and see what we are according to our care and indeavour in this particular If we shall go from day to day and never care to improve in Grace and the strengthning of our inward man but rather by wilfull neglect and carelesness weaken it and diminish from it this does too palpably discover that we are not that which we ought to be in Christianity For if we we we should find this disposition working in us to abound more and more as the Apostle Paul speaks to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 4.1 we should still find our selves getting up in spiritual strength Look as it is with a man which is in part cured and recovered out of some bodily distemper by how much the disease weakens the man strenthens as that looses of its power so he gains and gets more in his Even so it is also with that person which is brought out of his natural condition when the sinfull corruption of nature is healed in him Look how that does any thing decay so does Grace flourish in him and increase As it was in those two opposites for the Kingdom Saul and David David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxt weaker 2 Sam. 3.1 Even so is it likewise here As Grace weakens so corruption does more and more increase and as Grace encreases so does Corruption loose of its strength These two they are like a pair of ballances when the one goes up the other is sure to go down and so contrarily That heart which has the work of Grace truly and indeed wrought in it it will be desirous and indeavouring after improvement and settlement of it self Let none therefore plead weakness and justifie and allow themselves in such a condition as that is for it is not sutable to a Christian temper The best Christians that are they may have weaknesses in them but they do not content themselves with those weaknesses They have so much strength in them as to be sensible and apprehensive of their weakness and so much Grace in them as to labour as soon as may be to come out of it and to gather strength And where we find it otherwise with our selves we have cause to bewail our selves and to be truly humbled for it As for those which have no strength at all they do not care for the renewing of strength nay indeed they cannot they are uncapable of it The renewing of strength does suppose the having of some strength allready to be renewed Carnal and natural men which have no work of Grace in their hearts nor the Spirit of Christ stirring in them they are not weak but dead and so uncapable of getting more strength The Impotency of corrupt Nature it is not weakness but wickedness and so to be accounted but where there 's weakness there is in part some strength which is mingled with it and where there is this strength there 's an indeavour to work out that weakness and to recover after some former abatings and diminishings of Grace in it self That 's the second particular viz. A Christians Disposition joyn'd with his Duty They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength that 's their Inclination The Third is their Priviledge what they may do or does indeed actually befall them They shall renew their strength that is This happiness belongs unto them This is their state and condition And this indeed seems to be the proper sense and meaning of the Text to express thus much to us wherein the Spirit of God shewes us the difference between these and others in a way of opposition The youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength The word which is here rendred Renew is in the Hebrew Text. Jachalifu which signifies properly they exchange it commut abunt vires that is they shall have another kind of strength bestowed upon them then that which they formerly had For there is a double kind of change to be observed and taken notice of by us There 's a change in Quality of the worse for the better And there 's a change in Quantity of the less for the Greater Now both of these Changes are in a Christian as to spiritual strength First They have a change in Quality Another sort and kind of strength then what they had before Conversion And Secondly A change in Quantity more strength then at their first Conversion First I say there 's a change in Quality They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength that is they shall have a new kind of strength bestowed upon them over what they had before Conversion as Caleb had another Spirit and Saul another heart For we must know that even before Conversion in natural and unregenerate persons there is a kind of strength which does appear in them and that also in reference to Religion and the Duties of it but it is not such a strength as is here meant in this present Text nor yet such as any are to satisfie and to rest themselves contented withal To explain it a little unto you ye may take it in these particulars First There 's the strength of temper and natural Constitution Secondly There 's the strength of Custome and Religious Education Thirdly There 's the strength of Civility and Moral principles Each of these kinds of strength there are and that also before Conversion First I say There 's the strength of Temper and natural Constitution this is such as may go very far and a man may be able both to do and suffer very much by it This is that which does for the most part extend it self to the outside and form of Religion and in those performances which belong to that Men by a natural strength may be very much in them whether a strength of bodily frame or a strength of Natural parts but it is not this which is sufficient and yet it is that which many rest themselves in and are contented withal The strength of Wit and Reason and Vnderstanding and Memory and the like whiles their heart and will and Affections have no saving work at all upon them Secondly There 's the strength of Custom and Religious Education This it will go very far likewise many which have been piously Educated and brought up and accustomed to such and such Performances they through Vse and Exercise contract some kind of strength to themselves for the doing of them and become strong in the outward bulk of Religion This was such a strength as was in Joash whiles his Uncle Jebojada liv'd He did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord though afterwards he departed from it And so 't is also with many others besides They have nothing which does so much act them and put them forward to any thing which is good but as it is that which they have been alwayes used and accustom'd unto Thirdly There 's the strength of
First Vanity both of Spirit and Conversation That 's one kind of Distemper which this Age is Exposed unto so the Preacher has told us Eccl. 11.10 Childhood and Youth are Vanity Not onely Vain but Vanity it self in regard of that frame and temper of Spirit which is upon them They mind and imploy themselves chiefly about Toys and Trifles and Superfluities but in the mean time neglect Solider matters and those things which are more Real and Substancial How much part of men's time even the prime and floure of their Age is as Samuel speaks to the People 1 Sam. 12.1 Carryed after vain things which cannot profit nor content in the latter end because they are Vain Pastimes and Pleasures and Sports and Gaming 's and such things as these are they are made not onely the Play and Recreation and Refreshment but even the Work and Business and Imployment oftentimes of that Age. Lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 Secondly Flexibility to Evil that 's another Evil in Youth easily wrought upon and drawn away and intised to that which is Evil. The very Heathen Poet Himself couldtake notice of it Cereus in vitium Flecti Like wax to any sinful impression which shall be fasten'd upon them Like dry Tinder to Sparks of Fire thus is Youth for the most part to Temptation quickly takes no sooner can they meet with any Persons which are willing to Corrupt them but they are presently Corrupted by them In matter of Judgment to such in any new Opinion though never so Gross In matte of Practise to conform to any sinful Course though never so vile this is that which is very much incident to the Age of Youth A Flexibility to that which is Evil. Thirdly Unteachableness and Untractableness and Uncapableness of Admonition that 's another thing in Youth Monitoribus asper that Age does disrellish such as would reform them and bring them into rights so deferring of Repentance c. Wax to Temptation and Flint to Admonition and the means of Reforming These and the like are the Distempers which that Age is subject unto in regard of the frame of their Spirit Now as for outward Practises and the actings of Sin so Impetuousness and Intemperance and Violence and Uncleaness and such Bodily Lusts they are such as though all are not guilty of which is not the meaning of this Discourse yet the Age it self is exposed unto which accordingly does give this Denomination of the Sins of Youth that is as it is First of all to be understood by way of Specification as denoting the kind of Sin The Second is as denoting the Time Thus a Sin may be in some sense call'd the Sin of a mans Youth when it has been committed by him in his Youth though it may be as to the Quality of it it was a Sin of riper years There are some kind of People in the World which do Antedate their Age to themselves as in other things so in matter of Sins in which they grow old betimes and make hast unto it As there are some which are guilty of the Sins of Youth in the time of Age so there are others which are guilty of the Sins of Age in the time of Youth Malitia supplet aetatem Their Wickedness it makes up their years when they were Defectives Now these also are as well as the other the Sins of Youth what ever Sins men committed in the time of their Youth they are to them Youthful sins by way of Denomination And so much briefly of the first Particular Considerable in this first General viz. The sin he Sins of his Youth The Second is the Punishment of his sin which is exprest and propounded in those words where it is said that his Bones are full of them Thus although it may be very well applyed as to the matter of Guilt as we shall hear more anon Forasmuch as Sin does as it were Incorporate it self into Wicked men and is as a part of their Substance yet as I conceive in this place it does refer Especially rather to the Punishment The Spirit of God would hereby signify to us the sad and miserable Condition of an obdurate impenitent sinner that has Especially lived for a long time in a Course of sin That he possesses the iniquities of his Youth as it is Exprest in another place of this Book His bones are full of it This word Bones it may be taken here in this Text two manner of ways either in a Corporal sense or in a Spiritual Either proper in a Literal or in a Mystical If we take it in the next and Literal sense Corporally so it does denote the Body and outward man If we take it in the Remote and Qualified sense Spiritually so it does denote the Soul and the more particularly the Conscience each of these are full c. First The Bones that is the Body and Flesh and outward man taken it Literally There are many which in old Age feel the sins of their youth in their Bones according to this Interpretation which mourn at last when their Flesh and Body is Consumed Prov. 5.11 And which receive in themselves that recompence of their Errour which is meet as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.27 Namely in regard of those Diseases which does attend their Vicious Courses and hasten their Bodily Destuction There are some kind of Sins which God does punish even in this present Life and as they are committed with the Body so are they avenged upon the Body which is made the Subject of Punishment as it has been before of Miscarriage and all little enough to take off such Persons from them as are addicted and given up unto them Secondly By Bones here we are to understand not onely the Flesh but the Spirit and more particularly the Conscience Thus we shall find the phrase used in some other places besides of Scripture As Psal 6.2 Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed So Psal 38.3 There is no Soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger There 's the remembrance of sin in the Body Neither it ther any rest in my Bones because of my Sin There 's the remembrance of sin in the Soul So again Psal 51.8 Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The broken-Bones i. e. The broken Spirit and that occasion'd from the sense of sin Sin it will stick in the Conscience for a long while after the Commission of it And when men are grown old they then pay for the Sins of their Youth in the reflections of them God charges the Guilt of them upon their Souls when the things themselves are past and gone Thus it hath several ways and degrees whereby it does proceed First In rubbing up their Memories and bringing their sins to Remembrance There are many which in the heat of their Lusts and while they are in the full
Prosecution of their wicked Courses little think of them or call themselves to an account for them who yet afterwards when the sin is over and past have leasure to be think themselves and to Consider what they have done Yea God himself does by his Spirit oftentimes suggest it to them and suffers even Satan also though for no good to do it for them When men are past the time of Committing sin then he thinks he may very safely remember of it that he may drive them to dispair about it which is all the thanks they have from him for hearkning to Him Secondly As there 's an Exciting of the Memory for the calling of such sins to mind which have been committed in Youth so there is likewise a Convincing of the Judgment in the nature of the sins themselves how grievous and notorious they are that those which have been formerly slighted and neglected and made nothing of as no more but tricks of youth it may indeed appear in their colours to be breaches of the Law of God And that in all the several Circumstances and Aggravations of them and especially in that amongst the rest of sinning against all the Counsel and Admonition which has been given to the Contrary by Ministers and Masters and Parents and Christian Friends as we find an Expression to that purpose in Prov. 5.12.13 Thou shalt say How have I hated Instruction and my Heart dispised Reproof I have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me Thus will God not onely remember men but convince them of the sins of their youth And then Thirdly Afflict them also for them That 's like wise in this filling of the Bones The Conscience made sensible of sin and perplext for it which is done in succeeding times When God deals Effectually with men's Hearts and calls them to an Account for their Miscarriages he does not onely set home upon them their present iniquities but also their former Miscarriages This he does both in order to true and real Conviction as also upon any other occasion Yea and those sins also which have been most secret as I shewed the last day at large upon another Scripture the same word which is here used in the Text for the sins of the Youth it signifies in the Hebrew Language secret sins which such sins oftentimes are and so we find it to be taken in Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our secret sins in the light of thy Countenance Gnalâ—meni The reason why God does proceed against sins of Youth and set them home a great while afterwards First Because he will maintain his own Right and Interest in the world we use to say Nullum tempus occurrit Regi There 's no time which is slipt which can prejudice a Prince in his due no more can God Himself who is the cheif of all Sins of Youth they are sins still in their own Nature and so to be accounted Time does not alter the quality of them though it alters the Apprehensions of them through the weakness of our mindes Nay the longer agoe that sins have been committed by any the more they stand in Arrears to God Old and Ancient Debts they are the Greatest Debts of all because they have been so long without payment and satisfaction for them And so it is likewise to this purpose with old and Antient sins Continuance and Perseverance in sin for a long while and time together without reformation and renewing to God it becomes a further advancement and aggravation of it Secondly Because sins of youth they are commonly acted with greater Violence and vehemency of spirit It is observed by the Philosopher of Young-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do every thing with much intention in that which they do Quicquid volun Valde volunt Now sin by how much men's Spirits are more intent and carried out in it by so much the worse it is and more provoking of the Majesty of God who is offended by it Thirdly It is a Foundation of more Sin the sins of Youth There 's a Ground work laid for sin in after times and succeeding Generations where Youth is naught there is a great hazard upon old Age which is very difficulty reclaimed and reduced in such cases Therefore says the Young-man in the Proverbs being overtaken with Wantonness I was almost in all Evil in the midst of the Congregation and the Assembly Prov. 5.14 A Vessell what Liquour it receives at first into it it long retains the savour and relish of it And so it is likewise with the Heart and the Life and the Conversation It is much what it was at first The Consideration of this present point in hand is of Various Improvement to us First To those which are Young that from hence they would be so much the more careful and watchful of themselves and take heed of doing any thing which may stain and defile their first years and the Flower of their Age for if they do so they wlll find enough of it in following times and when as they think the worst is past Their Bones shall be full of the sins of their youth Perhaps their Bodies and outward man through Corruption and rotting Diseases which shall cleave unto them or if not so yet at least their Consciences either here or in a worse place And therefore let them not be secure and vainly flatter themselves as for the most part they are ready to do Youth is commonly full of Hopes and sometimes of Presumpteous hopes which have little ground or bottom for them and so in this amongst the rest of escaping the Alarms of sin But let none deceive themselves in this particular as Moses once told the Israelites in Numb 32.23 Be sure your sin will find you out Find you out to discover you and to manifest what you are And find you out to punish you and to afflict you for being so bad And the longer time of Intermission the Heavier the Account when it comes Beloved we should all study to Consecrate and devote our best time to God and to his Service And that is the time of our Youth while it lasts to any of us when we have health and strength and parts in the Vigor and Activity of them Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth before he Evil days come and the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12.1 And thus as for the thing it self so moreover in reference to old Age that so if we live unto it it may be so much the more Comfortable to us and free from Disturbance it is observed as to matter of the Body and Corporal strength and it holds as well in regard of the Soul that an orderly and well-temper'd youth it breeds an Easy and pleasing old Age and so the Contrary Moderata juventus efficit senectutem facillem Immoderata Gravem Oh it is a Blessed thing when Old
Apostle Peter declares it of him in 2. Pet. 2.7.8 Now this is that which we may here observe to be the Temper of the Prophet David in this present Scripture and Psalm which we have now before us The Scope whereof being nothing else but to declare and protest against the Sinfulness of wicked and prophane Athestical persons this he does in sundry particulars as we may observe n the preceeding verses And here now in this verse which I have read he shuts up all with a serious inquiry into the Cause of so much Wickedness in them with the Aggravations of it Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God He hath said in his heart c. IN the Text it self there are two General parts considerable First A Question propounded Secondly The Ground or occasion which is given for the propounding of this Question The Question that we have in these words Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God The occasion of it that we have in these He hath said c. We begin with the first of these parts viz. The Question or Expostulation Wherefore doth the c. Wherein again two particulars more First Somewhat which is implyed And Secondly Somewhat which is Exprest That which is implyed is this That the wicked doth contemn God The thing it self in General which he is charged withall and that which is exprest is this That he hath no Cause or Ground to do so The Absurdity and Unreasonableness of it Wherefore does he do it First For that which is here implyed the thing it self which is laid as a charge The wicked does contemn God This is not to be understood of one wicked man alone either this man or that but of the whole Race and Company and Generation of wicked men in the world in all times and ages and places and distinctions of it by taking the word Collectively Wicked men they do very much Scorn and Slight and Despise even the great God himself This is the Point which we have here now before us This is a very great and heavy charge which is laid upon such Persons but it is such as even the same God Himself who is so concern'd in it lays upon them And therefore can be no other then Truth There are three manner of ways especially for the Illustration of this point unto us wherein wicked men may be said to contemn God In his Ordinances in his Providences and in his Servants First In his Ordinances they contemn him and despise him there his Word and his Sacraments and his Sabbaths and such things as these Those that neglect and undervalue these they do no less then contemn God The word of God when men come not at it or profit not by it or yield not to it it comes within the compass of this Censure especially the last which I have now named The not yielding unto it Disobedience to the Commands of God is a Contempt of the Person of God and so is taken and Interpreted by Him He so reckons and esteems of it when men shall fully understand Gods pleasure in such and such particulars Either as restraining them from such and such Courses or requiring of them such and such Performances and yet shall walk contrary hereunto It is a fearful and horrible despising of the Majesty of God we know how we count it amongst men and in the affairs of the World In Masters towards their Servants in Magistrates towards their Subjects in Parents towards their Children and the like The wilful refusing of their Commands is esteemed for Contempt and it holds betwixt God and man more especially It is a slighting of that Soveraiguty and Authority which God hath over them and setting light by it And so as for the more express Commands of God which he has laid down in his word so for the Motions of his Spirit in the Heart and suggestions to the Conscience this belongs to the same Head likewise Every motion of Gods Spirit which is discern'd and yet resisted and suppressed by us it amounts to the resisting and slighting of God Himself and shews what Entertainment we would be ready to give to his own Person if he were more visibly resident amongst us that we may so much the more take heed of such Miscarriages And so as for the word of God so for the Sacraments There is a Contemning of God in them likewise when we neglect to partake of them or are careless as to the manner of our partaking Baptism when we rather wholly omit it or too long defer it or make it onely a matter of fashion and Custom and complement and formality and not improving of it to those ends for which it was first intended It is a contemning and a disposing of the great love and goodness of God in the Justification of it and providing it for our sakes And the Lords Supper when we come Carelesly to it not discerning our selves not discerning the Lords Body but Eating and Drinking unworthily it is a Contemning of such a Divine Ordinance as that indeed is It is a saying that the Table of the Lord is Contemptable and so a profaning of God Himself Who yet will be Sanctifyed in all those that draw near unto him in Malach. 1.7.12 and Levit. 10.3 Again for the Sabbath which is another Ordinance of God and keeps up the life of all the rest The Lords day when people shall make nothing of this to Sanctify it and keep it Holy whom do they Contemn in such cases What onely Men and Magistrates and Ministers and good Lawes no but even God Himself I cannot stand to insist upon all particulars ye may inlarge them in your own Meditations but take it in what ever you will of this Nature whether Gods word and Contemn or Gods Sacrament and Divine Institutions and Gods Sabbath and times of Worshiping and Serving of Him That Disrespect which is given at any time to these or any of them it does reflect upon God himself and does redound to his disesteem in those which are guilty of it and that 's one explication of it wherein wicked men do contemn God they contemn God in his Ordinances in his Word and Sacraments and Sabbaths Secondly In his Providences they contemn him also here they take no notice of God in his Dealings and Dispensations in the World whether in a way of Favour or Wrath. For Favour they slight him in his Mercies and for Wrath they regard him not in his Judgements and so each way contemn him First Take it as to his Mercies they do contemn and despise God here Thus Esay 26.10 Let Favour be shown to the Wicked yet will he not learn Righteousness in the Land of Vprightness will he deal unjustly and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. So Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the Riches of his goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance Gods goodness and Favour is much extended towards Wicked men
such places especially when they come to be common and general and universal then they bespeak speedy destruction That which many people take as an excuse and shelter to them in in that is indeed if it be duly thought of the greatest matter of affrightment and aggravation which is this that it is usual and ordinary and that more are guilty of it for then it is an argument that sin is shameless and impudent and incorrigible and in a manner desperate and that there 's nothing almost to be expected but ruine and desolation And is not this then just matter and ground for mourning to all such persons as understand themselves Lastly The servants of God have herein also a respect to others even sometimes to wicked men themselves whom considered as men they lament and mourn for whiles they are guilty of such and such miscarriages Those that cannot mourn for themselves through the obstinacy and hardness of themselves yet they have in those cases others better than themselves to mourn for them Thus we see what grounds there are for Gods childrens mourning in this particular for their sighing and crying for the abominations which are done in the places in which they converse Therefore this may very much satisfie us when we observe it at any time to be so when we see any to be thus affected that we may not think it a superfluous business or more than needs for there is very great causes and reasons for it And accordingly it does condemn the contrary neglect which is in many persons There are a great many of people in the world who as they lay not to heart the afflictions of other men in a way of compassion so they lay not to heart the abominations of other men neither in a way of compunction As they are not humbled for their own sins so neither for the sins of others whom they converse withall Yea but now those that belong to God they are careful to do this as it is here intimated to us in the Text. And so accordingly should we all labour and endeavour to do likewise we should labour to get such a publickness of spirit such an hatred and detestation of sin such a love to God and zeal for his glory as to lament and bewail mens sins and miscarriages wheresoever we find them and to be really affected with them some persons there are that do so and we our selves should be careful to be of this number As for spreading judgments and calamities men are perhaps a little sensible of them and may now and then so long as they are upon them express some kind of sorrow for them But who takes notice of the sins and iniquities which are the causes of these judgments This were well to be thought on by us as being that which the Lord does require and expect from us Surely some there are that do so as it is here signified to us though in comparison but very few For the better opening of this passage we may here pertinently take notice of the several expressions which are here used and there are three things here considerable First the expressions of sorrow that sigh and cry Secondly the occasion of this sorrow and that is the abominations that are committed Thirdly the extent of those abominations for the acting and committing of them that are done in the midst of the City First Here are the expressions of sorrow and they are two sighing and crying In the Hebrew Text they are very emphatical as carrying an elegant Parekaa or Paronomasia with them Hanneenwchim ve-hanneanckom both of them terms of sadness The first which is sighing that signifies such a mourning as is more secret and retired in it self The second which is crying that signifies such a mourning as is more open and exposed to observation Both of them such as are agreeable to the occasion and business here in hand Those that are the servants of God they do both of them upon these occasions they do both inwardly conceive grief and also they do outwardly express it First They conceive it inwardly and that is here signified in sighing and it is all that sometimes they can do to any purpose When they see wickedness to abound in any place as now and then they do they have no remedy left them but sighing and bewailing it in their own breasts betwixt God and themselves As in the place before cited out of Jeremy Their souls weep in secret which is the best and truest weeping of all This is that which they may do this is that which they ought to do as the least and sometimes the most which in some cases especially can be done by them It may so fall out sometimes with the Servants of God in regard of the manifold abominations that are committed in the places wherein they live that they can neither complain of them nor redress them neither openly testifie against them nor yet actually resorm or amend them yea but in the mean time they may sigh for them for all that and this is that which is required of them and which is here commended in them First I say it may so sall out that they can not openly complain of them that is either with safety or success not with safety because men are apt in such cases to rise against them and as it were to trample them under their feet as our Saviour speaks Wicked and profane persons they do not love to hear of their abominations though they love to commit them and therefore they are ready ever and anon to flee in the faces of them that reprove them for them and bear witness against them As St. Paul was the Galatians enemy because he shewed them the truth He that rebuketh a scorner begetteth to himself a blot as Solomon tells us Well but there is no danger in sighing and in secret mourning all this while this may be done very quietly and safely and accordingly it is wisdom to do it and God's Servants are careful of it they put up many a sigh to God and she many a tear before him for those sins and abominations which otherwise they could not safely complain of Again As not with safety so not with success they may be likely to do little good by open complaining of them For those which are guilty of them may be so far interessed and engaged as that they would hear no complaints which should be made against them There is that obstinacy in many people's hearts that the more sometimes they hear of their wickedness the more resolv'd and bent they are upon it which harden their necks being often reproved as the Wise-man speaks Now to what purpose is complaining here Yea but sighing may be to very good purpose sighing to God may there be very profitable where complaints to men may be ineffectual we may sigh where we cannot complain either safely or else sufficiently So again we may sigh where we cannot redress This is
him with the brightness of his coming And so he shall and all such persons as do adhere unto him The Spirit of Christ shall scatter the spirit of Antichrist and the wind of the Holy Spirit shall confound the wind of the evil Spirit and what ever is attempted by it This is a very comfortable point in all the assaults and temptations of Satan and his endeavours either against the Church in general or against any particular member of it Every Christian is thus far secure and in good condition as he has this Wind as I may so say for him which is sure to blow him nothing but good The Reason of it is this Because he is one that belongs to Christ and has an interest in him and so consequently has an interest in the Spirit which is the Spirit of Christ and so all the motions of it subordinate and subservient to him and disposed of according to his pleasure There are different and various winds which blow now and then both upon the Church and likewise upon the Soul but they are all ordered and regulated by him Therefore we find in the Canticles how it is Christ himself that stirs up his Spirit for the good of his Spouse Awake O North-wind and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out The Spirit it blows where it lists and it lists there where Christ lists too which is very satisfactory for all those that seek unto him And so I have done with the first part of the Text as to the resemblance betwixt the Spirit and the Wind in the work of Regeneration and that is the Quality of the Maker The Wind bloweth c. The Second is the Sensibleness of its effects in those words And thou hearest the sound thereof The wind it comes with a Sound and so does the Spirit of God It did so in its first coming of all when it came upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost There came suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting Acts 2.4 And so it is still to this present day in a proportion It has a sound and such as may be heard Now thus it is in a two fold consideration The one is the sound of it in the Ear and the other is the sound of it in the Conscience First There is the sound of the Spirit in the Ear and that is in the external Preaching of the Word and Ministerial Dispensation where this is performed as it should be it is no other than the sound of the Spirit and the voice of the Holy Ghost himself speaking to us Their sound is gone forth into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 This is such a sound as may be heard and it is a mercy to hear it and to be made partakers of it and that in regard of the virtue and benefit which by the blessing of God is conveyed by it for Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God as the Apostle there tells us Rom. 10.17 Therefore accordingly we should prize it and esteem of it and apply our selves to it as that which is appointed for our good If we look upon Preaching onely as the work of men so there is but little in it and it may be rather matter of contempt in regard of the meanness of it But when we shall consider that it is the Ordinance of God and the voice and sound of the Spirit here 's that in it which commands our regard and attention to it And we should be glad of all opportunities which are at any time afforded unto us for the partaking of it that we may hear the sound of this wind blowing upon us That 's the first The sound in the Ear. But secondly that 's not all there is moreover the sound in the Conscience which is the main and chiefest of all This is that which comes home to the heart of a Christian for his conversion and the raising him from the death of sin under which he was held Like the voice of Christ to Lazarus when he bad him come forth of the grave This is that which is heard also by those persons whom it pleases God to vouchsafe it unto according to that of our blessed Saviour in Joh. 5.25 Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Thus we shall find it was with the Disciples going to Emaus Luke 24.32 They said one to another Did not our bearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and whiles he opened to us the Scripture There was a special efficacy went with his word to the hearts of his hearers And so it was with St. Peter's Converts Acts 2.37 When they heard these words they were pricked at their hearts And the Jaylor Acts 16.33 he heard not onely the sound of the wind but the sound of the Spirit and this sound of it whereof we now speak in the heart-quake as well as the earth quake which he was sensible of upon that occasion And so it has been with many more and still is they daily hear this sound made unto them they have strong and strange impressions upon their hearts and spirits to this purpose which they cannot but hear in several kinds sometimes checking them for sin and sometimes restraining them from it sometimes exciting them to good and sometimes encouraging them in it The Spirit of God in their hearts and consciences deals diversly and variously with them and it is their duty and wisdom accordingly to attend unto him They that hear thus they shall hear that is they shall hear effectually as it is intimated in the place before cited And therefore it concerns us to regard it and to give heed unto it all that possible may be There are a great many people in the world who though this sound which we now speak of in both the branches of it be continually exhibited unto them and such as may be heard yet they do not or at least will not hear it who like the deaf Adder stop their ears and will not hear the voice of the charmers charm they never so wisely as the Prophet David speaks of them in Psal 68.4 5. Now what do such as these but as much as in themselves lies hinder their own conversion and regeneration and the work of grace in their hearts which is accomplished by such ways and means as these And besides after a great indignity and disrespect to the holy Ghost himself as the Apostle Paul signifies to us in 1 Thess 4.8 He that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given us his holy Spirit Whose voice as it is sensible to be heard so it ought to be heard by us as we have occasion for it And so
belonging unto it as First of all in sorrow for sin They are ignorant and un-apprehensive of this and know not what belongs unto it Natural men they have a natural sorrow and grief for sin after a legal manner They may have great troubles and terrors of Conscience which for a while they may be exercised withal whereby they may be driven to great perplexity and desperation it self as we know it was sometimes with Judas But that Godly sorrow which St. Paul speaks of which worketh repentance to Salvation not to be repented of this is such as they knew not what it meant Sorrow for sin as it is an offence against God and so as may lead them and carry them nearer to Christ and pitch them and fasten them upon him This is such as is unknown unto them and far enough from them Secondly as for Spiritual Joy the comforts and consolations of the holy Ghost they are to seek also in these they are strangers to it and meddle not with it This is the hidden Manna and the white stone which no man knows save he that receives it The Spirit in the Witness of it is a Mystery to a carnal heart this is Honey which such persons never tasted nor had any sense or apprehensions of it They may have sometimes false joys and false comforts and false ravishments from the delusion and suggestion of Satan who is so far Gods Ape But the true joy of the Spirit of God indeed which is not onely chearing but purging not onely filling with comfort but quickning to duty and encouraging and engaging to obedience This is such as they are unacquainted with it and but ignorant of it which is a Peace and Joy above all that the World can confer Thirdly The Spirituality of holy Exercises and Duties of Piety Carnal persons they are ignorant of this likewise they can come off with some external performances as Prayer and Reading and Hearing of the Word and the like so far as they concern the outward man and as they are to be done by that but to perform them after a spiritual manner and to enjoy Communion with God himself in the performance of them this is that which is a Riddle to them and they understand not nor know not what to make of it A natural man he knows not what belongs to the Spirit of Adoption and to the going to God as to a Father in Christ He knows not what belongs to the improvements of Faith and to the getting of strength in his inward man occasionally from those Duties of Christianity which are performed by him as a man receiving strength in his body from that nourishment which is conveyed in his meat Fourthly The Exactness of Christian obedience and the inward life and power of Religion This is also a Secret and Mystery to an unregenerate spirit A natural man he may conform to some good things in Religion which carry no great difficulty in them and which do not cross him in his dearest lusts but as for others he is more weak and indisposed The Precepts of Self-denial and Mortification and Repentance and the Trade of Piety in holiness and righteousness of life and conversation these are more grievous to him Faith and Patience and Love of Enemies and forbearance of Revenge and such things as these the more refined and sublimer part of Religion as consisting in such matters as these are this is such as a carnal heart does very much stumble at and is offended with it Fifthly Perseverance and continuance in the Faith and Profession of Christianity notwithstanding all adventures In the multitude and violence of temptations in the changings and variations of Providence still to abide and remain the same and to hold out and to persist unto the end without declining or going backward or falling away This is that also which a natural man understands not but is much to seek and very ignorant about it It may be when he is out of a temptation and not strongly provoked to evil there he can such as it may be abstain from it But let it be a sin which his nature inclines to and let him be strongly assaulted about it and here he presently yields unto it Whereas now in the work of Grace there is strength given against strong temptations for the conquering and vanquishing of them And so as for the varieties of Providence not to be shaken or overturned by them in Prosperity not to be lifted up nor to forget God and say Who is he And in Adversity not to be cast down nor to blaspheme God or murmur against him nay which is more still to trust in him and to love him and to stick close unto him These are such things which the natural man knows not what to make of nor cannot perswade himself that they are in Reality Lastly Take this work of Grace also in the Reward of it and as it is swallowed up in Glory and it is very intricate and mysterious here also especially to such kind of persons As they know not whence this Wind comes so neither whither it goes nor what it tends to in the blessed fruits and effects and consequences of it Carnal persons they commonly think of Heaven as of a carnal place and as of a carnal condition a Fools Paradise such as Turks and Pagans and Infidels fansie to themselves or at least in some affinity and nearness thereunto They are not partakers nor any way discerners of the glory that is to be revealed Thus we see how as to all particulars as concerning the work of Regeneration such persons as are themselves unregenerate and but in the state of Nature are ignorant and inapprehensive of it Now there 's a double account which may be given hereof unto us The one is taken from the impotency of humane Reason and the other is taken from the indisposition of Nature corrupt First Humane Reason is impotent and unable to reach such a business as this is We do here suppose that many natural and unregenerate men they have notwithstanding sometimes great parts and abilities of humane wit and sagacity in them whereby they are able to dive into many great Mysteries and Profundities of Nature yea but they are not able for all this to dive into the work of Grace nor to comprehend the Mysteries of Religion which are far above them and superiour to them Secondly As from the Impotency of Reason so also from the Corruption of Nature which makes Reason more impotent and blind than otherwise it would be Wicked men they do not understand the work of Grace because they are strangers to it they have their under standing darkned and so are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness their heart as the Apostle himself gives us an account of them Ephes 4.18 There is not onely a blindness of the mind but also a perversness of the will which has an influence
Secondly Positively By taking of such courses and using of such kind of means as may scatter and remove it First There is a prevention of this inordinate trouble Negatively By withdrawing from such ways as may either occasion or foment it There are many who are full of Trouble and Perplexity and they may sometimes thank themselves for it as who willingly bring it upon themselves not only by provoking God to administer such occasions to them but likewise when they are administred already by prosecuting them and following them too far There are many that love to seed and nourish those humours in them when at any time they fall upon them and will be troubled because they will be There 's a piece of sullenness and pride oftentimes upon the Heart of the Sons of men from whence they think much to stoop to the providence of God upon them and so moulder away in discontent and peevishness of spirit as thinking themselves too good to luster for Him Again There are others likewise which from the same Principle of Pride in them though differently expressing it self think sometimes to bite in their Grief and to carry it outwardly to the World as being loth to own and acknowledge Gods hand upon them from whence as a Fire burning inward their Grief is so much the more increased and for want of a seasonable vent their Trouble is enlarged unto them Now we must take heed of either of these as we desire to have our Hearts in a quietness and tranquillity of temper Neither affectedly following Grief nor affectedly neither suppressing it This is a prevention of it Negatively in withdrawing from the Means of Advancement The second way of doing it is Positively in the taking of such courses with our selves and in the use of such kind of means as may properly from such kind of distempers as First by studying of the Word and psamises of God in His Word Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickned me And Ver. 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction We should be well acquainted with the Promises whether general as to all estates and conditions or particular in such particular circumstances and we should bring them home to our own cases and circumstances as we have occasion for them The comfort of a promise lies in the due and just application of it which accordingly we should be careful of Secondly Study the Attributes of God There is much sweetness to be found in them The Lord gracious and merciful abundant in goodness and truth c. Oh get a sweet taste and relish of these Taste and see that the Lord is good and gracious c. It is our ignorance concerning God which makes us oftentimes so full of perplexity They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And to his Attributes joyn his Providence and expressions of himself in that Consider what God has done in former times and consider what he does still and see what a sweet connexion and agreement there is betwixt them He is still the same that ever he has been and what he has done heretofore for his Church he is ready to do the like still and for every particular person and member of it The Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot save Thirdly Let us betake our selves to Christ and shrowd our selves under his wings they are safe which are kept by Him and they have no cause to be troubled or dismayed There was a special emphasis in the Persons whom our Saviour here speaks unto which were his own Disciples Let not your Heart be troubled Those who have an interest in Christ they are in safe hands There are two things here to be done by us The one is to make good our interest and the other is to improve it We must make good our interest that we are indeed such as do belong to Christ and are indeed members of Him And we must improve our interest by having continual recourse unto Him Lastly We shall hereby keep our selves from this inordinate trouble and fear seizing upon us by labouring for a special measure and exercise of several Graces of Gods Spirit in us as tending and conducing hereunto I 'le instance in some of them as more remarkable First Meekness and Humility and sense of our own unworthiness and ill-deservings There 's no Creature so full of Trouble and distraction as a pround and haughty person such an one when any evil befalls him he is like a wild Bull in a Net or like a Bear robb'd of her Whelps as the Scripture sometimes uses such expressions as these are full of rage and fury and swelling and horrour and confusion Like the raging Sea casting forth mire and dirt as the Prophet Esay hath it Esay 57.20 But now on the other side humility and lowliness of Spirit it meets an affliction half way and so as I may say takes off the violence of it It closeth with God and his Providence and so thereby does very much lessen its own grief and perplexity when we shall consider we deserve more evil we shall be less troubled with that which we endure when we shall consider the grievousness of sin and how we trouble God with that we shall be better satisfied in the suffering of affliction and of Gods troubling of us with that where sin lies heavy affliction commonly lies light and is better sustain'd Secondly Faith and Dependance upon God this is a setling and quieting Grace which lifts the Soul upon its hinges again and puts it in frame Therefore let us labour for that and improve it and put it in practise It is not Faith so much in the Habit which does quiet and settle the Heart as Faith rather in the act and exercise of it Therefore set Faith on work and draw it forth all that may be by resting our selves upon God and relying upon his Power and Goodness and Truth which he has manifested to us I had fainted unless I had believed says David Therefore wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart Wait I say on the Lord as he there infers upon it in Psal 27.13 14. And to encourage us further herein consider that the more we do so the more we may do so and the more cause we shall have to do so Faith helps it self by the Acts of it And God himself also rewards the Acts of it by giving further encouragements to it therefore determine and resolve upon it and that also in the greatest straits and difficulties that may be Although the Fig-Tree blossom not nor Fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord c. Faith it sticks at nothing because it is founded upon the Power of God himself with whom nothing is impossible Thirdly Innocency and
thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Flesh and blood is no revealer of Christ nor of the Mysteries which belong unto him And so 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receives not the things of the spirit for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And so in the place before cited 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of the world knew The Princes of the world who are they these are not as I conceive only those which are properly so call'd earthly Kings and Potentates and the like for but few of them had an hand in the actual crucifying of Christ but by the Princes of the world we are to understand rather the great Rabbies and Doctors of the world which were as it were Princes for learning and humane knowledg which did Dominari in Scholis The Scribes and Pharisees the Philosophers and Naturalists and the like these were Principes seculi hujus and which notwithstanding were wholly ignorant of Christ So that we see how men may much abound in worldly wisdom and yet fall short of Evangelical knowledg First Because this Mystery of the Gospel it is a thing which is meerly dependant upon the will and counsel of God himself that which has its sole ground work and foundation in the wisdom of God that cannot be discovered or discerned by the meer wit and wisdom of man now thus it is with the Doctrine of the Gospel and the way to Salvation by Christ it is a thing purely dependant upon Gods Wisdom and Decree for the accomplishment and revelation of it Hence it is said in Scripture to be the Wisdom of God in a mystery and the hidden Wisdom which God had before the world ordained to our glory 1 Cor. 2.7 Again it is said to be hid in God Eph. 3.9 that is in the secret of his own purpose and eternal counsel This makes it to be such as is beyond the reach not only of the wisest men in the world but likewise without particular revelation of the Angels themselves Secondly As it is hid in God so it is also hid by God and that of purpose oftentimes from those which are otherwise the wisest men in the world thus we have it in that acknowledgment of our Saviours Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight God does think fitting sometimes in his infinite and unsearchable wisdom to conceal and hide from the great ones and Rabbies of the world those things as concerning Religion which yet he discovers to mean persons And so if we will we may apply the phrase in the Text in another sense than as yet we have taken it In the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God namely by taking this Wisdom of God Oeconomicè as well as Objectivè God did so order it dispense it in his Providence and unsearchable Wisdom that the world by all their wisdom should not attain to the right knowledg of him Thirdly The world by the strength of natural wisdom is not able to know God in Christ in regard of the disproportion betwixt the faculty and the object the knowledg of Christ being of a far different and contrary nature and condition hereunto We know that no faculty can act beyond its own sphere nor reach an object which is above it self As bodily eyes cannot see spiritual substances no more can wit and natural sagacity be able to reach the knowledg of God in Christ which is an object transcendent unto it The improvement of this Point to our selves is not as some would make it to be from hence to cast a reproach and disparagement upon Wit and Parts and humane learning simply considered it is not in the sense of the times at least of many foolish people in them to cry down Schools and Colledges and Universities and such places of Learning and Education as these are nor to diminish or take off from those which are eminent in such kind of perfections humane wisdom and wit and skill in Philosophy and sagacity they are singular gifts and endowments which proceed from God himself and God does highly honour those persons whom he does bestow them upon for which reason we are to honour them also and whosoever speaks against them they speak evil of the things which they know not as the Apostle speaks It may be requisite for us therefore to consider the right sense and meaning of these things that we may not mistake There 's a threefold disparagement especially if so be I may call it a disparagement which we do justly and most deservedly cast upon humane learning and the wisdom of the world First Comparative and Exclusive we do disparage it and diminish from it so Humane learning if we compare it with Divine and worldly wisdom with the wisdom from above here it is as good as nothing a very poor and mean business For a man to know all kind of things in the world and in the mean time to be ignorant of Christ and those things which concern his soul this knowledg will in effect profit him nothing and he is but a very Ignoramus There 's no comparison to be made betwixt them we see how the Apostle himself sets it when he speaks to this point Phil. 3.8 I count all things says he but dung and dross for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord c. Saint Paul was a very learned man and that in the Mysteries of humane learning a great and deep Scholar yet when he compared his knowledg here with the knowledg of Christ and the Gospel here he set it at a very low rate and so indeed it was to be set and is so still to be by all others whatsoever Thus far now we disparage humane wisdom as we do dross by setting it below Gold not absolutely but only by comparison And that 's the first Explication Secondly We do disparage Humane wisdom Vt fundamentum superbiae carnalis confidentiae as a ground or argument of pride and boasting and carnal confidence wit and learning and parts and the wisdom of the world they are very noble and excellent qualifications but yet they are such as none have cause to be proud of or lifted up with whosoever they are There 's no man who has any of these things in the greatest measure that can be who has any reason to swell in himself for the enjoyment of them If he considers either how he comes by them which is only by gift or if he considers how easily he may lose them and may have them taken away from him or if he considers how they are such gifts as may be bestowed even upon enemies and wicked men these are enough to
reason for That the whole business of Religion should be signified by this expression of the Truth and that upon these following Considerations First By reason of the analogy and correspondency and near agreement which is betwixt Truth it self and Holiness betwixt the Doctrine of Religion and the practise of it for such there is all the Articles of Faith they have a respect to the framing of the heart and to the ordering of the life and conversation they serve not only to inform the judgment but likewise to better the whole man Therefore the mystery of Faith is called the mystery of Godliness And every Divine Truth it has some grace whereunto it refers in the use and improvement of it As the Incarnation of Christ to humility and self-abasement The Passion of Christ to Mortification and crucifying of lusts The Resurrection to spiritual quickening and raising us up to newness of life The Ascension to Heavenly-mindedness and the affecting of things above And so of the rest Now because it does so therefore is the one well denominated from the other The life of Religion from the Doctrine of it as closing and complying with it and as sutable and agreeable to it as indeed it is Christian conversation it is consonant to Christian knowledg Secondly Religion is called the Truth not only as agreeing with it but likewise as issuing from it and produced by it for so also it is All which are regenerate and born again they are begotten and born of Truth as the conveyance hereof unto them Jam. 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures And 1 Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel And 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Still the Word and Truth of God is made the instrument of our spiritual birth and regeneration whence Believers are also said to be of the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.19 Thirdly It is called the Truth Emphatically in opposition to all false and formal worship and service of God which is abroad in the world There are other Religions abroad but there 's no truth of Religion but in Christianity and the service of God in the Gospel this is to worship God so as he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus there 's no truth to be found any-where but in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Oecumenius upon the place he calls Godliness Truth ungodliness being a spurious business For these and the like reason is Christianity exprest by the Truth as most significant of it This therefore still teaches us to hold and imbrace the Truth and to keep close unto it For so much Truth so much Religion and so much Truth of Religion Look how far we keep close to our Principles so far forth shall we regulate our practise and have ourlives in all probability to be that which they should be an erroneous judgment will have either a scandalous or an hypocritical life annext unto it and following upon it either profaneness or at the best formality is the consequent of unsoundness in Religion that 's out of all question that so we may take heed of it and have a care to keep our judgments clear and right in us and not tainted and defiled with any stain in this particular especially as to the substantial part of Religion and the worship of God and the main scope and drift of the Gospel let us be sure to have our minds clear here and not swerving or departing from the Truth for it so we cannot possibly serve God a right We may it may be abound in outward duties and do somewhat which belongs to the outward man but the obedience of the first Commandment which is the more inward and immediate part of Gods Worship when as upon the knowledg of God we love him and fear him and rejoice in him and trust in him and set him up in our souls and spirits This we cannot do whiles we have not right opinions of him nor do not abide in his Truth We may be moral and civil and do some duties of the second Table upon such kind of Principles but we cannot be spiritual and gracious and sanctified and religious indeed and do that which we do in Religion with reference and respect to God whiles we have not the right notion and apprehension of Religion in us Religion it is a matter of Truth and so it is here exprest unto us by the Apostle when he means that he says this And so much briefly for the phrase and expression Now to come further to the Thing it self and to take it now in its proper meaning and the spiritual drift of the Holy Ghost in this place We can do nothing against the Truth that is We can do nothing against Religion and the progress of Christianity in the world This as Christians and especially as Christian Ministers we cannot do We can do nothing whereby Piety and Godliness may suffer any wrong by us or any prejudice and disadvantage from us they are such as are contrary to the bent and scope and principles of any who themselves are religious or have any spark of Godliness in them There are two ways especially whereby any thing is done against Religion the one is in a way of Discouragement and the other is in a way of Disparagement In a way of discouragement and disheartening of those which are good and in a way of disparagement and scandal towards those which are evil Now those which are good Christians will be shy of doing any thing against Religion in either respects First In a way of discouragement so as to dishearten those which are good they will be shy and wary of this and so they ought to be Whatever is done in this case against Christians it is done against Christ And whatever is done against the professors of the Truth is against the Truth it self We must not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking-flax nor discourage the beginnings of goodness in any in whom they seem to appear but nourish them and cherish them and promote them all we can The contrary hereunto is that which is discernable in too many persons who many times by their overliness and harshness and rigidness which is exprest by them do drive away those from Religion and the profession of it who make fair proffers towards it and it may be have made some progress in it this is none of the spirit of Christ Secondly In a way of Disparagement and scandal as there are many which prejudice Religion so likewise such as profess but live not up to it such as bring an ill report upon Christianity and the ways of
to travel with them again Alas what a pitiful thing is it to be the means of bringing those into the world which shall be enemies to Christ and to suffer the pains of travel that others may suffer the pains of hell This Parents cannot otherwise prevent than by prayers and good example and education and this they should do and say in the words of the Apostle here in my Text with which I will conclude My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you SERMON XL. Gal. 5.16 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh There 's nothing which is more ominous or pernicious to the Church of Christ than the divisions and contentions of those which are the members of it one with another being such as do threaten the ruâ—n and consumption and destruction of the whole and there 's nothing which does more lay the way and give ground and occasion hereunto than a diversity and contrariety of Doctrine and opinion in matters of Faith This is that which the Apostle Paul does in a more especial manner take notice of in the course of this present Chapter more particularly in the Church of Galatia to which he here writes who were now at this time more especially apostatized or declined in a very great measure from their former profession and were over-grown with very strange errors which did breed strange affections amongst them Now the Apostle here does three things in reference to this present evil First He shews the nature of it Secondly He shews the danger of it Thirdly He prescribes the remedy He shews the nature of it in the 13th verse that it is namely a carnal humour and such as proceeded from the unregenerate and unsanctified pant in them therefore he bids them not to use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh He shews the danger of it in the 15th verse that it is namely a mortal disease and such as carries no other than death and desolation in the bosom of it But if ye bite and evour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another He prescribes the remedy in this particular verse which we have now in hand the 16th verse of this Chapter whereby because that contraries are best cured by contraries he does therefore endeavour to remove carnal distempers by the provoking of spiritual performances This then I say walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh IN these present words before us we have two General Parts especially observable of us First A Preface or Introduction Secondly The Doctrine or Matter which is delivered thereupon The Preface that we have in those words This I say then The Doctrine or Matter delivered in these Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh We will a little invert the order and begin first of all with the particular Doctrine or Matter it self which we have laid down in the latter part of the verse Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill c. And here again there are two Branches more which offer themselves to us First A Precept or positive Injunction Walk in the spirit Secondly A Promise or according as some read the words a Prohibition And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh We begin in order with the first viz. the Precept Walk in the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein there are two terms to be explain'd and stood upon by us First The spirit to consider what is meant by that And secondly Walking in the spirit what is the sensen and meaning of that and what we are taught and instructed from it For the first By the spirit we are here in one word to understand the spirit of God the Holy spirit And that either first of all in his Graces and Principles as subjected and radicated in us or else secondly in his motions and suggestions as objected and propounded to us either of these do imply the spirit First In his Graces and Principles as subjected and radicated in us Walk in the spirit i.e. walk after a spiritual manner And this again is done two manner of ways First When we are frequent and conversant in spiritual duties when we are much in the Exercises of Religion which are the currents and conveyances of the Spirit then we may be said in one sense to walk in the spirit which is here required of us Those which profess themselves Christians they must be much in the Duties of Christianity as Praying Reading Hearing Communion of Saints c. These are such things as they must apply themselves to with a great deal of diligence and endeavour It is true there are other things also to be done in reference to humane life and conversation here in the world as the works of our ordinary callings and imployments which belong unto us these they are not to be neglected but we must be also mindful of other and apply our selves to the performance of them even the exercises of Piety and Religion And that especially upon this consideration as being such actions wherein we have special communion with the Spirit of God and wherein he takes occasion to communicate himself unto us These they are the pleasant walks of the Spirit as I may so call them the green pastures in which he makes us to lye down and the still waters besides which he leads us for the restoring of our souls as the Prophet David there expresses it in Psal 23.23 The Galleries wherein Christ is held Cant. 7.5 and a great deal of good to be gotten by them Those which talk of the Spirit and in the mean time cry down the Word whether in the reading or preaching of it which vilifie Ordinances and Religious duties and such performances as these are they speak those things which are inconsistent and which will never hold together For these they are Pabulum animae they are the food and nourishment of the soul which it lives upon and the sweet and happy channels wherein the Spirit of God does glid into us Secondly When we are daily and continually in a spiritual frame and temper of heart This in another sense is to walk in the spirit and seems also to be laid upon us in this present Expression in the Text. We may not judg of our walking in the spirit always or only by the matter and substance of the actions themselves wherein we are imployed but rather according to our carriage and behaviour in them A man may walk in the flesh even then when he is religiously exercised as for the nature of the performance it self And again A man may walk in the spirit even then when he is about business but of common and ordinary consideration The want of right distinguishing here hath been that which hath given occasion to such mistakes especially amongst the Papists and those of that way for
they still put all spirituality in the outside of Duties themselves reckoning them for the only spiritual men in the world which are mured and shut up in a Cloyster and are imployed in their superstitious Devotions and practices of Will-worship and in the mean time wirhdrawing themselves from all serviceableness and usefulness to the world and places wherein they live This is not to walk in the spirit but rather in the flesh We must therefore take a further account of this business than as yet we have done and here to walk in the spirit will be as I in part intimated before to be heavenly and spiritually minded in our whole course and conversation Whatever the things themselves be so not sinful which we are occupied about let them be matters but of our ordinary callings yea even lawful recreations themselves a gracious heart will be spiritual in them and so we ought to be when we do every thing as in God's Presence to his Glory and as accountable to him for whatever we do then do we indeed walk in the spirit when we are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Which makes up the first Explication understanding by the spirit the spirit as bestowing grace as subjected in us Secondly By the Spirit we may here understand his motions and suggestions as objected to us Walk in the spirit that is walk according to the guidance and dictate and moderation of the Spirit of God And this again in two particulars more First In the directions of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God inclines you Secondly In the Consolations of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God comforts you and gives encouragement to you First Walk in the spirit that is after the directions of the spirit as the Spirit of God inclines you be sure and careful of that It is the blessed and happy advantage of those which are the servants of God that as they have the Spirit of God working grace in them at first so they have also the same gracious spirit still exciting and provoking and stirring up that grace which he has wrought in them for following times Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it c. Isa 30.21 Now then are we said to walk in the spirit whensoever we listen and hearken hereunto and move our selves accordingly when we do that which the spirit commands us and provokes us to do and when we shun that which the spirit forbids us and takes us off from not only in the word but in the conscience wherein he does also apply himself to us and that in a suitableness and correspondency unto the word look what he commands in the one he suggests in the other and never contrary or opposite thereunto whereby it may be discerned whether it be the Spirit of God or no. There are many who sometimes pretend to follow the dictates and motions of the spirit when-as it is rather the propensities and inclinations of their own corrupt and carnal hearts but such as these delude them This is the priviledg and duty of Christians to be guided by a better spirit than their own even the Holy Spirit to suffer his motions and suggestions to take place in their hearts and to rule and bear sway in them This we should labour still to do upon all occasions whenever we find any stirrings of good in us presently to close with them and to improvethem all we can toturn the motions of the spirit to resolutions on our behalf and not only into resolutions but into practice which is the life and vigor of all This is to walk in the spirit And this is that which we should apply our selves unto in obedience to this command or counsel which is here given us in the Text especially such amongst us as have any thing more of this Spirit of God dwelling in us the more that any partake of the spirit the more it concerns them to walk in the spirit and to yield themselves up to the Power and Authority of the Spirit upon them because that such as these have greater and larger opportunities than other have As for other men which are but of common and ordinary principles yet living within the bosom of the Church and there partaking of the means of grace there are very few of them except they be such as are desperately concluded but they have now and then some kind of stirrings and workings of the Spirit of God moving in their consciences whereby he diverts them from evil and puts them on to the doing of good and it concerns such as these accordingly to walk in the spirit and to follow those motions and suggestions which are thus offer'd and tender'd unto them yea but now as for the children of God which are regenerate and born again and have saving grace wrought in their hearts such as these they are seldom without them but are frequently and continually exercised and inured unto them And therefore for them not to walk after them is a matter of great indignity which is hereby offered to so holy a Spirit and such as does not pass in them without some trouble and affliction upon their own spirit usually for it that so they may take the greater heed of being guilty or neglectful herein at another time as is manifest from the experiences of many which have made complaint in this partiular and should be a caution and warning to all the rest We should take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God by refusing his gracious Motions and Applications of himself to our hearts but walk in the spirit that is first after the spirits directions as the Spirit of God inclines us Secondly Walk in the spirit that is walk in the spirits Consolations as the Spirit of God comforts and incourages you This is such a kind of walking in the spirit as the Scripture does sometimes make mention of as Act. 9.31 it is said there of the Churches That they walk'd in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost This is also our duty to do and though perhaps it be not that which in this place is chiefly intended yet neither is it altogether excluded it is the special office of the spirit to be a comforter therefore to walk in the spirit is to walk in his comforts We find among other fruits of the spirit which are reckoned up here in this Chapter Joy is named for one as that which does belong thereunto and certainly we do then walk in the spirit when we do preserve this joy in our selves When we labour to keep terms of peace and reconcilement betwixt God and us from whence our hearts may be filled with comfert When the Consolations of God are not small with us but we do value them and make much of them and do not easily do any thing which may forfeit them or provoke God to take them
imagination of many a sinner that where they have once begun in any evil they had now as good to go on and to make progress in it Oh but take heed of that do not yield to such a temptation as this is it is very dangerous and pernicious to the soul and so will prove God requires we should do our utmost to the avoiding of all manner of sin in us and where we have not so much grace as to come off to such a measure and degree of mortification yet at least to go so far as we can Est aliquid prodire tenus si non datur ultra We should endeavour as much as may be to subdue the very principles and first motions of sin in us if they will still remain yet to prevent the acts If any act of sin break forth from us in the beginning and inchoation of it yet to stop it and to restrain it in the progress then shall we truly put in practise this exhortation and command of the Apostle wherein he does charge us not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh To set this home a little more fully and effectually upon us let us over and above take notice of the intention of the Prohibition in the Text it is given us in two negative Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which carries so much the greater force with it and by the way likewise shews us how far it concerns our selves to have respect unto it it shews us how desirous God himself is that we should withdraw from such sinful courses and likewise how far of our selves we are subject unto them and therefore stand in need of such earnest and importunate prohibitions as these are and they should not be in vain to us but should work upon us to bring us to so much the more caution and heedfulness of spirit Indeed there are some spirits in the world which from hence are so much the worse and do too much make good that observation of Nitimur in vetitum Sin taking occasion by the commandment works in them all manner of concupiscence as the Apostle speaks and the more they are restrained from it the more eager and violent they are upon it There are some which let the Ministers and servants of God say what they please yet they are resolved to do what they list and the more they abound in admonition the more do these abound in transgression and purpose to do so still But this is a fearful perverting of Gods gracious dealings with us in such opportunities as these are and such as where we are guilty of it will highly aggravate our sins upon us which we should therefore especially beware of And further observe how this counsel of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh it is indefinite and given to all sorts of persons not only to Monks and Eremites as Luther observes upon the place but to all ranks and conditions of men and as he particularly instances in to Magistrates who then put this counsel in practise when they are conscionable in the discharge of their places and careful to close with those opportunities of doing good which in those relations are afforded unto them when they watch over the temptations of their callings and the snares which they are subject unto from the corruption of men which is in them without better heed and regard to their hearts c. And so now I have done with this clause in the first acception of it viz. as it may be taken Imperatively and by way of Prohibition as denoting a Christians Duty Do not in any case fulfill the lusts of the flesh The second is as it may be taken Indicatively and Declaratively by way of Promise as shewing a Christians Priviledg which belongs to him upon his walking in the Spirit and that is that he shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh In the handling of which words in this sense we may take notice of two Particulars more First of somewhat which is implied and secondly of somewhat which is exprest That which is implied is this that it is a great priviledg and advantage to be freed and exempted from the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh that which is exprest is this That those which are careful and industrious to walk in the Spirit they shall be made partakers of this priviledg and advantage I begin with the First namely with that which is implied That it is a great priviledg and advantage to be freed from the fulfillingof the lusts of the flesh This I gather from the scope of the words and the Apostles intent in the bringing of them in here in this place and that is to perswade the people of God to this duty of walking in the Spirit from the benefit that shoul come to them thereby We must look upon the Apostle as here speaking somewhat extraordinary when he tells them that it shall be thus and thus with them he does not simply tell it them but he tells it them as some encouragement to them which accordingly he would have them to observe and take notice of and so should we also do with them and this is that which we should take notice of That there is a great deal of benefit and advantage herein to be exempted from the fulfilling of lusts What 's the benefit of it it's manifold and various I 'le instance in one or two Particulars First Liberty and freedom of spirit that has always been counted a great advantage And so it is To be free and not subject to the tyranny of dominion of enemies why this now is the happiness of that man which does not fulfil the lusts of the flesh He is a free-man and to speak the truth there is none other which is so but he Take any other man besides which walks in base and filthy courses and he is a very vassal and slave he is in thraldom and subjection to Satan by whom he is led into captivity according to his will 2 Tim. 2. ult And Satan he 's an absolute tyrant which will be sure to exact the utmost upon those which are made subject to him He is the spirit that rules in the children of disobedience but those which have got power over their lusts they are freed from this slavery and bondage Satan hath now no more part or share in them A second Benefit is peace with God quiet and tranquillity of Conscience This is another thing that follows hereupon Those that follow the by as of their corruptions they cannot so easily or fully be assured of the love and favour of God himself towards them which will be apt to be very much darkened and obscured thereby But now those that resist and overcome them they have this a great deal more certified and confirmed unto them They have more quiet and peace and serenity in their own breasts and spirits than otherwise they would be likely to have Thirdly More expediteness
All things disparaged in comparison of the one thing necessary 51 58 59 To chuse the one thing necessary an argument of four things 55 Natural ability See free-will and free-grace What it may what it cannot do 155 Pelaginas confuted 166 Natural condition A miserable condition 159 160 O Ordinances Touching those who are without Gospel-ordinances 9 Whence their efficacy arises 31 P Pharisee What their righteousness was 1 Touching Pharisaical righteousness See Rightousness Prodigies and signs 266 Punishments Degrees of punishments 4 Peace What peace Christs death obtains 275 What it implies 406 Patience Of God 29 Why God bears long Ibid Pride How it discovers it self 39 430 Proveing How taken 385 Prayer Satan sometimes prays 65 Comfort when we cannot pray See Comfort VVhy Christ prayed although he could do all things without it 72 Incouragement to it 446 Papist And Jew wherein a like 266 Transubstantiation 267 269 Against their Tradition 339 Perseverance True Christians shall persevere 76 87 369 See Grace Persevere in two things 103 Helps to it Ibid VVhence the opinion of falling away arises 369 Motives to it 408 Providence Our ignorance touching Providence twofold 111 The intricacies of Providence and the reason thereof 112 Not for us to foretell its future events 113 VVhat in Providence God will at last make manifest 114 The properties of Gods Providence Ibid. VVhen God will vindicate his Providence 115 Prophesie See Enthusiasts Not for its to foretell future events of Providence 174 213 Imagainary Revelations censured 337 Opposers of Christs prophetical office 436 Perswading How taken 305 Preaching How men come to count it foolishness 261 VVhat it is 261 337 VVhence its efficacy arises 261 VVhy it profits not without faith 263 Directions touching it 270 271 298 350 274 278 437 382 301 VVhat it is to preach Christ crucified 276 VVhence it becomes unprofitable 263 279 280 Parents Duty to their Children 266 R Pighteousness OF Scribeds and Pharisees what 12 Defectiveness of the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees 3 10 The Principles of Pharisaical righteousness 3 VVhy Pharisaical righteousness cannot bring to Heaven Ibid. Pharisaical righteousness in a sense worse than notorious sins 4 Civil righteousness commended 5 The righteousness exceeding that of Scribes and Pharisees Ibid. Moral righteousness not meritorious of saving-grave 11 Reproof How to be administred 41 46 The best of Christians ought to be reproved 41 Cautions to be observed in reproving a good man 42 Riches Their vanity 25 Resurrection VVhy Christ is so called 144 Religion The one thing necessary 47 Motives to diligence in it See Diligence VVhat required unto being acceptably religous 56 VVhence staggering in it arises Ibid. Religion justified 59 47 91 VVhat in it chiefly to be minded 296 Relations VVhence discord between nearest relations especially arises 53 Comfort under the loss of them 132 450 Reason The impotency of humane reason 90 91 112 173 254 255 259 269 How it discovers God 133 A check to the Contemners of it 269 Rehearsed In Scripture of the same words what it implies 341 Repentance How the goodness of God leads unto it how not 353 Reward Touching it 423 S Scribes Their office 1 Stumling-block 281 Satan Why he most tempts the godly and those especially most godly 62 Why most of all be iempts Ministers 64 His winnowings what 67 Sincerity A double effect of it 101 Sinner In what respects a fool 19 His danger and misery in this life 24 426 His ignorance 90 Incouragement ot prosligate sinners to repent 108 His impotency 163 Different sinners have their different corruptions whence it is 265 Why God bestows many good things on them and bears long with them 347 How without God in the world 426 Spirit Of God why compared to wind 85 How to get its supplies 168 What it is to walk in it See Walk How it witnesseth the Truth of Scripture 435 Scepticism The danger of it 266 Scandal VVhat it is implied 281 Lords-Supper What eating and drinking damnation signifies 282 Sin An umprofitable thing in what respects 356 Whence men come to be ashamed of it 359 Its aggravations 422 Its heinous nature discovered 442 How men sin against the blood of Christ 443 Speaking A threefold speaking 411 Security The danger of it 416 417 Salvation A Christians certainty of it 433 In what sense it 's said a Child of God cannot sin 325 T Thoughts Vanity of them 18 The evil of distraction in them 45 50 Causes of distraction in them 45 52 Remedies against their distraction 45 52 Taking freely what it imports 458 Temptations Why Satan must tempts the godly and those especially most godly 62 Why he most of all tempts Ministers 64 Support under Temptation 65 72 75 79 87 Walk against them 66 74 Why God suffers his to fall into them 73 How faith helps under them 75 Whence Christians come to recover out of them 78 The evil that comes by them 80 The good that comes by them 62 Time What knowledg of the times concerns us what not 113 130 171 What times it 's not fur us to know 169 Terrors Of the Lord what 303 Thirst spiritual what it implies 455 The excellency of spiritual thirst 456 Teason Gun-powder Treason 317 Truth How taken in Scripture 328 Toleration Against universal toleration 337 Tradition When equalized with Scripture condenned 339 V Vanity OF Thoughts See Thoughts Unity Among Christians 408 409 Bounded 409 Unbelief The hainousness of it 436 Voice of Christ in the Ministry the voice of the spirit in the conscience and the voice of the spirit in the Spouse to be heard 453 454 W Way Incourage any coming on in the Ways of God why 14 Word Ingemindation of words its end 41 60 World Take heed of worldly-mindedness See Mind Why continued 106 How taken in Scripture 152 Watch. Against temptation why 66 67 Motives to it 418 Work How Christ helps to the performance of a good work 164 Good works in what respects disparaged 156 Wisdom Humance in what respects disparaged 156 Walk To walk in the spirit what 372 373 What it implies 374 400 How walking in it secures against sin 380 Touching a Christians rule to walk by 403 404 Water of life what understood by it 456 What understood by Whosoever will let him take of the water of life Y Youth Motives to early Godliness 52 Good education a great blessing 266 Z Zeal How Christians come to decay in it 421 FINIS