and prepared b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashioned as a Vessel the meaning is saith Dr. Preston that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good works to every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Labour to get your natures changed and hearts quickened you must be born again or cannot see the Kingdom of God Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart a renewed mind will and affections to have a saving principle put into your hearts and a disposition of Soul towards the whole will of God Cry mightily for the Spirit and wait for his movings upon the face of Sanctuary-waters and for a mighty power of God in the Gospel upon your Souls Get under the healing-wings of Christ and rest not looking unto Jesus till virtue go out from him to heal your Souls If this be thy restless desire thou can'st not let Christ alone running after him crying Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me he will turn again and have compassion and give the holy Spirit to them that unfeignedly and incessantly ask him Mark 10. 47 48 49. Luke 11. 13. Direct 2. Secondly cease from your own works Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy The first step in returning to God is departing from sin and self c Nihil nobis cum Deo esse potest nisi a nobis discedamus Calv. Neither can we saith Calvin hold converse with a holy God till we be estranged from our unholy self When the Apostle advises the Ephesians to put on the new man Eph. 4. 24. He first exhorts them to put off the old with his whole conversation vers 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Grace builds not on an old foundation neither does it adorn but reform the former conversation of called Saints there is no cloathing upon in regeneration-work the old garments must off before the new will come on Religion is not a covering for but a stripping off a sinful life neither can you be free to set on God's work till you leave your old works Rom. 6. 20. For when you were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness You had nothing to do with holiness you had no freedom to do God's work while you were Sins servants He speaks of their actual liberty from grace not their legal freedom d Libertas hic de facto non de jure intelligatur saith Paraeus you are not at liberty to do the work of holiness while under the command of sin No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. that is two contrary Lords How can the same man e Quomodo poterit unus idemque homo pietati se quantum opus est impendere simul circa divitias quaerendas servandasque perpetua solicitudine distrahi Grot. saith Grotius follow godliness as his work and at the same time be distracted with cares about getting and keeping earthly things 'T is a vanity for persons to dream of a compliance between sin and holiness whose work is too inconsistent for one Soul at one time ruling iniquity and grace are two contrary states which cannot meet in one person and time Never think of setting up on the Heavenly Trade till you are freed from hellish servitude and invested with the liberty of the Sons of God a freedom from the love and service of every sin Godliness calls for the whole of a man's heart strength and time and requires a person void of any inconsistent obligations resolve to break from every way of death if ever you think to enter into the way of life Direct 3. Thirdly Make over your selves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant they that will be Masters of a Trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons wills capacities and time to the instruction and government of another in order to their fitness for such a calling And so must souls that will learn Wisdom's Merchandise they must bind themselves to the Trade and make over themselves and their all to God in Christ to be taught and enabled to set up this excellent work Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that cannot be forgotten Sin had made a separation between their God and them and brought a death upon their mercies and Templeenjoyments but now the Spirit of Prophecy breathing on these dry bones moves them to a vital union with the fountain of life the onely regular way to their new work and mercies they must first be joyned to the Lord before they can be rejoyned to one another and re-enjoy their lost priviledges and this union lies in a hearty acceptance of offered grace a taking hold of God in Christ and a Covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its All to him again O for arms to embrace him saith Mr. Rutherford This is called a giving up of ones self to the Lord 2 Corinth 8. 5. But this they did not as we hoped but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God They exceeded our hope We onely expected some part of what was theirs but they gave themselves first to God and to us to be directed and governed by the will of God to be placed in the fellowship of his Gospel as well as their interests to the service of his people 'T is also a giving away of ones self to the Lord wholly unreservedly and perpetually to be no more his own 1 Cor. 6. 19. And ye are not your own This surrender of your selves to God souls must be in judgment understandingly and ariseth freely on choice universally without the least reservation absolutely without any limitation or conditions of our own eternally without any expiration and term of this grant and to be attested by all overt acts within your power Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's another shall call himself by the name of Jacob another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Jacob. Whatever may most fully ensure and express an absolute devotedness unto God must be done by those that ever expect to thrive in grace and godliness Verse 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses When once this implantation into Christ is dispatched then will the Lord give prosperity to that soul then are you in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings and like to speed well in this Heavenly Trade when you become entirely the Lord 's in order to it O be not
sin the transcendent glory of Christ is his grace and the glory of the Saints is to be like him Joh. 1. 14. which is obtained through the immediate views of him 1 Joh. 3. 2. When he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The hope of which sight and glory is soul-purifying now ver 3. And every man that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure No sooner had the Apostles a sight of Christ's glorious grace but the next thing was a receiving from his fulness grace for grace Joh. 1. 14. 16. Fourthly A sensible sight of the exceeding sinfulness and evil of sin will help to loosen this conjunction between the heart and sin when once Paul came to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin and felt the killing fruits of it in his soul his heart presently came to be loosened from the ruling power of it Rom. 7. 11. 13. That which I do I allow not what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. The sense of the shameful fruits of sin was influential on the believing Romans towards their freedom from sin Rom. 6. 21. 22. Christians get your eye more intently fix'd on the cursed nature of sin how contrary to God how like to Devils how filthy loathsome and abominable look upon the certain dreadful effects of sin here and to all eternity if not removed it hath brought death on the Son of God and destruction on the Sons of Men bondage on the creatures a curse on every thing men do and enjoy enmity against God alienation from God robbing him of his glory crossing his will spoiling his works grieving his spirit hindering the soul in duty depriving it of mercy exposing it to judgment necessitating it to evil weakning his hopes breaking his peace opposing his grace and endangering either the loss or lessening of his glory with other innumerable mischiefs injuries cruelty and miseries that follow the heels of it with the great difficulty in its removal I say be more in the heart-affecting consideration of these things and you cannot choose but with Paul be weary of sin loath it and long for a separation from it Rom. 7. 24. How can ye love that knife that hath stabb'd your dearest Friend Father Husband yea your own soul How can you like that cloud and veil which stands between you and the Son of righteousness and keeps these quickning warming beams from you which would have cleared and strengthned your heart How can you hug the fetters kiss the walls and doors that imprison your souls in bondage and keep you from your beloved and from the glorious liberty of the Sons of God what pleasure can you take in that Thief which stole your richest Jewels and hath brought you to a morsel of bread 5ly Apprehension of that high dignity and honorable state to which grace hath advanc'd you those peculiar glorious priviledges which you are now invested with hath a mighty influence on a gracious heart towards the abhorring of sin 1 Joh. 3. 1 2 3. Oh how unsutable are works of darkness to the children of light how unbecoming is vile rayment to them that dwell in Kings Houses A Swine's snout to a Saint's eye thick clay and defiling dirt on the hands face and heart of the heirs of glory and children of the Kingdom what an unlovely sight is it to see Kings wallow in the mire as Swine and such who enjoy the priviledges of Angels to do the work of Devils Remember that thou art Son to a King said one to Antigonus and that will keep thee from base courses O Christians work in these thoughts upon the heart and see whether there can be any room left for the works of the flesh or affections thereof Sixthly Expectations of future glory will help you to despise that abominable thing sin Can you rationally look for a Throne with your Beloved hereafter and lodge in the bosome of your Idols and adulterous Lovers now How can you think that head shall wear a Crown of glory with Christ who is always plotting to put Crowns of Thorns on Christ's head now To reap life everlasting then who sow to the flesh now Do you hope for that time when you shall be uncloath'd of sin and can you make it your present work to put on sin hold fast sin how inconsistent are desires of sin with hopes of freedom Christians don't deceive your souls you cannot have sure grounds of fellowship with God hereafter and allow the least communion between your hearts and sin now Seventhly Maintained union and communion with Christ will break heart-union and fellowship with sin As heart-union with sin will not admit of union and communion with God Hos 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone I will have no more to do with him I 'll leave and remove from him So union and communion with God in Christ will not bear union with sin Hos 2. 2. The Lord would not say Israel was his Wife until her Whoredoms were put out of her sight and her Adulteries from between her breasts and no sooner did she return to a believing sight of and affectionate union with him but she presently cries out What have I to do with Idols any more Hos 14. 8 Contraries oppose and weaken each other Psal 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Union with God is of an incorporating nature 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit and cannot subsist without heart-separation from sin 2 Cor 6. 16 17. I will dwell in them and walk in them wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord. Cleaving to Christ by Faith is the best way to the relinquishment of sin The soul that hath constant fellowship with Christ will not care for other Lovers Phil. 3. 8. That 's the third Direction Get the union between thy heart and sin broken Direct 4. Fourthly If you would mortifie sin strike at the root of it and get the body of this death destroyed The life of the tree lies in the root lop off all the branches yet if the root be sound the tree lives and the branches will sprout out again Job 14. 7 8 9. But if once the root be cut off the whole tree dies and ceases from bringing forth fruit So 't is with sin if you set against this or that particular corruption and let the body of death alone not using means to weaken that you will make but little of all your endeavours when you have quieted one lust another rises 'T is but to little purpose to lade away waters out of a ship unless you stop the leak that feeds them while there is water in the Sea it will be
better than other Beloveds There 's never a soul that 's married to Christ but hath his time when he makes out some special discoveries of his love and self to it and it can tell some stories of what Christ did once say and do unto her what slights she hath had of him and gifts from him such a soul can tell how when he was dead Christ quickened him when he was lost Christ found him when he was in prison Christ set him free he washed him when in his blood and poured in Oyl into his wounds healed his backslidings and loved him freely He can say with Rebekah to her Brother Laban Thus the man spake to me and shewed the ear-rings and the bracelets Gen. 24. 30. And with Judah brings forth the signet bracelets and staff Gen. 38. 25. and tells with the blind man how Christ opened his eyes and what he said to him Joh. cap. 9. ver 15 35 37. And though by his sin and unbelief he may lose the sight of him for a time and be under a suspense of his discover'd kindness yet if the Believer would be true to his experience he can discover such an acquaintance with Christ as no Hypocrite ever had Answ 2. Secondly Another thing that will prove your marriage to Christ is your conjugal-love to him Jer. 2. 2. I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thy espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land not sown The Lord convinceth Israel of the great decay and change of their Love to what it once was there was a time when their affections were high towards God when he call'd them out of Aegypt took them from the Iron-furnace and married them to himself then nothing was too hard for them they could follow God in a wilderness where there was nothing but God alone to satisfie them creatures were wanting to allure them and yet they could stick at nothing no difficulties should part God and them Whence came this warmth of their affection why it was their neerness to God that created them The Lord had taken them into a marriage covenant and carried them in his bosome and this inflamed their hearts after him When the Lord brings a soul into an espousal-state he gives them espousal-love and that is the greatest love O sweet saith Rutherford were that sickness to be soul-sick for him and a living death it were to die in the fire of the love of that Soul-lover Jesus The Apostle makes this an essential duty of a married state to have conjugal affections The Husband to love his Wife as his own flesh and the Wife to love her own Husband as her self Eph. 5. 28. Tit. 2. 4. And the Prophet reckons this love to God as the certain fruit of their Covenant-relation to him Isa 56. 6. That joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord. As soon as Paul had espoused the Lord Jesus it appeared in his supreme love to him he valued none like Christ He counted all things dross and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ his Lord Phil. 3. 8. To be found in him not having his own righteousness v. 9. To know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death v. 10. Conjugal love is a personal love pure love to Christ is set on Christ himself for himself not for his gifts that come from him but for those excellencies that reside in him 't is love to his person not to his patrimony onely 't is love springing from his love 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us True affections to the Lord Jesus are the births of his own love to us a coal kindled from his fire Conjugal love is also peculiar as well as personal love so far as 't is conjugal 't is to him and none but him or if to others 't is for his sake Espousal love to Christ affects none like him If there be any person or thing thou lovest more than Christ or equal with him thy affections to him are whorish not conjugal He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me He that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. 37. Yea he that doth not hate Father or Mother or any thing so far as it is inconsistent with love to Christ cannot be his Disciple Luke 14. 26. True love to Christ will let none in all the world share in that love which Christ hath 't will take none into his bed but himself 't is chaste love Again Conjugal-love is not onely to Christ but 't is such a love as longs to be found in Christ not in himself it would have all his glory and excellency in Christ it reckons Christ for all that 's truly honourable as to him it would get as near to Christ as possible yea it never rests till in him To be found in him 'T is also such a love as conforms to Christ Love is of an assimilating spirit it would be like to its peculiar object The affectionate wife conforms as much as may be to her Husband so 't is with the Spouse of Christ she would in every thing that is imitable resemble him and 't is her great trouble she is not more like him what would such a soul give if his heart was like Christ's heart if he had such a spirit and life as the Lord Jesus had on Earth it would be holy as Christ is holy and cannot set up a stand short of that 'T is true the soul hath not such a spirit as Christ had 't is too proud vain carnal passionate earthly selfish and that troubles him but it can never be quiet till he comes nearer to the pattern in Heaven and to a full resemblance of his well-beloved Jesus Answ 3. Thirdly A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ that 's the condition of marriage between Christ and his Bride Psal 45. v. 10 11. Hearken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy Father's house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him As if he should say weigh and consider the terms on which this match is to be concluded between Christ and you If you will be his you must leave all for him you must forsake all your other lovers friends interests comforts for Christ so far as these hinder your love to Christ your communion with and serviceableness unto him When the woman comes to be married she leaves her friends Father's house Countrey and all to come and live with him that shall be her Husband Rebekah left her Father Brother Friends and Country to go to Isaac Gen. 24. 58. And they called Rebekah and said unto her wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go That soul that
to the Lord Jesus A flock of Sheep whereof every one beareth twins and not one is barren Cant. 4. 12 13 14 16. Ch. 4. 2. 'T is compared to the Palm-tree the Cedar the Vine the Fig-tree a green Olive plants famous for flourishing growth clusters of fruit constant fruitfulness 't is said of the Fig-tree it bears fruit all the year long and in many places they shall always find green figs on it Such is the Spouse of Christ compared with the world and hypocrites fruitful and flourishing A good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7. 17. The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Prov. 12. 12. Where-ever the grace of God is received in truth there it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. As sin brings forth fruit unto death so doth grace unto life Rom. 6. 22. No sooner doth the Lord Jesus espouse a Soul but he heals it of its barrenness He maketh the barren Woman to keep house Psal 113. 9. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15. 2. A barren Christian is a monster in Religion no living member of Christ's body indeed there are Winter-seasons when fruit may not appear but even then 't is in the seed and sap and there is a preparative for fruit which appears in the season but to be always without the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. is a sign of one that never had marriage-union and intimate communion with Jesus Christ but is the certain mark of a fruitless Fig-tree in danger of cutting down and the character of that ground which is cursed and nigh to burning Luke 13. 7. 9. Heb. 6. 8. Souls try your state 't is for your lives your All depends upon your marriage-union with Christ Had you never any special acquaintance with Christ Have you no conjugal love to Christ Cannot you consent to leave all for Christ Do you usually live and stay on other things for life and salvation and not on Christ Have you been ever barren souls that never brought forth the fruits of the Spirit unto God then were you never married to Christ nor have any true title to heavenly treasures Mark 2. Secondly your interest in heavenly things is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them Where the treasure is there will the heart be Mat. 6. 21. If heavenly things be yours your heart is there worldly men have the World set in their hearts Eccl. 3. 11. Their heart is but the World copied out so heavenly souls have Heaven set in their hearts which are but the counterpane of Heaven every thing hath a natural love to his own the World will love his own Joh. 15. 19. No man ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5. 29. What affections have brute beasts for their young and will venture their lives to defend and maintain them 'T is storied of the Storks when the Town of Delph in the low Countreys was on fire and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests they endeavoured to carry away their young but when they could not remove them they flutter'd over them with their wings covering them from the flames till they all perished together Belg. Com. wealth So strong is natural affection to its interest and the natural issues of it self much stronger should gracious affections be to their interests O how I love thy Law saith David 't is my meditation all the day long Psal 119. 97. Whence came this affection it was from his interest in those great and lovely truths Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I chosen as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Souls risen with Christ and born to the inheritance above will set their affections on things above Col. 3. 1 2. Where is thy heart Christian in Heaven or Earth what things are dearest to thee and sweetest to thy taste canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life had'st thou rather be a door-keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World Is a little of Heaven better than a great deal of Earth and can thy heart consent to be at any loss in the World to enjoy God in his Ordinances and to be enriched with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Then heavenly things are thine Mark 3. Thirdly if heavenly things be yours it will appear by your heart-cares for them and vigorous pursuits of them how careful are men of their interests to secure and enlarge them Phil. 2. 21. All men seek their own If the things of Heaven be yours your greatest care will be to get and keep them when Kish thought his Son Saul was lost he left caring for the Asses sorrowing for him saying What shall I do for my Son 1 Sam. 10. 2 Christians if heavenly things be yours they will lie nearer your hearts than all the World besides the sense or fear of losing them will more trouble you than all losses besides the world relations creature-comforts will be forgotten when you apprehend a death on your heavenly interests you will do more and part with more to get Heaven than the World and dearest comforts of it Many will pretend desires for Heaven as the young man in the Gospel but Christ will say to them as to his Hearers Mat. 5. 47. What do you more than others Souls you would have Christ here and Heaven hereafter but what do you for it what do you more than hypocrites and common professors whose portion is in this life can you leave the world for God can you deny your self for the pleasing of Christ and part with your right eye and right hand throw away your Idols of gold and silver the world and fleshly lusts and honour God with your time strength and substance Can you let your Plough stand still to follow God's and stick at no pains and hardships to enjoy the least spiritual good Then are heavenly things yours Mark 4. Fourthly Then are you interested in Heavenly Treasures when your hearts and spirits are suited to them when the Lord hath let in a heavenly tincture on your hearts and inlaid your spirits with heavenliness and a mind that answers to heavenly things as face answers face in the water When God intends men for Heaven he doth in time fit them for it and where he gives a title to mercy he gives a capacity also where he makes over the riches of glory he makes that soul a vessel fit for glory Men do not purchase Pearls for Swine and build Schools for brute beasts God did not make the Heavens for fishes and the Sea for beasts but suited every creature to its element They that are his Adoption are his new Creation also Ephes 2. 10. and when they are designed to a blessed end they are principled for it and have a disposition put into them to move towards it They that are set apart for Heaven hereafter do
food to Israel's faith in the wilderness And such are delightful remembrances of former sins When a person takes pleasure to think and talk of his former evils this doth feed present desires and hopes of sin When Paul would help on the Romans freedom from the service of sin he labours to get their present thoughts of former sins imbitter'd Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of these things is death Secondly Pleasing Imaginations and fancying of present or future sins do wonderfully strengthen the habit of sin The Lord charges Israel's sinful actions as the product of their wicked thoughts Isa 65. 2. Which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts Sin first begins in the head and ends in the feet first working thoughts of sin and then actual works of sin The Devil doth usually strike the first fire on the tinder of mens thoughts which afterwards burns in their hearts and lives Jam. 1. 15. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death They that would avoid the birth of sin in their lives must take heed of the conception of sin in their pleasing thoughts They that would help on Babylon's ruine must prevent its propagation and put a timely check to their growth dashing their little ones against the stone Psal 137. 9. Leave a Sit nihil in te Babylonicum not any thing that belongs to Babylon in thy soul saith Hugo Thirdly Unbelief strengthens lust Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desperatum est scil cor My heart despairs of help I fear it will never be better therefore I will go on in my way Unbelief strengthens lust and makes the soul a prey to it 'T was by unbelief Israel fell in the wilderness both into sin and ruine And the Apostle cautions Christians that they fall not by the same example of unbelief Heb. 4. 11. 'T was unbelieving desponding fears had almost turned up David's heels had not grace succoured him by the Word Psal 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt And whence came this weakness of grace and strength of corruption why it was from the apprehended prosperity of sin and sinners and the succesless issues of his profession and obedience Verse 15. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency If this be the fruit of my holiness then all my labour is in vain 't is to no purpose I have followed God all this while if wickedness shall carry it at last O take heed of unbelief if ever you would get down your lusts Fourthly Presumption secretly conveys in relief to sin and succours it against all the sieges of Word and Spirit 2 Pet. 2. 10. Presumptuous are they self-will'd A presumptuous soul is a self-pleasing soul one that pertinaciously and wilfully seeks his own carnal contentments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word imports he will boldly adventure on the most dangerous issues of sin so he may but gratifie his lusts and obtain his sinful desires he fears no dangers sticks at no hardships though God and his Word be against him it makes the sinner go against all warnings threatnings counsels with hopes of success Numb 14. 44. But they presumed to go up to the hill top verse 42. The Lord forbad them to go threatning his remove from them and their ruine if they durst go up against his will Nay it was said The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses went not out of the Camp would not stir one foot with them in that wicked enterprize yet they would go O take heed of Presumption that does exceedingly keep up sin and pull down the sinner Fifthly Carnal security is a great friend to sin and contributes much to its advantage when Christians let down their watch and lie down to slumber then corruptions rise up and prevails over them When the Amalekites were spread abroad upon all the Earth eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 30. 16 17. David fell upon them and smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon Camels and fled So 't is with gracious souls after some great mercy either some special priviledge enjoy'd some spoils upon their lusts obtained or token of God's favour received they become secure proud and careless letting down their watch exposing themselves to temptations and soon become a prey to sin and Satan Jer. 48 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into Captivity therefore his taste remaineth in him and his scent is not changed If you would have a change on your carnal hearts take heed of carnal security in your hearts Sixthly Self-indulgence helps to nourish sin when persons are lovers of their own selves seek to please indulge and gratifie the desires of carnal natural-self then lusts thrive in that soul He that feasts his body saith Ephrem Syrus and starves his soul is like him that feasts his slave and starves his wife 2 Tim. 3. 2. Self-love leads the Van to all the iniquities and hypocrisies of the last times O the troops of sin that march under the banner of self-love and are secured by its conduct hence self-denial is the first step to Christianity Mat. 16. 24. You can never prosper in your salvation-attempts or decay in your soul-ruining lusts till you learn to deny your selves in every part of it Take heed of a selfish spirit if you would be sincere souls and see the death of your lusts Seventhly Opportunity favours sin exceedingly and helps to keep its hopes alive and gives it occasion for its enlargement Opportunity is the Midwife of lust and helps to deliver it of its inward conceptions and pregnant desires 'T was opportunity that blew the coal of David's lust into a flame 2 Sam. 11. 2. and midwiv'd out Hezekiah's pride Isa 39. 2. Had it not been for opportunity Lot might have escaped the sin of incest as well as the sufferings of Sodom Gen. 19. 30 to 37. and Judah's uncleanness with his Daughter-in-law Tamar 'T was opportunity that exposed Dinah to a rape and Peter to the temptation of denying his Lord and Master Take heed of adventuring into the way of temptation and going to the borders of soul-danger shun the occasions of evil turn aside out of the way of snares Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Temptation feeds corruption ensnares and entangles the feet and as fewel keeps in the fire of lust You may as safely suffer the
still running in They that will cure a disease must get the cause removed Original sin is the source and fountain of all actual sins as that is weakened so will the irruption of actual sins be abated The way to prevent the inroads and stranglings of a garrison is to begirt the Fort and not onely keep them in but scale and attach the strong hold that secures them This is the wisdom of a Christian saith Mr. Burroughs that when he comes to labour against any corruption he doth not spend his time so much against this or that particular corruption but strike at the body of corruption And hence is the reason that Christians in a little time grow so much and get so much power against their corruptions whereas others are a long time before they get any power at all 'T is with a Believers heart as with a garden overgrown with weeds though the tops be often plucked off while the mores and strings abide under-ground all they do to cleanse it is labour in vain they still spring up afresh So is it with mens corruptions till the root be more withered and weakened Now to further this work First Be deeply sensible of your sinful natures as well as sinful actions This the faithful complain mostly of even their sinful natures Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and our righteousnesses as filthy rags Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Secondly Apply the Death of Christ by faith to the whole body of sin in you Faith fetches virtue from a crucified Christ to dry up the bloody issue of sin Luke 8. 44. chap. 6. 19. This being the appointed way of God to bring down sin The foundation of a soul's redemption from sin is laid in the Death of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who bare our sins for us in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness This death to sin is the effect of Christ's dying for sin this being the end of his Death to redeem his people from all iniquity Titus 2. v. 14. Christ's Death for sin was not onely a pattern to Believers but a medicine and appointed means to destroy their sin Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 'T was by the Cross of Christ that Paul was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6. 14. Carry over thy old man to the Cross of Christ and bury thy strong lusts by faith in the grave of Christ deriving virtue thence to kill thy sin Faith brings the soul into a fellowship with the Death of Christ to receive the benefits and energy thereof one of which benefits is a killing power on sin Thirdly Improve Faith in the Promises The death of sin in Believers is part of the New Covenant and as sure as pardon Micah 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Mat. 1. 21. He shall save his people from their sins Rom. 6. v. 14. Deut. 30. 6. which promises are sure to all the seed The Lord Jesus came on purpose to perform the promises to and in his people Rom. 15. 8. To redeem them from all iniquity Titus 2. 14. And to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. And saith in these Promises is soul-cleansing and sin-subduing Carry over thy unruly corruptions to Christ in the Promises and sue for justice upon them Fourthly Implore the constant help of the Spirit of Grace both to discover oppose and destroy thy corruptions This work is too hard for flesh and blood nothing short of the Eternal Spirit can get a full conquest over sin and the power and wiles of Satan in thy soul 'T is through the Spirit Believers come to mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. And by the spirit of judgment and burning the Lord purges away the blood of Jerusalem Isa 4. 4. And by the Law of the Spirit of Life we are made free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8. 2. Take heed of grieving and impeding the Spirit of Holiness by which his gracious sanctifying influences are suspended and thou be left to the weaknesses of thy own spirit Be much in prayer and fervent cries for the Spirit 's daily assistance in this great work Fifthly Give no place to the least motions of sin but maintain a constant war against the whole powers and body of sin The want of preventing care timely opposition and constant warfare against all the corruptions of flesh and spirit is one thing that lays gracious souls under the entanglements and prevalency of their lusts James 4. 17. 1 Thes 5. 2. Rom. 12. 9. We embrace saith one the desires of our temptations upon implicit faith not examining and withstanding the first entrance of temptation nor crushing the first motions of sin 'T is easie to crush the Serpent's Egge but dangerous conflicting with it when it becomes a Cockatrice A rebellion may be with less strength dissipated at its first appearance than suppressed when it hath gathered head Isa 14. 29. The Devil 's first assault saith Chrysostome is violent resist that and his second will be weaker and that being resisted also he proves a coward A Christian's wisdom and interest lies much in these two things First To take the start of sin to strike the first blow to be in the field before it yea to baracado up its way and to fall in upon its quarters to lay in provision against its very rising to fortifie the heart against the least consent to sin by applying threatnings and promises betimes and furnishing the heart with soveraign and scriptural antidotes against it The neglect of this preventing care deprives the soul of needful helps against its surprisal and so renders it weak against its first assaults Arius at first saith Hierom was but a spark but being not supprest betimes he prov'd the incendiary of the whole Church Secondly To prosecute the soul's victory over sin Sometimes the Lord gives his people power over a lust by a sanctified affliction or blessed ordinance which victory if pursued might tend to the total subduing of it but usually we grow secure after such successes and do not follow the victory but give over too soon as Joash in his-smiting on the ground 2 Kings 13. 18 19. The Prophet bid him shoot the arrows of the Lord's deliverance and smite upon the ground and 't is said He smote thrice and stayed and the man of God was wroth with him and said Thou should'st have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it O what advantage might a
works good out of it David got good by his fall it made him the more humble and broken in heart drew out his heart in stronger cries after grace made him more watchful for the future against the occasions of sin Psal 51. 7 8. to the 12. Psal 39. 1. Psal 141. 3. Peter got good from his fall by keeping an after-sense of the evil of it on his heart Israel by their departure from God came to loath themselves the more in their own eyes Ezek. 36. 31. And Ephesus by a sense of their evil got this advantage they could not bear evils in others Rev. 2. 2. As sin abounds so grace abounds much more Rom. 5. 20. Object If souls may get good from sin and where sin abounds grace abounds much more Then why should we be troubled for sin and watching against it Why may we not rather sin that grace may abound and do evil that good may come thereof Sol. The Apostle answers this objection Rom. 6. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid and proves by several Arguments First That it cannot be that souls interested in Christ can live or allow themselves in sin Because First They are dead to sin and therefore cannot live any longer in sin v. 2. dead men while so cannot live but Believers are dead to sin no longer to live therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplius never more to live in it they may fall into it be overcome by it but to allow it to design it to make provision for it and to take up encouragements upon choice in judgment to continue in it this cannot consist with men dead to sin as all souls in Christ are for they are baptized into the likeness of Christ's death yea into his death v. 3. That as Christ died for sin once to die no more but was raised by the glory of the Father v. 4. so they being really dead with Christ should live no more in sin but be perpetually dead to it for this is the very end of Christ's death to destroy the old man the body of sin the whole power and Being of sin in Believers to be accomplished in its time and waies v. 6. And Christ died in vain and hath lost the great end of his death if they that are in him can live any longer in sin for he that is dead is freed from sin c Jure facto absoluti manumassi a peccato cujus prius premebamur imperio Paraeus v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Synecdoche Piscat that is absolved from the obligation servitude dominion and guilt of sin as an Apprentice is by Law declar'd free or set free from his Master's rule and power Secondly They that are in Christ are not only partakers of his death and therein brought into a state of death to sin but they are partakers of his resurrection and by it instated in a life of holiness v. 4 5. that now they should live to God which cannot consist with a life of sin v. 11 12. Thirdly They that are Christ's are brought under grace under a Covenant of Grace opposed to the Law as a Covenant of Works and therefore cannot be any longer under the dominion and service of sin v. 14. These two Covenants being in that respect contrary they that are under the Law as a Covenant of Works are in the flesh and bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 7. 5. and for that end are Believers set free from the Law and brought under Grace that they might serve God in newness of spirit v. 6. and no longer serve sin Fourthly They are become the servants of righteousness set free from the service of sin Rom. 6. 18. Your time under sin is out and you have now no more to do with sin you are anothers servant and therefore cannot return to the service of sin any more for you are now servants to God not for a time but for ever you have deliver'd over your selves sworn over your selves to be the servants of God for ever and therefore cannot now serve sin That 's his first answer You cannot if in Christ serve sin any longer nor continue in sin that grace may abound for if you can consent to live in sin you are not under grace Secondly You ought not to do it if you are rational 't is not your concernment to sin because sin is an evil thing First Sin is the greatest slavery in the world v. 16. You are servants to sin and to Devils sins are the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. which Christ came to destroy sin is evil in its state 't is drudgery and in its nature 't is filthy abominable and shameful Secondly It is attended with sad issues here it brings forth bitter fruit v. 21. It makes the soul ashamed when awakened to see what he hath done and it fills the soul with grief horrour and torment it breaks your loins makes you go halting to your grave it makes you weary of your life and fearful to die it sets your teeth on edge and fills your bowels with wormwood and gravel O the dreadful effects of sin here which makes it no way a souls interest to sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 51. 8. Psal 38. 4. Psal 119. 120. Psal 55. 4. Lam. 3. 19. Thirdly As the work is bad and fruits are evil here so the wages of sin is death v. 23. As soon as the work is done they shall have their wages which is alwaies paying and never paid they shall be alwaies dying and never dead whose worm never dieth and whose fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. This will be the certain end of them that can chuse sin and live in sin if God be holy and his Word true And can you then continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid O Christians get good from your sins to be ashamed of them to grieve and mourn over them to hate and loathe them to pray and cry against them to watch and strive against them to fly to Christ for pardon over them and freedom from them to shun and avoid the occasions of them to have no more to do with them to seek and further the death and total ruine of them to prize graces and love Christ the more to be more attentive to his instructions and obedient to his commands to bless God and rejoyce in Christ when God doth in any measure keep you or set you free from sin to long for Heaven and Glory that you may never sin more to keep close to Christ and abide in his waies that you might be the more secur'd from sin and fitted for glory Ezra 9. 6. Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. Prov. 4. 14 15. 1 Thes 5. 22. Ephes 5. 11. Ephes 2. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Acts 11. 23. This is to get good from sin and to drive on the
that strive with him shall perish there is no contending with God bow we must or break return or be ruined Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings Isa 1. 16. Get washt away your blood by sound Repentance get into Christ's blood by saving Faith set upon a thorough reformation personal family publick each one in his place help to carry out the uncleanness of thy heart hand house and land to the Brook Kidron 2 Chron. 29. 16. Get tradingsins removed if you would have trading mercies enjoy'd Take every man his Censer and stand in the gap pour out strong cries for returning-mercy that the Lord would cease from his fierce wrath and turn again and heal our Land and bless our substance accept the work of our hand and dwell in our Land Counsel 5. Fifthly Get advantage from decaies in your Earthly Trade to further your Heavenly Trade gather materials from your earthly ruines for your heavenly building Christians there 's a great deal of good you may get from these evil things in the world to quicken your pursuit after the things of Heaven First By your earthly losses you may be convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God Men are apt to take up too much pleasure in their booths till God sends a devouring worm and consumes them and to sit down under their shadows with great delight and therefore doth God make them like shadows to fly away what expectations do men raise from their swelling-comforts thinking their mountains are made so strong they shall not be moved till the Lord by some levelling providence soon corrects their fond opinion and what dependencies do we usually take up on those uncertainties leaning so hard on our reeds till they break under us and send splinters into the arm which staies upon them O the contentment pleasure profit men fancy to be in creatures friends relations honours estates before by some killing stroak they see themselves to be deceived What mercy is it then to meet with disappointments in these groundless hopes that we may come to see before it be too late what poor empty perishing things all the wares of this lower world are This way David came to have his errour seasonably corrected And Solomon by a serious review of past enjoyments comes to see that all was vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 2. 1. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 6. Secondly Divine rebukes on mens earthly interests help them to a discovery of those sins that procure them Deut. 31. 17. Afflictions are Christ's clay and spittle to open his peoples eyes and to bring them to see those evils that have brought those deaths upon their comforts and breed those worms that have destroyed their substance Times of correction are times of instruction Job 36. 8 9. When Jacob's Sons were cut short of their provisions reduced to great distress and plunged in sore dangers then they thought upon their sin and wrong done to their brother Joseph Gen. 42. 21. Then they said one to another verily we are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Whence one hath this note Affliction is a dark condition yet it brings much light into the soul Men come to read their miscarriages best by the fire-light of affliction then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33. 13. Now the soul comes to see his abuse of these mercies he hath lost his inordinate love to them and wandrings from God and this helps to after-wisdom and greater freedom from these entanglements for the time to come which is no small advantage to future godliness Thirdly By this loss of earthly things the soul comes to see a necessity of looking after and ensuring better treasures Heb. 13. 14. Here have we no continuing City but we seek one that is to come Uncertainties on Earth should put souls the more to look after Heaven The Prodigal never thought of returning till all was gone Luke 15. 14. to verse 18. The Steward never considered how to secure his future state till goods were wasted and Stewardship in danger of removal Luke 16. 1 2 3 4. Think of swiming ashore said Mr. Rutherford after a shipwrack 'T is a mercy in this stormy Sea to get a second wind for none of the Saints get a first This is advantage indeed when having nothing you seek to enjoy all things and when the world flies from you to pursue Heaven the faster Could a Heathen say I never gain'd mere than when I lost all because his shipwrack became the occasion of obtaining knowledge and will not you Christians by your earthly losses be provoked to make after heavenly interests Fourthly Losses in the world have an advantage through grace to loosen the heart from the world Afflictions on mens estates are like wormwood on the breast that tends to wean the hearts of God's children from them Love of the world hath been the sin of this Age and the shipwrack of worldly things is the likeliest way to cure it this disease is best conquered by fasting Absence of Lovers is sometimes the way to starve affections and poverty with distress is God's usual method to chastise mens wanton affections to this world Afflictions when sanctified are Sanctuary-fire to purge away the dross of our affections Mal. 3. 3. 5ly Soul-enlargement is another fruit of sanctified straits and so a help to the heavenly trade Christians are never fit to make any speed in the way to Heaven until their hearts be enlarged Psal 119. 32. Enlargements in the world are oft-times bonds to the soul He that hath most of the Earth hath usually least liberty for Heaven When the Lord cuts short the interest of his people he doth but knock off golden fetters from their feet that he may bring their soul out of prison Afflicting Providences are God's dieting his racers that they may be more long-breath'd and swift in their run towards glory O how imprison'd are redeemed souls in the many things of this world they cannot have time to pray read hear confer for the entangling-affairs of this life till God by some deaths upon their employments sets them at liberty Removes of worldly treasures are but the taking off of a heavy cloak-bag from the shoulders of Sion's Travellers that they may the more comfortably travel to their journeys end Good souls whiles crouded with earthly businesses are like persons in the midst of a thicket and thorny grove when they would be going forward one briar hangs in their skirts and another thorn stops their way so that when God takes off their interests he doth but cut out a way for his children to pass the more comfortably and swiftly through the brakes of this world and lighten the vessel that it