the subject on which Christ doth exercise his Divinitie and that is on dead men The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and shall live Secondly the instrument by which he doth it and that is by his Word which is not meant onely the bare preaching and hearing of the Word but such an inward commanding powerfull operative word that makes men doe that which is commanded them Such a word was spoken to Lazarus being dead Lazarus come forth and he did it This word commands men and makes them to obey it Thirdly the time when he will exercise his divinity the houre is comming and now is that is the time shall come when as it shall bee abundantly revealed the fruit of the Gospell shall appeare more plentifully and fully hereafter but yet it is now beginning to appeare there is now some small fruit of it Lastly It is affirmed with an asseveration or oath Verily Verily I say unto you And these are the parts of this Text. Out of these words I purpose to shew you these three things First What the estate of all men is out of Christ. Secondly what we gaine by Christ. Thirdly What we must doe for Christ. First we will shew you what your state is out of Christ for this will make you to prize him more And the point for this is That every man out of Christ is in a state of death or dead man that is All men how ever they are borne living yet they are still dead men without the living Spirit the root is dead Hence are these places of Scripture Gen. 2.17 The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Mat. 8.22 Let the dead bury their dead Ephes. 2.1 You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The meaning is that all men are spiritually dead This will be of some moment to shew you that you are dead without Christ. Yee account it a gastly sight to see many dead men lie together it affects you much but to see a multitude of dead men walke and stand before us that affects us not The naturall death is but a picture or shadow of death but this spirituall death is death indeed As it is said spiritually of Christs flesh Ioh. 6.55 That it is meate indeed Now that you may know what this death is I will shew you First of all what this death is Secondly how many kinds of this death there are Thirdly the symptomes and signes of this death Fourthly the degrees of this death For the first what this death is it consists in two things First in death there is a privation of life then a man is dead when as the soule is separated from the body so a man is spiritually dead when as the soule is separated from the quickning spirit of Grace and righteousnesse This is all our cases In us there dwels no good there is no Spirit of life within us the Soule is so out of order that the spirit is weary of it and forsakes it When the body growes distempered and unfit for the Soule to use then the Soule leaves it Even as when the instrument is quite out of tune a man layes it aside whiles it is in tune he plaies on it So a man dwels in a house as long as it is habitable and fit to dwell in but when it becomes unhabitable he departs so as long as the body is a fit organ for the soule it keepes it when it becomes unfit it leaves it Even so the holy Ghost lives in the soule of man as long as it is in good temper but being distempered by sinne the holy Ghost removes You may see it in Adam as soone as hee did eate of the forbidden fruite the holy Ghost left him and he lost his Originall righteounes Secondly in this death as there is a privation so there is also a positive evill quality wrought in the soule whereby it is not onely void of goodnesse but made ill In the naturall death when a man dyes there is another forme left in the body so in this spirituall death there is an evill habit left in the soules of men This you may see Heb. 9.14 where the workes you doe before regeneration are called Dead workes there would be a contradiction in calling them dead workes if there were not another positive evill forme in man beside the absence of the quickning Spirit which forme is called Flesh in the Scriptures But it may be objected that sinne is a meere privation of good that it is a Non-ens therefore flesh cannot bee said to be an operative qualitie and forme of sinne To this I answer that though all sinne be a meere privation yet it is in an operative subject and thence it comes to passe that sinne is fruitfull in evill workes As for example take an Horse and put out his eyes as long as hee stands still there is no error but if he begins to runne once he runnes amisse and the longer hee runnes the further hee is out of the way wherein he should goe and all this because he wants his eyes which should direct him So it is with sinne though in its selfe it be but a meere privation yet it is seated in the soule which is alwayes active Anima nunquam otiosa The goodnesse that should inlighten it is taken away and there is a positive evill qualitie put into it that leades us on to evill Consider farther whence this death proceeds the originall of it is the understanding mind of man which is primū vivens ultimum moriens That which lives first and dies last The cause of life is the understanding inlightened to see the truth when the affections are right and the understanding straight then we live when it is darkened all goes out of order Ioh. 1.4 speaking of Christ it is said that in him there was life and the life was the light of men he was life because hee was light he did inliven men because he did inlighten them therefore Ephe. 5.4 the Apostle speakes thus to men Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light because light is the beginning of spirituall life Therefore it is said Iames 1.18 Of his owne will begot he them by the word of truth that is the word rectifies the understanding and opinion which is the first thing in this spirituall birth and Ephe 4.22.24 Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts thereof and put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and perfect righteousnesse The old man is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts that which is here called deceitfull lusts c. in the Originall signifies lusts proceeding from error and holinesse proceeding from truth Lust proceeds from error in mistaking things for lust is nothing
all things Men women riches honours any delights pleasing the fancy there is nothing but vanity in them that is there is an inability in them to give that satisfaction that is expected From this wee say a Well is empty because wee looke for waters in it and finde none What needs there a change and vicissitude of things if there were not an emptinesse in the Creature What needed there such a multitude of them if they were not empty Besides consider that GOD can make you happy without them If yee have the Sunne no matter for the Starres though yee have them without the Sunne yet it is night It were an easie thing to deny our selves if we were perswaded of this Were wee in SALOMONS case who saw all that is under the Sunne and had aboundance of outward things himselfe yet in Eccles. 1.2.3 he saith They are all but vanity it were an easie matter to perswade us to deny our selves If a chast wife were perswaded that there is no worth in him that solicites her to uncleannes it were easie for her to deny him Now adde this to the rest that all we have said perswades not but when God sendeth a light into the heart and that is the reason that many speake of this but few practise it Thirdly there is much equity in it that you should deny your selves because Christ hath redeemed and bought you of your selves Suppose a man sell himselfe to bee a Servant it is injustice in him to bee any more for himselfe 1 Corinth 6.19.20 Ye are not your owne yee are bought with a price Servants are not their owne but their Masters Rom. 8.12 Yee are no longer debtors to the Flesh to live after the Flesh but to the Spirit to live after the Spirit yee wrong God much if the flesh knocke and yee answere it Consider the price and the greatnesse of it that was payed for you 1 Pet. 1.18 Yee are not redeemed with Corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vaine Conversation but with the precious Blood of CHRIST as a Lambe without spot Paul considered that Christ gave himselfe for him so that hee stood upon nothing but denied himselfe in all things that hee might live to him 2 Corinth 5.15 Wee thus judge that one dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe Consider this yee that come to the Sacrament ye must not doe all for your selves but for CHRIST and what advantage will this bring to Christ Let men examine themselves and yee shall finde that few live to Christ most to themselves Otherwise why are not men more affected to Gods glory and the Churches good Consider CHRIST will have his end yee must live in him else yee shall have no interest in him Fourthly consider what yee doe when yee yeild to your selves and when as you deny your selves When as ye yeeld to your selves ye strengthen the flesh denying your selves you strengthen your selves and the inward man the more ye yeeld to the Spirit the more beauty ye have the more ye yeeld to the flesh the more deformity Gal. 5.19 The fruits of the flesh are adultery fornication uncleannes and the like which bring death but the fruits of the Spirit are joy peace long-suffrings gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which there is no law Looke to your selves the fruits of the flesh are shame misery corruption death the fruits of the Spirit are life grace and glory yeelding to the flesh yee strengthen the disease the wisest way is to strengthen that which will sticke by us Yee must maintaine the Spirit crucifie the flesh which is as the sea having gotten ground it is hardly to be recovered therefore snib not the Spirit quench it not lest it speake lesse and lesse till it speake not at all yeeld to the whisperings of the Spirit and quench it not deny not any request the Spirit makes Thirdly If all that will have any interest in Christ must deny themselves you see how prone our nature is to evill else wee needed not this exhortation Wee sinke downe to sin as a stone doth to the Center the flesh is still drawing and byassing us the wrong way therefore let us not have too good an opinion of our selves let us bee jealous with a holy jealousie remember the Flesh is prone to evill continually But how shall wee know it I answere that it is plaine in many things But how shall wee know whether the desire be from the Spirit or from the Flesh A man desires a place hee saith it is to doe good with it hee desires honours for the good of others But how shall wee know if hee doth so I answere that in these generals no exact signes can be given yet we will guesse at some whereby yee may know it First consider if it bee a turbulent desire desires of Grace are as naturall desires gentle and quiet unnaturall heate and thirst are turbulent and violent such are the desires of the Flesh. Secondly the desires of the flesh are hasty it runs without an errand when as a wise man ponders his wayes The desires of the Spirit doe not easily rise wee must take paines with our hearts for good desires fleshly desires are hasty Thirdly know it by the satisfaction you give it doth satisfaction of your desire make you more heavenly minded it is right but doth it make you earthly minded and indisposed to holy duties then the desire is from the flesh Fourthly know it by the contrary If the duties of Prayer and the like doe weaken the desire then it is Carnall but if they strengthen it so that you goe on with boldnesse and security it comes from the Spirit Fifthly know if there be some selfe-respect that doth carry you so farre yee goe and no farther that respect being taken away ye end Doe you it in secret and constantly even then when ye are sequestred from all other respects and have nothing else but Gods glory to stirre you up to doe it If the heart be iust wee doe it when we have no other end in it Are yee angry with your selves when ye neglect Gods businesse Are ye angry with a Sonne because he neglects God or is it because of his loosenesse and dissolutenesse because hee takes ill courses and would waste your estates Many men are zealous for sinnes against themselves for sinnes that preiudice themselves As Ministers are angry with such as rob the Church and have Impropriations and sometimes deservedly too but when the Pulpit rings of nothing but this it is a signe that it is onely out of Selfe-respect So the people cry out of the Ministers Covetousnesse but it is out of selfe-respect because they are loath to give them that which is their due Iohn was zealous for God but it was with an eye and respect to the Kingdome So Hosea 7.14 The
from the regenerate part every regenerate man findes a disposition to Christ longing after him inclining to him as the yron doth to the loadstone or the stone to the Center Many there are that follow Christ and hold not out because the Principle is not good But the Saints themselves finde reluctancy the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake I answere that oftentimes the flesh followes obtorto collo like the Beare going to the stake yet the spirit brings it into subjection I cannot better expresse it than by that of Peter Christ tels him that when he was old he should be carried whither he would not Iohn 21.18 True it is that he went to the stake willingly else his death wherby he glorified God had bin no Martyrdome true it was his flesh was unwilling for to do it yet his spirit overcame it remember this that you must doe it cheerefully Thirdly it must be at all times many follow Christ but at a brunt and in an extremity they fly away as souldiers from their colours when as the battaile is nigh or as servants leave their maisters in harvest when as they neede them most Christ would have men know what he expects as the proclamation was made to the Iewes that if any mans heart fainted hee might goe backe and returne to his owne house againe Deut. 20.8 Iudg. 7.3 So Christ deales with us hee tels us the worst before hand to see whether wee will goe backe or no. Christ deales with us as Naomi did with Ruth when shee had intreated and perswaded her to leave her and goe backe to her owne Country againe Ruth· 1.28 When all would not doe and when shee saw that shee was stedfastly minded to goe with her then shee left speaking Christ tels his followers what they must looke for If they are willing to undergoe it then hee takes them else hee takes them not Fourthly wee must follow him all manner of wayes that is inwardly and outwardly In both these there is a difficulty There is a difficulty to serve him in the spirit many an action commeth that if it were to be done in the outward appearance onely it might be well put off but to doe it in secret this is hard when as the Conscience saith such a thing must not be got such a thing must be done such a lust must bee subdued such a duty must not be omitted this is not enough but you must professe Christ weare his livery and shew whose you are In many things it is easier to doe the spirituall than the outward Act As Mark. 8.38 Whosoever is ashamed of me saith Christ even in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall I be ashamed when I shall fit in my glory To professe what a man is in such company in such a place is not much but you must professe Christ at all times in all places In the midst of an adulterous Generation You must thus follow Christ else all is nothing And thus much for the first thing what it is to follow Christ. Wee come now to the object and example which wee must follow and that is Christ. And here first we must follow his Example Secondly wee must follow his precepts First you must follow his example doe as he did set him up as a patterne of Imitation It would be infinite to shew you all his graces yet I will name some particulars wherein you must follow him that so we may not be all in the generall First he abounded in love which he shewed in his readinesse both to give and forgive Hee shewed his love in giving in that hee loved men so that hee gave himselfe for them Act. 20.35 Hee saith It is more blessed to give than to receive For his love in forgiving he forgave those that did him the greatest wrong hee had compassion on the soules of men and on their bodies too For their soules he groaned to see them as Sheepe without a Shepheard Math. 9.36 So for their bodies hee fed many thousands of them often times Secondly For the glory that was set before him he endured the Crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12.2 that is hee saw God and his glory and then the good and evill speeches of men were nothing to him hee eyed the glory of God and despised the glory and shame of men as you may see Luk. 23.8.11 by comparing them both together When as Pilate sent him to Herod Herod was exceeding glad when hee saw him for hee was desirous to see him of a long time because hee had heard many things of him and hee hoped to have seene some Miracle done by him Luk. 23.7 to 12. But Christ despised that glory which hee might have gotten hee would neyther doe nor speake any thing before Herod Therefore Herod and his men mocked him Here hee despised the glory and the shame too when as much was expected from him hee neglected all and so must we Thridly hee was exceeding humble and meeke Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart This his humility appeares in this First that he excluded none no not the meanest Secondly hee did not render rebuke for rebuke 1 Pet. 2.23 Hee endured all Thirdly in that hee was ready to part with his right and his life Fourthly in that he washed his Disciples feet Fourthly he was diligent in his calling publikely and privately hee went abroad preaching upon all publike and private occasions ready to take all opportunities to doe good hee takes occasion to comfort the woman of Samaria at the Well Iohn 4. so when as hee saw them striving for the upper place at the Table hee takes occasion to discourse of humility Luk. 14. He did consider the end wherefore hee came This was the end of all his comming to doe good It was his delight to doe Gods will all hee did it was Gods Worke hee did it to glorifie him and for the good of men which was an other end wherefore he did it Fifthly hee was ready to suffer any thing to be despised to undergoe any thing at his Fathers pleasure he subjugated his desires to his Fathers and hee did rejoyce in it Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes and Sucklings even so Father for so it seemeth good in thy fight It had beene more for Christs honour to have had wise and great men to follow him but hee rejoyceth in this that God had hid him from those and revealed him vnto Babes for that was his Fathers will So we must rest contented with any thing if it bee Gods will Sixthly Christ likewise fulfilled all Righteousnesse Math. 3.15 he was full of zeale for his Fathers glory follow therefore his example in all these And not onely his example but his precepts too First beleeve in him this is the great Worke of God this is
be much in doing 134 The third meanes to get this life is to get faith 136 The fourth meanes to get and increase this life is the communion of Saints 140 The fift and last meanes to get and increase this life is the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of man 14â— The hearing of this voyce is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life 144.145 c. What the voyce of the Sonne of God is 146.147 This effectuall voyce consists in two things 147 Three degrees of working this light of life by the Spirit 148 A double voyce of the Sonne of man 149. c. Those that heare viz. obey the voyce of the Sonne of man have experimentall knowledge 150 Effectuall knowledge bred by this voyce makes men approve justifie and relish the wayes of God 155 A right knowledge breeds holy affections 156 Lively knowledge brings forth action 157 Wee must examine our selves whether we have heard the voyce of the Son of God or no. 159 Which wee shall know by our lives and actions 160 The first impediment hindring men from hearing Christ voyce is selfe-wisedome or selfe conceitednesse 161 The second hinderance or let is long custome p. 162 The third let is similitude which like false wares deceives men p. 163 The fourth impediment is false experiments in some workes of God that should draw us nearer to him p. 164 The fift impediment is ignorance ibid The sixt impediments is inconsideration p. 166 The seventh impediment is a certaine stiffenesse and obstinacie of will or minde p. 167 Meanes how to heare profitably ib. c. To practise a little is the way to get more p. 168 Fearefull judgements on them that receive not the love of the truth p. 169 God curseth barren and unfruitfull bearers p. 170 Disobedience to the Gospell grievously punished p. 171 Meanes to heare the preaching of Gods word profitably for our conversion and building of us up in our most holy faith p. 172 The second meanes ibid The third meanes p. 174 The fourth meanes p. 175 The fift meanes p. 176 The sixt meanes p. 180 A Caveat or warning both to Ministers and people p· 181 Vaine excuses will not serve before God p. 182 The Summe of the chiefe points contained in the Treatise of Selfe-deniall OVt of Christ we are dead men 185 By Christ we gaine life eternall 186 What we must do for Christ viz Deny our selves take up our crosse c. ibid Whosoever will have benefit by Christ must follow him ibid Two maine impediments that hinder men from following Christ. ibid Whosoever will be saved by Christ must deny himselfe p. 187 What it is to deny our selves p. 188 What our selfe is ibid Why corruption of nature is reckoned a mans selfe p. 189 In every man there are two selfes ibid Reasons of Selfe-deniall p. 190 God will not binde us to that which is simply unpossible p. 191 A man may lawfully love himselfe p. 192 To deny our selves is to deny every sinne stocke and branch p. 193 We cannot follow God and the world both 194 No happinesse to be found out of God 198 Great equity in denying our selves 199 The fruites of the flesh and of the Spirit 201 How prone our nature is to do evill ib. And how we may know it 202 How to try whether we have interest in Christ or no. 204 How to know whether we deny our selves 207 Meanes to deny our selves 208 God multiplyes comforts to them that deny themselves 209 In cleaving to God wee must leave the care and custody of other things unto him 210 The right knowledge of Christ makes us deny our selves 211 The manner how we should deny our selves 212 The wayes of God are full of Crosses 215 And the reasons thereof 216 The wayes of God have much difficulty in them and the reasons thereof 217 Yet the wayes of God are pleasant to any man that is upright 220 Reasons why difficulty in Gods wayes should not discourage any man therefrom 221 We must make account before hand and prepare for troubles before they come 223 It is not the way to heaven that most men go 225 What causeth persecution to follow the Gospel 226 If wee suffer not in Gods cause for well doing wee shall suffer of God for evill doing p. 227 Answer to them who say they can doe no good in Gods cause p. 230 Against discouragement by being a lone p. 231 Many thousands lose their soules because they thinke lesse will serve the turne in Gods service than indeed is required of them p. 232 Satans wiles in deceiving men ibid Cold slight and customary performance of holy duties does no good at all p. 233 We must go through fighting till we have the victory p. 236 It is hard to bring our soules to good duties ibid The crosses and difficulties that are in Gods wayes are an argument to prove that the doctrine came from heaven p. 239 The cause that the wayes of God are so hard and difficult p. 240 The difficulty in Gods wayes ought to be a meanes to humble us p. 241 All that looke to have benefit by Christ must follow him p. 242 Christ is to us an example of the rule viz. of the Law p. 243 c. Though Christ himselfe be absent in the body yet he hath left guides to leade us in his stead p. 243 The Saints that lived before us and went in one path of truth are our guides p. 244 We have the word the Spirit and the Saints for our guides ib. What it is to follow Christ. p. 245 And how to follow him p. 246 We must follow Christ at all times p. 247 We must follow Christ all manner of wayes inwardâ—ly and outwardly p. 248 The obiect and example which wee must follow is Christ. p. 249 And not his example onely but his precepts also and commandements must we follow p. 252 False boasting Christians refuted p. 253 Difference betwixt the wicked and the godly in sinning p. 254 Many follow Christ for worldly respects p. 256 Difference betwixt the falls of good and evill men p. 257 We must be content to forsake all for Christ. p. 258 And to beare all things for his sake ibid. We ought to have the same mind in us that was in Christ. p. 259 Against false unconstant double minded men p. 260 We must not stand still at a stay but grow in grace and endeavour what we can towards perfection p 261 We must not presume to goe before Christ but let our minds and desires yeeld to his will p. 262 Five things required of them that will truely and sincerely follow Christ. p. 264 The Contents of the three Sermons on the Sacrament of the Lords Supper THe maine and principall priviledge that wee have by Iesus Christ is Eternall life p. 265 The drift of S. Iohns writing is that beleevers might know they have Eternall life p. 266 Another great priviledge that we have by Christ is an
the threatnings or promises the more life is in us Lastly dead men are speechlesse there is no breath in them Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The drie and empty channell drives not the mill but a full streame sets it on worke If the heart bee full of life the tongue is full of good speeches Prov. 10. The words of the righteous are as fined silver because there is a treasure within them but the words of the wicked are nothing worth because their hearts are evill As it is said of evill men that their tongues are set on fire of hell so the tongues of the righteous are set on fire by heaven Esay 19.18 they speake the language of Canaan In hypocrites there is loquacity as blasing meteors and in Saints there is sometimes an indisposition by reason of some sinnes which make them like to springs that are dammed up with stones and mudde Yet judge not of them by such fits but take them as they are in their ordinary course the mouth speaketh out of the abundance of the heart Every man is delighted in some genious operations in things that are sutable to him if there be aboundance of life aboundance of grace within a man he delights to speake of it as all men are severally disposed such are their speeches Now all these are privative signes of death I will adde one more that is positive Fiftly looke what life a man lives he drawes to him the things that nourish it and expelleth that which hinders it If a man bee alive to sinne he drawes that which is sinfull but holinesse and the meanes of grace he expels as contrary to him What doth satisfie his lusts that he doth he may doe good for a time but he is quickly sicke of it But I doe much good I abstaine from much evill may some men say To this I answer that if one member lives it is a signe the whole body lives so if one mortall sinne live in you it is a signe you are dead Truth of grace cannot stand with one mortall sinne unrepented unsubdued one disease kils a man as well as an hundred so one living lust kils you Doth any lust live and reigne in you it kils you But what is it to live and to reigne I answer when a man ceaseth to maintaine warre with his lust and resists it not when a man layes downe the weapons when he seeth his lust is naturall to him and therefore yeelds unto it then it reignes in him There is no man that lives the life of grace but hee hath this propertie that hee strives against all sinne to the utmost not in shew but in sinceritie he strives against the occasions of sinne though they foile him hee still maintaines warre against them and so they live and reigne not in him 2. If every man out of Christ be in an estate of death let us not deferre repentance but doe it whilst wee may Repentance makes a dead man to be a living man What is it that makes you deferre repentance Yee thinke yee can change your courses and sorrow when you list therefore ye deferre it If men be dead and repentance puts as it were a new soule into them makes them to passe from death to life then it is not so easie a thing Suppose yee had Ezekiahs warning is it in your power to make your selves live No it is beyond your power God onely can doe it Every man lies before God as that clod of earth out of which Adam was made God must breathe life into him else hee continues dead God doth not breathe life into all He quickens whom hee will It is your wisdome therefore to waite on him in his Ordinances if ye have good motions begun in you presse them forwards they are ofsprings of life Thinke seriously am I dead or alive If dead why then say it s not in my power to quicken me its onely in God to doe it and he doth this but in few those whom he quickneth are but as grapes after the Vintage or as the Olives after the beating how then shall I bee in the number Give your selves no rest know that it is God that breatheth and then depend on him Make that use of the doctrine of election with care and more solicitude to looke to your selves God workes both the will and the deede of his good pleasure worke out therefore your salvation with feare and trembling If repentance bee a passage from death to life if it bee such a change then labour for to get it The Spirit doth not alwayes strive with men yee are not alwayes the same yee will sticke in the sand grow worse and worse if yee grow not better and better No more power have you to change your selves than the Blackmore hath to change his skinne or the Leopard his spots the time will come when you shall say as Spira did O how doe I desire faith would God I had but one drop of it and for ought wee know he had it not Thirdly learne from hence to judge aright of naturall men for all the excellency they have yet they are but dead men If a man be dead wee doe not regard his beauty all excellencies in naturall men are but dead It is a hinderance in the wayes of God to over-valew outward excellencies and to despise others that want these trappings let us say for all these excellencies yet he is but a dead man wee know none after the flesh any more 2 Cor. 5.16 Againe for your delight in them know that this death differs from naturall death for these dead men are active and ready to corrupt others they have an influence that doth dead those who are conversant with them sinne communicates as well as grace Nothing so great a quench-cole as the company of bad men there is an operative vertue in them to quench mens zeale as the droppings of water will quench the fire though they cannot wholly extinguish it being once kindled Fourthly if all out of Christ are dead learne to judge of the Ordinances of God and the meanes of salvation let us not undervalue nor over-value them the Ordinances cannot bring life of themselves no not the Word nor Sacraments If yee are sicke and send for the Minister hee cannot quicken you the Ordinance is but a creature and cannot give life If we speake to the eare and Christ speake not to the heart it is nothing Let your eyes therfore be fixed on Christ beseech him to put life into you and pray to God for a blessing on the meanes the Ordinances are but dead Trunkes as Pens without Inke or Conduit-pipes without water Learne then that God doth convey life by the Ordinances that they themselves cannot give life therefore doe not over-valew them Yet know withall that God doth not worke but by his Ordinances the spirit breathes not in Taverns or
came his speaking puts life into us Now what is this inward speaking of life to the heart It is nothing else but to perswade fully and every way to convince us that it is best to take Christ to set to an holy course to leade a new life There is a speaking that comes neare this life and is not it that is when as men heare and understand the way and apprehend the things of God but practise them not Here is a proximity to this life yet it is not this life Let a man come so neare as that he thinkes he acts it yet he is dead if he act it not when he acts it then he is made a living man and then hee thinkes and beleeves that the wayes of sinne are evill and that they are evill to him When God doth convince us that such a thing is evill and that it is evill to us then we live and not before A man having a businesse to doe if all be done but one thing the not doing of this one thing crosseth all the rest but that being done his busines is brought to passe so in this life of grace if a man have many offers of grace which doe not fully perswade him this is not enough if Gods helpe be absent but when once he speakes he doth fully convince and perswade us and makes us to continew As Sathan having leave from God never gives over vexing man so the Spirit of God doth never cease to keepe us in good things and where there is this life there the Spirit dwels But after what manner is this effectuall perswasion wrought I answer when as God gives an eare and speakes a voyce for it to heare He that hath an eare to heare saith Christ let him heare Wee then heare when as there is a listning and yeelding disposition wrought within us When as wee preach there are many that have hard hearts and nothing for to soften them therefore the word falls from them as raine from a stone but if there be a man that God will chuse he fits his heart and so he is perswaded This is called the opening of the understanding Luk. 24.45 Hee opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures When we speake to men we sow as it were upon fallow ground which will beare no Corne unlesse God plow it Those that saw the miracles of the Loaves esteemed them not because their hearts were hardned Ephe. 4.18 They are alienated from the life of God thorow the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts that is they are not sensible of sinne and death the word or the threatnings when God takes away this hardnesse they are fit to harken then comes light the beginning of life which is the informing of the understanding to judge righteous judgement Those who have the life of Christ if hee speakes it quickens them It is the inward voyce that quickens seeke therefore to God earnestly that Christ would speake to your hearts yee heare and are not quickned because he speakes not And thus much for this second point that all in Christ are in a state of life Wee come now to the third point that may be noted out of these words and it is this That the voyce of the Sonne of God is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life Men before they heare the voyce of the Sonne of God are dead Christ by his voyce makes them living men This voyce is the onely meanes to give life there is no voyce but this that is able for to doe it that 's the scope of this Text. This proposition may bee resolved into two parts First nothing else is able to translate men from death to life Secondly this is able for to doe it As it is sayd of faith that it justifies and nothing else but it can justifie so may it be said of this voyce that nothing else can translate men from death to life and this can doe it To translate from death to life is nothing else but effectually to perswade and change the heart now nothing else can thus perswade and alter the heart but this voyce of the Sonne of God God himselfe frames the heart it is as a curious framed locke none can picke it but hee that knowes the turning of it God onely fits the perswasions to the turnings mens perswasions are as one that will unlocke a locke with a wrong key God onely can perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem Ministers cannot doe it Esay 57.19 I saith God create the fruite of the lippes that is I make them to bring comfort I create the fruite of the lippes for peace by my power That this is so you may see by divers reasons First that it is so see it by this we speaking to the quickest often times they beleeve not but then others doe the same sometimes beleeve sometimes not If man were the sole cause the word would have the same effect at all times Secondly this is life and God onely gives life it is as the breathing of life into a clod of earth It requires an almighty power to worke this in those that beleeve Ephe. 1.19.20 The same power that raised up Christ from the dead raised us up it is an almighty action to give this life Thirdly if it were not proper to Christ and his voyce to translate men from death to life hee should loose his chiefest soveraignty hee quickens whom hee will hee hath compassion on whom he will have compassion If men could translate men from death to life then it would not be proper to God to doe it Lastly as nothing else can doe it so the voyce of the Sonne of God is able for to doe it At the first creation all was made by the voyce of God hee saith Let there be light and there was light let him say to any man follow mee and he doth it Matth. 9.9 he saith to the Publican sitting at the receipt of Custome follow me and hee left all and rose up and followed him Christ speaking to his eare and heart made him to follow him his speech was like the speech of Elias to Elisha he followed him and could not chuse but doe it Christ speaking wee cannot but follow him But what is this voyce of the Sonne of God that translateth men from death to life I answer it is nothing else but an inward worke of the Spirit by which hee perswades men effectually to turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God It must be understood of the effectuall working of the Spirit because who ever doth heare it lives this voyce reneweth and changeth men translating them from death to life Now this effectuall speaking consists in two things First in propounding the object the truth to the heart Secondly in the perswasion of the truth First the Gospel must be
over the Soule and all the faculties as the forme is over the matter for a man cherisheth it as himselfe that which fights against it fights against himselfe But how can a man possiblie deny himselfe For there must be a request before there can be a deniall and this cannot be done but where there are two one to request another to deny now man is but one how then can this be I answer there are two selfes two men in every man one requests the other denyes Rom. 7.20 It is no longer I that doe it but sinne that dwels in mee that is there are two in me the flesh and the spirit by the one I will the thing by the other I resist it In every Regenerate man there are three things 1. Common Nature which is neyther morally good nor evill this hath an entity in it and so is good Secondly to this is added the flesh the corruption of Nature on the one side byaâ—â—ing it the wrong way on the other side of it there is the spirit turning it the right way and rectifying it This common nature as it is guided by the spirit denyes it selfe in the things propounded according to the flesh the understanding and the will in this competitition 〈◊〉 the flesh when as your wills and 〈…〉 desire riches pleasures wealth life in an â—â—ordinate manner deny your selves the spirit reqvesting the contrary Without this Selfe-denyall a man cannot be saved there is a necessity of it and there is much equity in it as there is in all Gods Commandements if wee could but see it For first if we looke into our selves there is great reason to deny our selves because if we doe it not wee destroy our selves The flesh is to the Soule as a disease is to the body If ye give one that is sicke of a Dropsie drinke or one sicke of a Feaver Wine you please the humour well but ye kill the man so it is here Galath 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape Corruption that is by satisfying of it wee reape Destruction hee that soweth to the flesh reapes destruction that is destruction comes not presently it is as seed that is sowne it comes for the most part afterwards And this answers an objection that might be made that we see the contrary Ezek. 18.31 God sayth Why will yee dye O yee house of Israell That is though you see not present death yet your sins will bring death As it is said of uncleannes Prov. 2.18 That it leads to the Chambers of death so may it be said of any other sin it leades to death But now to deny your selves is life because by so doing ye sow to the spirit And he that sowes to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life everlasting Gal. 6.8 Secondly in regard of God there is good reason that we should deny our selves For what is it to have a God without worshipping him as God If we doe not deny our selves we set not God above our selves Looke upon the nature of things you shall finde that God hath none above himselfe GOD may doe all things for his owne ends but looke to your selves you are made for another end keepe the order of nature doe as the order of things requires you must be subject to him your desires comming in competition with what GOD requires you must deny your selves But how is it possible for a man in his projects and the thoughts of his heart not to seeke himselfe To this I answer first that in every man there is a naturall selfe-love therefore we doe not destroy it but say that a man may seeke himselfe because God hath planted it in Nature and the plants which hee hath planted we must not root out we have Gardens in our hearts and we must weed them grace destroyes not nature but elevates it Nature is the Worke of GOD Opus Naturae est opus Authoris Secondly GOD will not binde us to that which is simply impossible therefore GOD will not have us not to seeke our selves yea he hath commanded us not to kill our selves and to love our neighbours as our selves whicâ— shew that a man may love himselfe Thirdly the motives used in Scripture Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand and Feare not him that can kill the body and doe no more but feare him that is able to cast both soule and body into Hell shew that a man may love himselfe Wherefore wee doe not take away this selfe-love but rectifie it wee doe not dry up this streame but turne it into it's right Channell wee extirpate not this plant but guide it into the right way as Musicians breake not the strings but rectifie and tune them Wherefore wee affirme that a man may and must seeke himselfe so farre as it is good for himselfe and no farther This religion doth it rectifies our love teacheth us to deny inordinate affections and to serve God with a perfect heart Before regeneration a man seekes himselfe by doing things that are pleasant according to the flesh he doth the thing he sees and handles But a man that is sanctified seeks his happinesse in God though he looseth his goods his life and all that hee hath his happinesse is in God he is resolved to doe or suffer any thing for God If none can have any interest in CHRIST without denying himselfe then joyne not both together make no conjunction whereas God hath made an absolute disiunction deny all that is in you the whole body of sinne all it can desire deny every request of the flesh every desire of it without all exception Christ saith not deny your Covetousnesse every such particular sinne but your selves every sinne stocke and branch both cannot bee joyned if there be any pleasure any thing that yee delight in have yee any commodity in such a thing yee cannot be saved without a Divorce from it when it comes in competition with GOD. So if there be any Crosse that yee will not suffer for GOD yee cannot be saved Put case a man will not endure Obloquie if he will endure this yet he will not loose his estate if this yet he will not loose his liberty and life such a man as this denyes not himselfe Those who would follow CHRIST must doe as the Apostles did Mark 10.28 Forsake all and follow him GOD will try us all one time or other whether we will forsake all and follow him Mark 6.22 Hee that will follow CHRIST must have a single Eye that is if the eye be fixed onely on God without joyning any thing with him then it is single it is said to be single in regard of the object when as that is single When wee can be content with GOD though we have nothing else then is our eye single and we are light but if our eye be wicked that is eyeing of our credit and estate and the like all the
is not to have body and soule joyned together to be a living man in that sense we usually take life for if that were life then those in hell should not bee said to dye the death for you know in hell there is a conjunction of soule and body and yet men are not said to live there for it is death which is the punishment of sinne and indeed you shall finde that there is something a mans heart cleaves unto wherein hee rejoyceth which is the same with his life Therefore looke as the Soule enlivens the body so the conjunction of the present things which hee reckons his joy that is his life enliven his soule he cannot live without them Now if Christ be thy chiefe joy thou wilt finde this that thou canst not live without him as men are wont to say of their delights Such a man cannot live without such a thing so it is true of every man that hath taken Christ he is not able to live without him This life is no life and therefore if there be but a separation betweene thee and Christ if a mans conscience bee as it were clouded for a time hee findes no rest he doth as the Spouse in the Canticles She seekes from one place to another and gives her selfe no rest till she finde him and why because it was he whom her soule loved So you shall finde Beloved whatsoever it is that your soules love whatsoever you make your chiefe joy you will take no rest but as farre as you love and enjoy it Therefore for the finding of this whether Christ be thy life and thy chiefe joy consider what it is that thy thoughts feede upon every wicked man every man that is out of Christ there is something that his thoughts feed upon some things there are in contemplation of which the soule solaceth it selfe some pleasures that are past present or to come the very thinking of these are the greatest joy of his heart he roules them under his tongue even as a Servant that hath got some dainty bit out of his Masters presence and â—ates it in a corner so the soule of a man hath out of Christ some secret some stolen some unlawfull delights that it feeds upon and delights in Consider therefore well with thy selfe what breakfast thy morning thoughts have that I may so say what breakefast they have every morning what is that Pabulum that food of thy soule wherewith thy thoughts and affections are nourished and refreshed from day to day whether it be some carnall pleasure some reflecting on thy state upon thy wealth upon thy friends or whether it be on Christ. See as David exercised it whether be they thy songs in the night time All carnall men have something past whereby they comfort themselves something present where by they cheare up their hearts something to come something in hope So every man that is in Christ he hath the comforts of the Spirit the meditation of the priviledges that he hath in Christ the hope of Gods favour These are his appointed food these are the things that his soule feedes on in secret yea the very workes that he doth that seemes to be the hardest part of a Christians life the very workes that hee doth in serving the Lord from day to day even that is his meate and his drinke that is it is as sweet and acceptable to his soule as meate and drinke is to the hunger and thirst of his body Now consider with thy selfe whether it be so with thee whether that which is thy continuall feast without which thou canst not live bee Christ or the assurance thou hast that he is thine and thou art his whether it bee the priviledges thou hast in him and the things that belong to the kingdome of God See whether these be thy life the things without which thou couldst not live or whether it bee some thing else some stollen delights some unlawful pleasures some thing else that thy soule and affections are set upon This is the next thing by which thou maiest try thy selfe whether thou belong to Christ or no to consider whether he bee thy chiefe joy whether thy soule bee most filled and satisfyed with him And this is the third thing 4 The fourth is to know whether he be thy chiefe Refuge If thou bee one that hath tooke him and received him I say he is thy chiefe refuge For every man hath some refuge some castle or other to which his soule retires in all difficult and doubtfull cases by reason of that indigency that insufficiency to which the nature of man is subject There is something that hee must have to leane unto marke it for mankind is like that generation which the Wiseman speakes of You know it is sayd of the Connyes They are a generation not strong and what then and therefore they have their burrowes to hide themselves in I say such is the generation of mankinde he is a weake creature a generation not strong therefore there is something that he must leane to something out of himselfe some sufficiency besides himselfe some strong hold some refuge every man hath I say every man hath some refuge or other whither he thinkes his soule may goe and there hee may have succour in cases daungerous and in troubles Now consider what is thy refuge whither thy heart runnes in all such cases to what wing to what strong hold In daungerous cases you see every creature hath some refuge or other The Child runnes to his Mother The Chickens runne to the henne The Fox to his earth the Connyes to their burrowes so every creature to their severall corners and receptacles proper to them I say so it is with every man so hath every one of you to whom I speake there is somewhat that is a secret refuge to which your hearts fly Now consider whether that be Christ or somewhat else A covetous man or rather a man of this world he hath wealth for his strong hold in which his heart comforts it selfe well saith he what change of time so ever come yet I have an estate to hold me up and when he is ill spoken of abroad yet hee applaudes himselfe with that hee hath at home The Courtiers they have the Princes favour that is their refuge wherein they comfort themselves Those that are given to Company they have good fellowes such as they that are their compaâ—ions and so long as they speake well of them they â—are not who speake ill of them Some have a refuge of this kind some of another every man hath his refuge If you will looke into the Scriptures you shall see Davids refuge in any distresse upon any occasion At Ziglag he comforteth himselfe in the Lord his hart did fly to him as the chickens fly to the henne there he comforted himselfe there he shrowded himselfe there he encouraged himselfe in the Lord. When he fled from his son Absolon was not the Lord