he will returne agaâ—â—e to his folly wickednes it cannot be beaten out of him it is the nature of an vnsound hearted man though he be often deliuered he will returne againe and againe Ieroboam though he were admonished yet still hee will returne the Israelites though they were often quieted and satisfied yet being a stiffe-necked people they still rebelled and murmured against God so did Phoroah so that you may take this for a sure râ—le that take a man whose heart is not sound and all the miracles in the world all the preaching all the admoniâ—ions all the mercies all the afflictions all the experience that he can gaiâ—e by all the passages of Gods prouidence towards him and about him will noâ— keepe him from returning to his siâ—ne but still he fals backe to it againe and againe it gets strength still but with a man that haâ—h a sound heart that is perfect it is not so hee doth not easily returne againe but though he doe fall for a time as I deny not but hee is many times ouertaken with the same infirmity yet he still cleanseth himselfe But you will obiect take the holiest man may he not relapse many times into sinne may he not fall into the same sinne againe and againe yea euen into grosse and great transgressions Beloued I cannot deny but he may for we must not take away the rightâ—ousnes from those that are perfect whilest wee seeke to exclude those that are hypocrites and vnsound-hearted and therefore I say I deny not that there may be many relapses into the same sinne though the heart be perfect and sincere and therefore to shew you cleerely the difference wee must spend a little time in this point There are these foure differences between the turning againe of a man whose heart is vnsound and betweene the relapses that are incident to a man whose heart is perfect with God First you shall finde this difference between them that a man whose heart is perfect with God though he doe relapse into sinne yet still he gets ground of his sinne euen by euery relapse marke it I say he gets ground of sinne and grace gathers strength by it whereas on the other side an vnsound-hearted man the oftner he fals the more sinne gathers strength and euen the goodnesse he seemed to haue had is lessened more and more till at length it bee quite abolished This is a point much to be obserued and the ground of it is this because any grace where it is a proper grace where it is a right grace let it be wounded by any relapse by any transgression I say it gathers â—trength euen by that relapse it is the nature of true grace so to doe It gathers strength euen from the contrary as fire doth when it is compassed about with coldnesse by an Antiperistasis so it is with grace It is a common saying that you haue and true as you commonly vnderstand it that Vertue growes stronger when a man fals into affliction but more true if thus taken that grace gathers strength when it selfe hath receiued a wound when the grace it selfe is weakned as thou thinkest it gathers more strength As for example let a sound-hearted man whose grace is true and right and genuine and not counterfeit let him fall into any transgression that giues a wound to his graces say he fall into an act of intemperance of anger and passion he gathers more strength by it euen these graces they grow brighter by it It is not so with other men the more they fall the weaker they grow Dauid when once he had committed the sinne of cutting off the lap of Sauls garment none was more carefull then he was afterward he would not offer him the least violence And so Peter when that grace of Courage and boldnesse for the Truth had once receiued a wound by his denying of Christ you see what strength hee gathered by it hee grew afâ—eâ—wards â—he boldest of all the Apostles as you see Acts 4. So it is generally with all the Saints euen those woâ—ds by which it is expresâ—sed in the Scripture discouer as much vnto vs Hezekiah when hee was falne into the sinne of pride and boasting of his Treasure saith the Text hee humbled himselfe you shall fiâ—de 2. Chron. 32. 25. the words there vsed are the Lord tryed Hezekiah the Lord left him that he might 〈◊〉 him and know all that was in his heart The like phrase is vsed of Peters falling Satan desires to winnow thee but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith doe not faile And now marke it when they doe fall into any sinne it is to them as a tryall to the Gold and as a winnowing to the Corne euery sinne euery temptation euery fall though Satan intend to burne out the good mettall yet the issue still is this they lose nothing by their fals but their drosse the chaffe is still winnowed out euery sinne they fall into discouers that corruption that before they tooke no nocice of as Hezehiah knew not the pride before that was in his heart but that action discouered it to him so it was thereby cleansed and emptied forth So likewise Peters cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse was discouered by that act hee knew it more and therefore he was more watchfull against it hee gathered more strength against it so that this is the nature of the relapses of the Godly that still they empty their hearts more and more of those sinnes that they fall into againe â—he graces to which they giue a wound still gather more strength but with others it is not so still they are weakned by their relapses the good things they seemed to haue are still lessened and suffer diminution till at length they be quite abolished that is one difference The second is though a godly man fall backe to sinne againe and againe yet hee neuer fals backe to the allowance of any sinne there is a great difference my beloued betweene these two betweene returning to the act of a sinne and the allowance of it Another man doth not onely returne to the sinne but hee returnes likewise to the continuance in it he is ready in the end either to excuse the sinne to finde out some deuice and excuse for it or else hee is ready to say I see it is impossible for me to ouercome it I see there is no remedy I must giue vp my selfe to it This you shall see in the relapses of Saul Saul tooke a resolution more â—hen once that he would peâ—secute Dauid no more and no doubt this resolution was exceeding hearty for the time but you see hee did not onely returne to the act but to a continuance in it and an allowance of himselfe in it So likewise did Pharoah hee resolued many times that hee would let the People goe and made that promise to Mosâ—s and to â—he Lord that he would let them goe but you see hee returned
againe not onely to the sinne but to such an allowance of it that hee excused himselfe in it hee thought rather hee had erred in his purpose of letting them goe and so continued still to retaine them This you shall finde in all the falles of Hypocrites in all their relapses that in the end howsoeuer for a time they may resume their purposes againe they weare them out and they step backe to a resolution to continue in that sinne they thinke thus with themselues I see it is a sinne that preuailes against me I am not able to resist it it is too strong for me and therefore I will goe no more about it Thirdly as there is a difference in this so there is a difference in their manner of ouercomming and in their manner of returning when they arise out of a sinne when they preserue themselues from it after a relapse by which you may iudge likewise for you may iudge the one by the other A man whose heart is vnsound may take to himselfe a strong and fixed resolution by which hee may resist the sinne and yet this banke may bee borne downe by the violence of Temptation But in a godly man the resistance is otherwise and accordingly the relapse is of a different nature for the resistance is after this manner it is as when you see one streame resist another as you see in Riuers that are subiect to ebbing and flowing there runnes a contrary streame that ouer-beares it so it is in those that are sound-hearted there is a strong inclination that carries them another way such as that expressed Gal. 5. 17. the spirit lusteth against the flesh so that if you marke the manner of their ouercomming the manner of their rising out of their relapses you shall finde them to bee in this manner put the case the flesh for some brunt for some fit haue gotten the better notwithstanding saith he the spirit lusts against it and suffers not the flesh to doe what it would that is there is a contrary streame within him which resists those desires of the flesh that binds them againe and leades them captiue as before the spirit was led captiue In others it is not so there may be a certaine fixed resolution which may resist a strong temptation as a Banke or a Rocke resist a strong billow but there is a great deale of difference betweene this and those risings out of relapses that are done by a contrary streame by the lusting of the spirit for they haue no such spirit in them to lust against the flesh and so to binde it as it were to ouercome it that they returne no more to those sinnes to which before they were giuen vp Last of all there is this difference betweene them that hee that hath a perfect heart hee that is sound-hearted while hee is himselfe he neuer relapseth into any sinne marke it while hee is himselfe which note I take out of Romanes 7. a place which you know It is no longer I but sinne that dwelleth in mee that is as if hee should say I while I am my selfe neuer fall into any sinne but when I am distempered when I am ouercome and ouerruled by sinne that dwelleth in me then I sinne and fall backe But otherwise I say a godly man while he is himselfe neuer relapseth into any sinne he cannot sinne because he is borne of God he keepes himselfe that the euill one touch him not the ground of which is because while he is himselfe Hee that is in him is stronger then all the world 1 Ioh. 4. 4. He that is in you is stronger c. that is if hee bee vpon euen termes still he gets the victory But my beloued now let there be an inaequality let him not be himselfe let there be some violent transportation from the flesh so that he is led Capâ—iue bâ— it now he is ouercome for hee is not himselfe in sâ—ch a case iâ— is as Paul saith of â—imselfe the good I would doe that doe I not and the euill that I would not doe that doe I thaâ— as you see in a combate betweene two suppose that one that were the stronger were it vpon aequall termes would carry the victory notwithstanding when his adueâ—sary gets the hill and hath the wind on him he ouercomes him and leades him captiue So it is in this case â—he Spiriâ— the regenerate part though it might and would alway get the better were it vpon aequall termâ—s with the â—â—â—sh yet when the flesh shall get the hill as it were get vpon the hill of temptation and shall haue wind to driue â—he smoke vpon the eyes and face of the Combatant that is to blinde him in such a case vpon such a disaduantage he is ouercome and fals into sinne And therefore you see how the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 7. 22. I delight saith he in the Law of God according to the inward man as if he should say That is my constant course might I doe what I would That would I alwayes be doing That is my inclination there is my delight bâ—t yeâ— saith he I see a law of my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading me captiâ—e to the law of sinne that is there is a strong power within me that sometimes distempers me and puts me out of my selfe that he cals a law because it is commanding and powerfull like a law and the law of my members whereas the other is called the law of my minde because though it be through the whole soule yet principally the force and vigour of it is seene in the meâ—bers that is in the inferiour parts of the soule saith the Apostle when I am thus distempered and put besides my selfe when there is such a law rebelling against the law of my minde in such a case I am ouercome and led captiue but when I am my selfe I sinne not it is the sinne that dwels in me So much shall serue to haue shewed you the differences betweene those relapses which godly men are subiect to and those turnings and fallings backe into a continuance in sinne to which other men are subiect For my beloued it must not seeme strange to vs for both are alike subiect to infirmities both are subiect to returne as you see a sheepe may fall into the myre as soone as a swine for the commission of sin and so likewise for the omission of duties an Appletree may haue a fit of barrennes vnfruitfulnes as well as a Crabtree or any other but the difference is great in the manner of them as we shewed But still the maine difference is to be remembred that hee that hath a perfect heart is still clensing and purifying himselfe the other doe not that but so fall backe to sinne that they wallow in it as a Swine doth in the myre So much shall serue for this A fourth property of a perfect heart you shall finde expressed Phil. 3.
rebellion against it I say this keepes men off from the life of God But on the other side when a man lookes vpon the promises he begins to see the Couenant that his sinnes shall be put a way he beginnes to see the goodnesse and the mercy and the tender compassion of God towards him hee begins to see a possibility of fulfilling the Law in such a manner as GOD now requires then his heart melteth hee becomes not onely applyable to the Commandement but is ready to delight in it this a man gets by applying his heart to the Couenant of grace or by applying the Couenant of Grace to himselfe that very applying of the promises of forgiuenesse I say it begets a disposition in the heart which the Scriptures call a new life that euen as you see the Sunne when it applies its beames to a fitly disposed matter and stayes vpon it when it pitcheth its beames vpon it with any continuance it begins to beget life and motion in it and makes it a liuing creature so doth the Couenant of Grace when it is applyed to the heart of a man it begins to beget life in him and to make him a new creature it makes him another man there is that power in the Couenant of Grace in the promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins that it begets another life in a man it makes him a new creature it makes him a liuing creature to GOD which before he was not the ground of which you shall see 2 Cor. 3. 6. Hee hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter kills but the Spirit giues life Marke it the meaning of it is this when the Couenant of works is deliuered to you that is when you heare the Law the Commands the duty you cannot performe there is no more deliuered to you but the bare letter that is you know the duty and no more And what doth this duty doe what doe these Commandements and precepts doe when they are applyed to the heart of man Saith hee they kill Now that which kills fights before it kills and that which fights must needs be an enemy so then the Commandement is an Enemy that is euery man esteemes it as an enemie to himselfe and therefore hath an enemy-like affection to it againe that is he hates it he would be rid of it he wisheth there were no such Law or Commandement hee desires it should be dealt with as he would haue an enemy dealt with he would haue it vtterly taken away when they grow in enmity one with another as indeed they doe the naked Commandement and the heart are at enmity for the Commandement would haue one thing and the heart would haue another there are contrary wils and there is a striuing betweene them the one striuing this way the other that way the one resisting the other and in the end the Law and the Commandement gets the victory because the sting of the Law is sinne now the Law is the cause of sinne as a straight Rule is the cause of crookednesse for without the Law there should be no sin now it causeth sinne for if there were no Law you know there could bee no feare no transgression because there could bee nothing against which the transgression should come this sinne is the death of a man so now the letter kils But come now to the Couenant of Grace saith the Text it is the ministration of the Spirit and the Spirit giues life that is when a man lookes on the Couenant of Grace he lookes not on it now as an enemy as hee did before vpon the Commandement but he sees in it much loue and much friendship to wards him he sees God intends not any hurt any euill to him as he apprehended before he sees God exceeding kinde and mercifull and willing to put away all his sinnes and willing to accept the sincerity of his obedience though there be not a perfection of obedience now he begins to change his opinion both of God and of all his Lawes and precepts when he sees Gods kindnesse towards him and his compassion and readinesse to forgiue him then his heart begins to relent towards the Lord againe he begins to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to condemne himselfe he beleeues those promises and thence he growes vp in loue toward GOD I say hee growes vp in faith and loue and in this act of faith is the Spirit infused into his heart this Spirit being thus infused writes the Law in his inward paâ—ts that is it that breeds in him a holy disposition that inables him in some measure to keepe the Law it prints in him all those graces that giue him strength to obserue the Commandements that God hath given him so my beloued if a man will goe about this great worke to change his heart and to change his life let him not goe about it as a morall man that is let him not onely consider what Commandements there are what the rectitude is that the LORD requires and how to bring his heart to it but let him goe about it as a Christian that is let him beleeue the promises of pardon in the blood of Christ and the very beleeuing of those promises will be able to clense and purge the heart from dead works in that place we then named and we could doe no more but name it you shall finde it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The meaning of it is this when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification this effect will follow vpon it there will accompany it a certaine vigour a certaine vertue a certaine power and strength which will also purge his conscience from dead workes that is there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood that shall not onely forbid him and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things but it shall clense his conscience from those rootes of dead workes those corrupt lusts and sinfull affections that are in him that dispose him to that euill he shall find this power growing vpon him if hee doe but apply the blood that is if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth to you the Spirit and workes miracles amongst you doth he doe it through the workes of the Law or through the hearing of faith preached That is saith the Apostle if I should onely deliuer to you the Commandements and the Precepts and the Rules by which you ought to walke I might preach long enough to you but you should neuer haue ability to keep any of these saith he you may obserue those that preach the Law to you did
you receiue the Spirit then no but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse then you receiued the Spirit it was conueyed into your hearts Now I take it there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here in the time of the Apostles there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost that when they preached to them as Peter to Cornelius and Paul to others and laid their hands on them the Holy Ghost fell on them that is they were filled presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge they had some the gift of tongues some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit saith the Apostle when this was done was it done by the preaching of the Law was it not done by the preaching of Christ and by offering to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him Therefore you see how hee expresseth it Hee therefore that ministâ—eth the Spirit to you and workes miracles among you how doth hee worke these miracles hee doth them not by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached that is by our preaching of it and your hearing it So my beloued looke how the Sâ—iâ—it was then conueighed to men after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs so that beleeuing the promises is the way to get the heart healed when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wiâ—hall hee must not thinke that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resoluâ—ions to resist it is the way to beginne with no the way is to get assurance of pardon to get assâ—rance of Gods loue to himselfe in Christ to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe to labour to delight in God as he will when there once are â—ermes of reconciliation betweene them and when this is done his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement it will cloze with the Commandement Whereas before it resisted it and rebelled against it it will cleaue to it and loue it and delight in it and will receiue an impression from it this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. Hereby saith he we haue most gracious promises and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature that is by beleeuing the promises of pardon we are thereby made parâ—akers of the godly nature there is a renuing there is a change of the nature a man is made another nature euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission the promises of the New Couenant that offer Iesus Christ and the gift of righteousnesse through him euen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought That it is so you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made If there be a promise of pardon and of grace through Christ then belike we may liue as we list No saith the Apostle doe you but beleeue those promises of grace and the care is easie for the rest in 1 2 3. Verses What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Know you not that as maâ—y as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death The meaning is this if once you receiue Iesus Christ and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him you cannot be so baptized into him but you must be baptized into his death that is of necessity sinne must bee crucified in you you must be dead to sinne as hee was dead you cannot be baptized into him for iustification but you must be baptized likewise for mortiâ—ication of the flesh and for resurrection to newnesse of life Know you not that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ that is that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God of necessity they must also be baptized into his death Therefore saith he you are dead to sinne by being thus baptized with Christ it is impossible you should liue in in it So I say beloued hee that hath the strongest faith he that beleeues in the greatest degree the promiâ—es of pardon and remission I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life for that is the roote of it it ariseth from that roote sanctification ariseth from iustification the blood of Christ hath in it a power not onely to wash vs from the guilâ— of sinne but to cleanse and to purge vs likewise from the power and staine of sinne And therefore I say the best way to get a great degree of sanctification and of mortification of sinfull lusts the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation is to labour to grow in faith in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell for there is no other reason in the world why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life but because now there are more euident promises of pardon and forgiuenesse and reconciliation with GOD which by the Couenant of workes could not be And so much shall serue for this The fourth and maine Vse that wee are to make of this from this description of the Couenant is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation and the fulfilling of all the promises the ground of all is this Couenant My beloued it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you yea it is the maine point that the Ministers of the Gospell can deliuer at any time neither can they deliuer a point of greater moment nor can you heare any then the description of this Couenant of Grace this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts it hath beene the corner stone vpon which the Saints haue beene built from the beginning of the world vnto this day there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be saued there is no ground to beleeue that any promise of God shall be made good to you to beleeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ and those glorious Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him I say there is no other ground at all but vpon this Couenant all that wee teach you from day to day are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant they are all built vpon this therefore if euer you had cause to attend any thing you haue reason to attend to this I say this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely and distinctly this Couenant though a difficult thing it is to deliuer to you cleerely what it is and those that belong to it yet you must know it for it is the ground of all you hope for it is that that euery man is built vpon you haue no other ground but this GOD hath
All-sufficient he would not haue done it What was the reason that Moses when God sent him on a message into Egypt was so backward to performe it but because he thought that the Lord was not All-sufficientâ— For he hath two reasons why he would not goe One was he wanted speech he wanted abilitie and gifts He was of a stammering tongue And the other was those were aliue that he thought sought his life If he had thought that God was able to haue beene with his tongue to haue stregthned him and to haue improved his gifts and to haue inabled him to that service if he had thought likewise that he had beene able to haue defended him from those That sought his life he would never haue disobeyed the Commandement of God and beene backward to performe it as he was And so likewise Rebeccah What was the reason shee vsed that wyle and shift that inordinate meanes to bring a good thing to passe to obtaine the blessing when Iacob and shee joyned in lying to Isaack but because they thought God was not Sufficient to performe that Promise for the blessing belonged to Iacob and no doubt but he should haue had it in due time And so it is in all the faults of the Saints which are hence because they apprehend not God to be all-sufficient even as it was in the first sinne of Adam and the Angels What was the reason that Adam fell from God at the first It was because he desired something that he thought he could not finde in the Lord he desired to know good and evill which he thought he should not haue in the Lord he thought the Lord had kept it from him and therefore he stepped out from the Lord to eate that Apple vsing that as a meanes to obtaine his desire And this indeed was the cause of his falling away So likewise the cause of the falling of the Angells 1 Tim. 3. 6. the Apostle saith there that a Minister was not to be a young Scâ—oller least he be puffed vp and fall into the condemnation of the Divell that is least he be puffed vp and fall into the same sinne for which the Divell was condemned that is to be puffed vp that is to haue the desires inlarged beyond the bouÌ„ds which God had set them to desire more then they should haue to be exalted aboue measure that measure that God had appointed them that is they desired more they looked after more they thought there was not an All-sufficiency in God for them This was the sinne of the Angels that fell And as it was the cause of their first fall so it is the cause of all the sinnes that haue beene committed since And the reasons of it in briefe are these First it ariseth from the desire of happines that is implanted in every mans nature Happines you know is a compound which consists of all good things so that none must be wanting there is no good thing but it must be an ingredient into it Now the nature of man is made by God to desire happines every man naturally desires happines and may desire it if there be any scantnes in this if there be any evill that lies vpon him that is not removed or if there be any good that he desires and wants that he doth not enioy I say his heart cannot rest for he desires happines therefore if he finde not an All-sufficiency in God so that nothing be wanting that his heart can desire or looke after it is impossible he should cleaue close vnto him but he will be readie to step out from him Secondly this will appeare from the nature of sinne the definition that the Schoole-men giue of sinne which we may receiue is this that it is the conversion of a man from God to the Creature from the immutable God to the mutable creature In every sinne there is such a turning of the soule from God to the Creature Now it is certaine if a man did finde an All-sufficiency in God he would never turne from him nor seeke to the Creature even as the Bee if it did finde honey enough in one flower would not hasten to another but because it doth not it goes from flower to flower And so is the nature of man as Salomon expresseth it saying that He hastened to out ward things that is when he fell vpon one he found not enough in it he made hast to another and to another so the nature of man if it did finde sweetnesse and comfort and contentment enough in God it would not turne from him to the creature but because in his sence the obiect is too narrow there is some what he would haue more he looks over the Pale as it were he seeth something that he desireth and that causeth him to step out whereas if he had enough at home if he had enough in the Lord he would not goe out from him to turne inordinately to the Creature vpon any occasion Thirdly this will appeare likewise from the nature of sinceritie and perfect walking with God for to walke perfectly with God is nothing but this when a man chooseth God so that he cleaues to him alone whereas doublenes of minde stands in this when a man is distracted betweene God and some other obiect I say betweene God and riches betweene God and credit betweene God and pleasure and is sometime applying himselfe to one and sometime to another and so he goes a double way So that when a man hath two principall objects two principall ends vpon which his eye is set when he hath two inward principles within that are the cause of his motion this way and that way such a man is a double minded man he is a single hearted man that chooseth God alone and though he walke imperfectly with him yet he chooseth him Now if a man apprehend Gods All-sufficiency he will choose him alone if he doe not it is impossible he should choose him alone but he will joyne somewhat else with him for if he thinke there is but a partiall sufficiency in God and that there is some sufficiency in any creature besides it must needs be that he must haue an eve vpon both and then his waies will be vneven then his way is vnstable and therefore I say the cause of that instability to which men are subiect is because they doe not apprehend God to be All-sufficient for you must know this by the way that there is a double instabilitie that word is vsed in I am 1. 8. A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes One is an instabilitie between two objects which makes vp all the sufficiency that he desires so that there is part of that sufficiency in one and part of it in another The second is an instabilitie in following one object that he hath chosen Indeede the second instabilitie all the Saints are subject vnto all regenerate men are vnstable thus in all their
easily beleeue a smaller sinne to be forgiven Therefore certainly men doubt of his power whether he be able to forgiue for if the difference of sinne doe cause in you vnbeliefe it could not be that you should pitch vpon the power of God and his readines to forgiâ—e Therefore it is certaine that it is his power that is called in question and therefore the thing we haue to do is to make this good to you that the Lord is able to forgiue But you will say to me It is true If it were a matter of power I make no question Beloved you shall finde it a matter of power take a man Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue to passe by an infirmitie If it be strength in a man to be meeke to forgiue and to passe by iniuries to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him Is it not also power in God to doe so Besides is it not a power to be rich Riches giue a man a potencie and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy That is As a man that is rich though he giue much yet he is not exhausted So when you haue made thus much vse of Gods mercy yet still there is more behinde still there is more and more mercy for you there is a spring of mercy there is no end of it Besides as there is a power in his wrath Who knowes the power of his wrath so likewise there is a power in his mercy as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23. it is a place worth the considering for this purpose What if God to shew his wrath and to make his power known will suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destructioÌ„ And the next verse is thus to be read otherwise you cannot make the sence perfect and what if he would also to shew the greatnesse of his power declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy that he hath prepared to glory Marke as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vpon evill men so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power and declares his glorious riches That is The riches of his mercy vpon the Saints Now as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one so it is to finde out the depth of the other to consider the height the length and bredth and depth of his mercy When a man considers his sinnes and lookes vpon them in the height of them in the bredth and depth of them when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together reaching vp to the heavens and downe againe to the bottom of hell now to beleeue that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they This is to comprehend the length and bredth depth of mercy in him Ephes. 3. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vs to doe but yet this the Lord is able to doe his mercy is able to swallow them vp and therefore you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. mercy reioyceth against Iudgement As if he should say There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit and the mercy of God though our sinnes oppose his mercy yet his mercy is greater and at length it overcomes them and reioyceth against them as a man reioyceth against an adversary that he hath subdued Therefore herein we must labour to see Gods All-sufficiencie that although our sins be exceeding great yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp But you will say to me we could beleeue this if we were qualified but all the difficultie is to beleeue it when we want those qualifications God requires softnesse of heart godly sorrow truth of repentance c. Beloved to this I answer briefly that whaâ—soever thou seest that discourageth thee that thou seest in thine owne heart when thou reflectest vpon it it is either sinne or emptinesse That is A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee If it be sinne the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp And if it be emptinesse know this that he is rich in mercy and All-sufficient able to bestow this riches even vpon nothing you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing There was nothing you know when he made the world when he made â—he Angels what was it he bestowâ—d his riches vpon And is he not able to bestow it on thee though there be an emptines in thine heart Therfore thinke with thy selfe what is the exceeding 〈◊〉 of his loue It was a great loue that moved him to give Christ to vs but after we are in Christ then you must consider this â—hat his loue hath increased to a full object his loue is fully bestowed on him and is derived from Christ to vs. 〈…〉 sinnes yea all the degrees of my sinnes to overcome them and â—ubdue them yet if the fulnesse of his loue that he loues Christ with be derived on me what neede I make question But you will say againe What needs this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving This is but to open a dore of liberty to make men more loose Beloved it is not so it is the most profitable thing yoâ— can doe for your owne soules to beleeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides therefore we see in Rom. 6. concerning the abounding of grace for so the objection stands where sinne hath aboâ—nded there grace hath abounded much more If mens sinnes be multiplied grace and mercy shall be multiplied much more and still out-goe and swallow them vp Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound or because grace hath abounded No sayth the Apostle for the abundance of grace kils sinne for so the consequence stands how shall we that are dead to sinne liâ—e any longer therein So that his answer stands thus Sayth he the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more for it kils sinne And therefore the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne the more sinne is killed in vs it is not enlarged by it life is not given to sinne by it but we are made more dead to sinne by it You will say how can that be Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes increaseth our loue and our Ioy. It increaseth our loue for when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods loue towards vs it makes our loue more perfect towards him It increaseth our joy also because when we haue a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost Now spirituall loue eates out of the heart all carnall delights all sinfull lusts and all inordinate loue vnto the creature And so likewise spirituall joy takes away
of a dropsie man to haue much drinke given him or to giue a man much meate that is sicke of the disease we spake of before And therefore sayth he he shall not be satisfied or if he be it shall be in Iudgement Such are these desires and therefore examine thy selfe whether thy desires be not such as proceede from fancy such as proceede not from the health but the weaknesse of the soule Therefore it is said in 1 Tim. 6. that godlinesse is great gaine with contentment How doth godlines giue contentment Beloved after that manner that Physicke giues satisfaction A dropsie man after he is brought into health you know he is contented with lesse drinke for now he is in health God brings the soule to a good temper he takes away the distemper the lustfull humors that were there before and brings him into a right temper it giues him now the content that before he wanted Againe Another objection is If God be All-sufficient for these outward things why am I thus crossed why doe I suffer these afflictions why are they not removed from me To this I answer briefly Thou mayst be deceived in them that which thou makest account is so great an evill to thee it may be for thy great good as we see Ier. 42. that whole Chapter the Captaine there and the rest of the people they reckoned it an exceeding great misery a very great affliction to continue in Ierusalem they had a great desire to goe downe into Egypt but the Lord tels them they were very much deceived for this misery shall be for your good sayth he but if you will needs goe downe into Egypt when you thinke to haue abundance of all things there you shall meete with the Sword and with Famine and with the Pestilence and with vtter destruction So I say in this case we are often times deceived we thinke that to be good for vs which is not Certainly the Lord is All-sufficient he will with-hold no good thing but it is not alwayes good to haue such an afflictioÌ„ removed perhaps it were better for thee to beare it it were better for thee to lye vnder it then that it should be removed we doe in this case many times with the Lord as the children of the Prophets dealt with Elisha they would needs goe to seeke the body of Eliah Elisha forbad them but still they were importunate sayth he if you will needs goe goe but they lost their labour they had better to haue taken his counsell at the first And so in this case many times when the Lord would haue vs to doe such a thing and to be content with the want of such a comfort to be content to suffer such a defect in our estate in our bodies in our businesse we are still importunate with him sometimes he hearkens to vs he suffers the thing to be done but we were as good to want it I would aske thee in this case wouldst thou haue it without thy Fathers good will If thou haue it it will doe thee no good The best way in this is to consider with thy selfe that he is All-sufficient though this afflâ—ction seeme to be exceeding bitter yet it is a cup of thy Fathers providing it is that which the Lord that loues thee hath ordained it is that which the Lord that wants nothing who is able enough to take it from thee and to supply it it is that which he hath seene meete to dispence to thee therefore it is not for want of sufficiencie in him but it is better for thee to suffer the want of this comfort or to lye vnder this crosse or affliction But lastly some will say if the Lord be All-sufficient and I must be subiect to his will why is it not his will to put me into a higher condition why hath he given me but such a measure of gifts but such a meane place but such a quantitie of health of wealth of vnderstanding a mans heart will goe further if there be such riches in God such an All-sufficiency in him why is it not better with me why am I not in a higher condition To this I answer First That he that entereth into Covenant with God he should be content with the lowest place in all the family and be glad that he is within the dore as we see the Prâ—digall did and so the Apostle Paul I am the least of all the Saints and he was contented to be the least A man that hath beene truely humbled and brought home to God that hath tasted and seene how gracious the Lord is that hath had experience of his owne sinne and of Gods goodnesse he will be content with the least measure if he be put into the lowest place if he be made the least of all Saints he will not exalt himselfe aboue that measure and that place that the Lord hath allotted him But besides this Consider secondly further with thy selfe that if thou haue a lower place or condition in this or that thing yet it may be thou hast a higher condition in somewhat else and know this that God giues no man all things but hath mingled his comforts he hath dispensed them diversly as we see in 1 Sam. 1. in that case betweene Hannah and Peninnah Hannah had the loue of her husband but the Lord had made her barren On the other side Peninnah had children but she wanted the loue of her husband it is purposely noted there that you may see how the Lord dispenseth his comforts And so it was with Leah and Rachell the one you know had children and wanted her husbands loue the other had a greater abundance of loue but shee was barren As it was with these so generally the Lord dispenseth good and evill together There is no man that hath all things You see Moses he wanted eloquence that Aaron had as Moses againe had the wisedome that Aaron wanted so Paul and Barnabas they had different excellencies the one had that the other wanted and so it is generally Therefore thinke with thy selfe there is no man that hath all and why should I desire it there must be a mingling of some defects Againe Thirdly Consider with thy selfe that the varieties of the sufficiencies that God giues to men that he placeth some in a higher degree and some in a lower to some he giues greater gifts to some lesser some he makes rich and some poor some honourable and some base this varietie in all the workes of God takes not away from the perfection of each one every man in his place may haue a perfection he may haue it within his spheare so that there shall be no want at all for the Lord out of his almightie power is able to doe it that the desire may be satisfied as much they may be filled in a lower condition as well as in a greater thou shalt feele no more want but
the property of this wisdome which shewes it selfe to the perfect and the reason is because it is a sanctified discouering wisdome a wisdome which that Spirit that giues it enables him to make this vse of that hee vseth it as a Lanthorue to his feet as a light to discouer the crookednesse of his wayes to finde out the defects to which he is subiect both in his heart and in his conuersation therefore this wisdome discouers him and opens him to himselfe wheras all the knowledge of any naturall man or that any hypocrite hath in `the World besides opens him not to himselfe properly but rather lifts him vp he vseth it to reproue others he vseth it for other purposes he holds it as a light to other mens feet he makes not this vse of it to search the inside of his owne heart he searcheth not euery defect and crannie of his soule with it and he findes not out himselfe what he is Therefore you see assoone as they haue been enlightned with this wisdome Paul and others how they were confounded in themselues how vnworthily they thought of themselues that is the property of this wisdome first to humble Another property is He that hath that wisdom reuealed to him that is proper only to the perfect those things that he knowes he knowes them as he ought to know them whereas another man though hee know exceeding much yet hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know as we see 1 Cor. 8. 2. He that thinkes he knowes any thing knowes nothing yet as he ought to know it saith the Apostle he knowes not sinne as he ought to know it he knowes not the promises of grace hee knowes not aeternall life hee knowes not these as he ought to know them for did hee he would bee wrought vpon by them if he did know GOD as hee ought hee would feare GOD with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his strength so if he did know sinne as he ought he would make it his chiefest sorrow he would abhorre it hee would not come neere it hee would cleanse himselfe from it he would flye from it as from a Serpent vpon all occasions So did he know remission of sinnes hee would not esteeme so lightly of it as he doth but hee would seeke it earnestly euen as a condemned man doth his Pardon So that is the difference they know not these things as they ought to know them for beloued this is to bee obserued when any man is conuerted to God by the reuelation of this wisdome he doth not alwaies know nâ—w things hee hath not new things reuealed vnto him more then he knew before but the same things he knowes now as hee ought to know whereas before though hee knew them hee knew them not as he ought to know them he neuer knew sinne what it was he neâ—er knew what grace was all those promises and threatnings all that wisdome of God reuealed in the Booke of GOD in the holy Scriptures he neuer knew it as he ought therefore it is not profitable to him to bring him home and worke a change that is the second difference Thirdly Wisdome to the perfect is such a wisdome as enables him to distinguish of things that differ he is able to discerne between good and evill as you shall see an expression of it Heb. â— but strong meate belongs to those that are perfect for so it ought to bee translated and so it is in the Originall the old Translation by reason of custome and the new by reason of vse but neither is so full as the Originall by reason of habit in respect that they haâ—e their sences exercised to disâ—erne both good and euill that is hee that hath this true wisdome he hath such a distinguishing faculty that as the taste discernes of meate or as a man that is accustomed to taste Wine can easily discerne between good and bad so not by meere custome as other men haue it but by a certaine wisdome that is infused into you you are able to discerne betweene good and euill euen as the sences doe for that is the scope of the place As the sences discerne betweene colour and colour betweene taste and taste so there is an ability in those that are perfest to discerne betweene good and euill so that take such a man to whom this wisdome is reuealed you shall finde such an aptnesse in him to discerne betweene good and euill that is hee knowes the voyce of the shepheard hee knowes and discernes betweene that which is good and betweene that which is counterfeit hee knowes morall goods and euils what is to bee chosen and what to be refused this he knowes such a distinguishing faculty he hath this is proper to those that are perfect the like you shall haue expressed Rom. 12. be renewed in the Spirit of your minde that you may discerne the good will of God that is that you may distinguish between the good will that is truly perfect and that which is not his will This property will follow a minde that is renewed he will be able to discerne what another cannot Lastly that I may conclude He to whom this wisdome is reuealed he that is perfect there is a wondrous change in his iudgement that which before seemed foolishnesse to him now he reckons it to be the true wisdome and that which before was the greatest wisdome now it appeares to be follishnesse as a Child when hee is growne to yeeres and is perfect the things that before he magnified now he disregards them and the things that before he made no account of now they are prized and esteemed such a difference there is such a change in the iudgement when once this wisdome is reuealed So it is in other things take a yong beginner in any thing a young Scholler hee indgeth otherwise of the exercise of what hee learnes then when he is growne to maturity as we see a man that is vnacquainted with Musicke that hath no skill in it the common tunes like him best but when hee growes a skilfull Musician he cares not for them those that haue more perfect Musicke in them those he regards when he hath a more skilfull eare so it is the meaning of the Apostle we speake wisdome to those that are perfect as if hee should say they are able to discerne things their iudgement is another kinde of iudgement then yours is or then their owne was before that which they could finde no relish in no taste when they are perfect once they finde a more excellent vse in it then others So that this change of iudgement iudging otherwise both of the persons and of the things argues they are perfect And this is the last signe that I will now name to you of this property heere spoken of We speake wisdome to those that are perfect that is it is the property of those that are perfect to reckon that