understanding as the cause thereof For then 1. Why should the Holy-Ghost make so great and vast a difference between him that sins ignorantly and him that sins presumptuously Numb 15. If any sinned through ignorance there was a Sacrifice for him ver 27 28. but if any man sinned presumptuously there was no Sacrifice for him ver 30 31. Now if every Sin do arise ex ignorantia from some precedent error and ignorance in the Understanding as the cause thereof then presumptuous sins also should arise from this cause and so there would be no such distinction between them as the Holy Ghost makes Quod aliquis ignoret illud quod scire debet contingit tripliciter Vno ex impotentia qua scire non potesi Alio ex nescientia qua quis nescit quod scire debet Alto ex voluntate quando quis renuit scire quod debet illa ignorantia est peccatum mortale quod est effectus voluntatis quod est in potestate voluntatis ignorare vel non ignorare Holcot de imputabilitate peccati 2. If every Sin in the Will should arise from some error or ignorance in the Understanding then the Wil should be alwaies carried out upon Bonum Honestum Honest Good at least in appearance but the Will is an universal Appetite and the wils of the Devils and damned in Hell are not carried out upon that which is apparently honest 3. If every Sin should suppose such a precedent error and ignorance in the Understanding then the wil cannot fal off from or resilire from the ultimate dictate of the understanding but must necessarily and continually follow the same and so the liberty wil be formally and not radicately in the Understanding and not in the Wil then the Wil cannot move and apply the Understanding to consider a thing nor be the cause of Ignorance in the Understanding yea then there shal be no sin in the Wil because it follows the Understanding as God hath set a Law upon it to do but where Grace is there is Sin also 4. Vtrum voluntas creata possit peccaâ—e ex malitia volendo aliquid non ostensum sibi sâ—â—â— ratione boni veri boni simpliciter vel boni apparentis et secundum quid c. Sin non potest tunc videtur quod voluntâ—â— creata non possit tendere in objectum fuâ— aliâ—ua ratione sub qua non possit tendere voluntâ—â— Divina voluntas enim divina potesi tâ—â—derâ— in omne bonum substractum illi deformitati Scotus Lib. 2. Sent.
Dist 44 Quest 2. If the Wil doth alwaies presuppose such an error and ignorance in the Understanding and doth necessarily follow such an act of the Understanding presenting some Truth or honest Good either real or apparent then the created and desiled Wil of Man cannot tend unto any Object upon any reason upon which the Divine Wil of God cannot tend unto its Object for the Divine Wil can tend and be carried out upon any good being abstracted from al deformity and although the created Wil be carried out tend unto that which is apparently good and the Divine Wil is alwaies carried out upon that which is really good yet the reason why the created Will is carried out upon that which is apparently good is because it appears to be real and so the Divine Wil shal be carried out upon its Object upon no other reason than the created Wil of man yea than the wils of Devils and the damned in Hel which I suppose none wil affirm Secundum omnes theologos aliquid est peccatâ—â—â— ex malitia Ocham Lib. 3. in Sent. Qâ—est 12. 5. It is confessed by al That there is a Sin of Malice and a Sin of Ignorance Now if there be a Sin of Malice as Ocham reasons then he that sins out of malice Qâ—id est peccatum ex malitia est communis sententia patrum et Theolegorum Suarez de pecca ex pass ignor malitia Disput 4. Sect. 1. Peccatum ex malitia communiter dici peccatum ex certa scientia Vasquez 12. Tom. 1. Q 78. act Tunc quaero an peccans ex malitia habet notitiam tam universalem quam particularem aut tam universalem si primo habetur propositum quod habens notitiam tam universalem quam particularem potest ex malitia facere contra utramque si ducenti ita peccans ex ignorantia habet notitiam universalem stout peccans ex malitia quis peccans ex ignorantia scit tales majores omne justum est faciendum omne bonum est faciendum quod Deo placet c. sed ignorat minores puta hoc est justum hoc est Deo placitum c. si ergo peccans ex ignorantia non tunc plus sciret aequalem scientiam haberet peccans ex malitia et ignorantia Ocham in Sent. Lib. 3. Q. 12. hath either an universal or particular knowledg or both if both then as he saith habetur propositum viz. every Sin doth not presuppose an error or ignorance in the Understanding If he that sins out of malice hath an universal knowledg only then he that sins ignorantly shal have equal knowledg with him that doth sin maliciously for he that sins ignorantly hath an universal knowledg that every just thing is to be done and that every good thing that pleaseth God is to be done but he that sins out of ignorance hath not equal knowledg with him that sins out of malice and therefore he that sins out of malice must have both an universal and particular knowledg and if so then every Sin doth not presuppose an error and ignorance in the Understanding as the Cause thereof But 4. Suppose that some ignorance in the Understanding Quo ex malitia an eousque amentiae profilire queant homines ut Dei gloriam oppugnare scientes et volentes non dubitent Resp audaciam istam prodire quidem ex cordis caecitate sed in qua malitia exsuperet ut clarum est hoc loco de Pharisaeis Lucas Brugensis in Math. 12. be the remote cause of the Sin yet malice may be the next and chief cause As for example Suppose that a man hath taken up some prejudice against another through a mistake and error yet now he hates him and out of hatred kils him shal not this murderer be said to kil him out of malice because the malice was founded upon a mistake or error Yes surely But why is he said to kil him out of malice Because malice was the next cause of this murder So that though ignorance be the remote cause of a Sin yet malice may be the next cause thereof and being so he shal be said truly to sin ex malitia though with some precedent ignorance as the remote cause thereof 5. Yet if you ask how it can be that the Wil should be alwaies carried out upon what is good and yet a man sin maliciously Plainly thus From what hath been said the Wil of Man is an universal Appetite willing that which is Naturally good as wel as â—â—e which is Honestly good If it be carried out upon that which iâ— naturally good it wil hate al that spiritual g oâ— which is conâ—â— to the obtainment of it and the man wil oppose and blaspheme what the wil hates Now because the hatred and malice of the wil is the cause of that blasphemy and oppoâ—ition the man is truly said to oppose and blaspheme out of malice though the wil be carried ouâ— upon that which is naturally good at the same time which was the case of these Pharisees For they sought their own Honor and Greatness Christ and the Truth opposing they did hate him and the Truth and because they hated him the Truth and that Light which reproved their Sins they did oppose and blaspheme and that out of malice and so the Sin against the Holy Ghost is a malicious Sin or that Sin whereby a man doth oppose and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Spirit out of malice Yet this is not all But 6. It is that Sin against God whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and blaspheme the peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost after he hath been convinced thereof by the Holy Ghost for possibly a man may oppose and blaspheme even maliciously the Work of the Holy Ghost and yet not be convinced of it by the Holy Ghost Tunc aliquis maxime peccat in spiritum sanctum quando contra divinitatis opera stupenda ordinata ad nostram salutem a liquis convitia jactat cum proposico perseverandi in illo peccato usque ad mortem adjectiâ— procul spe et timore Dei Domini Bannes 22. Q. 14. Art 1. but otherwise but those that sin this Sin are such as are enlightened and made partakers of the Holy Ghost in the Gifts and common Graces of it Heb. 6. And so these Pharisees were convinced by the Spirit which did work that great Work before them and yet after such a convincement wrought by the Spirit they did maliciously oppose and blaspheme this Work of the Spirit So that I say the Sin against the Holy Ghost is that wilful sinning against God whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost and that after he hath been convinced ther of by the Holy Ghost Or if you will thus It is that deliberate sinning against God whereby men do oppose the Work of God which their own Conscience and Conviction tels
man have sinned this Sin he is past Prayer and past Pardon he is past Sacrifice the truth is this man is in the Devils case The Devil you know is reserved in Chains unto the great Day and he cannot get out So if a man hath sinned this Sin though he live ten yeers twenty yeers or thirty yeers he is reserved in Chains and he shal never be pardoned he is upon the Devils ground O! what a misery is it to commit this Sin O! what a mercy is it then to be kept from it Now here is Hope for the greatest Sinner in the Congregation upon this account saith our Savior All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Hast thou therefore been a great Sinner Hast thou been a Drunkard Hast thou been a Wanton Hast thou been a Swearer Hast thou been an Opposer of the People of the Lord and hath the Lord kept thee from this great transgression Man or Woman here is Hope yet Who would not then turn to God Come Drunkard Swearer Wanton here is yet hope for thy soul who would not come in to Christ And O! What Comfort is here for Beleevers that are in Christ If thou beest in Christ and a Beleever thou canst not sin this Sin that look as it is with a man that hath sinned this Sin he cannot be pardoned so if a man be the Child of God a Beleever in Christ he cannot sin this Sin for he that is born of God sinneth not neither can he for the Seed of God abides in him O! you that are Beleevers comfort your selves with this Truth Here is Comfort for all the People of the Lord from this Doctrine Applic. 4 But in the fourth place If the Sin against the Holy Ghost be indeed the unpardonable Sin what cause have we al to look to our steps to our words to our actions Beloved this Sin against the Holy Ghost is the Professors Sin a man less than a Professor cannot sin this Sin against the holy Ghost this Sin against the holy Ghost is the knowing mans sin a man less than a knowing man cannot sin the Sin against the holy Ghost And as I said before a man may possibly go very far in sin and yet not commit this great unpardonable Sin So now on the other side I say Possibly a man may go very far in Religion and yet he may sin this Sin These Pharisees that committed it had the Key of Knowledg knowing they were and very knowing in the Scriptures as for Zeal they travelled Sea and Land to make a Proselyte for their Practice they fasted twice a week exceeding strict in observing the Sabboth day the Lights of the Church and the Eyes of all the People were upon them for their Guides and yet these men sinned this Sin against the Holy Ghost O! what care should there be in al our souls how had we al need to look to our waies The more Truth revealed the more danger of sinning this Sin the more great Works of God are done by the very Spirit and Finger of God if men do oppose and blaspheme the more danger of sinning this great Sin Now I wil appeal to you When was there ever more Light revealed than in these daies of ours yet when more opposing and blaspheming of it When were there ever such great Works done by the very Spirit and Finger of God and yet when more opposing and blaspheming Are there not some that have been convinced that the Spirit of God breathed upon their hearts in such and such Ordinances and such and such Waies and yet now oppose and blaspheme those very waies of God wherein they said heretofore they had the Spirit of God Are there not some that are convinced that in these Times great things are done by the very Finger by the Power and Arm of God among us and that in order to our salvation and yet how do men speak against them and blaspheme I wil not say that these men do it out of malice and therefore I do not charge this Sin against the Holy Ghost upon them But beloved in the Lord this is certain That in knowing Times Times when God is doing great things by his own Finger then is this Sin stirring most The Times of Christ and of the Apostles were Times of great Light when God wrought by his own Finger then was this Sin committed Now in these Times there is much breaking forth of Light and great things done by the very Finger of God therefore I say there is great danger if men do now blaspheme wherefore I say again take heed to your souls you that are Professors look to your steps in these daies of ours Quest But you wil say We grant indeed that this Sin against the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable Sin and wo be to them that do fal into it and it cannot be committed but by a knowing man but what shall we do that we may be kept from this great Transgression that whatsoever sin we do fall into yet we may be kept from this great Evil and this unpardonable Sin Answ I would that you would mind and consider the Description which you have heard and think of it But I wil tel you what David did saith David O Lord keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins so shall I be free from the great transgression It seems then that presumptuous sinning makes way to this great Transgression When is a man said to sin presumptuously When a man sins upon this score That God wil shew mercy to him saying I know indeed it is not good for me to go to such a wicked Company it is a sin so to do but I wil venture and repent afterwards for God wil shew mercy To venture upon a sin presuming that God wil shew mercy and that a man shal repent afterwards is presumption and presumptuous sinning makes way to this great Transgression therefore would you be kept from this great Transgression go to God with David and say O Lord keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins so shall I be free from the great transgression Again Be alwaies humbled for lesser sins He shal never fal into the greatest that is alwaies humbled for the least he shal never fall into the worst that is alwaies humbled for the smallest Besides Fear is the Keeper of Innocency Timor innocentiae custos Fear is the Guard of Innocency If you alwaies fear to commit it you shal never commit the same In case that you do at any time fal into sin say Well but through the Grace of God though I commit what is evil I wil never oppose what is good by the Grace of God I wil carry this Rule along with me Though I commit what is evil I wil never oppose what is good In case any great Work be done before you that lies beyond your reach and beyond your fatham say Though I do not understand
sin that a wicked man commits which is a Sin of Infirmity because he is dead then a man may commit a sin that is but smal in the bulk and yet no Sin of Infirmity 2. But I think my sin is a Sin of Infirmity because I am tempted to it and because I am drawn on by others But I pray was not Adam tempted unto the eating of the forbidden Fruit by Eve And was not was Eve tempted by Satan And wil you cal that a Sin of Infirmity that condemned al the World as Adams Sin did And I pray you was not Aaron put upon making of the Golden Calf by the People and wil you cal that Sin of Idolatry a Sin of Infirmity Possibly a man may be tempted drawn unto Sin by others and put upon it by others and yet the Sin may be no Sin of Infirmity 3. But I think my Sin is a Sin of Infirmity because I do strive against it And I pray did not Pilate strive against the crucifying of Christ he would have delivered him from the Jews cals for a bason of Water and washed his hands saying I am free from the blood of this man used means and did strive against it and yet the Sin of Pilate no Sin of Infirmity Possibly therefore a man may strive against his Sin and yet the Sin be no Sin of Infirmity 4. But my Sin is a Sin of Infirmity because I am troubled after it And was not Esau troubled after he had sold his Birth-right for a mess of pottage did he not seek it with tears And when Judas had betrayed his Master and our Savior it is said that he repented of what he had done and was troubled Surely then though the Sin that I commit may be lesser in bulk than anothers Sin and smal comparatively and though I be drawn into it by others and though I do strive against it and though I am troubled after it yet it may be no Sin of Infirmity Yet good Lord how many poor souls are there that deceive themselves and think that their sins are but Sins of Infirmity and thus are mistaken on the left hand But Secondly As some are mistaken on the left hand thinking that their Sins are Sins of Infirmity when indeed they are not so others on the right hand are mistaken and think that their Sins are not Sins of Infirmity but of a worser Nature when indeed they are And that upon a Three-fold accompt First Because they Sin knowingly Secondly Because they fal into the same Sin again and again and do lie therein Thirdly Because they fal into the Sin after Admonition Object 1 O! saith one I fear my Sin is no Sin of Infirmity for I sin knowingly and with deliberation I sin against my knowledg and against my Conscience and therefore my Sin can be no Sin of Infirmity Adrian sic definit peccatum ex infirmitate est actus vel omissio culpabilis sine deliberatione propter passionis impetum facta hac tamen definitione non complectitur omne peccatum ex infirmitate nam potest peccatum ex infirmitate accidere cum deliberatione imo vero ut sit peccatum debet esse aliqua deliberatio Vasquez 12. Q. 77. A. 3. Utrum sit possibile quod aliquis sciens ex infirmitate peccet Dicendum quod communiter ab omnibus ponitur aliqua peccata ex infirmitate committi quae à peccatis ex ignorantia non distinguerentur nisi contingeret aliquem scientem ex infirmitate peccare Tho. Aquinas Quest Disputat de causa peccati Att. 9. p. 96. But for Answer hereunto you must know it is one thing for a man to sin knowingly and another thing for a man to sin out of knowledg or against his knowledg As in case the of Ignorance it is one thing for a man to sin ignoranter and another thing to sin ex ignorantia A man sins ignorantly when ignorance is the companion of his Sin only A man sins out of ignorance when ignorance is the only cause of his Sin and not the companion only As for example Suppose a man be in fight in a great Battel and he kil another he kils him because he did not know him if he had known him in the Battel he would not have killed him here his ignorance is not the companion only but the cause of it So that it is one thing to sin ignorantly and another thing to sin out of ignorance A man sins ignorantly when ignorance is the companion of his fact A man sins out of ignorance when ignorance is the cause of it So a man sins knowingly when knowledg is the companion of his fact but a man sins out of knowledg or he sins against knowledg when knowledg is the cause thereof as when a man doth use his knowledg to make distinctions and shifts for his sin whereby he is emboldened to it and continues in it Knowledg is somtimes only a companion of sin as when a man knows that the first risings of Sin are evil this knowledg is no cause of them but meerly a companion Somtimes knowledg is the cause of Sin as when a man doth know that his way is naught and he doth deliberately consult and devise excuses and lyes to hide the same here his knowledg is the cause of those Sinful excuses and the man doth not only Sin knowingly and with knowledg but out of knowledg and against his knowledg and this cannot stand with infirmity but the former may for the Disciple knew that it was evil for them to sleep yet their Sin was a Sin of Infirmity Object 2 O! but I fear that my Sin is no Sin of Infirmity because I fal into it again and again and do lie in it Answ But do ye know what it is to lie in Sin There is much mistake about lying in Sin Possibly a man may lie in a Sin yet never fal into the gross Acts thereof he may he in the breach of the seventh Commandement and yet never commit the gross Act of Adultery he may he in the Sin of Covetousness yet never be any great Oppressor So on the other side a man may possibly fall divers times into the same Sin and yet not lie therein for properly a man is said to lie in Sin when he doth continue in it and not purge it out so he that is born of God Sinneth not because his heart is as a Fountain or Spring that purifies it self from that dirt and filth of Sin which doth fal into it but as the Apostle speaks The whol world lies in wickedness Why Because a wicked mans heart is as a Lake or standing Pool which keeps all that dirt which is thrown into it Now if you do thus keep and lie in your Sin why do you so complain this your complaining argues that there is some purging out and therefore you do not lie in Sin Object 3 O! but I fear my Sin cannot be a Sin of Infirmity because I fall
wil hardly acknowledg it self to be a Sin of Infirmity but the person in whom it is fears lest it should be worse 'T is in this case as in the matter of Temptation Though a wicked mans sins be his own the brat of his own conception and corruption yet he wil hardly acknowledg them to be his own corruption no but saith he these are the Temptations of Satan and not mine own corruption A good man on the contrary saith Nay but these are mine own corruptions not the Devils Temptations O! these are worse than Temptations they are al mine own witness David 1 Chron. 21.8 And David said unto God I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing I have done very foolishly yet the Devil provoked him to it and it was originally his Temptation for verse 1. it 's said And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the People David doth not lay the fault upon the Devil but upon himself he did not say I was thus and thus tempted by Satan No but I even I have sin'd and done foolishly Temptation wil hardly acknowledg it self to be a Temptation and so Infirmity will hardly acknowledg it self to be Infirmity but the person in whom it is doth fear worse saying this my sin is great and I fear it is no infirmity Wicked men excuse their sin by infirmity because it is no infirmity but a good man fears it 's worse than infirmity And therefore is thy sin no gross and foul sin and yet art thou afraid that it is worse than infirmity this doth rather argue that it is no other than a sin of Infirmity Answ 6 If your Sin do arise chiefly from some outward cause it is a sin of Infirmity for then it is not so much from wil to commit as from want of strength to resist The sin which the Apostle speaks of Gal. 6.1 is a sin of infirmity and the man that commits it is said to be over-taken Now when a man is upon his journey travelling and is over-taken by another person his inward inclination and disposition was not to meet the other So when a man is over-taken by Sin it argues that his sin doth proceed from some outward cause and when it doth proceed from some outward cause then he is truly said to be over-taken with it 'T is true the worst of men say they are over-taken when they sin O! saith the Drunkard I confess I was drunk at such a time and in such a place but I was drawn into it my inward disposition was otherwise but I was so and so over-taken But if men were only over-taken and surprized by their Sin then why are they angry with those who keep them from their sin why are they in their own Element and never more at home than in the way of their sin and why do they so heartily wil that which is the cause of their sin It may be they do not wil the Effect namely Drunkenness but do they not wil that which is the cause thereof He that is over-taken with a sin is unexpectedly surprized with the cause thereof and therefore if it be not a gross and scandalous sin it is a Sin of Infirmity Answ 7 Infirmity loves Admonition I mean the person that sins out of infirmity loves to be admonished takes Admonition kindly and doth bless God for it Possibly the Admonition may be given scalding hot and so he may refuse to take it down but ordinarily he wil take the Admonition kindly Ye know how it was with David when he was going against the House of Nabal in a great Passion Abigail came forth to meet him and having admonished him of his Duty he did not only forbear the evil intended but he blessed God for her and her words who kept him that day from shedding innocent blood Tel an honest man that he is out of his way and direct him into it and he wil thank you for it Tell a Thief that he is out of his way and he wil laugh at you So tel a wicked man that he is out of his way and he wil despise you for it Tel a good man that he is out of his way and he wil bless God for it and for you Why Because he hath but missed his way Canst thou therefore take an Admonition kindly when thou art out of thy way This argues that thy Sin is one of those Infirmities which Christ our great High-Priest wil forgive Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he also was compassed with infirmities Heb. 5.2 Answ 8 An Infirmity discovers good though it be in it self evil it 's an ill Sin but a good Sign The Thistle is an il weed yet it discovers a fat and a good Soyl Smoak is ill but it discovers fire So do the Saints Infirmities though they be in themselves weaknesses yet they discover life Moses was angry but his anger did discover his Zeal Job was somwhat impatient but his impatience did discover his Innocency and his great goodness Abraham failed in saying Sarah was his Sister but there was a Faith which this Unbeleef grew upon The Woman that came behind Christ touching the hem of his Garment came fearing and trembling discovering her Unbelief yet she discovered her Faith therewithal The Disciples failed when they said Lord save us carest thou not that we perish yet they discovered their Faith too Infirmity somtimes is an Excrescence which doth grow out of Duty and upon Duty Doest thou therefore fail in thy Duty or exercise of thy Grace and doth thy Duty go on and thy Grace go on Though thy Failing may be thy burden yet it being but an Excrescence and Discoverer of thy Grace it is no other than a Sin of Infirmity Answ 9 Sins of Infirmities are servants and drawers of water unto your Graces Though in themselves evil yet through the over-ruling hand of Gods Grace Mirabilis Deus in consiliis super filiis hominum multos per peccata sanat à peccatis sicut venenum pellitur à veneno Luther Non solum mala passiva quae nobis irrogantur in bonum cedunt sed etiam activa hoc est mala quae nos ipsi facimus quorsum hoc inquis quia homo pius cum videt lapsum suum pudefit et confunditur sic lapsus ille principio operatur humilitatem deinde invocationem ardentem ac malum illud quod in carne reliquum est ceu calcar est quod nos excitat ut nobis ipsis irascamur nos damnemus et clamemus cum Paulo Infelix ego quis me liberabit a corpore hujus peccati sic crescit fides occasione vitiorum c. Luther Com. 2. Gen. fol. 151. in Cap. 20. they wil make you more gracious another way Ye know how it is with a yong Trades-man who hath but a smal Stock he keeps his Shop diligently and wil not spend as others do
Though there be much evil in this Sin Christ will not cast you off for it For It is an honor to a man to pass by infirmities saith Solomon much more is it for the honor of Christ to pass by the infirmities of his People The Saints and People of God are in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ Hos 2. and that Covenant is a Conjugal Covenant but what Husband will put away his Wife for her infirmities That Covenant is a Paternal Covenant and what Father wil thrust his Child out of doors for his infirmities A Child though deformed is more pleasing to the Father because the Child is his own than another beautiful Child that is not his own Yea that Covenant is a Covenant of Grace now in the Covenant of Works the least sin breaks the Covenant but in the Covenant of Grace the greatest sin doth not break the Covenant between God and the soul in the Covenant of Works the least sin provokes God to hatred in the Covenant of Grace the greatest sin provokes and moves God to pity If a Master should turn away his Servant for every failing and weakness who would serve him But God hath many Servants in the world who do serve him with cheerfulness surely therefore he doth not and he will not cast men off for their Infirmities The Saints and People of God are the Body of Christ and every one a Membâ—r of that mystical Body whereof our Lord Christ is the Head Now saith Luther What man will cut off his Nose because there is filth in it Nemo nasum ideo abjicit quod impuro phlegmate abundat et quasi cloaca cerebri ita etiam iâ—firmi temporis infirmitatis sunt paâ—s Regni Christi qui non ideo abjiciâ—ndi sed so vendi sanandi et erigendi sunt Luther yea though the Nose be the sink of the Brain yet because it is a Member a man wil not cut it off And wil Christ cut off one of his Members because there is filth in him or some weakness and infirmity in him No surely What Woman wil cast away the Morter because it favors of the Onions or Garlick which hath beâ—n beaten in iâ— What Father wil knock his Child on the Head bâ—cauâ—e a Wart grows on his Forehead These Infirmitiâ—s in the Saints and People of God are their Waâ—ts Ego non possum excusare Patres ut multi faciunt nec volo imo libenter audio lapsus et infirmitates sanctorum non quod laudem c. sicut non excuso Apostolos fugientes à Christo Petrum negantem et alias eorum infirmitates stultitias et ineptias nec scribuntur ista propter duros superbos et obstinatos sed ut ratio Regni Christi ostendatur qui in grege suo pusillo habet pauperes et infirmas conscientias est Rex fortium pariter et infirmorum c. in Gen. 26. Scio ego me saepe multa stulte et temere admodum egisse adeo ut cogitatem cur Deus vocavit me ad predicandum c. in Cap. 27. Gen. Luth. which grow in the Face of their Conversation the blessed Martyrs themselves had these Warts Hierom of Prague had a great Wart upon him Cranmer another Jewel another yea if ye look into that little Book of Chronicles I mean the 11. Chapter of the Hebrews what Saint is there mentioned upon Record but had one Wart or another Had not Abraham his Wart in saying that Sarah was his Sister Had not Sarah hers in laughing Had not Jacob Isaac and Joseph theirs Moses Rahab Sampson Jepthah and David theirs Luther had his and our Reformers theirs yet God owned used and honored them Surely therefore though there be much evil in a Sin of Infirmity especially if a man fal into it again and again yet Christ wil not leave a man or cast him off for it Object But Solomon tels us that the back-slider in heart shal be satisfied with his own waies Answ True But there is much difference between the back-sliding of an Hypocrite and the Relapses of Gods own Children into their Infirmities a back-slider loseth that power which once he had but a good man relapsing into his Infirmities doth stil keep that power of Godliness which he had before a back-sliders Judgment and Principles crack and alter in so much as he doth bless himself in his Apostacy but the good man relapsing into his Infirmities stil doth retain his Judgment keep his Principles and doth groan under his Relapses Possibly a man may fal into the same sin again and again yet he may be no back-slider nor called a back-slider in Scripture Language But in the Second place A man may be said to be satisfied with his own waies either because he is given up to his sins so as to be glutted with them finding all delight and contentment in them or he is said to be satisfied with his own waies in regard of that sorrow and affliction which he doth reap by them in this sense a good man may have enough of his sin and be said to be satisfied with his own waies Thus it was with Jacob he deceived his Brother Esau and he deceived his Father Isaac afteâ—wards he was deceived by Laban and by his Children as he dâ—ceived his own Father so was he deceived by his Father in Law and as he deceived his Brother so was he deceived by his Children in the reports of Joseph's death here was he satisfied in a way of sorrow with his own waies he deceived others and was deceived by others he had enough of it But though a good man may be thus satisfied with his own waies yet he is never satisfied with them so as to be given up to them Possibly he may fall into them again and again yet saith the Lord Esai 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid my face and was wroth What then And he went on frowardly turning aside again so the Hebrew in the way of his heart But saith the Lord I have seen his waies and will heal him and wil lead him also and restore comforts to him and his mourners So that though a good man may have enough of his sin in regard of sorrow that may come thereby yet he shal never be satisfied with his own waies or sins so as to be given up to them Christ wil not cast him off if he sleep Christ wil waken him and if he sleep again Christ wil wake him again Christ wil not leave him in it nor cast him off for it Applicat If these things be true then what necessity is upon us and what great cause have we to examine our selves and to consider seriously what sort of sins those sins are which we labor under We do al sin that is most certâ—in but there is a great difference between sin and sin There is a sin unto death and there is a sin not unto
death there is a sin which may stand with Grace and there is a sin which cannot stand with Grace there is the spot of the Godly and there is the spot of the Wicked there is a gross sin a reigning sin and there is a sin of infirmity there is a sin for which God wil leave and cast off the sinner witness Judas's sin the sin of the false Disciple and there is a sin for which God wil not cast one off witness the sin of these true Disciples O! then what cause have we to make it out to our own souls whether our sins be sins of infirmity or not Quest But it seems that all the sins of the Godly are not sins of Infirmity and God will not cast off a Godly man for any sin What advantage therefore hath this sin of Infirmity above other sins or what disadvantage do the other sins of the Godly labor under which this sin of infirmity doth not Answ 1 Much very much For though my sin be great yet if it be a sin of Infirmity it shal not hinder the present acceptance of my Duty Hezekiah and the People were not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary that was his and their weakness but he prayed and the Lord heard his prayer So David said in his hast I am cast out of thy sight this was his infirmity yet he prayed withal and saith he Nâ—vertheless thou heard'st the voyce of my supplication But if a man a good man do fall into a foul gross and scandalous sin though the Lord pardon it to him afterward yet it wil suspend his present communion with God Answ 2 Although my sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shall not hinder the sence of my Justification A foul and scandalous breach upon our Sanctification wil make a breach upon the sence of our Justification but though the sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shal not make a breach upon the sence of our Justification Answ 3 Though my sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity there is a pardon that lies in course for it and though it be good to repent of every sin with a distinct and particular Repentance yet it is not necessary that there should be a particular Repentance for every sin of Infirmity If a man though a good man do commit a grosâ— foul and scandalous sin there must be a particular Repentance for it and without that there wil be no peace no true peace in his soul but if the sin be only a sin of infirmity a general Repentance may and wil serve for that Who knows the errors of his Life saith David Lord clense thou me from my secret faults Answ 4 Though a mans sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shal never bring a scourge upon his Family It is a great misery to a good Parent to see his Family scourged for his sin Possibly the sins of a Godly man may bring a rod on his Family Because of this saith the Lord to David the Sword shall never depart from thine house But now if the sin be only a sin of Infirmity my Family shal never be scourged for that Answ 5 And though my sin be great yet if it be but a sin of Infirmity it shal never spoil my Gifts nor make them unprofitable If a man have great Gifts praying exercising Gifts and his Life be scandalous what saith the World I this man hath exceeding good Gifts indeed but do ye see how he lives A scandalous Life soils and spoils his Gifts and doth make them unuseful But now if my sin be only a Sin of infirmity it shal never soil my Gifts so as to make them unuseful and unprofitable unto others Surely then there is a great and a vast difference between this Sin of Infirmity and another Sin and therefore why should we not labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls what kind of sins our sins are Every man almost thinks that his Sin is a Sin of Infirmity Come to the Drunkard Swearer Adulterer Opposer and these wil tel you that their Sins are but Sins of Infirmity they wil rail at and oppose the People of God and yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity Swear and swear dayly yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity go to the Tap-house Play-house Whore-house and yet their Sins but Sins of Infirmity the vilest of men think their Sins are only Infirmities But is there such a great difference between Sins and Sins this and the other Sins Then why should we not look wishly into our condition consider our waies and labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls whether our Sins be Sins of Infirmity or not Quest But suppose that upon due search and examination I find that my Sin is no other than a sin of Infirmity which will not cast me off although through my weakness I do fall into it again and again what then Answ Then several Duties follow and accordingly you are to take up these and the like gracious Resolutions If my Sin be a Sin of Infirmity and no other then through Grace Deletur iniquitaâ— manet infirmitas August Sed Quare Deus talia peccata sinit fieri à suis cur sic impingere eos permittit respondetur ex effectis ideo ita permittit Deus ut occasionem accipiat multarum bonarum rerum non enim labantur sancti ut pereunt sed ut copiose eis Deus benefaciat ut lapsus principio operetur humilitatem deinde invocationem ut nos excitet ut nobis ipsis irascamur et nos damnemus ut majori studio caveamus Luth. in Gen. cap. 20. wil I observe what Gods design is in suffering and leaving such Infirmities in me and wil labor what I can and may to promote and advance that design God could have freed me from all Sin these Infirmities as wel as the greater but God hath some great designs in leaving of these Infirmities as that I may be alwaies humbled that I may be alwaies upon the work of mortification that Jesus Christ may be the more sweet and precious to me that I may live in continual dependance on him that I may not gather up the assurance of my Salvation only from my Sanctification but from the free Grace of God and his absolute Promise that I may be weary of my present state and groan after Heaven where no imperfections are and that I may learn to pity others and therefore through Grace I wil do what I can to help on these Designs If my Sin be but a Sin of Infirmity and God will not cast me off for it then through the Grace of God wil I never beleeve these false reports of Christ and those misrepresentations of him which Satan would put upon him whereby he would perswade me and others that our Lord Christ is an hard Master as Satan doth labor
sunt indicativi modi temporisque futuri quemâ—dmodum in Latinis verum ea minus probatae sunt fidei Estius in loc that al our Books excepting three do read these Words in the Optative Mood And Estius though the vulgar Latin renders them in the Future Tense of the Indicative saith that al such Copies are of less Credit and that although the words should be in the Future Tense it comes al to the same reckoning for as much as the Hebrews whom the New Testament follows much do ordinarily put Futures for Optatives as wel as for Preceptives So Numb 20.17 we translate the words thus Let us I pray thee pass through thy Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Ibo nunc Montan. and yet the word in the Hebrew is in the Future Tense We will pass through c. So Jer. 40.15 we read Let me go I pray thee and I will smite Ishmael and yet the word in the Hebrew is I will go and smite Ishmael So that according to the Hebrew the Future is ordinarily put for the optative in a way of desire and Petition But the words here used are in the Optative Mood and therefore by that Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we cannot conclude these words to be spoken in the way of a Promise It 's true indeed That they contain matter of much comfort and relief for those that suffer under the temptations of Satan or oppositions of the World but so they do also though they be spoken in a way of Prayer And it is usual with the Apostles to conclude their Epistles with a short Prayer Postquam satis incubuit in monitiones nunc se ad precationem convertit nam frustra in nerem fundetur Doctrina nisi Deus per Spiritum suum operetur Calvin in Loc. and that Prayer with a Doxology And so doth the Apostle here The God of all Grace who hath called you c. perfect stablish strengthen and settle you to whom be Glory for ever and ever a Promise is not so concluded but a Prayer is I conceive therefore that these words are spoken in way of a Prayer wherein ye have 1 The Mercy and the Blessing prayed for 2 The Arguments ensuring it 1 As for the Mercy and Blessing prayed for it is expressed in four words Perfect Stablish Strengthen Quod pluribus verbis rem unam designat Petrus nempe fidelium confirmationem hoc ideo facit ut sciamus rarae esse difficultatis cursum nostrum persequi et proinde singulari Dei gratia opus esse Calvin in Loc. and Settle you Some think they are Synonimous all intending the same thing the confirmation and perseverance of those disperâ—ed Christian-Jews But though they may aim at the same general thing yet there are several particulars under that general which the words seem to point at The first word which we render Perfect should I think be translated otherwise It is the same word that is used Matth. 4.21 Mark 1.19 Significat ergo Apostolus telam bonorum operum quam teximus facile ac cito â—n hac vita rumpi nisi accedat Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gerard. for mending of their Nets and the same that is used Gal. 6.1 You that are Spiritual RESTORE such an one with the Spirit of Meekness and it signifies such a restoring as is of unjoynted Members Now these Christians being scattered the Apostle praies Significat enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 membra in corpore luxata reponere Ibid. Beza compingat Erasm instauret that God would please to joynt them again Thus the God of al Grace after you have suffered and been shattered bring you into order restore and repair you But suppose that God restore and mend us yet we may fal again True but I do not only pray for you saith Peter that ye may be restored and mended but that you may be confirmed so as ye may not fal away The God of all Grace stablish you also The word signifies to fasten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat figere firmiter statuere Septuag utuntur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stare fecit quod alibi exponunt pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alibi pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alibi pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat roborare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valeo opponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundare and confirm and establish So Rom. 1.11 1 Thes 3.1 2. But though we be so confirmed by the Grace of God that we cannot fal away yet we may be weak and labor under great Infirmity True But I have prayed for you that you may be strengthened also But though we be strong and confirmed so as we shal never fal quite away from Grace yet we may be unsetled True but I have not only prayed against your Apostacy but against your unsettlement The God of all Grace restore stablish strengthen and settle you even as the Foundation of the House is setled So that he doth not only pray for these Saints that they may be restored and put into joynt in opposition to their scattering but for confirmation in opposition to Apostacy and for settlement in opposition to al unstedfastness and for strength of Grace in opposition unto weakness the cause and ground of all unsetledness Now these Graces he doth assure them of by divers Arguments 1. Some drawn from the Nature of God he is the God of al Grace not of Grace only as the Syriack reads the words omitting the word All but he is the God of All Grace and therefore though you have need of much Grace yet you need not be discouraged for the God whom you deal with is a God of al Grace and under this Title have I prayed unto him for you It 's good closing with God in Prayer by that Title and Attribute which is most suitable to our Condition 2. Other Arguments are drawn from the precedent Work of God upon them Who hath called you unto his eternal Glory Now the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance Whom he hath called them he hath also glorified and therefore seeing he hath called you Emphaticum quoque illud quod in Graeco textu haec verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conjunguntur cum sequentibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ostendit enim Apostolus ex eodem gratiae sonte et primam ad gloriam Coelestem vocationem et ultimam hujus beneficii consummationem provenire Gerard. you may be assured that he wil confirm strengthen and settle you Gods Calling-Grace doth assure us of his Confirming-Grace he that hath called you unto eternal Glory Even He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Emphatical and omitted in the English to be read thus The God of all Grace who hath called you c. he himself establish you c. But our sufferings do stil abound for we are
Sandy and washy Foundation whereas the Psalmist saith He set my feet on a Rock and established my goings Psal 40.2 but if men be upon the Sand they must needs fal and great wil be their fal as their Profession is great 10. Somtimes men live high and profess beyond that Stock of Grace which they have But if you would be kept and established observe what the causes and reasons are of the Instability and Apostacy of others and take heed thereof Quest 1 But what shall I do that I may be more setled in regard of my Judgment and that I may be established in the present Truth Answ 1 Get a cleer and distinct Understanding in the things and Truths of the Gospel labor not only to know but to get a cleer and judicious apprehension and cleerness in the Truths of Christ Psal 106. it 's saâ—d of the Israelâ—tes That when they saw the Egyptians drowned in the Sea They sang the Praises of God and beleeved his Words verse 12. yet they soâ—n forgat his Works verse 13. And why so but because they had no cleer Understanding in them verse 7. Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt And this Apostle Peter doth joyn the un-learned and un-stable man together 2 Pet. 3. Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction verse 16. Some would have it read thus Graecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie significâ—t indociles qui nolunt rectius instâ—ui et informari qui monstratae ex verbo Dei Coelesti veritati locum dare renuunt Gerard in Loc. Which those that are unteachable and do refuse But unlearned suits wel enough with the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what is the Reason that men are so unstable but because they are not grounded and studied in the Body of Divinity They take up some Truths by hear-say and Education and not being studied in them they are soon removed from them Study therefore and get a cleer and distinct knowledg in the great Mysteries and Truths of the Gospel Answ 2 Take heed of unâ—etling Principles for they wil baptize your Judgment into a Conformity with them such as the Apostacy of Saints Cum improbarem illam novatorum sententiam qua docebant non justificari nos à Deo nisi justitia aliens videremque illius sententiae Authores in dicto illo B. Pauli Fides credentis reputatur ipsi in justitiam vocem fidei non pâ—oprie accipere sed per Catalepim aut Metonymiam ita Scil. ut per fidem non ipsa fides sed objectum fidei Christus scil vel obedientia Christi significaretur ostendi non tamen idâ—â— Scripturis esse alienum sed etiam nervos Religionis hoc est studium bonorum operum ea sententia succidi suscepi ergo adversus Sibrand Lubbertum acerrimum novae illius arrogantis et prophanae Opinionis Patronum grave certamen hic ergo primus fuit meâ— ad fidem Catholicam Conversionis gradus Petri Bertii Oraâ—io qua rationem reddit cur Romano Catholicam fidem amplexus sit â— pag. 19. and falling from Grace If a man hold that he may be a Saint to day and none to morrow a Saint the third day again and none the fourth day must not he needs be unsetled in his Judgment It 's commonly known that Bertius wrote a Book de Apostasia Sanâ—â—orum of the Apostacy of the Saints and as wel known that being then a Protestant he after fel away unto Popery and when he came to France and made a Renounciation of his former Faith and shewed the Reasons of his Conversion to the Popish Faith he tels us in his printed Oration That Primus Conversionis gradus The first step to his Popish Conversion was The knowledg of and contending for that Doctrine that Faith as an Act justifies and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere is imputed to us for our Justification in the sight of God And wel might that Principle have such an influence upon him being brought forth by his former unsetling Principles Unsetling Principles wil make an unsetled Judgment and an unsetled Judgment will bring forth an unsetled Life and Practice Take heed therefore of unsetling Principles Answ 3 Be sure that you do not make any Impression the Rule and Square of your Judgment judg not Doctrines by Impressions We have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye shal do well that you take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.19 Where do ye find in al the Scripture that God hath put Heart-Impressions into the Chair to be Judg of Doctrines If I judg of a Doctrine by an impression made upon my soul the Devil knows how to fetch me off quickly from the Truth What Settlement or Establishment of Soul can there be whilst men wil make their Light within them the Rule of their Judging Doctrines The Word of God without is my Rule the Light within is my Help to understand that Rule But if I judg of Doctrines by Impressions of the Word on my heart I can never be setled therefore take heed of that Answ 4 Get into the House of God Gods House is an House of Establishment there he commandeth his Blessing and Life for evermore there if one fal another may help him up and if one err another may inform him there the Lord hath promised to make men Pillars for Sâ—edfastness And he that overcometh I wil make him saith Christ a Pillar in the Temple of God and he shal go no more out Rev. 3.12 Ye know how it is with the Bee so long as it is fair and Sun-shining weather it is abroad in the Fields but if the winds be high and rough it doth then keep its Hive Now as Solomon saith Learn of the Pismire so say I Learn of the Bee Are the winds high and rough Keep your Hive and your Hive or rather Gods House wil keep you Answ 5 Go not into those Companies and Meetings where the false Prophet and unclean Spirit are and where false Doctrine is taught False Doctrine is a great Leaven Ye read of three Leavens in the New Testament 1. The Leaven of Hypocrisie Luk. 12.1 Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie 2. The Leaven of il Company and Society 1 Cor. 5. A little Leaven leaveneth the whol Lump 3. The Leaven of false Doctrine Matth. 16.6.11 12. Gal. 6.8 9. This Perswasion is not of him that calleth you a little Leaven leaveneth the whol Lump verse 9. Possibly al these three Leavens may be in such a Meeting but the two last are certainly And can you think to be under the power of these Leavens and to come away unleavened It argues unsetledness to go to such a Meeting and by your going you wil be more setled in your unsetledness As men are confirmed in that Grace which they bring to Gods Ordinances so they wil be confirmed in that
peace because I came so lightly by it Page 14 Answ All peace is the free gift of God for Christ his sake not for our sufferings Page 15 Object I want that Peace within how shall I come by it ibid. Answ The Lord only can speak this peace to thee which he doth speak in the way of his Ordinance ibid. Quest What doth the Lord speak in his Ordinances that may quiet my Soul ibid. Answ 1 You are willed to consider much of the fulness of Christs satisfaction ibid. God for Christs sake works all our works for us Page 16 2 Christ is our Peace-maker we must go to him ibid. The manner how we must go 1 Go in uprightness Page 17 2 Carry the Promise with you ibid. 3 Wait long on Christ till Peace do come ibid. Quest Must we not be humbled for sins committed ibid. Answ In all your Humiliation carry Christ along with you ibid. 4 Labor to mortifie your affections ibid. 5 Walk not with doubting company Page 18 6 When God speaks a little peace to thee refuse it not for it will encrease Page 19 This is amplified Page 20 Sermon II. DOCT. 2. The Saints may be under much discouragement Page 21 Two words in the Text most Emphatical Cast down Disquieted ibid. The words opened by four Questions Page 22 1 How far a good man may be discouraged 2 How it comes that he is discouraged 3 How discouragements can stand with Grace 4 How they may be cured Quest 1. How far may a good man be discouraged Page 22 Answ 1 A Saint may refuse Comfort for the Soul ibid. 2 For the Body also ibid. 3 A good man may refuse Duty Page 23 4 He may be weary of his life ibid. Quest 2. Why doth God suffer his Children to be so discouraged ibid. Answ In general It is for their good Page 24 More particularly 1 It is Gods way to deal so with men ibid. 2 This way God sets a greater price on our inward peace Page 25 3 God will have us to love him only ibid. 4 He thus trains up his Children to more perfection ib. 5 He doth this to keep his Chil-from security Page 24 6 This is explained by the similitude of a Chyrurgeon dealing with his Patient Page 26 Object Can any man foretel a mans discouragement ibid. Answ Affirmatively 1 It may be foretold when a man placeth his Spiritual Comfort on outward Blessings Page 27 2 When a man is unthankful for true peace and not humbled for false Peace ibid 3 When a man doth raise his Comfort only from Grace within and not from Christ without Yet Grace within is 1. A Cause sine qua non 2. It removes all impediments of Comfoâ—t 3. It is a witnessing Cause 4. It is a confirming Cause ibid. 4 When a man layeth his comfort on the impression or coming in of the Word rather than upon the Word iâ— self The words on Psal 16.4 critically expounded Page 28 Quest 3. How can all this stand with Grace ibid. Answ Affirmatively The Saints are never so discouraged but there is some Grace left ibid. Quest Is there no evil in Discouragements Page 29 Answ Affirmatively Very much ibid. Quest 4. What must a poor Soul do to recover its peace lost Page 30 Answered partly by way of Question partly by Direction ibid. 1 Hast thou quite forgot thy former peace Page 31 2 Do you not use the means for restoring your Comforts ibid. Some seek Comfort by way of reasoning with God Some seek it in Duty neglecting their Calling Both are dâ—ceived 3 Have you not so far strained for some outward comfort as to lose your inward comfort ibid. Quest What shall I do that my comforts may be restored Page 32 Answ By Direction in three things 1 Do what you would do to be justified ibid. 2 Seek whether God hath withdrawn his presence for your sin ibid. An Objection answered Page 33 3 Read the Scriptures much ibid. Object What if I do they may not comfort me ib. Answ You cannot tell till you prove it Page 34 Somtimes the Promise comes to us somtimes we go to it ib. Object I shall meet with threatnings in the Scripture ibid. Answ Negatively for Threatnings lead you to the Promise Page 34 Object There are many other things in Scripture that concern noâ— my Condition ibid. Answ Negatively Christ cureth us somtimes by diverting our minds ibid. Quest Where Peace returns what must I do Page 35 Answ 1 Be sure it be true Peace ib. 2 Fall upon Satans Quarters ibid. 3 Put all your Comforts into Christs hands ibid. 4 Spend all for Christ comfort others Page 36 Sermon III. DOCT. 3. Davids condition is put for a pattern Page 42 Habakkuks Condition ibid A Godly man may rejoyce in any Condition ibid. The Saints think they have reason for their Discouragements Page 43 The Saints may have reason for their Discouragements ibid. Quest What have the Saints that is a sufficient Bulwark against all discouragements ibid. Answ 1 A godly man hath a propriety in God ibid. How God is my God Page 44 2 God knows him and his condition ibid. 3 God will not have his People to be discouraged proved from God the Son to God the Father Page 45 4 The Saints have no discouragement but there is a greater Encouragement bound up with it Page 46 God makes our discouragements causes of encouragements Page 47 5 A prayâ—ng man can never be very miserable Page 48 4 The matter of our discouragements is but as a cloud ibid. Quest How shall it appear to be but a cloud ibid. Answ 1 If this Cloud come after the Promise Page 49 2 If a man can see to work Page 50 3 If there be some openings of light with the darkness by intermission ibid. Application Page 51 Object I have reason to be discouraged for I have no feeling of Gods Love ibid. Answ 1 We do not live by feeling but by Faith ibid. 2 The great difference between a Godly man and a wicked man in this Page 52 3 An Exhortation to the Saints not to be dscouraged for four Reasons ibid. 1 You rejoyce Satan when you are discouraged ibid. 2 You grieve the heart of God ib. 3 You do thereby make void the end of Christs coming ibid. 4 You make your self unfit for Christs Service ibid. Quest What shall a man do to bear up against all discouragements Page 54 Answ 1 Never lay your Comforts upon any Condition ibid. 2 Think of Christ in a right way Page 55 3 Check your self for being discouraged ibid 4 Mix the thoughts of your Discouragements with thoughts of Comfort ibid. 5 Mortifie Self-Love Page 56 6 Question your self for being discouraged ibid. So much for the Proof in general Page 57 Sermon IV. The Point is cleered and proved by nine particular Instances Page 58 1 Discouragements from gross sins Page 59 2 From weakness of Grace 3 From their failing in Duty 4 From want of evidence of Gods
hands Some think they are sins of Infirmity when they are not And some think they are not when they are ibid. The first kind of mistake is on the left hand four-fold 1 Some think it a sin of Infirmity because it is a smal sin ibid. 2 Because they are drawn on by others Page 383 3 Because they strive against it ibid. 4 Because they are troubâ—ed after it ibid. The Second mistake on the right hand is three-fold Page 384 1 Because they sin knowingly ibid. 2 Because they fall into the same sin again ibid. 3 Because they fall into it after admonition ibid. Object 1. My sin can be no sin of infirmity for I sin against my conscience and knowingly ibid. Answ It is one thing to sin knowingly and another to sin against knowledg ibid. Object 2. I fall into my sin again and lie in it therefore c. Page 385 Answ There is much mistake about lying in sin he that complains of it lies not in it ibid. Object 3. I fall into it after admonition therefore c. ibid. Answ So did the Disciples in the Text ibid. Quest How then shall we know a sin of Infirmity Page 386 Answ Negatively 1 That is no sin of infirmity that is gross and scandalous committed with deliberation ibid. 2 A ring-leading sin to other sins is no sin of infirmity ibid. 3 A sin of Presumption is no sin of infirmity ibid. 4 A reigning sin is no sin of infirmity Page 387 Sin reigneth in a man 1 When it commands his Spiritual Duties ibid. 2 When men do yield the Members of their Bodies as weapons of Vnrighteousness Page 388 3 Sin reigneth when it usually riseth by opposition ibid. Quest How shall we know a sin of infirmity affirmatively ibid. Answ 1 If it proceed from want of Age in Christianity ibid. 2 If it be no other sin than what is incident to all the Saints Page 389 3 If it be such a sin as you cannot avoid ibid. 4 If your sin be your burden ibid. 5 An infirmity will hardly acknowledg it self to be a sin of infirmity Page 390 6 If your sin rise chiefly from some outward cause ibid. 7 Infirmity loves admonition Page 391 8 Infirmity is an ill sin but a good sign ibid. 9 Sins of infirmity â—re Servants to Grace ibid. 10 Infirmâ—ty keeps a mans heart humble Page 392 Quest Suppose my sin be a sin of infirmity what then Page 393 Answ Then Christ wil never leave you ibid. Quest Is there no evil in a sin of infirmity ibid. Answ Yes very much it is a Gibeonite though it seâ—ve Grace ibid. III. Though there be much evil in it Christ will not cast us off for it For Page 394 1 It is an honor to a man to pass by infirmities much more to Christ ibid. 2 The Covâ—nant of God is câ—njugal and passeth over infirmities ibid. 3 The Saints are Members of Christs Body Page 395 Object The back-slider shall be filled with his own waies ibid. Answ 1 There is great difference between the relapses of the Saints and the back-slidings of Hypocrites ibid. 2 The meaning of that is explained how a man is said to be satisfied with his own waies Page 396 Application See what great necessity we have to examine our sins and to know what they are ibid. Quest What advantage hath this sin of infirmity above other sins Page 397 Answ 1 Very much for if it be a sin of infirmity though it be very g eat it shal not hinder the acceptance of my Duty ibid. 2 It shall nâ—t hinder the sence of my Justification ibid. 3 There is a pardon lies of course for it ibid. 4 It shall nâ—ver bring a scourge on a mans family ibid. 5 It will never spoil a mans Gifts ibid. Quest Suppose I find a sin of infirmity and fall â—nto it again what must I do Page 398 Answ These Duties 1 I will observe Gods design in it and labor all I can to advance Gods design ibid. 2 By Gods Grace I will never beleeve Satans false reports of Christ that he is a hard Master Page 399 3 I will not question my spiritual estate for every sin ib. 4 I will not cast off my self and others for sins of infirmity 5 I will not cast off the things of Christ because of any infirmity may hang to them Page 399 6 I will never be discouraged from doing my duty ibid. 7 I will commit no sin because it is but a sin of infirmity ib. Quest What shal we do not to fall into this sin again Page 400 Answ 1 Forget not your former sin ibid. 2 Quench your sins in the blood of Christ ibid. 3 Watch and pray ibid. The False Apostle tryed and discovered ON Revel 2.2 IT is held that these seven Epistles written to the seven Churches in Asia contain the state of Christs Church unto his coming again Page 405 The first Epistle is written to languishing Ephesus ibid. Christs commendations of this Church ibid. 1. For her Labor 2. Patience 3. Zeal Page 406 Her Zeal is described two waies First By the Persons they dealt withal false Teachers Secondly By their exercise of their Zeal and that in two things 1. By the discovery of false Teachers 2. By the hatred of their deeds ibid. The discovery of false Teachers was a work concerned the Apostles then living ibid. DOCT. It is a work of great Commendation with Jesus Christ to try and discover false Teachers To cleer this Point consider ibid. Arg. 1. What dangerous people false Teachers are Page 407 Arg. 2. It it hard to discover them Page 408 Arg. 3. It is an excellent thing to discover them Page 409 Object Is it lawful to go to their meetings to discover them Page 410 Answ Negatively No more than you must go to Rome to try and find out Papists ibid. Quest How then shal I try all things ibid. Answ Mark this Scripture well 1 Thes 5.20 21. ibid. Application We should all take pains in this work because Christ commends it Page 411 Quest If we may not go to their Meetings how shal we discover false Teachers Page 412 Answ All Teachers are to be discovered three waies By Their Call Their Doctrine Their Fruits or Lives ibid. I. For a mans Call to preach He is called either to a particular work or to an Office The first is called Prophesie and so some men are called to preach If men be so called then they must preach 1. According to the Analogy of Faith 2. If so called they must have a Gift to profit others by 3. He must submit what he saith to the judgment of others or he is a false Prophet in this kind ibid. Secondly If a man be called to Office then his Office is either Extraordinary or Ordinary ibid. 1 If Extraordinary he is either a Prophet to foretel what is to come or an Evangelist whose Office is to minister to the Apostles Page 412 413 2 If a man be called