which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell VIII That conscience is a good peaceable conscience that excuseth q 1 Cor. 4.4 The good quiet Conscience absolveth r Heb. 10.2 and comforteth Å¿ 2 Cor. 1.12 as it ought that conscience that 's pacified t Heb. 9.14 by the blood of Christ that doth as Moulin u Moulin the comfort of a CommunicaÌ„t p. 37. relates of a dying man to whom some say the Devil appeared and shewed him a parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man which were many in number and that there were also written the idle words he had spoken which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life and his actions digested according to the Commandements Whereupon Satan said Seest thou behold thy vertues see here what thine examination shall be whereunto the poor sinner answered It is true Satan but thou hast not set down all for thou shouldest have added and set down here below the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and this also should not have been forgotten That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life But how shall we get such consciences Christians be but perswaded to practice these or such directions and your Consciences will certainly be right and seasonably be comfortable 1. Take heed of every sinne w 2 Cor. 8.21 count no sin small x Matth. 5.21 22.27 28. Scrue up your obedience to every y Matth. 22.37 38. command to the highest Ferret out every sin to the most secret z Rom. 7.7 corruption When you have set your watch against the first risings of sin beware of the borders of sin shun the very a 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Venture not upon occasions b Prov. 4.15 27. Facile agitur quod libenter auditur Bern. de inter dom pa. 1082. or temptations to sin those that dare venture upon occasions as children upon the ice c Prov. 7.8 Numb 25.2 shall find there 's alwayes danger never any good Morality it self will teach d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4â—7 you this lesson to keep clear of evil if ever you would either be good or enjoy it but seeing as on the one hand there cannot be truth of grace and truce with sin so on the other hand while grace is imperfect sin will have and make us feel it hath a Being There 's not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not e Eccles 7.20 therefore II. Forthwith set upon the healing duty of repentance and upon every slip into sin renew it f Peccator omnium notarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi paenitentiae natus Tertul de poenit p. 121. c. 12. speedily renew it O that I could snatch you out of your state of impenitency and perswade you to daily actual repentance To those that are resolved to delay their repentance I have sometimes given counsel suitable to such resolutions viz. the next sickness that seizeth upon you chide it away tell your disease you can't awhile to be sick say to it as Paul to Foelix g Acts â—4 25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If death summon thee tell it you will not obey its summons you have other business to do than to dye you have estates unsetled and children unprovided for and you would repent too before you die but you can't yet awhile If this will not serve but die you must charge your souls before they go out of your bodies not to come near the prison of impenitent persons charge your friends to lock up your bodies so safe or bury them so deep that all the Angels in Heaven may not be able to dragg them to judgement But alass my Brethren do you not think this wild counsell and well you may Yet unless you could do something aequivalent to what this counsel amounts to you are mad to defer your repentance What! cannot I keep pain from my body nor the use of reason in my Soul one minute and shall I continue in my impenitency that will damn me the very moment of my death I beseech you therefore for your own Souls sake that you may not be guilty of the worst self-murder i. e. soul-murder speedily set vpon repentance And those of you that have repented let your repentance daily supplant sin by taking it by the heel certainly to lame it though you can not take it by the head utterly to kill it Though we can't be innocent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazienz T. 1. orat 15. p. 225. 236. let 's be poenitent and be very careful never to return i Confessio peccati professio est desinendi c. Hilar. in Psal 137 p. 595. to sins repented of That you may be serious in both these III. Compose thy self to live as under Gods eye live as in the more then sensible presence of the Jealous God Remember all things are naked and bare before him you cannot deceive him for he is infinite wisdom you cannot fly from him for he is every where you cannot bribe him for he is righteousness it self Keep therefore fresh apprehensions of God in your thoughts speak as knowing God hears you walk as knowing k Talem te prepa a ut tecum adsit Deus sit in ore sit in corde semper tecum eat tecuÌ„ redeat nec recedat a te Nuâ—quam â—lle te d mittet nisi p ior illum dimiseris ubicunque fueris nunquam solus esse poteris si Deus tecum erit Bern. de in t dom p. 1065. c. 5. 1091. c 66. God is nearer to you then you are to your selves The l 2 Chron. 15 1 Lord is with you while you are with him i. e. you shall enjoy his favourable presence while you live in his awfull presence There 's one Psalm which 't were well if Christians would do by it as Pythagoras m Refert Galenus reâ—itasse se sub initium et finem cujusqueâ—â—ei Elâ—chmaâ—â—us Epil Edit p. 15 by his golden precepts every morning and evening repeat it 't is Davids n Molleâ— in loc appeal of a good Conscience unto God against the malicious suspitions and calumnies of men Do you but thus praesentiate God unto your selves and God will attest your integrity Psalm 139. v. 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me q. d. O Lord thou art the heart-searching God who perfectly knows all the thoughts counsells studies endeavours and actions of all men and therefore mine vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off q d. thou knowest my rest and motion
with him Psal 139.18 Psa 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee they end the day with him thus the Spouse Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth you have mention of both these Esay 26.9 Esay 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Now this sin that I am treating of like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless person that we read of 2 Thes 2.8 2 Thes 2.8 that man of sin ver 3. opposeth and exalteth its self in the soul above all that is called God and sitteth in the seat of God A beloved lust is usually the sinners first and last Psa 36.4 he gives it entertainment first in the morning and takes his leave of it last in the evening yea this darling sin must be entertained and made much on in the Bed-chamber the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Psal 36.4 tels us he deviseth mischief on his bed for the most part that as a very friend that we admit to our bed-sides 11. That sin which most infests us and troubles us in our solitudes and retirements that is our beloved sin my meaning is when a man is alone in his Closet or in the Fields and his thoughts run a drift that sin which of themselves they move towards and close with that may be his beloved sin the current of the soul is that way Oh Christian mark the workings of thy heart in private and thou mayst possibly make some discoveries When a man retires himself into some solitary place it is usually absurd to trouble him t is a friend indeed that falls in with him and offers his company in that case that sin is more then ordinary beloved by us that interposes in our privacies 12. And lastly that sin that we are willing to endure greatest hardships and sufferings for that is our beloved sin for instance suppose Covetousness be the darling sin what base absurd unreasonable offices will it put a man upon how scraping and niggardly and dunghill-like will that man live in his Town or in his Parish and expose himself to scorn and contempt from every one that knows him Suppose Ambition be the beloved sin how will a man in that case swear and forswear and temporize and like the Boat-men look one way and row another almost any thing for preferment If Vncleanness be the mans particular sin how will he destroy his body disgrace his name overthrow his estate for the gratifying of his lust I dare aver that the worst and basest drudgery imaginable to scoure Kettles and Dishes to tug at the Oar to dig at the Mine are honourable imployments in comparison of this Vse 3. Is for Exhortation and Direction Col 3.5 to press you to the mortification of your beloved sin and shew you how it may be mortified let me take up that Scripture again mortifie your members which are upon the earth that is let every sin be mortified for you must know as death is to the members of the natural body so is mortification to the members of the sinful body Now in death the soul is separated not only from one member as it is in a paralysis or numb Palsey but from all even from the principal parts of the body as well as others so t is in spiritual death there is a separation of the soul not only from this or that sinful member but from the whole body of sin from the principal parts and members of this body as well as others the right eye is dead the right hand is dead it must needs be so the one is pluckt out and the other is cut off A Christian must deal by his darling lust as the Israelites dealt by Adonibezek they cut of his thumbs and his great toes so must thou deal with this sin hack it maim it that it may not be able to go nor stand nor act nor stir if it were possible and for that purpose take these directions 1. Labour to have your heart steeled with an holy courage and resolution against this sin it is upon the account of baseness and cowardliness of spirit that people fall by the right hand of their spiritual enemy shall I give you some instances for this doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness is that thy right eye sin or thy right hand sin take up St Pauls resolution 1 Cor. 6.15 Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Josephs resolution How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God doth the Devil tempt the to blasphemy or to perjury or to lying or to any other sin of that nature take up the Psalmists resolution I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a birdle while the wicked are before me Art thou tempted to Idolatry to deny the truths of Christ to make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience take up the three childrens resolution Be it known unto thee oh King Dan. 3.18 that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Every man should be a Prince over his lusts and like Joshuas Captains should put his feet upon the necks of them here courage resolution severity is very successful and in special exercise your revenge on your beloved lust fight not against small or great comparatively but against this kingly this master sin 2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity it is not enough to confess your sins in the lump in the general but in prayer you must take particular notice of your right eye sin your right hand sin thus David was particular in his repentance Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 this evil of murder and this evil of adultery pointing as it were with the finger to particular sins Lâ—k 19.8 Zacheus makes a particular confession of that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold this particle if in that place may not be a note of doubting but supposition if I have taken that is seeing I have taken from men by false accusation si Deus est animus seeing God is a Spirit 3. Beware of those things that may occasion the commission of this sin for instance if thou art prone to the sin of lying keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness when thou goest to a feast put a knife to thy throat We use to say proverbially occasion makes a thief this is true also in other cases occasion makes a lyar occasion makes a drunkard
that our Religion may not be a dull languid lethargick principle but may render us fit and prompt for all the actions of a spirituall life And now this life of Religion the case supposeth the person to have who needs advice and then you 'l quickly perceive that there be two things in danger 1. The life of Religion in a religious person 2. The life of a religious person and so the case doth resolve it self into these two Queries 1. What should believing Christians do to support the life and vigour of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary means of publick Ordinances and are indangered by the leavening society of wicked men 2. How should they preserve their lives among persecuting enemies without hazarding the life of their Religion For the clearing of and directing in this case I shall now premise some Propositions fit to be taken notice of Prop. 1. It cannot be expected that any Rule should be given according to Scripture whereby both the one and the other life may be certainly secured for many times Gods providence brings us into such circumstances that if we are resolved that come what will wee 'l keep our Religion we must lose our lives and if we are resolved to keep our lives though with the hazard or shipwrack of our Religion we must then part with our Religion and perhaps our lives too 2. There can be no certain and infallible course propounded whereby the life of the body may be secured with the losse of Religion though Devil and world bid fair and promise we shall live and do well if we will part with our Religion yet they are not able if willing to make good their promise so long as there be so many thousand wayes to death besides Martyrdome and this is the purport of that threatning expression Mat. 16.25 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it not only that eternall life which is the only true life but even this temporall life as many relations tell us 3. The life of Religion in the soul is that which by Gods blessing and our spirituall care and industry may be infallibly secured in any place among any persons in any condition I do not say the outward exercise of Religion but that which is the life and principle of Religion in the soul may be preserved Force and violence may deprive those that are religious of opportunities to meet together and pour forth their Common prayers and supplications to God and publikely sing forth the praises of God and hear the great truths of the Gospell preached unto them nay they may be hindred from speaking with their mouthes either to God or for God as many of the Martyrs have been gagged but all the force and violence in the world cannot take away that which is the principle and life of Religion unlesse we our selves betray and cast it from us nor can they hinder the prime and principall acts and exercises of Religion All the world cannot hinder you or me from having good thoughts of God from sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts from trusting in hoping in rejoycing in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Jesus Christ from making holy melody in our hearts and such musick as shall be heard beyond the sphears though he that stands at our elbow knows not a word we speak so that true Religion both in the principle and prime exercises of it may be infallibly secured insomuch that he who can rend the heart out of the body cannot tear Religion out of the soul 4. His soul cannot be quickned with the life of the Religion of the Gospell who is not in heart perswaded that the securing the life of Religion in his soul is hugely more his concernment than the preserving of the life of the body Yea his Religion is built on a sandy foundation who hath not seriously considered that for ought he knows his Religion may cost him his life and hath not brought his soul to an humble resolution to lay down his life rather than let go his Religion thus much is clearly imported in that passage Luk. 14.27 28 c. Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost c 5. The society of good men and enjoyment of Gospell Ordinances is of speciall use to preserve quicken and enliven the principle of Religion in the soul they are to Religion in the soul what food is to the naturall life of the body and therefore the Ordinances in the Church are compared to breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 The great design of God in appointing Gospell-Ordinances is that by the help and assistance of those gifts and graces which he bestows upon his Ministers the souls of those who are estranged from him should be brought home to the owning and acknowledging of the truth and that those who have returned to the Lord should be more and more affected with a sense of divine goodnesse and their dependance on the Lord for all they have and hope for and indeed if preaching and reading and praying and every other Ordinance both in publike and in private do not aim at and intend this great end the begetting or actuating and stirring up the life of Religion in our souls then are they what some would fain perswade us vain uselesse troublesome things If thy coming to Church to hear a prayer or a Sermon be not by thee designed and do not in the even tend to make thee better to love God more loath sin more and value the world lesse and resolve more heartily to obey the Gospell thou hadst as good have been in thy bed or shop as in the Church and if in preaching and praying we that are Gods mouth to you and your mouth to God have any other design than to stir up in your souls good thoughts of God affectionate workings of heart towards a loving tender-hearted father zealous and hungring desires to do the will of God and expresse our love by obeying his commandments I seriously professe I should think my self much better imployed to be working in a Coblers stall or raking in the kennell or filling a dung cart than preaching or praying in a pulpit and let those who do not intend these great ends know that ere long they will finde they had bettter have been imployed in the most debasing drudgery than in the outward work of God with sinister and unworthy ends These things premised the case resolves it self into these particular questions 1. What should beleeving Christians do to support the life of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary food of publick Gospel-Ordinances 2. What should such do to preserve their outward concernments among persecuting enemies without hazarding their Religion In answer to the first question take these Directions 1. Let such humbly reflect upon their former sleighting despising and abusing the means of grace which now they want it is the usual method of God to
is not thine inevitable l 2 Cor. 12.10 weaknesse nor thy sensible dulness m Mar. 14.38.40 nor thy lamented roavings n Psal 86.11 nor thy opposed distractions o Gen. 15.11 nor thy mistaken unbelief p 1 John 5.13 it is not any nor all these can shut out thy prayer If thou doest not regard q Psal 66. â—8 iniquity in thy heart therefore be encouraged ' â—is the voyce of your beloved that saith r John 16.23 24. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you Hitherto have ye asked nothing to what you might ask in my name Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full But this and the two next rules will be spoken to in the following Cases I shall therefore but little more then name them VI. Let every action have reference unto your whole life and not unto a part onely Å¿ Episcop Inst theol l. 1. c. 1. p. 3. propose some end to your selves in every thing t Si aliquem excuntem domo interrogaveris quo tu quid cogitas respondebit tibi non mehercule scio sed aliquos videbo aliquid agam cursus est qualis formicis per arbusta repentibus quae in summum cacumen deinde in imum inanes aguntur domum cum super vacua redeuntes lassitudine iurant nescisse se psos quaâ—e exierint Seneca de Tranquil c. 12. p. 685. and let all your lesser and subordinate ends be plainly reducible unto the great end of your living The emphasis of the Apostles Exhortation is very great u 1 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est propriè exerceri in gymnade Grot. in loc Exercise thy selfe unto godlinesse q. d. Be as diligent in Religion as thou wouldst have thy children that go to School to be in learning Or thus let thy whole life be a preparation for heaven like the wrestlers or combatants preparation for victory Or thus strip thy self of all incumbrances that thou mayest attend unto piety Pleasures may tickle thee for a while but they have an heart-aking farewell Thou mayest call thy riches goods but within a few dayes what good will they do thee Men may flatter thee for thy Greatnesse but with God thy account will be the greater Therefore always mind that which will always be advantage VII Live more upon Christ then upon inherent grace Do not venture upon sin because Christ hath purchased a pardon that s a most horrible and impious abuse of Christ For this very reason there was no sacrifice under the Law for any wilfull wickedness lest people might think they knew the price of sinne as those do that truck with Popish indulgences and pardons But that none may be overwhelmed with the over-sense of their unworthinesse be it known to you We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous w 1 John 2.1 and our salvation is better safer more for Gods glory and our comfort in his hand then in ours VIII Be every way nothing in your own eyes x Descendendo coelum ascenditur Drexel de praed 't is the humble soul that thrives exceedingly and alas what have we to be proud y Vnde superbit homo cujus coÌ„ceptio culpa nasci poena labor vita necesse mori quando vel quomodo vel ubi nescire Bernard de inter dom c. 53. Mallem non esse quam talis esse Ibid. c. 33. Accuso me non excuso nec idcirco justus sum quoniamsi alter ita mea accusaret sicut ego meipsum accuso patienter sustinere non possem Ibid c. 34 c. p. 1078. of Look we either at our constitution or conversation our conception sinfull our birth poenal our life toylsome and our death we know not what but all this is nothing to the state of our soul A Stoick could give this rule that if any one z Epictetus c. 48. p. 276. Simp. com tell you of anothers speaking evill of thee do not excuse thy self but say he did not know me or else he would have spoken worse A Convert when he once comes to be sensible of sin sees more cause to be weary of his life then proud of his graces To rise and fall confesse sin and commit it to see others out-run us that set out after us to recover that time for communion with God which we trifle away in unobserved impertinencies Surely for such persons to be low and vile in their own eyes deserves not to be call'd humility though the contrary be worse then devillish pride Be perswaded therefore to believe your selves of your selves in the use of Agurs some suppose Solomons words of himself Pro. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish then any man c. q. d. I do not make use of my reason vers 3. I have not the knowledge of the holy q. d. my knowledge of holy mysteries is very little in comparison of my ignorance nothing Be as willing that others should speak ill of you as you are to speak ill of your selves and be as unwilling that others should commend a Multos vidisse qui potuèrint perferre multa incommoda in corpore fortunis qui autem potuerit contemnere laudes suas neminem Luther T. 4. p. 149. com in Gal. ex al. you as you are to commend your selves IX Entertain good thoughts of God b Psal 73.1 what ever he doth with you what ever he requires of you what ever he layes upon you c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epict. c. 38. Simpl. p. 212. We never arrive to any considerable holiness or peace till we lose d Hoc est totaelem dei voluntate conformitatem consonantiam habere nimirum nos totos ei offerendo ut quodcunque quandocunque quomodocumque ipse voluerit de nobis faciat ac statuat idque fine ulla exceptione contradictione nihil prorsus nobis reservando Rodericius exerc perfec pt 1. tr 8. c. 14. p. 355. our selves in Deity till our understandings be fil'd with admiration till our wils be in a sober sense divine till our affections be in a spiritual sense transported When we can at once unriddle Gods methods of Grace make good constructions of Gods methods of Providence making a spiritual improvement of both then we are not far from being universally and exactly conscientious there 's yet one thing wanting and that 's implyed in this but it must be eminently exprest X. Do all you do out of love to God Spiritual lâ—ve-sickness is the souls healthfullest constitution When love to God is both Cause Means Motive and End of all our activity in the business of Religion then the soul is upon the wing towards its rest Then e Ita sola bonitas dei movet ad amorem charitatis erga proximum sola ratio sanitatis movet ad utendum porione medica omnia quae
out and cast it from thee cut it off and cast it from thee to note two things 1. That we our selves must engage in the mortifying of our lusts Sinners with their own hands must pull out their own eyes T is not enough to cry unto God for help and in the mean time to be careless and idle as if nothing were to be done on our part mortification is a work incumbent upon us although we are impowred thereunto by the Spirit If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Rom. 8.13 we must mortifie although by the Spirit the duty is ours though the strength be Gods so here if thy right eye offend thee thou thy self pluck it out and cast it from thee 2. That we must be a willing people in this as in all other duties a Christian dieth to sin is not put to death 2. T is not said if thine eye offend thee observe it more then ordinary look narrowly to it but pluck it out To note that nothing less is like to do our souls good then the mortifying the killing the cutting off of our corruptions Let a mans hand be cut off it is a dead member immediately It is not so with plants when they are cut off from their roots they will grow and sprout again and so it is with the most inferiour sort of sensitive creatures for instance cut worms into several pieces every part will live and stir hence the learned call them insecta When the head of a fowl is separated from its body it will live and flutter for some time but this cannot be said of the most noble sort of creatures this is a sure rule in nature Vnitas indivisibilitas est comes perfectionis multitudo divisibilitas imperfectionis Union is a sign of perfection divisibility of imperfection the more perfect any being is the more united it is to its self and the less any part of it can live nisi in toto but in the whole so that this phrase is a great elegancy to note the killing of our beloved lusts if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee c. 3. T is not only said pluck it out but cast it from thee to note that it is not enough for a man to leave his sin for the present but he must renounce it for ever We must not part with sin as with a friend with a purpose to see it again and to have the same familiarly with it as before or possibly greater Amantium irae amoris redinte gratio est the falling out of Lovers is the renewing of love We must not only shake hands with it but shake our hands of it as Paul did shake the Viper off his hand into the fire pluck it out and cast it from thee Thus much for the Explication of the words for I shall have occasion only to deal with the former part of these two Verses at this time 2. I am to give you the Observations I shall speak but a few words to some of them that I may reserve my self for that which I mainly intend 1. Observ That the eye and the hand are excellent and useful parts of the body of man You see here our Saviour singles out these from all other parts as being very precious if thy right eye offend thee c. if thy right hand offend thee c. 1. As for the eye our Saviour tels us that it is the light of the body Mat. 6.22 the light of the body is the eye what is the world without the Sun but a dark melancholy dungeon what is a man without eyes but monstrous and deformed monstrum horrendum informe cui lumen ad emptum the two eyes are two luminaries that God hath set up in the Microcosme mans little world Zech. 2.8 Gal. 4.15 when God would express his tender love unto his people he calls them the apple of his eye he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye and the like phrase St. Paul makes use of when he speaks of the love of the Galatians unto himself I bear you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your eyes and have given them to me I have read of the Emperour Adrian that with an arrow by accident put out one of his servants eyes he commands him to be brought to him and bids him ask what he would that he might make him amends the poor man was silent he pressed him again he told the Emperour he would ask nothing but he wished that he had the eye which he had lost intimating that an Emperour was not able to make satifaction for the loss of an eye Oh be very watchful over this excellent part make a covenant with your eyes Job 31.1 Shut your eyes from seeing evil Isa 33.15 Set no wicked thing before your eyes Psal 101.3 as the Apostle saith in another case Doth not even nature teach you God hath made a covering for the eye that opens and shuts with a great deal of easiness to teach us that it is expedient sometimes that the eye be closed and not holden open to every object 2 As for the hand it is the prime part for action Aristotle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an instrument of instruments without this there could be no Cities no Towns no Merchandize no Husbandry no Manufacture without this man would differ but a little from the beasts that perish for what would his reason stand him in stead if he had not an hand to improve it The Naturalists observe that man could neither do nor say without this useful and necessary part for if a man did not eat with his hands he must as a bruite feed with his mouth and by that means the lips would become so thick that he would not be able to speak with any distinctness and indeed we find by experience that they that have thick lips have an imperfection in their speech Jam. 4. ◠Oh improve this excellent part for God a good life is expressed in Scripture by a clean hand cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded it is the greatest absurdity imaginable to plead a good heart as many do and yet have a foul and wicked hand this is as if a man should say here 's a tree that bears ill fruit but it hath an excellent root 2. Observ That offences are from our selves or the cause of stumbling and falling is from our selves some lust or other some right eye sin or some right hand sin if thy right offend thee c. sin unmortifi'd will very much endanger a mans falling truly if you would not have your right eye or your right hand offend you you must offend them pluck it out and cast it from thee cut it off and cast it from thee if you would see clearly in Gods way ye must pluck out your right eye if
it is a sign of a naughty heart to dally with occasions to sin Look not thou upon the wine Prov. 23.31 saith Solomon when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self a right it is not simply unlawful to look upon wine in the glass but if this may occasion intemperance here is a law laid upon our looks that command which forbids a sin forbids also those things that have a tendency thereunto as is observed by learned Commentators on the decalogue sometimes this is expressed in Scripture the Commandment that forbids Adultery takes in all causes and occasions thereunto thus Solomon speaking of an Harlot Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house Harlots like pestilential diseases make the houses infectious where they are and therefore come not nigh the door of her house 1 Thes 5.22 Avoid all appearance of evil I know there are some that dislike the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by appearance and rather think it should be expounded sort or kind but whether the word is taken in a Logical notion in the whole book of God is very questionable therefore why we should depart from the current and stream of Expositâ—rs and the sense of our learned Translators I know not When God would forbid the sin of injustice selling wares by false weights mark how it is expressed Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights Deut. 25.13 a great and a small It was a sin not only to sell wares by one sort of weights take wares in by another but to have a great and small weight in his bag God would not have us come neer the sin of injustice Hence also is that caution of St John Little children keep your selves from Idols 1 Joh 5.21 if you would avoid Idolatry beware of Idols he that would not hear the bell must not medle with the Rope 4. Pray unto God that thou mayst not fall into such a condition as may draw forth that corruption that thou art most prone to this was that which undid Judas he was naturally enclined to unjust gain and he had the Office of carrrying the bag and thus his lust was drawn forth When a man is apt to be high-minded it is a snare to be in an high place when a man is passionate it is sad to converse always or mostly with those that are kindle-coals that by provocations and unworthy carriages are casting fire-balls into a mans soul and be having a gun-powder nature is in a flame presently And the neerer the relations in this case the worse It is sad when my next neighbours house is on fire but t is worse when mine own is on fire it is a promise made to the people of God that all conditions of life and all passages of providence shall work together for their good and therefore the contrary when our conditions and relations make for the worse especially with reference unto our souls it must needs be very sad 5. Learn to suspect things that are delightful Gen. 3.6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes Carnal pleasures are forbidden fruit Agrippina poysoned her husband in that meat he loved best the Devil tempts us with dishes sweetly poysoned Love and delight pari passu ambulant walk together and keep the same pace many a man hath been undone by riches and honours and worldly comforts like the Bee that is drowned in its own honey Christians be careful Every one of us hath Eves sweet tooth in our heads 6. Labour to act that grace in especial manner which is contrary to thy beloved sin for instance if passion be thy darling sin labour to act the grace of meekness if excess the grace of temperance if uncleanness the grace of chastity let me tell you where grace is helped by nature upon the account of a mans temper and constitution there a little grace will go far but when grace is to be imploy'd against nature it had need to be strong and active your Watermen in some cases take their ease and their Boats will go of themselves but when wind and tyde is against them then they must labour at the Oar hic labor hoc opus 7. Keep a watch over thy heart Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life so our Saviour Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Mat. 15.19 murders adulteries fornications thiefts false witness blasphemy Godliness is but a fansie till the heart be reformed Psa 78.34 35. we read in the book of Psalmes of Israels turning unto God when he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer but was their conversion right no Ver. 36. They did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongue and whence was this Ver. 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his covenant therefore mortifie sin in its rise in its first principle lay the axe to the root there is more sap in the root then in the branches there is more sin in the heart then in the life one stroke at the root of the tree conduces more to the deadning of it then many at the body or the boughs or any other part whatsoever To quicken your industry in this know that the motions of original sin as they are permanent so they are exceeding violent and impetuous I remember the learned Davenaunt de justitia habituali actuali cap. 5. gives this difference between the remission of actual and original sin when actual sins are forgiven saith he penitus tolluntur quoad maculam reatum both as to their guilt and filth but it is not so with original sin the guilt is done away but the stain remains this is a sin that dwells in us that abides in us and abides by us we shall not be rid of the body of death till the death of the body sin is an ill tenant it will not out till the house fall upon its head now the certainty of the inherence of this sin is an argument of the more efficaciousness of its operation modus operandi sequitur modum essendi Unquenchable fire burns more fervently then that which may be extinguished the reason why the Angels at this day do the will of God in a more eminent way then the Saints on earth is because they have such a principle of holiness as cannot be lost to eternity whereas the Saints on earth have a weaker principle of holiness which may unhappily be abated though it be recruited again the reason why the soul of an healthful person moves and acts with more vivacity and energy and power then the soul of a sick man is because in the latter it may
be departing and taking its leave of the body or at lest may be in danger so to do whereas the former being a man of an hayle and good constitution of body the soul may act inform enliven it many years 8. Get a respect to all Gods Commandments Psa 119.6 then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The reason why men indulge any one lust is because they pick and cull their duties and so indeed serve not the will of God but their own choice Oh how many are there that answer the Lord with half obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfect respondence of the voyce but of some part thereof Many make such a difference amongst the Tables as if onely one side or one part were of Gods writing Oh Sirs this will not do this will undo the man that like Agrippa doth but almost beleeve almost repent almost conform to the will of God that man shall be saved proportionably almost One sin unrepented of will cause you to miscarry to all eternity one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable untunable and till it be new cast it is good for nothing one wound may kill your bodies and so may one sin your souls Oh Christians what had become of you and I if Jesus Christ had satisfied the justice of God for all but one sin there is a text in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.27 that is usually taken for a place of the greatest mercy in the whole book of God When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive You have to the same purpose ver 21 22. of the same Chapter but pray mark what follows ver 28. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgression that he hath committed no mercy to be expected from this Scripture unless a man turn away from all his transgressions 2 Tim. 2.21 the vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour by this character that it is sanctified and prepared for every good work Luke 1.6 and this is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Halting in Religion is a troublesome deformed dangerous gesture and there is no cure for this like cutting off the right foot 9. Lay hold on Gods strength for the mortifying of thy beloved sin surely this is no easie work see how it is expressed in Scripture sometime it is called the mortification of our members is to mortifie a part of the body an easie work sometimes the circumcising of the foreskin of our hearts Deut. 10.16 did the Sichemites count circumcision an easie work by crucifying of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 was crucifixion an easie death and here in the text it is called a plucking out the right eye and cutting off the right hand the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place tells the Romans if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live He who is the fountain of spiritual life is also the principle of this spiritual death this is a work to be done by us but through the Spirit Hence in Scripture God is said to do this Rom. 8.13 Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed and the Apostle expresses this by circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 intimating that it is not a work of mans hands but Gods Q. If any aske me but how shall we lay hold on Gods strength R. By faith great things are attributed unto this grace because it lays hold on God and sets God at work 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith it overcomes not onely the honours and riches and pleasures of the world but the lusts of the world of which you have mention 1 Job 2.16 saith is a self-emptying grace a poor beggarly hand rich only in receiving from another something like Davids sling and stone against Goliah lusts but in the name of the Lord of Hosts and by his strength even a babe in Christ through faith shall overcome the world I must tell you that Hannibal and Alexander and all the glorious Victors that we read of were but fresh water Souldiers in comparison of one that is born of God I shall only to what I have said add a few Motives to quicken you to your duty and so commend all to Gods blessing Motive 1. Right-eye sins and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the souls closing with Christ When you flea any creature the skin comes off with ease till it comes to the head and there it sticks more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence Now I must tell you the sin that I am disswading you against is not only the eye sin and the hand sin but the head sin and here conversion sticks The sinner forbears many sins and performs many duties but when it comes to this Oh master saith flesh and blood pitty thy selfe beware what thou dost what be thine own Executioner plucke out thy right eye cut off thy right hand A mans sin is himself to deny ungodlinesse is to deny selfe this is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murther No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Is there no getting to heaven unlesse a man leave himself behind this is durus sermo an hard saying As Naaman the Syrian 2 Reg. 5.18 When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So the sinner the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Mark 10.20 21. The young man in the Gospel tels Christ that he had kept all the commandements from his youth but when Christ said to him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven and come and take up thy crosse and follow me here he sticks verse 22. he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions or his great possessions had him Alass this poor young man little thought that notwithstanding his forwardnesse to keep the Commandements he was under the power of worldly lusts Oh sirs there is great strength in a river when it runs smoothly and without noise Motive 2. As these sins are the greatest hindrances of the souls closing with Christ so they prove the greatest trouble to the soul afterwards Your Eye-sin will prove your eye-sore yea and your heart-sore My meaning is your conâ—cience will suffer most upon the account of this sin all your dayes Thus Job cap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth When a mans conscience is
disquieted and tormented for the sins of his youth then he may be said to possesse them yea it may occasion not only griefe but guilt Of all sins this is many times most unmortified even after Mortification Souldiers that have received wounds and bruises when young have smartâ—d by them when they have been old There are many good souls that after cure have gone to heaven halting on the old maim Motive 3. The mortifying of our darling lust our right-eye sin and our right-hand sin is a choise evidence of regeneration truth of grace hath as much as any way been declared thus Acts 19.19 Paul after conversion becomes a Preacher of that name which he before blasphemed Those of Ephesus that were given to witchcraft and sorcery after their conversion brought their books together and burned them before all men and many other instances of the like nature are urged by Divines to this purpose Cranmer that had subscribed the Popish Articles with his right hand afterwards as a piece of revenge put that hand first into the flames A true Convert of all sins will be revenged most upon that by which he hath most dishonoured God His right eye and his right hand shall smart for it the one must be plucked out and the other must be cut off as we say of hunger he will kill that which otherwise would have killed him I speak much of mortification and death to you this morning Christians be not afraid to dye thus doth not argue imperfection there is corruptio perfectiva a corruption that tends to perfection I was alive saith Paul Rom. 7.9 without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed This is expiring unto life just as an Embrio expires after it becomes a child Here I would add two Cautions under this head 1. The forbearing of any outward act of sin whatsoever is no evidence of Mortification or Conversion Sin may be restrained when it is not mortified a chained Lyon is a Lyon still a Swine washed is a Swine still In some sense you may be said to be a new man and yet you may not be a new creature This may come to passe partly from the sense of temporall inconveniences partly from the clamours of naturall conscience or from fear of wrath Such principles as these are not strong enough to kill sin or to heal the Soul but are like those odours which we use to raise men out of a fit of the Falling sickness but doth not at all cure them of the disease 2 The mortifying of our darling sin is joyned with an universal hatred of all sin A true Convert hates every false way as the Psalmist phrases it sin is often expressed in Script by abomination it is so to God it should be so to man anger is only with reference to particulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the kind a godly man hates sin as sin and therefore he hates every sin the Devil hates goodnesse as goodnesse and therefore he hates all goodnesse a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia a man may be angry with sin and not kill sin but as he that hates his brother is a murderer so he that hates sin is a mortifier When the right eye is plucked out and the right hand is cut off the whole body of sin hath its deaths wound The man that keeps himself from his iniquity will keep himself from every iniquity the heart with one hole-reserved for sin is not sound Motive 4. Mortification is a duty becoming the best of Saints whilest they are in this world I told you in the beginning of this discourse that the Text was part of Christs Sermon upon the Mount and if you consult the first and second verses of this Chapter you shall find that it was preached to Christs own Disciples Vir bonus pius Gal. 5.24 non est qui carnem non habet sed qui carnem suam mortificat a good man is not one that hath no flesh but he that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 It is with our sinfull body as with our natural body If you cut a Wenn or any Excrescence of that nature it will grow again and again and it will be an hard matter to be rid of it all your dayes So though every day we be paring away our lusts yet they grow again To close all Go on and persevere in the subduing and killing of thy beloved Lust Mortification is a worke once done and yet in this life it is always a doing There are some things that consist of an iteration of multiplyed acts as in Wedlock persons are actually married at once the Husband surrenders himself unto the Wife and the Wife surrenders her self unto her Husband and yet if they live together sutably to that neer relation marriage is as it were renewed every day there is a continuall surrender of themselves each to other So 't is here when the soul is first converted the beloved sin is mortified and yet there is a continuall mortification of it this is a duty that consists not in any one act though never so good never so vigorous but 't is a continued act of the whole life 'T is not killing sin at one blow the strength of sin decays by degrees it begins in the weakning of sin and ends in the destroying of sin Sin dies a lingring death therefore let us go on in this great and necessary work You know Sampson deny'd and deny'd Dalilah for some time and would not discover where his strength lay but not holding out he lost his strength and his life to boot beware of Apostacy Crabs that go backward are reckoned amongst unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 Factum non dicitur quod non perseverat is a maxime a Will not finished is no Will a Deed unlesse it be signed sealed and delivered is no Deed. The Sacrifice that was offered up unto God was not to want so much as the tayle Lev. 3.6 True Christians hate sin so perfectly that they cannot be quiet till it be utterly abolished First they go to God for Justification ne damnet then for sanctification ne regnet then for glorification ne sit Let us be faithfull as to this spiritual death that we may receive a crown of life Amen What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace HEB. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame I Could say Beloved of the Interpretation and Application of this Scripture before I begin to open it containing the Doom and sad Sentence pronounced against Apostates and Relapsarians as once Daniel
two Caleb and Joshua followed God fully Numb 14.24 Of the four grounds in the Parable only one held out Many of John Baptists hearers left him and fell away Joh. 5.35 Many of Christs hearers and disciples Joh. 6.65 Many of Peters 2 Pet. 2.20 Many of Pauls 2 Tim. 1.15 and 1 Tim. 5.15 Many of John the Evangelists hearers 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us because they they were not of us for had they been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us But none of these were ever sincere Christians and sound at the heart We wonder not to see an house built on the sand to fall or seed not having root wither or trees in the parched Wilderness decay Jer 17.6 or Meteors vanish or Blazing-stars fall or Clouds without rain blown about or Wells without springs dryed up So for Hypocrites to prove Apostates no strange thing and utterly to fall away There are four wills some have observed 1. The Divine will never alters or turns 2. The Angels will hath turned never returns 3. The will of man faln turned and in conversion returns 4. The will of Apostates after that grace received and abused turns away and never returns but becomes like the fallen Angels 2. Even Godly and gracious persons are subject to fall and therefore must not be secure they must work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2 12. they are bidden to fear least they should fall short Heb. 4.1 Stand fast 1 Cor. 16.13 Take heed least they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Look diligently least any fail of or fall from so is the other reading the grace of God Heb. 12.15 Take the whole armour of God that they may be able to stand Eph. 6.12 Even the very Elect have this root of bitterness and seeds of Apostacy within them Even Peter had sunk if Christ had not put forth his hand to save him from the water Mat. 14.31 and had been winnowed as chaff Luk 21.31 32 if Christ had not pray'd for him that his faith should not fail Let not him therefore that puts on his harness boast as he that puts it off 1 King 20.11 3. Yet a truly regenerate soul a plant of Gods planting by the water side a plant or graffe grafted into Christ and rooted in Christ can never fall away totally or finally Peter could not when Christ pray'd for him The Elect cannot Mat. 24.24 In the general Apostacy of the Christian world and the greatest persecutions under Rome-pagan and Rome-pseudo-christian Antichristian both times when all the world wandered after the Dragon and the Beast they who had their names written in the Lambs book held out and warped not Rev. 13.8 and 17.8 The elect are as Mount Sion that cannot be moved and are as fixed stars that fall not The house on the Rock stands firm in all weathers The Tree by the waters side Jer. 17.8 Seed in good ground Mat. 13. They who have a seed of God in them cannot so sin 1 Joh. 3 9 And they that are born of God 1 Joh. 5.18 They who are in the hand of Christ none can pluck them out Joh. 10.28 Yet as to the fallings of the Elect not presuming to tell you the minimum or summum quod sic we shall make those concessions or observations 1. We grant that the godly as well as others are subject to this Posit 1 falling-sickness having seeds of Apostacy in them and would certainly fall irrecoverably if left to themselves In te stas non stas Aug. By strength his own no man shall prevail or stand 1 Sam. 29. 2. Grace received truly sanctifying is not for his measure so great Posit 2 or for its nature so immutable and invincible but might be overhorn and would if not divinely supported and continually supplyed as the Widows oyl kept from decay fed by a spring of Auxiliary grace as Josephs bow abode in strength by the arm of God and his bough green and fruitful Gen. 49.22 23 24. Gratia gratiam postulat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.10 sed by a well of living water so that it is not the grace in us but the grace with us grace supervening and additional which keeps us from falling Even the good ground were it not for the influence of the Sun and Rain would prove as the stony and Thorny Ground Posit 3 3. There is no such state of consistency in the effectually called But there is a daily combate and of times a great inequality in his Pulse sometimes Amalek sometimes Israel prevails and this war lasts not as that between the house of Saul and David for certain years but as that between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days 2 Sam. 3.1 1 King 14.30 Paul sometimes as in the third heaven cries out We are more then Conquerors who shall separate us from the love of God c. sometimes as under foot cries out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Posit 4 4. Even godly persons may fall for once very fouly as Peter yea lye long as David it is hard to say how low they may fall and how long they may lye yet sin not unto death as the Sun is for many months absent from some Climates yet returns again so that they may then say with the Church Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise Micah 7.8 when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Posit 5 5. There may also possibly be a relapse or falling a new into the same act of sin through humane infirmity as Abraham twice denying his wife the Disciples twice contending for supremacy And as I will not say how oft thy brother trespassing and repenting is to be forgiven not to seven but to seventy times seven so I cannot say how oft through infirmity a sinner trespassing and returning with repentance may be forgiven Gods mercies and thoughts being so far above mans Posit 6 6. The Christian may as to his own sense be reduced to a very sad and low state 1. He is poor in spirit he mourns he hungers thirsts pants doubts dislikes all 2. He judgeth of himself as under present prevailency of corruption Carnal sold under sin a forced slave to it Rom. 7.14 3. As if nothing had been done yet and all was to do he begs O God create a new heart in me Psal 51. 4. He may be apt to conclude against himself I never did yet truly believe or repent and which is worse with Thomas I never shall believe 5. In this case he lies bound as Peter Joh. 20.25 Act. 12.6 7. and can't help himself till the Angel comes and strikes off the bands and opens the iron-gate 6. And as to comfort he may be at an utter loss walk in darkness Esay 50.10 judge himself cut off Ezek.
37.11 his hope perished Lam. 3.18 God hiding his face Satan shewing his teeth casting forth a floud and shooting in a peal of fiery darts Curse God and dye Thou art mine as sure as death as sure of damnation as I my self Then how doth a poor soul mourn I am forsaken and quite cast out of sight I am as a bottle in the smoak of hell like a broken vessel or fire-band reserved for hell as possible for this Venice-glass said that destressed Gentlewoman Mrs. Honywood not to be broken when it falls on the ground as for me to escape the damnation of hell God can do much saith he but doth he shew wonders among the dead Psal 88.10 Then pray he would but cannot hope he would but cannot believe he would but dare not fear he would not but must resolve he would to cast himself upon God but he sees his resolution set another way and he cannot he thinks change it therefore doth he not go about it To God he saith I am cast out of thy sight Psal 31.22 To Satan Vicisti Satana Hast thou found me O mine enemy to despair I yield but call not for quarter nor beg I mercy to affliction he saith I am in the belly of hell Jon. 2.2 the weeds and chains of hell wrap me about to Ministers and other friends he saith Stand away go not about to comfort me Esay 22.4 To promises and experience he saith in his haste All are Lyars Yet may the tide turn Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur nec finaliter amittitur Actus omittitur habitus non amittitur actio pervertitur fides non subvertitur concutitur non excutitur defluit fructus latet succus jus ad regnum amittunt demeritoriè non effective Prid. Effectus justificationis suspenditur at status justificati non dissolvitur Suff. Briâ— and the Sun of Righteousness arise after a long winter and continual night as in those remote Climates who sit in the region and shadow of death and come with healing under his wings and he may cry out Rejoyce with me I have found him whom my soul loveth the lost sheep is found by the good sheepherd the lost Saviour is found Luk. 2. the lost star seen againe Mat. 2. And the utterly despairing hopes of salvation are disappointed by a safe though hazardous coming to land Acts 27.20 and 44. For Gods election stands firm and his love is unchangeable and his gifts without repentance and the undertaking of Christ is to keep his to the end that none shall pluck them out of his hand and whom he gives himself for he presents them spotless and blameless before his Father Therefore are the Godly as firm and safe from utter falling away as Mount Sion from being removed or an house on a rock from being subverted Here follows an Use of Terror and speaks to four Sorts 2. Vse of Terror Hic videmus quanta sit Apostasiae atrocitas nihil ad eam hemicidia adulteria surta c. Par. in lo. 1. This Text is thunder and lightning against Apostates Awake you drowsie Professors There is no sin like Apostacy Adulteries Man-slaughter Theft Idolatries c. nothing to this No impossible written over them they have been renewed to repentance 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Mary Magdalens seven unclean spirits and Manasses ten or more not so bad as the unclean spirit going out and a return with an Ogdeas malorum spirituum as Irenaeus cals it with seven other spirits more besides it self Thou art in the high-way to perdition to the sin against the Holy Ghost Sins and judgements meet together in this sin The Cataracts of upper and neather springs all the windows of heaven and fountains of the great deep as in that great deluge Gen. 11. are broken up to drown thee in perdition Thy sins making way for more judgements and this judgement making way for more sins till between these two seas thy soul as that vessel Act. 27.41 is eternally shipwrackt If thou art not altogether past feeling crucifying the Son of God afresh and treading his Bloud and Covenant under foot I sound this Trumpet to warn thee or to deliver my own soul Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Rev. 2.5 Be watchful and strengthen what is ready to dye Rev. 3.2 Haste escape for thy life look not behind thee as was said to Lot or as Jonathan in another case 1 Sam. 20.38 Away make speed haste stay not 2. This speaks terror to Professors fallen or lying in scandalous sins you can't sin at so easie a rate as others you know your Masters will and do it not therefore shall be beaten with more strips You are as a City set on an hill Luk. 12.48 your fault can't be hid no more than an Eclipse of the Sun when the Moon or other Stars totally Ecclipsed no notice is taken of them 2 Sam. 12.14 1 Sam. 2.24 You make the enemies of Religion blasphem or deride godliness you make the Lords people to transgress your sins are more infectious then others your repentance had need be extraordinary not only for pardon which you haply may obtain but for the scandal which others may take which you can't possibly prevent 3. Terror to such as after conviction and engagements under affliction and distress after some prayers vowes and a begun or resolved reformation return to former courses as they after what they promised in their distress Jer. 34.15 16. Returned when delivered and started aside like a broken bow The new broom of affliction swept the house clean for the present but afterwards the unclean spirit returns and this washed Sowe is wallowing in the the myre again 4. Such as lapse and relapse into the same sin again as Pharaoh Jeroboam and those Antichristian brood Rev. 9.20 21. which repented not notwithstanding all judgements convictions confessions promises go from evil to worse from affliction to sin from sin to duty and from duty to sin repent and sin sin and repent Jer. 9.3 and from repenting of sin in distress go to repent of their repentance when delivered Pharaoh unsaith all he had said and saith his repentance backward as the door turneth and returneth on the hinges is sometimes shut by and by open again so these in no constant posture their goodness like a morning dew a little devotion in a morning for all companies till night comes then a little evening dew again Amphibia that live in both Elements Modo Ecclesias modo theatra replentes Aug. now you fee them at a Sermon anon at a Play-house as Solomons Harlot sacrificing in the morning prostituting her self to all filthiness at night or as Solomons drunken beast that hath had knocks and blows yet being besotted with his drink or company saith Prov. 7.14 â—5 Pro. 23.25 Esay 56.12 They hâ—ve stricken me and beaten me but I felt it not when I awake I shall seek it again or as Esays
his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
the man that hath his quiver full of such artillery whose conscience is rich in these Memoirs Store thy mind with this sacred treasure Mat. 13.52 that as a Scribe instructed for the Kingdome of heaven thou mayest upon all occasions bring forth out of thy treasure things new and old Hold such Scriptures as are point-blanck contrary to the Temptation before thy conscience if it would turn away compell it to look upon them and think I am Gods creature I must obey him Did ever any rebell against him and prosper Terence eine ego ut adverser Is it wisely done of me to resist my Maker to try which is strongest a poor worme or the Almighty God And if the love of Gods commands will not constrain thee let the terrors the thunders and lightnings of his threats perswade thee which are all levelled against wilfull sinners And it is not safe standing surely in the very Canons mouth Peruse those two Scriptures and tremble to venture on any known breach of the Law of thy God Deut. 28.58 Isa 45 9. Rule 3 If all this effect nothing then draw the Curtain take off the vaile from before thy heart and let it behold the God that searcheth it Jer. 17.10 Heb. 4.13 Shew it the Majesty of the Lord see how that is described Isa 6.1 2 3. Ask thy soul whether it sees the living God that seeth it Whether it is aware whose eye looks on Gen. 16.13 14. Whether it hath no respect for God himself who stands by and whose pure and glorious eyes Hab. 1.13 pierce through and through thee Tell thy heart again and again that God will not be mocked that he is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 and by him actions are weighed that he is a jealous God too and will by no meanes clear the guilty Bid it consider well and look to it self for God will bring to light every hidden thing of dishonesty he that now sees will judge it Speak to thy unruly lusts as the Town-Clerk of Ephesus wisely did to the mutinous Citizens Acts 19 40. Sirs we are in danger to be called in question for this dayes uproar there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this tumult Rule 4 If these great reall arguments be slighted try whether an argument ad hominem drawn from sense will prevail Awe thy lusts then with the bitternesse of thine own experience Consider how often thou hast rued their disorders what dismall consequences have followed upon their transports and how dearly thou hast paid heretofore for thy connivance at them Bethink thy self on such a fashion as this T'other day I was angry and behaved my self uncomely put the whole company or family out of order disobliged such a dear and faithful friend by my rashness and folly in uttering hasty words before I weighed them O how did I repent me afterwards how shamed and abashed and confounded was I when I came to my self So at another time thus and thus I miscarried my self and these are the fruits and cursed effects of my yielding to the beginnings of sinne and shall I go now and repeat my madnesse Had I not smart enough for my folly before but must I needs play the fool and the beast again Ask thy self what thou ailest to forget all the sighes and groans and bitter tears that thy lust hath already cost thee and yet would the impudent sin be committed once more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where are thy wits man Theoret in Cyclop if thou goest about it Sic notus Vlysses Was it so sweet a thing to lye under the horror and agony of a wounded conscience and under Gods rebukes in secret the last time that thou must needs venture again Why wilt thou hurt thy soule and become a Devil to thy self Why wilt thou needs break thy peace by consenting to sin and not only so but torment thy self and kindle a hell in thine own bosome and all this in despight of all thy warnings Ictus Piscator sapit the burnt child dreads the fire But it seems thou art in love with misery and weary of thy joy and comfort Thou hast a mind to be cursed wretchedness and woe and death are it seemeth grown so amiable in thine eyes as to become thy deliberate choise Thus upbraid thy self and do it so long and loud till thou fetchest thy soul again to it self out of that swoon and lethargy which besotteth it Give not over chiding and reproaching thy self till thou makest thy heart sensible and considerate Labour to cure thy lustings and affections in the first beginning of Rule 5 their disorders by Revulsion by drawing the stream and tide another way As Physitians stop an an Haemorragic or bleeding at the Nose by breathing the basilique vein in the arm or opening the Saphaena in the foot so may we check our carnal affections by turning them into spiritual ones and those eâ—ther 1 Of the same nature Ex. gr Catch thy worldly sorrow at the rise and turn thy mourning into godly sorrow If thou must needs weep weep for some what that deserves it Be the occasion of thy grief what it will losse of estate relations c. I am sure thy sins are a juster occasion for they brought that occasion of mourning upon thee be it what it will that thou art now in tears for Art thou troubled at any danger full of fears heart-aking and confusion O forget not the Mother-evill sinne let that have but it's due share and there will not be much left to spare of these affections for other things Is thy desire thy love thy joy too busy about some earthly trifle some temporall good thing Pray them to look up a little and behold thy God who is altogether lovely in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 and let everlasting shame stop thy mouth if thou darest affirme any thing in this wretched world worthy to be named once with the living God for Rivalship and competition in thy heart a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Max. Tyr. dissert 1. sure I am he is the fountain and measure of all goodnesse Let but the first and soveraign Good have its due of thy love and desire thy delight and joy and the remainder will be little enough for thy creature-comforts Oh how great a folly is it to dote on husks and overlook the bread in thy fathers house Jer. 2.12 13. 2 Turn thy carnall affections into spirituall ones of a contrary nature Ex. gr Allay thy worldly sorrow by spiritual joy Try whether there be not enough in Alsufficiency it self to compensate the loss of any outward enjoyment whether there wil be any great miss or want of a broken Cistern when thou art at the fountain head of living waters whether the light of the Sun cannot make amends for the expiring of a candle Chastise thy carnall fears by hope in God Set on work
beleeve it Thâ—se things considered I dare boldly tell thee that thou canst not love in sincerity but together therewith thou wilt be under a holy rapture of Admiration and together with thy love thy Admiration will be alwaâ—es increasing Cant. 2.3 2. Sweet and refreshing delighting 'T is a delighting rejoycing love love saith Aquinas est complacentia amantis in amato is the rest and satisfaction of the soul in the Object loved the nature of love lies much in delight Thou canst not Christian love thy Lord but thou wilt finde thy heart even ravished with delight in him as being one in whom the fulness of the God head dwells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 or personally non per efficaciâ—m solum â—upassistentiam sed per Unionem Hypostaticum or not vertually or only in a way of external help and assistance and being also one that had such an Unction of the Spirit upon him Cap. 〈…〉 that hath fully fitted him for the delight of thy soul And hence it is that wee finde the Spouse in the Book of Canticles so often letting forth her heart in holy delight to her Beloved as is manifest by her many loving compellations and several other expressions Hee shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Cant. 1.13 too large and many to be mentioned here and therefore I refer you to the Book it self 3. Ingenious gratitude thankfulness 'T is a grateful and thankful love as that which is begotten in the soul by the sense of Christs unspeakable goodness and condescension and which is also ever after fed and maintained thereby Now the condescension of Christ lies in three things 1. In his voluntary undertaking the work of Reconciliation and Mediation with God for persons so unworthy Rom. 5.8 Heb. 2.16 Hee took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham it was the cause of sinners which this great Lord undertook to plead 2 In his unwearied diligence and invincible patience in fulfilling the severe Law of Redemption which hee had submitted to Though the injury that was done him by man was so great and manifest and the terrour of the Lord against him also so severe and unspeakable yet hee opened not his mouth but was dumb even as a Lamb at the slaughter and as a Sheep under the hands of the Shearers Isa 53.7 Mat. 11.30 Rom. 10.8 9 10. Isa 1.16.17 18 3. In being willing to communicate the benefits purchased thereby to sinful and rebellious men upon such easie Terms bidding us do nothing else but turn to God by Repentance and Self-denial and beleeve in himself and then what ever our sins had been all the advantages merited by his death should be made over to us Now when all these are considered as by every soul that sincerely loves him more or less they are do they not sweetly affect with thankfulness as well as love Christian canst thou look upon such a Redeemer without some sense of an obligation laid upon thy soul thereby wilt thou think one single and separate affection enough for him or rather will not thy heart empty it self into the bosome of the Lord with love and thankfulness boâ—h at once and each of them contending which shall out-do the other 4. Supporting hope and confidence 'T is a hoping and confiding love 'T is not a languishing affection but that which brings life into the soul from the fulness of that Christ it feeds upon 1 Ioh. 4 17. Perfect love saith the Apostle casteth out fear There will not be so much as the shadow of fear upon the soul when this affection is ripened into perfect fruition And in the mean time as the degrees of it do increase so is the soul heightened in its hopes and tramples upon its former jealousies fears and discouragements And to this sense some interpret those words Rom. 8.38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. As if they were the exultation of Faith upon the view of Loves Conquest and victorious Triumph over all its enemies Love gives confidence of access to Christ and unto God by him and this confidence lies in the soul as a cordial against all its faintings and despoâ—dencies not that there may not be a sinking of spirits and a swooning away for a time but love will restore the soul again and knowing Christ to be good Cant. 6 1â— 13. as well as all-sufficient for its condition it will recover life and spirits again and nor suffer it utterly to faint under its own sad apprehensions And this is the third Character Take now all these four qualifications of sincere love and try your selves by them 4. Character If our love be sincere it 's an affection which respecteth not a naked Christ but Christ as Mediatour Or it is a hearty desire of and complacency in Christ in all his offices as King and Priest and Prophet And of such moment is the right knowledge of this Character that Christian I must desire thee principally to study it and pass a judgement upon thy self thereby For what-ever fondness and sudden flashings of love thou mayest finde within thee they wil not so clearly tell thee what thou art as the knowledge of thy self by this mâ—rk Take it for a clear Truth That if thou lovest not Christ as thy Sovâ—raign Lord if thy heart be not knit to him as thy High Priest with God if â—hâ—◠〈…〉 â—ot affectionately entertained him as thy Master and Teacher In a word if thou art not consecrated unto God by Christ if thou art not a loyal subject and a willing Disciple love in sincerity doth not dwell in thee Thou art still an enemy and wilt so be judged 'T is not fondness of expression nor any outward complement that men put upon Christ which reacheth the New Testament notion of love to Christ but when as loyal subjects Ioh. 14.15.21 15.8 10.21.23 24. 1 Iohn 5.3 Luk. 19.27 Heb. 10.28 Ioh. 14.23 24. and willing disciples wee are alwaies doing the Things that are grateful and are obedient to him This is love And hence it is that in so many places our Lord puts us upon trying our love by our obedience by keeping his words and Commandments And speaks of Libertines Infidels the carnally wise Rebels and Apostates as enemies and haters of him what-ever their pretences are to the contrary And verily so essential is this to sincere love that unless you understand it you will be able to give but a lame account of most of the Scripture-Characters thereof as if I had time I could easily demonstrate because they do all presuppose it If thou wouldst know therefore whether this Grace be in thee in truth take thy heart Christian to Christ in every office and try it by such Interrogatories as may result from the consideration of them and this will tell thee thy case distinctly Begin first with Christ as High Priest for this did lay the foundation of the
him have a sympathy with him in them Luk. 24.52 Act. 2.26 Neither is it his joy alone that hee was personally advanced by being raised again from the dead and taken up to glory to sit therein at the right hand of God but theirs also Tell a loyal wife that her husband is honoured and her heart will leap at the tidings that are brought to her 'T is good news to love-sick souls to hear that Christ is now in Glory they savour the advancements of their Lord according to those words of Christ himself to his Apostles If yee loved mee yee would rejoyce because I go to the Father for my Father is greater than I Joh. 14.28 They are glad by Faith to see the Sun of Righteousness after a dark and cloudy morning in his Meridian Altitude They dye Ioh. 20.20 and are crucified with Christ in his death Rom. 6.3 Gal. 2.19 And they feel a reviving of themselves in the Resurrection of their Lord and hence it is said of them that they are quickened together with him Ephes 2.5 Ioh. 20.11 compared with Mat. 28.8 and that they sit together in heavenly places with him Ephes 1.20 Wee read of Mary that shee went weeping to the grave of her Lord but hearing that he was arose shee came away rejoycing And no otherwise was it with his Disciples Christ doth not triumph alone in his Ascension but all such as love him share therein together with him And as they share with Christ in his personal joyes and troubles so do they no less when any of his concernments in the world do either prosper or else are trampled upon and clouded Psa 42.10 69.9 'T is as the arrows of death to see either his Laws Ordinances Officers or Subjects trampled upon The reproaches of the rebellious world reproaching their Lord fall upon them and are as so many darts struck into their own souls This is that which successively feeds their joyes and sorrows that it goes well with the Militant Church here below or that a cloud of displeasure and persecution is spread over it 6. Character Where love to Christ is sincere there Christ is accounted by the soul to be its Treasure and there is a longing desire in every such soul of the neerest communion with him I put both these together though there bee a very clear distinction between them for brevity it is a truly conjugal love which can neither bear with distance nor brook any Rival And this is the meaning of the Spouse in that double expression calling him the chiefest of ten thousands and professing him to bee altogether lovely The soul that loves Christ may love other things Cant. 5.10.16 and esteem them lovely but shee will say of none that they are altogether lovely but only of her Lord. When one asked Alexander to shew him his Treasure the report is that hee pointed to his friend Ephestion the Treasure of a soul that sincerely loves Christ is Christ himself Deus meus est omnia or my God is my all saith the soul that loves God as his Ultimate end Hence is that of David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and who is there on Earth that I desire besides thee Christus meus est omnia or my Christ is my all saith the soul that is upon inquiry how to finde acceptation with God Whence is that of Paul Doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 'T is the proper Motto of a love-sick soul None but Christ The sincerity of a Christians love lies in giving a preheminence to the Redeemer whom it loves above every thing else The soul that loves Christ values nothing in comparison of him no not his own benefits Meretricius amor est plus annulum quam sponsum amare or It is a noâ—e of a Harlot to prefer the portion before the person And that is a no less true than noble speech of the devout A. Kempis Nobilis amator non quiescit in dono sed in Christo super omne donum or The Wo thy and Noble Lover values not Christ so much by what hee brings as by what hee is himself The soul that loves Christ loves Ordinances because they are the banquetting-house of her Lord Cant. 2.4 wherein shee is often refreshed by him shee loves the Priviledges of the Gospel becâ—use they are the Purchase of her Lords blood Cant. 4.1 c. Shee loves her own Graces because they are the rare Ornaments which Christ hath put upon her to render her beautiful and fit her for his own imbraces and yet after all her language to Christ is Not Thine but Thee Shee will not so value them as to forget him that gives them Christ is her Center and therefore shee rests not but will lay by and through all to come to him shee can scarce forbear a fit of Impatience sometimes to think of that distance that is still between them See Cant. 8.14 Make haste my Beloved saith the Spouse to Christ there and bee thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices And such another Ejaculation is that Revel 22.17 20. where the whole Church is brought in crying to Christ Come Lord Jesus come quickly While our hearts dwell below upon the thick Clay and have no daily desires to send forth as Doves from the Ark for communion with Christ There is little sign of sincere love to him 7. Character Wee may know our Sincerity in love by the value wee put upon our selves as well as upon Christ if our interest in Christ bee the rule by which wee value our selves that will argue true love when this makes it day in our souls that Christ smiles upon us and on the other side when this spreads the darkness of the night over us that hee hides his face from us then wee love him David loved God heartily and therefore when God smiled hee rejoyced Psalm 4.6 Psal 30.7 and when God hid his face hee was as much troubled then as before delighted 'T is thus in every relation where there is sincerity of affection as the bond thereof and a dependance between them of the one upon the other 'T is thus between a Prince and a loyal favorite between a Husband and a loving wise 't is thus between the love-sick soul and Christ when shee injoyes him then none so lightsome in Countenance as shee According to the nature of love her affections are hardly concealed they are even too big for her heart to cover and therefore shee can scarce with hold her self from a Holy exultation before every one that meets her Whereas on the other side if Christ but withdraws if shee calls and hee gives no answer if hee seems to avoid her Company and to despise her familiarity what then Oh then her Joy is turned into Gall and her Pleasantness into Wormwood then her Countenance grows dark
matter Good Lord what sloth stupidity negligence hath possessed our hearts surely if thou didst beleeve that thou mightest bee in thy grave to morrow wouldest thou not make sure of heaven to day if the lease of thy house be almost expired and the Land-lord hath given thee warning to provide thee another Habitation for hee will not suffer thee to renew it any more dost thou not presently enquire of thy friends and of thy neighbours Sirs can you tell mee where I may have a convenient dwelling I have but a little time in the house where I am and I have had warning to go out by such a day art thou not careful to have an house ready to go to upon the very same day thou leavest the former Alas man dost thou not know the lease of thy life is almost out nay dost thou not know that thou art only a tenant at will and God may turn thee out at an hours at a moments warning and yet dost thou not make sure of an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens hath not God given thee warning did thy head never ake was thy heart never sick surely if thou didst not forget thy own mortality thou wouldest be more careful painful diligent in thy business I see frequently men upon their sick-beds when they think they must dye begin to inquire after Heaven and how they may know their sins are pardoned and whether their souls shall be saved because the apprehension of the neerness of the grave doth rouze them and for all thou knowest thou though now in health mayest be as soon in thy grave as hee that lieth sick God can stop thy breath when hee pleaseth Art thou mortal look then after thy soul 4. Is not this too great a sleighting of the comforts of the Spirit of God of Christ and Happiness is there not so much excellency in all these and sweetness in discerning thy propriety to them as to provoke thee to diligence in making sure of them 5. Dost not thou know that others have looked long after it and dost thou think thou shalt come so easily to it others have prayed much and searched themselves often and yet have not been able to satisfie all their own doubts whether they have gone farther than ever any hypocrite went and dost thou think it will be so easily discerned whether thy heart be sincere with God many finde it a hard thing to distinguish betwixt the highest degrees of common grace in hypocrites and the lowest degrees of saving grace in a true beleever 6. Dost thou think that conscience will never be awakened to disquiet thee when thou canst not satisfie it about thy salvation will it alwaies be in this spiritual slumber dost thou think that sickness will never come and that death will never come and that trouble will never seize upon thee when thy conscience shall be so alarmed that thou wouldest give all thou art worth to know what shall become of thy soul oh then for an infallible evidence of Gods Love oh then that thou mightest know whether God will pardon thy sin and save thy soul oh dreadful case when thou comest to dye and conscience shall accuse thee for thy sloth when thou feelest thy spirit begin to fail and apprehendest thy self neer the grave and conscience rageth and is not at peace because thou dost not know whether thou shalt go to Heaven or Hell It is dreadful doleful sad to hear these complaints from a dying man oh woe is mee that I must take my farewell of all my friends and death is impatient of delay and yet I cannot say my sins are pardoned oh woe is mee though I lye a dying I cannot say my sins are pardoned within a little while my body must be carried from my bed to my grave but oh it breaks my heart that I cannot tell whether my soul my precious and yet too much neglected Soul shall be carried to Heaven by holy Angels or dragged down to Hell by cursed devils oh that God would grant mee a month or two a little longer that I may work out my salvation but thy conscience shall tell thee thou hadst time but thou didst mis-spend it thou hadst it but thou didst not improve it in getting this grand Question resolved Whether thou hadst made thy peace with God Consider now how dreadful it will be when conscience is awakened and thou in this case unresolved 7. If thou be a true Christian yet herein dost thou not act too much like the careless ungodly world they take no care to make sure of Heaven and wilt thou justifie their practice and harden them in it There are some carnal ones in the family a carnal husband or a carnal wife or ungodly children or graceless servants that minds not God nor care for their souls that look not after Heaven and wilt thou be guilty of incouraging them in their carelesness and hardening them in their forgetfulness of God by thine own remisseness but if thou wast serious in the use of means pressing following hard after God thy strictness might shame them out of their wickedness and might reflect upon themselves if such a one that lives so circumspectly and taketh such pains in duties and yet doubteth and fears and would fain be resolved what a careless wretch am I never to regard my own soul they are ignorant of God and his excellency of Christ and his beauty of Grace and its necessity and therefore desire them not nor care to make sure of them but God hath opened thine eyes to see all these Stir up thy self then to get a certainty of thine interest in them 8. Art thou not too much guilty of hypocrisie when thou goest to the table of the Lord and yet dost not give diligence to make thy calling and election sure nor to have the certain knowledge of the pardon of thy sin and of thy peace with God is not the Lords supper an ordinance for the helping the right receivers to assurance of the pardon of their sin in the blood of Christ is it not for that end a seal of the covenant of grace if thou sayest thou usest it for this end why then dost thou look after it no more when thou returnest from that Ordinance Having premised these things to awaken you and rouse you out of your sloth supposing that now you are resolved to take any course that can bee prescribed from the word of God That thou art one who weepest mournest complainest because thou dost not discern thy spiritual condition I shall lay down my advice to thee in these following directions 1. Direction 1. Get some Characteristical distinguishing signs of true saving grace by thy serious searching the word of God Directions to get assurance God hath told thee in his word who shall bee damned and who shall bee saved though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described In the Bible there are the statute laws of
Heaven and the standing rule by which thou must bee tryed thou must stand or fall bee eternally blessed or everlastingly miserable as thy condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the Scripture Thou that hast deserved eternal death mightest know before the day of the general assize whether thou shalt bee acquitted or condemned But if thou know not how to gather these thy self go to some godly faithful Minister and desire him to give thee some Characters of a sincere Christian from the word of God wherein hypocrisie and sincerity are differenced and bee sure the signes thou tryest thy self by bee not short of saving grace or that will not hold tryal or bear thee out at the day of judgement I cannot here insert any partly because I have not room to croud them in partly because by what I have already laid down under that head that a man might know that hee is sincere beleeveth and loveth God something to this purpose might bee picked up 2. Direction 2. When thou hast thus furnished thy self thy next work must bee to set thy conscience on work and reflect upon thy own heart and upon the mâ—tions of thy will and compare thy self with the word of God The former sent you to study the book of Gods word this calleth upon you to study the book of your own hearts The other is a direct act of the understanding this is a reflect act to make a judgement of thy state whether there bee a transcript of those things in thine own heart for every beleever hath the Gospel-laws written upon the table of his soul by the spirit of God Assurance cannot bee had ordinarily without the examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of the scripture the other by the reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus Hee that beleeveth and is justified shall bee saved that is the word of God then by the search of his own heart hee must bee able to say But I beleeve and am jusâ—ified and from these two doth result this assurance that hee may conclude Therefore I shall bee saved Luke 15.8 The woman that had lost a peece of silver did light a candle and swept her house and thereby found what she had lost Conscience is this candle the scripture is the fire at which it must bee lighted and self-examination is the broom whereby the heart is swept and so the state of the soul which before was not discerned comes to bee discovered But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow strict inquiry into thy soul as thou lovest thy soul do not presume as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit Search throughly and judge impartially Say therefore to thy soul Deus est ocâ—â—us infinitus to make thy self more serious in this weighty work thou art now oh my Soul in the presence of the great heart-searching God that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is what thy will heart and affections are thou must oh my Soul shortly stand at the bar of God as now thou standest at the bar of conscience and must bee searched judged by the Lord and have the sentence of life or death of absolution or condemnation according as thy state shall bee found to bee Consider oh my Soul thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world many have been mistaken many are now tormented in hell that once thought their condition was good it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self and it is easie to bee mistaken and if thou shouldest bee mistaken it is as much as thy soul is worth if thy condition bee bad and thou conclude it to bee good thou wilt but go more merrily to hell It is as much as thy comfort is worth if thy condition bee good and thou conclude it to be bad thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven and wilt be unthankful to thy God and keep the glory from him and the comfort from thy self Thou art indited oh my soul arraigned and sound guilty that thou hast sinned against the Lord the question is Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned I charge thee therefore oh my soul that thou speak truly and answer rightly to these demands Art thou so far convinced of sin of the vileness of its own nature the evil in it the evil after it that thou art weary of it thou groanest under it thou loathest it and art unfeignedly willing to be broken from every sin without any reserve and what thou canst not extirpate that thou wilt bewail art thou so far convinced of thine own insufficiency to help thy self that all thy tears cannot wash thee and make thee clean all thy duties cannot save thee that though thou darest not neglect them as means yet thou darest not rely upon them as a Saviour so that thou seest the necessity of a Christ the suitableness of Christ the sufficiency and willingness of Christ offering himself unto thee in the Gospel calling to thee crying after thee saying ah thou poor miserable forlorn sinner thou hast undone thy self wilt thou now be cured thou hast wounded thy self wilt thou let mee apply a plaister of my blood my healing pacifying blood to thy bleeding soul to thy distressed disquieted conscience all that I expect from thee is to take mee for thy Lord and Husband to rule govern sanctifie and save thee thou hast withstood thine own mercy I have often asked thee and thou hast often denied mee but yet if now thou wilt receive mee behold I bring pardon along with mee and peace along with mee and eternal life and every good thing along with mee yet mercy is not gone it is not yet denied to thee When thou mayest gather such things from the Word of Christ put the question to thy self what sayest thou oâ— my soul thou hearest the gracious words of the Lord Jesus hee commands thee to come hee inviteth thee to come hee promiseth thee acceptance if thou come art thou willing or art thou not wilt thou persevere in thy former denial and be damned or wilt thou yeeld and be saved wilt thou consent to take him for thy Husband and subscribe unto his terms doth thy judgement value him above all and thy will chuse him above all and thy affections go out after him above all things in the world as a woman doth in all those three respects when shee taketh a man to be her Husband Art thou so far convinced of the excellency of the everlasting Glory of the Saints and the perfection of that Happiness that is above as it is a state or perfect Holiness as well as a state of real Happiness
applying Christ in the promised grace of pardon and power in reference to it and thou hast heard it and known it in this case though affliction seem to search out iniquity yet it shall not be found but when affliction starts some sin which thou didst wink at or slightly passe over then thou wilt find trouble and sorrow indeed Direct 6 6. Because there is much malignity in this distemper let me here also add in reference to the same Cause and the sixth this Preventive Follow on the work of mortification close there is a combate between flesh and Spirit be sure you take the right side if sin be it which imbitters thy life and gives a sting to every affliction disarme affliction and kill that which will kill thee Es 27.9 the design of the Lord in affliction is mortification now if thou joynest thy hand in the same work God is ever with thee in the same way and not against thee but in case thou connivest at hidest shelterest some known corruption then thou canst hardly apprehend God but as thine Enemy coming against thee As it was with the City of Abell 2 Sam. 20. they were terrified at the approach of Joab and David's Army Oh! saith the woman upon the wall art thou come to destroy the Inheritance of the Lord no saith Joab but there 's a traitour Sheba harboured here c. 'T is he that put the City into fear and danger and made Joab seem their Enemy when his head was delivered all was quiet now when thou insistest on the businesse of mortification thou wilt joy when thou fallest into triâ—ulation as it was with Jael Judg. 4. having done execution upon Sisera come saith she to Baruc c. Welcome my Lords I know whom you persue here he is dead at your feet behold the nayle in his temple O! saith one visited with the stroak of death I have been long getting down this body of death and now God will do all my work at once be not slack in this work and afflictions will be more joyous than grievous 7. Yet again to come to the root of this malignity and in order to Direct 7 the advancing of the work of mortification endeavour after mortified affections to the World these are the suckers that draw away thy strength from God and the fewel and foment and strength of all that corruption that must be mortified Aversion from God with an immoderate clinging and cleaving to the creature is the whole corruption of Nature Affliction is the reducing thee to God and the ungluing disengaging and divorcing thee from a carnal worldly interest therefore minus gaudebis minus dolebis the lesse thou joyest the lesse thou ruest the lesse thou layest a World-interest near thy heart the lesse that affliction which is the parting work will go to thy heart therefore let all creature-comforts and advantages be loose about thee as thy cloathes which thou mayest easily lay aside and not as thy skin which cannot be pulled off without great torture affliction endangers nothing but that which is outward therefore let not thy excessive respect to that which is without thee make thy affliction an inward terrour If thou countest the World of no value thou wilt be able without inward perplexity and fear to passe through all places of danger and plunder as the Travellour when he carries but a small matter which he knows if he looses it will not at all undoe him Besides If thou lovest the World the love of the Father is not in thee and this will be a desperate venomous sting to thy Soul in thy affliction if thou wouldst not have the World thy plague and thy poyson in the enjoying thy wrack and thy terrour in the loosing comply with the Word and Spirit of Grace in the application of a Christ crucified for the crucifying and mortifying of thy affections unto every earthly interest 8. In reference to the eighth cause unacquaintednesse with affliction Direct 8 live in the meditation and expectation of the Crosse be much in the knowledge of the necessity nature and design of afflictions 1. Necessity 1 Pet. 1.6 If need be you must be in heaviness for a time In respect of the terms of the Covenant which lye in this deny your self and take up your Cross c. And in respect of our disposition we cannot be without them to wean us from the World to imbitter the creature to us to conform us to a crucified Saviour and make us partakers of his holiness 2. The nature and design of Afflictions They are fire not to consume our gold but to purge away our dross they are not revenging Judgments but fatherly medicinal Corrections not judicial Poyson but remedial Physick c. Therefore 1 Pet. 4.12 Think not strange be not strangers as the word imports to the fiery greatest tryal and thou wilt not be dismayed when it comes Even Poyson may be habituated and made innocent If a stranger come in unexpected into our house grim and armed with Instruments of mischief we know not whence he is nor what he comes for it will startle and appale us But if we be acquainted with him and his design and expect him we are quiet and composed to entertain him So when Affliction comes we can say This is the Cup my Father gives me who I am sure means me no hurt this is but what I looked for every day c. Enure we therefore our selves to the Cross and make it familiar conversing with it in our meditation and expectation Seest thou one afflicted with the loss of a Wife another of a Husband another of a Child another of Estate another begging bread in Prison or distress c. bear part of his burden in sympathy and pity and readiness to succour him and put thy self in his or her case supposing thou wert so and so it will do thee no hurt what shouldst thou do And so God will make thy burden light Psal 41.1 So thou wilt be prepared to entertain and meet the burden and it shall not fall upon thee and upon thy spirit to crush and sink thee c. Think often and think not amiss have no hard conceits of affliction and it shall not be hard upon thee Take this Course and then as for the malice of Satan in accusing and tormenting and the seeming severity of the Lord in withholding and withdrawing thou shalt not need to trouble thy self for Satan is a restrained and conquered enemy and cannot hurt thee and God is reconciled and will not hurt thee He may try thee by intercepting the sweetness of fruition He will never curse thee by intermitting or breaking the firmness of the Union and if he hide his face for a moment lament after him and he will visit thee with everlasting kindness of his compassion which change not though there may be a change as to what thou feelest Thus much for the Preventives to prepare for double afflictions upon
governing these and so hath the same object with them as is said before it all comes to one And formally includes 1. What it is that we must Moderate or the faculty or principle of what kind soever internal and external from which the action flows 2. In what actions And 3. How or the measure and proportion to be observed in such our actions Which three are allwayes distinct in themselves though not alwayes easily distinguishable to us and therefore often seem coincident I shall therefore joyn them together in the prosecution of the Case For the general Object of Moderation or about what it must be exercised and appear Negatively 1. Not such things as are materially good About such things or in such actions as are materially good Moderation hath no place because all the good we can possibly do is too little so that there can be no excesse in these and therefore no Moderation for the Office of Moderation being to restrain excesse where there can be none of this that can have no imployment e. g. we cannot believe in hope love God and Christ too much nor hate sin and Sathan as the Schoolmen affirm in regard of his wholly loosing the Image of God too much In all our internal religious duties and actings of Grace as such no Moderation therefore can or ought to have place 2. Not about such things as are materially evil For herein we cannot be defective Where the object is absolutely forbidden us and no circumstances can make the action good there we are wholly to abstain or suppresse the action if in it there being inordinacy in the principle or faculty for though Moderation is to govern even the principle yet not in the choice of it's object but in it's exercise about a due object chosen that it exceed not And though we call any great acting upon an undue object or great omission towards due immoderate because of their excesse yet this is not properly immoderacy for so every sin would be it formally whereas those only which respect the moral quantity of our actions are properly immoderacies Both these sufficiently appear by what 's said before Positively But about such things as are in themselves of an indifferent nature and neither absolutely commanded as things materially good or absolutely forbidden as those materially evil but only conditionally according to the circumstances we are in Which though of an indifferent nature yet become morally good or evil to us as we are actually conversant about them In these properly may be excesse in regard of which Moderation is to take place to restrain and keep all within due bounds being formally the modification to use the School term for once of such actions Wherein we must carefully distinguish of the several formalities of the object Grace and Nature being conversant about the same object but not in the same respect For it's exercise therefore or what wherein and how we must practice it Which I shall speak of 1. Absolutely in reference to our selves for preserving peace within as it is to be exercised towards the good and evils of this life 2. Relatively or in relation to others for external peace wherein we must exercise it in civil and in Religious matters The former I shall call Moderation towards things the latter towards persons 1. Moderation towards things 1. First then for Moderation towards things as it is absolutely taken in reference to our selves this being so clearly injoyned in the Text as appears not only by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle not saying use Moderation towards all men but let it appear to all men which even that which is internal doth in our external conversation But though there be abundance of excellent fruit on this branch of Moderation yet in regard I conceive that towards persons principally intended I will not stand to shake it down but only point you out briefly the boughs on which it especially grows that you may gather it your selves and proceed to the second Moderation towards others which I shall only prosecute afterwards in all the following discourse Now the good things of this life being either internal of the mind as parts learning c. of the body as health strength beauty and the like or external as the riches honours relations and lawful pleasures of the World and what comprehended under them And the evils of this life such as are contrary to these as shallownesse of parts natural or acquired sicknesse weaknesse death deformity poverty losses of friends or estate infamy reproaches troubles warrs hunger thirst nakednesse imprisonment captivity banishment and such like we are towards these to exercise Moderation 1. Towards the good things of this life 1. We must moderate our Judgements in the valuation of them As forbidden fruit must not be looked upon so lawful must not be judged by us more desirable then it is As we may not undervalue these good things and with the Stoick despise and cast them away so we must not over-value them beyond their intrinsick worth and the ends for which God allows them the end and use being the measure of every things estimation For though every creature be good in it self and some better in themselves and to us than others yet those that are the best and best for us that the World affords are still but creatures who are most of them serviceable only to our bodyes that they may be serviceable to our Souls in the service of our Heavenly Father which when we too much estimate we quickly fall to admire and so bow down to them and commit idolatry with them For an overvaluation of the Judgement begets in us admiration and so an over-valuation of them also in our affections These sensitive objects make such impressions upon our imagination when absent and our passions when present that if Grace and Reason moderate not our Judgement of them our whole man becomes inflamed therewith and violently carryed out towards them by an excessive admiration of their seeming excellency love to them for the same and desire after them for their apprehended sutablenesse hope to obtain them seeming possible using means for obtaining them and delighting and glorying in them Therefore our Saviour prescribes wisely that our hearts may not be in them the light of our minds being single Matth. 6.22 23. When Achan Josh 7.21 judged the Babylonish garment goodly and the silver and gold then he quickly coveted and took them Let thy Moderation therefore begin here and consider the character Solomon upon good experience gives them that they are all to us in this degenerate state vanity of vanities yea vexation of Spirit 2. Moderate thy will and affections in their love desires hopes after the getting or keeping these things according to the ends for which God allows them thee in particular and with subordination to his pleasure and providence in the event We must value love desire God and
inward enlargements that he comes off from his knees with a vicimus vicimus When he shall go to Worms to own the truth of Christ though all the tiles upon the houses were devils Of these Prayers and Practices and such like we may say as Protogenes of a curious Line none but Apelles could draw this none but the Spirit of God could enlarge and enable to do this 3. When we feel and find our hearts after duty silled and fraighted with spiritual joyes and heavenly comforts when our soul is like a Merchants ship returned from the Indies loaden as deep as it can swim with all variety of Spices and precious Commodities When we have such inward ravishings that our heart is a little Heaven fill'd up to the brim with joy as our Saviour prayed for us Joh. 15.11 Enjoying that joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Heaven antidated or Heaven before-hand when we have that joy which is the earnest of Gods love 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared in this life for them that love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit This joy is not only the fulfilling of Christs Prayer but also the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 When the King had brought his Spouse into his Bride-chamber after her prayer he ravishes her heart with joy Cant. 1.4 When David had been at Prayer Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me Then comes that rapture Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine and Oyl encreased Psal 4.6 7. When we have greater joy after duty than Worldlings have after Harvest which is their greatest joy gaudium messis is messis gaudiu The joy of their harvest is all the harvest of their joy which this Worlds Earth-worms are likely to enjoy Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things saies Abraham to Dives 4. When our activity in duty is constant like the motion of the fire in its Orb which Philosophers tell us is perpetual My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times Psal 119.20 The Spirit dwels in us as his Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 The body is the Temple the Soul the Late the Affections the Strings the Holy Ghost the Musician who in all our duties makes melody in our hearts Eph. 5.19 Where the Ship is alway sayling the Wind is alway blowing and we are sure that sayling comes from the Wind if the Wind lies still the Ship lies still is becalmed 1 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom and liberty are opposed to three things 1. Necessity 2. Co-action 3. Restraint Now the Spirit of God sets our heels ut aiunt our hearts at liberty not only from necessity co-action but also restraint Setting at liberty is freeing us from imprisonment and giving freedom to go whither we will The Spirit admits us to that liberty which is 1. The purchase of Christ Gal. 5.1 2. The Priviledge of our filiation Rom. 8.21 Per nomen libertatis non tantum intelligo a peccati carnis servitute manumissionem Sed etiam fiduciam quam concipimus ex adoptionis nostrae testimonio convenit cum Rom. 8.15 Calv. in 2 Cor. 3.7 The glorious liberty of the Sons of God The Spirit makes us act as it self Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia Ambr. 2 Cor. 3.6 The Spirit quickneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes lively Rom. 8.2 As the Spirit of life frees us from the law of sin and death so from the Law of sloth and deadness Object But some poor soul cries out Woe is me I am undone I find none of this Spirit in me I am none of those fixed Stars about the Aequinoctial that move many Millions in an hour but a slow-paced Planet that finishes not his course in many years whose motion is so dull that not discernable Sure I am cast out of the firmament of Gods favour and shall be a wandring Star to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude v. 13. Answ It is the misery of Ministers that they cannot speak of the experimental sublimities of some but others are presently desponding and despairing I would not for a world quench the smoaking flax or break the bruised reed Mat. 12.20 Yea I would with all my soul put the lambs in my bosome which cannot go or but slowly and gently lead them that are with young Isa 40.11 I speak this to them that are upon the staves of Jacobs Ladder in their ascending to heaven to be a loadstone to draw them up not a milstone to drag them down But to answer more appositely 1. I intend it in opposition to them who live in a course of sin yet now and then in a duty do feel a flâ—sh of joy and thereupon presume of their good estate and not to those who with Zachary and Elizabeth walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God blameless Luk. 1.7 and yet do not obtain this constant favour 2. I lay it down a positâ—ve sign and inclusivè that those and all those that have constant activities though differing for the altitudes and degrees may be certain of the Spirit as those that have Trade winds from Port to Port may be sure they sail by the wind or as those thâ—t have the Organ medium and object rightly disposed may be sure they see Bellarmine tells a story of an old man that alwaies arose from duty with these words Claudimini oculi mei claudiminiâ— nihil enim pulchrius jamâ— videbitis Be you shut O my eyes be shut for I shall never behold any fairer Object than Gods face which I have now beheld But not a negative sign exclusivè as if those that repent of sin meditate on the Promises poure out Prayers walk with God wait on Ordinâ—nces who have it not were cast-awaies I am confident many that lye wind-bound in the harbour shall in due time get to the Haven 3. There are four things belong to a Christian 1. A habit 2. An Act. 3. Degrees of that Act. 4. Sense of all these He may have the three first and yet want the sense of them A ship may sail and yet the Mariner not sensible of it 4. There is no Rule but hath some Exception no Experience in one Believers heart but a contrary Experience may be found in anothers Various are the workings of Gods Spirit in the heart he blows when where how he pleases Joh. 3.8 He is called seven spirits Rev. 1.4 because of his various influences He doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow in a duty if the ship be ready but to shew he is agens liberrimum he will sometime suspend his Act and leave the common Road. To conclude this take this counsel Stay
hath blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Vse 3. How great is their folly and misery who keep at a distance from Christ Ioh. 5.40 Our Saviour mentions it as the highest folly in the Jews You will not come unto me that you might have life There is in Christ the life of justification to free us from that eternal death to which the Law sentences us The life of sanctification to free us from that spiritual death under which our apostacy hath brought us There is in him an Alsufficient fulnesse for the repairing of all our losses And are these mercies not worthy the coming for The Apostle puts the very Emphasis of the Heathens misery in this Ephes 2.12 that they are without Christ and therefore without hope And what is their misery Shall any of us make our choice Vse 1. Of Exhortation Let it be your care that Christ may be All to you 't is no small nor is it any common priviledge Many there are who live without Christ Ephes 2.12 Others to whom All that is in Christ is so far from being to their salvation that it only aggravates their destruction He that is to some the chief corner stone 1 Pet. 2.6 8. is to others no better than a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence This was prophesied of Christ This childe shall be for the fall and rising again of many in Israel There 's no mercy so eminently good Luk. 2.34 but through our corruptions it may become an occasion of evil Christ himself the greatest of mercies that ever God vouchsafed to creatures is yet so far from saving some from their sins that he only encreases their sin Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoke unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Those who enjoyed the Ministry of Christ in his own person and were not wrought upon thereby all their sins would comparatively have been a kind of innocence had they not discovered such an height of obstinacy 't is therefore no common priviledge But what should we do that it may be ours Take these few Directions 1. Labour to get your judgements setled in the belief of this great truth That all things in the world are a very nothing without Christ That you are poor in the midst of worldly riches and miserable in the midst of all earthly happinesse while you remain in your estrangements from Christ And that of all kind of poverty and misery this is the worst because it is in those spirituall blessings wherein consists both our present and future happinesse 'T is but little those persons understand of their great concernments that can with that Gospel-fool think themselves sufficiently provided for in the things of this world and say to their souls as he to his Soul Luk. 12.19 thou hast goods laid up for many years eat drinke and be merry Dost thou know thou livest in this world upon the very brink of eternity And dost thou know whether there be more than one step between thee and another world 1 Sam. 20.2 And canst thou take up with any thing on this side Christ it is an argument you know but little of your own concernments Some of the grosser Platonists thought the world to be a great Animal and the soul which acted it was God now if the soul be departed from the body what is it but a meer carkasse without life Christ is the very life and soul of all our comforts and without him all our creature-enjoyments are but as so many cyphers without a figure which have no significancy in them but are as so many nothings Nothing in respect of true comfort here nothing in respect of your preparations for another world Labour therefore through the glasse both of Scripture and experience to behold all the excellencies of this world as so many bladders filled with wind and at best to be like Hagars Bottle which was soon empty Gen. 21.15 or as broken Cisterns Cisterns and therefore cannot hold much broken Cisterns and therefore cannot hold what they have long Ier. 2.13 And withall let it be your wisdome to look upon Christ as that everlasting Fountain of all good which can never be drawn dry as that never failing Spring of all those blessings which will not onely sweeten every condition here but go with us beyond death and the grave Such fixed apprehensions of these things will be singularly usefull to engage our souls in an earnest pursuit after Christ Psal 63.8 or in the Psalmists words to follow hard after him and 't is his promise that they that come to him he will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 2. Be speedy in casting out those inmates which because they are unmeet companions for Christ 1 Sam. 5.4 Amos 3.3 may hinder his taking possession of your souls The Ark and Dagon could not stand together in the same room but if the Ark stands Dagon falls Can two walk together except they be agreed Christ and our corruptions are at no agreement these two cannot dwell together under the same roof If you would have Christ to take up his abode in your hearts you must prepare a place for him Psal 132.4 5. It was said of David he would neither give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids till he had found out an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. The souls of most men are so crowded with other guests that the best entertainment they can afford Christ is but such as he found in his first entrance into the world an out-room a stable a manger But let it be your care to renounce communion with all things that might hinder your communion with him Psal 45.10 11. to forget thy own people and thy Fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty so not otherwayes he will have no rivals no competitors not a part of our heart but all 3. Be willing to accept of Christ upon his own termes there can be no termes hard on which we may gain an interest in him Matth. 16.24 The great and main condition is Self-denial together with a full resignation of our selves to him and self-denial if duely considered is the greatest self-advantage 1. Because he calls us not to deny our selves in any thing that is truly for our spiritual good or at least so far as 't is for our good 2. Though he calls us to deny our selves in many outward good things yet 't is not so much to part with them as to exchange them for what is better 3. The main objects of self-denial are those things which 't is our priviledge to be freed from no reason therefore to be offended at such termes as these to resign up our mistaken judgements to the guidance of infinite Wisdome our corrupt wills to his most holy and gracious will 1 Joh. 5.3 Psal 119.151 172.
pursued presently into act if they convince you of any neglected duty fall immediately upon the practise of it If they make you more resolute against any carnal or worldly lust betake your selves presently to the mortifying of it If they kindle any holy affection to Christ or his people give some real expression thereof without delay If they revive any languishing grace let it be forthwith exercised This was Davids practice Psal 119 60. you will finde this one of the best expedients for the fixing and securing of those good motions which are raised in your mindes and hearts by the Ordinances When the blossoms of a fruit-tree are once knit though the flourish thereof be gone and you see nothing but the bare rudiment of the expected fruit yet you think it more secured from the injury of frosts and winds than if it were still in the flower good motions when they are once reduced into act are thereby as it were knit and brought to more consistency They are then well past one of their critical periods where most miscarry and so are more like to live and continue with you Besides the act strengthens that good motion and disposition which leads to it and so makes you more ready for another act and that disposeth to more acts and those to better and repeated acts beget a habit and this as the Philosopher tells us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something that will stay by you The hearts of the people being raised by Hezekiahs zealous speech 2 Chron. 29. they were kept up in that posture till the work designed by him was finished till Religion was restored and reformed and how came this to pass Why the thing was done suddenly vers 36. he pursued the peoples good inclinations and brought them into act suddenly he struck while the iron was hot When your hearts are heated by the Ordinances set immediately upon your work the primus impetus affords a great advantage if it be improved possibly in the vigour of it you may overcome those great dfficulties and oppositions which have been too hard for you formerly and may otherwise give you impediment hereafter and this being mastered your progress will be easier you may go on towards heaven under the power of the Ordinances with less interruption and fewer intercisions of these divine influences Jam. 1.22.23 But be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer i. e. if he do it not presently as appears by what follows he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and streight way forgetteth what manner of man he was The glass discovers what spots and sullages are in his face that he may wash them off or what is disordered about him that he may correct and compose it but if he do not this presently if he put it off till some occurence divert him from the thoughts and remembrance of it his looking in the mirror will prove but a loss of time a vain curiosity Your use of the Ordinances is like to prove no better if you practise not what they lead you to without delay its like to be no other than such a viewing of your selves in a glass a meer fruitless speculation 5. You must take much pains with your hearts if you would have them retain the vertue and efficacy of the Ordinances The effect of them should be as a nail fastned in a sure place but the heart is so hard and knotty a piece that you cannot drive it in without many blows it will require all your strength to force it in far enough and all your care and watchfulness to keep it in when it is there They grosly mistake Christianity who take it to be consistent with our carnal ease and slothfulness who place it in notions or opinions in fair shews and a specious profession in forms gestures or external observances in conforming to this or that mode of Worship or Discipline It were well for the World if one could be a Christian at such an easie rate but they that please themselves with such conceits they erre not knowing the Scriptures The action of a Christian is all along in the New Testament expressed by striving wrestling running and combating exercises wherein he that will not be worsted must intend all his spirits stretch all his sinews put forth all his strength he that is a Christian indeed he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.12 13 14. Heb. 12.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 13.24 his daily course must be a combating as for victory a running as for a Crown a striving as for life The power and life of holiness can neither be attained nor upheld without an effectual use of the Ordinances the Ordinances will never be effectual to purpose unless the vertue of them abide upon the heart now it meets with such reluctancy and opposition from the heart so far as it is unrenewed that it can never be fastned there without striving and strugling and earnest contending it must be done in despight of our own ease and carnal humours and natural inclination and all the resistance of the body of death If you think this too much you think much to be Christians indeed however you pretend to the name Those that are acquainted with their own hearts finde it very hard to get them raised to a spiritual and heavenly temper very difficult to get them pullied up though they have the advantage of the most powerfull Ordinances to any good posture and when with much ado they are got up exceeding difficult to keep them there Alas we seem to be forcing a weighty stone up a steep hill when with much toyl we have got it near the top take but our hands off a little leave it but to it self and down it runs further in a moment than we can get it up again in some hours Our way to heaven lyes up the hill that which is spiritual and heavenly is above us the natural bent and tendency of our hearts is downwards as there is no getting them up without toyl and pains so when we have raised them a little leave them but to themselves grow but a little remiss and negligent and down they run on a sudden we shall quickly finde them at the bottome of the hill in a carnal lukewarm earthly temper When our hearts are effectually touched and raised and moved in the use of Ordinances there 's no keeping them in a quick and lively motion without striving and strugling and as it were forcing them on with might and main The influence of the Ordinances falling upon a sloathfull soul is quite lost and meerly thrown away upon it Prov. 12.27 The sloathful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting So he loseth all his former labour because he will not take a little more
were quite overpowred The word had some effect upon Simon Magus He believed Act. 8.13 and being taken for a believer was baptized and afterwards continued with Philip c. but a strong affectation of vain-glory suppressed those better motions and the worst got upmost Take heed of any inordinacy as to lawfull things your relations studies ordinary callings c. this will not not suffer you to come so often to holy duties to stay so long in them or to be so intent upon them as is requisite for the deep impressing of their efficacy and after they are done this will hurry your souls from under those thoughts and exercises which should fix and settle their virtue and influence upon your minds and hearts Natural bodies follow the tendency of that element which is predominant in them a stone moves downwards it would be at the centre that which stops it offers it violence and when the force is removed down it fals freely Just thus doth the heart follow the tendency of these inOrdinacies if it meet with a stop in an Ordinance that 's but an ungratefull violence to it it will struggle to break through it will be restlesse till the force be removed till the power of the Ordinance be shaken off which checks an inclination natural and acceptable to it and what hopes in this case that the efficacy of any holy duty will long continue Fourthly Rest not in the best performance of any duty nor in any assistances you find therein though they be special and more than ordinary If this satisfie and exalt you you will be apt to grow secure and carelesse not looking to the improvement of Ordinances when once they are over and that 's the way to lose all We are apt to take the most dangerous colds when we are in the greatest heats And it s observed that some professors have had the fowlest fals after they have been most elevated in holy imployments The resting upon the opus operatum the meer outward performance of a duty when the heart is not ingaged therein is an open pit which none fall into save those that are blind but the resting upon the opus operantis a duty affectionately performed is a more secret and so a more dangerous snare He that makes account he hath done enough because he hath done well may be apt to think he is not obliged to look further after it and so the continued influence of the duty upon his heart and life which is indeed the principal advantage of it may be neglected and consequently lost for want of looking to To conclude Make not the Ordinances your end but use them as the means to attain it They are not injoyned us for themselves but in order to something more desirable their end is something further than their use Take heed you place not all your Religion in hearing praying communicating c. neither count your selves religious enough because you are much and often in these duties This is to make them your end and then you will rest therein without proceeding further for the motion of the Agent is terminated in his end and so you will stay short of that for which they were principally intended viz. the keeping of your hearts and minds in a setled posture of holinesse and righteousnesse and neglect that by which this main end of the Ordinances is onely to be attained viz. the continuing of their influence upon you So much for the case propounded which I have indeavoured to resolve as the nature of it requires practically and therefore as there is no time for so there will be lesse need of Application But that I may not dismisse you without something of this nature having laid your duty before you in the Observation and shewed you how it may be performed in satisfying the case Let me now presse you to the performance of it by one Consideration which will have the force of a Motive where there is any sense of soul-concernments If the efficacy of the Ordinances abide not on you you cannot be fruitfull under them at least you cannot bring forth fruit unto perfection as the expression is Luke 8.14 you may bring forth buds or leaves or blossomes c. but if their influence continue not that which you bring forth will never come to ripenesse and perfection it will be crude and sowr at best and sowr Grapes are as bad as no fruit in the Lords account and unfruitfullnesse will provoke the Lord to deprive you of the Gospel and Ordinances Isaiah 5.2 5 6. Ye looked that it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth wild Grapes And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof I will lay it waste that it shall not be pruned nor digged I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it The meaning of this parable so farre as concerns our purpose is expressed by another threatning denounced for the same sin Matth. 21.43 The kingdome of God i. e. the Gospel of the kingdome shall be taken from you and given to a people bringing forth the fruits thereof And Christs threatning of Ephesus amounts to as much Rev. 2.4 5. Neverthelesse I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first love The first impressions of the Gospel were worn off and vanished And what follows I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of its place unlesse thou repent So that this sin will pull up your hedge and break down your wall level all your securities and so lay you open to the boar of the wood and the wild beasts of the field such as instead of digging and pruning you will devour and lay you wast and Sharon will become a desart This sin will provoke Christ to let the Stars fall out of his right hand so as you will be left to perish for want of vision This sin will provoke the Lord to take the Gospel of the Kingdome from you and leave you under the hellish influences of the Prince of darknesse This sin will overturn your Candlesticks and extinguish your lights and leave you nothing but the snuffs This sin will deliver your strength into captivity and your glory into the enemies hand This sin will smite the shepheards and scatter the flocks and lay the heritage of God desolate This sinne will cause your Sun to set at noon and turn the day of your gracious visitation into a sad and dismal night This sin will turn the place which hath been a valley of vision into a seat of darknesse and a valley of the shadow of death If then you would avoid a judgement which strikes not only at your estates and lives but at your souls if you would prevent that dreadfull stroke which may not only râ—ach your selveâ— but â—our posterity your children and childrens children 〈…〉 â—â—ld â—ot have them and your selves and thousand aâ—d 〈…〉 â—â—u