which is enlightned and though many times he doth not see to the utmost bound of it yet he never sees beyond it though many times he fall short and his sight is over-run by the longer race which the Sun beame run's yet it never out-runs the shortest ray of light but keeps even with it taking up where the Ray first withdrawes it's light So the naturall man walking in his search after this sinfull frame of nature by a light that runs not farre enough to discover this whole mystery of iniquity must needs give over his search and fall so farre short of the discovery as his light fal's short of penetrating the darke corners and recesses oâ— this sinne Now the greatest and clearest light with which these naturall men entered this profound deep heart was this Omne peccatum est contra naturam * So some of the Schoolmen Peccare nihil aliud est quaÌ„recedere ab eo quod est secunduÌ„naturam Aq. 1.2 q. 109. art 8. c. And having lighted up this lamp they made some shift to discover some little and indeed it was comparatively but little to what lay hidden they could tell us that Bonum was secundùm naturam Senec. Epist 118. and else-where others could tell us Bonum est quod naturâ est absolutum Cicer. de finib citing Diegen Babylon And Laertius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence indeed it followes that since contrariorum contraria est ratio Malum must be quid prater vel contra naturam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now let us take up this darke Lanthorne and see how farre this could likely guide them in this enquiryâ— I say it could guide them but very little in judging of any but lesse in judging of this sinne for this Maxime of theirs occasioned their mistakes as is evident The early springing of corruption occasion of the naturall mans ignorance of this sin 1. The very early springing of this bitter root was an occasion of their errour in judging of this sinne though they proceed by this undoubted maxime for be it Peccatum est â—ontra naturam yet what is contra naturam is also later then nature and of some after seed time and springs up afterward The Gardner sowes good seed the weeds spring up afterwards the Statuary beautifieth the Statue wormes and blemishes are the unwelcome birth of injurious time and rougher usage Diseases are the rust of the body and a rust is contracted by some after maligne influence In this manner then the naturall maâ— best improved seduced and drew himselfe into an errour touching this sinne He lookes to the early budding of nature observes what the first fruits are And finding them so early concludes they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so rather acquits them as innocent or commends them as laudable then suspects them as culpable oâ— condemneth them as guilty He knoweth and there is much truth in it that primum iâ— quovis genere est maximè conformè producentiâ— if Nature then lying open to his view and observation first produceth such effects as we by the Law know to be sinne If the workings of this sinfull frame be judged the first fruits of nature as indeed they are apprehended and judged by some men no wonder if they conclude them as farre from being contra naturam and blame worthy in their morall consideratioÌ„ as they observe they are before others in their naturall spring and birth This indeed is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Naturall best Improved man that these motions are sâ—…undum naturam which is true only of corrupted nature to which these motions are consonant therefore not vitious in themselves nor from a Vitious fountaine In one word this light Omne vitium est contra naturam could not discover what that nature is which thus is made the law condemning vice but it needed another light to discover that viz the word and spirit of God by which we know what that nature is to which sin is a contrariety and so we can discover by this rule more of its sinfulnesse because we know more of the holynesse of primitive created nature in a contrariety to which it is true that sin secondarily doth consist I say secondarily for sin is primarily a contrariety to the holy nature of God and so farre as this is copyed out in us and remaines in our nature so farre it is true to say Quâ—d câ—ntra naturam est peâ—…atum but the truth is A naturall man can no more discover the deformity of this sinfull frame by comparing it with his notion of nature then a man can discover the great unlikenesse of a picture from the first patterne of it by comparing it with a draught of the same picture taken by the copy that is already greatly defaced Could the naturall man come to a sight of that excellent frame in which our nature was first modelled he might probably discerne how much we are unlike our selves how much contrariety there now is to that holynesse which once we had and so how much sinfulnesse there now is in us but He cannot do so the glasse in which he beholds this naturall frame is full of spots and darke pieces which hide and dissemble the greatest part of those spots and blemishes which are in us But beside this mistaken notion of Nature and its first visible actings 2. Graduall increase of this sins strength is occasioÌ„ of naturall mans ignorance of this sin 2. There is another thing that occasions the naturall man's error and renders it impossible he should discover this sin fully That is the Graduall increase and constant growth in the soule which keeps even pace with his improvement in his naturall and acquired abilities It is a sin that loseth not it's strength by its long continuance its vigour abates not in old age and this occasions this conclusion that it is not contra but secundùm naturam and the naturall man thinks his conclusion rationall I see saith he All preternaturalls are still in the waine and lose as much of their strength as they get of age A winter floud is not after a month or six weeks faire weather like what it was before But I see a faire river increaseth its stock by running and the same beares up a gallant ship before it loseth it selfe in the ocean which would hardly beare the smallest fishers boat a mile or two from its spring head A Glaring Comet shines brighter then Venus or any of the brightest starres but it grows dimme and fades quickly Because these are not from naturall causes working orderly and per se but are the effects of a cause that acts per accidens to the production of them And by this piece of Sophistry deceives himselfe arguing from the graduall increase of this sins strength to a denyall or a diminution of it's sinfulnesse and he will not entertaine at any hand a thought that it can be sinfull which he
our nature and propagated and derived upon all his posterity This no man can learne in Aristotle or Platoe's Schoole We must have recourse unto the Law of God The Apostle's determination is infallible For I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet e Rom. 7.7 3. Vpon perusall of the whole there 's dexterity of judgment This Author gives a rationall acof the truth by evidence of reasons solid and sinewous as 1. Because a Naturall man makes use of a crooked rule His own reason is his rule and that perverted and blinded And if the blind lead the blind both must fall into the ditch 2. Because this sinfulnesse of indwelling lust consists much of spirituall wickednesse and the naturall man in his highest improvement remaines carnall and sensuall A naturall man wants his eye-sight He is f Eph. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darknesse it selfe in the abstract and g 1 Cor. 2.14 receiveth not the things of the spirit of God Other more weighty Arguments are urged But by these mentioned you have a taste of the rest And I will not praeoccupate my Reader 4. In the fourth and last place I take notice of the Candor Modesty and Moderation of the Author Though hee is zealous in Gods cause yet meeke in his own as Moses was I see not in any particular where he gives ground or relinquisheth his colours But as farre as I can apprehend he hath beaten his adversaries out of the field yet he hath learned from the Apostle to h Eph. 4.14 speak the truth in love to i Gal. 6.1 restore such as are overtaken in the spirit of meeknesse He useth soft words and hard Arguments as knowing that a flint is sooner broken upon a pillow then on an anvil Vpon a serious review of the whole I find no bitternâ—sse no revileing language nor personall reflexions He discardeth all such waies of arguing fearing least such dead flies might marre the whole box of oyntment Wherefore upon this consideration of the Premisses I commend to thee Reader a serious Perusall of these excellent Sermons following And if I mistake not unlesse it be thy own fault thou wilt reap much spirituall advantage and wilt be more established in the truth I must professe what I think be it to the disparagement of none that by reading these Sermons and another in Latine Homogeneous to this subject of a Reverend Doctor eminent for Godlynesse and Learning Dr Edward Reynolds Sermon intitled Animalu Homo I have found more satisfaction and confirmation then by other Sermons or Treatises I have yet met with upon that Argument I adde no more but commend thee Reader to the gracious providence of God heartily desireing that thy soule may thrive the better for what is here published so prayeth Thy servant for Christs sake HENRY WILKINSON OXFORD From Magdalen Hall July 6 1659. SERMON I. Rom. 7. v. 7. latter part For I had not knowne Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet THe Great Doctrine of our Gospell freedome from the Law which the mistaken Jew did dangerously stumble at being laid downe by the apostle in that apt similitude of a woman freed from the Law of her husband to which she was obliged during his life in the five first verses of this Chapterâ— and being summarily concluded in that positive assertion of the Apostles in the 6. verse former part of it Now we are delivered from the Law The Apostle might here have ended his Sermon and the Chapter but that it was necessary he should vindicate this Doctrine of our freedome from the Law from two great objections which the Jew thought he might reasonably and which he did continually cast in the Apostle's way against this Doctrine The first of these objections is intimated Proleptically and answered solidly in this 7. verse of the Chapter so that the Text read is the Jewes objection against the Apostle's doctrine and the Apostle's solution of it The Objection is thus proposed If we are as you Paul averre delivered from the Law then the Law is evill for deliverance is onely from that which is evill were we removed from a good it would not be a deliverance but a losse and dammage if then the Law be evill what evill is it Is it sinne Here is the Objection intimated in the former part of this 7. verse The Apostles answer is full of holy indignation at the impiety and wickednesse of the Objection God forbid and full of clearnesse and solidity against the seeming strength of it The Law cannot be sin and why discovering the right use of this Law which cannot be sin though Sin tooke occasion from the Law to be exceeding sinfull And this the Apostle confirmes because 1. The Law discovers and manifests this worke of darknesse I had not knowne sinne but by the Law saith Paul 2. The Law prohibits all sinne even Lust it selfe it saith Thâ—u shalt not Covet In this latter part of the Apostle his answer assigning the right proper genuine use of the Law lyeth my worke and ere I can set to it I must premise three or foure things by way of Explication or at least point them out for they are very obvious of themselves explication 1 Explic. 1. The Speaker Paul 1. Who speaketh I Paul a man of ripe naturall parts and of as well improved acquired parts as any yet still a Pharisee and Zealous of the Law according to their principles and interpretation of the Law explication 2 2. How be expresseth himselfe 2. How he expresseth himselfe I had not knowne in a tense that look's somewhat more then to what is past having an eye to the future and what would have been it carries in it 1. His Past ignorance I did not then know 2. His future ignorance he should not yet have knowne if the Law c. explication 3 3. The Spiritual sense exprest 3. Had not said i. e. if it had not at last spoken in other language then the Scribes and Pharisees made it speake in they made it speake in the literall sound but now God hath made it speake and hath made Paul heare in the Spirituall sense and meaning of it in that voice which God causeth a convinced and converted soule to heare in other kind of speech then any of the Pharisees who made void the Law would heare Paul had often no doubt read the Law and this very prohibition too yet now he understands what then he did not that the Law said explication 4 4. What it meant by the Low saying Thou shalt not Covet Thou shalt not Covet The Apostle useth first a word of more Generall signification I had not knowne sinne and then Exegetically and proleptically addeth what might illustrate his meaning and prevent an objection for sin is discoverable by the light of nature that Starre light which they had who yet were darknesse question Q. How then is
it appropriated to the Law answer 1 A. 1. 1. Sin in the full extent and compasse of it as actuall is onely discovered by the Law for many sins they accounted vertues and many they excused with harmlesse indifferency which yet the Law condemned answer 2 2. 2. But indeed the Apostle principally intendeth the sinning sinne in first motions and workings and in it's indwelling That corrupt principle of lust and sin which is rooted in the soule and work 's in our life and is ordinarily known by the name of Originall sin or corruption of nature thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccatum vocabit vitium originis peccatorum aliorum sontem mortis causam Pareus in Loc. Doctrine Pareus on the place this praemised I gather up the Doctrine from the words That men of greatest acutenesse and ability for naturall parts and of best improvement by education cannot make a right and full discovery of Originall sin of indwelling lust without the spirit of God revealing it by the law Lust or sinning sin is a mysterie of iniquity which the most peircing naturall eye with best humane advantages never did never could yet or ever will be able to discover Concupisâ—ence is sufficiently discoverable by no other eye nor by other light then that the holy spirit of God giveth us to see with The knowledge of sinne as here Paul knew it as a Regenerate soule doth know it is not within the compasse of the highest improved naturall man he cannot take the height nor mete out the length and breadth nor fathome the depth of that corruption which is in our natures he cannot tell how this old man was conceived formed and produced in us he cannot derive the Pedigree of this antient infamous house It is onely and peculiarly the worke of the spirit and word of God to discover this to a man Method of Proceeding In handling this truth I will method 1 1. Shew it to be the Doctrine of this text and of others in the Scripture method 2 2. Farther confirme it by the exemplary mistakes of the severall sorts of men who have pretended and might if any could pretend most to all knowledge and to this also method 3 3. Enquire what particularly they never did or could ever discover c. method 4 4. Rationally demonstrate why they could not or ever will be able without the especiall sanctifying and enlightning vertue of the spirit of God to discerne it method 5 5. Point out some considerable differences between the knowledge which a naturall improved man as Paul before conversion and a regenerate sanctifyed soule as Paul after conversion hath of this sin And then method 6 6. Close the whole matter in a practicall and usefull application 1. This is the Doctrine of the Text and other Scriptures 1. I say then that this is the Doctrine of the text That the best naturall parts highest improved without the spirit of God enlightning him by the law cannot now could not ever nor ever will be able to discover the corruption of our natures I must then evidence this whole matter from Paul's example and cleare confession I said The greatest acutenesse and ability of nature such was Paul's naturall ability he was a man of most pregnant and ripe parts for he assures us that he profited above many his equalls Gal. 1.14 his outstripping them if any doubt it assureth us he was befriended with a large portion of naturall abilities he had not so outrun those who started with him in the race if a greater strength and speed had not fitted him for the race If I farther said that such parts with best improvement I said no more then I might well warrant from Pauls example for he wanted not the advantage of education he had a Master whose learning had set him high in the esteeme of the people Acts 5.34 and at his feet Paul was brought up nor was he a dunce in this schoole he made such progresse that he was eminent for his learning whence Festus charitably interprets the Apostle pleading his own cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the truth which Festus understood not as the discourse of one to be pittied for overstudying himselfe and who had more learning then he could manage Acts 26.24 Did I say such parts so improved never did I say but what Paul saith of himselfe for time past he did not if I adde nor ever can I ground it on the Apostle his expression which includes more then the past time I had not known and looke's to time to come for 't is in the Plusquam perfectum If I adde Without the spirit enlightning the soule none I hope will doubt it but if I say without more then common illumination I have proofe from Paul who had no doubt the common illumination of the spirit while a Pharisee yet did not then understand as now he doth the corruption of nature He did while unregenerate heare the law but now regenerate he heare's the voice of the law and spirit jointly informing and instructing him without this the best parts with the best improvement though both equall to Paul's will never fully discover sinning sin Doctrine proved from other Scriptures Nor do we want other testimony from Scripture The Law and Prophets beare witnesse to this truth view what was Ezekiel's message and errand to the Jewes Ezek. 16.2,3,4 He must declare to them that their Birth and Nativity was of the land of Canaan that their father was an Amorite and their mother an Hittite c. In which allegorie the sinfullnesse cursednesse of their naturall state is set forth as is the opinion of Interpreters and others So Junius on the place on those words thy navell was not cut vers 4. Thou wast by nature dead defiled with the pollution of sin full of weaknesse and vanity A natura in morte in Sordibus peccatorum infitmitate vanitate eras Jun. in loc And much to this purpose Peter Martyr in his common places Never did man marry such a wife so much below so much unworthy of him as did Christ when he marryed the Church for her state and what she was before she came into Christ's hand is described by Ezekiel in the 16. chap. 1 Nec ullus uxorem unquam ram disparem suo conjugio indignamduxit arque Christus Ecclesian cutusmodi enim ea fuerit antequam Christo in manum conveniret ab Ezech. describitur 16. cap. Pet. Martyr loc com cl 2. cap. 17. I adde to this Essenius contra Crellium de satisfact l. 1. Sect. 2. cap. 3. Causa procatarctica una est miseria nostra quae Dei misericor diam movit Huc pertinet graphica illa descriptio Ezech. 16.3,6 Their sinfull and wretched state untill grace timely prevent freely act and powerfully change it is that which is represented by this Allegoricall description of a wretched helplesse infant borne in it's blood and cast
their understanding of this point 3 Semi-Pelagians mistake in this knowledg 3. Neither are they more happy in their discovery who in succeeding ages were somewhat more refined in their heresy such as the elder and later Semipelagians whose ignorance of this enough appeare's in that which they oppose against efficacious Grace for an account of which I referre you to Cornelius Jansenius his Parallel of the errors of the Massiâ—ians and some late teachers in the second chapter of that Parallel and the third chapter which is annexed to his Augustinus c. With these are to be ranked Arminians who consent with these erring Doctors Socinians and some of our Anabaptists too as is evident from that which Mr Stephens cite's as one of the Doctrines owned by the 30 seperate Congregations in their confession these I adde not for their eminency in parts or learning few of them that I have met with being such but as witnesse of the universall mistake and error into which the naturall man with his highest pretences doth inevitably runne nor is Pigghius better acquainted with this doctrine as is evident from his Controv. de Peccat originali And our English confident Dr Taylor both in his unum necessarium and in his Answer to the Reverend Bishop of Rochester's letter with the whole heard of Jesuites that follow Lewis Molina in his opposition to the Dominicans and whoso will consider what is taught by these men will see how little they are acquainted with the true nature of this inhering concupiscence and whoso will consider who they are what kind of Persons will see they are men of notable naturall and improved parts and so see notable evidence to this truth ignornace in the Doctrine of Originall sin or indwelling lust like a thick cloud lying on the minds of men of such naturall and improved abilities that vve may rationally suppose if any could these had been the men vvho vvould have discovered it and seeing they have not vve may by a warrant from a logicall argumentation conclude à fâ—rtiori others cannot nor will ever be able for some of these have been men I will not say of the highest naturall and improved parts possible but I may and will say of the highest probable and yet they have not attained a right discovery of this Sin of this mystery of iniquity These men speak of it in such a manner as evidenceth they never either 1. Felt the strength and power of Sin as a King reigning in their mortall bodies Rom. 6. Nor 2. Had observed the wisedome and Policy of this old man which must be crucifâ—ed Nor 3. Had known the obligatory vertue of this Law of our members Nor 4. Had seen the forge where the evill and sinfull imaginations of thoughts were framed and wrought of Now if there be after so long tampering with it so little harmony and concent in the Doctrine of these men with the Doctrine of the Scriptures and the experience of regenerate sanctified soules concerning this sin we may very justly conclude they know not withall their skill to set their doctrines in tune with the Scriptures nor make a spirituall Scripturall discovery of this sinne but passe we on to another sort of naturall improved men who if reason could have reached this would have bidden faire for it These are 4. Schoolmen mistake in this knowledg 4. The Schoole-men whose notions though sometime very sublime and daring as if they would presently discover the very height of all that is knowable yet in this very point as in many others are very jejune and empty very uncertaine and in many things unsound especially those among them who have proceeded upon that unsound foundation of pure naturalls and thence stated our fall and sinfull state to be the reduction of us to our pure naturals the letting loose of the reines to a high meâ—led courser which was before curbed and not the laming and spoiling of a sound one or as the stripping off a man's clothes leaving him naked who before was cloathed This way Bellarmine and the Papists who have gone a step farther then the bounds prescribed by the Councill of Trent have generally gone Chemn loc com de Peccat Orig. p. 202. b. edit Francof 1653. And sure on this it was that Recentes ut Occam multi alii nomen retinent Peccati Originalis rem extenuant This extenuating of this sin was in that they denyed it to be an evill repugnant to the Law of God Nec culpam esse nec poenam as Lombard 2. dist 30. c. 5. Scotus in 4. dist 14. q. 1. art 1 boldly averre's that which will inferre necessarily if what he affirmes were a truth that this originall sinne is but the guilt of Adams first transgression so Biel Durandus and others farther when you shall find many of them as Hugo Victorinus Thomas 2.4 dist 28. art 4. Biel. 2. dist 28. and Bonaventure 2. dist 28. c. Assert nature preparing it sâ—fe for grace and professedly teaching that a man may ex naturae viribus love God above all and do his commandments Quoad substantiam actûs is not this an evidence that they did not understand how corrupt our natures were How weake and unable to Good How full of enmity to God I feare not to averre it That man knoweth not the sinfulnesse of his nature that dares say a man may by the strength of nature love quoad substantiam actus God above all He understand's not that his naturall mind is enmity to the law of God who sayeth he can love God above all by the power of nature nor knoweth he that his carnall mind is not subject to the law of God who dares say he can viribus naturae obey the Law of God He hath not a right knowledg of Originall sin who dares affirme either of these And Dr Whitaker in that peice de Peccato origin l. 2. c. 4. Cajetan Scotus Richard Durandus Bellarmine cited by Dr Whitaker in that l. 2. c. 4. against Thom. Stapleton who affirmes Scholasticos tribuere humanae naturae vires integras ad diligendum deum super omnia ad facienda praecepta Dei secundum substantiam actuum And adding farther that some other of the Schoolmen taught praeparationem esse in homine ante gratiam homini facienti quod in se est non deesse Gratiam passeth this censure on both jointly Quod nunquam dicerent si originalem naturae depravavationem intelligerent But I leave these men and next come to an other sort of men who though greatly improved yet have not rightly understood this sin They are such Who 5. Some plead an exemption of the Virgin Mary from Originall Sin 5. Have pleaded an exemption for some from the common calamity of mankind to be borne into the world full of sin and stained with Originall corruption though the greatest part by farre nay though all except one be tainted with this sin Bellarm. de amiss
they have neither eye to see nor sense to discerne it I know none can be ignorant who have ability and can who have opportunity and do read or have read the Partiall and unequall judgment they make of the favourable smoothing words they give to hide this sin The better and softer name of their Genius must be the name of this sin Their making provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof was with them nothing but curare Genium Their living in the height of sin was with them nothing but Piare Genium vino floribus And a severer course of life was accounted a fraud put upon their Genius Thus the whole sinfull frame of the heart passed under the name of Genius now if their Mythologists understand them Occulta vis quâ ad singulas res gerendas impel limur Nat. Com. This Genius was A secret or occult power by which we are moved to each thing we do And if you enquire what this Power or vertue is some of them will tell you it is the Symmetry of the Elements So that in briefe the sinfulnesse of the frame or disposition of the heart of man with these persons is no more then an unhappy temperature of the Elements compounding the body and swaying the mind according to their prevalency Now who ever did or justly could apprehend much sinfulnesse in this that our bodies are compounded of the Elements or that such or such a temperature doth most prevaile whoever thought it an exceeding great sin that he was of a Sanguine Complexion or how much blame worthinesse is there in a Phlegmatick Constitution barely as such I know the different tempers do differently promote and further sin do much facilitate the workings of this sin but this is an effect ex accidenti no direct naturall effect of this or that constitution but it is an effect of that sin which dwells in us and which observing that the temper of the body doth sway us more one way then other taketh hold of that advantage and worketh powerfully by this constitution to the hurrying of the sinner on to sin In the mean time while they thus put all upon their Genius and resolved this into the Symmetry of the Elements they must be thought to have had no right knowledge of the exceeding sinfulnesse of their heart propending and inclining to sin but I dwell too long with these persons who might be men of choicest naturall parts but wanted the best Improvement being without the Church and so without the externall advantages and helpes which might heighten their reason to a clear and full discovery of this but did not Best improved naturall men within the Church ordinarily or at least might they not by the improvement of Reason and parts though they remained unregenerate and naturall men have come to a sight of this sinfull frame of heart in its great sinfullnesse well view we and observe the Pharisees and consider what may be judged and ought to be answered to this choicest men for learning and education before Christ his comming in the flesh yet they took a view of this sinfull frame with a false glasse which represented scarce the one halfe of this body of sin and what was so represented was varnisht over with colours of their own mixing that it appeared not what it was but what they would have it be as is evident from their corrupt exposition of the Law which our Lord notes and condemnes in the 5 th ch of Matthew They saw not the sinfulnesse of a malitious heart or of a heart ready to boile with causleste anger witnesse their grosse corrupting that precept thou shalt not kill either saying it was a prohibition of murthering an Israelite or that only murther which was done prepriâ manu Heare what they say in their Talmud as I find it in Dr. Lightfoot's Epistle to the Reader of his Harmony of the New Testament A murtherer is he that kills his neighbour with a stone or with Iron or thrusts him into water or fine out of which it is impossible to get our againe he is guilty but if he thrust him into fire or water out of which it is possible to get out againe though he die yet is he quit If he sets a dog or a serpent on him he is quit c. of like nature with this And now can you suppose these generations of men to know the sinfulnesse of a murtherous frame of heart who so fouly mistated the externall act and acquitted that as no murther which is one of the highest degrees of it will you say that the man knowes or believes any sinfulnesse in a bloody revengefull disposition who can say That he who hireth another to kill his neighbour or sends his servants and they kill him c. is Guilty as a blood-shedder to be punished by the hand of heaven onely not by man yet this was ordinarily a received doctrine among them as appeares by what is farther added by Dr. Lightfoot in the forecited place Their Expositions of the rest of the Law are much of the same nature Actuall externall uncleannesse and defiling their neighbours wife they thought to be a sin but never accounted the habituall bent and propension of the heart to this to be a sin or forbidden in that Law They were not troubled at the thoughts of any secret reluctancy to the holy commands of God It was nothing with them to have natures full of 1. Unholinesse and opposition to God's holinesse 2. Rebellion and contradiction to the Law of God 3. Dislike and backwardnesse to every good 4. Pronenesse to delight in every evill 5. Folly and inability to do that Good they ought 6. Craft and subtilty to consummate that evill which the Law of God forbids These and such like abominations rivetted in our natures they took no notice of therefore of the Pharisees and Scribes those Improved naturall men though within the Church we doubt not to say they knew not the sinfulnesse of the habituall frame of the heart The same must be granted of men in succeeding latter ages let the endlesse disputes maintained by the Orthodoxe against Corrupt teachers be witnesse to this and of latest yeares these and such like Positions That men are not disabled to Good by the fall of Adam which the six Disputants men of parts and learning asserted and owned at the Hague And others much of the same stature for their parts and learning have owned the same position as Secinus Praelect Theol. c. 4. f. 13. 14. cited by John Peltius where among other passages he quoteth this Nec vis naturalis Liberi Arbitrii ab eo tempore imminuta fuit And in his second Epistle to Dudithius pag. 18,19 where I read this passage As concerning the wickednesse of men this is all that may be said that God willeth that man by his own free will should be no lesse able to be good then bad de malitiâ
apprehends to be naturall But it is so much the more sinfull for this as those are greater diseases which increase by their continuance on us or those deadlyest poisons whose violence awakeneth strengtheneth it selfe by its own working This being a truth and unquestionably certaine that this sin is still on the increasing hand and though the naturall man sees it not as a sin yet he doth see it and its growth as a Naturall affection or Passion and the best of naturall men that ever lived or boasted himselfe of perfection never did or could diminish the strength of this sin or do any more in order to this then a rider doth breake and diminish the strength of the horse which he intends to man for his service I know that this streame did not run nor now doth it run with equall violence and impetuousnesse in every channell but I know withall the calmer stream was ever the deepest and strongest to beare a burthen and hath gradually increased so it is here some naturall mens lusts have been violent and run like an Eager to the overwhelming all that was like to impede them from satisfying their lusts others have made lesse noise but their lusts have runne with more sober strength and borne up the vessel that was laden with a weightier fraught and carried them strongly to seek themselves and their own glory Briefly then the Naturall man best improved takes this for his principle quae indies augesâ—unt sunt â naturâ next observes that these Passions do grow daily if not in violent rage yet in even strength and therefore passes them for the genuine offspring of nature both lovely and commendable farre from that sinfulnesse which the law assureth us is in them And how should such a one ever discover the sinfulnesse of that he so strongly imagines to be of no worse origine then nature 3. Universall extent occasion of the naturall manâ—s ignorance and error 3. Beside there is a third consideration evinceth the impossibility of the Naturall man's discovering the sinfulnesse of this sin viz It 's universall extent over all men perswades him to an opinion that it is secundum naturam if this were in some few not in the most of men or if in the most yet not in all men perhaps improved reason might suspect and discover it 's unwarranted In being and that this were preternaturall and culpable diseases I see are not the same in all men but reason and risibility are I observe also that learning is not equally dispensed to all but it is not questionable what all to a man have is to be accounted naturall of such nature are those motions and their principles which the Scripture cals lusts of the flesh but Philosophy and a Naturall man would call Passions of the mind If there were no other vaile upon the eyes of the naturall man but this it would be too thick for him to see through it the foulnesse of this sin He knowes too beside this universality of subject that there is an universality of time also according to which it is evident that it comes neare to a likenesse with naturall causes and effects which are perpetually the same in all times and ages The Sun ever shined and warmed in the same manner it now doth the nearer accesse to us ever wrought the same change in the season c. Now if in all ages the same passions have appeared in man's nature how can it be saith the naturall man they should be preternaturall or sinfull here he stumbles fall's and is not able to rise and recover himselfe 4. Uniformity of its acting in all occasion of this ignorance and errour 4. To these three a fourth thing being added makes yet the third demonstration more cleare and discovereth farther the impossibilitie of a discovery of this sin by improved nature now this is the uniformity of the actings of this sinfull frame of nature which is such that there is no variation at all in its actings unlesse from some accidentall circumstances as to the maine of its actings they are now as they have been formerly and they will be while men are borne the sonnes of Adam uniforme to themselves in those men who are in other cases equall and alike Indeed the temper strength and health of body in some greater in others lesse may somewhat alter the visible part of this sin or perhaps Birth Education and Company may somewhat heighten the unlawfull projects and designes of the naturall man and be occasion to this sin to attempt greater things Satan may possibly adventure to tempt one to a greater wickednesse then he will another and so in these extrinsecall considerations there many times is a great unlikenesse and difformity in mens sins but in those very men which now were so unlike you shall observe as great a likenesse if you 'l give them the same opportunity the same meanes c. and make them equall in their advantages to execute as they are in their natures to contrive And if we could see the inside of mens plots we should see it may be the same contexture in the Ambition Of him that aimes at a Crowne And Of him that aims at a petty Constable's place onely the designe is greater and the materialls different but the mind of each equally bent upon them and alike contriving how to get them 5. Unweaâ—ied and perpetual delight in this sin and it's actings occasion of this ignorance 5. To these take in that delight wherewith unweariedly the naturall best improved man provideth for his lusts and satisfyeth them and you shall observe how greatly this occasioneth his errour and mistake in this enquiry Thus he argueth were the naturall mans heart so sinfull as the Scripture bespeaks it to be it seemeth not likely that so much delight could be taken in serving it in all its projects and designes for what is praeternatur all as all sinne is must be burthensome and irkesome too and could not be with pleasure and delight constantly followed though sometime a more violent exercise for a quarter of an houre be a delight and pâ—easure to us yet a longer time would make us weary of it because all violence is against nature if the naturall inclinations of the heart were sinfull and preternaturall the man would be weary of the pursuit but unweariednesse argues naturalnesse of the motion to the movent And delight bespeakes suitable faculty and object so that In this manner the best improved Reason deceives it selfe and by a misapplication of a truth which he understandeth not entangles himselfe in an impossibility of finding out what he enquireth after as is evident in the particulars mentioned He that supposeth his owne Notion of nature to be the genuine and adaequate notion of it but leaves out a maine part of it and then measureth and judgeth all to be good which suits with that Notion and that only evill which is contrary to it must needs greatly mistake
steady in his aime and drawing the bow that he never misseth the marke and yet this were little unlesse he were 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the possession and enjoyment of himselfe and so equall to a deity as who so will may see if he will but observe the proud dictates of these vaine men and their swelling Paradoxes gathered together by Lipsius Lipsius Stoica Philos l. 3. tot Now can it be supposed rationally probable or possible that men so strangely possessed with an opinion of such high perfections should ever be willing to own or able to discover such a redundancy and fulnesse of evill in their nature But fifthly and lastly 5 Reason The best improved naturall man cannot reflect upon his soule according to the Law of God 5. Therefore the best improved Naturall man cannot discover the sinfulnesse of his nature because this discovery must be made by a due reflection of the soule on it selfe according to the Law of God now the naturall man cannot reflect thus duely on his nature or on the frame of his heart for sin under which the Naturall man is however highly improved seiseth on that part of the soule which should reflect thus and slupifies it and so impedes it Not from all kind of reflection and reciprocall observation on it selfe but from such a reflection as might produce this knowledg of concupiscence in the Apostle's sense It is true a Naturall man may looke back upon his outward actions in particular or generall and discover much of the irregularity of them he may also reflect upon himselfe in a froward fit of violent passion or when his heart hath been disordered by somewhat that opposed chwarted rebelled against his reason though his opposition were more calme and sedate thus he may reflect but he cannot turne his eye inward so as to see that close enmity universall opposition and innate dislike which his heart beares to every spirituall good in which consists much the truth and reality of this knowledge Sin is a disease that strongly affects both the head and the heart at once and so aâ— such diseases usually do it depriveth the sinner of all sense of his Danger Sicknesse It is not seldome compared in Scripture to these diseases It is a spirit of slumber Rom. 1.8 It is a Delirium or aotage Ezek. 23.5.7 whereby they are continually entangled in the thoughts and desires of the sinnâ— they love sinners are love-sick and perpetually meditating on the pleasant part esinne are not able in this like love-sickâ— persons to note and observe the faults anâ— blemishes of that they are enamoured with thus the understanding and mind are disabled to judge aright It is a Phrensie oâ— madnesse in them Eccles 9.3 which causeth them to do not like men but fooles Ps 94.8 and Jer. 10.8 like creatures that are acted by sense and by principles which cannot reflect on themselves They have no heart Hos 4.11 for sin which is spirituall whoredome takes away the heart robs the sinner of his understanding which is a reflexive power They have no knowledge Ps 53. to say is there not a lye in my right hand Isa 44. Nor doth the Scripture only say this but you shall find this verified by humane testimonies touching the maligne influence of sin so the Poet Sophoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the issue of sinfull pride in Ajax it bereft him of his wits Likewise Tully tells us Peccatum est perturbatio rationis Cic. Parad. 3. and what he saith of pleasure is true of every sin mentem è suâ sede statu demovet 1 Parad. And however you may doubt the truth of the story yet the morall of it is very full and to purpose that Bacchus strook Lyeurgus with blindnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Lycurgus had contemned him I say the morall is good * Such a story tells Leon Hebraeus of Homer Sâ—…chorus for conteÌ„ning God Love or Cupid Sin which is a contempt of God blinds the sinner and he having lost his eyes can neither see the staines of his garment or the blemishes in his face In a word you may as soon expect and receive a sober account from a madman of his distractednesse as from the sinner a good account of his sinfull state Reason will tell us that every sin is the turning of the mind from the light either of Reason within us or from the light of that supreme reason which is without us which is the fountaine of all that Reason which is in us and be it from either still we are turned from it and so in the darke and how should darknesse discover darknesse It being then certaine and an acknowledged truth according to Scripture and reason also That sin hath a very maligne and strong influence on the mind to the stupifying and blinding it to the destroying the ability it otherwise might have to bring it selfe to a tryall and examination of it selfe It cannot be reasonably denied that an unregenerate man who is altogether under the power of sin is also under this inability and unfitnesse to be a judge of himselfe in a matter which will require such exactnesse and strictnesse as this will for it lyeth deep and as hath been intimated seemeth like that which is not culpable seemeth to come neare to that nature which is not blameworthy and it must be a good eye which distinguisheth Colours of near likenesse a good tast that discerneth meats that seeme to be the same for favour Well be it so Reason improved to the highest cannot discover this sinfull sin without the Law of God but may not that reason which besides the improvement of Education and learning hath the Word and Law of God to heighten it though not renewed by the spirit of Sanctification and regeneration attaine to some knowledge of this sinne Have not many learned men within the visible Church come to great measures of knowledge of this sinne Do you thinke that all who have been able to dispute about it to defend the truth and to overthrow the contrary errours have beene Regenerate and borne againe and seen with the eye of Saint Paul the sinfulnesse of their natures Do not we heare Sermons and discourses stating this point from men that are sensuall and carnall who live to that Lust which in the Pulpit in their discourses they condemne 5 th Generall propoposed The difference between a learned regenerate and a learned unregenerate mans knowledge c. Therefore to prevent this objection or at least to satisfie it by answering to it I proposed a fifth thing viz What is the difference between a learned unregenerate improved Scholar his knowledge of this sinne and the knowledge of a regenerate spirituall sanctified soule For this doubt must be answered not by Denying these men to have any or but little knowledge of this sinne I thinke I should manifestly
injure the truth and be unjust to their memory and unthankfull to their labours who have written for the truth in this particular and I might easily be convinced of a falsehood if I should deny them to be knowing men and well studied in these Questions An sit Quid sit Quale unde sit c. which they are able to determine according to truth and defend when they have determined it And for ought I know in this they may go farther then some enlightned sanctified foules who have not the helps of so much learning or such acute judgments and Insight into controversies But yet for all this there is a vast difference between these two knowledges the one may be termed and will one day appear to be an Ignorant knowledge pardon the expression a knowledge and yet as good as no knowledge when the other knowledge will appear the onely right and true knowledge and at present we may observe a great deale of difference in these as 1. The knowledge of a Regenerate soule is a spirituall knowledge 1. The Knowledge of a regenerate soule is a spirituall knowledge that of the highest improved unregenerate man is but Rationall at best and so they differ toto genere there is not nor can be a more wide difference between things and things persons and persons then that which is thus founded in what is spirituall and its opposite and such is the difference in these two sorts of men one doth see the spirituall wickednesse of this sin the contrariety that is in it to a spirituall Law to spirituall obedience to the spirituall manner of performing it The other seeth the unreasonable wickednesse of this sinfull nature the contrariety and incongruity of such a frame of heart to refined Reason Reason tells the man that there is but one God that he is only to be worshipped hence he discovers how unsuitable to reason it is to have more or worship more Gods the spirituall regenerate soule sees the spirituall as well as the unreasonable wickednesse of such Idolatry c. the like may be said of all the commands of the law which have both a conformity to reason all God's precepts are highly rationall and to that which is higher then now reasâ—nis and which the Scripture calleth spirituall All the precepts are of a spirituall nature Now the learned unregenerate man compareth this frame of the heart with that part of the Law which is thus proportioned to reason and seeth how far this frame is dissonant to it and concludes it so far out of order it is reasonable he seeth that the law which is just and should rule the whole man should also bind the whole man to be readily disposed and duly framed to the observance of that Law and if a part or the whole frame be not so disposed he concludes it Peccant and culpable It is but a reasonable thing that the Law which is so just and good should be uniformely observed as well in the first forming of our thoughts as in the ultimate and last perfecting of them and soâ— concludes some unreasonablenesse in the swerving of the first motions In a word these Learned Improved natural men in this whole matter see nothing but what is the object of their reason either to be approved or disallowed The regenerate foule seeth and considereth that this law is very spirituall and measureth the sinfulnesse of his heart and the sinfulnesse of its first workings by this law as spirituall and so concludes that there is a wickednesse in it which is of a higher nature then a bare contrariety to Reason As an Artist seeth the excellency or the rarity of a discourse which he heareth or of an experiment which he feeth and accordingly judgeth the one consonant to the other dissonant from the naturall regular and certaine consequences of the Principles and Hypotheses of his art which discourse a man who is no artist heareth and understandeth the Grammaticall construction of the whole seeth the materialls of the experiment and the effect wrought yet falls exceedingly short of that knowledge which the artist hath and he gets but a Grammaticall knowledge or such as his sense with which he perceived the experiment can help him to while the Artist hath gotten a cleare certaine artificiall knowledge 't is not much unlike in this case and as the objects of their knowledge thus differ so likewise the faculties disposition or qualification differeth the one knowing by common illumination the other by a speciall and more then common illumination of the spirit but I will not insist on this it being for ought I know a matter which we cannot so evidently and clearly state as to make of this any plaine discriminating note by which we may cause others to see and understand what the difference is I know that there is such a difference and that it is great I know that one seeth with an eye enlightned by especiall light from the spirit the other doth not but I know it is not easie to describe these and what might be gathered from the effects of each by which alone they can be discerned will fall in my way before I have done with these particulars therefore I say no more of this now The first difference is in the Generall laid down by the Apostle in that of 1 Cor. 2.12 for the pardon of and deliverance from this sin is one of those things which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and understood by him only who hath the spirit of God and being spirituall compareth spiritualls with spiritualls Who hath the spirit of the world doth not so understand them because he cannot spiritually discerne them v. 14. And it is plainly enough intimated to us by the Apostle in this very chapter Rom. 7.14 I know saith he that the Law is spirituall though whilest I was carnall and judged carnally of the Law I thought of my selfe as righteous as blamelesse Phil. 3.6 because I had not failed of the strictest outward observance of the command Phil. 3.5 yet now I see the law is spirituall and so there is a spirituall obedience due which I carnall could not give and in defect of this obedience there is a spirituall wickednesse which while I was a Pharisee though learned and as much improved as any I did not see Thus St Paul and the experience of every Saint will confirme to us how great a difference there is between the sight and knowledge he now hath and that he once had of sinne as it is contrary to the Spirituall Law of God 2. An unregeueraie mans knowledgeis a logicall conclusion from soeculative principles The regenerates is from practicall premises 2. A second difference between the knowledg which an improved reason with the helpe of the letter of the Law may have of this sin and the knowledge which a regenerate sanctifyed soul hath of this sin is this The knowledge of the one is the result or conclusion which ariseth from speculative
immoveably setled in his knowledge and apprehension of it he will never be beaten out of this That it is an evill allwaies present impeding what is good and impelling and putting us upon what is evill that it is a law of our members warring against the law of the mind and though all the world withall its learning and skill should conspire and club wits and reason to overthrow this truth yet they should never perswade him to a beliefe that possibly there may be no such thing as evill Concupiscence or Originall sin His experience is instar mille testium and he would repeâ— all their arguments with this answer that he sees the plots and contrivances that he feeleth the power and strength of this sinning sin withholding him and drawing him back from that good which he desires he may which he knowes he ought to doe The world may as soone perswade him that fire is not hot which hath burnt his fingers as perswade him that lust within is not a fire of Hell which inflames him and sets him on fire with rageing passions or wanton desires Let this old man appeare under what vizard he will for the deceiving purblind nature let him plead his originall ex conditione materiae and appeale to Pelagian or Semipelagian or Socinian Heralds to assert his pedigree yet he cannot so escape a regenerate savingly enlightned soul who seeth and knoweth that it is of the Divell and our own abuse of free will Though this old man walke up and downe among us and expatiate it selfe in the larger walkes of a Sceptick and seeme onely to enquire rationally touching the Beeing and Providence of a Deity and in this garbe passe for a more penetrating inquisitive head and judgment with an unsanctifyed Scholar yet the regenerate soul know's and is so perswaded that he will never be brought to think the contrary that this is a branch of Atheisme sprouting out of this bitter root I think I need not hesitate in pronouncing it An unregenerate man improved to the highest pitch that externall morall advantages can raise him to never did or ever will be able to come to such a degree of certainty in his Knowledge of this as the experienced soule which observeth the stirrings and motions of this sin in himselfe doth come to I am sure there is a great difference between the certainty to which the one attaines by speculative principles and discourses and the certainty tâ— which the other atteines by experience you may possibly perswade a man to taâ—… Poyson who onely knowes the nature of iâ— from his book and speculation and perhapâ— you may prevaile with him to hope and believe it is not deadly because his knowledge is not confirmed by experience but do you think it possible to perswade that man into an opinion that it may not or into hopeâ— that it is not or into an adventurous tryalâ— whether that be deadly poyson which had undoubtedly destroyed him long before if the admirable skill of some eminent Physician had not cured him and prevented the working of the Poyson so it is in one word The regenerate soule knowes he had dyed of this deadly poyson if the compassion oâ— an infinitely mercifull and the skill of an infinitely wise Physician had not healed him he knowes he was sick unto death and he is as certaine of it as experience can make him and will not doubt it though all the world deny it here he sixeth immovedly I Know that in me dwels nothing good Rom. 7.18 Find evill present when I would do good 21 See an other law leading mee captive 23. The unregenerate finds it not experimentally in himselfe for he is blind and seeth not he is dead and feeleth not the workings of this sin and therefore is not so immoveable in his knowledg as the regenerate soule not so constant in his beliefe of it's indwelling and overspreading the whole man SERMON III. Rom. 7. v. 7. latter part For I had not knowne Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet THE Inabilitie of Nature best improved by learning and education or what other means you will suppose short of Grace and the renovation of the heart by the spirit of God to make a right discovery of the sinfullnesse of our nature that indwelling sin which here the Apostle calls Lust being observed as one of the Doctrines the Apostle layes down in this verse and being confirmed and prosecuted so farre that nothing farther remaines of what was proposed but an application and close of the whole I now proceed to that and so first Use 1. Insormation If the best improved naturall man be not able to discover the sinfulnesse of his nature we may hence learne and informe our selves Sin of very dangerous consequence to all but specially to Scholars on account that it blinds their under standing 1. That there is in sin that which is of a very dangerous tendency to all but especially to Scholars It is not to be sported with we never dally with this serpent but it sting's and empoyson's us we never come into the hands of these Philistines but they put out our eyes If we had our eyes before we lose them after our closeing with a temptation to sin This is the cause why we are not able so long as we are carnall to see our sinfulnesse because we are sinfull as there need no other reason be given why we are not acquainted with the pollutions of our garments but this because we are blind so neither needs there any other reason be demanded why a sinner is not acquainted with his sinfulnesse after you have once said and proved that he is a sinner For sin is a violence offered to the soule Prov. 8. ult vers It is a violence by which the soule is wounded and maimed as it were with the stroke of a sword or other instrument of cruelty as I observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifys now the soule is a tender thing like the eye it beares not a wound without losse of its sight and being once wounded by sin it cannot any more rightly discover sin or if you read that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his life still it speaks that danger danger which is in sin on the account of its disableing the sinner from seeing it that wound that reacheth the life that reacheth the heart kills dead and bereives the man of the sense of his condition he knowes not nor can he that he is dead so it was with the first sinners among the creatures Angels sinned and lost that perfect knowledge in which they were created and had not known their sinfull state if an immediate and winged vengeance had not overtaken them if the weight of those fetters the dismall noise of those chaines in which they are reserved to the Judgment of the great day had not awakned them they had surely continued unacquainted with that sinfulnesse which their just punishment convinced them of though it may perhaps
to a right or due desire oâ— Christ who is pretious onely to the soule that needs and is sensible he needeth grace Whence it is that the spirit of God in drawing the sinner to close with Christ doth still manifest and exert his power in illuminating and convincing the soule All truâ— desires of Grace are wrought in the soule by the spirit of God shewing and clearing it up to 〈◊〉 that we need grace If the best Improved naturall man cannot see how sinfull he is he cannot see how much he needeth a Jesus and he never desired him entirely and enough who knew not this Naaman had never desired to make a tryall what the Prophet could do for his recovery if he had not been apprehensive of his urgent necessity to be healed of his leprosy That man who knows not that his nature is disposed and stands bent to depart from God and to leave the way of holinesse cannot prepare himselfe to seek after that Grace which may powerfully change this sinfull nature There is both a merall and naturall impossibility in it a morall impossibility on this account that he believes there is no need of such a change Now it is Morally impossible that a man should apprehend his condition such as needs no change and yet dispose himselfe to the change of it Indeed a man may have wavering unconstant and imperfect apprehensions that his state is indifferently good and there is no absolute necessity of a change yet that it might be better if it were changed And such a man may at once seeme content and perswaded that he needs not change and yet attempt it but where a full constant and fixed apprehension in the mind that there is no need at all to change and that it is doubted by him the change will not better him it is morally impossible he should dispose himselfe to change it which is the case of a well improved carnall man whose apprehensions of his selfe sufficiency and present perfect condition are fixed and constant and though he desires an addition of more degrees of naturall excellencies yet he is unwilling to that change which now would alter the very nature of them and make his carnall wisdome spirituall his common rationall perfections especiall saving conversion his earthly worldly mind Heavenly and suited to the Gospell There is also a Naturall cannot or Impossibility in this thing A highly improved naturall man remaines naturall still and standeth entirely bent toward this his naturall estate much delighted in it and satisfied with it and it is naturally impossible that nature should desire that change which will destroy it and since sin hath so incorporated it selfe into our natures that it is in a sense become naturall to us and we cannot savingly receive grace but with the destruction of naturalized sin it will be a truth that it is naturally impossible that a naturall man however well improved should dispose himselfe to a desire of heart-changing and renewing grace Though the carnall mind know not its need of Grace to desire it yet it knows there is a contrariety in grace to sin to destroy it and therefore he opposeth it as a man in a Phrensy through the violence of a fever doth not know his need of suitable applications to desire them yet may know the smart trouble and bitternesse of the applications to rage against them and thrust them from him or as we observe it in children more frequently the knowledge of that sensible unpleasantnesse which is in Physick maketh them strongly dislike it so the naturall man knowes by report so much of the nature and working of grace so much of apparent unpleasantnesse to the flesh as to reject it but he knowes not so much of his own need as to desire it Nor can the Naturall man raise himselfe to an esteeme of Christ and Grace through him which appeares most evidently from the consideration of his utter inability to discover his need of Christ and grace Need enhaunceth the price of every good and apprehended need raiseth our value of it These two sense of want and apprehension of worth go hand in hand equally increasing in us and when the former abateth the latter cannot but sink also How doth the hungry Esau prize a meane dinner when his sense is so prevalent that it suggests a necessity of a present speedy supply or an inevitable certainty of death sense of his want raiseth a contemptible dish of Pottage to a value equall to his Birth-right Prophane Esaâ— How meanly wouldst thou have thought of such a charity in the middest of thy venison feast at another time if thou mightest have had it of gift thenâ— thou wouldst not have accounted it worth thine acceptance now in want upon sale thou thinkest it worth thy choicest excellencies surely as each suppe abated somewhat of his hunger and the sense of his need sâ— it abated his esteeme and value of the purchase and the last of his dish was least 〈◊〉 value to him It is much so in all presenâ— outward good we stand in need of our use of them abates our need and this sinks the price of them Now though the more we have of Christ and grace the more we prize them and reasonably may justly ought to improve our value of them In which respect there is a difference between our value oâ— externall common good which decreaseth oâ—dinarily as our use of them is free continued and full and these spirituall and heavenly goods whose value Improves upon their use and is raised as we are acquainted with them The more free continued and full our enjoyment of Christ is and the Improvement of grace is the more we shall prize them but though here be a difference in the issue or event of Enjoyment yet there is a very great likenesse and agreement between them in the motive and enducement to value and esteem them Though the event of a full meale and the event of a full communication of grace be so different that the hungry one filled loaths the sweetnesse of a honey combe refuseth and sleights it whilest the gracious soule so filled desires more and Pray's to be continued in this or taken into fuller banqueting roomes and highly prizeth such farther spirituall feastings yet both were induced by the same generall and common argument at first to value and prize these different Goods An apprehension of our need and a sense of the suitablenesse in these to our need raiseth our esteeme of them So that if best improved parts cannot see sin nor can they see their need of grace nor the high value and price of Grace Inform. 4. 〈…〉 highest imparts cannot purify and make themselves really holy 4. If the naturall man with best Improvements and advantages short of saving renewing grace cannot discover that mystery of iniquity which dwells in his nature Then certainly it is not a thing possible for him by all his naturall improved parts to purify and cleanse himselfe
4. A Scholars knowledge is usually a more common and generall worke of the spirit of God in carrying him on in his ordinary and professed intendment of getting knowledge whereas in others there is more of the speciall worke of the spirit of God now it is more easie to mistake under a common then speciall work of the spirit of God 5. Farther yet scholars may more easily mistake in their Knowledge of this then other men in regard they apprehend many times more strength in the opposition men make to the truth then indeed there is and so do with lesse certainty and with more wavering hold this truth Let us then bring our knowledge to the tryall lest we certainly be deceived where we so easily may be deceived 2. Greater danger to themselves in mistakeing 2. Let us do it next the rather because if we be deceived in this it is of dangerous consequence to us and to our eternall concernment of much more dangerous consequence then unto others for it exposeth us scholars to a greater danger of continuing in a formall superficiall externall and insufficient course of obedience and seeming purity And who is engaged in this with any competent measure of knowledge to hide or defend or excuse himselfe is in one of the greatest dangers of undoing himselfe is armed most unhappily against convictions of the word and spirit of God and is like to stand out against all meanes of a reall heart spirituall and saving change and sanctification We may in all likelyhood sooner convince a prophane loose and wicked sinner that is as yet ignorant of his sinfulnesse by nature than we can a Morall temperate and sober scholar who knows much of this with a speculative knowledge and suppresseth much the working of this sin by his morall principles and advantages Scholars who are outwardly blamelesse but not inwardly sanctified and who have somewhat of the knowledge of this sin in their heads but nothing of the experienced heart knowledge of it in their soules are the men most in danger to live and dye in a formall seeming holinesse in an outside glorious shew with insides full of corruption and rottennesse they are most in danger to pasâ—e among men and with themselves for Saints while there is nothing at all of the saint in their heart nor any thing but the hypocrite and painted Sepulcher in their life Your danger is greater let your search be stricter then other men's 3. Greater endangering of others 3. Try your knowledge of this because it is a truth of Generall influence on the heart and life of men and either doth much promote their reall holynesse when it is rightly unfolded and set home upon them or else much impede retarde it when it is not rightly apprehended by us and unfolded to them A learned man erring in this endangers his hearers and though I intend not particularly to insist on these dangers yet this I say in the generall That the preacher who hath no other knowledge of this sin then the Pharisees had shall have no better disciples then they had If you would not then expose them to the dangerous mistakes of seeming holynesse of counterfeit regeneration c. look to it and see that your knowledge be right in this particular Consider the safety and welfare of pretious soules is concerned in this they may perish through a mistake of their naturall condition into which mistake yours may lead them and it is dreadfull to have blood of soules lying on your head Scholars seldome are single in their errors and the more eminent they are the more dangerously do they erre and I know not a point wherein there is much more danger attends our mistake then doth attend our errour in this and the doctrines depending on it What more dangerous and destructive then that errour which leads us from powerfull and irresistible Grace then that which hath direct tendency to undervalue Grace what more pernicious then that mistake which leaves a heart secretly corrupt and unholy and rends to the binding up the soule under this untill the heart-searching God discovers and judges it It is a soule-damning errour which doth ensnare the soule in a partiall outside and insufficient renovation Now of such tendency is this to our persons and of such sad consequence will it be to others who may possibly be hearers blind leaders of the blind untill both fall into the ditch will be the finall and last issue of us and our followers if we mistake such weighty necessary truths as these are 4. Expected eminence before others in holynesse 4. Consider next if you have not cause to enquire and examine your knowledge of this whether you had not need be more diligent by much then others on account of more eminent and exemplary holynesse expected from you Men do and reason good they should expect more perfect and exact holynesse from you then from others You know more of your master's will then they you know more of the excellency of holynesse you know more of the reward to holynesse you know more of the vilenesse of sin of the unsuitablenesse of sin to your admired and noble soule and reason c. on these and many other accounts it is expected that you should be more holy then others Now if you mistake in this doctrine which rightly understood hath notable influence on the soule in order to exemplary holynesse you will certainly fall farre short of your Duty and your friends expectation Now an ingenious spirit is very solicitous not to fall short of his friends rationall and just hopes I speak to many such now I hope and therefore I promise my selfe of you a serious tryall of this 5. Mistaken knowledge cannot lye still and do no harme it will mischiefe us by 5. Lastly that I may perswade you to try consider your knowledge mistaken through want of due tryall and examination will be an consider your knowledge mistaken through want of due tryall and examination will be an advantage which Satan and your own corrupt hearts will take and improve to further hardning you in sin and estranging you from conversion Mistaken knowledge will not remaine a thing of indifferent nature but it will eventually prove a great 1. Emboldning us to sin 1. Ewholdning you to cherish and foster those thoughts that frame of heart which should be mortified and subdued and the Divell will be ever animating you to venture so far as your doubts or mistaken knowledge can suggest you possibly may venture 2. Enabling us to colour over our fins and so improve this 2. Beside the Divell will improve your mistaken knowledge in this point to a craftinesse and subtlety of improving this sin under a staken knowledge in this point to a craftinesse and subtlety of improving this sin under a pretence and colour of innocency and sinlesse pleasing or humouring our naturall desires we must not neglect the search after one who lurkes in our family
degree of knowledg in men meerly carnall though of highest improved parts And here I might have advised them to give glory to free grace which hath revealed this unto them for flesh and blood could not and so have closed the Sermon but then I seare I should leave some unsatisfyed who would gladly get a right knowledg of this sinfull frame of their nature and would be willing to see more of it For their sakes I adde Use 4. A fourth Vse of Direction If thou wouldest get and keep up a more full and cleare knowledg of this sinfull frame of thy nature then let it be thy care Direction 1. Directi Study thoroughly and and affect thy heart with the nature and extent of Gods Law First To study well the nature of the Law of God endeavour to know much of this perfect Law and then thou wilt know much of thy imperfect heart Study throughly and determine clearely the maine Questions touching the obligatory power of the Law of God by which it bindeth the very mind and soule in its habituall disposition and first motions he that doth not stedfastly believe that the Law of God doth lay an engagement on the inward frame and bent of the heart will never stedfastly believe there is so much wickednesse in the frame of the mind as he seeth there is who hath well and clearely stated this point It is the Law by which we have the knowledg of sin Rom. 3.20 so the Apostle assures us when we know the just extent of the Law of God we do discover the extent of that Lust which is contrary to it and so when we see the Law extends to the frame of the heart and first motions we shall see what sinfulnesse there is in both When we know the holynesse of the Law of God we then shall discover the sinfulnesse and vilenesse of sin of this sin the known purity of God's Law will disclose the unknown impurity of sin and lust Study well the spirituall nature of all the commands of God when the soul seeth as Paul that the Law is spirituall it will also be able to see the spirituall wickednesse which is in lust that is contrary to it And remember in thy studying of these points that thou do not onely store thy head with demonstrative arguments that the Law is thus perfect in the extent and holynesse and spirituality of its precepts but with demonstrative arguments joyne also affecting motives that may worke on thy heart as well as informe thy head Want of these two I perswade my selfe are the great cause at least they are one great cause among others of the sad learned ignorance and mistake of great improved parts For whilest learned men mistake in the extent of the Law of God and determine that it bindeth no more then outward acts or perfected consented to and deliberate Motions and purposes of the mind it is impossible but that they should presently acquit both the frame and first motions of sinfull hearts and pronounce them under no law therefore contrary to none and therefore not sinfull This is the grand fundamentall errour on which the rest are built and which necessarily induceth us into many and great both Practicall and speculative errours This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the severall learned erring men and parties which I have reckoned up in the confirmation of the Doctrine if therefore thou wouldst avoid a dangerous errour and get a true right knowledg touching thy sinfull nature be diligent to understand the truth of the affirmative state of that Quaestion whether the inward habituall and secret frame of the heart and the first unformed indeliberate and unconsented motions be and ought to be under the Law of God to this adde the second part of this direction viz the affecting moving considerations that worke upon the heart the defect whereof hath been the cause of the uselesse and unprofitable knowledg of this Lust in those unregenerate learned men among us who have been sound in their opinions and determinations of this doctrine and who have mainteined in their disputes the contrariety of the Naturall heart and it 's first motions to the holy Law of God and consequently the great sinfullnesse of them so that they have been in part right in their knowledge Even so far as a speculative judgment was to act they have acted their parts aright but then they have failed in that other which is the practicall part of this knowledge which should worke upon the affections and heart and endline the heart to close with the Law of God in opposition to the stirrings and actings of this sin which should engage the heart to love the Law and to hate that sinfull frame those sinfull projects and tendencies which are contrary to the Law In a word then right knowledg of this sinfull nature consists in such a thorough full and adequate discovery of it and its workings together with a hearty affectionate and well grounded dislike of it and opposition to it the first part of it thou wilt attaine by a thorough studying of the speculative part of the question touching the Law of God its nature and extent The other part thou wilt get by engaging the affectionate part of the soule with those moving considerations which will perswade thee to close practically with the Law as understood in it's full extent 2. Be dilgent in comparing thy heart its frame and inclinations with the Law so known 2. If thou wouldest get and keep a right and due knowledge of the sinfulnesse of thy nature Then be often diligent and humble too in comparing thy heart and its tendencies with the Law of God Let not thy be onely taken up with the outward visible part of thy life she may appeare neat and cleanly abroad who may possible be found a very slut at home within doores follow thy selfe into thine heart and search well the secrets of thy soule neither be thou seldome in this worke doe it often for there is danger in little intermissions of our watch the waters which silently glide from this fountaine will rise to an undiscerned depth in a little time He that seldome searcheth hardly ever comes to a just discovery of his heart It is an often repeated search that is likelyest to discover a notorious cheate and when thou tryest be not negligent and carelesse in it do it diligently make it thy businesse and then thou wilt find what now lies hidden out of sight a dangerous Fistulating tumour must be searched with much diligence or the chirurgion will never know either it's depth or danger This spirituall corruption of our natures hath many and very deep pipes and all our skill is little enough to find out its secret conveyance and therefore in thy search be not slothfull and sleight And remember to take humility along with thee in the tryall for pride will never be content to let the heart appeare as it is a proud man is
never an upright judge of himselfe he ever accounteth himselfe better in the scales then he is whereas the humble man either judgeth exactly or wisely suspects himselfe to be defective and wanting of weight Whoso hath gotten such knowledg of the nature of God's Law and doth thus search may hope that he shall in due time discover this sinfulnesse which appeare's in it's fruits not all at once but some time more sometime lesse as provocations and opportunities set it on worke Now thy frequent search will discover it in this part of it The enemy that makes his excursions often must be as often observed watched and if thou would'st know him throughly thou must not sleep securely and let him make inroades upon thee at his pleasure This sinfulnesse is wise and politique it doth not allwaies appeare in the same garbe in the same method it varies it's manner of working and thou must enter the search after it with wifedome and diligence both or it will be too crafty and subtile for thee The more various it is the more diligent thou ought'st to be and deave with this as men doe with cunning cheaters that shift their lodgings change their habits alter their carriage and Proteus like appeare to you in a thousand shapes keep your eyes on them follow them to their very lodgings retiring roomes so do you keep your eye diligent in the watch of your sinfull nature that you may see it in it's retiring roome where it prepares to change it's shape Men that stand without see not what base fellow act 's the part of a King on the stage or how uncleane a villaine act's Joseph's part but he that goe's off ' the stage and see 's them behind the courtaine in their retiring place discover's all this so may we by a diligent observance of this 3. Direction Keep thy heart tender and easily affected with sin as it is contrary to God and his Law 3. Thirdly if thou would'st get and keep more cleare apprehensions and knowledg of the sinfulnesse of thy nature Then be carefull to get and keep a tender heart that soone feele's and is easily grieved for sinne as it beareth a contrariety to the Law of God and the holynesse of his nature what ever thou doest be sure to take heed thy heart doe not grow hard and insensible least it contract a brawny and callous hardnesse under sinne it must be a considerable cut that bring 's blood or paineth a man in that part of his body which is much hardned whereas the least scratch will draw blood and bring griefe with it to one who hath a tender cuticle A hardned heart will not be sensible of sin unlesse it be some great one which wound 's deep and then perhaps it may be somewhat sensible of it but yet not duely affected with it Naturallists tell us that those creatures which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not so perfect and acute in their sight they cannot see so well and clearely It is most undoubtedly true of the soule that soule which through sin hath it's eye either darkned or thus affected with dura lippitudine It 's disease marring the sight through a horny filme growing on the eye can never clearly and fully discover sin Looke abroad into the croud of men who call themselves Christians see how they differ in their account of sin proportionably to their different degrees of tendernesse of heart Reall Saints under a defect of this have and I wonder not at it fallen into a defect of judgment concerning the greatnesse of sin they have accounted that a little sin when their hearts have been somewhat hardned which in a tender frame of spirit they more rightly esteemed a great sinne And observe it as you have lost of your tendernesse so your sin hath lost of it's heinousnesse in your account recovered backsliders among Saints will beare me witnesse to this truth Tell me diddest thou rightly see the great sinfullnesse of an earthly mind of a formall and hypocriticall heart of a carelesse and loose heart of a vaine and foolishly wanton heart Diddest thou not think there was lesse evill in them when thy heart was somewhat hard and had lost of it's wonted tendernesse How hath thy boldnesse to sinne and thoughts that it was but a little sinne which thou art now about to commit gotten ground on thee upon such a decay time was when thou who art a tradesman sawest a great deale of sinne in a lie or equivocation to cheate in a little too much gaine Time was when thou who art a Scholar sawest a great deale of sinne in mispending a day or a few houres of thy time what is now the cause thou doest not so judg Is the sinne changed Or is the Law changed No but thou art changed thou wast then of a tender frame of spirit but now hast lost it and thence it is thou so misjudgest once thou couldest not step a step in those rough and thorny waies but thou did'st bleed and smart for it why doest thou without sense of smart now runne long in them is not this the cause thou hast hardened thy selfe in them and canst not see the evill of them In a word our sight and knowledg of the sinfulnesse of our nature is a knowledg of Spirituall sense and very much resemble's our knowledg which have by our bodily sense in this that due and just tendernesse is a very necessary and convenient disposition of the organ to discerne the object so let our spirituall senses be exercised in judging of sin with this convenient disposition in the faculty and wee shall certainly judge more rightly of it Direct 4. Oppose sin especially begin the oposition against first stirrings of it 4. In order to which farther take this as a fourth direction Give a vigorous opposition to sinne universally and begin your opposition at the very first spring and root of it let no sinne dwell peaceably in your sonles and let not any sin have a season to grow but cut it off ' so soone as it sprouts forth No man ever came to a right knowledg of sinne by indulging it for it still appeareth other then what it is to him who is unwilling to suppresse it As to the power and strength with which it worketh and as to the wisedome policy wherein it contrive's it's works it is more then evident that the best way to discover them is by opposeing our selves to them the encounter of an enemy is a meanes to draw forth his power and craft which had otherwise lay hidden And it will appeare also a very suitable and congruous way to discover both the sinfulnesse and the guilt the uncleanesse and the danger of sinne both in the branches and in the rootes of it by a timely and vigorous opposition of it For whilest we oppose it in the power of the spirit of God and by the word which is holy and directeth us in an opposition there is