suffer or fly God hath made good that promise in Jeremie he hath revealed to us abundance of peace and truth and we through ingratitude have ferfeited both Our peace is shaken and who can promise himself with Hezekiah there shall be peace and truth in my dayes Peace may faile thee but let not Truth Every good Christian may and should say with the good King there shall be Truth in my daies if not peace and truth I will so far honor truth as to receive the love of it I will hold it fast by faith hold it forth by practise praise God daily for it and venture all in defence of it So did the Martyrs whose memory is sweete and whose reward is great It is better suffering for truth then with truth yet if Truth must suffer or can die better it is to dye with Truth then out-live it But that Truth may live and we live by truth let us magniâ—ie God much for truth for his word and good bookes that spring thence Some pâ—obably may say it s enâ—ugh to praisâ— God for his word other books are not â—â—nti Wilt thou praise God â—or the Seâ— and â—e unthankfull for the rivers and springs Wilt thou lift up thy voyce for the great Waters and be silent for the silver drops and showers If the former raiâ—e affect thee be not ingratefull for the latter God would have men to value his servants and praise him for their labours But they have errors in them Be it so shall we refuse to praise God for the Flowers and the corne because there be some weeds in the garden and thistles in the field Prejudice not thy selfe buy reade take thy delight here is a garden without weeds a corne field without Cockle or darnell thorne or thistle Art thou a Sincere Convert here are truths sutable solid and wholsome thou maiest feed and feast without feare The Authour is one of singular piety inward acquaintance with God skild in the deceits of mens hearts able to enlighten the darke corners of the little world and to give satisfaction to staggering spirits His worke needs not the purple of anothers commendation to adorne it But because custome not necessity for it's truths prorogative to travaile without a pasport I say because Customo causeth Truth to crave and to carry Epistles Commendatory know that the worke is weighty quick and spirituall and if thine eye be single in perusing it thou shalt find many precious soule-searching soule-quickning and soule-enriching truths in it yea be so warned and awakned is that thou canst not but blesse God for the man and matter unlesse thou be possest with a dumbe devill To conclude Christian Reader take heed of unthankfulnesse spirituall mercies should have the quickest and fullest praises Such is this worke thou foresawâ—est it not thou contributedst nothing to the birth of it It 's a preventing mercy By it and other of the same nature od hath made knowledge to abound the waters of the Sanctuary are daily increased and growne deepe Let not the waters of the Sanctnary put out the fire of the Sanctuary If there be no praise there is no fire If thy head be like a winters Sunne full of light and heart like a winters earth without fruit feare Iest thy light end in utter darkenesse and the tree of knowledge deprive thee of the tree of life The Lord grant thou mayest finde such benefit by this worke as that thy heart may be ravished with truth and raised to praise God to purpose and made to pray Lord still send forth thy light and truth that they may leade us So prayes Thine in Christ W. Greenhill An Introduction to the Worke. THe knowledge of Divinity is necessary for all sorts of men both to settle and establish the good and to convert and fetch in the bad Gods principles pull downe Satans false Principles set up in mens heads loved and beleeved with mens hearts and defended by their Tongues whilest strong holds remaine unshaken the Lord JESVS is kept off from conquering of the soule Now Spirituall Truths are either such as tend to enlarge the understanding or such as may worke chiefly upon the affections I passe by in this knowing age the first of these and being among a people whose hearts are hard enough I being with the latter sort For the Vnderstanding although it may literally yet it never savingly entertaines any truth untill the Affections be therewith smitten and wrought upon I shall therefore here prosecute the unfolding of these Divine Principles First that there is one most glorious God Secondly that this God made all mankind at first in Adam in a most glorious estate Thirdly that all mankind is now fallen from that estate into a bottomlesse gulfe of sinne and misery Fourthly that the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely means of Redemption out of this estate Fifthly that those that are saved out of this wofull estate by Christ are very few and these few are saved with much difficulty Sixthly that the greatest cause why so many dye and perish in this estate is from themselves either 1. By Reason of their bloudy Ignorance they know not their misery or 2. By reason of their Carnall security they feele not they groane not under their sinne and misery 3. By reason of their Carnall confidence they seeke to helpe themselves out of their misery by their own duties when they see or feele it or 4. By reason of their false faith whereby they catch hold upon and trust unto the merits of Christ too soone when they see and feele they cannot helpe themselves The Contents of this Treatise THat there is a God Page 3 4. That this God is most Glorious p. 16. The happinesse of them that forsake all for this God p. 15. A Discovery of Atheisme p. 10. Whence terrors of Conscience arise p. 8. An Explanation of Gods Attributes p. 17. We should make God to be Our God p. 14. God made all Mankind at first in a glorious and happy estate p. 25. Wherein this glory or blessednesse of man did appeare p. 26. How Adams estate was Ours p. 29. Wee are more perfectly righteous in Christ then we could ever have beene in Adam p. 32. How to get the Image of God renewed in us p. 40. A Discovery of such as content themselves with a certaine measure of holinesse p. 34. How justly God may require perfect obedience to all the Law of every man and curse him if he cannot performe it p. 30. Mans misery in respect of Sin p. 42. Every naturall man is dead while hee lives p. 48. The haynousnesse of Adams sin p. 96. Sinnes of the Heart are worse then sins of the Life p. 55. Every Action of wicked men is sinfull p. 57. Whether good duties ought to be performed by naturall men seeing their best Actions are siâ—nes p. 61. Mans misery in respect of the Consequents of sinne p. 63. Mans fearefull flavery under Sathan p. 67. How to
the roome of God aswell by making himselfe his finis uttimus as if he should make himself primum principium Sin is a forsaking or departing from God Now every naturall man remaining alwayes in a state of separation from God because hee alwayes wants the bond of union which is Faith is alwaies sinning Gods curse lyes upon him therefore hee brings out nothing but briers and thornes Object But thou wilt say if our praying and hearing bee sinne why should we doe these duties wee must not sinne Answer 1. Good duties are good in themselves although comming from thy vile heart they are sinnes 2. It is lesse sinne to doe them than to omit them therefore it thou wilt go to hell goe in the fairest path thou canst in thither 3. Venture and try it may be God may heare not for thy prayers sake but for his names sake The unjust Iudge holpe the poore widow not because hee loved her or her suite but because of her importunitie and so be sure thou shalt have nothing if thou doest not seeke what though thou beest a dog yet thou art alive and art for the present under the Table Catch not at Christ snatch not at his bread but waite till God give thee him it may be thou maiest have him one day Oh wonder then at Gods patience that thou livest one day longer who hast all thy lifetime like a filthy Toade spet thy venome in the face of God that hee hath never beene quiet for thee oh looke upon that black bill that will one day be put in against thee at the great day of account where thou must answer with flames of fire about thine eares not only for thy drunkennesse thy bloody oathes and whoring but for all the actions of thy short life and just so many actions so many fins Thou hast painted thy face over now with good dueties and good desires and a little honesty amongst some men is of that worth and raritie that they thinke God is beholding to them if hee can get any good action from them But when thy painted face shall be brought before the fire of Gods wrath then thy vilenesse shall appeare before men and Angels Oh know it that as thou doest nothing else but sinne so God heapes up wrath against the dreadfull day of wrath Thus much for mans misery in regard of sinne Now followeth his misery in regard of the consequents or miseries that follow upon sinne And these are 1. Present 2. Future First Mans present miseries that already lie on him for sinne are these seven that is First God is his dreadfull enemy Psal. 5. 5. Quest. How may one know another to be his enemy Ans. 1. By their lookes 2. By their threats 3. By their blowes So God 1. Hides his face from every naturall man and will not looke upon him Isay 59. 2. 2. God threatens nay curseth every naturall man Gal. 3. 10. 3. God gives them heavie bloudie lashes on their soules and bodies Never tell me therefore that God blesseth thee in thine outward estate no greater signe of Gods wrath then for the Lord to give thee thy swinge as a Father never lookes after a desperate Sonne but lets him run where he pleases And if God be thine enemy then every creature is so too both in Heaven and Earth Secondly God hath forsaken them and they have lost God Ephes. 2. 12. It 's said that in the grievous famine of Samaria Doves dung was sold at a large price because they wanted bread Oh! men live and pine away without GOD without bread and therefore the dung of worldly contentments are efteemed so much of Thou hast lost the sight of God and the favour of God and the speciall protection of God and the government of God Caines punishment lyes upon thee in thy naturall estate thou art a Runagate from the face of God and from his face thou art hid Many have growne madde to see their houses burnt and all their goods lost Oh but God the greatest good is lost This losse made Saul cry out in distresse of conscience 1. Sam. 28. 15. The Philistians make warre against me and God is departed from me the losse of the sweetnesse of whose presence for a little while onely made the Lord Jesus himselfe cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me whereas thou hast lost God all thy life time Oh thou hast an heart of brasse that canst not mourne for his absence so long The damned in hell have lost God and know it and so the plague of desperate horrour lyeth upon them thou hast lost God here but knowest it not and the plague of an hard heart lyeth upon thee that thou canst not mourne for this losse Thirdly They are condemned men coÌ„demned in the court of Gods justice by the law which cryes treason treason against the most high God condemned by justice merey by the Gospel which cryes murder murder against the sonne of God Iohn 3. 18. so that every naturall man is damned in Heaven and damned on earth God is thy allâ—seeing terrible Iudge Conscience is thine accuser an heavie witnesse His word is thy Iayle thy lusts are thy Fetters In this Bible is pronounced and writ thy doome thy sentence Death is thy hangman and that fire that shall never goe out thy torment The Lord hath in his infinite patience reprived thee for a time O take heed and get a pardon before the day of execution come Fourthly being condemned take him Iaylor he is a bondslave to Satan Eph. 2. 3. for his servants yee are whom ye obey saith Christ. Now every naturall man doth the Devillsâ—drudgery and carries the Devillspack and howsoever he saith he defyeth the Devill yet he sinnes and so doth his worke Satan hath overcome and conquered all men in Adam and therefore under his bondage and dominion And though he cannot compell a man to sin against his will yet he hath 1 Power First to present and allure a mans heart by a sinfull temptation Secondly to follow him with it if at first he be something shie of it Thirdly to disquiet and wrack him if he will not yeeld as might be made to appeare in many instances Fourthly besides he knowes mens humours as poore wandering beggerly Gentlemen doe their friends in necessitie yet in seeming courtesie he visits and applyes himselfe unto them and so gaines them as his owne Oh he is in a fearefull slavery who is under Satans dominion who is 1. A secret enemy to thee 2. A deceitfull enemy to thee that will make a man beleeve as he did Evah even in her integrity that he is in a faire way yet most miserable 3. He is a cruell enemy or Lord over them that be his slaves 2 Cor. 4. 3. he gaggs them so that they cannot speake as that man that had a dumbe devill neither for God nor to God in prayer he starves them so as no
sinne is onely againe sin because it is a troubling or a damning sinne The striving of the spirit against the flesh is from a deadly hatred of sinne Rom. 7. 15. But thy striving of conscience against sinne is onely from a feare of the danger of sinne for Balaam had a mind to curse the Israelites for his monies sake but if he might have had an house full of silver and gold which is a goodly thing in a covetous eye it is said hee durst not curse them Thirdly In judging of the sincerity of the heart by some good affection in the heart Hence many a deluded soule reasons the case out thus with himselfe Either J must be a prophane man or an Hypocrite or an upright man Not profane I thanke God for I am not given to whoring drinking oppression swearing Nor Hypocrite for I hate these shewes I cannot indure to appeare better without then I am within therefore I am upright Why Oh because mine heart is good mine affections desires within are better then my life without and what ever others judge of me I know mine own heart the heart is all that God desires And thus they foole themselves Prov. 28. 26. This is one of the greatest causes and grounds of mistake amongst men that thinke best of themselves they are not able to put a difference betweene the good desires and strong affections that arise from the love of Jesus Christ. Selfe-love will make a man seeke his own good and safety hence it will pull a man out of his bed betimes in the morning and call him up to pray it will take him and cary him into his chamber towards evening and there privately make him seeke and pray and tug hard for pardon for Christ for mercy Lord evermore give us of this bread But the love of Christ makes a man desire Christ and his honour for himselfe all other things for Christ. It is true the desires of Sonnes in Christ by faith are accepted ever but the desire of servants men that worke onely for their wages out of Christ are not Fourthly In judging of Gods love to them by aiming sometimes at the glory of God Is this possible that a man should aime at Gods glory and yet perish Yes and ordinary too A man may be liberall to the poore maintaine the Ministery be forward and stand for good things whence he may not doubt but that God loves him But here is the difference though a wicked man may make Gods glory in some particular things his end yet he never makes it in his generall course his utmost and last end A subtle Apprentice may doe all his Masters work but he may take the gaine to himselfe or divide it betwixt his Master and himselfe and so may be but a Knave as observant as he seemes to be So a subtle heart yet a vile villanous heart may forsake all the world as Iudas did may binde himselfe Apprentice to all the duties God requireth outwardly at his hands and so doe good works but what 's his last end It 's that hee might gaine respect or place or that Christ may have some part of the glory and he another Simon Magus would give any money sometimes that he could pray so well know so much and doe as others doe and yet his last end is for himselfe but how can you beleeve if you seeke not that glory that comes from God sayes Christ there 's many seeke the honour of Christ but doe you seeke his honour onely Is it your last end where you rest and seeke no more but that If thou wouldest know whether thou makest Christs glory thy last end observe this Rule If thou art more grieved for the eclipse of thine owne honour and for thine owne losses then for the losse of Gods honour it is an evident signe thou lovest it not desirest it not as thy chiefest good as the last end for thy summum bonum and therefore doest not seeke Gods honour in the prime and chiefest place Sinne troubled Paul more than all the plagues and miseries of the world Indeed if thy name be dashed with disgrace and thy will be crossed thy heart is grieved and disquieted but the Lord may lose his honour daily by thine owne sinnes and those that be round about thee but not a teare not a sigh not a groane to behold such a spectacle As sure as the Lord lives thou seekest not the Lords name or honour as thy greatest good Fifthly In judging the power of sinne to be but infirmitie for if any thing trouble an unregenerate man and makes him call his estate into question it is sinne either in the being or power of it Now sinne in the being ought noâ— must not make a man question his estate because the best have that left in them that will humble them and make them live by faith therefore the power of sinne onely can trouble a man Now if a man doe judge of this to be onely but infirmitie which the best are compassed about withall hee cannot but lie downe securely and thinke himselfe well And if this errour be setled in one that lives in no one knowne sinne it is very difficult to remove for let the Minister cast the sparkes of hell in their faces and denounce the terrour of God against them they are never stirred why because they thinke here 's for you that live in sinne but as for themselves although they have sinnes yet they strive against them and so cannot leave them for we must have sinne as long as we live here they say Now marke it there 's no surer signe of a man under the bloudy raigne and dominion of his lusts and sinnes than this that is to give way to sinne though never so little and common nor to be greatly troubled for sinne for they may be a little troubled because they cannot overcome sinne I deny not but the best doe sinne daily yet this is the disposition of Paul and every child of God he mourneth not the lesse but the more for sinne though he cannot quite subdue them cast them out and overcome them As a prisoner mournes the more that he is bound with such fetters he cannot breake so doth eyery one truely sensible of his woefull captivitie by sinne This is the great difference between a raging sinne a man will part with all and a sinne of infirmity a man cannot part withall a sinne of infirmitie is such a sinne as a man would but cannot part with it and hence he mournes the more for it A raging sinne is such a sinne as a man happily by vertue of his lashing conscience would sometimes part withall but cannot and hence mournes the lesse for it and gives way unto it Now for the Lords sake take heede of this deceit for I tell you those sinnes you cannot part withall if you groane not day and night under them saying O Lord helpe me for I am weary of my selfe
in their flattering hope Hence observe those people that feldome come to a conclusion to a point that either they are in the state of grace or out of it that never come to be affected but remaine secure in their condition they commonly grow to this desperate conclusion that they hope God will be mercifull unto them if not they cannot helpe it like the man that had on his Target the picture of God and the Devill under the first he writ si tu non vis if thou wilt not under the other he writ ipse rogitat here 's one will Ninthly because men bring not their hearts under the hammer of Gods word to be broken they never bring their consciences to be cut Hence they goe on still securely with festered consciences Men put themselves above the word and their hearts above the hammer they come not to have the Minister to humble them but to judge of him or to pick some pretty fine thing out of the word and so remaine secure sotts all their dayes for if ever thy heart be broken and thy conscience be awaked the word must doe it but people are so Sermoâ—trodden that their hearts like foot-paths grow hard by the word Tenthly because men consider not of Gods wrath daily nor the horrible nature of sinne men chew not these pills hence they never come to be affected nor awakened Awaken therefore all you secure creatures feele your misery that so you may get out of it Dost thou know thine estate is naught and that thy condemnation will be fearefull if ever thou dost perish and is thine heart secretly secure so damnably dead so desperately hard that thou hast no heart to come out of it whatâ— no sigh no teares canst thou carry all thy sinnes upon thy backe like Sampson the gates of the Citie and make a light matter of them Dost thou see hell fire before thee and yet wilt venture art thou worse than a beast which we cannot beare nor drive into the fire if there be any way to escape oh get thine heart to lament mourne under thy miseries who knowes then but the Lord may pitty thee But oh hard heart thou canst mourne for losses and crosses burning of goods and houses yet though God be lost and his image burnt downe and all is gone thou canst not mourne If thine heart were truely affected the pillow would be washed with thy teares and the wife in thy bosome would be witnesse to thine heart-breakings in mid-night for those sinnes which have grieved the spirit of God many a time thou couldest not sleepe quietly nor comfortably without assurance If you were sicke to death Physitians should heare how you doe and if you were humbled we should have you in the bitternesse of your spirits cry out What shall we doe but know it thou must mourne here or in hell If God broke Davids bones for his adultery and the Angels backes for their pride the Lord if ever he saves thee will breake thine heart too Quest. But thou wilt say how shall I doe to get mine heart affected with my misery Answ. Take a full view of thy misery 2. Take speciall notice of the Lords readinesse and willingnesse to receive thee yet unto mercy for two things harden the heart 1. false hope whereby a man hopes he is not so bad as indeed he is â— No hope whereby a man when he seeth himselfe so notoriously bad thinkes there is no willingnesse in the Lord to pardon or receive such a monster of men to mercy and if neither the hammer can breake thy stony heart nor the Sunshine of mercy melt it thou hast an heart worse than the Devill and art a spectacle of the greatest misery 1. In regard of sinne 2. in regard of Gods wrath First in regard of sinne Thou hast sinned and that grievously against a great God thou makest no great matter of this No but though it be no loade to thee it 's a loade on the Lords heart Isa. 1. 24. and time will come he will make the whole sinfull world by rivers of fire and bloud to know what an evill it is For 1. In every sin thou dost strike God and fling a dagger at the heart of God 2. In every sin thou dost spight against God for if there were but one onely thing wherein a man could doe his friend a displeasure was not here spight seene if he did that thing Now tell me hath not the Lord beene a good friend unto thee Tell mee wherein hath hee grieved thee and tell me in what one thing canst thou please the devill and doe God a displeasure but by sinne yet O hard heart thou makest nothing of it but consider thirdly in every sin thou dost disthrone God and setteth thy selfe above God for in every sinne this question is put whose will shall be done Gods will or mans Now man by sinne sets up his owne will above the Lords and so kicks God blessed for ever adored of millions of Saints and Angels as filth under his feet What will this breake your hearts Consider then of Gods wrath the certainty of it the unsupportablenesse of it how that dying in thy sinnes and secure estate it shall fall for when men cry Peace Peace then commeth sudden destruction at unawares pray therefore to God to reveale this to thee that thine heart may breake under it Secondly consider of the Lords mercy and readinesse to save thee who hath prepared mercy and inâ—reates thee to take it and waiteth every day for thee to that end The third Reason of mans ruine is that carnall confidence whereby men seeke to save themselves and to scramble out of their miserable estate by their owne duties and performances when they doe feele themselves miserable the soule doth as those Hos. 5. 13. men when they be wounded and troubled they never look after Jesus Christ but goe to their owne waters to heale themselves like hunted Harts when the arrow is in them Rom. 9. 31 32. For the opening of this point I shall shew you these two things 1. Wherein this resting in Duties appeares 2. Why doe men rest in themselves First this resting in Duties appeares in these Eleven degrees 1. The soule of a poore sinner if ignorantly bred and brought up rests confidently in superstitious vanities Aske a devout Papist how he hopes to be saved he will answer By his good workes But enquire further what are these good workes why for the most part superstitious ones of their owne inventions for the Crow thinkes her owne bird fairest as whipping themselves pilgrimage fasting mumbling over their Pater-nosters bowing downe to Images and Crosses 2. Now these being banished from the Church and Kingdome then men stand upon their titular profession of the true Religion although they be Devills incarnate in their lives Looke up and down the Kingdome you shall see some roaring drinking dicing carding whoring in Tavernes and
heart I am the poorest vilest basest and blindest creature that ever lived If thou doest not thus feele thy selfe poore thou never camest out of thy duties For when the Lord bringeth any man to Christ he bringeth him empty that so he may make him be holding to Christ for every farthing token Fourthly those that gaine no Evangelicall righteousnesse by duties reâ—t in duties I say Evangelicall righteousnes that is more prizing of acquaintance with desire after loving delighting in union with the Lord Jesus Christ for a morall man may grow in legall righteousnesse as the stony and thorny ground seede sprang up and increased much and came neere unto maturitie and yet rest in duties all this while For as it is with tradesmen they rest in their buying and selling though they make no gaine of their trading now Jesus Christ is a Christians gaine Phil. 1. 21. and hence a childe of God askes himselfe after Sermon after prayer after Sacrament what have I gained of Christ have I got more knowledge of Christ more admiring of the Lord Iesus Now a carnall heart that rests in his duties asketh onely what he hath done as the Pharisee I thanke God I am not as other men I fast twice a weeke I give almes and the like and thinkes verily he shall be saved because he prayes and because he heares and because he reformes and because he sorrowes for his sinnes that is not because of the gaining of Christ in a dutie but because of his naked performance of the duty and so they are like that man that I have heard of that thought verily he should be rich because he had got a wallet to beg so men because they performe duties thinke verily they shall be saved No such matter let a man have a bucket made of gold doth he thinke to get water because he hath a bucket No no he must let it downe into the well draw up water with it so must thou let downe all thy duties into Christ draw life and light from his fulnesse else though thy duties be golden duties thou shalt perish without Christ. When a man hath bread in his wallet and got water in his bucket he may boldly say so long as these last I shall not â—amish so mayst thou say when thou hast found and got Christ in the performance of any duty so long as Christs life lasteth I shall live as long as he hath any wisdome or power so long shall I be directed and enabled in well doing Fifthly if thy duties make thee sin more boldly thou dost then rest in duties for these duties which carry a man out of himselfe unto Christ ever fetch power against sinne but duties that a man rests in arme him and fence him in his sinne Isa. 1. 14. A cart that hath no wheeles to rest on can hardly be drawne into the dirt but one that hath wheeles commeth loaded through it so a child of God that hath no wheeles no duties to rest upon cannot willingly be drawne into sinne but another man though he be loaden with sinne even sometimes against his conscience yet having duties to beare him up goeth merrily on in a sinfull course makes no bones of sinne when we see a base man revile a great Prince strike him we say surely he durst not doe it unlesse he had some body to beare him out in it that he rests and trusts unto so when wee see men sinne against the great God we conceive certainly they durst not doe it if they had not some duties to beare them out in it and to encourage them in their way that they trust unto For take a prophane man what makes him drink sweare cozen game whore Is there no God to punish Is there no hell hot enough to torment are there no plagues to confound him yes why â—inneth he then so Oh! he prayeth to God for forgivenesse and sorroweth and repents in secret as he â—aith and this beares him out in his lewd pranks Take a morall man he knowes he hath his failings and his sinnes as the best have and is overtaken sometimes as the best are why doth he not remove these sinnes then He confesseth them to God every morning when he riseth why is he not more humbled under his sinne then the reason is he constantly observeth morning and evening prayer then he craves forgivenesse for his failings by which course he hopes he makes his peace with God and hence he sinneth without seare and riseth out of his falls into sinne without sorrow And thus they see and maintaine their sinnes by their duties and therefore rest in duties Sixthly those that see little of their vile hearts by duties rest in their duties For if a man be brought nearer to Christ and to the light by duties he will spy out more moats for the more a man participates of Christ his health and life the more he feeleth the vilenesse and sicknesse of sinne As Paul when he rested in his duties before his conversion before that the Law had humbled him he was alive that is he thought himselfe a sound man because his duties covered his sinnes like fig-leaves Therefore ask thine own heart if it be troubled sometimes for sinne and if after thy praying and sorrowing thou doest grow well and thinkest thy selfe safe and feelest not thy selfe more vile If it be thus I tell thee thy duties be but fig-leaves to cover thy nakednesse and the Lord will find thee out and unmaske thee one day and woe to thee if thou dost perish here Secondly Therefore behold the insufficiency of all duties to save us Which will appeare in these three things which I speake that you may learne hereafter never to rest in duties First Consider thy best duties are tainted poysoned and mingled with some sinne and therefore are most odious in the eyes of an holy God nakedly barely considered in themselves for if the best actions of Gods people be filthy as they come from them then to be sure all wicked mens actions are much more filthy polluted with sin but the first is true All our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges for as the fountaine is so is the streame but the fountaine of all good actions that is the heart is mingled partly with sin partly with grace therfore every action participates of some sin which sins are daggers at Gods heart even when a man is praying and begging for his life therefore there is no hope to be saved by duties Secondly Suppose thou couldest performe them without sinne yet thou couldest not hold out in doing so I say 40. 6. All flesh and the glory thereof is but grasse So thy best actions would soone wither if they were not perfect and if thou canst not persevere in performing all duties perfectly thou art for ever undone though thou shouldest doe so for a time live like an Angel shine like a Sunne and at thy last
gaspe have but an idle thought commit the least sin that one rocke will sinke thee downe even in the haven though never so richly loaden one sin like a pen-knife at the heart will stab thee one sinne like a little fire-stick in the thatch will burne thee one act of treason will hang thee though thou hast lived never so devoutly before Ezek. 18. 24. For it 's a crooked life when all the parts of the line of thy life be not straight before almighty God Thirdly suppose thou shouldest persevere yet it 's cleare thou hast sinned grievously already and dost thou think thine obedience for the time to come can satisfie the Lord for all those Rents behind for all those sinnes past as can a man that payes his Rent honestly every yeare satisfie hereby for the old rent not payed in twenty yeares all thy obedience is a new debt which cannot satisfie for debts past Indeed men may forgive wrong and debts because they be but finite but the least sin is an infinite evill and therefore God must be satisfied for it Men may remit debts and yet remaine men but the Lord having said the soule that sinneth shall die and his truth being himselfe he cannot remaine God if he forgive it without satisfaction Therfore duties are but rotten crutches for a soule to rest upon But to what end should we use any duties cannot a man be saved by his good prayers nor sorrowes nor repentings what should wee pray any more then Let us cast off all duties if all are to no purpose to save us As good play for nothing as worke for nothing Though thy good duties cannot save thee yet thy bad workes will damne thee Thou art therefore not to cast off the duties but thy resting in these duties Thou art not to cast them away but to cast them downe at the feet of Jesus Christ as they did their crownes Rev. 4. 10 11. Saying if there be any good or graces in these duties it 's thine Lord for it is the Princes favour that exalts a man not his owne gifts they came from his good pleasure But thou wilt say to what end should I performe duties if I cannot be saved by them For these three ends 1. 1. To carry thee to the Lord Jesus the onely Saviour Heb. 7. 25. he onely is able to save not duties all that come unto God that is in the use of means by him heare a Sermon to carry thee to Jesus Christ Fast and pray and get a full tide of affections in them to carry thee to the Lord Jesus Christ that is to get a more love to him more acquaintance with him more union with him so sorrow for thy sins that thou mayest be more fitted for Christ that thou mayest prize Christ the more use thy duties as Noah's dove did her wings to carry thee to the Arke of the Lord Jesus Christ where onely there is rest If shee had never used her wings shee had fallen in the waters so if thou shalt use no duties but cast them all off thou art sure to perish Or as it is with a poore man that is to goe over a great water for a treasure on the other side though he cannot fetch the boate he calls for it and though there be no treasure in the boate yet he useth the boate to carry him over to the treasure so Christ is in heaven and thou on earth he doth not come to thee and thou canst not goe to him now call for a boate though there is no grace no good no salvation in a pithlesse dutie yet use it to carry thee over to the treasure the Lord Jesus Christ. When thou comest to heare say Have over Lord by this Sermon When thou comest to pray say Have over Lord by this prayer to a Saviour But this is the misery of people like foolish lovers when they are to woe for the Lady they fall in love with her handmaid that is onely to leade them to her so men fall in love with and doate upon their owne duties and rest contented with the naked performance of them which are onely handmaids to leade the soule unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly use duties as evidences of Gods everlasting love to you when you be in Christ for the graces and duties of Gods people although they be not causes yet they be tokens and pledges of salvation to one in Christ they doe not save a man but onely accompany follow such a man as shall be saved Heb. 6. 9. Let a man boast of his Ioyes feelings gifts spirit grace if he walks in the commission of any one sin or the omâ—ssion of any one knowne duty or in the slovenly ill favoured performance of duties this man I say can have no assurance without flattering of himselfe 2 Pet. 1. 8 9 10. Duties therefore being evidences and pledges of salvation use them to that end and make much of them therefore as a man that hath faire evidence for his Lordship because he did not purchase his Lordship will he therefore cast it away no no because it is an evidence to assure him that it is his owne and so to defend him against all such as seeke to take it from him he will carefully preserve the same so because duties do not save thee wilt thou cast away good duties No for they are evidences if thou art in Christ that the Lord and mercy is thine owne Women will not cast away their love-tokens although they are such things as did not purchase or merit the love of their husbaÌ„ds but because they are tokens of his love therfore they will keep them safe That God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may be honoured by the performance of these duties therefore use them Christ shed his bloud that he might purchase unto himselfe a people zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. not to save our soules by them but to honour him Oh! let not the bloud of Christ be shed in vaine Grace good duties are a Christians Crowne it is sin onely makes a man base now shall a King cast away his Crowne because he bought not his Kingdome by it No because it is his Ornament and glory to weare it when he is made a King so I say unto thee it 's better that Christ should be honoured than thy soule saved and therefore performe duties because they honour the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus use thy duties but rest not in duties nay goe out of duties match thy soule to the Lord Jesus take him for better for worse so live in him and upon him all thy dayes Fourthly By reason of mans head-strong Presumption or false faith whereby men seeke to save themselves by catching hold on Christ when they see an insufficiency in all duties to helpe them and themselves unworthy of mercy For this is the last most dangerous rock that these times are split upon
Men make a bridge of their own to carry them to Christ I meane they looke not after faith wrought by an omnipotent power which the eternall Spirit of the Lord Jesus must worke in them but they coÌ„tent themselves with a faith of their own forging and framing and hence they thinke verily and beleeve that Christ is their sweet Saviour and so doubt not but they are safe when there is no such matter but even as dogs they snatch away childrens bread and shall be shut out of doores out of heaven hereafter for ever for their labour All men are of this opinion that there is no salvation but by the merits of Jesus Christ and because they hold fast this opinion therefore they thinke they hold fast Iesus Christ in the hand of faith and so perish by catching at their owne catch and hanging on their owne fancy and shadow Some others catch hold of Christ before they come to feele the want of Faith and abilitie to beleeve and catching hold on him like dust on a mans coate whom God will shake off or like burrs and bryers cleaving to ones garment which the Lord will trample under foot now they say they thanke God they have got comfort by this means and though God killeth them yet they will trust unto him Mich. 3. 11. It is in this respect a harder matter to convert a man in England than in India for there they have no such shifts and forts against our Sermons to say they beleeve in Christ already as most amongst us doe wee cannot wrap off mens fingers from catching hold on Christ before they be fit for him like a company of theeves in the street you shall see an hundred hands scrambling for a jewell that is fallen there that have least nay nothing to doe with it Every man saith almost I hope Christ is mine I put my whole trust and confidence in him and will not be beaten from this What must a man despaire must not a man trust unto Christ thus men will hope and trust though they have no ground no graces to prove they may lay hold and claime unto Christ. This hope skared out of his wits damnes thousands for I am perswaded if men did see themselves Christlesse creatures as well as sinfull creatures they would cry out Lord what shall I doe to be saved True faith is a precious faith 2 Pet. 1. 2. precious things cost us much we set them at an high rate if thy Faith be so it hath cost thee many a prayer many a sob many a salt teare But ask most men how they came by their faith in Christ they say very easily when the Lyon sleepes a man may lye and sleepe by it but when it awakens woe to that man that doth so so while God is silent and patient thou mayest befoole thy selfe with thinking thou dost trust unto God but woe to thee when the LORD appeares in his wrath as one day he will for by vertue of this false faith men sinning take Christ as a dish-clout to wipe them cleane againe and that 's all the use they have of this faith They sin indeede but they trust unto Christ for his mercy and so lye still in their sinnes God will revenge with bloud and fire and plagues this horrible contempt from heaven Hence many of you trust unto Christ as the Apricock tree that leanes against the wall but it 's fast rooted in the earth so you leane upon Christ for salvation but you are rooted in the world rooted in your pride rooted in your filthinesse still Woe to you if you perish in this estate God will hew you downe as fuell for his wrath what ever mad hope you have to be saved by Christ. This therefore I proclaime from the God of Heaven to you 1. you that never felt your selves as unable to beleeve as a dead man to raise himselfe you have as yet no faith at all 2. You that would get faith first must feele your inability to beleeve and fetch not this slip out of thine own garden it must come downe from Heaven to thy soule if ever thou partakest thereof Other things I should have spoken of this large subject but I am forced here to end abruptly The Lord lay not this sin to their charge who have stopped my mouth labouring to withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse And blessed be the good God who hath stood by his unworthy servant thus long inabling him to leade you so farre as to shew you the rockes and dangers of your passage to another world FINIS Psal. 73. 1. Psal. 44. 4 Psal. 76 10. 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. Esay 26. 20. Esay 4 32. Esay 41. â—0 11. Revel 9. 2 Revel 1â— 19. Iohn â—1 15 16 â—7 The principall heads infisted upon Plin. lib. 1. Nat. Hist. Rom. 1. Groundes to prove a God Iohn 3. 3 Obj. Answ. Obj. Answ. Vse 1. A discovery of Atheisme Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Gods Essence An explanation of Gods Attributes Doct. 1. Quest. Ans. Quest. Ans. Eph. 4. 23 The Image of God in Man Prov. 8. Obj. Ans. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. A threefold reprehension Men that content themselves with a certaine measure of holinesse and go no further Rom. 2. 12 Vse 6. How to gaine the Image of God Rom 6. 7. Mans misery in regard of sin Vse The horrible nature of the first sin The hainousnesse of Adams sinne Secondly dead in sin Best actions of the wicked how sinfull Vse 2. How every Naturall man is dead while he livâ—â— Mar. 23. 37. 38. Fulnesse of sinne Iames 3. 6 Francis Spira Sins of the heart worse than the sins of the life Rom. 7. 4. Every action is sinfull as comming from a Naturall Man Lu. 16. 15 Rom. 3. 13 Isai. 13. 14 Ier. 20. â—3 Deut. 28. Obj. Ans. Why good duties must bee performed though we sin in doing them Mans present miseries Isai. 55. 6. Act. 28. 21. Mans fearfull slavery under Sathan 1 Pet. 2. 9 Mans future Miseries The terrour of mans particular judgement Obj. Ans. Why there must be a day of IudgemeÌ„t Quest. Ans. Quest. Ans. The manner of the last judgement Ecclâ—s ult ult Wherein consists the wrath of God Mat. 25. 41. The scope of knowing our miseries is to be humbled Doct. Quest. Answ. How men are redeemed Dan. 9. 24 Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Gal. 5. 2. Vse 4. Ob. Answ. The offer of Christ universall and why Mark 16. 15. The offer of Christ universall whâ—rein Ob. Ans. Prov. 9. 4. â— Cor. 5. 20. Pro. 1. 22 23. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Quest. Ans. On what termes Christ may be â—ad Fouresorts of people that reject Christ. The great evill in rejecting Christ. Obj. Ans. Obj. Answ. Obj. Answ. Vse 5. Ob. Answ. Obj. Ans. Doct. 1. Luk. 22. 32. Few saved in all ages Isa. 1. 9. Ioh 1. 12. Rovel 3. 4. Act. 20. 28. 29. 30. Few shall be saved in all places Few shall be saved in England 1 Cor. 1. 29. Luk. 15. 24 25. Vse 1. Tit. 2. 14. Vse 2. Vse 3. Obj. 1. Ans. Obj. 2. Ans. Obj. 3. Ans. Obj. 4. Ans. Ezek. 33. 31 32. Obj. 5. Answ. Obj. 6. Answ. Obj. 7. Answ. Obj. 8. Ans. Rom. 2. 18 Obj. 9. Ans. Obj. 10. Ans. Luk. 13. 24. Obj. 11. Answ. Phil. 3. 6. 11. 2 Chron. 44. 4 5 6. Obj. 12. Ans. Obj. 13. Answ. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 25. Vse 4. Quest. Answ. Wherein a childe of God goeth beyond an Hypocrite Doct. 2. 4 Straight gates to be passed through before we can enter into heaven Vse The false wayes to Heaven discovered The way of selfe-love Quest. Answ. How men plot their own ruin Ignorance the first Geneâ—â—ll Reason of mans tuine The 1. sort Reason Reason Reas. 4. 2. Sort. How men come to be deceived about their spirituall estates Estheâ— 6. 6. 2 King 10 18. How false peace is bred in the soule Ps. 38. 16. The second Reason why men ruine theÌ„selves Reas. 1. Nahum 1. 2. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 5. Reas. 6. Rom. 1. ult Reas. 7. Reas. 8. Reas. 9. Reas. 10 Vse Quest. Answ. 1. How to get a broken heart 1 Thes. 5. 3 4. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 3. Generall Reason of mans ruine Wherein Mens Resting in Duties appeares Zeph. 3. 11. Rom. 2. 10 Why men doe rest in their good duties Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Vse 1. Ob. Ans. Signes of mens resting in Duties Signe 1. 2 things keepe us from Christ. Signe 2. Phil. 3. 8. Signe 3. Isa. 66. 2. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe 6. Rom. 7. The insufficiency of any dutie to save a man Isay 6. 6. Gal. 3. 10. Obj. Ans. Good duties not to be cast off but our resting upon them Ob. Ans. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 4 Generall reason of mans ruine Eph. 1. 19.
upon these duties and strivings that have beene but poore Physitians to them Oh looke up here to the Lord Jesus who can doe that cure for thee in a moment which all creatures cannot doe in many yeares What bolts what strong fetters what unruly lusts temptations and miseries art thou lockt into Behold the Deliverer is come out of Sion having satisfied Justice and paid a price to â—anisome poore Captives Luc. 4. 18. with the Keyes of Heaven Hell and thy unruly heart in his hand to fetch thee out with great mercy and strong hand who knowes but thou poore prisoner of Hell thou poore Captive of the Devill thou poore shackled sinner mayst be one whom he is come forâ— Oh looke up to him sigh to Heaven for deliverance from him and be glad and rejoyce at his comming This strikes terrour to them that though there is a meanes of deliverance yet they lye in their misery never groane never sigh to the Lord Jesus for deliverance nay that rejoyce in their bondage and dance to Hell in their bolts nay that are weary of deliverance that sit in the stockes when they are at prayers that come out of the Church when the tedious Sermon runs somewhat beyond the houâ—e like prisoners out of a Jaile that despise the Lord Jesus when he offers to open the doores and so let them out of that miserable estate Oh poore creatures is there a meanes of deliverance and dost thou neglect nay despise it Know it that this will cut thine heart one day when thou art hanging in thy gibbets in Hell to see others standing at Gods right hand redeemed by Christ thou mightst have had share in their honour for there was a Deliverer come to save thee but thou wouldst have none of him Oh thou wilt lye yelling in those everlasting burnings and teare thy haire and curse thy selfe from hence might I have been delivered but I would not Hath Christ delivered thee from Hell and hath he not delivered thee from thine Alehouse Hath Christ delivered thee from Sathans societie when he hath not delivered thee from thy loose company yet Hath Christ delivered thee from burning when thy faggots thy sins grow in thee Is Christs bloud thine that mak'st no more account of it nor feelest no more vertue from it than in the bloud of a chicken Art thou redeemed dost thou hope by Christ to be saved that didst never see nor feele nor sigh under thy bondage O the devils will keepe holiday as it were in hell in respect of thee who shalt mourne under Gods wrath and lament Oh there was a meanes to deliver us out of it but thou shalt mourne for ever for thy misery And this will bee a bodkin at thine heart one day to thinke there was a deliverer but I wretch would none of him Here likewise is matter of Reproofe to such as seeke to come out of this misery from and by themselves If they be ignorant they hope to be saved by their good meaning and prayers If Civill by paying all they owe and doing as they would be done by and by doing no body any harme If they be troubled about their estates then they lick themselves whole by their mourning repenting and reforming Oh poore stubble canst thou stand before this consuming fire without sin Canst thou make thy selfe a Christ for thy selfe Canst thou beare come from under an infinite wrath canst thou bring in perfect righteousnesse into the presence of God This Christ must doe else he could not satisfie and redeeme And if thou canst not doe thus and hast no Christ define and pray that heaven and earth shake till thou hast worne thy tongue to the stumps endeavour as much as thou canst and others commend thee for a diligent Christian mourne in some Wildernesse till doomes day digge thy grave there with thy nayles weepe buckets full of hourely teares till thou canst weepe no more Fast and Pray till thy skin and bones cleave together Promise and Purpose with full resolution to be better nay reforme thy head heart life tongue some nay all sinnes live like an Angell shine like a sunne walke up and downe the world like a distressed Pilgrim going to another Countrey so that all Christians commend and admire thee Die ten thousand deaths lie at the firebacke in Hell so many millions of yeares as there be piles of grasse on the earth or sands upon the Sea-shore or starres in heaven or motes in the Sun I tell thee not one sparke of Gods wrath against thy sinne shall be can be quenched by all these duties nor by any of these sorrowes or teares for these are not the blood of Christ. Nay if all the Angels and Saints in heaven and earth should pray for thee these cannot deliver thee for they are not the blood of Christ. Nay God as a Creator having made a law will not forgive one sinne without the blood of Christ Nay Christs blood will not doe it neither if thou doest joyne never so little that thou hast or doest unto Jesus Christ and makest thy selfe or any of thy duties copartners with Christ in that great worke of saving thee Cry out therefore as that blessed Martyr did None but Christ none but Christ. Take heed of neglecting or rejecting so great salvation by Jesus Christ. Take heede of spilling this potion that onely can cure thee But thou wilt say this meanes of redemption is onely appointed for some it is not intended for all therefore not for mee therefore how can I reject Christ It is true Christ spent not his breath to pray for all Iohn 17. 9. much lesse his bloud for all therefore he was never intended as a Redeemer of all But that he is not intended as a Deliver of thee How doth this follow How dost thou know this But secondly I say Though Christ be not intended for all yet he is offered unto all and therefore unto thee And the ground is this chiefly The universall offer of Christ ariseth not from Christs Priestly office immediately but from his Kingly office whereby the Father having given him all power and dominion in heaven earth he hereupon commands all men to stoop unto him and likewise bids all his Disciples and all their successours to goe and preach the Gospell to every creature under Heaven Mat. 28. 18 19 For Christ doth not immediatâ—ly offer himselfe to all men as a Saviour whereby â—hey may be incouraged to serve him as a King but first as a King commanding them to cast away their weapons and stoop unto his Scepter and depend upon his free mercy acknowledging if ever he save me I will blesâ—e him if he damne me his name is rightâ—ous in so dealing with me But that I may fasten this exhortation I will shew these foure things I. The Lord Jesus is offered to every particular person which I will shew thus What hast thou to say against it
prayer hearing reading observing the Sabbath and thus the Pharisees lived and hence they are called the strict sect of the Pharisees Take heede you mistake me not I speake not against strictnesse but against resting in it for except your righteousnesse exceed theirs you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven You shall finde these men fly from base persons and places like the Pesthouses commend the best bookes cry downe the sinnes of the time and cry against civill or morall men the eye sees not it selfe and cry up zeale and forwardnesse Talke with him about many morall duties that are to be done towards God or man he will speak well about the excellency and necessity of it because his trade and skill whereby he hopes to get his living and earne eternall life lieth there but speake about Christ and living by faith in him and from him bottoming the soule upon the Promises peeces of Evangelicall righteousnesse he that is very skilfull in any point of controversie is as ignorant almost as a beast when he is examined here hence if Ministers preach against the sinnes of the time they coÌ„mend it for a speciall Sermon as it happily deserves too but let him speake of any spirituall inward soule-working point they goe away and say he was in their judgement confused and obscure for their parts they understood them not Beloved pictures are pretty things to look on and that 's all the goodnesse of them so these men are as Christ looked on and loved the naturall yong man in the Gospel and that 's all their excellency You know in Noah's floud all that were not in the Arke though they did climbe and get to the top of the tallest mountaines they were drowned so labour to climbe never so high in moralitie and the duties of both Tables if thou goest not into Gods Arke the Lord Jesus Christ thou art sure to perish eternally 7. If they have no rest here in their moralitie they grow hot within and turne marvellous zealous for good causes and courses and there they stay and warme themselves at their owne fire thus Paul Philip. 3. 6. was zealous and there rested They will not live as many doe like snailes in their shells but rather than they will be damned for want of doing they are content to give away their estate children any thing almost to get pardon for the sinne of their soule Mich. 6. 7. 8. If they find no helpe from hence but are forced to see and say when they have done all they are unprofitable servantsâ— and they sinne in all that which they doe then they rest in that which is like unto Evangelicall Obedience they thinke to please God by mourning for their failings in their good duties dâ—siring to be better and promising for the time to come to be so and therein rest Deut. 5. 29. 9. If they feele a want of all these then they dig within themselves for power to leave sinne power to be more holy and humble and so thinke to worke out themselves in time out of this estate and so they digge for pearles in their owne dunghills and will not be beholding to the Lord Jesus to live on him in the want of all they thinke to set up themselves out of their owne stock without Jesus Christ and so as the Prophet Hosea speakes 14. 3 4. thinke to save themselves by their riding on Horses that is by their owne abilities 10. If they feele no helpe here then they goe unto Christ for grace and power to leave sinne and doe better whereby they may save themselves and so they live upon Châ—ist that they may live of themselves they goe unto Christ they get not into Christ Psal. 8. 34 35. like hirelings that goe for power to doe their worke that they may earne their wages A child of God contenâ—s himselfe with and lives upon the inheritance it selfe the Lord in his free mercy hath given him But now wee shall see many poore Christians that runne in the very roade the Papists devoutly goe to Hâ—ll in First the Papist will confesse his misery that he is and all men are by nature a child of wrath and under the power of sinne and Satan Secondly they hold Christ is the onely Saviour Thirdly that this Salvation is not by any Righteousnesse in a Christ but Righteousnesse from a Christ onely by giving a man power to doe and then dipping mens doings in his bloud he merits their life Thus the wisest and devoutest of them professe as I am able to manifest just so doe many Christians live First They feele themselves full of sinne and are sometimes tyred and weary of their lives for their vile hearts and they finde no power to helpe themselves Secondly Hereupon hearing that onely Christ can save them they goe unto Christ to remove these sinnes that tyre them and load them that hee would enable them to doe better than formerly Thirdly If they get these sinnes subdued and removed and if they finde power to doe better than they hope they shall be saved Whereas thou mayest be damned and goe to the devill at last although thou dost escape all the pollutions of the world that not from they selfe and strength but from the knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20. I say woe to you for ever if you die in this estate it is with our Christians in this case as it is with the Ivy which claspes and groweth about the tree and draws sap from the tree but it growes not one with the tree because it is not ingrafted into the tree so many a soule commeth to Christ to suck juice from Christ to maintaine his owne berries his owne stocke of grace alas he is but Ivy he is no member or branch of this tree and hence he never groweth to be one with Christ. 2. Now the reasons why men rest in their duties are these First because it 's naturall to a man out of Christ to doe so Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by his doing Doe this and live worke and here is the wages winne life and weare it Hence all his posteritie seekes to this day to be saved by doing like father like sonne Now to come out of all duties truely to a Christ hath not so much as a coate in innocent much lesse corrupted nature hence men seek to themselves now as it is with a bankrupt when his stocke is spent and his estate crackt before he will turne Prentice or live upon another hee will turne Pedler of small wares and so follow his old trade with a lesse stocke so men naturally follow their old trade of doing and hope to get their living that way and hence men having no experience of trading with Christ by faith live of themselves Sampson when all his strength was lost would goe to shake himselfe as at other times so when mens strength is lost and God and grace is lost yet