sinne As David in the one and fiftieth Psalme saith Against thee against thee onely have I sinned repeating it twice in that place he composed that Psalme to set forth his sin but that which wounded his conscience that made him see the hainousnesse of his sinne was this Against thee I have sinned So the Prodigall sonne this is the circumstance by which he aggravates his sin Against heaven and against thee I have offended So learne to know that your sinnes are against god and therefore to presse this Truth a little more Consider well with your selves what is the reason that God hath required such a vast punishment against sinne that is eternall death thinke what eternity is it is that which swallowes up your thoughts it is a punishment the length and depth and breadth whereof you cannto comprehend Thinke why God hath appointed such a vast punishment and you shall find it is because you sinne against an Immense a great and Almighty God the length and breadth and depth of whose greatnesse you cannot comprehend Againe what is the reason God should appoint such a Mediatour to take away the sins of the world that the Son of God must needs take flesh which the Angels themselves wonder at it is such a wonderfull action that they cannot but admire and in heaven we shall stand amazed at it which evidences the greatnesse of sinne Learne to know this put al these foure together and see how these doe hold correspondencie one with another and you shall finde out the nature of your sinne First consider the greatnesse of God his infinitenesse the greatnesse of his Authority the wonderfull vast Soveraignty he hath over all creatures from this greatnesse of God comes the second the greatnesse of sinne I have made knowne this Truth but thou hast with-holden it thence it comes that sinne is so great that the least sinne which thou makest nothing of is a thing of so great moment That is the second which followes on the greatnesse of God Thirdly upon the greatnesse of sinne you see the greatnesse of the punishment if such an one as Aristotle or a stranger from the Truth should heare of this punishment the greatnesse whereof appeares herein that the worme dieth not and the fire is not quenched how would he wonder at it but knitting these together it will not seeme strange Last of all the greatnesse of the punishment causeth the greatnesse of such a Mediatour to take away this punishment and sin So there is a correspondencie in them come from God to sin from sinne to the punishment from punishment to the Mediation or redemption by which this sinne is taken away Learne therefore to know what sin is I know not a truth of greater moment And to all adde that 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sinne If you look on death it is the most terrible thing in the world You know what the Philosopher said of it of all terrible things it is the most terrible the most fearfull but sin is the sting of death As if he had said Death is a small thing in comparison of sin let a man want sin and death is nothing it is but sleepe it is nothing to have the body and soule separated Againe suppose there were no death but let body and soule remaine together yet sin is a terrible thing it is above all the Terrours in the world as in Iudas see his Terrours though there was no death on him see Adam when he was not in Hell but in Paradise yet how was he Tormented with his sin Therefore weigh not sin in a wrong ballance looke not on it with a wrong light take heed of being deceived for in this of all other things men are most apt to be deceived That is the corruption of Nature that strange darknesse is brought on men by Adam that in the thing that most concerneth him which is sin in that he is most ignorant most apt to be deceived Therefore when the Apostle speaks of sin he comes in still with this caution Be not deceived 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither Fornicatour nor Idolaters nor adulterers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God as if men in that were most apt to be deceived So Ephes. 5.6 Be not deceived for for such things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience And observe when Christ goeth about to show to any man or to any Church what their sins are or what their danger is he addes this Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches his end being to tell them of their sin still that comes in He that hath an eare to heare let him heare As if he had said when I come to speake of matter of sin there be many here that can tell what I say that can understand me well but few have eares to understand indeed As when the Prophet came to Ieroboam he heard the Prophet so as it anger'd him he knew what his sin was but he heard it not to purpose So when Christ pronounceth a woe to the Scribes and Pharisees they heard it well enough but they had not an eare to heare it to purpose Men may heare what flesh and common reason and common men say of sin but not what the Spirit saith of it there is another kinde of sinfulnesse in sin which is the spirituall evill of sin and what the Spirit saith of this they doe not heare Therefore you must even be brought to Christ as the deafe man was who being both deafe and dumbe was brought to Christ that he might lay his hands on him now Christ put his finger into his eares and saith Ephata be thou opened and then the man heard and spake so of all men that heare this Word there is not a man but he is deafe according to this inward kinde of hearing therefore you must be brought to Christ and beseech him to give you eares to heare for few hath eares to heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches when it discovers their sin and misery Therefore let not this Doctrine be in vain to you but learne from hence to humble your selves to come to God and say to him Lord I am now amazed and confounded I thought before losses and crosses were great matters but now I see they are but flea-bitings to sin I was heretofore troubled at a small crosse but little or nothing at sin Lord I confesse this was my case but I see now sinne is another thing Thus we should learne to humble our selves before God But if any object This is the way to discourage men to make them desperate to make them fly from Religion by telling them sin is so terrible I answer it is not the way to discourage men from comming to Christ but to encourage them and drive them to him This is the way to Salvation Indeed if there were no remedy for sin it were a desperate case but
treasure in him that he is full of all grace Wilt thou goe poore and miserable and naked and in rags having such a full wardrobe there why dost not thou goe and sute thy selfe from top to toe Why doest not thou get grace of all sorts to adorne and beautifie thy selfe withall For all treasures are in him Why doest thou go starved hungry and thirsty drooping all the day If thou hast him he hath fatlings and fined wines he bids thee to a Feast that is there is abundance of comfort in him there be Priviledges there if you consider of them if you will feed on them as a man doth on meat you shall be comforted with them as a man refreshed with wine Consider what is in Christ and make use of it and know there is not only plenty in him but bounty too in him is all fulnesse and why is it in him not for his sake but for ours he hath filled himselfe for us and he is not only full but bountifull he hath an even hand to dispence that goodnesse therefore make use of it Now the second part of this exhortation I told you belongs to them that yet are not in him that they would be content to take the Lord Iesus for their husband for if the being in him be the ground of all salvation it is motive enough to bring you in Now you must know that the Lord offers him to you he is exposed to you if you will but take him You will say in what consists this taking It consists in these two Acts one is a perswasion that the Lord is willing to come to thee to be thy Husband to be thine The second is a resolution on thy part to be his if thou canst be content to give thy selfe up to him to serve him to love him to live no more to thy selfe but to him altogether Now when we exhort men to come into Christ it may be for the first Act you will be content to be perswaded of it that he is willing to take you though there be a difficulty in that yet it may be you will goe so farre but when you come to the second to resolve to give up your selves to him to be his for ever and to serve him in newnesse of life here every man is at a stand here men deale with God as they that were invited to the Marriage they made light of it and went their way one to his Farme another to his Oxen c. So is it here with us for the most part they make light when we offer Christ they goe about their businesse one about this vanity another about that they will not come in and take him and what shall we say to perswade men to come into Christ Indeed it is a dangerous thing to refuse to come in You are the men that are invited and we are messengers sent to invite you every man must apply this to himselfe he must thinke I am the man invited therefore I must consider what answer to give for you shall find of them that were invited and did not come not a man of them shall taste of the Supper not a man of them that was invited must com There were many thousands that were never bidden yea many hundreds that live in the Church were never bidden to the Feast that is Christ was never clearely offered to them but when Christ is propounded to you as you know he hath oft beene this is the very bidding of you to the Supper Take you heed of refusing It may be many others there are that were never bidden but when you have beene bidden take heed not a man of them that have been bidden and refused shall â—aste of the Supper Now you know wee are bid while wee are in this life this is the time of grace but yet when a man refuseth this bidding at this time or at any other time take heed lest he bid you no more he sent no more to them that refused Let them alone and they shall be slaine before me But howsoever our businesse is to compell you to come in that is by strong arguments by reasoning with you by perswading you effectuall to come in Therefore consider these Motives First you shall find rest to your soules Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and you shall finde rest Matth. 11.28 29. Rest is that which every man would have For Sinne is a wearinesse to the Soule it wearies you with the guilt of it with the taint and corruption of it You shall find rest unto your soules that is if you were in me once you should have your sinnes forgiven you Which David magnified in Psal. 32.1 Blessed is he whose sinne is covered But you will say this is a small mercy you shall have your sinnes forgiven will this move men to come in who cares for forgivenesse of sinnes if we should come and make offer to men that they should be free from crosses and troubles that they shall have present benefit and honours and riches that were a motive indeed to bring men to Christ Thou foole if thy sins be forgiven thee shall not all misery be taken away Is not sinne the first linke of the chaine the first wheele that drawes on all thy miseries If thy sinnes be forgiven all thy miseries shall bee scattered all those clouds shall be dispersed Therefore the Scripture compares Sin to a Cloud What hinders good things from thee but sinne When a mans sins be forgiven him he shall have them in abundance Be of good comfort saith he Thy sinnes be forgiven thee Till then a mans heart is never filled with comfort but as I said it is clouded with many discomforts sorrowes and perplexities therefore they are compared to clouds because they shal be dispersed as clouds when thy sinnes are forgiven thee all thy life after is as a Sun-shine day when all the clouds are scattered Therefore Be of good comfort Againe thou hast boldnesse by it The Innocent is bold as a Lion thou art bold with God For thou commest with boldnesse unto the Throne of Grace and thou hast boldnesse when thou hast to doe with men when trouble and persecution comes then art thou as bold as a Lion when thy sinnes are forgiven thee Againe when thou commest to beare any affliction it is nothing when sinne is forgiven for sinne is the sting of affliction and what is the Serpent when the sting is gone Affliction is nothing death is nothing you see what they were to Saint Paul imprisonment and death were nothing to him because the sting was taken away In a word thou art a blessed man if thy sinnes bee once taken away David saith Blessed is hee whose sinnes are forgiven When David looked round about and considered who was blessed he pitched on this Blessed is the man whose sinne is forgiven If some other had looked about him hee would
because that moves not so much being generall you will aske wherein this wrath of GOD is seene and wherein more particularly is this misery in being out of Christ I will name but these three particulars First you shall be subject to Death subject to Him that hath the power of Death You will say this is no such misery for are not holy men subject to death as well as evil men I but there is great difference the evill shall be subject to death as an enemie the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death which shewes that Death is an enemie I say they are subject to Death as an enemie Death may come to two men and be a friend to the one and an enemie to the other that which he saith Death is the rich mans enemie and the poore mans friend we may better apply it to the godly man and to the evill man And surely it is true Death is the Godly mans friend and the wicked mans enemy the same Death as you know the same messenger comes to call Pharaohs Butler and his Baker he came as an enemie to the one and as a friend to the other he came to call the one to promotion and the other to execution so doth Death Now Death when that comes as an enemie is terrible when that comes with a sting Death indeed without a sting is nothing but Death when it comes with a sting and the sting of Death is sinne this we consider not that Death hath a sting it is a Serpent that often stings without hissing without warning it comes suddenly it comes certainly we see continually how men fall from the tree of life as leaves in Autumne we consider not this but this is among the miseries that we are subject to death and this is a great misery Those that can looke upon other miseries and dangers and out-face them without being daunted when Death comes that appales them that looses the joints that makes them tremble that makes their knees knocke together You know it is said of Saul David professeth that he was valiant as a Lion in his Songs of him when the newes of Death comes he fals to the ground there was no strength in him All are petty miseries to this this is the great Giant that makes the stoutest heart to tremble at his approach But is this all that we are subject to death when we are out of Christ No we are subject to the feare of death likewise which is an hundred times worse that death it selfe Heb. 2.14 He hath delivered us from him that had the power of death he hath delivered us that for feare of death were all our lives subject to bondage I say the feare of death is worse than death it selfe because death continues but a moment it is soone gone but the feare of death continues alwayes a long time like the hand-writing which kept Belshazzer in feare so this feare of death keepes us in a continuall trembling this is that that imbitters all our comforts that sowres all our joy this feare of death they were all their life-time subject to bondage through the feare of death Therefore it is not said that death is bitter to him that lives in pleasure but the remembrance of death all the joyes and comforts that we have in this life what are they when they are accompanied with this I say ther is nothing terrible but so farre as it is mingled with this feare All evill and dangers are so farre terrible as they are harbengers of death as they are crackes to give warning of the fall of the whole house that shall never be repaired againe Whatsoever pleasure we enjoy this is the gall that takes away the sweetnesse of all though the pottage were otherwise good when the Colloquintida was in them there is death in the pot so I may say when death is joyned what sweetnesse is in them That is the condition of every man living out of Christ he is not only subject to death but to the feare of death continually But is this all No there is yet more there is Hell Death hath a Page that comes behinde him that is ten times worse than himselfe Rev. 6.7 8. I looked saw a pale horse and the name of him that rode on him was Death and behinde him followed Hell That is Hell is the hooke that is hid in Death when we are once taken with that hooke we are kept there for ever If Death should come without Hell it were another matter Death is but the lightning it is Hell that is the crack of thunder and shall we like children be afraid of the lightning and not be afraid of the bolt It is hell that is the gate that keeps us for ever Death is but the arrest that carries us thither Therefore consider what it is to be subject to Hell as our Saviour saith What will that availe a man to win the whole world and lose his soule Consider well of that speech What will that availe you to save all things else if you lose your soules as if a man should save the paring of his nailes and lose his finger as if he should save his shooe and lose his foot as if he should save the ship and lose the fraught as if he should save the house and destroy the man that dwels in it so it is to save other things and to lose the soule No it is the terrible thing Hell that followes Death In all other miseries yet this is our comfort that Death will come in the end and put a full point and period to them but this second death Hell is such a death as hath no other death to end it Therefore as wee say But for hope the heart would breake surely there is no hope and therefore there is a breaking of the soule aswell as torment of the body Therefore consider what Hell is what eternity is this is the misery we are in out of Christ you are subject to the feare of death you are subject to Death and to Hell too Death is but the Stalking-horse it is Hell that is the Fowler that hath the peece and the shot to destroy us utterly And therefore consider what case you are in out of Christ what misery you are in out of him that when Hell and Death come as she said Vp Sampson for the Philistims are on thee so when we shall say Hell and Death is on you and your haires are cut off that is Christ is gone from you for the cutting off his lockes was but an embleme that God was departed from him I say when they are on us If Christ be away what a case are we in Shall they not take us and carry us to that prison there to lye for ever Therefore consider this it is certaine the destroying Angell will come and commonly he comes in the night Death commeth when thou least lookest for him as a theefe I say the destroying Angell
reasons we shewed the last day but not to stand to repeate them The last day because they stand so much on Fathers in this point we shewed you the opinion of divers of them Of Origen or Athanatius Ambrose Tertullian Augustine and the rest To that wee will adde but this to cleare that point conâ—erning the opinions of the Fathers You shall finde that Ireneus that lived within seventy yeares after the death of Saint Iohn is cleare in this point That the Bread and Wine are but Sacraments and Figures of the body and bloud of Christ after him thirty yeares lived Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian and Origen for they lived much about a time Origen was the Scholer of Clemens Alexandrinus these do as evidently explaine it as any of our Divines though not so distinctly because the controversie was not then moved and therfore you must not expect so full and so cleare and distinct expressions as you have in these times when wee have more occasion to doe it I will not trouble you with Citation lest I spend time too much but you shall finde it so in them After their time Augustine expresseth it so fully as that Calvin or Beza hath not done it more clearely as I shewed by some Allegations out of him the last day From his time I doe not finde that this opinion of theirs had any footing in the Church till the time of Damascens that lived in the yeare seven hundred thirty He was the first that began in the Easterne Churches this opinion of transubstantiation Chrysostome hath sore hard speeches but such as may well be interpreted if you looke on him in the tract of his writings you shall see evidently that hee never dreamed of any such reall presence as the Papists affirme But I say Damascene was the first that set this false opinion abroach in the Easterne Churches in the Greeke Churches about a hundred years after In the Western Churches in Italy and those parts it began a little to bee set on foot in the time of Carolus Calvus Emperour who being troubled with that controversie set Bertram a work a Presbyter a learned man one of the most learned of those times and desired him to expresse his opinion in that point Hee writ a learned booke of it and so the controversie continued in good state and condition till two hundred yeares after or lesse betweene one and two hundred And the first man that began to infuse this poyson into the Church was one Lanfranke Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in England a man learned but very pernitious to the Church After his time the opinion began to bee somewhat hot and then Beringarius writ against it who upon his condemnation retracted it but before his death repented the retraction and upon writing his retractation it beganne to bee put upon men by necessity by the Pope which was done in the time of Bernard foure hundred yeares since I have done this that those may bee satisfied that are not satisfied with the Scriptures and with the reasons that were brought but would know the opinion of the Fathers To stand to cite all the particulars were a vaine worke So much for that After we shewed the falsenesse of their opinion we shewed in what manner Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament Not to stand to repeate it Wee are now to come to those other particular blessings or comforts which we have in Christ which should invite us to come in and take him The next therefore is this you have it in Matth. 11.30 Come to me saith he all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you you shall finde rest to your soules that you shall have to invite you if you will come in and take Christ you shall finde rest to your soules that is looke what the haven is to a Seafaring weather-beaten man looke what a coole refreshing shade is to a man that is scorched with the heate of the Sunne looke what a cover is to a man that is beaten with the storme to the shore such is Christ to those that come in and take him And therefore that we may know what this rest is which you shall finde if you come into Christ. Let us finde out what this wearinesse is Now in sinne you shall finde this wearinesse First there is a wearinesse in the service of sinne there is no bondage to the bondage of tyrannous lusts they are hard masters they set you to hard taskes if they say goe you must goe if they say come you must come Christ sets you at liberty from this bondage by mortifying of sinne and killing it as Moses did the Aegyptian that strove with the Hebrew which is a deliverance farre exceeding that out of the bondage of Aegypt which was so much magnified as much as the substance exceeds the shadow This is one kinde of rest you shall have by Christ you shall be delivered from the bondage of sinne Againe there is a wearinesse in the guilt of sinne committed which haunts us like furies and ever and anon gives secret whippes secret twinges to the soule from this Christ delivers us For being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 That is the conscience is calmed it is quiet which before was full of horrour and vexation Againe there is a wearinesse in the fruits of sinne the losses the crosses the sicknesse the imprisonment disgrace all which are but the fruits of sinne There is a wearinesse in these and from all these Christ delivers us partly in freeing us from many of these that otherwise we should have felt and partly in taking away the venome and sting from those we doe feele For that which is said of Death Oh death where is thy victory c. The sting of death is sinne it may be said of every calamitie The sting of imprisonment the sting of sicknesse the sting of disgrace the sting of all misery is sinne What is the Adder when the sting is away So what are all these when sinne is removed You know what they were to Paul what he endured how many prisons he went thorow how oft he was whipped how oft he was stoned how many things he suffered you have a catalogue of them ten or eleven and yet all was nothing to him he was happier in these than Nero was in his Palace But what should I give you an instance Take Adam in Paradice when he was in Paradice yet when he had but the sting of conscience you know he was filled with horrour Paul againe when he was sore whipped in the day and his feet were fast in the stocks and the sting of sinne was tooke away and he enjoyed a good conscience Silas and he sung that the Prison rung of them I say this condition you shall have in Christ you shall be delivered from sinne from the sting of sinne from the fruit of sinne
Master you must take him for your husband so as to bee divorced from all other lovers for this know that Christ and good fellowship that Christ and fornication Christ and swearing Christ and ambition Christ and serving your selves and the times will not stand together you must be divorced from all these If you will have Christ you must take him as a husband to be to him a love to love him to have your wils subject to his will you must take him for better for worse you must take him with all variety of conditions denying your selves and taking up your crosse and following him if you take him thus you shall have him and when you shall have him you shall have all things with him As Christ saith to his father We are one thou in mee and I in thee and then all mine are thine and thine are mine So wee may say every one that takes Christ is made one with him all Christs is yours and yours is his that is hee takes your names hee takes your debts and you beare his name and have interest in all that is his what he hath by nature you have by grace and when you have him once then you may bee bold to come and take these Elements of Bread and Wine but if you have not him then know that you are but intruders upon the Lords Table for his Table is provided for his friends and if his enemies and strangers come in and intrude on it hee will not take it at your hands but command you to be bound hand and foote and to bee cast out I say consider therefore the offers of Christ are large you that are to receive the Sacrament at this time or at any other time I say consider it if you have Christ himselfe then you may boldly come if you have not the Lord you have nothing to doe with these And know if it was such a fearefull thing to touch the Arke which was but a type of Christ and had but a legall holinesse in it that God struck Vzziah with death because he was so bold as to doe it If it were so dangerous a thing to meddle with common fire as we see in Nabab and Abihu that was but a type of this what will it be when wee shall dare to take the body of the Lord Iesus not being worthily prepared Hee is the substance there is the holynesse of which that was but a type therefore take heed of medling with them except you have taken him indeed except you have changed your hearts except you be new Creatures except you have the Lord himselfe you may not meddle with the Bread and Wine the Sacrament of his body and bloud and so I end FINIS THE TABLE A Abilitie MEN excuse their sin from want of Ability Part 1 Page 223 Ability of Christ to sanctifie us 2 31 Accusing Conscience corrupt in the office of Accusing 1 56 Actions Corruption in our Actions 1 73 Actions of carnall men 1 153 Actions of naturall men defective in two things 1 159 Intention of Action in zeale 1 285 Activenesse Activenesse of conscience corrupted 1 56 Adam God just in requiring of us according to that he gave to Adam 1 38 Adams sinne charged on us ibid. Two conditions of Adam 2 38 Our condition in Christ better than it was in Adam 2 154 See Borne Affections Affections corrupted 1 63 Affections must be wrought upon in the performance of duties 1 251 God esteemes us according to our Affections 1 67 What should draw our Affections to God 1 265 Zeale a stirring up of the Affections 1 285 Want of Affections to God argues want of zeale 1 289 Worke of the Spirit upon the Affections 2 12 Afflictions Forgivenesse of sinnes takes the sting out of Afflictions 2 188 Altered Nature cannot be Altered 2 97 Custome hardly Altered 2 123 Alike All sinnes not Alike 1 275 All. Carnall men doe many duties but not All 1 159 Anger Difference betweene hatred and Anger 1 290 Zeale for the Church acceptable to God when hee is Angrie with it 1 293 Apparell Apparell one benefit by Christ 3 93 What that Apparell is 3 94 How to make use of this Apparell 3 97 Apprehesion The Apprehension makes happie or miserable 1 241 Assurance Assurance encreased by humiliation 1 31 Authoritie To preach with Authoritie what 2 163 B Baptisme BAptisme tends to sanctification 2 21 Beleever Beleeving Difference betweene temporarie and true Beleevers 2 47 Beleeving difficult 3 19 Blindnesse Blindnesse of mans understanding 1 44 Why mans understanding is Blinde ibid. Boldnesse Excesse of Boldnesse how prevedted 1 291 Forgivenesse of sin causeth Boldnesse 2 188 Bondage Spirit of Bondage an help against sinfull excuses 1 108 Spirit of Bondage how it works 1 109 Borne Those that are saved by the second Adam are Borne of him 2 18 Burthen Sinne in what respect a Burthen 2 190 Businesse Too much Businesse a great impediment 1 207 C Causes GOd workes by second Causes 1 263 Change How to know we are Changed 2 109 To give God the praise of our Change 2 144 Christ. What keepes men from Christ 1 11.2 23 What makes us prize Christ 1 81 End of our ingraffing into Christ 2 19 Sanctification by the bloud of Christ 2 21 How to take Christ 2 73 What should move us to love Christ 2 156 Before we are new Creatures we are in Christ 2 169 To be in Christ what 2 171 Priviledges of being in Christ 2 174 See Righteous Church Pillars of the Church 1 286 Want of zeale for the Church 1 292 Danger of wronging the Church 1 293 Directions what we must doe for the Church 1 294 Circumstance Consideration of Circumstances helpe Humiliation 1 28 Circumstances aggravating sinne 1 89 Civill Difference betweene prophane and Civill men 1 127 Clearenesse Clearenesse of conscience corrupted 1 55 Cloud Sin like a stormie Cloud 1 174 Coldnesse Coldnesse provokes God as much as sinne 1 284 Combate Combate to be expected of Christians 2 137 Difference of the Combate in Christians and others 2 138 Comfort Comfort the end of the Scriptures 1 2 Sanctification for our Comfort 2 89 Comfort from the change of Nature 2 121 Comming The end of Christs Comming 1.20.2 20 Compell The Spirit Compels men to come in 2 7 Communion Communion of Saints sets the truth at liberty 1 174 Communication Communication of the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament 3 2 See Truth Condemnation Imprisoning Truth brings great Condemnation 1 136 God just in the Condemnation of men 1 234 Conflict Conflict in carnall men 1 153 Conflict in wicked men failing in foure things 1 60 Content He that trusts in God is Content with him only 1 258 Conscience Conscience corrupted by nature 1 45 Wherein Conscience is corrupted 1 55.56 Signe of a good Conscience 1 57 Conscience in naturall men may doe many things 1 152 Conscience good in two respects 1 156 Contrary Contrariety Contrariety of
combate Object Answ. Differences betweene the combate in the New Creature and that fight that seemes to be in naturall men Consect 6. Thinke it not strange that you finde some aukednesse in the wayes of God at first Object Answ. Consect 7. Give God the praise of chanting thy Nature Object Answ. Observ. 4. The New Creature is Gods worke This is proved by foure Arguments Arg. 1. Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Object Answ. Arg. 4. Object 1. Answ. 1. Impediments of two sorts Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2. To what use serveth this doctrine Answ. To foure uses Vse 1. To let us see that our condition in Christ is better than in Adam Vse 2. That it may appeare that God setteth us now about a worke which he doth not inable us to performe Vse 3. To make us love Christ the better seeing how much we are beholding to him Vse 4. To make us take heed of putting off the worke when Christ cals Vse 1. See what the businesse of Preachers is and with whom you have to doe when you heare the Word Learne hence 1 To come to heare the Word with reverence and feare 2 To give the praise of any good you receive by the preaching of the Word to God onely 1 Tim. 1. 3 expect not that the Minister should come with excellency of wisdome or of words Observ. 4. What workes you finde upon your owne hearts in the preaching of the Word Object Answ. In what sense he would be understood when hee affirmeth the wilâ— of Regenerate persons to be free Observ. 5. The order first in Christ and then New Creatures Hence learne 1 Not to be discouraged from going to Christ for any defect or imperfection that is in us Reason 2. From your union with Christ to perswade you to good workes Doctr. To bee in Christ is the ground of all Salvation 1 What it is to be in Christ. What giving is 1 Of what moment this union is Vse 1. Exhortation two-fold 1 Those that have this union with Christ let them seeke to enlarge it more In what sense this is to be understood Object Answ. How it may be done Five helpes to doe it 1 Consider your misery without him 2 Labour more to know the Vertues and excellencies of Christ. 3 Be perswaded of his love to you 4 Get experience of him 5 Pray that the Holy Ghost may draw thee to Christ. Object Answ. 2 Those that want this Vnion let them seeke to get it In what this taking consists In two Acts. Motives Mot. 1. You shall finde rest Object Answ. Forgivenesse of sinne makes a man blessed foure wayes 1 In taking away that which is the cause of all miseries 2 In giving boldnesse 3 In taking the sting out of affliction 4 In making God ours Matth. 1.21 Object Answ. Sinne is a burthen in two respects 1 As it brings a man under guilt 2 As it is a sicknesse or disease of the soule Mot. 2. If you be united with him you shall be free from all evill and enjoy all good In particular consider 1 Mans misery out of Christ. 2 Mans happinesse by being in Christ. Object Answ. If you beleeve you shall be saved if not you shall be damned Salvation and Damnation are matters of great moment 1 They belong to the soule 2 They continue for ever Mot. 3. Your thirst shall be satisfied and healed Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object Answ. Iohn 6. Mot. 4. If you be united with Christ all things shall worke together for your good if not for your hurt 1 Cor. 3.18 Mot. 5. If you be out of Christ you are poore and naked and miserable 1 Poore What that poverty is 2 Naked Nakednesse what 3 Hungry Object 1. Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3. Answ. Pleasure what Object 4. Answ. Luke Object Answ. The time when some Fathers lived Why the Fathers are not so distinct in the doctrine of Transubst Damascene set transubstantiation a broach in Grecia 730. yeares after Christ. Lanâ—ranke Bishop of Canturbury 1030 yeares after Christ brought transubstantiation into England Bâ—ringerius lived foure hundred yeares since The benefits by Christ. What the wearinesse of sin is 1 In the service of sinne 1 Rest by Christ. 2 Wearinesse in the guilt of sinne 3 Wearinesse in the fruit of sinne Afflictions without sinne as the Adder without a sting 4 Wearinesse in the habite of sinne Sinne to the soule as sicknesse to the body 5 In all that sinne touches Folly quarrels at the best condition Wisdome makes the worst condition comfortable 4 Benefit by Christ. Kings have 1 Liberty Liberty what Christiaâ—s live as they list because they list not but to doe that which is good 2 Plenty Quest. Answ. 3 Peace To overcome what 3 Glory Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 6 Benefit a feast Object Answ. 1 Property of spirituall foode it endures for ever 2 Satisfieth Quest. Answ. 7 Benefit apparell
againe and so kindle the fire of Gods wrath which shall smoake to our destruction Thus by your words learne to know the sinfulnesse of your natures Lastly see it by your Actions Now sinnes in actions are of two sorts either sinnes of Commission and here you are to goe backe and consider what sinnes you have committed whether drunkennesse uncleannesse inordinate affections or injuries to men what provocations or rebellions against God and when you see them look on the number of them and on the greatnesse of them Consider their circumstances and among the rest the frequencie of them your relapses into them and that will make you with David Psal. 19. to cry out Lord who can understand his faults But we will not stand on this because iâ— is obvious every one knowes that actions are sinnes we will come to the second sort And that is sins of Omission which we are ready to slight and forget as no great matters but they are other things than wee take them to bee nothing hath more cause to humble us than they I say the sinnes of Omission the barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse of our lives may humble us as well as the rebellions and sinfulnesse of them We will run thorow them As first to be idle on the Sabbath-day is a sin of Omission and provokes God to anger as well as polluting it and breaking it with positive Acts. So the restraining of Prayer to neglect it to omit it or to performe it slightly for God takes prayers by weight and not by number this is not a small thing Againe to neglect the hearing of the Word to neglect the Sacraments a fault we have much cause to be blamed for in this place and thing you have often beene admonished to I beseech you learne by our Admonitions for they are the Admonitions of God let them I say learne that are guilty of it So Communion of Saints is a thing we thinke not of But Heb. 10.25 You shall see what a matter it was to neglect that Ordinance So Fasting and Prayer we thinke are not required at our hands and if nothing but the neglect of that were laid to our charge it were nothing But see what that is when the time is that God cals for it I say the very omission of that when God cals for it is a sin saith the Prophet which shall never be purged away by sacrifice but shall remaine to death Besides these omissions of Acts come to the omission of Graces I meane the want of them as the want of Love to Iesus Christ. Yet who confesses this want of love although 1 Cor. 16.22 Hee is pronounced accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration to the death So the want of Delight in God who thinkes of it Come to our Callings and see our negligence and idlenesse in them shall we give account for every idle word we speake and not for every idle houre wee spend Let young Gentlemen looke to this that passe from vanity to vanity spending their time idly and unprofitably trifling out their Seed-time Consider what this sin of Omission is And so for growing in spirituall graces and knowledge that we gather not more knowledge it being the key of heaven that wee grow not in good workes but are poore in them omitting our times and opportunities Againe our sinfull silence not speaking when we should either out of sluggishnesse or feare of men or by-respects this is no small thing God will call thee to an account for it Consider whether you have let goe occasions of doing good denying of meat and drinke kils a man as well as poison so the neglecting of duties the omission of what tends to salvation shall be death as well as actuall sinnes by which you provoke the eyes of Gods glory to vengeance Therefore in that sentence of Christ he doth not tell them what they have done but what they have not done You have not clothed me you have not visited me Learne therefore to judge aright of these sinnes of omission that they may helpe to amaze us and so much for actuall sins And so much for the Law the first part of our rule wherein we have runne thorow the corruption of the Faculties and so have discovered our habituall sins and now thorow the three kinds of actuall sinnes in Thought in Word and in Action The second rule which I told you we are to observe is the Gospell And here you thinke you shall scape well enough for the Gospell brings damnation to no body But if you consider of it right you shall finde that the Gospell is much more terrible in this case than the Law that it will humble us more and that the sins against the Gospell are much greater than those against the Law Marke this in briefe The refusing of Iesus Christ when God offers him and remission of sins by him that you may have him when you will if you will have him on such consequent conditions as are required which is to deny your selves to take up your crosse and follow him this wee preach continually I say this contempt of the Gospell your unwillingnesse to take Christ is a great sin and that that should humble you above all the rest And that you may know that I have reason to say so consider Christs speech It shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah than for such a people for such a City as when the Gospell of the Kingdome was preached to them neglected it so that the sin of Sodome is not so great a sin as the refusing of Christ. You know the greatnesse of that sin the punishment shewes it yet it is not so great as this Againe it is said of Moses and Christ being compared together That if they that sin against Moses Law are condemned how much sorer punishment shall they be worthy of that breake the Law of Christ that beleeve not the Gospell It exceeds the sinne against the other Againe consider is it a small thing to cause the bloud of Iesus Christ to be shed in vaine to trample it under foot and to count it a common thing But so doth every man that neglects it that hearkens not to it that is not ready to receive it that is not poore in spirit and so doth not hunger and thirst after Christ. Againe consider It is the chiefe Command and the breach of the chiefe Command must needs be the greatest sinne When the Disciples asked Christ what was the great Commandement he said This is the greatest of all To beleeve on him whom the Father had sent So 1 Ioh. 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should beleeve in the name of Iesus Christ. Againe the Gospell is the uttermost the Law makes way for the Gospell therefore the sentence and condemnation of the Gospell is peremptory and terrible and nothing beyond it Againe consider God was angry for the contempt
and no way to scape it then goe to Christ for these two things we must doe First Wee must have our mouthes stopped that so all men may bee culpable before him Secondly Wee must bee shut up in prison hee shuts up all under sinne that the promise might bee to them that beleeve when a man is shut up under the wrath of GOD so that there is no evasion this will bring him in Indeed if the minde of a man can finde any way to get out hee will never come in to CHRIST But when hee shall not tell how to scape the wrath of GOD if hee sinne against man man shall judge him but who shall when hee sinnes against GOD If hee consider the Terrour of GODS wrath if hee shut up and his mouth stopped and hee left inexcusable and shall see himselfe a miserable man I say this will make him goe home to CHRIST And that is the use you should make of it and bee sure hee will receive you if you goe to him Sinne is like the firy Serpent and the Wrath of GOD like the Sting when you are wounded therewith then know there is no way to bee healed but to looke up unto IESUS CHRIST the Brazen Serpent and if a man bee not wounded hee will not looke up GODS promises are generall he hath bound himselfe in his Word Goe and preach the Gospell to every Creature none excepted and let him that is a thirst come and take the waters of life freely Let these drive thee to the LORD CHRIST and thou shalt certainly be accepted And so much shall serve for that point The end of the Fourth Sermon CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION The Fifth SERMON ROMANS 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse AND now wee have almost gone thorow these words the last part of them remains that is which with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Wherein after the Apostle had declared the corruption of mans Nature in generall he now pitches on one particular especially that is such as with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse against whom the wrath of God is revealed In these words marke these three things First that there is a truth which God hath written in the hearts of naturall men Secondly that this truth is with-holden by them The word in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies keeping it in Prison it is kept downe not suffered to rise up and shew it selfe in practice and action Thirdly the cause of it is out of love to unrighteousnesse or delight therein that is of unrighteous lusts But we will put all these into this one Proposition It is the condition of the best men before Regeneration to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse That is the point Paul speakes not of the condition of some few but of the condition of men in generall And these be the men against whom the wrath of God is chiefely revealed these be the men that of all other thinke themselves the free civill men that carry themselves soberly deale justly with men that doe well in many things that indeed know much but practise not according to knowledge these I say be the men against whom the wrath c. It may bee you will object here That is strange that the more truth is revealed to men the more knowledge they have the more morall vertues they practise the worser it shall be with them For answer to this you must know that the having of this Truth the bestowing of any of these common graces puts no man into a better condition It is Gods worke and put upon his reckoning only Indeed the using or abusing of them is his owne worke and put upon his owne reckoning And therefore in regard hee may abuse them they may doe him hurt And those that have much of these Truthes but use them not or that if they doe use some of them yet doe it for their owne Ends and not simply for Gods glory are as abominable to God as those that run into the greatest outrages Men that are more civill are like Wolves tyed up others are like Wolves at liberty It is true other men do more mischiefe that is they commit more sinfull actions and consequently run into more guilt and their Condemnation shall be greater but those that are tyed up that by civility have their lusts restrained are no lesse abominable in Gods sight than others a wolfe tied up is as hatefull to a sheepe as one that is at large and so it is with these men for it is the condition of the best men before Regeneration to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Now in this point wee will handle three things First what this truth is Secondly how it is with-holden Thirdly the greatnesse of the sinne of with-holding the Truth c. For the first what this Truth is you must know there is a three-fold kinde of Truth First a naturall Truth written in the hearts of men to whom the Scripture was never revealed Secondly a common Truth or common knowledge such as they have that live in the Church but are not sanctified Thirdly a spirituall knowledge which sanctifies the heart of them in whom it is the two first whereof natural knowledge and common knowledge naturall men may have Now the thing we have to doe is to shew you what this knowledge here meant is because the difference is not very apparant Now as to understand what an accident is you consider the subject the author and efficient and the extent thereof so consider you these three things and then you shall know what this Truth is First where this Truth is now there is a Truth placed in the speculative part of the mind or understanding which is that by which we know and judge aright concerning God and morall vertues what is good and what is bad what is just and what is unjust whereby many men can discourse learnedly and clearely as Seneca and Tully and others of the Heathen in whom we finde many glimmerings and sparkles of true light As wee may finde Flowers in the waste though the proper place be the Garden The Church is the Garden of God as in Canticles My Sister my Spouse is as a Garden inclosed and it is true these Flowers properly grow there and if you will have them you must seeke them in the Scriptures in the Church of God but we may likewise finde them abroad Secondly this Truth is placed in the practicall part of the understanding and that is when we judge of good things to be done and of ill things not to be done and that as having reference to God that judges or rewards And this is it Divines call Conscience and it differs from the other in this that that judgeth simply whether it be good or bad but this gives lawes and rules and edicts of life it
performe not their duties diligently for this Truth As it is committed to us Ministers to preach it so it is committed to you that are Governours to bring men into the obedience of it you are to goe your way by the Sword and by your Authority for it is committed to your keeping as it is said of the great Magistrate he is Custos utriusque tabulae you must looke that Truth have his progresse as well as that the Common-wealth suffers no detriment Therefore let not your Authority lye as a Sword in a scabbard but let it be kept sharpe to cut downe Popery and whatsoever is an Impediment to this Truth and thinke it no small thing to neglect it for whatsoever sinnes are committed which you have Authority to restraine these sinnes are put on your reckoning Looke on the first Epistle of Timothy the fifth Chapter and the two and twentieth verse Lay hands on no man suddenly saith the Apostle and be not partakers of another mans sinnes If any be under thee whom thou hast to doe with if thou doest not bring him in and restraine him thou art partaker of his sinnes you know what was said to Ahab Thy life shall goe for his life and you know that not to strike the Nocent is as abominable in Gods sight as to strike the Innocent Therefore take heed of neglecting it whether it be out of feare as that is one Impediment or out of negligence Rom. 12.8 Let them that rule doe it diligently let them that give Almes doe it cheerefully As if that were a thing wherein givers are too blame that they doe it not cheerefully and diligently Therefore be you diligent in your places to set the Truth at liberty to bring men into subjection to it so farre as may be And so much shall serve for this being the sixth Case Now the seventh and last case is when we know these Truths of God and doe not professe them when God kindled a light and you put it under a bushell When God worketh Grace in any mans heart his Intent is it should shine forth to the eyes of others you must not shut up the windowes that no body may see if you doe whatsoever your respects be you with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse He that shall know the Truth and out of feare shall not professe it openly this feare is a sinne and hee that with-holds it out of that respect with-holds it in unrighteousnesse It is that which GOD requires of necessity With the heart wee beleeve and with the mouth we confesse to Salvation GOD requires the one as well as the other this is that that shut out the Pharisees the chiefe men among the Rulers that beleeved they durst not confesse him for feare of the Pharisees you shall see a brand set on them they lost their soules for it Therefore doe not say a man may keepe Religion to himselfe may have a good minde and bee devout in secret and that to bring it to view is hypocrisie it is not so it is a false opinion In doing so you robbe GOD of his glory and your selves of salvation It it the bearing witnesse to the Truth which you are bound unto and you cannot have this Truth in you but it will appeare Grace cannot bee concealed it cannot be hidde and if it could yet you must know that the very concealing of this Truth puts an imputation on it for wee conceale nothing but what wee are ashamed of and shame implyes you know that there is something amisse so that though you little thinke of it this concealing of the Truth this hiding of it is a degree to blasphemie it layes an imputation on the HOLY GHOST for it doth on the Light and Truth which is an effect of the HOLY GHOST Therefore know GOD desires both hee will have the inside cleane and the outside too Indeed if the inside be cleane the outside will bee so also but it is not true on the contrary A man may have a cleane outside as in Matthew the three and twentieth Chapter Make the inside cleane that the outside may bee cleane also The meaning is If a man have a cleane inside it is not possible but a cleane outside will follow It is true there may bee leaves and no fruit but there can bee no fruit but there will beleaves many counterfeit peeces may looke yellow but there is no Gold but it lookes yellow Doe not say then it is hypocrisie in them that professe Religion for they would not take the profession of these things to themselves but that they see a beauty and excellencie in them Therefore consider it and know there lyes a necessity on you do you think it unequall that God should be ashamed of you and will you be ashamed of him Is he such a Father that his children should bee ashamed of him or such a Master as we should be ashamed to weare his Livery Doe this to earthly Masters and see how they will take it Indeed if there were not some losse to men in undertaking this profession wee need not spend so much time to presse men to it but there is a losse in professing the Truth you may lose many friends and procure many enemies undergoe many crosses lose many benefits and preferments which you might have had this CHRIST tells you before-hand but if you love him you must deny your selves in these They breed an emnity in men instance that place of Ahab Hast thou found mee Oh mine enemie And am I your enemie because I tell you the Truth All men shall hate you for my Names sake And the more the Truth appeares the greater is the hatred because the object of hatred is greater But if you object what is the reason Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.13 Will any man deny to follow that which is good I answer There is a double good and that is profitable to man as to be Iust Meeke Gentle Patient ready to doe good in a word all goodnesse of this kinde men will love you for but there is another thing in Religion and that is practice of true Righteousnesse and Holinesse and that crosses men Therefore Saint Peter addes Blessed are yee if yee suffer for righteousnesse sake As if he had said though for your goodnesse men love you yet for your righteousnesse you must suffer persecution therefore that must be made account of before-hand and you must be ready to beare it So much shall serve to set downe the Cases Wherewith men with-hold this Truth in unrighteousnesse Fourthly if there bee such a Truth made knowne to us by God himselfe then in the observing of this Truth looke for happinesse in the transgressing of it expect misery ruine and destruction If God that is the Governour the Summum bonum shall appoint the Truth and set man a Law whatsoever that Law is in observing of that Law there is happinesse It is so with every creature he hath given every
little and little as you heape up sinne by little and little then it lies covered for a Time but in due Season there shall be an expence of it if you sow to the flesh the seed must lye covered a time and then it must have a Time of ripening but at length comes reaping Therefore be not deceived in this though you feele not the wrath presently yet thinke not that it will not follow No be assured this linke betweene sinne and wrath cannot be dissolved You shall finde a phrase in 2 Pet. 2.3 Whose damnation sleepeth not What is the meaning of that That is they bring on themselves swift Destruction though they thinke Damnation sleepes yet it doth not so it goes as fast as we and will be sure to meet us in the journeyes end So Moses useth this phrase Your sinne shall finde you out And David in the Psalme saith Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him that is Sinne when it is committed is like a Bloud-hound which though a man be got far from the place where a thing is acted yet followes the Tract he pursues and gives not over till he hath found So God sets sinne upon the Sent as it were and it will be sure to finde us out And for the most part when we thinke our selves safest it destroyes us suddenliest Doe not thinke therefore that these two linkes of sinne and wrath can be severed That which deceives us is this we see all is quiet and heare no more of sinne but you must know that all that while sinne is sending its cries to heaven for vengeance which are like unto the Vapours in the middle Region that are sent up insensibly we see them not we heare them not but they come downe in a Storme As God said to David Thou offendedst in secret but thy punishment shall be before this Sunne We thinke sinne a small thing A great body when we are past a mile or two from it we thinke very little which proceeds from the weaknesse of the eye The same imbesillity is in our mindes when sinne is past a great while since wee looke not on it as the same thing whereas the sinne is the same in it selfe the same in Gods Account and shall have the same punishment But you will say Is this the case of every man who then shall bee saved I answer there is a difference in sins Sinne doth not alway bring the same thing to passe in all though in some cases it may both godly men and evill men doe sin Pearles and Pibbles may both fal into the mire but one is a Pearle the other a Pibble And there is this difference in the punishment if a sonne offend his father will chastise and admonish him but not cast him off the father will spare his son in whom he delighteth but if a servant offends him he turnes him out of doores and will no more have to doe with him if you be servants of sinne eternall wrath shall come on you hee will turne you out of doores and utterly cast you off We will apply this And first it showes you that if sinne still drawes on wrath then if you cannot see sin in it selfe yet see it in its Effects in its Concomitants as it is attended on by the wrath of God though you care not for the blacknesse of the cole yet care for the burning of the cole though you care not for the foulenesse of sinne which holinesse should teach you to regard yet let the fire that is in it move you specially considering it is the wrath of God which feare and selfe-love should perswade you to decline Psa. 90.11 saith the Psalmist there Who knowes the power of his wrath As if he had said no man knowes it but those that have felt it I say it is a thing we doe not know Rom. 9.22 saith the Apostle there What if God to show his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with much patience the vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction Marke it the meaning is when the Lord comes to execute his wrath he will show his Almightie Power therein As hee showes the Riches of his glory in his mercy to others so his very Power yea the transcendent greatnesse of his Power shall be declared in his Wrath. But alas wherefore doe I goe about to enlarge my expressions of this Wrath The Truth is you will never understand it by the speaking of others it must bee the LORDS worke If hee will manifest himselfe to you that is if hee will open a crevise to let in to your soule the least Glimpse of him in his wrath and anger it will amaze and confound the stoutest hearted of you all Saul was a stout man Achitophel was a wise man but when God manifested himselfe to them as he did to Saul the day before hee died when GOD would not answer him when hee apprehended God in his wrath hee fell downe to the ground If God bee set against us let but an imagination an apprehension yea the least thing come as a Messenger of his displeasure as an Arrow dipped in the venome of his wrath it shall be insupportable But you will say I never felt it to be so terrible I but if once the Lord shall mingle the least troublesome thought with his wrath so that you shall see him in it I say that will amaze and confound you as the hand-writing did Belshazzar It was not the hand-writing that did so distemper him but the apprehension of an angry God that was able to take away his life from him When God came to Elijah 1 King 19.11 he first of all sent a wind that broke the Mountaines and rent the Rockes then he sent an Earthquake and then a Fire to let him know what a God he is And thus shall every man finde him that meets him not by repentance Therefore doe not trust to this that the sinnes you committed are long agoe past I will for that purpose commend unto your remembrance Ioabs case and Shimei's case Ioab had committed a sinne long agoe but he was never a whit the better for that his pardon being not sued out God so ordered it in his providence that his Gray-haires should bee brought to the grave in bloud So Shimei seemed to be quiet a great while but at last the Lord met with him I may also tell you of Sauls sinne in wronging the Gibeonites though it rested a while yet it was brought home to him at the end But you will say I feele nothing But let not that deceive you remember that terrible saying in 1 Sam. 3. Samuel threatned from God a great judgement on the house of Ely but the house of Ely flourished still It is no matter for that sayes Samuel I would have you know this that when the Lord begins he will also make an end that is the greatest
is none shines into the house so when men thinke they understand most yet they want this light to shine into the house Luke 24.45 Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures They had heard Christ before but they understood not his Word like those which sowed seed on ill ground and therefore received not the fruit of it but when the Holy Ghost comes into thy heart that will convince thee of evill it will expell darknesse and set right thy Iudgement otherwise though you heard Paul preach yea Christ himselfe were your Iudgements never so good yet it would not be done till the Holy Ghost teacheth you you will never know him never see him aright in his glory never see him so as to delight and long after him so as to desire nothing in the world so much as communion with him Thus it is when his Image is renewed in Knowledge and Truth and where this Knowledge and Truth is Holinesse instantly followes There are many that know and practice not and there are many which neither know nor practice but where this Image is what ever they know they practice Well let us apply this unto our selves briefly If to bee a New Creature there is required of us this Faith and Love Truth and Holinesse Knowledge and Righteousnesse then let us learne not to bee deceived to regard nothing else in comparison of this Doe as the Apostle Gal. 6.15 For in CHRIST IESVS neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature that is it is no matter for any thing in a man Circumcision is no better than Vncircumcision Goe thorow all the duties of Religion you shall finde them nothing till you bee made a New Creature I know many doe many things they come to Church and give almes well saith the Apostle Circumcision and Vncircumcision is all one so say I Prayer and no Prayer is all one doing justly and unjustly it is all one untill a man bee a New Creature Therefore saith Paul 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give all my goods to the poore which is a glorious action nay though I could be content to bee a Martyr though I give my body to bee burned and have not love it profiteth nothing So except you be New Creatures your labour is lost for Nature may doe much with the knowledge of the Gospel As the Earth brings forth grasse of it selfe and some flowers of the lowest sort but to bring forth a crop and flowers of the finest sort it must be tilled and there must bee seed put in Nature I say may doe much but this New Creature must come from an Immortall seed sowen in the heart by God himselfe Therefore looke whether thou hast that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the comfort we have when the body is decayed and waxen old yet let us not be discouraged though this outward man decay and perish there is a new youth springing up This is all the comfort we have that when the old house is going downe we have a new house setting up in stead of it Every man is glad to see an old house pulled downe and a new set up in stead of it but to see an old house going downe and no new one to bee set up the ruine of it is a most miserable Spectacle Take an Husband-man who hath taken great pains in plowing and sowing his ground when he sees his corne is rotten he is glad of it because he knowes new will come up in stead of it so when we see the body decaying and our day drawing towards evening when the Sunne of life is ready to bee set upon us when we shall grow no more this presents nothing but confusion yet here is hope for us There is light Sowen unto the righteous All the consolation and all the comfort wee have in these dayes of our vanity is that we have a New Creature that is not subject to vanitie The end of the Third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE 2 COR. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new Creature NOw we come to the last thing to be observed in the New Creature which is that there is not only an infusion of a new Quality but a weakning of the old Therefore we put that into the description A man is a New Creature when his heart is cast into another mould by the infusion of a new quality of grace and by a destroying of the old And this is specially to be observed because there bee two parts of the New Creature a mortification of sinne as well as a vivification For Common Nature is like a Bowle between two byasses Corruption is the wrong byas carrying us out of the way and Grace the good byas carrying us into the way So you must knocke off the old byas as well as put on a new one that is Common Nature lyes as an indifferent thing betweene Grace and Sin the Flesh and the Spirit Corruption and Holinesse so that as the body is betweene health and sicknesse so is Common Nature between originall sinne which is as the sicknesse or death of the Soule and Holinesse which is the health of it Now it is not only required that there be an infusion of the new Quality but likewise a weakning of this old both cannot stand together so farre as you strengthen one the other is weakned it is alwayes so where is contrariety where there is no contrariety two may stand together but when things be opposite the comming in of the one is the weakning of the other the comming of heat is a weakning of cold this is of speciall use And this use we are to make of it that hence then you see this will follow that if you finde much newnesse in your selves according to your owne opinion you finde you can doe many things you could never doe before you are able to doe these and these duties of new obedience well suppose it yet except there be a mortification of the old lusts if thou find that there be any lusts continue in thee in strength that in that regard thou art the same man still whatsoever addition there be it is no matter it is certaine thou art not yet a New Creature for a New Creature consists not in superinduction of the new Quality the old remaining but in a weakning of the old too It is not only a superaddition of the new but the death of the old also Therefore if thou findest any corruptions continuing in the fulnesse of their first strength not weakned at all though thou hast all signes of grace all parts of a New Creature to thy seeming yet thou art deceived because if thou wert new there would be a mortification of the old lusts So againe it is true on the other side Put case thou finde a great change in thy selfe such lusts as have been vigorous and lively thou findest to be
mee so that you shall be my people and I will be your God For you shall turne to mee with all your heart In a word they are never disjoyned take it for a sure rule as Ezek. 26. I will wash thee from thy Idols that is from thy lusts and idolatry and will give thee a new heart and a new Spirit he never doth one without the other therefore apply it It may be there be many particular sins which thou thinkest are forgiven Sabbath-breaking Swearing Vncleannesse goe thorow any particular sin if they be not healed they be not forgiven and so thou art in a miserable condition Therefore doe not say though I sinne againe and againe yet God is mercifull and I hope ready to forgive It is very true but thou must know that he is never merciful to forgive but he is as ready to heale and cure thy sins likewise therefore deceive not yourselves in that Only before I passe from this point mistake me not my meaning is not that it is so healed that there is not the least vigour left in it that it is so dead and buried that thou shalt never heare of it againe that the Spring of originall corruption is dried up that none of it is left but the meaning is it is healed that is Sinne is pulled downe from his Regency it may assault thee as a Rebell but it comes no more as a Lord as a King it is put out of possession it may creepe in as a Theefe but it comes no more as the owner of the house for that is resigned up to grace and the New Creature Sin creepes in as it were but there is another Master of the house so that now thou mayest say I doe it not but sinne that dwelleth in me that is that creepes in thy denomination is from that that beares rule in thy heart for that is all that is done in Regeneration Sin is put out of possession and Grace is now the Ruler the Lord of the heart therefore we may say it is healed that is it is so shut out that thou hast dominion over it it may assault thee now and then it may overcome thee now and then but it dwels not in thee thou never entertainest as a guest thou never biddest it welcome thou never makest peace with it thou hast perpetuall warre with it as there was with the Amalekites Againe corrupt nature must bee lessened weakned and mortified so there must be more than nature in thee that is thou must be able to doe more than any natural man in the world can doe or then thou wast ever able to doe before this change was wrought in thee for you must know Grace doth not onely mortifie and heale Sin but it goes beyond the power of Nature as we say Physicke helpes where Nature failes and Art helpes where Nature fals short Such a thing is Grace where Nature failes there is use of Grace indeed else what were the efficacie of the Word and the vertue of the Spirit and the power of Christ If they did not enable a man to do more than Nature doth Grace comes from an higher Well-head than Nature therefore it raiseth a man to an higher pitch than Nature can ascend to Therefore consider if thou hast that which goes beyond Nature Sampson had a strength beyond Nature he could doe what a common man could not doe but God being with him he had more than the strength of Nature How do we know that He was able to carry away the gates of the Citie c. which none else could do therefore there was in him strength above Nature Now examine canst thou doe that which no man else can doe that is a meere naturall man Thou must have a strength put into thee which none can reach to that hath nothing but Nature in him that is canst thou love the Lord Iesus and the Saints An Hypocrite can counterfeit many things but not love Againe canst thou delight in the Law of God in the Inner man I aske not if thou canst approve of it but canst thou delight in it counting it as meat and drinke to doe the will of thy Father This is a thing which cannot be counterfeit So canst thou deny thy selfe I aske not if thou canst deny this or that particular sinne but the whole body of sin if thou favourest the things of the Spirit if thou canst mortifie the deeds of the Body and walke according to that Spirit In a word whatsoever it is if thou art a New Creature thou must find thy selfe able to doe that which no naturall man can doe and which thy selfe could'st never doe before for otherwise what wilt thou have to answer for thy selfe when the Destroying Angell shall come if hee finde not in thee more than Nature the Destruction shall passe on thee as it was in the Passeover except there was found bloud on the door-posts they died for it Now the bloud that this Destroying Angell must see when hee shall passe over the world is that which is more than Nature You must know the bloud of Christ leaves an impression Their garments were made white in the bloud of the Lambe that is not onely the guilt of sin is taken away but a new vertue is put on them a new efficacie is put into them and if thou hast not the vertue of the bloud of Christ as well to purge thy conscience from dead workes as to take away the guilt of sin all is nothing you must know all the old world shall be destroyed and the workes of it and whatsoever is in it whatsoever is old shall be destroyed the Lord will spare nothing but what is new he makes a new Heaven and a new Earth and what is new shall be spared when he comes to take an examination of men and findes nothing but old in thee thou art sure to be destroyed if thou be new he will spare thee there is a blessing there this is the marke in the forhead this is that new Name this is that certain watch-word which if a man know not hee is counted as an enemie you have a fashion sometimes to give markes if they have that marke that token in their hand they are knowne to be of them that are allowed So there is a certaine sealing of men to life God gives a new name a white stâ—ne with a new name written on it which none can reade but God and thy selfe I say except thou art a New Creature for that is the new name the Destroying Angell shall not spare thee but thy sinnes shall be cast on thy conscience as usually hee doth when thou are on thy death-bed he never binds the burthen till then you have it before but you never feele it till then but when God shall charge it on thy conscience what wilt thou say if thou findest not these two things a weakning of this old nature an healing of sin and something morethan
may be ready to put it off and lay it aside but your Nature is altered and so your carriage will be constant Againe what is naturall to thee is pleasant because indeed all pleasure is nothing else but a sutablenesse to our Nature Let the nature bee what it will be any thing sutable to it will bee pleasant Therefore it is a conclusion the Philosophers had that that light which is Convenientissima Naturae is the pleasantest light Now if thou have another nature all the wayes of God will be pleasant to thee It will be meat and drinke to thee to doe his will Againe if it be naturall thou wilt not bee subject to wearinesse Another man is still going up the hill when hee is about holy duties and growes weary and sits downe and is not able to continue but what wee doe naturally we are not weary of The eye is not weary with seeing nor the eare with hearing because it is naturall The assiduity of holy duties wearieth out any man that hath another nature but let the Nature be altered and he holds out they be so farre from wearying him that they abilitate him they make him more able the burthen growes lighter and the way more easie when to another man it is hard and he casts it off Againe if it be naturall it will out-grow the contrary it will weary it out for Nature is neerer to us than that which is adventitious Sin is put out of possession a mans selfe is altered sinne doth not dwel there but it comes in there Now there is another Nature which weares it out as a Spring doth mud let mud fall into a Spring it will worke it out for it is a living water still working So if a mans nature be changed if a man fall to sinne yet there is a Spring and that Nature will returne againe and againe and worke it out if not to day it will to morrow because there is a Spring there Againe where there is not a New Creature it will never leave setling till it have corrupted the whole But an Objection will come in I cannot find this change of Nature I find that the sins I delighted in before I delight in still those evill inclinations which I had before I have them still I find not such an inward alteration I find that I can suppresse them and restraine them but the change of Nature I find not This is a great Objection and needs answering To this therefore I answer two things thou shalt find in thy selfe if thy nature be changed if thou have another nature in thee hough there be something in thee that doth like the objects of thine owne lusts yet there is something in thee that abhorres them though there bee an inclination that carries thee towards them yet there is a contrary inclination that resists them so there is something still that contradicts and opposeth them And that is not all there is bâ—sides this a weakning of the vigour which before they had there is not that strength in them that was before So that there are two things in every man that hath a new Nature First though there be much of the old there yet it is exceedingly weakned and mortified And secondly there is much new that was not there before In every faculty there is something new that puts a good tincture a beauty and glosse on every action thou doest so as though thou doe much of the old yet not so much as thou didst before and thou doest much that thou couldst not doe before Therefore be not discouraged though there bee some Inclinations left still yet the streame is weakned the vigour is abated and againe there is a contrary streame that opposeth resisteth and overcommeth it It may be at the first thou mayest find it more difficult but in continuance thou shalt find it more evident I cannot better resemble it to you than by a man newly recovered out of sicknesse take a man that is newly recovered as soone as his disease begins to lose his strength and health begins to enter the health is exceeding little at the first but you shall finde this in such a man that health is in every part and you shall finde it will grow still and get ground And againe although a man be exceeding weake not able to goe out of his chamber not able it may be to goe out of his bed yet the sicknesse is gone and subdued and health hath got the victory so the sicknesse growes weaker and weaker and health stronger and stronger so Sincerity is the least of all Graces at the first and growes to be the greatest at the end therefore though there be the same Inclinations in thee still yet it is like a sicknesse when a man is upon point of recovery when the health begins to enter in there is a great weaknesse remaines but the health over-ballanceth it Therefore be not discouraged for that onely be sure that thou find those Inclinations die in thee more and more and that health growes more and more for lusts are said to be mortified not because they are actually dead already but because they are dying a wound is given them and they will be dead And a man is said to have a new life because hee is growing towards it so a man is a New Creature not because he iâ— perfectly new but that is the end he lookes to Fourthly if we must have another Nature then surely the Nature we had before the old Nature must needs be very bad for nothing is to be changed but you change it for the contrary Now if this bee required as good the other must bee abhorred as evill therefore learne not to excuse your owne Nature or your sinne from it but abhorre it this is a point of great use and directly flowing from the words If another Nature be required the old nature is bad and must be hated abhorred and emptied forth now because men are exceeding apt to excuse themselves from their nature they think their sinne is so much lesse because they have a strong inclination to it They are deceived in this for the sinne is so much the greater if the Sparke be so much what is the fornace within If the Branches be so bitter what is the Root Therâ—fore make this use of the actuall sinnes which you commit they should be as Rivers to lead you to the Sea of corruption within you You shall see the Saints made this use of theiâ— inward corruptions Paul seeing the rebellioâ— of his flesh it led him to the body of sin amaâ—zed him he complained before but when he came to that hee grew to an extremity of complaint as if that were worse than all the Branches So David considering his murther c. made him to know what it was to be conceived in sinne for at that time he comes to that complaint in the one and fiftieth Psalme I was conceived
it thus long and therefore will doe it still Yeeld not to it but know thou oughtest to be changed have this still in thy minde thou must have a new Nature thou art redeemed from thy old customes And this I speake not only to the old but to the young I call it old not because men have long continued in it but because it is sutable to the old nature You should therefore rather make a contrary use of it and be ready to say seeing I have continued in such a course so long it is time for me to alter it is enough and too much that I have spent so much time amisse I have suffered Christ to want and knocke till his head be wet with the dew he shall wait no longer I will now open to him for therefore are we New Creatures that wee may bee redeemed and freed from these old customes Secondly if thou must be New then let it not seeme strange to thee that the world wonders at thee for any thing that is new wee are apt to wonder at as at new Stars that have not appeared before and at new fashions This is the condition of all Saints to be wondred at I and the children whom thou hast given mee are as signes and wonders in Israel If it were among Turkes it were another matter but it is so in Israel Be not discouraged for this make account of it the world will wonder at New Creatures and let it not seeme strange for when thou knowest that all the world lyes in wickednesse as in the 1 Ioh. 5.19 And knowest that thou art a New Creature why wilt thou be discouraged Let the Mathematitian be working according to his Art he drawes lines according to his Rule if a Country-man laugh at him will he give over and be discouraged He will not doe so for he knowes it is the mans ignorance so if thou approvest thy selfe to God if thou keepest a good conscience in all things towards God and towards men the world will wonder at it yet thou goest by Rule it is their ignorance it seemes strange to them and therefore they speake evill It is the multitude that doth it and the multitude doth alway cast shame on that which shames them know it is the fashion of the world to do so the life of the Saints is a secret censure now there is no way for the world to helpe themselves but to blemish that which shames them to cast shame on that to blemish that as much as can be Therefore the old world doth put away all that may discover them As the Painter when he had pictured a Cocke very ill commands his Boy to drive away all true Cockes from the picture for saith he if they come neere it all men will see what a bungler I am but if no true Cockes come neere it may passe well enough After this manner doth the world As long as no New Creature comes neere their oldnesse is not seene it is not taken notice of they doe well enough but if there be one in a Countrey or Towne or one of a Societie whose course is of another fashion that hath another life that is a New Creature when he stands by the old will appeare and they will have it driven away I would the times were not such as that I need presse this Indeed it is a great weaknesse to be discouraged in the wayes of God and to be ashamed of that which should be our glory It hath alway beene the manner of the world and that may comfort thee for the world is as the Sea that casts out Pearles but this is thy comfort some will gather them up some know them to bee Pearles and prize them so though the world casts them out as mud yet the Lord knowes what thou art The world loves her own but what is not like themselves the world cannot love as the Aethiopians picture Angels blacke and Devils white so doth the old world what is blacke like themselves they reckon beautifull but they that have the true beauty they honour not because they are not like them Therefore if thou findest ill entertainment in the world thou must know every New Creature shall have it And let me say this of the old world that are ready to cast shame on the New Creatures you say you doe it not to the New Creatures not to them that are religious but you doe it to Hypocrites Let me say thus much to you before I passe this point Those men whom of all others you may thinke not to be New Creatures may be the best men as a Philosopher answered and it was a wise answer when an ignorant man asked him who was an happy man whereas men reckon Kings and Princes happy men He answered Hee that of all others thou thinkest most happy may bee most unhappy and hee whom thou thinkest most unhappy may be most happy So those that be disliked for the most part are these New Creatures and those men spoke well of are of another stocke like themselves Thirdly if we must be New Creatures then pull downe all that is old for whatsoever is old must be rejected a man must in every thing be another man than hee was So as thou mayest say I had such a lust such a disposition my delight was in such things such men such company now I am changed all is made new So that thy businesse is to pull downe now and to build up that is the businesse of every man to be still plucking downe the old building whatsoever is old whatsoever is in thy selfe in thy old selfe thou must be emptied off and thou must be new that is Thou must purge out the old leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out the old leaven for Christ your Passeover is offered If that was to be done for the shadow must it not bee done for the substance The Apostle presseth it so Purge out all the old leaven all must be purged all old things must bee taken away there was a strait charge that they must search their houses yea every corner of their cup-boord not any place should be left unsearched and it was to be done exactly that in the least corner there should be no leaven left So thou must search all the corners of thy heart all the turnings of thy conversation the old leaven must be purged out of all out of thy understanding out of thy tongue there must be no more thy old speech and language out of thine eyes there must be no more wantonnesse out of thine eares every part of the old man of the old leaven must be purged out of the whole Soule there is no question of that and of thy body too all the manner of conversation must be holy all old leaven must be purged out because it is old leaven and you must keepe the Passeover with that which is new with new dough with the New Creature For Sinne is like
have said Blessed is a rich man a man in honour and dignity in credit and that hath health he is a blessed man No saith David but hee is a blessed man whose sinnes are forgiven whose iniquities are covered because such a man GOD sets himselfe to make blessed for blessednesse is the heape of all good things Now who can give that but God who hath the command of all things Can any but he cause all things worke together for thy good And if any thing be wanting thou art not blessed Againe when thy sinnes be forgiven thee God is made thine he is reconciled to thee for thy sinne is taken away and when GOD is thine thou art a blessed man for he brings all good things and hee is the Buckler that keepes off all evill he is the Master of the Creatures Now you know the Master is he who can rate the dogge when he fals on a Guest or a stranger and it is onely the Master that can doe it It is he that can rate any evill and suppresse it thou hast him therefore thou art a blessed man and thou hast him by having thy sinnes forgiven thee that is the great promise that he should save his People from their sinnes he needs say no more when he saith Hee shall save his People from their sinnes for then he saves them from all trouble and misery in the world Therefore this may be a great motive it was CHRISTS owne motive when hee would invite men to come to him he saith Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you That is thy sinnes that are as an heavie burthen shall be taken off of thee But you will say I feele no burthen of it No but thou shalt finde it a burthen when GOD shall set every man to beare his burthen when GOD shall charge it on thy conscience and it is thy wisdome to have it taken off though thou finde it not a burthen I say guilt is a great burthen which will binde thee over to damnation It is a great burthen when conscience is awaked Againe Corruption is a great burthen for it wearies a man Sicknesse is a wearinesse to the bodie and Sinne is the same to the Soule that Sicknesse is to the body A sicke man is weary of every thing weary of his bed of his chamber of his dyet he is weary of sitting of standing for hee is sicke So it is with every man that hath not his sinnes forgiven him hee is weary not only of the guilt but hee is weary of every thing Put him in the best condition he findes no rest and in that hee is weary of every thing That which they say of Folly it may bee more truely said of every wicked man that every condition is miserable to him he is weary of himselfe he is weary of every thing he hath no rest Further when thou art in CHRIST he will give rest to thy soule that is he will take away the power as well as the guilt of sinne hee will heale thy sicknesse and then the worst condition will bee pleasant to thee thou wilt finde rest in a Prison thou wilt finde rest in sicknesse thou wilt finde rest in death every condition yea the worst will bee sweet unto thee before in the best thou foundest none for there was a restlesnesse within but when thy sinnes bee forgiven thee thou shalt finde rest to thy soule The end of the Seventh Sermon THE EIGHTH SERMON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE 2 COR. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new Creature GOD hath planted in every man selfe-love every man seekes his owne happinesse Two things every man would have they would be freed from all evill and enjoy all good things if they could finde these in Christ men would be perswaded to come in Now we can assure you that both these you shall finde in Christ you shall by him be freed from all evil and be compassed about with mercy on every side First I say you shall be freed from all evill for what Christ saith to all his Disciples Luke 10. You shall tread on Serpents and Scorpions and all the power of the Enemie and nothing shall hurt you may be applied to all the Saints though there be many hurtfull things in the world yet nothing shall hurt them It is true indeed they may have to doe with Serpents and Scorpions that is evill things may fall upon them as well as upon others you see the same condition fals to all yet it shall not hurt them according to that in Luke 1.74 That we being delivered from our enemies is that we may serve him without feare Mark that you shall be delivered from all your enemies if you will come in that is there shall not an enemie in the world be able to doe you hurt and you shall live without feare that is the great advantage you shall have as if he should say other men feare a thousand things they feare death they feare sicknesse they feare losse of friends and good name but when a man is one in Christ he shal be delivered from all his Enemies he shall serve the Lord without feare because nothing is able to hurt him for what could hurt him Either it must be the Devill or men or some other Creature but none of these can hurt him Is not God the Governour of the house Is he not the Master Is not he able to rate the Mastives from flying in the face of any of his friends that come to him yea he is able to doe it and none but the Master of the house is able to do it None can keep the Creatures from hurting of you but he that hath the command of all the Creatures therefore if you will come in nothing shall hurt you he is a Buckler and a Shield to compasse you round about He will be your strong fortresse into which no Creature shall be able to shoot an arrow But besides this you shall have all things else that you can desire The Lord himselfe shall bee your habitation from generation to generation Psal. 90.1 That is you shall dwell in the Lord and you shall not dwell in him for a fit as we doe in our houses of clay but for ever and looke what an house doth that doth he he will keepe you safe and defend you from evill he is an house that it shall not raine thorow and such an house he is as will goe with you whithersoever you goe he is our habitation from generation to generation yea an house as will not onely defend you but refresh you with all manner of comforts for houses are made for delight as well as for defence Whatsoever you want he will helpe you to If you be sicke he is able to heale you if you be weake he is able to strengthen you if hungry to satisfie you whatsoever condition you
be Wine Christ saith he will not drinke of the fruit of the Vine by which he meanes the very wine which was before in the Sacrament and therefore certainly they finde nothing that affirmes it Besides if it were the meaning of Christ This is my body what is the reason the Disciples never asked any question about it What is the reason the Fathers that followed in the first times spake not of such a thing I need not trouble you with that Now you shall finde all along from the first that the Fathers make no such mention of that but not to stand to presse this further because I see the time passeth and this thing I intend not to stand on You see therefore the falsenesse of this opinion that this Communion of the bloud of Christ and of the body of Christ should be through any reall corporall Transubstantiation But what is it then We are to distinguish betweene the inward and the outward action there need no more but that with the outward action with the mouth of the body we take the bread and wine and with the inward action that is by faith wee take the very body and bloud of Christ these we distinguish these they confound But I say we agree in the thing we say Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament as truly and really as they only there is difference in the manner we say it is spiritually they say it is corporally For what is the Sacrament to open it to you and so I will come to make some use to you This Sacrament is nothing else but the Seale of the Gospell of the new Covenant and it is indeed nothing else but a visible Gospell for what is the Gospell the Gospell is but an offer of Christ to all that will take him for remission of sinnes now the same thing which the Gospell preacheth to the eare the same the Sacrament preacheth to the eye that is in the Sacrament there is an offer of Christ to us Take and eat that is take Christ whose body was broken and whose bloud was shed for you take him for remission of sinnes I say the same is done only the Gospell presents it to us under audible words and the Sacrament presents it to us under visible signes this is all the difference If we would know what the Sacrament is consider what the Gospell is and the Covenant and you shall know what this is for it is but a Scale but a memoriall of the Gospell now what is this Gospell It is nothing but this when God looked on mankinde as fallen in Adam he tooke a resolution in himselfe to recover them againe by giving his Sonne to them Now this must be manifested to men therefore he sends his messengers to declare to the sonnes of men to let them know their estate by nature and to tell them that he hath given them his Sonne to save them from their â—innes and to reconcile them to himselfe to give them title to the kingdome from the hope of which they were fallen this is one part of the Gospell this promise which he hath made which I say is nothing else but a meere office of Christ. But there is another part which is the condition required on our part when Christ is thus given you must serve him and love him and obey him and turne from all your evill wayes you must be his as he is yours now when this covenant and agreement is made betweene us he puts his Seale to it this Sacrament of the Lords Supper As Iacob and Laban when they had made an agreement one with another that they should not hurt one another they pitched stones upon an heape This shall be a witnesse betweene us that is if either of us breake the bargaine let this heape witnesse that there was such a covenant made And as God himselfe did when he made a covenant with Noah that the waters should no more overflow the earth he set his bow in the clouds and that was a witnesse that when I see the Bow in the cloud if I goe about to drowne the earth againe with water let this witnesse against me So in the Passeover when he made a promise that the destroying Angell should spare them he commands them that they should sprinkle the doore-cheekes with bloud that when he sees the bloud that witnesse might secure them that the Lord would remember what he had promised when hee had seene that And as among men when a man conveyes either lands or money to another man they use to confirme the bargaine with seales or with some signe or memoriall that when they forget the bargaine or deny it or goe about to breake it it may be said to them This is your hand and seale the thing is done you have past it it cannot be recalled if you doe this will witnesse against you So the Lord here when he hath made his Covenant with us I will give you my Sonne And you againe shall give your selves up to him he puts his hand and seale to it as it were he addes this Sacrament that will be a witnesse against him if he should go about to breake his covenant as it is a witnesse against us if we breake the Covenant of faith and repentance that is required on our part You see therefore what the Sacrament is it is nothing but the Seale of the Gospell presenting that to the eye which the Gospell presents to the eare for it presents God as it were he comes with Christ in his hand saying this to us This is my Son his body is broken for you and his bloud shed for you take Him let Him be yours only remember that you serve him that you love him that you obey him againe and let this Sacrament be a signe and a witnesse betweene us so that as the Gospell hath two parts one is a relation of all that Christ hath done and another is the giving and offering Christ to us so in this Sacrament there is a representing of Christ he was crucified his body was broken his bloud was shed and a deed of gift is delivered of Christ to us Take and eat And therefore know that it is not a bare signe but it is a signe of the Covenant and there is a difference betweene those two to say the Sacrament is a signe of Christ and a signe of the Covenant even as there is a great difference betweene the wax that only bears the impression of an image stamped upon it and betweene that which is a seale to a Deed that is a signe of the covenant or bargaine and agreement for that gives interest into the thing that gives Title to the thing that conveyes the thing to us that binds the owner perpetually to the performance of the thing so the Sacrament is not a naked signe representing this act of Christ but it gives us interest not only into some benefits no he saith not you shall have
remission of sinnes or you shall have adoption but he saith Take this is my body By body is meant whole Christ by a Synecdoche we have Christ and all things else What use are we to make of this Surely it is of great use many wayes First we must make this use of it which is the maine end of the Sacrament to confirme our faith in the assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes as likewise to renew our Covenant and the Condition required on our part when God hath said he is willing to pardon our sinnes if he had but barely said it it had beene enough God cannot lye But lest it should not be enough he hath not only said it but he hath sworne it Hebr. 6. He hath sworne by himselfe that by two immutable things we might have strong consolation Being willing saith the Apostle to shew to the heires of Promise the stablenesse of his Councell he bound himselfe with an oath but yet lest that should not be enough he hath added seales to it he hath given the inward seale of the Spirit and the outward seale of the Sacrament as if he should say I have promised to forgive you your sinnes let the Sacrament witnesse against me if I performe it not Here by the way observe how difficult a thing it is for us to beleeve you may thinke it an easie thing when you are in health when you are well but when death comes when temptation comes when trouble of conscience comes I say you shall finde it a difficult thing you shall finde a need of all these helpes for certainly God sweares not in vaine he would not have bound himselfe with an oath to be ready to forgive sinnes if there were not exceeding need of such helpes to confirme us and therefore you have need to set your selves more diligently about it make this use of the Sacrament labour to confirme your selves in this assurance So that as the Apostle saith You may have strong consolation that is when the temptations of Satan shall assault you with objections to the contrary you may be strong and not shaken And why should you be doubtfull if we should a little reason with you that you may receive the fruit of this for why should you feare it For first the Lord professeth I would not the death of a sinner as I live And why will you die oh you house of Israel What is the meaning of this but to shew that the Lord hath an exceeding great desire earnestly longs to save the soules of men Indeed he saith not that he will give every one grace to come in but if he doe As I live saith the Lord I will not his death that is I am ready to forgive him Besides this consider what a man is ready to doe consider how tender-hearted fathers and mothers are to their children if we finde so much mercy there consider how much there is in God that mercy that is in us is but a drop to the Ocean it is but a beame to the fulnesse that is in him If you that are evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father doe it Againe consider if the Lord were not ready to shew mercy to you that Christ should not be of none effect that is the bloud of Christ should be shed in vaine And doe you thinke the Lord would send his Sonne to suffer death and to suffer it in vaine and that should be in vaine if he should not be ready to receive men to mercie when they come to seeke it at his hands besides if the Lord should not doe this no flesh should be saved Psal. 130.1 saith the Psalmist there If thou Lord shouldest marke all that is done amisse who could stand The meaning is this if the Lord should not be ready to doe this which he hath given to the Sacrament to confirme namely to forgive sinnes if he should not be ready to doe it if he should mark straitly what is done amisse who could stand that is who should be saved Now certainly the Lord hath made man for that purpose many shall be saved none were made for damnation Besides there is another argument There is mercy with thee that thou mightest be feared Feare is taken for the worship of God that is if the Lord should not receive men none would worship him none would serve him when there is no hope take away all hope take away all endeavour If this will not perswade you consider what the Lord hath done for others how many thousands of others have had their sinnes forgiven and then thinke had he mercy for such and such and hath he not mercy enough for me Hath not Christ taken thy nature as well as theirs If all this will not perswade you consider how mercifull Christ was in the dayes of his flesh he was exceeding gentle easie to be entreated you shall never finde that there was any that asked at his hands but he granted it And thinke you that he is lesse pitifull now to mens soules than he was to their bodies Doe you thinke that now he is in heaven he hath laid aside his mercifull disposition No Hebr. 4. We have a mercifull high Priest that is touched with our infirmities that is ready to forgive Oh but my sinnes are exceeding great what though they be is not the Lords mercy exceeding is it not like the mighty Sea that drownes mountaines aswell as mole-hils My sins are of divers sorts what if they be in the Lord there is multitudes of mercies as many as thou hast sinnes I but they have oft beene repeated I have oft fallen into them againe and againe What if thou hast Is not his mercies renewed every morning And Zachary 15.1 There is a fountaine opened for the house of Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in Not a cisterne but a fountaine that is as there is a spring of sinne in us so there is a spring of mercy in God there is no end of his mercy therefore doubt not in regard of that But againe I am unfit if I were fit and ready for this I might receive fruit from the Sacrament but I am unfit Why If thou thought's thy selfe fit thou shouldest not have it even therefore because thou feelest thy selfe unfit the rather thou shalt be received to mercy the Lord lookes for this aâ— thy hands that we find and feele such â—â—fiâ—resse in our selves the more we are humbled the lesse we find in our selves the more ready the Lord is to receive us to mercy Besides this very unfitnesse I would aske thee but what iâ— is Is it not sinne If all sinnes be forgiven if the pardon be generall then it is contained among the rest and shall not be any impediment And therefore make this use when you come to the Sacrament thinke not that God is backward to forgive that he will not be as good as his word certainly he will and know this
but besides this as there is a wearinesse in the service of sinne and a wearinesse in the guilt of sinne and in the fruit of sinne So yet there is more wearinesse There is a wearinesse in the habite of sin for sin is to the soule as sicknesse is to the body Now a man that is sicke is weary of every thing he is weary of sitting he is weary of lyving so the soule while sinne abounds in it is weary of every thing a man is weary of himselfe he is weary of his owne company Now when Christ comes he takes away this wearinesse and gives grace which is to the soule as health is to the body that cures all the distempers and give â—â—st unto it but yet there is more than this There is a wearinesse in all that sinne toucheth in all the conditions of this life there is a wearinesse A man is weary of solitarinesse and he is weary of company he is weary of businesse he is weary of idlenesse he is weary of high condition for that is subject to Envie as the wind is most boisterous upon the top of hils And he is weary againe of low condition for the valleyes are over-low there a man is still subject to injuries and to be trampled on that place us where you will by reason of sinne it makes every condition weary to us But Christ comes to take away this wearinesse likewise by teaching us how to accommodate our selves to all conditions by teaching us how to want how to abound how to bee well how to be sicke how to live how to dye and this he doth by giving wisdome for folly will quarrell at the best condition wisdome makes the worst condition comfortable This the Lord doth thus hee delivers you from the wearinesse of sinne this rest you shall have if you will take him because when he comes into the soule he casts out sinne the cause of all these Tempests As Ionas when hee was cast out you know then there was a calme I say such rest you shall have in Christ out of him there is nothing but trouble and disquiet and restlessenesse and this is the third benefit that 〈◊〉 invite you to come in and take him Come unto me you that are weary and you shall finde ease and rest to your soules And now what would you have besides There is nothing that your hearts can desire but you shall have it in him And because we are so much moved with sensible things the Scriptures sets forth the good things we have by Christ under notions of such things as are sensible as we feele the sweetnesse of them as wee can taste in this world that is a kingdome riches peace godly apparell c. First therefore if you will come into Christ you shall have a Kingdome the Kingdome that is the Epitome of our happinesse and the journeyes end to all our desires You know when the Messias was to come what expectation the Iewes had of a kingdome that should bee restored to them how frequent are the Prophets in setting forth the glorious lustre of that kingdome When the Messias came it was fulfilled for saith he Matth. 3. Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand and Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome and Rev. 1. Hee hath made us Kings and Priests You will say wherein is this Kingdome wherein doth this kingdome consist Looke to all the properties of a Kingdome and you shall finde all in this First one thing wherein the freenesse of Kings consists is that they have their liberty others are Subjects Now what is liberty Liberty is nothing else but a power to live as you will This you have by Christ because he gives his spirit as soone as you take him hee sends his Spirit into your hearts that rectifies your will that sets all right and strait within us Now when your will is rectified you will that which you ought when you have this you live as you list because you list not to doe but that which is good and so you have liberty in Iohn 8. The Sonne shall make you free that is you shall be subject to nothing as Paul saith wee will bee brought into subjection to nothing we will not be subject to lust wee will not be subject to any thing you shall serve nothing as he saith Wee are bought with a price wee are not the servants of men we need feare nothing Luke 1.74 That being delivered from the hands of all our enemies we might serve him without feare because when you feare him you need feare nothing besides As the true Serpent ate up the false so the true feare eates up the false When you are in him you are at liberty you are delivered from all your enemies Take any other man still he feares something hee feares death hee feares sicknesse hee feares losse of friends hee feares losse of the favour of the Prince hee feares the losse of something or other But when a man is in Christ he is delivered out of the hands of all his enemies hee need feare nothing for what should hurt him It must be some of the creatures but all they are like Mastives rated by the masters command as it is onely the master that can doe it and he doth rate them that they shall not flie in the face of his friend though they may assault his enemies and doe but thinke with your selves what a happy condition it is what safety you have in Christ that nothing can hurt you and therefore we are bidden be in nothing carefull If any thing could hurt you we might bee carefull in something No saith he Be carefull in nothing Christ takes care for you nothing shall hurt you and so All things shall worke for your good And if so be then nothing can hurt you this is that you shall have by Christ one thing you shall have liberty But another thing wherein a Kingdome consists is Plenty that is you shall have abundance of all things What was Salomons Kingdome And what were other kingdomes of the world but plenty of all things What shall we have then you will say Shall we have Meate and Drinke Houses and Vines No those are too base things for the Kingdome of God to consist in Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God consists in righteousnesse holynesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost that is there shall bee a rectitude in all your soules that it shall be free from disorder from distemper from obliquity Besides you shall have peace that is a companion of a Kingdome you shall have peace that is your soules shall be quiet there shall be a serenity there as the Sea is when it is without wind or storme Againe you shall have joy your hearts shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit these things you shall have if you will come in to