nor can testifie that For he is the Spirit truth he cannot be deceived himself he will not 〈◊〉 ceive us he is the Spirit of God he cannot lye 1 〈◊〉 he cannot tell it much less give approbation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereunto But the former 〈◊〉 made appear undeniable That it is a Falshood and an 〈◊〉 to say any man living hath right to or can challenge 〈◊〉 spiritual good in Christ before he doth Beleeve 〈◊〉 is no such thing to be found in the Word of 〈◊〉 Therefore the Spirit will never testifie that To affirm that the Spirit should say to any 〈◊〉 that he is in a state of Grace when he is in a state 〈◊〉 Sin that he is justified when he is Condemned 〈◊〉 little less than Blasphemy If the Spirit doth reveal a mans good Estate to 〈◊〉 it is for this purpose that he may know it and he 〈◊〉 inable him to receive that intimation that he may discern it else the one of these Two will follow 〈◊〉 Spirit should reveal this for no end if no good 〈◊〉 got by it or else not attain his end if the party 〈◊〉 not be able to understand what it doth reveal If 〈◊〉 former he should not be a wise Worker If the 〈◊〉 he was not a powerful Worker But know and understand this Testimony the Soul cannot by any power either of Nature or Corruption 1 Cor. 2. 14 The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God neither can he know them because they 〈◊〉 spiritually discerned Nay Rom. 8. 7. The 〈◊〉 of the flesh is not subject unto the law therefore 〈◊〉 unto the Lord nor his Spirit If it be beyond Nature or Corruption then it 〈◊〉 be Grace that must help a man to discern it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a qualification and the first 〈◊〉 of this k nd of saving knowledge must be an 〈◊〉 unto Faith if not Faith it self Fides est ex 〈◊〉 notitia This is eternal life to know thee the 〈◊〉 true God Joh. 17. 3. Two Inferences from the former Cases of Conscience thus Resolved These Two Cases being thus cleered 1 That an 〈◊〉 hath no right to any spiritual Good in 〈◊〉 And 2 That the spirit of God doth never 〈◊〉 known this to such a Soul Hence it s cleer 〈◊〉 manner and order that men have devised to make own the mind of God to a man and to give comfort the Soul in distress being cross to these truths now 〈◊〉 is an Erroneous and False way As for 〈◊〉 You being in distress about your Sins and 〈◊〉 under the Spirit of Bondage you must first lay 〈◊〉 in the bottom lay him in the foundation Christ 〈◊〉 first be yours and so united to you and your 〈◊〉 forgiven by him before you have any Faith or 〈◊〉 qualification wrought in you This Opinion 〈◊〉 sayes That Christ may be united to the Soul and 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted before he have any 〈◊〉 it is a dangerous Opinion a desperate 〈◊〉 that I may say no worse of it Mark what 〈◊〉 here 's the plot of all prophaness the ground of loosness and famalism A man may have Christ 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted while he is without 〈◊〉 and therefore while he is under the power of Sins and the Spirit of God may witness this And 〈◊〉 though a man fall into any Sin or live in any sin 〈◊〉 it be he may have recourse to this 〈◊〉 this witness of the Spirit and that 's enough If a man say Prove it Are you in a state of Grace Is Christ yours Prove it then Prove it say they that I cannot do but the Spirit witnesses this to me Ay but prove this witness of the Spirit that it is from God according to his Word They will be forced to confess I cannot prove it neither to my self nor to another only thus I must beleeve it and you must beleeve me I was in trouble and distress about my Sins and then there was a voyce from Heaven the spirit did witness to me That Christ was mine and my Sins were pardoned c. This is a Spirit of Delusion the Devil is there Whatever the Spirit of God sayes it is that which the Scriptures say Therefore if you have a testimony which is not to be found in the Scripture nor can be proved and made good by the Scripture it is the testimony of the Devil not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God and the Word of God ever go together therefore if you say you Have a witness of the Spirit and the Word say No I 'le say It is a Delusion Secondly Hence it follows also There are 〈◊〉 Promises wherein any saving good is Revealed or Evidenced to the Soul but either they are such 〈◊〉 God promiseth to work the Condition or suppose the Condition already wrought either 〈◊〉 mentioning a qualification or necessarily implying 〈◊〉 including the same out of other places to be collected where the same is professedly handled All spiritual good Redemption Justification Salvation purchased by Christ were intended only for them that do beleeve therefore there is no Promise in the Scripture but doth evidence this Sometimes you have the Covenant laid down in 〈◊〉 lump as it were in a brief Expression as in a 〈◊〉 sum comprehending all the whole frame and then 〈◊〉 several actions in their distinct order and manner 〈◊〉 Gods working are to be attended and conceived as though they had been more fully and in the several branches set forth unto us Take a tast of some few Gen. 3. 5. The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head The head of Satan implys Three things Policy Power and Poyson To break this head is to crush and confound all these The Policy and and Power of Satan is overthrown in the work of vocation when the Soul is turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God the venom and poyson of Satan is taken away partly in the 〈◊〉 and punishment which is done away in Justification partly in the stain and pollution of sin which is removed in Sanctification All these Christ doth in 〈◊〉 hearts of all his and some of these all the Saints of God must have evidence of before they can gain evidence that they are within the compass of this Covenant Thus the Apostle John disputes 1 Joh. 3. 3. to 5. Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself as Christ 〈◊〉 pure Why For sin is the transgression of the law and Christ was manifested to take away our sins therefore vers 6. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Christ came to take away sin and therefore he that abideth in Christ cannot abide in sin and vers 8. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil So again Jerem. 31. 33. I will be their God and they shall be my people Zach. 13. last I will say it is my people and they shall say thou art the
is the way that God hath appointed and he wil bless the order which he hath set in his infinite wisdom and which he wil prosper If you would find his blessing walk in his way if you expect success attend his order and direction which he hath left to bring us to his Christ and so to life and happiness If you see not your sins you are in hazard never to see good day while you live nor when you dye Christ is said to stand at the dore and knock and if any man wil open unto him he wil come in and supp with him Rev. 3. 20. Saving Contrition is a shooting back the boults of our base lusts a severing and unlocking the heart from the Soveraignty of ones noysom Corruptions that stop the passage and hinder the coming of our Saviour this clear and convicting sight of our sins is as it were the lifting up of the latch or letting in of the Key the powerful dispensation of the truth and operation of his spirit whereby the knot and combination between sin and the soul is broken and severed and the way made that the authority of the truth may come at the heart and work kindly upon it for good An error here in the entrance is hardly ever recovered to miss here is mervailous dangerous it spoyles our whol proceeding in the great work of our calling and everlasting comfort as the naturallist and Physitian observe an error in the first concoction is never recovered in the second for the Lord in his wisdom and the course of nature hath so ordayned that each part doth that which is its proper and peculiar work but doth not rectify or redress that which was done amiss by another and so the goodness of the nourishment is never recovered or the body strengthened or health so comfortably preserved herby as were to be desired So it is in the entrance of 〈◊〉 great work of preparation for Christ and our effectual bringing home unto him never see sin aright the soul cannot be affected with it in a right manner never truly see the need of a Savior never seek after him or come to him this through sight of sin is as it were the setting open of the window whereby the light and good of the truth and the loath 〈◊〉 of sin is laid open unto the soul and comes in a main upon the Conscience to prevayl with it whereas shut this window and stop this passage the soul is cooped up in the dungeon of darkness and delusion be the ordinances never so powerful the means never so effectual there 〈◊〉 no coming into the heart no hope to work upon it or to prevail with it for good the evil of sin is not acknowledged and therefore not prevented that which his reason cannot see a man cannot shun the excellency and necessity of a Christ is not discerned and therefore not endeavoured after as were meet It befalls the soul smote with this spiritual blindness as with the Assyrian Host when they came to surprize Elisha 2 Kings 18. 19. 20. He prayed Lord smite this people with blindness he did so and they saw nothing before they were in the midst of their enemyes so here when the sinner is misguided by the dimness of his deluded mind he goes on in an evil way and knowes not whither he goes or where he is before he be in the botintoless pit Oh be wise and wary therefore that we err not here least we rush into ruine and that past alrecovery Expect then Gods blessing upon our endeavour but in Gods order attend his work in his own way It is the aym of our Saviour in sending and the office of the Holy Ghost in coming into the world when he intends to work effectually the saving good of his people to intitle them to the pardon of their sins and to establish their hearts under the government of his spirit John 16. 7. 8. If I depart I wil send the Comforter and when he is come he wil reprove he wil convince and set down the world by 〈◊〉 conviction of sin of righteousness of judgment of righteousness that the law is satisfied justice answered and that fully because he that was in prison is now released and therefore the debt payd and he gone to heaven to his Father Of judgment the power of his Kingdom government erected and set up in the soules of his servants and children in that by death he overcame him that had the power of death that is the Devill and therefore he is judged and falls in his cause as having no right nor in reason can challenge no rule in the hearts of those for whom Christ hath satisfied divine justice and therefore are free from that authority that sin and Satan had of them thereby But before we can share either in the righteousness of Christ for our justification or the rule of his spirit in our Sanctification the Holy Ghost must and doth convince us of sin that we have rejected and not entertained this Saviour If we do not convictingly see our sin in settling upon the root of our Corrupt rebellions and casting away the riches of Christs mercy the rule of his Grace it s not possible that those spiritual benefits should ever be made ours As ever therefore you desire to see and find the mercies of Christ sealed up unto your Consciences in pardoning of sins and acceptation of your persons As ever you would find the Kingdom of Satan cast down in your hearts and the government of his Grace and spirit there set up labor for this clear and convicting sight of sin begin you where the Holy spirit begins that you may find his presence with you his effectual power and blessing to accompany your endeavours in that way Catch not disorderly at pardon look not for peace of Conscience or hope to see the government of Christs Grace set up in your souls before you come to 〈◊〉 your sins by convicting evidence of the Holy Ghost The holy spirit of Grace wil not cross his course to gratify our Corruption That I may further set on the exhortation I shal endeavour to do these two things First To propound some means to help in 〈◊〉 work Secondly Some motives to quicken you therein The means are these that follow First Labor we to see that unconceivable excellency of holiness that is in the Lord and search we into the 〈◊〉 and the righteous laws there recorded for the direction of our daily course and that wil make us see the loathsomness of our own hearts and the vileness of 〈◊〉 As it s said of darkness it cannot be seen by it self but its light that discovers it self and darkness It s as true of sin it is not by it self to be discerned for it is spiritual darkness the light of Gods Holiness and wisdom which by sin are wronged and the law which is transgressed these are both lights God is light and in
Lord our God Here again is the sum of the Covenant comprised and all the particulars with the manner of the work included and presupposed as the Apostle once for all expounds these and the like passages 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among 〈◊〉 and be ye separate and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father to you and ye 〈◊〉 be my sons and daughters saith the Lord 〈◊〉 If they touch no unclean thing but be separate 〈◊〉 Sin Self and the Creature and so come out of 〈◊〉 these in preparation and come to him in effectual vocation then he will be a father to them in his Christ and make them his Children in Adoption and then he will write his laws in their hearts and renew them to that Holiness which in Adam they lost and so enable them to walk in his wayes And therefore when the Lord promiseth by the 〈◊〉 Isa. 43. 25 I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own names sake and will not remember 〈◊〉 sins that is I do justifie thee freely when I have made thee to beleeve by my free grace For it cannot be conceived that the Lord would pass the Sentence of Absolution upon her while she remained in the 〈◊〉 of Unbelief For then that of the Apostle should fail It s one God that justifies the Jews by Faith and the Gentiles through Faith Rom. 3. 30. Therefore look the 20 and 21 vers of this Chapt. for we must not have one place justle against another and there you shall 〈◊〉 it is said I will do this and that for my People my Chosen which are Beleevers and of them and unto them it is said vers 25. I will blot out thy sins for my own sake The resolving of these Cases and information of these Doubts infers undeniably thus much That there is no Absolute Promise that either gives or maintains assurance of our good estate but such only wherein God engageth 〈◊〉 to work the Condition or else doth of necessity imply it wrought It will be said That the Covenant of Grace is free and issues out of the free Mercy of God in Christ and therefore the Lord hath not in it any respect to any thing we have or do It s all confessed and yet there is no prejudice at 〈◊〉 accrews to the Cause in hand Free Grace is the Fountain of all It makes the 〈◊〉 it works the Condition it maintains the 〈◊〉 which is wrought Ephes. 2. 8. By Grace 〈◊〉 ye saved through Faith And though God both require and work the 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 8. Faith is the Gift of God Yet it not for our Faith or for the worth of any Grace 〈◊〉 is in us that we have life and salvation but by 〈◊〉 and those as means and wayes by Grace 〈◊〉 and provided to give life 〈◊〉 is of 〈◊〉 Grace doth it not therefore require 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Party that is Justified nor yet suppose him to be 〈◊〉 The Apostle openly contradicts such a 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called them he justified 〈◊〉 is also of Free Grace and yet doth it 〈◊〉 suppose Sanctification and Holiness in the Party 〈◊〉 must possess it Without Holiness no man shall 〈◊〉 the Lord Heb. 12. 14. As my Glorification doth 〈◊〉 hinder the freedom of my Justification because it 〈◊〉 before it so my Justification doth not hinder the 〈◊〉 of my Vocation because Vocation goes 〈◊〉 it but only shewes the order and manner of Gods 〈◊〉 Third Case of Conscience Though a man can have no Right to any Spiritual 〈◊〉 in Christ without Faith and though the 〈◊〉 never witnesseth this without or before Faith 〈◊〉 when Faith is there when some gracious 〈◊〉 is wrought may not doth not the Spirit 〈◊〉 a mans good estate without any respect to 〈◊〉 or any gracious Qualification existent in the 〈◊〉 I Answer So marvelous secret and unsearchable are the Dispensations of the Spirit unto the Soul 〈◊〉 as the wind blows where it 〈◊〉 thou hearest 〈◊〉 sound of it thou knowest not whence it comes 〈◊〉 whither it goes So it is here The hidden 〈◊〉 ousness of the manner of the Spirits work in the 〈◊〉 of it is so hard to discern that to make any approach so as to discover the way of God and to undermine an Error entrenching thereabout by 〈◊〉 of Reason is more than ordinarily 〈◊〉 and therefore for our better proceeding in Answer 〈◊〉 this Question I shall Endeavor to do these 〈◊〉 Things 1 State the Question and open it in the 〈◊〉 thereof 2 Give in such Arguments as we conceive 〈◊〉 plainest Evidence with them to settle 〈◊〉 Truth 3 Answer some such Objections as are of greatest weight For the right 〈◊〉 of the Question in 〈◊〉 to the Case propounded I lay down this Conclusion The Spirit of God never gives in immediate 〈◊〉 of any right we have to or that we are made 〈◊〉 of any benesit from Christ without respect 〈◊〉 some Qualification gracious Disposition or Condition in the Soul There are Three Particulars to be Opened for the right understanding of this Conclusion First What is meant by Evidence Answer 〈◊〉 light of 〈◊〉 let in on Gods part and 〈◊〉 on ours whereby either we have or may have 〈◊〉 true and never failing ground of right discerning 〈◊〉 what is so manifested and apprehended so that Evidence 〈◊〉 First That God by his Spirit manifests his 〈◊〉 and our Good and that we either do or may 〈◊〉 it for our Comfort For it s the aim of the 〈◊〉 to understand this Evidence with Application 〈◊〉 the truth to our own particular estate For we 〈◊〉 not now what the Word is in it self or what 〈◊〉 Spirit doth in the ordinary dispensation thereof 〈◊〉 that is light in it self and makes all things 〈◊〉 indifferently at all times Eph. 5. 13. but here we 〈◊〉 this Discovery and Manifestation of the Mind 〈◊〉 God as it comes home to our Particular that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hearts may be settled As Luke 24. 32. He opened the Scriptures vers 45. He opened their 〈◊〉 that they might understand the 〈◊〉 and so the truth was more cleer and their sight 〈◊〉 cleer 1 Cor. 2. 12. He hath given us his spirit 〈◊〉 we may know the things that are freely given to 〈◊〉 of God 1 Joh. 5. 20. He hath given us an 〈◊〉 that we may know that we know him Secondly This right discerning on our part is not 〈◊〉 a certain knowledge or science of that good 〈◊〉 is thus witnessed to us but an assurance of Faith whereby the heart embraceth it as true to it 〈◊〉 good for it The one of these is a help to the 〈◊〉 sanctisied reason or reason exercised about 〈◊〉 truths is an instrument appointed by God in the and of his Spirit to beget this act of Faith for 〈◊〉 exercised about the Word and
reason Where there is nothing but opposition and resistance between two there can be no union for all union implies 〈◊〉 and agreement there must be a mutual accord 〈◊〉 things on both hands before they can be made one Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed love tends to unity and 〈◊〉 the cause of it and that ever presupposeth some I keneis But 〈◊〉 man remaining in the state of Unbeleef and Corruption is wholly opposite to Christ and the work of his Spirit he is wholly Flesh John 3. 6. And the flesh lusts against the spirit and these are 〈◊〉 Gal. 4. 17. the wisdom of the flesh is 〈◊〉 against God it is not subject nor can be subject to the Law so far from closing with the work of the Spirit as it is not able to bear it The Scribes and 〈◊〉 rejected the counsel against themselues i. e. to their own 〈◊〉 Acts 7. 51. Ye stifnecked and 〈◊〉 hearted ye have ever resisted the Spirit of the Lord. Paul did no more than every Natural man would do Being mad saies he I persecuted that way The way of Christ and so Christ himself In a word It 's said of all and it 's true of all the best of the Saints take them in their Naturals ye were darkness Eph. 5. 10. darkness cannot but oppose light He that is acted wholly by the power of Infidelity he must resist the work of Faith and so the receiving of Christ by it There are but Two Covenants that ever God made with man touching his everlasting Estate The Covenant of Works or of the Law the Covenan of the Gospel and so of Grace and these two Covenants are so opposite that the one 〈◊〉 the other If it be of Works it is no more of Grace else Works were not Works If it be of Grace it is no more of 〈◊〉 else Grace were no more Grace Rom. 11. 6. Hence they are severed as far as blessing and cursing Gal. 3. 9 10. So then they which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse Now all men by Nature are Members and Heirs of the first Adam and therefore under his Covenant and under his Curse Rom. 7. 5. 8. Whilst we were in the 〈◊〉 the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our Members to bring forth fruit unto death Those who are in Christ are under the Covenant of Grace and Life for he that hath the Son hath Life Hence I 〈◊〉 To be under two contrary Covenants of Law and Grace is impossible because so a man should be accursed and blessed at once But he that is in his corrupt Condition and state of Infidelity he is under the Covenant of Works he that is in Christ under the Covenant of Grace Hence followeth a Fifth Reason Who ever is under Grace over them sin shall not have Dominion Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace 〈◊〉 they who are in their natural condition and in the state of Unbeleef they are under the power and dominion of 〈◊〉 therefore they are not under Grace nor yet in Christ. This discovers the folly and dasheth the fond conceit of many carnal men who have framed a speedy way to Heaven in their own fancies through which yet never any had passage thither to wit they fondly imagine they have Christ and Mercy at command and that they can make a step to Heaven in the turning of a hand they 〈◊〉 not make such large provision or preparation before to tire out themselves with tedious and heart breaking sorrows and dayly remorse 〈◊〉 their dayly failings smal warning will serve 〈◊〉 mens turns Be it they love their lusts and practise them they harbor continually their noysom distempers in their souls express 〈◊〉 also in their lives they crave but the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 few hours before their 〈◊〉 to fit themselves for their departure and happiness a few forced sighs faigned and formal confessions of their evils and howling for pardon out of the horror of their spirits now and then customarily adding a Lord have mercy on me they suppose they have made all even with God but if they can but get the Sacrament they conclude all is sure they must needs go post hast to Heaven if they can but say they beleeve Christ must comfort them cannot but save them No no Brethren the Word reveals none our Savior accepts of no such agreement he comes upon no such terms to bring any comfort with him unless any man should be so far forsaken of reason and sense as to imagine the Lord Jesus would carry the Drunkard and his Cups the Adulterer and his Harlots also the riotous Gamester his Cards and Dice Hawks and Hounds and all to Heaven together which is 〈◊〉 and incredible Oh! these men will one day find and that to their wo they cozened their own souls by their own folly whereas sound 〈◊〉 cost more the way must be prepared thy heart loosened rent and plucked away from thy corruptions before the Lord Jesus will vouchsafe once to look in upon thee No Harbenger before no King follows after where the heart is not 〈◊〉 for a Savior there is no hope to 〈◊〉 the presence of a Savior It 's the condition upon which his coming is promised and can be expected upon any sure ground It 's the order and connexion of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath set in the work of Grace Luke 3. 8. And all flesh shall see the 〈◊〉 of the Lord. The Copulative Particle And tells us the sight of Salvation depends upon that which went before when we see the mountains of Pride high and lofty imaginations levelled crooked perversness of our own spirits taken off and we made meek and tractable then there is some hope that Salvation will appear unto us but if any man will yet rear up mighty Bulwarks and strong holds of rebellion and hardness of heart and maintain those high imaginations sturdy distempers of pride security and carnal confidence he must know whoever he be that as yet he is not within the ken of mercy and though he look until his eyes 〈◊〉 in his head and his heart 〈◊〉 in his body he 〈◊〉 never come within a true sight of Salvation much less may he think ever to be made partaker of it why confer with thy own conscience Dost thou think it fit the King should lie in the Truckle-bed under a company of Traitors Is it reasonable the Lord 〈◊〉 should be an 〈◊〉 to thy lusts No certainly the gods that thou hast obeyed by those thou must be saved thou would have thy lusts but reject Christ thou shalt perish with them but the presence of the Lord Jesus thou canst not enjoy Let the 〈◊〉 man forsake his way and the unrighteous man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and return unto the Lord for he will
therefore to mind this or to be led by this is present death The minor is thus again confirmed because it submits not to the Law and that is not for a present push only and out of a surprizal of some temptation but it 's certain it will never nay it can never be other because it 's beyond its power nay cross to its Nature so to do so that it hath no ability nor will for to do it nor can it of it self attain any sufficiency thereunto To make way for the collection of the Point of which we purpose to speak there be two words in the Text to be attended for Explication sake 1 What is meant by The Wisdom of the flesh or to be Carnally minded The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of large compass and in truth comprehends in this place the frame of the Reasonable Faculties the Understanding and Will in the extent of their full work what he understands and plots by Reason the Will effects and this latter of necessity implies the other for so the word whence it comes is taken 1 For the work of the Understanding Acts 28. 22. We desire to know what thou thinkest they would understand his Opinion and Judgment touching the way of Christianity so the Apostle speaks when he would confine our Reason to the compass of the Wisdom of the Scripture and Gods Counsel therein revealed he adviseth We should not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Again It 's used and that often to express the work of the Will and therefore it is 〈◊〉 translated by Care Phil. 4. 10. I rejoyced that your Care of me again flourisheth Somtimes by the work of Seeking If ye be risen with Christ 〈◊〉 those things which are above 3. Col. 1. Or by the act of tasting or savouring Mat. 16. 21. Get thee behind me Satan thou savorest not the things 〈◊〉 be of God And therefore Beza is constrained to Paraphrase and lay out the compass of it in a 〈◊〉 of words That which the carnal man savors is enmity that is the frame of the plotting of the minds and affecting of the hearts of carnal men is enmity against God 2 Enmity as we say in the abstract made up of nothing but malice and hatred and that in an extream manner against the Lord more than against any thing in the world And if it be enquired how that doth appear and can be proved The Evidence is added in the next words It is not subject to the Law As the heart is to the Law so it is to the Lord as it is to the Word of God so it is to God himself It wholly shakes off the Sovereignty and Authority of the Law and it is not a pang only of a temptation that carries it nor a push or 〈◊〉 of some present infirmity that overbears it but in truth it is the very Nature of a naughty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 6. and nothing else but 〈◊〉 and therefore it can do nothing but oppose the Spirit and the Law which is Spiritual every thing will do and in 〈◊〉 can do no 〈◊〉 but its Nature And this denyal 〈◊〉 only of the Act of Subjection but the very Power of Subjection shews the height of that opposition that is in the heart against the Law and so against 〈◊〉 Lord himself for subjection is one degree lower 〈◊〉 obedience it 's possible for a Servant not to 〈◊〉 the command of his Master and yet he may in 〈◊〉 and subjection submit himself to his authority to bear what he will inflict upon him with 〈◊〉 though not to do what he requires of him A Patient may be subject in silence and meekness to 〈◊〉 the launcings of the Chyrurgion to cut him and so cure him when he can in no wise help 〈◊〉 and yet a carnal heart will not do this for his 〈◊〉 of subjection implies 1 It doth not acknowledg the Authority and 〈◊〉 of the Law 2 It will not obey the Rule of it 3 It will not bear the Power of it whereby it would redress the sinfulness of our hearts and reform the disorders and miscarriages of our lives and pluck away that sin from us that would pluck away our hearts from God He hath no right to challenge 〈◊〉 sovereignty no reason to exercise it no Lawful power but usurped that doth maintain it and 〈◊〉 I do not acknowledg this right nor obey that Rule nor bear that Power saies the Will it would take away my lusts and so take away my content 〈◊〉 life and I will rather die than yield rather be 〈◊〉 than abide my pleasing distempers to be crossed by the Law Hence then the Point is plain The frame of the whol heart of a Natural man is wholly unwilling to submit to the Work of the Lord that would sever him from his sins I say the frame of the whol man to the words of the Text and interpretation of them each plotting of the Mind each affecting of the Will the 〈◊〉 current of the carriage of the inward man and 〈◊〉 is not only unable to follow the direction of the Law and of the Lord but not willing to bear the power thereof to force it to the reformation of those 〈◊〉 and sins unto which it subjects it self and sets it self resolutely to keep So the Lord professed of Nimrod and his company when they had set themselves upon the building of Babel out of their pride and self confidence Gen. 11. 6. Now nothing will 〈◊〉 restrained from them which they have imagined to do let us go down and confound their Language It 's in vain to perswade them in vain to send Messengers and shew Arguments never so sad and weighty to stop them only confound their language that they may not be able to do what they would It 's the Scope of that Parable Matth. 21. from 33. to 41. wherein the waywardness of the hearts of the sons of men and their desperate unteachableness is apparantly discovered Messenger is sent after Messenger all variety of means provided and continued they beat one evil entreat another slay a third and when the Son himself is sent that Reason would have concluded that which the Master of the Vineyard conceived they will reverence my Son they were most outragious against him because happily he was more instant and importunate to press them to Sanctification the rendring of the fruit your fruit in Holiness and the end eternal Life Rom. 6. 22. they express greater opposition against him because he most of all opposed their sins Come say they this is the Heir let us kill him and the Inheritance will be ours Nor was this the guise of some graceless forlorn persons but the disposition of all men it 's part of that Curse we inherit from the Loyns 〈◊〉 our first Parents Gen. 6. 5. The frame of the imagination of our hearts are evil and
they neither see the evil of their sins by it nor yet receive any spiritual Direction from it nor indeed know any such thing and therefore though their carriages are somwhat reformed yet their inward corruptions are not observed at least not reformed or they made sensible of them As it is with a pur-blind man he may see things of a greater bulk as a great Print or the like but the smallest Print or the least pricks he perceives not So it is with a pur-blind Christian who cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. If there be some loathsom and gross sins discovered he can see them but to see the stirrings of sin in his Nature and the secret inclinations of his soul to sin and the base aims and ends that are up and down in his heart in the performance of holy Duties to see the smallest Print of the Law discovering secret and spiritual wickedness in the Heart that a man that hath no more than Nature cannot see And therefore for we come to the Point the Spirit of Bondage is required which may let in the light of the Law into the mind and set on the power of it mightily upon the consciences of sinners and so dazle their Eyes and daunt their hearts with the dreadfulness of their sins Rom. 8. 15. You have not received the spirit of Bondage again to fear as who should say it 's a gift and it must be received or else we shall not by all that we can do attain the bondage and thraldom of that base condition in which we are whereof more afterward in Conviction The Law is a Hammer but it will not break the Flint unless the hand óf the Spirit take it and use it a Hammer in the hand of a Child will not move the stones so the Law in the hand of a man or Minister it is as a Rod to whip us unto Christ but unless the Spirit take it into his hand we shall never feel the blow or smart and so be forced to go Hence that Phrase John 16. 8 9. I will send the Spirit and he shall convince it 's his Prerogative he is appointed by him it 's only performed The two former may agree to a false-hearted Hypocrite he may have a lighter stroke of the Spirit of Bondage and the Law may convince him and his own heart condemn him and he may go away in dreadful horror for his sins and yet it doth not remove the Rule of Ignorance and darkness out of the mind but the Saints of God have the two former and they have this further viz. such a through stroak of the spirit of bondage as takes away the rule of darkness and removes the Soveraignity and Authority of it from the mind this I take to be the meaning of that phrase Acts. 26. 18. to turn them from darkness to Light When the Lord wil work throughly he wil not onely scatter the sogs and disperse the grossest of the dimness and darkness of a mans mind and leave the soul under the power of it for all that The hypocrite may be dazled and astonished by the light of the truth breaking upon him but yet his understanding is under the power of darkness but the Saints of God are turned from it that is their understandings are delivered from under the power of that darkness that was in them before Conceive it thus when the night comes darkness overspreads the face of the Earth and though there be Moon-light or some flash of Lightning sometimes that may something take off the grossness and blackness of darkness but yet it is dark stil the Moon-light or Starre-light doth not remove the rule of darkness but when the Sun ariseth in the East we say it is day break and you shal see apparently when light comes with a Command of the Sun it scatters the darkness that was in the ayr it removes the rule of it and it rules there it self So it is with the spirit of bondage when he comes to an hypocrite he enlightens him with Star-light or Moon-light as it were so that the grossness of darkness and blindness is scattered that now a terrified hypocrit sees his sins and is able to Discourse of sin and of the Law of God and to Discover it to others and yet it is but Moonshine it makes not day the root and rule of Darkness is there stil which stops and hinders the entercourse of the dispensations of God unto the soul. But now in a Godly man whose understanding is turned from darkness to light when the truth and light of it hath by the spirit of bondage been 〈◊〉 on upon the mind and Conscience you shal see day breaking as it were he then sees himself and his sin and he sees God and Christ as the sun of righteousness shining gloriously in his Eyes dazling of him with such a light as he never saw nor knew before so in Acts. 9. the scales of ignorance and blindness fell from the Eyes of his mind and he was turned from the power of darkness and that light which was let in to his understanding could never be overcomē again by al the darkness inthe world 4 When the spirit of God hath let in this light of the law in the specification of it as it belongs unto the Saints and so hath turned the understanding from darkness he leaves a sett upon the understanding God-ward that its ready it s that way-ward to receive any truth that comes in the impression of it and this is the turn of the understanding to light it was before turned from God and sett hell-ward sin-ward under the 〈◊〉 of darkness and acted therby wholly to bestow it self upon the creature in the room of God As when Adam sinned the whol man was turned from God to the creature and sin so now in Conversion the whol man is turned from sin and the creature to God again and therfore the understanding from darkness to light And Hence it is that a poor ignorant creature that hath come many years to the Congregation and hath learned nothing he understands nothing remembers nothing or if out of the strength of memory he remember something yet he knows no more the thing than a Parrat But when God hath once turned him and left this sett upon his understanding and the day is broken as it were and the rule of darkness removed a new light set up there now he never comes but he takes somthing he can understand it and remember it there is no subject but he will get somthing of it because his understanding is heaven-ward I have known some by experience that though they have been wise and wittie enough for outward things yet so senceless and sottish in the things of God that they could sit and hear a Sermon of an hour long of those very sins they have been guilty and yet it hath been to them as though it had never been yet afterward they have professed it that
turn or do the work 〈◊〉 we are all sinners it is my infirmity I cannot help it my weakness I cannot be rid of it no man lives without faults and follies the best have their failings In many things we offend all But alas all this wind shakes no Corn it costs more to see sin aright than a few words of course It 's one thing to say sin is thus and thus another thing to see it to be such we must look wishly and steddily upon our distempers look sin in the face and discern it to the full the want whereof is the cause of our mistaking our estates and not redressing of our hearts and waies Gal. 6. 4. Let a man prove his own work Before the Goldsmith can sever and see the Dross asunder from the Gold he must search the very bowels of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and try it by touch by cast by hammer and by fire and then he will be able to speak by proof what it is So here We perceive sin in the crowd and by hearsay when we 〈◊〉 some common 〈◊〉 customary expressions taken up by persons in their common converse and so report what others speak and yet never knew the Truth what either others or we say but we do not single out our corruptions and survey the loathsomness of them as they come naked in their own Natures this we ought to do There is great ods betwixt the knowledg of a Traveller that in his own person hath taken a view of many Coasts past through many Countries and hath there taken up his abode some time and by Experience hath been an Eye-witness of the extream cold and scorching heats hath surveyed the glory and beauty of the one the barrenness and meanness of the other he hath been in the Wars and seen the ruin and desolation wrought there and another that sits by his fire side and happily reads the story of these in a Book or views the proportion of these in a Map the ods is great and the difference of their knowledg more than a little the one saw the Country really the other only in the story the one hath seen the very place the other only in the paint of the Map drawn The like difference is there in the right discerning of sin the one hath surveyed the compass of his whol course searched the 〈◊〉 of his own heart and examined the windings and turnings of his own waies he hath seen what sin is and what it hath done how it hath made havock of his peace and comfort ruinated and laid wast the very Principles of Reason and Nature and Morality and made 〈◊〉 a terror to himself when he hath looked over the loathsom abominations that lie in his bosom that he is afraid to approach the presence of the Lord to bewail his sins and to crave pardon lest he should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them while he is but confessing of them afraid and ashamed 〈◊〉 any man living should know but the least part of that which he knows by himself and could count it happy that 〈◊〉 was not that the remembrance of those hideous evils of his might be no more Another happily hears the like preached or repeated reads them writ or recorded in some Authors and is able to remember and 〈◊〉 them The ods is marvelous great The one sees the History of sin the other the Nature of it the one knows the relation of sin as it is mapped 〈◊〉 and recorded the other the poyson as by experience he hath found and proved it It 's one thing to see a disease in the Book or in a mans body another thing to find and feel it in a mans self There is the report of it here the malignity and venom of it But how shall we see cleerly the Nature of sin in his naked hue This will be discovered and may be conceived in the Particulars following Look we at it First As it respects God Secondly As it concerns our selves As it hath reference to God the vileness of the nature of sin may thus appear It would dispossess God of that absolute Supremacy 〈◊〉 is indeed his Prerogative Royal and 〈◊〉 in a peculiar manner appertayn to him as the Diamond of his Crown and 〈◊〉 of his Deity so the Apostle He is God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. All from him and all for him he is the absolute first being the absolute last end and herein is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Glory Al those attributes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness Power Justice Mercy the shine and Concurrency of all these meeting together is to set out the unconceivable excellency of his Glorious name which exceeds all praise Thyne is the kingdom the power and the glory the right of all and so the rule of all and the Glory of all belo 〈◊〉 to him Now herein 〈◊〉 the unconceavable hainousness of the hellish nature of sin it would justle the Almighty out of the Throne of his Glorious Soveraignty and indeed be above him For the will of man being the 〈◊〉 of all his workmanship all for his body the body of the soul the mind to attend upon the will the will to attend upon God and to make choyce of him and his wil that is next to him and he onely above that and that should have been his Throne and Temple or Chair of State in which he would have Set his Soveraignty for ever He did in an Especial manner intend to meet with man and to communicate himself to man in his righteous Law as the rule of his Holy and righteous will by which the will of Adam should have been ruled and guided to him and made happie in him and all Creatures should have served God in man and been happy by or through him serving of God being happy in him But when the will went from under the government of his rule by sin it would be above God and be happy without him for the rule of the law in each command of it holds forth a threefold expression of 〈◊〉 from the Lord and therein the Soveraignty of all the rest of his Attributes 1. The Powerful Supremacy of his just will as that he hath right to dispose of all and authority to command all at his pleasure What if God will Rom. 9. 22 My Counsel shall stand and I wil do all my pleasure Isa. 46. 10. And as its true of what shal be done upon us so his wil hath Soveraignty of Command in what should be done by us we are 〈◊〉 say the will of the Lord be done Davids warrant was to do all Gods wils Acts. 13. 22. and our Saviour himself professeth John 6. 38. that he came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him and therfore his wrath and jealousie and judgment will break out in 〈◊〉 that be disobeyed 2. There is also a fulness of wisdom in the law of God revealed to guide direct us in the way we should walk
him is no darkness John 1. 5. The law is a light and the Commandement a lamp unto our feet Prov. 6. 23. And by the sight of both these we come to have a ful discerning of sin which is opposite to them both Our ignorance of God breeds the ignorance of our own hearts and the hidden waies of wickedness and the cunning conveyances of corrupt distempers which are there in Psal. 14. 1. 2. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and then it followes they are become abominable he makes bones of no sins at al for herein lies the spiritualness or spiritual evil of sins and that hidden poyson and malignity of the corruption of our natures that they justle professedly against the Almighty so far as he is pleased to communicate himself unto us in the waies of his Holiness and goodness Thus the blasphemer is said to pierce God by his oaths Levit. 24. 11. and the wicked are said to walk contrary to him Levit. 26. to 〈◊〉 him to weary him to load him while then we see not him whom we do oppose by our sins no wonder that we neither see nor are sensible of the sins by which we do oppose him Whereas could we grope after the Almighty as the Apostle professeth we may because he is not far from any of us nay in him we live and move in every spiritual action of our minds and hearts So that did but a wicked man or could he perceive that in every thought of his mind motion of his wil stirring of any affection that he did justle with the infinite Holiness and purity of the Lord who meets with him in every action and motion of his mind and wil It were able to sink the soul of a sinful creature and make him sit down confounded in the sight of the loathsomness of his own 〈◊〉 nature as being wholly opposite to so infinite a good in all he is or doth thus it was with Job when the Lord had schooled him out of the whirlwind discovered the surpassing excellency of his Glory to him he puts him beyond al pleas of his own worth Job 40. 4. Behold I am vile yea more expresly he gives this as the reason of the discovery of his own wretchedness I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine eye sees thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes Job 42. 4. So it was with the Corinth who was convinced by the preaching of the Word he saw God before he saw the secret vileness of his own heart presented to his view 1 Cor. 14. 24. God is in you of a truth Search we into the holy Law of God and examine our hearts and lives thereby and see how far they stand guilty of the breach thereof but view the compass of the Law and what is vertually contained therein for though the words are few yet the things are many that are comprehended in them And especially look not at the Letter but at the Spiritual Sense and Mind of the Almighty in each thing there required that the whol heart must close with God and his Will as the chiefest good look at and lift up his Glory as his last end in every duty we do and that we make a breach in al those particulars in every sin we do commit our heart is not with him nor make we choyce of him set not up his Name but seek our own base ends thereby and serve our selves and not him By this narrow search and dayly observation of our dayly course we shal be able to see the frame of our hearts and carriages presented to our view and so discern to the ful the loathsomness of those noysom 〈◊〉 that leprosie-like overspreads our whol man Thus James adviseth James 1. 25. that we should look our selves into the Law of Liberty that is a Cristal and cleer Glass and wil discover what is amiss even to a mote the smallest sins and 〈◊〉 and that unto their ful view Paul a learned Pharisee he saw more of sin and more of himself by the Law than either 〈◊〉 conceived or suspected to 〈◊〉 to him Rom. 7. 7. 9. I had not known that lust had been sin but that the Law saith Thou shalt not 〈◊〉 nor did he think himself bad or his condition so miserable but when the Law came that is the light and discovery of the Law he perceived his sin alive but himself dead When the Lord in any Ordinance by the Truth shall discover our sins our Conscience shall come in as a witness to 〈◊〉 or as a Sergeant and Officer by Commission from the Almighty to arrest and condemn us for any evil we should attend both to see Gods mind to the utmost therein and then it 's certain we shal see We must beware that neither out of carnal fear nor sensual security of our sinful hearts we be willing to lay aside the evidence of the truth as content not to hearken to the Verdict of it 〈◊〉 desirous not to listen to the dictate of Conscience but to shake off the Consideration of either lest we should sink down in discouragement It 's certain Truth is terrible and the Dictates of Conscience are dreadful when they come with Commission from the Almighty yet true it is walking humbly under Gods hand we should be so far from fearing the discovery of our sins that we should be comforted in this that they are discovered to us and we should compose our hearts in quietness with the right consideration of the manner of Gods dealing in this kind and commune with our selves on this manner It 's a fearful thing indeed to fall into the hands of the Almighty who is a consuming fire but yet herein the faithfulness of the Lord is seen he deals so with me as he doth with those that he intends good unto he makes His see their sins and that 〈◊〉 before they ever see his pardon of them or power against them if he never convinceth he never 〈◊〉 He sent his holy Spirit into the World for this purpose to perform the work this is the way to Grace and Christ I bless his Name I am in the way I wil hearken to the Evidence of the Truth that I may understand al that God intends and listen to the checks of Conscience that I may know to the full the Nature of my sin When we have a little inkling either by an Ordinance or Conscience take hold of the least intimation and leave it not until you come to the bottom and perceive the utmost vileness in such a course It was so with David who took hold of the reproof of the Prophet Nathan and though he mentioned but one thing wherein the grosness and greatness of the evil appeared yet hence he took occasion to overlook his whol course to consider every circumstance and to ravel out all until he came to the bottom he confesseth al the falsness of his heart
alas what can Nature do in such a case if God wil not help Is it equal that men be put upon impossibilities or that they should be punished for that which cannot be avoided It 's not in man to direct his own waies to subdue his own sins we are nothing else but a lump of corruption the Lord knows we do what we can and we hope we shal not be condemned for what we cannot do I Answer The Lord knows and thy Conscience knows and the world knows thou speakest a horrible fal ehood or to use the Phrase of Scripture Thou lyest and speakest not the Truth More particularly I answer Four things Thou doest not what thou mayest and canst do 〈◊〉 Lord hath left in thee the remainder of many natural abilities hath lent thee the help of many common 〈◊〉 and Graces which by Art and Education have grown to some ripeness and thou hast found the strokes of his Spirit partly restraining of thee from evil and constraining of thee to good and thou neither hast nor dost put forth actions and endeavors answerable in any measure It was said of them it 's as true of thee Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God they 〈◊〉 him not as God The unprofitable Servant was not condemned so much because he had no Talent but that when he had received a Talent he idled away his time and Talent hid it in a napkin he traded not gained not consequently Matth. 25. 25. This is thy condition thou art in his rank thy sin the same and thy sentence wil be the same thou hast 〈◊〉 one but many Talents hath not the Lord given thee a mind to conceive and a memory to retain things why canst not thou lay out these for the Lord and his Truth as wel as to lavish out both in the pursuit of the world and thine own lusts and lying vanities thou mayest read the Bible as wel as other vain Books seek the communion of Saints and thy legs would carry 〈◊〉 to them as wel as to riotous company Nay thou art not only faulty in not doing what thou canst but even neglecting 〈◊〉 opposing the practice of those Duties unto which thy judgment would carry thee and 〈◊〉 constrain thee Rom. 1. 18. thou holdest down the Truth in unrighteousness when thy reason props it thy Conscience provokes and calls this thou shouldest this thou oughtest to do and yet thou neglectest it Yea let thine own Experience give in evidence in this behalf thou laziest away thy time in the waies of thy Calling and the work of the Lord reads not 〈◊〉 not prayest not in private recallest not the things heard 〈◊〉 not in thy place with meekness but crooked carriages peevish and froward speeches rugged behaviors attend thee in thy dayly course Answer me out of thine own heart Would not so much money hire such reward promised and performed perswade thee to do such duties or reform such sins Would not the fear of some displeasure at least the sharpness of some punishment compel thee to reform outwardly to find thy heart and tongue and mind and force thee to pray and read and recal make thee bite thy lip and compose thy carriage not to speak a cross word or vent a passionate speech Thou wretch doth twenty pound or a whipping post give thee any Grace thou hadst therefore ability which thou never didst improve as thou mightest Secondly Be thy weakness whatit wil be or inability that is not the worst but that which ads to the heap of the 〈◊〉 of thy evil and the height of it Thou art not yet WILLING to be made ABLE to receive the grace which the Lord in the Gospel hath prepared and now tenders and would give thee 〈◊〉 thou but willing he should Rev. 22. 17. Oh every one that wil let him come to the waters for the Gospel doth not require that a man should beleeve by his own power nor yet condemn him because he doth not but that he wil not encline his Ear and suffer the power of the Truth to take place with him and prevail with him for good Christ comes to his own and he comes with Grace and Life but they receive him not John 1. 10 11. yea our Savior professed it to them Ye will not come to me that you might have life John 〈◊〉 40. And light is come into the world but men love darkness rather than light John 3. 19. men love their distempers hug and 〈◊〉 their lusts they are weary of the Word that would reveal and remove their corruptions Rom. 8. 7. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God it is not subject to the Law nor can be It hath not any Spiritual good it wil not bear the power of the Truth that would pluck away our corruptions and take place in us Do not plead so much therefore thou art not able but go to the bottom thou wouldest not be made able thou would'st have thy proud heart and not be made humble thou wouldst have thy loose heart and not be purged when thou art in Hell and art tormented with these and for these know thou hast thy will and therefore why dost thou complain Nay it is thy disposition to withdraw thy self from those means and not to give attendance and leave thy self under the stroke of the Word that would take away thy unwillingness John 3. 20. He that doth evil hates the Light and comes not to the Light he went away sorrowful Matth. 19. 22. And after that time many of his Disciples went away from him and walked no more with him because his words were spiritual and piercing which they could neither hear nor bear Not attending for redress and help against the frowardness and perversness of thy heart it 's a just and righteous thing with God to stake thee down under all thosedistempers that thou mayest be deluded with them hardened in them and damned for ever for them and thou hast no more than thou hast righteously deserved 2 Thess. 2. 10 11. Because they did not entertain the Truth in the love of it therefore he gave them up to the activity of Error that they might beleeve lyes and it 's the best Reason that ever yet appeared to my apprehension why the Woman who in Reason could not but know the Serpent could not speak yet would and did talk with it But she had begun before not to love the Truth being set to till the Garden and to keep it Gen. 2. that is to keep the wild beasts out of it she did not so therefore God gave her up to be deluded by the Serpent the like may be said of Balaams conference with his Ass in reason he should have fled from his Ass not have fallen in conference with him but when men delight not to have God in knowledg no marvel that he delivers them up to a reprobate sence Rom. 1. What ever difficulty and impossibility attends thy weakness thou art the cause of it
mind and the Rule of the Law and therefore cannot save you yet thy sinful neglects impudent and scornful contempt of the way and means of Grace will undoubtedly damn thee This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light John 3. 17. The Scribes and Pharisees despised the Counsel of God against themselves Luke 7. 30. The Law and Command was given to Adam in innocency and to thee in him to Husband all advantages and to lay out thy self in all thy sufficiencies to advance Gods Name and to do his will to love him and serve him with all thy mind and with all thy might 〈◊〉 22. 37. How ever thou beest changed yet the Law is not changed however thy ability is not the same by reason of 〈◊〉 wound thou hast taken by original corruption yet thy Duty is the same to this day Gods will is done in Heaven and should be done in Earth The Debtor that borrows the money and stands bound to the Creditor to answer the Debt though his state alter and he be impoverished and made unable to pay yet his Bond for payment continues in full force against him and he will be constrained to make it good Though all that thou canst do can neither prepare thee for Grace nor purchase Grace for thy self yet the means through Divine Institution are mighty God by them can work effectually and if it seem good to ' his good pleasure he will wait upon him only for that good thou wantest from whom only it can be received As the Leapers in the time of the Famine resolved to try what might be done by others for their safety who could do nothing for themselves That is Gods way and means try what God will do in whose pleasure it is to give or deny I might ad what Divines speak and seasonable 〈◊〉 to the Point in hand While thou art endeavoring as thou canst it lessens thy sin and prevents further plagues unto which thou wilt be subject through Gods just Judgment and thine own just deserving Abab's 〈◊〉 humiliation prevented the 〈◊〉 plague though it did not free him from the eternal 1 Kings 21. 29. Seest thou 〈◊〉 Ahab humbles himself I will not bring the evil in his daies A Patient that hath a Wolf in her Breast and an 〈◊〉 Gout knows neither can be recovered yet both may be eased by use of Physick and moderate Diet and therefore he intends both Cast away the evil of your works but keep your works still keep some Rules if thou canst not keep all better save one side of thy 〈◊〉 good than both naught If thou canst not avoid al sin avoid as much as thou canst Is it then beyond the power and any possibility of man to attain Grace Yes It 's not in man to direct his own way Jer. 10. 23. It 's beyond the power of a dead man to restore himself to life And our Savior is express and peremptory in giving Sentence in this case and his determination is conclusive Matth. 19. 26. when he said it 's as easie for a Chamel to go through the eye of a needle as for a rich man to be saved The Disciples ask Who then can be saved He returns this definitive Answer With man it is impossible but with God all things are possible Look we at the power and performances of man there is no sufficiency 〈◊〉 possibility for of our selves we are not able to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. But if we look at the Almighty Power of God there is nothing hard to him who hath Hardness at Command But is any man tied to impossibilities and can any be punished because he 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 that which is impossible to him Impossibilities are of two sorts 1. Some are absolute that exceed the compass of our being or all that ability we ever received 2. Impossibilities by supposition which though the things be possible yea easie in their Nature and with reference to their first order and institution yet by reason of some inconveniences hindrances weaknesses which fall in beside and cross to the course and constitution of things as they were at first that which formerly might easily have been compassed there is in ordinary course no possibility to attain unto it And to such 〈◊〉 a man may be justly tyed and failing in his performances may justly be punished by the Law of Nature Nations right Reason and the righteous Rule of God The 〈◊〉 hath borrowed so much money which he may improve and is bound to repay at such a day appointed if he through his prodigality and riot shal vainly mis-spend not only the Sum he borrowed but his stock a fair estate unto which he was born so that it 's now impossible to him thus impoverished to satisfie May not the Creditor according to al the Rules of Right and Reason require his Money in the default of payment punish or imprison No Nation ever questioned it It was not only possible for Adam but easie to love God above all if he through his fall hath brought impossibility of payment upon himself the Lord may in Justice require it and punish him for it And certain it is God justly may and doth deny Reprobates Grace not only because they do not what they may but also because they do that which through the corruption of their own hearts they cannot avoid As namely because of the enmity of the wisdom of the flesh they are not nor cannot be subject to the Law and 〈◊〉 Will of God Rom. 8. 7. That for which God condemns the wicked for that he denies them Grace and Glory For Condemnation implies both and cannot admit either But they are condemned not only because they do not so much but because they did such and such Duties to false ends not because they did not fast and pray but because they did both to a wrong end to serve themselves and lusts and not to serve God and yet they could not aim at Gods Glory as their last end If for the not doing of such Duties they should and might do they only want 〈◊〉 then if they had done such and such according to their power as they could and improvement of their abilities then they had received Grace undoubtedly which hath been fully confuted by the former Arguments To issue this Point that we may fence our selves against so dangerous a conceit let us take in and store our hearts with some saving Truths as a Soveraign Antidote against such fals-hoods and herein I shall not only speak mine own Judgment but the Judgment of all my fellow Brethren as I have just cause and good ground to beleeve that so you may receive them 〈◊〉 Truths under the Testimony of many Witnesses Ballast therefore thy heart with the Conclusions following All men are by Nature dead in sins and trespasses A dead man can not prepare himself for life much 〈◊〉 hath power to