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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	heart_n	7,913	5	5.2011	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

it doe not raigne in the Saints yet doth remaine and dwell in them for proofe whereof see this place of Scripture If any man thinketh saith Saint Iohn that he hath no sinne hee is a lyer and there is no truth in him The truth whereof will be seene in these things clearely 1. Because our knowledge is imperfect and therefore every grace is imperfect as our faith and so our love and therefore much sinne must be in a man in as much as his grace is not perfect 2. The flesh lusteth against the spirit therefore it is plaine there is sinne in us yea so much that often times it even captivateth us 3. Wee have in this life but the first-fruits of the spirit now when wee shall have it in fulnesse we shall have no more than enough therefore having now but the first-fruits of the spirit Mortification and Sanctification sinne is not wholly abolished in the Saints in this life but doth dwell in them The reasons hereof are 1. To humble us and to make us see what is in our hearts and to make us know that the Lord bringeth us to the holy Land therfore God sometimes left the Israelites to try them and so hee troubled Hezechiah to know what was in his heart and so he sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet S. Paul lest hee should be exalted above measure through aboundance of Revelations and so the Lord doth deale with every Saint 2. That Christ may be acknowledged for if wee had no sinne in us we should not acknowledge the benefits of his mediation so much as now wee doe All are shut up under sinne that he might have mercie upon all Rom. 3. 9. 11. 32. that is that it might be manifested and declared that they are saved meerely by the mercie of God in Christ as is said Rom. 3. 26. Otherwise wee should not rightly value our justification and sanctification but seeing him subduing pardoning our sinnes wee see what need we have of him how that we are lost without him 3. That wee might exercise our faith 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Wee are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be c. So God hath hid his children under basenesse that their faith might be exercised for things we see we may easily beleeve but faith is of things not seene therefore God doth as men doe hide Jewels under base places where men would looke least for them wherefore wicked men stumble and are offended at this because they doe not beleeve it and therefore it is made an article of our faith that we need and beleeve the remission and forgivenesse of sinnes But let us apply it 1. This should teach us not to be discouraged for those infirmities that are in us for there are such in every Saint Sinne is a guest to evill men but a theefe to the godly which they would not have come in their hearts so it is one thing to weare a chaine as an ornament and another as a fetter to restraine them therefore the godly ought not to be discouraged but to assure themselves they are under grace 2. Wee must not censure men for the slips and falls wee see in them for wee must remember that sinne dwelleth in them we must not presently judge them to be hypocrites Be not many masters saith S. Iames that is censure him not for he standeth or falleth to his owne Master Rom 14. 4. 3. This should teach us to be watchfull and not to think our labour is at an end when we are in the state of grace for sinne still dwelleth in us and though we have the victory over sinne one day it will fight against us the next day as in a garden the weeds will grow because the roots are not quite plucked up and taken away so sinne is in us and therefore we must think it will fight against us and vex us and therefore I say let us renue our strength Now for this we must doe these two things First weaken sinne Secondly pray to God to make us watchfull And so I have also done with the second doctrine Againe from the latter part of these words or reason of the promise made unto them in the former part of this verse that sinne shall not have dominion over them because they are not under the Law but under grace I gather this conclusion viz. That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the love and grace of God and that it is forgiven them the reason why the Apostle promises them sinne shall not have dominion over them is because they are not under the Law but under grace that is they had assurance of Gods love and that their sinne is forgiven them this is proved from that Faith purifieth the heart and You repent and beleeve the Gospel Now the reasons hereof are these foure especially 1. Because it is the meanes to get the spirit without which no sinne is forgiven which commeth by faith for it is not recieved by the law for so saith the Apostle Received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3. 2. Secondly it is the way to make us beleeve the promises to make us beleeve that wee are transformed into a heavenly nature for when wee beleeve the promises are true that works love in us and love transformeth us into the divine nature without which no sinne is overcome Thirdly because hereby wee are able to resist the tentations which are either for the enjoying of good or fleeing of evill so that these promises propound more good than sinne can harme sinne threatned the losse of outward things but the promises propound eternall life which is better than all things else in the world Fourthly because we doe delight in God for when wee doe beleeve in God that our sinnes are forgiven us in Christ then we looke at God as on a mercifull Father and then wee cease to delight in the world and we begin to delight our selves in the Lord. The use hereof is first for direction to teach us the way how to heale a sinne and that is to get assurance that it is pardoned and forgiven for legall terrours doe not heale a sinne but it is faith that purifies the heart and purifying pacifies it As a Traytor will not come in when hee heares a proclamation out for his death but when he heares he shall live and be pardoned this makes him to come in so we when wee onely fix our eyes upon the legall terrours shall not heale our sinnes but when wee beleeve they are pardoned this heales them But sorrow and a broken heart are required for sinners to be assured of their forgivenesse This sorrow is not so much commanded but it is that whereby God prepareth his servants hearts to make them see what need they have of pardon and so they may ask pardon but

must make way for it and they are Humiliation and Faith for every one beleeves not this to bee needfull and if they doe beleeve it yet they may bee opposite to it because it is not agreeable to their nature That a man must be broken so and moulded again before hee can have this love which is wrought by Humiliation and Faith And they are wrought on this manner when we preach the Gospell and offer Iesus Christ unto you for the duty of a Minister is nothing but this to offer Iesus Christ himselfe unto the world To us a Child is borne To us a Sonne is given for unto you is borne a Saviour that is Christ the Lord. This is the summe of the Gospell this is the newes which we bring God hath given us his Sonne wee offer you not forgivenesse of sinne But the Lord Iesus And when he hath given us him will hee not with him give us all things also Christ must first bee given and when you have him you shall have all in him are the promises yea and Amen First have Christ and then the promises belong unto you not before The Gospell is no●hing but this we are to manifest that God the Father is willing to give you his Sonne We are his Spokesmen to beseech you to take him that you would take him as your husband to be ruled by him none before you are humbled can marry you to Christ. You must bee divorced from all other things and beleeve that Christ will take you and this is Faith the other Humiliation And then when you can receive him you will love him Now when we preach thus unto the world what answere doe wee finde Why there are some that will not beleeve that there is such a Lord and then our worke is to perswade that Christ is such a Lord and this was the Apostles worke and theirs at the beginning But when wee intreat you to take Christ for your Lord your answer is as theirs who were invited to the feast This and this excuse they have to hinder them to beleeve that a Christ is propounded and men regard him not they will not looke after him Now that Christ may be received there is required Humiliation and Faith Humiliation opens their eyes by the Law and spirit of bondage that they see themselves miserable men men condemned to dye Now when God hath discovered our misery unto us and wee rightly apprehend what our estates are then we beginne to looke on Christ as a condemned malefactour on his pardon as a Captaine on him that comes to redeeme him as a Widdow that thought she should live well enough alone but now when all her goods as seized upon and they are now to carry her to prison would bee content if any one would marry her When a man shall see what hee is without Christ one that is condemned that must perish if hee have him not then he lookes on Christ as upon one most desirable to prize him to thirst for him and if hee know that Christ will then receive him oh then he cannot but love him for Love as hath beene said is to a good apprehended fit for us Now without this wee will thinke of Christ as if wee might bee well enough without him But when the heart is thus prepared by Humiliatiō oh that all the World would vanish for Christ Then comes the Gospel and tels us that Christ is willing to take us to redeeme us to be ours And then when we take him the match is made up and thence arises this conjugall Love The Apostle praies for the Ephesians that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith Ephes. 3. to unite them to Christ to marry him then presently it follovvs That ye may bee rooted and grounded in Love so that Love followes this and not a flash but it rootes us in Love The act of justifying Faith is the taking of Christ for rest Now when yee have taken him thus then you will love him and then all that followes will be effects of this love so that this love of the Lord Iesus is this to wit A holy disposition arising from Faith whereby wee cleave unto the Lord Iesus Christ with full purpose of heart to serve and please him in all things Whereby wee cleave to him Love inclines and knits our hearts to him as it did Davids to Ionathans And so Barnabas exhorted them to cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart Act. 11. Neither is this idle but makes a man desirous to please the Lord in all things A man is saide to love the Lord when out of a perswasion that Christ is most desirable and willing to receive him hee cleaves to the Lord with a desire to serve and please him in all thinges Faith that begets Love is not onely a perswasion that the Lord will be mercifull and forgive us For a prisoner may see the Iudge willing to pardon him and perswade himselfe that hee shall be pardoned and yet love not the Iudge because hee lookes not on the Iudge as on an amiable person but a receiving and resting upon his amiablenesse There is another affection when the heart is so framed it apprehends Christ for its onely good its happinesse Faith is not onely an act of the minde to beleeve that God will pardon us but of the Will and heart also to take Christ for our Husband so that all the parts of the heart are inclined and bent after hem If you beleeve with all your heart saith Philip to the Eunuch Act. 8. If a Spouse should see one willing to have her that is not enough to make up the match she may not thinke him fit shee may bee unwilling But suppose there bee one that shee loves above all whom she thinkes to bee most fit for her yea she thinkes she shall bee undone if she have him not but yet she is not sure that hee will have her but thinkes it is very probable that hee may be induced unto it So this is Faith when a man sees Christ onely worth his love he would gladly bee divorced from all so that he might have Christ oh he cannot bee without him yet there is somewhat betwixt them he cannot firmly beleeve that Christ loves him but yet doth not thinke that hee is wholly averse from him Though thy perswasion bee not full yet if you have this thirst and desire this hungering after Christ you may bee comforted This shuts out such as have a perswasion of the pardon of their sinnes and yet have not this love this prizing this desiring after Christ and takes in such as doe thus love and prize him yet finde not that full perswasion of his love so that this love is that which follows Humiliation and Faith the breaking of the heart and the moulding of it up againe when wee see our need of him and his willingnesse to receive us then wee will take him which cannot

Christ be with you all And there he addes that sentence which so suits with the spirit and mind of S. Paul that it might easily shew it to be S. Pauls Epistle a man so abounding in the love of the Lord as hee is zealous against such as love him not We shall finde in al S. Pauls preaching that faith and love were that which he drave at those two roots those two pillars on which the Church is built from whence all the rest flow Hereby teaching Ministers what they should beat at what should bee their aime A●d so people are taught hence what to doe they must water these two roots well and then the branches will flourish Our wisedome should bee to looke to these for these being strong all will be strong If these bee weake all will be weake If any man love not the Lord Iesus let him bee had in execration yea accursed unto the death His scope is to commend love to the Corinthians If I should cast about me to commend some speciall thing unto you now at the closing up of my Epistle I know nothing better then this Love of the Lord Iesus And there are two reasons why you should love him first ye were in a miserable and accursed condition if you doe it not And the second is from the object you are to love he is the Lord and so may well challenge your love Iesus your Saviour and so hath well deserved it so that we have here an exhortation and two reasons of it The words have little difficulty Somewhat I will say of the two words in the originall Anathema Maranatha The word Anathema signifies the separatiō of a thing unto destruction Maranatha is a Syrian word signifying cursing takē from the Hebrew root and signifies more then Anathema The Apostle doubles this curse to shew the greatnes of the punishment It is a great punishment which he would expresse in two languages The generall doctrine we will observe from these words is this That to love the Lord Iesus is so necessarily required of us that hee is worthy to be cursed that doth it not Sometimes in Scripture the promise is made to faith sometimes to repentance sometimes to love Love is so required that without it a man is worthy to be accursed yea and shall be cursed I will but open and apply this not standing to prove it And First I will shew what love is in generall Secondly what this love of the Lord Iesus is to shew which there will bee showne how it is wrought And thirdly how they come to bee worthy to be accursed that love him not And first for the first Love is among the affections which are planted in the Will and it may be described thus It is a disposition of the Will and Heart of man whereby it turnes and inclines to some good which it apprehends to bee agreeable to its owne nature The Will is carried to nothing but that which is apprehended to bee good Now this love is a principall act of the Will and it must bee an agreeable good to him whose Will inclines unto it for an envyous man may confesse the excellencies of another man but hee hates them he suffers by them they seeme not to be an agreeable good to him And this may bee illustrated by the contrary Hate is that whereby a man turnes from a thing which he apprehends contrary to himselfe This Love shews it selfe in two effects first it desires the preservation of what it loves that it may be kept safe secondly it desires Vnion with it that they may draw neerer one to another That you love which you desire may bee yours with which you desire conjunction Now sometimes a thing may bee neerer sometimes too far off therefore it desires such a neerenesse as may stand with its convenience And this is common to all love if you love a Glasse you will take care that it bee kept cleane and whole and for your use so if you love a Horse you will take care that he bee well and in good case and that he be yours The same we see in the love of a Father to his Sonne of one friend to another This is the nature of Love Now Hate contrariwise desires the destruction of that which is hated that it may bee taken out of the world and if that cannot bee it desires separation from it as far as may bee And thus you have seene the nature of Love in generall Now there are divers kindes of Love There is a Love of Pitty whē you desire the preservation of a mans person and the removing of some ill quality As our Saviour mourned in Spirit for the hardnesse of their hearts hee did pitty them and yet was angry with their sinne There is a Love of Desire when a thing is dered to bee kept safe for our use And this is for the inferiour faculties as the sigh loves a pleasant object should be continued There is a Love of Complacence when wee looke on a thing in which all the faculties are pleased not onely the inferiour but the superiour as the Minde and the Will There is a Love of friendship when a man loves where he is loved again when love is reciprocall there is an intercourse of Love There is a Love of dependance when wee love him on whom we depend and thus we love God when wee looke upon him as on whom all our good depends so that we love him more than our selvs because our good depends upon him more than on our selves Wee will adde the qualities of Love there is a naturall Love planted in us by nature as the of parents to their children of one man to another this love is indifferent not good in it selfe good no otherwise than directed on a good object There is a sinfull Love arising from sinfull habits which seeke things convenient to it As nothing is better than love on a right object so nothing worse than love on a wrong object As naturall Love puts us in the condition men so this sinfull Love makes men worse than beasts and equals them with the Divell There is a spirituall Love arising out of holy qualities which seekes an object agreeable to it And this makes a man above a man and in some sort equall with the Angels Men are as they love GOD judges us by our affections wee are judged by what we love He that loves wickednesse is truly a wicked man he that loves holinesse is truely holy This foundation that wee have laid though it may seeme somewhat remote yet ye shall find it of use to hold up this building before wee have done with the point The s●cond thing that wee have to declare is What this love of the Lord Iesus is Now the best way to shew what this is is to shew how it is wrought now for the working of it there must be two Antecedent things which

containing 17 Sermons upon divers Texts 2. Foure Treatises viz. 1. A remedy against Covetousnes upon Coloss. 3. 5. 2. An Elegant and lively description of spiritual life death upon Iohn 5. 25. 3. The Doctrine of selfe deniall upon Luke 9. 23. 4. A Treatise of the Sacrament upon 1 Ioh. 5. 14. 3. The Saints daily Exercise or a a Treatise of Prayer upon 1 Thess. 5. 17. 4. The New Covenant in 14 Sermons upon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Vnto which is added 4 Sermons upon Eccles. 9. 1. 2. 11. 12. 5. The Saints Qualification containing viz. 1. A Treatise of Humiliation in 10 Sermons the first 9 upon Rom. 1. 18. The tenth Preached before the common house of Parliament upon Numb 25. 10. 11. 2. Of Sanctification or the New Creature in 9 Sermons upon 1 Cor. 5. 17. 3. Of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament in 3 Sermons upon 1 Corinth 10. 16. 6. The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities upon 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19 20. 7. The Brestplate of Faith and Love containing 18 Sermons upon three severall Texts viz. Revel 1. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Gal. 5. 6. 8. Five Sermons Preached before his Majestie viz. 1. The New Life upon 1. Ioh. 5 15. 2. A sensible demonstration of the Diety upon Esay 64. 4. 3. Of exact walking upō Eph. 5. 15. 4. The Pillar and ground of Truth upon 1 Tim. 3. 15. 5. Sam. Support of sorrowfull sinners upon 1 Sam. 12. 20. 21. 22. 9. Two Treatises of Mortification and Humiliation upon Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. Together with the livelesse life A Treatise of Vivification 10. His Remaines containing 3. excellent Treatises viz. 1. Iudas's Repentance 2. The Saints Spirituall strength 3. Pauls Conversion 11. The Golden Scepter with the Churches Mariage being three Treatises in one volume 12. The Fulnesse of Christ upon Iohn 1. 16. 13. A Heavenly Treatise of the Divine Love of Christ in Five Sermons upon 1 Cor. 16. 22. THE CHARISTIAN FREEDOME OR THE CHARTER OF THE GOSPEL SHEWING THE PRIVILEDGE AND Prraeogative of the Saints by vertue of the Covenant ROM 6. 14. For sinne shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace THese words are brought in thus the Apostle exhorts them not to sinne but to give their members as instruments unto righteousnesse and to move them to this hee tells them that sinne was not their Lord now as it was heretofore and that it shall have no more dominion over them and therefore he bids them strive against it and then he adds a reason of this because they were not under the law but under grace now Christ hath changed their hearts for while a man is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him it tells him what to doe but gives him no power to doe it but you have the grace of sanctification to change your hearts and enable you to every good word and work so that you delight in the Law after the inner man albeit you see another law in your members warring against the Law of your minde and bringing you into captivity to the law of sinne which is in your members as it is said Chap. 7. ver 23. Whence wee may learne That hee that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him Now sinne is said to have no Dominion over a man three manner of wayes viz. in regard 1. It hath no right to rule over him it is no more our Lord but is as a servant that hath no dominion but is said to offer violence to us as if the King of Spaine should rule over us hee hath no dominion over us 2. In regard it is not obeyed for there it hath dominion as a Prince may have right to a Kingdome yet if hee be not obeyed hee hath no dominion 3. In regard though it strive against us yet it never gets the victory for though it assault us yet if it get not the victory it hath no dominion over us this is proved by three Similitudes which must be explaned viz. First it was our Master and we its servants but now wee have changed our Master and are become the servants of righteousnesse ver 18. Secondly it is said that we were married to sin and it had dominion and command over us as the husband over the wife but now it is dead and there is a divorce betweene us and now wee are married to Christ and hee commands us and wee obey Thirdly it is said we are dead to sinne and alive to God ver 11. and therefore we cannot live in sinne for command a dead body to goe about a businesse and he cannot because he is dead Now the reasons of the point be these The first is taken from Christ wee are ingrafted into Christ and into his death and into the similitude of his resurrection verse 5. We are grafted as a graft into Christ and all the old sap is taken away and wee have new sap and bring forth new fruit and have no other because we grow in another tree and we live to God yet we may commit sinne though wee allow not our selves in it for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lasts thereof if therefore there be any lust reigning in us we are not in Christ. Againe if any man be in Christ hee is a new creature and therfore he doth not wallow in his old sins so saith God I will give you a new heart and all things are become new and old things are done away therefore wee cannot lve in any knowne sinne Againe whosoever is in Christ hath received of his fulnesse and grace for grace in him we are able to doe all things and therefore if we cannot strive against old sinnes wee are not in Christ. Secondly because wee have the Spirit of God ruling in us and therefore we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh now if we lye in any known sinne we have not the Spirit and therefore are not in the state of grace if any man have not the Spirit of grace he is not the Sonne of God now if he walk after the flesh hee hath not the Spirit for the Spirit gives him ability to strive against all sinnes Thirdly he is borne of God now he that is born of God sinneth not that is sinne ruleth not over him for a man is said to sinne that favours wickednesse and setteth his heart to sinne hee sinneth not because he is like God as a sonne is like his father and therefore a wicked man is like the devill because he is his Father and his wickednesse is in him and therefore the devill is called the father of the wicked and so every regenerate man hath all the righteousnesse of Christ though not in the same degree he hath perfect holinesse of parts though not of degrees now then he hath no member of Satan in him that is no

comes to see no beauty in himselfe and no help in himselfe and sith God is full of all beauty and all excellencie and all power able to answer our desires in every thing when he comes to see and consider this then he begins to set up God in his heart as the Jvy having no root cleaves faster to the tree so likewise doth he only to God seeing that hee cannot subsist of himselfe and when hee comes to see that hee depends on him for all things he will doe all things for him because all are from him whereas before seeing something in himselfe hee magnified himselfe and so withdrew himselfe and his heart from God And so I come to the next particular viz. What is meant by the power of godlinesse and for that you shall know there is a godlinesse which is not only in words and complements but in deed and truth for it not only puts upon a man a washie colour of perfection but dyes his heart in graine in holinesse and it differs from the other in five things First It is done in the Power when it is not the bare picture where there are not only the outward lineaments of nature but when there is life in it and that you shall know when a man needs not to be called on to good duties but there is a naturall principle of life in him wherby he doth them with facility and constancie as naturall actions of life when likewise he doth grow in them for where there is life there is also growth and when hee doth likewise desire that which may feed it as the meanes which may strengthen him in the doing of it as if a man have life he desireth meat and sleep and when as there is life then the works that come from a man are not dead works and then you have the power of godlinesse it is not a fashion only Secondly It is not true but counterfeit when it is like the true but not the same but wants some particular property that is to be found in the true as that which is counterfeit Balsame which is like the true but wants the power of healing and so likewise a counterfeit drug and a counterfeit jewel which wants that property which the true hath and the want of this you shall finde in the use and in the wearing As a rotten bow is found to be rotten when the arrow is drawne to the head so if a mans godliness be counterfeit and hee unsound it will be discovered in the wearing or in some particular case when he is put to it or tried A Jeweller will finde out the property of a Jewell but an ordinary man cannot doe it but by use the wearing To instance in some particular parts of godliness the love of God if it be true hath these properties that a man loves the brethren for how canst thou love an immateriall holinesse in God if thou lovest not that holinesse which is stampt upon the creature like thy selfe so likewise rectitude and uprightnesse of heart try it by this property which our Saviour Christ makes of it gracious speeches Christ saith that that which is predominant in the heart the mouth will be full of so for keeping of the commandements if in truth they have this property that they be not grievous they will doe them with a naturall delight and inward willingnesse so for taking of Christ by faith every man beleeveth he doth so but our Saviour Christ trieth it by this Goe sell all that thou hast and thou shalt have treasure in heaven so mayest thou try thy self when thou art put to it by losse of goods or credit or otherwise Thirdly It is in the power when it is strong and not weake when a man hath power and strength in doing good duties and hereby many are discovered who have good purposes only which though they be hearty in them for a time yet they want power and strength and this is the case of many which be in the Church who though they have the knowledge of the word of God and approve the truth in their consciences desiring to be saved by the practise of it and so take up many good purposes which yet come to nothing because they want power and strength Consider therefore if thou hast power and strength to performe thy purposes and then thou hast the power of godlinesse but not else Many will say I am but flesh and blood and what will you have me to doe now here wants the power as you may see in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy from the 7. verse to the 29 the people there said to Moses That what the Lord should speake to him they would doe it they said then what they thought and what they meant and minded and the Lord saith of them O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my commandements c. They wanted the power though they had good purposes Fourthly If thou wouldest know whether thy godlinesse be in the power or no see whether thou hast not only the shaddow of it but the substance for there is a shaddow with the substance as if thou pray there is a formall doing of it which is as the shaddow but to pray in the holy Ghost not in the voyce of thy owne spirit but out of Gods owne spirit not out of memory or wit but out of thy heart and that an heart sanctified by the Spirit of adoption this is the substance And so to heare for knowledge onely that is the shaddow but to heare for practise that is the substance And so againe for us to preach the Gospel to doe it because necessity it laid upon us and there 's a woe denounced against us if we doe it not as saith our Apostle of himselfe there is the shaddow But to preach with power and authority and not as the Scribes and Pharises with the enticing words of mans wisedome this is the substance Fifthly and finally It is in the power when a man goeth thorough the work a thing is said to be in the power when it is effectuall when a man bringeth it to an end and doth it not by halves so some begin indeed but then they leave the work in the rudiments but if a man have the power hee will break through all difficulties hee will leape over all till he hath wrought out his salvation with feare and trembling And thus having dispatcht the two former particulars I hasten to the third and last of the premises viz. The reasons why some have but the forme and not the power and they are especially these First because the forme is most easie but the power is a matter of more difficulty for the former it doth not call upon a man to cut off his right hand to pluck out his right eye and to denie himselfe in things nearest and dearest unto him as the power doth for it requires a man should

take paines in good duties and goe through them not to omit or slight the least of them in the least measure that may be or to lie in knowne sinnes and farther it requires a man should doe this from day to day and that when it crosses the flesh most this is an hard saying and caused many that they would no longer abide with Christ they were willing to obey the forme but not the power Secondly because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world and the world will crosse it againe now then when a man may retaine the forme and hold in with the world a man may be of the world still and the world will love his own whereas the power makes men Antipodes to all the world this makes many care for no more but the forme Fit for this purpose is that place Wisd. 2. 12. where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise These mens lives are contrary to ours and their doings reprove our thoughts therefore let us oppresse them and Christ tells us we must look for no other saying We shall be hated of all men for his names sake and it is no easie matter to have all men in contention with us this then is another reason hereof Thirdly because it is enough to serve a mans turne for his unregenerate ends for men having a naturall conscience whereof they must stop the mouth and it being injudicious and not able to judge of the power of godliness they are satisfied with the forme as when Children are wayward and wrangling because wee know they are not judicious we give them Nutts not gold or silver to still them and it serves their turnes as well so is it here in the naturall conscience it doth judge the forme to be enough to carry a man to heaven and who would doe more than he needs must Fourthly because if men have but the forme of godliness Satan troubles them not nor the flesh but when men labour for the power of godlinesse and goe on any further than the forme then Satan knowing this will bring them to heaven hath the power of hell against them and hee keepes a great busseling with them to hinder them what hee can and so doth the flesh too but it will not resist the forme for that will stand with a mans lusts but if hee be divided against himselfe hee cannot endure it as to denie a friend or a stranger if he be importunate is a hard matter but to denie a mans wife that lyes in his bosome if shee be earnest is more difficult but to denie a mans selfe when he is importunate with himselfe is most difficult and yet this you must doe if you have the power of it Now to denie the power of it is when it is laid open to men and offered and they with stubbornnesse of will resist and denie it And so much for the opening of the words now for the folding of them up againe and first from the first what godliness is Let us learne not to deceive our selves for it is not as I told you naturall or morall vertues only no nor the doing of the actions of religion a man making himselfe his utmost ends thereof content not your selves therefore with any thing that is not godlinesse let mee speake unto you as Peter to the dispersed brethren where after that he had reckoned up many vertues patience knowledge temperance c. he bids them add to all these godliness as if hee had said all the rest are not availeable unlesse you have godliness also see therefore that all these be godliness that is that they all come from God and looke to him for this is the nature of godliness to come to the Wells head and to search higher than nature to have another Alpha and Omega of all that is within us or that comes from us than what is within us of our selves And then againe if we be to preach to others wee should learne to preach Christ and God that is to enforce all as from them and to them not only to exhort to morall vertues with such instructions as may be taken out of Seneca or Plutarch though these have their use and place but as out of the Scriptures let Christ and God come in and shew you how all doe come from God and looke to God and so all you that are hearers be sure all you doe be godliness that is comming From God and tending to him for motions have their denominations from their terminus à quo and from their ends as that is called calefaction that tends to heat so is that truly godlinesse that tends to God and hath respect unto him Art thou a Student when thou studiest and takest paines in thy books see whether thou do'st it for thy selfe or for thy credit or doest thou make God thy utmost end examine thy heart and examine it narrowly and so likewise you that are exercised in other Callings doe you doe them that you may doe good to mankinde in them as a servant that uses his talent to his masters service then is this godliness so if you eat or drink or recreate your selves doe you doe it that you may doe good better as men whet their sythes that they may mowe the better then this is also godliness for it tends to God and godlinesse But you will say Doe you altogether condemne naturall and morall vertues must they doe nothing yes you shall have this use of them that they will help as winde to drive the ship only it is godliness is the rudder that guides it and aymes at the right haven as for example you are commanded to love your children and your wives you are bound to doe this if you had no naturall affections in you only having these affections in you you doe it with more ease else you must drive the ship with oares whereas now the winde fills the sailes and you doe it with more facility and ease and so likewise you are bound to be patient and meeke and you must be so though your natures be not so but if your natures be so you may the more easily be so yet so as godliness must set the Compasse and steere the ship Morall vertues are like good horses that draw the Chariot but godliness is the Auriga the Coachman without which take the most excellent things that nature is capable of if it be not guided by it the Lord regards them not for God regards nothing but that which drawes the creatures unto him but now moraell vertues makes us rest upon our owne bottomes and so likewise all things whatsoever they be that beautifie the flesh for God will have no flesh to glory in it selfe but let him that glories glory in the Lord. Nay I add more take the graces of the spirit wherewith God adornes his Saints as an husband doth his wife with Jewels if you magnifie them you doe so much withdraw your hearts from God

nor forsake thee And so leaving what I have said to your further consideration I come to a third use that seeing godlinesse is such a powerfull thing as you have seene therefore you would take heed how you deceive your selves with fond desires and purposes that have no power no force in them so as to think that they will serve the turne no nor yet a few feeble faint endeavours I say to men that set on religious courses without having their hearts changed as Christ said unto his Disciples Tarrie yee in the Citie till yee be endued with power from on high as if our Saviour Christ should have said If yee goe presently into the world yee will not be able to goe through with your works stay therefore with fasting and prayer till you have received power from on high to carrie you through for new purposes in a man that returnes to his old nature are like new wine in old vessells they will break the vessells and be too bigge for your hearts it is therefore enough to take up now a purpose and begin to be diligent in your Calling or sanctifying the Sabbath for it is impossible these purposes should live in an hart that is carnall for as the soyle must be sutable to every creature or else it will not live so likewise you will never be able to performe these purposes In the first place therefore labour to get new hearts as the bottome of these purposes which may be as the root to give sap to them for then they will live and grow in you when there is a soyle to sute with them Secondly get power in beleeving Christ our Saviour when he came unto his Country it is said He would not put forth his power to work many miracles there Why so one would have thought hee should rather have wrought them there than any where else both for his owne honour and the good of his Country-men no place then was fitter for that than it yet there he works few or none and the reason was because of their unbeliefe they beleeved not so that it is the want of faith that holds Gods hands from strengthening you you will not I say beleeve God who hath sworn and it is not an idle oath that hee would grant that wee should serve him in godlinesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life When the widow came to Christ to be healed of the issue which she had many years it is said that vertue went out of him to heale her because she beleeved and though it have bin a disease of never so many yeares yet if he say Be ye whole it is no matter what the disease is so God be the Physician and therefore beleeve Thirdly pray and furnish your selves with all the graces of the spirit not only goe about things but maintaine a stock fill the cisterne every day within whet and point the graces of God in you for the inward man every day is subject to decay as well as the outward man and doe not take ayme at your selves or at your strength when you are in a good mood or by the present temper for it vanishes if there be not a supply from day to day from grace within if you doe not whet your soules every day Fourthly and lastly if this be true that many are partakers of the forme that have not the power of godlinesse that when we come to looke on the faces of our Churches we finde the forme in many but if we come unto their dealings and carriages in private ye shall scarce finde the power it 's as rare as the other is frequent in their profession indeed there is a forme but yet ye shall finde religious servants as idle as others and wives as stubborne as others husbands and masters as like Lyons in their families and as false in their dealings as others if this be true I say as it is too true then be not deceived God is not mocked but try and examine your selves herein for the Kingdome of God consists not in word but in power the Lord will not judge you according to your intentions and purposes but according to your works and it 's not he that saith Lord Lord shall inherit the kingdome of heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father c. Be not then children in understanding for to take counters for gold lay not out your money for counterfeit things be not fooles to take paines and yet not have your turnes served Let me speake unto you as Iames doth If you say yee have faith and not works can your faith save you I say if you have the forme of godlines and not the power will that save you if you would not be deceived then examine your selves First of all if thou dost more than nature see that thou beest not the same man thou wast that thou standest not up in the same troupe thou didst if thou dost thou hast no more but the forme of godlinesse in thee for if thou hadst it would turne thy nature and add wings unto thee making thee soare higher than nature I am able through Christ that strengthens me and that not to doe some things but all things He sayes not I doe purpose or desire but I am able to doe all things c. Those therefore that are able to stand against some lusts that are against their dispositions but not against all are weake and have not this power in them It may be thou art able to serve God when thou art poore but what art thou when the world comes in upon thee thou art able to abstaine from sinnes by nature but godlinesse as wee say of Physick helps when nature failes and as a naturall man with his sight sees farre but with an Optick glasse sees further so when nature falls short Art helps as though by nature a man may measure or count yet if he comes to a large piece of ground or a great summe Art is required so though thou mayest doe many things by nature yet when godlinesse comes it helps out in things wherein nature failes as Sampson could doe many ordinary things by his owne strength but when hee came to take downe or carrie away the gates of a Citie and to pull downe an house it is still said The spirit of the Lord came upon him the Lord went with him and even so it is here Secondly examine whether ye be godly in truth or no for in Christ there are said to be dead branches as well as living that is those that have the forme as well as those that have the power but how are they distinguished the dead beare no fruit and therefore as Iohn said Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit God puts the axe to it and so the three grounds did not bring forthfruit Examine therefore your selves whether ye be full of fruit or no whether ye abound in good duties or no and doe

grace and grace is an effect of the spirit Now the spirit breaths when where in what measure it listeth Againe if grace should spring out of our so●le it should be but a flower of grasse for all flesh is grasse but the grace of the mediator is of a more durable nature a flower that fades not and a spring which is not dryed up Hence 2. Corrolaries One to rectifie our judgment The other to direct our praectise The first shewes us the errors of Arminius who hath but refynedl the old Pelagianisme a dangerous errour for Arrianisme was like a land flood that overflowed the whole world but was soone dryed up againe because it had not a spring to maintaine it but the best ages of the Church had in them as he called Multas fibras virulentiae Pelagianae because it is an errour agreeable to nature reason so that we have a spring within our own breast to nourish and maintaine it But now to keep close to the point in hand this point sheweth the error of Arminius and Pelagius who ascribe the beginning preparations and ability of accepting grace to our own free will although the complement to God Whereas you see by what hath been said that not only the fuller streames but every drop of grace is received from his fulnes This errour proceedes from their not distinguishing aright betwixt acquisite habits and infused indeed in the acquisite the acts goe before the habits and prepare for them but with infused habits it is clean contrary It is with them as it is with the naturall powers of the soule wee have first the faculty of seeing before we doe see and the faculty of hearing before wee doe heare so it is in infused habits we have first the habits before we exercise the operations of them for even as the wheele doth not run that it may be made round but it is first made round that it may run so the heart doth not first do the actions whereby it is put into a right frame but it is first fashioned and made a new Creature by grace and then it doth actions and brings forth fruits worthy amendment of life for what is said of the soule is as truly said of Grace it doth Fabricari Sibi Domicilium prepareth a room for it selfe useth no Harbenger for nothing can prepare for grace but grace And if it be objected as Arminius doth in his book upon the 7. to the Romans that such as Senecae and Socrates were much enlightned did approve the law of God according to the inward man and had a kind of universall common grace I answer that this priviledg cannot be denyed to many among the Heathen that as Alchimists though they misse the end yet they finde many excellent things by the way So though they failed of the right end the glory of God yet they were not destitute of many excellent common gifts wherein though one did go farre beyond another as Seneca beyond Nero and so others yet as they say of sins they do all alike passe the rule of rectitute though some goe further beyond than others so were they al alike destitute of original Righteousnesse although some more elongated from it than others al are alike dead in sins though some as dead bodies more corrupted and putrified than others And if it be objected as it is by Arminius to what end then are Exhortations and Threatnings the propounding of Punishments and Rewards if it be not in our power to accept Grace refuse it as we wil. I answer that as the raine although it fal aswel upon Rockes and Heathes as upon Vallies and Fruitfull places yet no man asketh to what end is the first and latter raine So Exhortations Admonitions though they fal aswel upon the Reprobates and those that are desperately wicked as upon those that are docible and capable of better things it is to no lesse folly to aske to what end they are seeing as the raine so they are to many beneficial and useful So much for the first Corollary which serves to rectifie Judgements The next is for Practise If al grace be received then deferre not repentance for no repentance is accepted but what proceeds from a Sanctifying grace and that as you see is received that is given by God as he wil. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but he hath compassion on whom he wil have compassion and whom he wil he hardeneth Rom. 9. 15. As I said before the Spirit breatheth where and when it listeth Therefore we should as Millers and Mariners are wont to doe who take the Gale when it commeth because they know the winds are not at their command Suppose a man were to passe the Seas within 20 dais upon pain of death if the wind should blow the second day third day or fourth day no wise man would omit the opportunity because he knowes the winds are not in his power So if the spirit shal breath into our hearts good motions of turning to God unfainedly in our youth at 16. 17. or when ever it is the greatest wisedome in the world to take the opportunity and not to put it off who knoweth whether they wil be had againe or no How many thousand are now in Hel who thought to have repented and did not because they neglected those breathings of the Spirit where they were offered For there are certaine acceptable times after which God offers Grace no more happy he that knowes that day of his visitation and as our Saviour speaketh the things which belong to his Peace in that his day which Ierusalem did not which made Christ to weep over it and which Saul did not and the Jewes in Ieremiah's time did not when God forbad Ieremy to pray for them For as there were certaine times when the Angell moved the waters in the poole of Bethesda and he that then stepped in was healed so there are certaine acceptable times wherein God troubles the hearts of men by his spirit Happy is he who then steps into a good course that he may be healed to Salvation I say there are certaine times wherein God doth as it were thaw and soften the frozen hearts of men And it is wisedome then with the husband-man to put in the plough while the ground is soft for the heart in such a case is like iron in the furnace easily fashioned but stay till it be cold and it will not be wrought upon I beseech you therefore let us be exhorted to take the opportunity and not be like to those whom Isayah complaines of who like bulr●shes bow down their heads for a day while some sto●me of inward or outward trouble is upon them but when a faire Sun-shine day comes to dry it up againe lift up their heads as upright as ever before If a man would sit downe and call his thoughts together but for one half hour and consider this seriously

I have but a little time to live here it is another place where I must live for all eternity and it shall be with me for all this eternity as I spend this short time I say if this were thoroughly considered I wonder that any thing else should take up the intentions and thoughts of a mans heart but only how to make sure his salvation But alas we are robbed of our selves through worldly delights and doe magno conaru magnas nugas agere and so we spend our lives But if we would not have with the Merchant Fortunam rudentibus ap●am that is an estate hanging upon ropes and depending upon uncertaineties especially seeing grace whence repentance proceedeth is as you see received and not in our power But wee mistake repentance and that is the cavse we defer it it is not as it is commonly thought a sorrow for our sinnes onely nor a n●●ere leaving of sinnes out of feare of hell and desire to be sayed which a man may doe out of the strength of naturall wisedome providing for his owne safety but it is a much different thing viz. putting life into a dead man Ephesians 2. 1. Making a man a new Creature 2 Corinthians 5. 17. A change of the whole frame of the heart As if another soule dwelt in the same body as he saith Ego non ego In a word when a man is cleane another man then he was serving of God out of an inward propensnesse and having the whole bent of his disposition turn'd to delight in the Law of God without these by-respects And that this may yet be made clearer and put out of all doubt I would aske but this question That repentance which men take up in age or in times of extreamity whence proceedeth it if from selfe love as it usually doth in such cases because the soule is then strongly possessed with an apprehension of death and hell and another life then there is no more then nature in it for the streame riseth not higher then the fountaine A beast would doe as much which sinking into danger would struggle to save it selfe But if it proceed from love to God why was it not done sooner why not in the flowre of our youth yea when it is done soonest would we not be heartily sorry that it was not done sooner if it proceeded out of love to him And if it thus proceed out of an holy love to God it cannot arise but from his holy spirit the breathings of which spirit as they are most free so are they most pretious Therefore when such a sparke is kindled in our hearts let us bee carefull to put fuell to it and not suffer it to goe out againe Al the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cannot helpe us againe to them yea the best Ordinances are but as pens without inke or empty Conduit-pipes which give not a drop of true Grace except Christ who is the Fountaine please to conveigh it by them You know the Famous Story of Francis Spira what bitter cryes hee used upon his Death-bed O that I had but one drop of Faith One of the motions which I have beene wont to have but yet could not have them But died with those desperate words in his mouth I am Damned Therefore let us take heed how we let such motions rise up like bubbles in us and breake againe or goe our like sparkes upon wet tinder lest often checking and snibbing and quenching the Spirit in the end we be guilty of resisting the Holy Ghost and God shal sweare in his wrath that we shal not enter into his rest Where by the way observe that this Doctrine teacheth us not to be idle and leave al to God as they slander it but as Paul maketh the Consequence because God worketh in you both the wil and the deed therefore worke out your Salvation with feare and trembling Arminius contrarily ourselves worke in our selves the Wil and the deed Therefore we need not worke out our Salvation with any such feare and solicitude since we may d●e it at our owne pleasure and leisure But it wil be said this is a hard case although a man would repent yet he cannot though he desire to serve God yet it is impossible Therefore to take away this Scruple we must know that God is exceeding free and open-handed in giving grace if it may be taken in time and if we wil not believe it Iohn commeth here and telleth you I have received of his Fulnesse and not onely I but al we have received that is al other Saints that either are or have beene and since Iohn's time many thousand thousands And shal not such a Cloud of Witnesses perswade us If a Beggar doe but heare of an open House kept or a great Dole it affects him and invites him to goe But when he sees many come from it with armes-ful and lapsful and baskets-ful then he is confident that addeth wings to him So if a sick man doe but heare of a Famous Physitian or a healing Wel it stirs him up to goe and try But when he meets with 100 and 1000 comming from the Wel and telling him I have beene there and am healed I have beene there and am made whole then he maketh no question So doth Iohn here Al we have received of his Fulnesse Like a Bird that hath found out a ful heape and calls his fellowes to it Say not therefore oh my sinnes are so great and my wants are so many But rather thinke thus with your selves if there was grace inough for so many there is surely inough for me Onely you must receive when it is offered in the acceptable time lest often grieving the Spirit God suffers his Spirit to strive no longer Gen. 6 3. But as I said before sweare in his wrath that you shal not enter into his rest 2 If al grace be received then let us be affected as Receivers 1 In thank fulnes towards God the most gracious a●e the most grateful 2 In Humility towards men For what have wee that wee have not received And shal our Purse or Vessel boast it selfe against another because the Owner hath put more Gold or more precious Liquor into it than into another it may be of the same or a better worth Or shal the wal which glistereth with the Sun beames exalt it selfe against another which stands in the shadow as if it had Lustre from it selfe and not borrowed from the Sun 3. Let us be affected as Receivers in begging grace at Gods hands by Prayer Therefore it is said to be the Bucket of grace and it is a true observation that a man of much Prayer is a man of much Grace Now Prayer is either Private or Publique Private is that wherein we expresse our private and particular occasions to God every day wherein we renew Repentance Covenants with God of abstayning from the sinnes we are most prone to and of doing the duties to which we are