it appropriated to the Law answer 1 A. 1. 1. Sin in the full extent and compasse of it as actuall is onely discovered by the Law for many sins they accounted vertues and many they excused with harmlesse indifferency which yet the Law condemned answer 2 2. 2. But indeed the Apostle principally intendeth the sinning sinne in first motions and workings and in it's indwelling That corrupt principle of lust and sin which is rooted in the soule and work 's in our life and is ordinarily known by the name of Originall sin or corruption of nature thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccatum vocabit vitium originis peccatorum aliorum sontem mortis causam Pareus in Loc. Doctrine Pareus on the place this praemised I gather up the Doctrine from the words That men of greatest acutenesse and ability for naturall parts and of best improvement by education cannot make a right and full discovery of Originall sin of indwelling lust without the spirit of God revealing it by the law Lust or sinning sin is a mysterie of iniquity which the most peircing naturall eye with best humane advantages never did never could yet or ever will be able to discover Concupisâ—ence is sufficiently discoverable by no other eye nor by other light then that the holy spirit of God giveth us to see with The knowledge of sinne as here Paul knew it as a Regenerate soule doth know it is not within the compasse of the highest improved naturall man he cannot take the height nor mete out the length and breadth nor fathome the depth of that corruption which is in our natures he cannot tell how this old man was conceived formed and produced in us he cannot derive the Pedigree of this antient infamous house It is onely and peculiarly the worke of the spirit and word of God to discover this to a man Method of Proceeding In handling this truth I will method 1 1. Shew it to be the Doctrine of this text and of others in the Scripture method 2 2. Farther confirme it by the exemplary mistakes of the severall sorts of men who have pretended and might if any could pretend most to all knowledge and to this also method 3 3. Enquire what particularly they never did or could ever discover c. method 4 4. Rationally demonstrate why they could not or ever will be able without the especiall sanctifying and enlightning vertue of the spirit of God to discerne it method 5 5. Point out some considerable differences between the knowledge which a naturall improved man as Paul before conversion and a regenerate sanctifyed soule as Paul after conversion hath of this sin And then method 6 6. Close the whole matter in a practicall and usefull application 1. This is the Doctrine of the Text and other Scriptures 1. I say then that this is the Doctrine of the text That the best naturall parts highest improved without the spirit of God enlightning him by the law cannot now could not ever nor ever will be able to discover the corruption of our natures I must then evidence this whole matter from Paul's example and cleare confession I said The greatest acutenesse and ability of nature such was Paul's naturall ability he was a man of most pregnant and ripe parts for he assures us that he profited above many his equalls Gal. 1.14 his outstripping them if any doubt it assureth us he was befriended with a large portion of naturall abilities he had not so outrun those who started with him in the race if a greater strength and speed had not fitted him for the race If I farther said that such parts with best improvement I said no more then I might well warrant from Pauls example for he wanted not the advantage of education he had a Master whose learning had set him high in the esteeme of the people Acts 5.34 and at his feet Paul was brought up nor was he a dunce in this schoole he made such progresse that he was eminent for his learning whence Festus charitably interprets the Apostle pleading his own cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the truth which Festus understood not as the discourse of one to be pittied for overstudying himselfe and who had more learning then he could manage Acts 26.24 Did I say such parts so improved never did I say but what Paul saith of himselfe for time past he did not if I adde nor ever can I ground it on the Apostle his expression which includes more then the past time I had not known and looke's to time to come for 't is in the Plusquam perfectum If I adde Without the spirit enlightning the soule none I hope will doubt it but if I say without more then common illumination I have proofe from Paul who had no doubt the common illumination of the spirit while a Pharisee yet did not then understand as now he doth the corruption of nature He did while unregenerate heare the law but now regenerate he heare's the voice of the law and spirit jointly informing and instructing him without this the best parts with the best improvement though both equall to Paul's will never fully discover sinning sin Doctrine proved from other Scriptures Nor do we want other testimony from Scripture The Law and Prophets beare witnesse to this truth view what was Ezekiel's message and errand to the Jewes Ezek. 16.2,3,4 He must declare to them that their Birth and Nativity was of the land of Canaan that their father was an Amorite and their mother an Hittite c. In which allegorie the sinfullnesse cursednesse of their naturall state is set forth as is the opinion of Interpreters and others So Junius on the place on those words thy navell was not cut vers 4. Thou wast by nature dead defiled with the pollution of sin full of weaknesse and vanity A natura in morte in Sordibus peccatorum infitmitate vanitate eras Jun. in loc And much to this purpose Peter Martyr in his common places Never did man marry such a wife so much below so much unworthy of him as did Christ when he marryed the Church for her state and what she was before she came into Christ's hand is described by Ezekiel in the 16. chap. 1 Nec ullus uxorem unquam ram disparem suo conjugio indignamduxit arque Christus Ecclesian cutusmodi enim ea fuerit antequam Christo in manum conveniret ab Ezech. describitur 16. cap. Pet. Martyr loc com cl 2. cap. 17. I adde to this Essenius contra Crellium de satisfact l. 1. Sect. 2. cap. 3. Causa procatarctica una est miseria nostra quae Dei misericor diam movit Huc pertinet graphica illa descriptio Ezech. 16.3,6 Their sinfull and wretched state untill grace timely prevent freely act and powerfully change it is that which is represented by this Allegoricall description of a wretched helplesse infant borne in it's blood and cast
ΑΓÎΟΙΑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR THE INABILITY of the Highest Improved NATVRALL MAN to attaine a Sufficient and Right Knowledge of INDVVELLING SINNE Discovered in three SERMONS Preached at St MARIE's in OXFORD By HENRY HURST M.A. and Fellow of Merton Coll. in OXON 1 Cor. 2.14 But the Naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned OXFORD Printed by Henry Hall Printer to the University for Richard Davis 1659. TO THE REVEREND AND Learned my Honoured Father Mr HENRY HURST Minister of the Gospel at Mickleton in Glouc shire Much honoured Father BOoks claim a just title to a Dedicatory commendation whether this title be just jure naturali or by Prescription I intend not to dispute with this small piece which cals it selfe mine and claimes the same portion which others have beene sent into the world with I will not deny it's request though I might have so done since it appeares in the world without my plenary consent it shall have it's Due Nor will I be unjust or unthankfull to you who have the clearest and fairest title to this Homage for if either Greatnesse or Goodnesse be a just claime your's is the justest if Greatnesse of obligations be a good title None may contend with you a Father's obligations on a Sonne are confessedly greatest If Goodnesse and Beneficence be the best claime I must tell the world your right to this is such There cannot be a better Patron then a Good Father If I adde no more to set out your worth besides I prevent the losing my selfe in the Dedication and the disproportioning the Frontispice to the building I shall cut off the jealous surmises of an uncharitable world which will suspect there is none so good because they are so few And which I most intend reserve more roome for the Practicke part of that honour and obedience which I owe you I cannot more doubt your reception of this then I can your reception of my selfe and to entreat for this I thinke were to detract from the repute of a tender Father which you deserve What it wants of worth in it selfe will be more fully and easily made up whilest it hath the rising advantage of a Sonne 's affections whose willingnesse makes his lest essay of thankfulnesse worth accepting and whilest it hath the graines of allowance which a Fathers kindnesse will cast in to make up the weight Sr these first fruits being judged ripe sooner then I thought and so gathered much against my will and having been offered first in the Temple for the honour of God and the service of his spirituall Temple are now in this handfull left to you as that portion which I might not withhold from you and as the first fruits duly offered did procure a blessing on the offerer so I hope it will fare with your Sonne who nothing doubts your blessing will be on his head and doubts it will as Jacob's prevaile above the blessings of your Progenitours for the abundant encrease of Grace Mercy and Peace on Your Obedient Sonne HENRY HURST From Merton Coll. July 6. 1659. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER MY request is to thee least I deceive thy expectation not to expect from me who affect plainnesse of speech and actions any tedious Apologeticall Preface much lesse any superfluous flattering Panegyricks Onely let me acquaint thee with the ingagement that lies upon me to premise a few things concerning the publication of this Learned and elaborate Worke. The Author sufficiently known to my selfe and many others to be a Godly Learned and Orthodox Divine through his modesty and low opinion of himselfe denyed for a long time his consent to the makeing of these Sermons of publick use and had supprest them altogether but that through importunity I prevailed with him That ancient relation I have as of a Tutor to a Scholar which in him and such who prove so well is my glory and rejoiceing and those deare affectiâ—ns I beare towards him at length made him to yeeld to my frequent sollicitations that this worke might be Printed for the publick good And I never had yet neither do I think ever shall entertaine the least repenting thought for causing such choice Sermons to be made of common use and benefit Concerning the Sermons having heard two of them from the Pulpit and since deliberately read them all over two or three particulars I observe in an especiall manner as appeares by the account that followeth 1. The seasonablenâ—sse of the preaching on this subject against the blindnesse of a naturall man and concerning the sinfulnesse of Sin both Originall and Actuall both which are words spoken in season considering that now adaies Pelagius Arminius Socinus and other Hereticks of the same litter are revived and their followers as if they had get a facultie in the Court of augmentation â—…strip and gee beyond their masters in errors and heresies But as in Zacharies Vision there were foure Carpenters to fray the soure hornes which scattered Judah so God raiseth up many valiant Champions of his truth who a Zech. 1.21 crie aloud and spare not lifting up their voices like Trumpets against the abomination of the times What was judicious Carthwrights Motto for Zion's sake I will not hold my peace abides upon the hearts of the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell Thâ—y dare not be silent in God's cause but they make it their businesse as the Apâ—stle exhorts b Tit. 1.9 to convince Gainsayers c Tit. 1.11 To stop their mouthes d Ti. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebuke them sharply or cuttingly Which Scriptures doe not in the least countenance a Toleration nor any other Scripture that I know of now the Lord hath raised up the spirit of this Learned Brother to lop off the Hydra of Heresies to stand for the truth at such a time as this is I cannot let passe without speciall Observation When Originall sin is denyed by some with great confidence naturall mens abilities too highly advanced the Pagan's debt and dowry pleaded for and charity lavisht upoÌ„ such beyond all Scripture rule surely a confutation now must needs be beautifull in its season and a word so fitly spoken may be esteemed like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver 2. Adde hâ—reunto the singular usefulnesse of the Doctrine delivered That men of greatest acutenesse and abilitie for naturall parts and of best improvement by education cannot make a right and full discovery of indwelling Lust without the Spirit of God revealing it by the Law This Doctrine is of great use and serves to pluck down the crâ—st of the proudâ—st Scholar who is a stranger from the life of God Men may attaine unto as great parts as Aristotle and Plato and yet be meere ignoramussesses in Originall sin How Adam's sin is ours how we were in his loines and that sin committed in his person was likewise committed in
gri l. 4. c. 15.16 17. yet one at least and this is the Virgin Mary must needs be exempted from this common lot of whose conception and birth with this freedome from Originall sin a zealous Dominican will by no means heare and a Franciscan is to him little lesse then an Heretick for affirming it Châ—…ier loc com de Vivgiâ—… l. 4. c. 14. in this difference of judgment it is evident that the Franciscans and they are not few nor yet contemptible for their parts or learning grossely erre in this Doctrine and yet a whole councill viz. that at Basile 1431 give their approbation to this error Session the 36. And since that the jugling Concell of Trent hath thought it fit to leave it indetermined as in their Appendix to the fifth session of that Councill So that now either these must be accounted men not learned nor of naturall parts or else that they did not understand this Doctrine which is that we affirme of the best naturall man or else if learned and such as knew but did not own it but chose rather to dissemble it their practice condemne's them and every one who shall so dissemble proveth that he hath not a right knowledge of that or other divine truth if it be of such import and concernment as this is he doth not know the truth of Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospell aright who is ashamed of either Christ or the Gospell 6. The best parts and Learning of Papists are ignorant in this particular 6. I might adde and enlarge on this that the best parts and greatest learning of the Papall world did bewray their ignorance of this important truth when they did purposely contrive the decree concerning Originall sinne so that it might be free for any man to think what he would concerning it as Andradius a man well acquainted with the Councill doth very ingeniously confesse concerning the Fathers and Divines of the Councill of Trent as Chemnitius doth report in his Examen Concilii Trident ad sess 5. de Pecc Origin Nor will I pursue the discovery of this Councill's mistake of the remainders of concupiscence after Baptisme which would be a full proofe that they did not rightly apprehend and understand this lust the Apostle here speaketh of 7. Where the word is plainly preached amongst us many are ignorant of this truth Neither is this to be though we could wish it might be confined within the bounds either of the heathen world or the Papall apostate Church and that it were not true which yet it is and we lament the certainty of it that among us where the word of God is permitted to every one so that every one may enquire into the truth by direction from the word among us where the word and Law of God is so plainly preached and so frequently yet many thousands among us do evidently declare by their unaffectednesse with this sinfull state that they have no right knowledg of it Are not the greatest part of men stupid and senslesse under a Sermon of Originall sin where are their affections how few groane where is he that cries out with Paul O wrethed man that I am c. And can you think these know aright the very great sinfulnesse of our nature if a Souldier should tell you he had lost the day to a mortall enemy and yet rejoice in it or not be troubled for it would you not conclude he knew not the worth of a victory the danger of a captivity the misery of a captive you have as little reason to believe our hearers rightly understand this sin while they say they do and are yet merry and jocund in the losse of their liberty and under the captivity of this sin Then you may suppose a man rightly knowes his disease when apprehension of the danger makes him look after a remedy and feares under the danger and groanes under the paine make him earnestly desirous to be cured and recovered but that man knows it not who looketh not out for heaâ—ing who is not affected with it No more are our hearers acquainted with this dangerous disease of the soule who if they will bear us down in it that they know it yet consesse to us at least by their security and deadnesse if not in words that they are not grieued or troubled at it These are another sort the best of our hearers as to naturall parts and highest Improved by Education remaining Carnall and unregenerate are not affected because not truly acquainted with this sin and yet I suppose our hearers ordinarily of as good ripe parts as any and as well helped with outward advantages 8. The experience of Saints is witnesse to this Lastly in a word or two the experience of Saints Reall Christians sincere and well improved Christians is witnesse to this Their experience of the difficulty of first getting a due sense of this sin How many convictions how many serious meditations How many prayers upon their knees that God would discover it and shew them how vile they are ere they have gotten any measure of abiding Knowledge any degree of soule-affecting knowledge of this sin How often are the promises pleaded to God wherein he hath promised to give his Spirit and to enlighten and before this hath been done no due and right knowledge of this sin hath been gotten and when they have gotten it how much have they to do to keep up due apprehensions of this sin how prone are they to relapse into sleight thoughts of it how soon and easily do they many times lose that tendernesse of heart that melting frame of spirit that mourned over this sinfull nature All that a regenerate soule can do is little enough to keep open all that the best improved naturall man can do is not enough to lay open and disclose this indwelling sin this mystery of Iniquity These do then make Good the charge of the naturall mans actuall and invincible Ignorance and unacquaintednesse with this indwelling lust and I hope by these it appeareth to be a truth But yet for farther satisfaction I proposed to enquire what in particular they never did or ever could discover of this sin and now to that 3 Generall proposed 1 The improved naturall man cannot discover the exceeding great sinfulnesse of the habituall frame of his naturell heart 1. The best Improved naturall man cannot discover the exceeding great sinfulnesse of the habituall frame of his naturall heart the sinfulnesse of the heart disposed and bent towards unrighteousnesse and sin the uncleanenesse of this Leprosie the loathsomnesse of this putrifying wound this he cannot see who seeth with the best naturall eye As for men without the law no wonder if they understand not this spreading scab to be a leprosie they have not the Law and rule by which they might discerne it no wonder if they paint over the Sepulcher and neither see the rottennesse nor smell the stench of that which is within for
hominum nibil aliud dicendum venit vult deus ut homo pro suo ipsius arbitrio non minùs improbus quà m probus esse possit Cum posseÌ„t dagitiosè vivere virtuti studere maluerunt Soc. 2 Ep. ad Dudith And here he speaks of the fallen state of men affirming it in their power to be Good and as easily if they will themselves as to be bad and devolving all the goodnesse of those who are good in a bad world to this That when they could have lived Flagitiously rather chose to follow vertue And as the Master so the Scholar Valent Smalcius both in his Racovian Catech c. 10. at once denies all the vitiousnesse which we affirme to be in us proudly averring PeccatuÌ„ originis nulluÌ„ pror sus est resp ad 2 Quaest there is not any such thing as Originall sin and that this hath not depraved our Free will And in his Disputations against Frantzius 2. disput which is de peccato Originis calling it Commentum humanum peccatum confictum so pag. 60. where by the way he seemes to intimate what he thought to be in us instead of that Originall sin which we affirme viz. Proclivitas quaedam ad peccatum I adde quaedam for this Author supposeth it to be such as yet possibly a man may not actually sin though he be prone to sin Potest fieri ut is qui ad peccandum proclivis est ramen non peccet Whosoever hath such apprehensions of our inhaerent proclivity to sin hath not a full acquaintance with nor discovery of the sinfulnesse of the frame of the naturall man's heart Nor any who dare as these men do assert 1. That the will of man is not vitiated by the fall or else who dare to contend 2. That what is now a more vehement was before the fall a more moderate inclination to evill as these and others who are Roman Catholicks Becanus opusc 6. de institiâ operum 3. That Concupiscence is not properly a sin or not after Baptisme or a very little sin as some in the Schooles and many among the Romanists Now these and such like disputes and assertions do plainly bespeak these men unacquainted with the great sinfulnesse of a naturall heart and the universall opposition which is in the flesh to the spirit Catholici docent concupiscentiam in actu primo non esse peccarum originis sed natura eÌ„ quandam pronicatem quae pet se enlpabilis non sit Becanus opusc 6. de justit operum and yet they are men of great parts and great learning within the Church but discerne not because they are naturall this sin which the spirit of God convinceth of and which is not discerned till the soule be enlightned with more than common illumination But next 2. The best Improved naturall man cannot discover the sinfulnesse of the first secret unpublished and unformed â—…tions of this corrupt nature The best Improved naturall man cannot discover the sinfulnesse of the first secret unpolished and unformed motions of the corrupt nature The sinfulnesse of those motions which by the Schoolmen are called primo primi was never discovered by all the light that nature and education have at any time afforded to the most quick sighted of Adam's offspring They never did detect the sinfulnesse of the first ebullitions and anomalous workings of that Lust which dwells in us Indeed when this corrupt sountaine hath so stirred that some of the grosser vapours have risen up with a stench offensive to the naturall conscience they have discovered and acknowledged an uncleanuesse in the fountaine and in these grosser eruptions of lust If the irregular passions did obtaine from the will an assent or approbation to somewhat that was dissonant to the more sober and resined precepts of reason and if these motions were so farre formed that either a convenient opportunity or an assurance of impunity would immediately and with ease midwise them into the world by an actuall patration of that which Passion had suggested the will had somented and Reason had disliked then they would perhaps as many have acknowledg the irregularity of them and be troubled at it though mostly the trouble was this That convenience of executing did lesse favour their desires and you may write on the doores of this nursery Lateat malim dum tempera dentur latitiae mistos non habitura metus Ovid Epist Paridead Helen But alas all this is farre from a right sight of these first motions in their sinfulnesse farre from a sight of hatred against them repentance for them opposition to them destruction and mortifying of them and cleansing the heart from them farre from such a sight as convinced them that death was due for these first motions that they defiled and rendred best actions sinfull and such as need pardon this they have not seen I doubt this is too true of these men the knowledg of sin in the motions and passions of the mind That if at any time a word hath dropt from them which seemed to condemne the extravagancy of their thoughts it is to be referred Either to Thoughts perfected and consented to Or To a Rhetoricall eloquence which shewed us how well they could speak not how well they did think Neither were they the onely men thus perswaded of the innocency of these first motions of a depraved heart but also that generation of men the scribes and Pharisees were so perswaded whose traditions made the Law of God void whose dictates and expositions of the law never did endanger or affright a secret lust with a probability of discovering it the speculative Murtherer the lascivious wanton fancy never did fall under the lash of their Sermons on those command 's which forbid murther and Adultery None of their doctrines were shuts to the eye that it should not behold nor checks to the fancy that it should not hover about or sit hatching this Cockatrice It was one of the Rabbines who did bewray the prevalency of his secret speculative uncleannesse In that speech he delighted to contemplate handsome women that he might praise God a faire excuse for his foul fault and I cannot perswade my charity to mistake the man so much as to thinke he spake the whole truth Besides this sort of men The generality of the Schoolmen making to themselves an inadequate uncertaine rule or standard for the measuring of sin have also inevitably entangled themselves in a great mistake and grosse ignorance of the sinfulnesse of the first motions of concupiscence For laying aside the Law of God or at least interpreting it according to their own apprehensions and applying it onely to what may voluntarily be done by us have at last shifted aside the Law and substituted voluntarium into its place by which they will measure and judge of sin both determining what is sin by what is voluntary and how great sin is by how much of voluntarinesse there is in
confused and generall notion they had that it was from man himselfe How little did the Manichees understand of this whose irrationall absurd conceptions of this tell us they infinitely mistook the truth It was a foule mistake of the Pelagians too which they formerly and others of late have fancied touching the irruption of sin into the world That which cruciated Augustin so much Quoniam Deus fecit omnia haec bonus bona majus quidem summum bonum minora fecit bona sed tamen creans creata bona sunt omnia unde malum confess l. 7. c. 5. § 2. which place he bestowes on the disputes which were ordinary in this matter concluding nothing there but else where he concludes Non erat exitus quaerebam aestuans unde malum quae illa tormenta parturientis cerdis mei qui gemitus Deus meus l. 7. conf c. 7. § 1. This I say which so troubled him was undiscovered to them without the Church they could not and it is much undiscerned by naturall men within the Church because they will not see the truth so when Pelagians might have known the originall of sin from Rom. 5.12 they chose rather to corrupt the text as Chemnit observes Chemnitius Loc. de peccat orig p. 213. b. et p. 214 a fol. edit 1653. and so hath Pighius declined from the truth in this point as who will may observe in his controversy de Peccat origin passim And the Papists know not or else they would professe it sure for right knowledge of such a truth in a councell and gathered for such an end as a councell should be would have engaged them to own the truth and openly declare it What ever they think of it I know that God and our Lord Jesus who will be ours and their Judge will account such knowledge to be no knowledge In a word the Endlesse disputes of men who enquire into this beyond what is necessary and in the enquiry lose what knowledge they seemed to have had and grow either sceptickes or hereticks are sull proofe that they cannot with best improved naturall parts discover the spring and fountaine of that sinfulnesse which is in our nature But 6. The best improved naturall men could never discover the finfull frame of bea rt in its deserts 6. Lastly though I might adde more the best improved naturall man never did or ever could he discover the desert of this sinfull frame of his heart it was a thing they never could perswade themselves to believe that such a punishment might be justly inflicted on them so soone as ever they were borne into the world Indeed on their principles it was impossible they should discover this for they acknowledged not the sinfulnesse of nature or else that this was not great and therefore no obligation to punishment or but to a small punishment It is an unquaestioned part of Justice to proportion the penalty to the crime and true state of it ut in parvis leviora in magnis graviora supplicia irrogentur Justitiae distributivae est suū cuique tribuere So that they who accounted this a small fault could not think it worthy of so sore a punishment as we know it deserveth if you should hear a Philosopher reading a lecture of the innocency of man of the blamelesse though weake state of an infant and it should be told him that yet there were who held this opinion that such might be justly condemned for ever and cast into that place of misery where offenders suffer for their offences he would dispute the case and denie the justice of the proceedings Thus doe very many within the Church view the Schoolmens determination that infants shut out of Heaven lie under the Punishment of losse not sense that they onely misse of the enjoyment of God but fall not under a punishment of Paine and Griefe a determination which savours much of a nescience and ignorance of the desert of indwelling lust on the same generall mistake doe Both Socinians Remonstrants and Anabaptists deny that any are or justly may be punished for that sin we call originall sin or ingenite lust which dwell's in us hence they load the orthodoxe with many reproachfull exclamations of curelty and injustice and brand the truth with unheard of harshnesse with incredible severity and Adamantine mercilesnesse against poore innocents such like charges we know are laid upon the teachers of the Doctrine touching the demerit of our sinsull nature it is no wonder for they judge by the mistaken nature of the cause and erring in their apprehensions of the merit of the cause do as widely erre in their assigning the punishment due to it But we who are taught by the Law and enlightned by the spirit of God so that we can see and do know that we are all transgressors of that Covenant which promised life to perfect obedience threatned death to the first sin which is ours and brought death into the world that we are children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Under the curse having not continued in all things written in the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 that in Adam we all died 1 Cor. 15.22 that we are borne so that * Joh. 3.3 unlesse we be new born we cannot enter into the kingdome of Heaven we who are instructed by the spirit in such truths as these which are confessedly above the reach of the best naturall eye do see that desert of hell and eternall separation from the presence of God which is due to this sinfull nature of ours though others do not discover it nor will believe it we see that by reason of this Lust our life is sull of sin and our persons from the wombe obnoxious to the wrath of God SERMON II. Rom. 7. v. 7. latter part For I had not knowne Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet 4 Generalls propounded viz. a Rational account of this truth I Now come to the Fourth Generall proposed viz a rationall account of this truth However proud selfe-admiring men do thinke that Wisedome is with them And such perfect wisdome too that a matter of such import and weight as this cannot be hid from them yet certainly if they will consider and duely weigh what reason suggesteth in such like cases they will see that as truth affirmes they cannot so reason shews us why they cannot discover this Sin For Looke what reason suggesteth a cause of difficulty or impossibility hindering us in the enquiry and fearch after the full discovery very of what we do but imperfectly and obscurely know in things of another nature The same proportionably applyed to this businesse in hand will evidently manifest the Difficulty of Getting any considerable measure and the impossibility of attaining any full and perfect knowledge of this sinne by the best improved Naturall man in the world And this I hope to make Good to you Reas 1. Because a Naturall man makes use of a crooked
to a right or due desire oâ— Christ who is pretious onely to the soule that needs and is sensible he needeth grace Whence it is that the spirit of God in drawing the sinner to close with Christ doth still manifest and exert his power in illuminating and convincing the soule All truâ— desires of Grace are wrought in the soule by the spirit of God shewing and clearing it up to 〈◊〉 that we need grace If the best Improved naturall man cannot see how sinfull he is he cannot see how much he needeth a Jesus and he never desired him entirely and enough who knew not this Naaman had never desired to make a tryall what the Prophet could do for his recovery if he had not been apprehensive of his urgent necessity to be healed of his leprosy That man who knows not that his nature is disposed and stands bent to depart from God and to leave the way of holinesse cannot prepare himselfe to seek after that Grace which may powerfully change this sinfull nature There is both a merall and naturall impossibility in it a morall impossibility on this account that he believes there is no need of such a change Now it is Morally impossible that a man should apprehend his condition such as needs no change and yet dispose himselfe to the change of it Indeed a man may have wavering unconstant and imperfect apprehensions that his state is indifferently good and there is no absolute necessity of a change yet that it might be better if it were changed And such a man may at once seeme content and perswaded that he needs not change and yet attempt it but where a full constant and fixed apprehension in the mind that there is no need at all to change and that it is doubted by him the change will not better him it is morally impossible he should dispose himselfe to change it which is the case of a well improved carnall man whose apprehensions of his selfe sufficiency and present perfect condition are fixed and constant and though he desires an addition of more degrees of naturall excellencies yet he is unwilling to that change which now would alter the very nature of them and make his carnall wisdome spirituall his common rationall perfections especiall saving conversion his earthly worldly mind Heavenly and suited to the Gospell There is also a Naturall cannot or Impossibility in this thing A highly improved naturall man remaines naturall still and standeth entirely bent toward this his naturall estate much delighted in it and satisfied with it and it is naturally impossible that nature should desire that change which will destroy it and since sin hath so incorporated it selfe into our natures that it is in a sense become naturall to us and we cannot savingly receive grace but with the destruction of naturalized sin it will be a truth that it is naturally impossible that a naturall man however well improved should dispose himselfe to a desire of heart-changing and renewing grace Though the carnall mind know not its need of Grace to desire it yet it knows there is a contrariety in grace to sin to destroy it and therefore he opposeth it as a man in a Phrensy through the violence of a fever doth not know his need of suitable applications to desire them yet may know the smart trouble and bitternesse of the applications to rage against them and thrust them from him or as we observe it in children more frequently the knowledge of that sensible unpleasantnesse which is in Physick maketh them strongly dislike it so the naturall man knowes by report so much of the nature and working of grace so much of apparent unpleasantnesse to the flesh as to reject it but he knowes not so much of his own need as to desire it Nor can the Naturall man raise himselfe to an esteeme of Christ and Grace through him which appeares most evidently from the consideration of his utter inability to discover his need of Christ and grace Need enhaunceth the price of every good and apprehended need raiseth our value of it These two sense of want and apprehension of worth go hand in hand equally increasing in us and when the former abateth the latter cannot but sink also How doth the hungry Esau prize a meane dinner when his sense is so prevalent that it suggests a necessity of a present speedy supply or an inevitable certainty of death sense of his want raiseth a contemptible dish of Pottage to a value equall to his Birth-right Prophane Esaâ— How meanly wouldst thou have thought of such a charity in the middest of thy venison feast at another time if thou mightest have had it of gift thenâ— thou wouldst not have accounted it worth thine acceptance now in want upon sale thou thinkest it worth thy choicest excellencies surely as each suppe abated somewhat of his hunger and the sense of his need sâ— it abated his esteeme and value of the purchase and the last of his dish was least 〈◊〉 value to him It is much so in all presenâ— outward good we stand in need of our use of them abates our need and this sinks the price of them Now though the more we have of Christ and grace the more we prize them and reasonably may justly ought to improve our value of them In which respect there is a difference between our value oâ— externall common good which decreaseth oâ—dinarily as our use of them is free continued and full and these spirituall and heavenly goods whose value Improves upon their use and is raised as we are acquainted with them The more free continued and full our enjoyment of Christ is and the Improvement of grace is the more we shall prize them but though here be a difference in the issue or event of Enjoyment yet there is a very great likenesse and agreement between them in the motive and enducement to value and esteem them Though the event of a full meale and the event of a full communication of grace be so different that the hungry one filled loaths the sweetnesse of a honey combe refuseth and sleights it whilest the gracious soule so filled desires more and Pray's to be continued in this or taken into fuller banqueting roomes and highly prizeth such farther spirituall feastings yet both were induced by the same generall and common argument at first to value and prize these different Goods An apprehension of our need and a sense of the suitablenesse in these to our need raiseth our esteeme of them So that if best improved parts cannot see sin nor can they see their need of grace nor the high value and price of Grace Inform. 4. 〈…〉 highest imparts cannot purify and make themselves really holy 4. If the naturall man with best Improvements and advantages short of saving renewing grace cannot discover that mystery of iniquity which dwells in his nature Then certainly it is not a thing possible for him by all his naturall improved parts to purify and cleanse himselfe