Christian as a Christian ibid. 2 Reas Because a false professor may have a compleat resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to a Christian p. 269 Thus the first thing is cleared now wee come to the second thing propounded Secondly How it may stand with 1 Gods end 2 Satans end 3 A mans own ends to abound in duty and yet not bee sincere First It may stand with Gods ends both 1 Towards the good and they are merciful ends 2 Towards the bad and they are partly merciful and partly judicial First It may stand with Gods ends towards the good and they are merciful ends ibid. p. 270 First That God may serve his own glory by them for the bringing in and building up of the godly ibid. Secondly God suffers unsound hearts to abound in duties to maintain an holy jealousy and watchfulnesse in the hearts of his own people p. 271 Thirdly To make us see there is something in duty more than duty which sets a value upon duty and makes it of worth ibid. Fourthly To tell us that there are other things to bee done of a Christian than meerly to pray here p. 272 Fifthly To make his people more solicitous after surer more stable and proving evidences than these are ibid. Secondly As it may stand with Gods ends to the good so it may stand with Gods ends to the bad 1 His merciful ends p. 273 2 His judicial ends ibid. Secondly It may stand also with Satans ends and that 1 Towards the good p. 274 2 Towards the world ibid. 3 Towards themselves ibid. 1 It may stand with Satans ends towards the good 1 Hereby Satan doth labour to cause Gods people to throw off the work to desist in their way ibid. 2 If hee cannot prevail with Gods people to throw off the work yet hee hath a second end and that is to discourage Gods people in the work ibid. 3 If Satan cannot prevail thus far yet hee labours by these men to scandalize the godly to bring evil reports on all that walk in the wayes of life p. 275 You know how wicked men argue viz. 1 Either from particulars to generals ibid. Or 2 By the failing of the person ibid. Secondly It may stand with Satans end in respect of the world as 1 To keep them off from entring upon the way of life p. 276 2 To strengthen the prejudice of wicked men against the wayes and people of God ibid. 3 Hereby hee hardens them in a way of sin ibid. Thirdly How it may stand with Satans ends towards themselves that thus abound in duty and yet are unsound ibid. 1 To aggravate their condemnation ibid. 2 Because such men are surest his of any and that on two grounds ibid. 1 If hee stands in that condition hee thinks hee is sure enough ibid 2 If hee falls hee thinks him sure enough because the hazard is great p. 277 3 It may stand yet further with Satans ends because hee hopes to have some further good of them another day p. 278 For the Devil knows 1 They will bee the surest and trustiest servants to him of any p. 279 None in the world have more of the infernal nature than they p. 280 Thirdly How it may stand with their own ends who having corrupt hearts yet should notwithstanding abound in duty 1 To answer the cases of conscience ibid. 2 To pacifie the quarrels to satisfie the gripes and gnawings of conscience p. 281 Conviction doth arise from some common not saving light and that 1 Because it discovers grosse sins not secret sins 2 It discovers open sins not spiritual sins ibid. 3 It discovers no sin as sin in the nature of it ibid. Other ends there are which are more low than the former as 1 For ostentation and gifts of pride p. 282 2 For affection credit and esteem in the world ibid. 3 For the advancement of their worldly designes ibid. 4 That by this means they might procure Gods blessings on them in this life ibid. Next thing is to shew what the grounds are whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in outward performances p. 283 First ground is natural conscience ibid. Second ground is some present distresse and trouble on the conscience or upon the bodies of men upon the spirit or flesh of men ibid. p. 284 1 Some present distress upon the spirit 2 Outward pressures on the body ibid. The fourth thing remains which is four where the fault lies or how it comes to passe and that in six particulars p. 285 1 Hee fails in the latitude or extent of his obedience Hee is limited 1 Either to some command most suitable 2 Or to the flesh that is to the outwards of the command ibid. 2 Hee is faulty in the manner of his obedience p. 286 3 Hee is faulty in his aims and ends ibid. 4 Hee is faulty in that hee resteth upon what hee doth and looks no higher p. 287 4 Hee makes it self his obedience which should quicken his Obedience ibid. 6 These spiritual performances do not arise from spiritual Principles ibid. There is a fourfold change 1 A Moral change p. 288 2 A Partial change ibid. 3 A Formal change ibid. 4 A Spiritual change But not new ibid. 1 For substance of soul and body p. 289. 2 For faculties of soul and body ibid. Object Nature cannot act ultra sphaeram above it self nature cannot go any further than Nature Answered ibid. It is true in the main but Nature may bee strengthened from above ibid. Nature considered in diverse forms and ranks 1 There is a meer Nature with those reliques as some say But I say restored Principles ibid. 2 Nature civilized and moralized 3 Nature sublimated p. 290 Thus you see the Doctrin cleared and the fourth thing answered 1 Hee is a man who was never humbled for sin ibid. 2 Hee is a man that was never truly cast out of himself ibid. 3 Hee is a man that was never fully changed ibid. 4 Hee is a man who is carryed upon holy works with a slavish heart ibid. There are two great weights that carry him about 1 Fear of Hell p. 291 2 Hope of Heaven ibid. Use If a man do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven what then shall become of them that do nothing ibid. Sincerity lyes in labouring and how ibid. These things are necessary 1 Necessitate Precepti God hath commanded them 2 Necessitate Medii they are the way to life ibid. Object This discourageth us If a man may do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven then it is as good to sit still and do nothing Answered p. 292 Wee should argue after this manner Because I may do all this and yet not bee sincere therefore I will labour to bee sincere in the doing of them ibid. Second Use Discovers the sandinesse and unsafenesse of those bottoms to rest a mans soul upon ibid. To stir up those that fear God to get better
by us but infused by God together with Faith as being a part of it But it is meant of the second or further work of Sanctification and so Faith sanctifieth us as it lends a hand to help forward and to perfect our Sanctification for so Faith doth strengthen and increase Grace in us by drawing down strength and life from Christ daily and in this sense as to their bene or melius esse all our graces have a kind of dependance upon Faith as a Mediatory grace as I may say as our Mediatour to our Mediatour in fetching down influence and strength for the strengthening and increasing of grace in us And therefore by the way it may bee a good Admonition to you when you finde any weakness in your love patience or in any other grace still to strengthen and increase Faith whereby you may draw down from Christ strength to all the rest 3 The third thing in the definition expresseth what this formall act is and here wee have 1 The essentiale Antecedens 2 The essentiale constituens 1 The essentiale Antecedens essentially pre-requisite to the justifying Act and this is knowing and assenting which two I might separate for the better discovery of our adversaries error in their implicit Faith who hold that it is sufficient for some only to beleeve as the Church beleeveth although they know not themselves any thing that they beleeve to maintain which blind Faith they say that Justifying Faith may bee without knowledge nay that it were better to bee defined by ignorance than by knowledge But wee must not stand to answer every thing that commeth in the way for so wee should stay long enough at the threshold I will therefore joyn these two both together as essentially pre-requisite whereby wee know and assent to our own miserable estate the freeness of God promise and grace which hee hath tendred to the soul in Christ both essentiall Antecedents to justification of which some expound that John 6.40 every one that seeth the Son and beleeveth on him shal have everlasting life Where by seeing they say is meant Christum praedicatum videre agnoscere pro filio Dei to see and acknowledge Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the World and indeed this must go before It is gradus ad rem though not gradus in re it is a pre-requisite or preparatory to justifying Faith but it is not justifying Faith as in the Generation of a man the sensitive soul goeth before and prepareth a fit organ for the infusion of the reasonable soul and yet not the sensitive but the reasonable soul doth inform so in the reparation of man hystorical faith doth precede and make way for the inducement of justifyâ—ng Faith and yet not the former but this doth justifie as Calvin saith a Vulgar knowledge and assent to truth doth joyn a man no more to God than the sight of the Sun doth lift a man to Heaven Otherwise did this hystoricall assent justyfie then it as well as Justification should be proper only to the Elect so Justification is Rom. 8.30 but so is not an hystorical assent for that Simon Magus had and other Reprobates may have 2 Essentiale constituens or that formal Act whereby wee are justified and that is rowling or resting our selves upon Christ or trusting on him for they are Synonimaes expressing the same thing in diverse words And that this is the formal Act of justifying Faith I refer my self and you to what in this kinde was said before I here only say that that which is imputed for Righteousness and by which wee are justified that is the true and formall Act of justifying Faith But such a kind of beleeving is imputed for Righteousness and is that by which wee are justified so saith the Apostle Rom. 4.5 to him who beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is imputed to him for Righteousness and Rom. 10.10 11. with the heart man beleeveth unto Righteousness and in the next verse hee Interpreteth that beleeving by beleeving on him for the Scripture saith whosoever beleeveth on him c. And therefore wee conclude so to beleeve is the justifying Act of Faith 4 The fourth thing in the Definition is the fruit which cometh in or the end of this Act and that is 1 Next and immediate Justification and pardon of sin 2 Mediate Sanctification and growth in grace 3 Ultimate The Perfection of all in Glorification But here some may object Object 1. First there are many who do trust and yet are not justified many who profess that they do this act but yet live in their sins as Balaam c. Therefore this is not the justifying Act. Ans I answer That although every one say hee trusteth yet every one doth not truly trust for there is a double affiance or trust The one is a slight and superficial affiance grounded upon no other foundation than a great apprehension that it is good to bee saved by Christ but yet so as neither to leave their old course or imbrace a new The other is a setled and grounded affiance and so qualified as that it is not to bee found in any not truly justified if it bee I shall yield the cause 1. It is a holy Trust Jude v. 20. Build up one another in your holy faith not as though holiness were required as an ingredient into faith in the act of Justification or giving us our first interest in Christ but this I mean by a holy trust that it is such a trust as is accompanied with holiness in the root and brings forth works of holiness in the fruit such a faith as is accompanied with holiness in the heart and declared in the holiness of our lives For although it be fides sola faith alone which justifieth and gives us the first interest in Christ yet it is not fides quae sola solitaria it is not a faith which is alone but such a faith as is accompanied with holiness in the root the graces of Gods Spirit and holiness in the life The faith which doth justifie us is not in formis but formata not a dead faith but animated and quickned with grace and holiness the whole man being sanctified 2. It must be an unfeigned Trust 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 There is a counterfeit and hypocritical Trust such as never comes to God from love but for shelter in a storm Psal 78.34 35 36. When he slew them then they sought him and yet did but flatter c. Or such a faith it is that closeth not fully with Christ in all his Offices They are content to have him as a Saviour but not for a Lord the priviledges and dignities that come in by Christ they are willing to own but not the duties and services which he requires They will commit themselves to Christ to save when in trouble then Lord help but to the Devil to serve Who is Lord over us Whereas now a true faith
his spirit his soul was heavy to death Mat. 26.38 when hee sweat drops of blood c. Luk. 22.44 7. Doth hee say thou art still full of corruptions Why but thou mayest say Christ is full of holiness and by him though I bee black yet I am comely As I look not to be justified by mine own inherent righteousness so I shall not bee condemned for this remaining corruption so long as it is not reigning so long as seen and sorrowed for Though I desire to bee acceptable to him in holiness yet I do not desire that my holiness should bee the ground of my acceptance Thus may a soul which hath closed with Christ bee able to weild this to set Christ against whatever Justice Law Sin Satan brings Oh! then let us bee stirred up you that are slow of heart to beleeve to come over thou seest thou canst do him no greater pleasure Thou thinkest thou dost well in doubting but thou dost exceedingly offend God thou canst not do him a greater discourtesy c. Object But doth God command every one to beleeve pardon Ans God commands every one to do the act of Faith but not to beleeve a pardon till hee have done that If any shall get hold of the horns of the Altar and yet rest in sin God will deal with him as Joab c. 1 King 2.28 29. c. God commands thee not to beleeve a pardon so long as thou purposest to go on in sin but yet hee alwayes commands thee to beleeve him so as to give up thy self to Christ c. that thereby thou mayest have pardon and assurance and salvation A TREATISE OF THE Miserable Condition OF UNBELEEVERS BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C.C.C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF HYPOCRISY BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C.C.C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF HYPOCRISY ISAIAH 58.2 Yet they seek mee daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God They ask of mee the Ordinances of Justice they delight in approaching to God A TEXT which I may tremble to read and you to hear Well may wee ask that question Lord who is it then that shall bee saved Is it possible to do thus much and yet miss of Heaven Lord who is it then that shall bee saved The whole World may bee divided into four ranks of men 1. Some that are in the Church visible but not of the Church invisible 2. Some that are of the Church but not in the Church 3. Some that are both in the Church and of the Church 4. Some neither in nor of the Church Some that have both right to and possession of this great priviledge Some that have possession but not right Some that have right but not possession Some neither possession nor right But yet to come nearer Those that are within the pale of the Church and so within the bounds of Gods call wee may rank into these three orders of men 1. Some who are Atheistical and prophane Such as will do nothing for Heaven as Gallio They care for none of these things Act. 18.17 2. Some who are Hypocritical and unsound That will do something but as good as nothing 3. Some who are sincere and upright Who will come up to Gods price and walk throughly in all the wayes of God But wee shall yet draw them into a narrower compass viz. Those who are pretenders to Heaven Of which there are but two sorts of people in the World For wee will cast out the Atheist the Worldling the prophane Person the Drunkard the Swearer These are men upon whose forehead you may read They are going to Hell There are then but two sorts which are pretenders for Heaven 1. The first is the Formal Christian 2. The second is the Upright and Sincere 1. The first Hee will do something for Heaven hee will bid much for Heaven hee will walk in the round of duty hee looks to the matter but neglects the manner 2. The second hee will come up to the price hee will do all Gods commands looking to the Manner as well as to the Matter The one hee will give God the carkass and body of duty The other hee will give God the life and spirit of duty Of the first sort wee have some in the Text who went high to fall short of Heaven at last Surely if wee but read the words and if God had not said they had been unsound wee should have judged them of the best of men Do but cast your eyes upon the Text and read over the particulars 1. They seek God and not for a time only in a storm in trouble as many will do Beleeve mee they go further They seek mee daily They had their morning and evening Prayers 2. They delight to know my wayes 1. They knew the wayes of God 2. They delighted to know his wayes which is equivalent to this they did not only know the wayes of God but desired to know the wayes of God and for ought I know might have some kinde of delight in the knowledge of his wayes 3. As a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinances of their God That is if you looked upon them they would seem to bee as holy a people as any I have in the World There is none who would judge otherwise of them by any outward appearance but that they were as holy as sincere as any in the World Though they were not a Nation that did Righteousness yet they appeared to bee so They were as a Nation that did Righteousness not only as a Nation who heard who knew who spake Righteousness but as a Nation that did Righteousness They appeared to the judgement of the World to bee as exact as the choicest Saints which God had in the World 4. They ask of God the Ordinances of Justice They desire and pray that God would inform them in the wayes of Justice how they should bee governed and ruled in the World a people which hath respect to their civil Laws and Government pretending to desire Gods Warrant Gods Direction Gods Rule in all things As if they would do nothing even in their civil Affairs without Gods special Warrant and Direction 5. They take delight in approaching to God Than which how can wee have an higher expression What do they approach to God and daily approach to God as you see in the beginning And do they delight in approaching to God do they delight in hearing do they delight in praying do they delight in approaching to God in his Ordinances Here was a stupendious height What can wee say more how can wee go any higher Here wee may stand and
inlightened cannot serve God so cheaply with quiet of Conscience as others who are not can Now there are some who are far convinced some who are further inlightened than others And conscience calls out upon them for more work to bee done And to answer the meer calls of Conscience a man far inlightened may do much in the wayes of God and yet his spirit bee unsound 2. To pacifie the quarrels to satisfie the gripes and gnawings of conscience It is usual with men under the pangs and stings of conscience To run to the springs of duty to the plaisters of prayers meerly for this end To get present ease and quiet to their burdened Consciences And they often compass their end by this means and get some present ease though not a setled and substantial Peace Such as their disturbance is such is their Peace As their disturbance was not spiritual for sin so their Peace it is not spiritual arising from a cure As conscience was wounded by walking to that common light and natural Principles in it So is it put in joynt again by walking answerable to them which works though but common and general yet being all their light discovers they may by the performance of them get some present ease though not a sound and setled Peace Wee read The Heathens had stings of Conscience when they sinned notoriously against the Light and Principles of Nature And wee read they had Peace and quiet when they observed those things which their light discovered to them As their Terrors did arise from Convictions of Conscience upon the doing of such things as were contrary to the Principles of Nature so their Peace did arise from the observance of such things as were agreeable to that common Light and Principles they had So it is here Their Conviction doth arise from some Common not saving Light 1. Because it discovers gross sins not secret sins 2. It discovers open sins not spiritual sins 3. It discovers no sin as sin in the Nature of it Some sins it discovers not at all And so their Peace doth arise from some common Performances some general works not special and saving And this is one end why some may abound in outward Performances to make themselves a Plaister of the ingredients of Prayers and Duties to heal their woundâ—d consciences I have sometimes thought that Conscience in this case is something like to the disease which they call the Wolf in the body If you feed not it they are wont to say It will feed upon you And therefore in this case it is said they used to give it flesh that so by feeding on that it might not gnaw upon them and by that means have some present ease though the cure bee not wrought So it is with Conscience When once the mouth of Conscience is opened if a man do not feed it it will devoure him And therefore men in this case do feed Conscience with duty which for present procures them ease though the cure bee not wrought And indeed to speak truth such men do not desire the cure They desire ease but not the cure Peace not Purging Quiet not Healing They would willingly bee rid of the pain but keep the Tooth of Trouble but keep the sin of the evil caused not of the evil causing The cure would bee as deadly to them as the wound to part with the sin as to indure the smart And therefore seeing there is a middle-way to bee gone that they may procure their present Peace and yet keep their sin They will go that way and labour to still the clamours of Conscience by bribing it with Duty feeding it with Prayers that so they may procure Peace and yet keep their sins Other ends there are which are more low than the former 1. For Ostentation and Pride of Gifts A corrupt heart may have the Gift of Prayer though not the Grace of Prayer yea and bee more eminent therein than they who have the Grace of Prayer They may exceed others in expressions who yet do exceed them in affections And for Pride Ostentation in Gifts A corrupt heart may abound in duties and performances 2. For Affection Credit esteem of the World That they may bee accounted holy men to have a Name they are living when yet they are dead men 3. For the advancement of their worldly designes By this craft they have all their gain It may bee this fills their shops fills their houses Quantas nobis divitias c. Godliness is great gain and some make a gain of godliness Now there are vile wretches who make God Religion holy duties to serve their own base ends who make them but a stalking-horse the better to pursue their own game their own gain Like Water-men who row one way but look another They row towards Heaven in outward works with the Oar of Religion but they look towards the World their own ends in heart Their eyes are after their gain Who will shew them any good Their feet are going toward Zoar with Lots Wife but their heart toward Sodome They serve God with their bodies but Mammon with their spirits 4. That by this means They might procure Gods blessing on them in this life Oh! think they if I do not pray God will not bless mee in my shop to day c. And therefore do it to procure Wealth Wee read the Sadduces who denyed that there was any Angel or Spirit or Resurrection and so by consequent all reward of any service after this life being thereupon demanded why they did then keep the Commandements they answered That it might go well with them in this life So there are some whose thoughts go no higher than that God would bless them God would bestow upon them these belly-blessings As they sell God for gain so they serve God for gain With these many other ends might bee laid down why a corrupt heart may abound in outward performances But thus much bee said for the second We have two other things to do more before wee come to Application 1. To shew you what are the grounds that a corrupt heart may so abound in outward performance 2. Where the fault is Or how it comes to pass that a man may do thus much in the wayes of God and yet bee unsound yet miss of Heaven at last Wee will begin with the first of these two which is the third thing propounded 3. What the grounds are whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in outward Performances 1. The first ground is Natural Conscience or that Inbred Light which is in the conscience of men by nature Every man hath a Conscience in him and this Conscience doth acknowledge that there is a God one who is Being of Beings Cause of Causes and not only so but thereupon that this God is to bee worshiped and served by the Creature Though Conscience cannot discover the True God or the True Worship yet it doth conclude there is a God
themselves to some general and common duties of a Christian And there are many men who are mended thus They will hear a Sermon and do some outward duties But they are not new made And this is but like the putting of a new peece of cloath into an old garment the rent will bee made worse Christ sets this down in the parable The unclean spirit is cast out for a time but afterward returneth with seven spirits worse than himself and so his last end proves worse than his beginning Mat. 12.43 c. 3. There is a Formal Change when men in outward appearance do seem to walk in all duties of holiness and to forbear the commission of any gross sin And yet never had their hearts wrought upon All this while it is but their practises not their Principles that are truly changed And these are the men that do so much Of these St. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness yet denying the Power From such turn away By which phrase I told you was implied that though an Hypocrite hath nothing in him which is essential to a Christian as a Christian yet may hee bee the compleat Resemblance of a Christian in all those things which are not essential to him Hee may bee the compleat picture of a godly man from top to toe in every member every limb every duty for the externals of it 4. There is a Spiritual Change wherein the frame and constitution of the inward man is changed and all is made new 1. Not new for substance of soul and body 2. Not new for faculties of soul and body As new understanding new will c. Here a mans new Practises flow from new Principles Here are not only new Wayes but here is a new Heart Hee hath a new Life in him a new Spirit in him by which hee is moved And the want of this is the great Crack the great Fault the Ground why a man may do much in the wayes of God and yet miscarry at last But there will bee one great Objection which seems to throw down all this The Objection is this Object Nature cannot act ultra Sphaeram above it self Nature cannot go any further than Nature As wee say of the Water Quantum descendit tantum ascendit Water can rise no higher than it falls So may it bee said of Nature Nature cannot act above Nature cannot act above her Principle But to do these things is above the power of Nature Therefore hee who doth these duties is above a state of Nature Answ For answer of this Wee say it is true in the Main A man that hath no more than meer Nature in him cannot act above meer Nature But Nature may bee strengthened from above There may bee higher Principles set in Nature which may inable a man to go higher than common Nature though not yet above one in state of Nature A man may bee inabled to act above Nature yet the Principle is not so high as to inable a man to act above a man in the State of Nature For the better clearing of this Wee may consider Nature in diverse forms or ranks 1. There is meer Nature with those reliques as some say But rather I say restored Principles which God gave to man after hee had lost all that hee might bee a Man not a Devil For when by sin wee had lost all if God had not out of pitty to mankinde restored something wee should have been as bad as Devils in the world one devoure murther commit all outrage upon another Now in this state something may bee done not much 2. There is nature civilized and moralized Nature refined by moral Principles which whether they bee in nature before and so but husbanded and improved or whether they were some common gifts of the Spirit wee will not now dispute but conclude this latter Now by these a man may bee inabled to do above the common sort of men hee having higher Principles than meer nature fallen and therefore is able to do more in all the works of morality works of Justice Righteousness Charity c. This you see in the Heathens who far excelled the common sort of men their Principles being far higher 3. There is Nature sublimated and raised yet higher by implantation of higher Principles than these are by the help of which a man may bee inabled to do above the purest natures of the Heathens and yet but Nature The knowledge of God of Christ of Sin of Grace Heaven Hell together with the implantation of some general Principles common gifts and graces of the Spirit may so sublimate a man that by the help of these a man may not only bee wrought up to do more than meer Nature fallen but more than Nature strengthened with moral Principles is able to do You see this in Judas Demas Herod c. whose actions were above meer Nature as comming from higher Principles but yet not above men in the state of Nature This work upon men though not so much as spiritual yet it is more than meer Moral Though hee have not so high a Principle as a spiritual man yet is his Principle higher than a meer moral mans And by the help of that common Illumination general workings of the Spirit broken workings of humiliation hee may bee inabled to pray hear read confer fast profess and what not for all outwards and yet want the Sanctifying Spirit of Christ There may bee a supernatural work of the Spirit upon some men whereby nature may bee strengthened from above and yet they may want the saving work of the Spirit You see then distinguished Heb. 6.4 There were some who were inlightened and had tasted of the Heavenly gift This was a Supernatural work but yet this was not a Saving work vers 9. I am perswaded better things of you and such as accompany salvation though I thus speak Thus you see the Objection cleared And the fourth thing laid open viz. Where the fault is that a man may do thus much and yet bee unsound I adde but thus much to it more 1. Hee is a man who was never humbled for sins And this is a sure Rule The heart never broken was yet never sound 2. Hee is a man that was never truly cast out of himself and therefore can go no higher than himself in all hee doth 3. Hee is a man was never fully changed hee walks in new wayes with an old heart 4. Hee is a man who is carryed upon holy works with a slavish spirit Hee would sin but dares not Hee doth Duty but hath no minde to do it What the Apostle saith of himself the good I would do I do not and the evil I would not do that do I Hee on the contrary must say if hee speak truth The good I would not do I do and the evil I would do that I do not I dare not Hee is a man who hath no principle of spiritual life in him Hee
shall bee of Christ of his beauties his love c. because Christ is in thy heart What the heart is taken withall the Tongue will discourse on 1. And indeed wee cannot have a fuller Subject to discourse on Other Subjects they are empty subjects quickly barren Talk of what you will you will bee quickly at an end The bottome of other things are quickly sounded But Christ is a full Subject Whatever you fall upon is fulness in Christ An everlasting spring which affordeth fresh supplies of matter New and unconceiveable discoveries do arise afresh to bee matter of supply to all eternity 2. You cannot have a sweeter subject Christ is All-sweet A Rose without prickles A Rose for sweetness without prickles for content And nothing is so but Christ All the things of the world since the fall have been Roses beset with thorns Though there bee many sweets in the World yet they are not all-sweet they are beset with thorns crosses with comforts and afflictions with affections Christ is All-sweet and nothing but sweet Tota pulchra as hee said of his Spouse Thou art all-fair Beauty without spot Sweet without prickles Hee is a Garden full of flowers full of sweets You can light of none but you may lade your thighs and go home satisfied 3. You cannot have a more delightfull subject Christ is the delight of all both in Heaven and Earth Hee is Gods delight his heart is taken with him hee lies in his bosome And his Son in whom hee is wel pleased hee is the delight of the Angels whose delight it is to study Christ and desire to learn and hear further discoveries of Christ by his Church as Peter hath it 1 Pet. 1.12 4. You cannot have a more profitable subject A subject which in conversing upon wee are transformed into his Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 into the glory of him who is the subject of the discourse Have you not been kindled with heavenly fire have not your hearts burned in the converses of him as well as in the converses with him Indeed wee cannot converse of him aright but in some measure wee converse with him Doth it not sometimes fetch up your souls to glory and leave you in Heaven Do you not finde it profitable to quicken you to raise you to comfort you to inflame you to humble you to melt you to transform you Doth not a discourse of his love quicken you when you are dead comfort you when you are dejected raise you when faln humble you when proud inflame you when cold Inlarge you when straitned and pent within your selves Oh! That such worthless subjects should so often take up our Tongues and Thoughts And Christ so full so sweet so delightfull so profitable a subject which shall bee matter for our souls discourse to all Eternity shall bee thrown aside as if not worth taking up You whose hearts are taken with Christ declare it to your own comfort and the good of others In this let your thoughts bee taken up with him let your discourses bee more of him shew your selves to love him by thinking Christ speaking Christ living Christ more 6. Sign An heart taken with Christ thirsts after communion with and nearer conjunction to Christ You know whatever your hearts are taken withall you desire and thirst after communion and converses withall So it is here betwixt Christ and the soul The soul taken with Christ longs to bee with him and thirsts after communion with him 1. In Grace here 2. In Glory hereafter 1. In Grace here Oh! How the soul once taken with Christ desires converses with him in prayer in hearing in meditation Isa 26.8 9. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seek thee early And this is the Genius of a soul taken with Christ that duty doth not content him if hee finde not Christ in duty If the end of a duty have left him on this side Christ it hath left him so far short of comfort Others indeed though they do a duty yet as their hearts seek not Christ in the duty so their souls can rest content without him when the duty is done but it is otherwise with a right-born-soul 'T was the speech of Bradford that hee could never leave a duty till hee had found communion with Christ in the duty till hee had brought his heart into a duty-frame Hee could not leave confession till hee had found his heart touched broken and humbled for sin nor Petition till hee had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and carried out after them nor could hee leave thanksgiving till hee had found his spirit inlarged and his soul quickened in the return of praises And it was the happiness of Bernard a Heaven upon Earth that hee saith of himself I never went from thee without thee Nunquam abs te absque te recedo Coelum extra Coelum Hee found God in every duty hee had communion with God in every prayer which indeed is Heaven on this side Heaven Thus hee whose heart is taken with Christ thirsts after communion with him and no duty contents him wherein hee hath not found either his quickening or his comforting-presence either communion with his Grace or communion with his comfort 2. As hee thirsts after communion with him here in Grace so doth hee desire communion with him in Glory To bee with the Lord as the Apostle Whiles the soul is here it sees the distance too great betwixt Christ and it that shee cannot injoy that sweet communion with him As the Apostle saith Whiles wee are present in the flesh wee are absent from the Lord. And therefore the soul breaths after him desires to bee with him Cupio dissolvi saith the Apostle I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ The like of David Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God When shall I come and appear before God! Hee had tasted the sweetness of Christ and did not fear the bitterness of death Vitam in Patientia mortem in Desiderio Hee had Life in Patience Death in Desire because by death hee should bee carried to more sweet and intimate conjunction with Christ It was the speech of Augustine Lord I will dye that I may injoy thee Eja Domine mortar ut te videam nolo vivere Volo mori I will not live but I will dye I desire to dye that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ And this disposition you see in the Spouse here Her heart being taken with Christ shee could not brook the distance betwixt Christ and her and therefore cryes out Cant. 8.1 Make haste make haste my beloved Though in one sense it is true hee that beleeves makes not haste
consulting with Faith and following the guidance thereof she was resolved to do the duty though see perished in the doing thereof And it was her safety The like in Abraham You see what an Exigent hee was put unto Hee was to part with his Son his only Son the Son of his Love the Son of his old age a Son of so many Prayers and so many Promises No doubt if hee had consulted with flesh and bloud and carnal reason they would have bid him to spare his Son but following the guidance of Faith hee was willing to sacrifice his Son Heb. 11.17 By Faith Abraham when hee was tryed offered up his Son Isaac of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed bee called Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead c. So it was Faith whic guided Moses to leave the pomp and glory of Pharaohs Court and to chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.24 If hee had followed the guidance of Reason or sense hee had miscarryed That would have told him that hee was to regard himself and his present happiness and not throw himself out of all But then hee had been mis-led But following the guidance of Faith hee forsakes all This Guidance of Faith they wanted Joh. 12.42 Who durst not confesse Christi for fear of being thrown out of the Synagogue If they had had Faith it would have guided them to Jesus Christ bee the Issue what it will The like of the Young-man Hee went far but when it was put to him to leave all to follow Christ to sell all it is said Hee went away sorrowful Hee consulted with Sense and Reason hee wanted the Guidance of Faith which would have directed him to part with all to cast away all rather than to leave Christ The like of Balaam Either hee must forsake the wages of Unrighteousness or curse the People but hee had more desire of mans reward than hee had Faith to expect God and so hee miscarryed And my Brethren such like straits wee may meet withall in our way to Heaven And if wee follow not the Guidance of Faith wee are sure to bee mis-led It hath been the ordinary choice that the Saints have been put to Either forsake thy God or forsake thy Goods Either leave Christ or leave thy Comforts Either renounce Christ or lose thy Friends thy Father thy Mother nay thy liberty thy life To these exigencies and straits Gods people have been driven And had they not had Faith they had surely been mis-led but having Faith it guided them to suffer losse of friends loss of goods loss of liberty loss of life it self for Christ as you see up and down in Abraham in Moses in Jeremy in Paul and the rest of the Apostles who accounted not their lives dear to them for Christ And it was the usual speech of the Primitive Martyrs when they were perswaded to leave Christ rather than to suffer Parce precot Imperator tu Carcerem ille Gehennam Spare good Emperour thou canst but cast into prison God into Hell The like of Cyprian of Policarp The like of Frederick the Elector of Saxony who was prisoner to Charles the fifth and was promised inlargement and restitution to his former dignity If hee would come to Mass It was Faith guided him to return this answer In earthly things I am ready to yeeld to Caesar In heavenly only to Christ And Christ is more welcome to mee in Bonds than Caesars Court without Christ Thus I might run down in particular examples in all ages and shew you how Faith hath guided men in these straits which had they followed the direction of Reason and Sense they had been lost for ever It is Faith which guides the heart in these difficult cases It is an Heart-guiding-Grace And this is the way Faith doth reject the wisdome of the flesh and goes by Gods light It shuts our eyes and walks by Gods light It follows God as the blinde man follows his Guide all his dayes Hee who makes Gods Word all his Reason shall have God a Counsellor Faith will not own the wisdome of the flesh the carnal minde is enmity to God It will not bee subject It is full of contumacy and stoutness against God and his wayes Faith will neither own the Flesh as a King nor as a Counsellor As it will not obey the commands of the flesh so it will not follow the counsels of the flesh Peter would not consult with flesh and blood but was obedient to the heavenly vision where is implied if hee had hearkened to flesh and bloud hee had been disobedient to the heavenly vision But Faith makes God its guide Psal 48.14 This God is our God for ever hee shall bee our guide unto death Faith seeks direction from God who is the Counsellor the God of all wisdome And the Soul that leans upon God for wisdome shall not want it He who trusts in the God of wisdome shall not want direction I say hee who shuts his own eyes and sincerely falls down at the feet of God for counsel shall have direction from him If indeed wee seek as Balaam with a double heart or as the Children of Israel did Jer. 42. who asked counsel but were resolved of their way wee then may miscarry But hee who seeks with an humble and upright heart that asks the way to Sion with his face thitherward resolved to go as God directs Such will God direct in his way such hee will guide in all the wayes of Judgement As the Moon by darting her beams and influence into the Sea doth move that great body backward and forward which they say is the cause of the ebbings and flowings of the Sea so God doth in difficult cases dart such a beam of light into the Soul such strong influences into the Spirit as doth carry the soul the way it should go A man may follow his own wisdome and miscarry but hee that shuts his eyes and follows God is sure not to bee mis-led Hee who rejects the counsel of the flesh and is resolved to walk by the direction of the Spirit though never so unlikely to flesh and bloud is sure to go right You see an example of this in Balaam in Saul sparing of Agag and the best of the flock in sacrificing before Samuel came to him But I 'le name but one Jer. 41.10 to the end of the Chapter Johanan who was the Captain of the Residue of the Jews left in Jerusalem desired Jeremy though with a double and deceitful heart to enquire of the Lord whether hee should go down to Egypt or abide at Jerusalem And bound himself with a vow that Whatever the Lord said hee would do it Jeremy comes and tells him hee must abide at Jerusalem and God would preserve him
as well as in broad waies in rugged waies as well as in plain smooth waies In difficult as well as in easie waies You see this in Abraham concerning the sacrificing of his son In which act hee might seem to disobey in his Obedience And the dutiful yeelding to it might seem to contradict duty There seemed not only Nature and reason to cry down this act of Obedience but even the word too The yeelding of Obedience did seem to justle against the Precept of Obedience Yet you see hee obeyed God It is said By Faith Abraham obeyed God By Faith indeed It was a strong Faith That strong Faith that beleeved hee should have a Son did now obey God in offering of his Son Strong Obedience proceeded from his strong Faith Strong Faith produceth strong Obedience 1. Strong for Active 2. Strong for Passive Obedience The same Faith doth supply the soul with Active strength for doing duties and with Passive strength for suffering duties 1. A strong Faith is strong to bear Reproaches for Christ As Moses Hee esteemed the Reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 And Paul Therefore wee labour and suffer Reproach because wee trust in the living God 1 Tim. 4.10 2. A strong Faith is strong to bear losses for Christ As they Heb. 10.34 Who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods as if the enemy had done them a great courtesie A strong Faith is strong to bear Persecutions Scourges Death it self for Christ You see what the Apostles indured what Stephen indured Why saith the Text Hee was a man full of Faith Act. 5.8 Strong Faith did inable them to suffer and bear and to go through difficulties prisons persecutions scourgings c. for Christ A strong Beleever doth rejoyce if hee can hold up God as it were though himself bee down if hee can raise up Gods Glory though it bee by the ruine of himself save his honour by losse of himself What Epaminondas said who having resolved concerning his Buckler either to defend it or to dye for it being wounded to death brake forth into these words Num salvus est Clypeus meus Is my Buckler safe If that bee safe I am well So the Beleever in the midst of all his sufferings if hee can keep his Buckler safe hold up God and his Glory All is well 3. A strong Faith will beleeve nothing contrary to his belief All the temptations of Satan all the arguments of men shall never bee able to reason him out of his Faith A weak Faith is quickly brought to deny his conclusion to yeeld up the cause Satan may make a man unsay what formerly hee hath said But a strong Faith will hold the conclusion against all Satans sophistry His Faith hath been gotten up by many invincible experiences from Gods behaviour to him as a Father from the souls behaviour to him as a Child And all that Satan can do shall not out-reason his Faith What a man saith by feeling a temptation may make him unsay but what a man saith by Faith nothing can make him unsay If Satan do assault such a man and tell him God doth not love him God is not his Father yet will the soul binde it self to this Mast and hold his conclusion against all with the Church Isa 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father thou Lord art our Father our Redeemer Say Satan takes up arguments from Gods 1. Inward Or 2. Outward dealings with us 1. From his Inward dealings May bee a man is in some present Desertion and wants the clear Evidences which formerly hee had and Satan from thence doth argue That God is not our God hee is not our Father yet will not a strong Faith bee reasoned out of his Faith The soul will yet conclude it though it cannot clear it and beleeve it when it cannot see it The strong Christian lives by Faith not by feeling and knows God may bee His God though by sense it bee not discerned but that God is not his God You see this in Psal 22.1 My God! My God! There 's Faith Why hast thou forsaken mee There 's sense Faith held the conclusion against sense That God was his God though sense could not apprehend but that hee was forsaken of God And therefore when the eye of Sense and Evidence is put out yet hee hath the eyes of Faith to see and beleeve And Blessed is the man saith our Saviour to Thomas who beleeves and sees not Joh. 20.29 A strong Faith will trust God further than hee sees him Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Faith will trust upon the Promise of Mercy in the want of Sense of Mercy Our Faith is not begotten by sense and feelings but by the Promise and therefore in the want of sense and feelings the soul may beleeve Isa 50.10 Though a man walk in darkness and sees no light yet may hee trust in the Lord and lean upon his God A weak Faith if it want feeling it is gone but the strong Faith will Hope against Hope Beleeve against Sense Reason and present Evidence and can say God is mine though it want the present Sense and Evidence of it It will trust in God a Father when his dealings seem to argue him an Enemy Faith will read Love in his angry looks and look through the mist of Desertion and see the affections of a Father under the expressions of an Enemy Thus did Job by Faith Though thou kill mee yet will I trust in thee Full well it knows Though God hide his face yet hee cannot deny himself 2. Say hee takes an argument from Gods outward dealings in chastising and afflicting of us and say If God loved thee hee would not so afflict thee If God were thy Father hee would not so chastise thee However the weak Faith may bee born down with such a temptation as this yet the strong Faith is not moved with such a temptation it is able to retort on Satan because God loves mee therefore hee scourgeth mee that I might not bee condemned with the World That I might not love the World therefore hee suffers the World to frown on mee That I might bee crucified to the World therefore hee suffers mee to bee crucified in the World Because I am a Child therefore hee afflicts mee Hee scourgeth every Son whom hee receiveth Rom. 12.6 7 8.9 c. God takes liberty to chastise our bodies to save our souls And God loves tenderly when hee corrects severely Job 5.17 Pro. 3.11 Thus doth a strong Faith hold up the conclusion of Faith against all the Reasonings of Satan against it Let him produce never so many Evidences to the contrary yet will hee not bee born down in it It 's a maxime of Faith hee will hold to against all opposition whatsoever You see it was thus in Job When God had taken away his goods when his hand was upon his body and upon his spirit too not only withdrawing himself from
tremble stand and bee astonished stand and bee amazed Lord who is hee that shall bee saved May men do thus much and yet fall short of Heaven what will become of thee that dost nothing what will become of thee thou Drunkard what will become of thee thou Swearer thou prophane Person Worldling if it bee thus with the green Tree what will become of the dry Tree if it bee thus with them that appear to bee good what will become of them that appear to bee evil Thus you see the astonishing height which yet an unsound spirit may reach unto How much may bee done by a man and yet bee unsound here and fall short of Heaven hereafter So that now I shall trouble you but with one Doctrin And I beleeve before I have done it it will trouble you And that shall bee from the general the whole body of the Text together and it is this Doct. It is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God even to abound in all outward Performances and yet bee false at the heart and yet have an unsound spirit here and miss of Heaven hereafter This Doctrin you see the Text speaks plainly To this I will adde but one Instance more which may prove the whole Doctrin and that you have Matth. 19.16 to 23. You read there of ones comming to Christ. A young man a rich man one who had great Possessions and a Ruler too as Luke expresseth it Luk. 18.18 All which was rare A young man a rich man a Ruler to come to Christ you shall read there his business also Hee came not to tempt him Non animo tentantis sed voto discentis to insnare him aothers did but to learn and be instructed by him And the thing hee desires to bee instructed in is not some frivolous trifling matter which others came to Christ withall But that which was the matter of his inquiry was a matter of eternal concernment viz. What hee might do that hee might bee saved that hee might inherit everlasting life Here was something here in this A young man a rich man a Ruler to come to Christ with desire to bee instructed how hee should come to eternal life You shall now hear Christs answer vers 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements There was some special reason why Christ makes him such an answer for in Joh. 6.28 29. Christ answers the same question in another manner Quaerebat opera Christus ostendit mandata But Christ did here consider the quality of the Person who demanded Hee was a Work-monger and Christ puts him to working Christ gave him Physick sutable to his distemper Christ puts him to the Commandements that hee might convince him in that to bee imperfect wherein hee thought himself to bee perfect and would make that his foil which hee thought to bee his greatest glory Well Christ having put him upon the Commandements the young man demands which of the Commandements as if hee had said There is none of them but I have already done Christ you see puts him to the Moral Law Seeing hee will have Heaven and bee justified by Moses Moses shall bee his Judge and there rehearseth diverse Precepts of the second Table The young man you see makes answer in vers 20. All these things have I kept from my youth what lack I yet Hast thou any more to command Is there any more to bee done This was now much hee said If wee may beleeve him 1. Hee obeyed Hee was not only one who did know the Commandements but one who kept the Commandements 2. Hee obeyed universally not some but all All these things have I kept 3. Hee had obeyed constantly All these things have I kept from my youth And sure there was much of truth in what hee said For it is said upon this Christ looked upon him and loved him as Mark relates Mark 10.21 No question hee had obeyed the letter of the command there was none could detect him but Christ however hee failed in the Spirit of the command Hee did not break them in the outward action though hee did not keep them in the inward affection And yet for all this this man was unsound as hee discovers himself to bee afterward for all this this man fell short of Heaven And yet alas How far doth this man excel a thousand of us So that you see the Doctrin plain in the gross in the bulk scil That it is possible for a man to do much in the wayes of God and yet to be unsound at heart to abound in all outward Performances and yet to miss of Heaven in the end But wee 'l come to clear it to you in the Particulars And wee will follow this Method in these four Particulars 1. Wee will clear it to you in diverse instances from the word that it is possible so to do 2. Wee will shew how this may stand both 1. With Gods ends 2. With Satans ends 3. With mans own ends To do much to abound in duty and yet not to bee sincere 3. Wee will shew you the grounds whence it ariseth that a corrupt heart may abound in all outward Performances 4. Wee 'l shew you where the fault is how it comes to pass that all this may bee done and yet the heart still remain unsound In which I shall desire that they who are men and women of tender spirits would not presently make conclusions against themselves and by so doing gratifie Satan discourage their own souls grieve Gods Spirit and wound and weaken themselves in the wayes of Grace But hear all for I cannot say all at once and then spare not but come to conclusions with your selves I shall desire so to cast down the unsound as not to weaken the sincere And to bring in those that are without as not to cast down those that are within So to help the one as that withall I hurt not the other 1. For the first then Wee will clear it in some particulars that it is possible for a man to do much to go far in outward performances of duty and yet to bee rotten at heart c. 1. It is possible for a man to hear the word nay and hear it often nay and abound in hearing time after time Sabbath after Sabbath Nay and yet more to hear it with affection too and yet not to bee sincere 1. That hee may hear the Word This is plain and needs no proof 2. That hee may hear it often abound in hearing This you see here in the Text and Ezek. 33.31 32. where the people frequented to hear Ezekiel They did not only sometimes but they heard him often They did abound in hearing 3. They may not only hear and hear often but hear with affections Wee read of these four Affections which were stirred in the hearing of the Word and that in such who were unsound 1. The affection of wonder and astonishment which indeed is the
and that this God is to bee worshiped Atheists in practice wee have many every Parish is full of them Such as the Apostle speaks of Tit. 1.16 Who profess they know God but yet in works they deny him But Atheists in Judgement none can bee Hence Tully the Heathen could say I have known men without King Laws Government Cloaths but none so savage but have a God Many have indeavoured to blow out that light but never could Wee read of Caligula who laboured all hee could to blow out this Candle and to strengthen his Atheisme by Arguments and Reasons yet when it thundred hee ran under a Bed his fears and guilty conscience telling him of some divine Power which hee could not withstand Another who laboured the like and though hee had wrought out all Faith yet hee had not wrought out all Fears Hee still feared as hee would say that there was a God And what if there should prove to bee a God at last Now then there being such light in Conscience as to discover there is a God and conscience thereupon concluding this God must bee worshiped by the help of further light the Light of the Word the Light of the Works the Light of good Example the Light of good Education together with the implantation of some common and general Principles whereby conscience is strengthened from above A man may bee inabled to do much in the wayes of godliness and yet his heart continue unsound without any spiritual Principle of Grace wrought in him 2. A second ground is some present distress and trouble upon the Conscience or upon the Bodies of men upon the spirit or flesh of men 1. Some present distress upon the spirit of a man It may bee Conscience is now for present upon the rack God hath let in a beam of light into the conscience by the Law and discovered a mans sin And with that light hath let fall a spark of his wrath due to sin upon the conscience which hath for present fill'd the soul of man with horrors and fears with sad and black thoughts and apprehensions of death and Hell Which may put a man upon Prayers and Performances upon doing much in the wayes of God Wee read that Absolom sent for Joab to come to him but hee came not Hee sent again yet hee comes not At last Absolom sets fire upon Joabs corn and then hee came amain but with no better heart it is likely more unwillingly than before so God doth often call upon men in the ministry of the Word But men will not come At last God sets fire on the conscience le ts some spark of Hell fall upon them And then they run to Duties to Prayers to do something Though perhaps as unwillingly as before All this doth force them but yet not perswade them willingly to come in As the satisfying of conscience troubled may bee an end of the performance of many duties so the trouble it self may bee a ground to put them upon performance As Peace is the end of the Plaister so the wound is the ground of it As Peace is the end of undertaking of duties so the wound is the ground wherefore they are undertaken 2. Outward Pressures upon the bodies of men may bee another ground to prevail with unsound hearts to do much in outward service Psal 78.34 35 36. When the Lord slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the most High God their Redeemer Here was much They return to God That is in all outward appearance They sought him they inquired early after him And the ground of this was Gods hand upon them when the Lord slew them saith the Text. And you see what was the frame of their spirit in all Neverthelesse they did but flatter him their hearts were not upright with him they were unsound The like wee read Jer. 2.27 They gave God their backs and not their faces yet in the time of their trouble then who but God with them In the time of their trouble then they cry arise and save us This was like the Samaritans Devotion When the Lions slew them then they inquired after the worship of God when God sent Lions among them And many there are of their spirit Good under the Rod. Whiles the Rod is on their backs the Book is in their hands then nothing but read and pray But no sooner doth God slacken the cords or take them off the rack deliver them out of their present distress and trouble but they return again to folly This is just Mariners Devotion Whilst the Storm lasts then they cry and pray but no sooner is the storm blown over but they are as vile as ever They had not so many Prayers before as Oathes now And do wee not see it thus with many who will not own God in a Calm Then their hearts say depart from us wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Yet in a Storm they will flye to him thou art our Father our God But this not for Love but for shelter As many a man may bee glad of a place for shelter in a Storm which they could never brook to live in after the storm is over So they will own God a Tower a place of shelter in time of trouble but not an habitation a place of abode in times of Peace Thus you see the third thing The grounds that a corrupt heart may so abound in outward Performance The fourth remains which is 4. Where is the fault Or how comes it to pass that a man may do thus much in the wayes of God and yet bee unsound yet miss of Heaven Where lies the fault I conceive though the work it self bee faulty for how can a good work come from a bad heart Yet the great crack lies more in the Work-man than in the work Duties are good Prayer is good Hearing good The fault doth mainly lye in the Person that doth these Their spirits are unsound in these holy wayes I will lay down the maim the fault under these five or six Heads 1. Hee fails or is faulty in the latitude and extent of his Obedience His Obedience is a limited and stinted Obedience 1. Either limited to some commands which are most sutable to him Hee doth not apply himself to the Obedience of all the commands of God There are some duties hee will not do and some corruptions hee hath no heart to leave 2. Or secondly It is limited to the flesh to the outer part of the Command and doth not extend it self to the Spirit and extremities of the Command of God You must know there is an Extra and an Intra an Outside and an Inside in every Command of God some part of it binding the Flesh another part injoyning the Spirit Many keep the Letter of the Law which yet never care for the Spirit of the Law Both these you shall see in the Scribes and
Pharisees 1. They did something yea they did much They fasted they prayed they paid Tithes of all that they had c. But they did not all There were other Commands which they gave liberty to themselves in They could oppress defraud bee unjust And they failed in the Second too That their Obedience did not extend it self to the spiritualness of any command As you see Christ chargeth them Matth. 5.21 They did not Murder they did not commit Adultery but they gave way to Unjust Anger to Adulterous Thoughts Unchast Glances Contemplative Wickedness Speculative Uncleanness c. And so in all the rest This is the first maim in his Obedience 2. Hee is faulty in the Manner of his Obedience Though for the Matter of his Obedience hee do not fail Hee doth Pray Hear do Duties which others do yet hee is faulty in the Manner of his Obedience Hee doth not pray in Faith pray with affections Hee confesseth sin but a broken spirit doth not run through the confession of sin His heart is never touched with sin Hee prayes for Grace but his spirit is never touched with the Beauties of Grace nor carryed after it with desires for it Hee looks perhaps to the Matter but neglects the Manner Hee looks after the substance but neglects the Circumstances This is the difference between the gross Hypocrite and the close Hypocrite The gross Hypocrite looks after the Circumstance not after the Substance Though indeed they are not such Circumstances as these are they are but outward not inward The close Hypocrite hee looks after the Substance but neglects the Circumstances Hee prayes but never mindes to pray in Faith If a man pray and pray not fervently if hee hear and hear not faithfully if hee obey and obey not willingly if hee shew Mercy and not chearfully if hee keep the Sabbath and not with delight all his services are nothing worth 3. Hee is faulty in his Aims and Ends His Ends are corrupt His Aime is as his own Ends his own Profit Gain Pride Ostentation Himself is the end of his Obedience some way or other A man never wrought out of himself must needs work to himself And obedience which ariseth from a mans self is terminated in a mans self again It must bee a Principle from Christ which carries the soul to Christ A man can go no higher than his Principle And therefore having Principles no higher than himself his Obedience must needs bee terminated in himself As all Rivers they run to the Sea They came from the Sea and therefore return back again to the Sea so all those duties which arise from a mans self must needs bee finished in himself Such a man hee is the God himself whom hee serves Hee makes himself the end of all his service though hee look as far as the end even to Heaven in his service Here then is the third thing wherein hee is faulty Hee makes himself the end of all his Obedience Hee hath not a single Eye to the Glory of God His service is neither begun in God nor wrought by God nor finished to God Neither begun by his Grace nor finished to his Glory 4. Hee is faulty in this that hee rests upon what hee doth and looks no higher Hee looks upon all hee doth as upon so many bribes for a pardon as so much good monies laid out for Heaven Hee weaves a web of Righteousness to cloathe himself withall Hee never looks out for another Righteousness to bee justified by but rests upon that which hee himself hath wrought Which being not only imperfect but impure a rag and a filthy rag hee must needs miscarry in it If this had been enough to have brought men to Heaven God might have spared a great deal of labour Christ a great deal of blood by giving man ability to do duties and then all had been done But there was an infinit wrath to bee born an infinite justice to bee satisfied which none but Christ can do And here you see the Scribes and Pharisees failed also They did much but they looked out for no other Righteousness than their own In this they rested for Life and Justification 5. They make duty it self their Obedience which should quicken their Obedience They rest upon the bare performance of the duty and never look to the end of Duty So they rest upon the bridge and never go over Duty serves an unsound spirit for Obedience But Duty doth but quicken and strengthen and inable a godly man to Obedience 6. But the sixth and the main Crack is here These spiritual Performances do not arise from spiritual Principles from an heart principled from above from an heart universally sanctified Here is the Bane of all Here are new works but an old heart New Practises but a mans old Principles You see this Isa 1.10 to 16. But I will now instance in the fifteenth only When you spread forth your hands to Heaven I will hide my eyes and when you make many Prayers when you abound in duty adding Prayer to Prayer as the Word is I will not hear Your hands are full of blood They were unregenerate unsanctified They were new practises but the old heart still The like you see of the Scribes and Pharisees They fasted prayed did much in the wayes of God But their hearts were not changed they were unregenerate still were not principled from above This you see plain Joh. 3. where Nicodemus one of the chief of the Pharisees knew not yet what Regeneration meant Christ tells him of Regeneration and hee replies How is it possible that a man should bee born again when hee is old Can hee enter into his Mothers womb again By which you see though hee did all those things reported of the Pharisees as Fasting Praying Tithing c. yet â—â—s hee a stranger to this great work of Regeneration change of Nature hee knew not what it meant So that you see here is the great fault of all A man walks in new Practises with an old Heart an Heart never truly throughly spiritually changed There is a fourefold Change 1. A change from good to evil This is a fearfull change 2. A change from evil to good This is a blessed change 3. A change from evil to evil from one to another 4. A change from some evil to some good I will express it in these four words There is 1. A Moral Change 2. A Partial Change 3. A Formal Change 4. A Spiritual Change 1. There is a meer Moral Change When a man changeth from sinfull notorious wayes to Morality Temperance Justice Equity Patience Contentation And sticks there and goes no further And here thousands who lye in the bosome of the Church stick and perish 2. There is a Partial Change wherein men leave some particular sins and practise some particular duties This is a particular Conversion When men were Drunkards Swearers unclean persons c. And now are perswaded to leave these particular sins and betake
been so great but it was to part with his Isaac a Child of many prayers and of many promises and in whom his heart delighted 6. And again if hee had been to part with him in the ordinary way of nature by natural death the tryal not so great but hee was to part with him in a Sacrifice wherein hee was to bee mangled and cut in peeces 7. But yet had another been the executioner of his child it had been some mitigation But Abraham himself must bee his executioner hee must do this sad act And not to do it among his friends who perhaps might have stept in and comforted him in this tryal but hee was to go three dayes journey to an unknown place and there hee was to take away the life of him hee loved so dearly Yet herein Abraham obeyed Gods command and therin shewed his sincerity When the Precept of tryal might seem to contradict the Precept of Obedience when his dutiful Obedience to the one might seem to speak his undutifulness to the other yet herein hee declared his sincerity Whereupon God tells him now I know thou loves mee when now thou hast made it known now thou hast discovered thy sincerity seeing thou hast not with-held thy only son Gen. 22.12 here was sincerity now I know thou fearest God The like I might instance in Job in David in Mordecai they had their discovering times times of tryal So that God doth still single out some special times wherein hee discovers the sincerity of his own people And if you would bee ever able to clear your sincerities read the carriage of your hearts at these special times One quarter of an hour may give a man surer evidence of his sincerity or hypocrisy than all the time of his life besides There are five special times wherein you may have the advantage Read your spirits in times of if you bee careful to read your own spirits to clear the sincerity of your hearts 1. In times of darkness and temptation 1. Darkness Read the actings and goings out of your spirits at such times an unsound spirit will now fall from God desist in his duty strike sail But the sound spirit hee will hold closer to God Cujus faciem timer ejus faciem invocaâ— and follow him when hee seems to forsake him Hee will go on to love him although hee bee not able to clear whether ever hee shall bee beloved of him Hee will repent of sin though hee bee not able to evidence whether ever God will pardon sin Hee will go on to obey and serve God though hee bee not able to determine whether ever God will reward his obedience or no. Such like dispositions do now break forth in a sincere heart in the times of greatest darkness which in times of clearer manifestation have no occasion to shew themselves And these are the most undoubtedst evidences of your sincerity which perhaps you shall ever meet withall in your lives As wicked men do discover their greatest corruptions in their highest advancements so Gods people do discover and exert and put forth the highest acts of grace in their lowest and meanest conditions As the Sun shews greatest glory when it is lowest when setting So c. As Christ set out the greatest acts of divinity in his lowest abasements then hee sealed up the beams of the Sun rent rocks graves open the earth trembles c. So the Saints c. This is that the Psalmist saith unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness Where the heart is unsound it is dark in the greatest light so on the contrary there is light in the greatest darkness Hypocrisy is like painted windows which let in no light sincerity is like windows of Glass Times of manifestation 2. See how your hearts and spirits work towards God and towards sin in times of light and clearer manifestations of God Where the heart is unsound comfort doth him no good hee will do something in a storm then perhaps pray c. but hee will do nothing in a calm Comforts make him more careless more loose more remiss in his Christian way Where on the contrary hee who hath a sound spirit as hee is carried strongly towards God when hee with-holds his manifestations so if God do but let in a beam of his Countenance into his soul hee rejoyceth more in it than in a World Nay and these comforts do quicken him to further duty hee cannot lye at anchor but hee must launch out into the deep and lay out himself his parts his abilities c. I have sometimes told you that quickness and comfort may bee separated a man may have comfort without quickness hee may have joy without life But quickening was never separated from comfort A man cannot have joy but there will bee life c. Affections are like tinder and Comfort like sparks not a spark of comfort can fall upon the heart but the whole soul is set a fire and carried strongly on after God Comforts from God ever lead the soul to communion with God Of outward distress 3. See how your spirits do work towards God in times of outward distress and calamities upon you 1 An unsound spirit hee is for the most part proud and impatient under Gods hand and ready to think God doth him wrong in afflicting him But where the spirit is sincere hee is humble hee is patient hee layes his mouth in the dust kisseth the rod and accepteth of the punishment of his iniquity as you see the phrase Levit. 26.41 Example in Aaron 2. Again an unsound spirit hee roars under the lashes Flagella dolent quare flagellantur non dolent cryes under the affliction never complains of the sin As you see Jer. 30.15 Why cryest thou c. But where the heart is sincere no evil troubles him so much as the evil of sin You see it in David when plagued 3. Again an unsound spirit hee desires to have the stroke removed not to have his heart amended The other desires rather the amending of his heart than the removal of the stroke Saith Bernard I had rather God should better my heart than remove his hand rather continue my strokes Malim erudiri quam â—ruâ— than my sins You see this in Job when Gods hand was on him Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou mee and if I have done iniquity I will do it no more as if hee had said Lord I know not the particular cause of this distress what it is thou aims at what I see not teach thou c. 4. A fourth time Of Prosperity wherein to read your hearts is in times of prosperity An unsound spirit grows worse by mercy mercy deadens sâ—â—â—â—ens his heart Isa 26.10 Let favour bee shewed c. Hazael professed much when hee was low but no sooner advanceâ— but mark then how hee acted against God his Church and people indeavouring to make his raising their ruine So