the body and all the parts thereof being corrupted are become unto the wicked soule as the convenient tooles for the artificer or as a picklocke or fitted weapon in the hand of a theefe therefore Paul calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weapons of unrighteousnesse or as a shrewish servant to an upright Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants to uncleannesse For the soule sealing up every evill action with voluntary consent may be said to bee the theefe and the body the receiver both alike culpable before God seeing each in his nature place hath stricken a stroke in the committing of sin That our whole man is naturally corrupt appeares by the verdict of God himselfe who saith that he is but flesh a very heape and lumpe and bundle of iniquity The imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth and so accordingly his whole disposition and estate even from his subsisting to thâ—s present I know that in me that is in my flesh or nature dwelleth no good saith the Apostle There is not so much as a thought of time betwixt a mans naturall being and his sinfull being So soone as ever wee are borne wee are borne sinners being guilty of Adams transgression before God which is therefore called Originall sinne in regard of the auncientnesse of it continuing eversince Adams fall accompanying the nature of man from his very first being and having the source and fountaine of all sinfull practises in it Our first parents being once corrupt how could any cleane thing bee brought out of their filthinesse Of flesh nothing could bee borne but flesh Adam begat children in his own likenesse If the roote had beene holy so had the branches beene but the tree being once corrupt the fruit could not chuse but be according How should this startle and affright the secure worldlings of our time sawest thou ever a leprous person whose body is bespred with sores and scabs Such and a thousand times worse art thou in the sight of God Knewest thou at any time a man in debt for some hundreds of pounds more than he is worth for whom the Bayliffes and Serjeants lye in waite at every corner see the shadow of thy own estate in him A world of actions hath the Lord against thee and his justice is ready to attache thee and seise upon thee every houre Could we seriously thinke on this it would make us unsatisfied in abasing our selves and cause us never to rest till we have made our peace with God Thou beholdest abroad a vaine person fairely set out to the eye tricked and trimmed in the best fashion and it may be thou knowest of some secret foule disease he hath or of some great debt he is in Dost thou not in thy thoughts now scorne such a one of folly Dost thou not say to thy selfe no marvell sure he should be so proud that hath such a deale of filthinesse underneath his gaynesse that lies in every bodies debt and owes more than hee is able to discharge Turne this home to thine own soule and wonder as much at thy selfe that can bee so carelesse so fearelesse so presumptuous when thy soule hath such neede of washing and there are against thee such Bills of iniquity and for ought thou knowest not yet blotted out before the Lord. Canst thou thinke well of thy selfe that hast by nature such a filthy soule Oh bewail that spirituall thraldome wherein thou art plunged commune w th thine own heart and say Into what misery boÌ„dage have I brought my selfe Thou Lord madest me holy pure and upright but by sin I sold my selfe unto the service of Sathan from which to this day I cannot get deliverance My mind is blind vaine foolish my will perverse and rebellious all my affections out of order there is nothing whole or sound within me Night and day I am pestered with sinfull motions The desires of my deceitfull heart bee so strong and prevailing that I am carried headlong to that which is evil The cursed earth is not so apt to bee overgrowne with weedes bryers and thornes as this soule of mine with lusts passions distempers worldly cares and sinfull thoughts the law of the flesh rebelleth against the law of my minde and diffuseth its venome into every action I performe and carrieth me violently to the committing of sin against knowledge and conscience The Gally-slaves condition is very hard and miserable but mine is farre worse No drudgery so base as the service of sinne No Tyrant so cruell aâ— sinne which allows no respite or time of refreshing O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death I have deepely defiled my selfe by transgression but have no power to cleanse my heart O Lord. I have defaced thine image but cannot repuire it I have yeelded the powers of my soule to the obedience of sinne and now I would cast off that subjection and breake those snares I am altogether unsufficient for it When I would do well evill is present and I know no meanes to perfect my desire I want no strength to perfect that which is evill and I am ready and apt upon all occasions to goe astray but I am not able to doe any good such is my feeblenesse I am invironed and beset with sinne on every side Oh when shall I bee set at liberty that I may runne the wayes of Gods commandements Hitherto of the phrase of speech used by the Holy Ghost namely the flesh for the whole man body and Soule the particular corruption of either which that wee may shun as farre as wee may wee must learne to know theÌ„ in their speciall heads that so with some certainty we may kenne our owne stepps and discerne our owne hearts whether we walke according to the flesh yea or not Concerning the corruption of the soule and first as touching the fleshly understanding As the fierce dragon bringeth not forth the innocent dove or the roaring Lyon the harmelesse sheepe no more did Adam in the state of his impurity beget children sutable with his condition in the state of innocency but having defiled the holinesse of his nature by eating the forbidden fruit as a little levin levineth the whole lumpe so he imparted the same nature to his son as most evidently appeared in Cain and from him to all the rest of his posterity even unto our selves being all of us begotten in sin and conceived in iniquity So that whereas before the minde was endued with a perfect actuall knowledge of God so far as the humane nature may be supposed capable yea and which is more was enriched with power and ability of knowing more than as yet he had actually attained Now as the cleere sunshine overwhelmed with a cloud so is the minde of man overcast with palpable darknesse being destitute not onely of all reall knowledg excepting that naturall knowledge he hath of God taught him by the creatures which is rather a
of the sun or moone for the spirit of God shall bee instead of all these from whom immediately they shall bee quickened for ever Their glory consisteth in this that they shall continually behold the face of God 2. They shall be like unto Christ just holy incorruptible glorious honourable beautifull strong nimble 3. They shall possesse the new heavens and the new earth they shall joyfully praise and laud the name of the Lord world without end FINIS A Table of the principall heads A DIsorderly Affections discovered Page 41 Misery of being guided thereby 47 Antidotes against sinne 65 B BEginnings of sinne to be resisted 190 Better be in hell than offend Christ. 197 Body not to be pampered 220 C HOw a man may know whether his heart be carnall 87 Conscience corrupted and how 33 What a stirring conscience is 35 Carnall men indocible 38 Corrupt motions natural to a carnall heart 61 A fleshly conscience described 93 The distresse of conscience that betides the wicked 154 The estate of a creature cursed of God 131 Rejoycing to crosse a mans selfe a signe of sincerity 244 D DEath what is meant by it here 127 What the first death is 141 The second death described 133 Then the most secret sinne shall be discovered 149 Danger of being unarmed 191 218 Discovery of a true Christian or infallible marks to try himself by 236 Christians should discerne betwixt the deceit of sin and the fruit of sin 252 F FAith a speciall means to overcome temptations 212 How it doth this 213 Nothing hurts us so much 〈◊〉 our owne flesh 220 Forsakings of sin different 246 Flâ—sh what it signifieth 7 It disperseth sinne into the whole man 11 Why naturall corruption is called by the name of flâ—sh 8 It cleaves close to our nature 50 What it is to be fleshly minded 31 It derives venome upon every action 51 It tempts daily 52 It continually warres against the spirit 55 It is unwearied in sinfull follicitations 59 It raignes in naturall men 57 Not so in the godly 100 They are part flesh and part spirit 101 We must fight with Sathan if wee would overcome him 186 G GRace abides not in a carnall memory 96 How a man may know whether grace hath got the upper hand in him 230 Grace cannot stand with the Regiment of sinne 232 Nothing but grace can subdue sin To bee deprived of Gods favour an unspeakeable misery 141 246 H HEart narrowly to be watched 64 An unsound one discovered 99 The thorne in our flesh should humble us 70 Want of Humiliation very prejudiciall to the soule 73 Symptomes of a good heart 237 Hypocrites speake after the spirit and live after the flesh 107 Hypocrisie the danger of it 170 L LAw hath a double use 1 Little sins very dangerous 117 Lust growes never old 62 Losse of Gods presence what it is 138 Loathsomnesse of sin described 194 M MIsery of being under the flesh 16 Memory corrupt through sin 36 How discerned 94 No member to be trusted alone 85 Man by nature uncapable of goodnesse 27 Hee hath nothing in himselfe to glory of 80 Mortification described discovered 165 183 How we are said to mortifie sin 174 Meanes to subdue the flesh 185 Markes of a spirituall Christian. 239 Jealousie over our hearts a meanes to keepe out sinne 69 Licentious Ministers reprooved 106 O ORiginall sin a hereditary disease 48 It overspreads the whole man 88. 49 It is full of propagation 63 Its manner of tempting us 81 P FLesh powerfull to bring about its projects 57 Policies of the flesh to be studied 76 Pride disableth to resist temptations 192 Provision for the flesh must be hindered 219 Peace with the flesh dangerous 226 Carnall Professors reproved 109 Discovered 112 Our present condition a prediction of our future 253 Price of sin infinite 199 R SInners shall be exceedingly reproched at the day of judgment 146 Root of sin must be killed 171 Reason a weak thing to expell temptations 214 S SOule corrupted by sin 23 Sin must be slaine or it will slay us 250 Signes of a fleshly mind 50 Sinne the greatest ill 197 Hainous sins waste the conscieÌ„ce 116 To live in any sin a signe we are under Sathans bondage 120 Many begin in the spirit and end in the flesh 109 Impenitent sinners shall surely bee damned 122 Society with the devills every sinners portion 151 The Spirit onely can mortifie the flesh â—5 Sinne is not driven away with an â—â—gry locke 186 Signes of the Spirits prevailing in us 235 A Christians strength is in God 216 193 Severity against our owne sinnes a blessed signe of grace 240 T TEmptations of the flesh undiscernable 77 Tendernesse of conscience a speciall preservative against sin 201 It is a great blessing 202 Yet may be turned into a curs 203 Tryall of a true Christian. 166 V VOyce of conscience to bee hearkened to 206 Vniversall hatred of sin discovers a gracious heart 241 W WIll since the fall corrupted 39 A corrupt will discovered 96 Men weake in themselves 176 Every sinner underualues the bloud of Christ. 200 FINIS 1 Pet. 3. 18 1 Cor. 7. Gal. 1. 13. Esay 44. 7. Reas. Gen. 6. 3. Genes 8. John 3. 6. Rom 7. RoÌ„ 7. 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom 7. 45. Rom. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Luk. 24. 45 Quest. Answ. Tit. 1. 15. What a dead conscience is 1. Tim 4. What a stirring conscience is Phil. 2. 3. Luke 15. Rom. 7 Rom. 7. Iames 1. 14. Joh. 14. 30. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. Mar. 9. 24. Rom. 6. Rom. 7. 23 Rom. 7. Heb. 13. 5. Hos. 14. James 4. 7. Eccles. 1. 8. Vse Job 31. 1. Psal. 39. Gen. 39. Psal. 101. Vse 3. Gal. 5. Iob 31. 1. James 3. 6. Psal 39. 1. Rom. 12. 2. Vse Ephes. 4. 23 2 Cor. 3. 1 Rom. 8. Vse 1. Vse 2. Phil. 3. 8. Mat. 5. Quest. Answ. Obiect Answ. Acts 5. Mat. 25. Eccles. 11. Job 27. Job 2. Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 21. 18 Quest. Answ. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Mat. 25. Quest. Answ. Job 1. Psal. 139. 1 Joh. 2. 18. Esay 66. Rev. 22. 8. Mat. 13. 1 Cor. 15. What vivification is Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Revel 3. Quest. Answ. 2 Chro. 20 Psal. 119. Ephes. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Sam. 15. 2 Pet. 2. Deut. 28. 18. Psal. 51. 2. Sam. 24. 10. Acts 24. 26 Jonah 4. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 4. Rom. 4. 7. Vse Heb. 12. Bellum est non triumphans Quest. Answ. Rom. 7. Rom. 7 22 1 Pet. 4. Col. 3. Psal. 40. Mat. 16. 25 Quest. Answ. Every sin is as the forbidden fruit Eccles. 11. Obiect Answ. Vse Prov. 7.
to commend it selfe Looke up to heaven for a blessing upon it and desire the Lord to goe along with thee in it and prosper the same for thy soules good which he heartily desireth who rests Thine in the Lord Jesus I. T. THE CARNALL PROFESSOR ROM 8. V. 13. For if yee live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live IN the Chapter going before the Apostle having delivered the double use of the Law first the proper use to shew men the way to live if in case they were able to fulfill and keepe it Secondly the accidentall use by reason of Sinne which is imployed in condemning us by discovery of our transgression to comfort the distressed heart of a poore sinner hee describeth in the latter end of the former Chapter a speciall meanes to shun this inevitable danger namely the righteousnes obedience and sufferings of Christ And in this Chapter further enlargeth the same by way of confirmation unto the 5. verse After which lest it might bee thought that a Christian may live as hee list being freed from sinne by the merits of Christs death or that a profane person should claime any interest in that blessed sacrifice of Christ he further proveth by many pregnant reasons that every Christian ought to endeavour after holines that thereby hee may prove himselfe to be truly ingrafted into Christ by participating of the fruit of his Spirit and that hee is in deed and not in word only a true Christian by his unblameable life and conversation as the goldsmith is knowne by his costly peeces or any mechanicall artificer by the works which his hāds accomplish In the verse I have read unto you the Apostle concludeth very effectually amongst the rest of his arguments that wee must live according to the spirit and not according to the flesh seeing the one designeth and noteth unto us life the other death both most infallible tokens of our future estate and condition So that if any man or woman be desirous to know what shall betide them after this life If any be desirous to know even the secrets of God I mean his determination as touching themselves their wives their children friends or foes after death let them resort to the Holy Ghost speaking in this place and converse with their owne hearts if they finde the quickning spirit but as a lively sparke raked up amongst the great heap of their owne corruptions they shall assuredly live for ever If they find onely meere flesh and blood to be their guide then wo to them they are in the state of Castawayes and lost creatures be they Prince or Peere noble or ignoble rich or poore there is no difference nor exception with God and therefore they ought speedily to sue for their deliverance through favour by the Sonne of God lest death prevent them to their everlasting misery But it may be these titles of Flesh and Spirit are unknowne or at least not observed through the subtlety of Sathan thickning the eye of dexter and right discerning therefore that we may throughly kenne the flesh in despight of the flesh and judge in the spirit of the spirit let us for our furtherance herein consider these sixe profitable observations 1. What Flesh is 2. What it is to live in the flesh 3. What that death is which is here threatned as a just punishment to such as live after the flesh 4. What the Spirit is 5. What it is to mortifie the deeds of the flesh 6. What is meant when he saith they shal loue 1. The word Flesh is sometimes taken for the body as 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit that is of soule and body 2. For the humane nature of Christ who was put to death concerning the flesh 3. For this present life If thou take a wife thou sinnest not neverthelesse such shal have trouble in the flesh 4. For the outward aspect and appearance Yee know how through the infirmitie of the flesh I preached the Gospell 5. For the ordinary course of nature Gal. 4. 29. Hee that was borne after the flesh c. 6. For whole mankind All flesh is grasse c. 7. For naturall corruption and inclination of the mind will and affections to that which is against the Law and so it is taken in this place The reason why the holy Ghost termeth this naturall corruption inherent in the soule as well as the body by the name of flesh is because so strict is the Union betwixt the one and the other in an unregenerate man that as a loving couple they seeke the preservation of each others estate and like Hypocrates twins they laugh together they weepe together and are alike affected A bloody heart and a bloody hand a false heart and a false tongue a lascivious mind an adulterous eye yea and which is more so strangely sometimes is the soule overcome with the love of the body that whereas by nature reason should command and rule the flesh as the weaker vessell the belly and backe so subtly insinuate and creep into favour with the understanding that as the foolish wife with her beauty and composed devices over-ruleth her husband though a man of understanding So these importunat cravers never give over their suite unto reason they make it a drudge to sensuality and an attorney to sollicit the cause of meere grosse and carnall pleasure In consideration whereof I meane because of this mutuall intercourse of the soule and the body in accomplishing of sin many learned Divines have made this a question Whether the soule bee first infected with the contagion of the body or no but of that I will not stand it being besides our present purpose onely thus much I note that therefore the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh to intimate the mutuall confederacy betwixt the soul body of man how that by reason of sin he is now wilfully made a slave and vassall to fleshly desires And therefore likewise it may bee supposed that the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh onely as a man that blameth the provoking Wife for the lewd action done by her husband For albeit sinne lyeth principally in the soule as poyson in the teeth yet it sheddeth and disperseth it selfe at his pleasure actually into the members of the body of whom it is aptly accomplished as occasion is offered And as the whole toad is called a venomous creature because of some one part preserving poyson the rest being capable of the same virulent infection So the whole man is said to bee sinfull not as if the body of it selfe as it consisteth of bones sinnewes and living arteries can properly bee said to be sinfull otherwise then as the house is said to be wicked because of the wicked dwellers Albeit I graunt as the serpent was a fit instrument for the devil because of his subtilty so
there is an hell within thee that can set it all on fire and fill it with rotten and stinking communication If to use thy hands or feete watch carefully for there are seeds of more sins theft bribery murther uncleannesse in them then there are joynts and sinewes in those members Originall sinne is an universall corruption it makes us all over flesh the minde a fleshly minde the will a fleshly will the affections and lusts all fleshly so that it is more difficult to roote out this one sinne then to overcome many actuall transgressions That man or woman therefore of what estate or degree soever they be noble or ignoble bond or free which are not transformed by the renewing of their minds but have their hearts full fraught with unbeliefe and ignorance whose Consciences are benummed or dead not able to accuse or if to accuse yet not able to excuse through the righteousnesse of Christ They whose wills are perverse and immeasurably unruly not subject and conformable to the will of God whose affections are like to the Camelion ready to turne themselves upon every object into any estate except that which is holy Lastly those whose bodies are the hardy executioners of every wicked practise given out in charge by these corrupt guides the faculties of the soule they most assuredly without all contradiction walke and live as yet after the flesh If therefore thou art desirous to know in particular whosoever thou art in this present assembly whether thou be carnall or no enquire of the word of God what thou art by nature in all the parts of soule and body how unapt and uncapable of all holinesse how prone and disposed unto all manner of wickednesse Secondly examine thy thoughts how thou hast conceived of God and his incomprehensible nature how acute and sharpe sighted in his wayes Hearken to thy conscience if thou hast any and heare it speake or if thou hast none at all so set it downe in thy examination Summon thy will and affections also to be tryed by the same word if thou perceivest no difference in these from the common estate of most men no alteration from former times it is suspitious thou art carnall But if thou finde by the guide of the word by the word I say for thou being blind canst not see where thou art that yet thou remainest ignorant and still walking in thy erroneous and presumptuous course both towards God and men if thou finde in thy minde these or the like thoughts That there is no God No providence or presence of God If thou thinkest thy selfe safe from all perill and art rocked asleepe by the tempest of other mens judgements If thou thinkest thy selfe a very wise man and farre exceeding others If in deede notwithstanding thy outward holinesse thou thinkest the Gospell and the sufferings of Christ to be meer foolishnesse If thou thinkest perversly and basely of them that worship God truely If thou thinkest death wil not come yet nor yet and so livest as if thou hadst made a covenant with the grave If thou thinkest God is as man that he will pardon thee howsoever thou livest and that the punishment of hell may easily be shunned If thou thinkest the day of judgement to bee far off And upon these corrupt imaginations not onely findest checke for that may be performed in some men by the light of nature enforcing the conscience to accuse thee yet thou never the neerer but also no positive thoughts utterly opposit but rather growest resolute therein cōmitting all to thy will and affections to conclude of thy spirituall estate If thy minde be full of vanity wasting it selfe in childish and unprofitable notions slippery unstable in all good matters full of ignorance and darknesse so as thou seekest not after God in the way where he will be found full of curiosity foolish and impertinent questions full of pride and contradiction against the word of truth having fleshly reasonings against the spirit of God full of carnall wisdome humane inventions methods of its own to serve God and come to happinesse by thou mayest then assure thy selfe thy minde is meere flesh thou being dead in thy understanding through the vanity impotency andignorance thereof Conscience If thy conscience which God hath placed as a sentinell or watchman in thee to observe thy dealings be full of impurity and disobedience full of dead rotten and unsavory workes full of false and absurd excusations If it be either so be nummed and insensible that it will not accuse unlesse it bee for murther adultery the every or such like grosse offences or dead as a limbe taken with a gangrene that it cannot accuse at all Or if it have life yet if it apply it selfe corruptly as to acquit thee for doing evill or to condemne thee and hang thee up for doing good fearing thee where no feare is then hath the flesh prevailed over thy conscience and thou art wholly carnall Memory Further if thy memory be so decayed that if one would give thee a thousand pounds thou art not able to imprint the doctrine of salvation were it never so oftē taught thee and yet able upon a speedy rehearsall to repeat a tale of an houre long with every circumstance concerning any thing done in such a Kings daies or reported to be done as the tale of Robin Whood Guy of Warwick and I know not what paltery stuffe thou maist assure thy selfe that flesh also is the guide of thy memory and that it is voide of all holinesse For as clay will not cleave to iron or brasse So the fleshly memory will retaine no spirituall memorandum but that which is fleshly agreeing with his nature and therefore the story of Gods will offered to the memory is like to quick-silver powred upon a plaine table which never resteth running and dispersing it selfe till it bee harboured in a concavity fit to retain its substance So the principles of Christian science will not stay in a carnall memory no more then an honest man in a brothell Inne or Ale-house and therefore no marvell that they light at the foregate and take horse at the postern come in at one eare and out at another Will. Moreover if thy will be full of loathing and aversation so as it cannot endure to heare or see any thing that is good but pluckes in the shoulder and casts it behinde the backe If it be full of enmity against holinesse slighting and neglecting the best things If it bee full of obstinacy against religious courses thwarting and crossing the strict wayes of God If full of disability to any good so as it cannot hearken nor bee subject to the Law of God but rebells against his blessed truth If thou art resolute to commit the wicked purposes of thy heart stout and stubborne against admonition turning the deafe eare to the preaching of Gods word loath to intermeddle with matters of the Spirit but willing to fulfill the lusts of the flesh
earth worthy to be affected but thy Saviour What is to be dreaded but his displeasure Is there any recompence to the joyes of heaven any danger to the torments of hell any pleasure to the sense of Gods favour Resolve then with thy selfe and say I have fully purposed to observe thy commandemēts for they are the joy of my heart but Lord I leane not upon mine owne strength but upon thy grace who givest both to will and to doe thou hast commanded me to keep thy testimonies give mee I pray thee to doe what thou requirest Teach me the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end Some understand by the mortifying of sinne not onely the first wound which it receives at a sinners first conversion but also the whole practice of repentance renewed thorow the whole course of a mans life for a man after his conversion is continually to lie in armes against his owne flesh and to stir up the spirit with the forces thereof which otherwise will bee overwhelmed with the adversary not able to maintaine the fight For Christians whilest they are here are not wholly flesh nor wholly spirit but a part of each God hath placed in our bodies two inmates of contrary dispositions two strangers of divers natures and qualities not in the highest degree for then they would utterly expell one another but in a remisse māner which causeth this bickering and skirmishing in our inward man Now whereas every one whose understanding is renewed seeth the drift of his flesh however thorow the deceit thereof he doth not alwaies feele it give mee leave to prescribe some few directions wherby he may come to have his corruptions subdued and temptations vanquished that they triumph not over his spirit to the disquiet of his conscience That which I shall principally commend to every Christian is that hee buckle about him the compleat armour of God wee must not fly away from Sathan a run-away never makes a good conclusion of his temptations Some sins indeed are best conquered by flying but from sathan it is neither possible nor lawfull to fly However stand it out what if we quake better tremble every veine than sinne better die in the place than fly from the place Resist the devill and he will fly from you we are sure to conquer if wee keepe our ground Sathan will play his part to hold his hold and will never out unlesse hee be forced When a man comes to abhor his lusts then hee gives sinne its deaths wound It is the nature of sin not to be driven away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharp words will not doe it you may rate away your dog but sinne is not so easie removed as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their lusts calling themselves beast and wretch but presently they returne to their former courses Whē thou hast therefore to do with sinne have no compassion fight against it with all thy might never leave till thou hast got the heart bloud of it out so much as thou sparest sin so much thou hurtest thy selfe Saul spared Agag but it was his ruine and if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee the Kingdome of heaven kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death bee carefull old wounds must have strong medicines What adoe have wee to bring under our unruly lusts hee that favours these let him want favour we weede our gardens and are ever weeding sins are ill weeds and grow apace our hearts are a step-mother to goodnesse and a natural mother to vice therefore bee alwaies dealing with it The Captaine that batters the enemies fort a day or two and then gives over gives the more courage to his enemy and loses his labour In this life thou shalt never want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent never give over so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes Sathan that strong man will not yeeld possession suddenly looke how much power wee get to resist sinne so much power Sathan loseth there is never a prayer wee make nor act of resisting that wee doe use but gives the devill a knock and sin a mortifying blow by fighting against our lusts what ever wee see and feele at first wee doe and shall conquer corruption at last Repell evill motions at their first onset if wee resist at the beginning the worke is halfe done wee shall find Sathan a coward but if wee resist not wee shall find him a lyon wee must trust neither our selves nor sathan with any temptation Begin as soon as the temptation begins to peepe and where sathan begins doe thou begin despise not the least sin a small wound may kil a man in time little gashes make way for greater If the enemy assault one way and the garrison defend another way the towne is lost Sathan will try his skill and doe his uttermost to prevaile against us why should wee not then improve our graces to make head against him we may preserve our selves from being conquered by him though we cannot utterly subdue him There is no possibility of remaining safe without resistance they are much deceived who think though they have no spirituall armour upon them they may rest secure Alas what can a naked man doe hee can no more free himselfe from the power of the devill than a poore silly lambe from a roaring lyon If we bee foyled the fault is our owne for God gives us means to stand fast Who would not be kept from spiritual wounds hurts from eternall bondage to sin and sathan 2. Beware of pride swelling in the body is dangerous so is it in the soule when a man pleases himselfe with his owne weldoing his heart is soone puffed up Hee that thinkes to stand by his owne strength shall suddenly fall the weakest shall be able to overcome their greatest enemies being under-propped of the Lord. In every strong encounter we must look for supply from above It is dangerous to looke for that frō our selves which wee must have from Christ. All our strength lies in him as Sampsons did in his haire therefore dependant spirits are alwaies the best Nothing is stronger than humility that goeth out of it selfe or weaker than pride that resteth upon its owne bottome Sathan knowes that nothing can prevaile against Christ or those that relye upon him therefore hee labours to keepe men in selfe dependancy If you would in truth mortifie sinne represent it to your thoughts as the most hurtfull hatefull and most loathsome thing in the world and represent to your minde the obeying of Gods will as the most sweete profitable and excellentest thing whatsoever and then you cannot but shunne the one and embrace the other for Sinne is the onely object of Gods infinite hatred he hates nothing at all properly but iniquity Now what a bedlam is hee who willingly commits any sinne
keepe grace low and looke how much we detract from the flesh so much our spirituall part will prosper and be in good liking How may a man know that grace hath gotten the upper hand and that the power of sin is abated in him Dost thou loath nothing more than thy former spirituall bondage Hast thou a secret dislike of thy naturall estate seest a necessity of reforming it and watchest over those things which are most pleasing to it this cannot proceed but from a worke of grace in thee for Nature is a lover of it selfe and seekes by all means its own preservation when a man is come to this that he doth not approve his sinfull inclination nor willingly give way unto it but studies rather which way to curbe and restraine the same it is a manifest signe of some higher hand by which the flesh shall bee more and more over ruled I doubt not but a man after there is some change wrought in him by grace may in some particulars receive a foyle by his owne corruptions and by that law of his members which fights and rebels against the law of God hardly may a man say hee is truly changed unlesse he be sensible of the struggling of nature against grace but yet still it is a pledge of such a work begun as shall never be broken off when Nature in the proper disposition thereof is become a burthen to the soule and a man would faine bee better and have it otherwise with him than it is Grace cannot stand with the regiment of sin That person in whom grace is truly wrought desires to bee furnished with the compleat armour of God that he may resist the devill the strength and bent of his will and affections are for God and goodnes hee chooseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former evils with a detestation of them and leaves them with a resolution never to take them up againe he daily prayes and cryes earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy statutes He is not for God to day and the devil to morrow Hee is no Morning Saint and evening Devil but desires continually to walke with God in all well pleasing A Gracious heart keepes a constant warre with his lusts the law of his members is evermore rebelling against the law of his minde Howsoever upon the assault of some furious temptation haply hee may be wounded and taken prisoner by some raging lust which imperiously treads and tramples upon him yet doth hee not yeelde and give himselfe over to the power of lust Grace within bestirs it selfe the heart sighes and groanes and seekes to God for succour If thy case be thus that thou abhorrest Sathan and his snares that thou delightest in the law of God concerning the inner man that thou ponderest with care and diligence willingly and setledly to follow the things of the Spirit that is such things as the spirit prompts and suggests Doe you grieve inwardly for that dominion which the flesh exerciseth over you lessening the power and practice of sinne all you can not leaving the reines to corruption to carry you whither it will but rather holding it in with a bridle of righteousnesse Doth not the feare of God in you though sometimes driven from its station still dwell as controuler in your soule represse refractory thoughts and affections and sway your heart against the naturall inclination that you may keepe Gods word that though you bee interlaced with the flesh yet you give the guidance of your life to the holy Ghost loving that he may have the principality in you Doe you chiefly attend your spirituall being and principally affect things in heaven and not things on earth Doest thou submit to the commandement with pleasure in it so as thou canst truly say I am content to doe thy will yea thy law is within my heart Doest thou lay hold upon good thoughts and desires so soone as they offer themselves unto thee welcomming them in the kindest manner into thy heart and constraining them by a respective usage to stay still with thee so soone as any good motiō arises doest thou feare the deceitfulnesse of thy heart and pray with David knit my heart this fickle fugitive heart of mine is alwayes ready to steale from thee knit it O Lord and tye it fast unto thy selfe that as it is now with thee so it may still continue O Lord keep this frame of the thoughts of thy servants heart for ever Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation unto thy soule Doest thou finde and feele that nothing under the Sunne more stings and pierces thy soule than to be now and then overtaken with sinfull passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and resolutions Doest thou love righteousnesse it selfe as righteousnesse bee the thing and subject of never so small a nature And dost thou hate sinne as sinne bee it never so little in thine eye Is the one precious to thee for his sake whom it resembles and the other loathsome because it opposes the Almighty Doest thou obey God out of a love of goodnesse seeing a beauty in the wayes of holinesse being humbled when thou hast done thy best that thou canst bring no more glory to him dost thou love righteous men for righteousnesse sake Is thy service ready and cheerefull without repining and delay Canst thou be content to obey against profit pleasure credit liberty ease the liking of the world or carnall friends preferring Gods commandements above all things yea life it selfe Art thou sensible of the dishonour done unto God and more vexed for that than for any disgrace or injury offered to thy self it is a good signe But art thou quick sighted into the faults of others and indulgent towards thine owne it is an ill symptome The best men are most severe against themselves and tender over others A gracious heart dislikes sinne in any but in himselfe most of all He is very backward in censuring others but exceeding forward in accusing himself None can say so much against him but he is ready to say much more He loveth goodnesse in the greatest enemie and hateth sin even in the greatest friend Art thou conscionable of the least offence as wel as the greatest cherishing an universall hatred of all sinne in thy soule whether secret or open without exception and carying a constant purpose and resolution in nothing willingly to sinne against God but whatsoever thou knowest to be a sin thou wilt not deliberately doe it for all the world at all times and in all places though no eye sees thee and it may be beneficiall unto thee Here is a notable signe that grace hath gotten the upper hand when as thou preferrest vertue before vice even then when in humane reason vertue will be the loser and