best wines when they taste them but leaue and let them goe when as they heare how deare they are prized §. Sect. 10 The third difference betweene them is in their properties Thirdly iustifying and temporarie faith doe differ one from another in their properties and qualities For true faith is heartie and vnfained and therefore is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith that is not fained and if there be any hypocrisie lurking in the heart it is an enemie vnto 2. Tim. 1. 1. 5. it and laboureth to purge and roote it out but the faith of temporaries is hypocriticall and purposely affecteth and delighteth in disguizing and dissimulation Againe true faith is constant and couragious to indure the fiery triall It will come vnto God and catch hold on him for mercie when hee frowneth and seemeth angry It applyeth the promises when they seeme voide and hopelesse and waiteth Esa 28. 26. Habac. 2. 3. Gods leysure when hee deferreth to performe them For hee that beleeueth as the Prophet speaketh shall not make hast It cleaueth vnto the Lord when he seemeth to reiect and shake vs off and will not leaue the profession and practise of his truth when it is beaten from it by afflictions and persecutions But temporarie faith though it make a glorious and golden shew in the time of prosperity yet it becommeth drosse in the fierie tryall and though it commeth ioyfully to God when he inuiteth with benefits yet it will cowardly runne away when hee threatneth or correcteth It springeth and sprouteth when it is watetered with the showers of prosperitie but withereth and sadeth when the hot sunne of persecution ariseth and though the temporarie bee ready to receiue all good from God yet he is not patient with Iob of receiuing euill also § Sect 11. The fourth difference in respect of their concomitants Fourthly iustifying faith differeth from the faith of temporaries in respect of the companions which doe accompapanie them For true faith is ioyned alwayes with a great conflict betweene it doubting which maketh the poore Christian to cry out with the father of the possessed child I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeliefe and with the Apostles Saue Mark 9. 24 Mat. 8. 25. vs Lord we perish Neither doth it obtaine the victorie ouer vnbeliefe and get quiet possession of our hearts without much struggling striuing and painefull labouring in the vse of all good meanes whereby it may strengthen it selfe and weaken its enemie But the faith of temporaries is easily attained without any great opposition or long labour for no sooner doth he heare the Word but presently he receiueth it with ioy and as soone as the seede is cast Mat. 13. 20. into the stonie ground it forthwith springeth and sheweth it selfe in the greene blade of a glorious profession It reioyceth before it grieueth and comfort commeth before mourning It is exalted before there was any humiliation and triumpheth in victorie without any conflict And the reason is because the temporary beleeuer is not much crossed in his presumptuous conceipt by Sathan or his owne flesh who are content to let him flatter himselfe with a shaddow and semblance of faith which is without vse or fruit that resting in this he may neuer labour after such a faith as is sound and substantiall knowing well enough that it will nothing profit him seeing within a while his inlightning will turne to greater darknes his beleeuing to desperate denying or deepe despairing his washing and cleansing to greater pollution and defiling and that hee may at pleasure make his re-entrance with seuen spirits worse then himselfe and so make the last end of this man worse Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. Mat. 12. 44. 45. 2 Pet. 2. 20. then his beginning Againe true faith is ioyned with all other sanctifying and sauing graces for from this fire of faith riseth the flame of loue and zeale from this holy roote springeth the fruit of all new and true obedience From this fountaine floweth affiance in God feare hope humilitie and the rest all which as they are the effects of faith in respect of their birth and being so are they companions props and stayes of it after they are wrought in vs. But especially the most knowne and apparant companion of a liuely faith is a good conscience For he that assuredly apprehendeth Gods loue in Christ maketh conscience of all his workes and wayes carefully doing those things which may please him who hath so loued him and whom hee so loueth and flying those things which may offend him 1 Tim. 1. 5. 3 9. Whereof it is that the Apostle ioyneth them together The end saith he of the commandement is charitie out of a pure Heb. 10. 23. heart and good conscience and faith vnfained And againe Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith hauing our hearts sprinckled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water But the temporarie as he hath onely a seeming faith so hath hee also but counterfeit and seeming graces he hath no true loue of God and his brethren but such as springeth from selfe loue and loue of the world no affiance in God longer then he vnderproppeth it with secundarie meanes and sensible helpes no hope longer then the promises are ioyned with present performance no feare of God but seruile and slauish no zeale but like that of Iehu such as will further his worldly ends neither doth hee make conscience of imbracing and practising all duties commaunded but some onely which best fit or least crosse his carnall affections nor of mortifying and forsaking all manner of sinne but of such onely as bring least pleasure or profit and that little which he doth is not performed in loue and obedience towards God but out of pride and vaine-glorie selfe-loue seruile feare or worldly respects § Sect 12. The fift differēce in their effects 1 True faith purifieth the heart Lastly iustifying faith differeth from that which is temporarie in their fruits and effects For true faith purifyeth the heart from all manner of sinne especially those inward and secret corruptions which are knowne onely to God and a mans owne conscience and not onely bindeth the hands to the good behauiour but reneweth and changeth the affections of the heart causing it to hate mortally those vices which it formerly loued and to resist and subdue them in their birth and first beginnings But the faith of temporaries doth not purifie the heart but onely seemingly reformeth the outward actions or if it purgeth it from any sinnes it is from such as are contrarie to naturall appetite or from those which are lesse pleasing and profitable and not from those wherevnto nature chiefely inclineth and wherein the corrupt heart doth especially delight § Sect. 13 The 2 effect wher in they differ is in respect of their operation Secondly iustifying faith worketh by loue and is fruitfull in the duties
of holinesse and righteousnesse and not by fits and starts but as an holy roote and tree of Gods planting it beareth and bringeth forth ripe fruits continually in due time and season and as a liuely fountaine of grace and goodnesse it sendeth forth the pleasant streames Gal. 5. 6. Psal 1. 3. Ioh. 4. 14 7. 37. 38. of good workes and vertuous actions But the faith of temporaries worketh seldome and but by fits and onely when they haue some pange of deuotion wrought in them by the power of the Word conuincing their consciences or out of naturall passion moued with some pitifull obiect Neither are these true fruits of holinesse and righteousnes because they spring not from a liuely faith vnfained loue true obedience but from selfe loue praise of men or other worldly respects they are not ripe fruits fit to bee reaped and carried into the barne but onely greene blades semblances and shewes which wither before the time of haruest § Sect. 14. The third effect respecteth ioy 1 Pet. 1. 8. Thirdly true faith causeth peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost which is no slight nor flitting ioy but as the Apostle calleth it vnspeakeable and glorious the which in the nature of it is spirituall like the author which worketh iâ— and most sheweth it selfe when as wee are exercised about spirituall obiects and exercises as hearing the Word reading meditation praying holy conferences and such like But temporary faith bringeth no such peace For there is no peace saith my God to the wicked And howsoeuer sâ— 57. 21. they haue some ioy yet there is great difference betweene it and that which proceedeth from true faith For Mat. 13. â—â— the faithfull delight in the Word as being the word not of man but of God himselfe and because they finde it his 1 Thes 2. 13. Rom. 1. 17. strong power whatsoeuer the instruments be to their sanctification and saluation But temporaries reioyce in it for nouelties sake and as it is the word of man not so much in respect of the spirituall matter as the manner how and the person by whom it is deliuered because they loue him as a friend for worldly respects or for his naturall gifts and parts because hee is learned wittie and eloquent the which ioy ceaseth and turneth oftentimes into anger and spleene when as the word commeth home to the conscience and reproueth him sharpely for his darling sinnes Secondly the faithfull man reioyceth in spirituall things the assurance of Gods loue the remission of his sinnes and his owne saluation and though hee taketh some ioy and comfort in the things of this life yet it is but small in comparison of the other But the temporarie beleeuer contrariwise taketh some small ioy in spirituall things as hauing some little taste of them but his chiefe reioycing is in things worldly and earthly which maketh him to neglect the other ioy when as they crosse one another and will not stand together Thirdly the ioy of the faithfull like the cause of it which is our faith is small at the first but increaseth by degrees vntill it come to fulnesse of ioy like that of Dauids Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more Psal 4. 7. then in the time that their corne and their wine encreased but the ioy of temporaries is greatest at the first entrance and then decayeth by little and little till at last it be vtterly consumed come to nothing Finally the ioy of true faith is strong constant and not only continueth in the fruition of worldly prosperity but also in affliction and persecution as we see in the example of the holy Apostles who reioyced and sung Psalmes vnto God when as they were persecuted for preaching the Gospell But the ioy oâ— temporaries like that of the Grashoppers continueth 〈…〉 whilest the summer of prosperity lasteth but decayeth and dyeth in the winter of afflictions § Sect 15. The fourth effect respecteth confession christian apologie Rom. 1â— 10. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Fourthly true faith as it inwardly in the heart beleeueth vnto righteousnesse so outwardly with the mouth it confesseth to saluation and the true Christian as he beleeueth in Iesus Christ so he is alwayes ready to render a reason of his faith and hope that is in him when the glory of God or good of his neighbours requireth it although it bee with the hazard and losse of his goods landes liberty and life And being indued with the spirit of faith he is ready to say with the Psalmist and Apostle I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken But the temporary beleeuer confesseth Psal 116. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 13. his faith when as it will stand with his worldly credit or aduantage but smothereth his profession in time of daunger and vtterly denyeth it rather then he will vndergoe any damage for it § Sect. 16 The fifth effect respecteth contentment 2 Cor. 5. 7. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 13 5. Fiftly true faith giueth a Christian comfort and contentment in all estates for be liueth and walketh by faith and not by sense and therefore when hee wanteth friends or wealth and such like worldly helpes he resteth contented because his chiefe treasure and sufficiency is in Gods neuer fayling prouidence vpon which he chiefely relyeth according to that of the Apostle I haue learned that in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to be content And againe Neuerthelesse Phil. 4. 12. Gal. 2. 20. I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee But the temporary beleeuer liueth by sense and not by faith and trusteth in God when as hee hath in his hands the pledges and pawnes of earthly benefits but distrusteth in his promises and prouidence when as secundary helpe and inferiour meanes faile and therefore vseth vnlawfull meanes to helpe himselfe § Sect. 17. The 6 effect is the ouercoming of the world 1 Ioh. 5. 4 5. Sixtly true saith ouercommeth the world according to that of the Apostle Whosoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Who is he that ouercommeth the world but hee that beleeueth that Iesus is the Sonne of God And it contemneth all earthly things as vaine and worthlesse in comparison of spirituall grace and heauenly glory But the temporary beleeuer when hee is at the best is but a meere worldling and a deuoted slaue to his worldly lustes and desires after honours riches and pleasures And therefore embraceth grace and glory so farre forth onely as they will stand with the fruition of his earthly idols but reiecteth and renounceth his part and interest in them when as they crosse and will not stand with his earthly desires § Sect. 18. The last effect reioycing to thinke of christs comming to iudgment Lastly
The operations of the sanctifing spirit signified by diuers metaphors and first by wine an oyle § 9 The spirit compared to water § 10 The spirit compared to fier § 11 That wee may know that the spirit dwelleth in vs by the operations signified by the former metaphors § 12 Of the special fruites of the spirit whereby we may knew that it dwelleth in vs. § 13 Of other speciall fruits of the spirit respecting our neighbours § 14 Of some other special fruits of the spirit respecting our persons CHAP. XIII Of the euent and successe of the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit § 1 Of the foyles which the spirit receiueth in this conflict § 2 That from the foyles of the spirit arise earnest desires to be freed from the slauerie of sinne § 3 Secondly an indeauour in the vse of all good meanes to be preserued from such foyles for the time to come § 4 How farre the flesh may preuayle against the spirit and 1 that common graces may be lost for a time § 5 Secondly that the shewes and semblances of sauing graces in temporaries may perish vtterly § 6 That true sauing graces in the regenerate may be lost seemingly § 7 Other graces springing from those which are fundamentall may for a time be lost § 8 That sauing and fundamentall graces may be lost in some degrees in respect of their operations § 9 Whether Dauid lost any degree of his fundamentall graces when he committed adulterie and murther § 10 That our spirituall graces in the Conflict doe not stand in their owne strength § 11 An obiection against the former doctrine answered § 12 Of the assured victorie which the spirit obtaineth ouer the flesh in this Conflict § 13 An obiection against the former truth answered § 14 That there are two degrees of the spirits victory 1. in this life § 15 Of the second degree of victory at the houre of death CHAP. XIIII Of the reasons which may encourage vs to this Conflict against the flesh § 1. The 1. reason because it is the will of God that we should fight against it § 2 The 2. reason is the necessitie of this Conflict § 3 The third reason taken from the manifold euils which are done vnto vs by the Flesh § 4 The fourth reason is taken from the assurance of victory CHAP. XV. Of the meanes whereby we may be enabled to ouercome the flesh § 1 The 1. meanes that we put on the whole armour of God § 2 The second meanes is to obserue certaine rules for the weakening of the flesh and first that we doe not nourish the enemie which we would ouercome § 3 That we must withdraw from the flesh the prouision and munition whereby it is strengthened § 4 That wee must stop all the passages to keepe backe prouision for the flesh § 5 That we must take heede especially of some principall sinnes which most strengthen the flesh § 6 That we must moderate our selues in the vse of things indifferent § 7 That we must auoide the other extreame of hurting our bodies whilest we goe about to tame the flesh § 8 That wee must take from the flesh the weapons and armour whereby it most preuaileth CHAP. XVI Of other meanes whereby the flesh may be subdued and ouercome § 1 That wee must keepe a narrow watch ouer our selues and ouer our enemies § 2 That we must keepe this watch in all things § 3 That we must keepe this watch ouer all the faculties and parts of our soules and bodies § 4 That we must keepe a speciall watch ouer our tongues § 5 That aboue all other parts wee must keepe this narrow watch ouer our hearts § 6 That we must keepe this watch in our spirituall armour CHAP. XVII Of two other rules to bee obserued of those who would subdue the flesh § 1 The third rule is that we withstand the flesh in all the occasions and meanes of sinfull lusts § 2 The fourth rule is that we resist the flesh in the first beginnings of sinne § 3 That the longer wee deferre the fight the more difficult and doubtfull we make the victory § 4 That if we doe not withstand the first assaults of the flesh we are not so wise as worldlings in their generation § 5 How dangerous it is to giue away the first motions vnto sinne shewed by examples CHAP. XVIII Of three other rules to be obserued for the subduing of the flesh § 1 That wee must thinke no sinne so small that wee may willingly commit it To vvhich end wee must consider first that by the least sinne Gods Law is transgressed § 2 The great euils which come of the least sinnes § 3 That small sinnes willingly entertained are no lesse dangerous then the greatest § 4 That the auoiding of small sinnes is a notable meanes to preserue vs from greater § 5 That euen the least sinnes are the poison of the Soule and the liuery of Sathan § 6 That enemies proue most dangerous whē they are most despised § 7 That if wee doe not hate small sinnes as well as great wee hate none with Christian hatred § 8 The sixt rule is that we must neglect no sinne as though we were in no danger of falling into it § 9 The seuenth rule is that we set no stint to our mortification § 10 That our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times CHAP. XIX Of the first meanes to strengthen then the Spirit which is to auoide the meanes whereby it is weakened § 1 That our sins are the chiefe meanes wherby the spirit is weakned § 2 Of some speciall meanes wherby the spirit is most weakened § 3 That we must not prouide for the spirit poison in stead of holesome nourishment nor carnall weapons in stead of spirituall § 4 That wee must not remit any thing of our first zeale in holy duties § 5 That we must auoide sloth and negligence CHAP. XX. Of the meanes whereby wee may comfort cheare and strengthen the Spirit to this Conflict § 1 The first meanes earnest and longing desires after spirituall strength § 2 The second meanes is a carefull indeauour in the vse of all good means for the strengthening of it § 3 The third meanes is to nourish the good motions of the spirit § 4 The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience § 5 The fift meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pollution § 6 The sixt meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise § 7 The seuenth meanes is frequent and feruent Prayer § 8 The conclusion of the Booke A In this Conflict two things to be considered 1. The enemies and combatants which are described 1. By their names and natures the Flesh Chap. 1. to 8. Spirit Secondly their properties where is shewed that the flesh is an enemy exceeding dangerous the which appeareth first in respect
he commandeth all the rest And hauing gotten possession of it he hath placed in it a strong garrison of his hellish armie to kepe it for his vse knowing that if he can hold the minde vnder his gouernment he may by the helpe thereof keepe all the rest And this maketh him to vse all his skill and diligence in darkening and deluding the reason and vnderstanding and to this purpose he doeth sometimes possesse it with a spirit of slumber by making it drunke with the intoxicating cuppes of ignorance and errour sometimes he dazeleth and darkeneth it with the smoake and vapors of hellish temptations that it may see no more nor in other manner then he will haue it and somtime he abuseth and deceiueth it by casting betweene the things presented vnto it and the eye of reason false colours and then as a man looking through a greene glasse thinketh a christiall streame and filthy puddle all alike so the eye of our iudgement being deluded with Sathans false glasses or glosses which hee casteth before it can put no difference betweene right and wrong good and euill §. Sect. 3. No part more corrupted then the man i◠and vnderstanding And by reason of this the diuels diligence and politique care it commeth to passe that no part or facultie of man is more infected and corrupted with the poyson of sinne then the minde and vnderstanding It cannot be denied but that the minde and reason of man doe in their naturall endowments as farre exceede the body and sensitiue faculties as the Sunne in his chiefest brightnesse doth the smallest and and dimmest Starre It is true also that by those reliques of light which remaine in the vnderstanding a man is excellently guided in naturall ciuill and meere morrall actions and by vertue thereof is able to atchieue great and difficult matters but as in physicall bodies the best substance hath the worst corruption so is it also true in Diuinitie that the more excellent the faculties of the soule be the worse they be in the state of corruption For the reason and vnderstanding in man is the chiefe rebell which leadeth and ruleth the body and inferiour faculties as it were the baser sort of the common people and therefore the more politique eloquent and potent this rebel is the more dangerous also and pernitious seeing hee holdeth the more powerfully all his subiects and inferiours in their emnitie and opposition against their supreame soueraigne And in this regard the soule is much more worthy blame then the body and in the soule the reason minde and vnderstanding then the will because it is the chiefe ring-leader in this rebellion and the archtraitor which giueth lawes and gouerneth all the rest for as the iudgement alloweth or disalloweth esteemeth or vilifieth so the will chuseth or refuseth and the affection loueth or abhorreth Euen as contrariwise the chiefe praise belongeth vnto it in our conuersion vnto God because with it selfe it causeth all other parts which it commandeth to returne vnto him and to submit themselues in all obedience to his rule and gouernment whereof it is that true repentance is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the changing of the mind because this being the first and principall act in our conuersion doth giue denomination to all the rest And this chiefe faultinesse of the soule in the state of rebellion and corruption as it appeareth by the former reasons so doth antiquity giue testimony vnto it So Chrysostome saith that the soule here is more to bee blamed and accused then the body because Chrysost in Eph. 2. Serm. 6. the body designeth no euill without direction from the soule but contrariwise the soule committeth much wickednesse without the vse and assistance of the body So Austine saith that the flesh that is the body without the soule cannot couet And Aug. de Gen. ad literam lib. 10. cap. 12. although the cause of carnall concupiscence bee not in the soule alone yet much lesse is it in the body alone And therefore it ariseth from both to wit from the soule because no delight is felt without it and also from the body because neither without it is there any sense of carnall pleasure § Sect. 4 That the soule cheifely sinneth and in it the minde and vnderstanding But the chiefe faultinesse of the soule will better appeare if we consider that in the acting of this sinnefull tragedy the soule and in it chiefely the minde and vnderstanding playeth the chiefest part for it is the Graund Captaine in this sinnefull army which leadeth the body and inferiour faculties and appointeth them to the accomplishing of its particular designes it is naturally the diuels steward which receiuing immediately instructions from this hellish maister doth appoint to euery inferior part their taske as common seruants It is the diuels forge wherein he first hammereth and fashioneth his sinful temptations It is the master workman in the shop of our sinfull nature which setteth on work all the other parts as vnder prentizes for first the mind thinketh on mischiefe or entertaineth the diuels temptatiōs then the iudgement alloweth it if not simply yet in respect of some circumstance if not as an hellish hooke yet as it is couered with the baites of worldly vanities either esteeming the sinne for it owne sake or at least for the wages and reward and so then the will chuseth it and the heart affecteth it the concupiscence desireth it and the body accomplisheth it So that if the minde were bound to the good behauiour and either would not thinke on wickednes or at least would vilifie and contemne it our peace with God and our owne consciences would be kept and wee should haue no sinnefull seditions and tumultuous vproares in the inferiour parts and members In a word the minde and vnderstanding is the spring head from which all the streames of sinne doe runne and flow and therefore the diuell first poysoneth and corrupteth it that so it may taint and infect all the other parts as we may see in the example of our first parents whose iudgement he first corrupted and then with case infected their will and affections Wherein he dealeth with vs as Elisha with the Aramites first blinding vs and then misleading vs at his pleasure For whereas God in the little world of man hath appointed the reason and vnderstanding to be as the Sunne to giue light and directions vnto all the other parts and faculties that so they may orderly exercise their functions and operations Sathan knoweth right well that if he can ecclipse this light by the opposition of changeable trifles or vtterly darken it by the interposition of earthly vanities there can thereupon nothing follow but sinfull disorder and dangerous confusion in all our actions And thus the Apostle liuely describing mans misery and sinne first pointeth at this as the chiefe fountaine that there is none that vnderstandeth nor seeketh after God and Rom. 3. 11. 12. Eph. 6. 12.
conceipt we are the more easily induced by reason of ignorance and blindnesse of minde pride and selfe-loue which naturally raigns and rule in vs. For though we be wholly from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote defiled with sinne and thereby vtterly disabled vnto any good dutie yet wee see that the most haue an opinion of their owne worth and excellencie For many boast themselues in the goodnesse of their natures as though therein they might be accepted not only of men but also of God himselfe many vaunt of their pure naturals and workes of congruitie which before grace receiued they are able to performe in the strength of their naturall abilities many doe rest in their owne ciuill iustice and honestie as though it were sufficient to iustifie them in Gods sight many blesse themselues in their legall righteousnesse as though therby they could merit heauen with some small helpe and finally many with the Angell of the Church of Laodicia doe thinke themselues rich and so increased in goods that they stand in neede of nothing when as in truth they are wretched and miserable poore blinde and Apoc. 3. 17. naked But let vs take heede of this policie as beeing most dangerous pernicious seeing it maketh men rest in themselues and vpon the weake reede of their owne righteousnesse to their vtter perdition and keepeth them from flying vnto Christ and from hungring after his righteousnes by which alone we are iustified and saued And as it keepeth vs from imbracing Christ by faith so also it hindreth our repentance and nourisheth in vs carnall securitie and hardnesse of heart for we must first see our sinnes before we can euer bewaile or turne from them and whilest we haue any opinion of our owne good natures or our legall righteousnesse wee can neuer as wee should bewaile our sinfull corruptions nor carefully vse any meanes to bee purged from them §. Sect. 2. The meanes to defeate the former policie Whereby it appeareth that no policie is more pernicious if it preuaile against vs seeing it spoileth vs of our Sauiour Christ and of all the gracious promises of life and saluation contained in the Gospell which are all made on the condition of faith approued to bee liuely and iustifying by the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance The which should moue vs to vse all our care and indeauour that wee may defeare it to which purpose wee must not looke vpon our selues as we appeare in the twilight or rather in the darke night of naturall knowledge nor yet through the false spectacles of pride and selfe-loue which will hide and disguise our vices and corruptions and make them to shew themselues in vertues colours but wee must looke vpon our selues in the glasse of the lawe and try our thoughts and words our workes and our wayes by the rule of Gods word and so shall wee plainely discouer our blemishes and difilements yea our monsterous deformities and vgly corruptions with the auersenesse of our willes to all good and the peruersenesse and crookednesse of our hearts affections For there shall wee see that our vnderstandings are so blinded that though they be wise vnto euill yet to doe good Eph. 4. 18. they haue no knowledge that our iudgements are wholly Ier. 4. 22. corrupted mistaking euill for good and good for euill right for wrong and wrong for right trueth for falshood and falshood for trueth that our imaginations are euill and that continually that our consciences are either seared through securitie or affrighted with terrours and horrours through despaire and either accusing when they should excuse or excusing when they should accuse that our memories are slippery to retaine any good thing and retentiue like brasse or yron in keeping and preseruing sinfull and wicked impressions that our willes stand in open rebellion against God nilling what he willeth and willeth what he nilleth That our hearts are auerse to all goodnesse and cleaue fast to all worldly and sinnefull vanities that our affections are wholly corrupted and disordered and all the members of our bodies are the ready instruments of sinne There shall wee finde that by reason of this corruption we are notable to thinke a good thought nor so much as will that which is good that we are altogether vnprofitable seruants yea 1 Cor. 3. 5. Phill. 2. 12. Eph 2. 1. 3. rather the slaues of sinne and Sathan the children of wrath and not onely sicke but euen starke dead in our sinnes that we haue not onely in vs vtter barrennesse of all good but the seedes of all wickednesse lurking and lying hid which sproute foorth vpon all occasions when as they receiue any warmth and moysture from the temptations of Sathan and Ier. 13. 23. the world yea would of themselues daily come to growth and ripenesse if they were not continually nipped and restrained by the common grace of Gods spirit Finally that the blacke-moore may as easily change his blackenesse and the leopard his spots as we our sinnefull condition into a better estate yea that in stead of making any satisfaction by paying the olde score we are ready to encrease our debt by adding new sins vnto the olde and so plunge our selues into more fearefull condemnation And thus may we defeate this pollicy of the flesh and comming vnto a true sight of our owne naturall vildenesse we may abhorre our selues in sackcloath and ashes and renouncing our owne righteousnesse may hunger after the all-sufficient righteousnesse of Iob. 42. Christ and applying it vnto vs by a liuely faith may find it effectuall for our iustification and saluation § Sect 3. The second pollicie that the good things in vs are much better then in truth they are Secondly as the flesh perswadeth vs that we are nothing so ill as we are in respect of our sinnefull condition so that the good things which wee seeme to haue are farre better and of much greater excellency then in truth they are and as there it lookes vpon our faults and vices though the thick fogge of ignorance which maketh them to bee scarce visible and discernable so when it beholdeth any appearance of good in vs it putteth on the spectakles of pride and selfe-loue which make them seeme to be farre greater then they are in deede euery moal-hill a great mountaine and euery small starre as large as the Sunne it selfe Thus it magnifieth to a meere worldly man the goodnesse of his nature as though this alone without any further helpe would bring him to heauen and maketh him beleeue that his common guifts are speciall endowments that Gods restrayning grace in him is sanctifying and sauing grace and his moderated and blunted vices and corruptions to bee singular vertues and great perfections Thus it perswadeth the proude iustifiarie to rest in his inhaerent righteousnesse and legall obedience for his iustification and saluation And to this ende it bleareth his eyes so as he cannot see any wants and
to watch ouer vs and by his spirit to waken our consciences that they may admonish vs of the euill which we are ready to fall into and so preuent the committing of it or accuse vs being fallen that we may arise againe by repentance and afterwards be made more carefull of our wayes § Sect. 7. The seuenth pollicie is to draw vs from things indifferent to sin A seuenth pollicy of the flesh is to drawe vs from that which indifferent and in it owne nature lawfull vnto that which is vnlawfull and sinnefull for whereas things indifferent are not simply good but onely in their right and moderate vse the flesh allureth vs to abuse them through immoderation and excesse whereby they become sinnefull and euill Thus because the creatures are good in their owne nature and the blessing of God vnto vs if they be sanctified by the word prayer and be vsed soberly for the better fitting and enabling vs to Gods seruice and for the performance of all religious and Christian duties the flesh allureth vs to loue them excessiuely more then the creator himselfe and then all sauing graces and heauenly happines and so chiefly to value affect and seeke them and to place all our happinesse in the fruition of them Thus because riches honours and pleasures are in their owne nature good it perswadeth vs to loue them excessiuely to set our hearts vpon them and seeke them more diligently then the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and so through our abuse to make them become vnto vs shamefull Idols with which we commit sperituall whoredome Thus because recreations are lawfull if we vse them lawfully seasonably and with moderation that so we may be the better enabled for the duties of Gods seruice it allureth vs to abuse them through excesse and to spend all or the chiefe part of our time in them whereby of recreations they become occupations which take vs wholly vp and shoulder and thrust out all Christian duties of our callings with all religious duties of Gods seruice or to vse them vnseasonably on the Lords day which should be consecrated as holy vnto him and be wholly spent in diuine duties and religious exercises So because meates and drinkes are lawfull and of an indifferent nature the flesh draweth vs to abuse them by intemperance and excesse surfetting and drunkennesse and so to become grosse epicures who make their belly their God Because apparrell is necessary to keepe vs warme and hide our nakednesse the flesh perswadeth vpon this ground to excessiue brauery and strange attyers because sleepe is warrantable in the moderate vse of it it allureth vs to immoderate sloth and sluggishnesse which consumeth our precious time and so dulleth the spirits that we are made vnfit for any good duties And finally because honest mirth is commendable it prouoketh vs securely to embrace carnall delights and passing all bonds of sobriety to turne our mirth into madnesse to the dishonor of God the discredite of our profession and the wounding of our owne consciences And thus the flesh spurreth vs on in the vse of these things indifferent and neuer suffereth vs to rest vntill we haue wholly passed the bonds which God hath set vs and haue turned our Christian and lawfull libertie into vnchristian and lawlesse licentiousnesse The which deceipt is so much the more daungerous because it inticeth vs to the embracing of those things vnto which we are naturally carried and hurried with our carnall desires and sinfull appetites as also because the things wherein we offend are in our owne nature lawfull and the good blessings of God which maketh vs securely to vse them neuer suspecting any daunger Now if we would not be ouertaken with this pollicy we must keepe a vigilant watch ouer our selues in the vse of things indifferent that our libertie doe not turne to libertinisme Let vs consider not onely what is lawfull but also what is expedient in respect time place persons and other circumstances which not being obserued things lawful in themselues become vnlawful vnto vs through our abuse that they who will alwaies doe the vttermost that they may wil often doe that which they should not and they who will presumptuously walke vpon the brinke of the riuer will sometimes slip in and be in daunger to be drowned that these things which are not absolutely good but of an indifferent nature are vnto vs according as we vse them good to those which vse them well and euill to those who abuse them vnto sinne that we are naturally exceeding inclinable to this abuse if we be not very watchfull and wary and finally that those things which are not simply good but as they are confined within their bonds and measure their cautions and conditions become euill and vnlawfull when these limits are exceeded and these cautions not obserued § Sect 8. The eighth pollicie is to perswade vs to sinne by the examples of the saintes Finally the flesh perswadeth vs to sinne by proposing vnto vs the example of the Saints and that either inticing vs to embrace sinne generally because all of them generally haue sinned or else alluring vs vnto particular sinnes by propounding vnto vs particular examples and as it were speciall patrons for euery kinde of wickednesse As for example Noah and Lot for drunkennesse Dauid for whoredome and murther Ieremy and Ionah for murmuring and impatiency Peter for denying of Christ and dissembling of our profession For the defeating of which deceipt let vs consider that the vertues of these men and not their vices are propounded vnto vs for imitation yea that their sinnes are â—et before vs that seeing their falles wee should be more watchfull and warie or being fallen wee should not despaire but be encouraged to rise with them by vnfained repentance Finally let vs knowe that without this repentance we can haue no comfort by their example and that if we doe soundly repent with them it wil cause in vs many a deepe sigh and doeful groane and so weâ— all finde much more bitternesse in our sorrowe then wee haue done sweetenesse in our sinne and that wher as the delight was vaine and momentarie the griefe will be great and permanent And therefore looke not vpon Dauid sporting himselfe in his vnlawfull lustes but Psal 38. 6. 6. 6. behold him afterwards when he is bowed and goeth crooked vnder the waight of his sinne complaining as a man affrighted with the terrors of conscience and reiected of God making teares his foode and watering his couch with them Looke not vpon Peter sauing himselfe by forswearing his maister but behold him afterwards weeping bitterly Finally looke not vpon the Church delighting her selfe with her louers and with that spirituall whoredome committed with them but listen vnto her pitifull lamentations when being led into captiuity she is grieuously afflicted for her sinnes CHAP. XV. Of the pollicies which the flesh vseth to hinder our repentance § Sect 1. The first policie is
time haue beene inured to stealing And therefore let vs not continue in sin because we haue sinned thinking that we can be excused by pleading custome but because we haue long and often committed these sinnes let vs be so much more earnest in the exercise of repentance For as the Apostle telleth vs Christ hath 1 Pet. 4. 2. 3. suffered in the flesh that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God For the time past of our life may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasoiuiousnesse lusts excesse Rom. 6. 19. of wine reuellings banquettings and abominable idolatries So the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs that as we haue yeelded our members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie vnto iniquitie so now we should yeeld our members seruants to righteousnesse vnto holinesse § Sect. 4. The third deceipt is to pretend pouertie Thirdly the flesh deceiueth vs by pretending the pouerty and necessity of our estate as a sufficient cause and reasonable excuse why we should continue in our sinnes and maketh vs beleeue that though we neglect all meanes of knowledge faith and all sauing grace and all duties of Gods seruice we may be dispensed with because our whole time is little inough to be imployed for the obtaining of worldly necessaries yea that we may vse wicked and vnlawfull meanes for the supplying of our wants as all manner of fraude and deceiptfull dealing in our trades and occupations which is no better then theft it selfe in the sight of God But let vs know that though we be neuer so poore this is no excuse why we should neglect any religious dutie or commit any sinne For one thing is necessarie and happy are we if with Mary we quite our selues of worldly incumbrances and choose the better part That if we be poore in earthly things we haue greater cause to labour after sauing graces and heauenly treasures which alone without the other are all-sufficient to make vs rich That when we haue carked and cared toyled and moyled to prouide earthly things yet all is in vaine except Gods Psal 127. 1. blessing be vpon our labours and we cannot expect it either by neglecting holy duties which he hath commanded or by committing such sinnes as he hath forbidden and Mat. 6. 33. condemned That we haue Gods gracious promise of earthly necessaries if we first and chiefely seeke his kingdome and righteousnes That pouerty if we vse it well is no hinderance to grace in this life nor glory in the life to come as we see in the example of the Disciples yea Christ himselfe who being most poore in worldly things were Psal 34. 10. most rich in spirituall and heauenly treasures Finally let vs know that if we serue and seeke the Lord he will take care for vs and not suffer vs to want any thing which is good and that they of all others are best prouided for who haue his prouidence to watch ouer them Or though we should be pinched in respect of earthly things yet it is much better with Lazarus to goe poore to heauen then with Diues hauing abundance to be cast into hell §. Sect. 5. The fourth policie is to pretend a necessitie of liuing in our sins by reason of our calling A like conceipt vnto this is when as the flesh perswadeth vs that we may neglect good duties or commit and liue in diuers sinnes because we liue in such callings as doe force vs to take these courses without which we could not maintaine our charge Thus it perswadeth shopkeepers that they should not be able to liue in their trades if they should not vse lying and deceipt and other tradesmen as Cookes Taylors Shoomakers Vintners Butchers Carriers and such like that they may be dispensed with though they neglect the seruice of God and labour in the workes of their callings on the Lords Sabbaths because otherwise they should loose their custome together with those gaines by which they are inabled to maintaine themselues and theirs Yea and thus it perswadeth others to liue in vnlawfull callings because they haue no other meanes as Players and Playmakers ganâ—esters and those who keepe gaming houses and such like But let the former know that no particular calling should withdraw vs from performing the duties which belong to the generall calling of a Christian that they shall in the end finde those gaines the greatest losses when to keepe a market for our body and staâ—â— we neglect the spirituall market of our soules the meanes whereby we might attaine vnto the riches of sauing graces and heauenly happinesse That those who seek to compasse riches by vnlawfull meanes they either faile of their end and so labour in vaine or together with them get a curse which will make them moulder and consume away or if they continue will bring to the possessors but small comfort when they must leaue their riches behinde them and carry their sinne with them before their iudge Let them know that no man in any lawfull calling is brought into such streights but that if there be prudence prouidence and wise forecast ioyned with it he may finde some time and opportunity for the seruice of God and the feeding of his soule and though he doe not vse the meanes of thriuing in his calling as others doe who so earnestly follow their worldly businesse that they neglect all holy duties yet may they expect from God vpon their weaker indeauours a greater blessing which may make their state become Dan. 1. 15 as fat and in as good liking as those children were in their bodies who fed onely vpon pulse water or though God seeth it good to scant them in worldly things yet they shall enioy the little they haue with aboundant comfort seeing they are vnto them little pledges of Gods great loue and in the meane time haue their bodily wants exceedingly recompenced with the peace of a good conscience the ioy in the holy Ghost and the spirituall riches of all sauing graces As for those whose callings are vnlawfull their best course were to exchange them for those that are lawfull seeing they haue no better excuse of their liuing in them because they haue no other meanes to maintaine themselues then Harlots Theeues and Pick-purses who are alike ready to alleadge that therefore they vse these courses because they haue no other meanes whereby they may liue For better it were for them not to liue at all then to liue in sinne to the dishonour of God and hurt of their brethren better it were that their bodies should pine and famish in this world then that their bodies and soules should eternally be tormented in the fire of hell §. Sect. 6. The fift policie of the flesh perswading vs to continue in our sins in regard of the corruption of the times Fiftly the flesh deceiueth vs whilest it
perswadeth vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance by alleadging that the times wherein we liue and the persons among we dwell are so euill and wholly corrupted with sinne that there is a necessitie laide vpon vs of conforming our courses to the example of others seeing if we purge our selues from the sinnes which commonly raigne and make conscience of those vices which others commit we shall not onely expose our selues to the scorne and obliquie of all that obserue vs as being more strickt and precise in our courses then we neede but also as the Prophet speaketh make our selues a common prey For the defeating of which Esa 59. 15. deceipt let vs know that we must be of the little flocke of Christ if euer we meane to be in their number vnto whom his fathers pleasure is to giue a Kingdome that we must not Luke 12. 32. follow a multitude in doing euill vnlesse we thinke also to be partakers in their punishments that we must not fashion Exod. 23. 2 our selues to the example of the world if we would not perish Rom. 12. 2. Ioh. 15. 19. with it but must be transformed by the renewing of our mindes and be seuered from the world and culled out of it if we would be in the number of Christs Disciples or become true members and subiects of his kingdome That it is better to goe into heauen alone then to goe into hell and haue all the world to beare vs company Let vs remember that we must through good report and euill report goe on in 2 Cor. 6. 8. our Christian course with the blessed Apostle if we euer meane to accompany him in heauen That it is no great matter to suffer ascoffe for Christ who hath for our sakes suffered the bitter death of the crosse that we must not refuse to be the sheepe of Christ nor alter our nature to a woluish condition because wee would not be iniured by wolues and goates vnlesse we would with them be set at Christs left hand and heare that dreadfull sentence of condemnation denounced against vs. That wee shall in the Mat. 25. end ouercome by suffering and receiue a crowne of our patience which without all comparison will exceede our paines Let vs further consider that no man is carelesse of the health of his body because the ayre is infected and the country full of contagious sicknes but doth so much the more carefully vse all good preseruatiues to keepe him from these Epedemical diseases and the like care we would haue of our soules if we loued them as well as we doe our bodies In regard whereof the Apostle vseth this as an argument to make vs more watchfull and diligent in redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Finally let vs know Eph. 5. 16. that neither time nor place in which we liue will excuse vs before God if we liue in our sinnes seeing as the best time or place will not priuiledge vs from falling into sinne no not Paradise it selfe and the society of the Angels as we see in Adam so neither will those times and places which most abound with euill poison vs with the contagion of sinne if wee haue about vs the preseruatiue of a good conscience and haue sincere and vpright hearts which make vs with Enoch in the middest of worldly destructions to walke with our God Yea rather when wee are Gen. 5. on all sides compassed about with wicked men the heate and zeale of our godlinesse as it were by an antiperistasis will be intended and increased As we see in the example of Noah who continued iust when all the world were wicked Of Abraham who was vpright in his wayes among the wicked Cananites of Lot whose soule was righteous though he liued among the filthy Sodomites Of Ioseph and Moses in the Court of Pharaoh Dauid in the Court of Saul and of Nehemiah Daniel the three children and many others who feared and serued the Lord though they liued yea bore office in the Court of the Kings of Babylon §. Sect. 7. The sixt policie of the flesh in perswading vs to continue in our sins because god is mercifull A sixt pollicy which the flesh vse h to perswade vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance is to tell vs of Gods mercy which is so endlesse and infinite that notwithstanding we goe on in our owne courses yet we shall be saued With which that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that it is an horrible abuse of Gods mercy when we take occasion thereby to continue in our sinnes which in the Scriptures is offered vnto vs as the maine argument whereby wee are inuited vnto repentance So the Psalmist saith that there is mercy with the Lord that hee may Psal 130. 4. Rom. 2. 4. be feared and the Apostle telleth vs that the riches of Gods goodnes his patience and long-suffering doe inuite vs to repentance It is a notable motiue to perswade a rebell to yeelde and submit himselfe to his Prince because hee is gratious and mercifull but if any will goe out or continue in his rebellion vpon this ground his presumption alone would make him worthy to bee hanged because the grace and goodnesse of his Prince should worke in him loue and obedience and make him loath and euen ashamed to offend and displease so gracious a soueraigne Secondly let vs knowe that howsoeuer Gods mercy in it selfe is infinit and incomprehensible yet in respect of the obiect and exercise of it it is limitted by his truth which appropriateth it only to repentant sinners because such onely doe lay hold of it and apply it vnto themselues by a liuely faith without which application the mercy of God can doe vs no more good then a soueraigne salue can cure a wound which is cast behind the doore and neuer applied vnto it Lastly let vs know that as God is infinite in mercy so also in iustice yea in trueth these are all one in God his mercy being a iust mercy and his iustice a mercifull iustice onely they seeme to differ in respect of the obiect and diuers maner of exercising them towards his creatures In which regard notwithstanding it may truely be saide that hee is iust in iustifying a sinner because beleeuing in Christ his sinnes Rom. 3. 26. are satisfied for by his merits and obedience and that he is mercifull towards the wicked in bearing with them so long and affording vnto them so many meanes to bring them to repentance But if these meanes be contemned then the acceptable time and day of saluation being past there is no more place for mercy but onely for iustice in the manifestation whereof towards the wicked and reprobate God is no lesse glorified then in the declaring of his mercy and trueth towards the faithfull and Elect. Neither must we thinke it any disparagement to Gods mercy that it is not effectuall for the saluation of all
we may not slip nor slide or being fallen that we may speedily rise againe by vnfained repentance nor yet let vs thinke any paines too much that wee may shake off this waight of corruption and this sinne that doeth so easily beset vs that wee may runne with patience the race that is set before vs. To which end let vs first consider that if we will Heb. 12. 1. take this paines we shall in the ende be assured of victory the which may well put courage into vs and make vs hold out in this conflict for if the flesh is not wearied in this fight after many wounds and foyles though in the ende it be sure of a shamefull ouerthrowe much lesse let vs faint who are assured in the ende to obtaine a ioyfull victory Secondly 1 Cor. 15. 58. let vs meditate of the riches of the crown of the gloriousnesse of the triumph which we shall enioy after we haue suffred a litle while the paines of this spirituall warfare and when vve are vveary in running the Christian race let vs comfort and refresh our selues by hauing continually in Heb. 12. 2. our eye the goale and garland imitating and looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him despised all the toyle and trouble which hee found in the way And finally let vs being weake and faint in our selues pray continually vnto God for the assistance of his holy spirit to strengthen vs in this conflict and to renew and repaire our wearied fainting and decayed graces that so receiuing new life vigour and strength from him we may thereby be enabled to hold out vnto the ende let vs when wee are tyred craue this holy annoynting which will so supple and soften our stiffe ioints and weary limmes that we shall be able to continue in the Christian race till being come to the goale we shall obtaine the garland Neither let this discourage vs that the more sharpely we deale with the flesh the more it is inraged for it is but like the fury of an enemy who hath receiued a mortall wound vvhich if for the present it bee resisted the blaze of the choller quickly goeth out and fainting in his strength hee will fall at our feete it is but like the reluctation and resistance of a base minded slaue vvho by a fewe and small stripes is so inraged that he is ready to catch his maister by the throate but if he bee throughly hampred and soundly beaten hee vvill fall downe at his feete and beare what stripes he pleaseth to giue him without resistance And therefore let vs make this vse of the rage of the flesh to be moued thereby to vnite our forces and redouble our blowes and then though it make neuer so many gallant brauadoes it will quickly yeelde and we shall be sure of an happy victory THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE BETWEENE THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT INTRE Ating of the conflict it selfe and of the meanes whereby we may get the victory CHAP. I. That there is a combate in euery true Christian betweene the Flesh and the Spirit § Sect 1. Testimonies of scripture to proue that there is this conflict in euerie man that is regenerate NOw hauing shewed the nature of our enemie how daungerous he is and how wee may bee armed and prepared to withstand his assaults and obtaine the victory we are to intreate of the combate and conflict it selfe And first we will shew that there is in the faithfull such a combate and conflict indeede and trueth although worldly and carnall men who neuer found it in themselues are ready to thinke it to bee but a meere conceipt The which will appeare by plaine testimonies of Scripture for the Apostle telleth vs that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and that these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot doe the things we would Where by flesh and spirit as I haue proued we cannot vnderstand the body and soule but the part Gal. 5. 17. regenerate and vnregenerate the corruption of nature and the qualitie of holinesse in euery faculty and power of them both So in his owne example hee sheweth the practique and experience of this trueth in the seauenth chapter of the Romaines for he professeth that he could not doe the good hee Rom. 7. 19. 22. 23. would nor leaue vndone the euill hee would not that he was delighted in the lawe of God in the inner man but at the same time found another lawe in his members rebelling and making warre against the lawe of his minde and bringing him into captiuitie to the lawe of sinne which was in his members and plainly saith that when he was thus led captiue vnto sinne it was no more he that did it but the sinne that is the sinnefull corruption that dwelled in him § Sect 2. That the Apostle in the seuenth of the Romans speaketh of this conflict in himself as he was regenerate Now that the Apostle did not speake this of himselfe as he was vnregenerate as some would haue it nor as he was vnder the lawe as others would haue it in his state of humiliation and preparation to his conuersion and so consequently not of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit but betweene the conscience and the corrupt will it may easily appeare by the Scripture it selfe for the Apostle doeth not write in the preterperfect-tense what hee had Arminius in Rom. 7. beene in time past but in the present-tense as his state was when he wrote this Epistle And besides the things which he speaketh of himselfe doe plainely euince this which cannot be truely attributed to a man vnregenerate or vnder the lawe and onely in his preparation to his regeneration but are proper vnto them who are conuerted and in part sanctified For first hee alloweth not the euill hee doeth and consenteth vnto the lawe that it vvas good and therfore his conscience and iudgement vvere in part inlightened and rectified hee willeth the good he did not and the euill which he did that hee nilleth and therefore his vvill vvas in part regenerate he hateth the euill he doeth and delighteth in the lawe of God after the inner man and therefore his affections vvere in part sanctified hee did not the euill which was committed but sinne that dwelled in him and there is a sore conflict betweene the lawe of his minde and of his members which was nothing else but the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit and therefore in respect of his whole man he was in part regenerate Finally he desireth earnestly to bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption and professeth that with his minde hee serued the lawe of God though his flesh serued the lawe of sinne and therefore he was not the slaue of sinne and Sathan as all are who are vnregenerate and vnder the lawe but the
suffer the pricke in the flesh to molest the Apostle and the messenger of Sathan to buffet him notwithstanding he so earnestly prayed to be deliuered from 2 Cor. 12. 9. them that the al-sufficiency of his grace assisting him might appeare and his power might bee gloriously manifested in his vveakenesse and infirmitie Secondly God is more glorified when as vvee seeing the strength of our flesh and naturall corruptions and our frailtie and vveakenesse vvants and many infirmities of our spirituall part are moued hereby to attribute the vvhole glory and prayse of our saluation to the alone mercy of God both in respect of the beginning and persecting thereof and vtterly denying our selues and our owne righteousnesse doe wholly rest and rely vpon the perfect and al-sufficient righteousnesse and obedience of his sonne Iesus Christ where as if there were in vs perfection in holinesse vvee vvould hardly acknowledge the Lord to be all in all in the worke of our saluation but would bee ready to attribute something vnto our selues Thirdly the wisedome and power of God is more manifested and glorified when as he doth his great works by contrary meanes and causes which in their owne nature would rather hinder them And therefore hee will haue vs Ioh. 9. 41. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Apoc. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 12. 9. blinde that we may see foolish that we may become wise poore that he may inrich vs weake that we may be strong imperfect in our graces that wee may bee endued with more perfection and finally will haue vs passe by the gates of hell that we may come to a greater measure of heauenly happinesse It were not so much if the Lord should perfectly sanctifie vs and presently giue vs eternall glory but to giue this blessednesse to vs who haue so many wants and corruptions yea to make our imperfections to serue as meanes for the increasing of our happinesse this doeth exceedingly magnifie his power and wisedome Fourthly we are hereby made more thankefull vnto the Lord and more chearefull in singing to his praise when wee are supported and saued notwithstanding our imperfections then if hee should indue vs at the first with all perfection For the more sensible wee are of Gods benefits the better wee esteeme them and so consequently receiue them with greater thankfulnesse but the more wee haue found the want of them and how little we haue deserued them the more sensibly doe we apprehend their excellency when wee enioy them the more wee haue groaned and laboured vnder the burthen of our infirmities and corruptions the more weereioyce when wee a 〈…〉 ed from them and our restoring out of a state of in perfection vnto perfection is much more acceptable then if we 〈◊〉 alwayes beene preserued in it Euen as iâ— giues vs more contentment hauing beene poore to be made then to bee borne rich to enioy our libertie after thraldome theâ— if we had neuer beene embondaged and makes vs more thank full to our benefactors when as by them vve haue beene adopted then vvhen vve haue beene borne to a goodly inheritaÌ„ce And so in the like case we are more thankefull vnto God for freeing vs from our sinfull corruptions by litle and litle then if at the first he had made vs pure and perfect and for giuing vs victory ouer the flesh after a painefull and doubtfull conflict then if vvee had neuer beene assaulted but had alwayes enioyed a secure peace And this vve may see in the example of the Apostle who hauing through the violence of the flesh beene led captiue vnto sinne and thereby forced lamentably to cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of Rom. 7. 24. 25. this death doeth presently in the sense of Gods mercy which had deliuered him burst forth into thankful prayses I thanke God through Iesus Christ my Lord. Lastly hereby vve more glorifie God when we are assured by our growth in sanctification and in all sauing graces of the spirit by vvhich vve are inabled to resist the flesh and the lusts thereof that they are the free guifts of God and that hee beginneth continueth and increaseth them in vs vvhich if they vvere alwayes from the beginning perfect in vs vve would thinke them to be some naturall faculties and abilities and not giuen vs of God And these are the reasons vvhich doe chiefely respect the glory of God §. Sect. 3. That this conflict â—â— profitable for the faithfull to traine them vp in humility Secondly the Lord suffereth the flesh still to dwell in vs and daily to assault vs because it is profitable for our owne good and the furthering and assuring of our heauenly happinesse First because it is a notable meanes to traine vs vp in humilitie vvhich is a grace most acceptable vnto God and to subdue our pride and all vaine-glorious conceipt vvhich aboue all other vices is most odious and hatefull vvhen as vvee see and consider vvhat a miserable vastation and spoyle of all those graces and excellent endowments which we had by creation sinne hath made in vs how it hath poysoned corrupted and disabled all the powers and faculties of our soules and bodies how it hath made vs vnfit for any good thing and prone vnto all euill and that these staines and blots of sinfull corruption doe in a great part remaine in vs after our regeneration so assaulting vs with all malice and furie darkening our vnderstandings wounding our consciences peruerting our wils hardening our hearts and corrupting and disordering all our affections that were wee not continually assisted and vpheld by the spirituall grace of the Almightie God we should sinke and fall in the conflict and bee made an easie pray to our malitious enemies this may well subdue our loftie and proude conceipts and make vs pull downe with shame our peacockes plumes when as wee looke to the foule feete of our filthy corruptions see the ruines remaining of Gods goodly building and how all our naturall forces doe quite faile vs and forsake vs when as we most relye on them yea when as wee see euen after regeneration such reliques of corruption and rebellion remaining in vs that did not the Lord coÌ„tinually send vnto vs fresh aides of renewed graces we were not able to stand nor maintaine the fight against ouâ— carnall corruptions In consideration whereof wee are iustly moued to humble our selues and to giue all glory vnto God who worketh in vs the will and the deede and not onely beginneth but continueth and perfecteth the worke of our saluation and finally to acknowledge that what grace or spirituall strength we haue more then others we 1 Cor. â— 7. haue it from God and not from our selues and therefore that wee haue no cause to boast of it seeing it is receiued but must returne God the glory of his owne guifts And thus doth the Lord in his infinite power and wisdome turne euill into good and like the most skilfull Physition
it For as it is regenerate it is so inlightned and rectified by the spirit of grace that like a true witnesse it giueth an infallible testimony betweene God vs excusing vs when we doe wel that we may proceede in well doing and accusing vs when wee haue done euill that wee may forsake it and recouer our selues by vnfained repentance yea before the doing of either of them both it giueth testimony and approbation vnto that which is good that we may embrace and practise it and also discouereth that which is wicked and sinnefull that wee may shunne and auoide it Neither doeth it onely play the part of a witnesse but also of a iudge and according to this true euidence it either iustifieth vs or pronounceth the sentence of condemnation against vs. From the former where of arise peace comfort and spirituall ioy in the holy Ghost whereby we are encouraged to proceede in all holy duties and from the other either feare whereby wee are restrained from falling into sinne or sorrowe and repentance not to bee repented of causing saluation after 1 Cor. ◠1◠that we are fallen But contrariwise as the conscience is vnregenerate it remaineth blinded with ignorance and corrupted with malitiousnesse and therefore is continually ready to play the part of a false witnesse either dawbing and colouring ouer our sinne with deceiptfull colours that wee may ignorantly fall into it or excusing it being committed as though it were veniall or none at all that wee may continue in it without repentance or on the other side it is ready to accuse vs when wee doe well and in the seruice of God or the vse of our Christian libertie about things indifferent to raise in our minds superstitious feares and causelesse doubts that so we being affrighted may bee hindered from Christian duties or discouraged after wee haue done them And so answerably it playeth the false Iudge condemning where God and a good conscience iustifie iustifying where they condemne The which false sentence is the cause of carnall securitie when we continue in sinne and of causelesse terrours and needelesse feares when we are carefull to performe our duty The which if at any time it bee reuersed by a good conscience inlightened by Gods word and holy spirit and the vglinesse and haynousnesse of sinne be discouered and layed open then the carnall and corrupt part of conscience which before seemed feared and senselesse being pricked and awakened filleth the minde with loude cryes and grieuous accusations with terrible horrours and hideous feares and now as eagerly moueth to despaire as it did before to securitie and presumption telling vs that our sinnes are vnpardonable and that it is too late to turne from them by repentance But then againe the good conscience putteth it to silence and allayeth and quieteth the fury of it by witnessing vnto vs that our hearts are vpright with God notwithstanding that we haue been ouer taken and haue fallen through frailty and infirmity or at least by bathing it selfe from the filth of sinne in the precious blood of Iesus Christ which is sufficient to purge vs from the pollution euen of those sinnes which are wilfull and presumptuous with which washing of blood applyed by the hand of a liuely faith it causeth vs to ioyne that washing of water in the teares of vnfained repentance and amendment of life CHAP. VI. Of the maner of the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit in the will heart and affections § Sect. 1. Of the conflict betweene the carnall and renued will ANd thus haue wee shewed the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the minde and vnderstanding with those faculties which belong vnto it Come wee now to that fight which is betweene them in the will the which is much more sharpe and sensible for it likewise being partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate there is a continuall combate betweene these contrary factions whilest the regenerate part willeth and enforceth that which is good and nilleth and reiecteth that which is euill and contrariwise the part vnregenerate willeth and chooseth that which is euill and nilleth and refuseth that which is good As for example the spirituall part being guided by the vnderstanding inlightened with sauing knowledge chooseth embraceth God as the chife goodnesse his kingdome and righteousnesse as the chiefe happinesse and refuseth and contemneth the world and earthly vanities the seruice of Sathan and the momentany pleasures of sinne which in the ende bring death and destruction though they for the present be bitter to the flesh and much more imbittered by afflictions and these be sweete and delightfull to the carnall appetite But contrariwise that part of the will which remaineth vnregenerate being directed by that wisedome of the which is worldly sensuall and diuellish neglecteth and refuseth the present comforts of grace which it relisheth not and the future hopes of heauenly happinesse which it knoweth not as being out of sight and beyond the apprehension of sense vncertaine and not to bee compassed without great difficultie and contrariwise chooseth and embraceth this present world with the vaine honours vncertaine riches and sinnefull pleasures of it because they are subiect to the senses and may bee had in present possession In which conflict they mutually encounter one another and as they get their aduantages sometimes the one and sometimes the other preuaile and cause the aduerse part to giue ground And this conflict with the issue of it the Apostle felft in himselfe Rom. 7. 15. Rom. 7. 15. For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. And againe Cui rei ego suspicabam ligatus non ferro alieno sed meaferre a voluntate c. Aug. confes lib. 8. cap. 5. To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not for the good I would I doe not but the euill which I would not that I doe So Austine confesseth that whilest he desired his sound conuersion be found himselfe bound not with other mens chaines but by his owne yron and obdurate will The enemy saith he did hold my will and thereof made a strong chaine to binde mee for out of peruerse will sprung vnlawfull lust and whilest I obeyed lust it became a custome and whilest custome was not infringed it became necessitie with which linkes infolded one in another a chaine as I saide was made and held mee bound in a miserable seruitude And my will renewed which begunne to moue mee to worshippe and enioy thee freely my God and onely sure ioy was not yet fit to ouercome the other confirmed by age And so my two willes one olde the other new that carnall and this spirituall did fight betweene themselues renting my soule in sunder by this their discords And so I vnderstood in mine owne experience that which I had reade how that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit
and at the same time was willing to die that he might yeelde obedience to his fathers will and perfect the worke of our redemption and yet as one saith Vtrobique Christus neutrobique peccatum Christ in both but sinne in neither § Sect. 2. That this conflict is not in the vnregenerate Secondly this conflict is not at all in those who are vnregenerate and vnsanctified for in these one of the combatants which is the spirit is wanting they are wholy ruled by the flesh vnder their chiefe cōmander Sathan whose kingdom is not deuided in the carnall man but he quietly raigneth without any resistance and possesseth all in peace Neither is there in him any power of opposition for he is not onely sicke but starke dead in trespasses and sinnes and Eph. 2. 1. there is not any sparke of spirituall life and grace which is wholly from the spirit according to that of the Apostle to be carnally minded is death but to bee spiritually minded is 2. Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 2. life and peace Sathans throne is set vp in them and hee raigneth not onely like a King but also like a God in the children of vnbeliefe hauing not onely their bodies and outward man but euen their hearts soules their wils and affections at his commaund so as they are neither able nor willing to make any resistance but yeeld vnto him chearful obedience The flesh as Sathans Vice-roy also ruleth in them and they willingly obey it in the lustes thereof It raigneth in their mortall bodies as the Apostle speaketh yea in the most excellent parts of their soules the minde Rom. 6. 12. and vnderstanding for their wisedome is earthly carnall Iam. 3. 15. and diuellish standing in direct emnitie against God being in the flesh they doe only mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 7 and therefore the Apostle ioyneth both these together as Eph. 2. 3. being all one fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde And as they are wholly flesh so all their actions are fleshly Ioh. 3. 6. and carnall for as our Sauiour saith that which i◠borne of Rom. 7. 5. the flesh is flesh and as the Apostle telleth vs when wee were in the flesh the motions of sinnes which were by the lawe did Rom. 6 17. 19. worke in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death and being the seruants of sinne they yeelded their members as seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie vnto iniquitie And therefore in those who are meerely naturall and vnregenerate there can be no such conflict because they are onely flesh and no spirit neither can it rightly be saide as Augustine affirmeth August Contra Iulian pelagian l. 6. cap. 11. Tit. 7. Col. 1136. that the spirit of any man can lust against his flesh vnlesse the spirit of Christ doe dwell in him § Sect. 3. That the conflict that is in the regenerate that which is in the vnregenerate differ much and first in their grounds causes from which they arise Howbeit we are to knowe that there is euen in the carnall man another fight and skirmish which hauing some seeming shewe and similitude of the spirituall conflict is by worldly and ciuill men mistaken for it in which respect it wil not be amisse to distinguish them one from another First then they differ in their ground and cause from which they arise for whereas as hath beene shewed the spirituall conflict ariseth from the grace of regeneration and sanctification whereby the gifts and graces of Gods spirit being infused into all our powers and faculties doe make warre against our carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts the conflict which is in the vnregenerate ariseth from those reliques of Gods image defaced in vs opposing the image of Sathan and our sinnefull corruption For the minde retaineth some small sparkes of the light of nature and certaine common notions which receiue some litle strength and luster from the view and study in the booke of the creatures and yet a larger increase of illumination from the word of God which illighteneth the minde euen of a meere naturall man with speculatiue and litterall knowledge whereby hee is in some sortenabled to discerne betweene good and euill trueth and falsehood right and wrong With which light of the vnderstanding the conscience being directed it retaineth also a power to excuse vs when we doe well and to accuse condemne terrifie and torment vs when we doe euill So the Apostle saith that the Gentiles who had not the lawe did shewe the worke of the lawe Rom. 2 15. written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another The will likewise retaineth a kinde of freedome not onely about things materially euill but also such as are natural ciuill meerely morall though herein also it be very weake corrupt and defectiue And these reliques are common to all men and in some are much encreased and rise to a farre higher pitch and degree by the common guifts of the spirit and meere ciuill graces which in a farre greater measure are conferred vpon some men then vpon others But there being mingled in all these faculties a sea of corruption with some small droppes of those created reliques ioyned with a world of wickednesse in the inferiour and sensuall faculties of the soule and many of these carnal corruptions being in their speciall kindes contrary one to another although they generally agree in being all sinfull and euill from hence ariseth this warre and discord betweene them like vnto theeues and robbers who all agree together in robbing and spoyling of a true man but fall out among themselues when they come to deuide the prey Thus the vnderstanding by the light of nature or common grace discerning in particular actions what is good to be embraced and what is euil to be shunned informeth the conscience accordingly and leaueth it to it◠censure and determination either to approue vs for the doing of good forsaking of euil or to condemne vs for the doing of euill and neglecting of good Vpon which censure sometimes the will is excited and moued to embrace that which the conscience alloweth to refuse that which it condemneth sometime being transported by it owne sinnefull corruption and sometime ouerswayed with the violence of the inferiour will carnall appetite and vnruly passions it harkeneth vnto them and stoppeth the eares to reason and conscience For example the vnderstanding discerning that it is grounded on reason and equirie that we should serue God who created vs doeth continually preserue vs according to that of the Apostle For we are his Eph. 2. 10. workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them propoundeth this to the conscience that by the law of creation we are all bound to serue him the which
approueth vs when we set our selues to serue him accuseth vs when we neglect the duties of his seruice So the vnderstanding discerning Gods excellency goodnesse and perfection proposeth this to the conscience that God aboue all is to be honoured and loued the which light when it hath receiued from the vnderstanding it accuseth and condemneth vs when we loue or reuerence any thing more then him condemning vs as guilty of sinne and liable to fearefull punishments wherewith the heart being affrighted and terrified it is cast downe with griefe and sadnesse and oftentimes plunged into vtter despaire But when the vnderstanding and conscience through the light of nature helped and encreased by the Scriptures haue thus in some poore sort and small degree performed their dutie the will being peruerted with the baites of worldly vanities doeth rise vp in open rebellion against the vnderstanding and conscience and though it acknowledgeth the trueth of their propositions and conclusions yet it commeth in with a non obstante and resolueth notwithstanding they perswade to the contrary that it will doe what it list and goe on in it owne course though it bee conuinced to be the worst because howsoeuer it hazardeth the soule for the time to come to the losse of heauen and the torments of hell yet it bringeth the present fruition of earthly vanities And no sooner is reason and conscience ready to subdue the rebellion of the will and to perswade by other arguments vnto obedience but presently a tumultuous route of vnruly affections and raging passions come to rescue and strengthen the will in it rebellion by presenting vnto it the honours riches and pleasures of the world which it may gaine by following wicked courses and if the reason conscience oppose future daungers and would hinder the willes euill choyse by further perswasions they stoppe the mouth of reason with tumultuous rage and with loud showting and clamorous cryes drowne the voyce of the conscience that they are constrained to cease directing and accusing or to continue doing it in vaine and to no purpose An example whereof wee haue in Laban for though reason and conscience told him that hee ought to vse Iacob well and richly to reward his seruice because God blessed all he had for his sake yet his will being corrupted and his heart and affections being wholly caried away with worldly wealth he oppresseth and wrongeth him with one iniury after another So though reason and conscience told Pharaoh that he did wickedly in disobeying Gods cōmaundements and keeping backe his people from seruing of him which made him sometime when hee was on the racke of some present iudgement to confesse that he had sinned yet afterwards his heart was hardened his will rebelled and his affections being set vpon the profite of their seruice did stoppe his eares to all perswasions and to the accusations of his owne conscience Thus Saule in his vnderstanding Exod. 9. 27. 34. conceiued that Dauid was innocent and therefore his conscience accusing him that hee did wickedly in persuing him made him to iustifie him and to condeme his owne vniustice and faultinesse Thou art more righteous then I 1 Sam. 24. 17. for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I haue rewarded thee euill but by and by his will and affections being wholly set vpon worldly honour and transported with ambition he hearkeneth neither to reason nor conscience but persecuteth him againe with more then wonted rage Finally thus then Pilate aduised by reason and conscience iustified our Sauiour as innocent and faultlesse his will and affections chiefely desiring to continue his esteeme with Casar and to be applauded by the Priestes Pharisces and vulgar multitude he reuerseth the sentence of reason and conscience and vniustly condemneth the innocent to dye with malefactours §. Sect. 4. The second difference is in the mouing causes of these conflicts Secondly the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit differeth from that which is betweene the reason and will the conscience and affections in the mouing causes for the spirit is moued to assault the flesh by the true loue of God which causeth it to make warre against carnall lustes because they are odious vnto him as being enemies to his grace and contrary to his holy will and by a filiall feare of his Maiestie which maketh the man regenerate loath to yeelde vnto any motions of sin least he should hereby offend and displease him but the combate betweene the conscience and affections ariseth from selfe-loue and seruile feare which make the man vnregenerate to withstand the motions of sinne in the will and affections for feare of those punishments which will accompany his sinnes as horrour of conscience shame corporall paine eternall death and hellish condemnation like the slaue who dare not offend his maister not because disliketh the fault but because he feareth the whip or the thiefe who is restrained from robbing not in obedience to the lawe or because he hateth sinne or loueth iustice and trueth but because hee feareth to be hanged on the gallowes And so likewise they differ in their endes for the ende at which the regenerate man aymeth in fighting against the flesh is that hee may glorifie God in his victory ouer his sinnefull lustes and be more and more assured of his loue and his owne saluation but the ende at which the conscience of the man vnregenerate aymeth in opposing his corrupt will and earnall affections is that hee may the better compasse his worldly desires either in the obtaining of some earthly good or the anoyding and escaping of some imminent euill In which regard although the same effect be produced in them both and both the man vnregenerate regenerate doe or leaue vndone the same thing yet the like actions which make a like glorious shewe in outward appearance are farre vnlike in the iudgement of God because they arise from contrary causes and are directed to contrary ends and therefore the same actions done by the one are approued and accepted as lawfull and good and of the other reiected and condemned as euill and wicked § Sect. 5. A third difference betweene the conflict in the regenerate and the vnregenerate that this is betweene diuers faculties that in the same Thirdly there is a difference betweene these conflicts in respect of the combatants for in the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit there is a conflict betweene grace and corruption in the same faculties knowledge and ignorance spirituall wisedome and carnall wisedome in the same vnderstanding willing and nilling good and euill in the same will accusing and excusing for euill in the same conscience loue of God and loue of the world feare of God and feare of men trust in the creatour and trust in the creature in the same affections temperance and intemperance in the same appetite And here all the powers and faculties of the whole man as they remaine vnregenerate doe with vnited forces fight against
of his regeneration fighteth against the flesh the world and the diuel without any pressing by the conscience or inticement and enforcing by the terrours of the lawe denouncing punishment if hee goe not on this Warfare onely out of his loue and obedience towards God and his owns inclination carying him against these enemies as it were by a naturall antipathy and inward contrariety as the fire striueth against the water health against sickenesse or life against death § Sect. 7. The fourth difference is in their contrarie effectes The fourth difference betweene the combate of the spirit and the flesh in the regenerate and betweene the reason and will the conscience and affections in the vnregenerate is in their contrary effects for by the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit our faith is confirmed in the assurance of our regeneration seeing the spirit of God which is one of the combattants dwelleth in vs of Gods loue and fauour seeing hee hath chosen vs for his souldiars to fight his battailes and of our owne saluation seeing Gods spirit fighting in and for vs we are assured of victory for who can withstand his power or resist his will and of the crowne of victory euerlasting glory promised by trueth it selfe to all those who ouercome But contrariwise from the conflict of coÌ„science in the vnregenerate where in oftentimes the worser part preuaileth ariseth doubting and incredulity terrours feares and vtter despaire in the apprehension of Gods wrath and those dreadfull punishments which sinne hath deserued Secondly from the combate of the flesh and spirit vnsained repentance is begunne or renewed and encreased in those who are regenerate for there is a change in them principally in their wils hearts and affection whereby in all things they oppose the flesh hating that which it loueth and louing that which it hateth willing what it nilleth and nilling that which it willeth vpon which followeth the purifying of the heart and the purging of it from all sinfull corruptions the hating and forsaking of all sinne and a hearty desire and earnest endeauour to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnes of life and not onely a reformation in part but totall obedience in all our affections and actions in the renouncing of all sin and the embracing of al good duties in the whole course of our liues But there is no such change following the conflict betweene the conscience and affections reason and will onely there may bee some pange of sorrowe and shedding of teares caused not by the loue of God or hatred of sinne but by the apprehension and expectation of deserued punishments There may be also some confession and acknowledgement of sinne whilest they are vpon the racke of conscience and are terrified with the feare and apprehension or pinched with the present sense and smart of punishment and some promise or it may be purposes of leauing and forsaking their wicked courses as wee see in the example of Pharaob who whilest the hand of God was vpon himselfe and his people confessed his sinne and promised amendment And finally they may out of this serude feare leaue the most of their sinnes and outwardly reforme themselues and conforme their practise in many things to Mark 6. 20. such obedience and to the performance of so many good duties that they may thinke themselues and perswade others that they are notable conuerts as we may see in the example of Herod and yet for all this there is in them no sound repentance no change of nature no purging and remouing but onely a temporary restraining of their corruptions wrought in them not by grace and the spirit but by other corruptions of a different nature namely seruile feare and terrour of conscience As hereby it plainely appeareth in that when as they are taken from the racke and secured â—n their conceipt from the feeling of further punishment they returne againe to their wicked courses and become more obdurate and rebellious then they were before or if there is any shewe of some amendment yet it is not a through reformation or a purging of the heart from all the filth of sinne such as followeth the conflict of the spirit and the flesh but a reducing of the vnregenerate man from extreamitie to some medioctitie from being a Publican and notorious sinner to be a Pharisee Hypocrite or at the best a meere ciuill man conformable to the politique lawes in the state and no opposer to outward discipline and order in the Church And this also is the worke of naturall reason which perswadeth them to this information for worldly respects whereas the other is the worke of the spirit which in loue and obedience to God beginneth and continueth this amendment in them the fruite and benefite whereof redoundeth chiefely to the preseruation of humaine societie the good of common wealthes in the maintayning of externall discipline which could not stand against the rage and fury of tumultuous passions and affections were it not that their strength is abated their violence restrained by the conflict of conscience whereas the fruits of the combate betweene the spirit the flesh are much better namely the aduancement of Gods glory by our worshipping seruing him in spirit truth the strengthening increasing of our faith the inward purging and purifying of the heart and conscience from the hidden and secrete corruption of all sinne humiliation in this life and glorification in the life to come for all that thus fight shall surely ouercome and receiue for thâ—â— reward the crown of victory euerlasting blessednes Thirdly the warre betweene the spirit and the flesh causeth vnto vs the most secure peace euen peace with God when as be comming his souldiaâ—s we fight vnder his standard against his and out enemies peace betweene the faculties of our soules when as the inferiour faculties are in quiet subiection to the superiour the affections harkening vnto and obeying the conscrence the will yeelding voluntary obedience to reason as Gods viceroy and all to God as their supreame soueraigne It bringeth also with it vnspeakeable comfort spirituall reioycing and ioy in the holy Ghost because it assureth vs of Gods loue and gracious assistance of a full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory but the conflict of conscience in the vnregenerate causeth continuall garboyles hot dissension tyranny in the superiour faculties ruling onely by seruile feare and rebellion in the inferiour when as they haue power to breake the yoke of gouernment horrour and anguish of minde disconsolate sorrow and hellish dispaire when the affrighted conscience beareth sway or the mad and tumultuous ioy of frantique men when the wilde affections and disordred passions by gagging and silencing the conscience doe get the vpper hand the which oftentimes lasting no longer then a blaze of thornes doth leaue behinde it redoubled griefe and desperate despaire Finally the conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh maketh the
man regenerate with more care and diligence to obserue his owne heart and more conscionably to watch ouer all his wayes that hee giue no aduantage to his sinfull flesh It causeth him studiously to affect and earnestly to endeauour in the vse of all good meanes whereby the spirituall part may be more and more strengthened and the flesh with all carnall lustes may be mortified and subdued that so it may not rebell and gather strength to preuaile against it as wee see in the example of the Apostle But the conflict of conscience 1 Cor. 9. 27 is commonly ioyned with secure retchlesnesse whereby the vnregenerate man doeth car lesly neglct the causes and occasions of this bitter conflict vntill he be ouertaken with them and onely auoideth the punishment and not the sinne which causeth it oâ— the sinne onely when hee is sensible of the punishment it worketh in him no care to mortifie his sinnes vnlesse it bee onely in outward fact and that alone for seruile feare of paine and smart and not in loue and obedience vnto God yea still he loueth them as his dearest darlings and when he dare not giue them place and entertainment in his workes and actions as it were in his outward roomes he secretly lodgeth them in his heart as in his secrete closet or priuate chamber It doeth not make him vse any meanes to subdue his flesh and mortifie his corruptions yea rather it bringeth him into a sluggish despaire which maketh him to cry out that there is a Lyon in the streete to starue his soule because hee will not take paines to plucke his hand out of his bosome and put it to his mouth to stop his eares against all good counsel and to harden his heart against all instruction 〈…〉 exhortation whereby he is taught the way wh 〈…〉 may come out of his misery or is incited and stirred vp to walke in it complaining that all these meanes are vnto him vselesse and bootelesse seeing he is already irrecouerably plunged into a desperate condition Or else if he vse at all the meanes of his recouery it is onely inhypocrisie not with a desire to profite by them but onely to stop the cry of conscience vpon this perswasion that God will bee contented with this formall seruice notwithstanding that he still goeth on in his wicked courses § Sect. 8. The first difference is in the subiect matter or occasion The fift difference is the subiect matter or occasion about which these conflicts are made by these diuers enemies For the Flesh and the Spirit doe in all things oppose against one another the spirit the flesh in all that is euill the flesh the spirit in all that is good For there is no good action which the spirituall man performeth but the flesh interposing hindreth and interrupteth him as in prayer hearing the word receiuing the sacrament sanctification of the Sabbath the workes of iustice and mercie temperance and sobrietie sometime wholly withdrawing him from them and sometime distracting and disabling him in them which maketh him to complaine with the Apostle To will is present with me but I finde not how to performe that which is good For I finde a law that when I would doe good euill is present Rom. 7. 18 21. with me the which is to be vnderstood not only of particular actions but also of our whole life and conuersatition And contrariwise there is no euill knowne to the spirit and done by the flesh wherein the spirit doth not crosse and oppose it no not those sinnes which by carnall men are thought sleight and veniall either hindering and restraining the regenerate man that hee may not fall into it or mouing him being fallen to rise againe by vnfained repentance But the conflict of conscience extendeth not to the whole course of life but onely to some particular actions and yeelding vnto the will and affections in lesser common and ordinarie sinnes it onely con 〈…〉 h with them about the committing of such sinnes as 〈…〉 â—nd outragious and especially those which are against the second Table not so much regarding or restraining them in those which are committed against the first § Sect. 9 The last differeÌ„ce is in respect of time The last difference betweene these diuers conflicts is in respect of time for the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit beginneth at the time of our regeneration conuersion and not before and being begunne it is constant and continuall to the very end of our liues though it may haue some intermissions in respect of our sense and feeling as when the spirit through the thicke vapour of corruption raised by the flesh is cast into a slumber or by some mighty blowe wounding the conscience astonishing the senses and hardening the heart is as it were cast into a sowne and hath no signes of spirituall life remaining in it out of which it alwayes recouereth being excited and reenlyued by Gods quickening spirit But the combate of conscience doth begin oftentimes long before conuersion euen as soone as we haue the vse of reason and vnderstanding receiuing common notions from the light of nature but it is neither constant and continuall but onely by panges and fits vpon the occasion of some grieuous sinne already acted or about to be committed nor yet alwayes permanent and lasting to the end of life seeing oftentimes by customable sinning the conscience becommeth so deadded and seared that it taketh no notice of sin nor opposeth against the will and affections but as it were casteth the reines in their necke neuer at all checking or curbing them in but suffering them to runne on in an headlong course vnto the committing of all manner of wickednesse CHAP. IX That the Conflict of Conscience is not in all that are vnregenerate nor in them onely § Sect. 1 That no comfort arisetth out of the conflict of conscience AND thus we haue shewed the many differences betweene the combate of the flesh and spirit and of the conscience and affections Whereby it is plaine that as the former giueth vnto vs comfortable assurance of our regeneration adoption and saluation so there can no such hope arise from the other For as we see it may be and most commonly is in the wicked and reprobate it hath no reference to God nor springeth from faith loue filiall feare and obedience but from carnall selfe-loue and seruile feare of iudgement and punishment not from any dislike of sinne the which the wicked in the hottest of this conflict doe loue with all their heart but onely because they desire to auoide the punishment like vnto children whose teeth water when they seâ— lâ—â—â—rous meates but yet dare not touch them for feare of the rod. An example whereof we haue in Balaam who with all is heart would haue sinned in cursing Gods people that hee might haue gained the reward of vnrighteousnesse but yet durst not doe it for Balaacs kingdome because he was affraid to
be ouerwhelmed by Gods is fearefull vengeance And though these combatants fight one with another yeâ— are both corrupt and sinfull and both souldiours in Sathans campe ioining together in the coÌ„mon cause howsoeuer dissenting in some particular quarels fighting one against another like contrarie vices prodigalitie against couetousnes presumption against despaire rash foole-hardinesse against basse cowardize or like Pirats in the same ship who fall together by the â—aâ—es about some particular wicked designes though they all agree to rob the Merchant § Sect 2. That the conflict of conscience may be in the regenerate But howsoeuer this conflict of conscience bee in the wicked and reprobate yet wee are to know that it is not in them onely nor yet in all For this combate may also be in the faithful and regenerate yet not in the part regenerate for the sanctified will and affections doe not oppose the sanctified conscience and reason but there is a goodly harmonie betweene them the wil and affections beeing guided and ruled by the vnderstanding and it by God our supreame soueraigne and conscience approuing of this holy gouernment and subiection But in the vntegenerate part euen the faithfull themselues doe feele this conflict in them betweene conscience accusing for feare of iudgement and punishment and carnall concupiscence drawing them to sinne The which is more weake on that side of passion because their corruption is much abated and subdued but stronger on the side of conscience because it is excited with a greater illumination discouering more manifestly the odiousnesse of sinne and fearefulnesse of those punishments which it deserueth Howsoeuer in another respect the violence of it is abated namely as it terrifieth with seruile feare and denounceth against the offender hell and condemnation from which those who are in Iesus Christ are freed and deliuered But let vs know Rom. 8. 1. that though this fight be in the faithfull yet it bringeth not like that of the spirit and the flesh any comfort or assurance of Gods loue sanctification adoption or saluation because it is not proper to the godly but is also common to the wicked and vnregenerate § Sect. 3. This conflict of conscience is not in those who are extreamely ignorant Secondly this conflict is not in all the vnregenerate For first it is not in them who are either extreamely ignorant or outragiously wicked The former are of two sorts 1. such â—â— are not capable of knowledge as yong children idyots and madmen who though they haue the faculty of reason habitually or potentially in respect of the vse yet not in the act or exercise of it and therefore their conscience receiuing no illumination from their vnderstanding putteth no difference betweene good and euill neither accuseth them for any sinne nor at all resisteth their will and affections § Sect. 3 This conflict of conscience is not in those who are extreamely ignorant For though they haue conscience in them in respect of the facultie yet like those that are in a dead sleepe they haue it not in act and operation Secondly such as beeing capable of knowledge haue through their negligence or wilfulnesse suffered those sparkes of the light of nature to go out for want of blowing vpon them by vse and exercise or nourishing them with fit meanes as it were necessarie fuel which is the case of many Ethnicks and Barbarians yea of some who would be called by the names of Christians who through affected ignorance are so farre from the illumination of grace that they haue quite obscured and extinguished the light of nature Those also who are outragiously wicked haue seldome in them the conflict of conscience because the Lord punisheth their other sinnes by giuing them ouer to their owne vile affections and a reprobate minde whereof it commeth to passe that their vnderstanding being darkened and euen quite blinded the common notions the light of nature being cleane put out and extinguished their consciences also are seared and senselesse so as they neuer checke and controule them for any sinnes and such a callum and thicke skin ouergroweth their hearts and so hardeneth them through their often committing of knowne wickednesse that without any feeling or remorse they commit any manner of sinne with delight and greedinesse An example whereof we haue in those idolatrous heathens of whom the Apostle speaketh who not worshipping God according to that light which they had by nature and by looking into the booke of the creatures they became vaine in their foolish imaginations and Rom. 1. ver 21. to ver 31. had their mindes so darkened as that they gaue the glory of God to the basest of the creatures where vpon God gaue them vp to vncleannesse to their owne vile affections and to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not connenient So else where he saith of them that they walked in the vanitie of Eph. 4. 17. 18. 19. their mindes hauing their vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart and being past feeling had giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse And writing to Timothy he 1 Tim. 4. 2. speaketh of some in these later times who should haue their consciences seared with an hote iron Whereby they become so senselesse that they take no notice of any sinne nor accuse for the committing of any wickednesse For as the greatest blowes which light vpon an anuile doe not at all moue it but it causeth the waightiest hammer to rebound backe againe and as the deepest gashes and most griefly wounds giuen to a member which is mortified or to a part gangrened are not at all felt and therefore the partie vpon whom they are inflicted neuer complaineth nor shrinketh for them So when the gangrene of sinne hath ouerrunne the intellectuall faculties blinding the vnderstanding and deadding the conscience though there be deepe gashes made in them they feele them not and therefore be wray neither feare nor griefe by accusing and complaining of the causes of their euils § Sect. 4. The conflict of conscience is seldome in simple people And among all these the conscience and affections the reason and will are at a secure sencelesse and sinfull peace There are diuers other sorts of men in whom their peace is not so continuall and permanent but yet there is often a truce betweene them which is sometimes of shorter and sometimes of longer contniuance according as the occasions be of their agreeing or discording with one another The first are ignorant simple people whose consciences through defect in knowledge and want of vnderstanding wanting illumination and direction doe seldome checke them for any thing they doe vnlesse it bee so grossely wicked that euen the light of nature doeth discouer and condemne it And here the reason and will the conscience and and affections continue friends and
maintaine peace because they are not able to discerne those iust causes which are offered of discording from one another like enemies who lye quietly in their tents in the darke night when the aduerse party doeth goe a spoyling and forraiging because they haue no light to discouer their attempts Opposite vnto these are those carnall men who hauing a great measure of speculatiue knowledge art and learning are able by their paralogismes and subtill sophistry their nice distinctions and cunning shifts to make blacke seeme white darkenesse light falsehood trueth and good euill whereby they blinde the eye of reason stoppe the mouth of conscience and so corrupt and dazle the iudgement that they can doe what euill they list and satisfie in all things their carnall lusts and affections vncontrouled and condemned Of these it is truely saide that they haue much science and litle conscience like these Lamie who were sharpesighted when they went abreade but starke blinde when they entred into their houses oâ— the Pharisees who sitting in Moses chaire were able to teach others Mat. 7. 5. their duties and to rebuke and controule them for their smallest sinne but were not able to see their owne carnall worldlinesse hellish pride and damnable hypocrisie and as our Sauiour chargeth them could discerne a mote in their neighbours eye though there were a beame in their owne In these there is no conflict of conscience because like crafty and skilfull Lawyers they can with false colours and collusions blinde the eyes of the Iudge making their euill cause seeme iust and good or like cunning theeues they doe so subtilly and secretly atchieue their wicked designes that when they come to be arraigned they shift off and elude the most pertinent accusations § Sect 5. That the conflict of conscience is not in proud iusticiaries and ciuill worldlings Vnto these we may adioyne proude iusticiaries who taking away from the lawe of God the life and rigour of spirituall sense doe expound it after a grosse and litterall manner that so they may satisfie it with their grosse obedience because their obedieÌ„ce caÌ„not reach to the spirituall meaning therfore they frame a meaning sutable to their carnal obedience And so iustifying them selues as though they had done all which the law requireth their consciences sleepe securely in all their sinfull courses neuer accuse them for any sinne of which wee haue an example in the Luk. 16. 15. Mat. 19. 20. Pharisees who iustified themselues when our Sauiour most condemned them in the young iusticiary who boasted that he had done all which was required when as hee had done nothing and in the vaine-glorious Papists who farre outstrip them both affirming that they can fulfill the Lawe and doe more then it requireth for which indeede they haue speciall helpes seeing they giue what sense they list to euery Commaundement and if they can make no sense seeme sensible and probable to their too dimsighted followers then for more surety they will quite cancell and blot it out as they deale with the second Commandement condemning their imagery and idolatry and hauing made none of one they make of one two by deuiding of the tenth and so filling vp the number that their theft and falsehood may not be discouered Like vnto these are our ciuill worldlings and ignorant Protestants who placing all Religion in out ward abstaining from haynous faults as periury whoredome drunkennesse and such like and in performing formall seruice to God according to the Princes lawes and mortall duties of honesty and iustice to one another doe thinke that God is throughly satisfied when they haue attained to this periode of perfection which themselues haue pitched And therefore their consciences are quiet and suffer them to enioy a secure peace though they liue in ignorance and vnbeliefe in the neglect of spirituall seruice swearers Sabaoth breakers and in all things followe those courses which ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse and selfe-loue will prescribe vnto them § Sect. 6. That the conflict of conscience is seldome in those who are transported with violent passions Finally we may adde vnto these such others who are violent and furious in their affections who whilest the fit and feauer of their passion lasteth can commit any wicked outrage and neuer feele any conflict of conscience Not because reason is quite blinde and conscience dumbe but because seeing and speaking they are not hard and discerned no more then the speech of a wise Citizen and Senatour in a tumultuous vproare of common people Not because they vtterly refuse to doe their office and make resistance but because they are so caried away and hurried with the violence of the throng that they are not able to keepe their standing or hinder their proceedings Or if wee will wee may here compare reason and conscience in them to that they are in drunkards which are so hindred and disabled with intoxicating fumeâ— that they are not able to doe their functions till by naturall heate they be spent and scantered But in these commonly when the heate and violence of passion is somewhat spent and abated reason and conscience especially doeth recouer strength and like a Prince foyled and put to flight by his rebellions subiects recouering by force his state and dignitie of a King becomes a tyrant and so much the more seuerely keepeth them vnder by how much be hath tasted more sensibly of the mischiefes accompanying their rage disloyaltie For thus experience teacheth vs that when conscience hath beene foyled and wounded with rage and passion their power being spent by their owne fury it doeth affresh set vpon them and beating them out of their holds doeth put into their place affrighting terrours and astonishing feares and so terrifieth the heart with his vehement accusations that oftentimes it sinketh into the gulfe of despaire the which we see manifest in the example of Caine Saâ—â—â— Iudas and many others And these are the men in whom either a peace or truce is maintained betweene the conscience and affections there being whilest it lasteth no conflict betweene them Now if we would knowe in whom principally this combate is fought it is in such vnregenerate men as haue still remaining in them some common notions of the light of nature encreased by their study in the volume of the creatures and in the booke of holy Scripture and their obseruation of the due execution of Gods fearefull iudgement In such whose conscience remaineth liuely and sensibly soft and vigorous because it is not yet cautherized and seared with the often and wilfull committing of haynous sinnes Finally in such whose affections are somewhat gentile and moderate and whose hearts are not so hardened not wholly taken vp with wicked infidelitie but that they giue some credite to Gods fearefull threatnings CHAP. X. Whether the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit bee in all the regenerate and whether if it be it be in the same manner and measure § Sect. 1
it cleare and sweet streames but the common gifts of the restraining spirit doe worke and shew themselues onely by fits like flashes of lightning which suddenly appeare as suddenly vanish leauing nothing behind them but grosse and palpable darknesse or like standing waters and winter brookes which swell and ouer flow vpon the fall of raine and descent of land waters but soone after fall and are dried vp in the time of drought So the sauing graces of the sanctifying spirit are lasting and permanent euer continuing with increase euen to the very end of our liues but all gifts meerely naturall indure but for a time and like the body 1 Ioh. 2. 27. after they are growne to their full strength ripenes they decrease till by a daily consumption they come to nothing as we see in naturall knowledge and wisedome which decayeth with age vntill at last it commeth to dotage and childish ignorance § Sect 5. Of the particular effects of the spirit the 1 whereof is spirituall illightening Iohn 14. 26. But let vs descend to some particular effects which the spirit worketh for these arguing their cause will plainely shewe the residence and abiding of this holy guest in vs. And first the spirit of God is the spirit of illumination inlightning our blinde eyes reuealing vnto vs the things of God and leading vs into all trueth according to that of our Sauiour But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom 1 Ioh. 2. 20. 27. the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things And that of the Apostle But ye haue an vnction from the holy one and yee knowe all things And againe But the annoynting which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and ye neede not Eph. 1. 17. that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things And hence it is that this holy spirit is called the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of God Yea but the wicked also may haue some illightening Heb. 6. 4. of the spirit as the Apostle sheweth and which is more they may haue a tast of the heauenly guift be partakers of the holy Ghost that is of the gifts and graces of the sanctifying spirit and haue also a tast of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come yea and hereby they may attaine vnto a farre greater measure of knowledge then those who are truely regenerate and how then can this be a difference whereby we may discerne the one from the other To which I answere that though there bee no difference betweene the knowledge of the regenerate and vnregenerate in the quantity in which respect the knowledge of the wicked yea of the diuell himselfe doeth oftentime exceed the knowledge of the godly and faithfull yet there are many other differences betweene them for first the knowedge of the regenerate is much better grounded euen vpon that infallible foundation of the holy Scriptures the which they carefully and conscionably heare reade study and meditate in them that they may bee more and more edified and inlightned grounded and built vpon this sacred authoritie as vpon the firme and vnmoueable corner stone whereas the knowledge of the vnregenerate is chiefly founded vpon humaine authorities the doctrines and traditions of men which as they are sometimes true so sometimes false and erroneous and neuer in themselues certaine and infallible So also their knowledge is confirmed by the experience which they haue of the things they knowe in themselues by a liuely and powerfull sense and feeling of the operation of it in their owne hearts and consciences purging and purifying them from all sinfull corruptions and renewing them to all obedience and inuiting and prouoking them to them to the performance of all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse which moueth the Lord to reueale vnto them his great secrets and the mysteries of his kingdome according to that The secrete of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his couenant and againe his secretes Psal 25. 14. Pro. 3. 32. are with the righteous Whereby they not onely knowe the things themselues barely vttered but also Gods secret will and purpose in them But the knowledge of the wicked is onely in theory and speculation whereby they are enabled onely to talke and discourse of the things they conceiue and haue no sense feeling or experience of that powerfull working of it for their inward sanctification or outward reformation but still lye frozen in the dregs of their sins and neuer cōscionably practise any duties though they can learnedly and cloquently discourse of them In which respect it is saide that the seede of the word taketh no roote in them Mat. 13. 6 7. because their knowledge is not setled and grounded vpon these onely true foundations which neuer faile Secondly the knowledge of the regenerate is more cleare distinct and particular and therefore sufficient to direct and guide them not onely after some generall manner but also in all particular duties and actions but the knowledge of the vnregenerate is more generall confused and darke onely inabling them to set downe generall rules of duties or if particular yet rather to others then to themselues who are so blinded with their passions and carnall lustes that their knowledge giueth them no sufficient direction for their owne cariage in particular duties Thirdly the knowledge of the regenerate still applieth the things knowne to particular vse bringing the word of God home to their owne hearts and consciences as the threatnings of the law for their humiliation to driue them to Christ to restraine them from sin when they are ready to fal and to raise them being fallen by vnfained repentance So Iob kept his eyes vnder couenant that they should not glaunce wantonly vpon women Iob. 31. 1. 3. because hee knewe that destruction was to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie And hereby Ioseph was restrained from harkening to his mistresses wicked suite How can I doe this great wickednesse and Gen. 39. 9. sinne against God And so likewise hereby they are inticed and spurred forward vnto all good duties when as they feele themselues dull and slow For so the Apostle hauing spoken of Gods feareful iudgement he applieth this knowledge 2 Cor. 5 11. to particular vse knowing therefore saith he the terrour of the Lord we perswade men as though hee should say I dare not knowing this terrible iudgement but perswade you to obedience and dehort you from sinne least neglecting my duty I also bee lyable vnto it And thus also knowing the promises of the Gospell they apply them for their owne consolation according to that of the Apostle Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for Rom. 15. 4. our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope But the wicked by their knowledge
similitude betweene them yet there are many great and essentiall differences whereby wee may know the one from the other For the regenerate man mortifieth and forsaketh his sinnes out of loue and obedience to God but the vnregenerate out of selfe-loue for the obtaining some temporall good or the auoiding of some euill Hee renounceth all sinne and laboureth most in the mortification of those corruptions vnto which hee is naturally most inclined as wee may see in the example of Dauid who shewed his vprightnesse before God by keeping himselfe from all his iniquities by hating euery false way and esteeming all Gods precepts So that his repentance and mortification is without restraint Ioh. 6. 63. or limitation and extendeth to the subduing and rooting Tit. 3. 5. out of all sinne without exception But the other in his fained repentance renounceth onley some sinnes which Eph. 2. 1. he can best spare as being least pleasant or profitable but as for those which are most aduantageable and delightfull he keepeth them like sugar vnder his tongue and will rather part with any thing euen the first borne of his body Iob. 20. 12 Mic. 6. 6. as the Prophet speaketh yea loose his owne soule then leaue and forsake it As we see in Herode and many others The man regenerate is constant in his repentance and casteth away his sinnes with detestation like filthy rags with a purpose neuer againe to returne vnto them but the hypocrite Esa 58. 5 Heb. 12. 1. onely leaueth them for a time and then returneth vnto them againe he layeth them aside like his apparell with a purpose to resume them when hee hath fit opportunitie and there is not a through diuorce betweene him and them but onely a temporarie separation as it were by mutuall consent Hee leaueth his sinnes willingly and chearefully and because they so beset him and clinge about his necke that he cannot in such hast flie from them as he desireth therefore he is content that the Lord should pull him out of this sinfull Sodome with some violence burne away his drosse with the fire of tribulation and cut the throate of those which he hath esteemed his darling sins with the sword or razor of afflictions but the other vnwillingly forsaketh his darling sinnes and when he is dragged from them by the feare of Gods approaching iudgements he doth with Lots wise looke backe vpon them as being loath to part with them vnlesse he were constrained by meere necessitie From whence another maine difference plainely ariseth betweene them For the sound Christian by his repentance hath his minde and affections changed and whereas in the dayes of his ignorance he allowed and approued loued and liked his sinnes now hee condemneth loatheth and disliketh them so that hee is freed not onely from the outward act of sinne but also from the inward loue yea more from the corrupt affection then from the sinfull action as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul who did the euill which hee hated and Rom. 7. 15. 23. was delighted in the law of God in the inner man when by the Law of his members he was led captiue of sinne But the vnregenerate doe onely leaue their sinnes in respect of the outward act when as in the meane while their hearts and affections doe cleaue vnto it As we see in the example of Balaam Num. 23. 20. 26 who rendereth this as the reason why hee would not curse the people of Israel not because hee loued them as being the Church of God and his peculiar and chosen people but because the Lord would not giue him leaue wherby he implyeth that hee would very gladly haue done it that by gratifying Balaacke hee might haue receiued the wages of iniquitie but was restrained by the terrours of the Almightie so as he durst not for his life presume to doe it In which respect it may be truely said that Pauls sinning through infirmitie and in some sort vnwillingly was lesse sinfull then Balaams not committing of that act of sinne in cursing the people yea then his blessing of them seeing all hee did was through feare and constraint which made him to blesse them whom hee cursed in his heart as appeareth by that his cursed counsaile which he gaue vnto Balaacke namely that he should by alluring the people to Num. 24. 14. 24. 1. 2. commit first carnall and then spirituall fornication vtterly disarme them of Gods protection and leaue them naked to their enemies And the Lord doth not so much regard the hand as the heart nor the outward action as the minde and inward affection § Sect 6. That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickning of vs in the inner man Secondly as the spirit mortifieth and crucifieth the olde man with the lusts thereof so it quickeneth vs in the inner man and reneweth in vs all sanctifying and sauing graces as it maketh vs to flye all euill so to imbrace that which is good as it causeth vs to forsake our old sinful workes and corrupt conuersation so it inableth vs by our new obedience to serue the liuing God Thus our Sauiour ascribeth to the spirit this spirituall life and quickening It is saith he the spirit that quickeneth And the Apostle telleth vs that Iohn 6. 63. God according to his mercie hath saud vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost If therefore the Tit. 3. 5. Spirit of God dwelleth in vs then are we who were dead in trespasses and sinne quickened with sauing grace and raised Eph. 2. 1. and inabled vnto new obedience our vnderstanding which were darkened with ignorance are inlightened with the knowledge of Gods truth the worke of redemption and mysteries of godlinesse Our iudgements are informed so as we can discerne betweene truth and falsehood good and euill Our mindes which onely minded earthly vanities are now set not on things beneath but vpon those Col. 3. 2. Heb 9. 14. that are aboue our consciences which were loaded with dead workes doe now serue the liuing God performing that dutie for which they were created in excusing vs when we doe well and accusing vs when we doe euill Our wils which were stubborne and rebellious are now obedient plyable and subiect to the will of God Our hearts of stone are Psal 51. 17. made hearts of flesh and becomming broken and contrite are fit sacrifices which God accepteth Our corrupt affections are now sanctified and brought in order our loue of the world is changed into the loue of God spirituall and heauenly things our confidence in the creature into affiance and trust in God Our feare of men into a godly feare which restraineth vs from sinne and inciteth vs to all good duties Our carnall ioy into spirituall reioycing our corrupt anger into godly zeale which setteth it self against all the impediments of Gods glory especially our owne sinnes And finally being freed from the
as we say the burnt childe will euer after dread the fire Hee that hath beene bitten with suert ship and hath had his goods attached and his person arrested and laide vp in prison will if hee haue any wit afterwards take heede how hee striketh the hand and becommeth suretie for a stranger He that hath beene notably cousened to his great losse and hindrance wil keepe a vigilant eye vpon the cousener from the time to come that he be not againe deceiued especially by the same wiles and hee that hath gotten fore falles by going in slippery places will afterwards looke better to his footing when hee is to come backe in the same way And therefore let grace teach vs the same vigilancy and wise prouidence in spirituall things and cause vs to double our care in withstanding those sinnes wherewith we haue beene most often surprized and bend our whole strength and endeauour for the subduing and mortifying those carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which are most strong and raging in vs. § Sect. 9 The 7 rule is that we set no stint to our mortification The last rule is that we set vnto our selues no stint in mortifying and subduing our fleshly lusts but that wee labour from one degree to attaine vnto another vntill we attaine vnto perfection Wee must not deale with these spirituall enemies as Ioash with the Aramites contenting our selues with two or three victories ouer them for then they will againe gather head and renewing their forces afresh assault vs but we must continually make warre against them vntill wee haue giuen them a finall ouerthrow Wee must not deale with them as the Israelites with the cursed nations suffring them quietly to dwell with vs on condition that they will contribute something to our pleasure or profit but wee must make warre against them according to Gods Commaundement and neuer make any peace or truce vntill we haue vtterly rooted them out or at the best let vs deale with them as Ioshuah with the Gibeonits if they must needes dwell with vs let vs hold them vnder as our slaues and make them to become droyles and drudges ready to yeelde obedience to euery spirituall motion Let vs not deale with our carnall lustes as Ahab and Saul with Benhadad and Agag get the victory ouer them and suffer them to liue least in Gods iust iudgment our life be exchanged for theirs and they kill vs because we killed not them Neither let vs with Saul destroy the lowest of the people and the vilest of these carnall cattell reseruing aliue the chiefe of our corruptions and the fattest of our fleshly lustes whereby wee haue most gaine and aduantage most pleasure and delight Let vs not be like vnto Herod who refrained from many sinnes but would not leaue his incestuous darling or like vnto Iudas and Demas who hauing outwardly reformed themselues of many sinnes did still nourish their couetousnesse and loue of the world For if when wee cast out Sathan and the flesh wee suffer any of their spawne or sinfull corruptions to remaine in vs they will be pledges and pawnes vnto vs of their returning and when they come backe and bring many other wicked spirits Mat 12. 44. 45. and sinfull corruptions with them these retained and nourished sinnefull lustes will like secret traitours open the doore of our hearts and let them in and then taking more strong possession of vs our latter end wil be worse then our beginning § Sect 10. Our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times But our mortification must be without stint or restraint extending it selfe in respect of the obiect vnto all our lustes and not vnto some onely in respect of the time also it must be continuall euen to the very ende of our liues because as with Sampson our enemies will liue with vs euen vnto our death and then with it we shall destroy more of them then we haue done in the whole course of our liues yea in trueth then and not before wee shall destroy them all so as for euer after they shall neuer bee able to assault vs or disturbe our peace and therefore in the meane time wee must neuer thinke that wee haue long enough fought against our fleshly lustes and that now wee may make a truce and take our ease but wee must continue fighting till we haue by death gotten a full and finall victory and then ouercomming and continuing faithfull vnto death wee shall receiue the crowne of life Finally in respect of the degree wee must not content our selues to haue ouercome and Apoc. 2. 10. mortified all our sinfull lustes in some small measure but we must labour and striue after perfection driuing our enemies not onely out of the hart of our Citie but out of our suburbs also and the vtmost borders and confines of our countrey Wee must not suffer it to haue any footing either in the secrete corners of our hearts by entertaining fleshly lustes or in our tongues by vttring vaine prophane and filthy speaches or in our handes by acting wicked vniust and dishonest workes but as the Apostle exhorteth vs we must cleanse our selues from all filthines of the 2 Cor. 7. 1 flesh spirit and perfectour holines in the feare of God if we would approue our selues to be Gods children we must Mat. 5. 48. striue after perfection as our heauenly father is perfect because we cannot effect this great worke of our selues wee must desire with the Apostle that the God of peace wil sanctifie vs throughout and that our whole spirit and soule and body 1 Thes 5. 23. may be preserued blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Yea we are to desire our Sauiour himselfe who hath giuen himselfe for vs That he will sanctifie and cleanse vs with the washing of water by the word that hee may present vs vnto himselfe a glorious people not hauing spot or wrinkle or any Eph. 5. 25. such thing but that wee may bee holy and without blemish In the meane time we must with Gods worke ioyne our own earnest desires and hartie endeauours to abound more and more and to increase in the measure of our mortification getting daily new victories ouer all our sinfull lusts For he that thinketh in this kind that he hath done enough hath as yet one nothing at all as he ought to doe hee that is come to his stint and meaneth there to take vp his standing is ready to turne backe and to relapse into all his former wickednesse and hee that continueth not still fighting is neare vnto foyling and being ouercome to bee made a slaue to his sinfull lusts True grace is growing grace and that which groweth not is false and counterfait and they who euer made any progresse in the wayes of godlinesse with vpright hearts and good consciences they will neuer cease trauelling till they come to their iourneyes end neither is it
direction It much cheareth and delighteth this heauenly counsellour when as wee hearken to his counsels and be aduised by him in all our courses whereas there can be no comfort to any Prince in his gouernment when as his subiects vpon euery occasion stand out in open rebellion and continually resist him in all his lawfull Commaundements and who would not refuse it as an irksome office to be still aduising a man of such a refractory spirit as will either neuer followe his counsaile or make it vnseasonable and vnprofitable by vnnecessary delayes If therefore we would comfort and cherish the spirit let vs willingly entertaine the good motions which it putteth into our minds and speedily put them in practise and execution As for example when as fit oportunitie being offered it moueth vs to call vpon God by prayer either to begge the graces which wee want or to giue him thankes for benefits receiued we are not to tread this motion vnder foote by vtter neglect nor yet to coole or quench it by casting vpon it the cold water of delaies but wee must presently nourish the motion and not deferre to put it in execution when it moueth vs to attend vnto the hearing of the word either on the Lords day when as we are bound to meete in the holy assemblies or on the weeke day when as our necessary imployments in the workes of our callings will giue vs reasonable opportunitie we are to take hold of the occasion offred and not deferre it by causelesse delaies And when God presenteth vs with an obiect of misery and his spirit moueth vs to take the present occasion of doing a worke of mercy as by giuing an almes to the needy visiting the sicke and such as are in prison helping the impotent and comforting the comforâ—les and afflicted wee must not neglect these workes of charitie nor put them off to another time but as willingly and chearefully apprehend the present opportunitie as the husbandman doeth the season of sowing the Merchant of trading and the Marriner of hoysing vp sayles when as hee hath gotten a good gale of winde seeing otherwise God may iustly punish our negligence by neuer granting vs againe such seasonable occasions §. Sect 4. The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience The fourth meanes of cherishing and strengthening of the spirit is to bee carefull of maintaining our peace with God and our assurance of his loue and fauour the which is best done by preseruing peace in our owne consciences and by keeping them cleare of knowne voluntary sinnes whereby the anger of our heauenly Father is prouoked against vs and we exposed to his heauy iudgements For if God bee offended how shall his spirit bee well pleased with vs how shall hee be willing to renewe our strength and to send vnto vs fresh supplies of his graces to aide and assist vs against our spirituall enemies or how shall the created spirit dwelling in vs with courage and comfort fight against the diuell the world and the flesh when as it is depriued of the light of Gods countenance and hath its peace interrupted with him yea when it apprehendeth his wrathfull displeasure and as it was with Iob and Dauid conceiueth that God hath not onely forsaken him but is also become his enemie how shall the streames of Gods graces continue running when as they are stopped and cut off from the spring and fountaine or how should our strength hold out when the God of our strength doeth withdrawe himselfe from vs If therefore we would haue the spirit in vs strong and uigorous let vs preserue as much as in vs lieth our intercourse with God and vse all good meanes to strengthen our faith in the assurance of his loue and our reconciliation and peace with him for if God be with it the spirit will be so couragious and magnanimous that it will not care who opposeth against it Yea our care must bee not onely to strengthen our faith in this assurance that God who hath chosen vs will neuer leaue vs and that hauing begun the good worke of regeneration he will neuer giue it ouer till he hath fully finished it because hee is vnchangeable in his loue and his gifts and calling are without repentance but if wee would haue the spirit strong and vigorous wee most not neglect the feelings of faith nor the sensible comforts of Gods loue warming and comforting our hearts but wee must labour to finde the vertue and efficacy of his grace working in vs and haue the experimentall apprehension of the comforts of his spirit Wee must endeauour to haue not onely Gods graces habitually but to feele their seuerall actions and operations working our hearts to all good duties For though the sunshine of Gods fauour once shining vpon vs can neuer vtterly faile yet the beames thereof may by the interposition of our sins bee ecclypsed from vs for a time though the fountaine of his grace towards vs can neuer be dried vp yet the streames thereof may bee so stopped that wee can by present apprehension feele little comfort by it And though our faith which is the life of our spirit cannot be lost of those who euer had it yet when the life of our life the comfortable seelings of faith our communion with God peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost are taken away or for a time suspended and hid from vs we are exceedingly weakened in the spirituall part and haue litle comfort or courage in maintaining the fight against our spirituall enemies Now these feelings of faith and comforts of the spirit are best obtained and kept when as wee preserue our Communion fellowship and familiar acquaintance with God in the conscionable and frequent vse of his holy ordinances the hearing of his word Prayer the vse of the Sacraments keeping company with him in his holy assemblies where he is present by his spirit when as with the spouse in the Canticles we reioice in his coÌ„pany and with Dauid bee rauished with ioy and delight when as wee meete him in his holy Temple and when as with them Psal 84. 1. psal 42. 1. 2. wee mourne and grieue for his absence and when he with draweth himselfe doe seeke his face and fauour and aboue all things desire and long after his comfortable presence When as wee labour daily in the mortification of our sins which doe make a seperation betweene our God and vs and doe exercise our selues in all holy duties of his seruice thereby glorifying his holy name and edifying our neighbours by our good example Which if wee doe then shall the beames of Gods fauour and the streames of his graces haue a cleare passage vnto vs with which our spirituall part shall be so cheared cherished and encreased in strength that we shall easily withstand all the malice and fury of our spirituall enemies and obtaine an happy victory in our Christian warfare