righteous then he and that he had done wickedly in pursuing his life and yet notwithstanding all this Sauls unruly affections did overmaster Sauls unquiet conscience his ambition of the kingdom caused him yet to go on further in the pursuit of David So Pilate his conscience told him that Jesus Christ whom he was to judge was an innocent person and therefore he washed his hands and told the people that he found no cause of death in him this was his conscience but his ambitious affections did overpower it fearing lest he should hereby lose Cesars favour Luke 19.12 If thou let this man go say the people thou art not Cesars friend he feared this saying of the people and therefore went against his conscience And so also Pharaoh his conscience told him that he did wickedly in disobeying Gods command for letting the children of Israel go and he confesseth that he had sinned and done wickedly in the Lords sight and begged Moses to pray for him but observe Pharaohs ambitious affections did over-master his conscience and therefore when the plage was over he would continue in sinne still But when the Spirit of God comes to conflict with the lusts of the flesh though the affections be unbridled and unruly yet in time the Spirit of God will check and curb them and overcome though the Spirit cannot throw them out yet it will throw them down as the Apostle Paul speaks I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 A godly man thus deals with sinne though he cannot give it an utter extirpation yet he will indeavour to bring it into subjection 2. Natural conscience in opposing sin it rests contented with a bare restraint of the Act though there be no mortification of the vicious inclination As it was with Pharaoh when the plagues were upon him then conscience wrought but yet his sin was not at all subdued but onely restrained and therefore sayes the Text Exod. 8.15 When Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said And so Haman when he saw that Mordecai his mortal enemy was preferred by the King when he saw that he was taken into royal favour it is said that he refrained himselfe that is he would not now attempt to destroy him Esth 5.10 and though he refrained himself yet his revengefull disposition remained still unmortified Thus a drunkard may be outwardly restrained and yet his drunken inclination remain But the Spirit of God in its conflict it doth not only restrain the act but also weakens Rom. 8.12,13 and suppresses the inclination If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh ye shall live there is the mortifying of the act of sin and thus also we are commanded to mortify our members which are upon the earth as fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupiscence and covetousnesse Col. 3.5 and again to crucify the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 that is not onely to restrain the act of sinne but to kill and mortify the sinful inclination 4. And lastly natural conscience conflicting with sin it works not more watchfulness in a man against the assaults of sin for the time to come but the Spirit of God when that conflicts with a sin this day it makes him watchful against all sinne the next day and all his dayes and thus you have the third Quere dispatched touching the difference that is between the conflict of the flesh and the Spirit and that combate which is onely between the naturall conscience of an unregenerate man and his lusts Quere 4 What rules may be given seeing the Spirit doth conflict against the flesh in us that by the following of them we may be able to prevail against the motions of the flesh to sinne Answ This is a practicall and an usefull question and for answer thereto I shall give you five directions 1. Listen to what conscience shall say to you when you are tempted to any sin conscience it is Gods spie mans overseer and the Spirits officer and in hearkening to its checks you take a ready way to imbrace the Spirits motions and deaf your ear to the motions of sin it is the Spirits office not only to witnesse with our Spirits but also to check and rebuke us for sin with our spirits therefore hearken to what your own conscience shall speak whether it will solicite thee after this manner saying Why wilt thou dishonour so good a God hazzard thy precious soul and break a good Law As sin gives a wound to conscience so conscience awakened enlightened and sanctified gives a great check to sinne that it shall not reign in a cihlde of God 2. If you would have the Spirit prevail over the flesh then be sure you minister no occasion of sin unto the flesh lest from vicious motions there come sinful actions This rule the Apostle gives to the Galatians Gal. 5.13 exhorting them not to use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh that is do nothing which may administer an occasion to the flesh to take hold on you It is true the flesh can sinne without an occasion and a man may be an adulterer though he never saw a woman and a man may be a thief though he never stole and a murtherer though he never spilt blood but occasions to sin they do the more strengthen corrupt nature as the Philosophers tells us that acts do strengthen habits so the more thou acts sin the more strength it gathers and hence it was Numb 6.9 that the Nazarites who were forbidden to drink wine were also forbidden to eat any thing that came of the Vine-tree they were not to eat the raisin nor the husk of the grape that an occasion of sinne might not be admitted to them And the wise man shewing the mischief of whoredome Prov. 5.8 exhorts not to come near the dore of her house it is no sinne in it selfe to come nigh any ones dore but because being nigh the dore of an harlot may occasion and stirre up unclean thoughts and lustful desires therefore we are commanded not to come near her dore It is observable that God would not be called Baali but Ishi there was no harm in the word Baali for it signified in the common use of the word my Husband Hosea 2.16 Isai 54.5 as Isai 54.5 Thy Maker is thy husband It is in the Hebrew thy Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus mariâ—us i. e. thy Lord or husband but this is forbidden that so the name of an Idol continued amongst them for they usually called their Idols Baalim might be no allurement to idolatry To this purpose Divines make much use of that place in Deuteron Deut. 25.13 25.13 where it is said Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights a great and a small the having of these weights in the bag you would think to be no sinne
so withheld from them that after they fell into that sinne they were not convinced of it and therefore they lived and died in it Answ 2 The Spirit may be so farre from convincing a man of sinne and may so withdraw from a man that after he hath sinned he may go about to defend and justifie the sinne he hath committed and thus Jonah he sinned in not obeying Gods commandment of going to Nineveh and when God spared Nineveh Jonah was very angry and when God comes to reason with him asking him whether he did well to be angry why yes saies he I do well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4.9 Here was a good man in a pettish mood and to Gods face would justifie his own passion So Israel under the name of Ephraim they would justifie their own wickednesse Ephraim is a Merchant saith the Prophet Hosea 12.7,8 the balances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppresse But what said Ephraim yet saies he I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall finde no iniquity in me that were sinne and yet God charges them with the balances of deceit Answ 3 A godly man he may for a long time yea many years lie under sinne and the Spirit of God may not work remorse of conscience in him for the sinne he hath committed and this is very sad thus the Spirit was withdrawn from David he commits adultery with Bathsheba and till the childe was borne and Nathan the Prophet came to him we never read that he was troubled for his sinne the Spirit did not work remorse of conscience in him which must be nine moneths after the manner of women Nay we read of Josephs brethren that they cast him into a pit and sold him unto the Ishmaelites and though they dealt thus unnaturally with their brother yet the Scripture tells us that it was about one and twenty years before they were troubled for this sin when they were in prison in Egypt then they said one to another Verily we are guilty of our brothers blood and therefore is this evill come upon us Gen. 42 21. Answ 4 The Spirit of God may so farre withdraw from a godly man after he hath committed sinne that he may rather commit more sinnes to hide that one sinne then to repent of it and this is a high step how near hell it is Yet thus David after he had fallen into adultery he doth not put his conscience on work to repent of this sinne but puts his wits on work how to cover this sinne and for that end sends for Vriah home to lie with his wife to cover his own sinfull fact and makes him drunk and when he could not bring that to passe then he contrives his death and makes him the messenger of death to himself So Peter a good man and yet Peter committed many sinnes to excuse one sinne nay he committed many sinnes sooner then he did repent of one sinne when he denied Christ First he denies him Then he denies him with an oath And thirdly he denies him with a curse whether he cursed Christ or himself or both it is not certaine Thus committed he many sinnes to excuse one This is a farre degree and yet thus farre may a godly man go Answ 5 A godly man after he hath committed sinne may be so farre from having power to mortifie that sinne that he may fall into it often and again Gen. 12.13 Gen. 20.2 We have many Scripture-instances hereof Abraham he fell twice into the sinne of lying in denying his own wife so Joseph Gen. 42.15,16 1 Kings 11.9 he fell twice into the sinne of swearing Solomon he sinned against the Lord after he had twice appeared to him And so the children of Israel Num. 14.22 they fell into the sinne of murmuring against God ten times together one after a-another 1 Kings 22.49 2 Chron. 18.2 Thus Jehosaphat sinned in sinfull compliance with wicked men twice as may be gathered I do not mention this to boulster any man in a ventrous way of sinning but only for the ease of afflicted consciences the Spirit may leave thee thus farre both before and after the commission of sin Before I come to handle the witholdings of the Spirit in reference to that which is good I shall give you the use of the former points If the Spirit of God do leave you thus farre then I inferre Inference 1 That you are not to impute it to God as an act of Sovereignty but as an act of Justice God is provoked to do it Why doth the Spirit of God say to thee as the Lord to Ephraâ—m He is given to Idols let him alone Hosea 4.17 why is it that Gods Spirit leaves thee some affront or other thou hast done to the Spirit either thou hast quenched the Spirits motions or grieved the Spirit or vexed the Spirit or resisted the Spirit in its operations and therefore thou shalt hear no more of the disswasions of the Spirit in thy heart Inference 2 Do not censure a man when thou seest him fall into sinne be not severe against him if Gods Spirit should be withdrawn from thee thou wouldest sinne a thousand times more then that man The Scripture commands that you should restore men fallen with the spirit of meeknesse considering your selves lest you also be tempted Gal. 6. i. Tu hodie Ego cras Aug. Doest thou see another man sinne do not judge him consider thy self if the Devill should tempt thee to a worse sinne and the Spirit withdraw from thee thou wouldest sinne worse then that man hath sinned Inference 3 What cause have you to blesse God that he hath given the strivings of his Spirit both to your selves and other men 1. Blesse God the Spirit is given to you The Spirit in the Word is the voice behinde thee saying This is the Way walk in it and by this meanes you are renced from many temptations and freed from many evils should a tempting Devill and thy corrupt heart meet and Gods Spirit but withdraw into what evill wouldest thou runne Even such a man in such a case would rush on in evill as the horse rushes on into the battle if the Spirit should not restraine him from sin Secondly blesse God for other men that by the common restraining power of the Spirit he laies a check and controll upon the spirits of men were it not for this there would be no living in the world Homo hominis Lupus how would humane socies be destroied every man would be savage and cruell each to other we should kill and murther every man that angered us deceive every man that dealt with us tell a lie to every man that speaks to us we should commit all sinne There is great wickednesse done in this last and worst age of the world but there would be more evill done did not the Spirit lay curbâ— and restraints
upon mens consciences Inference 4 Labour and pray the lesse the Spirit of God hath striven with you before the commission of sin that it may the more strive with you by convincing you after you have fallen into it It may be you have sinned ignorantly aptly eagerly or deliberately the more the Spirit hath bin withheld from thee before the commission of sinne pray to have it strive the more with thee afterwards and that in these three wayes 1. By working in thee a more clear conviction of sinne to shew thee not sin in the lump but thy particular sinne clothed with all its haynous and agravating circumstances to convince thee savingly that there may be as it were some compensation made of the Spirits being before whithheld from thee 2. In a more deep humiliation the more the Spirit hath been withheld from you before the commission of sinne desire that the more the Spirit may cast thee down after its commission This was typed out under the Law that man which did but touch an unclean thing was to be unclean till evening but if a man had carried an unclean thing about him then he was to cast off all his clothes So if you have but touched a sinne you are to be humbled but if you have fallen into a sinne which the Spirit hath not convinced you of then you are to labour for a greater measure of conviction and humiliation afterwards 3. Learn that the Spirit may work in thee a more dear affection to Jesus Christ It is observed of Peter the Spirit did more leave him to fall into sinne then he did all the other Apostles except Judas Now when Christ comes to aske Peter whether he loved himor not saies he Simon Peter doest thou love me more then these He doth not say onely doest thou love me Peter but lovest thou me more then these as if he should say Peter thou hast sinned against me more then all the other Apostles have and therefore thou shouldest love me more then they So Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner having seven Devils cast out of her but what is said of her Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for she loved much that is the lesse love she had to Jesus Christ before the commission of sinne the more she had afterwards Many sinnes were forgiven her and therefore she loved much therefore in that place must not be understood as if her love was a cause of her being forgiven but a demonstration and an evidence of it SERMON V. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 17. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to handle to you the with-holdings of the Spirit in reference to good that it shall not stirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty But before I come particularly to speak of this I shall lay down a fourfold distinction about the Spirits motions to good 1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in stirring up holy affections in the heart in blowing up those coales of affection and grace within them John 14.26 and this is that which was promised by Christ that the holy Ghost shall bring all things to rememberance 2. There is an assisting act of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit in Scripture is said to help our infirmities You reade not onely of an intercession of the Spirit in a way of acceptance but of an intercession of the Spirit by way of assistance As in a tree though there be a seminal vertue in the tree yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit So the Spirit of God helps us to work Col. 1.18 Psal 12.13 and Ephes 1.19 3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit not onely bare assistance but strength and increase of grace by the Spirit of God to the souls of men and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farther degrees and measures of the Spirit 4. There is a comforting and a testifying act of the Spirit when the Spirit of God shall back the testimony of thy conscience to evidence the sincerity of thy heart and thus you read of Paul that his conscience did beare him witnesse in the holy Ghost the Spirit of God did witnesse with his spirit the truth and sincerity of his heart Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Now though I might handle all these particulars and shew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in these regards Yet I shall onely speak of the Spirit and shew what a sad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts that it shall not stir up holy motions in the heart to good in the handling of which I shall proceed after this method 1. Shew you wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good 2. When the Spirit doth vouchsafe such motions how you may know them and difference them from those motions to good which the Devil may stir a man up unto 1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good there are these three miseries which will attend him 1. There will be a vacuity or emptinesse of holy thoughts in thy heart The Spirit of God is like unto the spring in the Clock if that lie still all lies still so if the Spirit of God lies still within thee Phil. 2.13 all thy affections which are the motions of thy soul they cannot stirre It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure If the Spirit of God be withheld there cannot be so much as a will in thee to that which is truly good Mans heart it is like that house in the Parable Matth. 12.44 when the Spirit is withheld from him when the Devil came to possesse it it is said that he found it empty swept and garnished empty that is void of any holy thoughts and gracious motions and garnished that is not with the graces of Gods Spirit but with the Devils furniture and if you will see what that furniture is read Matth. 15.19,20 There will be an emptinesse in thy heart of good motions when God withdrawes his Spirit 2. Thy heart will he filled and pestered with evill motions from the Devill Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions it will be by the Devils instigations The heart if it be not Christs garden it will be the Devils Seminary if not Christs store-house it will be the Devils work-house if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghost it will be the Devils Chappel Now this is that which makes the misery the greater when evill motions do pester and fill the heart the Sripture expresses it by the Devils filling of the heart If the gales
natural motions from conscience may put a man upon the doing of a good thing Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor yet it cannot give any power for its performance it leaves thee like Ovids Medea that saw good yet would not do it Natural motions to the soul are as Pharaoh to the Israelites who moved them to make brick but gave them no materials Natural conscience moves to duty but conveighs no power to do it withal therefore you read that the law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8 3. weak as to justification thereby there being no power in man to fulfil it 2. Virtutis amore non formidine poenae 2 Tim. 1.7 The Spirit it moves a man to do good more out of the lovelinesse and beauty that is in holinesse then out of fear of hells torments Hence we read that God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde we do not do things meerely out of fear of hell but out of love to God and holinesse So the Apostle Paul sayes he As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God for ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.14,15 Ducuur à spiritu non trahâ—tur The Spirit of God makes a man do a thing as a childe out of love to his father and not out of fear this is the effect of the Spirit of God But now the motions of natural conscience to good are not out of any excellency a man seeth in the good he doth but meerly out of feare of punishment he seeth damnation if he doth otherwise 3. The Spirit of God moves a man to do good in things not only good for the matter but to make conscience of the end why he doth such a thing that he be sound in his aime and therefore sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 17. We have received the Spirit of a sound minde that is the Spirit it puts a man not only upon the doing of a good duty but makes him have a sincere end in the doing thereof But the natural conscience it rests in the duty in case it be done though done never so corruptly Prov. 7.14 As the harlot Solomon speaks of who had sacrificed and paid her vows though her end was most abominable and base viz. that she might the more uncontrolable play the harlot she first playes the hypocrite and then the harlot 4. The Spirit of God moving men to do good it regulates them in the manner of doing good the duty it must be done with affection with love with faith fervency and composednesse of minde but natural conscience moving a man to duty takes no farther care so it be done not how it be done it may move to prayer and to hearing but never moves to take heed how these duties are done 5. The Spirit of God moves a man so powerfully that it carrieth him to do good notwithstanding difficulty and danger and neither shall hinder him in its performance The Spirits motions are like unto new wine in a barrel that wanting vent is ready to burst holy motions will break forth into holy actions Wicked men are sick till they act their wickednesse and cannot be satisfied till they have done sinfully But those who have natural motions to good they go no farther but rest in them and never bring forth good accomplishments Balaam he had a good motion Num. 23.10 oh sayes he that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end might be like unto his What a heavenly ejaculation was here it was a very good wish but yet it was a lazie one he wisht to die the death of the righteous but yet would not live the life of the righteous he would not practise what he prayed for Natural motions in men freeze between their lips they only deâ—re but never break out into the acting of duty Difficulties do discourage natural men from following their good resolutions with constant practice and the sluggard will not plow because of the cold Prov. 20.4 Querie 3 How may we know the Spirits motions from Satanical delusions The devils suggestions they are like unto the Spirits motions and there have been men in all ages which have taken phantastical illusions for the Spirits motions therefore to difference the one from the other Consider 1. That the motions of Gods Spirit are alwayes agreeable to a written word the words prescript and the Spirits motions are correspondent the one to the other You have both joyned together by Solomon I will poure out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 1.23 So the Prophet Isaiah My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Isa 59.21 The motions of the Spirit of God they are alwayes suitable to the Word of God To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to them it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 and therefore all that are contrary they are the delusions of the evil spirit 2. The motions of Gods Spirit in men are not now to foretell future events but they are holy motions pressing to duty Therefore the Papists who boast of a prophetical Spirit and of foretelling things to come and your starre-gazers and sooth-sayers who pretend to tell future contingent events telling you this party shall prevaile this moneth and that party another moneth these are diabolical delusions and not from the Spirit of God who since the Canon of the Scripture hath been established refers us to the Word as a rule of our obedience 3. The Spirits motions where ever they are they stirre up grace and keep under sinne they stir up grace and therefore we read of the assisting exciting and supplying work of the Spirit those motions which stirre up sinne and cherish corruption are diabolical Rom. 8.13 Therefore saith the Apostle Paul If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if 〈◊〉 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Motions from the Spirit of God they are holy motions exciting grace and depressing sin Micah 2.11 And therefore it is said if a man walk in the Spirit and do lie that is if a man will pretend a message from the Spirit of God and yet Prophesie of wine and strong drink that is by his Doctrine incourage drunkennesse or any sin that man lies he comes not from the holy Spirit but from the devil SERMON IX At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh A third Querie I Proceed now to a third thing to be enquired into and that is How we may know the
to Religion 4. He will give the lesse bad example 2. Unto such who have restraining grace I would give this caution that you would not boast thereof The Pharisee had restraining grace but he made ill use thereof Luke 18.11 Non Deum sed seipsum laudavit Pharisaeus I thank God sayes he I am no extortioner nor no adulterer nor as this Publicane is Doth God restraine these sins in thee do not thou boast in these restraints who hath made a difference between thee and others is it not God therefore be not proud of it 3. Take heed that you do not take restraining grace to be an evidence of renewing grace and here I shall shew you twelve wayes whereby you may be deceived but of this in the following Sermon SERMON XXVII at Lawrence Jury Lond. Feb. 16. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Shall by Gods assistance in this Sermon finish this point and there is only one question that depends upon the last caution I named in my last Sermon which was that you should not look upon the restraints of the Spirit in keeping you from sin to be the saving and gracious work of the Spirit And hereupon I shall answer this question and shew you what other causes there may be besides the renewing grace of the Spirit that may keep wicked men from doing evil 1. Men may be kept from wickednesse from the power which a religious education hath had on them while they were young when you are under the tuition of Parents or Masters or Governours this may restrain men from doing much evil 2 King 12.2 You have an instance hereof in King Jehoash He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him All the dayes his Uncle lived he walked in the wayes of the Lord but assoon as ever he was dead he fell to work wickednesse Thus you read concerning Paul that he was according to the Law blamelesse Phil. 3.6 that is as to the outward letter now how came he to be thus why sayes he Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews and touching the law a Pharisee that is he was trained up in the Jewish religion and the force of education had made Paul a man of a very good moral life And so the young man he saith to Christ that all the Commandments he had kept from his youth this was the power of education Mark 10.19,20 Plutarch A colt if he be never taken nor tamed with bit nor bridle will be a very savage and wilde creature all his life-time and if you let him runne too long he will hardly be tamed at all but if you take up a colt when he is young though he be wilde by nature yet by breaking of him you will make him fit for service It is true religion doth not runne in a blood yet the profession of it may and this may be one cause why men do not the evil they would because a religious education hath a power to keep them back yet this falls far short of renuing grace 2. Disability of body whether through age or sickness may be a meanes to restraine men from many sinnes Ambrose calls diseases the shops of vertue Indeed sicknesse it is a prison but not a grave to sinne it is only mortification which is a slaughter-house to sinne Morbi virtutis officinae Ambr. sicknesse keeps sinne in when men are fastened to their beds and when their bones are made to rattle in their skin they have then no pleasure nor leisure left them to think of Luxurious excesse Thus we see in Abimelech how God kept him by laying some sicknesse or other upon him Gen. 20.6 compared with vers 17. This you see by comparing Gen. 20.6 with the 17. ver of that Chapter In ver 6. God told Abimelech that he withheld him from sinne there it is only said in the generall that God restrained him but in ver 17. is hinted the manner how God did this Abimelech would faine have defiled Abrahams wife but God laid some disease upon him and therefore it is said that Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech Rivet Rivet upon these words saith that assoone as ever he took Sarah into his house God smote him with a sore sicknesse so that he was not able to commit folly with her And he gives this reason because Isaac was the promised seed and if Abimelech should have laine with Sarah the childe would have been thought Abimelech's and not Abrahams and therefore God did send some exquisite disease upon him that so he might be disabled to his intended folly 3. Outward meannesse and poverty of a mans present condition is a cause to hinder many men from sinne whereas if they had wealth they would work wickednesse with greedinesse And this was Hazaels condition while he was a servant he could not then do much mischiefe his outward condition was so mean that he had not opportunity and advantage 2 King 8.12 but when he came to be King in his Masters roome Then shalt thou burne the City rip up women with childe and dash children against the stones he never thought he should have been so bad but when he came to be King he did this and much more We may blesse God as it is a common proverb That curst cowes have but short hornes that wicked men are not sometimes rich men and great in place and power God many times so orders it that men that have much evil in their natures should not have opportunity to act it in their lives 4. Another way whereby men may be kept from sin may be from the affrightment of a natural conscience Gods Spirit doth not only sometimes witnesse with the spirit in godly men but also checks the spirits of wicked men and though a wicked man doth not forbeare to act sinne obedientially with any respect to the command of God yet he forbeares to sinne rationally out of conviction from a natural conscience Natural conscience it is that which over-rules and swayes a wicked man so that he shall not do the evil he would the Gentiles having not the law as the Apostle saith that is the written law Rom. 2.14 yet they do by nature the things contained in the law and these having not the law are a law unto themselves these Gentiles though heathens the Scripture sayes they were a law unto themselves that is they have a conscience which is instead of a law to them 5. The feare which is implanted in men of humane lawes and penal statutes is another meanes to keep men from much sinne when a divine law cannot bear sway with a wicked mans conscience
watchfulnesse hereby he kept under the sinful workings of corrupt nature and a little care will not serve the turn but we must be as vigilant as wrestlers or fencers who are very ready to beat down their adversaries before them 6. And lastly be skilful in the Word of righteousnesse and this will be a great means to keep the flesh from prevailing over the Spirit As Christ did to the devil so must thou do to the devil of thy flesh It is written sayes he do thou come with a written Word against the devil and thy own heart be so skilful in the Word of God that there may no temptation offer it selfe to thee but thou mayest draw arguments out of the Word against it we ought to be very careful to use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and sheath it in the bowels of sinful flesh And if this course were taken in this particular you would be lesse pester'd with a tempting devil and corrupt heart then you are Vse Vse he use which I shall make from what you have heard shall be of comfort to dejected consciences me thinks I hear many a godly man say Wo is me I have a sensible experience in my own soul that my evil heart hath all those evil properties you named and my soul bears me witnesse I use those means you prescribed I do keep off from occasions of sin I watch and pray against sin and yet God knowes I cannot keep under a naughty heart To any man that in the sincerity of his heart and sense of his sinnes doth make this complaint I have four words of comfort 1. Thou must never expect a total extirpation of the corruption of thy nature whilest thou livest here only a partial suppression Corrupt nature will be in thee That as those beasts mentioned by Daniel their dominion was taken aâ—cay yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Dan. 7.12 so the dominion of sin is taken away sin shall not reign over you but yet the life of sin remaines the body of death will live in us as long as we live in the body Corrupt nature it will live in thee though it shall not reign like unto that tree mentioned by Daniel whose branches were cut off Dan. 4.15 yet the stump remained in the earth thou mayest lop off actual evils yet remember the root will remain that as it is with Ivie which growes on a wall it cannot be rooted up untill the wall be pulled down so untill thy body be pulled down sin in thy nature which is as Ivie gotten into the wall cannot be gotten out We have a promise made to Gods children that sin shall not have dominion in them but no where it is said that sin shall have no being in them while they are in being here 2. There is great difference between yeelding to the corrupt motions of thy nature to sin and between fulfiling the lusts of the flesh I know there is none of us all but do in some things yeeld to the motions of the flesh but yet all do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh thou mayest imbrace the motion thy sinful heart stirres thee up unto yet thou mayest not fulfill the motions of sin the Scripture gives you this difference Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof godly men may commit the lusts of the flesh but they do not make provision for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou doest not provide for sin as a man for his family because he would have them live thou art not a Caterer for sin therefore bear up thy heart with comfort though sin be in thee yet thou shalt not perish for it Thou who hast used all means and yet findest the flesh prevailing against the Spirit consider that strong and potent motions to sin do not alwayes argue sinnes strength but sins weaknesse rather that sin is decaying then in its full strength It is observed that dying things they strive and struggle with most strength a bird a weak creature yet if you pull off its head with what strength will it flutter this doth not argue that the bird is gathering strength but that its strength is departing it may be thus with thee thou hast strong motions to sin and thou discernest it it may be sinne is now playing its last game Lusts in the Scriptures are said to be crucified now it is with sin crucified as it was with the wicked and impenitent thief he was bound and nailed hand and foot and yet he raved and raged so it is when lust is dying yet it may be raging and as we see in the taking of Physick when it is first taken it will make a man more sick then the disease made him not that a man is indeed worse but only from the Physick searching his body thus it may be with thee sins struglings is Gods giving of thee Physick and though it be strong yet in the end God will make it tend to the purging out of evil humours out of thy soule 4. If corrupt motions be strong in thy soule then bend the strength of thy heart in prayer to God for the subduing of these corruptions If a Virgin that was ravished did not cry out by the law she was accounted guilty and consenting the more the devil and thy corruptions do attempt thee the more earnestly must thou pray and cry to God for help Complain upon those frequent incursions which corrupt nature and the devil makes upon thee and flying unto God for help and succour thy soul shall never perish for thy iniquity Sermon XV. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the last Question and that is How you may know when motions to sin do arise from the flesh or when they come meerly from the devil and so are purely diabolical Before I answer the Question I shall first shew of what use it is Secondly premise some positions about it and then give you the resolution to this Question There is a threefold use of this Question 1. It is needful to know it because unregenerate men when they are tempted to sin they lay all the fault upon the devil and none upon their own hearts These men when they put all their sins upon the score of Satan they do not give the devil his due Thus Eve she laid all the fault upon the Serpent Gen. 3.13 The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat Though David was of another mind for he when he was tempted and stirred up to sin in his numbering of the people and that by Satan yet he doth acknowledge 2 Sam. 24.17 I have sinned and I have done wickedly It is natural to men when they are tempted to
miseries and afflictions of other men that want those comforts that you enjoy Judges 16.23.25 Sampson you know when he discovered wherein his great strength lay the Philistins cut off his hair and then his strength was gone and he became as another man and the Philistins took him and put out his eyes and bound him in fetters of brasse and made him grind in the prison-house they made him their drudge and their slave and the Lords of the Philistins gathered themselves together to offer sacrifice to Dagon and to rejoyce and when their hearts were merry they called for Sampson to make them sport their immoderate joy did make them insult over this poor blind man in misery Beloved then is your joy excessive when you make the afflictions of other men to be matter of your Joy 6. Your Joy is excessive when it is mingled with luxury and sensuality 2 Sam. 13.28 Luke 15.23,14 Hence it is that you read so often in Scripture of mens being merry with wine in 1 Sam. 25.36 and as an Authour observes the same word in the Hebrew that signifies to be merry signifies to be drunk in the 43. Gen. last when mirth proceeds so far as to drunkenness and sensuality Eâ—h 1.10 then it is excessive 7. When worldly joy breeds security and insensibleness of Gods judgements approaching any place then it is inordinate Thus Ethiopia was called the rejoycing City that dwelt securely Zeph 2.16 and hence it is that in Psal 2.11 fear is adjoyned to rejoycing serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling And hence it is that Absolom when he would by treachery shed the blood of Amnon gave this Counsel to his Servants When you see Amnon merry then fall upon him as knowing that when his heart was merry he would then be secure And so those in Amos 6.3.6 that chant to the sound of the Violl and drink wine in Bowles are said to be men that put far away the evill day and were secure in their pleasures and so these in Esay 22.12.13 In the day that the Lord called for weeping and mourning and baldness and to girding with Sackcloth behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die they would not believe the prophet that foretold them the Judgements of God that were coming upon them but in scoffing and jearing manner said one to another let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die And so again in Esay 56.12 Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant they feared not want nor alteration of their condition which security of theirs declared their joy to be excessive and inordinate 8. When men will run to worldly joyes and pleasures to still and stifle the troubles and terrours of their consciences When a man shall have a conviction upon his conscience which troubles and perplexes him for some grosse evill he hath committed in his life and shall then run to his recreations and pleasures or get amongst jolly Company to cast away and shake off these troubles that are upon him this shews his joy is immoderate And thus Saul did discover a joviall and sensuall spirit 1 Sam. 16.15 when an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him that is when he had some guilt and terrour lying upon his Conscience then he commanded his Servants to seek him out a man skilfull in Musick to play before him but he had been better to have gone to prayer upon his knees then to call for Musick and run to sensuall delights to remove his trouble And thus it was with those Idolaters that sacrificed their Children unto Moloch they had Instruments of Musick but what to do why first it was to drown the cries of their Children and secondly to provoke them to merriment and jollity that their Consciences might not trouble them for so cruel a murther as the sacrificing their Children Why now beloved you that can when a Sermon hath come home to you and toucht you to the quick and the word of God hath come with power and wrought effectually upon you to the discovering and convincing you of your sin If you then run to your recreations and pleasures to company-keeping and Stage-playes or the like to divert your thoughts from your sins and remove the terrour and trouble of your conscience This is a sign your joy is excessive and sinfull indeed this is the way rather to increase then to quiet the checks of conscience The Pellican to put out the fire flaps it with her wings and so instead of putting it out kindles it the more burns her self so do those that seek by worldly pleasure and jollity to stifle the checks of conscience And thus I have very briefly run over these 8. particulars to shew you wherein a mans worldly joy for outward comforts is excessive I have only now a second thing to run over and then give you a short use and so have done Query 2 2. What Rules and directions can you prescribe us to keep our worldly joy for outward comforts within bounds Answ Answ I shall give you 3. or 4. 1. Consider that you have better things to rejoyce in then any thing here below Directions for mode rating our joyes in worldly comforts thou hast better objects to transport thy soul with joy as thy reconciliation with God communion with Christ the comforts of the Holy Ghost assurance of the pardon of sin the justification of thy person by the merits of Christ the sanctification of thy nature by the spirit of Christ Thou hast thy election vocation redemption glorification thou hast all these objects to provoke thy Joy and to fasten thy delight upon Would any man rejoyce and delight himself in Counters if he might have so many peeces of Gold in the room of them or would any man delight or rejoyce so much in Pibbles if he might have as many Pearls for them or in a flint stone that hath a Diamond oh beloved you have things of more worth then any thing in this world to rejoyce in There is a great deal vaster difference between the things of Heaven the mercies of eternity and these outward comforts here below then there is between Brasse and Gold between Pibbles Pearls between the Sun and a Candle Therefore Consider I have a God and Christ Heaven and happiness pardon reconciliation sanctification Justification redemption and glorification I have all these to fix and place my Joy upon and therefore why should I rejoyce so much in the things of this world The Disciples of Christ thought themselves some body and were puffed up because they could cast out Devills and work miracles but saies Christ to them rejoyce not in that the Devills are subject to you but rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 the