contempt they debarre themselues from the breath of the spirit For if amongst those that heare the Word diligently when it is most soundly preached there be but one sort amongst foure that get any more grace by it then the common gifts of the Spirit which a reprobate may possibly attaine vnto then let them neuer looke to obtaine the Spirit sauingly that contemptuously reiect preaching as Papists doe that negligently heare preaching neuer but when themselues list now and then at their owne leisure as profane Protestants doe And if such persons remain in their vnregenerate condition vntill they come to reape the fruit of it in eternall condemnation whom can they blame but themselues What can they finde fault withall as the cause of such misery but the turning away their eares from hearing the Law Suppose a man were in a close roome where through the vnholesomnesse of the ayre he were like to be smothered and might haue libertie to goe abroad into the aire where the winde might reuiue his spirits if he should wilfully refuse to come abroad and partake of that refreshment and should rather choose to keepe in that roome were not hee worthy to be smotherd and choaked Surely yes how much more deserue they to be smothered with their sins and choaked with the stinking ayre of their corruptions who haue the word brought home euen to their doores and yet stop their eares against it chusing rather to snort vppon their couches to sit in the chimney corner to prate by the fires side to patch their cloathes as many of the poorer sort make that their Saboths worke to play and game to make bargaines to trauell about their worldly businesses then to go to the house of God where in the preaching of the word the Lord doeth offer the worke of his Spirit for the distilling of grace into the hearts of the Elect. Wherefore whosoeuer thou art that hast beene either a contemptuous despiser or a negligent hearer of a powerfull Ministery when thou mightst haue had it be humbled for this contempt reforme this negligence and now at last gather vp thy ceited in her own eyes and thence it was that they were so ful of grace Can the profane person get restraining grace so long as in the pride of his hart he thinks himselfe good enough Can the ciuill person euer get sauing grace so long as he is puffed vp with a loftie conceit of his owne righteousnesse Cā the hypocrit get sanctifying grace so long as he prides himselfe in those common gifts which he hath already It is not possible For so long as men are swolne vp with a selfe-conceit of their owne excellency with an haughty opinion of their ciuil honesty with a conceited thought of supposed sanctitie they can see cause neyther of complaining before God of their natiue filthinesse nor cause of praying vnto God for more holinesse And if they see no cause to doe thus how can they long for grace and if they neuer long for it they can neuer haue it Let the word therefore which thou hearest be effectuall with thee to bring thee out of conceit with thine owne holinesse and learne thee to see and acknowledge that thou hast nothing in thy selfe originally but natiue pollution otherwise though thou beest neuer so well esteemed in the eyes of the world Publicans and harlots shall sooner enter into the kingdome of Heauen and be blowne vppon with the winde of heauen then thou shalt Thirdly when the word hath done this notable good with thee 3 Help to sanctification as to bring thee to a base esteem of thy selfe in respect of the lacke of grace then must thy heart be softned and moistned with the teares of contrition and remorse of conscience must bee the thing which thou must striue for The Prophet c Ezek. 36 26.27 Ezechiel seemeth to intimate vnto vs that the Lord before he putteth his Spirit within vs he taketh away the stony hart from vs. d Isa 66.2 To this man will I looke saith Iehouah himselfe by Isaiah that is of a contrite spirit The more moist the earth is the more vapours ascend out of it and the more vapors rise from it the more windes blow vpon it euen so the moyster our hearts are the more tender our consciences are the more vapours of sinne will the Sunne of righteousnesse draw vp to himselfe in regard of guilt by the grace of iustification and so the more way shall be made for freedome from the reigne of sinne in the grace of sanctificatiō Why were the Scribes and Pharises so destitute of grace but because hardnesse of heart did possesse them and the spirit of slumber was vpon them whereas Peters e Acts 2 Conuerts being pricked in their consciences did beleeue and repent to the remission of their sinnes and sanctification of their soules And truely this must needes be an vndeniable truth because that when the heart is tender and soft it is like waxe capable of the impression of euery grace then the preaching of the Lawe will worke vppon it to the producing of the grace of repentance the preaching of the promises of the Gospel will worke vppon it to the breeding of a liuely faith the reuealing of the will of God concerning any necessary duty to saluation wil worke vpon it to the begetting of new obedience the experience of Gods mercies will worke vpon it to the effecting of the grace of loue the meditation of Gods iustice and power wil worke vppon it to the engendring of an holy and sonne-like feare but where this softnesse and tendernesse is not neither Law nor Gospel neither mercy nor iustice nor any thing else will auaile to imprint the least stampe of any grace vpon the soule And truly from the want of this it is that so little grace is to be found amongst the posteritie of Adam in this last age of the world Aske the Philosopher why winds are not so common in the winter and summer quarters as they are in the spring the Autumne and he will answer that the cause is from the hardnesse of the earth beeing more bound with extreamitie of frost and colde in the winter then in the autumne and more parched with vehemencie of heate in the summer then in the spring euen so aske the Diuine what is the reason why the winde of grace doth not blow as well vpon the greater number as the smaller and hee wil answer you The hardnes of mens hearts is the ground of it their hearts are frozen with the dregges of coldnes and security and they are parched and dried with the heate of their Iustes which hindereth all spirituall moysture in them and can heauens blasts blow so long as all such moysture is wanting vnto them I confesse indeede that when the Spirit beginneth first to breathe it findeth the heart of the sinner hard and impenitent but yet I say that the Spirit neuer proceedeth vnto the vp-shot of Sanctification
I deny not but the tongue being h Iac. 3.8 an vnruly euill for want of watchfulnesse at sometimes may breake foorrh into speeches vnseemely vnsauoury offensiue and scandalous though the heart be neuer so well sanctified yet this euill is bewayled when it is perceiued and more care is taken by the Christian to set locke and key vppon his mouth afterward But to make a common trade of swearing cursing lying filthy speaking Ismaelitish scoffing priuy whispering without any compunction or remorse without any reformation or amendment is a plaine argument of a gracelesse disposition which I doe boldly affirme against the stoutest loose-tongued speaker that is because the Apostle ioyneth with me and is my warrant when he sayth i Iac. 1.26 If any man among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vaine And this may I adde also If any man or woman would be accounted such an one as in whose heart the Spirit of grace hath breathed and yet not able or at least truly desirous and industrious to inure his mouth to blessing as well as to bridle it frō cursing and to set it on worke with the matters of heauen as to refraine it from hellish discourses that person is much deceiued also If thou wert regenerate thou couldest not choose but vppon fit occasion offered bee speaking and telling either how God humbled thee or how he raised thee or how hee brought thee to Christ how he tried thee since thou camest to Christ and grace would make thee speake either of the force of thy corruptions or the victory thou hast gotten ouer them of the rubbes that are in the way of a Christiā mans course of the sweetnesse of a godly life c. Thy wife thy husband thy children seruants friends familiars neighbors should heare the sound of godly counsell mingled with loue the sound of holy perswasion ioyned with wisedome of religious instruction graced with grauitie of wholsome aduice seasoned with humility to come from thee and proceede out of thy mouth either more or lesse according to thy measure if the fountaine were but seasoned and thy heart sanctified with the sauing gales of the winde of grace Thy tongue would be moouing questions to the aged in Christ that are stronger then thy selfe thou wouldest be willing to giue direction vnto those that are yonger then thy selfe and that haue not that experience which thou hast and glad wouldest thou be of any occasion to talke of the wayes of God to the furtherance of thy selfe to the edification of others Insomuch that howsoeuer many can talke well which are but hypocrites neuer sanctified by the power of the holy Ghost yet all that are so sanctified and regenerate can speake of the things that concern the good of their soules either more or lesse and that to some good purpose also and the newest borne babe in Christ that is I speake of those that are come to yeres of discretiō though his vnderstanding be neuer so small is able to put the laylors question to the learnedest Paul and profoundest Diuine in the Land k Acts 16. Sir what shall I doe to be saued What must I doe to come by such a grace the want whereof I see in my selfe what course shall I take to ouercome such a corruption the raging whereof I finde against my soule I goe not about good Reader to bring all Christians to one and the same scantling in this matter of spirituall conference A caueat for some speake lispingly or stammeringly for want of age experience help of naturall gifts wherein other Christians goe beyond them and no further then the Lord openeth Dauids lippes can l Psa 51. his mouth shew foorth Gods praise But this is that which I chiefly intend To proue him to be destitute of grace that hath neyther art nor heart or art without an heart to conferre and speake of the matters of saluation The Lord knows it is farre from my purpose to quench so much as the smoaking flaxe or discourage the weakest scholler in Christs Schoole that is scarce past his Christs Crosse rowe if hee hath but a true minde to learne the Lord prosper him in this businesse and encrease his skill more and more I am not ignorant how many weake Christians complaine of their vnskilfulnesse this way I can not conferre I can not talke as such an one can I haue not the gift c. Canst thou not Thou canst thou canst talke of thy corruptions thou canst complaine of thy weakenesses thou canst question about what way thou must walke in to come to saluation seeing thy selfe to be out of the way naturally though thou beest neuer so weake and vnskilfull if thou hast any whit of spirituall breath in thee thus thou canst I say conferre and speake and by that time thou comest to haue these questions throughly answered according to thy hearts desire thou shalt from thine owne experience grounded vppon the word of GOD in the Lawe and Gospell come to that maturitie and ripenesse that thou shalt be able to put any meer Naturian or Politician to his non plus in the points of practicall Diuinitie And therefore once againe I say goe on the Lord prosper thee Though thou canst but spell as yet and thy vnderstanding bee but small yet if the Lord hath enlarged thy heart to seeke after Knowledge as for Pearles and like a diligent dutifull Scholler to plie thy booke hard and to crie and complaine because thou canst not get thy lesson so well as thou doest desire intreating thy fellowes to help thee and to tell thee I dare not say but that the Spirit of Heauen hath inspired grace into thee Wherefore I aime not I say at the discoragement of the weak but at the discountenancing of the carelesse whose tongues are so vnaccustomed to the points of Diuinitie that they can not so much as aske which way they may come to saluation or enquire how to attaine vnto that measure of knowledge that they may bee fit to commune with those that are vnder them or that belong vnto them about the things that concerne their euerlasting peace that neuer complaine of their ignorance and vnskilfulnesse nor labour after more knowledge and yet for all that thinke thēselues to be regenerate who being tried by this rule are proued not to be the people they deeme themselues to be And so much of the fift property of the spirits breathing to fit the Christian that may be throwne against the one and to ward the blowes which may be offered against the other 1. The spirit vpholds his faith against temptation For when Satan laboureth by the rubbes which hee casteth by the fearefull doubts which he suggesteth to weaken his assurance of hauing right to the heauenly Priuiledges as pardon of sinne grace to perseuere freedome from spirituall bondage the kingdome of glorie c. Hee is able blessed be God which teacheth his hands to warre
vntill it hath prepared the heart by breaking and humbling it and taking away the flintinesse of it Thou therefore whose heart is stony whose conscience is crusty bewaile thy securitie lament thine impenitencie and take thou no quiet vntill more remorse bee wrought in thee and euery check that thy conscience giueth thee for any good which thou hast neglected for any euill which thou hast committed quench it not choake it not repell it not For if thou resistest when conscience doth its office thou indisposest thy selfe to any remorse and thou occasionest the powers of thy soule to be so hide-bound that no spirituall moisture of sorrow for the lacke of grace can bedeaw thee and how then can the winde of grace blowe vpon thee Wherefore vntill the word of Grace hath thus farre wrought vpon thee to bring thee to a soft and broken heart think thou it hath don thee little or no good for whom the Lord doth freely worke vpon to sanctification hee doth also bring to mortification the second step wherunto is a soft and tender spirit Lastly The fourth helpe to sanctification prayer vnto the Lord for grace is a notable meanes to obtaine it For as the Lord f Psal 105. bringeth the wind out of his treasures so he sendeth downe his Spirit and euery good gift of the same from heauenly places not by any locall mutation as though the third person in the Trinitie did come from his throne of maiestie but by a supernatural operation and working in the hearts of the Elect the will of the Father in this worke goeth first the wil of the Sonne followeth that and the will of the Spirit proceedeth from both Non tempore sed or dine and therefore seeing grace doth thus come downe from heauen as the winde from the cloudes wee must by Petitions send vp to heauen for it Vnto this our Sauiour Christ doth encourage vs when-as hee sayth g Luk 11.13 Your heauenly father wil giue his Spirit to them that aske him But will some obiect and say Obiect How can wee pray for the Spirit while we want it when as wee cannot pray aright for any thing vntill Answer 1 wee haue the Spirit Whereunto I answer First it must bee considered vnto whom I speake to wit to such whom the Word hath preuailed withall to bring them to a knowledge of the want of grace and to remorse of conscience because of this want now they that are brought thus farre they are disposed to pray for it and therefore to such as these are very well may I speake as the Apostle doth concerning Wisedom h Iac. 1.5 If any man lacke that is feeles the lacke of wisedome and so consequently of grace let him aske it of God Yea and desire God to giue him grace to call for it aright and entreate others to begge the same thing for him Againe howsoeuer we cannot Answer 2 pray for the Spirit vntill we haue the Spirit yet we must pray for it that we may ascertaine our selues that we are in the way to attaine it for one of the first steppes to grace is an earnest desire to bee made a partner of grace yea such a desire as will not be satisfied vntill it hath it And neuer let that man looke to bee breathed vpon spiritually that hath not an heart to send vp sighs and sutes earnestly to the God of heauen for his holy Spirit As Mariners therefore when they would haue a prosperous gale to driue them to the hauen are wont to say Blowe winde blowe winde so pray thou Blowe Lord breathe Spirit oh breathe some heauenly blastes some spirituall motions some holy inspirations into my gracelesse barren and empty heart And let that be thy prayer which was the prayer of a Christian father and constant Martyr Cypr. de S. sancto folio 32. Adesto sancte spiritus sanctifica templum corporis nostri consecram habitaculum tuum dignam te habitatore domum compone adorna thalamum tuum quietis tuae reclinatorium circundae varietatibus virtutum sterne pauimenta pigmentis nite at mansio tua carbunculis flammeis gemmarū splendorib c. Come thou holy Spirit sanctifie the temple of my body and soule consecrate it as an habitation for thy selfe make it an house fit for so worthy a guest to lodge in beautifie it as thy chamber beset it as the Cabin of thy rest round about with the variety of all vertues let it glister as thy mansion with spirituall carbuncles and with the splendor of heauenly Pearles cause the odours of thy gracious oyntments to perfume it within and so regenerate and renue my heart that it may be established in grace for euer If in some such wise as this thou wilt but feruently faithfully and feelingly make knowne thy requests vnto the Lord thou shalt finde that that Spirit which descended vpon Christ in the similitude of a i Mat. 3.16 Doue and vpon the Apostles in the likenesse of clouen and fiery tongues k Act. 2.3 at the feast of Pentecost will come downe vpon thee in the likenesse of a mighty wind to purge and purifie thee to renue and sanctifie thee and to infuse into thee innocencie wisedome zeale faith fear loue and all graces in measure needful for thy saluation And thus Christian Reader haue I pointed out vnto thee the helpes which may further thee towards the attainment of sauing grace The Word must be attended to that it may teach thee humilitie humilitie must be attained vnto that out of an acknowledgement of thine own vnworthinesse and vnholinesse thy heart may be softned and a soft heart must be endeuoured for that out of a broken contrite spirit thou maiest earnestly call vpon God for the gales and graces of his holy Spirit who vpon thy praying vnto him aright hath made a gracious promise freely and liberally to vouchsafe them vnto thee without reproaching thee And that thou maiest be perswaded the more willingly to follow this direction Motiues to stir vp to the carefull vse of these meanes Motiue 1. and be the more eagre thus in the pursuite of holinesse doo but in the first place consider the consolation that these graces will afford a man in the time of affliction and triall For endeuourest to be sanctified Thinke we now vpon these two things seriously meditate wee vpon them carefully and let them be as two goades in our sides to make vs industrious in vsing meanes to be gracious Would wee haue a comforter in the times of heauinesse would we be partakers of euerlasting happinesse then let vs as we haue beene exhorted follow the rules that haue beene prescribed vs to attaine to holinesse that the blastes of heauen may inspire grace into vs. Which grace the Lord grant vs for his mercies sake Sect. 5. Vse 4. Admonition And so from my third Vse which was for exhortation I proceede to a fourth which is the last
and knowest not this Which words saith that Author are not spoken by Christ so much to vpbraid him for his ignorance as to pitty his blindenesse Now did the Lord Christ thus Let the same minde be in vs that was in Christ Iesus and that such a number should walke in the valley of darkenesse and should be so ignorant in this great mystery in these Halcyon dayes of Light and Grace when the point of regeneration is so opened and insisted vpon and should be so vnacquainted with it as if they had neuer heard it discoursed vpon all their liues that they who are able to talk of it should be no better practicioners of the fruits of it nay bee wholly to seeke in the power of it notwithstanding their historicall knowledge of it let it mooue our hearts pearce our soules and stirre vp in vs a pittying affection to their ignorant condition and the rather too because such simple soules hauing nothing else but the corrupted eye of carnall reason to looke vpon spirituall things withall abuse holy treasures are in a miserable case and neither see it nor bewayle it Sect. 3. Vse 2. Admonition Secondly is the worke of Sanctification and the doctrine thereof inuisible to the naturall man let this serue as a caueat vnto vs to take heede that we do not fadome the counsels of God made known in his word by the measure of our owne wisedome and that we measure not that which is spoken of the Spirits working by the rule of our carnall reason For if wee doe it will proue a rule that will mis-leade vs it will be an eye that will deceiue vs. If wee search into the nature of the breathings of Grace with such a light as that is wee shall but seeke in the darke and like the Sodomites at Lots doore groape and not finde Let our reason therefore stoope to Gods rule and our wisedome submit it selfe to his word euen against reason that so being content to deny our owne reason in the point of Regeneration wee may both speculatiuely vnderstand it in the doctrine and experimentally see it in the working But alas alas this lesson lacketh Schollers this admonition is not hearkened vnto and yet neuer more neede of vrging it then in these dayes the visible Church of Christ it selfe being so full of such persons as wil bring all Diuinity to their owne scantling and with incredulous l Iohn 20. Thomas wil beleeue no more then they see and wil yield to no more then they can haue reason for and if anything be told them or taught them which natural iudgement doth not like of it must be cashiered by them as false doctrine Tell them of spirituall purification of sound humiliation of forsaking all sinne of embracing all vertue in the worke of Regeneration it is more then needes say they I will beleeue my selfe I will yielde to neuer a babbling Preacher of them all Wilt thou beleeue thy selfe doe so if thou thinkest good but in the meane while I must tell thee the mischiefe of it If the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch If thy blinde reason leadeth thee blindfolded from the truth of the Scriptures because they are repugnant to the wisedome of the flesh thou shalt be taken in thine owne craftinesse and bee in the pit ere thou art aware and if thou wilt needes beleeue thine owne light before Gods light thou art worthy to reape the fruits of thy foolishnesse Touching the mystery of Regeneration thou hast many Treatises extant thou hearest many sermons preached The breathings of grace in the worke of Sanctification thou seest is the subiect of this Treatise something concerning it haue I already spoken and CHAP. IX The second Doctrine handled from the second part of the Text. Sect. 1. Doctr. 6. To the regenerate the worke of grace is not insensible HAuing in the former Chapter handled the first poynt In this I come to deale with the next which is the most coessentiall with the Text aboue all the rest and thus it standeth That howsoeuer to the eye of Reason the worke of Grace be inuisible yet in the soule of a regenerate man there is a sense and feeling of it Our Sauiour Christ telleth Nicodemus heere that it is with the breathing of grace in the heart as it is with the blowing of the winde in the ayre and though the substance of it cannot be seene with the eye yet the sound of it is heard with the eare euen so though mans wisedome as it is carnall can not conceiue the mysterie of Regeneration yet the worke it selfe is perceiued and felt by the regenerate person by the effects it produceth and the spirituall sound it maketh in the soule In the handling of this point I will follow this methode first I wil proue it from Scripture and Reason secondly I will shew what this sense and feeling is thirdly I will shew how it is wrought and lastly make some Vses of it 1. The doctrine proued For the first thing the poynt is easily confirmed from examples in the Word In how many places of the Psalmes doth Dauid speake of the ioy and gladnesse of the satisfaction and fulnes that God did put into his hart as Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased And Psa 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Now can a man haue ioy of heart and satisfaction with the brightnesse of Gods gracious countenance and haue no feeling of it And what saith the same Prophet in an other place n Psal 25.23 where speaking of the righteous man that feareth the Lord he saith His soule shall dwel at ease or as the Originall hath it Shall lodge in goodnesse Now can a man lodge in a sent to and obey those heauenly motions 3 Working grace is an actuall renewing and changing of the minde will and affections from the power and dominion of sinne vnbeliefe ignorance hardnesse of heart crookednesse of will c. to the rule and command of grace in obtayning sound sorrow for sinne past true faith Christian zeale holy loue and the like 4 Coworking grace is that same continued aide and strength which the Lord giueth vs to work out and make an end of our saluation with feare and trembling 5 And perfecting grace is that will which the Lord giues vs to sticke constantly vnto him and to perseuere in our regenerate estate and condition This ground being thus layed wee must now vnderstand that sutable to these seuerall graces is the feeling a Christian hath First therefore when preuenting preparing grace breathe together for many haue the preuenting grace good motions to forsake such a sinne c. which neuer haue the preparing grace but quench those motions and altogether resist them when I say therefore they breathe together the soule hath a two-folde sense and feeling first of the