step to Salvation And so much shall serve for this third use Fourthly if this be the case and miserable Condition wherein every man is before Regeneration to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Then take heed of putting thy selfe into that Condition consider the danger of disobeying this Truth of offending it of doing any thing contrary to it of restraining and curbing it for it is of that nature that if thou offendest it it will offend thee It is a Truth that God hath set in thy heart and appointed it to rule there if thou oppose it and set up usurpers he will doe as Iehojada did that set up the right King he will even set up this Truth at the day of death to accuse thee and to raigne over thee as a Tyrant It sits in thy Conscience it markes what is done amisse and will be assuredly revenged for every rebellion and offence committed against it as it is said of Truth in generall Magna est veritas praevalet if thou be for the Truth it will be for thee and if thou be against it it will be against thee and it hath God on its side it is attended with the wrath of the Almighty who will be ready to execute upon thee whatsoever this Truth shall alleage against thee though he doth it not presently yet all the while thou art in the way to Damnation as it was with Iudas and Achitophel Therefore be sure to keepe this Truth well that thou offend it not as thou art tender over thy weake stomacke to give what contents it to avoid what may offend it and then it shall be as a continuall feast to thee otherwise it shall be as a sicke stomacke to thee that doe what thou wilt yet whether walking or sitting still it will trouble thee So this Truth thou wilt not be able to deceive it will see what is amisse whether thou wilt or no 2 Cor. 4.2 saith the Apostle Wee commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God by manifestation of the Truth That is the Conscience within will see thee thorow doe what thou canst there will be an agreement betweene it and the Truth that is presented to it it cannot but observe all the obliquities of thy life all thy errours thou canst not deceive it nor long shake it off But it may be objected May not a man observe this Truth too much may he not be too scrupulous too carefull in regarding it I answer the Conscience may mistake and give that charge that it ought not but as wee say of Thistles they are a bad weed but it is a signe of a good ground where they grow so though scrupulousnesse be not good yet it is a signe of a good heart where it is If a man be to goe thorow a narrow passage or over a narrow bridge it is good to goe in the midst so it is good not to be scrupulous and yet not to give it offence for if thou dost with-hold it imprison it or restraine it thou shalt finde it will be revenged on thee for it is attended with the wrath of God Fifthly if this be the miserable Condition of all unregenerate men thus to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse As there have beene words of Humiliation and reproofe so let mee shut up with a word of exhortation Be exhorted therefore from hence to give this Truth leave to rule and governe in thy heart and life doe not make a bancke against it or an hedge about it restraine it not fetter it not but suffer it to walke freely in every part of thy conversation to rectifie and reforme every facultie speech and action for so it ought to doe and as I said before thou shalt finde it a dangerous thing to restraine it Among men he that imprisons one whom he should not runs into a Praemunire and forfeits all he hath Commonly we faile both these wayes we give Lusts liberty which should be restrained and imprison Truth which should be at liberty therefore our judgement shall be accordingly For letting thy lusts goe at liberty take heed lest God say to thee as he did to Ahab for letting King Benhadad goe Thy life shall be for his life lest on the other side by imprisoning the Truth you forfeit all things and God take advantage of your forfeiture Since the fall of Adam man doth turne all things upside downe according to that which is complained of those Prophets They did slay the soules of them that should live and gave life to the soules that should die So doe men the Truth that should live they slay and the lust that should die they give life unto But you know what Gods judgement was on them Ezek. 13. He would destroy both the dawber and the wall of untempered morter God requires at thy hands that thou give account of the Authority committed to thee and take heed of abusing it If the King send a Privie Councellour or a great man about him to reveale his will to expresse his commandement in this or that particular that so men may know it and be free from the danger of the Law if a man in stead of obeying it imprison him how will the King take it at his hands What then will God doe in this case He hath put his Truth into the hearts of men he hath sent his messengers to shew his will that this he will have done If thou imprison this Truth be assured God will not hold thee guiltlesse therefore let it have liberty let it rule and raigne in thy heart let it doe what it will This benefit thou shalt have Thou sets it at liberty and it shall set thee at liberty Ioh. 8.32 If you continue in my words c. the Truth shall make you free From what or what great benefit hath a man by this freedome a benefit unspeakable thou shalt be free from the feare of Death from the hands of all thine Enemies to serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse from the feare of Iudgement from the feare of hell from the guilt and punishment of sin from the rule and tyranny of sin and is not this to be desired Againe if thou set this at liberty if thou wilt practice and use it thou shalt finde more benefit and sweetnesse from it than from the meere contemplation of it we are deceived in thinking that the knowledge of it is pleasant but the practice hard Indeed that that keeps the world from practice is because it is accompanied with persecution whereas bare knowledge crosses not at all and therefore most men are willing to heare and know but in practice they fall short But in this they are deceived for this Truth brings more pleasure in the practice and use of it than in the knowledge and contemplation of it Instance in Faith suppose thou know all the doctrine of Faith the knowledge is pleasant much more the practise if thou wilt
knew of before it may be it is Covetousnesse or it may be Envy one thing or other is discovered and when it is discovered there is a winnowing of themselves they see there is drosse and when they see it they labour to purge it by repentance It is quite contrary with the other the more they fall into sin the more they suffocate the Truth their falling into sin gives sin more ground it makes them more in love with sin it is the more prevalent against them the more they delight in it so that every sin is like the Sea getting ground of the Land which they know not how to recover So this is the fourth way by frequent quenching of good motions by ill company and falling into sin they doe harden their hearts and so suffocate and quench this Truth The fifth way is when we doe not remove the impediments which if they were taken away the Truth would rise and shew it selfe for that is it that keepes downe the Truth God hath written it plaine enough on mens hearts but when we let dust and soile lye on it we cannot reade it This Idlenesse and Lazinesse suffering these impediments to lye on you to cover the Truth in you is to with-hold the Truth Therefore Seneca hath a notion in this Case though he was an Heathen the soule of man were it free from passions and distractions and were quiet Truth should be seene clearely as you see a penny or a stone in a cleare river so Truth would appeare Doe but remove the impediments that commonly rise from us and which Satan injects and this Truth will shew it selfe for these words they with-hold the Truth shew that the Truth is ready enough of it selfe to come forth Now there be certaine impediments which we remove not and they are these two either businesse and from thence proceeds feare and care and griefe or else recreations and the pleasures and joyes that come from them one of these two are alway the impediments First for businesse when a man takes too much on him even more than hee is able to weald or doth give himselfe to too much feare and care and griefe which are contrary to this Truth as Luke 1. it is the promise that wee should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes without feare But let a man be filled with carnall feare it suppresseth the Truth and keepes it downe So for Care Philip. 4. Cast your care on God for he careth for you and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus The meaning is if you will care for your owne matters pester your selves with Cares and perplexities it will interrupt your Communion with Christ Iesus it will interrupt your peace and if your peace then your Communion with Christ therefore he exhorts them to cast their care on Christ. So for Griefe it is a great hinderance the Israelites could not hearken to Moses for the anguish of their hearts and he that minds things too much pierceth himselfe thorow with sorrowes this was the thing that suffocated the third ground they were kept downe partly with care and partly with divers lusts Martha was troubled with many things Therefore take heed of too much businesse or intending it too much or inordinately Secondly Sports Pleasures and Recreations things wherein men delight too much these are impediments to the Truth if any of these get predominancie in your mindes they hinder this Truth if you will set it at liberty remove this impediment divers lusts keepe it downe as cares as we may see in the third ground And Esay 1. Woe be to you that laugh If there were not something in this inordinate mirth and jollity that keepes downe the Truth why should that be added and the removall of these Impediments is of great consequence For there may be many hundreds of men which perhaps have not so ill meanings with them yet are carried away with the tract of vanity that are not so opposite to the Truth as forgetfull of it that doe not so much resist it as neglect it that yet keepe downe the truth These men partly busied with cares partly intent on pleasures death shall come upon them as a theefe in the night and shall lead them captive to hell because they held this Truth captive which had they set at liberty it would have set them at liberty free from death and condemnation That is the fifth Case The sixth Case wherein they with-hold this Truth in unrighteousnesse is when they have it and doe not use it and communicate it to the good of others and herein many faile As first Ministers that have their charge yet doe either Non residere or segniter residere but that concernes not this Auditory Therefore I will not meddle with it but it concernes not only them but common Christians likewise When men are converted a charge lyes on them to endevour to convert their brethren they should labour to use this Truth to kindle it in others the neglect thereof is a suppressing of it for there is a charge laid upon them that according to their measure in their sphere according to their callings they should endevour as much as they can to enlarge this Truth So likewise masters of families are bound to doe it shall hee bee worse than an Infidell that provides not food for his family and shall it not be a greater sin in him that provides not spirituall food doth it not concerne him in private as well as the Minister in publike Was it not that which God tooke speciall notice of in Abraham I will not hide it from Abraham for hee will instruct his family and his sonnes and they shall know the wayes of the LORD Therefore when they neglect this Charge they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse So Patrons of livings if they doe not their part to bring faithfull labourers into the Vineyard and uphold them when they are there they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse for they hinder it though it bee not their calling properly to bring forth fruit for that is the Ministers yet it is their part to uphold them It is the Vine that brings forth the Grapes but the Proppe is to hold it up So it is the office of Patrons to sustaine Ministers in the Lords Vineyard Likewise Lawyers and Advocates have a charge to minister the Truth not to cloake it It is the office of Iustice to rectifie the Truth and not to adulterate it but to informe rightly and properly when they doe not discover the Truth they doe with-hold the Truth if they should not labour to doe that it were a hurtfull calling but there is no calling that is not for the benefit of men but if it be thus used to conceale the Truth it were hurtfull and not usefull so likewise they that be Governours Iustices of Peace in the Countrey they with-hold this Truth if they
is none shines into the house so when men thinke they understand most yet they want this light to shine into the house Luke 24.45 Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures They had heard Christ before but they understood not his Word like those which sowed seed on ill ground and therefore received not the fruit of it but when the Holy Ghost comes into thy heart that will convince thee of evill it will expell darknesse and set right thy Iudgement otherwise though you heard Paul preach yea Christ himselfe were your Iudgements never so good yet it would not be done till the Holy Ghost teacheth you you will never know him never see him aright in his glory never see him so as to delight and long after him so as to desire nothing in the world so much as communion with him Thus it is when his Image is renewed in Knowledge and Truth and where this Knowledge and Truth is Holinesse instantly followes There are many that know and practice not and there are many which neither know nor practice but where this Image is what ever they know they practice Well let us apply this unto our selves briefly If to bee a New Creature there is required of us this Faith and Love Truth and Holinesse Knowledge and Righteousnesse then let us learne not to bee deceived to regard nothing else in comparison of this Doe as the Apostle Gal. 6.15 For in CHRIST IESVS neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature that is it is no matter for any thing in a man Circumcision is no better than Vncircumcision Goe thorow all the duties of Religion you shall finde them nothing till you bee made a New Creature I know many doe many things they come to Church and give almes well saith the Apostle Circumcision and Vncircumcision is all one so say I Prayer and no Prayer is all one doing justly and unjustly it is all one untill a man bee a New Creature Therefore saith Paul 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give all my goods to the poore which is a glorious action nay though I could be content to bee a Martyr though I give my body to bee burned and have not love it profiteth nothing So except you be New Creatures your labour is lost for Nature may doe much with the knowledge of the Gospel As the Earth brings forth grasse of it selfe and some flowers of the lowest sort but to bring forth a crop and flowers of the finest sort it must be tilled and there must bee seed put in Nature I say may doe much but this New Creature must come from an Immortall seed sowen in the heart by God himselfe Therefore looke whether thou hast that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the comfort we have when the body is decayed and waxen old yet let us not be discouraged though this outward man decay and perish there is a new youth springing up This is all the comfort we have that when the old house is going downe we have a new house setting up in stead of it Every man is glad to see an old house pulled downe and a new set up in stead of it but to see an old house going downe and no new one to bee set up the ruine of it is a most miserable Spectacle Take an Husband-man who hath taken great pains in plowing and sowing his ground when he sees his corne is rotten he is glad of it because he knowes new will come up in stead of it so when we see the body decaying and our day drawing towards evening when the Sunne of life is ready to bee set upon us when we shall grow no more this presents nothing but confusion yet here is hope for us There is light Sowen unto the righteous All the consolation and all the comfort wee have in these dayes of our vanity is that we have a New Creature that is not subject to vanitie The end of the Third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE 2 COR. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new Creature NOw we come to the last thing to be observed in the New Creature which is that there is not only an infusion of a new Quality but a weakning of the old Therefore we put that into the description A man is a New Creature when his heart is cast into another mould by the infusion of a new quality of grace and by a destroying of the old And this is specially to be observed because there bee two parts of the New Creature a mortification of sinne as well as a vivification For Common Nature is like a Bowle between two byasses Corruption is the wrong byas carrying us out of the way and Grace the good byas carrying us into the way So you must knocke off the old byas as well as put on a new one that is Common Nature lyes as an indifferent thing betweene Grace and Sin the Flesh and the Spirit Corruption and Holinesse so that as the body is betweene health and sicknesse so is Common Nature between originall sinne which is as the sicknesse or death of the Soule and Holinesse which is the health of it Now it is not only required that there be an infusion of the new Quality but likewise a weakning of this old both cannot stand together so farre as you strengthen one the other is weakned it is alwayes so where is contrariety where there is no contrariety two may stand together but when things be opposite the comming in of the one is the weakning of the other the comming of heat is a weakning of cold this is of speciall use And this use we are to make of it that hence then you see this will follow that if you finde much newnesse in your selves according to your owne opinion you finde you can doe many things you could never doe before you are able to doe these and these duties of new obedience well suppose it yet except there be a mortification of the old lusts if thou find that there be any lusts continue in thee in strength that in that regard thou art the same man still whatsoever addition there be it is no matter it is certaine thou art not yet a New Creature for a New Creature consists not in superinduction of the new Quality the old remaining but in a weakning of the old too It is not only a superaddition of the new but the death of the old also Therefore if thou findest any corruptions continuing in the fulnesse of their first strength not weakned at all though thou hast all signes of grace all parts of a New Creature to thy seeming yet thou art deceived because if thou wert new there would be a mortification of the old lusts So againe it is true on the other side Put case thou finde a great change in thy selfe such lusts as have been vigorous and lively thou findest to be
EFFIGIES IOHANNIS PRESTONI VIRI CLARISSIMI SS THEOLOGIAE DOCTORIS How can this shaddow please thee when thou know'st The substance was but Dust at best at most Goe rather view his Volume and there finde A picture farre more curious more refinde Pervse thou This and yet neglect not That That tells thee Who he was the to ther What. What here thou see'st salute and passe it o're THE SAINTS QVALIFICATION Or A TREATISE I. Of HUMILIATION in Tenne Sermons II. Of SANCTIFICATION in nine Sermons WHEREVNTO IS ADDED A Treatise of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament in three Sermons PREACHED By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinitie Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometime Preacher of Lincolns INNE When men are cast downe then thou shalt say There is lifting up and be shall save the humble person Iob. 22.29 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit c. Ezek. 18.13 He that eats my flesh and drinkes my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Ioh. 6.56 LONDON Printed by R. B. for NICOLAS BOURNE and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange 1633. ILLVSTRISSIMO NOBILISSIMO VIRO PHILIPPO PEMBROCHIAE ET MONTIS GOMERICI COMITI BARONI HERBERT DE CARDIFFE ET SHERLAND ORDINIS GARTERII EQVITI REGIAE DOMVS CAMERARIO REGIAE MAIESTATI A SECRETIORIBVS CONSILIIS c. TRIPLICEM HVNC IOHANNES PRAESTONI S.S. THEOLOGIAE D ri COLLEGII IMMANNUELIS NVPER MAGIST ET REGIAE MAIEST A SACRIS TRACTATVM DE HUMILIATIONE DE NOVA CREATURA DE PRAEPARATIONE AD SACRAM DE SYNAXIN INDEVOTISSIMAE TAM AVTHORIS QVAM IPSORVM OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIVM L.M.D.D.D. RICHARDUS SIBS IOHANNES DAVENPORT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE good acceptance the Sermons of this worthy man have found amongst well disposed Christians hath made us the willinger to give way to the publishing of these as comming from the same Author The good they may thus doe prevailes more for the sending of them forth than some imperfections that usually accompany the taking of other mens speeches may doe to suppresse them Something may well be yeelded to publike good in things not altogether so as we wish They are inforced upon none that shall except against them they may either reade or refuse them at their pleasure The argument of them is such as may draw the more regard being of matters of necesarie and perpetuall use For Humiliation wee never so deeply see into the grounds of it sinfulnesse of nature and life or so farre as we see looke upon it with that eye of detestation we should and therefore a holy heart desireth still further light to be brought in to discover whatsoever may hinder communion with God and is glad when sin is made loathsome unto it as being its greatest enemy that doth more hurt than all the world besides and the only thing that divides betweene our chiefest good and us As this humiliation increaseth so in the like proportion all other graces increase for the more we are emptied of our selves the more wee are filled with the fulnesse of God The defects of this appeare in the whole frame of a Christian life which is so far unsound as wee retaine any thing of corrupted selfe unhumbled for The foundation of Christianitie is layd verie low and therefore the treatise of Humiliation is well premised before that of the New Creature God will build upon nothing in us We must be nothing in our selves before we be raised up for a fit Temple for God to dwell in whose course is to pull downe before hee build Old things must be out of request before all become new and without this newnesse of the whole man from Vnion with Christ no interest in the new heavens can be hoped for whereinto no defiled thing shall enter as altogether unsutable to that condition and place Nothing is in request with God but this New Creature all things else are adjudged to the fire and without this it had beene better be no Creature at all By this we may judge of the usefulnesse of discourses tending this way One thing more thou art to be advertised of Courteous Reader and that is of the injurious dealing of such as for private gaine have published what they can get howsoever taken without any acquainting either of those friends of the Authors that resided in Cambridge to whose care hee left the publishing of those things that were delivered there or of us to whom he committed the publishing of what should be thought fit for publike view of that which was preached in London Hereby not onely wrong is done to others but to the deceased likewise by mangling and misshaping the birth of his braine and therefore once againe we desire men to forbeare publishing of any thing untill those that were intrusted have the review And so we commit the treatise and thee to Gods blessing RICHARD SIBS IOHN DAVEN-PORT A BRIEFE COLLECTION OF THE principall Heads in the ensuing Treatises Part 1. Doct. 1. HVmiliation must goe before Iustification Page 6 Two things in Humiliation 8 Reas. 1. In reference to Iustification 13 Reas. 2. In reference to Sanctification 14 Vse 1. To labour for Humiliation 18 Five helpes to Humiliation 26 Vse 2. The best men should labour to be Humbled 30 Doct. 2. The nature of man is full of all Vnrighteousnesse and Vngodlinesse 33 Mans nature evidenced to bee so by the Law 34 Originall Sinne 40 The corruption of the Vnderstanding in five things 43 The corruption of the Will in foure things 48 The corruption of the Memory in two things 53 The corruption of the Conscience in three acts of it 54 The corruption of the Sensitive appetite 58 The corruption of the Affections 63 Actuall Sinnes 68 Mans Nature shewed to be corrupt by the rule of the Gospell 76 Vse 1. The ignorance of those that know not the corruption of Nature 78 Vse 2. To Labour to prize CHRIST the more 81 Vse 3. Our Sinfulnesse should drive us to Christ 82 Circumstances agravating Sinne 89 Excuses of Sin 101 Helpes against those Excuses 108 Doct. 3. There is a revelation of wrath against all Vnrighteousnesse of men 111 Vse 1. To teach us what Sin is 118 Vse 2. To labour for a Sense of GODS wrath 119 Vse 3. To make us goe to Christ 121 Doct. 4. All men before regeneration with hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse 126 The greatnesse of this Sin in three things 136 Vse 1. To Humble us 931 Vse 2. The miserie of men that are neare and not in the Kingdome of God in three things 143 How farre men Vnconverted may goe shewed in five things 151 How far they come short in five things 153 Vse 3. Most sin out of love to Sin 163 Vse 4. The danger of disobeying the Truth 167 Vse 5. To give the Truth leave to rule 169
to stand on nothing to hold by to sustaine him when a man is nothing is cut off the Tree he grew on before and sees that he must now perish eternally this is true Humiliation You that are to receive the Sacrament what doe we therein but offer Christ to you we preach Christ in the Sacrament he is therein indeed offered more sensibly Now what have you to doe with Christ if you are not humble Consider if this be not wrought in you and remember this that whosoever comes to the Sacrament without this Humiliation that wants this brokennesse of heart receives it unworthily and provokes God to wrath The Passe-over was to be eaten with sowre herbes and the maine businesse therein was to remember the condition they were set at liberty from to remember their bondage in Aegypt and their miseries endured there for by that they saw the greatnesse of Gods mercies So one of the maine businesses you have to doe is to consider your sinnes and be humbled to consider your miserable condition and to think it not a light matter that you may omit it Consider but that one place Levit. 23.29 you shall finde there that in the day of Expiation in the day of Atonement when they came to offer sacrifice he that on that day did not afflict his soule he was to be cut off from his people You have it two or three times repeated It is an ordinance and this is still put in Hee that comes to make an Atonement to be reconciled and offer a Sacrifice remember this ordinance for ever He shall afflict his soule and hee that doth it not shall be cut off from his people Therefore you have occasion to make use of it that are to receive and not you only for the Doctrine is generall Whosoever doth not afflict his soule he shall never bee reconciled but shall bee cut off from his people But you will say I should be willing to doe this but how shall I be able to doe it If God would humble me and set it on and convince me by his Spirit it might be done but how shal I doe it my selfe I answer Thou art to goe about it thy selfe It is not for nothing that those words are used in Ioel 2.13 Rend your hearts and not your garments He sayes rend your hearts And Ier. 6.4 Plow up the fallow grounds of your hearts that is you shall afflict your soules And Iames 4.9 Be afflicted that is suffer your selves to be affâ—icted for your selves sorrow and weepe that is the way to cleanse you Therefore a man should goe about the worke himselfe that is take this resolution Well I see I must be humbled else I cannot on good grounds take Christ for I shal not prise him therefore I will not give over labouring of my heart till it be humbled Suffer thy selfe to be afflicted as if he should say Men are not willing to suffer it if they doe hang their heads for a day they are quickly weary outward businesse comes or pleasure commands and the worke growes tedious Therefore is that in Ioel 2. Sanctifie a Fast that yee may rend your hearts that is sequester your selves from all other businesses from all other occasions sanctifie a Fast that ye may have leasure to doe it if one Fast will not doe it take another Let a man goe alone and resolve never to give over till it be done till he hath brought his heart to doe it When I have done this what shal I then do Consider your sinnes looke backe and consider how many oathes you have sworne how oft you have broken the Sabbath whether you have defiled your selves with sinnes of uncleannesse how often you have broken the Commandements looke on your idlenesse your omissions your sinfull silence your neglect of prayer and other duties Goe over all particular sinnes and their multitude will amaze you Remember the sinnes you have committed twenty yeares agoe and take this rule withall that these sinnes are the same now that they were though not in thy apprehension that is the weaknesse of our nature as it is the weaknesse of our eye we cannot discerne a thing that is a great distance from it it is its weaknesse that it cannot see things as they are but that will seeme little or nothing which in it selfe is big So it is with the sinnes that we have committed many yeares agoe we thinke them little and past but know that they are the same in themselves and in Gods esteem as they were before for he sees them as they are Therefore I say consider them lay them together and see the multitude and that will helpe to amaze thee And not that onely but consider them with their circumstances some it may be have been committed against light of conscience and that aggravates sinne it makes a small sinne out of measure sinfull When it is committed against knowledge it is not the same with the sinne against the Holy Ghost but it is neare to it Againe consider the hardnesse of thy heart in sinning the very sinne doth not hurt so much as that when a man slights it hee knowes hee hath sinned yet goes about his businesse and neglects it and this God lookes at When a man is injured the injury is not so much to him as it is to see the other to neglect it he cares not for angering me So you looke backe on your sins in a cold regardlesse and negligent manner Againe consider your relapses and fals into the same sins againe and againe though you have beene often admonished of it yea and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it And know this that relapses and fallings into sin often stand for so many sins as in numbers the second figure is in proportion to the first which is ten times as much as the first and the third an hundred times as much So the addition of sins by falling into them again and againe and that carelesly too that makes the sin a great deale more consider this And if you goe about to excuse our selves It is true if God should marke all that is done amisse who can stand but I hope I shall be pardoned my nature is violently carried I am flesh and bloud and I hope God will pity mee But this should humble you the more that you are readie to fall into sin againe and again if it be thus in your actions it is much more abundant in the heart For put case there be a necessity hast not thou caused it thy selfe Againe you must know actuall sins intend originall corruption and there is no man that is guilty of any prevalent lust but he was the cause of it for if he had not by committing it often carelessely and negligently given so much strength to it it had not so prevailed Addition of sin in every act of sin varnishes over originall sin it makes it more active
but think with your selves doe you thinke he lesse pities the diseases of the Soule than he did the diseases of the Body Doe you thinke that he hath lesse compassion now he is in Heaven than hee had when he was on Earth Or doe you think that His Arme is shortned that he cannot doe as much now to heale the running sores that are on thy soule as he did on earth to heale bodily diseases My Brethren if you doe but seeke to him if you can get but a word from him if he say but to you Be whole if hee doe but rebuke thy sinfull lusts as he rebuked the Feaver it shall presently obey him Hee that was able to calme the sea and that hath the strong winds in his power is he not able to dissolve a strong inordinate apprehension a strong lust a strong unruly affection and so set them at liberty certainly he is able You know the woman that had spent so many yeares and all that she had upon Physitians and could doe her selfe no good by all yet when shee comes to Christ once you see it was done in an instant So I say a strong lust an old lust which is contrary to this New Creature which it may be thou hast been contending with many yeares and cannot get the victory over it yet if thou canst come in this manner to him and contend with him and knocke at the doore and never give over till thou hast awaked him certainly hee will give thee the holy Ghost he will change and renue thy heart he will set thee at full libertie This he hath confirmed with an oath and whatsoever God hath sworn he will performe it without all reservation where hee is said to doe a thing without an oath there may be a reservation left therefore we never finde an oath to the old Covenant but he hath sworne to performe the new Covenant and you know this is a great part of the new Covenant to give a new heart to make a man a new Creature therefore where the new Covenant is made there this is repeated in Ier. 31. and Heb. 8. I will make a covenant with my people and what is that I will put my Law into their minds and in their hearts will I write them that is I will make them New Creatures Therefore I say this is a matter of much use to you If you goe to Christ and labour to have this done My Brethren there is nothing left for us to be assured nor any other experiment that wee need have that there is another life that Iesus Christ hath done these great things for us and that the Gospel is true I say there is nothing else left for us no other experiment in comparison of this that we see wee are made New Creatures This is all the miracles that we have nay I dare be bold to say more It was the greatest miracle that they had in that time when all the miracles were wrought And therefore you shall find that Paul gives this as the maine argument among the rest That they shall be raised againe at the last day that they were in Christ that the Gospel is real and true For saith he We have received the Spirit we have had the Spirit which is the earnest the pledge the annointing you shall finde it every where scattered in his Epistles the receiving of the Spirit is the maine ground that hee builds on as in the 2 Cor. 1.23 Hee hath established us together with you and hath annointed us and sealed us by giving the Spirit as an earnest into our hearts As if he should say this is the Argument we have that we shall be saved not for all the miracles so much as this that we have received the Spirit for that is the true annointing wee feele it in our selves that sealeth and confirmeth us wee cannot doubt having had experience of such a mighty worke in us that is the earnest and the pledge we have and therefore Ephes. 1.19 He prayes that they might see the exceeding greatnesse of his power working in those that beleeve as if that would bee a great confirmation to them if once they should finde an experiment of the greatnesse of his power And so Phil. 3.10 I care not for all the world on this condition that I might know him and the vertue of his resurrection that is that I might know him by the power of his Spirit changing my heart killing my sinnes raising me againe and in a word making me a New Creature that I might know this experiment I looke upon all the world as drosse and dung as things not to be named So I say seeing there is nothing else left in comparison of this and when miracles were wrought there was nothing like this that wee might have this experiment in our selves we should goe to God and not give him over till the worke be wrought in us that we might be made New Creatures That which keepes men off from religious courses for the most part is discouragement they think they shall not be able to go thorow it when they heare they must bee made new men in all things that there must be nothing that is old left but all the old leaven must bee purged out it discourageth men because they thinke they shall never bee able to reach it whereas this is an assurance to thee that if you go about it you shall not faile of your purpose but you shall certainly bring it to passe because if you seeke it at Gods hands he cannot deny you only I told you you must pray It may be for this purpose God will not heale thee altogether but suffer many lusts to grapple and to contend with thee that thou mayest be taught to doe this duty and therefore wee should learne to goe to Christ wee should feed on him every day and by that meanes we shall be renewed we shall get new strength otherwise what is the meaning of that In this mount hee will make a feast of fined wines and of fatlings of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified Esay 25.6 The meaning is this when you come to Christ to renue your Communion and your Covenant with him which is done through faith and prayer you draw neerer to him and that strengthneth the soule as Mannah strengthned them in the wildernesse that you live by it for every day there growes new distances betweene Christ and us we let goe our hold as it were in some measure and begin to fall off from him a little therefore every day we should renue this Covenant especially when we come to the Sacrament As Ionathan and David they renued the Covenant of God againe that was between them as if there were a new Solemnity of marriage if it were often to be renued to make the parties joyned more united make no question of it we should renue our match with Christ we should come neerer to him
thou art so still thou wast wont to have secret by-wayes that thy heart knowes were not good and thou holdest them still wilt thou say thou art a New Creature It is impossible If we be New Creatures there will bee an alteration certainly in our lives And therefore to you that say I purpose to doe better and I intend it my meaning is good I say to you the Kingdome of God stands not in word and in purpose and in meaning but in power Thou art made a New Creature that is the inward frame of thy heart is altered and if that be altered there is an ability followes it that inables thee to do the duties of new obedience and to abstaine from the contrary therefore examine thy selfe by thy actions and say not now though I doe not live strictly and precisely for shew as others doe yet I doe as much in substance for if thou be a New Creature thou wilt be as much in shew too the operation and action will follow if the in-side be cleane Mat. 23. the out-side will be so though it be true we oft finde the out-side cleane when the in-side is not Therefore it is no strange marke that I give that examining your selves by the out-side should bee a meanes to know if you bee New Creatures for though we cannot say that because the out-side is good the inside is so too yet wee may conclude if the out-side be not good certainly thou art not a New Creature yet Therefore let none say they have a good intention although their workes be bad For although this bee not a good Affirmative Argument if the out-side be good the inside will be so also yet it is a good Negative Argument if the out-side be not cleane the in-side cannot be cleane As in Ier. 3.4 5. Will you not from this time crie unto me Thou art my Father and the guide of my youth c. All this is well spoken But behold thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldest So that good professions will not serve the turne when wee doe evill God judgeth not by our intentions but according to our workes The end of the Second Sermon CERTAINE SERMONS VPON THE NEW CREATVRE 2 COR. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new Creature OVR businesse now shall be to shew what a New Creature is and to apply it as we go along that you may know upon good grounds whether you be New Creatures or no that so you may have comfort if you be or else that you may seeke it if you be not To be a New Creature is nothing else but to have a heart new moulded by the infusion of a new quality of grace and by the destruction of the old There are three things to be marked First the heart must be new moulded Secondly it must be done by the infusion of a new quality And thirdly there must be a mortification of the old man Let us goe thorow these three distinctly and apply them as we goe First the heart must be new moulded or cast into a new frame You may see this by comparing it with the old man wee shall know the one by the other You shall finde that when Adams nature was corrupted there was a disorder in all the faculties As for example in the Ruine of a Palace there are the materials left still onely the order is taken away so in the corruption of nature there are the same naturall operations but all is disordered and turned up-side downe thus was the confusion of man after the fall But the New Creature doth worke the contrary it sets up the house againe and restores us unto our first state in Adam When a man is made a New Creature his Soule is put in joynt againe so that the face of every faculty looks towards God whereas before it looked towards the World Sinne and Hell the Soule is quite altered as a man that turnes his face from East to West whereas a man before had his backe now he hath his face turned to heaven therefore it is called Turning to the Lord. Observe here two things First when we say you must be cast into a new frame it is not enough to have the actions of the Soule changed but the whole bent of the Soule In a regenerate man the turning of the actions is nothing for even when hee doth that which is evill the bent or positure of his Soule stands to God although it be transported to doe evill and it is true on the other-side although an evill man doth good actions yet the bent of his Soule looks another way for therein stands the alteration of the New Creature even in the bent of the faculties which is to turne us from Satan unto God Aristotle hath an observation It is one thing saith he to doe an Act of Art and another thing to do it like an Artist It is one thing to doe an Act of musike and another thing to doe it Artist-like If one doth a thing and have no Art in the doing of it he deserves no commendation so there is a great difference between doing any Act of goodnesse and having the actions of the Soule well habited for when you only doe the act without the bent of your Soules that way God regards it not at your hands but when the inward frame of the heart is set right whereas it was contrary before it is a signe of a New Creature Apply this to your selves But how shall we know whether the frame of our Soules be thus altered or no You shall know it by this If there be such an alteration of the inward faculties you shall finde your selves ready to every good worke When a man hath no naturall inclination unto goodnesse without forcing himselfe it doth undoe the action but when a mans heart is sanctified and made new he presently falls upon good workes He is ready to every good worke for every good worke and stands ready for it hee doth what he doth readily without much adoe for when the heart is changed in a man that is a New Creature hee is like a Conduit doe but turne the cock and there needs no forcing of the water out so when a man is become a New Creature he is ready to every good worke like a good wife that is ready to bring forth fruits unto her husband whereas before he brought forth fruit unto sinne and death Againe you shall finde that you doe good things with facility and delight and that is a signe that thy heart is turned another way It is the property of a good man to delight in the Lord his God and what he delights in he makes his owne what he doth he doth with facility The Commandements of God are not burthensome to him the yoke of Christ is easie therefore if thou art new thou art easie in thy obedience whereas another man that hath no
because that moves not so much being generall you will aske wherein this wrath of GOD is seene and wherein more particularly is this misery in being out of Christ I will name but these three particulars First you shall be subject to Death subject to Him that hath the power of Death You will say this is no such misery for are not holy men subject to death as well as evil men I but there is great difference the evill shall be subject to death as an enemie the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death which shewes that Death is an enemie I say they are subject to Death as an enemie Death may come to two men and be a friend to the one and an enemie to the other that which he saith Death is the rich mans enemie and the poore mans friend we may better apply it to the godly man and to the evill man And surely it is true Death is the Godly mans friend and the wicked mans enemy the same Death as you know the same messenger comes to call Pharaohs Butler and his Baker he came as an enemie to the one and as a friend to the other he came to call the one to promotion and the other to execution so doth Death Now Death when that comes as an enemie is terrible when that comes with a sting Death indeed without a sting is nothing but Death when it comes with a sting and the sting of Death is sinne this we consider not that Death hath a sting it is a Serpent that often stings without hissing without warning it comes suddenly it comes certainly we see continually how men fall from the tree of life as leaves in Autumne we consider not this but this is among the miseries that we are subject to death and this is a great misery Those that can looke upon other miseries and dangers and out-face them without being daunted when Death comes that appales them that looses the joints that makes them tremble that makes their knees knocke together You know it is said of Saul David professeth that he was valiant as a Lion in his Songs of him when the newes of Death comes he fals to the ground there was no strength in him All are petty miseries to this this is the great Giant that makes the stoutest heart to tremble at his approach But is this all that we are subject to death when we are out of Christ No we are subject to the feare of death likewise which is an hundred times worse that death it selfe Heb. 2.14 He hath delivered us from him that had the power of death he hath delivered us that for feare of death were all our lives subject to bondage I say the feare of death is worse than death it selfe because death continues but a moment it is soone gone but the feare of death continues alwayes a long time like the hand-writing which kept Belshazzer in feare so this feare of death keepes us in a continuall trembling this is that that imbitters all our comforts that sowres all our joy this feare of death they were all their life-time subject to bondage through the feare of death Therefore it is not said that death is bitter to him that lives in pleasure but the remembrance of death all the joyes and comforts that we have in this life what are they when they are accompanied with this I say ther is nothing terrible but so farre as it is mingled with this feare All evill and dangers are so farre terrible as they are harbengers of death as they are crackes to give warning of the fall of the whole house that shall never be repaired againe Whatsoever pleasure we enjoy this is the gall that takes away the sweetnesse of all though the pottage were otherwise good when the Colloquintida was in them there is death in the pot so I may say when death is joyned what sweetnesse is in them That is the condition of every man living out of Christ he is not only subject to death but to the feare of death continually But is this all No there is yet more there is Hell Death hath a Page that comes behinde him that is ten times worse than himselfe Rev. 6.7 8. I looked saw a pale horse and the name of him that rode on him was Death and behinde him followed Hell That is Hell is the hooke that is hid in Death when we are once taken with that hooke we are kept there for ever If Death should come without Hell it were another matter Death is but the lightning it is Hell that is the crack of thunder and shall we like children be afraid of the lightning and not be afraid of the bolt It is hell that is the gate that keeps us for ever Death is but the arrest that carries us thither Therefore consider what it is to be subject to Hell as our Saviour saith What will that availe a man to win the whole world and lose his soule Consider well of that speech What will that availe you to save all things else if you lose your soules as if a man should save the paring of his nailes and lose his finger as if he should save his shooe and lose his foot as if he should save the ship and lose the fraught as if he should save the house and destroy the man that dwels in it so it is to save other things and to lose the soule No it is the terrible thing Hell that followes Death In all other miseries yet this is our comfort that Death will come in the end and put a full point and period to them but this second death Hell is such a death as hath no other death to end it Therefore as wee say But for hope the heart would breake surely there is no hope and therefore there is a breaking of the soule aswell as torment of the body Therefore consider what Hell is what eternity is this is the misery we are in out of Christ you are subject to the feare of death you are subject to Death and to Hell too Death is but the Stalking-horse it is Hell that is the Fowler that hath the peece and the shot to destroy us utterly And therefore consider what case you are in out of Christ what misery you are in out of him that when Hell and Death come as she said Vp Sampson for the Philistims are on thee so when we shall say Hell and Death is on you and your haires are cut off that is Christ is gone from you for the cutting off his lockes was but an embleme that God was departed from him I say when they are on us If Christ be away what a case are we in Shall they not take us and carry us to that prison there to lye for ever Therefore consider this it is certaine the destroying Angell will come and commonly he comes in the night Death commeth when thou least lookest for him as a theefe I say the destroying Angell