occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward
ciuill honestie makes no great conscience of smaller sinnes as lying lesser oathes gaming prophane iesting idlenesse and pastime on the Sabbath day and the like But righteousnesse of faith hauing a sensible feeling of the heauie weight of sinne from those anguishes which the conscience felt before the infusion of faith and being still stung with a checke and smart for all kind of transgressions doth seasonably and proportionablie hate and make resistance to all knowne sinnes Sixthly ciuill honestie doth not vse to make opposition against the sinnes of the time but is euen willing to be caried with the streame onely vpon more faire and probable tearmes then notorious sinfulnesse and therefore will goe on and encourage a man in godly courses and good causes vntill he meet with either a wound to his state a disgrace to his person a disturbance to his pleasures an imputation to his forwardnesse a stop to his preferments losse of friends imminencie of danger or any such crosse and discouragement and then it teacheth him to step backe as a man ready to tread vpon a serpent and to start aside like a broken â—ow But righteousnesse of faith doth stand out for the honour of God and ordinarily goes thorow stitch in good causes come what come can crosses or calumniations good report or euill report men or diuels For it is compleatly armed with confidence of future happinesse and hath sixt the eye vpon the crowne of immortality which if heauen and earth conspired they were not able to pull it out of his hand that reserues it in the heauens for all those that sight a good fight that keepe the faith and run with constancie the race of sanctification The next point of the negatiue part of my doctrine is formall hypocrisie Which that you may more cleerely vnderstand consider with me three kinds of hypocrisie priuy hypocrisie grosse hypocrisie formal hypocrisie Priuie hypocrisie is that by which a man makes profession of more then is in his hart And this somtimes doth mixe it self euen with the fairest and most sanctified actions of Gods dearest children and doth soonest insinuate into a hart stored with the rich treasures of true godlines For Satan if he cannot detain a mans soule in notorious sinfulnes in meere ciuil honestie or formality but that by the sacred inspirations of Gods good spirit it is pulled out of the mouth of hell from the slauery of sin and courses of darkenes into the glorious light liberty of Christs kingdom he is inraged with fierce and implacable furie doth euer certainly with eager pursuit persecute that soule both by his owne immediate malice and by the cruell agencie of prophane men And if so be he cannot procure a scandalous relapse into grâ—sse sins yet that he may in some measure worke the dishonour of God and the discomfort of his noblest creature the two maine ends of all the policies of hell hee doth labour to distaine the pure streames of diuine grace in the soule puddle of our corrupted nature and at least to fasten the spots of priuie hypocrisie vpon the best actions and the very face of innocency This hypocrisie as I take it ariseth from spirituall pride For when a godly man by the great worke of regeneration is become more excellent then his neighbour as indeed he incomparablie is howsoeuer the worlds estimation be otherwise Because the one is as yet a limme of Satan receiuing from him the cursed influence of scule pollutions of vncleannes and lying of malice and reuenge of pride and prophanenes c The other is already a blessed member of Christs mysticall body continually inspired with holy motions and the life of grace The one lies polluted in his owne blood encompassed with the menstruous clouts of loathsome corruptions of all natures except onely the diuell and his angels the most wretched and woefull of the familie of hell heire of horrour and desolation The other by the immortall seed of the pure and powerfull word of God is made partaker of the diuine nature clothed with the rich and vnualuable robe of Christs iustice guarded with an inuincible troope of heauenly Angels iustly intituled to a kingdome of vnconceiueable glory and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number The one is a wrongfull vsurper of the riches honours and preferments of this life for which hereafter hee must be condemned to chaines of eternall darkenes and a dungeon of endlesse miserie and confusion the other while he continues in this world is a rightfull owner and possessor of the earth and all the creatures and blessings of God and when hee departs hence he shall bee made a glorious inhabitant of those sacred mansions where constant peace vnmixed ioyes and blessed immortality euen for euer and euer doe dwell Which great difference when the godly man perceiues and his owne prerogatiues he is filled with a strange and ioyfull amazement and admiration at his owne happinesse which Satan seeing who is perfectly experienced in all aduantages and opportunities for spirituall assaults and working vpon the reliques of mans proud nature doth cunningly draw him to aduance aboue that which is meet within himselfe in his owne opinion the worth of his owne graces and vertues Which that he may conuey and reprâ—sent to the view of the world with an excellencie proportionable to his owne ouerweening conceite he is forced to admit the secret and insensible poyson of priuie hypocrisie which he doth more easily at the first entertaine because the pestilencie and bitternesse thereof is not discernable by reason of the predominancie and sweetnesse of the fresh present graces of Gods spirit in his soule But when by afflictions or disgraces by some extraordinary temptation or particular checkes from the Ministery of the word the vglinesse of it is discouered to his conscience hee for euer abhorres it as a consuming canker that would fret out the very heart of grace and extinguish the life of sincerity and therefore with much humiliation and feruencie doth pray against it striue against it and by the mercies of God preuaile against it This kind of Hypocrisie belongs not to my present purpose onely by the way let mee giue aduertisement to the child of God for to him onely I speake in this point to the end he may keepe his heart vnblameable in holinesse and preserue the true relish and sound ioy of good actions entire and vndistempered that he would strongly fence his heart with a gracious and vnfained humility against priuie pride the mother of this hypocrisie as against a close vndermining and a most dangerous enemie and the more seriously and watchfully for these reasons partly drawne from the nature of the sinne and partly from the state of his soule From the nature of the sinne First other sinnes grow from poysonous and pestilent roots as Adulterie from idlenesse Faction from discontent Murder from malice Iesting out of the word of God from a a prophane heart the
and falshood whose fâ—et are not swift to run after mischiefe vanitie and leaud companions That â—itteth not in the seate of the scornefull That is that confineth not himselfe to the chaire of iniquitie that confirmeth not himselfe in his malice and hardnesse of heart that doth not make a mooke of sinne and iest with the sacred word of God that doth not direct the poisonous arrow of a spiâ—â—full tongue euen at the apple of Gods own cie his dearest Saints and seruants That with the scorner doth not dare the highest maiestie of the Almightie to whet his glittering sword and take hold on iudgement to put on his habergeon of righteousnesse and the garments of vengeance for clothing saying as it is Isai. 5.19 Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that we may see it and let the counsell of the holy one of Israel draw neere come that we may know it Thus farre his forbearance of sinfull actions Now followes his practise in actions of pietie But his delight is in the Law of the Lord. That is the whole doctrine diuinely inspired is the very ioy of his heart and delight of his soule It is sweeter vnto him then hony the hony combe It is more pretious vnto him theÌ„ gold yea then much fine gold It is more worth vnto him then heauen and earth And when the heart is once enkindled with loue there the imagination embraceth with dearest apprehension the thoughts are impatient of any other obiect all the powers of the soule are vnited in a strong endeauour for the attainment The whole mind must needs be possest with meditation If he delight in the Law of the Lord hee must needs meditate therein And this feruencie of the heart cannot possible be enclosed within the compasse of the breast it will spread it selfe in speech and actions As is plaine Psalm 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement The reason followes For the Law of his God is in his heart And Psalm 119 167. My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly And this loue delight meditation and exercise in the Law of God of this happie man is not as a morning cloud and as the morning dew before the Sunne but like the light of the Sunne that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day It is not for a start for feare for restraint for reputation for aduantage or to couer the terrors of conscience for a while with a few flashes of deceiueable comforts out of some misapplied promises in the word of God but it is out of a free resolution and with vndaunted constancie day and night But giue me leaue I beseech you before I proceed to the explication of the rest or deduction of Doctrines from these particulars to propose vnto you this generall Doctrine which hath his strength from the body of the Psalme and the maine scope of the spirit of God There is in the booke of God proposed and offored vnto vs an happinesse standing in opposition to all the vaine felicities which ancieÌ„t Philosophers deuisde out of their deep speculations or prophane men frame out of their corrupt affections not consisting in pleasures riches honours greatnes in ciuill honesty formall hypocrisie or the whole possibility of nature but in supernaturall grace and the blessed consequents The whole book of Ecclesiastes Salomons sacred retractations is a large and sound demonstration of this Doctrine Salomon was sonne vnto the worthiest king that euer swayed scepter vpon earth and he was predecessor in the royall line vnto the Sonne of God and so matchlesse for nobility if true happinesse had consisted therein He was king of Ierusalem the lady of the world the perfection of beauty and the ioy of the whole earth Hee gaue siluer as stones and gaue cedars as the wild figtrees that grow abundantly in the plaine He built him houses and planted Vineyards He prouided him men fingers and women fingers and the delights of the sonnes of men Whatsoeuer his eyes desired he with held it not from them and withdrew not his heart from any ioy For wisedome and vnderstanding hee had a large heart euen as the sand that is on the sea shore It speculatiue knowledge hee excelled the wisedome of all the children of the East and all the wisedome of Egypt Hee was able to discourse from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon euen vnto the Hyssope that springeth out of the wall In wisedome of politie and gouernment there was none like vnto him before him neither after him shall arise the like vnto him So that Salomon was the most fit and absolute man that euer liued both for ability in vnderstanding abundance in possession and desire in searching to take an exact measure and the â—tmost extent of the worth and sufficiencie of all creatures and to raise from them the best contentments they could possiblie afford Yet when he had wearied himselfe in the variety of passages of this life and in the book of Eâ—clesiastes becomes a publick penitentiary to the whole Church and to all posterity see his iudgement he vtterly disauowes and disclaimes them all as miserable comforters as meere shadowes and dreames wherin there is no more matter of sound comfort then there is light in the greatest darknesse or taste in the white of an egge He saies of laughter thou art mad and of ioy haâ— is this that thou doest And whereas wisedome and knowledge are the most incomparable treasures this transitorie world hath he saith that in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe and hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow And of these and all other things vnder the sunne yea and if to the glory of all created natures were an addition of ten thousand excellencies that neuer man saw or enioyed hee hath pronounced of them all in respect of true happinesse and diuided from the grace and feare of God and a sanctified heart that they are all vanity And if he had staied there it had beene well that argues but a passiue imperfection and a weakenesse of being in the things themselues but they are vexation of spirit Nothing in themselues yet full of power and actiuity to inflict vengeance and vexaâ—ion vpon the spirit of a man The spirit of a man being sound in sincerity and seconded with a good conscience is able to beare out his infirmities and all the miseries incident to his nature It is able to passe by with a resolute and contented patience the lying imputations of the prophanest malice It is able by the grace of God to encounter with the terrors of death and the fearefulnesse of the graue yea to endure with a gratious humility euen the prâ—sence of God and Angels at that great day But a wounded and an afflicted spirit who can beare If the eye bee darke how great is that darkenâ—sse If the spirit of a man which should refresh all the faculties of
the soule with comfortable cheerefulnesse and fill the whole body with a liuely vigour bee it selfe wounded with vexation and terâ—or how comfortlesse is that man Iâ— his strength were the strength of stones and his flesh of brasse yet would the torment of a bitter afflicted soule grinde him to powder and melt as the dew before the sunne whatsoeuer hee accounteth strongest and most powerfull to relieue his heauinesse it would turne all his choisest and dearest pleasures into worme wood and bitternesse And this vâ—xation with which riches honours or what other vanitie desirable in this life doth afflict the vnregenerate heart is twofold In the verie pursuit of them is much anguish many greeuances feares iâ—alousies disgraces interruptions discontentments But after the vnsanctified enioying of them followes the sting of conscience that will euerlastingly vâ—xe the soule which is the very earnest of the fire of hell by which a man doth expect with vnconceiueable horrour the consummation of the wrath of God which burneth farre hotter and more vnquenchably then any fire though augmented with infinite riuers of brimstone to be powred vpon his body and soule for euermore in the world to come How then possibly can there be any happinesse in these vexations Wherefore Salomon hauing proued the negatiue part of my doctrine concludes the positiue in the last chapter That to feare God with reuerent regard to keepe his commandements is the onely way to be possest of true happinesse to find peace of conscience and assurance of the fauor of God For let a man while he will in this world of vanity either sport himselfe in the soft and greene way of fading pleasures or please himselfe in the glorious miseries of honours and high places or tire himselfe in the toyles of vnsatiable greedinesse or braue it in his othes blasphemies and strength of powring in strong drinke or tread the fearefull and desperate path of contempt of the power of religion the truth of God and sincerity of his saints all the while when he is at the best hee is but as the raging sea that cannot rest For so Isaiah compares the wicked Chap. 57.20 The sea you know is not onely many times tossed and tumbled vp and downe with windes and tempests but euer inwardly disquieted euen with her owne motions casting vp continually mire and dirt vpon the shore and breaking into some her proudest waues against the rockes Euen so the heart of that man which hath reposed his affections vpon the glory of this life is not onely many times disquieted and cast downe with outward crosses and occurrents as with losse of friends discountenance of great ones disappointment of his hopes and preferments with wrongfull railings and disgraces with looking vpon the day of his death and vengeance vpon the wicked with all disturbers of his security in his pleasures and dignities but is also besides the restlesse torture of his conscience euer from within foaming out his owne shame the dishonour of God and the vexation of his brethren But it is not so with him that holds the feare of God for his surest sanctuarie that hath resolued to resigne vp himselfe in holy obedience to the will of God His heart is like the vpper part of the world which is euer full of serenitie constancie and brightnesse be the aire below neuer so troubled with stormes and thunders or the earth with commotions and tumults For let there be about him the deuouring sword of the Tyrant the consuming flames of persecution the keene razours of lying tongues the mouthes of Lions the cruell combinations of his enemies nay let the earth be moued and let the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea yet his heart is ioyfull patient resolute and contented But to descend more specially to the particulars of the negatiue part of my Doctrine let me adde to the many and strong reasons of the ancient Philosophers and late Schoolmen against pleasures riches and honours these three which will for euer vtterly disable them for claiming any shew of interest in mans happinesse First they cannot possibly fill the vnlimited desire of the soule For although the treasures the greatnes the delights of all men liuing were in the present possession of one yet somewhat besides and aboue all this there would still bee sought and earnestly thirsted for Nay it is certaine if one man were not onely crowned with the soueraignty of all the kingdomes of the earth but besides were made commander of the motions of the sunne and the glory of the starres yet the restlesse eye of his vnsatisfied vnderstanding would peepe and prie beyond the heauens for some hidden excellencie and supposed felicity which the whole compasse of this created world cannot yeeld So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the immeasurable Ocean of goodnesse and wisedome So impossible is it that this materiall world with all her perfections should be a proportionable obiect to so pretious a nature or that so diuine a sparkle should cease rising and aspiring vntill it ioyne it selfe to that infinite flame of glory and maiesty from whence it first issued Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements Memorable is that horrible amazement that surprised the heart of Belshazzar 〈◊〉 his greatest iollities Melting hee was in pleasures and deliciousnesse solacing himselfe amongst his wiues and concubines carousing in the golden and siluer vessels of the Temple But when there appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall a remembrancer vnto his conscience how contemptuously and sacrilegiously he had dishonoured the highest Maiestie and that the vials of Gods heauie vengeance were ready to bee powred vpon his head all the ioyes of his royall pompe vanished as the smoke For then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his Ioynes were loosed and his knees smote one against the other And now one pang of his wounded conscience did much more torment him then the kingdome maiestie glory and honour which he receiued from his father Nabuchadnezzar could euer comfort him So I doubt not but many times the hearts of many glorious Ones in this life that are not in trouble like other men but spread themselues as greene bay-trees when they heare the certaine iudgements of God denounced out of his booke by his Ministers against those sinnes to which by long custome and vowed resolution they haue fastned their affections because thereon depend their pleasures honours states reputations contented passing the time or the like I say that many times except their consciences be feared vp with an hote iron against the day of vengeance and then their case is vnspeakably wofull their hearts tremble euen as the trees of the forrest that are shaken with the wind Amid their laughing their hearts are
obiect of his reuenging iustice the most base and vnnaturall Opposite to so pure a Maiesty and the most notorious and transcendent instrument of Satans deepest malice This kind of hypocrite belongs not to my present purpose and therefore I leaue him without sound and timely repentance to some strange and markeable iudgement euen in this life Or if he passe these few daies honourably and prosperouslie as it is many times the lot of the wicked lot him expect vpon his deaths-bed the fierie darts of Satan empoysoned with hellish malice and cruelty to be fastned deepely in his soule and such pangs and anguish of conscience that will possesse him of hell before hand Or if he depart out of this world without sense of his sinne or else at the best with some formall and perfunctorie shew of penitencie yet let his heart tremble for the feares that it shall feare at the great and terrible day of the Lord when the vizard of his hypocrisie shall certainely be pulde off his face and he ashamed and confounded in the presence of the blessed Trinity of Angels and all the men that euer were and irrecouerably abandoned from the face of God and from the fruition of his ioyes to the most consuming flame of the fire of hell and the lothsomest dungeon of the bottomlesse pit The third kind of hypocrisie is Formall hypocrisie by which a man doth not onely deceiue others with a shew of piety and outward forme of religion but also his owne heart with a false conceit and persuasion that he is in a happie state when as in truth his soule was neuer yet seasoned with sauing grace and the power of religion And I beseech you marke me in this point it is of greatest consequence to euery one for a sound triall and examination of the state of his conscience whether he yet liue the life of God and stand in the state of grace or lie enthralled in the setters and slauerie of sinne and Satan For herein I must tell you how farre a man may proceed in outward profession of the truth in supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse in some kinds and measure of inward graces and yet come vtterly short of true happinesse and without an addition of the truth of regeneration and a sound conuersion shall bee cut off for euer from all hope of immortality and shall neuer bee able to stand firme and sure in the day of the Lord Iesus For a more perspicuous explication of this point conceiue with me those perfections which may befall a man as yet vnregenerate and in state of damnation We may suppose in him first all those gifts which the possibility of nature can conferre vpon him all ornaments of Arts and knowledge of wisedome and policie not onely that which is purchased by experience obseruation and imployment in points of State but also the spirit of gouernment as Saul had To these wee may adde gentlenesse and fairenesse of conditions an exactnesse of ciuill honesty and morall iustice immunity from grosse and infamous sinnes And thus far the heathens may goe And thus far we proceeded in our last Discourse But in these times of Christianity a reprobate may goe farre further then euer the most innocent Heathen that euer liued could possibly though some of them were admirable for their mild and mercifull disposition some for their vertuous seueritie some for integritie of life some for constancie and resolution in goodnes some for preferring the vnspottednesse of their life before most exquisit tortures For to all these he may adde a glorious profession of the Gospell a performance of all outward duties and exercises of religion many workes of charity and monuments of his rich magnificence Nay besides all this he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination of a shadow of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblance may not be sound in the vnregenerate This last point will more clearely appeare vnto you out of the 8. of Luke and the 6. to the Hebrewes In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite who is there said to beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and inferior working of the spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him In which faith we may consider these degrees First he may be endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge in the word of God He may be perswaded that it is diuinely inspired and that it is most true He may see clearely by the Law of God the grieuous intollerablenesse of his sinnes and the heauie iudgements due vnto them He may bee amazed and terrified with fearefull horror and remorse of conscience for his sinnes He may giue assent vnto the couenant of grace in Christ as most certaine and sure and may conceiue that Christs merits are of an inualuable price and a most pretious restoratiue to a languishing soule He may be perswaded in a generalitie and confused manner that the Lord will make good his couenant of grace vnto the members of his Church and that he will plentifully performe all the promises of happinesse vpon his children He may be troubled in mind with grudgings and distractions with reluctation and scruples before the commission of sinne out of the strength of naturall conscience seconded with a seruile apprehension of diuine vengeance but especially illightned with some glimmerings of this temporarie faith Much adoe was there euen with Pilate inward trouble and tergiuersation before he would bee brought to giue iudgement on Christ. Herod was sorie before he beheaded Iohn Baptist. And these men I hope were farre short of the perfections attaineable by the formall hypocrite After a sinne committed besides the outward formes of humiliation by the power of this temporarie faith he may bee inwardly touched and affected with some kind and degree of repentance and sorrow I meane not onely that which is a preparatiue to despaire and hellish horror but which may sometimes preuent temporall iudgements as in Achab and with a slumbering and superficiall quiet secure the conscience for a time And from this faith may spring fruits Some kind and measure of hope loue patience and other graces It is said in the Euangelists that that hearer which we call the formall hypocrite receiues the word with ioy Whence may be gathered First that with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse hee may submit himselfe to the ministerie of the word With forwardnesse and ioyfulnesse hee may follow and frequent Sermons With a discourse of the sufferings of Christ he may be moued euen vnto teares for compassionate indignation that so glorious and infinite innocencie should be vext with al manner of indignities and torments for the grosse and willfull impieties of sinfull men He may loue and reuerence giue countenance and patronage to the Ministers whom he heares with gladnesse For it is the nature of man to be kindly and louingly affected vnto him
vnsearchable corners thereof Hath it humbled it with the sight of thy sinnes and sense of Gods iudgements Hath it filled it with fearefull terrours compunction remorse and true sorrow for thy life past Hath it after quieted and refreshed it with a sure faith in Christ Iesus and a delight in heauenly things Hath it mortified thy inward corruptions and broke the heart of thy sweet sinne Hath it planted a holy moderation in all thy affections that whereas heretofore they haue been enraged with lust with immoderate anger with ambition with insatiable desire for the enlargement of thy wealth possessions and greatnesse and with hatred of Gods dearest seruants and their holinesse are they now inflamed with zeale for Gods honour truth and seruice with a feruent loue vnto the Lord and his Saints with Christian courage to oppose against the sinnes of the time to defend goodnesse and good causes to contemne the lying slanders and prophane scoffes of worthlesse men Hath it begot in â—hy will an hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of thy soule the Word and Sacraments so that thou haddest rather part with any worldly good then not enioy the incomparable benefit of a conscionable and constant ministery Are thy thoughts of which heretofore thou hast made no great conscience but letten them wander vp and downe at rondom wickedly idely and wantonly are they now I say bounded within a sacred compasse and spent vpon holie things and the necessary affaires of thy honest and lawfull calling Is thy vnderstanding informed and acquainted with the mysterie of saluation which the world and the wise men thereof account nothing but madnesse and follie Is thy memorie which hath heretofore been stuffed with trash and toies vanities and follies now capable and greedy of diuine knowledge Are thy words which heretofore haue been full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse now directed to glorifie God and to giue grace vnto the hearers Nay yet further besides this inward renouation of the faculties of thy soule hath the power of grace sanctified all thy outward actions Dost thou now order in euery particular al the businesse of thy vocation religiously conscionably and by direction out of the word of God Art thou inwardly affected and faithfull in the performance of religious duties as in hearing the word of God in sanctifying the Sabbath in prayer and the rest Dost thou now heare the word of God not onely of course and custome but of zeale and conscience to reforme thy selfe by it and to liue after it Doe not the weeke daies duties and worldly cares drowne thy mind on the Sabbath but that thou dost the whole day entirely freely and cheerefully attend the worship of God Dost thou exercise daily with fruit and feeling prayer that precious comfort of the faithfull Christian Thou being conuerted dost thou labour the conuersion of others especially of those which are committed any way to thy charge and for whom thou must giue a more strict account as if thou be a master of a family dost thou pray with them and instruct them in the doctrine of saluation and waies of godlinesse Dost thou now not onely sticke at and forbeare great and grosse sinnes but dost thou euen hate the garment spotted of the flesh and al appearance of euill Doth the tendernes of thy conscience checke thee for the least sinnes and make thee fearefull to offend though it bee but in a wandring cogitation After euery fall into infirmities art thou carefull to renew thy repentance and learne wisedome and watchfulnesse to auoid them afterwards Doest thou feele thy selfe profit grow and encrease in these fruits and effects of grace And hast thou such a gratious tast of the glory of God and of eternall life that thou art euen willing and desirous to meet thy Sauiour in the clouds not so much for to be rid out of the miseries of this life as to be freed from the heauie burthen of sinne which hangs on so fast and to enioy his presence in the heauens for euer In a word as thy soule giues life spirit and motion to thy whole body and euery part thereof doth the spirit of God euen so inspire thy soule and body and all thy actions with the life of grace Why then thou hast past the perfections of the formal hypocrite and art possest of the state of true blessednesse thou art then happie that euer thou wast borne thy way is certainely the way of life And I can assure thee and I dare boldly pronounce it that thou art already vtterly out of the reach of all the powers of hell Satan is chained vp for euer doing thee any deadly hurt All the creatures are reconciled vnto thee and at league with thee Thou hast filled the Angels with joy at thy conuersion they will for euer guard thee Thou shalt neuer more be afraid for any euill tidings Though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea thy heart shall abide strong vnshaken and comfortable When thou fallest downe vpon thy bed of sicknes thou shalt find no mortall poyson in thy flesh no sting in death no darkenes in the graue no amazement at that great and fearefull day For all the merits and sufferings of Christ are thine all the comforts of Gods children are thine all the blessings in the booke of God are thine all the ioyes of heauen are thine euen all things are thine and thou art Christs and Christ is Gods Onely stand fast in the faith quit thy selfe like a man and be strong gird thy sword vpon thy thigh buckle fast vnto thee the whole armour of God ride on because of the word of truth and the Lord thy God be with thee Breake thorow for a while with vndaunted courage the bitternesse of the worlds malice the keene razours of empoysoned tongues thâ— teares and tediousnesse of a few wretched daies for thou art nearer the price of the high calling then when thou first beleeuedst Shine more and more in faith in patience in loue in knowledge obedience and all other Christian graces vntill the perfect day vntill thou reach the height of heauen and the full glory of the Saints of God I now proceed more distinctly to other markes of difference betwixt the state of grace and formall hypocrisie Some notes of distinction for my purpose may be raised out of those places of Scripture which I proposed for to acquaint you with the kinds of perfection and degrees of goodnesse whereof a man as yet vnregenerate is capable and may bee partaker In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite Hee receiues the word of God with ioy as doth the faithfull Christian though â—ot in the same measure But here is the speciall point and marke that differenceth the one from the other The word and faith in the formall hypocrite haue no roots They are not deepely and soundly rooted and planted in his vnderstanding conscience thoughts
irregular and stirring heads of some busie and pragmaticall fellowes shadowed onely with a number of faire shewes and pretences but really existent and acted no where And that they may more securely and obstinately rest vpon this persuasion he furnisheth them with a notable art of misconceiuing and misinterpreting the actions of grace and of making by odious exaggerations a little hole in the coate of a sound Christian as wide as hell Hence it is that Dauid is many times made sport with and merrilie iested vpon by them with the false scoffers at their feasts and bankets and hath things laid to his charge with much confidence but without al conscience which God thou knowest he neuer knew Hence it is that many times those actions in which for the truth and vprightnesse of his heart and the iustnesse and innocency of his cause he dare appeale to the tribunal of God the impartiall searcher of the inmost thoughts and seuere reuenger of all falshood yet are racked by vile and base misconstructions and interprâ—ted to be the workes of darknes and deceit And if they take a godly man but tripping in some lesser error in his cariage and that perhaps but forged in their owne wilfull misconceit they thence raise matter not only of triumph and insultation but which is much more feareful of chearing applauding and confirming themselues in their present wretched state But if Satan meete with a man that by the grace of God is already entred into the panges of his trauell in the new birth and with sorrow for his sinnes is smitten downe into the place of dragons and couered with the shadow of death then he eagerly striues to stiffle the new man in the wombe and by presenting to his view the vgly visage of his many and outragious transgressions the curse of the Law and the wrath of God which he yet makes more grizlie and fierce by his owne hellish malice to plunge him into the bottomlesse gulfe of irrecouerable horror and desperation But if by the mercies of God hee sinke not but betime lay hold vpon the iustice of Christ and that boundlesse compassion which neuer knew how to breake the bruised reed or quench the smoaking flaxe but holds a broken and contrite heart farre more pretious then a sacrifice of the beasts on a thousand mountaines and then ten thousand riuers of oile why then he stands like a great red Dragon in his way at the very first entrance into the Kingdome of light and profession of sinceritie and casts out of his mouth flouds of persecutions vexations and oppositions that so he may ouerwhelme and crush him before he come to any growth or strength in Christ and a full comprehension of the mysterie of grace And to this end hee sets on foot and fire too and whets with keene razors many a leaud and prophane tongue to scoffe disgrace and discourage him in his narrow but blessed passage to immortalitie by reproches slanders exprobration of his former life by odious names of Hypocrite Singularist Puritane a fellow of irregular conscience and stirring humour of a factious and contradictious spirit and such like But if hee also passe these pikes and these sharpe swords for so Dauid calles spitefull tongues out of a consideration of that truth in Paul Euery one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and that in the calmest time of the Church amongst many other he shall be sure at the least to bee continually scourged and vext with strife of tongues for euerie faithfull Christian knowes by good experience that euer now and then as he shall stirre in a good cause stand against the corruptions of the place where he liues with conscience and faithfulnesse discharge his calling hee shall presentlie haue the spirit of prophanenesse to slie in his face with brutish and implacable malice and insolencie But yet I say if he be able with his Lord and Sauiour to endure this speaking against of sinners and to esteeme it as it is indeed his crowne and comfort why then Satan casts about another way and hee labours sometimes to fasten vpon him some vnwarrantable opinions thereby scandalously and vnnecessarliy to disquiet him to defraud him of an entire fruition of the comforts of holinesse and to hinder and interrupt him in the prosecution of his glorious seruice of God Sometimes to puffe him vp with a selfe-conceit of his owne excellencie seeing himselfe aduanced as farre aboue the common condition of men and the richest and happiest worldling as heauen aboue earth light aboue darkenesse endlesse happinesse aboue eternall miserie that so as the Apothecaries ointment by a dead flie his good actions and spirituall graces may receiue staine and infection by priuie pride of the nature and remedies whereof I haue before discoursed These and many others be the temptations of a babe in Christ and fitted to the infancie of regeneration But if Satan meet with a strong man in Christ he tempts him by those two methods I told you of before somtimes by wasting his zeale sometimes by weakening his faith and a thousand moe Amid which infinite varietie he is for the most part constant in one point of policy and that is this He coÌ„ceales his greatest fury his most desperate assault vnto the last He reserues his fieriest dart his deadliest poison his sharpest sting his Gunpouder-plot vntill he meete vs on our deaths bed Wherefore beloued in Christ Iesus we had need euery man to be strongly and soundly prepared and armed against that great and last encounter with Satan vpon which depends our euerlasting estate either in the ioies of heauen or paines of hell Oh at that day and we little know how neere it is it is not our deepe reaches and vnfathomd policies and proiects the countenance and patronage of great personages our merrie and plesant companions or the pluralitie of liuings and preferments that can yeeld vs any comfort or assistance in that terrible and fearefull combat Nay though we now little thinke vpon it all the worldly contentments that we haue either indirectly purchased or vnconscionably imploid he will then turne vnto vs into Scorpions stings and wormes of conscience Onely at that day a good conscience will hold out as armour of proofe which as it hath bin on earth a continuall feast so their it will bee vnto vs a great and euerlasting Iubilee for euermore By this time you easily perceiue and I am very sensible of the digression I haue made but I haue done it onely to giue you a taste of that part of diuine knowledge about the depths of Satan and spirituall state of sanctified soules and afflicted consciences which I take to be Gods childs peculiar and in which the formall hypocrite hath little skil or exercise For the deepe and diuine ponderations of this nature vpon these points doe not much take vp or trouble his mind and meditations It is a pretious knowledge abstracted by an holy experience from
relapses and backslidings A present sensiblenesse of al manner of sinnes whereby his present integritie and vnblameablenes is happily preserued An habituall tendernesse by which he is armed and senced against the corruptions of the time vnconscionable courses and commission of sinnes to come In remorse for sins past I comprise a more ful knowledge an vniuersall reuelation of his sinnes by the light of Gods word and power of his spirit and that both in extension and intension both in number and grieuousnesse a sense and feeling of them in their true waight as they are able to sinke him downe into the bottom of hell Much sorrow and anguish for the staine and guiltinesse they haue left behind them and for that they prouoke to iust wrath so louing and gratious a God And lastly a loathing of them so that hee neuer casts his eies backe vpon them but with an addition of a new and particular detestation He neuer enters meditation of the soule hainous passages of his former life but with shame and horror Euery solemne reuiew of his time of darknes and vnregeneration makes the wound of his remorse to bleed afresh By sensiblenes I vnderstand a quicke and present apprehension and feeling of euery sin whether it bee publicke or priuate open or secret in our selues or others as well in our thoughts and affections as in our words and actions in our generall or particular calling more grosse and infamous or slips and stumblings scandals and appearances of euill Habituall tendernes is a gracious temper disposition of the conscience wherby it is apt to be gauled smart at the first enteruiew with the iniquities of the time and at euery occurrence of corruptions and all vnconscionable attempts These properties of tendernesse aptnesse to smart easines to bleed at the apprehension and approch of sinne are peculiar to a conscience illightened sanctified and purged by the blood of Christ neuer incident to the best naturall conscience or furnished with the choysest notions and perfections of ciuill honesty and formalitie for these are neuer so straite laced but can let downe at the least without distaste or checke common sinnes lesser euils the gainefull and honourable errors and obliquities of the time Hence it is that all prophane and vnregenerate men wanting the curbe of a sober and sanctified conscience haue euer infinite aduantage for getting the start and precedencie in compassing the comforts glory and preferments of the world For they when the atchieuement of any honour happinesse or high place is on foot aduise presently with thâ— ordinarie informers and counsellers of their conscience custome example multitude worldly wisedome the sway of the times and such like but with the word of God and godly Christians onely so farre as they doe not crosse their ends and contradict those plots and contriuances which they haue laid for their aduancement vnto high roomes And thus they may passe with reasonable quietnes without grudging or grieuing of a conscience so guided thorow a a thousand corruptions and indirections basenesse flatteries sinfull engagements vnwarrantable courses Any of which if it should meete with a conscience once soundly frighted with horrour of former sinnes softned and sanctified by the blood of the Lambe would not onely rubbe off the skin and gaule it but make it bleed to death But worldly men are at a point they must and will enioy the world for here they haue their portion and heauen They esteeme it their greatest happines to bee admired and adored aboue others and therefore venture vpon whatsoeuer vnlawfull and indirect procurements which may bring them to high places rather then they will be defeated and disappointed in the pursuit of worldly happinesse they will thorow whether it be thicke or thinne right or wrong force or fraud staine of reputation or wound of conscience Simonie or flatterie friend or foe all is one though in the meane time they strike their owne poore soules thorow with many sorrowes though when they are most glorious in their owne conceit in the â—ie of the world in the iust censure of God Angels and sound Christians they be most vile contemptible and indeed in this seeming sun-shine of worldly prosperitie they treasure vp vnto themselues strange feares and astonishments snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempests against their latter end It is otherwise with Gods child in such affaires He still takes counsell and direction at the oracle of God with Cornelius resolution to heare or forbeare whatsoeuer is there commanded or forbidden and so followes the comforts of this world onely so farre as it will giue him leaue warrant and assistance But if he be to enter any corrupt course or to passe thorow any vniustifiable meanes for the attainement of his purpose and preferment there presently comes into his mind such considerations as these Hee conceiues with himselfe that the passage into any place of office or honour by corruption is euer attended with the curse of God and so no true comfort to be expected in the enioyment and execution That the restlesse humor and proud spirit of ambition euer haunts and possesses men of least worth and worst conscience That he which truely feares God neuer desires height of place for the glory or gaine but onely with a sobor indifferencie thither enclines and caries his affections and hopes and that with trembling at the waightinesse of the charge where it pleaseth diuine prouidence by honest and lawfull meanes to plant or transplant him for the imployment of his talent and where hee may most glorifie God benefit the Church and keepe a good conscience He thinkes vpon the vanitie and miserie of all things we enioy in this world of that strict and great account hee must very shortly make vnto the Lord and Iudge of all the world of the length of that eternity thorow all which is vnauoidably to be endured an euerlasting estate either in the ioyes of heauen or paines of hell Out of such thoughts as these springs his truely noble Christian resolution that he had rather want preferment while the world stands and end his daies in a retired and innocent obscuritie then by casting himselfe into the common fashions and corruptions of the world forfeit the fruit and comfort of his former integrity wound his conscience and serue the time That he is farre more willing to endure any affliction or disgrace with Gods children then to enioy the pleasures of sin and glory of the world for a season I now come in the third place to tell you that the word of God is not rooted in the thoughts of the formall hypocrite which is the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground and thence riseth a very notable and most speciall difference betwixt him and the child of God truely possest of the glorious state of Grace And I beseech you marke mee in this point For the thoughts of a man doe farre more cleerely and impartially distinguish the power of
which is a horrible and feareful curse euen esteeme them foolishnes The third reason shall be taken from the example of Nicodemus Iohn 3. Nicodemus I am perswaded was an honest and an ingenuous man I am sure he was a great man and a teacher of Israel yet when he comes out of his ciuill honestie and naturall wisdome to reason and confer with Christ about the saluation of his soule and eternall happinesse hee is strangely childish and a meere infant For when Christ tels him Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God he replies How can a man be borne which is old can he enter into his mothers wombe againe and be borne A replie which may breed an astonishment in all that shall euer reade this story vnderstandingly vnto the worlds end nay it seemes to seeme strange to Christ himselfe by his interrogatiue admiration afterward Art thou a teacher of Israel and knowest not these things And no maruell for who would think that one of the best of the Pharises a ruler of the Iews a profest Doctor in the Law and the Prophets and one carefull to saue his soule should be so grossely and palpably ignorant in a most materiall and necessarie point of saluation especially hauing many times no doubt read it in Moses and the Prophts Amongst many places he might see Ezech. 36.26.27 most cleerely laid downe the great and glorious worke of our new birth A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take the stony hart out of your body and I will giue you a heart of flesh c. But when he comes from teaching and reading of this and the like places to be examined in the practise and experimentall feeling of these graces of regeneration vpon his owne soule why hee talkes of a man that is old entring againe into his mothers wombe from whence he should certainely returne with a doubled pollution and corruption of nature and once more the child of Satan then he was before But so it is where the hart is not seasoned with sauing grace let the vnderstanding be neuer so great with swelling knowledge the practicall powers of the soule neuer so pregnant with wisdome and policie and perfected with morall vertues yet there is nothing to be expected from that man in matters and mysteries of saluation but darkenes and blindnesse childishnesse and stupiditie Fourthly the young man in the Gospell may be a fit instance for our present purpose He was vnreprooueable in the externall iustice and outward obseruances of the second table wherein ciuill honesty doth principally consist but how farre hee was from inward sanctification the state of grace and happinesse of Gods children appeares in the story For when the sacred and powerfull words of our blessed Sauior had insinuated into the secrets of his soule and strucke at his sweet sinne of couetousnesse the young man is presently cast into a fit of melancholie Christ is too precise a preacher for him he cannot digest such a strict and seuere course he will not abandon his pleasures of worldlinesse his palaces his possessions to follow Christ the Lord of heauen and earth in this life though he assure him of the rich treasures of eternall blessednes in the life to come When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions Whereby we may see that a man may be ciuilly honest and vncensurable in outward workes of iustice and yet harbour and nourish some close corruptions and sweet sinne in his heart from which rather then he will part he will lose his part in Christ the bottomlesse fountaine of endlesse ioies and comforts and his portion of vnualuable glory in the new Ierusalem This point being thus manifest for conclusion I will lay downe certaine differences betwixt the righteousnesse of faith and sanctification and the righteousnesse of ciuil honestie that a man may haue some directions to examine his soule and conscience in this respect First the fountaine and originall of righteousnesse of faith is the sanctifying Spirit of God I call it the sanctifying spirit because the spirit of God may by a generall influence concur to the illumination of the vnderstanding with knowledge and a ciuill reformation of the wil euen in the vnregenerate but the sanctifying spirit by the miraculous operatiue of sauing grace doth purge and mortifie the inmost affections plant iustifying faith in the heart renew al the powers of the soule and reinuest them in some good measure with the blessed image of holinesse and integritie which they lost in Adam But the cause and fountaine of righteousnesse of ciuill honesty may bee goodnesse of constitution and ingenuousnesse whereby a man may not be so apt and inclinable to notorious sinnes or want of trials and prouocations or feare of lawes and temporall punishments or desire of reputation and rising or a vaine hope to stay Gods iudgements for inward corruptions by ciuill outwardnesse or at best the restraining Spirit of God by which hee doth onely represse the furies and outrages of the wicked and reduce them to some moderation and honestie for the quiet of his Elect and conseruation of Kingdomes For if God did not put his hooke into the nostrils of prophane men and his bridle into their lippes euery one of them sith euery man hath in his corrupt nature the seedes of all sinnes that euer haue are or may be committed I say euery one of them might become a cruell Senacherib a railing Shemei a traiterous Iudas a bloodie Bonner an hellish Fawkes fierce Woolues and Lions against the sillie and innocent Lambes of Christs fold Secondly righteousnesse of ciuill honestie in outward actions may make a colourable pretence of pietie and vprightnes but indeed hath many secret relations to pleasures to friends to profit to preferments to reuengement to passions partialities and euents and such like by-respects not easilie discernable but by him whose eies are tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne But righteousnesse of faith hath in all actions for the maine scope and principall end the glory and honour of God and if infirmitie doe sometimes distaine them with some mixture and adherence of respects for who can say my heart is cleane euen the purest actions are mixt with some spice of corruptions it workes in the faithfull soule much griefe sorrow striuing against repentance and humiliation Thirdly righteousnesse of faith doth labour watchfully religiously and conscionably in that particular calling wherein Gods prouidence hath placed a man and in all the parts and speciall duties of godlinesse and obedience But ciuill honesty wanders in the generalities of religion and many times in impertinent vnsetled and vnlimited courses Fourthly righteousnesse of faith doth striue with greatest earnestnesse and contention of spirit for spirituall comfort and a good conscience before God But ciuill honestie is fully and finally satisfied with credit and plausiblenesse amongst men Fifthly