of the word then any other others may see the word and yet continue in sin still but a godly man shall see that in the word that he â—ares not live in any sin for a thousand worlds So for the Sacrament he seeth more then a natural man a natural man seeth nothing in the Sacrament but he may come to it as he doth come to it he may live in his sins still he sees nothing in the Sacrament he doth not see that he eats and drinks his own damnation if he come unworthily but a childe of God seeth that in the Sacrament that he dares not come unpreparedly and unworthily by any meanes he seeth that in the Sacrament that requires preparation and worthinesse so for sin he seeth that in sin that he dares not goe on in it he will rather die at stake rather then doe as the world doth though through weakness and want of cautelousnesse sin may get great advantage against him yet it shall never bear him down and the unction keeps him that he dares not lay the reins upon his neck This is one thing shall ever remain in a child of God and this appears by two things First by this That if ever the Devil get a childe of God to commit sin he cannot carry it away as others doe but it makes the heart bleed and wounds the conscience he seeth such things in yielding to sin and giving way to the Devil I speak of known sâ—ns the unction doth so wound him that he cannot carry it as others doe if he tell a lye he cannot bear it as the wicked can doe they can be merry and joviâ—l and carry it away it never troubles them but where this unction is it lies heavy upon the soul as thâ— Prophet David had this unction in the midst of all his falling into adultery for you may see for all he lived ten months in the sin before he came to thorough repentance 't is true he did so yet all this while he had this unction for so himselfe confesseth Psalm 51. Mâ— sin â—ever before me Though he never sought to God soundly and thoroughly for ten months together yet still good things were in him his â—â—ns were ever before him it did haunt him as a ghost and wound his conscience his unction did shew him what a beast am I what a wretch what have I done Secondly It appeares too by this That a childe of God though he hath sinned never so much yet he cannot stand it out but let him be soundly dealt with he is not able to hold out but he must submit to the Lord it is a signe this unction is in him for he seeth Gods Word his displeasure his grace and goodnesse a childe of God may be horribly peevish and horribly transported in this fashion to the dishonour of God and opening of the mouths of the ungodly but come and deal with him shew him his sins he is not able to maintain bucklers against it he seeth that in your reproof which will burst all his bones and make him stoop and fling away his sins and cast away his disguisements as it was with David when Nâ—than came to him O saith he I have sinned he resented presently the unction made him see that in Nathans Sermon that he was not able to hold out any longer but now his soule bleeds and melts within him so when a childe of God comes to the word and heares his sins reproved he cannot carry himselfe as the wicked doe they can heare the word and keep their sins still but a child of God hath an unction and when the word doth discover his sins to him he cannot hold up his hand against God but he must fall down and bow before him Secondly There shall ever remain in a childe of God lusting against every known sin there will be ever in a childe of God both before and after the committing of known sins lusting against the flesh the sanctified parâ— will lust against the unsanctified he shall never sin with an whole will and full consent as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh c. There is a spiritual will in a child of God that will ever lust against the carnal will so that a man cannot commit sin with his whole will as a wicked man doth as Paul saith Rom. 7. 25. He did not sin with all his soule with all his heart his mind was for God the spiritual part of his will was against his sin I find another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde c. He did not sin with all his will for he had another law in his heart rebelling against the law of sin and death therefore the Apostle saith 1 John 5. 18. Whatsoever is borne of God sinneth not that is he cannot sin with his free will with his whole consent I will make this appear by five things that a child of God can never sin with his whole will First Because he never sins but it is against his standing purpose and resolution A childe of God cannot sin with his whole will and determination in himselfe a childe of God hath a purpose never to sin against God by using all manner of wayes by striving praying labouring endeavouring comming to all Gods Ordinances and taking all courses to resist sin he hath this purpose a wicked man now hath no purpose not to sin but he hath a secret purpose to sin a Drunkard hath a purpose when he meets with his companions to goe to the Alehouse and drink with them and a covetous man hath a secret purpose to be worldly so let a man be a vain and an evill companion he will not give over his company-keeping they are his friends and he will converse with them tell him he must converse with the Saints of God he will not he hath a secret purpose to the contrary but if a childe of God sin it is against his purpose he hath a standing purpose not to sin Psalm 119. 27. Psal 39. 1. Psal 101. 3. So I will never forget thy precepts I will consider thy testimonies and I will turn my feet unto thy wayes There are abundance of places of Scripture that shew that a childe of God ever takes up an absolute purpose concerning holinesse and godlinesse of life and conversation Now if a child of God be born down at any time it is against the purpose of his heart which is a signe that he doth not sin with his whole will for if a mans will were absolutely set upon wicked courses then he would have a purpose and resolution to live in them but a childe of God hath alwayes a purpose to doe the contrary and to walk in Gods wayes Secondly Because a child of God never sins but it is against the study and composure of his heart it is against his course against the frame he composeth to himselfe
delights this will dead a mans heart as the Apostle sheweth of the Widows that lived in pleasure 1 Tim. 5. 6. they were dead while they were alive as soon as ever David gave way to his sinful corruptions his heart was deaded presently upon it as may appear by the prayer he had afterwards when he came to himself and to look out for quickning uphold me with thy free spirit Psal 51. 12. as who should say I feel a base dull slavish spirit come upon me that former liveliness that was in me it is wofully decayed sin had made a mighty breach in his soul it had knockt off his wheels and made him dull and therefore he is fain to pray that God would give him a free spirit again so it was with Peter as soon as ever he had given way to his curiosity and security and presumption he would needs go and see sights he would go into the high Priests hall and see how the business went he did not see the proneness of his heart to be carried into sin now you may see how wofully it deaded his heart in a moment as soon as the damsel spake thou also wert with Jesus of Galilee a man would wonder how no life at all almost appeared in that mans heart if he had had any life would he have carried himself in that fashion his life was so gone that he cursed and sware that he never knâ—w the Mat. 26. 47. man if he had any life in him he would rather have said what if I were with Jesus of Galilee I was with him and I am with him and I will be with him I am ready to dye with him I profess my self to be his Disciple he had no heart in the world to stand for Jesus Christ he had no heart to appear in pleading for him and expose himself to danger for him he was now called to it but he had no heart at all sin it is even like ashes cast upon the fire the fire cannot then send sorth its heat so sin doth even cast ashes upon the soul that it cannot express such life as otherwise it would The first reason is because sin is a soul killing thing it is like Mare Mortuum the fishes dye as soon as ever they come there so when the Divel hooks a man into sin he hooks him into the dead sea as the Apostle saith of the Ephesians you were dead in sins if the Divel can but hook a man into Eph. 2. sin he is presently in the dead sea Hos 13. 12. it is said of Ephraim when he offended in Baal he died c. before when their affections were up and they trembled before God they were lively but when they gave way to sin and iniquity the Church presently died they withered away more and more till they came to nothing therefore the Apostle calls the Law of sin the Law of death the Law of the spirit of Christ hath freed us from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8. 2. sin doth even bring a man to deaths door it doth weaken all the powers and faculties of the soul that a man cannot stir to any duty it makes a man like a snake that is frozen with the cold it cannot stir so it is with a man when he gives way to sin and iniquity it freezeth all the powers that are in him and lesseneth all the powers of Gods spirit it is even like a weight as the Apostle calls it Heb. 12. 1. If a man should have a great weight upon his back fetters upon his legs how can that man go he must needs go very dully so it is with sin and iniquity when a man gives way to it it is like plumets of lead like great weights and burthens that clog a mans heart and affections it makes them dull and lumpish and heavy to any thing that is good as Christ speaks of the cares of this life if a man give way to them they will overcharge the heart they will lie heavy that the heart cannot stir Luke 21. 34. sin poysons all the soul it poysons the mind that a man cannot look upon things as he did it poysons a mans heart though his heart were deeply affected towards God it is strange if a man give way to sin how it will take off the affections from God it separates between God and the soul and comes between God the fountain of life and the soul and therefore must needs be a killing and deading thing Secondly Sin is a deading thing because it doth grieve the holy spirit of God that dwels in a man you know all the quickning of a Christian consists in the gracious assistance of Gods spirit as long as Gods spirit is pleased to go along with us and work our works for us then we can pray and deny our selves then we are fitted to every good word and work but if the spirit of God retire if it withdraw and suspend his actions and forbear his operations what can a man do a man is even a block without the spirit of God now though the spirit of God delight never so much in doing good to the Saints and delight in accompanying of them and assisting of them and enlarging of them in all their wayes yet if they give way to sin directly he will be grieved and sent sad back again to heaven as it were and when the spirit of God is grieved all must needs go sad and heavy with the child of God suppose a child of God give way to vain talk and discourse you shall see what the Apostle saith this will grieve the spirit of God grieve not the spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4. 13. he speaks of that very sin if a man give way to it the spirit of God will be grieved though formerly he was pleased mightily to help yet now he will withdraw and then how dully shall a man goon so if we should give way to the suffering of our hearts not to be affected with God and his truth not to see God in all his wayes in all his goodness and dealings that we should not be thankful this will quench the spirit of God it will quench its motions as if a man should pour pail-fuls of water upon the fire so this will quench the spirit of God 1 Thes 5. 18 19. there is a manifest dependence between all those exhortations and this is certain let a man once not be affected with God let him not see Gods goodness in all his wayes let him not be affected with Gods mercy and loving kindness it will quench the spirit of God and then consider what a lamentable case a man shall be in Thirdly Sin must needs dead a mans heart because it doth put a most woful bitter hard task upon the soul to go through for you know hard tasks stir up reluctancy against them when a man hath an hard task to go through the
to call for life that he should sell all forsake all and follow him that is the life of a man the soule and heart of a man must be put forth he was sad at that saying So Laodicea was content to do any thing the spirit of God layeth nothing to her charge he chargeth her with no particular sin but lukewarmnesse onely she would do any thing but to be fervent and zealous in it to lay out her strength for God that she would not do so that we had need to take heed of deadness of all other sins it is a deep sin and is the harder to be gotten out and the harder it is to be gotten out the more paines is to be taken Fourthly other sins may be but acts as a man may be drunk but he may not have the habit of drunkenness as Noah was drunk but he was not a drunkard we see David committed adultery but he had not the habit of adultery but deadness is an habit Eph. 2. 1. Now when a man leaves sin in a dead manner he leaves it but his affections are not crucified to it he doth good duties but he is dead to them this man comes neer to the estate of sin now an estate of sin is worse then any particular act of sin Fifthly Other sins are the first death of the soul we are all under trespasses and sins Rom. 5. Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned We are all by nature the children of wrath we were all once dead but now if after we are Christians we grow dead again we grow twice dead of all sins we should take heed of deadnesse for that causeth the second death not the second death of damnation but of being dead after a man hath been quickned as Saint Jude speaks ver 12. twice dead so we are twice dead Now other sins do make a man but once dead but after the Gospel hath come among us and hath stirred up our hearts and quickned us in some measure if we grow remiss and dead and cold again we are twice dead or at least grow and tend that way and so our estate is more dangerous therefore how should we take heed of this Lastly Other sins though God threatens hell and damnation against them yet more specially against deadness did you ever hear of a more special threatning then that 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. when men doe not receive the truth in the love of it He doth not say When they do not receive it but When they do not receive it with affection with all their hearts You may see there how terribly God threatens when we do not receive the truth in the love of it we do not love Gods Word we do not love prayer and his ordinances we do not love the communion of Saints we do not love obedience to Gods truth this is a most woful thing though we doe receive it yet if we do not receive it in the love of it see there what he saith For this cause God shall send them strong delusâ—ns that they should believe a lye that they might all be damned c. So when Ephesus left her first love God threatned to remove the candlestick Rev. 2. 4 5. When Laodicea was grown cold and careless and of a middle temper Gods threatens to spue her out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. When Eli was grown cold and remiss and wanted zeal and life to stand for him see how terribly God threatens him I will doe a thing that whosoever heares it both his eares shall tingle 1 Sam. 3. 11. Nay saith he I will judge his house for ever for this thing v. 13. What remains then but that we should with all our might and all care and diligence even set to both our shoulders for the casting off this sin of deadness that if it be possible we may come to be quickned and serve God as we ought to do and follow his heavenly Kingdome with eagerness that none of these things we have spoken may befall us Consider first we have life and why may not God have it He hath breathed into our souls the breath of life in him we live move and have our being he hath given unto us all life and breath and if we have life why may not God have it if he hath given us affections why should they not be given to him again if he hath given us thoughts why should we not bestow them upon him if he hath given us dispositions and inclinations why should they not be set upon him The Rivers that come from the sea return to the sea again It is said of the Macedonians that they did yield themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. So we should yield our selves to the Lord if God did ask any thing that were not in us it were another matter if we had no thoughts and affections if we had no heart and inclinations then no wonder though we did not give him them but when we have them why should not he have them all things are of him therefore let all things be to him shall our lusts have our thoughts and not God shall the world carry away our minds and not God that is against reason Secondly Consider that all the world is alive in their own courses let Christians be alive in theirs as the Prophet speaks Micah 4. 5. Every man walks in the name of his god let us walk in the name of our God So I say every man follows his god those that have their belly for their god all their minde and affections run that way those that have their pleasure for their god and their profit for their god how eager are they after these things as one saith the world is like the Ant poor little creatures they goe carrying of straws after their manner and are so busie so it is with the world what a deal of drudging up and down and going this way and that way is there in the world one for one thing another for another one for his Mammon another for the lusts of his flesh and the pride of life men are busy and stirring every one is setting forward why should not we be as forward in our way if we be Christians and the servants of God why should not we bestir our selves for him the Devil himselfe is a spirit and is working and busie as himself saith Job 2. 2. Then let us walk up and down and bestir our selves this way and that way and every way for God and be as active and agile for him let us consider how the poor prisoners in Ludgate beg for a token what eagerness they use that though a man had no minde yet their importunity will make him give them something and shall not we beg earnestly of God to pardon our sins and quicken us and humble us for our deadness and for the time to come to make us earnest for the Kingdom to come if men be so earnest
they let into their soul they know not what they have lost till God give them an heart to cast up their accounts and then they may see that they have lost almost all that they have who knows what God may do it is a fearful thing you see a child of God may not only fall into foul and fearful sins but he may lie in them Then Thirdly To go further when a child of God is come hither then you 3. A child of God may be long in sin will say certainly this man must rise up again quickly grace will not let him lie dead 't is true God will not for ever let him lie dead but for how long he shall lie dead no man nor Angel can tâ—ll as the Church speaks concerning her misery there is never a Prophet never an ordinance of God all is gone to wrack and there is none among us can tell us how long Psal 74. 9. so when a man hath fallen into sin and hath pulled distempers into his soul there is none among us can tell us how long 't is true Peter got up again within a few hours but David got not up again till after ten months and may be another not till after ten years may be twenty forty nay who can tell how long grace is free therefore no man can prescribe any time the wind blows where it listeth and how long it listeth and how long it will John 3. Reasons of the point 1. Reas be ere it blow again who knoweth The Reasons of thâ— first in regard of Satan he fights most of all against the children of God his â—ingers itch to be at them and at them most his greatest spight is against them the very bowels of the enmity is between him and them the children of God come to take his place that he once had in heaven the children of God are set up against Satan as David was put in the room of Saul therefore I say all the strength of hell is still a working against the Church of God and the Saints of God and every one of them from that very moment that the woman was delivered of a Rev. 12. 13. man child he sought to destroy it Simon Simon saith Christ Satan desires to winnow thee c. Lukâ— 22 31. he is the god of this world and his temptations are welcome enough with any body but the children of God none resist his dominion but they he is the Gaoler and hath all the world in close prison but only them they are the only ones that have broken loose that have gotten away out of the power of Satan therefore all his malice and all the gates of heâ—l they are up to send hue and cry after them to hook them in again if they can he is â—ust like a Pyrate a Pyrate will rather set upon one rich ship then upon a thousand beggarly barks because there he may have a rich prize so the Divel knows he can advantage his Kingdom if but onâ— fall that is a Saint more then by the falls and the notoriouseâ—t falls of millions of others therefore no wonder that a child of God should grow remiss and careleâ—s at any time that he may have a mischief for it is all the Divels business he hath nothing else to do but do mischief to be busie to get a child of God down and if he have him down to hold him down if he can Secondly Another reason is in regard of the children of God themselves 2. Reas they carry flesh about them as well as other men they have a Traitor in their own bosomes that liâ—s in scout every moment to work them woe as Paul saith I find another law in my members c. Rom. 7. 23. though a child of God hath wounded all his lusts nay though he hath given them their deaths wound yet there is never a one but may revive and make head again if he take not heed and that in a woful degree as the Lord saith of the Caldeans Jer. 37. I quote it only for a similitude ver 10. though you had smitten all the whole army of the Caldeans yet they shall come and fire the City when Judah had provoked God though they had wounded all the Caldeans yet those wounded men should come and fire the City so let a man take heed he doth not give way to sin for though his lusts be mortified and he hath given them their deaths wound yet these wounded Caldeans may come and fire all his soul if he take not heed Thirdly In regard of God himself God is pleased to try his people to 3. Reas withdraw himself now and then from them to leave them to themselves and the grace they have received to let them alone with that and when he doth thus no wonder though they fall for every man hath some vileness and rottenness in his heart the wholest simplest heart in the world hath a deal of rottenness in it I say the Lord doth sometimâ—s leave his children to themselves as he did Hezekiah in the business of the Ambassadors 2 Chro. 32. 31. as the Church saith Cant. 5 6. my beloved had withdrawn himself the lovingest mothers may sometimes let their little child go alone though they know he will fall they provide may be a rouler about his head that whither they fall backward or forward or any way they may not break their skull and do themselves a mischief to undo themselves but when they have done thus they will sometimes leave them to themselves to go though they know they will fall so the Lord doth put a rouler upon his people that when they fall they may not fall totally and finally as the wicked men do they shall never strike into a wicked course as the ungodly of the earth do that he takes order for but he doth many times leave them not out of any ill will to them but he leaves them to themselves though he knows they will fall and that for divers reasons First That they might be patterns to others of Gods people that if they should fall as they may do when they are down they may have wherewithal to get up again I say the Lord leaves the eminentest of his people to themselves to fall into lamentable miscarriages that they may help inferiour people and they may have something to encourage them that God will recover them and relieve them again and that God will not cast them off for ever as Paul shews 1 Tim. 1. 16. saith he for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them who shall hereafter believe as who should say there may be a persecutor a blasphemer smitten a vile wretch a fighter against God and Jesus Christ such a one may be smitten and come to see his damned estate a thousand to one but this man will be overwhelmed and drowned in despair
Whore and commit his wickednesse he doth not think that they are dead and damned men that are there nor that they are in the pit of Hell Though his Conscience may tell him that he is wicked and sinful and wretched and that he is half dead yet he is not a dead man he is not absolutely a dead man he doth not know this It may be he will confesse it Lord I am a dead man Lord I am a damned man it may be he will confesse this in his Prayer because he hath some light but yet his heart is not taken down the livelinesse of his heart is not killed I will prove it to you for let another man a Minister of God or a child of God say he is a dead man a damned man one that lies under the wrath of God he will deny it and say he is uncharitable and judgeth hardly and why may he not be a live man and a good Christian he hopes he is he doth not know that he is a dead man as the wise-man speaks Prov. 14. 12. There is a way that seemetht right to a man but the issues thereof are death that is there is a way that seems to be a way of life and a man seems to be alive that walks in that way but the truth is it is a way of death and a man that goeth in that way is a dead man and a damned man but yet in the mean time while he walks in that way it seems to be a way of life unto him there is a non-appearance of the deadnesse and damnednesse of a mans estate and condition that walks in that way and therefore it seems to him to be a right way and a way of life and there is great hope in him that he shall live for evermore and many men do walk in that way and therefore it seems to him to be a right way and a way of life it seems right to a man but the end thereof is death And this is the First thing wherein this liveliness consists The non-appearance of a mans dead and damned estate 2. Secondly It consists in Performance he is able as he conceives to do the duties that God commands he hath wisdom and ability at home to go about his Affairs he hath understanding and supply at home he hath life and sufficiency to go about these and these duties and performances let the Law tell him he must be sober he hath life to avoid the Ale-house and if he commit a Drunken Act he would have you think he hath grace to be sorry for it and let a man tell him he is a dead man he hath no grace in him no life in him he will tell you he doth thus and thus he hears Gods Word and he Prayes to God and he Trusts in God and he Believes in God your telling of him this doth not kill his heart he thinks he is alive for all this nay let the Law of God come and tell him He is a dead man for all his doing this will not kill him neither so long as the Lord himself doth not open his eyes and clear his eye-sight and discover his sins and convince his Conscience though the Law say he is a dead man and a damned man this doth not kill him he can wait upon God and perform these and these duties Then let the Law of God say He is a dead man for all this he must deny himself why so he will I confesse Lord I am an unrighteous man a wretched man a sinful creature and all my righteousnesse is as menstruous raggs and now he thinks all is well but the Law of God hath not yet come home unto him and shewed him his heavie estate but he is alive in regard of the performance of the duty and thinks verily he hath life at home in him whereas if the Law of God did come home and charge his estate upon him and shew him what obedience the Law requires what severity and truth in the inward parts it would break a mans heart and kill him notwithstanding all performances but in the mean time that a mans heart is not killed and the Law hath not given him his deaths VVound he thinks he is alive Cry aloud saith God lift up thy voice like a Trumpet shâ—w my people their Transgressions and the house of Israel their sins Isai 58. 1. there the Lord looks upon the people as dead wretched sinners and abominable people but yet notwithstanding they thought they were alive in performances as we may see vers 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes even as a Nation that did righteously and had not forsaken the Statutes of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they draw near to me saying We have fasted and thou regardest it nâ—t We see here they take delight in approaching unto God they take delight in Gods Ordinances and seek God early they can do thus and thus and are alive in all performances but that man whose spirit the Law hath pulled down and the Lord hath convinced him of his infinite inability to perform the Law he cannot see any liveliness in him unto any performance Let any duty come it kill his heart I should now hear the VVord of God but my heart is unprepared and my ear uncircumcised and I cannot hear aright Let an opportunity be offered to Pray it kills his heart I should now call upon the Name of the Lord but I have such a cursed heart I cannot Pray I cannot speâ—k one right word before God Let an occasion be offered of holy Conference it kills his heart Alas saith he I want pure language my tongue was never touched with a coal from the Altar my lips have not ability to drop forth favoury speeches I am not able to speak one syllable aright to Gods glory it kills his heart he sees no life at all in him unlesse he can have life from without and ability from without he is dead all is nothing to him the law hath taken away the livelinesse that was in him But he that is not humbled by the Law he is alive he hath life in himself it is nothing with him to Pray and go to Church and hear Gods Word it is nothing but thrusting to do the duty he hath life in him to do duties and wait upon God in his Ordinances but when the Law comes home to him it plainly lets him see that he hath no life in himself to do any good he must seek for life and abibility from without else he is a dead man he can do nothing in this case David in this case cannot look up Mine iniquities are gone over my head I cannot loâ—k up Psal 40. Mâ—ses he is a man of uncircumcised lips and cannot speak unto Phâ—raoh Paul cannot do any thing that is good In me dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. And so for the rest of Gods people when the Law hath
strive no more the reason is because the law doth charge the truth of God upon a man Now the truth is that every sinner is a dead man this is the very truth of it Rom 8. 6. To be carnally-minded is death That man is a dead man there is the very death of sinne and hell and condemnation in that man that is a carnal-minded man Now the law of God when it comes doth charge this Truth upon the Soul it discovers a man to be in this estate and condition wherein in truth he is 2. Secondly It consists in deadnesse in Gods account For all a mans presumptions for all a mans vain hopes that he is justified for this is the nature of man before he is convinced by the law of God to justifie himself you are they that justifie your selves not that he is indeed Luke 16. justified but he falsely applies justification to himself and he hopes he is justified before God he is apt to pronounce this hope unto himself Let a Minister tell him of his sins here is his Salve God is merciful and Christ came to save sinners Let Sermons beat upon him from day to day to humble him he cannot imagine that he is in a damnable estate Preachers are too harsh and censorious and the like But when the Law comes it shuts up a man that he cannot get out as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3. 22. The Law hath concluded all under sin that is the nature of the word of God to shut up a man that a man is not able to get out before the law is charged the heart hath a thousand starting-holes Denounce hell and damnation against it it hath this starting-hole that Christ dyed for sinners discover plainly that he is a dead man he hath these starting-holes he hopes he shall have peace and he hopes he is not so vile before Almighty God and he hopes he hath better righteousnesse then you would bear him down with and so he hath an evasion to get out but when the law comes and shuts him up this will tame him As we use to tame Lions and Bears and such like fierce and cruel creatures by shutting of them up so the Lord tames the heart of a poor creature when he would pull him down he shuts him up and layes him in the prison and in the Gaole and he hath no way to get out he is a dead man and there is no way to get out no evasion to escape but still he is a dead man and a damned man he cannot open his mouth any more Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God The law indeed works thus in the Regenerate though the Lord be pacified towards them yet they shall never open their mouths never cavil against Gods precepts more never be so brisk any more But so long as a man is in his sins the law doth not only convince him that he is dead in himself but that he is also dead towards God that God accounts him a dead man that God is not pacified towards him but he lies under the wrath of God and this pulls him down and stops his mouth A carnal mans mouth will not be stopped but he will have some thing to say some vain hope or confidence or other some pleading or excusing or other His mouth will never be stopped till the law of God comes and when that comes that will stop his mouth and make it appear that he is guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. the Apostle saith Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth might be stopped and all the world may be culpable before God But before the law comes a mans mouth will not be stopped Gen. 20. 3. God came to Abimilech by night and said Thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thâ—u hast taken for she is a mans Wife He was a dead man but he little thought it he would not believe that he was a dead man As the Text there speaks of temporal death So it is true of the other carnal men are indeed dead men but they will not believe that they are dead men and damned men they hope for mercy and cry peace peace to their soulâ— but when the law comes that knocks off all mens hopes and layes them for dead in Gods account 3. Thirdly This deadnesse I here speak of it consists in regard of all manner of doing when the law of God hath charged it self upon the conscience and discovered to a man that he is a dead and a damned man It makes it now appear unto him that he is utterly unable to do any thing he is in the depth of misery and he is unable to cry mercy aright he is not able to make a prayer no more then a dead man he seeth he can no more keep a Sabbath as he ought than a dead man So for any duty of Religion he seeth he hath no more life to do it then a dead man hath to do the actions of the living as the Apostle speaks Gal. 2. 19. I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God God made Saint Paul alive unto him but first he charged his law upon his conscience and made him seem to be a dead man to the law That he had no life or â—â—â—ty to do any thing pleasing to God but when the Lord made him alivâ— to himself then he could do something nay he was able to do all things through the Lord Jesus Christ that strengthned him But in himself both still and before he was altogether dead to the law of God so that when the law comes and shews a mans estate unto him it shews him his utter inability to the performance of any good duty The Pharisee will to the Temple as well as the Publican Saul will Sacrifice as well as Samuel Prophane people will take up the Ordinances of God as if they had life to go through them as well as the people of God But when the law comes it plainly convinceth a man it makes him feel and understand that he hath no activity or life to perform any thing pleasing to Almighty God a dead man can do nothing he is cut off from all the actions of the living dead men they cannot devise ought they cannot purpose ought they cannot work ought So when the Law of God is charged upon a man and shews him that he is but a dead man and a damned man now he seeth he can as well create a world as make a prayer he can as well remove a Mountain as do any thing acceptable to God Such a man will say I am a dry tree and cannot grow I am lost in the wildernesse of sin and cannot get out again Thus we see wherein this deadnesse consists 2.
Soul into this privation is done by the Law and if the Lord means to convert there the Gospel begins Luk. 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind that I should set at liberty them that are bruised When the Law hath humbled a man and thus brought down his will then begins the work of the Gospel As we use to say of Natural Philosophy where Natural Philosophy ends there Physick begins So where the Law ends the Gospel begins Thus we see the first Effect of this deadnesse 2. Secondly When the Law hath done this when the deadnesse the Law hath wrought hath produced this Effect then the next Effect is this the Law holds the heart there when a man is dead the effect of death is to hold a man there There is no redresse no return without the Almighty power of God there is no return to his former life So when the Law hath deaded a man it holds a man there though a man would never so fain get out he cannot he will be snatching at a Christ and looking at the promises and be presuming that there is mercy for him he would fain be brisk again But if the Law hath killed him and made him a dead man he cannot get out Rom. 7. 6. the Apostle saith We are delivered from the Law being dead unto that wherein we were holden St. Paul could not get out to his livelynesse again but the Law held him So it is with the Law when the Law of God hath humbled a man and made him a dead man it holds him there let the Divel come with all the comforts he can there is no evasion let his vain neighbors bring what Scriptures they can to cheer him there is nothing can lift that soul up let all profits and pleasures come they cannot take off his heart they cannot make him alive again unlesse it please the Lord to quicken and revive him 2. The next Effect of this deadnesse is that it makes the heart stiff when the body is dead all the members are stiff the beatings of the pulses cease and all are stiff So when a man is killed by the Law it makes his head stiff it breaks off all his arguing and reasoning and disputing against the Law of God That is against my profit and that is against my pleasure and that is against my credit thus the heart is full of life end activity before But when the Law comes and shews him he is a dead man now he is not able to stir now he can say what if it be against my profit and pleasure what if it be against my credit what if men make a mock at me I am a dead man if I live not in this course Psal 36. 12. There saith the Text They are fallen that work iniquity they are cast dâ—w◠〈◊〉 shall not be able to rise So when the Law of God comes and preacheth righteousnesse to a man and shews him against whom he hath sinned it makes him a dead man he cannot stir any more if the Divel bids him reason for his lusts he dares not do it if his old company perswade him to his former life and conversation he dares not do it Isaâ— 41. 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the God of Jacob. You could be reasoning and pleading for your lusts let us now hear your strong reasons and arguments Now this man is a dead man and a damned man he hath no reason no plea to alledge to go on in his former course this man is killed now 4. Fourthly This deadnesse makes the â—eart yield before the Law comes the heart is marvellous obstinate but now when the stiffnesse of it is gone and the Law hath made him a dead man now he will yield 2 Chron. 30. 8. As Hâ—zekiah speaks Be not now stiff-â—ecked as your fathâ—rs but give the hand to the Lord and come into his Sanctuary So when the Lord hath broken the neck of a mans stiffnesse and hath broken his back-bone that he cannot stand stiffly out and hath taken away his livelynesse which was his whale-bone as it were to uphold him in his strength and courage and in his sins Now his heart is made to yield to God he cannot now but yield to the Lord. Thus it is with a poor creature when the law works upon him he cannot stand out any longer It is mâ—st true before the Lord converts a man he doth take away his stiffnesse and make a man a dead man But you will say when a man is dead all his joynts are stiff his body is cold and grows stiff but when a man is alive his joynts are lithe and lively I Answer It is true the law of God cannot take away a mans natural stiffnesse but his voluntary stiffness is taken a way The voluntary stiffnesse is taken away when he is dead when a man was alive he could shut his hand and hold it so he could stretch out his arm and hold it so but when a man is dead he cannot do so So it is in this case although the stiffnesse of nature remain still yet the voluntary stiffnesse is taken away the will and heart of a man is out of life It cannot be stiff towards God I confesse the Lord doth not take a way all stiffnesse no not out of his Saints but he takes so much stiffnesse out of the heart as to make it a patient he shall not be voluntarily stiff he shall not be overcomingly resisting Divines use to say that in the first conversion of a sinner he is meerly a Patient first the Lord makes him a patient and then converts him Jer. 31. 19. After I was converted I repented after I was instructed I smote upon the thigh c. â—â—st God made him a patient and instructed him and afterwards converted him The Use of the Points is this Is it so that the law of God doth make a man a dead man Then here we may observe the wonderful pâ—wer of the law a man hath so much livelinesse in him so much â—se and activity and so many strong conceits that it is wonderful hard to make him dead therefore the word of God is mighty It is said of â—pâ—â—â— that he did mightily convince the Jewes Act. 18. 28. for he was mighty in the Scriptures there had need be might in the Scriptures to do this What strong reasons had they in regard of flesh and blood that Jesus was not the Christ What he the Christ that was born in a manger and hath none but a beggerly company to his kindred Are not his brethren and kinsfolk 〈◊〉 None but thâ— tag-rag and refuse of the Country follow him What he that had no form or beauty in him the Saviour of
not able to get out Whether is such a man the formal Object of mercy I mean whether is he such a one as the Gospel hath promised deliverance unto When a man by the Law is made a dead Creature and is altogether deprived of life and health he hath no life actually and there is no life actually to be had for him for so the law leaves him without any hope of getting any life Whether is this man the formal Object of mercy whether is he such a one as the Gospel doth make promise to of quickning and enriching and gathering and finding and saving and comforting and the like whether is this man the formal Object of mercy Every man is the Object of mercy but whether hath this man got those properties that belong to the actual Object of mercy The reason why I propound this Question is this Because the Scripture seems to make such a one the formal Object of mercy such a one as mercy is promised to such a one as the Gospel looks upon as the proper and actual Object of mercy for the Gospel is said to quicken the dead and to give them life it is the Letter that killeth and the Spirit that giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. It giveth life to him that was before a dead man to him that was killed by the letter So for poverty Luk. 4. 18. To the poor the Gospel is preached the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me that I should heal the broken hearted and preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind So that when the Law hath made a man a poor man and hath stripped him of all his conceited riches and hath made him a begger it seems that Christ is anointed to preach mercy to such a one it seems that such a one is the formal Object of the Gospel See Psal 147. 2. He gathers the out-casts of Israel when the Law hath made a man an out-cast it seems he is the formal Object of mercy The Gospel undertakes to gather such people so far lost The Son of man is come to save that which is lost Mat. 18. 11. he is come for that purpose it is his Commission he is sent to save that which is lost when the Law hath made a man to be a lost man that he seeth he is utterly undone without mercy Christ is come to save such people and to look upon them as the formal Object of mercy So for death it self when a man is made dead by the Law The houre shall come saith our Saviour and now is that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that do hear it shall live Joh. 5. 25. It seems that the Scripture makes such as are made dead by the Law and poor and blind and naked and wretched and miserable by reason of the Law being pressed upon them and pulling them down with terrour and conviction it seems such a one is the formal Object of mercy such a one to whom mercy is promised I do not mean that he is the formal Object of the invitations of the Gospel that is most certain there is no question of that Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy ladâ—n and you shall find rest to your souls Come unto me all you that are poor and blind and naked and dead and I will give you life have you a hard heart that you cannot free your selves from come unto me and I will free you from it have you no power to repent and believe come unto me and take mercy upon my terms and believe in me whatsoever weaknesse is in you I will strengthen you whatever discomforts and wants lye upon you I will relieve and chear you This is certain the more a man seeth himself a dead man the more he is the formal Object of the invitation of the Gospel But the Question is Whether he is the formal Object of the promises of the Gospel I Answer No There is a great deal of difference between legal Privations and these Privations as they are Evangelical as the Gospel makes Answ them before it quickens a man there is a great deal of difference between a man that is dead and poor and blind and naked and miserable by reason of the Law and a man that hath these privations wrought in him by the power of the Gospel when a man is made dead by the Law and sees himself a lost creature by reason that the Law plainly shews him his estate and condition this man may be a Reprobate for all this and go to hell there is no promise in the Word that God will quicken him and raise him up Christ is free from any promise in this kind he may quicken him if he will and not quicken him if he please I may say in this sense as Christ himself saith Joh. 5. The Son of man quickens whâ—m he will He is free to quicken whom he will though a man be made a dead man by the Law and cry out he is a dead man and a damned man though he hath the works of the Law and be terrified and gastered and humbled by the Law yet Christ is free from any promise he hath made to these people there is never a Promise in all the Word that Christ hath bound himself by to these people to quicken them they cannot say there is such a Promise in the Word that Christ shall quicken them There are plain places in the Scripture wherein the Lord invites such people upon condition they will come and believe and submit to the Gospel there is a conditional invitation upon these terms But that these People shall be quickned and shall have eternal Life given them there in no such Promise the Lord is free the Lord hath not bound himself to it but when a man is dead according as the Gospel makes a man dead before it quickens him and when a man is poor according as the Gospel makes him poor and when a man is blind according as the Gospel makes him blind now a man is within the compasse of Gods Promises he is one that is the formal Object of Mercy he is one that shall have Mercy and shall have Salvation and Redemption by Jesus Christ these dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall live the tongue of these stammerers shall speak plain the eyes of these blind shall see these out-casts shall be gathered these naked shall be cloathed these lost shall be found these poor shall be enriched when a man is dead so as the Gospel deads a man before it quickens a man for the Lord damns a man before he saves a man and kills a man before he quickens him like a good Surgeon that cuts before he cures or like a good Physician that kills a man almost with Physick so the Lord doth bring a man
Law you would think his conceitednesse were gone he was conceited he was a good Christian but now he sees no such matter he was conceited before that he would repent and God would be merciful to him but now he seeth he is utterly deprived of mercy and lies under the wrath of God you would think now that all his conceitedness was gone but it is but only in a swound all this while he lies for dead as it were but he is not dead So take a man that is in Hell all his good conceits of mercy and of himself and his profits and pleasures and vanities and delights they are all gone now What doth Pride profit me What good do Riches do me What have all my Pleasures and Delights done me good All my labour is vanity and all my delights folly one would think all his conceits were clean gone but they are only in a swound If a damned man were out of Hell if the Lord should take off the lash of his Law from him he would have as good a conceit of his Profits and Pleasures and Riches again as ever he had and he would have his carnal Reasons against the strictnesse of Religion again as rise as ever he had they are only laid in a swound indeed there they shall lie a man can never get up again because the Law lies continually upon him he is continually under the lash of the Law and the Law holds this picture before his eyes and shews him his damned estate anâ— condition but upon such a supposition that he might come out of Hell his conceits would rise up again Prov. 5. 12 13. Solomon there brings in a man wrought upon by the Law the Law discovered him to be a dead man How have I hated instruction and despised correction and have not obeyed the voice of them that taught me nor inclined my eare to them that instructed me His carnal Reasons are now all gone they are in a swound they were true Instructions that I have hated they were true Reports that I have despised and they were base and damned Courses which I have followed How have I lived One would think all his foolish conceits now were gone they are in a swound indeed and cannot get up But the Gospel will give a man his deaths wound a man can never have that good conceit of himself he had before nor of his lusts and vanities and profits and delights his self-conceitednesse hath now got his deaths wound Secondly For self-confidence when the Law hath humbled-a man his self-confidence is only in a swound when he lyeth in Hell under the lash of the Law he seemeth to have no power in himself no life or activity to any duty He sees that he is poor and weak and rotten and wretched A poor creature he is he seeth it plainly and all his self-confidence seems to he gone but yet there is a great deal of self-confidence actually in Hell for though they are in Hell yet they think if they were alive again what they would do I would hear the Word and call upon God I would repent and not live in sin and not do as I have done they think they would do thus and thus as it was with Dives Luke 16. 30. I have five brethren saith he if one should come to them from the dead they would repent and not come where I am If they knew but as much as I know they would repent I am sure if they were in my case they would if they were in hell where I am if they knew how certain it is that they shall come to hell where I am when they die unlesse they do repent at the preaching of the Prophets and hearken to the voice of Gods Ministers and yield and submit to God they would do it I would if it were my case This is self-confidence for self-confidence is only laid asleep in Hell and it cannot rise again It is true the Law may dead a man and give him three deaths wounds There are Three Wounds that the Law gives a man First It makes it appear that a man is worthy of death the Law makes him see his guiltinesse Secondly The Law pronounceth upon a sinner the sentence of death as Paul saith of a natural death I received the sentence of death 2 Cor. 1. 9. that is I was a dead man I took my self to be a dead man So the Law doth make a man to be a dead man it pronounceth the sentence of death upon him it doth not only make it appear that he is worthy of death for so it may do and yet he may have hope of mercy but it makes a man receive the sentence of death and to be a dead man If a man be once condemned if the sentence of death be passed upon him then he is without hope that the Judge will save him because the sentence of condemnation is passed upon him A man may see himself worthy of death and yet hope for mercy Rom. 1. 31. Therefore the Law doth pronounce the sentence of death upon him and makes a man in a second degree dead Nay Thirdly The law makes a man see there is no hope of return as it is with a dead man when a man is truly dead there is no return from death there is no rising again as the Wise-man speaks of the strange women Prov. 2. 18 19. Surely her house tendeth to death and her paths unto the dead they that go unto her return not again neither take they hold of the wayes of life Here the Wise-man sets forth the infinite misery and damnable estate of such a creature and the irrecoverableness of such a person without the extraordinary mercy of God Ordinarily such persons are seldom or never brought to repentance ordinarily they are irrecoverable So the Law makes a man see he is guilty of death and it passeth the sentence of condemnation upon him and it makes him see there is no repeal of that sentence thus the law leaves him Now a man would think Can a man be more dead then thus How can a man be more dead Yet he may be a thousand times more dead for the livelynesse of a man is but in a swound all this while a man cannot be brisk and peark and self-conceited he is now laid in a swound but is not stark dead But when a man comes to be Evangelically dead he is more dead a great deale And I will shew you it in these three things 1. First He is most dead that is hardest to recover Now when a man is legally dead it is easie to recover that man let but the lash of the law be taken off let but God let him alone and the profits and pleasures of the world will make him alive again his friends and vanities and delights will put life into him again it is an easie matter to recover this man but let a man be evangelically dead when the Gospel hath deaded a
man he is a thousand times more dead and a great deal harder to recover nothing can recover that man but Christ let all the profits in the world come they cannot chear him without Christ if the devil should come and put into his minde all good conceits and the good opinion of the world If the Ministers should tell him he is in a good estate they cannot quicken his heart he is dead still he is harder a thousand times to be revived then the other as the Apostle saith Col. 3. 2 3. Set your affections on things that be above not on things that are on earth for ye are dead and your life is hid in Christ The Gospel hath made you dead and you cannot be revived by any thing but Christ your life is hid with Christ do not you set your affections on things that are below they can never put life into you therefore let not them take up your minds and affections any more for your life is in Christ alone 2. Secondly He is most dead that life it self cannot make alive When a man is but legally dead the law hath made him a dead man and killed him and shewed him he is a damned creature this man let him have but a little life or any thought of life come into him let him have any affections towards God any seeming desires it will make him think I am alive But if the Gospel once have made a man a dead man life it self cannot quicken him Christ himself cannot make this man a live man in himself though life come into him and though he hath life from God yet hâ— himself is dead I am dead through the law saith Paul that I might live unto God thus I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and that life I now live in the flesh I live by Faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. 19 20. When the Gospel had made him dead for that is the meaning of the words he was not only dead by the law but by the power of the Gospel working by the law Now saith he though I have life and Christ be come into me and lives in me yet I do not live I live but not I but it is Christ that liveth in me I live yet do not mistake me I am a dead man I have no life it is Christ that liveth in me when a man is evangelically dead it makes a man content that God should keep life in his hand and keep the purse in his hand and all in his hand it makes him content to be without strength and ability and to have nothing in his own hand but to have all from the Lord and he saith I am a dead man and if I ever have comfort I have none in my self I must go to Christ for comfort and life and strength and ability and so for power and activity and riches and means and maintenance and every thing it is not my parts and gifts that can help me to them but I must go to Christ to fetch them now it is the desire of mans heart to have life at home he cannot abide to have life in anothers hands and though the law and hell it self proclaim a man a dead man and make a man see himself a dead man yet it cannot kill this Principle a man would have life and strength in his own hand and ability and sufficiency in his own custody we may see this Principle in Gods own Children though this Principle be begun to be killed yet it rests partly in Gods children there is still a secret lust in their hearts to have life and grace and strength in their own keeping and if any child of God be negligent in coming to God it is because of this Principle that remains in him 3. Thirdly He is most dead that death hath most power over Now when a man is legally dead and the law hath made him a dead man though he be a dead man yet death hath no power over him his heart is stubborn still and will not look toward Christ and the Gospel he is still as stubborn as ever he was he will roar and howl and hear every Sermon but still he hath a hard heart the law hath not power to break his heart to powder and to soften his heart but when a man is evangelically dead when the Gospel hath made him dead as it doth before it quickens a man it breaks the sturdinesse of a mans heart and shatters a man all to pieces that is the meaning of that place Psal 147. 3. He healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth up their sores Now he is thus made a dead man it makes his heart to burst under the weight of his sins and it beats him to powder but a man that is onely legally dead he is heart-whole still and his spirit is as stout against the kind working of the Gospel asever it was nay worse a great deal there are none more hardened then those that see themselves dead damned creatures by the power of the law without the power of the Gospel But when the Gospel comes it breaks the heart to powder Isa 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty one He that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place and with him who is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart This man is the object of Mercy that is evangelically dead he is the formal object of mercy Why because he is dead with such a kind of death as hath gotten power over him power to break his heart to make it an humble and contrite heart now saith the Lord I will revive such a man This man is the formal object of mercy and into him eternal life will come 2. The Second thing I promised to shew you is the difference between these two between legal and evangelical Privation Between one that is legally dead and one that is dead as the Gospel deads a man before it quickens him 1. First He that is legally dead lies all along in his death but when the Gospel makes a man a dead man it makes him stand up that he might have life Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life He doth not mean stand up from being dead but stand up from the dead and then Christ shall give thee life he means such a standing up from the dead as before Christ gives him life the Gospel doth thus far awaken a man though he be more dead a thousand times then he that is dead by the law yet thus far it quickens him that he stands up from his secure estate when the law comes and shews a man that he is a dead man he still lies under his sins he is a dead man and cannot stand up that Christ may give him life
That is the First thing 2. Secondly He that is legally dead made dead only by the law he is deaf to the Gospel but when a man is evangelically dead it boars his ears and makes him hear the voice of the Word and not only so but the voice of Christ in the Word Isa 55. 3. Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your soul shall live He calls those that were evangelically dead Hear and your soul shall live they are made able to hear Let their profits and old courses and old companions come and tempt them to walk as they have done they are deaf of that ear they cannot go that way to work no now their ears are open heaven-wards seek the Lord and you shall live Amos 5. 6. They are made to seek the Lord thus much life they have though they are more dead in regard of their own misery then one that is dead by the law yet thus much life they have put into them that they will go and seek unto God in the use of the means and follow him up and down and nothing will satisfy the heart but Christ they leave no stone unroled they seek up and down every where 3. Thirdly He that is legally dead it is a kind of death to love but he that is evangelically dead it is a death of love when the Church in the Canticles was but sensible of the countenance of Christ she was presently sick of love I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my welbeloved tell him that I am sick of love Cant. 5. There is a great deal of difference between sicknesse and death death is a total privation of life sicknesse is but a partial privation now when the Gospel hath wrought upon a man that he hath some of Christ and is not deprived of all that privation makes him sick of love but when the Gospel makes a man see he is dead and altogether deprived of Christ now he is dead of love when a man is legally dead this is his death that he is damned and must go to hell this is his death that he hath no mercy not that he hath not grace and holiness and Christ but if a man be evangelically dead this is his death that he hath not Christ The Use is this If there be any that the law hath made dead rest not Vse there but labour that the Gospel may make you dead also when thou art humbled by the law thou mayest think that mercy is prepared for thee but thy lusts may recover again and that damned life that is in thee may recover again therefore labour to be more deaded by the Gospel that thou mayest have a total death begun in thee that thou mayest have thy deaths wound given thee deep not only to be in a swound but to be dead indeed Joh. 11. Christ staid four dayes after Lazarus was dead before he would raise him because he would have him irrecoverably dead before he would raise him Lord saith Martha he stinketh fâ—r he hath been dead four dayes vers 39. If he had raised him sooner his glory had not been so great so thou must labour to be dead in deed and to be buried and to be loathsome and abominable and then Christ will quicken thee It is certain that Gods Children have some of this death wrought in them before they are quickned at all for death is before quickning in order of nature there must be a corruption of one thing before there can be a generation of another there must be a privation of one form before there can be an introduction of another A child of God must be dead before he can be quickned Now then if he will have more life he must labour to be dead more and more now thou must labour to have this death truly begun to be wrought in thee thou must labour to have the love of this world and self-conceitednesse altogether dead in thee Hos 6. 2. After two dayes will he revive us and the third day will he raise us up and we shall live in his sight A man may be alive though he have been seemingly dead twenty four hours therefore it is a good custom among us to keep men near two dayes before we bury them that we may be sure they are throughly dead for there are many have been buried alive so after two dayes he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up when a man is dead indeed and hath his liveliness throughly killed in him then God will revive him if he should revive him before his glory would not be so great if he should revive him before he were quite dead when Ahab humbled himself and put on sackcloth and went softly a man would have thought he had been dead but in the next Chapter 1 King 2â— we may see he is alive again So Ananias and Sapphira one would have thought their covetousnesse had been dead whether they were any Acts 5. of the three thousand that were pricked at Peters Sermon I dispute not but they were pricked and made sensible of their damned estate and pretended to lay down all at the Apostles feet one would have thought their covetousness had been dead but yet it was alive therefore labour that the Gospel may make thee throughly dead THE SPIRITUAL WATCH 2 Tim. 4. 5. Watch thou in all things IN the verses going before we have 1. The charge that the Apostle gives to Timothy ver 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ that shall judge the quick and the dead There are many duties we are loath to come unto and are tempted from so that we have need of all strong cords to draw us to them 2. We have the thing he gives him this charge for and that is ver 2. Preach the Word in season and out of season c. which duty strongly lyeth upon the Ministers of the Gospel to hold forth the Word of God to edifie and convert mens souls 3. Here is the reason why he gives him this charge and that is in the third and fourth verses For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine c. The more danger there is among people the more instant should Ministers be to preach the Word unto the conscience Now in the verse I have read unto you the Apostle perswades Timâ—thy to watchfulnesse as who should say Though others be careless and negligent yet I would have thee to be watchful consider thou art a Watchman Every Christian is to watch over his own wayes and those that are committed to his charge but Ministers are watchmen over their people therefore here is a double reason to move him to watchfulness both in regard of his own soul and the people he was set over Mark 13. 37. our Saviour saith What I say to you I say to all Watch. And what Paul saith here to Timothy I may say to