not alwayes use it so though sinne doth not alwayes appeare bitter unto you yet it is and it appeares not bitter oftentimes to some because it doth not use its sting alwayes but sinne is bitter because it is the cause of all afflictions I say sinne is the sting and edge of every affliction take sinne from the affliction and affliction will be but a bulke without a burthen or as a Serpent without a sting or a sword without an edge and on the contrary nothing is bitter nor hurts if sinne be remooved Paul had a good conscience because sinne was not joyned with it and therefore the afflictions imprisonments and reproaches that he met withall did not hurt him they had no sting in them in 1. Cor. 15. 56. saith the Apostle The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law That which gives a sting unto death is sinne and that which gives a sting unto sinne is the Law for if it were not for the Law there would be no sinne and if it were not for sin there would not be any sting or bitternesse in death Therefore sinne cannot choose but in its owne nature bee exceeding bitter and evill and therefore esteeme how you will of sinne now but if once you come to know God in his power and greatnesse then you shall know sinne to be bitter and evill and the reason is because sinne makes us to see God as a Iudge ready to cast us into hell out of his presence and utterly to destroy us What was the reason that Paul was so affrighted and astonished in this place but because hee saw God in his power and holinesse and sinne contrary unto the pure nature of God And what was the reason that the Iaylor was so affrighted was it because the prison doores were opened no but because hee apprehended a wonderfull power in God there was a glimpse of the power of God that shone into his heart and this was that which so affrighted him so you see that the more that any man sees into the power and Majestie of God the more bitter will sinne be unto the soule as wee see in Iudas he saw the wrath of God and then sinne became bitter unto him now there is a time when God beares the burthen of his children and keepes it off from them else with Iudas they would sinke under them againe sometimes hee doth not lay it upon them but they lay it upon themselves but if God lay it on they shall see sinne to be a bitter thing Secondly as sinne is bitter so it shall appeare to be so unto all men sooner or later and that for these reasons The first Reason is because otherwise God should loose his glory I doe not say that this glory shall be taken away for nothing neither sinne nor Sathan shall take away Gods glory because all things worke for his glory neither can any thing adde unto his glory but I say if God should not make sinne bitter unto men sooner or later his glory should be suspended for a time and therefore it is usuall with the Lord to prefixe unto many threatnings his owne name the Prophets use it frequently after that they have pronounced Iudgement against rebellious sinners then they adde Thus saith the Lord and you shall know that I am the Lord that is because you will rebell against mee therefore you shall know that sinne is a bitter and terrible thing because I will not have my glory suspended therefore you shall bee punished that you may know sinne to bee a bitter thing The second reason is because every sinne is the breach of a just law now God will have the obedience of every creature framed according to his law and all their actions must bee squared by this rule And the law is this Doe this and live if thou doe it not thou shall dye So that the Law is an Injunctive Law that injoynes either a man to doe or to suffer the penalty that is jnjoynes punishment to follow the breach of it so that if a man breake the Law then hee shall bee sure to bee punished For God is zealous of his Law and hee will not passe a sinner in the breach of it without satisfaction because every injunctive Law as it binds to obedience so it binds the disobedient unto punishment The third reason is because of the Iustice of God if he should not punish sinners when they sinne if hee should not make them to feele that sinne is bitter sooner or latter he should not be God therefore saith Abraham shall not the God of all the earth doe right Gen. 18. that is spare the good but punish the wicked it is equity that hee should doe so And indeed if men punish offenders that breake the just Lawes of their Prince and it is equity for men to doe so otherwise there would be no order in the world nor no rectitude amongst men how much more shall God For all the rectitude that is in the creature comes from God and therefore this being equity with men to punish offenders surely it is justice in God to punish sinners it is his nature for Iustice in God is God himselfe But you will say it doth not appeare so that God doth punish offenders for we see wicked men prosper in their wickednesse and they have no bonds in their death as Iob saith they feele sinne not so bitter as you say it is when on the contrary the godly suffer much To this I answer that mens Iudgement is contrary to the wisedome of God in this thing God knowes better how and when and where to take offenders then men can therefore though God doth suspend execution awhile yet it is not because they shall escape unpunished but for these reasons The first reason is this he suspends the execution of punishment for a time because the time of punishment is not as yet come You know the Crowne is not wonne till the race be runne out to the end so in this the full time is not come sinne is not ripe enough but when it is full ripe then he will lance them and this was the cause that the Lord did not punish the Amorites because their sinnes was not full it was not come unto the full pitch sinne is growing all the time of a mans life it is like fruit it is sooner ripe in some then in others and that is the reason that some goe a long time in sinne and yet are not punished when others are taken in the very fact there is a bound and stint set unto every mans sinne thither hee shall goe and no further and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 2. 5. that some are kept till the revelation of Gods just Iudgement till he reveale himselfe in his just Iudgement this time is not yet come and therefore it is that they are not cut off Againe the Apostle saith in
another place What if God will suffer with great patience the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction that is what if God will beare with some a great while and punish some presently What doth it advantage them have they cause to boast themselves or rather were it not farre better for them to bee cut off presently then to bee spared a while and then to have the judgement the greater therefore when God will make his power knowne to men hee will suffer them with great patience that hee may give the greater stroke it is true men cannot conceive how God can beare and be so patient towards wicked men but you must know that He is full of patience it is his nature he is patience it selfe though patience be a quality in us yet it is not so in God it is his essence The second reason is this hee beares long with wicked men for the propagation and increase of mankind for if hee should punish men as fast as they offend and deserve death how should the Church increase how should the Church stand this were to overthrow and weaken his owne power but God is wise and knowes better how to turne the evill intentions and deeds of men for the good of his Church as for example if a Captaine upon some generall fault committed by his souldiers if hee should execute all offenders this were the way to destroy his Army and so expose himselfe unto the hands of his enemies therefore he takes but a few here one and there one to make the rest to take heed they fall not againe thus doth God hee doth not inflict punishment that is present death upon all sinners but takes here and there one to make them palpable examples unto the rest as wee see daily how the Lord meets with the sins of men then when they least thinke of sinne or God The third reason why God doth patiently beare with offenders is this He doth it for the good of some that are yet to be called and therfore you know what the Lord said unto the husbandman in the Gospell when he would have pluckt up the tares let them alone saith hee untill the harvest yet howsoever this comparison doth not alwayes hold true for he did not forbeare the plucking of them up expecting any change but only least in plucking up them hee should hurt the good seed for tares will never be wheate so they that are reprobated will never convert yet it holds good in this hee lets tares grow that is he beares patiently with wicked men even with those that as yet seeme to be so because as yet they have not exprest the fruits of their conversion and therefore for this reason doth God forbeare long to punish the wicked lest hee should destroy the seed of the righteous The fourth Reason Why God suffereth long is this that he may try the heart how it will carry it selfe towards him not that hee knowes not the heart before but that the heart may now know that the Lord is patient when hee shall consider how patiently God hath dealt with him and how long he hath borne with him for this makes men more inexcusable before God and more ashamed of themselves when they shall call to minde what time what opportunitie what occasion they have had to good how they might have stored themselves with grace and made their peace with him and then how many sinnes they have committed time after time and then what checks of conscience after to reclaime them I say if men did but consider this they could not but say that God is patient The fift Reason is this although they be not afflicted as other men are yet it is not because they are therefore not afflicted at all for indeed they are afflicted with the greatest afflictions that can be other mens afflictions may seeme to bee greater but yet not so but are lesser whatsoever they may seeme to bee and that in these respects 1. Respect Because wicked men they loose the spirit God denies them grace and that is the greatest affliction that God can lay upon any sinner namely to deny grace this was the affliction that God laid upon Saul it had beene better for Saul that a thousand judgements had befalne him then to have lost the spirit the favour of God Now wicked men they loose the favour of God they loose the obtaining of saving grace therefore whatsoever they seeme to be yet the truth is they are more afflicted then other men 2. Respect The prosperitie of wicked men is a punishment for that which slayes men is a punishment but this the prosperity of wicked men doth fit them for destruction and therefore the Wise man saith Proverb 1. 32. that prosperitie and ease slaies the wicked that is the more they prosper and thrive and rejoyce in their lusts the greater stabb doth sinne give them at the heart and the more irrecoverably are they smitten therefore they have no cause to brag of their prosperitie 3. Respect Is this because they may wither and die in their sinnes and that is a great punishment for because they are not afflicted as other men are therefore it is that their superfluous branches of lust and covetousnesse and pride are not lopt off for afflictions lop these off which hinder the growth of saving grace as you know the superfluous branches of any tree hinder the growth of the other branches if they be not cut off they will make them to wither and die thus it is with wicked men because they are not afflicted they begin to wither and grow cold unto good The body doth not so much wither with age as the inward man doth by these lusts theybreed a consumption in the soule that will not be recovered 4. Respect Againe though we see them not afflicted yet they have many afflictions which wee know not even as the godly have many inward joyes and comforts in their hearts which wicked men never felt so wicked men have many strong feares in their hearts and many sudden flashes of the fire of hell in their soules much hollownesse in their hearts much sorrow mingled with their carnall joyes and often affrighted with the jawes of death and arrested with horrors of conscience though outwardly they seeme to the world to be the joyfullest and happiest men in the world yet the truth is they are the most miserable and sorrowfull men in the world for as the inward joy is farre greater then the outward joy so the inward sorrow is farre greater then the outward sorrow alone thus you see the point prooved The use of this should teach us not to delude our selves in the matter of afflictions in afflictions we are ready to conclude because our afflictions are greater then others that therefore we are greater sinners but here you see the contrary the greatest sinners are not alwayes outwardly the greatest afflicted for God
us  The reflect knowledge thereof So in griefe A bad thing  The conjunction of that to us  The reflest knowledge thereof Reasons of the Doctrine I. Sin and Gods wrath in themselves the greatest evils p. 45 REAS. II. Gods presence is taken from them ibid. REAS. III. The sensiblenesse of Conscience p. 46 USE I. To labour to keepe a good conscience ibid. USE II. To shew the miserable condition of such as goe on in sinne altogether insensible of the burthen thereof p. 47 USE III. To teach us the way to obtaine pardon is earnestly to sue for it above all other things p. 49 The right way to get pardon is to labour I. For humiliation by the Law The Law humbles p. 50 1. By declaration of the fault  2. By Commination of punishment  II. For comfort by the Gospell The way to see the fault is 1. To looke on some particular grosse sinne p. 51 2. To consider the corruption of Nature ibid. Faith in Christ and a particular application of the Promises is the best way to be sure of mercy p. 52 Iudas Repentance Matth. chap. 27. vers 3 4 5. Then when Judas which betrayed him saw that hee was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thirty peeces of silver to the chiefe Priests and Elders Saying I have sinned in betraying of innocent blood and they said what is that to us see thou to it And when he had cast downe the silver peeces in the Temple he departed and went and hanged himselfe THese words doe containe the repentance of Iudas after his great sinne of betraying Christ The summe of them is to shew what Sentence hee had cast upon him The parts of the words are these five First a description of Iudas One who betrayed Christ. Secondly the occasion of his Repentance which is set forth by the circumstance of Time When he saw he was condemned Thirdly the Repentance itselfe in these words He repented himselfe and brought againe c. Of which Repentance there are three parts 1. He made restitution of that hee had taken hee brought againe the thirty silver peeces 2. He confesseth his sinne saying I have sinned in betraying innocent blood 3. Hee shewes himselfe sorrowfull so that if it were to doe againe he would not doe it which is another effect of his Repentance Fourthly the entertainment that hee had of the Chiefe Priests and Elders afterward Wherein observe 1. They excule themselves saying What is that to us although they had little reason to say so for if hee had sinned in betraying Christ then much more they who were the causes thereof 2. They lay more burthen upon him Looke thou to it Fifthly the issue of all this wherein is set downe 1. What comfort hee had of those thirty silver peeces He cast downe the silver peeces 2. What Judgement God inflicted on him hee made him his owne Executioner He departed and went and hanged himselfe These are the parts of the words First for the description of Iudas one that betrayed Christ. From whence observe the doctrine is this That looke what a man is in his life-time such shall bee his name in the end if their lives have beene bad their names at their death will be according if good their report shall be thereafter as it is here plaine in Judas hee hath his name according to his desert I deny not but for a time a good man may bee evill spoken of and an evill man may be magnified For the former wee may see it in many places Our Saviour Christ himselfe was little regarded of the Scribes and Pharises David may for a while be despised Paul may be reproached and so Ioseph and many others For the second wicked men for a while may have good report Iudas may so carry himselfe for a while that none of the Disciples would so much as suspect him for a traytorto his Master But behold the end of these men it shall surely bee according to their deeds Let Ieroboam carry a faire shew let Ahab have a good report for a while but marke the end of these men for Ieroboam who mingled his owne devices with the worship of God behold he hath his brand set upon him for his perpetuall infamy Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat who made all Israel to sinne 2 King 10. 29. and although Amazia made a great shew yet at last was marked for an hypocrite so Ahab at last was branded with a name of eternal disgrace On the centrary side good mens names shall flourish at their death though it may bee before disgraced David although hee had committed many grievous sinnes yet at the last his name was most honourable And thus is that verified God blesseth the righteous but the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10. 7. Now to come to the Reasons of this Doctrine why the Lord doth reward every man in the end according to their wayes in their life time The first reason hereof is taken from God himselfe he blesseth and curseth mens wayes according to their workes therefore needs must it bee that hee must blesse the godly but curse the wicked hee maketh their names to rot and rotten things soone stincke Hence is it that names of so many are so infamous after their death And this the Lord doth for two reasons First in regard of his truth he cannot be corrupted And therefore as men are indeed so hee blesseth or punisheth them and although men may be deceived yet he cannot For hee knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shall perish Psal. 1. 6. Secondly in regard of his glory I will honour them that honour me saith the Lord If those that dishonour God should be honoured or if those that honour God should be dishonoured it would be an impeachment to his honour but God is tender over his honour and therefore by no meanes will he suffer it so to be The second Reason is drawne from the men themselves ordinarily men will bee like themselves Feigned things quickly returne into their owne nature if good mettle be covered over with bad the bad will soone weare away and the good will appeare and on the contrary side if bad mettle bee covered with good the good will soone weare away and the bad will be seene so a godly man may have some slips but at the last it will appeare what he is and an hypocrite may have many a good fit yet sooner or later he will shew himselfe to be like himselfe The third reason is taken from other men at the end envy ceaseth and then their consciences that before did but whisper shall now speake aloud in their eares that they have beene good men on the other side for wicked men it may be they have beene great men and so they dare not speake as they thought but then feare shall be removed and then they shall use liberty of speech for why
a reprobate sense that they were not able to discerne of the truth which is a metaphor taken from a toughstone which is able to discerne betweene true gold and false but when the vertue of this touch-stone is taken away then it cannot difcerne so in like manner when as God shall give a man up to commit sinne and take away his right minde he cannot discerne evill from good no more then a blind man can judge of colours yea and he is no stronger to resist any tentation then Sampson was when his haire was cut off to resist his enemies Indeed I deny not but that God may sometimes for sinne leave good men to themselves thus God delt with Ezekias 2 Chron. 32. 31. who because he had shewed the Embassadours of the Prince of Babyion all his furniture it is said God left him to himselfe And this is done for these two Reasons First because God is willing to it for his owne glory Secondly because by this their consciences come to be awakened and begins to ring a loud peale in their eares But here we must know that there is a great difference betweene Gods leaving of wicked men to themselves and good men to themselves For first for wicked men their conscience is awakened but not soundly untill the day of death although they may have some remorse and sorrow before But commonly God awakes a good man sooner The sinnes of a good man are either lesser or greater if lesser he is sooner awakened if greater he is awaked with greater difficultie for a grose sinne is alwayes most dangerous this yee may see plainly in David when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment hee quickly perceived his sinne but when he had committed the foule sinne of adultery he was more a great deale insensible of that The reason why wee are so insensible in grose sinnes is this because when a godly man commits but a little sinne for all that his heart stil remaines in good temper but when he commits a great sinne then its all out of order and cannot perceive it so soone Even as a man if he hath a great blow on the head with a staffe he is lesse sensible then if he had a little scratch or rench so is it with Gods children in committing of sinne Now the Use is this Seeing that this is the Divels craftinesse first to cover sinnes before they be committed let us then when we are assaulted with any tentation take heed let us not beleeve that that sinne is little but rather let us demurre and consider a little the matter If thou hast any good motions in thee execute them speedily but if thou art tempted to wickednesse stay a while and consider a while It s the note of a foole to goe on he regardeth not whether but it s the signe of a wise man to see a danger a farre off and escape it Consider what will follow thy sin At the first Iudas thought that thirty peeces of silver would have made amends for all but after he was condemned he repented for his former folly If before we sinne we could but feele the sequences we would never commit it if we could but see the blindnesse of minde the horrour of conscience the hardnesse of heart that will inseparably follow them we would certainly shun them for is any man so mad as to thinke that if a man felt the surfeit first before he eat the sweet meat that he would then eat it no surely so could we but see the punishment now that will follow a little pleasure surely we would reject all the pleasure Let us therefore be so wise for to looke to the baits that the divell casts before us for he is cunning and subtill and its good for us to thinke so We usually labour and strive against evill company to abstaine from them why should we then meddle with the divell or be in his company Evah was drawne to sinne through conference with him although it may be at the first she intended it not Gaze not at all upon these baits of sathan And if he doe presse sore upon you consider the consequents that will certainly follow and say as Iezabel said though after another manner had Zimri peace who slew his Master If he tempt thee to lying then say had Annanias and Saphira peace who lyed to the Lord If he tempteth you to other sinnes looke what the Scripture saith against such sinnes as if he intice thee to commit fornication remember that of the Apostle Commit not fornication as some did whereof dyed three and twenty thou sands or say thus had Onan peace who sinned in thus doing Doth he intice thee to drunkennesse say with thy selfe had Nabal peace who died not for his churlishnesse but for his drunkennesse so for any sinne in generall doth he intice thee to it looke to the plaine words of the Scripture for there is no sinne without bitternesse But now to the intent we may the better be able to avoide his baits let us consider the deceits and glosses which he useth to put before us which are these His first deceit is that he seldome tempts one to the committing of one of the lest sinnes but he promiseth either profit pleasure or some reward Now to this I answer first Here consider if thou doest not deprive thy selfe of a greater pleasure even of the pleasure of a good conscience surely that will bring more joy and comfort then any earthly thing can yea and at the last more advantage in outward things then sinne Secondly when he tels thee of his profitand pleasure tell him that he cannot be as good as his word for the pleasures of sinare but for a season and in the midst of these pleasures there is griese Now there is a double misery in every sinne First that which is inherent which is the sinne itselfe The minde can never take contentment till it have the proper object and every thing taketh pleasure when it is as it should be otherwise it doth not but as alegge or an arme being out of joynt is full of paine and griefe so when the mind and faculties thereof are distracted they were as it were out of joynt and full of griefe The pleasures of the wicked have sorrow with them but the sorrowes of the godly have joy Secondly as to good actions there is pleasure adjoyned so there are also some wils which follow every sinne Sathan hee presents before our eyes faire pleasures when he tempts us to hainous sins but he never shewes us the paine and griefe that will follow Thus did he with our Saviour when he tempted him shewing him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them but never did he shew him the griefe Thus likewise did he when he tempted the Jsraelites shewing them their flesh-pots in Egypt and their onions c. but he never shewed them the grievous paine
and servitude that there in making brickes they did undergoe His second deceipt is this he tels us that though we sinne yet we may escape and goe to heaven notwithstanding I answer Doe but remember what God saith to this temptation Deut. 29. 19. When hee shall heare the words of this curse if hee shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornenesse of mine owne heart quasi dixit though I commit such and such sinnes yet notwithstanding I shall goe to heaven but marke what God saith I willnot be mercifull unto that man but my wrath and my jealousie shall smoake against him every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and his name shall be roâ—ted out from under heaven So Esd. 28. 12. I will disanull your covenant and your agreement with hell shall not stand qvasi dixit when a man thinkes he shall efcape hell and goe to heaven though he commitsinne he doth as it were make a covenant with hell but God saith that covenant shall not stand So Esd. 44. 11. Destruction shall come suddenly on them and they shall not know the morning thereof Indeed perhaps they say we will repent in the meane time but I wish them seriously to consider the fore-named places Thirdly the Divell tels us that though we commit finne yet we may leave it when we will But for the answer of this know it is a meere delusion for can a black-moore change his skinne Ier. 13. 23. Suppose a black-moore should be warned to come before a Prince with a faire skinne and have a weekes space to prepare himselfe and deferre it untill the last day thinking he could doe it soone enough would he not be accounted a foole yet a black-moore shall sooner change his skin then a wicked man depart from his evill way Sinne is like to sicknesse it weakens the strength of the mind of the judgment and affections and takes away all our purposes which we had at the first If a man that is sicke can keepe his strength then may a man that lives in finne keepe his and rouze himselfe up by repentance at his pleasure but it is not so its God onely that giveth repentance now the spirit bloweth were it lusteth If you say I will be sorrowfull forsake my sinnes and repent when sicknesse comes this will hardly prove true repentance for Iudas did so This repentance most commonly riseth from selfe-love every creature loveth his owne safety so at death a man is willing to leave sinne but this comes from nature and selfe-love because he would not goe to hell and most commonly thesemen if it please God that ever they recover out of their sicknesses they fall into the same courses againe Fourthly He will excuse our sinne by some vertues wherewith it hath affinity he will put on us palliata vitia those vices that have some neerenesse to vertue I answer howsoever the divell may use such distinctions to helpe out his baits to sinne for a time yet in the time of trouble they will not hold out but appeare as they are indeed Fifthly He makes men beleeve their nature is prone to it and they cannot leave it If I were as such and such men are indeed I could abstaine but my nature is such that it will not suffer me I answer Thou must know that this doth not excuse but aggravate thy sinne if thy nature be prone to any sinne know that the sinne is much more grievous we loathe a toad because of the venomous nature of it so God loatheth our nature because its sinfull As a drunken man that murthers another commits a double sinne one of drunkennesse another of murther which comes from drunkennesse so if our nature be prone to any sin which we commit it s a double sinne first in that it is naturall to us and originall secondly that we commit thereby originall transgressions We had you know a part in Adams sinne by propagation now if we have a hand in it our selves by our strong inclinations thereunto wee our selves are causes thereof likewise let us not therefore goe about to excuse our selves with this that because I am of an other temper then another man I may take more liberty and God will beare with us herein for God certainly will beare with us the lesse Sixthly He will turne away thy thoughts from the sinne and fasten them on something else so Iudas his eye at the first was fastened on the thirty peeces of silver but afterwards he thought of his sinne For this I commend unto you Davids practice I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies So looke thou first upon thy sinne before thou commit it and labour to see his cunning therein If David had seriously looked on the sinne of adultery before he had committed it he would never have done it hence is it that the Wise man councelleth us Prov. 4. last Ponder thy wayes aright c. And this is commonly the greatest deceit of all Seventhly Helabours to draw men on to sinne by degrees by a little and a little he never aggravates the sin at the first but extenuates it I answer when water hath gotten a little passage it will soone make a great breach one little wedge makes way for a greater so it may be a man commits but a little sinne at the first but afterward the Divell drawes him to commit greater A man that commits sinne is as one in a quicke sand who sinkes deeper and deeper or as a little sparke that kindles a great fire Seeing therefore the case standeth thus we ought to resist the beginnings of sin and give peremptory deniall to the first temptations And thus much for this point Now followeth the third point viz. the repentance of Iudas in these words Hee repented himselfe c. which repentance of his consisteth of three parts 1. His restitution he brought againe c. 2. His confession I have sinned c. 3. He was sorrowfull From which repentance of his learne this Doctrine That there is a false repentance confession and restitution that is very like the true repentance confession and restitution and can hardly be discerned This repentance consession and restitution which Iudas made was not true yet it was very like to true Such was that of Saul Ahab and the rest Such is the repentance of many at this day who in some good mood or in some afflictions seeme to repent but this repentance breakes as bubbles and vanisheth as the lightning in the ayre This repentance is false yet so like the true that the difference betweene them is very hard to discerne although in themselus they differ much as true gold and counterfeit are hard to be discerned asunder by us although in themselves there is a broad difference as much as betweene gold and copper This false
repentance may goefarre 1. If we consider the substance of it 2. If we consider the concommitants First if we consider the substance it may goe farre for 1. He may seriously consider his wayes 2. He may have a kinde of sorrow for his sins 3. He may sue for pardons for his sinnes as doe many hypocrites 4. He may desire faith and repentance as Francis Spira did But here wee must know that there is a twofold desire of faith and repentance First from a selfe-love not out of a love to the graces but feare of hell and this may be in false repentance Secondly From a love to the graces having sensibly tasted them this desire is grace 5. There may be an amendment for a time as did Saul and Pharaoh 6. He may come to that passe that if the sinne were to be committed againe he would not doe it for all the world as Iudas Secondly Trve repentance and false are very like in respect of their concomitants 1. This false repentance may cause a remorse yea it may bring forth teares as we may see in Saul 1 Sam. 24. 17. he lift up his voice and wept 2. This false repentance may cause confession freely and fully as did Pharaoh Exod. 9. 27. taking shame to himselfe and ascribing glory to God thus did Saul 1 Sam. 26. 21. he confessed that he had sinned exceedingly so that one would have thought that it had beene true 3. It may cause them to fast and pray for pardon as did Ahab 1 Kings 21. 27. but it was not in truth but onely in the time of his misery 4. They may come to Restitution as Iudas did 5. They may bring forth some fruits of amendment of life so that verie farre this false Repentance may goe as the second and third ground And now behold true Repentance in substance and concomitants what can you finde more in it hence it is that so many are deceived with false repentance which is so like the true but bring them to the touchstone and you shall finde a broad difference betweene them as after you shall see Now the Reasons of this Point are taken from the false grounds from whence repentance comes which are these 1. It comes from selfe-love when sinne proves hurtfull and the hurt is neere at hand then it may worke but all out of selfe-love An hypocrite when he finds fire in the sinne hee throwes it away but when once the fire is out of the coale hee will play with it and foole himselfe hee feares onely the fire not the foulenesse of sinne he hates the sting not the sinne 2. This repentance comes from the common gifts of the holy Ghost which a carnall man may have as First Hee may disapprove the foulenesse of sinne Secondly Hee may hate the uglinesse thereof But here we must know that the light of nature is extinguished in some more then in others as no doubt but that it was rife in Iudas When sinnes rightly are propounded to us farre we may goe in false repentance Thirdly their repentance comes from the beauty sweetnesse and excellency a carnall man may finde in Gods wayes which may make him amend and turne unto God for a while as in the time of Iohn Baptist they confessed and turned to him but it was but for a while the reason was because he was a burning and a shining light and they rejoyced in his light So the second ground found a sweetnesse in the Word and left all but yet returned as 2 Pet. 2. latter end Some in the excellency of Preaching may see a sweetnesse and rejoyce a while but yet returne againe to their sinnes Fourthly Their repentance may arise from a good Family company or Ministry Thus Ioash 2 Chro. 24. good while Iehojada lived which seemes to be thirtie yeeres so Vzzia 2 Chro. 26 was good all the dayes of Zacharia so many are good while they are under carefull Governours and in good company so long as good meanes last they will be good I cannot compare such men better then to the Swine which whilest they are in faire meddowes keepe themselves cleane which is no thanke to them but the place but as soone as they come to the mire they tumble in it so will these men so soone as opportunitie is given them 2. So likewise confession may arise from false grounds First from passion being in good moods they confesse sometimes not otherwaies but sound humiliation as a spring makes us alwayes ready to confesse Secondly From some evident discovery of his sinnes when the light shines so in his eyes that he cannot but confesse as Saul when he evidently saw Davids kindnesse could not but confesse Thirdly From some extorting cause as here did Iudas when God and his conscience prest him to it so did Pharaoh when he was under the racke Thirdly Restitution may also arise from false grounds There was a great difference betweene the restitution of Iudas and Zacheus Iudas was sicke and opprest with his silver peeces as a man of meat in his stomacke therefore no wonder though hee would be rid thereof but Zacheus did it most willingly and freely This sheweth unto us the vanity of the Popish doctrine which makes but three parts of Repentance Confession Contrition Satisfaction all these had Iudas yet who can say he truly repented one may doe all that they say yet be damned Let men then looke to themselves that have not gone as farre as Iudas namely have not repented confessed and restored for though these be in false repentance yet are they in true also onely in false there are these onely in true there is these and more also for as the guilt in counterfeit gold which makes it like the true is good so the fault is that it is not throughout such as the outside is so these things in false repentance are good the fault is that their grounds are not good also And againe they which have gone as farre as Iudas and seeme to have repented let them try themselves and take heed they be not deceived Now there are two things that hinder us from judging aright of our estate 1. Vnwillingnesse to search 2. Unability to judge First Unwillingnesse to search and the causes of that are these First because they have beene long sure and others so judge of them and therefore now they are loath to call in question their estate But let such know that nothing can establish their state more for either your repentance was sound and then the more comfort unto you if you search or else it was not sound and then the sooner you discover the falsenesse thereof the sooner you may amend it 2. It is because they are unwilling to make their hearts fully sound they would not be perfect they will have some sinne to dally with but this is great folly in men for want of one steppe more to misse heaven and to make shipwracke in the haven of their happinesse Secondly inabilitie
is a great difference between the hypocrite and the godly man for an hypocrite purposely keepeth some roome for his sin but the godly man desires to be reproved will willingly suffer admonition and desires no exempt place for his decrest sins but would thorowly be tried But you will further object that godly men both have and doe often relapse I answer he differs much from the wicked for 1. The godly man strives against that sinne most to which he is most inclined by using all meanes against it and shunning all the occasions thereof which the wicked man doth not 2. Although the godly man relapse yet he never comes to allow himselfe in that sin the wicked finding sin pleasing sits downe and followes it as Saul who purposed not to persecute David but finding it pleasing to his lust continued therein Pharaoh for a time would let the people of Israel goe but afterward for his pleasure stayed them 3. They differ in the issue the godly man gets the victory over his sin but sin gets the victory over the wicked man 4. Hypocriticall repentance is violent and earnest at the first slack afterwards but true grace grows more and more false is like a land-flood great on a sudden but quickly dried up again but in true grace it 's as in a naturall birth the begining is small but it growes stronger and stronger hypocrites are hot at the first but quickly grown coole I deny not but that a godly man may abate of his strength of grace as a childe may fall sicke and abate of his strength and beauty but it 's but a sicknesse and commonly after it they shoot up the more so the godly though for a while they may be sicke yet afterward they grow in grace the more for that sicknesse The motion of the wicked is violent swiftest at the first but slacke afterward but the motion of the godly is naturall slowest at the first but after it 's swifter and swifter 2. Having already shewne the difference betweene true and false repentance I will now shew the difference betweene true and false confession True Confession is an infallible signe of grace many thinke it an easie matter but to confesse aright is a very hard thing Many confesse for some by-ends or some extorting cause but true Confession hath these three properties First it 's particular it confesseth the least and secretest corruption in the heart and not onely grosse sinnes But the hypocrite although he may confesse some grosse sinnes yet never comes to full particular Confession Secondly true Confession is constant but false is onely in some good mood or in some affliction as sicknesse c. Thirdly true Confession ariseth from a good ground namely a base conceit of our selves a true shame and an earnest desire onely to glorifie God with a full purpose wholly to debase themselves and a perfect resolvtion to forsake the sinne hee confesseth which the wicked never doe 3. Restitution that is true and right differs from false Because hypocriticall restitution is in necessitie when hee cannot helpe it but it 's a burden to him then hee casts it away as a dogge doth his vomit when he is sicke by it thus Iudas restored but when we care for it and it 's pleasing to us then to restore it is a signe of grace thus did Zacheus chearefully when hee might have kept it The hypocrite restores as the Merchant that casteth his goods into the Sea unwillingly yet will rather lose them then his life Thus have we seene that there is a false repentance confession and restitution much like to the true and how they differ Then seeing there is such similitude betweene false repentance and true this should teach us what to judge of such mens repentance which is onely in the time of sicknesse it 's greatly to bee feared that it 's even such as Iudas his was false and hypocriticall onely in some mood Lastly if this Repentance of Iudas was not true what shall wee thinke of them that have not gone so farre as Iudas did to repent confesse and restore surely this is the case of many now adayes All these things that were in the repentance of Iudas are good and commendable in true repentance but we must exceed it before wee can come at heaven and therefore if they that doe not exceed it shall never come there what shall become of those that come farre short of it Next marke the name Iudas now gives Christ he calls him Innocent I have sinned in betraying of Innocent blood Whence learne That those things which are good are approved to mens consciences whether they will or no. Iudas confesseth Christ innocent now this put not a new conceit of Christ into his conscience but made him confesse what before he thought in his conscience to be so But some may say that many men that are worthy Instruments of Gods glory find envie and hatred here amongst men Indeed it 's true but it will bee but for a short time before the mist will be expelled from before their consciences and afterward although their consciences for a while may be tongue-tyed yet they will openly approve them to be good men as Iudas here did Christ. First because it 's not in the power of men to judge as they will but they must judge according to the light of conscience that is in them they cannot but see what 's presented unto them by conscience as the eye being open cannot but see what is shewed to it and it 's so naturall to the conscience to see truth for light is put into the conscience even of the wicked by God himselfe Hence is that that the Evangelist Saint Iohn sayes Ioh. 1. The light shined in darkenesse Where by light is meant the naturall light of conscience which although it maketh not men obedient to the truth yet it maketh them to acknowledge the truth Therefore Conscience by the Schoolemen is called a Virgin because it is not defiled by untruths but ever murmurs against evill and assents to truth and good it may be opprest somewhat but ever keepes it selfe streight in judgement therefore the false judgement of the wicked comes not from conscience but from lusts which when they are gone as in death or often before then they speake the truth Secondly because God will have glory from all the creatures that hee hath made and they cannot but acknowledge it to be right therfore they which sinne against the holy Ghost though they hate goodnesse because they count it not good to them yet in it selfe they thinke it to be good therefore the Devils beleeving and trembling comes from their conscience This should teach us to thinke well of the waies of God although others speake against them for it is for some secret cause and inwardly they doe approve of them in their consciences while they live and oft witnesse the same at
their deaths 2. Be not discouraged for any opposition or hatred that thou shalt meet withall what though they hate thee yet they have that within them that will approve thee Wee cannotapprove our selves to their wils affections or lusts but whether they will or not we may approve our selves to their conscienees It is therfore a basenesse when we labor to approve our selves to any by doing evill the best way is to approve our selves to their consciences and take Davids course who when Micholl scofsed at him for dancing before the Arke sayes If this bee vile I will yet be more vile so shall I bee had in honour of the Virgins So likewise Art thou hated for Religion Labour to exceed in that so shall they honour thee in their consciences and it 's better to approve thy selfe to their consciences for they indure then to their lusts for they are vanishing and their good opinion of thee shall vanish Hee that reproves shall finde more favour in the latter end then he that flatters because he approves himselfe to the conscience this onely to the lusts Now followes the carriage of the Elders towards Iudas they excused themselves saying What is that unto us Looke thou to it although they were the chiefest Agents therein Whence learne this Doctrine That there is a marvellous aptnesse in the nature of man to excuse a sinne when hee hath committed it The Pharises here were the men that moved and hired Iudas to betray Christ Iudas was but the Instrument they used and they had purposed to have put him to death although Iudas had never betrayed him yet they say What is that to us Thus also Adam having done that that was directly contrary to Gods Command yet excuseth himselfe Thus did the Kings of Israel as Asah when hee had committed an evident sinne he would not acknowledge it but when the Prophet comes to tell him of it hee falls a threatning of him Thus also did Amaziah First because all sinne after it 's committed leaves a blot in the minde which is compared to a shadow which darkens the minde so that it cannot see For that that the Apostle sayes of hatred 1 Joh. 2. 9. that such an one as hates his brother liveth in darkenesse the same may bee said of all other sinnes Secondly because actuall sinnes increase the passion which at the first made us commit it now the stronger the passions are the more is the judgement corrupted Thirdly because sinne worketh on those faculties which should judge it weakeneth the judgement and is like a blow on the head that taketh away all sense Fourthly because actuall sinne grieveth the holy Ghost and makes him depart and it is hee onely that convinceth us of sinne and therefore how can we see when hee is gone that enlightneth us And when this holy Spirit is gone then in comes the evill spirit which puts into us false reasons and so we by them excuse our selves The Use is first therefore to let us take heed of declining from God and falling into any sinne seeing it 's so difficult a thing to get out of it againe What makes us to recover but a sight of our sins Now falling into sinne blindeth our eyes wherefore it must needs be very hard to recover Seeing then it 's so hard to recover take heed of first falling into sinne for a man that is a little fallen into sinne is like a man in a quicke-sand ready to sinke deeper and deeper Suppose a man doth pollute Gods Sabbaths at the first there is sorrow for it afterward he beginnes to doe it more and more but at last he doth it with delight What is said of uncleannesse is true of all sinnes Prov. 30. 20. Shee wipes her mouth i. e. excuseth so that although she must needs confesse it to be a sinne yet in that case shee accounteth it none Secondly if thou art fallen into any sinne remember thy aptnesse to excuse it and labour to get out as soone as thou canst 1. Remember what thy judgement was of that sinne before thou fellest into it although now thou judge it small Thy judgement is like a glasse before it is crackt it shewes true but after it is crackt it representeth things otherwise then they are Thinke with thy selfe therefore how ill once thou thoughtest that sinne and seeing thy owne judgement is blinded helpe thy selfe with other holy mens judgements concerning that sinne 2. Labour to abstaine from the acting of that sinne and so will light come in againe by a little and a little and then thou wilt see the uglinesse of it for no man sees the uglinesse of a sinne untill first he comes out of it And now we come to their Answer What is that to us looke thou to it From hence againe learne this Doctrine That for the most part in the time of our extremity wee have least comfort from those which were our companions in evill Iudas here comes to the High Priests which were his companions in the betraying of Christ but they give him poore comfort What have wee to to doe with that looke thou to it Miserable comforters to a man in his extremity Now the Reasons are taken first From Gods Justice it 's just with God when men joyne against him to set them one against another Thus he set Abimilecke and the men of Sechem one against another God sends an evill spirit betweene them he can make enemies to be friends and friends to be enemies There are abundance of such examples in hystories Secondly from mans nature which is apt to love the treason and hate the Traytor he hath a love to the lust and so may love the treason hee hath a principle in him to hate the Traytor Thirdly from the nature of their love it 's for commodity or gaine or some by end or other and therefore when the commodity ceaseth that also ceaseth yea and often turnes to hatred as Ammons love to Thamar did This should teach us to take heed how wee joyne with men to doe evill It 's better to joyne to their consciences in doing well for their consciences will continue then to their lusts for they wil end and then their love to you wil end also Hence it 's said in the Proverbs That he that reproveth shall finde more favour in the end than he that flattereth Many rejoice in the love of evil company but all that love is but like glasse sodered together when God sendeth the fire as he did to Abimilecke to melt that they fall asunder and all their love ceaseth Now the next thing is Hee cast downe the thirty peeces of silver And here the Doctrine is this That that that is the greatest comfort when God once turnes his hand against us proves most discomfortable Iudas here thought these thirty peeces of silver a great matter but when once God moved his conscience he casts them away So suppose a man get
feare there is in them the root of comfort remaining There are many examples that may bee brought to prove the same but I know none like that of our Saviour Christ who although he was in such unspeakeable horror of conscience that it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee yet this horror was mingled with faith comfort and the assurance of Gods favour So Gods Children may have such sorrow and be so drunken with wormewood that it may make them not to know what to doe yet in all this griefe the fire of Gods love is not quite extinguished but there are some sparkes thereof remaining under these ashes Here is a Caveat to be given of two things First Let those that are in this disposition of minde take heed of that that Satan in this condition may labour to bring us unto for then they are in a disease and those that are in a disease incline unto some thing Take heed then of polluting the Sabbath and other sinnes that hee may intice thee to for Sanus and AEger differ the one desires one thing the other another Secondly Something must bee done positively for the healing of our griefe when that we are in sorrow wee must pitch it upon the proper object to wit sinne and put away all worldly sorrow for that bringeth death but sorrow for sinne that bringeth life All these things thus being expounded the point is manifest That sinne and Gods wrath being charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible Indeed when the burthen lyes on the ground we feele it not but when it lyes on our shoulders So before this horror is charged on the conscience wee feele it not but then is it exceeding terrible It is with griefe as it is with joy There are three things in all joy 1. There is a good thing 2. There is the conjunction of that good thing to us 3. A reflect knowledge thereof So also in griefe there are threethings 1. There is a bad thing 2. The conjunction of that to us 3. The reflecting of the understanding whereby we know the hurt that comes to us thereby When a man feeles and sees and knowes his sinne then is it unsupportable and the reason thereof is because that then a mans spirit is wounded and cannot beare it selfe The Reasons of this point are these three First because that sinne and Gods wrath are in themselves the greatest evill as righteousnesse and Gods favour are the greatest good Men may thinke that punishment were the greatest evill but it is not for that is but the effect of sinne sinne is the cause thereof now we know that the cause is alwayes greater than the effect Now when God shall open our eyes to see this sinne and Gods wrath then it will be an insupportable burthen This is the reason that at the day of Judgement the wicked shall cry Hils and Mountaines fall upon us to hide us from the presence of the Judge because that then God shall open their eyes to see their sinnes which if hee should doe now while they are here on earth would make them cry out as much As it is with comfort so it is with griefe If we know not of it it affects us not As the Army that was about Gebezai it comforted not him because hee saw it not So for griefe although hell and damnation be about us yet if we see it not wee doe not regard it The second Reason is taken from Gods manner of working on the spirit of the creature hee then leaveth it now wee are to know That the greatest comfort the Creature hath is the fruition of Gods presence the greatest griefe is his absence if we want that wee are deprived of all comfort as if the Sunne be absent wee are deprived of all light If there were but a little comfort remaining that would serve to hold the head above the water but if all comfort bee gone it then presently sinketh The proper object of feare and griefe is the absence of good and prelence of evill and both them come by the privation of Gods presence The third Reason is taken from the nature of conscience it selfe when it is awakened because that then it is sensible of the least sinne for every faculty as it is larger so it is more capable of joy and griefe therefore men are said to be more capable of joy and griefe than the bruit beasts and in man the soule is more capable than the body and in the soule conscience of all other parts most capable and as the conscience is capable of the greatest griefe so also of the greatest comfort it is capable of the peace of God which passeth all understanding And surely this horror of conscience is nothing else but a sparke of hell fire which the Heathen had some inkling of when they sayd they were exagitated with the furies Seeing then that the wrath of God is thus insuppartable this should teach us in all things especially to labour to keepe a good conscience and to labour to be free from the guilt of sinne if the wrath of God be the greatest evill then should the whole streame of our endevours be to take heed thereof by labouring for to keepe a pure conscience Proportion your care herein to the good that will come thereby it will bring the unspeakeable comfort without this labour to keepe a good conscience thou wilt neuer have thy heart perfect therefore labour for it consider the good it bringeth Men busie their heads here to the utmost for other things as for Learning Credit Riches Honour and all because they thinke that they are worthy their labour Let us then but consider the fruit that this peace of conscience will bring let us but gather up our thoughts that are busied so much about other things and but consider this a little which if men would but doe they would spend more time about it then they d ee for now these things are done but by the bye and have not that tithe of the time spent about them that should be which we spend about other things But let such know that it is but a folly to goe about that worke with a finger which requires the strength of the whole body When this worke of the building of grace doth require the whole strength of a man and we put not our whole strength thereto it is no marvell if we doe not prosper therein Let us therefore seriously consider our wayes let us consider with what tentations the Devill daily assayeth us Consider that it were as good get ground of the raging Sea as of raging lusts Consider these things with thy selfe I am verily perswaded that the chiefest cause why there is so much deadnesse in those that belong unto Christ is because they consider not their wayes Take time therefore to consider thy wayes It is no wonder to see men complaining of their weaknesse when
as they will not labour to keepe a good conscience it is all one as if a sluggard should complaine of his poverty or an idle scholler should complaine of his ignorance Be exhorted therefore to prize the peace of conscience spend the chiefest of your cares for it what if you loose some few other things so you get that they are all nothing in comparison to that but the common fashion now is to spend but a little time in such things as these are and so thinke that enough too This sheweth us the miserable condition of those that still lye in their sinnes it may be they thinke the burthen thereof to be light and account it not but when the burthen of their sinnes shall be layed upon them they will finde to be intollerable now while the burden lyes not on their shoulders they feele it not but when God shall once say Let him beare the burden of his sinnes we shall finde them to be unsupportable even able to presse us downe to hell as here they did Iudas The common fashion of men is not to regard what sinne they runne into for the escaping of some outward crosse thinking that to be the greater but they shall one day to their cost finde the contrary that these outward punishments and losses are nothing in comparison to the inward that as outward cold and heat is nothing to the inward the heat in summer is nothing to the heat of the feaver so that these outward crosses are but as the heat in summer inward like the heate of the feavor But it s a wonderfull thing to see how men like little children rejoyce and tremble at appearances Children cry not at things to be feared but at things not to be feared as Hobgoblins and the like they cry so doe men most commonly feare those things that are but umbrae doloris for outward evils are like the scabbard without the sword which cannotcut they are only inward evils which are like a deepe pit out of which we cannot be recovered Set your hearts therefore in a right disposition of judging of sinne that you may judge aright thereof as it is in it selfe labour to apprehend Gods wrath for sinne and beat downe those lusts that like mists hinder us from the sight thereof Judge of sinne as the Scripture judgeth of it for that is the true glasse judge of these outward things as they are see how you should judge of them in the day of death and so judge of them now and by this meanes you shall foresee the plague and prevent it Seeing then that sinne is so unsupportable when once it is charged upon the conscience this should teach us earnestly to sue for pardon for it above all other things if we meane to have it It is now become the fashion of the world to pray for the pardon of their sinne in a superficiall manner but such shall never obtaine it but only those that are fervent in prayer for it for God will be glorified of every man both of the unjust and just 2. For the wicked he will be glorified of them at the day of Judgement in their destruction This is the meaning of that place Rev. 1. 7. Behold he commeth with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle because of him But for his owne servants those that he calleth he first woundeth he causeth them for to see their sinnes and the pittifull case they are in by reason of them and then he causeth them to see him in his Attributes of Love Mercy and Judgement and maketh them to sue unto him for pardon as a man condemned and ready to be executed and thus he is also glorified by them Seeke therefore for the pardon of your sinnes if you did but feele the burthen thereof a while as Iudas did you would if you cannot see your sinnes labour to see them Some may here say How shall wee doe to get pardon we desire it with all our hearts Use a right method 1. Labour to be humbled by the Law 2. Labor to be comforted againe by the Gospel 1. For the Law that must humble us 1. By the declaration of the fault 2. By the commination of punishment Which thou must apply unto thy selfe 1. Thou must apply unto thy selfe the corruption of thy nature by reason of thy sinnes 2. Thou must consider what thou hast deserved for this thy sinne Thefirst being as the Jury that tels a man hee is guilty the second being as the Judge that pronounceth the sentence of death This is the way to be humbled and so to come to sound repentance Thus did Paul with Foelix Act. 24 25. He reasoned of temperance righteousnesse and judgement to come 1. He reasoned of Righteousnesse and Temperance that is he told him what righteousnesse and temperance was required of them that should be saved 2. He added judgement to come that is he threatned the terrors of the Law and so made himto tremble So likewise let us doe first consider what righteousnesse temperance purity and holinesse is required of them that would be saved then in the second place considerthe judgement that is threatned if we doe not performe these things Now that we may the better see the fault 1. Fasten thine eyes upon some particular grosse sin as suppose it be of drunkennesse uncleannesse lying against the conscience see if thou art guilty of such sins first as the woman of Samaria did by her adultery Ioh. 4. So David when he had committed adultery first he saw that and the seeing that hee came to see the corruption of his owne nature for it is a loud sound that must first awaken a man then being once awakened he will heare lesser sounds 2. After thou hast thus done then consider the corruption of thy nature looke on all the faculties of the soule see how they are out of square the understanding is dulled the conscience when it should cry then it s still and when it should be still then it cryes the memory ready to forget good things but prone to retaine privy grudges towards our neighbors the will wil do a thing when as the understanding tels it that it is contrary to Gods will therefore should not be done and so likewise for the other affections all which when we have done let us looke on the streightnesse of the law the crookednes of our lives how short we come of doing that we should and then see what we have deserved for it 2. This being done let us comfort our selves with the Promises of the Gospell for grace can never truly be wrought untill by the Gospell we beleeve humiliation cannot do it we must therfore know that God is exceeding merciful more thē we canimagin and lay hold upon his love in Christ by a true faith Every man knowes that God is mercifull but we are not fit for to
regard of the qualitie and disposition to what it was and yet in substance remaines the same as for example put Iron into the fire the Iron is the same it was in substance before it came into the fire but now it hath another qualitie it was cold and stiffe and hard and unplyable but now it is hotte and soft and plyable and this change is throughout in every part of it and yet it is Iron still So it is with the Spirit when it comes into the heart of a Christian he mingleth and infuseth spirituall life into all the parts of the soule and therefore it is said if Christ be in you the body is dead as touching sinne but the Spirit is alive The body is dead that is as touching raigning sinne he is like a tree that wants both sap and roote or as a man that is dead that wants a soule hee is now dead whatsoever he was before but the spirit is alive to God Therefore examine if this thorow great change be in you see then what death there is in you to sinne and what life unto holinesse I call it a thorow and great change because a little one will never bring you in such a frame as to be fit for heaven And againe the Apostle calles it a great change in Rom. 12. 2. be you metamorphosed that is throughly changed new moulded againe in 2 Corin. 3. 18. You are saith the Apostle changed from glory to glory and therefore consider that every change will not serve the turne but it must bee a great change as the changing of Christs Spirit for your owne spirit which if you have then you shall come out of every affliction and every difficultie like gold out of the furnace like cloath out of the die of Lions you shall bee Lambes of Serpents you shall be Doves therefore see whether this change be in you or no if this change be in you then when your old guests that is your old lusts shall come and finde that his old companion is cast out of doores and that the soule is swept and cleansed hee will not stay but seeke abiding else-where but on the contrary if your opinions of sinne be the same if you have the same lusts reigning in you if you use the same evill company and have the same haunts that ever you had you have not the Spirit and so long as you remaine thus doe you thinke that Christ will come and sup and dine with you and yet you will not erect a building for Him in your hearts therefore if you would have Christ and the Spirit then labour to get holinesse The fourth signe whereby you may know whether you have the spirit or no is this if it be but a common spirit you shall find that it will doe by you as the Angels doe by assumed bodies they take them up for a time and doe many things with them to serve their owne turnes but they doe not put life in them such is the common spirit but the sanctirying spirit puts life into the soule Wherefore examine your selves whether the spirit makes you living men or no for when the sanctifying Spirit shall joyne with the soule of a man it will make him to doe suteable things and bring forth suteable actions for as the body is dead without the soule so the soule hath of it selfe no spirituall life to good without the spirit wherefore as Paul speakes of unchast widdowes that they are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. vers 6. so I may say of every man that hath not the spirit they are dead men dead to God to good to grace to holinesse I say there is no life without the Spirit men are not living men because they walke and talke and the like but they are living men that live in the spirit and by the spirit and on the contrary there is no true life neither are men to bee esteemed living men that want the spirit Now for the examination of our selves by this rule consider First wee have but an assumed body of grace and holinesse when in the practice of life we assume unto our selves onely the outward forme of godlinesse but regard not the power cleaving in our affections to that which is evill and leaving the things that are truely good I doe not say when you hate good but when you preferre evill before it in your choise and set it at the higher end of the Table and serve it first and attend upon it most when that crosseth holinesse but you will not againe crosse it for the Love of Christ when it is thus with you whatsoever you thinke of your selves you have not the sanctifying Spirit but a common spirit without life Secondly you have but an assumed body of grace if you have it not in a feeling manner the sanctifying spirit workes a spirituall sence and taste in the soule that is if you have the sanctifying spirit then holy things will have a good taste they will bee sweet unto you it will purge out that which is contrary to the growth of the inward man on the contrary the common spirit will never make you to taste grace as it is grace or because it is grace that is grace will not bee a dainty thing it will bee without a good savour Therefore examine what taste of good you have whether you can rellish grace or no if not you have not the sanctifying spirit but an assumed habit of grace that is a common spirit without the life of grace Thirdly as assumed bodies are unconstant that is walke onely for a time but they walke not alwayes even so if you have but a common spirit you will not be constant in good but off and on the rule A man that is living in Christ you shall still find him living and moving and doing the actions of the new man a man that hath but a common spirit may do somethings that are good hee may keepe and presse downe some sinne awhile but not alwayes neither then because it is sinne but because it crosseth his profit or pleasure or some other thing Againe he may have some taste and rellish of spirituall things but hee is not purged and cleansed by them First he may walke as a living man walkes that is performe holy duties but they are not constant in holy duties neither doe they performe them in obedience but out of selfe love that is they are still ebbing and seldome flowing they omit ofter then they performe Therefore let me exhort you that are alive and have beene dead be you carefull to prize your life and you that have beene alive but now are dead that is you that have falne from your holinesse and zeale and have lost your first love and strength labour now to recover it againe And you that are alive and yet are falling let me exhort you to strengthen the things that are ready to dye if there bee any here
loath the creature but sinne all the imperfections and blemishes and diseases and infirmities of the creature makes not God to loath it if there be not a mixture of sinne with it because they are not contrary unto God they fight not against God but sinne fights against the purity and holinesse of God and therefore Gods hatred of the creature is onely a hatred for sinne Secondly to us it is the greatest evill the argument stands thus that which deprives us of the greatest good is the greatest evill but this sinne doth Ergo. for it doth deprive us of all things that are good but especially of two things wherin standeth our chiefest good As first it deprives us of the best outward good which is God as the Prophet saith Your sinnes separate betweene you and your God and they keepe good things from you of all other good especially they hinder the comming of grace into your hearts Now what greater evill can there be then this to keepe both God and his Grace from us Secondly it deprives us of the chiefest good within us as for example First it deformes the beautie and strength of the inward man Secondly it weakens that grace that is within that is it makes us unable to resist evill this is the nature of sinne Thirdly if you cannot see it in these then come unto the effects that it workes and it will appeare to be the greatest evill First it turnes all the faculties and parts of the soule body to evill and is the breeder of all distemperature as feare and horrour in the soule Secondly it brings all the evill that doth befall a man in this life they all come by sinne all shame reproach povertie disgrace punishment comes by sinne now if you will but consider sinne in these you will see it to be evill but especially you shall see the evill of sinne in a distressed conscience what feare what amazement what astonishment and despaire what sorrow what anguish of heart is there as upon Iudas no restitution will serve no comfort will worke no perswasion will prevaile thus if you looke upon sinne it will appeare the greatest evill Fourthly sinne is the greatest evill if you consider the medicine that must come to heale it Christ must lay downe his glory for a time hee must abase himselfe hee must come from heaven to earth he must take our nature upon him and humble himselfe unto a cursed death before sinne can be healed now put them altogether sinne is evill by nature Againe it is evill because it deprives us of the greatest good both within us and without us it is the cause of all diseases shame and reproach such an evill that nothing will heale but the blood of Christ looke upon sinne thus cloathed and it will appeare the greatest evill Make conscience therefore of little sinnes for they bring great evils though the sands of the Seas be but little yet a many heaped together make a great burthen so sinne though but in an idle word thought or behaviour seeme to be but a little sinne yet lay many of them together and they will breake the soule and make it barren and unfit to good if a man owe but little debts yet if they be many if he looke and cast them up in the totall hee will finde himselfe presently to bee but a bankerupt so it is with sinne what though the sinne be but a little sinne yet give this a little vent put it to action and this sinne will proove a great sinne give once consent and in time it will be a raigning sinne and when it is thus then it turnes the soule into evill sets it on a rage imprisons it makes it to obey and to be a slave to Sathan now what greater evill can there bee then sinne thus much for the first meanes to get the Iudgement rectified which will see sinne so as to humble it The second meanes to be humbled is this you must labour to make your hearts fit to be humble and that you may doe this you must doe these things First you must labour to get some sense of holinesse that is you must get the heart in a frame of grace for except a man get the spirit he will not be humbled but when there is holinesse bred in the heart then he will see sinne to be humble hee will see sinne out of his place Take any heavy thing especially water and in its place it is not heavy but let it be remooved out of its place and it will be a heavy burthen even so will sinne bee unto you when you have once gotten the spirit you will then see sinne out of his place and to be a heavy burthen that you will not willingly beare it but you will stoope under it and therefore the more holinesse that any man gets the more will be his sight of sinne and where there is most sight of sinne there will be most griefe for sinne and this griefe is alwayes accompanied with this humiliation that I speake of and where there is the greatest humiliation for sinne there is the greatest doore of mercy opened where there is most sence of sinne there the heart is best fitted for grace and in this case the more tender of conscience the better Christian. Secondly if you would be fit to bee humble consider another thing which is the punishment of sinne if you continue in sinne you shall be damned deprived of glory you were once good consider now wherein your happinesse consists consider that you have an immortall soule and that you must be called to an account the serious considerations of these things will make you to bee humble Nebuchadnezzar when he is brought to be like a beast then he confesseth that the Lord is God and humbles himselfe even so should wee Againe doe but consider that all things are in the hands of God and that every one of you in particular are and that he is able presently to dispose of you as he will Againe consider that God is alwayes every where that hee sees all things and that he will judge all men and that a day of judgement a day of departure to judgement is appointed unto all consider also the severity of the Iudge the sentence that hee will pronounce the punishment that he will inflict the eternity of the time I say if men would but consider these things wishly they would not goe on in sinne as they doe but the want of consideration of these things keepes men from Christ. For if the adulterer would but consider what the Scripture saith that no adulterer shall be saved or if the covetous man or drunkard c. that wholly devotes themselves unto evill would but consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9. that none of these should inherit the Kingdome of God they would not goe on in sinne as they doe Againe if they did but consider that all sinne ends in paine that
not sued out hee may be condemned for that fact though there hath beene a long time betweene the fact and the execution so what if thou hast not committed a sinne a great while yet if thou sue not out thy pardon God will iudge thee for that sinne as presently committed looke then upon sinne as present and it will humble thee this Iob did I possessed the sinnes of my youth that is though they were a long time agoe committed yet he lookt upon them as present and this wrought humiliation in him and thus it was with Dauid Psal. 51. My sinnes are euer before me that is they are all seene of me as fresh though neuer so old as if I had now presently committed them Secondly you must looke upon things to come as present bring things within the compasse of a spirituall understanding or else you will not bee humbled look vpon the wrath of God as present looke upon death as present looke upon the britlenesse of thy nature that thou art in the hand of the potter consider how soone the buble may be blowne out looke upon salvation and damnation with an equall eye consider your selues now as if you were to appeare and make up your accounts before God Consider what you would doe if you should now goe into eternity consider the presence of God amongst you which one day you shall see in another manner Doe as Saylors doe when they see a storme a farre off they prepare and esteeme ofit as present Thus should euery Christian doe looke upon euery thing as present for what is the reason that sin is not auoided of many that they sin and remaine as stones without sence but because they doe not apprehend sinne and the punishment thereof as present they looke not vpon the wrath of God as present nor on death and hell as present Belshazzar so long as he looked vpon sinne a far off it neuer mooued him but when he saw the present hand writing that humbled him Things apprehended as present make a deepe impression in the heart either of ioy if good or of feare if euill and therefore if men would but looke vpon sinne and the wrath of God and death and eternall life as present they would be humbled The fifth meanes to get humiliation is this you must labour to remooue these excuses by which men labour to keepe off this blow of the Gospell they are loth to be hit and therfore they labour to shelter and hide themselues because they would not see themselues in such a case as they are in lest they should be humbled which on the contrary if they would but let the Gospel haue his full force at their consciences it wold worke this effect to humble them But I say it is a hard matter to perswade men to see sinnes as present and a hard matter to perswade men to bee humble and consequently a difficult thing it is to make them to beare this blow of the Gospell and to perswade them that humiliation is a necessary condition to salvation and the right receiving of Christ therefore you must labour to remoove the excuses that men make for themselves before they will bee humbled which excuses or rather deceits are these following 1. The first pretence is this We do good as well as the best we ballance our sinnes we heare we receive we give almes we pray in a word wee doe all things that Christians ought to doe therefore we are truly humbled what need wee more to humble our selves To this I answer Well what if you doe pray what if you doe give almes and heare the word and receive the Sacrament though these actions simply in themselves are good yet they may bee nothing worth unto thee unlesse thy heart bee right yea unlesse thine heart be right these actions as they are thine and proceed from thee will be found sinnes before God and so in stead of a blessing may bring a curse upon thee viz. because thou usest holy things in an unholy maner to a wrong end For if thy heart be bad that is estranged from God through infidelitie and unbeleefe whatsoever thy heart meets withall it makes it unrighteous and so puts the tincture of poyson upon it because it is not Gods end that thou aymest at in the doing of these but thy owne end Now it is not only the action but the end of the action that makes it acceptable and dischargeth a Christian in the performance of it Wee know Silver will not goe currant though it bee never so good except the Kings stampe be upon it now the end of the action puts the stampe on the action and makes it goe currant with God for a holy action therefore you that brag of your actions looke unto the end of your actions for unlesse the end bee good the actions are but as counterfeit coyne that every man will refuse that knowes it and you your selves will be esteemed of God but as cooseners are of men worthy to be put to death though the same actions in another are acceptable to God because the sinne is taken away that poisons them So that as a poisonsome stocke turnes the sweet drops of dew that falles upon it unto poyson which yet causeth other trees to bee fruitfull such are unregenerate men continuing in their old sinne without repentance Those things that are good in themselves being performed by them are turned into poyson unto them though being performed by a holy man they are as a sweet odor that makes him more acceptable unto God besides if you doe but examine you shall find that it is not so much you that doe them but some noble quality in you it is either some naturall parts of learning or policy or else some naturall disposition to be kind and loving and meeke c. nature without sanctifying or renewing grace will bring forth such fruit many things you know for a time will hold sent that rather hurt then doe good so these actions that are performed without the spirit though they may carry a sent and smell well yet they hurt the soule because they make you to rest onely in the outward action but if you would doe good and have your actions acceptable unto God then labour to get regenerate hearts because otherwise you will not please God Iehu performed a good action but yet he is branded for it if the end be not good the action is not good to you and therefore let no man rest in the outward action but remember what the Lord accounts of the actions of wicked men He that killeth an Oxe is as if hee slue a man he that sacrificeth a lambe as if he cut off a dogges head he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth Incence as if he blessed an Idoll c. There was nothing so contrary and odious unto God in his worship under the law as these were by which
Christ it is necessary that Christians have this kind of sorrow To this I answer first that it is not the greatest turbulent sorrow that breakes the heart and mollifies and softens it but there is another sorrow which I call a tempered sorrow and that sorrow hath in it both a sight of hell and a sight of heaven a sight of sinne and a sight of grace in Christ which farre exceedes this sorrow for as it is with joy the greatest joy is not expressed by laughter for that is the greatest joy that is the joy of the inward man so it is not the greatest griefe that is expressed by teares and as it is not the greatest fire that makes the most crackling and noyse nor that the deepest water that makes the most roaring so is it not the greatest griefe or sorrow that expresseth it selfe by this turbulent passion of the mind but the greatest griefe is nothing when a sinner apprehends sinne within and sees it in its owne colour then it humbles him Secondly to this I answer that there are degrees of this sorrow and this ariseth from the nature of men some men are of a more hardier nature then others and againe some are of a more softer and tenderer disposition for example some mens flesh will heale sooner then others though the wound bee the same so some haue more softer and gentle natures and therefore sooner wrought upon againe some God intendes to build a greater worke upon and therefore hee humbles them the more againe some hee will season aboue others and therefore will humble them the more that so they may bee fit for it Thirdly to this I answer that although all haue not the like measure of sorrow neither the same apprehension of sin that others have therfore are not so much cast downe in such a manner as others are yet it is not because they are not humble at all but because the condition followes it so close that it hath not power to worke that effect in them which it doth in others that see the same condition a farre off or not at all they apprehend Christ by faith and see reconciliation through him and therefore are not so deiected as others that see him not thus and therefore bee not discouraged though thou finde that thy humiliation bee not so great as others the things may bee the same and the apprehension the same but Christ the condition of thy peace is apprehended neere thee by faith and this qualifies the tempest of the soule but Christ is not seene of the other as a Sauiour and this makes the difference as for example there are two men set upon by robbers the one sees no helpe or no way to escape and hereupon hee is marvelously afflicted and astonished because hee findes himfelfe vnable to resist or make his partie good with them but the other man beset with robbers sees another neere hand that will stand close to him and thereupon hee trusts hopes and depends upon the man to helpe him this man sees the danger aswell as the other and feares but his feare is not a distracted feare neither is it so great as the other because it is mixed with joy and confidence in that he sees a way to escape yet he feares the same that the other feares and is truly humbled and thankfull unto him that saves him from the danger thus it is with many Christians they that haue a turbulent kinde of sorrow see death and hell and sinne and damnation but hee sees Christ so farre off that hee cannot depend upon Christ as a Saviour and hence for the present is marvellously cast downe but hee that hath the mixed sorrow spoken of sees the same in the same manner but withall hee apprehends Christ as a helper as a Saviour and here upon is not so much dejected and cast do wne as the other and yet notwithstanding is as truely humbled and thankfull as the other therefore labour to get a heart sensible of sinne that is labour to know sinne and the evill of it and withall labour to see Christ or else you will bee over-frighted with them as a man that is in prison for treason or a great fact hee knowes before what sentence the Iudge and Iury will passe upon him but he cares not if before he have got the Kings pardon so if you know sinne and know the punishment of sinne but know not Christ you will have no comfort in your knowledge labour therefore to get the holy Ghost for it is the worke of the holy Ghost to convince the world of sinne Iohn 16. 9. a man is no sooner convicted but there will be a change wrought in him for a man is then convict when hee is overcome every way and thus the holy Ghost will convince you of sinne seeke what way you will to keepe off the stroke of the Spirit yet you shall not be able and this stroke shall humble you if you belong unto God as it did Paul in this place But you will say how shall I know whether I am truely humbled or no For your better helpe I will lay downe some signes by which you may examine your selves and then accordingly you may judge of your estates The first signe whereby you shall know whether you bee thorowly humbled or no is this if you love much it is a signe that you are thorowly humbled this we see in the woman in the Gospel and it is Christs commendation of her that shee loved much that is she was sensible of that which Christ had done for her therefore her love to Christ was exceeding great no labour too great nothing too precious for Christ and this we see in Paul also Christ did much for Paul and Paul thought nothing too good for Christ therefore peremptorily he concludes that he is ready not onely to suffer but to dye for Christ seeing Christ saved my soule from hell and that by such a price of so much worth as his owne blood was how can I then thinke that my life is too much for Christ therefore examine your selves examine your humiliation by your love if you love him not above all things if you prize him not above all things you were not as yet truely humbled and that I may perswade you to love Christ and grace and holinesse above all things consider these two motives The first motive is this consider the goodnesse of the thing that I perswade you unto the goodnesse and excellency that is in the things of the world makes men to love them men will not love any thing except they see some excellency in it or at least wise esteeme it so but if it be excellent then it winnes their love so it will be with you in this if you see into the excellency that is in Christ and grace it will winne your love you will prize him above all things no man will prize a Iewell till hee know
that desires the favour of any man he will doe any thing that may please him he will yeild obedience unto all things to all his demands to all his requests no labour and paine is too great for to take for him because he seekes his favour so it is with a Christian he will doe any thing or suffer any thing for Christ that may please him because he seekes his favour to have familiarity and inward acquaintance with God The third reason is because humiliation makes a man to choose God to be his Master to be ruled by his lawes to live under his commands and to obey him in all things and this is true obedience when a Christian chooses God and grace above all things in the world otherwise it will not bee free obedience as a servant that serves a wicked master he obeyes him but it is forc't obedience because hee cannot otherwise choose for if he could have his will he would not serve him but when a Christian chooses God to bee his Master he will thinke nothing too much for him he will doe his will freely in all things The fourth reason is because humiliation breakes and tames the stubbornenesse of our nature and makes it gentle and plyable I speake all this while of the humiliation of the spirit unto good as a young horse or a young heifer when they are broken become tame and gentle so a man that is truely humbled that hath the stubbornenesse and perversnesse of nature broken in him hee will then yeild obedience unto God For example take a man that is troubled in conscience who more humble who more willing to be reconciled who more willing to obey then he or take a man that is broken in estate though hee was proud and high minded before yet now hee will be humble and labour by all obedience and submission to raise his estate for humiliation will breake the heart of all but withall it sostens the heart of a holy Man this we see in Paul Acts 21. 13. When the Iewes would have perswaded him from going to Ierusalem he answers them What doe you meane to breake my heart Wherefore doe you weaken my desire Pauls heart was set in him to suffer many things for Christ and therefore whatsoever hee meets withall that sought to perswade him to the contrary it pierc't him unto the heart if you then be truely humbled the stubbornenesse of your nature is tamed The fift Reason is because where there is true humiliation there is willingnes of minde and you know a willing minde will suffer any thing for Christ and till then no man will when a man is willing to doe a thing that which hinders him pinches him but a man that is humble is willing to doe any thing or suffer any thing for Christ he will obey Christ in every thing because hee sees and feeles the burthen of sinne and againe hee knowes the vertue and excellencie of Christ and prizeth him aboue all things sets him at a high rate and lightly esteemes and sets by either profit or pleasure What is the reason that men will not obey but because they value their lusts at a higher rate then they doe Christ and this is because they are not humbled they are not able to fadome the length and the breadth the height and the depth of the excellencies that are in Christ but it is otherwise with a regenerate man nothing so deere and precious unto him as Christ is hee will loose all things and part with all things before he will part with Christ hee will yeeld free obedience unto Christ because hee is throughly humbled The sixt signe whereby you shall know whether you be truely humbled or no is this examine how you stand affected with worldly pleasures worldly profits worldly joyes are these delightsome to you doe you make these your onely delight and joy then it is a signe that you were never as yet throughly humbled because sinne as yet is not a burthen unto you for if a man apprehend sinne deepely if he sees sinne as it is sinne contrary unto the nature puritie and holinesse of God hee will not minde earthly things so highly or principally as to rejoyce in them only therefore examine your hearts how you stand affected with the things of the world and therefore the Apostle saith Let him that is great in the world bee low in his owne eyes he that is truely humble he will prize Christ and grace and holinesse as the greatest and most precious and excellent things in the world as for example a man that is sicke when he is sicke then he will take no pleasure in any earthly thing because hee is humble but if you tell him that Christ is mercifull that he will receive humble sinners unto fauour he delights in nothing so much nothing is so excellent unto him as this but when he is well againe then hee delights in the world againe and the reason is because he was never truely humbled but prizes the world takes more pleasure in the things of the world then he doth in grace but it is otherwise with an humbled soule that is truely humbled and it will delight more in Christ and grace and holinesse then in all the pleasures and profits in the world therefore examine your selves whether you are more affected with the world or with grace and accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you bee truely humbled or no and thus much for this meanes and for this point we now proceed unto that which followes And hee said Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe The point is this That sin is in it self full of griefe and bitternesse and men shall finde it so sooner or latter I gather it thus Paul was affrighted with his sinne and trembled at it it appeared unto him in an ugly shape hence he cryes out Lord what wilt thou have me to doe that is I am in a straight I cannot tell how to be freed from sinne and I will doe any thing or suffer any thing for thee so I may be freed from sinne now I see sinne with griefe to be a bitter thing And so Adam saw the bitternesse of sinne when hee hid himselfe from God in the Garden and so Dauid saw the bitternesse of sinne when he made the 51. Psal. How earnestly prayes hee to be freed from it to haue the sting of it taken away to feele the favour of God againe which then he felt not Now that sinne is thus we will prove it unto you First I say that sinne is full of griefe and bitternesse the Prophet calles it bitter in Ierem. 2. 19. Know saith he that which thou hast done is bitter and evill that is you shall find it bitter nay it is bitter now if you taste it and it is alwayes so though you doe not alwayes feele it so as the Serpent alwayes hath a sting though hee doe
uses a great deale of difference in afflictions some hee afflicts young he takes them when they are greene others he lets them goe a long on the score till they be old yet he will meete with all at last either sooner or latter therefore thinke not that thou art a greater sinner or that thy sinnes are greater then other mens are or that God loves thee lesse because of thy outward afflictions remember what the Lord said unto the Iewes Luk. 13. 2. 3. Thinke not saith hee that the Galileans on whom the Tower of Shiloim fell were greater sinners then you or others sinners thinke not because judgement was in that manner infflicted upon them that they were greater sinners or that their sinnes were greater and did exceed others but except you repent yee shall all likewise perish I will meete with you and you shall know that your sinnes are as great as theirs was and so looke upon every sinne that God hath punished presently and the sinne is as great still as ever it was as for example the sinne of lying Acts 5. Ananias and Saphira they lyed and you see what a judgement was inflicted upon them because they had lyed to the holy Ghost even against that light which the holy Ghost had revealed unto them and yet you must know that a lye is not the sinne of the holy Ghost for any regenerate man that is in the covenant may through infirmitie speake an untruth and yet not sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost but I say the sinne of lying is now as great as ever it was and he that infflicted that judgement upon them may infflict the like upon thee yet you must know that this sinne is not greater then other sinnes but because men might take heed of this sinne for the time to come he made them examples Againe in Levit. 10. 1 2 3. they that offered strange fire in the time of the law they were strucken with death not that this was a greater sinne then any now but to teach men reverently to draw neere unto God when we have to doe with any of the ordinances of God to use them reverently and to come with reverent hearts unto them Againe let us consider what judgements have befalne lyers and theeves and prophaneners of the Sabbath and drunkards and luxurious persons and cozeners and gamesters that if wee be the like the same judgements may befall us as hath befalne them let us set these as examples to take heed of the like sinnes as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 11. These things fell upon them for our example c. That wee should not lust as some of them lusted c. Now if sinne bee as dangerous unto the soule as ever it was it should teach us to take heed of committing the least evill And that I may the better prevaile with you to forsake sinne consider these motives The first motive to move you to forsake sinne is this because sinne will make you ashamed Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed what will it availe you to doe that thing that afterwards will shame you for though the roote of every sinne seeme to bee sweet yet the fruit of it is bitter that is both shame and sorrow and death and againe on the other side though the roote of every act of godlinesse be a little hard and bitter to the flesh yet the fruite of it is honour and glory And therefore the Prophet saith Iere. 2. 19. that to sinne against God is an evill thing and bitter how sweet soever it may seeme unto you let this therefore move you to hate sinne because it will make you ashamed The second motive to move you to forsake sinne is this because if you sinne God will beate you though election be sure yet you shall not escape correction which shall be more bitter unto you then the sweetest sinne Heb. 12. 6. Hee scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth if thou bee Gods sonne thou must make account to feele Gods rod. The Lord correcteth his children when they sinne for these two reasons The first reason is because sinne is sinne with God in whom soever it is and he will be sure to scourge him in whom it is if thou runne out he will fetch thee in with his crooke and the sweeter the sinne was the bitterer will the scourging bee Rev. 3. 19. Whom I love I rebuke and chasten that is I will doe it without exception of persons a Pet. 1. 4. Iudgement must begin at the house of God Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed or rewarded in this life how much more the sinner if a holy man sinne hee shall bee afflicted then much more a wicked man And againe he that soweth iniquity shall reape affliction hee that sinneth must expect the rodde and it must needs be so because Gods children draw the neerest unto him and he hath said that hee will bee sanctified of those that draw neere unto him Levit. 10. 3. therefore for the keeping of them cleane they must be scowred when they grow foule and rusty they must bee cast into the furnace when they gather drosse The second reason is because his children are the Temples of the holy Ghost wherein God delights to dwell and therefore he will not suffer any uncleanenesse to abide in them long but will quickely sweepe it out with the beesome of affliction as in Revel 2. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art falne and repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come unto thee quickely Ey but I feele nothing for the present I answer yet after though not now thou shalt surely feele it and in that thing that thou lovest most which of all other thou wouldest not bee crost in as David in his Absolon and Moses in his going into Canaan for that is Gods manner if Israel loath Manna God will make it to come out at their nostrils And so thou shalt surely feele thy sinne what ever it be in the end for as in the misdemeanor of youth we sow the seeds of afterdiseases though not presently felt So godly men in their runnings out sow the seeds of after-afflictions though for a while that harvest appeareth not above ground see it in David in Salomon in Asa in Vzziah whether all they smarted not for it in the end and the longer it is deferred the more will come together as those that are sicke seldome are sicke to purpose when it commeth because many humours lye heaped together and lye insensible a-while and then breake forth at once so when thou hast heaped a great many of sinnes together the judgements of God will break out to purpose against thee so that thou shalt feele the weight of them all Ey but I am healthfull and rich and strong and mee thinkes afflictions are not neere
according to my uprightnesse according to the cleannesse of my hands in his eyes sight and then in the 25 26. verses both parts are clearely expressed that he will walke more frowardly with you as you walke more frowardly with him and againe as you walke more purely with him so he will show himselfe more gracious and loving unto you as for example goe thorow all the Iudges of Israel and you shall see this true looke to Gedeon one sinne was the destruction of him and his house looke to Sampson that sinne of fornication brought upon him shame imprisonment and death Againe goe through all the Kings of Iudah and you shall see that they prospered so long as they prospered in grace and when they fell into sinne then presently they fell into misery looke to David to Salomon to Rehoboam Ahab to Asa Manasses c. Againe looke amongst the Corinthians some were sicke and weake amongst them for not receiving the Sacrament worthily so all sicknesses in body breaches in estate ill hansels in businesses troubles from enemies griefes from wives children and friends they all even now in our dayes proceed from the sinnes which you have committed Againe as I said all the prosperity whether it bee outward in riches or honour or wife or children or friends or inward the saving graces of the spirit they all proceed from your uprightnesse of heart And needs it must be so because if God be the Governour of all the world then it must needs bee best with them that serve him best and worst with them that offend him worst this rule must bee understood of the Saints to comfort them and not of wicked men for they want afflictions and enjoy prosperitie in Iudgement but with the godly it is not so therefore they are like to taste of both in this life according to their thriving in sinne and going backward in holinesse let this moove you to hate sinne that you may escape these miseries The sixt Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is a vaine thing it can yeeld us no true comfort or content and this we may see in the vanitie and changeablenesse of earthly things when we make them our onely joy how soone are wee deprived of them for indeed what is our portion or what can yeeld us any sound and solid joy and comfort but God and Christ and so Iob reasoneth in Iob 31. 2. what portion shall I have with God Almighty it is no small portion but a great portion to have Communion with Him to be sure of Him for a refuge in all troubles a Counseller in all duties a helper in all wants to stand by us when all else forsake us he that knoweth the sweete consolations of the spirit will account sinne and the world but a vaine thing I say no man that knowes the sweetnesse there is in the Communion with God will loose it for all the pleasures of sinne Iob 14. hee showeth the vanity of earthly things some conceive the comforts of the Spirit but a vaine thing but this is because they never tasted of the sweetnesse of the spirit there is no man but he hath something that he resteth his heart upon as the Psalmist saith Some trust in Princes some in riches others in their friends but it is God that is the strength and prop of every sanctified mans heart on which every holy man and woman resteth now take from any man that which is his prop and stay and his heart sinketh and dyeth in him like a stone so will the heart of a childe of God when the assurance of the favour of God is taken away by sinne therefore as the favour of God is sweeter then life it selfe unto him so the very interruption and suspending of it is as bitter as death and therefore in this regard sinne is to be hated The seventh Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is restles if you doe but truly consider the restlesnesse of the heart till it be sanctified it will make you to hate sinne the heart is restlesse till it bee set in a good frame of grace Sinne is unto the soule as a disease in unto the body a man that is bodily sicke will never be at rest till he be well so a regenerate man is never at rest till sinne be healed in him wickednesse is of a restlesse nature according unto that measure it is found in any as the Prophet saith in Isaiah 57. 20 21. where he compares the heart of wicked men unto the raging Sea that still is in motion purging and cleansing it selfe so a holy man is not at rest whilest his heart is not cleansed from his sinnes let this therefore moove you to hate sinne because it is restlesse The eighth Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is not acquainted with God it hath no familiaritie with him it is not accustomed to stand or be in his presence it stands in such termes with him that the sinner dares not looke upon God or draw neere him without shame and feare no wicked man dares doe thus so long as any uncleannesse cleaveth unto him in any degree But grace breeds an holy acquaintance with God and doth beget in the heart a kinde of noble friendship and familiaritie with God which will make a holy man to abhorre sinne as a base thing which beseemeth not that purenesse of that friendship which hee hath with Christ hence is that speech of Ezra in Ezra 9. O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are gone c. that is because of my sinne I am ashamed to have any familiaritie with thee The ninth motive to move you to hate sinne is because if you live in sinne God will show you no mercy you shall find him not as a father but as a Iudge The mercy and kindnesse of God is a great and effectuall motive which God often uses in Scripture to move us from sinne thus the Lord dealt with David in 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. I gave thee thy Masters daughter and I made thee King in his steed and if this had beene too little I could have done much more wherefore then hast thou done thus and thus c. Againe in Micah 6. 4. 5 6 7. O my people what have I done unto you remember what I did for you when I brought you out of the land of Egypt remember what Balack King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Sittim unto Gilgall c. Againe in Deut. 32. 6. Doe you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not hee thy father that hath made thee and fashioned thee that hath bought and established thee c. Gods dealing with us being soundly considered how often hee hath spared us and borne with us how much hee hath loved us and