and plotting For the wicked deuiseth mischiefe vpon his bed he setteth himself vpon a way that is not good c. Psal 36. 4. Secondly a sinne of infirmitie is done vnwillingly with much striuing against the flesh yea with the very hatred of the sinne committed as we see in the example of blessed Paul Rom. 7. 15. That which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Whereas on the contrary a sinne of presumption is committed willingly with the whole heart with great delight yea euen with greedinesse Ephes 4. 19. Who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleanenesse with greedinesse Thirdly a sinne of infirmitie is commonly committed in things of a lower nature For few of the children of God after conuersion as I suppose do fall so grosly as did Dauid and Peter The child of God after regeneration may be assailed with euill thoughts and may be subject to like passions as others are yea idle words may sometimes slip from them at vnawares and some failings there may be in their actions and dealings and they may also come short in the well performing of holy duties and the like But a sinne of presumption is vsually committed with an high hand in grosse matters Rom. 3. 13. Their throate is an open sepulcher with their tongues they haue vsed deceit the poyson of aspes is vnder their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swift to shed bloud c. Fourthly a sinne of infirmitie is commonly of ignorance as was the sinne of Peter when rashly he desired that three Tabernacles might be made one for Christ one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said whereas a sinne of presumption is alwayes against the light of knowledge For the wicked knowing the iudgement of God that they which do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but haue pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 32. Fiftly a sinne of infirmitie when it is knowne it is presently repented of and is more carefully shunned and bewar'd of for the time to come as we see in the example of holy Iob in his fortieth chapter and fourth and fifth verses who perceiuing that he had bene too bold with God presently vpon the sight of his sinne breaketh out into these termes of repentance Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will not answer againe yea twise but I will proceed no further Whereas on the contrary a sinne of presumption is commonly made a trade of and continued in yea many times defended and boasted of The children of Israel made a trade of prouoking God vnto anger in the wildernesse and continued therein fortie yeares Psal 95. 10. The wicked idolaters offer to defend their offering of cakes to the Queene of heauen Ier. 44. 17. And the vngodly boasteth of his hearts desire Psal 10. 3. Now therefore considering what great difference there is betwixt sins of infirmitie and sinnes of presumption let no man deceiue himselfe in being encouraged to liue in his grosse sinnes of presumption because the true children of God sore against their wils are subiect to many slips and imperfections I am conuinced in my conscience may some say that I ought to liue better then I do and that I ought to breake off my best-beloued sinnes but may I not do this hereafter what necessitie is there of present amendment To this I answer It is not for thee my poore brother to put off thy repentance from day to day and that for diuerse weightie reasons First because God himselfe calleth vpon thee for present repentance To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and in the day of temptation in the wildernesse Secondly because through procrastination thine heart may be made hard and impenitent as is implied in Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Thirdly because thy life is fraile and vncertaine thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou mayest be aliue and in health to day and dead and buried by to morrow therefore it behoueth thee to repent whilest thou hast yet time Fourthly there be no doubt multitudes at this instant in hell fire for deferring their repentance notwithstanding that they purposed as thou doest to repent hereafter And therefore lest thou be like such foolish virgins and lest thou also come to that place of torment thou must not onely repent and cast away all thy transgressions whereby thou hast transgressed but this thou must do to day without any minutes procrastination I am content will some haply say to part with whatsoeuer I am conuinced of to be a sinne but how shall I be conuinced of sinne or by what meanes may I come to find out my beloued sinne I answer if thou knowest not my Christian brother thy beloued sinne which euery man doth more easily know then forsake take these few directions for the finding out of thy sinne First pray vnto God but pray feruently and in the name of Christ that he would vouchsafe to discouer vnto thee thy sins For it is the Spirit of God which conuinceth the world of sinne and he is that eye-salue which must cause thee to see Secondly thou must be very conuersant in Gods word but especially in the reading of the Law of God for by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin And the Law is that true cristall glasse wherein thou mayest discerne and see thy vgly deformities Thirdly thou must carefully obserue the checkes of thy conscience For if thou hast not feared thy conscience with an hote iron it will at one time or other checke thee for thy beloued sinne and thine owne heart will smite thee as Dauids heart smote him when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment Fourthly thou must be content to suffer the word of exhortation from thy Minister from thy friend yea from thy very enemy if thou desirest to come to the sight of thy sin Many times others see more in vs then we can see in our selues How came Dauid to the sight of his sin but by Nathan the Prophet his ministery Now hauing proued vnto you at large the truth of the doctrine namely that a true conuert must turne not from some but from all his sins the vse of the point is first to condemne the practise of grosse hypocrites vnto whom sin is sweet and they hide it vnder their tongues which with Saul spare their fat sinnes of pleasure and profit and learne of Naaman to say Lord be merciful vnto vs in these sins when in the meane time they neuer meane to forsake them But I leaue such to their iust condemnation
we be sauingly enlightened or no. For if we be enlightened and quickened if we be brought to the sight of our secret corruptions and to amendment then it is a comfortable signe that we are sauingly enlightened otherwise we remaine in darknesse vnto this houre The third degree wherby regeneration is most vsually wrought is contrition Thus when those three thousand were cōuerted by Peters sermon Acts 2. 37. it is said that they were pricked in their hearts and the citie sinner when she was regenerate she stood behind Christ at his feete weeping Luke 7. 38. The like may be said of Peter and diuerse others Where also it is carefully to be obserued that the very reprobate may haue a kind of sorrow and may hang down their heads like a bulrush for a time Esay 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I require that a man should afflict his soule for a day c. But the difference is first the elect mourne for the offence against God as we see in the example of Dauid Psal 51. 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned But the reprobate mourne especially in respect of the punishment as we see in the example of Pharaoh Exodus 9. 27. who when he saw the iudgements of God vpon him and vpon his land could then confesse with a seeming sorrow that He and his people were wicked Secondly the elect mourne with a godly sorrow vnto repentance not to be repented of as we see in the example of the Corinthians 2. Cor. 7. 10 but the reprobate sorrow with a worldly sorrow that causeth death Thirdly the elect mourne but with some grounds of hope For they know in the midst of their sorrow that their sinne is not greater then can be forgiuen vnlesse it be in case of temptation they know also that Gods mercy is greater then their sinne and that the bloud of Iesus Christ is able to wash them from all iniquitie and so by these generall grounds at the least in the middest of their sorrow they sustaine their heart in some degree of hope but the reprobate mourne as men quite bereft of all hope thinking their sins to be greater then can be forgiuen And hereby also we may try our selues whether we haue sauingly sorrowed for sinne or no. For if we haue sorrowed for the sinne as well as for the punishment and if we haue sorrowed to repentance and amendement and lastly if we haue sorrowed in hope it is a good signe that our sorrow is true Otherwise our sorrow is not the true sorrow of the Conuert but rather the worldly sorrow of the wicked The fourth degree whereby regeneration is commonly wrought is the spirituall hunger and thirst after righteousnesse The conuert soule thirsts and pants after Christ As the heart brayeth after the riuers of waters If God would giue riches honours pleasures and not Christ they would be accounted as dung and drosse Phil. 3. 7. And the child of God thirsteth after Christ not onely in respect of his benefits and to serue his owne turne but also out of loue to Christ his person in respect of his excellencies Whereupon the Church is said to be sicke of loue to Christ Cant. 5. 8. And to this degree no reprobate in the world attaineth For to loue Christ for himselfe and to loue his glorious appearing is peculiar to the elect and to such as shall receiue the crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4. 6. Secondly as the true Conuert thirsteth after Christ so likewise he longeth after the word and sacraments as appeareth by the example of the 3000 in Acts 2. 42. who presently vpon their conuersion continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Now the reprobate and wicked may attaine a kind of desire after the word but it is either with Eue meerely to get knowledge or with Simon Magus to make gaine or with the Pharisee to get a name or with the carnall Gospellers amongst the Corinthians for affectation to the person of him that deliuers it Or if it be for any taste of sweetnesse which they find in the word then that taste lasteth but for a season As the phantasticke Iewes could reioyce in Iohn Baptists light for a season Ioh. 5. 35. whereas the true Conuert loues the word for it selfe and continues in the study of it and endeuours to attaine sauing grace by it labouring to bring forth the fruits in holy practise The sift degree whereby regeneration is commonly wrought is by declining from sin For so soone as any soule is conuerted to God and made partaker of the diuine nature presently it begins to distaste sin and to striue against it Euen Paul so soone as he was conuerted he ceassed persecuting Gods Church Act. 9. The like may be said of Zaccheus and diuers others Where we must note that the reprobate and wicked may abstaine from many sinnes as well as the true Conuert as appeares by the example of the Pharisee Luk. 18. 11. I thanke God I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers c. But the difference is the true conuert declines from sin by vertue of the sanctifying Spirit of God he is washed by the Spirit of our God 1. Cor. 6. 10. 11 But the wicked abstaineth onely by the restraining spirit as we see in the example of Abimelech Gen. 20. 6. I haue kept thee c. Secondly the true Conuert is content to part with all his sins euen with his beloued sins as we see in the example of Dauid Psal 119. 101 I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way But the wicked person is like Herod he will not part with his Herodias or darling sinne Mark 6. 20. Thirdly the true Conuert forsaketh sin for conscience sake as we see in the example of Ioseph Genes 39. How shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God whereas the wicked shunneth sin not for conscience but either for feare of men or for feare of shame or for feare of hel or in respect of sauing charges or the like as we see in the example of the high Priests who would faine haue bene medling with Christ but they did forbeare howbeit not for conscience sake but for feare of the people Let all Christians examine thēselues by these differences whether their declining from sinne be the right declining or no. The sixt degree whereby regeneration is wrought and perfected is full assurance of Gods fauour For when the holy Ghost hath in some good measure sanctified the heart made it pliable to Gods will in vniuersall obedience then it becomes the Spirit of adoption crying Abba Father in our hearts and testifying together with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 15. 16. Where we must also note that the very wicked may haue a kind of perswasion of Gods fauour towards them as they seeme to haue in 1. Thess 5. 3 which crie Peace and safetie But the difference is
Let all good Christians learne that as the wicked and vngodly do diligently worke out their owne damnation so to be carefull on the contrary to worke out their saluation and this they shall do by the power of God and not by their owne power or by any thing in themselues First if they be carefull to vse all the meanes which God hath appointed for the working of sauing faith and the nourishing of the same in their hearts Secondly if they labour in all the parts of repentance if they daily examine themselues if they daily humble their soules for their sinnes if they daily labour for mortification and if they endeuour to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues And for this purpose take these few directions Let euery Christian which desires to grow in grace be carefull of Gods publicke ordinances Let them heare Gods word with Marie acknowledging that to be the better part but let them not vnder that pretence quite cast off their particular lawfull callings and so liue inordinately contrary to the rule of the Apostle in 2. Thes 3. 12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eate their owne bread And concerning the right hearing of Gods word take these rules before thou repairest to Gods house First prepare thy selfe with repentance and with an heartie purpose of amendment of life For otherwise if thou comest to Gods house with thine hands full of bloud God may iustly say vnto thee What hast thou to do to tread within my Courts Isaiah 1. 12. Secondly prepare thy selfe by reading some part of Gods word according to the example of the Eunuch Act. 8. 30. who was well prepared to heare Philip preach when he had prepared himselfe first by reading the Prophet Isaiah Thirdly prepare thy selfe for publicke hearing by priuate prayer praying for thy selfe for the Minister and for the Congregation beseeching God of his mercie to open vnto the Minister the doore of vtterance and to thy selfe and the rest of the Congregation the doore of faith Fourthly repaire vnto Gods house with an honest heart not to see fashions not to carpe at the Minister not vpon custom not to be noted to be religious nor for feare of maÌ„s law but go with a true desire to worship God and to reape to thy owne soule eternall benefite according to the example of the Church in Isay 2. 3 which saith Come let vs go vp to the house of the Lord he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Fiftly when thou art come to the Church hearken with all diligence and reuerence to Gods word according to the example of Lydia who attended to the doctrine of Paule and was conuerted Beware of gazing in the time of Gods ordinance lest Satan tempt thee Beware of sleeping in the Congregation lest God shew his iudgement and execute his vengeance vpon thee as he did vpon Eutychus Take heede of praying and reading other matters in the sermon time when thou shouldest attend vnto the preaching lest thou offer the sacrifice of fooles Remember that there is a time for all things and euery thing ought to be done in its fit time and season Sixtly after thou hast heard the word meditate throughly of the points deliuered lest Satan come and steale the good seed out of thine heart examine thy selfe by that which was preached and if thou findest thy selfe rebuked for sinne let that rebuke preuaile with thee to repentance and amendment Also when thou hast heard Gods word marke the directions and practise them For not the hearers but the doers of the Law are iust before God Rom. 2. 13. And concerning the promises apply them to thy selfe if thou findest thy selfe capable that is if thou endeuourest to keepe the condition of them and indeed the word will profit thee nothing vnlesse thou hast faith to apply it Heb. 4. 2. Secondly that thou mayest worke out thine owne saluation be carefull frequently and often to be partaker with Gods Church of the Lords Supper For the Sacrament worthily receiued is meate indeed and drinke indeed Thou must not thinke it sufficient to receiue the Sacrament once or twise by the yeare but thinke it an especiall fauor of God if thou mayest receiue it often alwayes prouided that thou beest prepared thereunto with knowledge faith repentance and charity Thirdly be carefull also of priuate duties reade the Canonicall Scriptures diligently refresh thy soule morning and euening with some Chapter of Gods word The King himselfe is not exempted from this holy duty but the Lord would haue his word to be with him that he might reade therein all the dayes of his life Deut. 17. 19. And concerning reading Gods word in priuate obserue these directions if thou wouldest profite First lift vp thine heart by prayer before thou readest Secondly reade with diligent heede according to that of Math. 24. 15. Let him that readeth consider it Desire not to reade fast but sure Also examine thy selfe by that which thou readest and ruminate or meditate that thou mayest extract nourishmeÌ„t and comfort out of that which thou readest Thirdly reade the word in order not here a Chapter and there a Chapter but begin at the beginning of a booke and leaue it not off vntill by degrees thou hast passed through it Fourthly if thou readest a difficult place take diligent notice of it that thou mayest aske the iudgement of others especially of Gods Ministers concerning the meaning Fourthly if thou desirest to worke out thine owne saluation and not wilfully to runne vpon thine owne destruction be diligent of priuate prayer If thou beest a maister of a family pray with thy family and instruct it that thou and thine house may serue the Lord according to the example of Iosua in the last chapter of that booke the 15 verse Let euery one also in the family pray apart and in secret according to the examples of Dauid and Daniel which made conscience to pray constantly thrise euery day to wit morning euening and at noone Psal 55. 17. Dan. 6. 10. Fiftly and lastly if thou desirest to worke out thy saluation walke worthy of thy holy calling whereunto thou art called Let thy conuersation be answerable to thy profession endeuour to liue holily towards God righteously towards men and soberly concerning thy selfe Thus thou shalt glorifie God adorne the Gospell of Christ and purchase to thy selfe through Gods free mercie and Christs merits an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled which fadeth not away reserued in heauen for thee Vnto the which glorious inheritance he bring vs which hath so dearely bought vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three glorious persons but one God be ascribed as most due all honour and glorie from this time forth vnto all eternitie Amen Amen FINIS Ioel 1. 2. Ionas 3. 4. Iohn 3. 3. Act. 17. 30. 1. Thes 5. 23. Isa 30. 22. Mat. 23. 24. Exod. 20. 7 Pro. 23. 26. 1. Cor. 6. 20 Mat. 23. 26. Gen. 32. 28. Ier. 13. 23. Mat. 27. 3. 1. Kin. 21. 29 Exod. 9. 27 Gen. 20. 6. Mat. 27. 5. Ier. 31. 18. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Esai 61. 1. 2. Cor. 3. 17 Phil. 2. 13. Gen. 6. 5. Rom. 7. 18. Ioh. 15. 5. 4. 1. Doctrine 1. Cor. 6. 9. 1. Thes 1. 9. Math. 9. 9. Luke 19. 8. Act. 16. 33. Heb. 11. 33. Reason 1. Hab. 1. 13. Reason 2. 1. Ioh. 3. 4. Iam 2. 10. Reason 3. 1. Ioâ— 3. 8. Gal. 5. 19. Reason 4. Rom. 1. 18. Psal 68. 21. Reu. 21. 8. Psal 1. 5. 5. Reason 2. Cor. 6. 17 Psal 66. 18. Isay 57. 21. Luke 8. 14. Isay 1. 16. Eph. 2. 12. Marke 6. 1. Obiection Pro. 24. 16. Iam. 3. 2. Answer Mark 9. 6. 2. Obiection Answer Heb. 3. 7. 3. Obiection Answ Iohn 16. 8. Rom. 3. 20 I am 1. 23. 2. Sam. 12. Vse 1. Iob 20. 12. 2. Vse Agg. 1. 12. Reu. 2. 5. 2. Cor. 12. 7 Psal 119. 106. Psa 119. 115 3. Vse Ezek. 16. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Eccles 8. 11. Dan. 3. 29. Neh. 13. 21. Psal 106. 30. Hos 4. 3. 2. Thes 3. 10. Psal 101 8 Exod. 18. 2. 4. Vse Eph. 4. 28. Esay 28. 22. Col. 3. 5. Psal 10. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 10. Pro. 6. 17. Zeph. 1. 8. 2. Kin. 9. 30 1. Ioh. 3. 14. Psal 109. 17 Rom. 12. 19 1. These 4. 6. Eccl. 12. 14. Deut. 27. 24 2. Doctrine Psal 51. 6. 1. Sam. 16. 7 Ioh. 4. 24. 1. Point Mat. 18. 3. 2. Tim. 2. 26 Rom. 6. 19 Rom. 8. 8. 2. Point 3. Point Reu. 20. 6. Psal 42. 1. Mat. 21. 46 4. Point 2. Cor. 5. 17 2. Cor. 3. 18 1. Sam. 10. 9 1. Pet. 1. 23. Phil. 1. 29. 2. Cor. 7. 10. Iohn 19. 12 Gen. 39. â— Luk. 6. 33. Mat. 23. 5. Isay 58. 5. 5. Point Reason 1. 2. Tim. 2. 19 Reason 2. Reason 3. Ioh. 10. â—9 Obiection Answ 3. Doctrine 1. Reason 2. Reason Mark 16. 15 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Reason Obiection Answer 2 Obiection Answer 3. Obiection Answer Rom. 9. Math. 20. 1. Vse 2 Vse Luk. 10. 41. Eph. 6. 19. Acts 14. 27. Acts 16. 14. Acts 20. 9. Eccles 5. 1. Eccles 3. 1. Iohn 6. 55.