by way of comfort and there are eight consolations I shall give in to those that fear God and are sensible of the interruption of the flesh in duty of Gods worship 1. Know to your comfort that as you have the flesh to hinder so you have the Spirit to help you in duty The Spirit will help thy infirmities with sighes and groans which cannot be untered Rom 8.26 thou hast the flesh to harden thy heart and deaden thy spirit but thou hast the Spirit of God also to soften thy heart and quicken thy spirit to make thee pray with sighes 1 Joh. 4.4 and groans And though the devil be busie to tempt thee yet Stronger is he that is in you saith St. John then he that is in the world 2. Consider that a desire to do those duties you cannot do is in divine account a doing of them It is worth your noting what you finde recorded touching Nehemiah if you compare two Scripturts together The first is Nehem. Neh. 1.11 1.11 where he prayes Lord let thy eare be attentive unto the prayer of thy servant who desires to fear thy Name Compared with Neh. 5.15 And Nehem. 5.15 saith Nehemiah I did not oppresse the people as former Governours did because of the fear of the Lord. So that Nehemiahs desire to fear the Lord is accounted by God the fear of God a desire after any grace is in divine account the having of that grace The Lord he will accept the will for the deed If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 See Mat. 5.5 Joh. 7.37 Psal 10.17 Psal 145.19 Exod. 14.15 1 King 8.17,18 Therefore see what a good God you serve who will accept of purposes for performances and intentions for executions as may appeare by many testimonies of Scripture 3. Feeling the want of any grace or ability to discharge any duty and being grieved for that want is in the account of God as if that want were supplied Thou sayest thou canst not mourne but wouldst thou mourne for thy sinnes why a sense of the want of any grace is in divine acceptance the having of it and this some make to be the meaning of that place in Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with sighes and groans that is the Spirit helps us to grieve that we cannot pray nor repent nor do duty no better and herein is the assistance of Gods Spirit seen And this God will accept 4. Remember this that God accepts of sincerity of heart where there is not perfection of grace You live under a Covenant of grace wherein God accepts of sincerity instead of perfection and God had rather see truth of grace then strength of parts Thou complainest thou canst not pray it may be thou wantest the gift of prayer thou hast not a voluble tongue but thou doest not want truth of desire neither the ornament of a meek spirit a pure heart God had rather have truth of grace then strength of parts you may consider it in the case of Moses and Aaron in Exod. 4.4 I know saith God to Moses Exod. 4.4 that Aaron thy brother can speak well Now Moses he was a man of a stammering tongue but yet when Moses and Aaron was to be imployed in that great work of prayer when Joshua fought against Amaleck God makes choice not of elegant Aaron Exod. 17.11.12 but of stammering Moses to make the prayer Moses could pray better then Aaron though Aaron had better parts 5. Consider it may be thou complainest that it is the interruption of the flesh which hinders thee in duty when only it is the disability of thy natural body Thus godly men do many times charge their unfitnesse to duty upon their own hearts when it is only from an indisposed and disabled body You must know that sometimes the body doth disable a man to do duty and that disability is not sinful it is thy misery but not thy sinne Thus it was with Paul Gal 4.13,14 he speakes thus to the Galatians Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you at the first and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Jerome understands these words of a bodily weaknesse disabling Paul to preach and yet it is said the Galatians bore with him and rejected him not under this bodily infirmity Thus Paul tells the Thessalonians that he would have come unto them once and again but Satan hindred him 1 Thes 2.18 Some think this hindrance was persecution others that it was a tempest at Sea but most think that it was some bodily disease whereby the devil hindred him So that if thou hast a sick pained diseased body and thereby art disabled to duty this though it be thy misery yet it is not thy sinne and therefore in such a case do not lay the blame upon thy own heart Mat. 26.41 for it is with a man in this case as with a strong healthful man that rides upon a poore tired horse thus the soul though active and vigorous is sometimes forced to keep pace with a weak sick and tired body 6. Remember this that God accepts what is his own in duty and covers what is thine That water which is salt in the Sea is fresh in the river that duty which comes from thee is salt and brackish but coming through the river of Christs blood it loseth its unsavoury taste and what a great indulgence is this in God to cover what is ours and to accept what is his own It is a rule in Philosophy Denominatio sequitar majorent partem that the denomination is alwayes taken from the greater part God denominates a man from his better part be sinnes in prayer and he acts grace in prayer that as wine though it be mingled with water and that mixture doth in part debase the wine yet because the wine gives a relish and still retaines the colour of wine therefore the whole cup is called wine So though in thy heart there may be a mixture of sinne with thy grace in thy duty yet the whole shall be called gracious act 7. Though the flesh hinders you in the doing of duty yet there is a vast difference between a godly and a wicked man in this very case though the interruption be both in the one and the other as 1. The wicked they are interrupted by the flesh but they have not the Spirit to assist them against corruption as the godly have 2. The wicked have not renewed principles of grace in their hearts to withstand the corruptions of the flesh as the godly have Regenerate men they cannot sinne that is 1 Joh. 3.9 so sinne as the wicked because they
should come when these words were spoken when Noah was five hundred years old and the flood came when he was six hundred yeares old therefore here is twenty yeares shorter then Gods promise This is an intricate knot and interpreters are forced to take much paines to untie it and to vindicate the faithfulnesse of God herein let God be true and every man a lier Jerome he gives this answer saies he It is true God did promise an hundred and twenty years between the making of the promise and the accomplishment the wickednesse of men grew so great and did so provoke God that he did contract the promise to twenty years lesse and thus Musculus also who farther saies God making promise reserves the condition in his own breast for as God may not bring a judgement threatened upon a people upon their speedy repentance as in the case of the Ninevites so neither is he bound to give them a mercy promised in case of wilful and obstinate and incorrigible wickednesse as in the case of Elies family I said saith God to Eli that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith â—e it farre from me c. But the best and genuine answer given hereto is this that this promise was made to Noah not when he was five hundred yeares old but when he was four hundred and fourscore for though it be said in the fifth chapter and the last verse that Noah was five hundred yeares old yet that text doth not say he was so old when this promise was made Thus Rivet Mercer and others There is one difficulty in this answer It may be objected that this promise was made after Noah was said to be five hundred years old 1 Sam. 2.30 To which I answer that in Scripture it is usual in the relating of Histories not to observe an exact order Gen. 1.21 so that some things may be placed before which may be done after and some things after which may be done before as for instance you may read of the womans creation after the seventh day Moses would not observe a direct order but did put those things after which were done before And so likewise another instance you have of a thing put before done afterwards In the case of Terah you reade that he was two hundred and five years old and he died Gen. 11.32 and yet you finde that Isaac's birth is not mentioned until some ten chapters afterwards whereas Terah lived some thirty five years after the birth of Isaac I only mention this to shew the consistency of this answer with other places of Scripture to which may be added what judicious Calvin hath to solve this doubt that though it be said that Noah was six hundred years old when he was but five hundred and eighty yet because he was going in the six hundreth year and so near it as twenty yeares therefore the Holy Ghost saith Noah was six hundred years expressing his age by a whole number Thus you have the difficulties explained My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. It may be observed from the whole that when God threatened the judgement of a flood he threatened a worse judgement before it to note that Gods withdrawing his ordinances or withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit from his ordinances was a worse punishment then any bodily punishment I mention this in the prologue to the point that so when you hear me handle the grievousnesse of this judgement you may look upon it as a most sad and heavy one And yet before I raise the doctrine I must distinguish to you about a double withdrawing of Gods Spirit when the Scripture saies My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man it includes two things 1. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive in the Ministery of the word by effectual working 2. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive by inward motions and checks upon the conscience I shall handle the point both wayes And the first point is this Doctr. 1. That it is a very grievous and deplorable judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings of his Spirit from the outward Ministery of the word I might note collaterally from the word strive That the work of conversion it is a hard work it is not an easie work to convince a man But I shall follow the doctrine I have propounded and in the opening thereof shall dispatch two things 1. Shew you that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withdrawn or withheld from the Ministery of the word 2. The reasons why God sends this judgement upon any part of the world 1. To demonstrate the truth of the first I shall lay down but this one evidence It appears to be so great a judgement because when the Spirit is withheld from the ordinances there can be no efficacy in them to convert a soul A sword in a living mans hand may pierce and wound but a painted sword in a painted mans hand upon the wall can do nothing at all so the word preached without the Spirit of God can do no more then a sword in the hand of a George on horseback it may please the phansie and tickle the eare but never pierce the heart it must be the Spirit of God which works upon the heart Ye are the epistle of Christ â—aies the Apostle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.3 And as the same Apostle speaks My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 It must be the mighty power of God which works upon the heart The Ministery of the word it is like that poole of Bethesda John 5.4 there was no native vertue in the water to heale but the text saies when the Angel did move the water he that first stept in was healed of whatsoever disease he had Ordinances they are like this poole there is no native vertue in bare preaching and bare hearing but it must be the Spirit of God which must move upon these waters otherwise they become not effectual 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter kills but the Spirit gives life which words are not to be understood in Origens sense the letter that is the literal sense and the Spirit that is the allegorical sense neither the meaning is the letter that is the Old Testament and the Spirit that is the New Testament as the Antinomians say but the meaning of the word the letter that is the word of God abstractively considered from the Spirit of God that kills it leaves a man in a dead estate but it is the Spirit which gives life that is the Spirit backing the Ministery of the word makes it effectual to give Spiritual life Thus it appeares to be a grievous judgement when the Spirit is withheld from the Ordinances of God because without the Spirit
Ordinances as the meanes but to the Spirit of God as the Author of grace the Ordinances cannot without the Spirit do us good and the Spirit without the Ordinances ordinarily will not Therefore we must neither refuse Ordinances nor rest in them lest Gods Spirit depart 3. God may withhold his Spirit from the Word because men withhold preparation from the Word they hear With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mark 4.24 It is spoken of hearing of the Word as you measure to God in an holy endeavour to prepare for hearing God by his Spirit will proportion to you a blessing in hearing 4. Generall unfruitfulnesse under fruitful Ordinances that may be another cause When men sit under the droppings of Heaven as it were and are yet barren this may provoke God to do as he did with his Vineyard to take away the hedge and let the beasts of the field destroy it and that no rain fall on it 5. when men increase in sin Isa 5.3 who attend on the Ministery of the Word and thus it was with the old world who enjoyed the Ministery of Noah Methusalah and other holy men and yet their wickednesse grew exceeding great which did greatly provoke God and caused him to withdraw his Spirit that it should not any longer strive with them SERMON II. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving opened and explained these words and shewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word and likewise laid down the reasons hereof I come now to make the application thereof which shall carry a double reference 1. To those who finde the strivings and workings of the Spirit in the ministery of the Word 2. To those who have the Spirit withheld from the ministery which they attend upon Vse 1 To those who are perswaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the ministery of the word there are two cautions or positions I would lay down for such Position 1 Be sure you do not mistake moral perswasion to be the Spirits special working in you When reason is convinced by the strength of Scripture-argument this is a morall perswasion and the word of God may go farre this way and yet there be onely a common work of the Spirit reason may be convinced and there may be a great stirring up of the affections where there is no effectual working of the Spirit there may be flashes of joy as in John Baptists hearers they rejoyced in him for a season pangs of fear as in Felix fits of sorrow as in Esau and Ahab Moral perswasions are very like unto the Spirits workings and that you may not take the one for the other I shall lay down these three distinctions 1. Moral perswasions do reach but to the outward man but the Spirits operations to the inward man they are such which reach the heart and the inward part Thou desirest truth saith David in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Psal 51.6 2. Moral perswasions they do only restraine the acts of sinne but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of sinne and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings seene in that it changes the habit and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill 3. Moral perswasions they only make a man forbeare sinne rather for feare of punishment then out of love to holinesse or hatred of sinne with respect to God whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart changing it and making it in love with holinesse causing us to hate sinne more then fear the punishment of it viz. because of its contrariety to Gods goodnesse holinesse and authority Position 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Ministery of the Word ascribe the glory to God only not to the meanes nor to your selves in the use of the meanes neither glory to the Minister nor glory to the Ministery 2 Cor. 3.3 nor glory to your selves but to God only Ye are our Epistle written saies the Apostle not with pen and inke but with the Spirit of the living God he compares the people to paper the Ministery to inke the Minister to the pen but it must be the Spirit of God which must write with it 2 Cor. 10.4 through the working of the Spirit the Ministery becomes effectuall The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strong holds he doth not say we are mighty but the Gospel â—s mighty not in it self but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God And so also the Apostle saies he I laboured more abundantly then they ai yet not I but the grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Ministers must say with Peter Acts 3.12 Why look you so earnestly on us as if by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walke vers 16. No But the name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong Ascribe not therefore praise to the Minister nor to your selves you have not been your own converters you gave not your selves your first being in nature much lesse your being in grace it is not you but the grace of God Thy pound saith that servant in the Parable hath gained ten pounds and thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk 19.16,18 not my paines but thy pound So say you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it Psal 115.1 and unto thee be given all the glory Not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory Position 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word see thou be thankful for it Consider that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciously now under the Gospel then ever it did upon men under the Law and this is a very comfortable position the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciously 1. More clearly In the latter dayes the Spirit speaks expresly and holy men of God wrote as they were directed by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearer it was to Christs coming in the flesh the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known and so the Evangelist Saint Luke writing to Theophilus saies Most excellent Theophilus the things which we write are most surely believed among us Luke 1.1 things were hardly believed before because they were darkly delivered and therefore you read that in other ages the Ministery of Christ was not made known to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit Eph. 3.5 it was a Mystery hid
from the foundation of the world that is not totally hid in comparison of the now revealing it but there was not so clear a discovery made thereof by the Spirit and here I would have you to observe that under the Old Testament the Spirit did reveale things gradually now a little and then a little and did keep the full manifestation of the glory of Christ untill he came in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 As first in Adams time it was only known unto the world that the Saviour of mankinde should be born of a woman And then in Abrahams time it was farther revealed that Christ which should save the world should come out of Abrahams loines but then all this while Gen. 12.3 though it were known that he should be of the seed of a woman and of the seed of Abraham also Yet thirdly it was not revealed of what tribe he should be that was revealed in Jacobs time viz. of that tribe of Judah Gen. 49.10 but yet in all this time it was not mentioned how he should be borne and therefore in Isaiahs time it was said A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne but where he should be borne Isa 7.14 that was not revealed untill Micahs time where it is said Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings out have beene from of old from everlasting nor the time till Daniel had it by revelation Dan. 9.24 Thus you see and thus true it is what the Apostle tells you that at sundry times and in divers manners the Lord hath revealed himself to the sonnes of men Heb. 1.1 so that herein what cause have we to blesse God that we are not borne in ancient dayes but in those wherein the Spirit of God doth reveale plainly and clearly the Mysteries of Religion 2. As the Spirit in these dayes of the Gospel doth make known things more plainly and clearly So also more efficaciously the Spirit operates with more efficacy upon mens affections and therefore in the dayes of John the Baptist it is said Matth. 11.12 that the Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force that is the Spirit by its effectual working did make men more eager and vehement for heaven then they were before under the Law There shall be a more glorious manifestation of the Spirit in its operations and hence you read of that promise in the Prophet Isaiah concerning the abundance of Gospel-grace that the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes Isa 30.26 In Gospel-times there is a full revelation of the Spirit and therefore you read that when Ezekiel described the holy City in his Prophesie and Saint John the New Jerusalem in his Revelations John describes his City farre more large then Ezekiel did his to note say Interpreters that God reveals more by his Spirit now then he did in former time Position 4 You that have found the Spirit of God efficacious in the Ministery Consider That the Spirit to set a dignity on the Ministery of the Word doth not work upon man immediately but mediately the Spirit will not teach men immediately but transmits them to an outward ministery which sets a great dignity upon it I shall give you three famous instances hereof wherein the Spirit refuses to teach men immediately but leaves them to an outward Ministery One whereof you haves concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch who reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Isaiah and the Spirt observing him how he read and could not understand bids Philip go neare and joyne himself to his Chariot and expound to him what he read Acts 8.29 the Spirit would not do it immediately himself but bids Philip go Interpreters observe hence what a dignity the Spirit of God puts on the Ministery of the Word that in those times when Visions and Revelations were in use yet God establisht the Ministery Another instance you have of Paul at his conversion Act. 9.4 c. when he saw that Vision and heard that voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and crying out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now Christ would not tell Paul immediately but saies he Go to Damascus and thertehou shalt meet with Ananias and he will tell thee what thou shalt do Thus Christ he would not immediately himself teach Paul but sends him to Ananias that he might set◠greater dignity upon the Gospel-Ministery And therefore they that will expect the Spirit must attend upon the Ordinances as those that would be healed must step into the Poole when the Angel moved Another example you have of Cornelius when he saw the Angel and was sore afraid and said What is it Lord The Lord he bids him send for Peter and he should shew him what he ought to do Thus doth the Lord dignifie the Ministery of the Gospel I mention this particular the rather to shew the vanity of Enthusiasme that would abolish the Ministery and cry up the Spirits immediate teaching but here we see the great dignity which the Spirit sets on the Ministery of poor weak and fraile man in that he will not teack men immediately but sends them to the Ministery of the Gospel Position 5 Though the Spirit who is absolutely free in his operations sometimes hath wrought without the Word yet never hath the Spirit wrought upon any mans heart against the Word To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to the Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 I mention this Position to condemne those vaine impulses of Spirit which men in our dayes pretend to but let such remember that to plead an impulse of Spirit contrary to the Word of God it is not from God but an instigation from the Devill And yet many have forsaken the bright Lamp of Gods Word to follow the ignis fatuus of their own fancy Position 6 You which have found the efficacious working of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word blesse you God that hath not left you a naked empty and inefficacious Ministery to attend upon the word as it is in our mouths without the operation of the Spirit is but a poor weak and empty thing thereby men often occasionally are hardened and perverted but you who have found the Spirit backing the Word in the Ministery thereof blesse you God that hath put such rich treasure in earthen vessels that what the Apostle said to the Corinthians is made good to you 1 Cor. 2.4,5 Our Ministery saies he came not to you with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power blesse you God that hath put forth such a power in
the Ministery of the Word for the good of your souls This is the first use to to those who have found the Ministery of the Word accompanied with the efficacy of the Spirit Vse 2 To those who have the efficacy and operation of the Spirit withheld from the Ministery they attend upon there are seven things I would have such to take notice of 1. That Gods Spirit is a free agent and is not to be tied to an outward Ministery but to be left at liberty to work how when and in what manner he pleases The winde bloweth where it listeth even so is every man which is born of the Spirit John 3.8 By the wind is meant the Spirit There is a Sovereignty and free agency in the Spirit of God to work when he pleases or to withhold working from whom he pleases And therefore the Spirit of God is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit and James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 2. Consider that God doth not withhold his Spirit from the outward Ministery meerly as an act of his Sovereignty but as an act of his Justice because of your sins whereby you have provoked him You provoke him to withhold the efficacy of his Spirit from his Ordinances by your sins and therefore are you hardened and receive not benefit by them you do some of those injuries to the Spirit as quenching grieving resisting vexing tempting and despising the Spirit which I mentioned before therefore do not think hardly of God but judge your selves Sinne was the cause which made the Lord withdraw his Spirit that it should not strive with the men of the old world it was their disobedience as you finde the Apostle Peter speaking Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah 1 Pet 3.19.20 their disobedience made God withdraw the efficacy of his Spirit if therefore the Spirit do not work on you think not hardly on God but thank your selves he is provoked unto it Thus God departed from the Israelites because of their sinfull provocations Psalm 81.11,12 But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own wayes The Spirit in Scripture is compared to a Dove now a Dove will alwayes keep in the house where it is bred unlesse the Dove-house be nastily kept The Spirit of God in this may fitly be resembled by a Dove keep your hearts clean and the Spirit will abide with you keep them nasty and the Spirit will soone leave you sin is the cause why the Spirit withdraws it self from the Ordinances and why men are left unto themselves and God doth it as an act of his justice punishing of sin 3. If God do withhold his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word the fault is rather to be imputed to thy self then unto the Word Many like the woman in Seneca complaine the roome is dark when they themselves are blinde and the place wants no light but they want eyes Or to him that preaches the Word usually if men do not profit by the hearing of the word the blame is cast upon the Minister and truly we Ministers have our faults as well as others if we preach not plainly methodically and duly there is a fault in us but yet I say you are rather to blame your selves then either the Word or the Minister thereof If the seed grow not the fault is neither in the hand of the husbandman nor in the influence of the heavens but in the badnesse of the soile That you may know where the fault lies consider 1. If a Minister preaches plainly and impartially and yet thou gettest no good by him the fault is thy own not his It was the Herodians fault not Christs that those persons profited not by Christs preaching for they themselves give this testimony of Christ Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2. If other men get good by his Ministery and not thou the fault is thine not his If at a feast others are fed thou famisht the fault is in thy stomach not meat 3. In case you have formerly got good by a Minister but now you get none formerly your affections were stirred up your desires were increased your love inflamed but now no such effect the fault is thine own It was the fault of the hearers of John Baptist the fault was not in John's Doctrine that they rejoyced onely for a season this also was the fault of the Galatians that they profited not by Pauls Ministery as before Gal. 4.16 Gal. 4.16 This cometh not from the seed it self but from the badnesse of the ground into which it is cast If thou profitest not by the Word thou hearest thou art to blame thine own naughty heart not the Word or the dispenser thereof 4. Though there is much dignity and excellency to be ascribed to the Word of God nakedly considered yet there is no efficacy in it to convert a soul without the Spirits ' concurrence As it was in the Pool of Bethesda not the water nor stepping into it healed but the Angels moving therein John 5.4 So also not the Word alone nor hearing of it 2 Cor. 3.6 but the Spirit healeth The letter kills but the Spirit gives life saies the Apostle that is the Word without the Spirit it is only the Spirit which can give life The Spirit without the Word will not ordinarily convert and the Word without the Spirit cannot I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Isa 57.19 by the fruit of the lips the Prophet understands a Gospel-Ministery but sayes God I must not create peace by the fruit of the lips it is the working of the Spirit with the Word which makes the Word to become effectual and therefore the Gospel is called the Ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8,9 5. It is a worse judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Word then to be without the Word and the reason is this because the Spirit can convert a man without the Word but the Word can never convert a man without the Spirit and therefore it is a worse judgement for thee to hear Sermons every day and to have the Spirits concurrent efficacy withheld from those Sermons then if thou shouldest never learn a Sermon in all thy life-time therefore pray unto God that his own Spirit may accompany his own Word and Ordinances to make them effectuall for the good of thy soul 6. The Spirit of God may be for a time withheld from Gods own people that it shall not attend an outward Ministery and this is a very sad judgement it may be withheld from Gods elect in a converting way As the man lay 38. yeers at
the poole of Bethesda before he was healed so an elect vessell of God may lie twenty thirty or fourty yeers in a state of unregeneracy before he is converted Nay after conversion the Spirit of God may be withheld from the Ministery of the Word which Gods own people attend upon and that in these two wayes 1. In its Comforting work and thus it was with David Lord saies he take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11.12 thus was the Spirit withdrawn from David in its comforting work I do not tell you the graces of Gods children can be taken away but the comfort of their graces and of the Spirit of God may be taken away from them 2. God may withhold his Spirit in its quickening work thou mayest come to an Ordinance with a hard heart and it may not soften thee though the presence of God is never utterly taken away from a godly man yet the influences and quickenings of Gods Spirit may be withdrawn the Spirit may be withdrawn in a quickening way so as in grace thou mayest decay and in duty thou mayest grow cold and dull but yet the presence of God shall never be taken away from a godly man There is the same Sun in the firmament in winter as in summer but not the warme working and quickening influence 7. And lastly The Spirit of God may be given to men waiting on a publike Ministery in its common workings and yet it may be withheld from them in its saving and effectuall operations and thus it was with the Corinthians many of them had the Spirit to attend Pauls Ministery in the common workings of it but yet not in its saving effects and therefore saies Paul Though you come behinde in no gifts yet I must speak unto you as carnal look to your selves therefore the Spirit in its common workings may attend the Ministery to fill you with notions yet it may be withheld in regard of its saving operations SERMON III. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving shewed that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Ministery of the Word and laid down several Cautions and Positions concerning this judgement I come now to answer an objection Objection You may say This is a very sad judgement indeed but what demonstration may be given thereof or how may it be known that this judgement is in any part of the world Answ For answer hereunto you must know that this is a very dark point and hardly determined and therefore many of the particulars I shall give in answer to it they shall be but probable conjectures rather then infallible Demonstrations There are many things that give me to fear that in part the saving operations of the Spirit are withheld from the Ministery of the Word 1. And first we have cause to fear that in part the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word amongst us because there are fewer which are converted by the Ministery of the Word now then there were in former times now the Spirit ceases to back the Ministery of the Word with numerous numbers of Converts it is an argument that the Spirit is in part withdrawn When the Disciples did first preach the Gospel how did Satan fall down like lightening before the Word there were three thousand converted in one day by Peters Sermon and how may we preach three thousand times and yet not convert one Acts 2.41 Multitudes were brought in and converted in the morning of the Gospel according to that Gospel-promise Psal 110.3 From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth that is multitudes of people should be converted upon the first preaching of the Gospel which should overspread the earth even as the morning dew but in the age wherein God hath cast us the number of converts are greatly lessend and not only lessened to what they were in former time but to what they have been in our time what numbers of the younger sort of people did come in upon the preaching of the Word within these few yeers but now how is the work of conversion at a great stand heretofore Ministers fished as with a net many were brought in but now we fish as it were with an angle now one comes in and then another this may be one probable demonstration that in part the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word 2. Another conjecture is this when men that live under the Ministery of the Word grow worse and worse and not better for men to remaine many yeeres under the Ministery of the Word and yet to be more blinde and more blockish and more perversel and more profane this argues that certainly the Spirit of God is withheld from such and that their destruction is nigh the ground which hath the raine often falling upon it and yet is unfruitful Heb. 6.7.8 is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned as the Apostle speaks The Spirit being withheld the raine of the Gospel is a curse to them and the end of such shall be burning 3. You may feare the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word because there are more perverted by Errour then converted by the Truth for these last years especially since erroneous men have had liberty and countenance What multitudes have beene perverted and led away by the Errours of ungodly men this is an argument of a judiciall hardnesse upon the Land How are we fallen into those times of which the Apostle Peter speaks wherein shall be false teachers and such who shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2.1,2 How many in these our dayes have been perverted following the pernicious wayes of false teachers which surely is an argument of the Spirits suspension from the Ministery Demonstr 4 4. Because the Word of truth is so adulterated with Error this may be a reason why the Word prevailes so little upon the hearts of men As in a field where there are many weeds the seed will never grow there so where there are many Errours sprung up in a Church the seed of Gods Word will not thrive there The increase of damnable Heresies suspends the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of men Christ it is said of him Mark 7.13 that he taught the people with authority and not as did the Scribes and why not as did the Scribes you have the reason given by Christ in the Evangelist Saint Marke sayes he You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions which ye have delivered It was of no force upon the consciences of their followers their erroneous traditions made
down against the streame so is it with the gales of the Spirit they help a man to overcome the streame both of temptation and corruption too but when the Spirit is withdrawn then how venturous will a man be to commit sinne If thou art left of the Spirit thou wilt not only be apt and ready to yeeld unto sinful temptations but thou wilt suddenly and eagerly commit sinne We read of that young man being seduced by the flattering and faire speech of a Harlot that straight way he followed her Prov. 7.22 When the temptation is once given and the Spirit doth not disswade how suddenly will a man be surprized As Gun-powder to fire so is temptation to a corrupt heart if the disswasions of Gods Spirit do not fence and keep it But this is not all a man will not onely be apt to fall and fall suddenly but here is a farther mischief thou wilt commit a sinne eagerly thou wilt be mad upon thy lust thou wilt burne in the sinne thou wilt be poysoned with the evill and this the holy Ghost hints to us speaking of the Gentiles who were without the Spirit of God saies he They were past feeling that is Ephes 4.19 they had no motions of Gods Spirit they were without the operations of the quickening Spirit but then what followes saies he They have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they sinne and think they can never sin enough As a covetous man that is greedy of gaine thinks he can never have enough so these think they shall never have their fill of their lusts Observe a fivefold gradation in this sin 1. They were past feeling now what followes this it is not said they were carried away inconsiderately to sinne but they gave themselves to sinne when the Spirit is in a man and it doth disswade him from sinne he is never carried to it but he goes in a hurry he is carried with reluctancy but let the Spirits motions once be withdrawn and then he shall give himself to the Devill 2. When the Spirit is withdrawn they not onely give themselves but they give themselves over to lasciviousnesse that is they give themselves not partially but totally unto the wayes of sinne 3. It is said they give themselves and this was worse then Ahabs fact 1 King 21.25 for he sold himself to work wickednesse now for a man to sell himself to the Devill it is a great evill but when a man shall give himself and give himself over this is a farre greater wickednesse 4. Here was not only a giving themselves over to sin in thought but the text saith they gave themselves over to work uncleannesse they contented not themselves with contemplative wickednesse but they were workers of iniquity such as made a trade of sinne 5. It is said they gave themselves over to all uncleannesse not only to some sinnes but to all sinnes and that with greedinesse which is to my purpose Whither will that man runne whom the evill spirit drives if the Spirit of God doth not come in with contrary motions to the Devils motions with what a vehement eagernesse will a poor man damn his own soul such a man will never stay till he comes to Hell if the Spirit of God do not stop him in his careere and say to him this is the way walk in it but when the Spirit withdrawes every man turnes to his course as the horse into the battle Jer. 8.6 and how violently will a horse runne into the battle that is not restrained with bit and bridle Psalm 32.9 so is the man that hath neither checks of conscience nor the disswasions of the Spirit Thirdly A man being left of the Spirit of God when he is tempted unto sinne will not onely fall into it aptly suddenly and eagerly but also with complacency and this is worst of all so we reade of those that received not the truth in the love of it that they took pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2 12. they not only acted sin but acted it with delight Thus I have cleared the first particular that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld before the commission of sinne Quest 2 How it appears to be so great and grievous a judgement to have the Spirit of God withheld from a man after the commission of sinne which may be thus evidenced 1. Because otherwise thou wilt never be convinced of the evill thou hast done John 16.8 it is the Spirit which convinceth the world of sin without the Spirits conviction there is no conviction 2. Thou canst never repent of sinne if the Spirit do not after its commission rebuke and convince thee for the Spirits conviction precedes repentance therefore saies the Prophet no man repents him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Jer. 8.6 a man must be convinced that what he hath done is evill before he repents of that evill We have a proverb amongst us that what the eye sees not the heart grieves not for so if the eye of the soul sees not sinne the heart will never be troubled for sinne 3. Thou canst never have thy nature sanctified from the filth of sin unlesse the Spirit work on thee after thy falling into sin sanctification it is by the Spirit of God And therfore the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians speaking of wicked and unregenerate men saies 1 Cor. 6.11 such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Ephes 2.22 So believers they are said to be an habitation of God through the Spirit Whence you may observe the different works of the Trinity in the heart of a believer God the Father he chuseth this house God the Sonne he buyes it and God the holy Ghost he cleanseth and furnisheth this house else it would be a nasty and dark dungeon thou canst never have thy Spirit to be a house for God to dwell in unlesse the Spirit of God sweeps thee with the bosome of sanctifying grace 4. Thou canst never subdue the power of sin without the Spirit Rom. 8.13 Therefore saies the Apostle If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live It is by the Spirit that we mortifie sinne thus you see what a misery it is to want the Spirit in its disswasions and convictions both before and after the commission of sin Quest But why doth God withhold his Spirit that it shall not disswade men from sinne when they are tempted to it nor convince them for sin after they have committed it Answ In the general you are to know that God doth it not as an act of Sovereignty but as an act of Justice you wrong the Spirit and therefore God withholds the Spirit
There may be five reasons laid down as the ground why God withholds his Spirit in its strivings with men 1. Because in times past you have refused to hearken to the frequent motions and perswasions of Gods Spirit the Spirit of God hath told you that if you walk in such wicked wayes the end of them will be death how often hath it suggested unto you that if you go on in such and such courses you will be undone for ever and yet you have gone on in sinne and would not hearken unto the Spirit thus God complaines of his people by the Psalmist Psal 81.11,12 My people would not hearken my voice and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels as if he should say they would not hearken unto me and therefore my Spirit shall disswade them no more I will leave them to themselves and let them take their own course 2. Because it may be you have fastened and fathered sinful affections that arise from the flesh upon the Spirits motions and this is such an injury to the Spirit that he will not bear as when men shall say their wrath kindled from hell is the zeale of the Spirit coming down from Heaven that their erroneous opinions are the Spirits teachings when he is the Spirit of truth and Satanical delusions divine inspirations And this is an indignity not inferiour then if some subject should lay his bastard at his Princes gate and this some think is understood by the vexing of the Spirit mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 63.10 this may be another cause why the Lord may withhold his Spirit 3. Because men do more easily listen to the suggestions of the evill Spirit then to the motions of the good Spirit it makes your friend deny to come to your house when you shall give entertainment to his enemy when the Devill shall come and easily prevaile with you when you shall either sinne upon no temptation or upon a smal temptation this is a high provocation to Gods Spirit and this is a reason why there is so severe a judgment annexed to the third Commandment that God will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine because there is lesse temptation to the sinne of swearing then to any other sinne in the world Other sinnes they are more consonant to flesh and blood but swearing of all sinnes men have the least temptation to it The swearer serves the Devill gratis and hath neither profit nor pleasure by his sinne and therefore God annexes so severe a punishment When thou shalt runne unto sinne upon an easie tâ—mptation and wilt not hearken to Gods Spirit upon an earnest motion this provokes the Lord to withhold the strivings of his Spirit from thee 4. Because in former time thou hast plotted and deliberated how to commit sinne therefore the Spirit will withdraw from thee for time to come There are many that do commit sinne with deliberation premeditation and consultation and that man which commits a sinne deliberately and contrivedly he doth greatly provoke the Spirit of God Pro. v 16.30 It is said of a wicked man that he shutteth his eyes to devise mischief shutting of the eye is a studying plotting and deliberating posture As it is with a friend if you shall give him a blow at peradventure though he may be angry at first yet when he shall understand that it was against your will he will be quickly pacified but if he sees that you plot and contrive his death this makes him that he will never come into your company more Thus it is with the Spirit of God when he sees thee fall into sinne inconsiderately and unadvisedly he will not withdraw from thee for this but when the Spirit shall see that we way-lay him and do deliberate and contrive how to commit sin this provokes him if not for ever yet for a long departure Such deliberate acts of the soul they are more directly against God 1 King 15.5 and to this purpose is observable what you reade concerning David that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter ofVriah the Hittite Now why doth not the text say rather that he was perfect or did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord save onely in the matter of Bathsheba for that was the foulest sinne There is this reason given hereof why the Spirit of God should say that he was a perfect man save onely in the matter of Vriah rather then in that of Bathsheba because his sinne in the matter of Bathsheba it was done rashly and inconsiderately he was suddenly surprized with a temptation but the matter of Vriah 2 Sam. ch 11. it was done more deliberately plottingly and contrivedly for first he sends for him home from the warres that so he might cloak his foul fact then he makes him drunk and after he makes him carry the contrivance of his own death in a letter to Joab so that it was a sinne so deliberately acted that the Spirit of God put a brand upon him for it take heed therefore of deliberate acts of sinne I censure none every one of you must stand or fall to your own Master but this I say that it is a sinne which gives an especial provocation to the Spirit of God It is the saying of a Modern Divine and a true one That a deliberate will to sinne without the act is more sinful then the act of sinne without a deliberate will and thus in the case of Peter that man does worse who purposes to deny Christ though he never doth it then Peter that did actually deny Christ and never intended it therefore look to your purposes and deliberations if you sinne deliberately it is the next step to the sinne of those against whom the Prophet prayes Lord be not merciful to those that sinne maliciously 5. The Spirit of God will withdraw from a man when men prostitute the holy Spirit to base lusts as all hypocrites do who do talk of the Spirit onely to commit sinne and enjoy their lusts more securely Thus Simon Magus he desired the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit that he might seeme some body and enrich himself this was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.5 a cloak for his covetousnesse Many grieve and provoke the Spirit to depart when they themselves do not serve God but rather serve themselves on God SERMON IV. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 10. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to answer another Quere or case of Conscience very usefull which is this Quest How farre the Spirit of God may be withheld or withdrawn even from a godly man both before and after the commission of sinnes First I shall shew you
upon mens consciences Inference 4 Labour and pray the lesse the Spirit of God hath striven with you before the commission of sin that it may the more strive with you by convincing you after you have fallen into it It may be you have sinned ignorantly aptly eagerly or deliberately the more the Spirit hath bin withheld from thee before the commission of sinne pray to have it strive the more with thee afterwards and that in these three wayes 1. By working in thee a more clear conviction of sinne to shew thee not sin in the lump but thy particular sinne clothed with all its haynous and agravating circumstances to convince thee savingly that there may be as it were some compensation made of the Spirits being before whithheld from thee 2. In a more deep humiliation the more the Spirit hath been withheld from you before the commission of sinne desire that the more the Spirit may cast thee down after its commission This was typed out under the Law that man which did but touch an unclean thing was to be unclean till evening but if a man had carried an unclean thing about him then he was to cast off all his clothes So if you have but touched a sinne you are to be humbled but if you have fallen into a sinne which the Spirit hath not convinced you of then you are to labour for a greater measure of conviction and humiliation afterwards 3. Learn that the Spirit may work in thee a more dear affection to Jesus Christ It is observed of Peter the Spirit did more leave him to fall into sinne then he did all the other Apostles except Judas Now when Christ comes to aske Peter whether he loved himor not saies he Simon Peter doest thou love me more then these He doth not say onely doest thou love me Peter but lovest thou me more then these as if he should say Peter thou hast sinned against me more then all the other Apostles have and therefore thou shouldest love me more then they So Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner having seven Devils cast out of her but what is said of her Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for she loved much that is the lesse love she had to Jesus Christ before the commission of sinne the more she had afterwards Many sinnes were forgiven her and therefore she loved much therefore in that place must not be understood as if her love was a cause of her being forgiven but a demonstration and an evidence of it SERMON V. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 17. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to handle to you the with-holdings of the Spirit in reference to good that it shall not stirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty But before I come particularly to speak of this I shall lay down a fourfold distinction about the Spirits motions to good 1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in stirring up holy affections in the heart in blowing up those coales of affection and grace within them John 14.26 and this is that which was promised by Christ that the holy Ghost shall bring all things to rememberance 2. There is an assisting act of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit in Scripture is said to help our infirmities You reade not onely of an intercession of the Spirit in a way of acceptance but of an intercession of the Spirit by way of assistance As in a tree though there be a seminal vertue in the tree yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit So the Spirit of God helps us to work Col. 1.18 Psal 12.13 and Ephes 1.19 3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit not onely bare assistance but strength and increase of grace by the Spirit of God to the souls of men and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farther degrees and measures of the Spirit 4. There is a comforting and a testifying act of the Spirit when the Spirit of God shall back the testimony of thy conscience to evidence the sincerity of thy heart and thus you read of Paul that his conscience did beare him witnesse in the holy Ghost the Spirit of God did witnesse with his spirit the truth and sincerity of his heart Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Now though I might handle all these particulars and shew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in these regards Yet I shall onely speak of the Spirit and shew what a sad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts that it shall not stir up holy motions in the heart to good in the handling of which I shall proceed after this method 1. Shew you wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good 2. When the Spirit doth vouchsafe such motions how you may know them and difference them from those motions to good which the Devil may stir a man up unto 1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good there are these three miseries which will attend him 1. There will be a vacuity or emptinesse of holy thoughts in thy heart The Spirit of God is like unto the spring in the Clock if that lie still all lies still so if the Spirit of God lies still within thee Phil. 2.13 all thy affections which are the motions of thy soul they cannot stirre It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure If the Spirit of God be withheld there cannot be so much as a will in thee to that which is truly good Mans heart it is like that house in the Parable Matth. 12.44 when the Spirit is withheld from him when the Devil came to possesse it it is said that he found it empty swept and garnished empty that is void of any holy thoughts and gracious motions and garnished that is not with the graces of Gods Spirit but with the Devils furniture and if you will see what that furniture is read Matth. 15.19,20 There will be an emptinesse in thy heart of good motions when God withdrawes his Spirit 2. Thy heart will he filled and pestered with evill motions from the Devill Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions it will be by the Devils instigations The heart if it be not Christs garden it will be the Devils Seminary if not Christs store-house it will be the Devils work-house if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghost it will be the Devils Chappel Now this is that which makes the misery the greater when evill motions do pester and fill the heart the Sripture expresses it by the Devils filling of the heart If the gales
of the holy Spirit do not fill the sailes of thy heart to set thee forward to heaven then the instigation and provocations of Satan will help to drive thee forward to hell Ephes 5.18 1 John 4.13 and it is worth your noting as the Scripture speaks of the indwelling of the Spirit that is by its motions in the hearts of the godly as we say the Sunne is in the house when only the beames thereof are there So when evill motions shall fill our hearts the Scripture expresses this by the Devils being there thus the Apostle to Ananians Why hath Satan filled thy heart Acts 5.3 it is not to be understood of a bodily possession but the meaning is that the Devil put that covetous motion into his heart the Devill was in that motion which was in his heart and therefore men are to look upon evill motions as having the Devill in them When Judas had a motion to betray Christ it 's said Luke 22.3 Then entered Satan into him the Devill entered with that motion for immediately he went out and communed with the high Priests and came to an agreement with them about the betraying of Christ and they must needs go whom the Devill drives as we say in the Proverb What a misery then is this when the Spirit of God is withheld in its gracious motions then will the Devill possesse thy heart by evill motions 3. If the Spirit withdraw in its exciting acts it will also be withheld in its assisting acts this is a farther misery if it never move you to act grace it will never assist you therein It is true that sometimes there may be motions to good in the heart which may not be backt with assistance The resolutions that many take to become reformed are the common workings of the Spirit which many times are never brought into act by any farther assistance of the Spirit as sometimes convictions are without conversion But this is certain that where the Spirit moves not to good it will not assist in the doing thereof water can rise no higher then the spring from whence it flows if thy motions are natural there will be no more assistance then what comes from nature Now we may know the misery of the Spirits withdrawing his exciting and assisting power by the particulars following viz. 1. Upon this withdrawing the soul is not so voluntarily put upon doing good nor doth it set upon holy duties with so much liking delight and complacency but rather doth them in a compulsory way and we come to them as a Bear to the stake or as a childe sent to schoole 2. Nor with so much frequency once seven times a day with David or three times a day with Daniel now not seven times in a moneth nor thrice aweek 3. Nor with so much fervency nor with such warme working affections as formerly but men are lazie luke-warme listlesse and livelesse in all holy exercises 4. Nor is there such consistency of holy motions but they are gliding transient and fleeting not fixt and abiding upon the heart But how may a man know the difference between the Spirits exciting to good and the Devils motions in the heart to do good This is a practical and useful case because it is possible yea common that the Devill will move men to do good the Devill in this case doth sometimes appear as an Angel of light therefore to answer the Question I shall lay down several particulars Answ 1 If thou hast a motion to do good out of thy place and calling this motion is from the devil not from God An example hereof you have in Saul when the Philistims were comming down against him and sayes he I have not made supplication to the Lord I forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13.12,13 The matter of the thing he did was good to offer a sacrifice and make supplication but it was not Sauls office and place to do so and therefore though the matter was good yet the motion thereunto came from the devil and hereupon you finde how much the Lord was dispâ—eased with him for the doing of it and Samuel reproved him for it ver 13. and said Thou hast done foolishly and hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord. So you read of Vzziah he would not intermit the worship of God and therefore he himself would burne incense 2 Chron. 26.18 but for his fact you finde that he was smitten with a Leprosie To offer sacrifice it was a good thing but it was not good in Vzziah who had no call so to do And as it is thus in Divine so also in Political affairs as for a private man to do the work of a Magistrate it being out of his place and calling it is from the devil not from God Absolom undertakes to shew justice to the people but what this he was but an usurper of the royal office and as he had no right to the regal power neither had he any call to administer pulick justice For private men upon a pretence of being gifted to take upon them the publick Ministery it cannot be from the Spirit of God for the Spirit keeps men within their bounds therefore sayes the Apostle Let every man wherein he is called abide therein with God 1 Cor. 7.20,24 The Spirit it puts men upon the doing of good in their place and calling but the devil doth not As fire in the Chimney it is good and is put there by your sevants but fire put in the roofe or rafters of your house that is done by an enemy Motions to good in your place and calling they come from the Spirit of God but motions to good out of your calling are suggested by the devil 2. The devil he may move you to good but then it may be it is that he may hinder you in the doing of a greater good It is very observable when our Saviour began to shew his Disciples Mat. 16.21,22,23 how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders the chief Priests and the Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day That Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Now this came from the devil that he might hinder the work of mans salvation and therefore sayes Christ Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men There is much of Gods minde in these words Indeed the Papists who pretend a fu cession from Peter they would excuse Peter in this motion and would make it a divine motion But Protestants do generally concurre in this that Peters motion was naturally good he shewed in it a natural love to Christ but yet the devil was in it too and therefore Christ calls him Satan Get thee behinde me Satan and then Thou
withdrawing it is but in some things not in all in some motions and in some asistance not in other some The Spirit is never totally witdrawn from godly men the presence of the Spirit is not withdrawn though the comfort and assurance of it may be Vse 2 It is with a soul in this case as it is with the herbs and trees in winter the whole sap is not gone but retired into the root Let this be thy comfort that the departures of the Spirit they are temporary not eternal the Spirit is onely gone for a season Isaiah 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thâ—e for a moment It is but in a little wrath and for a little while That which Christ said of his person to his Disciples I will go away but I will come again the same may be said of the Spirit though he may be withdrawn yet after a while he will returne again Vse 3 Thou sayest the Spirit is withdrawn but it may be it is a sensible not a real withdrawing My meaning is this it may be thou apprehendest it to be so when in relity it is not so for of all men the godly they are most apt to have suspitions of their own hearts and of their own estates Gen. 44.2 Thou mayest have as Benjamin a golden cup in thy sacks mouth a pledge of Joseph's love and thou mayest not know it Out of thy belly may flow a fountain of living water and yet thou mayest not know it even as Hagar when she was ready to die for thirst had a well of water by her and yet knew it not therefore it may be it is but a sensible not a real withdrawing It is with the soul in respect of the Spirit of Christ as it was with Mary Magdalen who when she was speaking with Christ knew it not but asked Christ whither they had carried him John 20.15 Vse 4 Consider that Jesus Christ may depart from you not out of hatred but out of trial to see whether thou wilt follow him As a Mother will sometimes run into a corner and hide her self from her childe but it is not to leave her child shiftless but to see its love whether it will seek after her or not So Jesus Christ he may sometimes leave you and withdraw his Spirit to see whether you will follow hard after him account the motions of his Spirit worth seeking after And thus I have briefly given you an account of the withdrawings of the Spirit of Christ from ordinances and from our souls I have shewed you both the cause and the cure of this miserable estate The Lord give you understanding in all things SERM. VIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 1. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh HAving lately treated of the misery of those from whom the motions of Gods Spirit were withdrawn I am now to treat of the happinesse of others who walk after the motions and guidance of the Spirit which I shall do out of these words Walk in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Which words are an Apostical direction or caution being intire in themselves and therefore I shall handle them without reference to what goes before or what follows after The method I observe shall be this First I shall explaine the words Secondly divide them then deduce some observations and lastly make application of all 1. In the explanatory part there are four things to be unfolded 1. What is here to be meant by the Spirit 2. What is meant by walking in the Spirit 3. What by not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh 4. How can it be said that men shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Quest 1 What is meant by the Spirit Answ 1 In general it doth denote the whole divine essence distinguished into three persons God is a Spirit John 4.24 i. e. a spiritual Essence 2 Cor. 3.17 Answ 2 More particularly it notes the third person in the blessed Trinity 1 John 5.6 Answ 3 By Spirit is understood the gifts of the Spirit Luk. 1.15 Quest 2 What is meant here by walking in the Spirit Answ 1 For answer hereunto there is something must be paraphrased upon as conducible to the explaining of it As first Gal. 3.2 Verse 25. Gal. 5.18 there is mention made in Gal. 3.2 of receiving the Spirit Secondly of living in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 Thirdly of being led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 And fourthly of walking in the Spirit and that in the words of my text Now by receiving and living in the Spirit is set out to us the first implantation or work of Gods Spirit on us in our regeneration And by the other two phrases of being led by the Spirit and walking in the Spirit these two are one and the same and set out to us the progressive work of the Spirit upon the soul in the work of sanctification so that he that would walk in the Spirit must follow the motions and instructions of it Therefore if you would walk in the Spirit you must not follow the impulses of your own spirits Quicquid somniant Fanatici volunt esse Spiritum sanctum Melanchton they follow the instinct of their own spirits Of such Melanchton speaks that they think their own dreams as Canonical as Gods Word and thereby are so far from abolishing the lusts of the flesh that they gratifie the lusts of the flesh The genuine sense therefore of these words of walking in the Spirit is to walk after the Spirit and so it is an expression of the same importance with those words in Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is if we follow the motions and instructions of Gods Spirit then may we be said to walk in it Quest 3 But what benefit will accrue hereupon Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Answ Now before I answer this particular I must give you caution The Apostle doth not say you shall not have the lusts of the flesh for you know that he which doth most follow the motions and directions of the Spirit in his practice he finds in himselfe the workings of corrupt nature whilest you have this natural body you will have these lusts of the flesh in you But saith the Apostle Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Now by the lusts of the flesh you must not understand it in a limited sense of the sinne of incontinency or uncleannesse which elsewhere is truly called the lust of the flesh but you are to take it in a comprehensive sense for all those corrupt and irregular inclinations to sinne which are in the nature of man Now when the Apostle saith you shall not fulfil these lusts his meaning is not that you shall not
natural motions from conscience may put a man upon the doing of a good thing Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor yet it cannot give any power for its performance it leaves thee like Ovids Medea that saw good yet would not do it Natural motions to the soul are as Pharaoh to the Israelites who moved them to make brick but gave them no materials Natural conscience moves to duty but conveighs no power to do it withal therefore you read that the law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8 3. weak as to justification thereby there being no power in man to fulfil it 2. Virtutis amore non formidine poenae 2 Tim. 1.7 The Spirit it moves a man to do good more out of the lovelinesse and beauty that is in holinesse then out of fear of hells torments Hence we read that God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde we do not do things meerely out of fear of hell but out of love to God and holinesse So the Apostle Paul sayes he As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God for ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.14,15 Ducuur à spiritu non trahâ—tur The Spirit of God makes a man do a thing as a childe out of love to his father and not out of fear this is the effect of the Spirit of God But now the motions of natural conscience to good are not out of any excellency a man seeth in the good he doth but meerly out of feare of punishment he seeth damnation if he doth otherwise 3. The Spirit of God moves a man to do good in things not only good for the matter but to make conscience of the end why he doth such a thing that he be sound in his aime and therefore sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 17. We have received the Spirit of a sound minde that is the Spirit it puts a man not only upon the doing of a good duty but makes him have a sincere end in the doing thereof But the natural conscience it rests in the duty in case it be done though done never so corruptly Prov. 7.14 As the harlot Solomon speaks of who had sacrificed and paid her vows though her end was most abominable and base viz. that she might the more uncontrolable play the harlot she first playes the hypocrite and then the harlot 4. The Spirit of God moving men to do good it regulates them in the manner of doing good the duty it must be done with affection with love with faith fervency and composednesse of minde but natural conscience moving a man to duty takes no farther care so it be done not how it be done it may move to prayer and to hearing but never moves to take heed how these duties are done 5. The Spirit of God moves a man so powerfully that it carrieth him to do good notwithstanding difficulty and danger and neither shall hinder him in its performance The Spirits motions are like unto new wine in a barrel that wanting vent is ready to burst holy motions will break forth into holy actions Wicked men are sick till they act their wickednesse and cannot be satisfied till they have done sinfully But those who have natural motions to good they go no farther but rest in them and never bring forth good accomplishments Balaam he had a good motion Num. 23.10 oh sayes he that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end might be like unto his What a heavenly ejaculation was here it was a very good wish but yet it was a lazie one he wisht to die the death of the righteous but yet would not live the life of the righteous he would not practise what he prayed for Natural motions in men freeze between their lips they only deâ—re but never break out into the acting of duty Difficulties do discourage natural men from following their good resolutions with constant practice and the sluggard will not plow because of the cold Prov. 20.4 Querie 3 How may we know the Spirits motions from Satanical delusions The devils suggestions they are like unto the Spirits motions and there have been men in all ages which have taken phantastical illusions for the Spirits motions therefore to difference the one from the other Consider 1. That the motions of Gods Spirit are alwayes agreeable to a written word the words prescript and the Spirits motions are correspondent the one to the other You have both joyned together by Solomon I will poure out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 1.23 So the Prophet Isaiah My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Isa 59.21 The motions of the Spirit of God they are alwayes suitable to the Word of God To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to them it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 and therefore all that are contrary they are the delusions of the evil spirit 2. The motions of Gods Spirit in men are not now to foretell future events but they are holy motions pressing to duty Therefore the Papists who boast of a prophetical Spirit and of foretelling things to come and your starre-gazers and sooth-sayers who pretend to tell future contingent events telling you this party shall prevaile this moneth and that party another moneth these are diabolical delusions and not from the Spirit of God who since the Canon of the Scripture hath been established refers us to the Word as a rule of our obedience 3. The Spirits motions where ever they are they stirre up grace and keep under sinne they stir up grace and therefore we read of the assisting exciting and supplying work of the Spirit those motions which stirre up sinne and cherish corruption are diabolical Rom. 8.13 Therefore saith the Apostle Paul If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if 〈◊〉 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Motions from the Spirit of God they are holy motions exciting grace and depressing sin Micah 2.11 And therefore it is said if a man walk in the Spirit and do lie that is if a man will pretend a message from the Spirit of God and yet Prophesie of wine and strong drink that is by his Doctrine incourage drunkennesse or any sin that man lies he comes not from the holy Spirit but from the devil SERMON IX At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh A third Querie I Proceed now to a third thing to be enquired into and that is How we may know the
difference between those common motions of the Spirit in the wicked and the saving motions of the Spirit in the regenerate Answ The reason why I shall discusse this question is Heb. 6.4 because the Scripture saith that wicked men may be partakers of the holy Ghost and therefore to answer the question you must know that there is a twofold difference between the wicked and the godly their partaking of the Spirit 1. About the measure 2. About the manner 1. In the measure though a Reprobate partakes of the motions of the Spirit yet he hath not such a measure of the Spirit as a regenerate man hath Forbes in that practical Tract of his concerning this doubt gives you this exemplification Summis tuntam labris pitissare Wicked men sayes he partake of the Spirit as Coocks do of the meat they dresse they taste of as much as will relish their palates but do not take so much as to make a meal of which may refresh nature and strengthen it But the regenerate are as the invited guests and they not only taste the meat prepared but also make a meale thereof Wicked men they have but a taste and therefore sayes the Apostle of them They have tasted of the heavenly gift Heb. 6.3 They are just like unto men going by an Apothecaries shoppe who may smell the sweet sents of his pots but only the sick patient gets benefit by his cordials Thus it is with the wicked God he may and doth give them tastes of his Spirit but they have not so much as will do their souls good It is only the godly who have saving participations of grace As there were many of the Israelites who had a taste of the fruit of the land of Canaan who yet never came to heaven so some may taste of the heavenly gift who shall never come to heaven 2. They differ as in the measure of their receiving the Spirit so also in the manner 1. Motions of the Spirit in the reprobate they are transient and gliding not lasting motions they passe like a shadow And therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet Hosea speaking of Ephraim Your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away Hosea 6.4 As the rising Sunne dissipates the clouds and dries up the dew so do the motions of the Spirit in Reprobates soon vanish and passe away But the motions of the Spirit in the godly they are like an old inhabitant they dwell with him and therefore saith our Saviour If my words abide in you ye shall aske what ye will and it shall be done unto you John 15.7 The words of Christ are transient and as sojourners in the wicked but abiding in the godly they stay with a godly man all his life-time he is one that hath alwayes a conscience void of offence Acts 24.16 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgements at all times Psal 119.20 Psal 27.4 saith David And that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all my dayes Psal 23.6 The motions of Gods Spirit in the godly they are not by fits and starts but they are abiding and lasting motions 2. They are rare and seldome not ordinary and usual as they stay but a while so they come but seldome now and then upon some extraordinary emergencies It is in this case with the Reprobate in regard of good motions As it is with a man in a lottery to one prize he may draw a hundred blankes so wicked men they have a hundred Satanical motions to evil for one motion of Gods Spirit to good they are as rare and seldome as it is to see a Swallow in Winter While a wicked man is thinking evil thoughts he is in his own element and he as familiarly doth that as breath but good thoughts are but as strangers in his heart 3. The Spirits motions in wicked men they are constrained not voluntary they are not in them as water which proceeds from a fountaine but as water coming from a still forced by reason of the fire underneath it The Spirits motions in wicked men they are constrained upon a double ground First either from natural conscience which tells them they must not be such devils incarnate as never have any good motions Balaam he had a desire to curse the people of Israel yet natural conscience prevaised with him to the contrary Numb 23.12 and sayes he Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Or secondly this may proceed from the sense of outward judgements this may occasion the entertainment of good thoughts When their fear cometh as desolation and destructions as a whirlewinde then shall they call upon me Prov. 1.27.28 It must be a whirlewinde of feare which drives them to call upon the name of the Lord agreeable to that of the Prophet Hosea In their affliction they will seek me early Hose 5.15 When the Israelites were afraid of the thunder and the lightening They said unto Moses Speak unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will do it Deut. 5.26,27 4. Motions of the Spirit in the Reprobate they are casual and accidental not studied and considered such which fall in by the by without preparation or meditation motions which tumble in they know not how The wicked man he consulteth evil thoughts therefore sayes the wise man He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things Prov. 16.30 Shutting of the eyes it is a posture which argues intentions of minde thus wicked men they contrive how to bring about a mischievous device and are students in sinne and to this purpose saith the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God will make manifest the counsels of the heart Deliberate thoughts about sinne they are called the councels or consultations of the heart and these will God lay open The wicked are said to plot against the just but they never study to have good thoughts when they come they fall in accidentally and passe away without consideration 5. Good motions in wicked men they are partial not universal as moving them not to good at all times so neither to all good They may have motions to move them to the doing of outward good things such whereby their names may become to be spoken of with applause but not to the doing of all good their motions to good put them not upon the mortifying of strong lusts and keeping under sin whereas the Spirits motions to good in the godly they are universal to one good thing as well as another Heb. 13.18 We trust saith the Apostle Paul that we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Acts 24.16 and as the same Apostle in another place Vniversalitas objecti subjecti Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men
There is a universality in the motions of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of the godly The whole heart being moved unto all good and that alwayes 6. Motions of the Spirit in the wicked they are fruitlesse motions which have no influence upon their lives One saith that the heart of a fool is like unto a cart-wheel his thoughts like a roving a xletree as a cart-wheel it goes round and round all the day 2 Cor. 1.17 Isa 51.1 Daniel 1.8 yet still abides where it used to be so wicked men it may be sometimes they have good thoughts and good motions but yet these have not an influence upon his life his motions to good are fruitlesse motions But motions to good in the godly are joyned with practice and holy purposes joyned with prayer Psal 119.2 7. The motions of Gods Spirit in Reprobates they are for good things done in publick not in private thou wilt do good that thy name may be cryed up The winde of vaine glory may blow the saile of thy heart and fill it with good motions Simile Wicked men may be compared to a nightingal they say of that bird if it sees a man listen to her it will sing the more sweetly thus it is with wicked men they are better to men then they are unto God and better in the Church then they are in the closet It is reported of one that could fast several dayes in a Monastery but not halfe a day in the Wildernesse and being asked the reason he gave this answer When I fast in the Monastery I feed upon vain glory and the praise of men but not so in the Wildernesse It is so with formal professors their motions are such which put them upon outward and visible good but never upon inward and secret duties to examine their hearts to watch over them to keep close communion with God in secret if thou comest short of this thou comest short of the effectual and saving motions of the Spirit The use I shall make of this point shall be twofold First of humiliation Use of humiliation Secondly by way of instruction to draw out some practical inferences from the point If it be the duty of Gods people to walk after the guidance and motions of the Spirit of God then Vse 1 Be humbled for that inobservancy that is in us of the Spirits motions As it is with the winde to which the Spirit is compared Joh. 3.8 The winde it bloweth where it listeth but who takes notice of the winde How often do men walk in the streets and yet observe not which way the winde blowes as it is with the winde so is it with the Spirit the Spirit comes with many a sweet gale and yet we do not observe it That as Job said of the Lord He passed by and he saw him not Job 9.11 so may we say of the Spirit of God It was nigh me and I perceived it not Thus our Saviour speaks of the world that they cannot receive the Spirit of truth Because they neither see him nor know him The meaning is not John 14.17 as if they could see the Spirit with a bodily eye for the Spirit is not a bodily substance but they neither see him nor know him that is they see not his motions neither have any experimental knowledge of the Spirits workings Natural men are unacquainted with their own Spirits and much more with the motions of Gods Spirit We cannot see the Sunne but by its own light nor observe the Spirit without the Spirit There are many in the world like unto that Ruler of the feast when Christ turned the water into wine Joh. 2.9 it is said He knew not whence it was I may allude to this Scripture thus there are many men whose water the Spirit would turne unto wine that is their corrupt motions into holy and gracious motions yet they do not know it neither will they see it 2. If you are not guilty of inobservancy of the Spirits motions yet be humbled for the infirmity of the flesh that you cannot alwayes imbrace the Spirits motions when you know them You read in Joh. 14. where Christ speaks concerning the sending of the Spirit That the world cannot receive him He doth not say John 14.17 the world doth not receive him but the world cannot receive him to note a debility in the flesh that men cannot entertaine holy motions Rolloc on this place compares the heart of natural men unto wet wood 1 Cor. 2.14 which is not so easily set one fire The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritâ—ally discerned And the carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 There is not onely a meer suspension of the act but a disability in the soul this is our infirmity that we cannot imbrace the Spirits motions in the flesh though we know them 3. Be humbled though knowing them yet because you cannot bring these motions into holy practice there are many men who entertaine the Spirits motions but alas they act not these gracious motions The Spirit moves to pray better to heare better to live more holily and yet still they remain as they were and though sometimes they may resolve to live better yet how soon are these resolutions forgotten such may complaine with Job in this case Job 17.11 My purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart Doubtlesse these were good thoughts as if he should have said I have purposed to live thus and thus if God had kept me in prosperity but now they are broken off and I am disappointed in my own thoughts many of us may take up this complaint that our purposes are disappointed many a good motions hath the Spiritâ— stirred up in thy heart and yet thou couldest not bring that holy motion into action But it will become every childe of God to say and hold to purpose and practice and with David to say I will confesse my sinne and so to confesse then Psalme 32.2,3 4. Be humbled for that receptivenesse that is in our natures to imbrace all sinful motions How unlike are we unto our Saviour John 14.30 the Tempter came unto him but found nothing in him he found no matter for his temptation to fasten upon but the Tempter comes to thee and he findes something in thee he findes in thee a receptive nature to close with the temptation he suggests unto thee Christs nature it was like unto a Crystal-glasse filled with pure water the devil shook the glasse but it was still clear but when the devil comes to us he findes us as a puddle of water and he doth but take into this puddle and how doth the mudde appear A dunghill may have herbes and flowers grow upon it but if you rake and
digge into it how quickly will the stench thereof take away the sweetnesse of the flowers though our natures seem not to be so bad as they are yet if the devil do but rake into them then will it appear what we are The heart of man may be compared to a tinder-box the corruption of nature to the tinder in this box now let but the devil strike flint and steele together that is suite a temptation to our corruption and how soone are we set on fire Christs nature it was like Iron it would not take with the sparks but the devil he tempts us and our natures are like tinder to the temptation What cause have we therefore to be humbled and greatly to be abased in the rememberance of the receptivenesse of our natures to take in the devils suggestions 5. Be humbled for that antipathy that is in our natures against the Spirits motions Our natures in innocency they were like the rivers of Egypt before they were turned into blood they were then the proper element for fish to live in but being once turned into blood all the fish die In innocency thy nature it was the proper element for the motions of the Spirit of God to be in but when thy nature was turned into blood by degeneration then the Spirits motions depart The words following my Text set out the contrariety of our natures Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit by Spirit is not meant the regenerate part but the motions of Gods Spirit corrupt nature warres against Gods Spirit in its motions and workings There are three expressions in Scripture which set out the enmity of mans nature against the Spirit of God As Isa 63.10 Acts 7.51 Heb. 10.29 1. A vexing of the Spirit 2. A resisting of the Spirit And 3. A doing despight to the spirit of grace Now all these expressiotions they denote the very height of enmity and that the nature of man it carries a deadly enmity to the Spirits motions Vse 2 I come now by way of instruction to lay down some inferences that may be drawn from this Doctrine and they shall be of two sorts First I shall lay down some general positions Secondly some particular directions about the Spirits motions Position 1 That the motions of the Spirit they are free and voluntary they are in whom and in what measure the Spirit pleases John 3.8 The winde blowes where it listeth that is the Spirits motions are imparted to whom God pleases The Spirit of God it is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 it is a holy Spirit if you regard the effects of it but a free Spirit if you regard the grounds of its working And therefore the Apostle James sayes he Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth James 1.18 The Spirit of God it is a free agent Position 2 No man doth enjoy the Spirits motions alwayes alike That as the Sunne in the firmament though it be alwayes there yet it hath not alwayes the same influence so the same Spirit it is not alwayes in the same measure in regenerate men As it is with the winde in the aire sometimes it is calme at other times it is boysterous thus it is with the Spirit in the hearts of the godly they have it not alwayes in the same measure Posit 3 That men do more walke after the motions of the evil spirit then after the motions of the good Spirit It is a note which Divines commonly gather from Verse 19. and 22. following my Text where it is said that the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19,22 and there he layes down a catalogue of them But when he comes to speak of the works of the Spirit he doth not give them that name but calls them the fruits of the Spirit to let us know that men do more walke after the flesh then after the Spirit The wayes of most men are rather to follow manifestly the guidance of the flesh then of the Spirit Eph. 2.2 And so the Apostle speaks of men Who walk after the course of this world and according to the Spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience not according to the motions and suggestions of the holy Spirit of God Posit 4 That there is more fruit and profit to be found in walking after the motions of Gods Spirit then after the sinful motions of the evil spirit And this I gather from the variation of the phrase when the Apostle makes a catalogue of the workes of the flesh and of the Spirit sayes he The works of the flesh are manifest but the fruits of the Spirit are c. Gal. 5.19,22 To let you know that there is no fruit nor profit in sinne and therefore sayes the Apostle elsewhere Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Sinne brings forth no fruit but sorrow and shame sinne it is a work of the flesh it is the devils drudgery sinne is a work and it is a work of the flesh and there is no profit in it but there is fruit in the Spirit to let you know that if you imbrace the Spirits motions there will fruit and profit redound unto you thereby He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 There is no profit in following the flesh but much in following the Spirit Luther hath a good glosse upon that of Paul Let us cast off the work of darknesse and put on the armour of light Rom. 13.12 Sinne is called a work of darknesse and if you regard the antithesis grace should be called the work of light but it is not called so it is called the armour of light not the garment but the armour of light now why is the opposition carried on so unevenly it is sayes Luther for this reason sinne is called a work of darknesse not armour to note that there is no force in it against the wrath of God but grace it is called the â—rmour of light that as armour is for ornament and defence so grace it is that which beautifies the soul and keeps you from the wrath which is to come I shall conclude this particular with that of the Apostle Paul to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace there is peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come much profit to a man which walkes after the Spirits guidance here but everlasting life and happinesse hereafter SERMON X. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Come now to the particular directions touching the motions of the Spirit of God Direct 1 1. When the Spirit of God suggests holy motions
into your mindes leave not these motions till you have brought them into actions holy motions should be backed with holy resolutions which also should be followed with holy actions It is the fault of many Christians they let good motions die in their breasts and so they come to an untimely issue Daniel 1.8 That of Daniel is for our imitation He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself He did not rest in the bare motion and purpose but he made it his request he joyned endeavour to his resolution but as for us how may we as I before told you take up the complaint of Job Our purposes are broken off even the thoughts of our hearts Job 17.11 Holy motions they should be followed with holy resolutions and accomplished with holy performances 2. When the Lord vouchsafes you the motions of his Spirit you must not conceive that you have the Essence or the Person of the Spirit this is the errour of the Familists and no lesse then blasphemy for want of a distinction between the motions of the Spirit and the Person of the Spirit their opinion is this that there is in a Beleever not only the graces of the Spirit but the Person of the Spirit but this is nothing else but to make humanity the Deity For the clearing hereof let me exemplifie it by a comparison The Sunne that is in the firmament we use to say that it is in such a house or such a window but when we say so we do not mean that the body of the Sunne is there but only that the light heat or influence of the Sunne is there So though the Scripture tells us that the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3 16. Spiritus Dei habitatin nobis quia regit gabernat saâ—ctificat Paraeus or Spirit dwells in us the meaning is not as if the Person of the holy Ghost were in us but only the motions and graces of the Spirit are there And therefore in both those expressions You are the Temple of the holy Ghost and The holy Ghost dwelleth in you there is saith Paraeus a Metaphor 3. Take heed that you mistake not the Spirits motions for Satanical illusions I gave you the characters before how you might know the Spirits motions from the devils delusions I shall only hint this to you which is an infallible rule That all motions that are not consonant to a written Word they are from the devil not from God Prov. 1.23 Isa 59.21 I gave you two Texts of Scripture wherein the Spirit and the Word were joyned together therefore see that all your motions be according to a written Word Direct 4 4. Take heed of beleeving every one that sayes he is inspired by the Spirit There are many high-flown Teachers in these dayes who indeed are Masters of errour yet would be thought the Disciples of truth that say they are inspired when none else are beside them But as the Apostle John saith Believe not every Spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 2 Thes 2.2 that is every corrupt teacher but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world They are called Spirits because they pretend with such confidence to have the Spirit Now that you may know such men I shall discusse this Question Quest How you may know men who pretend to have the Spirit when indeed they have not Answ 1 Such men who only pretend to have the Spirit they are always proud of the gifts of the Spirit their conceited opinion of having the Spirit raises their mindes to a high degree of pride This is a certaine rule that they who are truely inspired of the Spirit 1 Cor. 7.40 they are alwayes humble thus it was with Paul I give my judgement sayes he and I think I have the Spirit of God Paul he knew he had the Spirit yet would he speak in humility not boastingly and insultingly as many did And so at another time sayes he 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a man caught up into the third heaven and heard words which it is not lawful for man to utter Now who was this man it was none but himself it was his modesty that made him speak in a third Person therefore those who boast of the Spirit and are vain glorious it is an argument that indeed they have not the Spirit of Christ which is a Spirit of meeknesse and of humility Answ 2 Those that so cry up the Spirit as to cry down ordinances and the Ministery they have not the Spirit of God In the time of the New Testament when vision and inspiration were in use yet then the Spirit would not teach men immediately but did referre them to an outward Ministery Acts 8. A famous instance you have hereof as I noted before in the Ethiopian Eunuch who being reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Esaias the Spirit would not interpret to him the meaning hereof Acts 9.6 but bids Philip go and expound it So Paul when Christ revealed himself to him he would not teach him himself but bids him go to Damascus and there it should be told him what he should do The like example we have in Cornelius Acts 10.5,6 the Spirit would not teach him immeditely but bids him send for Peter and he should tell him what he ought to do By these examples we see how the Lord hath honoured the Ministery of the Word And therefore those who cry up the Spirit so as to cry down the Ministery as expecting to have the immediate teaching of the Spirit doubtlesse they have not the Spirit of God Answ 3 Those who pretend to the Spirit and yet boast of the effects of the Spirit rather in future Revelations then in present motions to holy duties are deceived by a Satanical delusion There are many in these dayes that will take upon them to tell you future contingent events but this can be nothing else but a delusion of the devil because the gifts of the Spirit in foretelling future events is now ceased and doth not remaine in the Church It is true I deny not but that the devil by a special manifestation from God may tell a future event but I am sure your Astrologers cannot by the help of the starres Thus the devil appeared to Saul in the shape of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. â—9 and sayes he To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me the Lord also shall deliver the Host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines Now how came the devil to the knowledge of this but by a special Revelation from God the Lord permitting it for the
to Vse 1 Of comfort Consider in the general what cause of comfort we have in that the Lord hath promised to us more of his Spirit then he gave out under the law It shall come to passe in the last dayes Acts 2.17 saith God that I will power out my Spirit upon all flesh The Spirit it reveales things now more clearly and more abundantly In the last dayes the Spirit speaks expresly before they saw things darkly but now we see face to face that is more plainly there shall be a more full revelation of the Spirit Isaiah 30.26 When the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Eph. 3 5. And hence is that promise that knowledge shall fill the earth as water filleth the sea In other ages the Mystery of Christ was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto us by the Spirit Blesse God then this is a general comfort that more of the Spirit was reserved under the New Testament then was dispensed under the Old In particular there are six comforts which I shall lay down for such who walk after the guidance and motions of Gods Spirit 1. The Spirit of God will be a sure guide to you to discover to you John 16.13 and to lead you in all truth so saith our Saviour He will guide you into all truth that is into all truth necessary to salvation A like place you have in the same Evangelist John 14.26 where it is said that the Spirit shall teach you all things that is all things needful for an elect man to know that he may be saved The Spirit of God reveales the Mysteries of salvation to his people 1 Cor. 2.9,10 and therefore you read that eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit The Spirit it makes known to us Gospel-truths and reveals Gospel-Mysteries 1 Cor. 2.15 The spiritual man judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man he hath the Spirit of God inabling him to discerne of Doctrines whether they be true or false and sayes the Apostle he himselfe is judged of no man that is he is so assured of the truth of his Doctrine Hildersam on Psalme 51. pag. 774. that other men cannot pervert him 2. The Spirit will not be only a guide to lead you but a seale to assure you of your Adoption Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God that is which walk after its motions and guidance they are the Sonnes of God And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 that is giving you a farther assurance and Seale of your Sonneship that you may with more boldnesse poure out your hearts into the bosome of your Father 3. The Spirit will be an evidence unto thee of thy union with Jesus Christ So saith the Apostle Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 3.24 Chap. 4 13 Get therefore the Spirit into thy heart and follow its motions and guidance and hereby wilt thou be assured of thy union with Christ 4. Walk in the Spirit and it will be a sure pledge to thee that thou art exempted from damnation and brought into a state of salvation Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit It will be an evidence to you that you are past damnation 5. That you are free from the curse and power of the law If ye be led of the Spirit ye are not under the law Gal. 5.18 Liberati sumas per Christum à damnatione non à directione legis You must not understand it as if you were not under the moral law as a rule of life but only that you are freed from the curse of it so you are not under it 6. And lastly if ye have the Spirit of God and walk after its guidance here will be your comfort that ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh And this brings me to the second Doctrine to wit That walking after the Spirit is an especial help to Beleevers that they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh though they may act the lusts of the flesh and commit those sinnes which the devil and their own hearts may move them to yet they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh But more of this in the following Sermons SERMON XI At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. And ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Have hitherto treated on the duty Walk in the Spirit And am now to treat of the benefit annexed to this duty And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh In the handling of which I shall first explaine it and then give you the Doctrine There are two things to be opened First what is meant by the lusts of the flesh Secondly what is meant by fulfilling these lusts Quest 1 What is meant by this phrase the lusts of the flesh Answ 1 By the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body then this Text cannot be made true for we may and do fulfill the natural appetite of the body if it be hungry we give it meat if thirsty we give it drink if weary we give it rest So that the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body these ye may lawfully fulfill therefore it cannot be so taken here 2. Neither is it to be confined to the sinne of incontinency but to be taken more comprehensively for the sinfulnesse of our corrupt nature the lusts and motions whereof you must not fulfill 3. These motions and lusts of corrupt nature must be considered two wayes First either as a power Or secondly as an act 1. As a power and so they nore that radical indisposition that is in mans nature to good and its proneness to evil Or 2. As an act and so it notes those sinful motions to sinne that come from corrupt nature and so I take the meaning of this place 1 Pet. 2.11 You shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is walk according to the dictates and motions of the Spirit and you shall not act those sinful motions which arise from corrupt nature Quest 2 But then a farther question is what is meant by not fulfilling these lusts of the flesh Answ To which I answer 1. Negatively we must not understand this as if so
be we were not to have any lusts of the flesh in us But secondly that if you walk after the Spirits motions you shall not yield to the motions of sinne with so strong an inclination and bent of the will as wicked and unregenerate men do so you shall nor fulfill the lusts of the flesh Before I come to handle the Doctrine I shall premise these particulars 1. This benefit here annexed may be understood either preceptively or promissively either as a precept what you should do or as a promise what you shall do And the Translators of the Bible it seemes were at a stand how to render these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza renders them ne perficite preceptively fulfill not the vulgar ne perficietis you shall not fulfill Which our translatours followed but as you may perceive put also the other rendering and reading in the Margin But it is not material which way you take it 2. This promise for so it seems to be taken it is not to be taken absolutely but conditionally my meaning is this God doth not promise this absolutely but upon this condition If you walk in the Spirit on this condition you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 3. It is not said you shall not have the lusts of the flesh for what man is there which hath them noâ— but you shall not fulfil them 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We read in our translation the lusts of the flesh but it is in the Greek The lust of the flesh in the singular number Now what may be the reason that though the Word be in the singular number yet it is read in the plural For this reason because the sinne of nature though it be but one Masse of sin yet it hath many sinsin the womb of it and there may be this use made of the translation That though the sinne of nature be but one yet seminally there are all the sinnes in the world contained in it 5. Touching the benefit annexed there is no cause of doubting to be left in your mindes that this benefit shall not be yours if you perform the condition Do you walk in the Spirit and God will keep you that you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and this I draw from the Apostles Assertion in these words This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh This I say as if the Apostle should say This is that which I have to speak unto you in the name of the Lord that if you walk in the Spirit you shall not fulfill c. Now having premised these particulars the Doctrine is this Doct. That Walking after the guidance or motions of the Spirit is an especiall means to keep men that they shall not yeeld to the lusts of the flesh with so strong and full a bent of the will as wicked and ungodly men when they sin against God This is a very fruitfull point the promise is not to be taken absolutely you shall not fulfill them at all but comparatively you shall not sin as wicked men do you may sin but you shall not regard iniquity in your heart as the phrase is Psal 66.18 you shall not commit sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.9 as wicked men do who make a trade of sin In the handling of this point I shall onely dispatch this one thing to shew you how the wicked do sin and fulfill the lusts of the flesh that all godly men which walk after the guidance of the Spirit shall not so sin 1. They who walk after the Spirit they shall not sin so wilfully Heb. 10 26. nor so voluntarily as wicked men do If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Godly men they do not sin with so strong a bent of will as wicked men do sin they do and they sin with their wils too but there is much resistenice in the will against the will it is not a full consent of the will nor a full bent and tendencie of the heart and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul The evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7.19 Paul he tels you he did evil but he tels you also that he did not will the evil he did A godly man he sometimes yeelds to sin as to an usurping Tyrant but never as to his naturall Lord. Wicked men they will the evil they do but godly men will the good they do not Wicked men they sin with all their will because there is no part of their will regenerated Psal 50.19 Impii delectontar impiâ—tate bellâ—m inâ—…cunt perspectâ—e veritati uti sccit Saul Abab Julianus Apestata Arrius alii quorum exceranda est memoria Beza Rom. 7.14 1 King 21,25 and therefore sayes the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Thou givest thy self to speak evil It is remarkable that variation of expression concerning Ahab and Paul Ahab it is said of him that he sold himself to work wickednesse but of Paul it is said that he was sold under sin They were both sold but there is this difference Ahab he sold himself but Paul was sold he did not sell himself Ahabs act was a voluntary act he sold himself but Paul was sold under sin it was not voluntary but against his will 2. Those who walk after the Spirit they do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh so impudently as wicked men do Wicked men they commit wickednesse before the Sun and are not ashamed therefore sayes the Lord by his Prophet Jer 6.15 Chap. 8.12 Were they ashamed when they had câ—mmitted abominations nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush Thou hast a whores forehead sayes the same Prophet thou refusedst to be ashamed Jer. 3.3 The wicked they have cast off shame and therefore sayes the Prophet Zephaniah The unjust knoweth no shams Zeph. 3.5 they will not be ashamed when they have done wickedly as that whore she findes a young man Pro 7.13,14 and she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him I have peace-offerings with me this day have I payed my vows Thus wicked men they sin impudently and are not ashamed when they have committed abomination but the godly they do not so sin Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed saith the Apostle And Ezra Oh God our iniquities are increased I blush and am ashamed to look up Ezra 9.6 The godly they do not sin so impudently as wicked men do 3. Neither so boastingly as wicked men ungodly men they boast in their ungodly deeds and therefore sayes the Psalmist to Doeg Why boastest thou thy self in mischief oh mighty man Psal 52 1. It seems Doeg did not onely kill those innocent Priests but boasted of his villany and wickednesse Hence it is said
doctrine I shall premise a few particulars to be considered of 1. This conflict between the flesh and the Spirit it was not found in innocency then there was an harmony between the motions of Gods Spirit and all the powers and faculties both of soule and body God made man upright 2. This conflict it shall not be found in a state of glory for then thou shalt be all Spirit and no corrupt flesh for then the flesh shall be utterly abolished 3. This opposition it is not found in infancy it is true there is a corrupt nature in infants sinful motions in children but there is not that which we call actual opposition because they cannot exercise neither grace nor sin 4. This conflict it is not found in the state of unregeneracy while a man is wholly unregenerate he hath no saving motions in him and there cannot be an opposition but where there are two contraries 5. That the time of this life is the time how long this conflict shall last it cannot be ended untill this life be ended untill thou castest off the body of flesh thou shalt not be rid of the motions of sin 6. That even in the most holy that are there will be this conflict between the flesh and Spirit and those who have most grace are most sensible of the contest of the flesh against the Spirit 7. That even regenerate men do more often side with the motions of the flesh then close with the motions of the Spirit they are more in sin then in obedience more in imbracing sinfull motions then in entertaining divine motions some gather this from the Apostles vatiation of speech when he sayes The works of the flesh are manifest but he doth not say so of the fruits of the Spirit intimating that mâ—n are apt to close with the flesh rather then with the Spirit 7. These motions of corrupt nature they do not only reside in the inferiour part of man as the concupiscible faculty exciting to gluttony and lusts and irascible to envy and wrath but also in the superiour part though the Papists would make us believe otherwise The more noble and rational faculties of man are become corrupt thou art become vain in thy reason and in thy imagination thy understanding is tainted and thy will rebellious thy affections displaced thy superiour faculties are defiled Now having laid down these particulars I come to raise the Doctrine which is this Doctr. That the motions or inclinations in our natures to sin do ever conflict or warre against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing us to good I shall not dilate upon the proving of this point it is written legibly in the Word and engraven in every mans experience Therefore in the handling thereof there are several Queries I shall dispatch and then shall give you the use Querie 1 Wherein consists this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 1 In stirring up in the heart motions to sinne when the Spirit disswades from sinne Thus the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.5 he speaks it in the name of the regenerate sayes he When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the law accidentally did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Not only in unregeneracy do motions arise from corrupt nature James 1.7,14 contrary to Gods Spirit but in a regenerate man Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed that is by original sinne and thus Paul he speakes of himself as converted Rom. 7.23 sayes he I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members the Apostle he calls sinne a law because it had a force over him and brought him into captivity the law of his members did warre against the law of his minde by provoking him to sin Answ 2 By quenching and stifling the good motions of the Spirit that presses us to good The Spirits office is not only to testifie to us our graces and to evidence to us our interest in Christ but also to excite and stir up holy motions in the heart Now the flesh it doth what it can to quench all these good motions Rom 7.19 hence it is that Paul complaines of himself that the good he would do he did not and the evil he would not do that he did and this arose from that corruption of nature which in the whole Chapter he complaines of and herein chiefly consists the opposition that is between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 3 By inturrupting you when you are about good duties if the flesh cannot prevaile with you to make you not do it will labour to make you misdo duty herein is the great sinfulnesse of it To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 saith Paul but how to performe that which is good I finde not as if he should say I have alwayes an evil nature within me which is interrupting me and debilitating me that I cannot do the good I would herein consists the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Querie 2 How doth the flesh oppose the Spirit and provoke to sinne the Spirit disswades from sinne the flesh intices to sinne Now what way doth the flesh take to intice to sinne so as thereby to conflict with the Spirit Answ 1 In general the way and manner which the flesh takes to oppose the Spirit it is very sly and subtil Hence is that of Paul Rom. 7.11 sayes he Sinne taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me by sinne he means not actual but original sin the sin of nature is very subtil to deceive as will appear 1 By the names the Scripture gives to the sin of nature They are called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 There is great deceitfulnesse in sin according to that exhortation of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 2. The sin of nature it is deceitful as appears by the experience of Gods people Rom. 7.11 Sinne taking occasion saith Paul by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 3. Because this sinne of nature it is that which makes the heart deceitful above all things and desparately wicked Jer. 17.9 Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale the heart is deceitful and is very subtill therein Answ 2 In particular there are seven wayes by which corrupt nature intices men to sin 1. By varnishing over sinne with the colour and paint of grace As a light woman may sometimes dress her self in modest attire that so she may not be suspected so thy heart may varnish over sinne that thereby it may the sooner deceive thee As it is usual that the beautiful face of grace by the corruption of our hearts may be smeared over with deformity as that tendernesse of
set on work to suppresse this enemy no lesse then the power of an Almighty God can suppresse these corrupt motions and therefore sayes the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 It is a weapon edged with the power of a Deity which must pull down these strong holds 3. Corrupt nature is strong because it is set on by a powerful spirit the Devil he provokes thee to sin and that makes the corruption of thy heart so potent The Sea will move of it self being a fleeting body but when a tempestuous storme arises then it rages and roares So is it with thy corrupt nature if there were no Devil yet thou wouldst be a Devil to thy self and wouldst commit sin but when the Devil shall set on this Sea of thy corrupt nature then how doth it rage and swell He is that Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 4. It argues the flesh is potent because it often prevailes over the Spirit The Apostle tells you that not only in wicked men but even in the regenerate the flesh doth many times carry a prevalence over the Spirit The Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 sayes he but I am carnal sold under sin He speaks of himself as a regenerate man he doth not say he sold himself that was the property of wicked Ahab but it is meant that corrupt nature did carry him away captive to sinne just as a conquerour carries away his prisoner 5. The flesh is a potent enemy because there is a greater measure of the flesh in regenerate men then there is of the Spirit thou hast more sin in thee then grace more of a corrupted nature then of a renewed nature In the best of Gods children there is more ignorance then knowledge more pride then humility and generally more sin then obedience and this may be hinted from the catalogue here enumerated of the works of the flesh and of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.19,20 There are seventeen sins as the fruit of the flesh and but seven graces as the fruit of the Spirit to note that there is more of the old nature in thy heart then of the new more of the old leaven then of the new lump more drosse then gold and this God suffers in his children to keep them humble and in a continual dependance upon him the spirits of just men are never made perfect till they come to heaven Heb. 12.21 and in the mean time it is the admirable power of Christ to keep alive a sparke of grace in the midst of a sea of corruption 2. As the flesh is a potent enemy so it is a malicious enemy against the Spirit Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God and its maliciousnesse against the Spirit appeares two wayes 1. It suffers no good to be left in it I know in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing saith the Apostle Rom. 7.18 Caâ—o à carendo though there may be good in the man yet there is no good in the flesh that is in his sinful nature 2. It is content with nothing but with the death of the creature in whom it is and this is a very pernicious enemie it not only kills the Spirits motions but is malicious against the man Rom. 7.11 Chap. 8,13 and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slâ—w me And again If ye live after the flesh ye shall die nothing lesse then death and eternal damnation of the soul will content it this argues the maliciousnesse of the flesh â—o be great indeed 3. Corrupt nature it is an universal enemy against the Spirit and its universality appeares in three regards 1. The flesh it is seated in the whole man in all the parts of thy body and in all the powers of thy soul The flesh is in the soul just as the soul is in the body And Philosophers say that the soul is in the body the whole soul is in the whole body Anima est tota â—n toto corpâ—re tota in qualibet parte and the whole soul in every part of the body just so is corruption and sin in thy soul the whole corruption of nature is in the whole soul and in every part of it in thy body eyes eares hands in all the parts of it not only in the concupiscible and irrascible part but also in the more noble parts as in the will understanding reason it is universal in every part of man 2. It containes in it virtually all sin Nothing doth virtually containe all evil but corrupt nature As we may say of the first man Primus homo fuit omnis homo Rom. 7.8 Primum peccatum fwt omne peccatum that he was every man So we may say of sin the first sinne had every sin that is every sin virtually Sinne taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me saies the Apostle all manner of concupiscence Corrupt nature it is an inclination to all actual evil in the world I may illustrate this by an egge An egge hath in it potentially and seminally all the parts of the bird only it wants the warmth of the hen to hatch and produce it So our corrupt flesh hath in it all sin the seed and spawne of all sin and as the hen produceth the chicken so doth the devil hatch sin 3. It opposes all the graces of Gods Spirit other sins take what sin you will it opposes but the contrary grace particular sins do carry but a particular opposition as for instance the sin of pride opposes humility lust opposeth charity drunkennesse sobriety in justice opposes righteousnesse wrath opposes meeknesse hatred opposes love and so of all other sins they carry but a particular opposition to particular graces but thy flesh it carries an universal opposition to all grace 4. The flesh it is an insatiable enemy insatiable in two regards 1. In regard of sin because if we yield to the motions of sinne to day corrupt nature will not be satisfied if thou yieldest to sin to day thou must to morrow yea all thy dayes Prov. 30.16 Corrupt nature is like those four things which Solomon speaks of which are never satisfied and as he elsewhere speaks Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied Prov. 27.20 that is corrupt nature in the eye sinful concupiscence in the heart causes an adulterous eye never to be satisfied 2. In regard of punishment as well as sin Suppose sin doth bring diseases upon thy body or poverty on thy estate yet thou wilt not leave it it aimes at no lesse then the damnation of thy soul 5. Corrupt nature it is an indefatigable enemy against the Spirit Suppose the flesh to have all the foregoing properties yet
gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity But the time when the Spirits conflict begins is not till God brings you into the state of grace 2. Touching the time of duration how long this conflict continues it lasts but a while it is but a transient rebuke given in by conscience like unto a flash of lightning in a mans face it comes suddenly and is suddenly gone just so is that opposition which is in a mans natural conscience either jovial meetings or sensual delights will quickly deface obliterate and extinguish the impressions of natural conscience But on the contrary the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict untill the regenerate part in some measure hath got the victory over that lust which it doth oppose it stayes with a man all his life-time from the first day of his conversion to the last day of his dissolution 3. The conflict of a natural conscience it comes but seldome it checks a man but now and then by fits and starts as the Apostle Paul speaking of the Gentiles shewes Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their consciences between whiles accused them for so the words are to be read the opposition in the unregenerate it is not a constant opposition but the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict in the godly and as it continues long so it comes often hardly can a godly man be tempted to a grosse sin but the Spirit will cast in a crosse suggestion to that sin this is the third difference whereby the conslict of the Spirit may be known from the conflict of a natural conscience 4. It differs in regard of the principle A fourth difference between the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and that conflict which is only between a natural conscience and sin Gen. 4.13 or moving cause from whence this conflict arises as 1. The opposition that is in a natural conscience it arises from a principle of slavish fear but the opposition that is in the godly from the Spirit it comes from a principle of love to God and hatred to sin it appears thus Cain he cries out Oh sayes he my punishment is greater then I am able to bear He complaines not that his sin was greater then he was able to bear but of his punishment A wicked man that opposeth sinne from a natural conscience may be compared to a thief that refuseth and abstaineth from stealing not out of any hatred of theft or out of any love to justice but only because he is afraid of being hanged for his theft even so it is with wicked men they abstain from sin and acting of sin meerly out of slavish fear of hell and condemnation not out of love to God I may further exemplisie it thus you know there is this difference between a Collier and a cleanly man a Collier will not touch charcole if they be burning coles but he will touch them though they be black coles but a cleanly man will not touch them neither as they are burning nor black coles Wicked men will forbear sinne because it is a cole of fire but the godly will reluct at sin because it is a black cole they love God and they hate sin and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul What I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Rom. 7.15 He doth not say the evil I would not do and the evil I would fain forbear but the evil I hate that I do Divines gather thence that a godly man conflicts with corruption out of a hatred to corruption not because he feares the punishment but hates the sin wicked men reluct at sin but it is not because they hate the evil of sin but because they fear the punishment thereof as Balaam he would not curse the people yet it is said of him that he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 though he feared the punishment yet he did not hate the sin Godly men reluct at sin from a principle of hatred thereof and there are four spiritual principles from whence the conflict of a godly man arises 1. Because that sin it is against a holy God and this was Josephs principle How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39 9. 2. Because it is the breach of a holy Law thus Paul What I hate sayes he that I do Rom. 7.16 if then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good as if he should say I oppose sin out of the consent that is in my conscience unto ths Law that it is good 3. Another principle upon which the godly oppose sin is a hatred to the very nature of sin it self and thus David professes of himselfe that through the precepts of God he got understanding Psal 119.104 and therefore hated every false way 4. He opposeth sin out of love to Jesus Christ seeing that Christ died for sin they will labour to die to sin as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.14,15 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 5. The fifth difference is this the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and the conflict between natural conscience and sin differ in regard of the event and issue thereof and there is a fourfold different event and issue 1. The issue of the conflict of a natural conscience and sin is this that it leaves a man unquiet and the sin unmortified Matth. 27.5 and this was the very case of Judas his conscience told him that he had sinned in betraying his Master and thereupon he was so troubled that he went and hanged himselfe yet notwithstanding his sinne remained unmortified but it is contrary with the Spirits conflict that not only quiets the minde but mortifies the sin and therefore you finde the Apostle after he had been speaking of the Spirits conflict with the flesh Gal. 5.22 telling you That the fruit of the Spirit is joy and peace this was the issue of the conflict of the Spirit it will not only quiet the minde but kill the sinne Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live 2. Another event of the conflict of natural conscience is that the unruly affections of a man they are too hard for a natural conscience to oppose and subdue Wicked men will many times contend with sin but mark the issue and you shall finde that the strong inclinations of their hearts to sin do overcome them I shall give you three instances hereof in Saul Pilate and Pharaoh As for Saul his conscience told him that he did ill in pursuing David 1 Sam. 24 17. and his conscience constrained him to confesse that David was more
righteous then he and that he had done wickedly in pursuing his life and yet notwithstanding all this Sauls unruly affections did overmaster Sauls unquiet conscience his ambition of the kingdom caused him yet to go on further in the pursuit of David So Pilate his conscience told him that Jesus Christ whom he was to judge was an innocent person and therefore he washed his hands and told the people that he found no cause of death in him this was his conscience but his ambitious affections did overpower it fearing lest he should hereby lose Cesars favour Luke 19.12 If thou let this man go say the people thou art not Cesars friend he feared this saying of the people and therefore went against his conscience And so also Pharaoh his conscience told him that he did wickedly in disobeying Gods command for letting the children of Israel go and he confesseth that he had sinned and done wickedly in the Lords sight and begged Moses to pray for him but observe Pharaohs ambitious affections did over-master his conscience and therefore when the plage was over he would continue in sinne still But when the Spirit of God comes to conflict with the lusts of the flesh though the affections be unbridled and unruly yet in time the Spirit of God will check and curb them and overcome though the Spirit cannot throw them out yet it will throw them down as the Apostle Paul speaks I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 A godly man thus deals with sinne though he cannot give it an utter extirpation yet he will indeavour to bring it into subjection 2. Natural conscience in opposing sin it rests contented with a bare restraint of the Act though there be no mortification of the vicious inclination As it was with Pharaoh when the plagues were upon him then conscience wrought but yet his sin was not at all subdued but onely restrained and therefore sayes the Text Exod. 8.15 When Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said And so Haman when he saw that Mordecai his mortal enemy was preferred by the King when he saw that he was taken into royal favour it is said that he refrained himselfe that is he would not now attempt to destroy him Esth 5.10 and though he refrained himself yet his revengefull disposition remained still unmortified Thus a drunkard may be outwardly restrained and yet his drunken inclination remain But the Spirit of God in its conflict it doth not only restrain the act but also weakens Rom. 8.12,13 and suppresses the inclination If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh ye shall live there is the mortifying of the act of sin and thus also we are commanded to mortify our members which are upon the earth as fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupiscence and covetousnesse Col. 3.5 and again to crucify the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 that is not onely to restrain the act of sinne but to kill and mortify the sinful inclination 4. And lastly natural conscience conflicting with sin it works not more watchfulness in a man against the assaults of sin for the time to come but the Spirit of God when that conflicts with a sin this day it makes him watchful against all sinne the next day and all his dayes and thus you have the third Quere dispatched touching the difference that is between the conflict of the flesh and the Spirit and that combate which is onely between the naturall conscience of an unregenerate man and his lusts Quere 4 What rules may be given seeing the Spirit doth conflict against the flesh in us that by the following of them we may be able to prevail against the motions of the flesh to sinne Answ This is a practicall and an usefull question and for answer thereto I shall give you five directions 1. Listen to what conscience shall say to you when you are tempted to any sin conscience it is Gods spie mans overseer and the Spirits officer and in hearkening to its checks you take a ready way to imbrace the Spirits motions and deaf your ear to the motions of sin it is the Spirits office not only to witnesse with our Spirits but also to check and rebuke us for sin with our spirits therefore hearken to what your own conscience shall speak whether it will solicite thee after this manner saying Why wilt thou dishonour so good a God hazzard thy precious soul and break a good Law As sin gives a wound to conscience so conscience awakened enlightened and sanctified gives a great check to sinne that it shall not reign in a cihlde of God 2. If you would have the Spirit prevail over the flesh then be sure you minister no occasion of sin unto the flesh lest from vicious motions there come sinful actions This rule the Apostle gives to the Galatians Gal. 5.13 exhorting them not to use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh that is do nothing which may administer an occasion to the flesh to take hold on you It is true the flesh can sinne without an occasion and a man may be an adulterer though he never saw a woman and a man may be a thief though he never stole and a murtherer though he never spilt blood but occasions to sin they do the more strengthen corrupt nature as the Philosophers tells us that acts do strengthen habits so the more thou acts sin the more strength it gathers and hence it was Numb 6.9 that the Nazarites who were forbidden to drink wine were also forbidden to eat any thing that came of the Vine-tree they were not to eat the raisin nor the husk of the grape that an occasion of sinne might not be admitted to them And the wise man shewing the mischief of whoredome Prov. 5.8 exhorts not to come near the dore of her house it is no sinne in it selfe to come nigh any ones dore but because being nigh the dore of an harlot may occasion and stirre up unclean thoughts and lustful desires therefore we are commanded not to come near her dore It is observable that God would not be called Baali but Ishi there was no harm in the word Baali for it signified in the common use of the word my Husband Hosea 2.16 Isai 54.5 as Isai 54.5 Thy Maker is thy husband It is in the Hebrew thy Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus mariâ—us i. e. thy Lord or husband but this is forbidden that so the name of an Idol continued amongst them for they usually called their Idols Baalim might be no allurement to idolatry To this purpose Divines make much use of that place in Deuteron Deut. 25.13 25.13 where it is said Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights a great and a small the having of these weights in the bag you would think to be no sinne
you will say though I have them in my house yet I never buy nor sell by them you may say they are only in my bag not in my scale but sayes God Thou shalt not have them in thy bag lest it be a temptation to thee to bring them from thy bag into thy scale So the Israelites were commanded not to eat swines flesh Levit. 11.7,8 Levit. 11.7,8 Now you shall read in Isaiah 65.4 how the Lord blames the Israelites for two things They eat swines flesh sayes he and the broth of abominable things are in their vessels God did onely forbid the eating of swines flesh and yet here he condemns the broth also And why but because the eating of the broth might be a temptation to them to eat the flesh also therefore take heed that you minister no occasion to the flesh lest you be intangled thereby An example you have of this related by Augustine of one Allipius Aug. Confes lâ—b 6. cap. 8. that was drawn by importunity of friends to be present at the Gladiatory games of the Romanes but being there resolved to shut his eyes all the while that so though he was present in body yet he might be absent in heart but upon a great shout the people gave at the fail of one of the Combatants he opened his eyes and became an approver of that bloody and barbarous spectacle and therefore take heed of yielding to occasions of sin 3. If you would not have the flesh prevaile against the Spirit roll not sinne in your thoughts and contemplations rolling of sinne in the fancie and speculation is that which weakens the Spirits motions and workings and doth strengthen the motions of sinne in thy heart Ezek. 23.19 This the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of in Chap. 23. and verse 19. She multiplied her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth bodily uncleannesse is caused by contemplating the sinne in ones minde and is the way to fence thy heart against the Spirits motions 4. If you would have the Spirit prevail resist and conflict with your lusts timely do not stay too long before you beginne to conflict many times men stay so long before they beginne Principiis obsta c. that they are vanquisht before they fight Be ready therefore to oppose sin in the birth do as Pharaoh who would not let the children of the Hebrewes grow to men of yeares but killed them assoon as they were born so deal thou by thy sinnes 5. Cherish and entertain the Spirits motions Intus existens Pâ—ohibet alienum whensoever you finde them disswade you from sinne let the motions of the Spirit be within and they will keep the motions of the flesh without 6. Entertain no Treaty with sinne if you parley with sinne you have reason to suspect the conquest the flesh is a mortal enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui deliberant desciverunt and you must either kill or be killed There is no Treaty of Peace to be obtained betwen the flesh and the Spirit this combate is of such a nature that there is neither a Treaty of Peace nor a cessation of armes all your life-long It is a notable observation if you compare the first of the Galatians verse 16. Gal. 1.16 compared with Acts 26.19 with the twenty sixth of the Acts verse 19. In the Galatians you there read the story of Pauls conversion and sayes he Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood that is with my corrupt heart what dangers I should meet with and what hazards I should go through and in the Acts where you have Paul relating the same story to King Agrippa he sayes Oh King I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision To note sayes a learned man that consulting and debating with flesh and blood it is a kinde of disobedience to the heavenly vision though thou doest not yield to the flesh yet it is a kinde of disobedience to consult with the flesh and therefore never enter into a Treaty with thy sinne 7. Resist sinne impartially that is every sinne and do this in sincerity if thou wilt hate the garment spotted with the flesh then also thou wilt hate the flesh Herod did many things but left not his Herodias Serm. XVIII At Lawrence Jewry London Januar. 5. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the cause of this conflict whence it is that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and the Apostle assignes the reson these being contrary the one to the other The words need not much explaining only the saying of the Apostle when he tells you that the flesh and the Spirit are in the same man and that these are contrary the one to the other Touching which I shall lay down this conclusion That contraries may be found in the same subject It is true that contraries cannot be in the same subject in an intense and highest degree but they may be in a lesser and lower degree and thus it is here The Apostle tells you of the flesh and the Spirit in the same regenerate man Contraria non possunt esse in eodem subjecto in gradu intenso and of these being contrary the one to the other that is not in the highest but in a more remisse degree In the highest degree they cannot be found because in heaven there is perfect grace without sin and in hell there is all sin and no grace but on earth we are partly sinful ann partly gracious and therefore these two contrarieties being in a regenerate man in a more remisse degree they may be very fairly consistent These two are contrary the one to the other it is impossible to conceive a more bitter opposition and direct contrariety between any thing in the world then between the flesh and the Spirit there is not more contrariety between light and darknesse between heaven and hell fire and water then between the flesh and the Spirit Contrariety it is more then enmity enemies may be reconciled but contraries never indeed one contrary may expell another but one contrary cannot be reconciled to another water may quench fire but it cannot be reconciled to fire and light may expell darknesse but they are not to be reconciled The contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit consists in this that whatsoever good the Spirit wills the flesh wills and what good the Spirit excites to the Spirit disswades from this is the contrariety and this is the cause of the conflict in regenerate men Doct. The Doctrine is this That there is a mutual and irreconcileable contrariety between the flesh and the Spirit between nature and grace in the hearts of regenerate men I call it a mutual contrariety because it is not a single opposition the
flesh is against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and then I call it an irreconcileable contrariety because though enemies may be reconciled yet contraries never In the handling of which point I shall onely demonstrate the truth of it and then conclude with a practical application Demonst 1 And first this contrariety appears by the contrary names given both to the flesh and Spirit in Scripture as here in the Text corruption it is called flesh and grace is called the Spirit corruption is called darknesse but grace is called light Rom. 13.12 Rom. 13 12. It is called a law of death Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 4.12 but grace is called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Corruption is called filthinesse of the flesh 2 Cor. 7.1 but grace is called purity of spirit 1 Tim. 4.12 So that by the these contrary names given both to the flesh and the Spirit the contrariety of both is set out 2. They are both contrary principled and origined for First corruption it is called the work of the devill and For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil John 3.8 1 John 3.8 but grace is called the work of God Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Again corruption it is called the lust of the devil John 8.44 John 8.44 but grace is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Gal. 5.22 so that these proceed from a contrary original That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.6 3. They have contrary acts and contrary uses the flesh is said to lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh they are contrary in their works and hence in Scripture sin it is called a work contrary to God Levit. 26. sin makes a man walk contrary to God but the Spirit drawes a man to walk in the wayes of God sinne is the Dalilah that will never let a man alone but presse him with importunity to yield to the temptations thereof 4. They are contrary in their ends and issues the end of the flesh is to damne the soul but the Spirit its motions and workings are to save the soule We are commanded to abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule and the Apostle tells us That if we live after the flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live Rom. 8.13 The tendency of sin is unto death but of grace unto eternal life And therefore saith the same Apostle The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Upon these demonstrations it appears the flesh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other Vse 1 Of instruction If so be these are contrary the one to the other first let us consider the contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit and thence learn these three inclinations 1. Learn to admire the free grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding this contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit in thee yet that this should not stirre up anger and fury in God but rather pity and mercy herein is Gods great love shewed to his people God doth to us as we would do to a man that hath taken poyson we pity such a man but poison in a tode that we hate when God sees sinne in his people tormenting them as poison in the body though they have such sinful natures and so contrary to grace yet this stirres not up fury but favour and pity in God It is a note worth your observation by comparing two Scriptures together Gen. 6.5,6 Compared with Gen. 8.21 Gen. 6.5,6 with Gen. 8.21 In the sixth of Genesis it is said there that the Lord saw that the imaginations of mans heart were evill and only evill and that continually and therefore saith God I will destroy man from the earth there their corrupt nature and the issues and acts of it provoked God to fury but compare that place with Chapt. 8.21 and there you read that God will not any more curse the ground for mans sake because the imagination of his heart is evill from his youth this is a strange reason one would think it should be on the contrary but God doth not bring a curse but annexeth a promise as if he should say though I might destroy man as I did in the flood yet I will not do it though the imagination of his heart be evill and that continually no though his heart be so bad this should teach us to admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of our natures unto holinesse yet that this should not stirre up fury but rather pity and mercy in God to us 2. Learn to admire the grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding the contrariety that is in our natures against the Spirit that yet there is an irresistiblenesse in the Spirits working converting grace that the Spirit should conquer a man and break down the strong holds of nature 2 Cor. 10.4 that the Spirit of God should out of these contraries bring other contraries for so the Lord doth commanding light to shine out of darknesse Oh admire the omnipotency of Gods grace 2 Cor. 4.6 that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet it hath not been able to resist converting grace 3. Admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet that there should be in the regenerate either activity or perpetuity of grace that thou doest act grace seeing thou hast a principle of sin in thee Gratia in nobis est flamma in extingui bilis in med â—o mari and that thou hast a perpetuity in the state of grace that this contrariety should never be able either totally or finally to conquer grace admire that this spark of fire should not be drowned by this flood of corruption that this contrariety in thy heart against grace should not destroy grace if thou art once in the state of grace thou art ever so and therefore let this heighten your admiration Adam had perfect grace and yet not perpetuity in it but thou hast imperfect grace and yet thou art established therein that thou shalt not fall Vse 2 Of humiliation and indeed these doctrines about corruption of nature they tend chiefly to debase this proud heart of man that is degenerated and fallen from so glorious an estate Be humble oh man though thou hast a principle of grace yet thou hast something in thee that carries a contrariety to grace thou hast a contrary principle to a gracious principle The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other now here I shall speak not onely to unregenerate men but to the regenerate also and there are these seven
of my corrupt nature whilest I was a Pharisee I did not then see nor know my selfe to be so vile and sinful as now I do and so when light breaks into the soul those sins appeared which lay hid and those which seemed but as motes now appeare beames and those which seemed as little as gnats now appeare as bigge as Camels 2. It may proceed from a more gracious and tender sincerity in thy conscience then there was in times past In former time thy conscience was hard seared and senselesse fighting against the sense of sinne but now God hath melted and mollified it God hath made thy conscience to be not as seared but as raw flesh godly men may complain of corruption and think they have more then ever they had but it is because they are more tender and more sensible When a man hath hurt his finger he thinks he doth never so much touch it as then and this ariseth from the tendernesse of the part so God having made thy heart a broken and a soft heart therefore the corruption of thy heart is more felt then before Prov. 7 2◠Sin to a wicked man is as a blow on the back but sin to a godly man is as a blow upon the eye 3. Consider this though you discern the corruptions of your nature and see more of it then ever you saw before yet be confidently assured of this that thou shalt have the final victory To this purpose I may accommodate that passage concerning Rebecca who having conceived the children strugled together within her and she said Lord Why am I thus And the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy womb that is the rise of two Nations Gen. 25.22,23 Esau and Jacob two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the ether and the elder shall serve the younger Whence mark 1. It is said There was two manner of people in her womb and these separated Thus is Sin and Grace 2. The one is said to be stronger then the other that is the posterity of Esau they shall be stronger fot a while then the Israelites Numb 22.18 for they did defeat them once but now what is the comfort Why The elder shall serve the younger and so it came to passe that the Edomites did serve the Israelites 2 Sam. 8.14 1 Kings 22 47. Obad. 8.17,18 Thus I may say as of Esau and Jacob Corruption of nature is stronger then Grace in many good men and it is elder then grace but here is your comfort The elder shall serve the younger Grace shall get the final victory Direction 3 I inferre hence that though you are not to be discouraged considering this corruption yet you are greatly to be humbled in the sense of this contrariety that is in your natures against grace If you had onely a disability as to grace it were matter of humiliation for you if you had onely an opposition against grace that would be cause of more humiliation but having an utter contrariety against grace here is greater cause for you to be humbled A carnal minde is not onely an enemy to God but enmity it selfe What the Spirit perswades to that the flesh disswades from Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what the Spirit wills that the flesh wills and therefore you have great cause of humiliation 4. Learn to reduce all actual sins that have broke out in your lives to their original that is to this contrariety of nature Thou dost not sin because the devill tempts thee nor because thou art in bad company but because thou hast a corrupt nature It is a saying of a learned Divine that a Christian hath many enemies to fight withall but he hath onely one which overcomes grace and that is the flesh Were it not for corruption within all temptations would be no other to thee then they were unto Christ the Tempter came to him but he found nothing in him his temptations were but as a spark of fire cast into the sea but the devil comes to thee and the world comes to thee and they find fit matter in thee a suitablenes in thy nature to fall into and close with the temptation and therefore reduce actual sin to its original thus Paul did It is no more I that sins sayes he but who doth he blame Rom 7.20 not the devil nor the world but sin that dwelleth in me that is an evill and corrupt nature it is my corrrupt nature which drawes me to evill and hinders me from good and if you would thus reduce your sinne to its original what cause of sorrow and debasement would it give unto you It is said of David that the devil moved him to number the people but he doth not charge it upon the devil 1 Chr. 21.1 2 Sam. 24.10 but upon himself and sayes he I have sinned and I have done foolishly we are all transgressours from the womb Complain not of the evill that is in thy life but charge it upon thy corrupt nature and thus also David in another place Isai 48.8 he duces those two great evils of murther and adultery to the corruption of his nature and sayes he I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me And thus Augustine in his Confessions Psal 51.5 when he confesseth how he robbed an Orchard he saith neither hunger nor want of the fruit he stole for he had better at home but it was meerly to gratifie corrupt nature 5. If there be contrariety in thy nature against grace oh then do not joyn in with this contrariety against the Spirit wouldst thou joyn with an enemy this contrariety why is it in thee is it not to damne and destroy thy soule 1 Pet. 2.11 therefore sayes the Apostle Abstain from fleshly lusts because they warre against the soule the flesh strives to damne you but the Spirit strives to save you therefore do not take part with thy enemy Yet how many men are there that joyn with the corrupt motions of their hearts when they prompt them to evill and how unreasonable is this the Apostle tells us that We are not debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh Rom. 8.12 as if he should say You owe nothing to corrupt nature and why will you yield thereunto It is honesty in every man to pay his debts But you owe nothing to corrupt nature but you are Debtors to the Spirit and if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live Therefore indulge not the flesh or as the same Apostle speakes Make no provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 If an enemy come into your houses will you victual his camp will you send in Armes to an enemy to destroy you this is that which men do when they joyn with the flesh against the Spirit By how much any man makes provision for the flesh by
have a seed of grace remaining in them 3. Wicked men they do not so clearly discerne and sensibly bewaile the interruptions of the flesh as those who are godly do 4. The wicked they shall never be rid of the evil workings of the flesh neither in this world nor in that which is to come Sinne in this life shall hinder duty and in the world to come they will cast off duty But the godly though pestered with the flesh yet they shall one day be rid of the flesh And thus I have finished the first part of the double consequent Sermon XXV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now to proceed to the second reference of these words and that is the Spirits conflicts against the flesh so that men cannot do the evil they would And the observation is this Doct. That the Spirit of God keeps regenerate men oftentimes that they shall not do the evil they would In the handling of which Point there are three particulars in the doctrinal part that I shall insist on 1. I shall shew you how the Spirit doth keep a man from doing the evil he would do 2. Wherein consists this work of the Spirit 3. How you may know the difference between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping a wicked man from sinne and the renewing grace of the Spirit in keeping regenerate men from evil 1. How doth the Spirit keep a man from doing the evil that he would do To this question I shall give you five particulars by way of answer 1. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by enlightening his judgement and making him to see the evil of sinne in its nature and the danger of sinne in its event Thus you read in Job 36.9 Job 36.9 He sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded here is the inlightening of their judgements and then it followes in the tenth verse He openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity verse 10. vers 12. and in the twelfth verse If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and shall die without knowledge The sinne of nature it is described by a state of ignorance to note that a man without the Spirit is blinde and cannot see those evils which he commits the Spirit therefore enlightens a man and hence you read Acts 26.18 that the Apostle Paul was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God See 2 King 6.15 intimating that there must be first the opening of the eyes and the enlightening of the judgement before there can be a rescuing from sinne 2. The Spirit keeps a man from sinne by setting conscience on work to check and rebuke a man when he is tempted thereunto Conscience is Gods Officer and mans Overseer and were it not for a natural conscience a wicked man would commit all imaginable evills every wicked man would commit every sinne that he had opportunity to act Now as sinne wounds the conscience after commission so conscience checks for sinne before commission It is conscience which is as an iron gate and as a brazen wall to keep thee from many evills which otherwise thou wouldst run into And therefore Ioseph consults with his conscience How can I do this great wickednesse and this kept him from committing folly with his Mistresse 3. Another way whereby the Spirit keeps a man from sinne is by infusing into a man a principle of grace and holinesse repugnant to that principle of sinne which is in the nature and thus the Apostle John tells you that Whosoever iâ— born of God doth not commit sinne for the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is born of God hath a renewed nature and a new principle put into him contrary to the sin of his nature 4. The Spirit keeps a man from evil by calling to his remembrance some particular passage out of Sctipture against that sinne unto which he is tempted To this purpose David speakes that he had hid the Word of the Lord in his heart Psal 119.11 that he might not sinne against him This is the way whereby the Spirit fortifies the heart against sin you have it often mentioned in particular cases Solomon gives this counsel to his sonne that he should keep his words Prov. 7.1,5 and lay up his commandments and that to this end that they may keep thee from the strange woman and thus David Psal 17.4 saies he By the Word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Thus Augustine reports of a young man who was given to wantonnesse and it pleased God by bringing this passage to his remembrance Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse it pleased God to make this a meanes whereby he left off his dalliance and wantonnesse ever after 5. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by possessing the heart with an awe and dread of the presence of God when he is tempted to evil Fear the Lord and depart from evil Prov. 37. the wise man joynes them both together to let you know that when the heart is possessed with the fear of God it keeps a man from evil And thus Solomon in a parallell place speaks to the same purpose Prov. 16.6 Prov. 14.16 that By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil An awefull fear of the great God is a good preservative gainst sin Quest 2 The next question is Wherein this worke of the Spirit in keeping a man from sinne consists And for answer hereto in the general it consists in three things 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne 2. In regard of the time and place where sinne would be committed 3. In regard of the manner of sin 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne so the Spirit keeps a regenerate man that he shall never commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost not but that there is the seed of that sinne in the godly as well as others this you have fully proved by John in 1 Joh. 5.18 1 Joh. 5.18 After he had been telling that there was a sinne unto death and saies he I do not say ye shall pray for it he tells you after in the eighteenth verse We know saith he that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That is shall not prevaile over a godly man to sinne this sinne unto death grace in the hearr will keep a man that the wicked one shall not so touch
him 2. The Spirit of God will keep a man that he shall not commit sinne at that time and in that place where he would Thus the Spirit kept David in a pettish mood he resolves to kill Nabal and all his family but Abigail coming to meet David by good perswasions soon allayed Davids hot spirit and herein the work of Gods Spirit was exceedingly seen that though David resolved that at such a time and in such a place he would do thus and thus yet the overruling hand of Gods Spirit kept him back 3. And chiefly the Spirit keeps a man from sinne in respect of the manner how a man doth evil A regenerate man he shall not sinne after that manner as he did sinne before he was converted I shewed you before how the Spirit keeps a man from fulfilling sinne And now I shall shew you how the Spirit of God keeps a regenerate man from sinning after that manner as formerly he did And there are seven particulars which I shall mention in this Point 1. A regenerate man he shall not sinne so ignorantly as formerly he hath done Paul tells you of himselfe that during his unconverted state the Lord had mercy on him 1 Tim. 1.13 because he sinned of ignorance but when a man is once converted his eyes are then opened and he shall not sinne so ignorantly 1 Pet. 1.14 Hereunto referres that exhortation of the Apostle As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance before conversion a man walks in darknesse and as the wise man speaks Prov. 4.19 Joh. 12.35 he knows not at what he stumbles An unconverted age is a dark age a man sins and he knows it not but after conversion God puts a light into the soul whereby he shall be able to see into the mischievous nature of sin 2. Thou canst not commit sin so stupidly and insensibly as formerly Before conversion sin did no more trouble thy conscience then gravel in the fingers of thy glove but now it is as gravel grating in thy bowels before thou waft stupid and as the Apostle speaks thou hadst thy conscience seared as with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seared flesh is unsensible it is your raw and galled flesh which is tender formerly thy conscience was sensible of no sin whereas now if thou doest sin it is as the pricking of a sword into raw flesh before conversion the Law was cast behinde a mans back Eph. 4.17,18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now a godly man sets it before his eyes before thou waft past feeling now sin is as a dagger at thy heart 3. Thou canst not sin so contentedly as in former time heretofore thou wallowedst in sin as a Sow in the mire but now thou art as a Sheep in the mire which would â—aine be in the green medows again I told you formerly Jude 18. that corruption in a godly man it was like poyson in a mans body troublesome and painful but sinne in the wicked it was but like poyson in a toade which was natural before thy conversion thou wast as much content with sin and corruption in thee as a toade that hath poyson naturally in it but now after conversion sinne troubles thee as if poyson were in thy bowels Prov. 13.23 2 Thes 2.12 sinne to a wicked man is his sport and pastime to the godly his grief and burden 4. Thou doest not so fearlesly commit sinne as in times past Formerly thou didst rush into sinne as a horse rusheth into the battel thou hadst not the impression of Gods fear stamped upon thy minde the dread of God did not keep thee from sin but when God hath converted a man he sinnes with more feare of heart then ever he did before and it is worthy your noting that when the Scripture speakes of a converted man it doth not speak of him as forbearing a sinne but fearing of it A good man is one who not only forbeareth idle swearing Eccles 9.2 Prov. 13.13 but feareth an oath And hence godly men are said to fear the command A wicked man may fear the threatening and the punishment but it is only a good man which fears the command and therefore will not sin because it is against a holy law 5 The Spirit will keep thee that thou shalt not sinne so maliciously as thou hast done formerly Before conversion the Scripture speakes of wicked men Judg 15. that the Lord shall convince them of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed The Scripture speaks not only of ungodly men and ungodly deeds but of committing ungodly deeds ungodlily that is after a most ungodly manner after a most wilful and malicious manner But so thou canst not commit sinne after conversion We reade of some who do despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 but a godly man shall never so sinne he may quench the Spirits motions and he may grieve the Spirit but he shall never do despite unto the Spirit A godly man shall never sinne out of malicious wickednesse Psal 59.5 6. Thou canst not do evil as to the maine not so voluntarily as thou hast formerly done before conversion thou didst rush into sinne voluntarily but now thou goest and yieldest to sinne with much unwillingnesse This change doth converting grace make in thee formerly thou didst sinne with all thy will but now there is one part of the will against the other and therefore saies the Apostle With my minde I serve the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.25 whereas before conversion the whole of man was given up to the service of sinne a childe of God when he is converted though he sinne yet it is upon some surprise as Peter rashly denied Christ but a wicked man sinnes deliberately even as Judas betrayed Christ 7. Not so impudently as before conversion then men sinned and were not ashamed as the Prophet Jeremy speakes but now with fear and blushing shame The next Question is seeing this is a blessing in common to wicked men as well as to the godly to be kept from evil then what difference is there between the restraining grace of the Spirit in wicked men Jer. 6.15 and the renewing grace of the Spirit in the godly But this question I shall not now handle but shall reserve it for the next Sermon That which I shall now do shall be to conclude this Sermon with some use of what you have heard Vse If it be so that the Spirit keeps regenerate men that they cannot do the evil they would then from hence see 1. The great misery of those men who are destitute of the Spirit to do this great and good office for them what slaves to sinne are they who are void of the Spirit they are liable to every incursion and invasion which the devil shall make upon them Now the Spirits motions and disswasions they
are as a bulwark and fence to guard the heart against sinne The Spirit it is as the sluce of a pond if the flood-gate be down it keeps the water within its bounds but if you pull up the sluce what an inundation of water will there be 2. If thou wouldst have the Spirit to keep thee from evil thou must labour to keep thy selfe the Spirits keeping of a man doth not exclude his holy care to keep himselfe Psal 18.23 this was Davids practice He kept himselfe from his iniquity he would not make Gods care to keep him an occasion for him to be idle Remember and take this for a rule that if you do not take care to keep your selves from the occasions of sinne the Spirit will never keep you from the execution thereof and therefore you reade 1 Joh. 5.18 that he that is begotten of God he keepeth himselfe that the evil one toucheth him not and so speaks Jude Keep your selves in the love of God Jude 23. 3. What cause have regenerate men to blesse God both in reference to themselves and in reference to wicked men 1. In reference to themselves to what evil would not the flesh have drawn you had it not been for the contrary working of the Spirit in you I appeale to your own conscience how often have you resolved to do wickedly nay how farre have you gone in it insomuch that you have resolved on the time when on the place where and the manner how to bring your intended evil about and yet God hath kept you from your intended purpose so that ye could not do the evil ye would what cause have you to blesse God for positive grace and not only so but for preventing grace that you have been restrained from sin It was thus with David with a full resolution he did resolve to kill Nabal and all his family but the Spirit of God prevented it by setting home the counsell of a poor woman and therefore here upon see what cause you have to blesse God for preventing grace and that you may be provoked hereunto I would leave with you some considerations upon a twofold account 1. If you consider the universality of that corruption that is in your natures 2. If you consider the strength of it 1. If you consider the universality of corruption in the universality of persons all the children of Adam are infected with this common contagion all having sinned in him and so are guilty of the punishment so are they obnoxious to the contagion of Adams sinne Rom. 5.12 2. If you consider the universality of parts there is never a part of man but it is defiled with sinne even regenerate men as there is something in every part sanctified so there is something in each part unsanctified as there is grace in every part so there is sinne in every part 3. In regard of the object a mans nature it is averse to all good and prone to all evil Corruption of nature it is set out by Divines by comparing it to that rude Chaos which was before the creation in which rude heap there was vertualiy all creatures which afterwards the Lord created So it is with corruption of nature it hath vertually in it all the sinnes acted in the world 4. There is an universality in respect of the time this corruption of nature it was not only in one age of the world and not in another but in all ages of the world It reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 even over those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Now put all these together that all persons and all parts of men are corrupted and that in all times and that this corruption prompts you to all sinne consider but all this and have you not great cause to admire that there is no more wickednesse committed in the world 2. Consider not only the universality of corruption but the strength of it If it were but a weak enemy it were not so much but there is great strength and potency in it and therefore it is called sometimes an enticing and sometimes a drawing enemy and if it cannot entice by policy it will draw by power 2. We are to magnifie Gods grace in reference to wicked men that are enemies to the Church of God if the restraining grace of Gods Spirit did not withhold wicked men from doing the evil they would there would be no living in the world if it were not thus every wicked man would murther every man that angred him and he would deceive every man that dealed with him we should have all humane societies overturned the Church of God rooted out from under Heaven did not God by the common workings of his Spirit restrain men Psalme 76.10 God he will turne the wrath of man to his praise and the remainder of wrath wilt thou restraine It is spoken of Gods enemies and God will restraine their wrath by the common workings of his Spirit and it shall evidentially turne to his praise and shall be conducible to the glory of God and the good of his people You have a famous instance in Laban and Jacob Laban came with a mischievous intent against Jacob but God meets with him Gen. 31.29 and gives him a charge that he should not meddle with Jacob no not so much as to speak against him God laid a mighty restraint upon Labans spirit so that he could not do the mischief he intended Gen. 33.4 So likewise in the case of Esau and Jacob Esau he pursued his brother with a deadly hatred insomuch as he resolved when the dayes of his fathers mourning were over to kill his brother but God did so alter his disposition and restrain his bloody intent that when he met with his brother he fell on his neck and kissed him To this purpose the Psalmist hath an expression that the Lord shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 In other translations it is The Lord shall restraine the spirit of Princes and it was so in all ages and it is so in this age Men that hate religion though they have much power in their hands yet the power of their hands shall not come into act and because there is no wicked man in the world which shall do the evill he would therefore you have much cause to blesse God Pharaoh though he had much power in his hands yet God delivered his people out of his hands and thus the Lord would not suffer Balaam to curse his people Num. 23. Psal 105.14,15 he will suffer no man to do them harme as David speaks yea He reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harme Sermon XXVI At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the
intentions and these the Law of God will judge 5. Judge not thy self to be righteous and gracious by bare restraints from sin in particular actions but if you would judge your selves judge by the ordinary course of your lives It is possible that in a particular act a good man may not be kept from that sin from which a wicked man may and it is possible that a wicked man may do that good which a godly man may not be able to do Now you are not to judge of your selves by particular acts but by the constant course of your lives for if you should do otherwise you would condemn the generation of the just I shall give an example by comparing together good King David and wicked King Abimelech they were both tempted to the same sin and should you have guessed at these two men by their particular restraints you would have taken Abimelech for the good King and David for the bad King Abimelech in his restraint was far better then David it is said of Abimelech that he took Sarah he did not know that she was Abrahams wife but David did know that Bathsheba was the wife of Vriah and then further Abimelech the Heathen King though he had Sarah in the house yet the Scripture tells you he did not defile her but David took Bathsheba into his house and was actually unclean with her Now should you look upon these two men in this particular case you would judge Abimelech to be the gracious King and David the Heathen King But now if you look upon David in the ordinary course of his life he was far better then Abimelech you are not therefore to passe a verdict upon any man that he is good or bad by any particular act that as it is a rule in Philosophy that one act doth not denominate so when you go to judge of men you must not look upon a particular act but upon the general scope and current of their lives Prov. 16.17 The high way of the righteous is to depart from evil Vse 2 The second Use is of Instruction and first to regenerate men who have the renewing work of the Spirit There are these three Instructions I would have you to learne 1. Blesse God that ever you have been crossed in the doing of those sins which you would have committed How near the brink of many a sin hath many a godly man been at when an occasion and an inclination hath met together but God hath put in a restraint O blesse God it is the greatest mercy next converting grace It was the prayer of Jabez O that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and O that thou wouldest keep me from evil let it be thy prayer also Sometimes men are angry when they are kept from an intended sin and this is just as if a man going to execution should be angry with a man for stopping him in his way Alas poor man thou art going to the execution of thy sin if any stop thee 't is the saving of thy soul at least the saving of thy peace therefore blesse God How did David blesse God when he intended to have cut off Nabal and all his family when Abigail came with smooth words and prevented him O then sayes he Blessed be God and blessed be thou and blessed be the Counsel thou hast given me 1 â—am 25.32 so it may be thou hast determined the Commission of a sin with all circumstances which may further thee in the execution of it and hath God stopped thee in thy way what great cause hast thou to magnifie him 2. From hence gathet what cause the people of God have to suspect their own hearts lest they should carry them to such evils which they think they should never have committed Suppose the Spirit should be suspended that it should not restrain thee what evil wouldest thou not commit There are Scripture-instances of godly men who have fallen into those sins that themselves never thought they should commit and such sins which were repugnant to those graces wherein they were most excellent Abraham he was the eminentest man alive in his age for faith Gal. 3.9 Abrahamus paâ—er fidelium non efficienter sed exemplariter and therefore was called the father of the faithful now would any man think that Abraham should fall into unbelief why yes he did for being distrustful of Gods Providence he told two lies one to Pharaoh King of Egypt Gen. 12.13 and the other to Abimelech King of Gerar. Likewise Moses the Scripture tell of him that he was the meekest man upon earth Psal 106.33 and yet he spake unadvisedly with his lips he fell into passion which was that sin which was contrary to that grace wherein he was most excellent And so also Iob Jam. 5.11 whom the Scripture tells you was the most patient man on earth and of all sins Iob was most hurried to impatiency Job 3. insomuch that he bitterly curseth the day of his birth and the night in which it is said A man-childe is conceived I name these examples to you to let you see what cause you have to blesse God for the sin you have been prevented from and what cause you have to suspect your hearts if the Spirit of God withdraw from you And so Moses he was noted to be the meekest man on earth Numb 12.3 And yet even this meek Moses is transported with passion and he speaks unadvisedly with his mouth 3. Pray unto God for the Spirit to do its office in thy soul Psal 106.33 that the Spirit may keep thee from doing the evil thou wouldest We read of David Psal 19.13 that he made this prayer Lord keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins Thou hast need to pray that the Spirit may check and curb thy corruptions when thou art tempted to sin because there is no man though never so good that can stand by his own strength though never so great and thereby avoid an evil when he is tempted to it though never so foule O therefore pray for preventing grace that God would keep thee by his Spirit that so thou mightest not do the works of the flesh And therefore Christ hath taught us to pray Lord deliver us from evil Mat. 6.13 viz. from that evil which we cannot of our selves avoid Secondly as this point refers to the unregenerate who have only restraining grace to hinder them from sin Let even such consider what cause they have to blesse God for this mercy though they shall go to hell yet they have cause to blesse God for restraining grace on earth for though it will not make you good yet it will and doth make you lesse evil and though it cannot make you spiritual yet it will make you good moral men By restraining grace a man may have this good 1. He may not commit so many and great sins 2. He may not incur so great punishment 3. He will bring the lesse scandal
mariage though it be intensive also to all sorts and conditions of people in the world yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition A man in a maried estate must look to meet with cares and crosses and troubles as the Apostle intimates in the next verse but one to my Text Vers 3. and therefore he gives this advice you that are in a maried estate and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the same why you must weep as if you wept not you must mourn regularly and moderately suppose you meet with troubles and afflictions as a froward wife or if you have a good wife yet no Children by her or if you have they are bad Children or if they be good they die God takes them away from you or if they live they take pernitious courses and are a grief and sorrow and vexation to you why in all these or the like conditions you should so moderate your sorrows as to weep as if you wept not And truly beloved the scope of the Chapter caries the sence this way and from hence I might note to you Doct. 1 1. That a maried life exposeth a man to a great many crosses and troubles either unsutableness of temper and constitution between man and wife the having of bad Children or no Children or Children or wife die these and many more afflictions do sometimes happen in a maried estate 2. From hence I note that people ought to take heed what ever troubles they meet with in this condition that they be not cast down with over much sorrow and grief but I only hint these things by the way And though I believe this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall estate yet because the Scripture is large and speaks in generall terms that he that weeps should be as if he wept not c. therefore I shall rather chuse to handle it in this sence that whatsoever crosses troubles losses or afflictions befalls any men here below they should mourn and wâ—ep as if they wept not that is so regulate and moderate their sorrows that they should not be inordinate or excessive in the same and the Doctrine I shall observe from hence is this Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they be not immoderate or excessive in worldly sorrows either for the meeting with any crosses undergoing any troubles or the losing of any comforts here in the world Whatsoever afflictions you meet with or whatsoever comforts you part with you should take care your sorrows be not immoderate and inordinate In the handling of this it may be I may come near the bosoms of many of you some of you it may be are troubled for want of trading that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths others troubled for losses some for crosses and afflictions some for outward others for inward troubles why in all these conditions you must weep as if you wept not you must have a care of immoderateness and excessiveness in all your sorrows Before I shall discuss those quaeries I intend about this Doctrine I shall first lay down three conclusions concerning it Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall sensibleness of any crosses or afflictions you meet with Beloved God would not have you stupid and insensible under his hand this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not doth allow of naturall sensibleness of any crosse or affliction that befalls us God would have none to be stoically insensible of heart Con. 2 2. Take this Conclusion that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and crosses at one time then they are at another It was the case of David at one time when Absalom was dead he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33 Oh Absalom my Son my Son oh Absalom would to God I had died for thee my Son my Son And yet at another time when his Child was dead in the 2 Sam. 12.20 He riseth up and anoints his face and eats bread and takes patiently the hand of God upon him the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate sorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his stroaks upon you to make your burdens heavier and your bondage greater God deals with us as a Father deals with his Child if the Father sees that the Child beares his corrections kindly he will give him the lesse but if he be stubborn and frets and takes on it will not make the Father lessen his stroaks but to give him more and more so if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in these afflictions he layes upon us it is the way to have them alleviated but if we repine and murmure against God and are immoderate in our sorrows this is the way to have them increased Queries I come now to the Queries which I promised to handle and they are these three 1. When peoples sorrows are immoderate and excessive for worldly afflictions 2. Why a Christian should take heed that his sorrows be not so 3. I shall give you some considerations to allay excessiveness and immoderateness in sorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world For the first Quest 1 First When may a Christians sorrow either for the meeting with any crosses or afflictions Signes of immoderate sorrowing for worldly afflictions or the losing of any comforts here in this world be said to be immoderate Answ I shall lay it down to you in these five particulars 1. Then is your sorrow inordinate and excessive when it laies you under great indisposition of heart to the performance of religious duties when it makes you unfit and indisposed to holy duties and especially these two hearing the word and private prayer First When it indisposeth you for hearing the word of God as in Exod. 6.9 Moses spake unto the Children of Israel but they hearkened not unto him for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage The people were so grieved and over-pressed with sorrow that what Moses spake to them from the Lord they did not regard it because of their afflictions and great bondage Now if ever any sorrow or crosse went so near thy heart as to disturb thee and indispose thee to the hearing of Gods word that hath been an immoderate sorrow And therefore it is a great sin and greatly to be reproved in those that when any of their nearest relations are dead they are so dejected with sorrow as not to come to Church in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward which is very usuall with a great many In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4 The Lord commanded there that there should none be defiled for the dead amongst his people There was a custom amongst the Heathen when any of
their friends were dead in token of lamentation and sorrow they would make their heads bald and shave the corners of their beards cut their flesh and the like but God prohibits his people the doing of these things as shaving their heads cutting the corners of their beards and the like When the duties of Religion as hearing the word is interrupted by your sorrows for any worldly cross then look upon it as an irregular sorrow Secondly When your sorrow indisposeth and keeps you from private prayer then it is inordinate as in Psal 77.3,4 my spirit saith Asaph is over-whelmed within me and I am so troubled that I cannot speak When troubles do so stop mens mouths that they cannot pray or make known their wants to God then it is an inordinate sorrow and you women especially that are naturally more tender and apt to grieve then men do you look to it if your sorrows have been never so small yet if they have interrupted and kept you from hearing the word of God and from private duties they have been excessive and immoderate So Mal. 2.13.14 We read of women that covered the Altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out c. 't is not meant of godly but of worldly sorrow women so grieved for the churlishness and unkindness of their Husbands to them that they covered the Altar with teares c. Now God regarded not such services because when sorrow is excessive for affliction there is then little or no sorrow for sin 2. Your sorrows are then inordinate when they swallow up your comforts in the present mercies of God which you do injoy Thus it was with Ahabs sorrow in the 1. Kings 21.4 you read there that Ahab was grieved and sore displeased because he could not have Naboths Vineyard and the Text saith he went home and laid him down upon his bed turned away his face and would eat no bread though Ahab was a King had a goodly Palace and had Vineyards enough of his own yet because he could not enjoy Naboths he could take no pleasure nor comfort in those he had Thus good old Jacob did so excessively mourn for Joseph who in his thoughts was dead that though all his Sonnes and Daughters came to comfort him yet he refused to be comforted but said he would go mourning to his grave The losse of one Child did swallow up the comfort of all the other eleven Sonnes Gen. 37.35 If the sense of the present sorrows and afflictions you lie under be so great that they swallow up all the mercies and present comforts you injoy then are your sorrows inordinate Some people are so over-whelmed with a few light afflictions that they forget the many great mercies they injoy many men that are worth ten thousand pound if they should lose but one thousand pound it would so trouble them that they would take no comfort in all the rest 3. When your sorrows for worldly losses or crosses put you upon sinfull shifts and wicked courses to make up and repair your losse again then look upon it as an immoderate sorrow 1 Sam. 28.6,7,8 Thus Saul when he was in great trouble and perplexity of mind and could not tell what to do then he went to the witch at Endor for help which did declare his sorrow to be immoderate Look to it you that have met with great losses in the world and undergone great afflictions and crosses if these have made you run to sinfull courses to repair your losses or lighten your afflictions then your sorrow hath been excessive as it may be you are in debt and not able to maintain your self and Family by your Trade and therefore you will betake your self to sinfull shifts and deceits as false weights false lights false measures or the like to repair your losses if it be so your sorrows are immoderate 4. Then your sorrows are immoderate when you do so grieve for your own trouble and afflictions as to carry no compassion in your breast towards the afflictions of others when thy Family losses do so afflict thee that all the publick losses of Church and State do not at all affect thee when thy own private and personall afflictions do so trouble thee that come what will to the Church or Kingdom wherein thou livest thou carest not when thou canst shed a flood of tears for thine own misery but not a drop for the misery of the Church of God then are thy sorrows inordinate and irregular 5. When you are so sensible of your own afflictions as to think no bodies afflictions are so great as yours then are your sorrows irregular When you are like these in Lament 1.12 that say come and see if there be any sorrow any affliction like unto mine wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me When you shall say never did any man lose such an Estate as I have done or such a loving Husband or Wife or Children as I have done never did any undergoe such troubles and crosses as I have done then are your sorrows immoderate But I shall shew you hereafter that there are others that have lost more and suffered more and undergone greater afflictions and have greater cause to complain then you but thus much shall serve for the first Query Quest 2 I come now to the 2d why Christians should take heed of this distemper of being immoderate and excessive in their sorrows for any affliction Answ 1. Because immoderate sorrow for the things of the world does proceed from evill causes And 2dly does produce evill effects First It proceeds from evill causes and those are 1. From an immoderate love to the things of the world that in the want and for the losse whereof you do too much grieve it is a sign you did too much love in the enjoyment of it Gen. 37.35 When Jacob supposed that his Joseph was slain he so exceedingly mourned for him that though all his Sonnes and Daughters rose up to comfort him yet he refused to be comforted and said I will go down into the grave unto my Sonne mourning And why did Jacob thus mourn for him but because he loved him more then all the rest it was his immoderate love to him that made him sorrow so immoderately If your hearts be glued to the things of the world you cannot part with them but with a great deal of vexation and sorrow If thy sorrow be excessive for the loss of any thing thy love was immoderate towards it in the injoyment of it John 11.35.36 when Christ came to Lazarus and he being dead Christ wept then said the Jews behold how he loved him his weeping for him did manifest the greatness of his love to him not that his love was excessive I do not say so yet this we may see from hence that grief in the want of mercies proceeds from love in the enjoyment of them 2. This immoderate sorrow proceeds from a murmuring discontent at the dealing of Gods providence towards
you there is a clashing between Gods will and yours as if God did not so well know how to deal with you as you do with your selves else you would quietly submit to his will 3. Another evill cause from whence this immoderate sorrow ariseth is ignorance both of the vanity of temporall things and the reality of spirituall things we discover thereby that we think temporall things to have more worth in them then indeed they have and spirituall things lesse But 2dly As it proceeds from evill causes so it produceth evill effects there are these five evill effects that immoderate sorrow produceth as 1. It prejudiceth your naturall health 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And Solomon tells us a sorrowfull spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 so saies David in Psal 31.10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my bones are consumed 2. It is a blemish to Religion for a Christian to be excessive in his sorrows for the joy of the Lord should be his strength A godly Christian hath alwayes cause of joy unspeakable and full of glory therefore it is a blemish to Christianity to see a godly man overpressed with worldly sorrow it is an aspersion upon Religion for a godly man to hang down his head for the losse of any outward things as if he had no greater concernments to look after no joy nor comfort nor happiness to look after but here in this life 3. It exceedingly indisposeth the heart to holy and spirituall duties it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word and prayer Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage c. Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak 4. Excessive sorrow imbitters those sweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy a thousand mercies are buried under the excessive sorrow for one affliction as in Gen. 37.35 the place before quoted Jacob did so extreamly mourn for Joseph his youngest Sonne which he supposed to be dead that though he had eleven Sonnes and many Daughters and all of them came to comfort him yet he could take no comfort in any of them but resolved that his gray hairs should go down to the grave in mourning for him this one excessive sorrow for Joseph did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy So Esther 5.13 though Haman was admitted to the greatest intimacy familiarity with the King yet all this availed him nothing so long as he saw Mordecai sitting at the Kings Gate in this regard many men discover a temper much like the Hedg-hog which as naturalists tell us hath this property it will gather a great many apples or such like fruit upon his bristles and then go to a Hedge and eat them but it is so mournfull a Creature that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way it will so vex and trouble him that he will throw down all the rest So many men if they meet but with one cross or affliction it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy and take no comfort in any of them 5. Excessive sorrow for worldly crosses provokes God many times to send heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you suffered As I told you before a stubborn Child that blubbers and cries and murmurs under the Fathers corrections will fare the worse and have the more blowes for it so the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions the more crosses and troubles we are like to have And thus I have done with the second question why Christians should take heed of immoderacie and excessiveness in worldly sorrows We come now to lay down some considerations whereby to allay your sorrows but I must leave that till the afternoon I shall onely for the present make a short application of what hath been said and so have done Vse Vse Is it so that Christians should not be excessive in worldly sorrows but weep as if they wept not then this reproves those that can mourn for every crosse that befalls them but yet cannot shed a teare for any sin they commit Many men complain of small inconsiderable troubles and affliction but yet never complain of their sins and corruptions these never trouble them nor come near their hearts they can mourn for that which can but at most prejudice the body and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and destroy their soules 2. I beseech you beloved take heed of being lavish of your teares for worldly crosses or afflictions it is pitty to wash a foul Room with sweet water I must needs tell you teares are too pretious to shâ—d for every trifle it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to wash away your sins for though it is Christs blood alone that can wash away the guilt of sin yet your teares may much conduce to wash away the filth and power of sin When you mourn for worldly crosses then weep as if you wept not but when you mourn for sin mourn as much as you can Be like yee before the Sun that will soon melt and convert into water you that are the Children of God know that you have greater things and of higher concernment to bestow your teares upon then any outward troubles you have daily failings and many sins and corruptions unmortified and unsubdued and the losse of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for your sorrows never run aright but when they run in this Channel when your tears run into the Mill-pond to grind your lusts and corruptions to consume and weaken them then are your sorrows right and regular Lastly Let me intreat and advise you not to mistake in reference to your sorrows to think you do mourn and grieve for sin when it is only for outward afflictions Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are so sad and mournfull and weep so much will be ready to say it is for their sins and failings and corruptions that are too strong for them or the like when indeed it is only for some crosse or outward trouble they have met with therefore do not mistake that sorrow to be for your sins which is onely or especially for some outward affliction you have met with SERMON 2. WEe come now to the third Question which I shall spend this whole Aftemoon upon and that is this to lay down to you 12 considerations whereby to allay and keep under immoderateness and excessive sorrow for any worldly crosses or afflictions and how to keep our selves in the frame and temper of spirit which the Apostle here enjoyns us namely to weep as if we wept not I told you in the morning God would not have us stupid and insensible of his hand in any affliction but yet as we should not be stoicall so neither must we be excessive in our sorrows I have
inward gripes grief of spirit then the worldly joy of a godly man is As in Prov. 13,14 In the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull 2 Cor. 5.12 the Apostle there speaks of some that did glory in appearance but not in heart The joy of the wicked is but in appearance but not in reality When they are in their greatest jollity and mirth even then they have some inward gripes and anguish of conscience that galls troubles them a man may have a neat shooe on his foot yet no man knows where it pincheth but he that wears it A wicked mans joy is like a godly mans sorrow the formers joy is but in appearance not in truth and a godly man hath something like sorrow but it is not so indeed they are but as sorrowing yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.10 The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10.22 Conclu 4 4. A smaller matter will interrupt the worldly joy of a wicked man then will interrupt the joy of a godly man I mean that outward worldly joy that he hath here in this world Esth 5.13 How soon was Hamans joy interrupted though he had so much cause of ioy in the glory of his riches and the multitude of his Children and his promotion in the Court above all the Princes and Servants of the King And yet because poor Mordecai did not bow to him and reverence him he was sore displeased and could take no joy in all that he had So it was with Ahab though he had a whole Kingdom yet he could take no content in it for want of Naboths Vineyard a little thing diverts the joy of a wicked man and therefore their joy is compared to the crackling of thorns under the pot Eccles 7.6 they make a noyse and a blaze for a little while but are soon put out Belshazzer when he was quaffing in his golden Bowles and in the midst of all his jollity yet a hand-writing upon the wall quickly dasht all his joyes and made him hang down his head Conclu 5 5. Though it be lawfull and allowed by God for you to rejoyce in worldly comforts yet there are some things that you are not to rejoyce in I shall give them you in five or six particulars 1. You must not rejoyce in your own sins the sins you do commit must never be matter of rejoycing to you but thus wicked men do many times as in Jer. 11.15 when thou doest evill then thou rejoycest so in Prov. 2.14 Solomon speaks of some who did rejoyce to do evill so in Psal 52.1 it is said of Doeg why boastest thou thy self in mischief oh mighty man and thou lovest evill more then good Gaudia panitenda God does not allow us to boast and rejoyce in sin Such rejoycings as one saith are joyes to be wept for these go merrily to Hell 2. Neither are you to rejoyce in the sins of other men they are never permitted by God to be matter of your joy 1 Cor. 13.6 it is said of love that it rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth that is love to any man does not make us to rejoyce in that mans sin but in his well-doing In Rom. 1. last those are not only condemned by God that do the same things with wicked men but those also that have pleasure in them that do them not only Covenant-breakers uninercifull men backbiters haters of God despitefull proud boasters inventers of evill things c. not onely those that commit these things but they also that delight in those men that do commit them are condemned This is rather matter of grief then joy Psal 119.136 Rivers of water run down mine eyes because men keep not they Law and 2 Pet. 2.8 't is said Lot vexed his righteous soul with the ungodly conversation of wicked men and upon this ground learned Mr. Perkins condemns the use of Stage-playes they being for the most part representations of mens villany and wickedness to provoke the spectators to joy and laughter and therefore are unlawfull and not to be used 3. You are not to rejoyce at all for the punishment of sin in the unreasonable Creatures And upon this ground the same Authour condemns the use of Bull or Bear-baiting or Cock-fighting because it is a rejoycing in that which is the product of sin for it was sin that first put an enmity between the Bear and the Dog and between Creature and Creature sin was the cause of all discords and antipathies between Creatures and therefore it is not allowable for us to rejoyce in that which is the effect of our own sin Indeed for Bull-baiting more may be said it may make the Bull the more serviceable for mans food but meerly to bait a Bull for recreation is unlawfull So likewise hawking and hunting are allowable because those Creatures cannot be taken without it But all you that delight in Stage-playes and make other mens sin the matter of your joy And you that frequent Bear-beatings and Cock-fightings and the like are to be reproved and let me perswade you to leave it off in time to come And upon this ground likewise the same Authour condemns Noble-men that keep fools in their Houses to be matter of sport and pleasure to them This is not allowed by God because it is a rejoycing in that which is a punishment for sin in another Creature 4. You must not rejoyce in goods ill gotten goods ill gotten the Lord never allows you to rejoyce in Psal 62.10 Rejoyce not in robberies neither in goods ill gotten so in Habakkuk 1.13,14,15 The Lord is of purer eyes then to behold evill wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treackerously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he and makest men as fishes of the Sea as the creeping things that have no Ruler over them They take up all of them with the angle they catch them into their Net and gather them in their drag that is the poor and what followes therefore they rejoyce and are glad The Lord condemns the rich men because they got their Estates by wronging the poor and by usury and the like therefore you had more need make restitution for what you have injured men and fraudulâ—ntly taken from them then to rejoyce in it or to build Hospitalls and make a great flourish in the world to advance thy pride and vain glory Levit. 6.4 You may rejoyce in your lawfull negotiations in buying and selling and getting gain honestly these you may rejoyce in But you are not to rejoyce in goods illgotten If thou canst in buying or selling over-reach or circuÌ„vent a man when thou hast got a good penyworth then to laugh in thy sleeve that 's an evill Prov. 20.14 it is naught it is naught saies the buyer but when he is gone his way then he boasteth In Deut. 23.18 I hate saies God the hire