indeede Did ever any or can ever any attaine to this perfection Answ. This question brings us to the explication of the fourth thing in the Text How a man may be said to be blamelesse in spirit soule and body in this life Whereto we say No man ever attained to this unblameable perfection of degrees in this life except the first Adam in his innocency and the second Adam who had sanctification in all parts and degrees for Paul a most holy man after regeneration confesseth how farre hee was from perfection Rom. 7. and Phil. 3. But a man regenerate may be said to be blamelesse and throughly renewed 1. In respect of his relation with Christ his head who is made to him sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and in whom hee is perfectly holy and unblameable Ezek. 16.14 Thy Beauty was made perfect by my Beauty 2. In respect of open and grosse crimes which might impeach the honour of his profession so Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods ordinances without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so did Samuel and Iob and other holy men For though no man can be without sinne yet a man may be without crime when after his conversion hee carries himselfe so uprightly as he cannot be noted for any reigning sinne before men 3. In respect of Christian indeavour and inchoation when the beleever labours and aymes at full sanctification in all his faculties and parts for sanctification produceth holy motions in the soule and holy actions in the body See it 1. In the spirit 1. In the soule First the spirit i. the minde and understanding of a sanctified man is indued with a sound and distinct knowledge of heavenly things and he still indeavours to a further measure Psal. 119.33 34. Teach mee give mee understanding c. Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome not to others And it is joyned with a speciall faith applying the promises which maketh his person and worke acceptable Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Vnder the spirit include the conscience in the purging of which the beleever striveth and loseth not his labour For 1. it is a tender conscience and remorsefull for sinne 2 Chron. 34.27 Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law 2. It is calme and peaceable it blameth not nor accuseth seth it selfe but giveth good witnesse first that the person may be assured of his reconciliation with God Rom. 5.12 and 8.36 And secondly that he walketh with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimony of a good conscience that in simplicity and good sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world 1 Ioh. 3.21 If our heart condemne us not we have boldnesse with God The second faculty called the soule here includeth the will and affections in both which this worke of sanctification is begunne and increased 1. In the will when being renewed it is now subject and pliable to God in all things Rom. 7.18 To will now is present with mee not onely in doing but in suffering as 1 Pet. 4.9 in suffering it can commit the soule to God in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour 2. In the affections herein is a change being guided and carried by the minde and will renewed His love is not the olde carnall love of himselfe and the world but a new affection Love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 His hatred which was against God and his Saints is now against the haters of God and things which God hates Psal. 139.21 His joy which was sensuall and earthly is now delightfull in doing the will of God yea in suffering it Rom. 5.3 We rejoyce in tribulation His sorrow which was for worldly losses crosses c. is now for sinne and for the afflictions of Gods people His delights which were in carnall profits pleasures corne wine or prosecuting his lusts are now in Gods countenance in Gods Law in Gods house in Gods Ordinances the Word and Sacraments and in Gods children above all persons as those that are excellent on earth His desires are answerable what ever his former desires were now he desires the presence of God the pleasing of God pardon of sinne softnesse of heart the constant fruition of the meanes of salvation with a blessed successe of them Hee desires the prosperity of Zion the salvation of the Israel of God and the comming of Iesus Christ to his full redemption Thus we see how a sanctified man profiteth and prospereth in the whole inner man But fire within will breake out and so will grace which is like fire and the body shall be a weapon of righteousnesse his outward actions shall be done in an holy manner his whole life is changed 1. For the matter of his actions Gods word is the rule of them all Psal. 119.35 Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight 2. For the manner they are done first in humility Mich. 6.8 Walke humbly with thy God Luke 17.10 Say thou art an unprofitable servant Secondly in sincerity without guile of spirit Psal. 32.2 Thirdly with cheerefulnesse delighting greatly in his commandements Psal. 112.1 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man wisheth in his heart The Lord loves a cheerefull giver Fourthly with courage and stoutnesse Dan. 3.17 We are not carefull â—f this matter our God whom we serve will deliver us Acts 4.19 Peter and Iohn said to the Rulers Whether it be meet to obey God or men judge yee Gal. 2.11 I withstood him to his face 3. For the end first hee will approove his heart to God and lookes not so much to men for his praise is not of man but of God Secondly hee desires to please God in that hee doth Acts 11.23 wâ—th fall purpose of heart cleave unto God Thirdly he doth not good things for his private ends as ease profit credit but even against all these if he be called thereunto The 4. respect in which a beleever may be called unblameable even in this life is in Gods account and gracious acceptation Where himselfe workes and sees such beginnings proceedings and indeavours it is accepted as perfection by meanes of Christs merit promise and intercession Thus Paul saith Rom. 7.17 It is not I that doe evill Whence our Lord pronounceth of his Church that she is all faire and that no spot is in her 5. In respect of that perfect sanctification in all degrees which is growing unto and shall attaine in the day of Christs second comming when every beleever shall be free from all blame and staine and set into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God which now they have onely in desire in in faith in promise in an earnest and inchoation the Lord mercifully accepting them for that they are growing unto And thus we have expounded this worthy petition of the Apostle The summe and substance whereof is this
And then we glorifie God in our bodies First when we consecrate them to his service leading an holy and godly life that as he is holy we be also holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.11 Ephes. 1.4.6 to be holy to the praise of the glory of his grace Secondly when wee outwardly acknowledge and publish the glory and majesty of God offering him the calves of our lippes the sacrifices of praise and telling what hee hath done for our soules Psal. 50.23 he that praiseth me glorifieth me Thirdly when by our holy conversation wee invite others to glorifie God when men seeing our good workes glorifie our heavenly Father Matth. 5.16 And the reasons of the precept are strong 1. Our bodies they are his by creation redemption and preservation and should not every workmanship serve to the use of the workeman should not the thing bought with a deare price be usefull to the buyer 2. They are not onely his but his Temples The law of nature commands the Temples of God to be kept pure and cleane the Heathens would with great charge decke the Temples of their gods though some that would goe for Christians care not how Gods house lieth their kitchins and stables shall lie handsomer than Gods house if they can hinder it in themselves or others Now our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost and where should God be glorified and praised and receive oblations but in his owne Temple 3. To sinne against our owne bodies is to commit sacriledge against the house of God and profanely to spoile Gods Temple of the holy treasures and vessells that were laid up in it And he that destroyes the Temple of God him will God destroy and one way or other will the Lord testifie his wrath against his owne sacred Temple so profaned Christ will whippe buyers and sellers out of his Temple and if they returne hee will overthrow the Temple it selfe and a stone shall not be left upon a stone How suffered the Lord Ierusalem the holy City to be burnt the Arke the most holy place to be carried captive when they were profaned Doe thou robbe God of that glory which he expecteth in the Temple of thy body his hand will be against thee in severity And as the more holy the place profaned the more wrath brake out so the more profession of holinesse thou makest if thou glorifie not God in body and spirit the more severe shall bee thy ruine Ierom in an Epistle to Paulinus tells him that from the time of Adrian to Constantine the great those most famous and priviledged places above all other were most profaned and rejected by God So as in the very place of Christs resurrection there was erected an image of Iupiter On the hill where the Crosse was set up was erected a marble statue for Venus goddesse of lust In Bethlem famous for Christs birth was set the grove of Adonis where the women at a set time every yeare were wont to lament Adonis the Parramour of Venus Even these places of the resurrection of Christ of his passion and his birth the Lord makes them eye-markes of his judgements If God spare not the most holy places if profaned upholde his glory in the Temple of thy body else his jealousie will not spare thee The second generall rule is in Rom. 6.13 Take heede thou give not up thy members weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne but of righteousnesse to God The Apostle speaketh to those that are regenerate who are said to doe that which Gods grace makes them able to doe And first drawes their eyes backe to the state of nature and corruption in which lately they were while sinne reigned in their mortall bodies to which as to an Emperour 1. they yeelded obedience 2. tooke up weapons that is their owne members and powers of body and minde in the defence of sinne as resolute subjects to that commander Secondly and then drawes them to doe as much now for grace unto which they are called as they did for corruption while they went freely after the motions and commands of sinne Give up your members weapons of righteousnesse The Apostle implies that every regenerate man stands in a pitcht field wherein the Commander or Generall is grace or righteousnesse the quarrell is for God his glory his cause joyned with our salvation the weapons are our owne members which we must give up to righteousnesse That is First we must take new commandements from grace as the souldier depends on the mouth of his Generall for his direction Secondly we must frame to ready obedience be the service never so difficult or dangerous Thirdly stoutly and couragiously fight against sinne as formerly before regeneration we did for sinne and acquit our selves like men And good reason for 1. Kings are maintained and held up in their throne First in peace by the ready obedience of their subjects Secondly in warre by their willingnesse to fight for them If subjects will doe neither of these the King must fall So whatsoever profession we make of grace if thus we withdraw our members from the rule from the quarrell of grace grace is deposed from his reigne and sinne stands in his state and power 2. Weapons and Armes are used in defence of the King and Country and the friends of the King and Country but not against them it is high treason for a subject to take up Armes against his Prince none will doe this against the King or his friends but robbers and common enemies So it high is treason for a man to imploy the members of his body against Grace his Generall and Commander and therefore the Apostle exhorteth us to give up our bodies and members as weapons of righteousnesse being called unto grace let the whole outward man follow the commands of grace Thirdly in our whole course and conversation labour to expresse Gods Image not contenting our selves to get it into our nature onely but also into our conversation Rom. 8.1 Walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Men deceive themselves while they content themselves with a supposed presence of the Spirit while there is no walking after the Spirit which is a going after the Spirit as a guide and leader of their speeches and actions for that man who must be freed from the condemnation of sinne must be freed also from vaine conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 The power of sinne must be beaten downe in the life and vanities of life and pleasure must be suppressed which still thrust in upon them that professe the teaching of grace who sometimes are carried after carnall delights strange apparell lightnesse of carriage dancing gaming and excesse of pleasures which the spirit should have mortified and brought in a cleane contrary course prescribed in the word and exemplified in the examples of the Saints but especially in that unerring patterne Iesus Christ himself who was led by the Spirit in every motion even the least For thinke we that the
thing more necessary than they all 3 That Christ commandeth the care of salvation in the meanes to take place of the care of enterteining his owne person and commendeth it in Mary 4. That these two callings are not contrary but subordinate for a man may have great imployments in the world and not remitt his service to the Lord Christ neither hath any man any allowance in any earthly businesse to be earthly minded 5. That this one thing being neglected all other things are unprofitable For what would the gaine of the whole world profite him that hath lost his owne soule Yea they be vile and lossefull How doth the holy Apostle esteeme of all things losse and dung in comparison of Christ in the meanes All without a mans selfe authoritie wealth favour honor all within himselfe as knowledge wisedome memory discourse profession revelation and the most excellent gifts which the Apostle had had in abundance all is lossfull that helpeth vs not towards heaven And indeed the glorious excellency of Christ in the Gospell is such as should draw all eyes from off these shadowes and vanishing contentments to the surpassing brightnes of it selfe The greater will prove their sinne and shame that shall set the Moone aboue the Sunne of grace or preferre pottage before the blessing the Swine before Christ and very husks before the bread in our Fathers house Now whereas many are convinced more easily that this care of this one thing is necessary on the Sabboth day but there be not a few that put it off with their holy-day clothes and are so farre from the vse of any publicke meanes in the weeke day as that they are ready to say of such as preach or heare a weekes Lecture as Pharoah of Moses and the Isralites desiring to goe into the wildernesse to worship Moses and Aaron why cause ye the people to cease from their worke get you to your worke to your callings much people are in the land and ye make them idle Therefore partly to stoppe such prophane mouthes and partly to satisfie the inquisition of others I shall not thinke much to give a word of direction in this particular onely ayming to advance this holy care which ought never to be laid aside but must runne through and quicken all the actions of our lives one day as well as another as the blood runnes in all the veines of the body to mainteine the life and vitall spirits in every member And first that we may make no more sins then God hath made nor by men where God hath left them free wee make it not a case of necessity either for a Minister to preach or for a people to heare a weekes Lecture for which we have no such expresse commandement as for frequenting the publicke exercises on the Sabboth day Yea we affirme that all men must ordinarily abide in their ordinary callings in the six dayes according to that commandement Six dayes shalt thou labour and that some men are more straitly tyed to sticke close to their callings as who can very hardly afford the time for a publicke exercise without disabling thēselves wronging their families But yet as the commandement on one side doth not so enjoine rest on the Sabboth as that on no occasion we may labour So on the other doth it not straitely enioyne labour on the six dayes as that on no occasion we may rest and refresh our selves Nay it was never the Lords intention to allow us the six dayes for our owne worke so as in any of them his owne worship at least private should be neglected Neither are we freed from the service of God on any of the sixe dayes no more than on the Sabboth because we must serve him on the Sabboth in duties of Religion and mercy onely So as when God is pleased to offer the opportunitie as where a willing Pastor calleth his people or a willing people ready to redeeme sometime in the weeke day calleth their Pastour to bestowe his paines for an houre or two in the weeke to so good a purpose as to heare Gods word and invocate his name in prayer and prayses I conceive it not onely lawfull but commendable and in some cases necessary for the people to heare For 1. That it is lawfull for the preacher to preach on the weeke day is not onely warranted by that vehement charge enjoyning him to preach the word to be instant in season and out of season but also by the practise of Christ himselfe who taught daily in the Temple Had it been unlawfull for us Christ would not have given us such an example which although it be not a law to bind us yet it is allowance upon just occasion Agreeable to whose example was the practise of his Apostles Yea of the Auncient Fathers themselves Chrysostome usually begins his Homilies with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday we handled c. Bernard often concludes with his cras to morrow we will goe forward And most worthy Calvin ordinarily beginnes with his heri yesterday c. And how can wee grace their persons so much if we disgrace their practise 2. That it is lawfull for a people to heare on the weeke day is manifest in that all the people hanged on Christ daily teaching in the Temple and a great number continued with him three dayes together and spent some good time in comming and going It is plaine also that it was not the Sabboth when Mary satt downe to heare Christs gracious words being as is observed by Divines the sixt day before his death 2. If this practise was commendable in auncient beleevers how can it be but praise-worthy in us But the beleevers in the Primitive Church were commended for that they continued with one accord daily in the Temple Why Had they nothing else to doe Had they no callings no families no businesse to intend Certainely the spirit of God askes no such questions but speakes to their singular praise and approbation It is also recorded to the high prayse of the Gentiles that they besought Paul and Barnabas who had taught them the Sabboth day that they would preach the same wordes unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is betwixt that and the Sabboth following And that the Apostles did so according to their desire appeares in the next verse 43. Now who dare blame this desire in them which the spirit of God commendeth Or whence is it that what was praise worthy in them should be blame worthy and scorned amongst us 3. In some cases it may become so necessary as it shall proue a fearefull sinne to neglect this publike help on the weeke day As where a people are unprovided of an able and preaching Ministry on the Sabboth day I suppose none so unreasonable as to deny it necessary for them to seeke out and enioy at home or abroad the meanes on the weeke day unlesse we will wholly deny them the meanes
lost Secondly other graces serve to the well-being or comfort of a Christian as sense of Gods favour peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost alacrity in good duties sense and feeling of comfort in that estate these and the like may be quite lost David himselfe may pray Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Psal. 51.12 Againe for the kindes of graces wee are to know that some are true saving graces as faith love zeale c. which are given to such as are effectually called fruites of the Spirit proper to the elect springing only in their gardens these cannot be wholly quenched although where these be the Spirit may be sore grieved as by Sampson David Peter Other graces are excellent but common not saving not sanctifying tending more to others good than their salvation that have them such as are historicall faith justice chastity temperance these and many the like may be quite quenched and never remembred As wee see in Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul namely which had beene present with him in many common graces and the evill spirit came upon him and in Iudas who had many excellent gifts yet it is said of him that the Divell entred into him who never comes but hee makes waste of all grace II. For the degrees of grace they are foure 1. Election 2. Iustification 3. Sanctification 4. Vocation Of these two are wholly laid out of our selves two are within our selves In the two former Election and Iustification a man cannot increase nor yet decay being two simple acts of God once wrought in him by himselfe immediatly and rooted in Christ who being the roote dies not and no more can the living branches in him The two latter because they are wrought mediatly by such outward meanes as are not alwayes alike may receive both increase and decrease A man may fall wholly from his vocation for Many are called but few chosen Matth. 22.14 and from a great measure of sanctification and from the whole comfort of true sanctification seeing nothing in his soule but the presence of corruption yea from many degrees of the soundest graces attending justification and eternall life Yet here some care is preserved in the heart of the elect by the Lord so as all sound grace is not quenched Here the case is as heretofore in the Romans warre if onely the top of the standart were stricken off the standart-bearer holding still the trunchion in his hand lost neither office nor honour but if hee lost the trunchion and suffered that to be beaten out of his hand he lost both So in our Christian warre if all care in the heart be expelled the honour and place of Christianity is lost and then men fall not away from their election but they that were never elected fall away Thus we see the meaning of this precept directed to beleevers who have received the Spirit for fire cannot be quenched but where it is that they should not quench the Spirit that it is not to be meant of an utter extinguishing of saving graces which cannot be but not to suffer any grace to be quenched in the brightnesse measure or degree of it this fire must be so farre from being quite put out that it must not be slackened or lessened it must be so farre from totall quenching as they must not let it decay in part or in any degree of it We come now to the points of instruction that this exposition affoords us The first is this All the godly have the Spirit of God else could he not be quenched this fire cannot be quenched but where it is Rom. 8.9 Ye are in the Spirit because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and If a man have not the Spirit of God the same is not his Hence the godly are called the temples of the holy Ghost in whom he dwelleth as in his temples 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your selves know yee not that the Spirit of God is in you unlesse you be reprobates 1 Ioh. 2.20 Yee have the anoynting which abideth in you Object The Spirit being infinite he is also in the wicked Answ. 1. He is one way in the wicked as in all other things by the infinitenesse of his essence another way in the godly by the presence of his grace and blessed effects 2. Hee is graciously present both with the wicked and godly but the former in common and generall graces the latter in speciall and saving graces In the former hee dwells as in the world for the good of the world and societies of men In the latter hee dwells as in his temples for the perfecting of the blessed communion of Saints both in grace and glory In the one by grace restraining in the other by renewing grace Reasons of the point are these 1. Members must needes have the same Spirit with the head as a branch hath the same sappe with the roote and as every member liveth by the same soule that the head doth This is the Apostles reason Rom. 8.11 The same Spirit that raised up Iesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because his Spirit dwelleth in you 2. Christs promise is that his Spirit should supply his bodily absence Ioh. 16.7 It is meete I goe away else the Comforter shall not come but if I depart I will send him unto you for greater is our comfort in Christs bodily absence then wee could have in his bodily presence wee must not now gaze upon his holy flesh but the blessed merit of it If wee should alwayes corporally see wee could not spiritually beleeve saith Augustine Now Christ hath carried our flesh to heaven and opened the way by his flesh to our flesh in our flesh makes requests and prepareth places for us and supplies that comfort in the meane while by sending out his Spirit to glad our hearts 3. This commeth to passe by Christs effectuall and powerfull prayer Ioh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Now he was heard in all things Ioh. 11.42 But for whom prayeth he Answ. First for the Apostles and then for those that keepe the word and beleeve Ioh. 17.20 He prayeth not for the world verse 9. And for what prayeth he Answ. For a Spirit whom the world knoweth not neither can receive but the elect know him For ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be with you all Ioh. 14.17 4. The manifest accomplishment both of the promise and prayer proveth that the regenerate have the spirit of Christ in them Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Christs intercession is not a forcelesse prayer but according to his promise he sends out the Spirit which sending forth is not by change of place but by manifesting his operation in the gifts
of illumination faith regeneration heavenly life sense and motion and for the most part they are never more comforted than when they are most afflicted which argueth a spirituall and inward Comforter whose joy the world cannot take away This puts beleevers in minde of their honourable and happy estate who are become temples of the holy Ghost who never comes but with a full horne and hand of blessing The Centurion thought himselfe unworthy that Christ in his base estate should come in his house How much more unworthy are wee that this spirit of glory should come into our hearts See hereby what account is to be made of a poore Christian let his outside be never so base yet he is so glorious within as God himselfe delights to dwell in him As we make much even of a wooden coffer that is filled with golde and pearles and precious things And if wee make so much of a man that beares about him a reasonable soule and because hee hath Gods image on him how much more should we make of a Christian because of Gods Spirit What a shame is it to thinke highly of a man for land in the field for oxen in his stall for money in his chest and not for graces yea the spirit of God in his heart what a heavy judgement hangs over them who account these the very offscouring of the world against whom the very Pagans and Heathens shall rise up in judgement who whensoever they spoyled Christians yet spared their Temples because of the honour of God but these destroy the temples of the holy Ghost and God will destroy them 1 Cor. 3.17 Againe this serves for the comfort of poore Christians Art thou contemned God hath more honoured thee than the world can disgrace thee Art thou in prison Behold thou hast the God of liberty with thee yea in thee Art thou in banishment What care where thou dwellest while God dwells in thee What comfort canst thou want while the Comforter dwells in thy heart Doest thou feare falling away Be not dismayed the spirit of God in thy heart will never shift his dwelling He shall dwell with you for ever Christ commands his Disciples where they finde intertainment not to shift their host much lesse will hee ever shift himselfe where once hee enters but thy heart shall be as the Temple was called Beth-gnolam an house of eternity Thirdly let this teach Christians to looke to their hearts that they may be pure and cleane for so pure a Spirit The uncleane spirit delights in spirituall sluttishnesse and many with the harlot provide their bed and all things deckt for sinne and Satan In one end he findes a gorge of drunkennesse in another a wardrobe of pride in another a stewes of uncleannesse and there he inhabiteth and solaceth himselfe But Gods spirit is most pure and although he will dwell in a poore and homely house yet it must be pure and cleanly Let us therefore honour this guest with the best roome and fit our hearts for him let us wash this roome with teares sweepe it with repentance beautifie it with holinesse perfume it with prayers decke it with vertues and hang it with sincerity feare not to make it too pure or holy care not for the scoffes of precisenesse When a great Embassadour is sent from a strange Country what care is taken to provide him a fit house and to decke it with fit stuffe beseeming so great a personage Now the holy Spirit is sent as an Embassadour from the great God to thee then prepare thy heart for him sweepe out carnall desires and lusts fill it with good cogitations that it may yeeld him fit entertainment and contentment Lastly this teacheth men to examine their sonneshippe by the presence of the Spirit with them For as the presence of the soule discovereth it selfe by the life so by the life of God and Christ is the presence of the Spirit discovered Many men while they trade in sinne wallow in lusts and become voluntaries to lusts of swearing railing drinking or any foule sinne under the reigne of which they are bondslaves will yet stoutly pleade for themselves Alas we are flesh and blood and what can we doe But know silly man know that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of God thou must be more than flesh and blood or thou art none of Gods For If any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Thou maist as well say thou art no childe of God For if yee be sonnes hee sends his Spirit into your hearts Gal. 4.6 If of Christs body you have Christs spirit deny thy selfe a Christian if sinne must reigne But to returne to the chiefe intent of this use none we see can be assured he is the child of God but by the presence of the Spirit Quest. How shal I know that God hath given mee the spirit of adoption Answ. This question is very necessary though some thinke they cannot know their sonneship others that they neede not and so neglect it For the possibility hereof As hee that hath life in him knoweth hee hath life because he can stirre feele move walke and goe so here also And as for the necessity of it marke what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you namely by his Spirit unlesse ye be reprobates Now the markes of the Spirits dwelling with us are most of them inward not discerned by outward sence as the soule in the body is not seene or felt but discovered by the effects and operations The first is Conviction Ioh. 16.8 When the Spirit shall come hee will reproove the world of sinne And the Spirit of God rebukes sinne in us by working in us 1. sence 2. sorrow for sinne 3. an earnest desire of mercy 4. a loathing and leaving of sinne All which we may see in those converts Acts 2.37 when once the Spirit came They were pricked in their hearts and said Oh what shall we doe to be saved The second is Subjection for the Spirit dwells that is not onely abides but rules and commands and governes as the master of the house and notwithstanding the presence of the flesh still the Spirit hath the upper hand therefore wee must submit our selves to this great housholder here must be agreement in mindes and wills for if an house be divided against it selfe it cannot stand 2 Cor. 10.5 The worke of the Spirit is to cast downe high things exalted against grace and to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ by working selfe-deniall and a willingnesse to undertake whatsoever the word suggests and a constant delight in the law of God The third is Direction Ier. 31.31 the spirit of God writes the law in the hearts of beleevers and so brings in a new light and yet more Iohn 16.13 Hee shall leade you into all truth hee saith not onely This is the way
Satan if he cannot hinder us of our inheritance will surely give us as little peace in the way as he can and therefore hee will and doth often terrifie Gods people with hellish temptations with which he brings them so low that they see nothing lesse than peace of heart sometimes they be as men in a swone who live and yet know not they doe live Therefore how had wee need keepe on our armour to keepe our peace 4. Doe all duties sincerely and uprightly Marke and behold the upright man his end is peace Psal. 37.37 Be it never so weakely or imperfectly yet doe things uprightly humbly in respect of thy selfe and heartily in respect of God approving thy selfe to him 5. Suffer all affliction and hard measure joyfully for well-doing and good conscience rather than lose thy peace So did the Saints of God suffer joyfully the spoyling of their goods Heb. 10.34 and so did our owne Martyrs 5. This is a comfort for Gods children as Christ intimates Ioh. 14.27 My peace I give unto you let not you hearts be troubled Their God is a God of peace for the godly heart will say you speake of peace which is the onely portion of Gods people but alas who have lesse peace than they Sure I am will some say I have so many and so great afflictions in the world that I can scarce stand upright under them what may I thinke of my selfe Answ. 1. Is thy expectation of a peace outward in outward things if so where hath God promised thee such a peace without exception of the crosse 2. Is thy lot and portion other than the Disciples of Christ or Christ himselfe had they this outward peace No In the world saith he yee shall have tribulation but in mee ye shall have peace 3. Whatsoever or how great soever thy afflictions be thou hast the God of peace with thee and for thee yea and in thee and shalt not want a strengh to deliver thee out of all Object Yea but were my trialls onely outward from the world I could rejoyce but Satan molests me and disquiets the peace of my conscience by such strong and violent temptations as wound my soule and by such motions and thoughts as seeme to be brought out of the bottome of hell Answ. 1. Let not thy heart be troubled thou maist be at peace that Satan is thy enemy thou art not yet in his power 2. Thou maist have peace that thou seest and sorrowest for the uglinesse of these temptations and outstandest the violence of them thus they shal be thy exercise but not thy sinne 3. Thou hast a God of peace whom thou servest this God of peace will shortly tread Satan under thy feete Rom. 16.20 Object But neither the world nor the Divell could hurt me without my owne sinne but that which grieves my heart my owne sinnes doe daily disturbe my peace and grow to such a number and strength that I doubt I shall lose it quite Answ. Sinne indeede is the great trouble-house and enemy to peace But 1. know this to thy comfort that no sinne shall destroy peace but that sinne which hath peace 2. Consider that of the Prophet Esay 54.10 The mountaines may fall but Gods covenant of peace shall stand This God of peace hath made an everlasting covenant of peace and that must stand Lastly if God be the God of peace then godlinesse makes not any man unpeaceable or turbulent though the world condemne the godly as authours of dissention and the world would be quiet were it not for them But indeede the cause that they are unpeaceable in the worlds eye is because they will not lose their peace nor offend the God of peace nor exchange the peace of God and good conscience with the peace of the world But let such as love this God of peace labour to shew themselves sonnes of peace and shew this worke of God in their love of peace to which they are called Col. 3.15 shunning as rockes brawlings and contentions and fury and fiery affections with all pevish and sowre behaviours And if for not running with the world and for standing for the peace of God they shall bee accounted unpeaceable the God of peace will justifie them and they shall take their enemies booke of accusation and binde it on their shoulders and weare it as a crown on their heads Iob 31.36 Now to the petition 1. For full sanctification 2. For finall sanctification The former is set downe 1. In generall sanctifie you throughout 2. In speciall enumeration of parts spirit soule and body blamelesse For the meaning of the words we are to search and finde out foure things 1. What is this sanctification prayed for 2. What it is to be sanctified throughout 3. What be these parts enumerated spirit soule and body 4. How the Christian in all these parts may be kept blamelesse For the first Sanctification is the abolition of our naturall corruption and the renovation of Gods image in beleevers by the Spirit of God begun by grace in this life and perfected by glory in the life to come Here wee have foure things to be further explained First the Authour of this grace God himselfe Levit. 20.8 I am the Lord that sanctifieth thee And especially or more immediatly the Spirit of God whose peculiar worke it is 1 Cor. 6.11 and therefore hee is called the Spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 and it selfe the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2.13 1. Because it is an effect of the Spirit who is the immediate worker of it 2. Because it is a signe and note of the Spirits presence even as the beames argue the presence of the Sunne And good reason for 1. in the beginning of this worke man is meerely passive for what can a dead man doe to his owne quickning and raising Eph. 2.1 2. Who can repaire nature depraved but the Authour of nature who can bring backe Gods image but he that at first made man in it This is to be borne of God and who begets the childe but the father 3. Our Apostle goes to God for it from which Ocean all streams come Secondly the Subject of this grace the elect onely for this worke is peculiar to such as shall attaine the perfection of it in glory It is true there is somewhat like sanctification in the hypocrite and reprobate some work of the Spirit by which they are said to be sanctified Heb. 6.4 and 10.29 But wee must know that sanctification is twofold 1. Externall in outward calling outward profession of Doctrine and administration of the Sacraments the very best of which is generall illumination and some slight reformation and this is common to reprobates 2. Internall a speciall renovation or a change of the whole man raising up the heart to holinesse by which gracious worke the true Christian is separated from all the profane and hypocrites of the world therefore 1 Pet. 1.2 hee calls the beleevers elect
to the sanctification of the Spirit so as this is a sanctification appropriate to the elect Thirdly the forme of sanctification And that is 1. in putting off of corrupt qualities 2. In bringing in new and inherent holinesse which daily changeth the beleever into the image of God as Col. 3.10 Seeing yee have put off the old man with his workes and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him This new quality created in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God whereby they can in some measure truly hate and forsake sinne and truly love the Law of God with an indeavour to keepe it is the very being of sanctification Fourthly the processe of sanctification It is begun in grace here and not perfected till hereafter in glory Which is added 1. to distinguish it from justification which is perfect in one act 2. To note the toughnesse and strong heart of sinne which is slowly weakned here and never here perfectly subdued for in the most perfect the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 3. To shew that the matter of sanctification is to be in perpetuall motion as a living water Hee that is righteous must be righteous still Rev. 22.11 4. To shew that sound holinesse never gives over till it attaine perfection perfection is a fruite of soundnesse in grace The way of the righteous shines more and more untill perfect day Prov. 4.18 For the second What it is to be sanctified throughout Answ. 1. These Thessalonians were already sanctified and therefore the Apostle prayes that they might happily proceede to full sanctification 2. This full sanctification is partly in this life partly in the life to come the Apostle intendeth both the former first as a way to the latter The through sanctification in this life is the imperfect sanctification of parts the other is the perfect sanctification in degrees The former is 1. in respect of the whole rule of sanctification which is the Law of God when a beleever can truly say with David that hee hath respect to all the commandements Psal. 119.6 and 18.22 for all his lawes were before mee and I did not cast away his commandements from me 2. In respect of all sinnes it is a through change from all sinne not a turning out of one sinne into another nor a turning from all sinnes save one as Herod but an hating of all appearance of evills yea of darling and bosome sinnes yea of right eyes and hands Matth. 5.29 3. In respect of all gifts of sanctification which the Spirit gives in part to every beleever not onely knowledge faith love which are eminent but other inferiour also as patience meeknesse temperance peace with every other fruite of sanctification 4. In respect of all the parts of the man in which the Spirit of God putteth forth this noble worke as Cant. 4.1 c. the Church is described to be faire in all parts eyes hayre teeth lippes temples c. the sanctified person must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly perfect The latter i. full and through sanctification in the life to come stands in the perfection of degrees and in these particulars 1. An utter abolishing of sinfull flesh 2. A perfect freedome from all the causes and workes of repentance 3. Perfect and speciall communion with God and Christ and good Angels and elect men 4. Perfection of all graces both in kinde and in measure 5. A perfect exercising of our graces in glory and happinesse And all this our Apostle seemes to ayme at in the last words where he mentions the comming of Christ in which he shall attaine through and full sanctification For the third What be these parts mentioned spirit soule body Answ. 1. Some by Spirit understand the third person in Trinity as Ambrose Some a third part of man But the Scripture speakes but of two namely a body and a soule and Aquinas saith the spirit and the soule differ non secundū essentiam sed potentiam not in essence but as divers faculties Others by the spirit understand the whole man regenerate so farre as hee is opposed to flesh the man considered not according to the parts of nature but according to the parts of grace So Athanasius said Spiritus est donum quod jam per baptismum accepistis the Spirit is the gift of God received in baptisme for keep this gift saith he and both soule and body wil be unblamable This exposition is not unfit yet I take another to be fitter thus It is common in Scripture for our better apprehension of our duty to distinguish those faculties which God hath put in the soule of man that we might take notice of the worke of sanctification in the severall faculties There be two parts of man a soule and a body Of the soule there are two noble faculties under which all the rest are comprehended 1. the spirit 2. the will here called the soule by a Synecdoche of the whole for the part By spirit in this and all places where the spirit and soule are mentioned together is meant that noble and eminent faculty of mans soule called the understanding or minde the Philosophers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader and ruler of all other parts and faculties and the most noble of all Vnder this is the conscience included which being renewed is called also by the name of Spirit Rom. 8.16 The spirit witnesseth to our spirits and Eph. 4.23 Be renewed in the Spirit of your minde 2. The other superiour faculty but not so noble is that whereby we doe will affect or desire that which wee understand and conceive to bee good This they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under which is comprehended the will and affections So these words are used elsewhere Luke 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour 1 Sam. 18.1 The soule of Ionathan was knit to David that is his heart affections desires 3. The body is that part of man which is the house of the soule consisting of flesh bones humours and the like Now then the whole man is sanctified throughout 1. When the minde thoughts cogitations and conscience are pure and holy wisely to think and meditate and guide safely by wise discerning of things profitable and pertinent 2. When the heart affections and desires are rightly composed and given up to the guidance of right and renewed reason when a sound heart and a sound minde meete together 3. When the whole body as the soules instrument is in all the members of it obedient to act and effect good actions according to the dictate of right reason and the command of renewed will when the members are weapons and servants of righteousnesse Or more briefly when the spirit thinkes nothing the will affects nothing the body effects nothing contrary to the will of God For the fourth Quest. Here is perfection of holinesse
his full harvest in perfect sanctification Paul himselfe being justified presently attained not perfection but laboured hard towards it Phil. 3.12 And an inseparable note of a justified person is that he longeth waiteth and sigheth to put off all corruption and misery and to put on fulnesse of grace and glory Rom. 8.23 We that have received the first fruites of the Spirit doe sigh waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our body 2 Cor. 5.4 Wee desire to he cloaâ—hed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life and verse 8. Wee love rather to remoove out of the body and dwell with the Lord. This Doctrine thus prooved unto us serves for the reproofe of sundry sorts of people First those are reprooved who content themselves with some illumination as if it were sanctification For 1. A man may be enlightened may come to a great measure of knowledge in the mysteries of the Gospell and make a profession among the Saints as Iudas and Simon Magus yet his heart and life remaine foule and uncleane 2. Through sanctification is indeede no such thing it is entire as the blood in all veines of the body so is it in all the powers of the soule and every part and member of the body 3. It is not enough to praise a Sermon or speake well of points in Divinity for wee heare the Divell speake well sometime of Christ Marke 1.28 4. Knowledge is either literall without reformation onely enlightening or spirituall enlightening and changing 2 Cor. 3.18 Therefore deceive not thy selfe sanctification begins in the understanding and minde but goes on to renew the thoughts the desires affections speeches and whole life Secondly such are reprooved as thinke civill life to be holinesse and content themselves with it as sanctification the world generally embraceth this shadow for the body and this image and livelesse carkasse for the life and being of sanctification betweene which there is as great difference as betweene a man and an ape 1. Sanctification orders the whole way and every steppe of it by the light of the word for the image of God is renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 Civility goes not so high for the rule but depends on the reputation of men and estimation in the world he would neither be too forward nor yet of no religion It is too strict to take the word with us to guide every word every fashion of apparrell every thought than which what is more free 2. Sanctification is most conversant and chiefly carefull in religious duties which concerne God and his worship and his owne salvation this is the one thing necessary Luke 10. and the good part yet will it not be negligent in the workes of his speciall calling Civility is most in things for the naturall and civill life there is his spirit his soule his body and all and yet he must not be an Atheist he must sometimes doe religious duties but how seldome or how coldly tediously and of custome 3. Sanctification labours against the roote of sinne kills it in the birth blasts it in the budde draines the fountaine and renewes the spirit of the minde the eye of it spares no sinne but avoides the sinnes of the time of the trade his naturall and darling sinnes pluckes out eyes and cuts off hands Civility makes no great matter of the rooted and originall sinne it would stoppe some foule issues but it is loath to meddle with the fountaine it would not be noted for great sinnes foule adultery manifest theft noted lying drunkennesse c. but some gainfull or pleasurable sinne it cannot be without and as for smaller sinnes as idlenesse vaine talking evill speaking gaming lesser oathes and the like hee takes no notice of them nor is ever humbled for them 4. Civility may cover sinne but cures it not it may wrappe a clout on a wound but layes no plaister on it But sanctification is healing as well as cleansing as was shadowed in the Law concerning leprosie which was then pronounced to be cured when the uncleannesse was confessed and went no further 5. Sanctification is busie both to stocke up sin and enlarge the stocke of grace to get more strength against corruption more power to obey God in all things it markes the increase of grace and is thankfull for it it conscionably useth meanes of repairing graces decayed it renewes daily warre against the reigne of sinne and riseth to full sanctification in a most glorious victory and conquest over it Civility lets sinne alone to see if it will die it selfe it is too pittifull to kill it It is afraid of too great a stocke of grace because it is afraid of mortification it knowes a man cannot dye without paine no more can the olde man it observes as little increase as it cares for it holds it no conquest to get victory over secret lusts and so continues a willing slave unto them 6. Sanctification in all the good it doth in all the evill it abstaines hath a pure end and aymeth to please God with the displeasure of men and deniall of his owne corrupt heart will and affections Civility cares more for the offence of such men as in whose favour he would live than the offence of God is more strict in mans lawes than Gods must not displease or deny himselfe hath more care to be thought good than to bee good And thus wee see how civill men who seeme to themselves to outrunne others to heaven are quite out of the way and never set foote in the path of holinesse that leades to happinesse A civill man seemes a sheepe of Christ by his fleece but his liver is rotten Thirdly those are here reprooved who thinke this Doctrine needlesse perhaps impossible they meane not to be Saints till they be dead and never looke after full sanctification till they come to heaven and so they frame their lives as if it were absurd to thinke we could be Saints upon earth But no Saint on earth none in heaven such as shall attaine perfect sanctification in heaven are described to be such as must be written among the living in Ierusalem Esay 4.4 Thou must be such a one as must feele the power of the Spirit renewing thy soule body and spirit by which if thou findest not a mastery of all coruptions yet thou shalt finde a weakening of them all and a desire and indeavour to subdue them all with some successe so as this full sanctification shall be thy ayme and so as it shall come forward every day more than other Lastly those are reprooved who seeme to come to some measure of sanctification but either fall backe or rest in these beginnings caring for no increase in spirituall things There is no comfort at all in such standing for 1. Saving grace is alway growing 2. As covetous men never think they have golde enough so Gods children must and doe thinke they have never grace enough Therefore let us stirre up our selves
By their instructions and exhortations 1 Thess. 5.11 Wherefore exhort and edifie one another One Christian stirres and whets up another by gracious and edifying speech Eph. 4.29 and the lippes of the wise feede many as one sticke kindles another Pro. 13.20 hee that walketh with the wise shall be wise He that is in the Sunne shall be coloured though hee finde it not and he that sits long in a sweete shoppe shall carry away some smell 2. By their prayers making mention one of another wherein were there not much force the Apostles would not with such instance every where call for the prayers of meane Christians that by them they might get increase of holy graces as here after the Text verse 25. Pray for us 3. By their example we are commanded to marke the upright man and behold the just in his proceedings and end for this is a notable meanes to stirre up our selves Psal. 37.37 Heb. 13.7 Remember them which haue the oversight of you whose faith follow considering what hath beene the end of their conuersation Pro. 2.20 Walke in the way of good men sort thy selfe with such as fight against the corruptions of the world V. Meanes Afflictions and corrections in their holy use Heb. 12.10 Hee chasteneth us for our profit that wee may be partakers of his holinesse Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest in thy Law Dan. 11.25 Some that are of understanding shall fall to try others and purge them and make them white Now afflictions doe set forward sanctification sundry wayes 1. When they are as touchstones and set us on the worke of searching and examining our selves Zeph. 2.1 Search your selves search I say before the decree come forth Iosephs brethren could finde out a sinne that was unrepented of many yeares when they were troubled in Egypt So when the mariners in the shippe were troubled for Ionas they went to a narrow search for whom the trouble was Ionas his sinne had not beene found out but for the tempest 2. When they are as bridles to pull us backe from sinne Psal. 119.71 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I doe keepe thy statutes Therefore the Prophet Hosea calls afflictions an hedge of thornes set before Ephraim Hos. 2.6 3. When they are as Vshers to teach us many lessons which wee are loath to get and ready to forget Psal. 119.71 It is good for me to be afflicted that I might learne thy statutes They make a man humble and fit him to be taught for God teacheth the humble And many things which a man will not learne by the vocall word hee shall be taught by this reall word 4. When they are as whetstones to put an edge in our prayers for in afflictions the worst will seeke God diligently Esay 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was on them Hard-hearted Pharaoh while the plague is upon him will begge prayers of Moses Much more will David feeling the hand of God and terrour of conscience for his two sinnes upon his repentance exceede himselfe in holy and fervent prayer Psa. 51.1 and Paul finding the prick in his flesh will pray the Lord thrice that is often and earnestly 5. When they are as fire to purifie the golde and burne up the drosse of their corruptions 1 Pet. 1.7 Yee are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious than golde might be found to your glory and praise Gods flaile purgeth wheate and drives away the chaffe As we doe with our vessells so doth God with his vessells of honour oyle and soyle them but all to make them brighter When is the time for starres to shine but in the darke night so doe graces in the darkest night of adversity Wee see the Meanes Now wee come to the Markes whereby wee may know whether wee grow up to full holinesse or no. These Markes are five The first is Separation if wee finde our selves separated from the profane courses of the world gathered out of the world and dedicated to good and holy services Come out from among them and separate your selves saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you For sanctification consists in three things 1. The imputation of Christs holinesse who of God is made to us sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 His sanctified nature healeth our corrupt nature 2. The infusion of morall holinesse into our natures peculiar to the elect a receiving of his fulnesse by meanes of union 3. Separation from the common courses of the world unto speciall service this is made a marke of such as are made partakers of the divine nature to fly the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 The farther thou gettest thee from the evill fashions of the world the farther thou proceedest in holinesse The second Marke of full holinesse is an Alteration and change in thy selfe both in thy spirit and soule and body 1. The spirit is altered first when the minde having a sound and distinct knowledge in heavenly things and the light of renewing grace doth grow brighter and brighter till perfect day Secondly when the conscience is tender and peaceable as we heard before 2. The soule is altered when the heart the will and affections are ordered as before 3. The body is altered first in respect of the members when the same that the flesh most abused doe most glorifie God in some speciall manner Zachary by his mouth sinned in distrusting God therefore so soone as hee could speake with the same mouth hee glorified him So the woman Luke 7. that had abused her eyes haire and lippes to wantonnesse now takes them from Satan to wash and wipe and kisse her Saviour Christ. So in Bishop Cranmer that hand that subscribed was first burnt Secondly in respect of the outward fashion there will be a change if the body have abused meate and drinke for surfetting and drunkennesse if garments and apparell for pride and wantonnesse if sports and recreations in excesse or for covetousnesse you shall see even in the outward man a checke of all such excesses and a manifestation that they be not the men they were before sanctification Thirdly in respect of the deedes to be done by the body both for matter manner and end as wee heard before The third Marke of full holinesse is sound Affection and singular love of grace which affection where it increaseth holinesse increaseth accordingly This love and measure of it we may know 1. By striving not onely to preserve the measure of holinesse received but to grow daily to the measure that is wanting accounting that as yet he hath not attained Phil 3.12 13 I count not my self that I have attained but one thing I do I presse hard to the marke c. Keepe still in thee a thirst after the water of the well of life and Christ will give it thee freely
not all is well when thou hast gotten grace righteousnesse and holinesse but keepe thy selfe pure for know it is no lesse vertue to keepe grace than to get it Iude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God and againe Keep that thou hast obtained lest another take thy crowne And the rather First because this is the effect of true religion for true religion unspotred and undefiled before God is to keepe a mans selfe blamelesse and unspotted without just crimes in the world and this is to keepe himselfe blamelesse Secondly no part of man can be kept blamelesse without great care and industry Adam in innocency could not keepe himselfe blamelesse as hee was created and much lesse the sonnes of Adam now in corruption No watch is sufficient against that subtill Serpent that windes himselfe into us insensibly every faculty as an eare and every sense as a window lets him into us to come in and spoyle us and therefore it is necessary wee should labour to keepe that we have gotten 3. Excellent and precious things are to be kept most charily mens gold silver jewells and treasures are carefully kept but their lives much more because they are precious unto them But of all treasures our spirits soules and bodies are of most incomparable value nothing so worth keeping as this First what a precious blood was shed for to redeeme them Secondly if these be lost what price can recover them what shall a man give for the recompence Nothing but the blood of Christ tread that under foote nothing can recover it a treasure must be kept most carefully but a godly mans heart is a good treasurie sending out good things A worldlings treasure is without him and that he holds fast but the godly mans treasure is within him he layes hold upon faith and grace in Christ and these hee holdes worth the keeping but for the things of the world they are not worth the keeping in safe custody If they be not kept till the day of Christ they are lost eternally there is no time of keeping them but the present neglect that there is no salvation 4. The necessity of keeping our selves blamelesse is exceeding great 1. If we looke upon our selves in our naturall inclinations to soyle and blacke our selves or whether we looke upon our whole or parts First the whole frame of mans heart is evill the whole naturall spirit imagineth evill continually Gen. 6.5 Secondly and for the parts 1. The conscience is darkened by the blacke darknesse of ignorance and impured by a thousand sinnes of most ugly hue 2. The thoughts which in the day of Gods appearing shall either accuse or excuse Rom. 2.15 are naturally vaine roving and stragling from God 3. The affections which are of great force to good or evill If they be sinfull they are as wings to carry us as slaves to the most barbarous and unnaturall evills and ever pulling us aside to the world and lusts As Cain to hate and murder his innocent brother C ham to lay open his fathers nakednesse Iudas to betray the most righteous Sonne of God But if they bee rightly ordered they are powerfull instruments of excellent duties and as wings to carry us to the high pinnacles of Christianity All excellencies have beene brought out of the strong affections of grace Thirdly Looke upon our selves in the presence of grace the cleanest house will gather soyle if it be not daily swept the brightest vessells take rust if not often scoured and oyled enemies chased will turne head againe trees lopped will grow againe nature expelled returnes againe fire quenched will kindle againe and therefore all watch is little enough Fourthly Looke on our selves in that to which we are called and set apart by grace to be sonnes of God Temples of the Spirit of God mansions for God and Iesus Christ to come into us and suppe with us How carefull are we to cleanse our houses from all filth when we are to give entertainment to an honourable friend whom wee are sure will be ready to pry into every corner as the Lord will surely doe when hee commeth into us This serves to discover the generall errour of men who if they had innocency it selfe could not stand by themselves without watchfulnesse yet can keepe any thing better than themselves their horses their swine cattle their money their wares but very few thinke they neede to be so carefull to keepe themselves They keepe no watch over their thoughts they are free nor over their words words are but winde nor did they ever see their soules and therefore care not to keepe them How carefull are wise men to keepe themselves out of the lurch of the law lest by word or deed they should forfeit any of their outward estate much more their liberty lives c But how carelesse are the same men of keeping themselves out of the lurch of Gods law and out of the actions which forfeit the whole estate of grace the liberty and life of their soules And yet 1. Is not thy charge straighter to keepe thy soule than any thing else 2. Is any thing so exposed to robbers and spoylers so many so vigilant so resolutely bent to mischiefe thee 3. Is any losse so irrecoverable so irrepairable 4. Can any thing thou keepest so fast doe thee good when thou hast lost thy selfe whatsoever thou most carefully keepest else that thou receivest not for thy selfe but for others and wilt thou fondly save all for others with the losse of thy selfe Alas our folly that needes so many warnings and motives for the keeping of our selves Be we incited to keepe our selves blamelesse Wherein observe 1. The generality 2. The time 3. The order 4. The rules First for the generality our Apostle saith the whole man consisting of soule body and the whole spirit soule and body for bonum est ex causis integris malum ex quolibet defectu if any part be blemished the whole is blamed Secondly keepe all or none God will have all or none no polluted part shall get into his presence hee will have no part of a divided man Thirdly the Saints tooke themselves bound to keepe all Above all David will looke to his heart and looke to his thoughts and hee will have an eye to his will I have vowed and will performe and then to his mouth he will keepe that as with a bid and bridle and to his wayes Psal. 39.1 Then he will lift up his hands to the Law and then refraine his feete from every evill way Fourthly The danger of not looking to the whole a thorne in the foote may fester a gangrene in one part is deadly one poyson in the body one part without armour is the ruine of the whole 2. For the time We must now keepe our selves Men thinke they can never be Saints till they come to heaven and professe they cannot bee blamelesse here But our Text saith we must be blamelesse till
the day of Christ Neglect thy selfe for the present and give thy selfe lost for ever sowe now to the flesh and reape corruption 3. The order First the inside spirit and soule and then the body First wash the inside saith our Saviour get faith which is a purifier apprehending Christs righteousnesse for 1. Can wee draw a cleane thing from that which is uncleane Iob 14.4 or sweete fruite from a bitter roote 2. Satan lyeth closest here as a serpent in thickets 3. It is the most compendious way to damme a streame in the fountaine to quench the fire in the sparke else if it live within it will kindle and flame on tinder or tow where the disease begins there must begin the remedie 4. God lookes out of what treasurie good things come if not out of the good treasury of the heart if not from a pure heart if not from faith all is sinne hence the workes of unregenerate men as good in shew and beautifull are rejected because they flow not from a pure fountaine and mites with the heart put to them weigh downe many glorious workes 5. Distinguish thy selfe from the hypocrite he washeth the outside Pilate washeth his hands not his heart as if sinne stucke onely in the fingers ends the harlot wipes her mouth and it was not shee But wee are to know that the Lord is as well angry with intentions and inward impurity as with outward enormities And therefore let us labour to keepe first our spirits and soules and then our bodies unblameable Here we will somewhat largely consider certaine directions for each of them I. Directions for the Spirit First Labour to have a right spirit renewed within thee Psal. 51.10 Now to a right spirit there goe five things 1. Illumination even an heavenly light to discerne and judge aright of things that it may preferre heavenly things before things of earth and out of sound judgement forecast and provide for them first and principally David joynes it with creating a new heart for this is not in nature but a worke of new creating grace The Agent is God alone who gives light to the blinde who takes away the vaile and makes the scales fall from Paules eyes in his conversion The companion is sound conversion 2 Cor. 3.16 the turning of the heart to the Lord and the remooving of the vaile joyned and the signe of it is a base estimation of the world with the profits pleasures and preferments of it the pursuing of which makes most men so blame-worthy in the day of Christ. 2. Poverty of spirit which stands in the sense sorrow shame and hatred of sinne and cannot stand with selfe-wisdome or high-mindednesse or a proud spirit puft up with conceites whom God resists but a contrite spirit is acceptable and the poore in spirit are blessed and blamelesse Matth. 5.3 3. Purity of spirit which is attained by daily bringing in and increasing of the graces of the Spirit as faith love of God sincerity charity mercy meeknesse c. these fruites of the Spirit argue cleannesse of spirit though it were formerly never so foule and blame-worthy Col. 3.12 Decke the minde with graces 4. Spirituall worship Rom. 1.9 Whom I serve in my spirit not bodily formally hypocritically coldly but with my whole heart in sincerity and fervency This fervency is a motion of Gods Spirit inflaming the spirit of the beleever with great love of God and hatred of whatsoever hee hateth And where this spirituall worship stands up in the Spirit downe must Dagon goe and all the idols that men have set up in their hearts downe goes the externall and carnall worship of civill men who what ever they pretend respect not in their spirit the worship and service of God but their owne pleasures ends and praise and that in their most slightly duties 5. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the child of God Rom. 8.16 This testimony is sure when the Spirit of God renewes our spirits and upon firme and unfailing grounds makes us able to call God Father working sound tranquillity in our conscience through our union with Christ boldnesse and confidence towards God fervent love of God constant obedience with other fruites not common or competent to hypocrites This testimony sealeth up our acceptance yea the inheritance of children The spirit that wants any of these is not a right or renewed spirit Secondly labour as Saint Paul did Acts 24.16 for a good conscience before God and before men To a good conscience are required foure things 1. Clearenesse 2. Clearing 3. Peace 4. Watchfulnesse 1. It must be a cleare or pure conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 This is when the conscience is cleared or purged from naturall impurities which the Apostle calls dead workes This purity is not native as it was in the first Adam but acquisite and obtained by the second Adam for the materiall and meritorious cause of the goodnesse of conscience is the blood of Iesus Christ who by the obedience of his death hath freed us from all guilt and punishment of sinne reconciled us to God and become our peace whereby this and all other faculties are purged through faith in his blood Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead workes The companions of this purity of conscience are two First a frameing of conscience to the rule of the word which is a torch-light for the direction of it for the conscience being the eye of the soule must be lightsome not erronious blinde or doubtfull Secondly a studie to preserve the purity and himselfe unspotted before God and man and no man hath purity of conscience that wanteth this care 2. It must be a clearing conscience taking the Masters part against all accusers It selfe is not blamelesse unlesse it can justly pronounce the Master blamelesse And this is First when it beares witnesse concerning our sinnes 1. That there is no sinne we have committed but we have repented the same 2. There is none committed but wee hate it wee purpose against it and keepe a watch that it be never committed any more Secondly when it witnesseth concerning our persons that we are now righteous and justified by faith in Iesus Christ of uncleane blackmores we are washed and made white in his blood and sonnes of God who of an enemy is become a friend and Father to us Thirdly when it witnesseth concerning our graces that as by the former wee are freed from the guilt of sinne so we are now freed from the power of sinne and are no more servants of unrighteousnesse but now our conscience tells us we are in part sanctified that the evill wee doe wee hate and love the good wee doe not and that in the inner man we delight in the Law of God Fourthly when it witnesseth concerning our course and actions that now they are wrought according to God by the warrant of his word and because he hath commanded so to
must delight thy selfe in the Lord which goes beyond love Psal. 37.4 delight thy selfe in the Lord make him thy chiefe seeke God himselfe the peace of God the favour of God the glory of God with most fervent affections Secondly love and affect all things in God and for God and God onely for himselfe thou must love nothing like him much lesse above him and least of all against him in all his creatures in all his actions in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse Psal. 34.8 true love of the word is to love God in his word the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour c. Thirdly get your affections more to heaven than earth as an higher and more noble object Col. 3.2 it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections Set your affections on things above and not on things below that is comparatively for two Masters cannot be served with like affection we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely as being simply good and to be affected and asked whatsoever become of other things but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation as being but conditionally good at the best IIII. Hate the worst things most The worst thing of all is sinne it is simply evill and so is nothing else wee must then hate sinne more than punishment sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory so doth not punishment makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne count nothing so shamefull as that and thy selfe for it feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment because evill of sinne is more evill V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne the righteousnesse of Christ the favour of God and that thy name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10.20 Get Gods image into thy affections frame thy affections to God for matter manner and measure to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth for so doth the man after Gods owne heart First God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand Secondly God loveth his word dearely as himselfe being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes so must thou love the word as God himselfe nothing so dearely nothing in comparison Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word all the day long it is my delight Thirdly God loveth the congregation and assemblies of his people the places of his worship he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob Psal. 87.2 so must thou dearely love his house and the place where his honour dwelleth esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere Fourthly God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image and in imitation of God On the contrary the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred yea his soule abhorres it so must thou avoid and hate every evill way even all the wayes of falshood yea the appearance of evill and the very garment spotted by the flesh 2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men they shall not come into his presence so must we hate the company and society of wicked men Psal. 26.5 3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine Revel 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate 4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men though never so much approved and applauded amongst men so must thou hate the works of them that fall away they must not cleave to thee Psal. 101.3 Thou that lovest the Lord must hate all that is evill Psal. 97.10 VI. Bring thy affections often before God appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them Ioh. 21.15 Lord thou knowest I love thee thou knowest I love thy word thy servants thy house thy glory So Lord thou knowest I feare thee as Ioseph feared to sinne against God and Nehemiah I feare God Lord thou knowest I hate sinne and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure but the measure of all our love to other things is so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo that is above all it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy The word will measure our anger and confine it to a small time the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath it alloweth us to be angry but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it Doe this the rather because our affections must be presented before God one day Now let us examine our selves and try our affections by these rules before named First Aske we our selves what it is wee love or hate whether our affections are set on the right objects and carried towards God or against evill as they ought to be 1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike but to an utter hatred of all sinne none is so bad but hateth some sinnes The prodigall hates covetousnesse The Iew can hate a Samaritane and mixt worship The Pharise can say I thanke God I am no extortioner no adulterer But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne as the lambe hates all wolves and we hate all serpents none excepted The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse to touch none but that defiled onely the body the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man 2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill but out of the love of good to which it is contrary Aske we our selves then whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it for many can dislike many foule evills and yet be farre from good Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it the law of men condemne it rulers punish it shame attends it a gracelesse man can doe it So to love religion love the truth because the law favours it the kingdome embraceth it and for the present it is the safest all this is but pollicie an Atheist can doe it But grace embraceth truth because it is so because the Truth himselfe honoureth promoteth and prospereth it and commendeth it to our love and trust 3. For the manner doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth as he loves not vices for persons sake so hee hates not persons but vices Wee know what workes are hatefull to God but not whose persons belong unto him therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away but
curse but blesse and pray nor walke in their way for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us if we enter not into their way and walke Consider the praise the comfort of all religious duties Yea First that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire Christian perfection is in affection not in action much lesse speculation and contemplation and hence receives his denomination Iob 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisdome All wise and religious walking is included under the affections of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob. Secondly the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action Art thou a Minister whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith love zeale hatred of evill and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them If I had all gifts and want love saith Paul I were nothing knowledge puffeth up but it is love that edifieth Art thou a hearer and wouldest have comfort of hearing what doest thou affect in hearing to censure the Preacher curiously to feede thy judgement or to enable thy discourse this will not doe it But to heare with pure intentions of feeding the soule of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified our affections whetted our obedience bettered and to get the power of godlinesse and the power of the life to come within us all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few Thirdly the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule yea where the action was gloriously performed the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection as in many of the Kings of Israel Such a one did such and such good things but not with all his heart and affection and then all the labour is lost the reward perisheth and thy expectation is frustrate And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect by the sincerity of the affection Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it for First As one disordered affection drawes on another pride begets anger anger begets envie and envie begets hatred and so murther So one good affection begets another love begets feare feare begets humility and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues So good affections beget good actions good actions good habits good habits a good unblamable life Secondly this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts if the matter of our joy love feare desire and delight be God the fruite is internall and eternall this joy none shall take away But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects so they lose both affections and objects Thirdly looke what way we will the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse 1. Looke at God it holds Gods affection to us how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull when we walke in love as he hath loved us when his affections are the rule of ours and so are framed to his will for all his affections flow from his righteous will 2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen from her first love and yet a little sparke was left shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke at least if shee recover her affection And this is our case the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke and holde up our light and peace and the Gospell above all Countries about us surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones which holds life and soule in us and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans for by the blessing of God the body of the kingdome the lawes and doctrine of the kingdome hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke But let us quicken our hatred more for as our first love is in great part gone so if our hatred of evill goe to all is gone God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke 3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances it kindles and keepes in us love feare zeale in his service which is the life of our service and soules and in all these the affection is more respected than the action It holds us fast to the truth What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate what is the truths keeper but love what else but love makes us labour for it suffer for it die for it 4. Strong and earnest affections to God make us profitable to men provokes us to mercy compassion beneficence helpefull to all that neede us 5. It makes us enjoy our selves by patience wee possesse our soules love holds God in possession charity makes us possesse our brethren and patience puts us in possession of our selves Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and leade a man happily to an happy estate 6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God as to become like him when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth nor hate but what hee hateth and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth III. Now after the spirit and soule we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12 Be examples unto others in conversation and in communication the outward man must exercise inward grace First for conversation that is either private or publicke and in both a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation in Gods house thine owne house in thine owne closet and privacy Psal. 101.2 David walked wisely in the midst of his house Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth Gen. 24.63 yea the women must be in such behaviour as becommeth holinesse 2 Tit. 2.3 Rules for conversation are 1. Generall 2. Particular The generall rules are five Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20
Spirit renewes us onely within and not without doth he make us beleeve as Christians and not live as Christians doth the sappe and juice of a tree onely quicken it within and not cause it produce fruites outwardly Thou hast not received the Spirit of Christ if it be not unto thee life unto righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 that is make thee lively and active in all the wayes of godlinesse Faith is not as a light under a bushell therefore shew mee thy faith by thy workes Grace is as a light in a cleare lanterne which from within enlighteneth without Now the rather must we labour for renovation without as well as within 1. Because flesh and blood unrenewed shall not enter into heaven 2. The disorder of the outward man and members argue a sinfull and disordered soule seeing the body is but a servant of the soule and doth nothing but by the Masters direction and appointment an evill eye issueth from an evill minde and a corrupt tongue moveth according to the abundance of the heart 3. No outward deformity is comparable to this of sinne in the members which makes the body to God indeed vile and contemptible as a dead and loathsome corpes is to man Fourthly to keepe the outward man blamelesse beware of all unchastity and impurity of body and on the contrary watch unto chastity and civill honesty 1 Cor. 6.13 The body is not for fornication but for Christ the Lord and the Lord for the body That is the body is ordained for the Lords use and ought to be imployed to his glory And the Lord for the body to redeeme and sanctifie the body as well as the soule and consequently to rule the body and command that as well as the soule being the Lord of the body as well as of the soule And the same Apostle saith the body is a member of Christ as well as the soule Shall I take a member of Christ and make it a member of an harlot verse 15 Can any thing be more opprobrious unto Christ than to transforme him into an harlot Can any thing derogate more from his glory and majesty or be more contrary to his most holy nature Againe Christs body was Gods Temple Ioh. 2.21 Destroy this Temple because the Deity dwelt in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily and of this Temple Salomons Temple was but a type So thy body is Christs Temple in which he dwells by his Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtually Now the light of nature teacheth to preserve Temples pure and cleane but grace much more to preserve spirituall Temples cleane and holy And therefore as Christ when he went into his Fathers Temple made a whip and whipped out buyers and sellers and money-changers who had made his house a denne of theeves so doe thou in Christs Temple which is thine owne body beate it downe and overthrow the wanton and stragling corruptions of it whip out those roving lusts which make the house of Christ as a denne of harlots and filthinesse Coloss. 3.5 Mortifie your earthly members fornication uncleannesse and all inordinate affections Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleannesse let it not once be named as becommeth Saints The fifth Rule Magnifie Christ in thy body both by life and death this was the Apostles care Phil. 1.20 As alwayes so now Christ shall be magnified in my body Thy body is mortall fraile fading yea a vile body Col. 3.21 yet in this body Christ will and must be magnified Quest. How Answ. 1. By keeping the heavenly treasure of the knowledge of God and the attendant graces in these earthly vessels as Paul 2 Cor. 4.7 We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God 2. By holding out the word of life and carrying the name of Christ in an holy undaunted and constant confession and profession in the place where thou livest as Paul did through the world 3. By expressing in this frail body not the doctrine only but the life of Iesus Christ conforming thy selfe to his blessed example in humility holinesse charity piety patience and other vertues that all men may see and say surely this man is a member of Christ he lives the life of Christ he resembles the patterne 4. In this weake body of thine carry about the mortification of Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 4.10 suffer afflictions for the name of Christ and beare in thy body as Paul did the markes of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 fulfill in thy body the rest of the sufferings of Christ carry the badge of a true Disciple yea if God call thee offer up thy body and life a thankfull sacrifice not in life onely but unto death if thereby thou maist magnifie Iesus Christ. Thus did the faithfull Saints and Martyrs offering themselves the sweetest sacrifice of all others Yea our Lord himselfe comming into the world Heb. 10.5 said Burnt offerings thou wouldest not have that is now after the comming of Christ but a body hast thou given me that in this my body I might offer that expiatory sacrifice of all which the other were but shadowes Even so say thou Burnt offerings God calls not for but he hath given me a body to offer unto him and give up unto him in life and death in way not of a Propitiatory but of an Eucharisticall sacrifice of praise thereby to magnifie his name 5. Thou magnifiest him in thy body when thou magnifiest him in his body as when thou admirest the graces of his servants honourest his members delightest in them that excell in vertue helpest and releevest the poore Saints all which he taketh as done to himselfe These are the generall Rules now of the speciall for speciall parts To keepe the severall parts of the body blamelesse the word is plentifull in severall precepts but especially injoynes a strait watch over the senses which are the windowes of the soule But that the discourse may not swell beyond a reasonable proportion I will onely cull out 1. two principall senses and 2. two principall organes and members of the body and give some short rules concerning them and in them we shall see it is no easie thing to keep the body blamelesse neither in them nor in the rest which I must be silent in The two senses are the sight and hearing the senses of discipline and the other two members are the hand and tongue the which being well ordered by the word much blame would be cut off from the lives of men which they now stand guilty of First for the eye to keepe it unblamable We must watch it well for you must know that of all the sciences there is none so quicke a messenger to the heart and soule as the eye by reason whereof it requireth a strait watch God hath given to the eye power to see every thing but cannot looke into it selfe and therefore hee hath given to man understanding that he may looke into himselfe by
Country and nurse of our religion 1630. Luke 12.42 Exod. 5.4 2 Tim. 4.2 Luke 19.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 19.48 Math 15 32. Acts 2 46 Acts 13 42. In tempore sabbatis interiecto Pisc. Vt intra proxime sequens sabbatum exponerentur sibi haec verba Beza Object Answ. Object Answ. Dan. 6.10 Psal. 119.164 Object Answ. Luke 14.5 Matth. 12.11 Psal. 34 1â— Psal. 84.11 What is meant by the Spirit The graces of the Spirit compared to fire Fire of the Spirit how quenched Luke 22.3 Grace quenched in what degrees Doct. 1. The Saints have all the same Spirit 1 Cor. 6.19 The Spirit in the godly and wicked but differently Reason 1 2 3 4 Vse 1. 1 Pet. 4.14 Vse 2. Iohn 14.16 Vse 3. Vse 4. Signes of the Spirits presence 1. Conviction 2. Subiection 3. Direction 4. Sanctification Gal. 5.19 5. Consolation 6. Supplication Doct. 2. The godly must be carefull not to quench the Spirit Reason 1 2 The spirit of God is holy both in his nature and operation 3 To quench the Spirit more damnable than to want him 4 No fall so wofull as to fall from grace Woefull changes in the soule of Gods childe who hath queÌ„ched the Spirit 5 Motions of the Spirit much different in the godly and hypocrite Cant 7. Vse 1. Meanes of quenching the Spirit 1. When we let grace die of it selfe As 1. 2 3 2. When grace is violently smothered 1. By our owne sinnes Gal. 5.17 A burning aguish heate eates out naturall Psal. 39.1 Three sorts of actuall sinnes more violently quench the Spirit 2. By others sinnes 3. When the Spirit is grieved Non solum quâ—ad internam operationem Spiritâ—s effâ—â—â—cem sed et quâ—ad externum Prophetarum ministeriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 vâ—s seq Vse 2. To observe what gifts of the Spirit wee have received Reasons Rules of tryall whether the Spirit be quenched 1. In respect of grace For number For measure 2. In regard of good motions 3. In respect of good duties Rom. 8. 4. In respect of sinne 5. In respect of the worke of Gods Spirit on thy affections Vse 3. Motives to stir up the Spirit of God Means to blow up the Spirit 7. Motions of the Spirit to be observed Motives Prophecy what Parts of Prophecy Donum Propheâ—iae duplex 1. Quod studio meditatione paratum est 2. Quod gratiae extraordinaria spiritus aliquibus donatum est Doct. Every powerfull Ministery must be conscionably embraced Reason 1 Luke 24 32. Acts 14.22 Reas. 2. Acts 20.32 Acts 10 36. Reas. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Meanes to embrace Prophecy Coher Divis. 1 To try what 2 What must bee tryed He said he had spent 22 yeares in tryall of Religions Ioh. 14 6. Mat. 23.6 An ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Tertull. Quod antiquissimum illud vâ—rissimum Doctores non Doctrinam in authoritate posuit Christus Stapl de Authorit Script lib. 3. cap. 7. Veritas non vetuâ—â—as Concil Caerthag August lib. 2. Epist. conâ— Gaudeâ—ium Nen numeranda suffragia sed appendende August in Psal. 39 Rom 13.1.5 Colimus Imperatorem ut hominâ—m a Deâ— seâ—â—â—cum solo Deo â—mmâ—rem Tertul ad Scapulam 3. Who must try all things Rhemists on 1 Ioh 4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 By what wee must try all things The Scriptures the oâ—ely rule of tryall 2 Tim 1 1â— Psal 119 24 Object Answ. Arisâ— Rhet lib. 1 capt 1. Doct. All things to bee beleeved or done are first to bee tryed by the Scriptures Rom. 16.17 Rom. 12.2 Ephes. 5.10 Gal. 6.4 1 Kings 22 22. 2 Cor. 11.13 Verse 14. Rev 9 Swarms of locusts darkning the Sun and eating all the greene things of the earth 1. Simplicity Mat 7 15. Chap 4 6. 2 Profundity Theologia mystica 3. Authority Doctor 1. Angelicus 2. Seraphicus 3. Subtilis 4 Irrefragabilis c. 2 Thess. 2 9. 4. Humility The locusts have faces and haire like women insinuative and flattering 1 Kings 22.15 5. Constancy Causa non poena facit Martyrem Reas. 2. Reason 3. Specie virtutis umbra Reason 4. Vse 1. Protestants implicit faith Motives to bring all things to this tryall 7. False rules of tryall are sixe 1. Corrupt reason 2 Kings 5 12. 1 Cor. 3 18. Reason cannot be a right rule 3 Reas. 2. The way of forefathers Ruth 1.16 17. This can be no sure rule Rules of Scripture concerning imitation of our forefathers 5. 3. Humane Lawes Euseb. hist Eccles. lib. 2 cap. 2. Tertul. in Apolâ—get Humane lawes imperfect rules 4 reasons 4. Crooked and corrupt affections 5. Admiration of mens persons Rom 3 4 6. Successe Eph. 5.3 Vse 2. Matth. 22.29 August de Doctr Christ. lib. 3. cap. 16. Iohn 6.53 2 Tim. 1.3 Keepe the patterne of wholsome words which thou hast heard of mee 1. All sound Doctrine must agree with the analogy of faith Rom. 11.6 2. True Doctrine ioyneth the two Tables together Per Calcatum aiunt perge paâ—rem Sola in hoc genire pietas est esse crudelem Ab hoc usuram eâ—ige quem non sit crimeâ— occidere Ambr. Vide profectum c. Ieron 3. That is the true Doctrine which giveth most glory to God Iohn 17.9 4 All true Doctrine leadeth unto Christ The ambitious word merit not found in the Scripture Acts 14 12. Concil Trident Heb. 3 5 6. 1 Tim 2 5 Rom 8 34 Tit. 2 13 Phil. 2 9 10 5. That is most sound Doctrin which is most contrary to corrupt nature Gal. 5 24 Col. 3 5 Vanus est labor iqui Scripturis Hupenditur â—â—ius de expresso Et verbo Dei nos ipsas Scripturas facessere iubenius et Deum loquentem potius audiemus quam ut ad egena isâ—a elementâ— nos convertamus 2 Cor. 13.5 Luke 10 30. Eph. 2 1. Micah 2 11 6 That is the soundest Doctrine that most soundly comforteth distressed consciences Isay 50 4 1 Pet. 1.8 Verse 5. Psal. 19.12 Psal 129 92. All actions must be done 1. By vertue of a word 2 In Gods presence 3. For Gods glory 1 Cor. 10 30 Every action must be done in due circumstances David sinned in numbring the people how Davids mourning for Absolom culpable 4 reasons Why Dauid refused to drinke the water of Bethelhem 3 reasons Every action must be done by a due agent How Elias did well in calling for fire from heaven and not the Apostles Two Differences Luke 9 45. Matth. 22 39. To love our neighbour as our selves how Mark 2 27. Eph. 5 3. Mat. â—2 36. â— Pet 3.3 4 Eccles. 7 3 Doct. All things must be tryed but onely good things must be held Reason 1. Non minor est virtus quam quarere parta tueri Reas. 2. 3 4 5 Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Rules of holding good 1 Vpon tryall 2 Hold onely good 3. Hold all that is good Matth. 5. 4. Hold chiefly the chiefe good 5. Hold good against with-holders 6. Hold it constantly Meanes of holding that
time hopest thou to finde for his wages hast thou leisure for every thing but to be saved what time wilt thou attaine the end that hast no time for use of the meanes or art thou all body without an immortall soule or is there is no further use of thy soule but to be as salt a while to keepe thy body sweete Is all thy care for a ruinous house and never mindest the tenant within I marvell not to heare our Lord say that it is a very hard thing for a rich man to enter into heaven but I never heard him say that it is impossible for a man to be rich and religious too Object And I saith the poore man can spare no time as the rich may doe I am oppressed with a great charge and must intend my family c But art thou poore and wantest many necessaries there cannot be a stronger motive to attaine this one thing necessary Art thou poore in earthly blessings and wilt thou not therefore be rich in heavenly and spirituall graces Hast thou no house land nor inheritance to rejoyce in Thou shouldst so much the more make Gods testimonies thine heritage for ever and the joy of thy heart 2. It is true men of meaner estates had need be good husbands of their times and estates but yet they must conceive that piety and seeking of God is an enemy to thrift and good husbandry Mary was no bad houswife in sitting downe at the feete of Christ and it was the blot of Marthaes houswifrie that she did not so too Is godlines great gain fearest thou it wil only bring want poverty Must onely that hinder our thrift and prosperitie that hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come and which onely gets blessing on our labours from him who onely gives power to get substance How farre is this from trusting God on his word who hath assured us that whosoever feare him rich or poore they shall want nothing that is good for them By all which that hath been said we may conclude that it is not the strength of any argument made against this holy care but strength of corruption that removes unsetled and unstable mindes from the practise of it This I have set downe for the use and direction of such as heartily desire to be led in the right way and for the incouragement of such as seeke the Lord constantly in his ordinances on all good occasions hoping that it may somewhat confirme them that no blast or objection of prophane persons may either blow them away or weaken their frequent and reverent use of Gods most sacred ordinances And now Christian Reader I commend thee unto God this booke to thy godly use and my selfe unto thy godly prayers Aldermanbury London Novemb. 17. 1630. Thine in Christ THO TAYLOR THE PROGRESSE OF SAINTS TO FVLL HOLINESSE 1 THESSAL 5.19 Quench not the Spirit THE holy Apostle in this Chapter setting downe and enforceing a number of rules for true sanctification addes this also as a principall part of holinesse Not to quench the Spirit Here wee must inquire and finde out 1. What is the Spirit 2. What it is to quench the Spirit I. By the Spirit in Scripture is meant 1. The blessed Spirit of God promised by Christ to be given us Ioh. 14 16. and dwelling in the elect as his owne temples 1 Cor. 6.19 inspiring them with all good thoughts motions and affections 2. The gifts and graces of the Spirit such as wisedome knowledge counsell the feare of the Lord peace joy long-suffering called the fruites of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 So it is said that Iohn Baptist was filled with the Spirit Luk. 1.15 that is the graces of the Spirit 3. The motions of the Spirit in the minde stirring up good desires and purposes Psal. 51.10 Renew a right Spirit within me This is called the leading of the Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God All are here meant even the presence of the Spirit in us for gifts and operations and motions presuppose the presence of the Spirit II. Quench not This is a Metaphor taken from fire which giving heate and light in great measure is quenched or extinguished In which respect the Spirit and his graces are compared to fire Mat. 3.11 So in other respects also 1. Fire enlighteneth darke places so the Spirit is a shining lampe in the darknesse of this world and therefore called the Spirit of Illumination 1 Ioh. 1.5 6. 2. Fire heateth and warmeth yea reviveth and quickeneth so the Spirit warmeth the Christian heart with love of God and of men inflameth it with zeale and makes it burne within us as the Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.32 and he revives us in the wayes of God 3. Fire consumeth straw and stubble so doth the Spirit consume noysome lusts Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit ye shall live 4. Fire purifieth mettalls so the Spirit purgeth the heart from the drosse of sinne seperates pure from impure truth from falshood 1 Cor. 6.11 5. Fire ascendeth upward kindles our sacrifices and makes them also to ascend so the Spirit kindles our prayers and makes us ascend toward heaven in holy affections and holy conversation Againe fire is quenched two wayes First by putting it out quite as by casting water upon it violently extinguishing or smothering of it And secondly by slacking or lessening the heate and light of it when yet some fire remaineth So the Spirit of God and his graces are quenched either when grace is wholly lost which formerly seemed clearely to shine and burne or when grace is lost in part and any grace suffered to decay and die in us Quest. Can grace be wholly quenched or decay where it is Answ. Consider here a twofold distinction first distinguish of persons some are hypocrites or wicked and obstinate sinners who may well lose all the grace that ever they have as Saul and Iudas did who had many excellent graces Some are godly who have received true faith true hope c. and these may lose some fruites and effects of the Spirit by security and as it were slake the heate and light and warmth and comfort of the Spirit but they doe never wholly quench the Spirit for the Spirit abideth in them for ever Ioh. 14.16 And the seede of God remaineth in them 1 Ioh. 3.9 else could it not be an immortall seede as 1 Pet. 1.23 Secondly distinguish of graces both for their kindes and for their degrees I. For the kindes of graces wee are to know first that some graces are of absolute necessitie and serve to the being of a Christian without which salvation cannot be as faith hope and love these maine graces are like the fire of the Sanctuary which never went out these can never be lost quite they may be lessened and decay but can neither wholly nor finally be
but walke in it Isa. 30.21 This note the Apostle give us Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Implying that we are as blinde men before conversion and afterward as children both having neede to be led The fourth is Sanctification and new creation 1 Cor. 6.11 Now you are sanctified by the Spirit of our God both enabling you by mortification to hate evill and quickning you to love that which is good which love is made manifest by the fruits of the Spirit Both are put together Gal. 5.13 Walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh The fifth is sound Consolation for hee is the Comforter 3 wayes 1. Sealing up our adoption and salvation Rom. 8.15 16. therefore called the Seale or Earnest confirming the whole bargaine 2. Strengthening in temptation and spirituall combate for the spirit of God takes our part in the strife betweene the flesh and the spirit 3. Comforting in affliction by peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost which made the Martyrs invincible The sixth is Supplication for hee is called the Spirit of supplication Zech. 12.10 and makes us cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Because 1. hee makes us see our misery 2. he gives us sound knowledge of the excellency of God and his mercies which maketh us fervent in prayer 3. hee lets us see God appeased toward us in his Sonne 4. he propounds the truth of God in his promise who hath said hee will heare us and 5. the merit of Christs intercession to whom the Father denieth nothing By these notes examine thy selfe So much for the first Doctrine we come now to the second which is that Those that have the spirit of God must be carefull not to quench it The Text implies that in the best the Spirit is subject to be quenched where it shines brightest and in the meanest and poorest Christian of the weakest grace much more a small sparke of fire is easily quenched and will decay if it be not blowne up and preserved And the Apostle exhorteth all Heb. 12.15 Let no man fall from the grace of God no man rich nor poore in grace high or low no man not the hypocrite who shall fall from all grace nor the sound Christian who may fall from many degrees and much comfort but is preserved from falling by the feare of falling and a care not to fall for God susteines him inwardly by his preserving grace and outwardly by the word preventing security Therefore Revel 2.25 That thou hast already holde fast till I come And 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heede lest hee fall All which sheweth that the state of grace is lubricus ad lapsum that is slippery and in danger of falling First The Spirit comes not wee say with a wet finger nor without labour and desire he is not powred but upon thirsty grounds nor obtained without much sorrow mortification and cleansing of the heart he will not dwell in a sty nor set up his Temple in the denne of a darke and deceitfull heart Now when a man hath with such difficulty got the Spirit into his soule shall he by quenching him lose his labour suffer so many things in vaine and suddenly cast downe what hee hath beene so long a setting up Shall he be so foolish as to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 Secondly The spirit of God with his graces are the earnest of our salvation 2 Cor. 5.5 The pledge of our inheritance Ephes. 1.14 The chiefe witnesse with our spirits that wee are the children of God Rom. 8.16 By which we call God Abba Father Yea he is that holy Spirit both in his nature being the fountaine of holinesse and in his effect making us holy By whom wee are sealed to the day of our redemption This is a Metaphor taken from Merchants who having bought some choyce commodities doe seale them for their owne to know them againe So the Lord by his spirit sealeth his owne both to distinguish them from others and to set them apart as his owne and also to make their election firme and sure by setting his owne seale and Image upon them Shall we then quench this spirit who alone preserveth our holinesse peace comfort boldnesse with God and assurance of our owne salvation Thirdly To quench the spirit is farre more damnable than to want him altogether for this is Apostasie than which nothing doth more provoke the vengeance of God against men Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull expectation of judgement c. And this the godly themselves can justifie what torture they have in their soules when they have in part quenched the spirit As David roared day and night and his bones consumed Psal. 32.3 4. And Peter went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26. ult And such as now let no sorrow come neere them for their relapses shall finde the more behinde Fourthly Of all falls the fall from grace is most wofull 1. In regard of the good things which are lost even the most precious graces of faith love joy hope to which all earthly wealth is not comparable 2. In regard of the losse and ruine of the soule in such as quite fall away from grace received which is the best thing a man hath and what recompence shall hee give for his lost soule For a man to fall with a milstone about his necke into the bottome of the sea were an easier fall saith our Saviour than thus to fall 4. In regard of the wofull and miserable change in the soule of Gods owne childe who but in part quencheth this blessed spirit As appeareth in these instances 1. Change Whereas the spirit of God was the soule and life and joy of the soule now being quenched but in part he withdrawes himselfe and his presence yea the joy and comfort of his presence that a man shall thinke him quite gone and the joy which upheld the heart in all estates shall now be so cleare gone as if it had never bin there David found this change after his sinne Psal. 51.10 Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within mee therefore in this sence the spirit was gone Againe Restore mee to the joy of thy salvation therefore that also was gone 2. Change Insteed of the power and efficacy of grace all is in a wane and goeth backward the spirit of prayer ceaseth the first love is fallen from zeale decayes watchfulnesse is remitted conscience is cast asleepe the ayde of the spirit greatly lost which when David discerned hee prayed thus Oh stablish mee with thy free Spirit verse 12. 3. Change Gods children shall finde that the spirit once quenched in stead of the lively practise of piety formerly upheld they
are given over to their owne corruptions to commit grosse sinnes which even many civill men would not commit What fearefull sinnes did David moyle himselfe in when the spirit withdrew himselfe the sinnes of adultery carnall pollicy and shifting out of one sinne into another and falling from evill to worse How was Peter given up to lying swearing and forswearing for the time that a Iew might have beene ashamed on him notwithstanding all his former holinesse and gracious confession 4. Change Whereas the spirit being cherished there was a continuall feast in the soule and unspeakable glorious joy now being in part quenched hee brings a racke into the conscience of Gods childe and that conscience which before excused and justified now accuseth and terrifieth the burden of which is so heavie as all the mountaines of the world are light in comparison These terrours of conscience were the deepes out of which David even hopelesse and almost swallowed in the pit of despaire cryed to the Lord Psal. 130.1 5. Change Even the child of God quenching his spirit shall feele the smart and shame of his sinne which shall pursue him and vexe him and hee shall know what it is to exasperate the spirit Davids childe shall dye his daughter shall be defloured Ammon shall be slaine his wives ravished by his owne sonne himselfe driven out of his kingdome by Absolom Oh miserable change by quenching the spirit Fifthly Most men have the spirit of God and some motions but great is the difference betweene a godly man and an hypocrite in the one they are quenched quite in the other for the most part they are cherished and at last perfected As for example First hypocrites have knowledge as well as the godly but they quench it and fight against it therefore all good knowledge quite leaves them in the end but the godly carry their knowledge to heaven with them therefore the one is compared to the light of the Sunne which lasteth all day the other is like a flash of lightning suddenly appearing and suddenly vanishing Secondly hypocrites may be grieved for sin but it is onely and chiefly because of punishment not because of offence and they quench this griefe not willing to torment themselves before the time they runne into merry company and turne off sorrow lest they should disquiet themselves too much with such melancholy whereas the godly nourish godly sorrow and never cease sowing in teares till they reape in joy Thirdly hypocrites pretend great love to God but it is for his goodnesse to them not his goodnesse in himselfe for wages not for service but they utterly quench this love by the love of the world or pleasure or sinne and being grounded on earthly things when they faile it failes If Saul love God for his Kingdome when his kingdome failes his love quaileth too If Iudas love Christ for an Apostles place when that place will not holde him with further credit hee will for gaine betray his Master But the godly love him when he crosseth them and if he kill them they will trust in him much water cannot quench their love Fourthly an hypocrite hath many good motions the worst man living is not without some Balaam hath good desires but covetousnesse quencheth them Saul acknowledgeth his sinne and his sonne David to be better than himselfe but it was a blaze in straw suddenly quenched But the godly for the most part goe from motions to resolutions and so to practise many practises grow to habits and so to perseverance Well is it so such as have any assurance that the spirit is in them must have a speciall watch that they quench him not Then let Christians carefully avoid the meanes of quenching the spirit Quest. Which be they Answ. Three especially I. Fire is quenched when it is suffered to die of it selfe so is the fire of grace quenched 1. whē we use not our graces but let them be idle neither by them procuring glory to God nor good to men As iron let it be as bright as christall cast it by in a corner and not use it it will grow rusty and unprofitable even so will grace And the drowsie Christian though indued with good graces if he waxe idle his heart shall be like Salomons field of the sluggard all overgrowne with mosse and weedes which choake the good seede The health of the body is preserved by exercise so is the health of the soule by the exercise of grace the moth frets the finest garment when it is not worne standing water is sooner frozen than the running streame Secondly as fire dieth of it selfe when wee prepare not or adde not fit matter for the fewell and feede of it so suffer wee our graces to decay when wee neglect such meanes as God hath set apart for the strengthening and confirming of grace the case being with the soule as with the body which is in a continuall decay and needes daily repast or else it dies If a man forbeare his ordinary meales the naturall heate will decay and vigour and health and life and all so will the Christian if hee neglect the word the Sacraments meditation prayer watchfulnesse and the like Thirdly as fire must needes die of it selfe when we take away the fewell by which it should be nourished so is it in the matter of grace looke into the places where the word hath beene powerfully preached but is now removed and see if good things begun be not quite overthrowne and if ordinarily and for the general such people be not more profane than any other Many thinke they can walke many dayes without the strength of a Sermon But it was a miracle that Moses fasted forty dayes and forty nights and let Moses be away but a few dayes he shall surely finde a Calfe made Marke them that absent themselves from the assemblies of Gods people whether they doe not wither or no and fall by little and little into flat Atheisme If thou keepe not thy watch in the Temple if thou look not to the holy lights and fire morning and evening how will the Spirit be kept will thy graces in so great security be still lively While Thomas was absent from the company of the Apostles did hee not lose that manifestation of Christ which might have strengthened his weake and tottering faith and not so onely but grew hee not into a peevish infidelity that hee would not beleeve but upon his owne carnall conditions II. Another meanes of quenching the Spirit that is to be avoided is when the fire of grace is violently smothered by the contrary Sinne is as water to quench the grace of God both our owne and those of others For our owne sinnes First our sinnes of nature doe choake grace for our naturall corruption which the Apostle calls flesh doth ever lust against the Spirit and by reason of this there is never a grace of God in us but it conflicteth and is
they are so freely conferred upon us as David Psal. 116.12 Oh what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards mee 3. To binde us to the more care in dispensing them for the greater our receit is the greater is our Lords expectation 1 Pet. 4.10 Let every man as he hath received a gift minister the same to others as a good steward of the manifold graces of God 4. To enable us to make up our accounts according to the number and measure of our gifts Matth. 25.24 the master observes the number of talents and the servant that received tenne talents must bring in according to tenne Quest. How shall I know if the Spirit be quenched or no Answ. By the application of this observation thou shalt see whether thou art gone forward or backward whether thou hast quenched or cherished the Spirit This examination shall be reduced to five particular heads in respect of 1. Graces 2. Good motions 3. Good duties 4. Sinne and 5. the Spirits worke on thy affections First examine thy selfe in graces received both for number and measure 1. If the Spirit in respect of the number of graces be quenched try thus If a man make no conscience of some points of doctrine or practise which heretofore he hath made conscience of as swearing usurie lying gaming family-duties and the like now the Spirit is quenched hee is like a man who being in decay for matters of the world doth cast off some of his traine So also when a man is not able to feede his understanding and practise as one ignorant about what he may imploy his head and hands A tree being in decay withers first at toppe because it cannot send sappe so farre from home so is the life of grace knowne to be in decay if it feede not all the parts of the Christian course Or to use our owne Metaphor As an aged man appeares by his head his white haires shew a decay of naturall heate and moysture so a Christians falling from right understanding judgement and practise is as white haires and argues a decay of spirituall heate and vigour For preservatives in this case first consider that God expects the number of talents committed unto us Secondly why should wee be like the brute beast which wants the art of numbering why should wee be as the silly bird that layeth twenty egges yet take away all but two she is as well and as painfull for them as for all and all because she wants numbring How can a Christian be so simple as to please himselfe as much with few graces as with many 2. In regard of the measure of graces try thus If a man waver and stagger in that wherein hee hath beene constant still he hath some faith some zeale some patience diligence and other graces but he wants that measure which sometimes he had now though he have an under measure in all yet hath he quenched the spirit Even as an olde man is knowne to be decayed because though hee have his whole number of parts that ever he had yet he hath them not in that measure of vigour as formerly hee had them For preservatives against this decay first consider that the Church of Ephesus is blamed for falling from her first love that degree of carefulnes which once she had Rev. 2.4 Secondly consider that we are commanded in the Scripture to adde grace to grace as dayes are added to our lives 2 Pet. 1.5 6. yea in respect of the measure and strength of grace 2 Tim. 2.1 Thirdly this is remarkable that those whose hearts have once beene heated with the fire of Gods spirit and afterwards have abated doe grow more frozen in iniquity than any other as water once hot is afterward most colde and freezeth hardest Secondly examine thy selfe in regard of good motions If these be lessened the spirit is quenched As for example when thou hast beene moved to heare the word and hast neglected it for some vaine pleasure or some small profit or sometime thou hast a motion to leave thy swearing cursing lying usurie gaming c. Gods spirit did knocke at the doore of thy heart but thou didst shut the doore against him and keptst out that heate which hee would have put into thee this is to quench the spirit Take heede lest failing thus in so necessary duties thou faile of the meanes whereby thou shouldest rise Repent and doe the first workes or else I will come unto thee quickly saith the Lord and remove thy Candlesticke out of his place Rev. 2.5 And againe Matth. 21.43 I say unto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruites thereof Thirdly examine thy selfe in regard of good duties after this manner 1. If in stead of fervency in prayer thou findest thy prayer colde dead remisse formall interrupted with idle and wandering thoughts now the spirit is quenched who makes us cry and stirres up groanes which are unutterable 2. If once comming to the word thou wast wont to finde it sweete and a word of life unto thee but now thou commest with an impenitent heart a slumbering and a sleepy conscience oh certainly the spirit is now quenched who is never so sweete and cheerefull as in the word for he thawes the benummed heart and makes it burne by opening the Scripture A man in a swone if rubbing and Aqua vitae fetch him not againe his soule is gone the same is thy case if the spirit of God do not revive and quicken thee 3. In keeping the Lords Sabboths if sometimes thou couldest account thē thy delight the most comfortable day of the week but now thou formally passest them over not altogether hardened but with colde and heavie motions in confessing sinne in petition in thanksgiving if thou be slow of heart to beleeve heare and meditate in the word by this know that the spirit is quenched in thee who worketh joy and sweetnesse in the heart while it is in the presence of God and societies of the Saints 4. If after the performing of good duties thou hast sometimes found cheerefulnesse strength and good assurance thy selfe refreshed by them and better disposed but now thou findest in thee loathing or discontentment no strength or small comfort know for a certaine that the spirit is quenched some sinne or other is as a cloud hindering the beames of his sweete grace and comfort from thee Psal. 77.2 3. I sought the Lord yet my sore ranne and ceased not my soule refused comfort I did thinke upon God and was troubled I prayed and my Spirit was full of anguish Verse 7. Will hee absent himselfe for ever and will he be favourable no more Consider here what a dead carkasse is without the soule and so is all our service without the spirit Fourthly examine thy selfe in respect of sinne thus 1. If some sinne which was of great burden and weight
not bend the knees of his body to God and the knees of his heart to Satan Yea it is a worshipping of the true God who is a Spirit not in spirit and truth but in spirit and falshood 5. The justice of God is upon such persons for the present if a man give up his body hee commonly gives up the heart to infection and defection And after in the great judgement will judge him according to things done in the body The body is a member of Christ and must not be prostitute to an harlot Object Rom. 14.22 Have faith with thy selfe before God therefore that is enough Answ. By faith in that place the Apostle meanes a perswasion in things indifferent and not the doctrine or practise of religion And the meaning is this If thou beeft in thy selfe perswaded a thing is indifferent use thy liberty to thy selfe have faith with thy selfe but boast not of it to the offence of another and faith is oppressed where it is not expressed Object 1 King 13.6 The man of God prayed in an adulterous Temple so may we if we keepe our hearts to God Answ. The man of God was there 1. At Gods commandement necessarily 2. Not to approove their idolatry but manifestly to improove and exclaime against it 3. God would have him by an externall signe shew his detestation of idolatry he was not forbid to pray but not to eate a morsell of bread there 4. He did not dissemble with idolaters but confessed plainly against idolaters Now all the case is cleane contrary Neither doth the example of Naaman 2 King 5.18.19 any whit serve their turne For 1. hee was but in the beginnings of conversion 2. Hee confesseth it a sinne and beggeth the Prophets prayer against it 3. The Prophet approoveth not the fact but onely dismisseth him with the usuall kinde of salutation and promiseth hee will pray that he be not overtaken Quest. Whether may we bring a childe to be baptized of a Popish Priest Answ. No it is an appearance of evill seeing 1. There is corruption of doctrine 2. Hatefull and hurtfull Ceremonies 3. A profession to embrace that doctrine Their Church is a false Church yet here a man professeth that himselfe and his childe are members of it for Baptisme is a signe of profession 4. It is an hardening to Gods enemies for it makes the Papists boast and say if our Baptisme be good why joyne yee not with our Church 5. We must depart from all fellowship with Antichrist Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people come out of her Quest. If a Popish Minister doe baptise a child must he be rebaptised Answ. No there is a difference betweene going to a Priest at first and new baptisme from one for baptisme once administred if the true forme be kept must not be repeated though there be no ground to seeke it there being an offence both to weake and strong Secondly Zeale of God cannot abide any confusion with idolaters in their idolatrous ceremonies and fashions for communion of rites confoundeth sects as much as communion of apparrell confoundth sexes Whence the Lord himself apointed al his own ceremonies so as in them as well as in doctrine there might be set up a wall of partition betweene the Iewes and all aliens 1. The Heathens almost eate nothing but swines flesh having sacrificed some of the kinde Gods people of all other must abhorre this Levit. 21.5 2. The Heathens reserve portions of their sacrifices therefore there was a speciall law rather to burne with fire the residue of the Paschall Lambe than reserve any whit of it untill next morning Exod. 12.20 3. The Heathens make their pates balde shave the lockes of their beards and make cuttings in their flesh therefore Gods people must not doe so 4. The Heathens set their Temples eastward therefore God will have his set westward ad arcendam idololatriam saith Aquinas to keepe them from idolatry 1 a. 2 ae qu. 3. Nay some Papists themselves as Vasquez say that God chose the forme of an Arke for the testimony of his presence to be contrary to idolaters for never any people did abuse this forme And saith hee hee forbade all images to the Israelites that they might be utterly unlike the Canaanites in theirs Hence 1. the ancient Christians would not set up lights and bayes at their doores though for this they were persecuted as enemies to the Emperour because the Temples and doores of idolaters were wont to be thus garnished 2. Christians refused to celebrate a birth-day because it was a rite and custome of the Heathens 3. The Primitive Church could not endure that any Christian should looke toward Ierusalem praying because they would avoid all shew of Iudaisme Adde hereunto the ancient Fathers who in their severall ages avoided all shew and appearance of conformity with heretickes in their externall ceremonies Tertullian will have no lights in the worship of God because it was mos haereticorum the custome of heretickes than which what more indifferent Doth not the example of Paul shew it to be lawfull enough to continue fasting upon a Saboth day till midnight to heare the word of God yet Augustine thinkes it in his time unlawfull because the Maniches appointed their fast on the Saboth day To omit many things out of Councels why should the true Church of Christ borrow any of the rites of his enemies while they abhorre all her rites fashions Why should hereticks boast that the pure spouse of Christ is not able to serve God without their ceremonies I conclude therfore with Tertullian Wee must neither give any thing to an Idoll nor take any thing from an Idoll Thirdly Christians must abstaine from idolaters in the nearest society which is marriage for this hath a manifest appearance of evill 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally yoked 2 Iohn 10. Receive not such into thy house much lesse into thy heart or bosome Reasons 1. It plainly appeares that a man loves other things in such a wife than piety he never lookes after that 2. How doth hee marry in the Lord who marries the Lords enemie 3. What communion can there be in prayers and other holy meanes of strengthening themselves to Godward 4. It is too true that the Decretalls say oftentimes the company of the wicked corrupts the good and much more such as are more prone to evill Whence the Lord wisheth the Israelites to forbeare marriage with those seven Nations of the Heathens for feare of seduction Exod. 23. And if any thinke himselfe stronger than to be seduced and hope he shall rather win than be wonne let him see his folly in Salomon 1 King 11. and in Ahab who was nought of himselfe but seven times worse because Iezebel provoked him chap. 16.31 Object We have approoved examples of Scripture for such marriages Salmon with Rahab Sampson with the Philistim Booz with Ruth Salomon with Pharaohs daughter and David with the daughter of
a good honest man but a Christian so at this day hee is a right honest man but a Puritan Come to a Papist and tell him of a profane man that walkes after the flesh how odious his wayes are this doth not much trouble him hee may be a good Catholicke for all that hee will thinke very charitably of such a one Like one in Queene MARIES time taken in adultery in Red-crosse-streete said yet I thanke God I am a good Catholicke Tell him of a man that professeth enmity to his religion in many Articles of faith yet if he be not too precise there is hope of him there may be a reconcilement at least hee is a wise moderate man hee will not out-runne himselfe But tell him of a man that will cleave to the Scripture in all things both greater and lesse and will not bee beaten an hayre-breadth out of it and doth so flie from BABEL according to the commandement that hee will touch nothing that seemes uncleane Hee hates all appearance of evill Oh these curious fellowes saith hee are not to be suffered or endured they trouble the Church and Common-wealth Nay wee may wish some of our owne had not learned the Gileaditish language to preferre the Papists as better men and better subjects than the faithfull servants of God and their Soveraigne onely because they desire to avoide the least appearance of evill But whence should this bee but out of the hatred of goodnesse that they whose hands are yearely almost in some monstrous conspiracie should bee preferred before such as whose innocency was neuer yet touched Well let such as feare God buckle to this precept of the Apostle because First God lookes on such as bowe not their knee to Baal upon such as touch no uncleane thing 2 Corinth 6 and couenanteth to bee their Father Secondly wee cannot touch pitch and not bee defiled with it Thirdly it argues soundnesse of heart in our hatred of sinne when wee hate not onely capitall crimes which shame us before men but lesser euills and such as wicked men cannot hate Fourthly sweete shall be the comfort when wee suffer the word to binde us in least things not suffering us to cast downe our countenance but couenanting with our eyes neither to whisper evill of others much lesse to reproach them or haue our mouth full of cursing repressing also even unchaste thoughts and mentall sinnes before they come to appearances VERSE 23. Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and J pray God that your whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. THE Apostle here proceedeth to the conclusion of the Epistle and annexeth a fervent and heavenly prayer to the former precepts For the Thessalonians might say you have heaped up a number of excellent precepts together but how should we that are but flesh and blood and weake to any thing that is good performe them You command much more than we can attaine You have given us not onely many precepts but of such nature and strictnesse as are rather fit for Angels and Saints in heaven than flesh and blood weake and fraile creatures on earth wee must Try all things hold all and onely that which is good and abstaine from not evill onely but all appearance of evill which seeme to us impossible commandements All which and the like allegations our Apostle meetes withall and tells them it is his meaning indeede First that they should ayme at full holinesse which is conversant in every good duty and shunneth the least sinfull defilement Secondly he sends them out of themselues to God who can sanctifie them throughout Thirdly seeing he onely can teach them their duties but cannot goe further to give them grace and enable them to performe it he goes to God with them that by their joynt prayers they might be established in them and to sanctifie them throughout for if God sanctifie you throughout you shall be able to performe the former duties Whence note that it is the duty of godly Ministers not onely to preach exhort and admonish men in their duty but earnestly to pray for them and with them for the obtaining of good things which they have commended unto them It was the usuall manner of the Apostles to pray to God for the obtaining of those graces they had exhorted unto In this Text having chap. 4.3 shewed that this is the will of God even their sanctification and hauing laid downe the parts of sanctification in the particulars till this verse now prayes that according to the precepts they may be wholly sanctified So Rom. 12.16 hauing exhorted to like mindednesse in the 15.6 prayeth that they may be like minded Ephes. 3.14 15. having exhorted the Ephesians not to faint at his troubles he prayes for strength For this cause saith hee I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man And chap. 1.8 hauing shewed how abundant God was toward us in wisdome and understanding and in opening the mystery of his will he ceaseth not to pray verse 17. that God would giue to them the spirit of wisdome and reuelation that their eyes might be opened And in the 1 Pet. 5.10 Resist stedfastly in the faith c. then prayes the God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you And this doubtlesse the Apostle learned of the Lord Iesus himsele whose custome was to teach and instruct in the day-time and to goe out in the night to pray for a blessing upon his Ministery Luke 21.35 1. God is hereby glorified and acknowledged the father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift is Iames 1.17 for now wee depend on him for wisdome and draw somewhat from his fulnesse 2. It is not in man to make his doctrine effectual he cannot reach the heart much lesse renew it Man may hold forth the light but God must giue eyes to see it man may speake to the eare but God onely can speake to the heart Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God must give the increase 1 Cor. 3. It is his priuiledge to write his law in the hearts of his people Ierem. 31. Lydia heard the word from Paul but not hee but God opened her heart Acts 16.14 3. As in all other labours and workes so much more here we must doe that which is our part and leaue God his The husbandman must plow and sowe and plant and water but hee must leaue all the successe to God hee cannot command raine nor blessing So in this spirituall husbandry Gods seeds-men must doe their worke cheerefully being co-workers with him but commend the successe to God in which sense the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.7 saith He that plants is nothing neither he that waters that is if hee be compared with that divine action which is all in all or nothing without him Hereby wee see
how necessary it is to begin and end our Ministery and Sermons with prayer to God who is all our sufficiency The Apostles begin and end their doctrine and Epistles with prayer and haue not wee more neede I know not what pride of selfe-sufficiency or whether profanesse shut the hearts and cover the mouthes of many Preachers who are almost ashamed to pray for this blessing nay reproach and scorne them which doe Sure I am whether he shall doe more good to others by his prayers or preaching I will not determine but hee shall certainely by his prayers reape more comfort to himselfe And he that neglects prayer with his preaching may well be suspected that he more aymes at his owne glory than Gods Let people also joyne willingly and conscionably in their Ministers prayers which strive for a blessing upon themselves and importune God who makes his Sunne shine upon the just and unjust to let the Sun of grace shine into their hearts saying O Lord if thou build not the house it shall never stand as those that waite for all successe from God It is recorded that Pope Adrian having built a stately Colledge at Lovaine did set in golden letters on the gate this poesie Trajectum plantavit ibi natus Lovanium rigavit ibi literas didicit Caesar dedit incrementum ex praeceptore Cardinalis factus One tooke a pen and wrote under Hic Deus nihil fecit Now to the prayer it selfe where we have to consider 1. To whom the Apostle prayeth The very God of peace 2. For what he prayeth in two particulars 1. For full sanctification 1. In generall sanctifie you throughout 2. In a speciall enumeration of parts spirit soule body 2. For finall sanctification untill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. First of the person to whom our Apostle prayeth the very God of peace Consider here three things 1. Why he useth this Attribute peace 2. What is the peace here meant 3. How he is the God of peace 1. This is not an idle epithite but well fitted to the matter in hand because our Apostle had in verse 13. exhorted them to peace among themselves and hath in all the precepts hitherto directed them how to uphold both outward peace vers 14 15. and inward peace from the 16. to this verse And he notably in this title confirmes their faith and strengthens their prayers that so long as they aske nothing but things pertaining to the peace of the Church and the peace of every mans conscience the God of peace will surely grant their requests See Rom. 15.13 14. Secondly What peace is meant Peace is threefold 1. Externall 2. Internall 3. Eternall 1. Externall which is nothing but an outward prosperity and tranquility in our outward estate and this is 1. In the Church when it hath rest from heresie schisme persecution and tyranny Acts 9.31 this is called the peace of Ierusalem which we must pray for Psal. 122.6 2. In the Common-wealth in the peace whereof we have peace when we are free from civill warre within and forreine enemies without Ier. 29.7 3. In the family and speciall places where we live which is a private agreement with all sorts of men good and bad so farre as may be Rom. 12.18 Have peace with all men 2. Internall and spirituall and this is the sweet quiet and comfort of conscience rising out of our assurance of our attonement with God through Iesus Christ and out of remission of sinnes by his blood which peace passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 and in which the Apostle placeth the kingdome of God Rom. 14.17 3. Eternall which is the perfect rest peace joy and glory that the Saints shall enjoy in heaven Esay 57.2 Peace shall come but it is when we sleepe in our beds called Rom. 8.6 life and peace Our Apostle here aymes especially at the second kinde of peace which is a steppe and degree to the third For the third why is he called the God of peace Answ. First because hee hath the fountaine of peace in himselfe peace in him is as in a fountaine Secondly as the Author and communicatour of all peace unto us in all kindes As 1. In Church the peace of Ierusalem must be begged of him he stills all warres and maketh all stirrs in the Common-wealth to be husht and gone And it is hee that makes men dwell together in one house 2. He is authour and the God of eternall peace for eternall life is the gift of God 3. After a speciall manner is he the God of internall peace the peace of conscience at which our Text aimeth which is a quietnesse of minde and conscience through our reconciliation with God First because hee sent his Sonne 1. To merit it for us when wee lay in the horrour of an accusing conscience who is therefore called in himselfe Esa. 9.6 the Prince of peace and in respect of us our peace And therefore Ambrose expounds here the God of peace to be Christ himselfe If it be asked how Christ merited our peace the Apostle answereth Ephes. 2.15 16. He made peace by slaying hatred on the crosse by his perfect obedience overcomming and abolishing whatsoever God might hate in us 2. To preach and publish this peace and invite men unto it And that first in his owne person Esay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach good tidings to the poore to binde up the broken-hearted to preach liberty to the captives c. And how this Prophecie was accomplished see Luk. 4.18 Secondly in the person of his Ministers Christ preacheth peace Ephes. 2.17 Christ came and preached peace to you which were farre off Object Why Christ never preached to the Ephesians Answ. Yes hee did in the persons of the Apostles and so now in the Pastors and Ministers of his Church to the end of the world Secondly because hee sent his Spirit to apply and seale this peace onely in the hearts of his elect therefore it is called a fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and the Spirit cryes in our hearts Abba Father chap. 4.6 He workes faith in the heart and so we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 and bold accesse to the throne of grace Eph. 3.12 This is that creating Spirit which creates the fruit of the lippes to be peace Esay 57.19 Thirdly because God doth not onely command and commend to us this peace but approoves and delights in it and no where else but there he sets up his throne and dwelling his Temple is in Ierusalem the vision of peace his Disciples must onely abide among the sonnes of peace Matth. 10. and much more doth himselfe How we are to looke upon God in our prayers First in all our prayers we are to behold him a God of peace labour to see him reconciled unto us And 1. this beholding of God reconciled gives us assurance of obtaining whatsoever is good for us 2. The sence of his infinite essence and power and
that God by his Spirit who onely can raise the dead in sinne would bestow this grace not belonging to the wicked upon these Thessalonians by which they putting off all the corrupt qualities of nature might by a new created quality in their hearts grow up in the image of God standing in knowledge true righteousnesse and holinesse And because they were already sanctified in part hee prayeth that they may goe on to through sanctification both here and hereafter for the present that they may attaine full holinesse in respect of all sinne which they must forsake and of the whole law and word which they must set before them in respect of all gifts principall and lesse principall and of all parts and faculties here expressed to be the spirit the soule and body that thus they may be blamelesse in respect of relation with Christ their head in respect of grosse crimes and reigning sinnes in respect of Christian inchoation of the Lords acceptation and of perfect consummation of whole sanctification at the comming of Iesus Christ. In that the Apostle prayeth for through sanctification and enumerateth the parts in which it is and desireth they may be kept blamelesse in every of them we learne that No Christian must content himselfe with the beginnings of holinesse but must proceede to full sanctification as vessells of honour to be full of goodnesse and knowledge Rom. 15.14 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 4.13 In all things grow up into him which is the head All which places shew that the whole life of a Christian must be a continuall progresse in sanctification 1. Our Text sets downe the orderly proceeding in this worke It must begin in the spirit and minde and then change the heart and will and so come forth into the body and actions that the whole man consisting of these parts may be blamelesse And further this care must be nourished untill the comming of Iesus Christ either to the generall or particular judgement All which shewes that the highest and most noble parts in man are corrupt and unholy and as the Apostle saith even the minde and conscience is polluted till this new quality be created for whatsoever is borne of flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse And therefore our whole life is little enough for the renewing of all these parts so corrupted 2. Sanctification is but in part in this life for God would have sinne left in the best our best duties spotted and a pricke left in our flesh to bufâ—et and humble us who else through the abundance of grace would be proud and lifted up out of measure and that wee might goe out of our selves to the Lord and begge the increase of grace and sanctification from him Adde hereunto that the weake measure of grace present is often interrupted our daily lapses disturbe it sinne makes daily bâ—eaches in it Satan incessantly plants his great Ordnance against it experience shewes how easily we lose both many degrees of it and all sense of it and therefore we had neede still to be repairing our selves A beggars coate needes continuall patching We cannot be rid of our ragges wholly and therefore we must ever be mending Souldiers that keepe a fort or hold looke what batteries and breaches are made by skirmishes and assaulâ—s on the day they will repaire them in the night else could they not hold out no more could we against Satan and our owne corruptions without daily repaire And as our houses so our hearts they will grow dusty and nasty if they be not daily swept and cleansed 3. Sanctification is a continuall act and proceeding in grace so long as we live because it is nothing else but a returne to our first estate and image to which wee cannot possibly attaine till death And therefore if wee would proceede to the glory of the Saints we must proceed in sanctification to the full measure of it for glorification is nothing but the end and perfection of sanctification 4. God hath set apart many excellent and glorious meanes for the perfecting of this his owne worke by all which if we rise not to full holinesse we shall frustrate him of his end The holy Scripture is able to make the man of God perfect to every good worke 2 Tim. 3.15 the holy Ministery of the Word and Sacraments are able both to beget and strengthen faith which purifieth the heart holy meditations conference prayers with promises of blessing and successe if wee rightly use them all these witnesse to us that the Lord would have us to be still adding what is lacking to our graces and rise up to full assurance and holinesse and as those that are planted in the house of God to be more fruitfull and flourishing in our age 5. The necessity and utility of this practise imposeth it on all the godly 1. In respect of the wickednesse of their hearts and a number of beloved and darling sinnes against which all care watchfulnesse and strength is too little 2. In respect of the steine and soyle of sinne which is like a crimson dye hardly fetched out of those that are the Lords for when the sting of sinne is gone and the guilt of sinne is taken away and washed in the Kings bath even the fountaine of the blood of the Sonne of God opened to the house of Iudah and Ierusalem for sinne and uncleannesse yet is there a staine of sinne left which remaineth to be washed with the fountaine of water for Christ came by water and blood this fountaine of pure water is the grace of sanctification which is as the flood Iordan to wash the soules leprosie which stickes faster than Naamans so as we had neede wash seven times that is often yea continually and yet for all that it shall be with the faces of our soules as with the faces of our children the dyrt shall sticke till it be washed off and being washed soone growes foule and dyrtie againe 3. In respect of good duties wherunto we shal ever be unapt unready further than by profiting in sanctification wee are kept in a readinesse For as a man in fetters and irons cannot doe any service to his Prince till his fetters be knockt off so here our corruptions and lusts are heavier and presse us downe harder than a thousand chaines onely the grace of sanctification unties us and gives us liberty in good duties 4. In respect of finall perfection which is not attained in justification but by sanctification It is true that justification heales the wound but sanctification shuts the skarre justification brings pardon but sanctification brings peace neither was there ever any justified person who had received the first fruites but hee longed for
to grow up in holinesse as plants and children naturally grow so also doe the children of God being planted in his courts To helpe us herein we will somewhat at large consider three things 1. Meanes of obtaining a full measure of holinesse 2. Markes of one that hath attained it 3. Motives to provoke us thereunto The meanes are five I. Meditation and sound consideration concerning 1. God 2. thy selfe 3. grace it selfe First in God thinke 1. of his will 1 Thess. 4.3 This is the will of God even your sanctification We ought to follow God if he should call us through hell it selfe much more in the sweete practise of sanctification which hath a happy fruite 2. Of his promises 2 Cor. 7.1 Seeing we have these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holinesse All the promises are made to the practisers of holinesse Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart 3. Of his glory which thou oughtest by all thy endeavour to promote being the end of thy life and of thy selfe but herein especially is our heavenly Father glorified when our light shines before men Matth. 5.16 Secondly in thy selfe consider these things 1. In thy creation thou receivedst a soule a body faculties and sences with parts and members from him and in him thou now livest movest and hast thy being and canst thou doe him too much service in them Doth any man build an house but he will looke to dwell in it Doth any plant an orchard or vineyard and not looke for usefull fruites to himselfe Thy selfe art Gods house thy soule Gods garden and doth not hee expect not onely fruite of holinesse but much fruite 2. In thy redemption the end of which was not onely to deliver thee from the condemnation of sinne but from thy vaine conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 redemption is not onely from the guilt and punishment but from the service and corruption of sinne and sanctification is an inseperable companion of justification 3. In thy life and present estate thou art a Christian and professest Christian religion which onely prescribes the rule of holy life whereby thou must walke thou must life like a Christian that hast communion with Christ that walkest in the light as hee is in the light 1 Iohn 1.5 that hast the Spirit of Christ which perfecteth daily his owne worke and beautifieth his owne dwelling 4. In thy death and future estate remember thou must die and onely holinesse of heart and life shall attend thy soule when all things else shall leave it and without holinesse thou shalt never see God Heb. 12.14 If death shall leave thee unholy the last judgement shall so find thee So therefore live now as thou maist ever live hereafter Thirdly meditate on the grace and worke of holinesse it selfe 1. what a difficult worke it is and therefore thou must goe seriously about it oh the worke of mortification is a painefull work a man cannot die without paine no more can the olde man sinne hath a strong heart and is loath to die and therefore as to die is no dallying matter so he that meanes to dally in this businesse shall never happily proceede in the degrees of holinesse 2. What an excellent worke it is for hereby we shall be daily partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 which is not in respect of the nature and essence of God which is incommunicable but in respect of the most excellent and precious qualities and gifts bestowed by the Spirit of God on those that are regenerate wherein we shall be like unto our heavenly Father and grow up to the similitude of Iesus Christ till he shall be all in all unto us II. Meanes of growing to a full measure of holinesse is in our Text Prayer First for the grace it selfe Psal. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Secondly for the increase of the grace Phil. 1.9 And this I pray that yee may abound yet more and more in knowledge and judgement verse 11. being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse 1 Thess. 3.13 The Lord make your hearts stable and unblameable in holinesse Thirdly for continuance and confirmation in grace as in the Text. Ephes. 3.14 I bow the knee that yee may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man Psal. 51.12 Oh stablish me with thy free Spirit Let it be thy daily prayer as Davids Psal. 86.11 O Lord knit my heart unto thee let thy good Spirit leade mee even to the land of the living Fourthly for a blessing on the meanes of grace Psal. 119.18 Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law III. Meanes An holy use of the word and Sacraments For the word in generall Iohn 15.3 Now you are cleane by the word which I have spoken unto you and chap. 17.17 Father sanctifie them in thy truth thy word is truth Rom. 1.15 by preaching the Gospell the righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith Now there be in the word foure things which specially helpe forward our sanctification 1. The commandements and precepts Psal. 119.4 Thou hast commanded that wee should keepe thy precepts diligently These let us see what wee ought to ayme at and how farre we are off from our duty 2. The promises and comforts of it Psal. 19.11 In keeping of them there is great reward Revel 20.6 Blessed and happy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power 3. The threats and denunciations of judgement that are in it Revel 22.15 Without shall be dogges and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lyes 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godlinesse 4. The examples that are in it Heb. 12.1 Seeing we are compassed with such a cloud of witnesses let us cast off every thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth fast on us Examples of holy men will make us trust in God Psal. 22.4 Our forefathers trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them this confirmeth our confidence Godly women must shew the holy and hidden man of the heart as Sarah did 1 Pet. 3.5 Observe in the reading or hearing of the word these particulars for the decay of corruption and the increase of sanctification The Sacraments or visible words helpe forward sanctification because by baptisme we are borne into the Church and notably it both representeth and sealeth our mortification and quickning Rom. 6.4 and by the Lords Supper wee are fed and nourished in the grace of the covenant in faith love and comfortable assurance IV. Meanes Godly company That man goes apace in the grace of sanctification who is a companion as David of all them that feare God Psal. 119.63 Now godly company furthereth sanctification 3 wayes 1.
Rev. 21.6 A tast of that which is delicate makes a man long after his fill 2. By a diligent and constant using the meanes of increase A worldly man because hee loves wealth and money will take great paines for it and be laborious in the meanes Now faith purifieth Acts 15.9 therefore a godly man labours still for the increase of faith the word sanctifieth Iohn 17.17 a property of Saints is they are humbled at his feet to heare his word Deut. 33.3 see Exod. 19.5 6. 3. When we envie not grace to another but rejoyce in it and love it because it is Gods image Iohn 3.30 Hee must increase but I must decrease Moses the more grace himselfe had the more hee wished to others Num. 11.29 Enviest thou for my sake yea I would all Gods people were Prophets 4. True love of holinesse longeth and wayteth and sigheth to put off all the corruption of sinne and attaine that perfect happinesse wherein is perfection of holinesse Rom. 8.23 Wee that have received the first fruites of the Spirit sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption of sons Find in thee this affection to the first fruits here and full fruits hereafter to receive daily strength and increase and thy holinesse increaseth with thy hunger and thirst after it Never was there so happy an hunger the more hungry the more full The fourth Marke is Detestation or dislike of opposites of holinesse which as it increaseth so doth holinesse also Now this is manifest 1. In carefull avoiding things which quench shake or hinder grace and holinesse 1 Iohn 5.18 Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and the evill one toucheth him not 2. By rising into greater dislike of corruption without seeking base extenuations as to say this is a little sinne or a small sinne no every sinne will swell as a toade in his eyes 3. By crying out on the law of the members rebelling against the law of the minde Rom. 7.23 4. By complaining of secret and lesser evills which were never wont to trouble him 5. By ceasing from particular and beloved sinnes as Ephraim said to his idols Get you hence what have I to doe with you Hosea 14.8 my house is taken up already here is no roome for you 6. By the spirit of judgement and burning Esay 4.4 judging and condemning sinne The Spirit keepes an Assize in the soule pronounceth sentence against corruption and kindles a fire to burne up those bewitching evills and a fire of zeale and indignation against them Thou growest not in holinesse who growest not in the measure of hatred of evills answerable to thy former love and liking of them The fifth Marke is Disposition to good duties this is an argument of soundnesse of sanctification 1. When thou canst ever set the Lord before thee walking with God contented and glad to have him witnesse and judge of all both inward sincerity and outward innocency 2. When in all the workes of thy calling thou seekest not so much thine owne things as the things of Christ Phil. 2.21 3. When in the sober use of all Gods creatures thou art led to the contemplation of the Creatour Psal. 8.1 4. If when thou hast performed any good duty in any good measure thou rest not therein but labour more earnestly to doe it better 5. If when thou hast either omitted or slightly performed any good dutie thou be humbled and so bewailest that which is past as thou makest it up in duties behinde Now if these be the markes of proceeding in sanctification how rare is this duty 1. Where is the man that takes up this order of God that begins this worke at the spirit of the minde notwithstanding that God being a Spirit begins his chiefe worke in the Spirit and the law the rule of holinesse being spirituall especially requireth inward sanctity Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem wash thine heart first loathe sinne inwardly and then outwardly Many will mend their lives but let their hearts alone which is all one as to cut off a waste bough and not to strike at the roote to seeke to draine a streame but not meddle with the fountaine 2. Where is the man that having changed his understanding from errour to truth changeth also his will from evill to good Here many faile who see what is good and approove it but themselves are as bad as ever they were 3. How few refine every part of their life and bring all the members within the whole rule who can say I hate all the evill which I loved and all the good which like a swine I trampled under feete offered in the meanes I now in some measure imbrace and practise I was intemperate now sober wanton and foule now chaste and pure a great swearer now I tremble at an oath and so in the rest One that is a foule monster still may reforme some things yea many things yea most but to come to through sanctification casts off many some are just not mercifull some have care of honesty not of godlinesse some are better in some company than in other few have respect to all the commandements 4. How many be there who have made some faire offers of beginning in the Spirit but have ended in the flesh They made men beleeve they had the substance of holinesse and would goe through the businesse but end in meere ceremony nay scarce that but are haters of holinesse Better it had beene for them that they had never beene inlightened never washed never purged than forget they were cleansed Now let him that filthy be filthy still and let him that is holy be holy still Rev. 22.11 The third generall thing proposed is Motives to grow up unto full sanctification I. Motive Consider that whatsoever thou castest thine eyes upon it calls upon thee to proceede in thy sanctification If thou lookest upward to God the further thou proceedest and the greater measure of sanctification thou attainest the more thou art like him and the more is he glorified Iohn 15.8 In this my Father is glorified that ye bring forth much fruite If to the Angels these holy and ministring spirits incessantly expect his charges and unweariably execute the same besides they are joyfull witnesses of thy profiting in grace and holinesse for if they rejoyce at the first peeping of holinesse in thy conversation how joyfull will they bee when it proceedeth to perfection in conversation If thou lookest round about thee to thy brethren thou must bee so farre from offending or scandalizing them that thou must be ready by all good offices to helpe them to edifie them especially by a godly and zealous example these must behold the shine of thy light both for the glorifying of God and their owne direction and encouragement at least thou must be blamelesse in the midst of a naughty generation holding out the word of life Phil. 2.14 15. If to the creatures even the whole world heaven and earth Sunne Moone and stars beasts
fruite And this is the property of such as are planted in the house of our God to flourish in his courts and be more fruitfull in their age which is cleane against the course of nature Psal. 92.13 Such therefore as seemed to come on but within a while their righteousnesse is as the morning dew or fall backe and wither who are worst at last as evill men must be were never good Were they ever good that are so soone remooved to another Gospell even in dayes of peace to whom Christ was preached of whom professed into whom they were baptized or what hath bewitched them to such apostacy Gal. 3.1 Were they ever good who in stead of reading prayer and sermons formerly frequented are growne to cards dice drinking swearing and a distaste of faithfull Preachers and sermons Were they ever good that hate goodnesse or to heare of fulnesse of holinesse or of their owne idlenesse Alas empty tubbs here was never any thing but a sound no soundnesse at all V. Motive Consider how wee are affected in inferiour things and shame our selves for want of the like affection for the increase of better things than they 1. We never thinke our grounds our orchards our gardens our cattell fruitefull enough If a man have a peece of land that brings forth but a small croppe he will be at paines and cost to make it more fruitfull Alas shall wee have more care of our grounds than of our hearts to make them fruitfull and yeelding to the laud and praise of the great husbandman Or thinke we our hearts lesse barren than the worst conditioned ground Let this provoke us if we have gotten our hearts to bring forth thirty folde to labour them till they bring sixty fold and let them not rest there till they yeeld an hundred fold This Christ commends to us in that good ground Matth. 13.8 This the Apostle calls for 1 Thess. 4.1 to exceede more and more 2. In the matter of money and wealth how doe men bestirre themselves to adde to their gaines to make one pound five and from five to ten and so adde hundreds and rise to thousands sucking profit from every thing insatiably as the horse-leach How thrifty husbands 1. forecast to get and plod to increase their stocke 2. Carefully save that which is gotten avoiding expences much more excesses 3. Having got a good portion yet still desire and seeke more for hee would have none before him in wealth if hee had his minde 4. Lay out part or whole of that he hath for a greater gaine Should not wee be now as thrifty for our soules as for our bodies Is not a stocke of grace better than a stocke of goods Who but a doting worldling would not thinke wisdome better than wealth and a graine of holinesse better than a talent of earthly happinesse Is a graine of grace so precious and is not an eternall weight of it worth our sweate and labour Why doe wee not as thrifty Christians awaken our dull spirits to forecast with the wise Virgins to get such store of this oyle as to carry us through to the wedding chamber Should wee neede to be stirred to save that which wee get so hardly avoiding the expences and sinfull excesses which eate out our stocke and prodigally waste our estate in grace Why stand wee still having found a little veine of golde namely of grace much more precious than golde and not holde on our labour to finde the rich mine which it leadeth unto Why doe not wee with the wise Merchant resolve to lay out our whole estate for this pearle Or should wee hide our talent in a napkin and not lay it out or employ it seeing by use and returne it increaseth It would grieve a man to see so many good husbands for the world to be such starke unthrifts for their soules VI. Motive Consider we the meanes that God hath affoorded us for our growth in sanctification 1. Gods readinesse and care to fit us for the duty so as no want is in him for while hee pleaseth to continue any meanes unto us hee shewes his readinesse though wee faile in using the meanes to bring us to the end seeing hee supplieth meanes of growth he is ready in them to adde more grace This blessed meanes is the sweete liberty of the preaching of the Gospell by which he offereth to make our hearts of evill good of good better he offereth by it not onely to worke faith where it is wanting but to adde to faith that which is wanting to it and so to bring it to certainty and assurance So also the assistance of his Spirit in prayer Spirituall guides and Pastors and the example of the godly as a cloud going before us Why should we frustrate God and our owne soules of the end of so happy meanes 2. Our owne reckoning and account which will bee expected answerable to such meanes Luk. 12.48 To whom more is given of him shall more be required so to whom God affoords more meanes of holinesse hee expects more fruite of holinesse Never any Nation never any Age was before us no nor neare us in the glorious meanes Never had our fathers that light that constant Ministery those encouragements those precepts those many examples which we enjoy they counted the crummes of our table liberall fare To heare the prayers read in English made them weepe for joy To have a peece of Scripture translated was the hazard of their lives We reade of some that did give a whole loade of hay for a few chapters of Saint Iames in English Two or three could not conferre together of any good thing in those tyrannous times but they might have scaped farre better for felony Yet oh the holinesse the honesty the zeale and grace of those godly men whose crowne is that they were as farre afore us in grace as wee are before them in meanes If ever Age could blush ours might be it And as the Land in generall so this place hath beene before other places in constant and glorious meanes what our growth is the world sees very unanswerable to them very unthankfull to God for them Capernaum needed nothing but Christs great workes to condemne her Looke upon her and learne in time to loathe her unthankfulnesse That your spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse NOw we are by the assistance of God to proceede unto the second petition in this prayer for full holinesse in speciall by enumeration of parts Where for the meaning of the Apostle we have considered already 1. What are these parts 2. How are they said to be blamelesse In that the Apostle prayeth how that they might be kept blamelesse hence we learne That Christians must not onely labour to attaine a full measure of grace but also to keepe it So it is as commendable to keep our selves blamelesse as to make our selves blamelesse 1 Tim. 5.22 the Apostle exhorteth Timothy Keepe thy selfe pure thinke
determine thy will with his as David Psal. 39.9 I held my tongue and spake nothing because thou Lord didst it There must be but one will betweene God and a faithfull soule betweene Christ and a Christian. Quest. How may I know my will thus denied renewed freed and framed to God Answ. The signes of it are 1. in respect of it selfe 2. in regard of sinne 3. in regard of good duties 1. In respect of it selfe it will not runne before but will waite upon sanctified knowledge and renewed reason it will not inthrall the light of the minde to inordinate desires it will be prooving still what is the good and acceptable will of God It will resolve and purpose that so long time as it is in the flesh to walke after the will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 2. Thou shalt know it in regard of sinne 1. It is resolute in resistance of sinne and the occasions for although the will renewed admit sinne in respect of corruption yet it selfe is in great part set against sinne that it willeth it not fully it purposeth not to sinne as David I vowed I will keepe thy judgements it hath a fast purpose to cleave to God Psal. 119.104 and hates all the wayes of falshood 2. When it yeelds to sinne it is with griefe it doth not sleepe in sinne so but that the heart waketh So the Apostle Rom. 7.15 he even hateth sinne while he is a doing of it I hate that I doe 3. After sinne it riseth timely by repentance if he fall into sinne he hardens not his heart Prov. 28.14 he wills it not neither before nor after there is a strugling and a reluctation in him against it and thus you may know the will rightly framed 3. In regard of good duties it will not onely be well-doing but chearefull in well-doing he doth good duties willingly freely There is a difference in doing one and the same action betweene a good man and a wicked man the worke of the will renewed is not onely to take opportunity to doe good but seeke opportunity to doe it it will not doe good of constraint but will doe it with willingnesse he will doe it cheerefully as a good Pastour feedes his flocke not by constraint but of a willing minde 1 Pet. 5.2 Quest. Why should wee thus looke to our wills Answ. First the state of Christianity is rather a willing than a doing the will of God thou that canst doe no more wouldst thou doe lesse Secondly no greater plague can befall a man than to be given up to his owne will the holding to a mans owne will is the losse of the will and soule too Thirdly as thy will is pleased with the sinne so it shall be revenged in the sorrow of it that will of thine that will not be compelled to obey shall be compelled to suffer all the plagues of sinne by a just recompence are laid upon the will as his sinne was a resistance and renouncing of the will of God for in hell no sinner shall ever obtaine what hee would but shall ever sustaine what hee would not Thus God brings the wayes of the wilfull sinner upon his owne head Ezek. 11.21 Thirdly to keepe the soule blamelesse we must narrowly watch all our affections wherein the soule moves it selfe every where for man by his fall hath lost not his affections but the holinesse and rectitude of them for now man naturally hateth the Lord and his image in his word in his servants and graces he feares and flies what hee should most joy and delight in that is God himselfe he joyes in swallowing the pleasures of sinne the baytes of his perdition hee is angry and impatient at God himselfe as Ionas and carried with a rageing madnesse causelesly and intemperately on any occasion And therefore we must fly to the grace of regeneration which doth not abolish affections but the disordered motions of them and restores them towards their originall rectitude and goodnesse Where this worke of grace is not and where the spirit hath laid no bridle upon the affections no marvaile if that soule runne riot into all unruly lusts and make it selfe blame-worthy and guilty every moment of foule sinnes Yea where this grace is care must be to preserve it even in every affection the least disorder of any of which is enough to impure the soule and leave it under blame Now the rules of keeping the affections unblameable and then for the reasons I. To keepe thy affections unblameable thou must labour seeing they cannot be unblameable if they be not good in the rise to get a good rise for thy affections a good motion must be from a good mover labour to see who is the mover of thy affections whether the Spirit of God or the wicked spirit or thine owne carnall spirit Excellent are those affections that are moved by the Spirit of God as when feare anger love joy griefe are 1. grounded on just causes 2. guided by the rule of renewed reason for the Spirit never moves but according to the word 3. tempered in ordinate measure now they become servants of grace Whereas if thy owne carnall spirit move them contrary to the word for their subject object manner or measure now they turne enemies to God and to thine owne soule II. Be sure they be carried upon right objects onely set thy affections where Gods Spirit would set them Here first the proper object of love is God himselfe and not for his gifts but for himselfe and of Iesus Christ whom if any man love not let him be accursed and that not as a Iesus onely but as a Lord And then the things of God wee must covet the most excellent gifts and with Mary choose the better part even our part in the Gospell and word of Christ and then entirely love the friends of God all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue Secondly the object of our anger is sinnes not persons nor so much the sinnes of others as our owne which are nearer us Thirdly the object of our joy is pardon of sinne Gods favour and countenance Psal. 4. It is wrong placed when it is in the creature not in the Creatour when in the gift not in the giver Fourthly the object of our patience is evills of punishment which we must patiently suffer but not evills of sinne as Moses Fifthly of our feare the true object is God more for his goodnesse than greatnesse more for his mercy than justice Mercy is with thee to be feared Psal. 130.4 more lest we offend him than be offended by him And so in the rest What a businesse now is it to keepe our affections upon allowed and warrantable objects III. In these best objects see they be most vehement and intense To doe this observe these rules First bestow on the best things the best affections thou must love the Lord thy God with all thy soule all thy heart and strength nay more thou
shew all love to their persons still All which discovers a great deale of corruption in our affections First Many hate sinnes in another and not the same sinnes in themselves and this is the hatred of the person and not of the sinne Secondly many seeme to hate evill but not out of love to goodnesse some say they hate Popery but are farre from the love of the truth they dislike grosse profanesse drunkennesse adultery but have no affection to true godlinesse hatred of evill is joyned with cleaving to good Thirdly many hate most where God most loves as persons for grace sake and two sorts of men are the butts of the hatred of this age 1. Zealous and godly Ministers because their life and doctrine reproove evill mens workes Ahab hateth Eliah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy the more they love the lesse they are loved for a Minister to hate mens sinnes or to speake the truth doth it deserve such hatred If we should love mens sinnes wee should hate their persons and if we hate not our brothers evill we could not wish his good 2. A generation of men who are so precise they will not sweare nor be drunke nor game away their time they are Iewishly strict in keeping the Saboth so zealous as they cannot abide the sent of Popery they repeate sermons pray in their families cleave to the Scripture in all things so curious and nice they will touch nothing that is uncleane But are these hated of God Nay are they not in singular favour with him 2. Are not their workes objected against them the workes of God imposed by God upon all Christians upon paine of damnation as to hate swearing to be strict in the Saboth to detest Popery to be frequent hearers of the word to set up Gods worship in the family to cleave to the Scriptures and get out of the way of evill men In this way which they call heresie must we worship God 3. All this zeale against zeale is kindled not with a coale from the Altar but fired with a flame from hell Iohn 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 4. How generall is the hatred of grace by gracelesse men that pinch and reproach good affections zeale they call distemper sorrow for sinne is but melancholy and next to madnesse love of the word is but precisenesse and more than needes love of good men but faction and partiality hatred of every evill worke but singularity holinesse a kinde of heresie purity hollownesse and all that is nought How unlike is the world to God and Christ who commended shewes of goodnesse in the young man never quenched smoking flaxe but kindled it and enflamed it and whosoever hateth grace in another first hates it in himselfe 5. How generally doe we love and cherish in our selves what the Lord hateth First hath hee not specially manifested his hatred against an outward forme of religion severed from the power and life of it Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your feasts and new Moones his owne institutions because they were severed from faith truth and inward holinesse But how generall is the profession of religion without power prayer of words not of spirit hearing without conscience of doing washing the outside when all is foule within Secondly how great indignation hath he testified against people unfaithfull in the covenant as a jealous husband hates the wife of his bosome that playeth false with him Ier. 12.8 yet how universall is our unfaithfulnesse to God the contempt of grace the slighting of the meanes the Apostacy and turning backe of the kingdome from God So as we see how our affections are swerved from the rule and what great neede we have to be stirred up to a more carefull watch over our affections Consider therefore and see the mischiefe of disordered affections First how powerfully they draw us from Christian duties as how they interrupt prayers which was the Apostles argument betweene man and wife an heart troubled with passions cannot be familiar with God nor behold his face no more than a man can see his owne face in a troubled water Consider how they hinder the powerfull working of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 Therefore lay aside all malice envie c. and then receive the word A full vessell can receive no liquor sweete water in a fusty vessell is but lost seede cast among thornes commeth to nought how they unsettle the heart in grace pulling it off from confidence in God love of the truth from exercise of grace from the joyes and consolations of the Spirit For as no man can see the beames of the Sunne when the heavens are covered with clouds so cannot the soule discerne the shining beames of Gods love when it is clouded with passion Secondly how potent are unruly affections to draw us from our duty so suddenly and violently doe they carry us into many sinnes how suddenly are great professours snatched into the love of the world and so become Apostates as Iudas and Demas How doth the love of the world draw on a number of sinnes and drowne men in lusts and perdition How suddenly was David snatched into foulest sinnes not watching his affections How was Peter pulled from his purposes and promises by inordinate selfe-love to the deniall of his Master Acquaint thy selfe with the difficulty of guiding the affections aright for though the common errour thinke it the easiest thing in the world yet the whole power of nature cannot reach it for what a divine wisdome is required holily to temper the affections and keepe them even To temper faith and feare that they enterfeare not to mingle love and hatred that they entrench not one another to holde the ballance even betweene Moses zeale and Moses meeknesse to contend for faith and not be contentious to be couragious and bolde and yet suspitious and alwayes fearefull to be christianly patient and not stoically insensible The same Spirit must afford this wisdome that appeared in the shape of a dove and of fire Consider the necessity of this care and carriage of our affections 1. In beholding the numbers of occasions which daily thrust in upon us to thrust them besides their right objects and enthrall us in pride unjust anger envie wantonnesse carnall love feare c. And were there no such outward occasions who feeles not the spirit in him lust after envie and after the world and after all forbidden fruites so as all care is too little wisely to watch and prevent the continuall disorder of the whole man by his affections 2. What great necessity is it that wise Christians difference themselves from common men it is a great weaknesse to corrupt our affections by the provocations of wicked men to shoote in their bowe to doe as they doe But the godly must be different from them not feare with their feare nor joy with their joy nor kindle anger by theirs nor curse when they
are never pluckt away therefore never cease to be sheepe 2. To these sheepe are promised eternall life therefore so long shall they be sheepe even for all eternity 3. The Fathers power is above all temptations therefore suffers nothing to make them of sheepe no sheepe for then they might be plucked away 4. Though themselves would fling out of the fold being foolish and straying yet have a good shepheard and by him are preserved in grace to salvation 5. Even this prayer in the Text is a prayer of faith and therefore the Thessalonians must persevere A prayer of faith argues both the presence of the Spirit whose voice the Lord cannot but heare and the voice of a childe whom the father will not repell Quest. But if the Thessalonians shall persevere till the comming of Christ why doth the Apostle pray so earnestly it seemes very needlesse nay rather such earnest petitions seeme to make their case very hazardous and imply they may fall away Answ. Prayers for perseverance imply not any possibility of falling away but plainely shew which the Apostle aimes at here that assurance of perseverance makes no godly man secure or profane but implieth a condition of unblameable walking and preserving himselfe unspotted of the world 2. They teach us to depend on God for the last grace as well as the first and give him the praise as well of our perseverance as our entrance into grace for he gives his Spirit into our hearts that we should not depart from him Contrary to the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that God gives us the first grace by which wee become good but wee merit a second grace by which of good we become better 3. All such prayers as this teach us to joyne the end and the meanes together as God doth It is not in vaine to pray not to fall away though the elect cannot fall away First because it is an obedience to Gods commandement Secondly a testimony that we depend on his strength and promise for perseverance Thirdly that wee looke to attaine the gift in in Gods owne meanes of conveying them of which prayer is one of the chiefe Would wee not want grace wee must not be wanting in prayer They are farre wide that conceive prayer and perseverance repugnant for they are subordinate and assistant one to another Object We finde the Saints praying that the Lord would not take his holy Spirit from them that he would create a new Spirit in them Sol. Not because the Spirit is either quite taken away or quite gone But First because he is taken from them not in respect of his existence but of his operation for he is not so powerfully working Secondly not in respect of the saving gift but of the measure degree and comfort of it Thirdly the Spirit where once he is is not quite gone in respect of himselfe but in their sense and apprehension Now this is no good argument They feele him not therefore hee is not there no more than a man in a swoone can be concluded dead because he discernes not his life Fourthly and lastly by prayer wee retaine the Spirit and the renewing grace of the Spirit both in respect of sense and existence prayer being Gods meanes to keepe the Spirit from departing from us 4. This and all such prayers for perseverance being prayers of faith are therefore so much more earnest because wee know that God will grant us the grace prayed for Hee will never pray that beleeves not that God will grant his prayer But the Saints therefore pray because they beleeve to speede Eliah 1 King 18.42 knew it would raine and tolde Ahab so yet hee goes and prayes for it Christ knew his Father would glorifie him yet he prayes he would so doe hee well knew none of his Disciples should perish but Iudas yet he prayeth to that purpose And this is not in vaine but a performance of worship to God a possessing of grace in a right title and tenure and a sweetning of the mercy which wee have gotten by prayer and prevailing with God The Apostle implies in Christs comming that Christ is now absent from us that is in respect of his body hee is not present in earth neither circumscriptive nor diffinitive nor repletive for then he could not come to us if hee were with us already True it is that Christ is spiritually present with his Church to the end of the world according to his promise of his spirit and grace Christ is also sacramentally present 1. Ratione signi hee is represented in the signe 2. Ratione objecti for he is the present object of our faith whereby wee behold and partake him being present in the word of promise But corporally he is not present neither in the Supper nor any place where the Supper is celebrated nor in the bread 1. Because Christ professed when hee was to ascend that hee was to leave the world and goe to the Father Ioh. 16. but the bread is in the world therefore Christ now ascended is not in it 2. Hee expresly denies that hee should be with us on earth after his ascension Matth. 26. The poore yee have alwayes with you but mee not alwayes If they fly to their old shift of invisible conversation or quoad statum humilitatis that is in respect of his humility Christ spake without any such limitation Mee yee shall not have alwayes 3. Our high Priest is gone with his body into the heavenly Sanctuary and if hee be not there hee ceaseth to be our high Priest Heb. 8.4 If they say he is on earth but not visibly what should an invisible high Priest do in earth where all Priests were ever visible 4. Even the bread in which they say he is present corporally is a signe and argument of his corporall absence because it must be received in memory of him Now memory is of a thing absent and therein we declare the Lords death till this his comming 1 Cor. 11. And here we may note also that Christ will come againe according to his body Acts 1.11 and Hebr. 9.28 He shall come the second time to the salvation of them that waite for him hee comes but twice corporally once to merit salvation and againe to perfect it 1. Then let us waite for this comming as a loving spouse longs for her husbands returne out of a farre Countrey 2. Love this comming of Christ when the glory of Christ shall breake out as the Sunne in his strength which is now clouded and vailed First by his bodily absence Secondly by the affliction and poverty of his Church Thirdly by the insolency and pride of his enemies But then his glory shall appeare and shall be glorious in himselfe and all the Saints 2. Because the innocency of the Saints shall then be cleared to the faces of the wicked and their labours shall be recompenced with invisible reward 3. Prepare
and ill successe of their Ministers that faile them in this duty of prayer Thy prayers might have upheld him or helped them out of trouble out of frailty 5. Such as pray not for their Ministers deprive themselves of the blessing and happy fruite of that Ministery the more earnestly people pray for their Pastours the more assurance of good and happy fruite may they expect from their Ministery and often of their Ministers themselves who are worthily removed from an unworthy people that never prized them for their workes sake First This serves to reprove inconsiderate men who by neglect of this duty signe themselves to be out of the communion of Gods people they care not whether their Minister stand or fall sink or swimme leave him to himselfe take no notice of his labours trialls sufferings his person his worke his wages is no part of their care they have no hand lift up for him to God or men but perhaps both against him These are at least inconsiderate 1. That the blessing and benefit of a good Minister is invaluable and must be begged of all those that must share in the benefit One of the speciall clauses of the new Covenant is that God will give Pastors according to his owne heart and wil he give such a speciall gift to such as prize it not nor praise him for it 2. They consider not the weight of the calling the charge of soules for which who is sufficient The rage of Satan and all wicked men against this great worke never sleeping but alwayes hindering the free passage of the Gospell both with open fury and secret devises The many sharpe assaults that these leaders of Gods armies against the Prince of darknesse and his forces are exposed unto often in the forlorne hopes not onely bestowing their lives and strength in preaching the Gospell but often being bestowed for it and die to seale it with their blood Did they consider this they would pray in Peters words Acts 4.29 Lord grant thy servants that they may speake boldly thy word 3. They consider not how deepely themselves are interessed in the welfare and happy estate of their Ministers Is not the fall of the Minister commonly the ruine of the people Can the shepheards be smitten and the sheepe not be scattered Can vision faile and people not perish Can a watch-man of a Citty or Castle be corrupted or surprized by the enemy and the Citty be safe Or can a man be an agent or accessary in the corrupting and surprizing a Captaine set to keepe a Fort without treason to his Prince Even so hee that prayes not for the prosperity of every good Minister shewes himselfe in enemy to the Church and no friend to his owne salvation Secondly To reprove that cursed generation of men who in stead of praying for the prosperity of the Ministery and Ministers who being sent of God in mercie are a principall blessing 1. They repine and grieve as if some heavie scourge or plague were come upon them as the Divells did at Christs coming because they were tormented before their time It was never merry with them since there was such running and thronging after preaching now they cannot sit at ease nor have roome to bring their beds with them nothing is such a corrasive unto their hearts as to see Gods blessing and successe of a godly Ministery and the people of God flocking after his owne Ordinance This was the dust and daggers in the Pharises and hypocrites in Christ his time that they could profit nothing but that the world runne after him Iohn 12.19 Oh that such men would seriously consider that 1. Whosoever esteeme this excellent blessing a burden a plague it shall be so to them It offers it selfe now as a blessing but shall turne to the most intolerable plague that can befall them even a witnesse a bill of inditement aggravating their damnation burdening them with plagues and curses easelesse and remedilesse 2. There is not a more proper note of a Divell incarnate and a man in state of damnation than to envie and grieve at the grace of God at the prosperity successe and growth of the Gospell The Divells proper sinne Ye are of your Father the Divell his workes ye doe 3. The time hastens on thee when in terrours of soule and agonies of heart thou shalt wish one Sermon one word of comfort and know by the want of the blessing the benefit of it but perhaps shalt never finde opportunity Thirdly others in stead of praying for their Ministers curse them revile them slander them runne to the Rulers every week to disturbe them as if they were loath to be too farre behinde the Divell or not to be chiefe instruments in the ruinating of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ. Thus those that are bound to pray for their Ministers that they may be delivered from absurd and unreasonable men are most ready to make a prey and spoile of them But doubtlesse they are wicked and gracelesse men neare to a curse a wonder their steely hearts feare not some extraordinary judgement and messenger of Gods wrath every moment 2 King 2.24 When little children in their play cursed and reviled the Prophet Elisha beares came out of the wood and destroyed them how much lesse can the aged escape who teach their children by example to revile and scorne the Prophets and servants of God Fourthly others will not revile them but can spy wants and imperfections in them as indeede there is in the best can sit as Iudges on his person cast him off for one weake in gifts colde in his doctrine carelesse in his life and so turne him off But when did they pray for him that God would enable him to the worke of his Ministery that God would bestow the Spirit to deliver the word so as he might save his owne soule and them that heare him And if they faile herein are they not guilty of all his defects which they complaine of Surely would they spend as many earnest prayers for him as they doe words to taxe and disgrace him who knoweth whether the Lord might not open his heart and mouth for their comfort and profit And what reason hath the Lord to minister comfort and benefit by a man when it is never desired Thou findest no sweetnesse nor comfort in a Minister thou prayest for none How canst thou finde without seeking Secondly for instruction Seeing our want and sinne heretofore let us reforme our selves and provoke our selves to so needfull a duty daily to commend our Ministers to the grace of God as Paul and Silas were by the Church Acts 15.40 The first ground and to doe it aright 1. Wee must love them heartily our prayer must flow from love where prayer must be earnest love must be earnest first even as the love of fathers begetting us and breeding us up to Christ 1 Cor. 4. true love and prayer are ever inseparable it is impossible for a man to
love another and not pray for him Some say they love their Minister and like preaching but as the worldling boasts of false liberality when didst thou ever pray unto God for him that hee would be pleased to give him strength and ability successe freedome from molestation from unreasonable men and every good encouragement in his place scarce in all thy life Then may I say to thee as Dâ—lilah to Sampson How canst thou say thou lovest mee and doest not this thing for mee How canst thou say thou lovest mee and keepest this thing from me even thy prayers and best wishes 2. The object must be right the things prayed for Many wish well to their Ministers and much love they shew them and pray for them that God would give them good livings two or three and for meanes of further preferments to raise them to the fayre of dignities wish them good Lords and Patrons and countenance of great men Oh the happinesse of Ministers stands not in these things A Turke or Heathen can wish all these to their friends and yet Christians wish no more These are wishes of carnall men But pray thou for liberty spirit courage power faithfulnesse to stand against men and Divels that by force or subtlety would discourage him from the worke grace and faithfull dispensation makes an happy Minister Pray for this and yet I doubt many Ministers themselves pray more for the other than these 3. With prayer thou must bring the other companions of love and thankfulnesse We must not deale by our Ministers as many answer beggers God helpe you but give them nothing you must yeeld us not onely good words and good prayers but audience redence maintenance you must doe that you pray for It is but hypocrisie to pray in a set forme of prayer for all Bishops Curates and all Congregations committed to their charge if thou doest not set thy hand to thy prayer If love set thy mouth on worke to pray for a Ministers prosperity it will set the hand on work to uphold his person his comfort his Ministery his cheerefulnesse in the worke of the Lord all thy pretences leave thee but an hypocrite an enemie of righteousnesse who art hyde-bound and hand-bound who valuest not sundry yeares labours of thy Pastour at so many farthings Heathens and Savages would be loath to reject their Idolatrous Priests so farre but either conscience or shame or feare or company would force some expressions of love to them But Heathenish Christians nothing can worke them FINIS THE TABLE A. ACtions of renovation discerned in three things 198 Actuall sins more violently quenching the fire of the Spirit above other 3 sorts 23 Every action must be done 1. by vertue of a word 2. in Gods presence 3. for Gods glory 110 Action to bee good must proceede from a good agent 115 Admiration of mens persons no good rule for 6 reas 84 Affections crooked no safe rule to follow 3 reas 81 83 Affection to inferiour things must shame us for want of like affection in attaining better 227 Affections must be narrowly watched 256 Affections naturally exceedingly corrupted 5 instances 263 Sound affection to grace discerned by foure signes 218 Afflictions sanctified set forward sanctification 5 wayes 214 Aime of a Christian must be absolute conformity betweene the whole word and the whole man 89 All things to be beleeved or done must first be tryed by the Scriptures 4 reas 61 All things are to be tryed but all things must not be held 125 All the Articles of religion turned into a questionary Divinity among Schoolemen 129 Alteration and change of spirit soule and body a sure signe of growth in holinesse 217 Ancient Christians refused ceremonies used by Heathens 3 instances 160 Appearances of evill must be avoided as well as apparant evills for 5 reasons 147 Apostates their fearfull danger in 4 things 319 Arts wicked with which seducers come armed to deceive 5. 63 Severall Attributes of God to be conceived according to our suites 5 Instances 178 B. Baptisme must not be required of a Popish Priest 5 Reas. 158 C. Calling effectuall and ineffectuall differenced 353 His owne effectuall calling every man ought to know 4 reasons 356 Calling effectuall the worke of God onely 5 reasons 361 From effectuall calling a man may certainly conclude his owne salvation 363 Calling effectuall often hardly discerned 3 reas 367 Calling effectuall heareth Christs voice many wayes vttered 371 Ceremonies ordained of God so as Iewes must differ from Heathens as well in them as in doctrine 4 Instances 159 Wofull changes in the soule of Gods childe who hath quenched the Spirit 5. 17 Change in a man effectually called is wonderfull 1. In respect of sinne 377 2. In respect of the world Ibid. 3. In respect of grace in kinde 379 soundnesse 380 growth 382 Change no shadow of it in Gods nature 386 Nor in his decrees 387 Nor in his will 389 Nor in his affections Ibid. Charity how it beleeveth all things 4 cautions 69 Christians must proceede to full sanctification for five reasons 201 Christians must be as carefull to retaine grace as to attaine it 4 reasons 232 Christ must be magnified in our bodies 5 wayes 280 Christ not corporally present in the Sacrament 4 reasons 309 Christians must not onely labour for full but finall holinesse 4 Reasons 311 Christ raised dieth no more no more doth the Christian. 391 Civility is farre from sanctity 6 differences 205 Comfort in affections well guided in 3 things 268 Comforts from Gods faithfulnesse in 4 things 393 Communication in other mens sinnes to be avoided both before and after 165 Conformity with Idolaters must be avoided in 3 things 156 To a good conscience are required 4 things 239 Conscience cleareth his master 4 wayes 240 Consideration of Christs second comming encourageth godlinesse 6 wayes 301 Considerations to move people to pray for their Ministers sundry 403 Contemplation of creatures in their severall rankes call us to progresse in holinesse 222 D. David sinned in numbring the people in 4 things 113 Davids mourning for Absolom blame-worthy for 4 reasons 114 David refused to drinke the water of Bethlem 3 reas ib. Depth of learning pretended by seducers 63 Difference betweene the peace of Christ and the peace of the world in 6 things 180 Difference betweene sound peace and sencelesnesse of conscience in 5 things 185 Dislike of evill if sound discerned in 6 things 219 Disposition to good tryed by five signes 220 Directions concerning sanctification of the spirit 5. 237 Distinction must be made betweene diffusing of grace and decaying of it 32 Doctrines to be sound must all agree with the analogie of faith 3 instances 90 Doctrine of doubting of a mans owne salvation is against the analogy of faith 91 All sound doctrine tyeth the two tables together 6 Instances 92 All true doctrine leades men unto Christ. 100 Sound doctrine is most contrary to corrupt nature 103 The soundest doctrine most soundly comforteth
with the broth and much lesse the uncleane meate hee knowes the broth is uncleane too the least sinne is infectious and contagious The difference then is this One loves the appearance of good more than goodnesse it selfe the other hates for the evils sake the very appearance of it 5. The fruite of this dutie commends it to our care 1. It commends our feare and zeale for God which riseth up against all sinne As by nature we hate all serpents yea the picture of an ugly viper so grace raiseth up the spirit against sinne indifferently and all resemblance of it 2. It is excellent for the satisfying of a mans owne conscience for suppose a thing be never so good yet if it appeare to me evill I sinne in doing it and must avoide it because it appeares to me so 3. It commends our charity which respects the conscience of our brother and is as loth he should fall by our hand as by himselfe 4. It is the honour of our profession and the glory of the Gospel when men cannot justly challenge us with appearances of evill for wicked mouthes are stopt and we adorne the holy profession of God which must needes suffer in us if wee avoid not shew of evill both for the safety of our good name and a good conscience We must be so far from loving liking any evil as we must utterly dislike it be disparate and separate from it whether in Doctrine or manners I. In Doctrines which have but a shew of evill we must abstaine and reject them as carefully as manifest false Doctrines for wee may easily suppe up poyson and heresies if wee can digest Doctrines which carry some shew of evill in them As for example Nestorius a wicked hereticke and as Evagrius calls him officina blasphemiae a very shoppe of blasphemy did not distinguish but separate the two natures of Christ and made one Christ not of two natures but of two distinct persons one the Sonne of God by which person all his egregious and miraculous workes were performed the other the sonne of Mary by which without the Sonne of God he wrought all those actions of infirmity as eating drinking sleeping weeping and the union of natures being dissolved for one Christ he gives us two but neither profitable for us Hee holds that wee are saved by the flesh not of the Sonne of God but of the Sonne of man and that the flesh not of the Sonne of God but of the Sonne of man is vivificall and quickening Now this negative makes it apparantly false from which we must not onely abstaine but also from such speeches as although they may have a right interpretation yet carry a shew of evill vâ—gr It is a true speech that we are saved by the blood of the Sonne of man but we must abstaine from it because of the cognation of it with Nestorius his heresie and say plainly by the blood of God as the Apostle speakes Acts 20.28 or of Christ God and man we are saved To say we are saved by workes may be truly explained but better to abstaine from it because it hath an appearance of Popish merit To call Evangelicall Ministers Priests may be truly expounded but it were better to avoid such phrases of speech because of the shew of Popish Sacrifice and Priesthood The words of heretickes saith one are to be feared and say the Rhemists if we will keepe the faith of our fathers wee must keepe the words of our fathers so say we of the faith of the Scriptures II. In practise and behaviour we must shunne such things as carry evill shewes The Iewes in their course of life must not onely not goe into uncleane houses but must not come neere them and Christians are commanded not to touch any uncleane thing Therefore all such are here to be reproved as think all Christianity stands in this if they doe no unlawfull things and so runne headlong never looking quà m malè colorata sunt what evill shewes they carry Magistrates who whatsoever they see president for in their predecessours venterously undertake it and so referre their authority to private use forgetting themselves to be publike men Ministers seeking their owne not Christs they may be idle non-residents cast up their calling and turne excepting their habit meere secular Paul refused lawfull maintenance at Corinth to avoid suspition of mercenary and covetous affection in preaching Christians in private converse must shew dislike of all appearance of evill First avoid all filthinesse and suspition of it as is said of Cesars wife such as are minced oathes adulterous lookes needlesse company with profane ones Secondly put no coulours upon sinne to digest it easier Object I may company with such and such persons to winne them Answ. Thou art liker to lose thy selfe by hazard of infection if without calling thou frequentest loose company 2. Thou art liker to lose than to winn them by intimate familiarity which is fitter to harden them Thirdly thou art in way to lose thy owne reputation as being a favourer of them and their courses Object But I may weare this and that fashion of apparrell my heart is humble and I detest pride Answ. If it were so thou wouldest avoid the shew of evill in overcostlinesse and excesse of attyre a lowly heart and a lowly habit goe together Object But we may straine at gnats and small things are not to be stucke at Answ. Little sinnes have great consequents Secondly they commonly draw greater after them Thirdly many little sinnes proove ponderous and pernitious Fourthly none are little if the shew of them be not little as our text implyeth III. Let us see this 1. In respect of Idolaters 2 In respect of profane persoÌ„s First Wee must avoid all conformity with Idolaters In service In Ceremony In neere society First In service To be present at idolatrous service is an appearance yea a kinde of approbation of idolatry And where all idolatry is forbidden all shew and appearance of it is forbidden also Besides wee must shew in our appearance our hatred of the very appearance of evill Quest. May not a man be at idolatrous service and keepe his heart to God Answ. No 1. God is but one man is but one and there is but one faith and God requires the body as well as the soule because they are both his 2. It is a deniall of Christ a dissembling of religion a betraying of truth where we ought to professe it an approbation of idolatry an hardening of the enemy by presence and silence 3. The very practise condemneth it selfe The man holds consent of heart evill then be must hold appearance of consent evill too 4. It is a reconciling of abhorring natures light and darknes God and Belial the Temple of God and the Temple of idols An impossible disioyning of the soule and body as if the one could be in heaven and the other in hell Origen said he could