to commend it selfe Looke up to heaven for a blessing upon it and desire the Lord to goe along with thee in it and prosper the same for thy soules good which he heartily desireth who rests Thine in the Lord Jesus I. T. THE CARNALL PROFESSOR ROM 8. V. 13. For if yee live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live IN the Chapter going before the Apostle having delivered the double use of the Law first the proper use to shew men the way to live if in case they were able to fulfill and keepe it Secondly the accidentall use by reason of Sinne which is imployed in condemning us by discovery of our transgression to comfort the distressed heart of a poore sinner hee describeth in the latter end of the former Chapter a speciall meanes to shun this inevitable danger namely the righteousnes obedience and sufferings of Christ And in this Chapter further enlargeth the same by way of confirmation unto the 5. verse After which lest it might bee thought that a Christian may live as hee list being freed from sinne by the merits of Christs death or that a profane person should claime any interest in that blessed sacrifice of Christ he further proveth by many pregnant reasons that every Christian ought to endeavour after holines that thereby hee may prove himselfe to be truly ingrafted into Christ by participating of the fruit of his Spirit and that hee is in deed and not in word only a true Christian by his unblameable life and conversation as the goldsmith is knowne by his costly peeces or any mechanicall artificer by the works which his hāds accomplish In the verse I have read unto you the Apostle concludeth very effectually amongst the rest of his arguments that wee must live according to the spirit and not according to the flesh seeing the one designeth and noteth unto us life the other death both most infallible tokens of our future estate and condition So that if any man or woman be desirous to know what shall betide them after this life If any be desirous to know even the secrets of God I mean his determination as touching themselves their wives their children friends or foes after death let them resort to the Holy Ghost speaking in this place and converse with their owne hearts if they finde the quickning spirit but as a lively sparke raked up amongst the great heap of their owne corruptions they shall assuredly live for ever If they find onely meere flesh and blood to be their guide then wo to them they are in the state of Castawayes and lost creatures be they Prince or Peere noble or ignoble rich or poore there is no difference nor exception with God and therefore they ought speedily to sue for their deliverance through favour by the Sonne of God lest death prevent them to their everlasting misery But it may be these titles of Flesh and Spirit are unknowne or at least not observed through the subtlety of Sathan thickning the eye of dexter and right discerning therefore that we may throughly kenne the flesh in despight of the flesh and judge in the spirit of the spirit let us for our furtherance herein consider these sixe profitable observations 1. What Flesh is 2. What it is to live in the flesh 3. What that death is which is here threatned as a just punishment to such as live after the flesh 4. What the Spirit is 5. What it is to mortifie the deeds of the flesh 6. What is meant when he saith they shal loue 1. The word Flesh is sometimes taken for the body as 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit that is of soule and body 2. For the humane nature of Christ who was put to death concerning the flesh 3. For this present life If thou take a wife thou sinnest not neverthelesse such shal have trouble in the flesh 4. For the outward aspect and appearance Yee know how through the infirmitie of the flesh I preached the Gospell 5. For the ordinary course of nature Gal. 4. 29. Hee that was borne after the flesh c. 6. For whole mankind All flesh is grasse c. 7. For naturall corruption and inclination of the mind will and affections to that which is against the Law and so it is taken in this place The reason why the holy Ghost termeth this naturall corruption inherent in the soule as well as the body by the name of flesh is because so strict is the Union betwixt the one and the other in an unregenerate man that as a loving couple they seeke the preservation of each others estate and like Hypocrates twins they laugh together they weepe together and are alike affected A bloody heart and a bloody hand a false heart and a false tongue a lascivious mind an adulterous eye yea and which is more so strangely sometimes is the soule overcome with the love of the body that whereas by nature reason should command and rule the flesh as the weaker vessell the belly and backe so subtly insinuate and creep into favour with the understanding that as the foolish wife with her beauty and composed devices over-ruleth her husband though a man of understanding So these importunat cravers never give over their suite unto reason they make it a drudge to sensuality and an attorney to sollicit the cause of meere grosse and carnall pleasure In consideration whereof I meane because of this mutuall intercourse of the soule and the body in accomplishing of sin many learned Divines have made this a question Whether the soule bee first infected with the contagion of the body or no but of that I will not stand it being besides our present purpose onely thus much I note that therefore the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh to intimate the mutuall confederacy betwixt the soul body of man how that by reason of sin he is now wilfully made a slave and vassall to fleshly desires And therefore likewise it may bee supposed that the Holy Ghost nameth the flesh onely as a man that blameth the provoking Wife for the lewd action done by her husband For albeit sinne lyeth principally in the soule as poyson in the teeth yet it sheddeth and disperseth it selfe at his pleasure actually into the members of the body of whom it is aptly accomplished as occasion is offered And as the whole toad is called a venomous creature because of some one part preserving poyson the rest being capable of the same virulent infection So the whole man is said to bee sinfull not as if the body of it selfe as it consisteth of bones sinnewes and living arteries can properly bee said to be sinfull otherwise then as the house is said to be wicked because of the wicked dwellers Albeit I graunt as the serpent was a fit instrument for the devil because of his subtilty so
despaire and in the wicked to torment them before their time yet in respect of God a most friendly admonition for by this a man is suffered in a vision to see and feele the torment of hell to know the price of Christs blood to labour by all meanes possibly to make sure his election In the wicked also it hath this use I could never have thought it possible for a mortall man to have beene capable of that measure of distresse had not the Lord in his mercy for the further subduing also of my bedlame flesh suffered mee sometimes to behold and feele the flashings of hell through his grace causing me as a child to be stilled by the view of fearefull beasts If then in a dream or in a mans life time there may bee such an incredible horror that it may cause the eyes to stare the tongue to rave the haire to stand an end How much more hideous will it be when really and in deede with perfect knowledge sense broad waking we shall feele the strokes of the Almighty the terrours of God shall lay hold of us In consideration whereof in the name of God as you tender your eternall welfare enter into the examination of your selves and discerne of your estates whether they bee carnall or no cry out for the spirit you heare what the Holy Ghost saith If you walke after the flesh ye shall dye How strangely doth the sentence of Corporall death appall a man though pronounced by a wretch like himselfe and shall not the doome of death eternall given out by the Holy Ghost at all astonish you Oh let not Sathan harden your hearts resist the devill and he will flye from thee It is a Commandement and a promise What faire warnings doth God give unto men by himselfe and Ministers by the motions of his Spirit and checkes of our consciences from time to time and shall we bee so voide of grace as to make our selves a booty for Sathan to stand still while he deprives us of our lives and soules and all Me thinks reason should something prevaile with us in things so neerely concerning our best good But alas a hardened heart like Pharaohs a flint an adamant a marble spirit no admonition will serve its turn where grace is wanting no impression takes any roote Men will make triall and then beleeve A feareful experience this is thou maist first try in an earthly cause and then be warned but from hell thou canst not returne Remember Dives credit not the multitude Olde Tophet is wide and large humble thy selfe therefore betime and repent of thy grievous sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if ye mortifie As before the Apostle described an infallible token of death so here he proceedeth to shew in like manner a teckmerion or a certaine signe of life and that is the killing and slaying of sinne which is called Mortification For as seed which thou sowest is not quickened before it die or this corruptible body glorified before it be for a season dead and buried So neither is the manâ—ramed â—ramed in us which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse untill the olde man bee wounded and laid for dead in us which like a gyant standeth up to expell and oppose the prosters and meanes of all holinesse And this is the cause that the holy Ghost maketh mention onely of this weakning of the force of sin through the death and buriall of Christ not excluding the other part of sanctification which is vivification viz. a vertue flowing from the resurrection of Christ causing us also to rise to newnesse of life It were to small purpose to bring place upon place to prove that which through the whole booke of God is so cleerely apparant How shall we that are dead to sin live yet therein They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof What can be plainer than this As the Physitian first purgeth before hee giveth a restorative so every one that shall be saved hereafter must first receive an allayer of his corruption here he must first be launced before he can be healed You may know the body of sinne in all his particular members by that which hath beene spoken touching the Flesh. Let every man woman here present examine himselfe from top to toe what cure is wrought by the spirit in his soul whether the kingdome of sinne and Sathan be demolished and weakned and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ advanced and built up in him whether corruption dyes and grace lives in his heart I beseech you deale faithfully with your owne soules and answer me directly to these interrogatories Are thy words which heretofore have beene full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse now directed to Gods glory and the good of those among whom thou livest Are thy thoughts which heretofore were loose and ungodly now bounded within a sacred compasse and spent wholly on heavenly things Is thy understanding informed of the mysteries of Christs Kingdome Is thy memory which heretofore hath beene stuffed with trash and toyes now capable and greedy of divine knowledge Doest thou order every passage of thy life by direction out of Gods word Art thou inwardly conscionable in the performance of holy duties Doth the tendernesse of thy coÌ„science smite thee not onely for grosse and open sinnes but even for vaine cogitations and the least appearance of any evill Art thou watchful against all occasions and temptations of sinne Doest thou feele thy selfe grow and increase in the wayes of holinesse Hast thou such a gracious taste of the glory of God and eternall life that thou desirest to meete thy Saviour in the clouds not so much to be rid out of the miseries of this life as to bee freed from the heavy burthen of sin which hangs so fast upon thee In a word doest thou so judge of things now as thou wouldest doe hereafter when thy soule is best able to judge as in the houre of death and the day of distresse Doest thou approve of things as they further thy last account as they commend thee more or lesse unto God and will bring true peace or sorow to thy soul at last and no otherwise then blessed and happy is thy condition and know this for the comfort of thy soule that thou art dearely beloved of God yea his peculiar one and precious in his eyes Sathan and all the powers of darknesse are fast chained up for ever doing thee any hurt Thou shalt never more bee afraid of evill tidings though the earth be moved and the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea yet thy heart shall abide strong and comfortable I dare boldly pronounce that God is reconciled unto thee and that his sweete love which never changeth hath seized on thy soule What will it availe a man to say he is rich like the bragging Laodicean and yet be extreame miserable poore and naked what will it
hand and be blessed but if otherwise they grow downeward and thou live after the flesh assuredly thou shalt fall on the left hand and perish irrecoverably Wee shall not be judged according to the particular instant of our death but according to our general course of life 〈◊〉 according to our deeds in that present but according to the desires of our hearts before But seeing they who walke after the flesh are dead already why doth the Apostle say You shall die I answer both are true every ungodly person is now dead but yet a more fearefull death abides them For albeit they be dead in sinne and deprived of the favour of the Creator yet the vaine comforts of the creature doe so bewitch them that they know not how miserable and wretched they are but when the last sentence of damnation shall bee pronounced against them they shall not onely bee banished from the presence of God into everlasting perditiō where the fire of the Lords indignation shall perpetually torment them but they shall also bee stripped of all comfort and refreshment from the creature whatsoever The least degree of their punishment shall be a fearefull famine of worldly supportments Hee that knowes any thing of the narrow way to heaven of the nature of Gods justice and the cunning sleights of Satan of the difficulty of true repentance and how fearfully mans heart is hardned by custome and continuance in sinne would not delay making peace with God till his last houres for ten thousand worlds Which when I consider I cannot but deplore the iniquity of our times wherein not onely carnall men have set themselves to worke all manner of sinne with greedinesse but even they which heretofore have probably seemed to mortifie the deeds of the body doe now renue the battle and are in outward view reconciled and shake hands with the flesh Now are the dayes wherein the love of many shall waxe cold when men shall bee lovers of themselves lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God Oh how is the Spirit quenched and the flesh inflamed every where shew me the man that truly endeavours the suppressing of sinne Oh this is a hard taske it requireth much patience and vigilancie and will bring no small paine and sorrow to the flesh in the end What then be not dismayed thy future peace will more then recompense thy present trouble What availes a little outward flashy joy when the conscience is disquieted and vexed within who would redeeme a moment of pleasure with eternity of paine All is but bitter sweetes so long as sinne raignes What is the reason of these fearefull outcryes and desperate conclusions of Christians concerning their spiritual estate Whence is it that they taking Satans part in accusing and condemning themselves do utter such dolefull exclamations as these when conscience is throughly awakened Alas I have most wretchedly spent the prime and strength of mine age in vanity and pleasure in lewdnesse and lust The best of my time hath been wofully wasted in obeying Sathan and serving my selfe and therefore though I be weary of my former wayes and looke backe upon them with a trembling heart and grieved spirit yet I am affraid God will never vouchsafe to cast his eye of compassion upon my soule Though I have beene a professour long yet many times my heart is full of doubting when I call to minde the hainousnesse of my unregenerate life and see since I was enlightened and should have behaved my selfe in forwardnesse and fruitfulnesse for God answerable to my former folly and licentiousnesse in evill so many slips and imperfections every day and such weake distracted discharging of duties commanded both towards God and man that my very spirits sink within me Many times when I reach out the hand of my faith to fetch some speciall promise into my soule for refreshing and comfort comparing advisedly my owne vilenesse and nothingnesse with the riches of mercy and grace shining therein I am overwhelmed with admiration and thinke with my selfe how is it possible that this should bee Can such glorious things belong to such a wretch and worme as I am I cannot deny but there is mercy enough in God but for me such a notorious wicked liver as I am mercy for me surely it cannot be Alas I have beene no ordinary sinner my corruptions have carryed me beyond the villanies of the vilest creature you can name the enormity of my wayes have set an infamous brand upon mee in the sight of the world besides those secret pollutions and sinfull practises which no eye ever beheld save God alone Had I not beene extreamely outragious and gone on thus with a high hand I might have had some hope but now all expectation failes me I despaire of salvation c. Oh the feares and perplexities which pursue the soule when sinne is once committed conscience unpacified will rave and dragge a sinner before Gods tribunall The sting of an accusing conscience is like an Harlot more bitter then death Who so pleases God shall escape from it but the sinner shall bee taken in it Conscience being disquieted no earthly thing can asswage and mitigate it Yee shall live After that God hath called iustified and sanctified a poore sinner hee glorifieth him at last with himselfe in eternall blisse Death is but a sleepe to such as are in Christ wherein the body is separated from the soule rotting in the earth a while that it may bee the more capable of glory hereafter but the soule is immediately transported into heaven and there remaineth unto the last judgement praising God and expecting the consummation of the Kingdome of glory Before the comming of Christ the powers of heaven shall be shaken Sunne and Mooone shall suspend their light the starres shall seeme to fall from heaven the Elect shall rejoyce the reprobate shall tremble the whole universe shall bee consumed with fire and depart with a noise of the chariot wheeles the earth and elements with the workes thereof shall be consumed in a moment and brought to nothing At the same time shall the trumpet be heard soūded by an archangell Christ shall come in the clouds with great power glory with a troop of angels Then the Elect which were dead at the hearing of the trumpet shall rise with their bodies and the rest alive shall be changed in a moment and all of them shall bee made like the glorious body of Christ. After which they being gathered before the throne of God shall bee separated from the reprobate and caryed in the aire set upon the right hand of God where they shall heare this sentence Come ye blessed c. After which they shall enjoy everlasting happinesse the parts whereof is eternall life and perfect glory This eternall life is that fellowship with God whereby God of himself is life unto the Elect. They shall not need meat drinke sleepe aire heate cold breath physick apparell the light
THE CARNALL PROFESSOR Discovering The wofull slavery of a man guided by the flesh Distinguishing A true spirituall Christian that walkes close with God from all Formalists in Religion rotten hearted hypocrites and empty powerlesse professors whatsoever BY That faithfull Servant of Christ Robert Bolton B. D. late Preacher in Northhampton Shire LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE GODLY WELL AFFEcted Reader Christian Reader THe Father of all Spirits having takeÌ„ this worthy Author to himselfe pitty it were to entombe his labours in the grave of silence together with him the rather considering how usefull a member he hath alwayes beene to the Church of God and what prosperous successe his endeavours have found in the hearts of Christians The thing hee chiefly aimed at was fruitfulnesse in the place wherein God had set him which oft he enjoyed experiment of to the cheering of his spirit in no smal measure It cut the very heart strings of his righteous soule to see many dry withered branches fit for nothing but the fire cumbering the precious ground of the Almighties garden and possessing the roome of more growing plants Hee was wonderfull active in the cause of Christ and desired as well to doe good as to be so where ever hee came It was not the least of his care not to live unto himselfe He knew he served a good Master which made him studious of improving every talent for the best advantage wel may hee bee called good that makes others far the better for his goodnesse And indeed setting this aside what hath the creature to commend him to God or releeve his soule in any distresse Thou hast here in briefe the soule of man unbowelled before thine eye and that masse of corruption lodging in a carnall heart together with its power and plague discovered unto thee wherein is plainely demonstrated the miserable condition of a man guided by the flesh and the happinesse attending such as are led by Gods Spirit as also the bitter conflict of these two opposite inmates in a beleeving soule with the meanes of victorie Our life is nothing but a daily warfare every moment wee are more or lesse to encounter with adversaries Satan alwaies labours the destruction of the Saints though his wayes to effect it are not one the same sometimes he inticeth men to sin by allurements sometimes by vexing and disquieting their inward peace at least he aimeth to make the life of a Christian uncomfortable by his manifold assaults hee is vigilant to corrupt upon all occasions as he can espy opportunity and will not cease to assaile though he be overcome when hee cannot prevaile by flatteries he seekes by force and violence to overthrow the poore servants of Christ. Amongst his many snares to entrappe our pooâ—e soules this is not the meanest that he labours to divide the kingdome against it selfe and to use men as his instruments for their owne destruction Satan well knowes that comming in his owne likenesse he would seeme very odious and soone be resisted therefore he maskes under a vaile of humility that he may the more securely withdraw us from our hold in God But we have a valiant leader let us sticke unto him even Iesus Christ the righteous who is a Lion of the tribe of Iuda a mighty Prince able to tread all our enemies under foot well may Satan barke and roare but he can stir no further then God gives him liberty he cannot tempt whom he will nor when he will nor how he will without permissioÌ„ froÌ„ above he may desire to sift us as wheat but the Lord wil make choise of the temptation and set bounds to our enemies malice thus far you shall goe and no further If a child have his father by the hand though he be in the darke or sees any danger approaching yet he feares no hurt neither shal we be dismaid with any temptation whilest by the eye of faith we see that invisible one ready to support us the chiefest strength of soldiers lyeth in their captaine who yet must fight for themselves and him but our whole strength lyeth in Christ who by his Almighty power subdueth all things for us of our selves wee have no ability to prevail against the strong one in the world all our victories come from God we are too weake to withstand the least temptation through our owne strength but relying upon the Lord we shall be more than conquerors over the greatest It had been much to be wished that this holy man had survived the publishing the residue of his worthy labours that so they might have come more refined polished into the worlds view however pitty it is that goodly childreÌ„ should be brought to the birth and there perish for want of helpe to bring them forth These things in their delivery found much acceptance and wrought effectually in the hearts of many who knowes whether a further blessing doth not yet attend them Deare Christian next unto the glory of God thy good was chiefly aimed at in bringing this worke to light be not therefore wanting to thy selfe and thy soules blisse Remember the day cannot alwayes last the night will come and thou knowest not how soone This may be the last booke that ever thou shalt reade and this the last houre that ever thou shalt spend here on earth Oh use it conscionably and blesse God for any furtherance in thy way to happinesse While thou hast the light beleeve in the light and walke in the light that then maist bee the child of light Occasions are headlong being once past they cannot be recovered The five foolish virgins came too late and were shut out of heaven Thy time is short the art of well doing long on this moment depends eternity of blessednesse if it be well of misery if it be ill imployed Hee that is not ready for God to day will be lesse sit to morrow It is no time to begin to live when thou art ready to dye then to seeke after heaven when thou commest to thy Crutches At length grow spiritually wise let the best things have the best place in thee It will be too late when thou art in hell to say oh that I had been more religious and provided better for my soule be exceedingly abased for thy former neglects let it wound thy soule that thou settest out no sooner and art yet no further in the race of godlines get ground of thy corruptions now daily count that a lost day in which thou art not somewhat bettered and labour for such infallible evidences of Gods love that no reprobate under heaveÌ„ 〈◊〉 possibly attain unto get such truth of grace in thy inner man as may distinguish thee from all outside professors meere empty caskes of Religion and such as is not common to hypocrites and castawayes together with thy selfe To which end seriously peruse this following treatise wherein thou shalt finde sufficiency of real worth
worldly matters is no way able to embrace the principles of Gods truth or to retaine that which may be his onely comfort longer then a dynt struck in the water from whence it commeth that a carnall man entertaineth the word at one eare and letteth it out at another his whole religion consisting in hearing not binding himselfe firmely and effectually to remember any thing unlesse it be a matter which he thinketh either cleareth him in his sinne as God is mercifull and at what time soever a sinner repenteth or else that toucheth his neighbour in the next seat but as for the knowledge of God and his nature a saving faith in Christ or the like teach him every weeke nay every day for the space of twenty yeers together he will not remember so much as a beast may bee taught in some active sleights in an houre I know what I say a dogge or horse may sooner be taught to remember a toy whereof his nature is capable in one houre then a meere naturall man the true substance of religion all the dayes of his life 4. Concerning the Will. The former faculties of the soule are called speculative there is another kinde called practicall which are the Will and affections and these are exercised in action as the other in Contemplation The Will is the absolute Monarch in a man and the Vnderstanding is his Counsellor Now whereas before the Will was counselled and guided by true reason and understanding and so was both able and willing to bee conformable unto God now it is both impotent as was said of the understanding not able in any sort to desire or will heavenly things as also rebelleth against that which is good and willeth that which is evill And no marvaile for if the understanding which should be the guide thereof bee grosse and carnall the Wil cannot bee spirituall It must needes bee a miserable State where the Prince wanteth wisdome and the people due moderation 5. Concerning the Affections The affections likewise which are divers dispositions of mans soule stirred up by diversity of objects are more stained with fleshly corruption then any other part of the creature besides which in regard of their violence make a carnall person to be caryed like a mad man upon a wilde horse so as he can neither stay himselfe nor bee staid by others Which fleshly corruption consisteth in this that they are moved unto contrary objects for those which should bee stirred up by the evilnesse of an object to abhorre it doe in that respect embrace it and move towards it and those which should bee moved by the goodnesse of an object to embrace it doe in that respect abhor and shunne it For which cause they may fitly bee compared to a bedlam who rageth and raileth against his keeper or unto a sicke body which loathing that which would worke the cure hankereth still after that which engendreth corruption and increaseth his disease For example whereas man should love God and embrace each thing as incites therunto contrariwise he hateth God and his Ministers yea and embrāceth from his heart each thing which may most soundly and effectually kill and slay that affection in him soft apparell sweet meats faire building outward pompe rich coffers merry company sleepe ease what if I say whores and harlots these be his loves these be his mistresses these be his Paramours and all these in a carnall man are like entising minions labouring to divorce his affection from his maker You cannot love God and Mammon God is a jealous husband he will not communicate the pleasure that hee taketh in an honest heart maryed to himselfe unto any stranger Againe whereas at the first man joyed in the fruition of the presence and favour of God in serving and meditating of him and his workes now he taketh no pleasure therein at all but if by the Law or for shame hee bee drawne to some spirituall exercise nothing is more tedious unto him his body is imprisoned in a seat his minde walketh about all the while either hee climbeth up unto one of the scaffolds viewing his friends defying his foes or else is in his shop counting his ware plotting some bargaine or the like Moreover whereas we should bee sorrowfull for our sinne we are sorrowfull that wee cannot sinne poverty sickenesse danger prison displeasure strike us downe dead but the poverty of the soule stript naked of Gods graces the sicknesse of the minde able neither to see nor know the Almighty grieveth us not at all Whereas in the time of innocēcy man relyed himself upon God for an happy estate and gave credit to his promises now though he protest and binde it with a solemne oath no man beleeveth him though hee hath sent his beloved Sonne from his owne bosome to ransome us out of our spirituall captivity and left it for ever in perpetuall record witnessed by men and Angells yet who regardeth it in his heart or blesseth God in his soule for the same Iesus Christ of Nazareth the Carpenters sonne was too base a fellow to gratifie the stately personages of our times No the Gods of England shall deliver us wit learning beauty strength friends riches nobility sinne Sathan this present world any thing save Jesus Christ. So that hereby it is manifest that man is so farre from having affiance in God that he is at defiance with him refusing and renouncing his patronage and protection By this therfore which in cursory wise hath been uttered you may easily perceive how fearefully this fleshly poyson hath dispersed it selfe over our whole man and made every faculty of soule and body swell with pride and ambition against God yea and like a mad dogge to byte and snatch at every hand even them of his owne nature As a light Chariott drawn with wilde horses and driven with a blinde man willing to give the raines whither soever the horses will runne must needs be in great danger of shattering all to pieces So the understanding being deprived of light which should give notice to our blinde will and wilde affection must needs in the end overthrow both soule and body with the finall calamity of the whole man unlesse the Lord give a better guide and take the whip out of the hand of our corrupt will and govern the affections faculties of our soules with the restraint of his saving Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall sinne is an hereditary disease which in time breakes out in whole mankinde it is the match that dischargeth the pealing pieces of all our infamous actions It is the husband which begetteth on us his wife the faculties of our soules and bodies many bratts many actuall transgressions as Paul notably allegorizeth which that I may more fully lay open and worke your hearts to a holy indignatiō against and detestation of consider but in a few particulars the many and great evils which accompany the same 1. It is an universall corruption
further any of us to say we feele the decaying of sinne when as the Kingdome of Sathan still flourisheth in us Away with this glozing and deceitfull dealing hypocriticall holinesse is worse then professed wickednesse this it is so odious in Gods eyes that hee will plague those in whom it ruleth with his severest judgments those very good workes wherein the hypocrite seemeth to make hast to heaven cary him post to hell Nothing brings the soule more into a generall consumption then this sinne it deprives a man of true peace of conscience hardens his heart and fills him with such inward perplexity that hee dares not looke God in the face with any comfort The deeds of the body The meaning of the holy Ghost is not that wee should cut off the outward acts of sinne onely like many a dissembling hypocrite which hath the gift of restraining his affections that they breake not out but that wee should kill sinne at the heart and in the cradle then shall wee make sure worke and never hereafter stand in feare The next way to drench the conduit is to dry up the fountaine In vaine dost thou loppe sinne unlesse it be deprived of its master roote It may be thou wilt say that is a thing impossible Indeed to thee which art wholly evill it is marke therefore what followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Spirit This is that little David which taketh the Goliah of our corrupt nature and choppeth off his head this is hee that bringeth light out of darknesse life out of death which shineth as a starre through the watry clouds of humane infirmitie As there bee divers acceptations of the word flesh so also of the Spirit sometimes it is taken for the soule sometimes for naturall reason but that is not here meant To omit all other constructions the word Spirit in this place is taken for that created quality of holinesse which by the holy Ghost is so wrought in the minde will and affections of a man whereby the power and force of sin comes to be abated the faculty of holines inherēt sanctity is renewed in us But why doth the Apostle say if yee mortifie is it in our power to deprive sinne of its life and being It pleaseth God to speake of things as done by us when as indeed they are wrought in us Such is his fatherly wisedome that oft he ascribeth those things to us which hee himselfe secretly effecteth Wee mortifie the deeds of the body but it is by the spirits helpe the strength to subdue sinne is put into us from heaven Wee are as able to shake the foundation of the earth with our little finger as to shake our sin by our owne strength Nature will not slay our lusts it must be the Spirit of Christ corrupt nature labours by all meanes to preserve its owne being Hee that goes among Lions must needs be torne in pieces sinnes are Lions and will soone destroy us if God help us not Mortification of sinne is possible through the Spirits assistance otherwise impossible When therefore thou feelest pride covetousnesse lust growing upon thee looke for power from above or else thou art undone Pray in the words of Iehosaphat Lord there is no strength in mee to stand against these sinnes neither doe I know what to doe but mine eyes are towards thee Alas how are we overcome of evill whereas we should overcome evill with good we shake at the very noyse of temptation and give in presently wee have power over our eyes tongues or thoughts but let sinne passe in and out at pleasure All which shews how nothing wee are in our selves Sathan and the world are too strong for us standing in our owne might but by leaning on the power of God we remaine invincible whatsoever inordinatenesse a true Christian espies hee presently endeavours the killing through the efficacy of Christ. Indeed passions are not so bridled nor corruptions so quelled that they doe not stir but the force and power of them is so farre subdued that they shall not raigne or hale us ordinarily to that which is euill Hast thou been long kept under by some customary vice against which thou hast resolved and resolved but canst not prevaile Get thee to Christ by the help of his Spirit thou shalt get victory over all thy infirmities Die to thy selfe renounce the broken reede of thine owne freewill which hath so often deceived thee and put all thy trust in the grace of Christ that will crucifie thy olde man and give him his deaths wound be weake in thy selfe and strong in the Lord and through his might thou shalt be more than conquerour As faith encreases the power of corruption will decay and languish this fires the heart with such an unquenchable love to God that in comparison of obedience it contemneth the whole world besides It puts into us both courage and constancy to fight against the strongest lusts and set upon the practise of the most difficult duties notwithstanding all opposition from the world and devill yea though wee have beene foyled or taken the repulse Hee will not feare the subduing of the most head-strong passion who resteth upon God for power and abilitie nor bee dismayed because once hee hath received a foyle who depends upon God for strength to recover nor dread the might of his greatest adversary who knowes that God will bee at his right hand to sustaine him nor start aside in the most difficult dutie whose heart is fast linked unto the Lord and relyeth upon his grace to be enabled to whatsoever he is pleased to call him In the affaires of this life we love to excell and outstrip others and in matters of Religion to bee dead and lumpish is it not abominable would we raigne with the Saints hereafter and not labour with them now receive the price and not runne the race divide the spoile and not fight the battle The Merchant undertakes dangerous adventures to raise his estate yet alas what is the gold of India to the joyes of heaven a fading possession to an eternall weight of glory When once we discern what love the Lord beareth to us we cannot but returne love for love when a man considers hath Christ given himselfe for mee forgiven me so many debts conferred favours of all kindes upon mee what then shal I retribute to him againe O my soule why doest thou not resigne thy selfe to the pleasure of his will in every thing run when he calleth and doe what he requireth at thy hands what doest thou feare wherewith art thou entangled God is thy Father and Soveraigne to him thou owest thy selfe and all that thou hast thy honour wealth life or whatever is more precious then those Thou canst not love thy selfe as is meete if thou deny not thy selfe to follow the Lord in all things Is there any thing too hard tobedone for his sake too deare or good for him what hast thou in heaven or
the empty parched soule that comes unto him Hee is an overflowing fountaine his grace is unsearchable his store can never bee diminished Hee filleth the empty and satisfieth the poore that he might bee acknowledged the well-spring of all grace and goodnesse Lastly be sure to keepe the flesh under by stopping all passages of provision for it cleere thy minde of sinfull cogitations blot out of thy memory ribald speeches and obscene jests preserve thy heart from unlawfull lusts wicked desires and unruly passions Keepe thine appetite from intemperance and excesse thy tongue from corrupt communication thine eares from ungodly and dishonest discourses thine eyes from waton wicked objects and finally thy body from sloth and idlenesse effeminate delicacie and carnall pleasures It fares with the flesh and the spirit as with two mortall enemies in the field hee that by any meanes aideth and strengtheneth the one doth thereby make way for weakening of the other Hee that joyneth with the flesh doth oppose the spirit and hee that standeth on the spirits side doth bring the flesh into captivity Who would strengthen an enemie to oppugne himselfe wee give stings and weapons to the flesh arming it against the spirit when as wee pamper the body with delicacy inflame it with wine handle it daintily and nourish inticements and provocations to lust in it If the flesh be full fed it will despise the Spirit and commit many outrages in a Christian soule Yea it will waxe proud and insolent foyle the regenerate part and force it to live in miserable slavery Better to become a swine-heard with the prodigall than to bee a servant to our base lusts The heathen could say he was borne to more noble ends than to bee a slave to his owne body and shall not our spirits bee elevated to a higher pitch of excellency than his as having God for our Father and Christ for our elder brother which of us enobled by birth and liberally brought up being clothed with lothsome some ragges and defiled with noysome excrements would not hastily strippe them off and with indignation cast them away This flesh of ours doth us more mischiefe than the devill himselfe alas hee could never hurt us were we not first betrayed by this inbred enemy yea it is worse then hell and damnation as being the cause of both without it hell were no hell neither could destruction fasten upon us All the outrages and horrible crimes which are committed in the world may challenge the flesh for their chiefe cause and author It was this that pierced our Saviours hands and feete which moveth men daily to crucifie him afresh and trample his precious blood under their filthy feet and can we finde in our hearts to have any peace or truce with such a malicious enemy shall we not rather with implacable rage and constant resolution assault pursue and wound it to the death shall we not rather take part with the Spirit in warring against the flesh and disfurnish all provision and munition from the one that the other may be furnished with all necessaries Our spirit is the better part and should bee most regarded Who would deprive his soule of so sweet a guest to entertaine inordinate lusts The more familiar Sampson was with Dalilah the more was God a stranger to him For the weaknes of the flesh encreaseth the strength of the spirit even as cōtrariwise the strēgth of the flesh bringeth weaknesse to the spirit and indeed what wonder is it for a man to be made stronger by the weakening of his enemy who would purchase the pleasure of a base sinne at so high a rate as to lose the comfortable society of Gods blessed Spirit what meanest thou to admit such a mate into thy heart with which Gods spirit cannot sort It may bee thou wilt not rudely bid him get out of doores yet thou mayest weary him forth by welcomming such guests into thy soule as he can no wayes brook Oughtest thou not much rather to crucifie the flesh and walke in the spirit that so thou mayest not fulfill the lusts thereof doth not God call upon thee to slay thy corruptions to doe thy best not onely to subdue them but to put them to death encouraging thee thereunto by a gracious promise that if through the spirit thou doest mortifie the deeds of the body thou shalt live both the life of grace here and of glory hereafter What is the use of all this but to stir us to looke about us seeing wee have so secret and subtill and adversary to circumvent us Thinke not the Christian combat ended when some few battles are fought that thou art now out of danger rather expect and prepare for more Many stout Captaines have been overthrowne because after a cōquest they feared no fresh assault The flesh is restlesse in its assaults ever besieging us wee can neither fly from it nor chase away that from us it is not therefore sufficient to make good onsett nor yet to hold out the brunt of some assaults but all must be finished how bitter so ever ere we can looke for victory We must resist unto bloud and bee faithfull unto the death if ever we expect the crowne of life He that prevaileth in some conflicts and is at length vanquished cannot be said to overcome Saul fought many of the Lords battels valiantly but hee withdrew himselfe and the Lord forsooke him though thou hast done much yet give not over so long as there remains any thing to be done Consider not what conflicts have beene endured as how many are still to bee encountred Regard what is to come rather than what is past timerously to cease from resisting temptation is dangerous to our selves and dishonorable to God it maketh Sathan to insult over us and get advantage against us let us not thinke if we yeeld the field the devil will bee contented It is not the glory of conquest that he seeketh so much as our destruction which when I consider I cannot but bewaile the naked condition of many persons who suffer their armour to hang on the wals and rust never putting it on to any use Alas what benefit can come by a thing that lies dead doe we thinke we stand in no need of it or that God made this defence in vain experienced Christians find the contrary Our life is nothing but a continuall warfare so long as we are in this mortall body carnall motions will rise in our hearts though wee cut them off they spring out againe though thou quench them they are kindled againe will thou nill thou they soone returne they may be subdued but cannot bee rooted out It is no easie work to lead a christian life considering the continuall conflict of these two parties the flesh and spirit of so contrary dispositions within us It is impossible wee should ever walk after the one unlesse we resist the other Sathan will bee sure to take part with corruption and
wholly stripping thee of all that righteousnesse and holinesse wherein at first thou wert created like a disease overspreading the whole man filling thee with a generall pravity to all that is good and a constant propensity to all that is evill 2. It cleaves as fast to thy nature even as blacknesse to the skinne of an Ethiopian which cannot possibly bee washed out thou mayest loppe the branches but the roote will never die till thou expirest with it As long as corne is in the field it will have chaffe about it so as long as thou continuest in this miserable world the remnants of olde Adam will stil abide in thee A man may as easily shake off the skinne from his backe as ridde himselfe of this evill inhabitant wee beare our snare with us and carry our enemie about us where ever we goe 3. Consider the great contagion and pestilentiall humour that followes this sinne it derives venome upon every action that comes from us Sinne in the soule is as poyson in the fountaine that sheds infection into every performance wee take in hand Whensoever thou art going about any good this evill will be present with thee This is that which in thy prayers deads thy Zeale humiliation and importunity with God causing thee to rest in the worke done never enquiring after the truth of thine owne heart or Gods blessing thereupon This is that which fills thy minde with impertinent thoughts and wrong ends in religious duties This is that which in thy calling makes thee so unmindefull of God and his service so froward vain and unprofitable in thy Christian course ayming at nothing but thine own advantage 4. Consider the temptations that arise from this sinne the daily and hourly solicitations wherwith it sets upon the soule to withdraw it from good things and incline it to evill A man is tempted of his owne lusts saith S. Iames when he is drawne away and entised If a man shoote an arrow against a rocke it may be broken but can never enter No more can Satans temptations prevaile against the soule without something within to give them admittance when he tempted Christ hee could not hurt him because hee found nothing in him to receive his darts but in us the flesh holds treacherous complyance with Sathan and this wicked world and is ready to let them in at every assault Seede will never grow in any creature without a womb to foster it temptations may vexe but they cannot defile us without our owne sinfull entertainement It may grieve a chast woman to be solicited by base Ruffians but it cannot corrupt her whiles shee retaines her chastity If wee can keepe in our hearts from imbracing Sathans offers and shew our distast of them the sin is his then not ours but here is the misery Sathan knowes how our inclination stands hee searcheth out our dispositions and thereunto frameth his temptations therefore wee have great neede of spirituall wisdome to observe where wee lie most obnoxious where Sathan doth most plant his forces and ever to apply our strongest watch our most importunate prayers to those gappes 5. Consider the warre and rebellion of this sinne the flesh lusteth against the spirit and fleshly lusts warre against the soule saith the Apostle whilest wee are in this militant condition we shall have hourely experience of this traytor in our bosomes And this warre is not at a distance but an intimate and close contrariety in the same part the same soule that cōmands obedience doth it selfe resist it in the same will there is a delight in the Law of God and yet a counter-motion to the law of sinne In the same heart singlenesse and sensiblenesse of sinne and yet much secret fraud and hardnesse in the apprehension of wrath In the same affections love of God and love of the world feare of God and feare of men trust in God and doubting of his favour Lord I beleeve helpe thou mine unbeleefe was the cry of the poore man in the Gospell and such must be the complaint of the best of us Lord I remember thee helpe my forgetfulnesse Lord I presse towards thee helpe my weaknesse Lord I rejoyce in thee helpe my heavinesse Lord I desire to have more communion with thee help my strangnesse I am dull and dead hearted doe thou quicken me I desire to please thee helpe my failings We must not only wrestle with God by strong and importunate prayers but with the lusts and frowardnesse of our owne hearts 6. Consider the strength and power of this sinne to bring about what ever it hath projected for the advancement of Sathans kingdome it raignes like a King and hath the strength of a law in our members and a law without strength is no Law for Lawes are made to binde and keepe men in order therefore the wicked are called servants to sinne and the best of us all are captives that is unwilling servants So much flesh as remaines in any man so much disability he hath to withstand sinne The choisest vessell of mercy and most peculiar Saint of God is no way able to keepe his standing as of himselfe for this is certain that to be preserved from the strength of our owne lusts wee have not onely use of the good graces which God hath given us already but of a continuall support and underpropping Grace in the best here is but like the putting of hot water into cold which may bee warmed for a time but yet presently returnes to its former temper cold is predominant however the preserving of fire under it keepes it hot for the present It is not the Grace which any of us receive can overcome sinne in us if God should there stop and leave us to our selves without a fresh supply that which preserves us is his promise of never failing us of healing our back slidings and following us with his mercy all our dayes For grace doth not onely prevent a wicked man to make him righteous but followes him lest hee become wicked againe 7. Consider the indefatigablenesse of this sinne how unwearied it is in every mischiefe it sets about If we resist the devill hee will flye from us but this fleshly heart of ours will never sound a retreat it is like a wounded wolfe that runnes up and downe to doe mischiefe a man that hath in some measure overcome his lusts will bee farre more sensible of their stirrings and struglings then another in whom they rule without disturbance Sin is kindled by that which quencheth all other fires and surely grace which extinguisheth other temptations doth occasionally enrage the flesh though in regard of exercise and actuall power it dye daily The reason is because a thing in its proper motion is never tyred who ever knew the Sea give over raging or the streame grow weary of running Now corrupt motions are as naturall to a man as the course of a river Though there may be
all that security and deadnesse of spirit which seares up the heart of many thousands of people This makes so little care of being saved Hence it is that the Gospell preached is so smally reckoned of the name of Christ is no more precious the word of grace no more honoured the promise of salvation no more laid hold on and hearkened after the threatnings of hell no more stood in feare of then they bee it is indeed one and not the smallest part of our native wretchednesse that our eyes are so holden with selfe-love that wee cannot perceive our misery nay wee are pleased with it and think it a peece of our happinesse to continue in it Wee have not onely no disposition to goe from it but which is worse a strong desire to remaine still therein Where is the man that truely discernes he is lost and undone that sensibly groanes under the weight and burthen of sinne that cryes out with the Leaper I am uncleane I am uncleane I have not in me by nature so much as a graine of goodnesse I am a very lumpe of corruption I am an enemy to God and to my owne soule I cannot so much as frame a thought tending to the furtherance of my best good Every thing I meddle with is defiled by me the very earth is weary to beare me and according to the kinde thereof both it and all the creatures complaine to God against me I am a burthen to the times and places wherein I live every man I converse with is the worse for mee c. Lastly to prevent surprisalls by this cruell enemy study his policies before hand for howsoever the strength of the flesh be very great yet the policy thereof doth farre exceed it for being not a professed enemy but a secret traitor it is more exercised in cunning undermining of our safety with subtle slights and politique stratagems then in assaulting us after an open and hostile manner Sathan cannot deceive us unlesse our owne flesh assisting him doe first deceive us The danger whereof is so much the greater because it is so deep and disguised that it can hardly be discovered and found out it displayes not its colours in open field but lyes hid in secret ambushments mingling it selfe with our owne forces and making a shew of simplicity and sincerity when there is nothing but craft and deceit in it perswading us that we are nothing so evill and corrupt as indeed wee are and that those good things which wee seeme to have are of farre more excellency then in truth they bee that our little mite is a great treasury that we are in an happy and blessed condition whereas wee were never neerer unto death and destruction that surely God loves us because we prosper in the world and live civilly and quietly amongst our neighbours wronging no man that so much zeale and strictnesse is more then neede that the best have their failings that great sinnes are very small ones and little sinnes are none at all c. Infinite are the windings and labyrinths of the heart of man the counsells and projects of this flesh of ours to establish the kingdome of sinne in it selfe What man is there who will not outwardly seeme to spit at Sathan and defie his workes of darknesse and yet what man is there in whose bosome secretly Satā doth not plot devise wicked enterprises The more time a man spends to make himself acquainted with himselfe and begs of God to reveale the hidden corruption of his evill nature to him the more abhorrency and condemnation will hee have of himselfe and the more adoration and wonderment at the infinite mercy of God that hee is not consumed when once a man hath his evil wayes discovered to him by Gods spirit he will be abased and confounded in his owne sight It is nothing but ignorance that keepes men in pride If to bee wise to doe evill and foolish to doe good if to plead for sinne and Sathan If to receive good parts and abilities from God and to fight against him with the same bee matters to be boasted of then there is a great crop of pride in every mans nature else wee must all conclude that hee which gloryeth in any thing meerely in himselfe hath chosen nothing to glory in but his owne shame Alas the best of our wisedome is but sensuall and devillish fleshly deceit as the Scripture speakes a man may bee very wise and yet imploy the same upon nothing but mischiefe You have heard the lineaments of originall corruption which in the wisdome of the Holy Ghost is called flesh Now as a body infected with the plague doth not presently complaine or shew the disease till afterward So this venome in children lyeth lurking and worketh not till the faculties of the soule are prettily well hatched up and then like a charmed cup it fumeth up into the braine and fills it with idle thoughts it enchanteth the conscience invenometh the affections and maketh the heart like a tipling house full fraught with ruffian-like passions Such strange and totall disorder such contention betwixt the heart and the conscience such raging in the affections such desperate unrulinesse in the will such error and staggering in the understanding that a man may well be compared to a rude family consisting of treacherous servants al false and idle of equall authority being subject to none but Lords of themselves Vnderstanding directed by the law of nature attempteth to advise the will saith shee will not yeelde but doe as shee lists Affections prevaile with Will and overcast judgement Conscience cryeth out upon them all and threatneth the Law Faire spoken pleasure entreateth it to be quiet and that all villany may bee cōmitted without check Lust by degrees entreateth the will to put out the candle and light of knowledge then when ignorance as dark as hell hath invaded and overshadowed the whole man the minions of Venus court may walke dismasked without kenning adultery fornication uncleanenesse wantonnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred debate envy murther drunkennesse gluttony c. and the whole Crew of fleshly workes may creepe out of the heart like the serpent and her brood in the night or as the Graecians out of the Trojan horse and goe hand in hand securely and without reproofe seeing Conscience being drowsie through the strong wine of voluptuousnesse is laid asleepe and therefore will not awaken unlesse the sins be too great and pricke him sore or els dead feared being deprived of understanding as the body of vitall spirits which should quicken and direct her in both her actions of testimony and judgement The whole man is full of disorder trust not therefore any of thy members alone without making a covenant with it If thou hast occasion to use thine eye take heed unto it it is full of the seeds of adultery pride envy covetousnesse there are lusts of the eye If to use thy tongue set a doore before thy lips
having thy hand in every impious action with this imperious style sic volo sic jubeo I will and command it to bee so not respecting whether the thing bee crooked or straight right or wrong good or bad then is thy will meerely carnall and doth dominere like a blinde King or ignorant Pilot sitting at the sterne of the whole man and yet not skilled in one starre nor knowing one point of the card nor respecting the Compasse nor regarding the point of the diamond but downe the river with the full saile of affections and tempests of sudden passions no regard to the country whither wee saile no respect of the hidden rockes no consideration of fearefull gulfes no casting of anchor no notice of the Climate c. no marvell then if blinde will make in the end a sudden and fearefull shipwracke both of soule and body Heart To conclude if in thy heart as in a cage thou finde the uncleane birds of adultery and fornication the viper of malice and cockatrice of envy the hydra of covetousnesse consisting of many heads having in their fronts the superscriptions of thee very violence perjury murther and idolatry If in thy heart thou find infidelity security pride confidence in the creature c. If it bee full of hardnes so as no sinnes no judgements no hopes no feares no promises no instructions are able to awaken and melt the same If it bee full of impotency not altered by the invitations and intreaties of God to returne unto him not perswaded by the fruitlessenesse of all sinnefull lusts to forsake them If it be full of folly and madnesse so as all the creatures in the world are not able to cure it full of infidelity ready to depart from the living God under-valuing his precious promises and mistrusting his power full of pollution and uncleanenesse full of unsearchable deceit and wickednesse a very forge and mint wherein all manner of sinnes are framed in secret purposes and desires from whence they spring forth into life and action then is thy heart also nothing but flesh thy whole man nothing but rottennesse and corruption If it bee asked herein how I distinguish betwixt the Elect and the Reprobate for albeit Gods children bee purged through the blood of Christ yea and the force of sinne in some measure weakened in them and inherent sanctity begun in all the parts of their soules by the holy Ghost even in this life yet fleshly corruption is still harboured and the roote of every sinne remaines in the best putting forth the hemlocke of a wicked practice in their Christian course I answer yet can they not be said to live according to the flesh seeing the substance as it were and principall tenour of their lives is directed according to the Spirit As the aire in the dawning of the day is not wholly so dark nor wholly so light as at night and noone day So is the estate of the regenerate not all flesh as the wicked nor all Spirit as them that are glorified but partly flesh and partly spirit grace and corruption not severall in place but in reason to be distinguished yea the flesh is more in measure than the spirit and therefore Paul calls the Corinthians otherwise justified and sanctified yet carnall and we are said to receive but the first fruits of the Spirit whilest we are here Notwithstanding for all this such is the power of the Spirit that albeit it be small like David yet it is able ordinarily to prevaile against that uncircumcised Philistim the flesh And further it is of such inestimable vertue that as one graine of muske giveth a stronger perfume than many other grosse smells So doth that sweeten all our actions in the nostrils of God And as a man albeit all the parts of his body be dead so that he neither knowes nor sees nor can speake yet if he have any life in a corner of his heart any breath or any motion remaining none will be so hard hearted as to pull him out of his bed and bury him as a dead man So although in this life we have many a dead palsie many a dint many a dry buffet by the hand of Sathan yet so long as the breath of God is in us and we keepe the truth of the spirit like the star of a diamond it will cause us to shine in this darknes of our corruption and like an antidote preserve us against eternall death A word of application to two sorts and I proceed First to the Ministers of Gods word let mee speake my thoughts with griefe of heart Such is the universall impiety of this decayed age so apparent to the spiritual eye so weighty in the hand of him that wisely pondereth it that I feare me the Lord is neere and the day of visitation approacheth Is it not a strange thing to consider our Ministers how ignorant how arrogant how dissolute and carelesse many of them are to omit the empty caske the idoll minister what strange children doth our mother the Universitie nourish in her bosome how wanton how unbroken proud and licencious Theologie a science of living well and blessedly for ever is made a stepping stone to promotion a matter of disputation and idle speculation and the meere stuffe wherewithall to make a sermon Practice and obedience is commended to the people but as for the Clerke that belongs not to him It is well if hee reprove sinne soundly in the pulpit though he be utterly dissolute in his owne person Beloved to speake according to the spirit and yet live after the flesh is an infallible note of an hypocrite let men make what they can of it Not that I byte the faithfull shepheards of Gods flocke in any place whatsoever seated in this our Church so farre is it from mee to touch the Lords annointed or to harme his Prophets But the licencious preacher is the man I taxe as being the shame and discredit of the Lords Ministery As concerning the people to undertake to single out all the fleshly and carnall professors of the Gospell were to number the drops of the great Ocean to tell the starres and to cypher the sands of the sea shore The sonnes of Adam have so covered the earth that a righteous man is scarce to be found a man that indeede warreth against the flesh grieveth at the times and sigheth for our sins Are there not many among us which beginne in the Spirit and end in the flesh that faint in the race and embrace the world hot in the beginning key-cold in the ending stayning their names and defiling their soules I speake of the better sort which as it seemes thinke the Lord too long a comming and therefore will fall too and stay no longer Is it not a grievous thing to behold many an ancient in Israel to be so sowly overseene as to sell their birthright for a messe of pottage their God for a peece of bread and the unspeakable
dales with his restlesse moanes and stayeth the most speedy passengers with the hollow cryes of his extreme misery Or as a Princes daughter set on shoare by a perfidious shipman where is nought but trees and wildernesse lyons beares and antilopps debarred of all comfort within the hearing of the groveling dens compassed about with seas So and much more fearefull is the state of that man whosoever he be that is banished from the presence of God in regard of the graces of the spirit which are the infallible pledges of his love and favour however he enjoyeth many outward good things as the stranger in a Princes Court may make him selfe glad with his wine though altogether unknowne or at least without any speciall notice taken of him by the Prince But when God shall 1. strip him of all temporall blessings as riches honor health wealth friends peace c. 2. When he shall make himselfe knowne to his blinde soule with a more manifest and apparant resemblance of his glory in justice declaring the detestation hee hath of his supposed knowledge his unconscionable conscience his devillish wil and corrupt affections 3. When hee shall first shut the doore upon him that leadeth unto life and then also for ever cast him out of his presence as a man that throws a toad or serpent out of his garden and that into the place of everlasting tormēt Lord what tongue can expresse or heart conceive the heavy estate of this forlorne or abject creature To be out of favor with a Prince is much but to be out of favour with God who can abide it There is no man living unlesse he be desperate but either hee thinketh himself high in Gods favour and therefore is still peaceable within himselfe or else is possessed with such a spirit of slumber that the faculty of due pondering the pretiousnesse of Gods presence is taken from him as in a drūkard which neither regardeth his frendnor his foe but when the drinke shall be out of his head as at the departure of his soul then shall hee strike his knees together his heart shall bee cold as a stone like that of Nabal when the feast was past and hee had heard the judgement denounced then shall hee open his eyes as the man which hath beene blind from his birth and behold the vengeance of God upon him By the Presence of God in this place I doe not understand a bare locall residence with God so Sathan may stand before God neither can any thing created go from his presence hee being in heaven in hell and in all places but by his Presence I understand as the holy Ghost teacheth me the comfort the joy and blisse which betydeth the Creature through his presence Now what the losse hereof may be I leave to thy owne heart and yet it being fleshly may happily err or not esteem so highly as the thing requireth To helpe thee in a word Adam after his offence fled from Gods presence and the Lord ratified it for indeed hee cast him out of the garden where hee had communion and fellowship with God yet so that hee left him certaine signes and tokens of his former dignity both spirituall and temporall in soul and body from whence it commeth that wee his children doe yet retain some resemblance of our former happinesse though our holinesse is quite lost We have Lordship over all the creatures wee are fed with the fruits of the earth we have some cōlinesse of person and impression of majesty beyōd the beasts yea we have a smack of God And in politicall matters yet preserve some slender and slight footings of his wisdome and providence the King ruleth the people obey the heaven the earth and the stars yeelde themselves according to the will of the Creator propitious unto man hee enjoyeth their light their influences their fruits sundry commodities And all this because man albeit out of the garden of Eden the place of delight yet is still as long as hee liveth in the Cookes garden being thrust as it were out of a most pleasant parlour where God appeared in glory into a more obscure place of lesse communion with him Now when the first death commeth as a sore-runner to the last judgement man is deprived in an instant of all pretended comforts and outward favours and plunged into an infinite depth of woe and bottomlesse gulph of wrathfull misery his body strangely altered being severed from his soule which gave it both life and reason yea and deprived of all earthly succour excepting a ditch in the earth to preserve his bones and Cinders unto the time of the resurrection All which marke it by the decree of the just Judge of heaven shall for ever be deprived of all shew of favour or the least drop of mercy and be exiled the Courts of the Almighty world without end Here the Kings of the earth shall bee degraded the Lords and Ladies of the Court abashed and each rich stately person utterly disherited of all his substance To bee out of favour with the world is troublesome to weake flesh but to bee discountenanced with God this is the Ocean of all misery Every creature then beholdeth with a threatning face the heavens lower the earth frownes and withdraw themselves from our comfort For as hee that loseth the good will of the Master loseth also the heart of the true and trusty servant So he that is once discountenanced with God all creatures in heaven and earth make head against him Oh that our great landed men as wee call them which have seated themselves for ever as they suppose would consider of this tragicall ruine they are so shamefully beguiled with the composed countenance of the harlot voluptuousnesse the strength of pleasure arising from worldly wealth hath so dispossessed them of their wits that they rave in the pride of their hearts not considering their latter end Out beggar I scorne thee my land is worth three hundred pounds by the yeer and wilt thou presume to keepe mee company c. Ah consider that thou art carnall and livest according to the flesh and therefore must dye All outward things shall forsake thee thy wealth and credit thy pastime and acquaintance all shall bee abandoned God himselfe will strippe thee of these robes and clothe thee with shame for ever In vaine doest thou presume of mercy thou caryest the bagge for a season but it shall one day bee rent from thy side and God shall bee glorified in leaving thee naked The second thing to bee considered is that great reproach which shall seise on the carnall man after this life by reason of the cleere revealing of all his hidden sinnes Little Children abide in him that when hee shall appeare we may be bold and not be ashamed before him at his comming If a man come and publish a hidden crime we are ready with our action to cleere our honesty and defend our reputation by challenging