to the tumbling in the mire Some againe good exhortations and counsell will make them live well and they will continue so while they are in that good mood Others will bee good while a storme of ficknesse indures but when the sunne-shine of prosperitie shall beginne to appeare they returne to their old courses they are like a Bullrush which hangs downe his head till the storme is over it but as soone as the Sunne shines it lifts it up againe Some may hold out longer than others yet at the last all will give over because they are not moved from some inward principle The third is this As the Angels assumed those bodies but for certaine times and places and occasions and afterwards laid them aside againe so will your hypocrites doe in some places and companies at some times they will take on them the bodies of living men and so have a name to live but indeed are dead But come they in other places or companies they will lay aside their bodies and then will be as profane as any I confesse a godly man may bee the worse for being in an ill companie they may be myrie and dirtie but yet they still remaine sheepe as a pibble and a pearle foyled with the same mire can scarce be distinguished till they be washed so the godly doe but wash them and then you shall discerne them to be pearles but these Wolves the wicked which onely takes sheepes cloathing on them comming amongst Wolves cast off that cloathing and become as much Wolves as any The fourth signe is this As Angels or devils which assume bodies cannot speake heartily as living men but have an artificiall framed voice which is from the teeth outward not heart so where there is no true grace but seeming it may be discerned from the speeches not in the matter but in the manner an hypocrite may often babble more than the true Christian as a blazing Starre shines as bright if not brighter than the true Star but there is abroad difference betwixt them the one speakes but from the head and the other from the heart for a true living man doth speake heartily and feelingly That the manner of speaking doth much affect others it is plaine Hence is that that Iunius reports of himselfe that hee lighting into a Countrie mans house which was wholly illiterate and unlearned hee confesseth that his heartie speaking of faith and repentance c. did so move him that he thought that there was somthing more in it than meere knowledge and so wrought on him that by Gods grace it converted him so that the manner of speaking doth often affect where the matter doth not which an hypocrite cannot have And thus much for the signes of seeming living but indeed dead men Now having shewed that all are dead it followes that we should shew the meanes of getting life which are also comprehended in my text and they are these two 1. To labour to see that ye are dead You that were dead in trespasses and sinnes c. as all men are by nature 2. To goe to Christ for life hee it is onely that can give it so saith my Text hee hath quickened you It is the propertie of God alone to give life Now wee cannot goe to him but by Christ and we must goe to Christ by faith therefore is faith called a living faith because it unites Christ and the soule together Now the difficultie is in this that men will not come to Christ and take him some come not for him at all others take him but not in good earnest as grafts put into a stock but not so ingrafted as to grow thereby but when a man is once soundly humbled then will he come to Christ and not before for till then hee doth not hunger and thirst after him but the extreame hungrie will bee satisfied with nought but meat as Sampson said Give me drinke or else I dye Now life consists in the union betwixt Christ and thy soule This union is by Luther compared to fire and iron united which causes the iron to have all the properties of fire as burne scorch c. so an humble Saint united to Christ hath all his proprieties though not in the same measure and degree The Doctrine of Humiliation Now these must bee handled distinctly and therfore the first meanes of life is to see our selves children of wrath and that wee are dead in trespasses and sinnes The point that hence ariseth is That whosoever would be translated from death to life must first apprehend himselfe to bee a child of wrath that is he must see the face of God as of an angry Iudge so farre forth as it may drive him to Christ. So that a man cannot be saved untill hee hath not onely a touch or two but a true sense of sinne a deepe apprehension of his sinnes of death and of damnation for onely to such are all the promises made Christ is onely sent to binde up the broken hearted Christ came to call all that were heavie laden and those onely those he will ease Peace must be preached to none but those that moume in Sion Therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 21. Tell me ye that are under the Law doe ye not desire to heare the Law Yea the Law is said to be a Schoolmaster to drive men to Christ that is first there must bee the Law before Christ can bee had for else although wee should Preach the Gospell it would be contemned therefore Christ in his time gained onely the poore The poore receive the Gospell that is the poore in spirit God will have his jewels of life and salvation to be esteemed which we will never doe untill we see our miserie how that we are in the estate of death As the deliverance out of Egypt would never have beene so sweet had they not beene in extreame slavery and bondage first God deales with us as Princes doe with their malefactors first they bring their neckes to the blocke and then give them a pardon for then they apprehending death the pardon is the sweeter and more welcome and acceptable to them Indeed if the question were made what God could doe in his absolute power I know that God might convert us and not humble us if hee would he might say as hee did in the Creation Let it be and it must be hee might come in a still voyce onely without sending before a voyce rending the rockes hee might use lightning and no thunder but wee speake of his ordinary course wherein hee will not for none are saved but such as have not onely a sight but also a deepe apprehension of their sinnes For the better understanding of this point wee must consider these things 1 That there are three things which keepe a man from Christ. First Vnbeleefe when men will not beleeve that he which was borne of the Virgin Mary was Christ and God therefore about the
A LIVELES LIFE OR Mans Spirituall death in Sinne. Wherein is both learnedly and profitably handled these foure Doctrines The Spirituall Death in Sinne. The Doctrine of Humiliation Mercy to be found in Christ. Continuance in sinne dangerous Being the substance of severall Sermons upon EPHES. 2. 1 2 3. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins c. Whereunto is annexed a profitable Sermon at LINCOLNES INNE On GEN. XXII XIV Delivered by that late faithful Preacher and worthy Instrument of Gods glory IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Maiesty Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolns-Inne ROM 7. 9. For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed LONDON Printed by I. Beale for Andrew Crooke at the Blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1633. AN EXCELLENT TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL DEATH IN SINNE EPHES. 2. 1 2 3. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also wee all had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath euen as others THe scope of the Apostle in the former part of this Chapter is to stirre vp the Ephesians to a high estimation of their redemption by Christ and that hee might the better doe this hee sheweth â—hem their estate without Christ That they were children of wrath and dead in sinnes and trespasses and that they were dead in sinne hee proueth Because they walked in sinne That they walked in sinne he proveth Because they had amongst them some false guides which here hee reckons up and declares them to be these three First the World They walked according to the course of the world Secondly the Devill According to the prince of the power of the aire Thirdly the lusts of the flesh Among whom also we all had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh c. The first point that we will observe as naturally arising out of the words is this That all men by nature are dead in trespasses and sinnes This point is to be considered of all men both those which are alive and quickened out of this Lethargie and those which are yet dead in their trespasses and sinnes That wee are thus dead in sinne it plainly appeares by this reason All mankinde were represented in our first parent Adam of whose fall this death of sinne and of nature was made a part of the punishment now he being the root of us all and that being dead all the branches must needs be dead also It is also plaine by places of Scripture as Ioh 5. 25. The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live so againe Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Also in the Gospell our Saviour Christ saith Let the dead goe burie the dead that is let such as are dead in trespasses and sinnes goe burie those that are dead through sinne By all which places it plainly appears that all men by nature are dead in sinne This men consider not You would thinke it a gashly sight to see Churches streets and houses for to lye full of dead corpes but for to see places full of men spiritually dead which is farre the worse is a more gashly sight and yet who amongst us is there almost that doth consider it In this death in trespasses and sinnes for our fuller understanding of it I will shew you these five things 1. What this death is 2. The kinds of this death 3. The signes of this death 4. The degrees of this death 5. The use to be made of it First What this death is To know this we must understand that as a corporall death so a spirituall death hath two things in it First As in the naturall death there is a privation of life when the soule is seperated from the bodie so in the spirituall death there is a privation of the life of the soule namely the extinction of originall righteousnesse by reason of which a man can neither set hand nor foot forward in the waies of goodnesse as Paul confesseth of himselfe for as the seperation of the soule makes the body to dye so the extinction of originall righteousnesse makes the soule to dye Secondly As in the death of the bodie there is a stinking carkasse left when the soule is departed thence so in the death of the soule there is a positive corrupted qualitie left called the flesh whereby a man is prone to doe all evill And therefore they are called dead workes Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us goe on unto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes c. Heb. 6. 1. And so againe in the 9. chapter of the same Epistle and 15. verse where it is said How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Now it seemes a contradiction that they should be workes and yet dead but yet it is so because besides the privation of good there is a positive evill and stirring qualitie which is active and bringeth forth these evill and dead workes Now for the chiefe seat of this death It is chiefly seated in the minde and understanding and not in the will The Understanding is primum vivens moriens primum the first living and first dead for although the will bee corrupted yet whatsoever is in it is carried through the understanding And this death of the understanding is such a darkenesse of judgement as thereby a man esteemes not but dislikes the wayes of God and goodnesse and approves the wayes of sinne and wickednesse And in this facultie of man the understanding is this death of sinne chiefly seated therefore it it is said Ioh. 1. 4 5. In him was light and that light was the life of men So also Ephes. 5. 14. the place before mentioned Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall give thee light where hee sayes not life but light for if there be light life will certainly follow So againe Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse to light One would thinke that in these places it should bee life and not light but it is so put to shew that the chiefest seat of this death is in the understanding Therefore also is it said Be renewed in the spirit of your mindes Rom. 12. 2. And to
some men many excellent morall vertues such as even the godly themselves have not Indeed it 's true that they have and these are Gods gifts also but yet they are but as chaines of gold about a dead maÌ„s neck oras pearls in a swines snout There may be many good things in them but they make them not good men for as the evill actions of good men redound not to their persons to make them evill so these good actions in evill men redound not to their persons to make them good they may have good in them but are not good And thus much for this third point the signes of this death 4. To come to the degrees of this death First for the death of guilt that hath degrees some men are more bound over than others as the Heathen men that were guided onely by the light of nature they indeed were guilty but the Jewes which had a more perfect knowledge they were more guilty then they and now we that live under the tropicke of the Gospell and have Sermon upon Sermon line upon line and every day are instructed are more guilty then the Jewes and amongst us they that have most meanes and profit least are most guilty of all and therefore are most bound over unto this death Secondly for the death that is opposite to the life of grace and sanctification that also admits degrees 1. For the first part the privation of life indeed there is no degree but all that are dead in regard of the privation and absence of originall righteousnesse are all dead alike 2. But for the second to wit the positive corrupt quality which is called the flesh that admits degrees for one may be mad and drunke both alike but the one may have some sparkes of reason more then the other The degrees therefore of this death are these three that follow 1. When men doe oppose and set themselves against a holy life although it bee closely and coverâ—ly under other names for against them directly the Divell will not speake because the knoweth it will not be regarded but he speakes against them under names of reproach which he himselfe hath invented These men are one of the bottome staires of the chamber of death and therefore it is almost impossible they should ever rise but must needs remaine in a pittifull case although it may be they thinke farre otherwise 2. When men are given up to voluptuousnesse and sensuality as Paul speaketh of the wanton widow 1. Tim. 5. 6. that because shee lived in voluptuousnesse shee was dead while she lived Even so the more a man is sunke into voluptuous courses the more hee is dead and as it were buried in his corruptions so that hee is altogether unable to stirre out of them it is a very difficult thing to leave them as in the sinnes of uncleannesse 3. When we are indifferent and care not how things goe and this is when a man is addicted unto the death of civill men which is a degree nearer to life yet is truly and indeed no better than a death such as have much restraining grace these are nearer the gate of heaven then others yet they are as truly shut out as they that are furthest off it is no matter how neere they are to heaven since they are all out of heaven alike they shall be sure if never any more quickened to goe to hell as well as others Thirdly The death that is opposed to the life of joy and comfort that hath also degrees God sometimes with-drawes his comfort from some more than others and so suffers some to have lesse horror then others Thus I have briefly explained this death in which all men naturally are I will now answer an objection of Bellarmine against that which hath beene said and so come to the fifth thing Some there be that say If all men are dead in sinne as you say they are then to what end is all our Preaching and your hearing for the dead are without life and cannot be moved with any of these things and therefore they are all in vaine To this I answer first that although every man by nature be dead unto grace yet he hath the lifâ— of reason in sinne whereby hee is able to perceive two things 1. To see that they are dead and without this life of grace their conscience telling them so 2. By the sight and feeling of their death they are able to bring themselves to the meanes of life as to the Word and Sacraments Secondly I answer that though all men be dead yet there is an end and effect of our speaking and their hearing for the Word that we speake may put life into them as the word that Christ spake unto Lazarus was able to raise him from the dead Thirdly Wee must know that there is a great difference betweene this spirituall death and the corporall death for this death consisteth in the understanding and will and is a free willing death in it they freely slye good and embrace evill they freely choose the wayes of death and therefore are said to be already dead as suppose a man is resolved to commit murder or treason and a friend come to him and perswade him from it and cannot prevaile that man may bee said to bee dead because he will doe that that will cost him his life Even so we may affirme that that man is dead already because hee will doe that that will bring death after the doing of it 5. Now for the fift thing the uses of this point That all men by nature are dead in sinne The first Use then that wee may make of this point is If all men are dead in sinne then let us be exhorted not to deferre our repentance saying we will repent afterward This is a fault usuall amongst young men and such as presume of their strength and ability of nature to live a great while they find nature strong in them and therefore put off repentance till they be sick and age bring them to thinke of death but let such consider that they are dead already and repentance is a putting of a new life into them Dost thou thinke it is in thy power to create a new life in thee when thou art dead Surely no more is it in thy power to repent when thou wouldest Hereby the devil entrappeth many in putting this conceit into them that they may repent when they will and this hee bringeth them unto by making them to mistake repentance in conceiving of it to be nothing else but a sorrow for sinne past and a purpose to live well afterward and leave all sinne he neuer tels them nor they neuer thinke that it is the creation of a new life in them for then they would say more but they are decejued this is not to repent for thou mayest doe all this and yet when thou hast done be damned
of Christ 1. Cor. 11. 29. which we doe when wee doe not sufficiently esteeme it and conceive not what right we have to which was the Corinthians sinne for they knew well enough that that did represent his body Let us therefore take heed we come preparedly for as God strooke Vzzah for touching the Arke with polluted hands and Nadab and Abihu for offering of strange fire so if thou come unpreparedly to the Sacrament he will strike thee But to returne to the poynt which was even now handled That all men are dead in trespasses and sinnes because it is point which concernes all sorts of men wee will a little further consider it and in the next place speake of the nature of dead men Dead men are either 1. Such as are starke dead in sinne and doe make no shew at all of life as are all open prophane and notoriously wicked men 2. Such as are dead indeed and in truth but yet make a shew of life outwardly seeme to have it like the Angels that have appeared many times in assumed bodies but yet have none of their owne that is true and substantiall and these are chiefly dissembling hypocrites or men meerely civill First This starke deadnesse without any shew at all of life of which sort wee have every where too too many consists chiefly 1. In the privation of life 2. In an active positive principle Now there are certaine signes arising from both these and they are 1. Positive 2. Privative 1 The Positive signes of a dead man are these three First All those which live any life whatsoever it be seeke such things as are agreeable to preserve that life and hate the contrary as a man that liveth a naturall life looketh for food rayment c. so in the life of grace there is an aptnesse to cleave unto goodnesse and unto Christ as iron doth to the Loadstone So a man that lives the life of grace his delight is in praying hearing reading c. but his lusts they are aegritudines animae the soules sicknesses they are as thornes to his sides and smoke to his eyes and he is never well or at quiet untill they are removed and gone but a wicked man one that is dead in sinne he is sicke of goodnesse as the other is of wickednesse and weary of it he is too strait-laced in it and therefore cannot brooke it A godly man hath an inward aptnesse and inclination to serve God as fire naturally inclines to goe upward indeed hee may sometimes contract impurity and have some corruptions yet they are but as mud in a cleere and living fountaine they are soone washed away but wicked men are like ditches which are full of mudde at their best and there it lyes and continues Secondly another positive signe of this deadnesse is When a man lies in any living lust or knowne sinne for as a mortall disease and life cannot stand together no more can a living lust and the life of grace That is a living lust when although sometimes hee may have fits of resisting yet he alwayes gives over and still yeelds to that lust saying It is their nature and they cannot choose but commit it they know not how to resist it when as if there was some present Judgement threatned thee upon the commission of it then thou couldest forbeare This I call a living lust and although it be but one yet if other lusts tempted thee as much as that thou wouldest commit them also if thou forsakest other sinnes because they are sinnes why forsakest thou not this also Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts There is in every man a body of lust if any member of that body be unmortified he is yet a dead man 1 Tim. 5. 6. Shee which liveth in pleasure is dead while shee is alive Some may keepe themselves cleane from some sinnes but that will not serve for if they live in any knowne sinne they are dead Thirdly a third positive signe is When a man hath a secret antipathy against God and godlinesse Some beasts naturally hate some colours so some men out of a naturall inclination cannot endure goodnesse it selfe though they pretend some cause I call it an antipathy when a mans stomacke riseth against a thing and hee knoweth not wherefore so they hate goodnesse meerely out of a naturall abhorring of the thing it selfe although they pretend some cause for which they hate it They distant holinesse of life and for no just cause if it be you distast such men as professe an holy and pure conversation onely because they doe not conforme as some pretend why doe you distant those also that doe conforme If you dislike the professors of an holy life because of the hypocrisie they have found in them as some have not stood to say why doe you also dislike those that you are sure are no hypocrites They cannot define the holy man they hate but have a secret naturall hatred to them they cannot tell why but we know the reason well enough it is because they live a contrary life to them and therefore cannot agree no more than fire and water indeed fire and water may agree in remisse degrees but not in intense so these men can suffer those which are indifferently holy but if they come to any perfection and height of holinesse then they cannot endure them Now the Apostle sayes expresly 1 Ioh. 3. 14. By this we know wee are translated from death to life because we love the brethren hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death So that it is an infallible signe of deadnesse not to love the brethren if thou hatest the Saints nay if thou lovest them not nay if thou lovest them not according to the measure of grace that is in them and if thou art not grieved for any of their sinnes by which they may cause scandall or bee disgraced thou art yet a dead man And so much for the positive signes 2 The Privative signes of deadnesse follow which are these five The first privitive signe of deadnesse is want of speech He that is dead is speechlesse and breathlesse so he that is dead in sinne in all holy things is speechlesse Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith Christ in the Gospell Matth. 12. 14. When the mouth is speechlesse the heart is empty Some that are dead in trespasses and sinnes may speake well sometimes but there is no living man but doth speake well Esa. 19. 18. Those that belong to Canaan will speake in the language of Canaan Their language will shew whether they are Galileans or not every man delights in operations agreeable to their habits Here you may learne to judge of your selves by your words not by some words that are spoken by fits but by thy usuall and customary speech that is a signe of that that is in you The
this is so content not your selves with morality and civility except you have more in you than nature can give you nay except you be all new not patched up as 2 Cor. 5. Except you bee wholly changed and cast into a new mould being first broken by humiliation you cannot be saved Try therefore whether now you doe that that others will not doe wherein else doth the power of Religion consist Try whether you have denied your selves and throughly mortified your dearest lust and what soever the flâ—sh desireth and whether you bee sicke of sinne regard not what the world prizeth labour you to hâ—ve yoâ—r hearts broken else you may pray be charitable and loving to othâ—rs and with Herod make a conscience of many things yet all will stand you in no stead because it commeth not from an humble heart for be it never so holy a dutie never so constantly performed except it comes from a broken heart God accepts it not So the Prophet David saith Psal. 51. 16 17. God careth not for Sacrifices and yet they were his ordinances as well as our prayers onely a broken heart was pleasing â—nto him and therefore whatsoever you have done from a broken heart is accepted of God But here Satan deceives men with gilded things namely formall performance of holy 〈◊〉 which when they need them as in the day of 〈◊〉 or trouble stand them in no stead As often he coozeneth Witches in giving them money to doe some murders they laying up the money and when they have need of it going to fetch it have found nothing but dry leaves Even thus will all the holy duties wee have performed from an unbroken heart faile us They are like Glowormes they glister greatly in the darke but when once the Sunne comes their light is nothing So Paul before he was humbled hee accounted himselfe a godly man and none better than he but afterward hee was not worthy as hee said to be counted an Apostle Therefore deceive not your selves any longer for nothing is more dangerous than an unsound heart therefore take heed it deceive you not if you never have beene humbled now labour to be humbled for it was that that made the Publican to be justified rather than the Pharisie because hee was humbled and the Pharisie was not and indeed none are further from salvation than those that content themselves with outward formalities Now in Humiliation for our fuller understanding of it I will explaine these three questions 1 Wherein Humiliation doth consist 2 What kinde of sorrow is required in this Humiliation 3 How we shall know whether our sorrows are true or not The first question is Wherein consists this true Humiliation I answer In three things 1. In seeing your life to abound with acutall sinnes then in looking into your heart and nature which is wholly corrupted and the root of all evill and where your corruption is strongest as fire in the root Many labour to excuse their sinnes from their nature because that that is prone unto it but that makes their cause the worse it increaseth their vildnesse for why hast thou such a nature and dost not curbe it Besides their natures are odious to God though they never should breake out as a Serpent is odious unto us though he never hurt us Further consider hast thou not made thy nature worse Every sinne thou hast committed makes it worse for actuall sinne doth more increase the custome and habit of sinne so that besides Adams sinne thou thy selfe art guilty of corrupting thine owne nature 2. In considering that there is nothing in thee that is good at all so the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me dwelleth no good thing and Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all not onely men but things under sinne Men thinke well of themselves because they have much good in them but consider with thy selfe thou hast nothing good in thee at all Can good fruit proceed from an ill tree 3. In smiting thy heart with an apprehension of death hell and misery due to thy sinne then wilt thou find thy selfe in a miserable estate and canst not chuse but be humbled when in consideration of these things thy heart smites thee as Belchazzars did him And so much for the first question The second question is What kinde of sorrow is required in this Humiliation I answer Not those violent flashings of sorrow which for a while amaze like a land-stood but it must be this When thy judgement is enlightned to see thy estate and the judgements of God hanging over thee and after this convincing then thy affections are stirred to mourne for thy sinne If the judgement bee fully convinced the affections will follow therefore in Scripture when any is said to be humbled in those places is shewed that their affections were stirred as we may see Acts 16. in the Jaylor and of Peter it is said of his conversion He went out and wept bitterly So also of those Acts 2. it is said They were pricked in their hearts for the ground of their sorrow is the convincing of the judgement which workes upon the affections therefore Christ saith The Spirit shall come to convince the world of sinne c. Ioh. 16. 8. The other sorrow not arising from this convincing of the judgement is but a passion and so is streight gone this is an affection and so is more permanent although it is stiller as the deepest water are ever stillest And so much for the second question The third question is How shall he know whether these sorrowes of his be true or no To this I answer There is an Humiliation not deepe enough a sleight Humiliation and there is another too deepe which so drownes vs in sorrow that it takes away all hope of salvation and brings despaire such was the sorrow of Iudas and Achitophel but the third and true is an indifferent betweene both sometimes there may be an humiliation and no grace as there may be a plowing and no sowing But true humiliation differs from other sorrowes thus First In the rice of it both a godly man and an hypocrite may first be wounded with Gods wrath secondly desire freedome from hell but into the godly God doth instill gracious seeds whereby hee is humbled for sinne as well as hell and desires grace as well as mercy But the hypocrite onely desires mercy and freedome from these torments and therefore when the terrour ceaseth his holinesse and desire of goodnesse ceaseth and so being eased from the torments he cares for no more but the godly hee desires to be joyned to Christ and to have his lusts mortified Secondly in the continuance of it hypocriticall humiliation may be longer or shorter but it is never constant it doth vanish but true humiliation doth last all the life long The humiliation of hypocrites is
he is not moved because he beleeves not But here some man will be ready to object and say Afflictions often humbleus therefore it is not the Law that doth it To this I answer Afflictions as the plow make way but it is the seed of the Law sowne in our hearts that must humble us indeed those notions which they had before are in afflictions made to seem otherwise then before but we must take heed that afflictions cause not worldly sorrow for that is the applying of the corrosive to a whole place Now you must know that there is an extraordinary humiliation which God at some times workes in some men we urge not to that God workes that in whom he pleaseth and intendeth to make extraordinary wee urge to the ordinary humiliation Now the meanes to attaine that are these five The first meanes to aftaine humiliation is To enter into a serious consideration of our estate as the prodigall Sonne did he is said Luk. 15. to come to himselfe and consider that his father had enough and he starved So every one of us should doe consider First the greatnesse of thy sinnes in particular and make Catalogues of them And then secondly let our actuall sinnes leade us to our corrupt heart which is the root of all So God dealt with the children of Israel Deut. 8. 2. where it is said God led them forty yeares in the wildernesse to humble them and to prove them and to know what was in their hearts c. Hee himselfe knew it well enough but by their sinnes he would make it knowne to themselves and others So also God dealt with Hezekias 2 Chron. 32. 31. Where it is said God left him to try him and to know all that was in his heart Hezekiah had a proud heart and God left him to himselfe not that God might know what was in his heart but that hee himselfe might know So God tels the Israelites Ezek. 36. 31. Yee shall remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquity c. Thirdly Having thus considered your sinnes consider Gods wrath and the certainty of it the wrath of a King is the messenger of death what then is the wrath of almighty God even as the power of God is more than the power of man so is his wrath also as long as he lives so long will he punish thee in hell The consideration of this made Moses breake out Psal. 90. and say Who knowes the power of his wrath Paul is in great heavinesse for the Iewes Rom. 9. And as God shewed his almighty power in making of man so will he in destroying and punishing And this wrath of his shall fall upon the most sensible part of man viz. the soule which as it is capable of the greatest measure of joy so is it capable of the greatest measure of griefe What is God but infinite what is his wrath but infinite under it thou shalt most wish for death which now thou most fearest The second meanes to obtaine Humiliation is to stay a great while on this consideration to suffer sorrow to abide on our hearts for it is the oft and serious consideration that effects this and therefore we may learne something from Sathan when he would drive a man to despaire he oft puts thoughts of Gods wrath due unto our sinnes into our mindes hee holds the object close unto our mindes and so letteth us thinke of nothing else It is the frequent and seirous consideration of these things that humbleth us This was that that humbled David Psal. 51. My sinne was alwaies before me so Iam. 4. 8. cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts yee double minded How is that done vers 9. be afflicted and mourne all waveringnesse and instability comes from the corruption of the heart and therefore cleanse that and the way to cleanse that is to be humbled and the way to be humbled is to sequester your selfe from all carnall mirth though else lawfull and stay on these considerations The third meanes is this If you cannot see sinne in it selfe labour to see it in his effects All miseries which you feele in your selfe or know in others are the fruits of it and this will make you say it is a bitter thing to sinne so Peter in his second Epistle and second chapter by this effect aggravates sinne where he shewes it was for sinne that the Angels were throwne downe into hell that the old world was drowned that Sodome and Gomorrah were destroyed The fourth meanes to attaine humiliation is to make these evils present before you by faith as in an opticke glasse those things that are a far off will seeme neere to those that looke in it so these by faith should seeme at the very doore it may be the not considering them as present makes them not affect you for what is a farre off although it be in it selfe feareful yet is not feared as death c. therefore set hell before your eyes and see it as present before you Make present unto you these two things 1 All sinnes past a thing that is past vs will seeme small unto us though it be as great as ever it was before and so doe our sinnes to us we usually doe as men that leave something behinde them when they are far gone they thinke it is but a little and therefore they will not returne for it so we being far off from our sinnes they seeme little unto us but we must remember the day of our iniquity Let us therefore make them our sinnes present God he esteemes them as great as ever they were let us doe so therefore let them seeme abominable to us thus did Iob possesse the sinnes of his youth 2. Things future as Gods judgements which are neere at hand and lye at the doore as God saies to Cain although they seeme to us a farre off But this is Satans cunning to deceive us he is as a Painter who by the collusion of colors makes things seeme far off which are nigh so he makes Gods wrath which lyes at our doore seeme a farre off when as it may bee it will light on us the next day The fifth meanes to attaine Humiliation is To take heed of all such false shifts whereby you may seeme to keepe off the blow of Gods law from lighting on you wee are never moved with these considerations untill all shifts are removed so that wee see nothing but death and then we tremble The shifts by which men thinke to keepe off the blow of Gods judgments and so with-hold themselves from being humbled are these eight 1 Civilitie this Gloworme of civility so glittereth in the darke that wee thinke it to bee a true sparke of grace but where the spirit shines wee shall finde it false and as the Divell deludeth Witches in
not take him and eat him the Sunne enlighteneth but the window lets it in Christ gives life but our hungring after him makes us eat him which we will not doe untill wee be humbled 2 May come to Christ that is receive him and beleeve in him it is but laying hold of him when hee sees he must perish as a man that is falling into the sea casts himselfe on a rocke and there will lie and rest so wee seeing wee must perish without him wee clap hold on him and will not leave him for any persecution or pleasure 3 Whosoever will It is generally propounded for Christ is a common fountaine he that will may come As Iohn 7. 3 7. If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke hee that beleeveth in mee as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flow living waters and againe Iob. 3. 16. God gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life As the old Adam was a common root of sinne and damnation so is Christ the second Adam of grace and salvation as at the yeere of Iubilee when the trumpet sounded whosoever would might goe free but if any would be sollavish as to serve they might so now to Christ now he calleth whosoever will may goe free and be delivered but if there be any so flavish minded as to stay they may The grounds of this Doctrine why I thus generally deliver it are these 1 Because else there were no ground of our faith faith must have a ground of Scripture and the Scripture makes no particular promise to any man it saith not thou Thomas or thou Iohn shalt be saved but it faith Whosoever will let him come and drinke freely of the water of life Then we say but I will therefore on this ground is the strength of faith that whosoever will may come 2 Because faith is about things that are faith presupposeth his object God gives the generall promise Whosoever will beleeve shall be saved This is the object of faith this premised the faith followeth and is the the cause of all the consequences as that Christ is mine I am sanctified justified c. these follow faith but the object is before viz. that whosoever wil come to Christ may as if I beleeve the world is created then it must first be created so if I beleeve I shall be saved if I goe to Christ then I must first have this for to beleeve that whosoever will come to Christ may come To exhort so many as are humbled for sinne and see what need they have of Christ to come to him to be quickened the fountaine is opened so that be thy sinnes never so many or great however committed of knowledge after many vowes or covenants yet if thou art so touched and humbled for thy sinnes that thou truely thirstest after Christ if thou wilt take him thou maist To those onely that are humbled is this wide doore of comfort opened art thou but humbled let thy sinne be never so great suppose it be of murther uncleannesse c. let them be aggravated with all the circumstances yet if thou canst be but humbled and then lay hold on Christ thou maiest Read 1 Cor. 6. 9. See what great sinnes those were how can you name greater Neither fornicator nor idolater nor adulter nor effeminate now abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers not extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God And such were some of you But yee are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified c. Nay suppose you have not one jot of holinesse nor of godly sorrow yet doe but take Christ and hee is thine To looke for sorrow and holinesse before thou takest Christ is to looke for life before the soule Therefore doe but take him and hee is thine for 1 The promise is free without any condition If godly sorrow and grace were required it were not free godly sorrow and grace followes faith but are not required before it 2 The promise is generall Mark 16. 16. Goe yee unto all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature If therefore there be any poore soule touched with his sinnes so as hee will doe or suffer any thing for Christ to him I speake comfort to him Christ doth belong thou maiest have CHRIST if thou wilt But some man will here be ready to object and say Then every one will take him To this I answer Every one would take him for a Saviour but there be conditions following after though not going before faith if you beleeve hee is your Saviour you must beleeve hee is your Lord you must serve him in all his commands and leave all your sinnes which none will doe untill they see that without him they cannot but perish and none but they will take him whom when they have taken him he descendeth into them and quickeneth them and animates them and makes them like himselfe As fire doth yron to have the same qualities which fire hath although not the same degrees Thus when a man humbled for sinne longeth after Christ and receives him Christ enters into him and gives him a threefold life 1 The life of guiltlesnesse by which wee are free from the guilt of sinne 2 The life of grace 3 The life of joy Thus hee quickeneth those which are dead in trespasses and sinnes Hitherto of the first verse we come now to the second Continuance in SINNE DANGEROVS EPHES. 2. VERS 2. Wherin in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now ruleth in the children of disobedience c. AFter the Apostle had proved these Ephesians to whom hee writes to be dead in trespasses and sinnes here in the next verse hee proceeds to confirme his Dorctrine by proving them to be dead men from the signes of death which are three That they walked 1 According to the course of the world 2 According to the Prince of the aire 3 In the lusts of the flesh These are the guides by whom they were led the world the flesh and the divell where such guides lead a man hee is like to runne a good course Now the point of Doctrine that ariseth from the first of these is That whosoever walketh in any course of sinne is a dead man and the child of wrath that is if there be any ruling lust in a man so that hee followes it and it commandeth him that man is in the estate of condemnation This is plaine Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit If there be no condemnation to those which walke after the spirit then certainely there is condemnation to those which walke after the flesh So likewise
Rom. 6. 14. Sin hath no dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace that is if sin hath but dominion over you then were you in the estate of death if but any lust hath dominion over you so that you must yeeld obedience to it you are not in the estate of grace but of damnation and the reason hereof is vers 18. because you are the servants of sinne for his servants you are whom you obey Suppose you have but any one predominant sinne it is enough to damme thee There are some that can deny the sin of lusts but for to leave their company that they cannot doe Againe some can leave their company but by no meanes will part with the sinne of lust some can part with both but for their riches they will not part with a penny and so for other particulars many will be content to part with some of their sins but one is so sweet that they will not part with it But let all such know that if they have but any one sinne to rule and reigne so in them that they must needs obey it if it be so sweet unto them that they cannot leave it they are in the estate of condemnation yea if they continue but in any one knowne sinne for there is but one way to heaven but by-waies a thousand now if thou takest but one by-way it will leade thee from heaven as well as if twenty for the right way to hit the marke is but one but there are many by-waies wherein we may misse I added Whosoever walketh in any knowne sinne Indeed a man may sometimes by chance slip out of the way into some sinne but I meane not such a man but him that maketh some sinne his continuall walke But every one will be ready to say This is a hard saying and who can indure it I will therefore shew you some reasons for it The first reason is because that whosoever walketh in any knowne sinne is overcome of sinne and whosoever is overcome of sinne cannot be saved Indeed a godly man may oftentimes be foiled but never is overcome and at the last getteth the victory But when a man assimulates himselfe to sinne and without any reluctation is overcome of it striving no more against it as fire when it is ouercome by water that man is certainely in the estate of condemnation This is the meaning of the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2. 9. While they promise them libertie they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same hee is brought in bondage If any sinne overcome thee thou art in the estate of damnation It will not serve our turne to use those weake excuses which commonly is our plea to say wee cannot leave them because we are flesh and blood and they are naturally in us The second reason is because whosoevâ—r walketh in any knowne sinne in him sinne is predominant and hath the chiefe command and where that hath the chiefe command and rules God hath no place for the motion followes the predominant element if godlinesse be predominant that moves us and rules us if sinne be predominant in us that rules us As a man speaketh out of the abundance that is in his heart so also he worketh out of the abundance that is in his heart This is plaine for when Christ would shew their hearts to be bad hee biddeth them consider their speech and if he could gather the naughtinesse of their hearts by their speech then certainly much more by their actions and workes I but some may say I have a secret sinne in my heart yet it breaketh not forth I keepe it in and will not suffer it to come out and so long it is not predominant neither doth it beare rule neither doth he walke after it but covers it I answer they have so and though they doe not walke after them yet they are not the better for that for God judgeth according to the inward heart he judgeth according to the heaven we aime at in our owne hearts he feeth the secret bent of the heart which way it is it may seeme contrary to the eyes of men but hee judgeth not according to the outward appearance but hee judgeth with righteous judgement The third reason is because that whosoever lyeth in any knowne sinne is an hypocrite and no hypocrite can be saved though he doth other things never so well for such an one hangeth not like the sprigge but like a bough that is almost rent off the olive tree which can never prosper If he did but a little and yet did it in sinceritie it would be accepted whereas while he doth much yet in hypocrisie God regardeth it not This I finde by comparing these two places together 2 Cron. 25. 2. And 2 Cron. 15. 17. In the first place it is said that Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart and therefore God rejected him the meaning is that he was not throughout perfect but had some secret sinne in him therefore God rejected him Now in the other place It is said The hears of Asa was perfect all his daies yet as we may read he had many infirmities as 1 He put not away the high places 2 He relied upon the King of Egypt 3 He trusted on the Physicians 4 He put the Prophet into prison Yet notwithstanding all these infirmities it is said his heart was perfect because that these did not rule in him For where there is found humiliation wrought in any man he though these through infirmity may be in him yet he walketh not after them and then only humiliation is good when a man is desirous to be rid of his sinnes and this the hypocrite wanteth because there is rottennesse at the core and his heart is not truly sound The fourth reason is because that hee that walketh but in any one knowne sinne if he had but tentation unto other sinnes he would runne into them also Thence is that of the Apostle Iames 2. 10 11. Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guiltie of all his meaning is that if such a man had but as strong tentations unto other sins he would commit them also for if a man doeth any duty out of sincerity he would do all because that God commandeth all as it followeth in the same place For he that said Doe not commit adulterie said also Doe not kill Now if thou commit not adulterie yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the whole Law For looke what sinne soever thou art tempted unto the same thou wilt commit and if a hundred tentations should as much beset thee thou wouldest yeeld to them all as well as to one For the better meaning of the point here it may be demanded what this walking is To
the soule and bring the thing to passe that they labour to effect A good man will use all the meanes he can to absteine from sin he will shun all the occasions but the wicked man he will not absteine from the occasions hee knowes his nature will be ready to take hold of sinne and yet he will not avoid the occasions and allurements thereto surely therefore this man hath no purpose to leave sin for if his purpose be not put in practice he had as good never purpose for it hath no effect The godly man hee will use all good meanes to further his intent by fasting and praier and all other good duties Againe a godly man if he hath a lust in sinne hee will resist it with all his might and never give over though hee doth slip yet hee presently riseth againe and never ceaseth and therefore it shall not be imputed to him but if a man hath flitting purposes in his braine that is nothing though he falleth no into the same sinne so often Thus much for the first use of triall The second use serveth for comfort For if this be a signe of deadnesse to walke in sinne Then is it a matter of comfort to all those who although they often times slip into sinne yet are sincere hearted and doe not continue in knowne sinnes You had therefore no neede to cry out against us that our words are cruell words for this is a doctrine full sweete you must at the first give us leave to open the wound though it be painefull yet after you shall finde the ease and sweetnesse The bone-setter that because hee would not deale roughly setteth not the bone aright but puts in the sore joynt only a little and doth not set it throughly it may be at first thou shalt be called a good bone setter because the person ill affected for the present feeles no paine yet afterwards when the joint is not seated will be railed against or the Surgeon that will not search the wound to the bottome for paining the patient at the first may be pleasing but afterwards in the end hee shall have little thanke for his labour in like manner should the doctrine be harsh at first because it fearcheth the sore to the quicke yet the end of it is comfort The end of Christs speaking to the people in Saint Iohns Gospell was at the last comfort and joy Labour therefore all of you to make this use of this doctrine you that have sincere hearts take it home to your selves if you doe walke in no knowne sinnes but if yee have walked formerly in any knowne sinnes now beginne to rectifie your lives that so you may have cause to take this Doctrine unto your owne soules Breake the bands of Satan and forget all his faire allurements you must part with all your sweetest sinnes for it and give all you have to purchase this Jewell Comfort you may have and all our desire is to make your hearts perfect that so you may finde comfort If your hearts be perfect you shall finde these foure comforts 1 You shall finde more comfort in easinesse and contentednesse to forbeare that lust wee most delighted in than ever wee did in yeelding to it 2 You shall finde your selves able to rest to pray to heare and to sanctifie the Sabbath make your hearts good and you shall doe these things with delight for as when a mans hand is out of joint he cannot worke so if the soule be out of frame it cannot pray c. 3 You shall find your selves able to beare afflictions before you can beare nothing but every thing is as a burthen unto you A man having a shoulder that is out of joynt cannot beare any thing so if sinne be mingled with affliction it makes that bitter but after you have purged your selves from sinne you shall be able to beare them but when there is no strength within how shall wee beare them 4 When you hearts are perfect the wound will presently be healed and grow well The peace of the wicked is but like a wound that is skinned over at the last it will breake out againe hee may make a shew for a while but there is a secret disease in him and the later end of that man will be worse than the beginning their paine will be worse hereafter the paine that hee shall indure when death comes when Gods insupportable wrath begins to charge his sin upon his conscience that will be worse than all hee indured before And thus you see this Doctrine is most sweet to all those that have perfect hearts but to the other that remaine still in their sins most dangerous A PROFITABLE SERMON PREACHED AT LINCOLNES-INNE ON GEN. XXII XIV As it is said to this day In the mount of the LORD it shall be seene THe occasion of these words was that famous hystorie of Abrahams offering his Sonne Isaack now that so great a passage of Gods providence and so great a tryall of Abrahams faith might not passe away but be remembred the Lord delivereth it in a proverbe As it is said unto this day because wee are apt to forget and proverbs are short and pithy and so the better remembred and therefore the Lord setteth this marke upon it whence by the way we observe That speciall passages of Gods providence should not be forgotten And therefore it is the manner of the Lord in such passages of his providence to make songs of them and so hath it beene likewise the practice of the Lords people to turne such things into songs which they would not forget as we see at the Red Sea and in the time of Dehora and so did Moses when he would have some things to bee remembred of the children of Israel he left them a song so did David likewise who for the remembrance of the Lords goodnesse made many Psalmes of thanksgiving Now a proverbe is much of the same nature but it is short and makes a greater impression and therefore this great matter here set forth by it is the dispensation of the Lords providence Wherein note wee in the first place That the Lord will be seene why what strange thing is that the Lord is seene every where of us and makes himselfe continually visible unto us I but this is another kinde of sight which is not in a generall manner to bee beheld but in his speciall providence to his servants in their afflictions The second thing is The time when he will be seene that is In the mount that is when things are brought to an extremity when we thinke there is no more helpe nor hope that is the time when the Lord will be seene Now the scope of this place is to helpe us against discouragements when wee see it goe hard with the Church that there is no hope for them for then we are not to distrust Because in the mount
sinnes how shall they know they are sinnes To this I answer the sparkes of conscience will glow in the midst of this darknesse that will grudge at that sin and then be sure it is a knowne sin though it doe but whisper against it If therefore thy conscience tells thee that such and such things are naught and to be avoided although it may be for a time thou maiest keepe downe thy conscience and sufferest it not to speake out for the noise thy lusts make yet when thou shalt come to lie upon thy death-bed and at the last day when thou shalt appeare before God in judgement then for certaine shalt thou find these to be sins and that to thy cost Thou now wilt be ready to say some thing and put away thy sin from thee but that will not serve the turne harken therefore now to thy conscience and see whether that doth not tell thee such and such things are sinfull Here it may be demanded A godly man sometimes may have a scruple in conscience whether he is to doe such or such things now therefore wherein lies the difference betweene the scruple of the godly and ignorance of the wicked To this I answer Indeed there is a great difference betweene the scruple of the godly and the ignorance that is in the wicked and the murmuring and accusing of a guilty conscience There are three signes whereby they may be discerned 1 For the guilty conscience when he lies in a knowne sin and his conscience tells him it is a sin he makes no inquiry after it but he findes such a sweetnesse in it that his heart is ingaged to it he cannot speake against it nay he resolves to sin yea and whensoever he is reproved for it he is very angry But on the contrary side for him that hath a scruple in conscience might he but be informed of it that it were a sinne hee would fain know it and with all his heart leave it Therefore he doth but inquire and labour by all meanes to know if it be a sin and no sooner doth he know it to be a sin but he forsaketh it 2 Thou maiest discerne of it by the subject matter of their scruple if it be a hard knot and question then it may be in a good man and such an one should gather the soundest and best reasons and see what side is most probable and that he must follow But on the contrary side if it be an easie matter of morality then thou art the more to be suspected for the morall law is ingrafted into our hearts For an instance if it be about the neglect of the Sabbath or about company keeping and the like the conscience that is a virgin and never will be corrupted that will tell thee these things and perswade thee of them Indeede sometimes thou maiest have a seared conscience past feeling and then when once thy conscience hath done telling of thee then thou art in a pittifull case 3 Thou maiest discerne of them by the rest of their actions if they have a good conscience they will be troubled about that and the rest of their life will be good but thou maiest quickly gather whether it be a raging sin or no for then they will doe all things on the other side and one known sin drawes on another and the falsenesse of their hearts will be discerned in other things also for one raigning sin is like to a disease that weakneth all the faculties of the body for even so that weakneth all the faculties of the soule And so much of the first question The second question is this he that is a carnall man may say I doe many good things as well as others and although I doe sometime sin yet I allow not my selfe therein and what can a godly man doe or say more To this I answer Godly men and wicked may goe farre together but in themselves they differ much Therefore first I will shew how farre they may be said to agree and differ and secondly how they may be discerned 1. In these things they agree and differ First both may agree in the way and yet differ in the end their journeies end may be 2. several places for the end of all that a godly man doth is the glory of God but the good which a wicked man doth is either out of some present feare or hope or flashes of conscience or for som by-respects so that in al he aimes most at his owne profit it proceedeth not from the inward man a new regenerated heart as it doth in the godly for example suppose a man travelling and by chance fall into London road because it is coincident with his way and not because his journey lies to London but only for that is his readiest and perhaps cleanest way now wee cannot say that man tends to London for all that because here the denomination is taken from the utmost end of his journy 2. They both agree and differ for the disapproving of evill I know that this may be in the wicked a disapproving of evil as well as in the godly wherefore we are to know that there is a twofold disapproving of evill 1. That that ariseth from a principle nature in conscience 2. From a true principle of regeneration If thy disallowing of sin doth but arise from a naturall conscience that is nothing But if it be from a principle of regeneratiō that is from a new disposition that is wrought in us if from it we disallow sin our case is good But now the signes whereby we shall discerne betweene these two are three The first signe is this if thou dost disallow thy selfe in sinne from a new principle of regeneration thou wilt absteine from sin with delight and settle upon goodnesse as a stone or any other heavy thing rests in its centre for working with a habit is working with delight when a man sets himselfe against sin with all might and maine then it is a true signe But now for the naturall conscience let him be but out of his old company he is out of his element whatsoever good thing he doth lie doth it not with the whole bent of his spirit but it seemes tedious unto him The second signe whereby you may discerne the natural conscience is sin if he loveth those that continue in such sins as he doth if he be a drunkard he doth delight in drunkards if a gamester he doth delight in gamesters for he never comes to the contrary grace but hath pleasure in them that commit the same sins But the regenerate man hee that hath a heart changed his heart riseth against such men Therefore Rom. 1. 32. it is said Who knowing the iudgement of God that they which cōmit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but have pleasure in them that doe them If this is
reckoned as one of the sins of the Gentiles not onely to commit sins themselves but also to take pleasure in those that commit the same sins When therefore a man hates them that love goodnes and favoureth and delighteth in those that are evill it s a great signe the heart is not changed for the Scripture makes that a lesse signe of a dead man to doe evill than to favour them that doe it On the contrary side for a man to favour good men and goodnesse and hate sin it is a great signe of a regenerated man when as the wise man saith Prov. 29. 10. The unjust man is an abomination to the just The third signe whereby you may discerne it is this if thy disallowance of sinen arise from a true principle of regeneration it will transforme the whole man as a sprig being once ingrafted into the stocke will change the whole nature of the stocke For looke what the will is set upon that wil change the whole man and draw that after it see therefore now what thy speeches and delights are if thy disallowance of sinne arise from a good principle they are true On the contrary side the naturall conscience that doth not transforme the whole man but onely in some few things though it disallow of sinne yet it will goe on in sin and such men hold or as the word in the originall is Rom. 1. 18. They imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse Their consciences beinlightned they keepe it and imprison it in that faculty The conscience that telleth us what to doe and yet there is no general amendment in us And this is a great signe wee are not inwardly changed And so much for the second question The third question is this godly men oftentimes relapse and goe backe againe and againe and often fall into the same sin and they know it to be a sin how therefore shall I distinguish betweene this relapsing and lying in sin To this I answer You shall distinguish it by these 3. signes The first signe is this a godly man never relapses into purposes of sinning hee doth not before hand premeditate and think of the pleasantnesse and sweetnesse thereof and after this manner is it said he that is borne of God cannot sinne for hee is overcome of sin but upon some occasion But the wicked man after hee hath committed sin doth purpose to doe it againe so that hee cannot be properly said to fall into sin againe because in purpose hee never left it The second signe is this Looke what sinne a carnall man lyeth in that is his beloved sinne he favoureth it most and would not be crossed in it he cannot abide to be told and admonished of that sinne Now it is otherwise with the godly man he favoureth not himselfe herein but that sinne which he is most ready to fall into he is gladdest to heare that condemned he is very willing to heare the Preacher speake against that As for the wicked man hee must not be touched hee is like a lame man which cannot indure to be stirred so he cannot abide that his beloved sin should bee spoken against 3. There is a great difference in these two things 1. The godly man falls not into it so often as he did before 2. Hee falls not into it after the same manner 1. He falls not so often as he did before He doth greatly resist it the being and essence of sinne is not still in him though it may be in part if the same occasions bee set before him yet he is not drawne away as hee was before As for the wicked man he is the same he was and upon every slight occasion he will be drawne away he cannot absteine from sinning because that sinne is not weakend but is full still in him 2 For the manner Although he doth sometimes slip yet it is with great griefe and reluctation hee is more sorry for it alwaies and every time gets ground of it and strength against it But as for the wicked man it is nothing so hee doth it with as much joy as ever he did hee findeth as much sweetnesse in it as ever he did before So then we see there is a plaine difference between the relapses of the godly and the wickeds lying in sin And so much for the third question The fourth question or rather an objection is this No body can doe all things the best of us are sinners we are but flesh and blood which is fraile the best have some imperfections and therefore who is it that sinneth not To this I answer It is true that all men are sinners the godly offend as well as the wicked yea the godly offend often and much but yet there is a double difference between the offences of the godly and the wicked 1 The hypocrite hath alwaies some predominant and ruling sin in him wherein he favoureth himselfe so that all he doth must have respect to it and where religion crosses that it must give place and there must be a bawlking of good duties if it be against it But as for the godly in them there is no predominant sinne it may be now one infirmity starts up then another but downe they goe againe none can get the victory over him The hypocrite hath some dominering sinne in which he will be favoured but as for the godly man he desires none to spare him 2 There is a great difference in the manner a wicked man doth it as his proper worke his delight and his glory hee acts himselfe in it But the godly man he acts not himselfe in committing such a sinne it is not he that sins but something that is in him and he is very sorry afterwards that he was so foolishly overtaken therewith One man may weare a chaine for an ornament another for a fetter and would with all his heart be rid of it so it is with the godly man his sin is a burthen unto him and he would be very glad to be rid of it but to the wicked man it is no burthen but he rejoyceth in it he accounteth it all his pleasure he reckons it a losse to be hindred in his way or to leave it The godly man he esteemeth it as very hurtfull he knowes it hinders him so that he cannot doe that he would The godly man he entertaines sin as a theefe but the wicked man as a welcome guest And so much for the fourth question The fifth and last question is this How shall wee distinguish betweene the purposes of the wicked and of the godly because that oft times both seeme to be good and there be many men that have good purposes and do but very little To this I answer the purposes of the hypocrite are weake and bring nothing to passe but as they rise so they presently vanish againe But the godly mans they are well rooted in