spirit of discretion in such as be inwardly called aswell as outwardly is attended vpon by sundry other graces as namely with an hearty and vnsained loue of that doctrine which they certainely know and by power where of they were mightily called and changed so as they willingly heare it with a true constant delight in the vnderstanding of it as it is written My sheep heare my voyce and they which are of God beare Gods word That is with much readinesse they heare it and with great and sound pleasure in it as Dauid did I loue thy Law therein is my whole delight Yea they heare it with an obedient eare and dutifull so as they can and doe so distinctly apply that which they heare know and loue to their particular vses for humbling comfort for strengthening and reformation of themselues as they submit gladly both iudgement and will reason and affections to the rule of this truth Therefore it is further written that Christs sheepe by calling doe heare his voyce and follow him Thus they haue their care-marke they heare and the wooll-marke too they follow and obey the doctrine of Christ according to the measure of grace receiued Lastly the graces of sanctification which are giuen them together with their calling and by which they are enabled to beleeue and fruitfully practise the doctrine and to continue encrease inso doing doe testifie for them to themselues and others their vndoubted calling in the Gospell Apollos Forbeare I pray a while further speech of this last marke because of those graces I will hereafter know your minde when ye first haue tolde me what men are to doe which yet haue not these tokens of calling what course such be to take to bring on their calling and how others are to behaue themselues which haue good proofe and experience of their vocation to God Aquila I wil doe my best to satisfie you herein Such as by want of the former markes and other wayes doe but make doubt that as yet they haue not this mercifull blessing of a peculiar calling let them vnder good hope of themselues that they are of the Elect because that to them God hath affoorded an outward calling offering vnto them therein Christ with all heauenly treasures neuer giue any rest to themselues vntill to their outward bee ioyned an inward calling which is so needfull as till then men are in a very bad case applying themselues to the diligent and constant vse of all such helpes and meanes as be profitable thervnto Of these meanes some be priuate some be publike the priuate meanes auaileable to an inward calling be the often humbling of our lofty stubborne hearts by a search into and a confession of particular sinnes against the Law vpon due and serious consideration of them both for the huge number being as the starres of Heauen and for the fearefull filthinesse of them being against such an infinite diuine Iustice an holy law and lastly for their deep dreadful danger being the causes of al Christs passiōs of eternal pains in hell fire to such as they are not forgiuen vnto besides innumerable iudgements and wofull plagues within which they wrap vs euen in this life By the often and carefull viewing our selues in the looking glasse of the Law beholding there our most sinfull and most wofull estate and labouring our selues to haue knowledge with some feeling experience of it enforcing what we may to apprehend with feare and griese the threatning of the Law against all and euery one of our sinnes by this meanes our dolefull condition wil come before our eyes for meekening and taking downe in some measure the hauty pride and obstinacy of our nature and will cast and strike vs into some dread of our selues and be some bridle to keepe backe the headlongnesse of our secure sinfull hearts For it cannot but that it will make a man affraide to run vpon such sinnes as he seeth and confesseth against himselfe and with his owne mouth pronounceth worthy of eternall wretchednesse And hauing once taken vp such a course of particular acknowledgement of our offences after an earnest and diligent examination of our hearts and wayes let it not be left againe but continued with such care as men can not to doe it of custome but earnestly for humiliation Next thing is there would be a good endeauour vsed to auoide the outward act of all sinne as to refraine from lewd and lasciuious talke from lying swearing and from the deede of drunkennesse adultery theft contention fighting and all such like which is in a mans power to doe if we will doe but so much as lyeth in vs to doe The Heathens hauing attained thus much as to liue ciuilly and vnblamably for their externall behauiour Yea further euen before their calling men ought by their endeauour watchfulnesse ouer themselues not onely to forbeare the committing of any outward euill in word or deede but further to snib and keepe downe the rebelling motions and desires of the soule True it is that they cannot so doe it as after they are called when the Spirit of Christ hath put a power into them for mortifying their lusts in a true hatred and abhorring of them as euils contrary to God and their owne good yet by the generall light of conscience and helpe of restraining grace they may sore checke and curbe them And in this worke and exercise of suppressing sinne both in the outward fruit and inward roote they shall not a little be furthered by embracing the company of good men from whom they shall haue many aduertisements by words or good examples in their deedes which they may imitate and follow Also by eschewing the familiarity of vaine and euill men whose words and actions are as pitch to defile as poyson to infect and as strong pul backes to hold vs from comming neere to God and finally as mighty prouocations to further vnto all hellish life Therefore of this in any wise men that will come to an happy calling must take heede what manner of men they make the companions of their life for such is the force of company either good or euill as one shall quickly become such as they be with whom hee doth associate himselfe be then curteous to all yet acquainted but with a few and they of the best It must not be forgotten that attentiue reading the Bible and other good Books which are wrote of diuine matters especially of the nature and defect of sinne of the Maiesty power of God of his seuere iudgements against offenders of his Law will doe great stead in this businesse The Gospell and promises would be so farre tasted of as may keepe vp the heart from sinking for this grace of vocation is not giuen but to such as the Law hath brought low by the sight of their sinnes and wrath due vnto them Adde vnto all the former that not
good Christian and that it is spirituall and inuisible fought by inuisible combaters and weapons At length you deliuered the necessity of this battle by the true causes of it whereof the first is the wil and good pleasure of God who as he ordained his owne Sonne so all his members to this spirituall warre and conflict thorow which they are to passe vnto the Crowne and the Kingdome which is prepared for them as in earth no man is crowned except first hee striue lawfully none diuide the spoile which first haue not abid the brunt of the battle and obtained the victory The second cause is the extreme malice of Sathan against Christ the head and for his sake against all the Elect his members whom he will neuer ceasse to tempt and that with most wonderfull subtilty as a Serpent long experimented and with outragious cruelty as a red fierce and fell Dragon or roaring Lyon if it were possible to draw backe againe the regenerate vnto his kingdome and hauing ouercome them to destroy them 1 Pet. 5. The third is the repugnancy and contrariety which is betweene the Spirit and the flesh in the new borne Christians in whom they continually striue together as the twinnes did in Rebeccaes wombe the Spirit striuing against the flesh and the flesh lusting against the Spirit without truce or reconcilement hell and Heauen light and darkenesse God and Sathan being no more contrary in quality then the Spirit and the flesh Here I call to minde that it was taught that in Scripture phrase Spirit grace new man law of the mind in this argument were Synonyma and of one signification also flesh old man corruption law of the members were equiualent termes importing one thing so as euery regenerate man hauing these in him consisted of a double man and had two men warring in him perpetually during his whole pilgrimage the old man which is that remainder of sinne that vicious quality deprauing and poysoning our Nature inclining to the breach of Gods Law which is vsually called the flesh That which is borne of flesh is flesh Iohn 3. 6. And abstaine from the lusts of the flesh 1 Peter 2. 12. And corruption as Ephe. 4. 22. The old man is corrupt for it causeth spirituall vnsoundnesse wasting all where it reigneth lastly Law of the members because in faculties and powers of soule and body it hath force of a king or law to command and enioyne absolutely in wicked men but in the regenerate with resistance And the other man is the new man which is that quality of holinesse created in mind and will renewed by the Spirit of God hence called The Spirit and Grace because it is freely giuen and worketh things gracious and pleasing to God and lastly The Law of the minde because there it gouernes as a Law or Commander Now the opposition and strife betweene these two men in the regenerate it is this in generall that grace or the Spirit or the new man doth raise and beget godly desires and affections tending to Heauen and hindereth the wicked motions of corruption and the old man and this againe engendereth vicious euill desires and thoughts crossing and hindering the good counsels and purposes of the Spirit and new man In which conflict sometime sinne preuaileth against grace carrying vs away and leading vs captiue as it were fast bound in fetters and chaines Rom. 7. 23. and sometime grace mastereth the lusts of sinne and remaineth Conquerour And this alwayes falleth out by reason of this combate that a godly person as he cannot doe what euill Sathan sinne and himselfe according to his will corrupt would doe because grace dwelling in him doth put an obstacle and barre vnto sinfull desires that they doe not breake out as blisters or botches in ones body so he is not able to attaine to performe either all that good which he would or in so good a manner as he would with such loue to God and his Neighbour as his soule wisheth and the Law requireth because remaining corruption doth oppose it selfe vnto the worke and motions of the Spirit Which is the thing whereof Paul had experience in his owne person and hath reported in Rom. 7. 14 15. both to the instruction of all and great comfort of the weake that by reason of dwelling sinne egging and tempting him to euill pulling and drawing him from God hee both did the euils which he would not and left vndone the good which hee would doe or did it vntowardly and weakely He could no sooner haue a good thought and motion tending to God ward but euill was present and at hand very ready to quench and smother This was the condition which hee was subiect vnto euen like the condition of a sicke man newly recouered or but recouering who faine would walke a mile or two for his health but when he begins to go his legges double vnder him for feeblenesse and he can scarse walke two turnes about his chamber Or as it fareth with an escaped prisoner which desireth to flye and his heart could serue him to go twenty miles or forty a day yet his bolts and fetters so comber him as he can scarse rid one mile a day So the Apostle felt and so much other regenerated persons feele themselues encombred with their sinnefull Nature as they are enforced euen when they do best to do their duties with care wants and imperfections Apollos In this spirituall combate there is a materiall thing to bee enquired into whether corruption do so farre at any time preuaile ouer grace as wholly to extinguish it for a time or the faithfull do but onely fall into a spirituall sleepe deepely forgetting themselues yet still retaining the life of Grace The case of Dauid falling so heinously sinning so deliberately lying so long being falne causeth diuers more then to suspect that the godly in their conflict with sin may take such a foyle as to haue grace wholly beaten out of their hearts for a season though not finally For it thoughts that he yeelded vnto sinne with his whole will which cannot be where any sparkle of Grace remaines Aquila Sir this is a Question which it were more meete for you to make answer to then my selfe howbeit seeing you will haue it so I will speake my minde in it When I reade in Scripture that God is vnchangeable his couenant euerlasting his calling and giftes without repentance his regenerating grace to bee an immortall seede to remaine in the elect to be such as none can take from them and that the life of grace can no more returne to the death then Christ can returne to dye againe and that Christ doth make intercession for beleeuers and that the Comforter which is giuen them shall abide in them for euer Vpon these and such like grounds I am resolued that howsoeuer sauing grace in the Elect may be wounded yet not killed battered and beaten yet not raced sore shaken yet not plucked vp by the rootes
to come what remaines yet to be corrected and amended that accordingly our prayers and care may encrease As prouident House-keepers who haue great Families preuent many losses and damages in their estate by often viewing the reckonings and doings of them whom they trust so may sinnes be preuented by this godly examination of a mans owne counsels and workes Now for the cautions herein to be followed they are briefly these First let no Christian by his heedfull looking to himselfe thinke that euer he can attaine hereunto as in nothing to offend And therefore vpon the finding of his failings not to be too much discouraged for this is the common condition of all the Saints that none liue and sinne not 2. In the examination of ones selfe let no man looke to find euery failing there will be some secret sinnes Euen Dauid a man so wise and well instructed in the Law shal not espie all the motes in his owne eye Psal. 19. Who can tell his secret faults 3. For these priuy faults which cannot be found there would be a generall confession and asking of mercy for them Lord forgiue me my vnknowne sinnes 4. Knowne sins which we shall discouer particularly let them be speedily repented of for herein delay is dangerous and be particularly acknowledged the sinner accusing himselfe for them by name and adiudging himselfe for them to death with an appeale from Iustice to the Throne of Gracc for remission 5. Let neuer a sinner for any knowne sinne take further griefe then as he may be able againe to comfort himselfe with promise of mercy 6. As in practise of this daily Repentance coldnesse by custome is to be be shunned so on the other side lest the heart waxe proud through the earnest care and wel performance of it be not proud of Repentance 7. Labour still to find out new sinnes and new omissions of duties and to make them seeme more and more odious and hatefull to the soule a sinner so he keepe his hold of Christ cannot be too humble for sinne 8. Take speciall notice amongst all other sinnes of corruption of Nature and the proannesse thereof to sinning that all meanes be vsed for the weakening of that root and the drayning of that fountaine Let pardon be craued in speciall for it power asked against it 9 Let not any sinne seeme little though a difference in repentance is to be put according as the sinne is ordinarie or extraordinary yet let not any sin be thought smal being the offence of a most great God the breach of a most holy Law cause of most bitter paines to Christ meriting most wofull destruction 10. Forget not to repent of negligences ouersights heedlessenesse and to look well that these grow not too common 11. For priuate sinne priuate confession is enough open sins would haue open repentance 12. Lastly when anie knowne sinne is begun to be repented of let it be thorowly repented of euen to the shaking it off and leauing of it He that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall find mercy Now friend Aquila let me heare your doubts that I may answer them Aquila My first doubt is this Whether a sinner may not truly repent except he leaue his sins Or hee may still vse a sinne and yet repent Apollos First an vnknowne sinne may be repented of and yet not left As amongst the Patriarks polygamie or hauing at once more wiues then one or Concubines with their wiues was the secret sinne which in those times was not manifested nor reckoned as a sin so they liued in it til their death yet perished not for it which they shold haue done if being known to them yet witingly willingly with open eies they had continued in it But they repented of it generally as of other secretsins Likewise there be diuers sins amongst vs which are the sins of the time yet not so esteemed whereof the godly may truly repent as of all their vnknowne offences and yet not leaue them because they do not take them to be sinnes Secondly there is a knowne sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature which cannot be left but whiles we liue wee must wrestle against it that it get no dominion and so it is saide to be left because wee would leaue it if it were possible The repentant sinner carieth this crookednesse of his heart about him euen as many an one carrie a crooked backe which troubles them but they cannot put it off Lastly there be daily infirmities such as euerie day we commonly runne into accompanying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as a shadow the body as vaine thoughtes idle words and euill silence sometime and waste of time and innumerable such things which the more they are resisted and striuen against the more they are lessened but wholly abolished by repentance they cannot bee Knowne sinnes if they be grosse and notorious especially if they runne into the eies offence of the world must be so repented of as they be forsaken We finde not that Dauid Minasses Peter Lot Noah after their repentance to haue againe falne into those soule offences which being wittingly continued in waste and ouerthrow the 〈◊〉 of a sinner Aquila But may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grosse sinne and yee 〈◊〉 and bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ap. Of this somthing hath 〈◊〉 said before therefore the lesse now If one be but a babe in Christ and weake he may do it more easily But one of growth in grace and being experienced 〈◊〉 practise of Repentance and watchfull will hardly do it Sure it is a great wound if it do fall out thogh not vnrecouerable in the child of God who is subiect to such relapses Aquila May there be true Repentance without shedding of teares Apollos As teares may be shed and yet repentance false as in Esau Heb 12 so true repentance may bee with dry cheekes Wee reade of Zacheus repentance but nothing of his teares Also of the Corinthians repentance we reade 2 Cor. 7. and of their sorrow and many good fruits but amongst all the effects of Repentance the Apostle saith not What teares hath it wrought Teares of Repentance are precious things 〈◊〉 koepeth a boule to put and keepe them in but they are verie rare things His bottle is not full yet though it hath bene filling euer since Adam Aquila Wicked men and hypocrites may goe fat in repentance greeue feare and humble themselues and confesse and fast and weepe and pray and leaue many sinnes and do many good things as Scripture witnesseth of Iudas Achab Esau Felix others what thing is there whereby the repentance which is proper to Gods children may be seuered from that counterfelt in reprobates Apollos You haue alreadie heard me deliuer seuen peculiar effects of true repentance which indeed hy-pocrites may counterfeit but not expresse truly But these three things amongst many are sure notes of heartie and vndoubted repentance First a setled distinct purpose
Sathan outward troubles inward temptations yet especially those last and greatest euils and afflictions which at and about the time of his crucifying and sacrifice were for mans sinne inflicted vpon him in soule and body either immediately from the hand of his most irefull highly offended Father or mediately from the Diuell and wicked men Iewes and Gentiles outragiously conspiring and working him all the smart and shame possible could be put vpon him whatsoeuer euill diuine iustice would or hellish malice could heape vpon him and he was capable of that and all that he as our surety in humble submission to his Father did endure for our iniquities The which his passiue righteousnesse consisting in his willing and constant obedience of his manhood vnder the Crosse hath receiued such sufficiency of merit and worthinesse from his godhead to which it is personally vnited for the deseruing and purchasing for all his Elect that most notable benefit which the Scriptures commonly call remission or forgiuenesse of sins Which is an vtter acquitting and deliuering of all beleeuers from all guilt come vpon them by their owne or Adams sinne imputed and from all punishment due to them for the same either in this World or in the next So as West is not so farre remoued from East the highest heauens from the nethermost earth as guilt and paine fault and curse be remoued from the faithfull by this passiue obedience of Christ Iesus Wherevnto belong all those Scriptures which affirme that we haue remission of sinnes by his bloud and that hee died for our sinnes and redeemed vs from alliniquity by his death This being his last and greatest suffering by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole comprehends all other sufferings which being endured of him with most hearty obedience haue freed all beleeuers from extreme euill from damnation in hell and the whole wrath of God for sinne Insomuch as howsoeuer many and great tribulations doe chance to befall them in their life time and death in the end seaze vpon the godly yet these happen vnto them as no part of Gods curse for sinne or as fruites of his fury and hot indignation but quite contrary the crosses of their life being sanctified by Christ his Crosse they are great furtherances to mortification and amendment of life and good trials of their faith patience and nourishments of their hope and death when it comes hauing lost his sting there is nothing remaining in it which is not beneficial to them it being but as a bridge or gate to carry them ouer and conuey them into their heauenly Countrey And as the faithfull doe escape all euill by the passiue righteousnesse of Christ his suffering of euils being their acquittance and discharge as a surety hauing answered a debt for thee enfreeth thee as if it had beene satisfied with thy owne money the most iust God neuer exacting one debt twise so they find entrance into life by his actiue iustice for none must liue but the iust which haue perfect conformity with the strict iustice of the Law The iust shall liue This exact righteousnesse all flesh lacketh for No flesh can be iustified in his sight Psal. 143. 2. Therefore no more surely was Adam shut out of earthly Paradise then we his posterity for lacke of perfect iustice are excluded out of the third heauens the Paradise which is aboue Therefore as Iesus Christ our Mediatour by bearing the whole punishment due to the breach of the Law with most sincere obedience hath enfreed vs from the curse and destruction of hell so by keeping doing all duties toward God and man required in the Law and that in most perfect loue he hath by this his actiue obedience merited and obtained for his people a right and title to the Kingdome of Heauen This actiue righteousnesse is doing and keeping the whole Law it is the absolute conformity and agreement of the man Christ in his life vnto the perfect rule of righteousnesse giuen of God in the Decalogue or ten Commandements Of this actiue righteousnesse there are two parts one is the conformity of his nature to the wil of God all the powers and faculties both of body and soule being rightly framed according to the most exact iustice of the moral Law he being conceiued by the holy Ghost the lumpe of flesh which hee tooke and whereout his manhood was framed was so seuered from all spot of sinne as there was not to bee found in him the least taint of sinne and corruption no inclination in minde or will against God but a through-disposition to all good Hence called the immaculate Lambe vndefiled separate from sinners and so he behoued to be that hee might offer himselfe a spotlesse sacrifice to God who vnder the Law would admit no blemished oblation Had ought in his nature been neuer so little crooked and vnright his death had no more auayled for remission or his life for righteousnesse then the death or life of Peter Paul or any other Saint for then himselfe needing a Sauiour should not haue beene ours The other part of his actiue obedience is the conformity of his actions with the holinesse of the Law which in the course of his life hee kept and fulfilled doing all that was commanded in both Tables doing it in a perfect manner and measure with perfect loue of God his Father whom he obeyed to the death and of men his neighbours whom hee loued as himselfe yea more then himselfe giuing himselfe to a cruell infamous death for them Also doing all this to a right end that he might honor his Father whose glory he sought in all things And lastly being constant vnto the end continuing in his loue obedience vnto the last breath Hence it is saide He did all things well he knew no sinne no guile found in his mouth and is called that Holy one and iust and righteous one who indeede alone hath that iustice which is able to abide the touch-stone euen the most rigorous examination of the most seuere diuine iustice which hauing thorowly and narrowly sifted it cannot not onely finde nothing what to blame in it but of right must allow it and crowne it with eternall life Hence it is that this righteousnes which Christ in his manhood hath thus performed as we haue saide is often in the Epistles of Paul termed the righteousnes of God as Rom. 3 〈◊〉 22 26. 2 Cor. 5 verse last Phil. 3. Not onely because that person which wrought it was very God the Sonne of the eternall God though it were wrought in the humane nature assumed but especially to teach vs that this righteousnes of the man Christ it is that and that alone which the most iust God approoueth and rewardeth not as hee doth approoue the vnperfect obedience of his children in fauour pardoning what is wanting and accepting the will for the worke but