together with his person hee offers Heaven and Earth for a Dowry Rom. 8.17 All things are his by purchase and thou shalt bee a Copartner or Coheir with him when thou art espoused to him 4ly 1 Cor. 3.22 23. He will manifest the highest Indulgence and Tenderness towards thee Not all thy cross walkings if through temptations it shall so fall out shall put him upon any more then a moment any departure from thee Isa 54.7 8. for hee hath resolved that his faithfulness towards thee shall never fail Isa 89.33 and therefore when thou seemest almost lost and ready to despond hee will return to thee again and the more time he hath lost by absence the more full will his heart bee of ravishing love and affections to thee 5ly Hee will Turn all to thy good neither thy sins Cant. 6.3 though many and great nor thy miseries though overwhelming and discouraging no nor lastly shall death it self Rom. 8.28 38. bee ever able to make a divorce between thee and him but serve as a passage to thee when thy work is done into the Bridechamber of thy Lord and now tell mee Phil. 1.21 hast not thou Reason to love him 4. Consider but thy case while this Virgin affection to thy Saviour is wanting 1. Thou multipliest thy whoredomes and thy abominations continually for what are thy Intensive willings of other things but so many acts of spiritual adultery and base prostitutions of thy soul to thy dishonour and disadvantage while other things usurp the room of Christ 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver forasmuch as thou pretendest to the eye of the world to bee Christs and yet art nothing less than his 3. You lay a barr in against your selves and the acceptance of all your duties when faith works by love then is obedience illustrious and meet for a gracious acceptaotin that obedience which owes no part of it self to love is worth little and brings in no more Gal. 5.6 then it is worth 4. You make bonds for your selves in death Iob 27.6 and lay up terrible reprâ—oches in the Consciences against the day of Judgement 5. You make your damnation necessary there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes much less to the offices of Christ that that man should ever bee saved who never had any sincere affection to him These are some of the Considerations which may bee of use to them that have no spark of love yet kindled in their hearts There are a few of the other kinde which may provoke to get this love Inflamed where it is such are these Consider 1. The love of Christ to thee was a growing Increasing love I do not mean in respect of the habit but in the outward demonstration thereof The neerer hee was to his death the more exuberant in love and when hee rose again his heart did overflow with tender indulgence as appears by the meltings of his bowels towards Mary and over Peter and much more may wee beleeve him now to be full of them now that hee is at the Right hand of God 2. There is more lovelyness in Christ than ever thou canst finde out or fathome when wee have let out our affections to the utmost there will still bee more than wee can finde affection for our love to eternity will have something of admiration mixed with it 3. It 's all you can return to him it 's all hee looks for at our hands that which lies in love and which flowes from it is the whole that is required to compleat Christianity 4. The more you love him the more lovely you are unto him Then hath Christ the highest complacency in us when our hearts are under the greatest Raptures of love to him Beatus est qui intelligit quid sit amare Jesum contemnere scipsum propter Jesum A Kempis de imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 7. 5. It is the honour of a man to love Christ superlatively It is the sweetest part of our lives and that which Christ values us more by than by any thing else It 's Heaven on Earth 6. According to the measure of your love so will all the rest of your services and graces be i. e. either more or less better or worse Love is like the Master wheel in an Engine making the whole soul to move faster or slower These are the considerations of the last kind will some say oh but what shall wee do to get this blessed affection into our souls which was the third thing proposed And in order thereto I offer these Directions 1. Direction Bee well acquainted with the nature of this great duty The great mistake of the world lies in this That is thought to be love which is not and thence men and women grow bold and confident and value themselves more than they ought I have given in my best assistance so far as the nature of the first case would permit to prevent mistakes in this matter before and therefore I will not do it over again Only remember if you would not miscarry that it is not a Naked Christ but a Christ advanced by incomparable Personal Excellencies and cloathed with his offices of King and Priest and Prophet that is the Christ to bee loved and you cannot well miscarry This is that damning mistake of the world they love Christ but not as dignified by God with any of his offices 2. Direction Bee much in the study of your selves what you were originally and what you are since become through your own miscarriage wilfulness and folly Take your souls to the glass of the Law and go from one precept to another and when you have done there go to the Gospel And be sure you do not deal sleightly but understand throughly how much you have offended And when you have well studied the number and quality of your sins then consider the justice and holiness of the Eternal God which you shall understand by the same Law and Gospel where they speak the Divine Terrour against offending-sinners but more specially shall yee know is by going to the Cross of Christ and wisely and seriously considering the horrour of that punishment which Christ there indured for wee never know as wee ought the evil of sin and our misery thereby until wee know what hee indured to make an Expiation for it Do this and do it faithfully They that never knew themselves they are most certainly without love to Christ And it is enough to prove it because unless this foundation be first laid they can see no sufficient reason for it 3. Direction Get a true Conviction concerning thy own ultimate end and happiness Where it lies viz. not in the objects of sense but in the Beatifical vision of God possesse thy soul by Scripture light Mat. 16.26 of the grand importance of securing thy Interest therein while you think your happiness lyes any where else than in God it will be
Heaven and the standing rule by which thou must bee tryed thou must stand or fall bee eternally blessed or everlastingly miserable as thy condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the Scripture Thou that hast deserved eternal death mightest know before the day of the general assize whether thou shalt bee acquitted or condemned But if thou know not how to gather these thy self go to some godly faithful Minister and desire him to give thee some Characters of a sincere Christian from the word of God wherein hypocrisie and sincerity are differenced and bee sure the signes thou tryest thy self by bee not short of saving grace or that will not hold tryal or bear thee out at the day of judgement I cannot here insert any partly because I have not room to croud them in partly because by what I have already laid down under that head that a man might know that hee is sincere beleeveth and loveth God something to this purpose might bee picked up 2. Direction 2. When thou hast thus furnished thy self thy next work must bee to set thy conscience on work and reflect upon thy own heart and upon the mâ—tions of thy will and compare thy self with the word of God The former sent you to study the book of Gods word this calleth upon you to study the book of your own hearts The other is a direct act of the understanding this is a reflect act to make a judgement of thy state whether there bee a transcript of those things in thine own heart for every beleever hath the Gospel-laws written upon the table of his soul by the spirit of God Assurance cannot bee had ordinarily without the examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of the scripture the other by the reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus Hee that beleeveth and is justified shall bee saved that is the word of God then by the search of his own heart hee must bee able to say But I beleeve and am jusâ—ified and from these two doth result this assurance that hee may conclude Therefore I shall bee saved Luke 15.8 The woman that had lost a peece of silver did light a candle and swept her house and thereby found what she had lost Conscience is this candle the scripture is the fire at which it must bee lighted and self-examination is the broom whereby the heart is swept and so the state of the soul which before was not discerned comes to bee discovered But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow strict inquiry into thy soul as thou lovest thy soul do not presume as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit Search throughly and judge impartially Say therefore to thy soul Deus est ocâ—â—us infinitus to make thy self more serious in this weighty work thou art now oh my Soul in the presence of the great heart-searching God that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is what thy will heart and affections are thou must oh my Soul shortly stand at the bar of God as now thou standest at the bar of conscience and must bee searched judged by the Lord and have the sentence of life or death of absolution or condemnation according as thy state shall bee found to bee Consider oh my Soul thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world many have been mistaken many are now tormented in hell that once thought their condition was good it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self and it is easie to bee mistaken and if thou shouldest bee mistaken it is as much as thy soul is worth if thy condition bee bad and thou conclude it to bee good thou wilt but go more merrily to hell It is as much as thy comfort is worth if thy condition bee good and thou conclude it to be bad thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven and wilt be unthankful to thy God and keep the glory from him and the comfort from thy self Thou art indited oh my soul arraigned and sound guilty that thou hast sinned against the Lord the question is Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned I charge thee therefore oh my soul that thou speak truly and answer rightly to these demands Art thou so far convinced of sin of the vileness of its own nature the evil in it the evil after it that thou art weary of it thou groanest under it thou loathest it and art unfeignedly willing to be broken from every sin without any reserve and what thou canst not extirpate that thou wilt bewail art thou so far convinced of thine own insufficiency to help thy self that all thy tears cannot wash thee and make thee clean all thy duties cannot save thee that though thou darest not neglect them as means yet thou darest not rely upon them as a Saviour so that thou seest the necessity of a Christ the suitableness of Christ the sufficiency and willingness of Christ offering himself unto thee in the Gospel calling to thee crying after thee saying ah thou poor miserable forlorn sinner thou hast undone thy self wilt thou now be cured thou hast wounded thy self wilt thou let mee apply a plaister of my blood my healing pacifying blood to thy bleeding soul to thy distressed disquieted conscience all that I expect from thee is to take mee for thy Lord and Husband to rule govern sanctifie and save thee thou hast withstood thine own mercy I have often asked thee and thou hast often denied mee but yet if now thou wilt receive mee behold I bring pardon along with mee and peace along with mee and eternal life and every good thing along with mee yet mercy is not gone it is not yet denied to thee When thou mayest gather such things from the Word of Christ put the question to thy self what sayest thou oâ— my soul thou hearest the gracious words of the Lord Jesus hee commands thee to come hee inviteth thee to come hee promiseth thee acceptance if thou come art thou willing or art thou not wilt thou persevere in thy former denial and be damned or wilt thou yeeld and be saved wilt thou consent to take him for thy Husband and subscribe unto his terms doth thy judgement value him above all and thy will chuse him above all and thy affections go out after him above all things in the world as a woman doth in all those three respects when shee taketh a man to be her Husband Art thou so far convinced of the excellency of the everlasting Glory of the Saints and the perfection of that Happiness that is above as it is a state or perfect Holiness as well as a state of real Happiness
Christ to be his surety Character 9 9. He who makes Religion his businesse will be religious whatever it cost him He is a resolved man Psal 116.109 I have sworn I will keep thy righteous judgments There are some who will be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 and there are some who will be godly 2 Tim. 3.12 He that makes Religion his businesse will not as Luther saith be put off with other things he can want health riches friends but he cannot want Christ or grace he will be godly let the times be what they will they shall not take him off the work of Religion he will follow Christ upon the water the flouds of persecution cannot drown his zeal he doth not say There is a Lyon in the way he will wrastle with difficulties march in the face of death The Christians of the Primitive Church cryed out to the Persecutor Vre tunde divelle Idola tua non adorabimus Tertul. Hew us in pieces burn us we will never worship your Idols these were in good earnest for Heaven There is a great deal of difference between them who go to sea for pleasure and those mariners who are to go a voyage to the East Indies The first upon the least storm retreat back to shore but they who are imbarqued for a voyage hold on their course though the sea be rough and stormy and will venture their lives in hope of the golden harvest at the Indies Hypocrites seem religious when things are serene and calm but they will not sayl in a storm Those only who make Religion their businesse will hold out their voyage to Heaven in the midst of tempests and death-threatning dangers Character 10 10. He that makes Religion his businesse lives every day as his last day he prayes in the morning as if he were to die at night he lives as if he were presently to be called to Gods barr he walks soberly Tit. 2.14 righteously godly he girds his loyns trims his lamp sets his house in order that when death comes for him with an Habeas Corpus he may have nothing to doe but to die Behold here the man who makes Religion his businesse Vse 3. Let me perswade all you whose consciences may smite you Vse 3 for former neglects now set upon the work Exhortation make Religion your businesse contend tanquam pro aris focis bestir your selves in this as in a matter of life and death Quest. Quest But how must we do to make Religion our businesse Answer Answ That you may be serious in this work Rules for making Religion our business I shall lay down severall Rules for your help and direction herein 1. If you would make Religion your businesse possesse your Rule 1 selves with this maxim That Religion is the end of your Creation God never sent men into the world only to eat and drink and put on fine cloathes but the end of their creation is to honour him 1 Pet. 4.11 That God in all things may be glorified Should the body only be tended and looked after this were to trim the scabbard instead of the blade it were to invert and frustrate the very end of our being 2. If you would make Religion your businesse get a change of heart Rule 2 wrought breathe after a principle of holinesse he cannot make Religion his businesse who hath no Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can the body move without a principle of life Christian get thy heart spiritualized by grace an earthly heart will no more trade in Heaven than a mill-stone will ascend or a Serpent fly in the ayre the heart must be divinely touched with the Spirit as the needle with the loadstone ere it can cleave to God and follow him fully Numb 14.24 never expect the practise to be holy till first there be an holy principle 3. If you would make Religion your businesse set your selves alwayes Rule 3 under the eye of God The Masters eye makes the servant work Gods eye will quicken our devotion Psal 16.8 Interest animis nostris cogitationibus mediis intervenit Seneca I have set the Lord alwayes before me If we leave off work or loyter in our work God sees he hath a casement opens into our breasts this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostom calls it this eye of God that never sleeps would make us active in the sphaere of duty if indeed Gods eye were at any time off us we might slacken our pace in Religion but he is ever looking on Psal 139.9 if we take the wings of the morning we cannot fly from his presence and he who is now the spectatour will be the Judge O how would this consideration of Gods omniciency keep us from being truants in Religion how would it infuse a spirit of activity and gallantry into us making us put forward with all our might in the race to Heaven 4. If you would make Religion your businesse think often of Rule 4 the shortnesse of time Cito pede praterit aetas Ovid. Phocylides this life is but a vapour Jam. 4.9 a shadow 1 Chron. 29.15 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as nothing Psal 39.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are wheeling apace out of the world and there 's no work to be done for our souls in the grave Eccles 9.2 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device in the grave whether thou goest Now is the time of life now is the day of grace you know not how soon these two Suns may set The shorter our life the swifter should be our pace Rule 5 5. If you would make Religion your businesse get an understanding heart weigh things seriously in the ballance of reason and judgment Think of the infinite importance of this businesse our eternall misery or happinesse depends upon it other things are but for convenience this is of necessity if this work be not done we are undone if we do not the work which believers are doing we must do the work which Devils are doing and if God give us a serious heart to lay out our selves in the businesse of Religion our income will be greater than our expence Religion is a good Trade if it be well followed it will quit the cost 't is working in silver 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls God will shortly take us from the working-house to the Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost and will set upon our head a fresh Garland made of the flowers of Paradise Rule 6 6. If you would make Religion your businesse implore the help of Gods Spirit All we can do is but lost labour unlesse the Spirit excite and accelerate Beg a gale from Heaven Cant. 4. ult Awake O North-wind Cant. 6.12 and come thou South blow upon my Garden c. If the Spirit joyn with our Chariot then we move to Heaven swiftly as
Consciences from being violated and you cannot be miserable O how calm and quiet as well as holy and heavenly would our lives be had we learnt but this single Lesson to be carefull for nothing but to know and do our duty and to leave all effects consequents and events to God The truth is 't is a daring boldness for silly dust to prescribe to infinite wisedom and to let go our work to meddle with Gods he hath managed the concernments of the world and of every individuall person in it without giving occasion to any one to complain for above this five thousand years and doth he now need your counsell Therefore let it be your onely businesse to mind duty Aye but how shall I know my duty take a second memoriall II. What advice you would give to another take your selves e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c 33. Simp. p. 158. The worst of men are apt enough to lay such burthens on other mens f Mat. 3.4 shoulders which if they would take them upon their own they would be rare Christians e. g. The very outcry of those that revile Godliness who deal by the miscarriages of Professours as the Levite by his Concubine quarter them and divulge them even they expect that those which make a strict profession of Religion should be beyond exception blameless and they even they scorn those that make any defection from their professed strictnesse And on the other side those that are holy they expect that even graceless persons should bear reproof receive instruction and change the course of their lives In middle cases then between these extreams what exactnesse will serious Christians require where the byas of their own corruptions doth not misguide them David was twice g 2 SaÌ„ 12.5 6 7 2 Sam. 14.4 1â— surprised to pass sentence against himself by remote parables wherein he mistrusted not himself to be concerned wherein this rule 's too short add a third III. Do nothing on which you cannot pray for a blessing Where prayer doth not lead repentance must follow and 't is a desperate adventure to sin upon hopes of repentance Every action and cessation too of a Christian that 's good and not to be refused is sanctified by the word and h 1 Tim 4.5 6. prayer It becomes not a i Eph. 5.3 4. Christian to do any thing so triviâ—l k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas qu. ad Antioch p. 361. q. 77. that he can't pray over it and if he would but bestow a serious ejaculatory prayer upon every occurrent action he would find that such a prayer would cut off all things sinful demurr all things doubtfull and encourage all things lawful Therefore do nothing but what you can preface with prayer But these rules are all defective I 'le therefore close with an Example that 's infinitely above defects IV. Think and speak and do what you are perswaded Christ himselfe would do in your case were he upon the earth The heathen they proposed unto themselves the best examples they l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c. 51. Simpl. p. 282. had and therefore let us follow the best of m Mica 4.5 ours There are many rare examples in n Heb. 13 7. Scripture but we may say of them as 't is said of most of Davids Worthies whose highest commendation was with this diminution o 2 Sam. 23 19 23. they attained not unto the first three I propose therefore neither great nor small but the King of Saints p Rev. 15 3. it becomes a Christian rather to be an Example q 1 Pet. 2 12.15 1 Thes 1.7 then to follow one But by imitating of Christ you will come as near as 't is possible to the first three for your fellowship shall be with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ r 1 John 1.3 through the spirit of holiness who alone can teach you what it is to abide in Å¿ 1 John 2.27 Christ who was and is and ever will be our absolute copy t Heb. 13.8 O Christians how did Christ pray redeem time for prayer u Mar. 1.35 6.16 Lu. 6.12 John 11.42 How did Christ preach out of whose mouth proceeded no other but gracious words w Luke 4.22 that his enemies could not but admire him x John 7.46 at what rate did Christ value the world who did taught to renounce it y Mar. 10 21-27 what time did Christ speÌ„d in impertinent discourse who made their hearts burn within them whom he occasionally fell in company with z Lu. 24.17 32. How did Christ go up and down doing a Acts 10.38 good to man and always those things that were pleasing to b John 8.29 God Beloved I commend to you these four memorials to be as so many scarlet c Josh 2.18 21 threads upon every finger of the right hand one that you may never put forth your hand to action but these memorials may be in your eye 1. Mind d Acts 9.6 duty 2. What 's anothers duty in your case is e Rom. 2.21 yours 3. What you can't say the Blessing of the Lord be upon it do not meddle f Psal 129.8 with it But above all as soon forget your Christian name the name of a Christian as forget to eye Christ g Psal 123.2 and what ever entertainment you meet with from the profane world h John 15.18 c. remember your Exemplar i 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. and follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who whâ—n he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeâ—h righteously What must and can Persons do Towards their own CONVERSION Ezek. 18.32 Wherefore turn your selves and live yee THe words are part of that serious Exhortation begun in the 30. ver Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions continued in the 31. ver Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit and concluded in this verse Wherefore turn your selves c. In the former part of the verse the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I had rather men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved then die in their sins and perish through their impenitency Wherefore or therefore turn your selves The Exhortation in these words is back'd with a reason of great yea the greatest strength viz. Life turn and live that is ye shall live comfortably here and happily for ever hereafter There be four Propositions deducible from these words 1. That man is turn'd from God 2. That it's mans duty to turn unto God again 3. That the Lords willingness that men should rather live then die should be a strong Argument to move them to turn 4. That those who do turn shall live I shall wave all those
on their sick beds at home they resolve if God will spare them to do or suffer any thing for God and his ways and their own salvation 9. They may cnoceive fair hopes of mercy The Lord Christ being held out in the Gospel and freely offer'd to sinners this breeds hope in them a general and preparatory hope What shall we do you told us that God had raised up that Jesus we crucified and made him Lord and Christ and that whosoever should call upon his name should be saved therefore we hope there is mercy for us Thus had they a hope kindled in them Act. 2.21 and Peter in the two next verses strengthens their hope saying Repent and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and the promise is to you and to your children 10. They may thirst after and pray for the mercy hoped for Such a qualification was in these men What shall we do you men of God we are a thirst and do intreat you to tell us where we may have water to quench our heat mercy to pardon our sins balme to cure our wounds The Publican in Luke hath left us his short pithy and affectionate prayer to imitate being in this case and state Lord saith he be merciful to me a sinner He was sensible of his sin and of his want of righteousness he had hope of mercy and thereupon came to the Temple to pray and pray'd earnestly for mercie and Conversion is none of the least mercies of God or least needful for a sinner 11. Men being come thus far they are to wait upon God for doing the work when the pots were fil'd with water the water was not made Wine till Christ put forth his mighty power neither were the men who lay at the pool of Bethesdah cur'd till the Angel came down and stirred the waters so a man in this case is to wait until the Spirit of the Lord come in omnipotenti sua vitate or victrici delectatione overcome his will and set it for the Lord and spiritual things when this is the work is done and done without violence to the will for its an omnipotent presence prevails with the will and it s immediately made willing in the day of this power By these forementioned things men are in a proximity or nextness to Conversion but not converted It must be an higher power then our own which lifts us up into an higher nature or state then we are in at present Though men may do much upon moral perswasions yet not so much as to make themselves Converts or spiritual of Animal or Natural Previous actions and preparative dispositions may make a man a picture of a Convert not a true or living Convert Having shewn what persons can and may do towards their Conversion it remains to declare what they ought to do The word must or ought the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek imports two things 1. Necessity there must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 it s no mans duty to broach or bring in Heresies but they must be its necessary for the discovery of men approved 2. Duty God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth its mens duty so to do Joh. 4.24 It was the Pharisees and Scribes duty to pay tythe of Mint Anise and Cummin c. therefore saith Christ These things ought they to have done c. Mat. 23.23 Now then what persons can do they ought to do First there is a necessity of it we must do what we can else we are sloathful and unfaithful and our damnation will be just one thing is necessary viz. to turn unto God that our souls may be saved here it will hold good Turn or burn if it be necessary to prevent burning in everlasting flames its necessary to turn and so to do the utmost we can towards the same Secondly it s our duty Strive to enter in at the strait gate saith Christ he commands it and lays this injunction upon all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strain be in an agony as Christ was in the work of mans redemption so let men be in the works of their Conversion put forth themselves as they did in the Olympick Games the Wrestlers and Runners exerted all their might to obtain and so must men about the work of their Conversion The Lord who hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner saith Turn your selves and live There is life in turning and what should not men do to preserve or obtain life The Lord hath two great ends in saying thus Turn your selves and live yee although he know man is not able to do it 1. That we may see how corrupt and impotent our nature is and so break the strength of humane confidence thereby Quicquid nobis praecipitur a deo ad illud faciendum sufficientem potentiam habemus Dixit Pelagius quod homo sâ—lius liberi aâ—bitrii viribus potest perficere dei mandata Bradwardinus de causa dei l. 2. c 4. and bring us to be sensible of and throughly to bewayl our condition It is not so as some think and speak viz. that whatever God commands man hath power to do what man ever kept the Law since the fall of Adam and is not the Law given by way of command if man could keep the Law we might be justified and have life by it Rom. 8.3 Gal. 3.21 but the Law can neither do the one nor the other and why because man hath not power or strength to keep it 2. To put us upon looking out for help from whence the command cometh Hence is it that what the Lord commandeth us to do in one place he promiseth to give in another Circumcise the foreskin of your heart Deut. 10.16 and God saith Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart In the former verse to the Text they are commanded to make themselves new hearts and new spirits which they could not do therefore in Ezek. 36.26 the Lord promiseth to give and put the same in them Repent and turn your selves Ezek. 14.6 and chap. 36.27 Ideo dat praeceptum ut exciâ—et desiderium praestet auxilitum Leo. I will put my Spirit into them and cause them to walk in my ways the Spirit God would put in should turn them from their Idols and own ways and cause them to walk in his ways The Lord doth therefore command such things that our desires and endeavours being quickned he may reach forth help unto us Therefore let us apply our selves to all these means and ways by which the Lord worketh Conversion Let us make use of all the ways forenamed and especially hear the word preach'd and pray Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned and see to it that we use the means in good earnest we may do more as hath been shewed than we do It s the counsel of him who was wiser than other men that whatever our hands do find to do we
disquieted and tormented for the sins of his youth then he may be said to possesse them yea it may occasion not only griefe but guilt Of all sins this is many times most unmortified even after Mortification Souldiers that have received wounds and bruises when young have smartâ—d by them when they have been old There are many good souls that after cure have gone to heaven halting on the old maim Motive 3. The mortifying of our darling lust our right-eye sin and our right-hand sin is a choise evidence of regeneration truth of grace hath as much as any way been declared thus Acts 19.19 Paul after conversion becomes a Preacher of that name which he before blasphemed Those of Ephesus that were given to witchcraft and sorcery after their conversion brought their books together and burned them before all men and many other instances of the like nature are urged by Divines to this purpose Cranmer that had subscribed the Popish Articles with his right hand afterwards as a piece of revenge put that hand first into the flames A true Convert of all sins will be revenged most upon that by which he hath most dishonoured God His right eye and his right hand shall smart for it the one must be plucked out and the other must be cut off as we say of hunger he will kill that which otherwise would have killed him I speak much of mortification and death to you this morning Christians be not afraid to dye thus doth not argue imperfection there is corruptio perfectiva a corruption that tends to perfection I was alive saith Paul Rom. 7.9 without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed This is expiring unto life just as an Embrio expires after it becomes a child Here I would add two Cautions under this head 1. The forbearing of any outward act of sin whatsoever is no evidence of Mortification or Conversion Sin may be restrained when it is not mortified a chained Lyon is a Lyon still a Swine washed is a Swine still In some sense you may be said to be a new man and yet you may not be a new creature This may come to passe partly from the sense of temporall inconveniences partly from the clamours of naturall conscience or from fear of wrath Such principles as these are not strong enough to kill sin or to heal the Soul but are like those odours which we use to raise men out of a fit of the Falling sickness but doth not at all cure them of the disease 2 The mortifying of our darling sin is joyned with an universal hatred of all sin A true Convert hates every false way as the Psalmist phrases it sin is often expressed in Script by abomination it is so to God it should be so to man anger is only with reference to particulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the kind a godly man hates sin as sin and therefore he hates every sin the Devil hates goodnesse as goodnesse and therefore he hates all goodnesse a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia a man may be angry with sin and not kill sin but as he that hates his brother is a murderer so he that hates sin is a mortifier When the right eye is plucked out and the right hand is cut off the whole body of sin hath its deaths wound The man that keeps himself from his iniquity will keep himself from every iniquity the heart with one hole-reserved for sin is not sound Motive 4. Mortification is a duty becoming the best of Saints whilest they are in this world I told you in the beginning of this discourse that the Text was part of Christs Sermon upon the Mount and if you consult the first and second verses of this Chapter you shall find that it was preached to Christs own Disciples Vir bonus pius Gal. 5.24 non est qui carnem non habet sed qui carnem suam mortificat a good man is not one that hath no flesh but he that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 It is with our sinfull body as with our natural body If you cut a Wenn or any Excrescence of that nature it will grow again and again and it will be an hard matter to be rid of it all your dayes So though every day we be paring away our lusts yet they grow again To close all Go on and persevere in the subduing and killing of thy beloved Lust Mortification is a worke once done and yet in this life it is always a doing There are some things that consist of an iteration of multiplyed acts as in Wedlock persons are actually married at once the Husband surrenders himself unto the Wife and the Wife surrenders her self unto her Husband and yet if they live together sutably to that neer relation marriage is as it were renewed every day there is a continuall surrender of themselves each to other So 't is here when the soul is first converted the beloved sin is mortified and yet there is a continuall mortification of it this is a duty that consists not in any one act though never so good never so vigorous but 't is a continued act of the whole life 'T is not killing sin at one blow the strength of sin decays by degrees it begins in the weakning of sin and ends in the destroying of sin Sin dies a lingring death therefore let us go on in this great and necessary work You know Sampson deny'd and deny'd Dalilah for some time and would not discover where his strength lay but not holding out he lost his strength and his life to boot beware of Apostacy Crabs that go backward are reckoned amongst unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 Factum non dicitur quod non perseverat is a maxime a Will not finished is no Will a Deed unlesse it be signed sealed and delivered is no Deed. The Sacrifice that was offered up unto God was not to want so much as the tayle Lev. 3.6 True Christians hate sin so perfectly that they cannot be quiet till it be utterly abolished First they go to God for Justification ne damnet then for sanctification ne regnet then for glorification ne sit Let us be faithfull as to this spiritual death that we may receive a crown of life Amen What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace HEB. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame I Could say Beloved of the Interpretation and Application of this Scripture before I begin to open it containing the Doom and sad Sentence pronounced against Apostates and Relapsarians as once Daniel
his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
discreet Physicians diversifie their applications according to the difference of the Patients disposition and condition so here and there are many differences to be eyed here 1. Difference of tempers whether tender or rough stubborn as you read it is the husbandmans discretion that the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is the cart-wheel turned upon the cummine but the fitches are beaten out with a staff and the cummine with a rod Isa 28.27 so it must be the discretion of a Minister to have respect to the different tempers of men in his applications to them it is said of Christ he taught the Disciples as they were able to bear 2. Difference of education and conversation some have been nuzzled in ignorance others brought up in the knowledge of the truth not considering of this occasions much mischief Discourse to an ignorant person of the necessity of faith and repentance you lose your labour oft times he conceits he hath believed and repented for he takes faith to be a believing though without any grounds that God hath pardoned him and repentance a crying God mercy c. one must consider where foundations must be laid and where we need only raise superstructions some have had a loose and profane education others civil and religious the former require more terrour the latter more caution lest they deceive themselves 3. Difference of guilt Great difference is to be made in the handling of sinners of a smaller size and inveterate sinners as God expects so Ministers must endeavour that sorrow may bear some proportion with the sin Peter having sinned grievously wept bitterly Mat. 27. last 5. It is a very bad guide to follow the counsels or desires of sick persons or their carnal friends It fares with faithfull Ministers as with honest and able Physicians that are many times ill thought of by the sick man and foolish friends when they put him to pain or trouble they charge him with cruelty and delighting to torment the poor man unnecessarily it may be think of discharging him and getting a Physician that will deal more gently with him whereas indeed he is the sick mans best friend and many times should he not pain him he would kill him so is it here Come to a sick man he cries Comfort for Gods sake so say his friends and they think all is done if they can get comfort why you shall have it but in due time you shall have ease health c. but you must be contented to wait for it and expect it in due order first you must be sick oft times that physick is the best which makes you sickest you shall be healed but if you would proceed regularly and work a true cure you must first have your wound searched and then healed else you have only a palleative cure and the wound will fester inwardly and it is an horrible mistake of sick persons they think comfort is all they are to look after I tell you it is not present comfort but everlasting happiness you must make your business to get it is not Augustus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to die quietly like a Lamb as the vulgar phrase it but a Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to die the death of the righteous it is not so much a calm and sweet and easie passage the fishes have that when they swim down the sweet stream of Jordan into the dead sea where they perish but a safe harbour one may go to heaven in a storm and to hell in a calm and which is better judge you those wretches in Psal 73. have no bands in their death and yet death hath dominion over them Comfort is not the great business you need 6. The same course for substance is to be taken for the conversion of sick and healthful persons c. there is but one way to heaven for all persons and therefore consider with your selves what you would do if they were in health and what were necessary then why that same course you must take now and if it be more troublesome to sick persons they may thank themselves for it who neglected the time of their health c. indeed sick men are apt to favour themselves and to think God will accept of less from them then others whereas if possible they have need to do more then others and to make the more haste having the less time for their Work 7. The greatest care must be to keep sick persons from those errours whereby such persons commonly miscarry such as these 1. Insensibleness of their danger whereas the first step to a cure is to know ones malady It is a dreadfull thing to see poor ignorant unconverted sinners at the very brink of the pit ready to drop into hell and not at all affected with it c. If ever you mean to do them any good you must awaken them out of that mortall sleep or lethargy lighten their eyes with a conviction of their danger lest they sleep the sleep of death 2. Willingness to be deluded You may know it thus If a dawbing Minister or friend offers comfort how greedily they catch it They will receive comfort upon any grounds nay upon no grounds but upon the bare words it may be of a time-serving and man-pleasing Minister But let a serious and faithfull Minister come to them and shew them their sad and sinfull and hazardous condition and demonstrate it by irrefragable arguments they will not yield to it But as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this they willingly are ignorant of You must possess them with the folly of such a temper the unavoydable misery of self-deluding persons c. and the dread of disappointment when too late 3. Carelesness and listnesness This is the temper of many knowing the difficulty of believing repenting c. and remembring their own guilt they cast off the care of that which they think will be to no purpose c. You must therefore possess them with the necessity of Christian carefulness what madness it is to be careless now which is the only season of caring to any purpose c. What folly it is to free themselves from the care of a few dayes to ascertain to themselves everlasting care and torment c. Also you must possesse them with the benefit of this care and laying it to heart c. That it is Gods course in opening the heart to stir up this care 4. Resting in generals Dolosus versatur in generalibus This deceives many into Hell You may discourse excellently against sin in the generall and raise in them some passion against it yet not profit them at all c. For true repentance takes notice of particular sins c. And as generals have no existence but in the particulars according to principles of Philosophy So it is sin in particular which doth primarily affect the heart of a true penitent 5. The concealment of some
of thy childe and the blood of thy servant at thy hands one day Dost thou love thy childe a Heathen will teach thee thy duty To love saith hee Arist Ethic. l. 2. c. 4. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire good things for such and according to the utmost ability to endeavour to accomplish them There i◠but one good thing that is absolutely necessary for thy childe and that is a happy union to God What hast thou yet done to the effecting of that Many are eagerly bent upon those designs how their children Sueton. in Calig c. 42. like Caligula in the Historian may tumble in a room full of gold but take little pains for the gold of Ophir Prov. 3.14 15. and that wisdome which is far above Rubies Know that all the sins of Relations under your charge that are not reproved and corrected for will become yours Every drunken fit of thy servant will be counted thine to answer for Every turn of pleasure that thy children and servants take in the fields upon Gods holy day with thy approving connivance Isa 58.13 2 Ep. Ioh. 11. will turn to thy account at the great Tribunal If thou wouldest finde favour with God labour to divert them from the waies that lead to the chambers of death He that neglects his duty herein does what in him lyes to damn his childe and himself too As if he were in league with death in covenant with Satan Isa 28.15 and with Hell were at an agreement as if it were a laughing matter for himself and all his Relations to fall into the bottomless pit of fire and brimstone Oh how many families are the filthy cages of unclean birds like so many hog-styes and sinks of all manner of abominations Wee can scarce walk the streets but we shall hear swearing and cursing and polluting Gods holy Name and many obscene and filthy speeches and see great wickedness committed even by young striplings and this is because they are not instructed and taught the fear of the Lord at home by their Parents and Rulers There be many ruffling Gallants in our times that look upon holiness as a crime and count it their bravery to go towards Hell with open mouth with a full swinge that swim down the Rivers of Riot and Luxury into the dead Sea 1 Pet. 2.13 That are so far from reproving others for sin that they commend and incourage them rather that have much ado to bear with servants that perform excellent service 1 Pet. 4.4 Sueton. in Nerone c. 5. if they will not drink healths and be debaucht as well as themselves more like Nero than Christians If their children serve Satan never so much they matter it not so they do not ruine their Patrimony No wonder that their children be profligate and vile that have such sad examples The Spirit of God takes notice that Ahaziah was a wicked man 2 Chron. 22.3 and gives this for the reason His Mother was his counsellour to do wickedly Such as will be angry rather if their Relations do not walk in the waies of sin Aelian de animal l. 5. c. 16. Rom. 3.13 like the Wasps in the Naturalist that dip their stings in the poison of Vipers Their angry tongues are tinctured in the venome of sin Oh how much good might a Theophilus do when greatness and holiness run in a blood how would the generations to come rise up and bless them how much honour might they bring to God how would Religion flourish how would our fields bring forth peace and our streets run down with rivers of Righteousness 3. Hence we learn the horrible sin of such that cause others to do wickedly that egge on others to the commission of sin that encourage children to prophane the Sabbath to lye and swear and seem to approve of delight and rejoyce in it Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same Rom. 1.32 but have pleasure in them that do them 4. Hence we may infer what great wisdome is requisite in managing those means that are proper and useful in order to the salvation of our Relations what integrity of heart what sincerity what holy contempt of the scorns of this wicked world Dost thou take upon thee the study of wisdome Epictet c. 29. saies the Stoick prepare thy self speedily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be laught to scorn and expect that many should mock at thee how much greater is the depravation of mens hearts since the fall in opposition to true holiness Many a bitter taunt and scoff must thou go under but in wisdome pass it by regard it not you work for souls One soul begotten to God is better than the gaining of whole Kingdomes and Empires 5. To such as live under holy Rulers and Governours of families that you would highly esteem them for their labour of love that you would count it a singular mercy that God hath given any of you a holy Father or a holy Mother such as have spent many an hour in secret for thy good that have sought it earnestly at the Throne of Grace that thy life might be hid with God in Christ Look upon their instructions as so many Pearls Prov. 1.9 their Reproofs as so many Rubies to wear about thy neck Not to be reproved in the way of sin is a great judgement Hos 2.6 To have these Thorns and Briars cast in the way to our sinful lovers is a great mercy Oh how many blessings do children injoy by means of praying-parents count it a great and an admirable favour from God 6. To such as are employed and exercised in this excellent duty and study to perform it conscientiously Who seriously endeavour that their yoak-fellows may be the Spouses of Christ their posterity the children of our heavenly Father their servants the freemen of Christ their kindred of the Blood-Royal of Heaven Let mee say as our blessed Lord to Zacheus This day is Salvation come to this house This day hast thou fellowship with the Father and with the Son The God of Heaven goes along with thee Though thou dost not see the desired fruit of thy labour at present do not despond the work is Gods It is like to some of those seeds which sown in the earth will not come up till the second Spring Iames 5.7 The husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until hee receive the early and latter rain It is often seen that there is a mighty Power of God going along with such constant endeavours at length the diligent hand may make thee rich The Grace that dwelt in the Grandmother Lois in the Mother Eunice dwelt afterward in their little Son Timothy Though God is not tied by any bond of nature 2 Tim. 1.5 yet fervent prayer is of a high esteem in the sight of God The use
when their outward condition is troubled their inward state and frame is full of perplexities and fears David found it so Psalm 116.3 The sorrows of death compassed me and then also the pains of hell got hold on me I found trouble and sorrow i. e. very much perplexity both inward and outward at once So again Psalm 31.22 1 Sam. 23.26 Psal 42.7 In my hast i. e. when I was flying for my life before the face of Saul and hard put to it then I said I am cut off from before thine eyes Thus it was with Jona 2.4 in the depth of his distress saith he I am cast out of thy sight sad conclusions touching not only Gods providential care over them but his love towards them Thus with Paul 2 Cor. 7.5 without were fightings within were fears i. e. Spiritual conflicts We find the whole Church in the Lam. at the same passe Lam. 3.17.18 Thou hast removed my Soul far from Peace I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord alike sad is that Ezek. 37.11 Swoon of Israel's Faith when they were in the Captivity You 'l ask what the reason and cause of this should be 1. It arriseth from their ignorance especially in the fundamental Reas 1 Points of Religion as touching our disease and the remedy and way of cure the tehour of the Covenant of Grace according to which God exactly proceeds in all his dealings with us and we should ever carry it towards God If a man be taken with a fit of sickâ—esse knows not what he ailes nor what to take nor how to apply that which is prescribed nor how to order himself is unsatisfied touching the way skil and faithfulnesse of his Physitian by his ignorance he is put to a sad plague and at his wits ends ready to sink and welter thus t is in our Spiritual condition David Plam 73.12 16. is dangerously tossed in his Spirit upon waves of temptations and much staggared about his condition his feet were almost gone he almost wrackt and cast away See the reason veis 22. of Psalm 73. So foolish was I and ignorant ignorance is darknesse 't will either find fears or make them 2. This ariseth from the ill and imprudent carnal management of a Reas 2 more prosperous state 't is rare to receive much of this World Luke 15.12 13. and not as the Prodigal to go afarr off 't is hard to keep close to God in prosperity when we have much of this World to live upon and content our selves with to live upon God and make him our content and stay as if we had no other life nor livelyhood but in him we are very apt in such a case to contract a carnal frame let go our hold of God discustome our selves to the exercise of Faith abate and estrange our affections from God See how it was with David Psalm 30.7 I said I should never be moved thou hast made my mountain so strong I solaced my self in these outward accommodations as if I needed no other support strength or content and there were no fear of a change no care now to make God my constant joy and stay and reckon upon God only for my portion and that I must follow him with a Crosse and be conformed to my Saviour in being crucified to the World what comes of this v. 7. Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled viz. because he had too much indulged a life of sense Children that are held up by their Nurses hand and mind not to feel their feet and ground when the Nurse lets them go they fall as if they had no feet or ground to stand upon Or thus we are like Children which playing in the golden Sun-shine and following their sport stray so far from their Fathers house that night coming upon them ere they are aware they are as it were lost and full of fears not knowing how to recover home the World steals away our hearts from God gives so few opportunities for the exercise of the life of Faith and such advantages to a life of sense wears off the sense of our dependance on God and need thereof so that when we are put to it by affliction we are ready to miscarry ere we can recover our weapon or hold Faith is our cordial Psalm 27.13 now if it be not at hand as in health when we have no need of it it use to be we may faint ere we recover the use of it Reas 3 3. It ariseth from the shortnesse and dimnesse of our Spiritual Evidences our Evidence you know are great matters in point of estate and livelyhood and in affliction we are put to prove them at which time if they be either not clear or not at hand we are at a great losse and plunge a good man makes alwaies Conscience of making his calling and election sure but he is especially put upon this work in affliction then he considers then searches more then in his ordinary course Afflictions are as sharp searching winter-weather will search whether your house be tite or no those garments walls and windows that will serve in Summer of prosperity will be found defective in Winter of adversity then how stands the case between God and me what ground of my confidence what evidence that I am in Christ c. though the least degree of Faith will save the house from falling yet 't will be a poor cold uncomfortable dwelling in Winter unlesse you mend the cracks and flaws to defend you against driving pierceing winds and storms Reas 4 4. It ariseth as it did here from the remembrance of some sin unmortified and therefore it may be for ought we know unpardoned Affliction puts upon the remembrance of sin with more circumstances and aggravations and to more purpose then ordinarily even the best which make most conscience hereof attend to it in time of freedom Job 36.8 9 10. If they be bound in fetters and held in the cords of affliction then he shews them their work and their transgressions wherein they have exceeded 1 Kings 17.18 Dost thou come to call my sin to remembrance in slaying afflicting me with the losse of my son In stormy change of weather when clouds gather black over us and it begins to drop then we feel it in our bones what bruises or aches we have gotten When a man is arrested by one Crediâ—or all his debts come in upon him Even so when a man is arrested with sicknesse or some other outward distresse then come in upon him the debts wherein he is bound over unto the Divine Law when all is well with us we can easily cast these debts on the score of Christ but now 't is hot work Affliction is the glasse of sin and the opening and awakening the Conscience to see it and thence comes the Trouble upon the Spirit It is not all the stormy winds upon the face of the earth but some generated in the bowels thereof which
makes the earth shake 5. It ariseth from Satan When the eye of Conscience is most open Reas 5 he is most busie to present either that which may close it or that which may trouble it when the heart is most tender he is most ready to bruise and wound it In affliction he would make breaches between God and us us and God and us and our selves if we must needs be sensible of them gulphs out of which there is no redemption he temp s us unto sin in prosperity and then for sin in adversity as we find in Jobs Case even in those which he knows are out of his reach where least strength and ground to do any thing there he is most malicious as it appears in his bold attempts upon our Lord If he cannot run thee upon a rock yet he will disquiet thee with a tempest if he cannot rob thee of thy grace yet he will of thy peace and comfort 6. It ariseth from the weakness of faith and strength of sense apprehending Reas 6 God in affliction as our enemy especially if there be some willing correspondence between us any thing which God hates God is a terrour to us Thus Sense wrought in Job 33.10 Behold he findeth occasion against me he counteth me for his enemy Also 16.12.14 and in the Church Lam. 2.4 5. God hath bent his bow like an enemy c. and ver 5. O! if thou comest to that of Jacob Gen. 42.36 Surely all these things are against me and in them God against me it is sad with thee This is the triumph of Faith If God be with us who can be against us This the shreek of the Fainting God is against me and then who can be for me 7. It ariseth from Gods withdrawing Thus with Christ when God Reas 7 would make his condition sad and his burden heavy indeed the Father and his own Divinity withdraw and withhold their comfortable influential presence from the apprehension of the Humane Nature and when was he thus spiritually afflicted But when most outward trouble came upon him when his Murderers the Traytor were upon him and his life drew near to the grave as it was prefigured in David Psal 116.3 when the sorrows or dangers of death compassed him about then the terrours of hell took hold upon him i. e. terrours arising from this the withdrawing of the Divine Love and Countenance Mar. 14.34 Now come his astonishing dismaying fears and sorrows pressing even to death making him as it were to shrink from the great work of his own mercy Now he cries out as his Type My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal 22.1 Mat. 27. The perpetual shreek of them which are cast away When we can with David encourage our selves in our relations to 1. Sam. 30.6 and interest in God then every even the heaviest burden even death it self is light and we can in Christs strength shake it off or run away with it as Sampson with the Gates of the City But as when the Sun is down or eclipsed the flowers fold up and droop or when the face before the Glass turns away the face in it vanisheth Even so when God hides his face and we doubt of our Title and Interest we are troubled and then we are as Sampson when his Covenant broken and his locks the sign thereof cut we are as other men our strength is gone any cord will bind us any burden sink us Isa 64.7 Reas 8 8. I might add It may arise from our disacquaintedness with afflictions as to our expectation and resolution But for Use 1. A word to them which are yet in their sins out of Christ And it is 1. Of Conviction 2. Counsel 1 Conviction and terrour to them which are out of Christ If Gods People be lyable to inward and outward trouble at once wherein yet there is not a drop of wrath What shall the visitasion of the rest be wherein there is not a drop of saving pity If they may be so hardly put to it which yet are ever secretly and mightily supported what shall they do that have no strength but their own to bear up under the mighty hand of God Surely if they smart sevenfold the wicked must be avenged seventy times sevenfold If the cup of affliction by reason of the bitter ingredient of inward perplexity be so bitter to them what becomes of them for whom the dregs of that Cup are reserved The godly may stand condemned at their own Bar but the wicked at Gods too and nothing remains to them but a certain expectation of execution without a change O! if Jacob halt sure Esaus back and bones must be broken If the righteous be by reason of sharp afflictions within and without scarcely saved to whom yet all afflictions are through grace ever sufferable short and sanctified where shall the sinner appear when his sins and sorrows shall meet together There be three daies wherein thou shalt never be able to hold up thy head and yet thou must appear First A day of extream Calamity Secondly Of Death Thirdly of Judgment Oh! remember how sad it goes with the godly in a day of outward Calamity because of inward trouble joyning with it through gradual want of Knowledge Faith and Evidence the venome of sin unmortified malice of Satan not yet quite troden under their feet and the withdrawing of Gods Grace and Countenance in part And consider how thou wilt speed which hast no saving Knowledge no Faith no Interest art under the raign of sin and Satan whom the holy and jealous God cannot endure to behold but with revenge and execration Psal 27.13 David had fainted in his affliction had he not believed c. Surely then thou must utterly faint because thou hast not obtained an heart to understand and believe to this day The Children of God notwithstanding all their inwâ—rd and outward pressures can say as Paul sighs for them all 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed so as there is no way to escape or bear up We are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not quite destroyed But if thou lookest not to it betimes such a day will come upon thee as wherein thou shalt be so beset with trouble that thou wilt be absolutely concluded and shut out from all relief so perplexed that thou wilt despair so pursued by the avengers of bloudâ— that thou wilt be quite forsaken of heaven and earth so cast down that thou wilt be utterly destroyed and dashed in pieces Oh! if trouble such trouble may seize on Gods dear ones what reprobate fear and astonishment shall take hold on thee that art a stranger a slave an enemy and yet secure and presumptuous in that condition 2. It is a word of Counsel to thee as to be an alarm to thy security so an Antidote to thy presumption and censoriousness in reference to the godly The men
and nourished only by our own brain these we must carefully avoid and if formed not be cruel to our selves in being compassionate to them but dâ—sh them in pieces And theâ—e are real evils which come not forth of our own dust nor spring out of the ground but are from above of Gods creating and framing Amos 3.6 Isa 45.7 Jer. 18.11 These we are not to be senseless under but duly affected with and yet not over-affected so as to murmur and repine much less quarrel with God A Stoical apathy becomes us not and yet better than quarrelling at Goâ—s Providence it coming nearer moderation for wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 little reason whilst thou art living seeing it is less than thy desert and no reâ—son even for death and hell for they are but equal to thy desert if thou confess thy self a sinner thou must confess this Plato said that God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sympos l. 8. Q. 2. which is expounded by Plutarch well That God is said alwaies to act the Geometrician in regard of his equal dealing with all men in proportioning rewards and punishments to their deserts And a greater than he yea the greatest that can be God himself appeals to the sinners own conscience Is not my way equal are not yours unequal Ezek. 18. which whole Chapter is a defence of his equity Troubled then we may be murmuring and discontented we must not be Nay troubled we ought to be as the evills are greater or less which must be judgeâ— by the good they deprive us of more for publick because that good is greater less for private evils because ouâ— own good is not equal to the communities But in the body politick 't is quite otherwise than in the natural body we are usually too senseless under publick and too sensible of and immoderate under our own particular evils rather apt to quarrel with God like Jonah for a Gourd or some inconsiderable concerns of our own than be troubled at the destruction of a great Ninevey more troubled at our own houses being on fire or child sick than all our neighbours in the City about us burnt and dead Therefore Scripture accordingly calls for affection for the publike and forbids it in our own concernments in regard we are generally defective in the former and excessive in the latter Nay even towards others when just cause of compassion if excessive So our Saviour when the women lamented his death which was matter of grief as in respect of him though of greatest joy in it self as to them and the world bids them Weep not for me but for your selves and your children in regard of the publick calamities that were coming upon Jerusalem Mat. 23.27 28 29. Every particular being concerned in the community Now of these evils seeing all are privations of good Some are of the good we want and never enjoyed as deformity of body defect in parts constant poverty c. and here we must beware we judge not those evils which are none and so trouble and torment our selves without cause and reproach our Maker saying Why hath he made me thus Why am I no nobler born no more beautiful made no greater heir no quicker Parted Why am I not as such or such not as they this or that When thou hast what is sutable and convenient for thy condition for this all may say of those that excel them and the best of imaginary excellencies as well as thou Other evils are of the good we have enjoyed and are deprived of as sickness of health losses of friends and estate reproaches of our good name imprisonment of liberty and the like which are incident to our present state These are they especially which the world lament and cry out after as foolishly as Micah Judges 18.24 Ye have taken away our Gods and what have we more and saiest thou what aileth us We must not here be too passionately excessive either in the degree or duration of our trouble we must be affected with the providence of God in these evils according to their greatness to us a little loss in it self may be great to a poor man as the Widows two mites was more to her than their far greater sums was to them that cast them in the death of an only child greater than when a number and so trouble and sorrow for them but discontented we must not be nor distracted in the duties God requires nor refuse to be comforted because our Husbands Wives Children Pleasures Honours Riches are not for as there is a time to weep so a time to take up and refrain from weeping we must love them so as we may lose them that when we do we may not lose our selves Amavi haec omnia tanquam amissurus let us every one say at parting with them I loved you so as I can lose you Take heed of murmuring with the Israelites cursing thy Stars with the prophane of discontentedness which the best are apt to fall into nay wish for death rather than life as several of the Prophets Maintain that equilibrious frame in thee as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Here I am let God do to me as seemeth good to him which is the mother of patience and like it makes these evils though not none yet become none to us Thus I have done with moderation towards things most of whose particulars mentioned you have prest by the Apostle Paul and by the same argument of the Text 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. The time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away And though I have stood longer upon this than I intended and promised both you and my self in regard the fruit hung so thick about me that I could not but pluck some of it and after I had tasted it more yet I hope it will prove so pleasant also to the taste that you will pardon me especially considering how much this moderation towards things conduceth to that which respects persons the contentions in the world arising usually from our want of moderation to the things of the world as in civil matters it is patent and in religious though less obvious yet most frequently as certain that these are the springs from which they flow and how necessary it is for us all to know and practice it for licitis perimus omnis we usually perish by the hand of these lawful things 2. Moderation towards persons Having spoken of moderation as it respects our selves for preserving peace within this as all government having peace for its end which appears and is made known to others by our conversation let us now look abroad as we are
of Creature-comforts Suppose a Believers d Psal 144.12 13. sons as plants grown up in their youth and his daughters as corner stones polisht after the similitude of a Palace suppose his garners full affording all manner of store His Oxen strong to labour and his sheep bringing forth thousands and ten thousands in the streets though the blear-eyed World should pronounce him e Ver. 15. happy that is in such a case how would the Believer immediatly reply with the Psalmists Epanorthosis or in express contradiction rather to so gross a mistake yea blessed are the people they rather or they only are blessed which have the Lord for their God Thus Faith concludes Negatively 2. Positively That Divine Lesson which Solomon the wisest of meer men had by such difficult and costly experiments at length learnt Faith hath got by heart and in the face of the World concludes with him f Eccl. 1.2 Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity The assertion is repeated as in Pharaohs dream to shew its certainty and the Term of Vanity doubled to manifest the Transcendency and multiplicity of this Vanity There is a fivefold Vanity which Faith discovers in all its Creature enjoyments viz. in that they are 1. Unprofitable Thus the Preacher What g Eccl. 1.3 profit hath a man of all his labour which he hath taken under the Sun What profit Why he hath filled his hands with Air he hath laboured for the Wind Eccl. 5.16 Just so much and no more than Septimius Severus got who having run through various and greâ—t employments openly acknowledges Omnia fui sed nihil profuit Creature comforts are not bread Isa 55.2 3. They profit no more than the dream of a full meal doth an hungry man or that Feast which the h Corn. a Lap. Comment in Isa 55.2 Magitian made the German Nobles who thought they fared very deliciously but when they departed found themselves hungry In a day of wrath sickness death can riches profit Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 Just as much as a bag of gold hung about the neck of a drowning man 2. Hurtful and pernicious Solomon observed that Riches were kept for the Owners thereof to their i Eccl. 5.13 hurt Hence it is that k Pro 30.8 9 Agur prayes against them Give me not riches lest I be full and deny thee as if abundance made way for Atheism in those that know not how to manage it Maximilian the Second was sensible of this who refused to hoard up a mass of Treasure fearing lest by falling in love therewith of a soveraign Lord he should become a servant to the Mammon of unrighteousness Now the hurtfulness of Creature-comforts shews it self in several particulars 1. Faith knows that they are apt to puff up and swell the heart with the Tympany of pride Hence that great Caution Deut. 8.10 to the end The usual Attendants on riches are Pride and Confidence Hence Paul to l 1 Tim. 6.17 Timothy charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded How apt are men to be lifted up with the things of this lower World Riches at once sink the mind downward in covetous Cares and lift it upward in proud conceits To see a man rich in purse and poor in spirit is a great rarity 2. Faith knows that great enjoyments are great snares and powerful temtations to many other lusts such as are Covetousness Lust Luxury Security c. The plenty of places oft occasion much wickedness in persons Rich Sodom was a nursery of all impiety Jesurun when he waxeth fat is apt to kick Deut. 32.15 And when Israel is fed to the full m Ezek. 16.39 â—0 then she commits abomination 3. Faith is sensible how apt temporal comforts are to make us sleight spiritual graces and heavenly Communion 1. Spiritual graces Our digging for silver and searching for gold makes us too too apt to neglect that which is better than thousands of gold and silver even durable substance The radiant-splendor of these things here below dazzles our eyes to those things above Whiles Martha is much * Luk. 10.41 cumbred about many things she forgets to act Maries part and to pursue that one thing necessary How often do outward comforts entangle the spirits weaken the graces strengthen the corruptions even of good men There was a serious truth in that Atheistical scorn of Julian who when he spoyled the Christians of their outward estates told them He did it to make them more ready for the Kingdom of heaven Many really godly lose much in spirituals by gaining much in temporals they have been impoverish'd by their riches They are indeed rich in grace whose graces are not hindred by their riches whose soules prosper when their bodies prosper To see the daughter of Tyre come with her gift to see the n Psal 45.12 rich among the people entreat Christs favour and give up themselves to Him This indeed is a rare sight To be rich or great in the World is a great temptation When we flourish in the flesh we are apt to wither in the Spirit The scorching Sun-beams of prosperity too too often cause a drouth and then a dearth a Famine in the soul and make us throw off those robes of righteousness which the wind of affliction makes us to gird on the faster The World is of an encroaching nature hard it is to enjoy it and not come into bondage to it Let Abraham cast but a litttle more than ordinary respect on Hagar and it will not be long ere she begin to contest with yea crow over her Mistress 2. Spiritual Communion with God Worldly comforts are alwaies dogd with worldly business and this too often eats up our time for Communion with God It is a very difficult thing to make our way into the presence of God through the throng of worldly encumbrances Worldly employments and enjoyments are exceeding apt not only to blunt but to turn the edge of our affections from an holy commerce with God Faith knows what a Task what an Herculean labour it is after it hath past a day amidst worldly profits and been entertained with the delights and pleasures a full estate affords now to bring an whole heart to God when at night it returns into his presence The World in this case doth by the Saint as the little child by the mother if it cannot keep the mother from going out it will cry after to go with her If the World cannot keep us from going to Religious duties it will cry to be taken along with us and much ado there is to part it and our affections Thus Faith discovers the danger and hurtfulness of Creature-enjoyments But more than this 4. Faith knows that these outward things are perishing as well as unprofitable and hurtful Mutable inconstant fading * Faelicitas umbratilis Vanities Bubbles Pictures drawn on Icy Tablets grass growing on the tops of houses Faith hath seen and heard
become thy Idol and beloved very far and thy sin 5. When the care anxiety and solicitude of the soul runs out after the comforts of this life saying what shall I eat what shall I drink how shall I live and maintain my Wife and Children what shall I do to get to keep such or such a thing when the thoughts of the heart are taken up for protection for provision to get and hold the things of this life such comforts as are so gotten and so enjoyed they are sinfully obtained and maintained and this our Lord Christ doth clear to us Matth. 6.25 26. And he warns his Disciples in a speciall manner against all such cares Luke 21.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. That comfort which thou art not dead unto neither is that dead to thee thou wilt hardly enjoy with safety to thy self or thou wilt part withall but upon severe terms If when God by his providence calls for such or such a comfort Husband Wife Child yet thou canst not you will not resign and give up that comfort at Gods call but thou growest impatient and sullen when he doth but attempt to bereave thee of it God may perhaps let thee have thy lust as he dealt with the Israelites Psal 78.18 30. but thou shalt have that comfort without any comfort it may be with a curse When we cannot bear the thoughts of either absence or loss of such or such things cannot endure the thought of parting it is like the tearing off a limb from the body when God takes away such a Husband or Wife or Child or Estate c. it argues that they were greatly abused while we had them If there were an indifferency of spirit in us as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7.29 30 c. That they that were married were as if they were not married c. they would part upon easier terms by far When the life is bound up in a comfort it is death to part Gen 44.22.30 as it was with Jacob to his Benjamin When the creature hath got too great an interest in thee that thou canst by no means bring thy heart to think of leaving it or its leaving thee though God seems to call for it the heart begins secretly to rise up against God and to murmur and quarrell at providence this argueth a very carnall heart If the heart did hang loose from these things thou mightest injoy them with more comfort and part with them with more ease 7. If after God hath been weaning us in a more speciall manner by his Word and Rod and taking off our hearts from our worldly comforts yet the strong bent of the soul is towards them it argues much carnall love to them that we are not crucified to those comforts When the soul hath its secret sinfull converse and fellowship with a creature-comfort against its own conviction to the contrary it may be thou hast repented or at least hast seemed to repent of such a way and course yet for all this thy heart continually hangs that way and as it is Prov. 9.17 Her stoln waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant when a stolne glance of the eye a stoln kiss from a lustfull object is still pleasant to the soul there is much of a meretritious carriage in that heart it is so farre sinnefully injoyed When the heart hankers much after such a thing it is stolne away Hos 4 11. when it hangs after it as it is Jer. 22.17 Their hearts went after their covetousnesse when the heart hath its secret haunts and postern doores to get out to such or such an object and that object hath its secret passage to the soul There be some secret correspondencies betwixt the heart and the object when the lustfull object hath its wellcome it no sooner knocks but it is admitted when it hath a free passage into the heart and the heart hangs after it nay perhaps admits it when it is in duty if it comes even when we are with God in prayer and is admitted it argues a sinfull whorish familiarity 8. If after solemn and frequent warnings invitations and earnest beseechings perhaps corrections too God calls thee to a more strict and close walking with him in a severer way of selfdeniall in a more free and full enjoyment of himself If God would sequester thee from thy Oxen farm married wife that he might have thee more alone from the croud and dust and tumult of the world if yet after all this thou then settest thy wits on work to frame excuses If Christ speak to thee as he did to his Spouse Cant. 7.11 Come let us go and lodge in the villages Come let us goe out of the City crowd and multiplicity of worldly businesses and let us retire alone that we may more fully enjoy one another If he saith to thee as ver 12. he speaks to his Spouse Let us get up early to the vineyard c. and calls thee off to a more early earnest diligent attendance on him and thou doest as the Spouse Cant. 5.2 3. makest lazy excuses for thy easie gainfull trade and way of life thou leadest if so it be with thee thou keepest thy comforts upon sinfull termes When the Arguments and pleas and excuses and pretexts are for lust when denials equivocations and thy reason are all at work for lust When God calls to self-deniall in some creature-comfort and then the heart formes excuses for the enjoyment of it as they in the Gospell they all began to make excuses when they were call'd to the Wedding Supper their lawfull comforts became a snare and sinne to them Luke 14.16 17. If thy heart in such a case studies colours to adorn or set it out or set it off or covers to protect it then it is sinfull the heart miscarries in the injoyment of its comforts when it studies how to hide it self in the injoyment of it as much as may be even from the eye of God The third thing propounded was What are the sins that attend the immoderate sinfull use or abuse of lawfull comforts I will confine my self to the sins in the Text The first sin in their eating and drinking c. was sensuality and that is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as I have shewed is properly applied to bâ—uits an eating after a bruitish manner and by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes the vehemency and intention of their spirits laid out in their sensuall injoyments men are apt especially in abundance to grow sensuall and bruitish to use their comforts without fear to indulge themselves very farre and so say to themselves as the Rich Glutton Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.19 a sensuall bruitish speech fitter for a swine than a man abundance of the things of this life hath a strange vertue to corrupt a man into a bruit Deut. 32.15 Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked How is he degenerated to a fat
Christs satisfaction that he hath not onely freed such as are united unto him from condemnation Rom. 8.1 but purchased for them the Adoption of children Rom. 8.14 15 16. And thus Christ is All in removing this bar and opening this door to salvation which had it not been for his mediation would for ever have remained shut against all the children of men The pollution and prevalency of corruption how great an impediment this is to salvation and happiness was typified by the Lepers and unclean persons of old who were not admitted within the Camp Lev. 13.46 Heaven is no common receptacle for all persons as Noahs Ark was for all sorts of creatures Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not if you know any thing in Religion you cannot but know thus much In the Church of God on earth there is a mixture of Corn with Chaffe of Wheat with Tares of good Fish with bad of Sheep with Goats but there shall be a separation of the precious from the vile and God will come with his Fan in his hand and throughly purge his floor Luke 3 17. Do but consider and pause a while upon that mischief which sin hath done poor creatures by its pollution How hath it stained their glory cast them down from their excellency turned Angels into Devils and debased man who was once almost the top of the whole Creation in whom all the scattered Excellencies in the Book of Nature were bound up together in one Volume and met together in a blessed union How unlike hath sin made us to what God at first made us Those souls of ours which were once as so many pure beams of Light how is the beauty of them now blotted and darkned But Christ is that Fountain opened for sin uncleanness Zech. 13.1 in his blood is vertue enough to fetch out scarlet spots and crimson stains Isa 1.18 and if any of the children of men perish in their pollutions 't is not because he wants sufficiency but because they want faith Christ is All in the business of cleansing and purifying But alas Ioh. 3.16 besides the pollution of sin there is the prevalency of it This was to St. Paul so great an affliction that he who could bear the greatest of outward afflictions patiently 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 c. cannot but express something of an holy impatience under this burden Rom. 7.24 he that could triumph over Principalities Powers Life Death c. Rom. 8 38 39. is yet more than a little discouraged when he reflects upon the corruptions he found lodging in his own heart Corruption is the great Tyrant that hath usurped over the whole world the bounds of its Dominion are almost as large as all mankinde there is not a man in all the world except the first man Adam made after Gods Image and the second Adam who was God as well as man but he is born a slave a vassal to this Usurper The four great successive Monarchies Chaldean Persian Graecian Roman though the extent of them were great and the circumference vast yet were all these limited and bounded some parts of the world there were which knew nothing of their yoke But alas the Empire of Corruption reaches every corner of the earth every person born into the world We may therefore not unfitly compare it to Nebuchadnezzars Tree Dan. 4 11. the top whereof reaches Heaven from thence it threw the Angels and the boughs thereof spreading themselves to the ends of the earth yea this vassallage unto Corruption as it is the largest and universalest so also the miserablest and most dreadfull All other slaveries compared with this are but like Rehoboams Government compared to his Father Solomons the least finger of whose Dominion he threatens should be heavier than his Fathers loyns 1 King 12.10 We read in Scripture of an Egyptian slavery in History of the Spartan slavery and of the Turkish all these sad and lamentable but yet all these reached but the body and that for a time onely whereas the slavery of Corruption reaches the soul and that for ever unless Christ become our Jesus in saving us from our sins Matth 1.21 He hath purchased our freedome and that with a great summe as the Centurion speaks of his Roman freedome Act 22 26 27 28. There are none can say with St. Paul they are born free except they who are born again and they are free indeed Joh. 8.36 Christ is All in removing this impediment also in setting our poor captive souls at liberty from the bonds and fetters of our corruption Rom. 6.6 7 8 c. Rom 7.25 'T is he alone can conquer these great Goliahs these untamed affections but yet even this deliverance is also incompleat in this world he delivers his people from corruption as to the reign and dominion of it though not as to the presence and disturbance of it ut non regnet sed nondum ut non sit 3. The oppositions of Satan his wiles and subtilties these are another impediment and that no small one neither for if our first parents in whom there was nothing of ignorance but a sufficiency of knowledge there was indeed a nescience of many things so is there also in the Angels Matth 24 36. but yet their knowledge was both full and clear in things necessary and pertinent Col. 3.10 This was no small advantage against the methods of Satan because his usual way of mischieving poor creatures hath not been so much by force as fraud not as a Lion but as a Serpent not so much by conquering as cheating acting all his enmity under a pretence of friendship and tempting us to no evil but under the pretence of some good The advantage of our first Parents was in this respect great in respect of their knowledge Besides in them was nothing of weakness but a sufficiency of strength in them was nothing of corruption but an universal rectitude and uprightness The wayes by which Satan ordinarily prevails is either by our ignorance or by our weakness or else by making a party within us against our selves The advantages of our first Parents were in all these respects far greater than any have against Satan now yet Satan prevailed against them What cause therefore have we to fear 2 Cor. 11.3 But Christ is all to free us from these dangers to carry us through these oppositions who hath led captivity captive Ephes 4.8 who hath spoiled Principalities and powers and triumphed over them Col. 2.15 but yet even this deliverance is at present incompleat for though Christ hath delivered believers from Satan as a destroyer yet not from Satan as a tempter he may disquiet such but he cannot ruin them 4. The disturbances and interruptions of a prophane world its allurements discouragements promises threats smiles frowns our difficulties and dangers from hence cannot be little since the people of God in all ages have found them so