not upon the doing of good so voluntarily as thou hast done in former time Thy soul in former time did run swiftly and freely in away of goodnes but now the wheels of the chariot of thy soul are taken oaff nd thou drivest on heavily it is not the Chariot of Amminadab Cant. 6.12 It is a description of Gods people in Gospel-times that they shall be a willing people Thy people shal be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pepulus devotionum sive devotus populus spontaneitatum sive spontanâ—us a people of willingnesses as it is in the original but a man from whom the Spirit of God is withdrawn he is carried to do good not so much out of content as by a compulsory act he comes to duty as a Bear to the stake or a childe goes to schoole which doth nothing but what is commanded with much regreet and much backwardness with little willingness he is rather drawn then led to duty Nilnisi jussus agit Ovid. coâ—…strained to do good out of a dreadful awe of hell and some hope of heaven or to still the clamouring of a craving natural conscience when the Spirit is with drawn thou comest not to duty so willingly as in former time 2. Neither so preparedly as thon wast wont to do In former time you could do as Abraham did leave his cattel and his servants in the valley Gen. 22.5 shake off clogges which might hinder and divert you when you prayed you would use consideration when you heard preparation and when you received the Sacrament examination but now the Spirit of God being with-drawn thou layest aside those preparitory duties which are so helpful to us in those duties wherein we have communion with God The soul was wont to trimme her self as a bride when she went into the King to injoy communion with the great God but now is grown carelesse in this preparation it is a signe the Spirit is withdrawn 3. Thou hast not so much complacency of heart in holy duties as formerly Those duties which heretofore have been done as a delight are now as a task formerly they were as sweet as honey to thy taste but now thou findest no more relish in them then in the white of an egge time was when thou couldest say with the Psalmist I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the house of the Lord Psal 122.1 and thy esteeme of the worship of God such that thou couldest say with David That one day in the house of the Lord was better then a thousand else-where Psal 84.10 But alas where is this delight now now duty is as a burden not as a preasure 4. It is an argument of a gradual with-drawing of the Spirit This grieves the Spirit when we stifle and quench its most holy motions unto holy duties when thou dost not do duty so frequently as formerly Heretofore thou couldest pray seven times a day with David or three times a day with Daniel but now not three times a week how are the frequency of thy â—uties abated to such I would say Consider 1. Thou hast not fewer enemies now then formerly and therefore why shouldest thou be lesse in duty the watchfulnesse of the enemy is an taged by our sloth and security 2. Neither have you lesse temptations then you had and therefore why should you not be frequent in prayer to be delivered out of them Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation said our Saviour Mat. 26.41 3. Neither fewer sinnes then formerly it may be more and therefore why shouldest thou be lesse in prayer for pardon He that doth often offend he had need often to ask forgivenesse 4. You have not lesse need of grace then formerly it may be more and therefore why art thon lesse in duty to God for supply of grace If thou art lesse frequent in holy duties then formerly it is an argument that the Spirit is gradually with-drawn from thee 5. If thou hast not that fervency in holy duties as formerly it is a shrewd signe that thou art very much decayed in grace Revel 2.4 This is made a note of the decay of the Church of Ephesus Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love He doth not say thou hast lost but thou hast left thy first love grace may be left but not lost that first affection which thou haddest in the ways of God thou hast left that thou art decayed in these affections Hierom chides the slothful in prayer What said he do you think that Jonas prayed so in the sea or Daniel amongst the lions or the Thief on the Crosse as you do Siccine put as Jonam in profundo Danielem inter leones siccine latronem in cruce or âsse putas Hieron Many men they are so left of the Spirit that they are come into that state which Austine complaines of in his time Plurimi novitate conversionis ferventer orant posted srigidè posteà languidè posteà negligenter Aug. Many men at the beginning of their conversion they will pray feelingly buâ— in tract of time they will pray coldly negligently and languidly they lose those affectionâ— which once they had They had need stir up the fire that lies hid in the ashes Ferventior esse solet qui rem primùm aggreditur 2 Tim. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. It is an argument of the Spirits with-drawing when a man performes duty lesse composedly then formerly Distractions break in and wandring thoughts go out holy motions they are declining and transient when they have not such a fixed abiding on the heart as formerly this is a signe of a gradual departure of the Spirit For where the Spirit of God is there it doth establish and fix the heart in holy duties and therefore David prayes Establish me by thy free Spirit but when there is much unconstancy and inconsistency in the heart it is a signe that the Spirit in part departed from that soul 7. If thou art under the use of duty not so fruitful as in former time Duties formerly took an impression on thy heart as a signet on soft wax but now they make no more impression then a seal upon a marble formerly the ordinances came upon thy soul as raine upon the valleys now they are as water poured out upon a wrock Many men they lie under ordinances without profit and like unto the Cypress-tree of which it is said that it is a tree that is very good for sent and for sight but yet unfruitful Many Christians are like unto this tree they grow in Gods garden and they are good in the sight of others but yet they bring not forth fruit If thou art not a fruitful tree in the garden of grace it is an argument that the Spirit of grace is withheld from thee 8. It is an argument of a gradual departure of the
art an offence to me in that thou shouldest make such a motion to hinder me from going on to work out and accomplish the salvation of my people and then it could not be from the Spirit for sayes he Thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that are of man At the first view you would deeme this a very loving motion but the devil had a finger in it he will move you to do good so it may hinder you in the performance of a greater good But the Spirit of God will so move you to the doing of one good thing that it shall not justle out the performance of another 3. The devil when he moves men to do good it is to make them do it unseasonably on pâ—rpose that one duty may justle out another as suppose thou wouldest pray and happily the devil he cannot distract thee by sinful thoughts yet he will labour to do it by good thoughts unseasonably remembred as if thou art praying to have thy thoughts then taken up with what Sermons thou hast heard and of what parts of the Bible thou hast read this though in it selfe it is good yet it comes from the devil and therefore those that now come to our assemblies and will presently fall upon private prayer in the time of publick worship though the duty in it self is good yet it is unseasonably done and comes not from the holy Spirit the God of order There are several instances hereof That man which came to Christ and desired him to divide the inheritance between him and his brother Luke 12.13 the motion though it was good yet it was unseasonably made because it was when Christ was preaching and therefore though good yet it came from the devil that he might hinder a greater good And thus those people When will the new Moone be over that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate Amos 8.5 It was no evil thing to sell wheat but the motion was unseasonable because it was upon the Sabbath day Good motions in season they are a blessing Deut. 28.12 even as rain in a dry season is a comfort but raine in harvest is not so Good motions coming into a mans minde unseasonably as when a man is praying then to think of what he hath heard in a Sermon and when a man is hearing then to think of praying these come from the evil not the good Spirit as a Printer though his paper be good and his letter faire yet if he misplace his letter and put one letter for another he will make non-sense Even so are good thoughts out of season 4. When a man is moved so to do good that the performance of it is a prejudice to bodily health this comes not from Gods holy Spirit but from the evil spirit And herein young converts are very injudicious at first they have strong affections and they think they must read so many Chapters pray so many houres and hear so many Sermons otherwise their consciences check them and they think that all this comes from God whereas rather they are put upon it by the impulses of their own spirit If thou art strongly moved to a duty and so moved to it that either the continuance or frequency in it doth impaire the strength of nature this is not commanded by God for God had rather have mercy then sacrifice in such a case God is not rigorous and cruel in commanding of duty The Jews learnt of God to sacrifice their beasts but they learnt of the devil to sacrifice their children God requires not that you should fast so often and do duty so long as to weaken health and strength he hath made no duty for the soul to be prejudicial to the body God will have mercy and not sacrifice Hosea 6.6 God deals with young converts as Jacob did with the children and flocks he will not out-drive them Indeed it is the devils Religion to put men upon such services as are cruel to their own bodies and thus the worshippers of Baal they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them 1 Kin. 18.28 they were cruel to their own bodies whereas the Lord never commanded any such thing at their hands I mention not this that it may be a plea for any one to pamper their bodies or that they should be negligent in the service of God but for the sake of young converts who think they can never do enough in duty who do more then ever God required at their hands 5. Motions from the devil to good they are usually when they may hinder and cause a man to neglect his outward and necessary calling this young converts are greatly faulty in their endeavours are such and their prosecutions so earnest to live holily that they live idly God did never so order Religion that it should be a disadvantage to our particular callings in the world He is a good Christian that knows how to pray and hear and how to labour in his calling too I know that secular affaires and imployments they robbe the soul of much time in that duty it ows to God I plead not at all for this but this is that which I would presse I would neither have your particular callings rob time from your general callings and duties as Christians nor your generall callings rob time from your particular callings as men who are to live here in the world This was a corruption grown upon the first plantation of the Church the Apostle tells you of some who walked disorderly and did not worke at all 2 Thes 3.11 Some imagine that under this pretence they would not follow a calling because they would wholly devote themselves to the service of God of these the Apostle speakes and such are they who lead a Monasterial life under a pretence to be more at leasure to serve God when indeed they but put their candle under a bushel and hide their talent in a napkin This comes from the Devil and not from God for God never ordained that his service should make you negligent in your outward callings but hath commanded that with quietness you work and eat your own bread 2 Thes 3.12 1 Tim. 5.8 I speak not this to make men worldly and that they should glut themselves with worldly business It is the fault of many that they grasp too much worldly business and are to their souls worse then Egyptian task-masters but let not men rob time from God and give it to the world but I speak this for the sake of young converts who will be every day fasting and every day hearing and in the mean time neglect their outward and necessary callings in the world 6. Motions to good come from the Divel in case our motions of duty to God make us neglect our duty to man A notable text you have for this out of the Evangelist Matthew the Scribes and Pharisees had taught this Doctrine
but Judaisme and what is it to be of a tender conscience but to have a needlesse scrupulosity By this meanes men allowing their corrupt hearts to argue thus carnally they are hindred from much good and therefore if thou wouldest be taken off from this deceit thou must labour to see the native lustre and beauty that is in holinesse and the filthinesse of sin 5. Another way whereby the heart of man deceives him is by pretence to do some lesser good and thereby neglect the doing of a greater and thus the devil and a mans own heart diverts him many a time It is an observation of Mr. Greenham that in many families every trisling businesse shall hinder prayer and this is the nature of a mans heart to make every slight businesse to divert him from duty and the exercises of religion Thus it was with the Pharisees Matth. 23. They would tithe Mint Annise and Cummin and so neglect righteousnesse and the more serious and weighty things of the Law Many men will content themselves to read a Chapter at home and neglect the Ministery of the Word and prayer in publick this is meerly the sly deceit of a mans own heart even as the ancient hereticks called Euchitae they were so intent on prayer as that they neglected all other service of God To this I would only say that those who make one duty to justle out another let such remember that duties are not contrary but subordinate and subservient one to another I may say of the duties of religion as the Scripture speaks of the Lamps of the Sanctuary they were so seated that one lamp should kindle another so duties they are so ordered by God that one duty shall help another and fit for another prayer fits for hearing hearing fits a man for meditation and meditation fits for prayer and so of all other duties and therefore they which make one duty to hinder another they make those things contrariant which the Lord hath made concordant 6. Another stratagem which the flesh useth is this that if it cannot perswade men wholly to neglect duty yet it will endeavour to make them abate in duty It may be thy corrupt heart cannot prevaile with thee to cast off prayer and hearing the Word so as never to perform these duties yet will it labour to gain thus much upon thee that thou shalt pray more seldome then thou hast done and hear not so often as formerly thou hast done As it is a deceit of the heart to bring us from small sins to great sins so also is it the policy of the flesh from the doing of duty seldom at last to bring us not to do it at all And to antidote you against this infection of nature I shall lay down these following considerations 1. It is the policy of thy heart not to make thee cast off duty wholly and at once but to make thee abate gradually Revel 2.4 The Church at Ephesus did gradually decay first left off her first love and afterwards her first works and the reason is because hereby thy heart and the devil knowes that abatements when they are gradual they are lesse sensible but neglects when they are total they fall under the cognizance of a natural conscience You must pray sometimes and hear sometimes else conscience will check a man but gradual decayes they are not so sensibly perceived and therefore the devill and thy own heart will let thee pray and will let thee hear but not so much as formerly thou hast done this is a snar which many of Gods people have been taken in 2. Consider that the soule is in as much danger by gradual decayes and abatements as by total omissions A leake in a ship though but small will at last as certainly and more dangerously because more insensibly and unperceivingly cause the ship to miscarry as a violent storme Lingring consumptions do kill men as surely as violent burning fevers it is true a fever or the plague may kill a man in three dayes but a consumption will as certainly bring a man to his end and to his grave 7. Corrupt nature will suggest to thee that thou shouldest leave off duty because of the unalterable decree of God Corrupt nature will tell thee that if thou art ordained to damnation all thy praying and all thy hearing will never save thee and if thou art ordained to salvation though thou doest not hear so much and pray so much it shall not procure thy eternal damnation this deceit is rooted in the hearts of all the sonnes of men and in answer thereto I have onely these three things to lay before you 1. As to duty you are not to consult with Gods secret decrees but with his revealed Word Secret things belong to the Lord our God but revealed things to us and our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law Deut. 29.29 We are not to look to the decrees of God and upon them either do or not do our duty but we are to look to his revealed will which bids us be conversant in holy duties of religion and godlinesse we are not to search the secret records of heaven but the Scriptures It was a good saying of holy Mr. Bradford A man should not go to the University of Predestination untill he be well grounded in the Grammar-School of obedience and repentance 2. Consider that the same decree which determines the end of a man Qui destinat ad finem destinat ad media determines also the means to bring about that end If thou art decreed to be damned the same God decrees that thou shalt be left to walk in such wayes which lead to damnation and if thou art decreed to be saved God hath also decreed that thou shouldest walke in those wayes which lead to everlasting life and this the Apostle tells you Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them not onely our happinesse but our holinesse is decreed by God 3. You which yield to this plea of nature you will not yield to this plea in other things you will not reason thus in matters of the world should a man reason thus God hath decreed from all eternity how long I shall live in the world and therefore because the decree is irrevocable I will neither eat meat nor wear clothes you would accompt this man rather a mad man then one in his wits He that refuseth meat Gods Ordinance to continue life is a self-murderer and he that omitteth duties of Religion out of any pretence of Gods decree is a soul-murderer as it is thus in nature so also is it in grace as God hath decreed the end so also hath he decreed the means conducing thereunto 8. You will say through the suggestion of a selfe-deceiving heart you are unable to perform any good this is the plea of many they will say
it runnes not so much for commissions as for omissions Matth. 25.41 that men shall be sentenced for Depart from me ye cursed sayes Christ for I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was was thirsty and ye gave me no drink a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Bonum est non fecisse malum malum est non fecisse bonum Meerly for omissions is the sentence pronounced against them it may be thou doest not die a drunkard an adulterer a swearer or a deceiver but doest thou die a man neglective of good duties I tell thee the indictment will be found against thee Matth. 25.30 It is likewise observed of the man that had but one talent Christ commanded that he should be cast into utter darkness what was the cause he did not imbezzel his Masters talent but because he did not improve it therefore did the sentence passe against him and therefore remember you that are omitters of good duty not for the imbezzelling or ill use of your time Matth. 3.10 but for the not improving of it you may go to hell The tree is threatened to be cut down not because it brought forth bad fruit but because it did not bring forth good fruit 2. Consider that the Scripture layes a brand of infamy upon those who do constantly neglect the duties of Religion they have left off to be wise and to do good Psal 6.3 Hosea 4.20 saith the Psalmist and they have left off to take heed unto the Lord saith the Prophet Hosea But above all consider that heavy imprecation of the Prophet Jeremiah Poure out thy fury saith he upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10.5 And to this purpose that concerning the Ammonites and the Moabites is very remarkable Deut. 23.3,4 in Deut. 23.3,4 where because of an omission because they met not the Israelites and helped them not with bread and water in the way when they came out of Egypt they were excommunicated as I may say from the Tabernacle of Gods worship even to the tenth generation 3. Consider that omissions of duty they do unfit men for duty when they should begin it and set upon it Keys that are used keep clean but if they are thrown by how soon do they rust so it is with thy heart thou wilt gather rust if thou throwest thy duties aside Fire it is not only put out by water Prov. 26.20 but by the withdrawing of fuel Where no wood is the fire goeth out and therefore remember that if you do not adde fuel to your duty the heat of your affection will quickly go out The longer we disuse uny duty the lesse able are we to do it as a Scholar if he disuse his study he will be the more unfit for that exercise 4. God is more displeased with sinful and toral omissions of good then he is with many commissions of evill It is worth your noting that passage concerning Moses in Exod. Exod. 4.24 4.24 God was more angry with Moses there for a sin of omission then for any sin of commission which he had committed all his life It is said The Lord met him in his Inne and had like to have killed him what was the matter why it was onely this that he omitted the circumcision of his childe when he was eight dayes old this did so provoke God that he sought to kill Moses and yet Moses might have had more plausible pretences for his omission then we can have for many of the duties which we neglect I mention this to shew you the danger of the sin of omission 5. And lastly consider this that you will not admit of this plea in other things should your servants deal with you thus when you bid them go about such and such a businesse and command them to perform such a service if they are negligent and when you shall call them to an accompt will you admit of their excuse when they shall tell you that they do not steal your wares out of your shops nor your money out of your Cubboards we do not do you any injury will you suffer these excuses why no certainly Let me tell you you are all servants to the God of heaven he is your Master and though you can thus plead Lord I am not a grosse sinner I have not dishonoured thy Name as others have done and I am no blasphemer of thy Name yet God will reckon with you because you call not upon his Name therefore take heed of omissions of good duties and of all those secret insinuations of the flesh which lead into this sinne and make excuses for it Sermon XXII At Lawrence Jewry London Januar. 26. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving formerly shewed by what meanes and ways the flesh labours to divert men from duty I come now to shew you also how it labours to interrupt men in duty and this is a very practical point and there are many cases of conscience which are incident and may pertinently fall in in the handling of this particular But before I come to give you the Queries I intend to handle I shall premise these ten Conclusions or Positions about the flesh its disturbing good men in good duties 1. The first is this that the corruption of the flesh it is more prevalent with good men to disturb them in then to divert them from holy duties Indeed with men unregenerate corrupt nature prevailes more to divert them from duty but it is contrary with the regenerate Godly men are not so subject to have diversions from as disturbances in holy performances neglects of duty they fall under the cognizance of a natural conscience and therefore good men are not so often overcome in that way but as for disturbances in duty they are not taken notice of by a natural conscience 2. A godly man is more interrupted in duty by his own bea rt then he is either by the devill or the world or any thing else beside We many times blame our callings and the devil that he is busie with us when we have more cause to blame our own naughty hearts As it is the property of good men when they sin to blame their corrupt natures and not the devill for so did David 2 Sam. 24.10 So on the contrary when good men are interrupted in duty they do not blame the devil or the world so much as their own hearts As the Apostle Pavl sayes of himselfe Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I finde not that is I finde not ability to be intent and serious in the worship
of God but what doth he blame Rom. 7.25 not the devill or the world but it is sin which dwelleth in me And in the 25. verse he sayes With my minde I serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin It is the flesh which carries the force of a law whereby we sin in the service of God and therefore oh man do not blame the devill or the world but thy own heart 3. Another Position is this that the corruption of the flesh interrupting of us in duty it is manifest and violent both in secret as also in publick duties thy heart will be violent against thee when thou art alone between God and thy own soul as also when thou art in publick your own experience will contribute to the truth of this What roving mindes and what distracted thoughts are you haunted with in your secret retirements Yea also in publick duties how hard is it to bound the thoughts and to compose the minde to lay a restraint upon devotion 4. That a mans heart and corrupt nature is more apt to interrupt him in extraordinary duties then in common and ordinary duties A man therefore shall be more haunted with evill thoughts upon a solemn fast-day then upon an ordinary day did you ever set your selves upon the solemn duties of examination and meditation if you did you have found your hearts have more troubled you in those duties then in reading hearing and praying and the reason is this because those duties that are more solemn are most conducible to a Christians growth in grace and therefore in those duties nature will be most indefatigable to disturbe and interrupt you and the devill will not fail to set thy heart at work to disturb thee in those duties whereby his Kingdome is battered and assaulted 5. That the lesse men do prepare their hearts for duty the more they shall be disturbed by corrupt nature in duty Greonham in his observations takes notice of this What is the reason that Christians can never pray without distractions nor hear without wandring thoughts Oh man sayes he take my experience didst thou prepare more for duty thou wouldest be lesse distracted in duty Physick doth the body little good if it be taken on a full stomack and if the body be not prepared so it is with duties and Ordinances they will do thee little good unlesse thou doest first prepare thy selfe for them Posit 6 6. That the flesh interrupts us more in those duties which others perform then in those which we perform our selves A Preacher when he is preaching a Sermon he hath lesse wandring thoughts in preaching then he himself would have if he were a hearer and why but because at such a time his minde is busied in thinking of the matter he hath to deliver to his Auditors And so for any of you suppose you were praying in a company you would be lesse apt to be distracted in that duty because popular applause a respect to the company among whom you pray they binde your thoughts that they runne not astray lest you should be confused in the duty whereas if you did joyn in duty then you would be more carelesse and distracted and therefore you whose lot it is never to preach or pray in publick do you look to your own hearts for the flesh is more apt to interrupt you in those duties wherein you joyn with others thâ—n in those which you your selfe perform Posit 7 7. That in the corruption of the flesh in duties it may be more violent after a long standing in Religion then it did appear to be upon your first conversion At a mans first conversion happily he could pray and not be distracted but have his love his joy and his delight and all his soul taken up with the service but in processe of time and after some continuance in the wayes of Religion he may begin to grow flat and formal perfunctory accustomary in all his performances and this was that which Augustine observed Many at first conversion they will pray with much feeling and fervency but afterwards with coldnesse and deadnesse losing that vigour and warmth of affection which they found in themselves at first conversion Posit 8 8. That there is not a duty in all your life-time which you perform unto God but there is some evill tincture of the flesh cleaves to it though the duty is good in it self yet there is some evill in it as it comes from thee Prayer is good and hearing is good but these duties as they passe through the vessel of thy defiled soul they become defiled inso much that God might justly charge even upon regenerate men the sins of their holy duties When I would do good Rom. 7.15 sayes Paul evill is present with me It is true the natural motions of the flesh may be pared off but still there is a sinful tincture which cleaves to thy duties It is observable that the ceremonial law which you read of in the 28. of Exod. v. 38. Exod. 28.38 where you read that Aaron was to have a plate of pure gold upon his fore-head when he went into the holy of holiest that he mighe bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel And this notes sayes a Divine that Jesus Christ our fore-runner he is gone into the holy of holiest and he by his intercession and sitting at the right hand of his Father weares that plate of pure gold upon his fore-head and there beares not onely the iniquity of our lives but the inquity of our holy things and if this were not so and did there not a viciousnesse cleave unto all our holy duties then we might commend some duties to God without the mediation of Jesus Christ but because there is no duty can be done without a tincture of evill cleaving to it therefore you cannot stand before God in the best prayer that ever you made nor in the best service that ever you performed We have need of a Christ a Mediatour not only for our sins but also for our duties Posit 9 9. That it is the most difficult thing in the world to keep the minde so close to duty that the flesh shall not interrupt you in its performance As Eliphaz reasoned with Job Job 15.12,13 so may every man with his own heart Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doth thine eyes winke at that thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth Thus may every man reason with his own soule and say Why doth my heart carry me away when my spirit would keep close to God Augustine hath an excellent note upon 2 Sam. 7.27 2 Sam. 7.27 Dixit se invenisse cor suum quasi soleret fugere ille sequi quasi fugitivum August Nihil est corde meo fugacius Bernard Posit 10. upon Davids words I have found in my heart to make a prayer unto thee as if David
be punished lesse then a drunken Christian 3. Consider that in keeping under sinne you will not so fearfully break the peace of your consciences open and grosse sinnes they lay the conscience open and fill it with terrour and amazement but the lesse thou actest sinne the lesse shall thy conscience be troubled 4. Hereby thou doest lesse scandal religion then otherwise thou wouldest have done lesser evils they give a scratch to the face of religion but open sinnes they give religion a stab at the heart religion receives not so much disreputation by close hypocrites as by open prophanenesse 5. Thou mightest do more hurt by thy sinnes example if God should leave thee then now thou doest Though thou art a bad man yet if God restraine sinne in thee thou doeâ—t not give so bad an example as otherwise thou wouldest do 6. Who knows but that these smal beginnings of restraining grace may be a forerunner of renuing grace thou which art restrained from evil though thou art at present wicked who knows but that God may turne restraining grace into râ—nâ—ing grace Vse 2 The next Use shall be of comfort to godly men and truly there are many gracious hearts which may upon what I have said raise to themselves many fears and doubts some such feare as this may be in the brests of many and they may say Object Sir you have been treating of the power of Gods Spirit even in its common workings by restraining grace to keep under sinne in wicked men and some may say that they fall short not only of godly but even of wicked men for a wicked man can refraine those sinnes which I cannot This objection may come from the heart of many a good man and to this I shall lay down three or foure words by way of answer and comfort and so conclude all Answer 1. Consider that to perceive the unbridled workings of sinne in your natures doth not argue the increase of sinne but your increase of light and tendernesse in conscience Paul while he was unconverted thought himself alive and in a very happy condition before he saw the spirituality of the Law Rom. 7.9 but when he was converted When the Commandment came sin revived and then he died that is the Law coming in power upon his conscience he then saw sin alive and yet then he was in a converted estate and in a happy condition As light breaking into a roome doth discover what wants and disorders are there which were unknown and unseen in the dark so doth light breaking into the understanding discover our spiritual wants 2. Do not judge your selves to be in a bad estate by the want of particular restraints under sinne but judge your selves by the powerful manifestations of habitual grace in your more ordinary and constant course and practice It may be one man can bridle his passion but thou canst not yet he may be a bad man and thou a good man A traveller perhaps may sometimes step into a wheel-tract but his ordinary course is in the beaten road so if thou fallest into sin and wantest restraining grace this may be thy falling into a wheele-tract Prov. 16.17 thy ordinary way is the beaten path It being the high way of the upright to depart from evil yet now then thou maist lose thy way You are not to judge of your selves by particular acts of restraint 3. Though thou art overtaken with a sin when other men are not who are worse then thy self yet consider thou hast more temptations unto sin then other men have It is true in some cases a godly mans sins they are more to be aggravated then a wicked mans yet in other cases a godly mans sin is not so to be aggravated The devil is more solicitous to tempt a godsy man to sin then he is a wicked man Job 1. Zeck 3.1,2 When the sons of God came together the devil came also in the midst of them He owes them a spite and therefore if they be now and then overtaken they should not judge themselves by those particular acts but by the constant course of their lives 4. Consider though thou doest yield to a sinful act Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if sin be not a Tyrant nor a Lord over thee thou hast no cause to fear Thou yieldest to sin as to an Vsurper not as to thy Liege Lord though thou wantest the restraint of the Spirit in some particular acts to keep thee from evil yet if thou art kept by God from the reigning power of sin be not discouraged thou art in a happy condition 5. Let this be your comfort though now and then thou canst not restraine the acts of sin yet ere long thou shalt be a compleat conquerour over all thy sins God shall tread down Satan under thy feet shortly now thou fightest with the devil hand to hand but then thou shalt trample him under thy feet and let this be your comfort who have the Spirit lusting against the Flesh your combate is but short your victory is certaine your conquest is great and your reward and Crown everlasting FINIS An ALPHABETICAL TABLE TO the foregoing Treatise of the conflict between the Flesh and Spirit A SPirit of God works not alike in all Page 66 Attendance on Ordinances p. 103 Affections unruly p. 179 Aptnesse to fall into any sinne p. 194 Spiritual Abatements p. 214 Christian Religion not Austere p. 218 Arminian objections answered p. 249 B Blame of sin onely due to us p. 131 132 And not to God or devil p. 161 Business of the world hinders holy duties p. 210 C Conviction for sin long after the Commission of it p. 40 We must not go out of our Calling p. 49 We must follow our particular Calling p. 52 Constancy in duty p. 65 Customary sinning p. 117 Conflict of Flesh and Spirit p. 124 Of Corruption of our natures p. 141 Concupiscence a sinne p. 160 Conflict against sinne fourefold p. 165 Conscience Gods spie p. 182 Contrariety of Flesh and Spirit p. 186 187 Why God suffers this Contrariety of our Corrupt natures to good p. 198 No Confidence to be put in duties p. 256 D Despising Ordinances p. 10 Depending on Ordinances ibid. Deliberate sinners p. 33 34 Devil may move a man to that which is good p. 48 We must not Depend on that we do p 54 Spiritual desertions of three sorts p. 59 Duties spiritually done p. 63 64 Duties diligently done p. 64 Satanical delusions p. 86 87 Difference between the godly sinning and the wicked p. 112 113 114. Diabolical motions p. 156 Corruption in us to our dying day p. 192 Sin diverts from and disturbs in duty p. 207 Gods decrees abused p. 216 Defilement cleaves to duty p. 233 Desire to do is doing p. 258 E Our Flesh a malicious enemy p. 135 An universal enemy p. 136 Other properties of this enmity p. 137 138 We can never do good enough p. 220 False ends of doing