first But wee must giue our heart freely and with a willing minde our whole heart must we giue and that continually Deut 6.5 Vae duplici cordi saith Saint Austen They dissemble with a double heart saith the Psalmist Psal 12. But this I say Cor diuisum moritur A diuided heart is a dead heart Et qui diuidunt partem diabolo partem Deo iratus Deus à sua parte discedit diabolus totum possidet and therefore giue God all or thou giuest him nothing at all yea and do it continually non Deo in iuuentute diabolo in senectute like the foolish Galathians which began in the spirit Gal. 3. but would end in the flesh In a word we may giue our knowledge to the ignorant our goods to the poore our taxes to Ceesar but our hearts only to God freely and wholy Because that as one flie corrupteth the whole boxe of ointment Reason so one sinne makes vs liable to condemnation The Apostle therefore speakes of sinne in singular Rom. 6.23 Stipendium peccati The wages of sinne not of many but of any sin is death And if we should suffer so many deaths as we haue committed sinnes yet were Gods iudgements iust and right A ship is endangered by one leake in the side and a citie surprised by one breach in the wall and a fowler catcheth the bird as well by one part as the whole bodie So sinne is like leauen and a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Gal. 5.9 2. King 2. one Coloquintida brought death into the pot and one dead worke of darknesse destroyeth the soule Vse It serueth to condemne the halting profession of our dissembling age wherein many will be content to leaue some sinnes 1. Sam. 1 5.9 but keepe others as Saul spared Agag and the fatlings and as Herod spared his lust and vnlawfull marriage Mat. 6.12 Ananias and Saphira were willing to bring a part to the Apostles but they were loth to bring all The yong man in the Gospel would follow Christ but he was loth to sell all so that this word all marres all Euery man would go to heauen with his darling The couetous would go with his gold the vicious with his harlots the ambitious with his braue attire c. But touch the world in these their profitable pleasant darling and bosome sinnes and you shall heare men speake as in the house of Rimmon like Naaman the Assyrian God be mercifull to me in this 2. King 5. Preach to the vsurer or oppressour That he which doth not prouide for his owne familie is worse then an infidel or against prodigality or suretiship and your word shall be as the first and latter raine and sinke deepe into his romembrance but turne him to Psal 15. where no vsurer shall rest in Gods holy hill or 1. Cor 6. where no extortioner shall enter into the kingdome of heauen or to Saint Matthew concerning workes of mercie or to Saint Luke against couetousnesse and you shall finde him eared like the deafe adder and his heart harder then the nether milstone But it is written If thy right eye offend thee that is Math. 5. if thy sinne be as deare vnto thee as the apple of thine eye yet pull it out and let not thine eye spare it or if thy right hand offend thee that is if thy sinne be as profitable and commodious as thy hand whereby thou gettest thy liuing yet cut it off and cast it from thee or if thy foote offend thee to cause thee to sin that is if thy sinne be so necessary as thy foote wherewith thou bearest thy selfe yet spare it not For it is better to enter into the kingdome of God blinde and lame and maimed then otherwise to be cast into hellfire For one sinne in the soule is like a serpent in the bosome cast it from you or it will sting you to death and as Dalila neuer left fawning and flattering Sampson till she made him a mill horse to the Philistimes so your sinne if you trust it will betray you to the diuel and he will send you with such a grist to grinde that you shall pay your soule for the tole As therefore it is said of Iob. 1. that he was integer rectus and so must we be integri sound and not hollow and recti straight and not crooked and so are all good men and euery good worke both within and without And to this purpose ought we to set God alwaies before our eies 1. 2. 3. 4. Eph. 6.6 and to think vpon iudgement and our account and to consider that eye seruice is nothing pleasing to God and to remember that as Christ gaue his heart bloud for vs so as Saint Bernard saith Iustè cor nostrum vendicat quisuum pro nobis dedit He I say hath redeemed vs and therefore ought we to cleanse our hearts from all sinne and giue all to his seruice This is the point which I aime at viz. the triall of out integrity when a man can say with good conscience as Psal 139. Try me O God and know my heart proue me and knew my thoughts and consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me or at the least as it is Psal 7.3 if there be any wickednesse in my hands Surely brethren I say to you that are the elect of God Let vs thus examine our owne hearts vpon our beds Psal 4. and in our chambers secretly and cleanse our selues from all filthinesse All filthinesse I say both of the flesh and spirit which is the last passage of this point viz. The speciality of the parts and powers infected 5. 5. The speciality of the parts and powers infected Of the flesh and spirit There was a law in Rome De purgandis fontibus and it holds good in Scripture where we must purge our hearts which is fons vitoa tam naturalis quà m spiritualis and in purging of our heart we must cleanse our bodies yea and our soules also from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit whence note Doct. We must mortifie our bodies and mortifie our soules and so giue the whole to Gods seruice Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies God that you giue vp your bodies and soules a liuing sacrifice c. In stead of the bodies of dead beasts we must giue our bodies a liuing sacrifice and in stead of the bloud of beasts which was a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe we must giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the soule and this is iuge sacrificium viz. a perpetuall mortifying of the will reason affections and members Atque haec obedientia non potest plus dare dedit enim se And therefore must we mortifie both that we may sanctifie him both in body and soule not onely saying in the outward organe of speech My soule praise thou the Lord Psal 103.1 but body and soule flesh and spirit must
ioyne their forces as well tuned Cymbals Praise thou the Lord ô my soule al that is within me praise his holy name Reason Because God created both He hath made vs and not we our selues Psal 100. And therefore are we due vnto his seruice Totum fecit saith Augustine totum exigit August He made all and therefore will he haue all not a peece of thy heart nor a roome in the heart but thy whole heart not a member of thy body or some parts of thy body but the whole man Redde Caesari qua Caesaris sunt Math. 22 21. giue him I say the whole for it is due vnto him The whole body mortified from sinne and thy whole heart purged by faith bathed in the bloud of the Lambe and cleansed by the fire of the spirit Not an old heart nor a corrupt heart but a new heart and a new spirit for which the Prophet Dauid begged Create in me a new heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me Psal 51.10 Vse 1 1. This teacheth vs that sinne is there to be rooted our where it had beginning which is from the heart For out of the heart proceede thefts adulteries murders c. Out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaketh Math. 15 19. Math. 12.34 the hand workâ—th the foote walketh and therefore saith Ieremy 4. Wash thine heart ô Ierusalem from all wickednesse The Prophet findeth not fault so much that euill thoughts came in but that they stayed there A foolish heart therefore is compared to the axle tree in the wheele which continually turneth and yet staieth in the wheele so the thoughts of an euill heart are not expelled but turned ouer therefore the onely meanes to cleanse our bodies is to cleanse our hearts and the onely meanes to cleanse our hearts is to let the feare of God keepe the doore of our hearts Let vs therefore consider Quid amisimus viz. our owne freedome Cui offendimus God our maker Et quò tendimus to hell and damnation Let vs cleanse therefore our flesh and spirit frequentieiectione of euill thoughts receiued diligenti euitatione of all enticements sedula repressione of all carnall concupiscence And we must do it speedily for if a garment be stained it will easily be cleansed if it be washed presently a coale will not burne if thou hold it not too long therefore we should learne wisedome of the worldly who in their generation are wiser then the children of light who if any flouds or inundations are likely to endanger their lands or houses they vse all meanes to turne the current of the streames another way and so should we turne the current of our flesh and spirit moouing vs to euill orando meditando laborando semper aliquid bone operando it a vt diabolus cum veniat iuuentat nos semper occupatos Either by thinking vpon the passion of Christ or of the ioyes of heauen or of the paines of hell or in the performance of the duties of our callings or in powring out our prayers vnto God alwaies labouring good and these will turne the current of our hearts another way 2. If we must cleanse our bodies and soules and giue both to Gods seruice what shall I say them of the Papists who will serue the Lord onely in their bodily exercises their beade-prayers worship in an vnknown tong their knocking kneeling crossing creeping crouching turnings lifting vp and letting downe their blockish Roode and kissing their painted Paxe their holy water sprinkling their going on pilgrimage bare footed and bare legged their whipping themselues on Saints eues and such their superstitious fooleries are meerely outward exercises which as concerning the flesh haue a shew of holinesse in voluntary religion and not sparing of the flesh but haue no such power Colos 2.23 For bodily exercise profiteth nothing 1. Tim. 4.8 3 3. Esa 29.13 With these may I ranke the hypocrits of our times which serue the Lord in shew and not in truth which draw neare to God with their mouthes but their hearts are farre from him such are the knee-praiers and lip-labours of our time-seruing hearers which outwardly professe Christ but inwardly Belial Christians onely in name Saints onely in shew of which Saint Bernard speakes Multi sunt oues habitu vulpes actu crudelitate lupi Bernard Sheepe in shew foxes in deede and wolues in cruelty for an hypocrite hath vulpem in cerebro miluum in manu lupum in corde a foxe in his braine a kite in his hand and a wolfe in his heart A foxe in his braine subtill and crafty to insnare and then he hath miluum in manu a kite in his fist to hold fast and when he hath caught hold he hath lupum in corde a wolfe in his heart to deuoure And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues Math. 7.16.17 which in painted boxes hide deadly poysons in beautifull Sepulchers rotten bones and vnder Iezabels painted face a whores behauiour and therefore our Sauiour calleth them serpents and viperous serpents O ye viperous serpents ye generation of vipers how shall you escape the damnation to come Math. 23.33 And to shew the certaintie of their damnation beside the manifold woes which Christ denounceth against them it is said that wicked men shall haue their portion with hypocrites Math. 24.51 to shew that the condemnation of hypocrites is most surely sealed Let me therefore vse that counsell of Chrysostome Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quodes Either be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art for simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas Counterfet pietie is double impietie first because it is impietie and then because it is counterfet making truth falshood and God a liar But as it is said Rom. 2. Non auditores sed factores legis not the hearers of the law but the doers of the law shall be iustified So of religion Non eandem profitentes sed eidem obedientes not professors but performers shall be glorified Let vs not therefore be like the fig tree which our Sauiour cursed that had leaues in abundance Math. 21. but no fruite at all for it is not the lifting vp of our eyes nor the knocking of our breasts nor the holding vp of our hands which shall stand vs in stead in the latter day but the wounded soule the sinceritie of the heart Psal 5 1.17 the contrite spirit ioyned with our outward obseruance and obedience which shal administer true ioy in the latter end And therefore let vs as the elect of God holy and beloued let vs I say professe with our mouthes and practise with our liues let vs sing in voice and with the spirit also let vs repent in life and sow in teares let vs cleanse the flesh that we may be mortified and cleanse our spirit so shall we be glorified
would now giue a world if he had it for one drop of cold water to coole his tong to teach vs that there is great differēce twixt the rich mans non mouebor c. their downfall imply descendunt in infernum Psal 30.6 Iob. 21.13 O how suddenly do they vanish perish and come to a fearefull end but as for Gods Saints be they despicable in the eies of men yet their prayers and teares are written in the booke of Gods remembrance Esa 38.5 and right deare and precious in the sight of God is the death of all his Saints Psal 116.15 6. Seeing these promises for this life and a better life redound to vs to vs only then hence let vs learne to take comfort in these promises in all things whatsoeuer our dangers and distresses are for God euen our God is Pater omnipotens both able and willing for to do vs good Art thou then in affliction know that there is no darknesse but flieth from the Sunne no poyson but yeeldeth to medicine no winter but is remoued by Sommer for if God doth suffer calamity to befall vs for his glory and our good he will take it away againe Psal 34.19 For many are the troubles of the righteous but here is the Lords promise which is our comfort he will deliuer out of all we haue this promise which is as the faithfull witnesse in heauen for our comfort 7. Seeing the faithfull onely haue these promises then ought we to labour for a true faith for this is the instrument of our redemption the fruite of the Spirit the clothing of our soules the ioy of the godly the perfection of the Church the euidence by which we hold both our Being Mark 9.24 and well being Lord we beleeue helpe our vnbeleefe 8. Lastly hath God giuen vs these promises Let vs then learne to giue vnto God that which is Gods viz. thankes and praise For he that offereth me thankes and praise hehonoureth me Psal 50.23 Surely brethren there is not the least of his mercies but deserues a Quid retribuam Psal 116.12 Psal 8.4 And What is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou sor egardest him c. What is to be found in man which might moue the Lord to be so gracious or to be expected from man which may adde vnto his honour to whose complete and all-sufficient fulnesse nothing can be added Surely this is some and all Thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.14 to sing and say Corde cordis fide fidibus Glory be to God on high on earth peace goodwill towards men Luk. 2.14 Our hearts shall be glad when our lips speake his glorie and our tongues shall sing of his righteousnesse while we liue will we praise the Lord and giue thankes vnto him for a remembrance of his holinesse for to vs hath he giuen these promises and therefore Regi saeculorum 1. Tim. 1. 17. Now saith the Apostle Now is a time to lift vp your hearts and say as he saith To the King eternall immortall inuisible and God onely wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen And of the subiectum thus far and now the Praedicatum cometh in place viz. these promises Promises Promissiones 1. Politicae Promises I finde to be generally of two sorts politicall or ciuill and religious or diuine vnder the former are ranked all contracts compacts bargaines and other cases of commutatiue iustice in the Common-wealth betwixt man and man 2. Religiosae Legales Euangelicae Religious promises I name such as wherein God doth more properly challenge a share as being either the inlargemēts of the bounty from God to man or the ingagement of obedience from man to God and these I find to be double Legall or Euangelicall 1. Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Legall ex pacto simpliciter hoc fac viues and againe Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law 2. Euangelicall ex pacto secundum quid being the free donations of Gods soueraigne bounty which worketh all good in all Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauie Haba 2.4 Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 3.16 Isa 43.25 c. So God loued the world that he c. I am he behold I am he that putteth away thy vnrighteousnesse euen for my names sake Isa 43.25 These are called the promises of Gods grace because freely giuen and so performed gratis the promises of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 Rom. 10.8 because the Spirit is both the author and applier of them the words of faith because they are made with the condition of faith to apprehend and apply them they are also the promises of hope because that our haruest is in hope onely Heb. 6.17 The hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised Tit. 1.2 God hath made a couenant with his people and it is called the couenant of promise Eph. 2.12 the Arke of which testimony is the sure words of the Gospell the keepers and interpreters whereof are his holy ones vpon whom he hath put his Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 to cause Israel to heare and know and do his couenant The franchised liberties thereof are his promises the hedges or walles of defence are his iudgements the feales of assurance are his counsell his word his oath his Sacraments the earnest penny is the spirit of sanctification the stipulators are the Maker and his creature God and man God of his free bounty promising all good things for this and a better life in Christ for the glory of his goodnesse and man protesting faith and perfect obedience to his heauenly Maker So that Subiectum huiusfaederis are the sonnes of God onely as I haue shewed before the sonnes of promise Gal. 4.28 Rom. 9.8 such as through faith in a pure conscience keepe his commandement alway This couenant by faith we apply it we hold it in hope and shew forth the fruites thereof in a godly life and holy conuersation Thus farre we haue walked at large but now returne I pray you with me from whence we haue digressed for the bounds of my text do bound me within the liberties of this holy couenant for so my text tels vs Has promissiones Sinne is a bad Mistresse which makes men serue long for little and in the end paieth with bad wages For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 but our God is liberall as an Emperour who hath bestowed a great gift vpon vs in our creation and that being lost hath giuen vs a greater and promised greatest of all As a good Physitian he healeth vs and as a good merchant hireth vs non vt duram seruiamus seruitutem but that we should be made coheires with Christ Has promissiones these promises also God hath promised saluation to his people which haue bene since the world began from Adam to Abraham Gen. 3.15 from
world who from the promises of God take libertie to sinne For God and the world are contrary and it is to be obserued that Gods Saints out of his promises deduce arguments of obedience which worldly libertines do not I wil dwell among you I will walke with you I will be your God I will be your Father c. these are Gods promises and the Apostle reades them in feare and feeling Seeing we haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues but the world reades them in licentiousnes Seeing we haue these promises let vs defile our selues Psal 130.4 There is mercie with God therefore shall he be feared saith Dauid therefore we need not feare him saith the world The time of our abiding here is short therefore let vs vse the world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.29 saith the Apostle but let vs vse it while we haue it 1. Cor. 15.32 Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die saith the libertine These things being thus I do the lesse wonder to reade what is written Know ye not my brethren that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse and the loue of the world is enmitie with God Iam. 4. By which opposition you may perceiue that there are two sorts of men here aimed at the former such as are not named nor worthy the naming which promise themselues libertie and yet are themselues the seruants of corruption 2. Pet. 2.19 Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse beasts without reason men without humanitie as bad as the horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding their consciences are feared with an hote iron and are setled on the lees of their iniquities which make a mocke of Gods promises and say Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3.3 beasts led in sensualitie which haue giuen themselues to worke vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Ephes 4. a generation of vipers and vicious brood Math. 23.33 more degenerate then Nebuchadnezzar from a King to a beast for whom is reserued the damnation of hell Be not therefore companions with them for you were once darknesse but now are you light in the Lord Eph. 5.7 and therefore labour to be of them which are the children of light the sonnes of God and heires with Christ according to these promises in whom resteth the spirit of feare and feeling Prou. 28.14 Lastly that we may so do as the promises moue and teach vs viz. forsake sinne and embrace holinesse let vs euermore consider the sufferings of Christ for sinne and his promises mouing him thereunto Can the adulterer take delight in the sinne of the flesh considering his flesh that was wounded for his sinnes Could the voluptuous and feathered gallants take such surfets of pleasure seeing Christ sweating and shedding streames of water bloud Could the horseleach the vnsatiable seruant of Mammon say as the Poet saith Populus me sibilat mihi plaudo ipse domi so blesse himselfe in his wretched gettings and know Christ pierced to the heart for getting of them Or can we heare of his bleeding and suffering and yet continue in sinning Can we loue that which God at all times and in all places hath so protested that he hates He could not endure it in heauen Angeli detruduntur the Angels were throwne downe headlong for it he could not endure it on earth Christus crucifigitur his owne Sonne died for it nor yet in hell Inferni cruciantur whole legions are tormented for it Let vs therfore deale with sinne for his sake as he was dealt withall for ours The Iewes pursued him in his life crucified him in his death Math. 27.60 Augustine and when he was dead rolled a stone vpon him so let vs as Augustine counselleth vpon the crosse of repentance betweene these two grand theeues the world and the flesh crucifie sinne pursue it in the rising resist it in the growing rest not vntill we haue killed it and then as neuer safe enough let vs rolle a stone vpon it neuer to reuiue the same or the like againe And in conclusion Seeing we haue these promises merits and mercies for the remission of sinnes let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit an grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God My text you see hath brought vs now from the antecedent promises to the consequent inferred Let vs cleanse c. Which conclusion is a sure perswasion to a regenerate life wherein is contained the two parts of sanctification 1. Remotio mali Let vs cleanse our selues from c. 2. Substitutio boni And grow vp to full holinesse c. Furthermore in the conclusion obserue the two generall parts of a proposition 1. Subiectum Vs Let vs cleanse c. 2. Praedicatum in the two parts forenamed Remotione mali Let vs cleanse c. Substitutione boni And grow vp to c. To take them then in order as they are propounded And first of the Subiectum Vs. Subiectum Vs If we enquire who are here meant we shall finde them the same with the former We viz. Paul and the Corinthians beleeuers these are they that must cleanse themselues From whence obserue There is drosse in the best Doctr. euen the most regenerate and that in all the parts and powers of the flesh and spirit All flesh is as grasse Iam. 1.10 and full of frailties there is no come but may be blasted and no soule but may be corrupted In the fairest rose a man may find a canker euen so the holiest man hath his gifts with sundry imperfections The stoutest man may haue a fall and the iust man falls seuen times a day Whosoeuer then is without sinne let him cast the first stone at his fellow in many things saith the Apostle we sinne all And therefore saith Iob though a iust man If I shall iustifie my selfe my owne mouth shall condemne me if I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he will proue me a wicked doer Iob 9.20 And Dauid to like purpose though a man after Gods owne heart cries out Heale my soule O Lord for I haue sinned against thee 1. Ioh. 1.10 And who so faith that he is without sinne is a lier and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 1.10 There is sinne therefore in the godly aswell as the vngodly but with difference the one sinnes of infirmity the other with consent and approbation in the one sin dwels peccatum inhabitans in the other it reignes Peccatum inhabitans regnans peccatum regnans It is in the godly as a fire which he laboureth to quench but in the wicked a consuming fire which he takes pleasure to kindle Of the godly Saint Iohn saith they commit not sinne 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Howsoeuer they offend yet it is with reluctation of spirit they are preuented and ouertaken vnawares Gal. 6.1 But the wicked commit sinne and continue therein but their commtitimus
neuer so entire affection and laboured our callings with neuer so great diligence we are altogether vnprofitable hauing left more vndone then those we haue performed yea and whatsoeuer we haue done is in such great weaknesse Psal 143. 2. that Lord if thoushouldest marke what is done amisse who shall be able to abide it In conclusion therefore let him haue the glory in all things who giueth seede vnto the sower and bread to him that needeth 1. Cor. 9.10 who worketh in vs both to will and to do and we let vs cleanse our selues for when we haue done all we are still vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 And of the Subiectum thus farre now to the praedicate wherein is set downe Remotio mali Remotio mali in 5. viz. Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Wherin obserue the fiue forenamed passages 1. The property of the worke Cleanse 2. The propriety of the persons our selues 3. The matter to be wrought on filthinesse 4. The generality of the taske all filthinesse 5. The speciality of the parts and powers infected flesh and spirit For the first c. Cleanse which is a metaphoricall speech taken from outward washing for as filth is done away by water so by the helpe of Gods Spirit must we cleanse our selues from sinne You shall reade to this purpose diuers lawes and statutes in Israel of cleansing the Altar Exod 29. of cleansing the Leaper Leuit. 13. of cleansing the house of the Lord 2. Chron. 29. of cleansing Iudah and Ierusalem 2. Chron. 34. of cleansing the people with the gates and entrances of their cities and houses Nehem. 11. And these lawes we know were typicall hauing resemblance of things to come and the same God being our God requireth the same of vs in substance which was prefigured in these ceremonies and shadowes For the Altar is our heart Cor mundum Psal 51. a cleane heart the leprosie is our sinne which stings like a scorpion and infects like a leprosie the house of the Lord are our bodies and soules which are the temples of the holy Ghost Iudah and Ierusalem are the Israel of God which must be holy euen as he is holy and the people and their gates are we here assembled whom of no people he hath made a people that we should sanctifie our gates viz. our affections and actions through which the Spirit of grace shall go in and out Lift vp your heads O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euer lasting doores purge the altar of your hearts Psal 24.7 cleanse the leprosie of your sinne sanctifie your bodies and soules and though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne but make cleane and prepare the doores of your tabernacles Psal 118.19 that the King of glorie may come in Againe I finde by obseruation generally that we are said two wayes to be cleansed which I may call the former and the after labour viz. the inchoation and progression of repentance Man in the former is meerly a patient dead vnto sinne Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 in whom dwels no good thing hauing no power to raise himselfe but euen the disposition of the will which is otherwise blindly led and captiue vnto sin it doth proceed of him which workes all good in all 1. Cor. 12.6 But in the other we are in some sort agents cooperary Dei liuely instruments to worke out our owne saluation For the former it is no more possible for a man to cleanse himselfe then to change the spots of a Leopard or to wash white the skin of a Morian The heart of naturall man is so hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne that except a more powerfull spirit doth incline and soften and dispose it inwardly to good a man with as good successe may plow on the rocke or sow on the shoare as by words thinke to winne a man to repentance for this cleansing it is the gift of God Ephes 2.4 and the first act thereof is his immediate hand such as all the naturall eloquence and force of man cannot effect For as the wise man speaketh Who can say I haue made my owne heart cleane Prou. 20 19. And as that cripple which eight and thirtie yeares waited at the poole of Bethesda if he had not bene helped by our Sauiour had liued and died a cripple because he was not able to moue himselfe into the waters Ioh. 5.5 so except a more powerfully spirit doth moue yea and compell vs into the maine of Maries weeping water of life we should liue and die and be damned for want of penitencie Dauid therefore for the example of all others thus teacheth vs to turne to the God of our saluation Haue mercie vpon me O God according to c. Psal 51.1 And againe ver 1. Wash thou me throughly from mine iniquitie And againe ver 7. Purge thou me with bysope c. And againe ver 10. Create in me a clane heart O God And so the Prophet Ieremie teacheth See Ez. 36.25 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God Ier. 31.18 And yet not this but the after labour of renouation is the proper and most genuine interpretation of my text Wherein through the grace of God we are become instrumentall agents to cleanse our selues And to this purpose runne all the precepts and commandements which call for our obedience and amendments Ezech. 18.30 Rom. 12.2 Isa 1.16 Turne you turne you c. Wash you make you cleane c. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be yerenewed c. And the like These precepts we call Euangelicall which do alwayes presuppose Gods mercifull hand to helpe whose grace is prest and readie to all that call vpon him more willing to giue then we to aske and giueth more then we can desire yea and is not wanting to any except they be wanting to themselues And to what end doth God lend vs eyes and eares and hands and feete but to see and heare and worke and walke So his grace which is giuen vnto vs must not be idle but operatiue to all good workes to adde to our faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance c. 2. Pet. 1.5.6 A man therefore in his renouation is not ficulnus inutile lignum like the image of Baal or the stumpe of Dagon 1. Kin. 18.17 1. Sam. 5.4 Psal 13 5.15 or the idols of the Gentiles which haue eyes and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not hands c. But as the sicke which was healed must take vp his bed and walke Mar. 2.11 as the dumbe the blinde the lame and the dead which were restored to speech and sight and strength and life they spake and saw and leaped and gaue glorie to God and as Paul after his conuersion Act. 9.20 must presently preach the Gospell so must we not suffer the grace of
bind sinnes together as it were with cart-ropes Esa 5.18 1. King 21 where as Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord so men as beasts haue giuen themselues ouer to worke all vncleannesse euen with greednesse Eph. 4.19 some like the proud Angels feathering their wings in presumptuous pride soaring aloft til their plumes like Daedalus his wings melted with the fire of Gods wrath driue them downe to the pit of destruction some like the couetous Caterpillar deuouring the fruite of the poore mans vineyard some like the vnsatiable maltworme dead drunkē in the streets yea here may you see murder and malice runne headlong to destruction monstrous Anakims men of might Gen. 11. building a Babel their owne confusion Ester 3. enuious Hamans macerating themselues for their brethrens welfare Gen. 29. 1. Sam. 25. 2. Sam 16. Esa 37. Iudith 13. snudging Nabals and churlish Labans withholding the wages of the hireling and grinding the face of the poore cursing Shemeies and blackmouthed Rabsakeis vnnaturall Sodomites painted Iezabels drunken Olifernes Iose head and soule and all and which hath brought your sinnes to the height that an adulterous and an idolatrous religion hath still footing in your City and dwellings Surely brethren if I should totall all in iust account Dies me deficeret this day yea and the daies of my mortall pilgrimage would sooner haue an end then my labour and therefore I must be forced to vse a peece of ciuill policy Meete but with Agag and the fatlings the foule and crying sinnes 1. Sam. 15. and the dependants may more easily be reformed And as a man that aimeth at a multitude can at one shoote would only some few so giue me leaue shooting at all filthinesse to crush in peeces these two that follow viz. drunkennesse and whoredome which go hand in hand and haue kissed each other and are not more hainous then common in this City and Suburbes And for the hatefull sinne of drunkennesse howsoeuer it be but a fiction that Cyrces charmes turned mē to swine yet sure I am and wofull experience makes knowne too oft that Bacchus charmes viz. strong drinke it turneth men to beasts the soule of man miraculously created by Gods infusion and infused by creation lieth drowned in the drunkards body his body which should be the temple of the holy Ghost distempered by excessiue riot is such that his soule might loath to dwell therein and his goods or possessions be they more or lesse lent for the maintenance of himselfe and his are all hoorded in the pot and put in a bottomlesse bag The Lacedaemonians a people which knew not God by the light of nature did so abhorre this brutish sinne that their Helots slaues which they bought for villanage they would make drunken and bring them into the market place and expose them as malefactours on a gibbet that their children seeing their vncleannesse and filthinesse might thereby detest and abhorre that swinish sin But we need not buy Helots to set vp as scarecrowes to the world for eueu before your doores and in your houses may you daily see these beastly Epicures and were there not a remnant of the house of Israel amongst you to stand in the gap like Moses Aaron twixt the liuing and the dead inwardly mourning and lamenting and as much as in them lieth labouring and reforming forming these foule offences the end of this Citie would be sudden as the fire of Sodome But it is written Woe to you drunkards of Ephraim c. Esa 28. 1. Woe to them that rise vp early to follow drunk ennesse and sit till the wine inflame Esa 5.11 Woe to them that are mighty to drinke wine and strong to poure in strong drinke Esa 5.22 Awake ye drunkards faith Ioel 1.4 and howleye that are strong to drinke And thinke you that all these woes are written in vaine Then is our preaching vaine and your faith also vaine and this booke of truth hath no truth in it Hearken therefore ye men of vnderstanding and you shall heare the drunkards doome woe vpon woe shall light vpon them their posterity shall be beggers their estate consumed their name shall rot and perish their bodies odious euen to them and which is heauier then all their soules repulsed from the grace of God shall dwell with the foule and infernall spirits who as their desire was to enter and dwell in the heard of swine Math. 8. so shall these swine remaine with them in chaines of darknesse for euermore And such is the end of this filthinesse To which I may adde whoredome like Sodome and Samria sisters in impurity for gluttony and drunkennesse are the gallery and way of whoredome Venter bene pastus cito dispumat ad libidinem Gen. 19. drunken Lot and incestuous Lot both in one person at one time and they are seldome sundred for it is no thing new or strange for a person which shall first become a beast to do after like a beast It is a sinne against nature for whereas other men sow for an haruest foule fornicators and wicked adulterers which plow with other mens heisers they sow that which they dare not reape But they shall be punished both here and hereafter Here first with beggery He that feedeth harlots wasteth his substance Prou. 29.3 Yea he or his posterity shall be glad to beg a peece of bread Prou. 6.26 2. With infamie for his name and credite shall take such a deepe and incurable wound that his reproch shall neuer be done away Prou. 6.33 3. With most loathsome diseases for the most high righteous hath appointed that they which will taste the sweete of sinne shall also be filled with the gall of punishment it bringeth corruption of the bloud dissolution of the sinewes rottennes of the marrow aches in the ioynts crudities in the stomacke paines in the head defects and weaknesse gouts and palsies heauinesse of heart and stinging of the conscience 4. Yea and after all these it shall be punished with hel fire for it is writen Fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection c. the wrath of God remaineth on such Col. 3. 6. And againe Whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Heb. 13.4 The holy Ghost ioyneth a whore and a dog together Deut. 23.18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dog into the house of God and Ieremy compareth adulterous beasts to neighing horses Ier. 5.8 And the wiseman likens them to an oxe going to the slaughter Prou. 7.22 and calles the whore a deepe ditch a narrow pit Prou. 23.27 And they that enter in to her hardly returne againe to take hold of the way of life Prou. 2.19 And in the latter end when iudgement shall bring his sinne to the doore of his conscience he shall wonder at himselfe and say O now was I deceiued Prou. 5.12 I conclude the point with that of S. Hierome O ignis infernalis
will seale them a mittimus and send them to hell body and soule This then is the difference The godly say with Dauid Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is before me against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight c. Psal 51.2.3 He humbles himselfe with the prodigo Luk. 15. I haue sinned against heauen and against thee ô Father of my flesh and spirit Knockes his breast as the arke of all iniquity and sighing saies Luk. 18.13 God be mercifull to me a sinner But the wicked Ieremy describes them thus They blush at nothing they haue an harlots forehead Ier. it is meate and drinke to them to commit wickednesse and Peter saith They wonder at the children of God Pet. because they runne not riot as they do and in one word in the one sinne reignes but in the other sinne onely remaines Reason 1 1. Because we haue sucked corruption from the breasts of our mothers yea not onely borne but conceiued in sinne Psal 51.5 Nemo naescitur sanctus and therefore in that we are heires in hope Non tam generatio quà m regeneratio spectanda est euery Natus must be renatus for it is written Except you be borne againe c. Ioh. 3.5 Yea and regeneration is not presently perfected but by degrees as a wilde oliue tree growing out of a stone-wall the boughes and branches thereof may be cut and corrected but the roote remaining by the sent of water will be ready to sproute anew till the wall be broken and the roote pulled vp so old Adam who remaining in the wals of this earthly tabernacle may be curbed and suppressed that sinne reigne not in our mortall bodies yet will he be prompt and readie to bring forth fruites of vnrighteousnesse vpon occasion till the walles of this earthly house be destroied by death to be raised againe more gloriously 2. Because our sanctification is but in part as Saint Paule doth dispute the point Rom. 7.22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde 3. Because by this we might be humbled with our wants and keepe our soules waiting on Gods mercy and more earnestly endeauour to be in Christ Paule for our example was filled with the Spirit and had abundance of reuelations taken vp into the third heauen and heard such mysteries as is not possible for the tongue of man to vtter but lest he should be exalted out of measure there is giuen him stimulus concupiscentiae and the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him 2. Cor. 12.7 For as the diuell brings euill out of good so God brings good out of euill causing the wants of his Saints and their infirmities yea their sinnes which the diuell worketh as poyson to kill them to be for their welfare in his prouidence and potions to cure them for by these he humbleth them so that all things worke for their good Vse 1 1. Rom. 8.28 Is there drosse in the best Then can we expect no iustification by our workes for sinne cannot iustifie sinne and in our best actions are manifold imperfections Gal. 2.16 Know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ c. 2. See here the Errour of the Catharists which hold that after regeneration none can sinne for say they As of a wilde tree the old top being cut off and new impes ingrasted it bringeth fruite no more wilde but good fruite so we being ingrafted into Christ sinne not grounding on that text Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. 3.9 But I answer that their Simile holds not and I put this question whether they make Christ or the man to be the stocke so grafted for we know that the fruite is good by vertue of the impe and not of the stocke if then we are the impes in Christ by their reason he should be made fruitfull and good by vs but if they make man the stocke and Christ the impe or grafts I say the new man Christ sinnes not so saith Saint Ioh. 3.9 But yet they must remember the old stock to looke to the roote which will not be presently changed but will yeeld still wilde branches bearing fruites of vnrighteousnesse 3. This teacheth vs by their drosse to purge our selues and not to take liberty to sinne because they haue sinned Because one man hath fallen into the sea and scaped drowning shall a man leape into the sea this were high presūption Build not therefore vpon their ruines for their infirmities are written for our instruction to shew that God will not spare sinne wheresoeuer he findes it no not in his Saints but doth register and chronicle their reproches to all posterities like Lots wife which was turned into a pillar of salt and set vp as examples to season others Gen. 19.26 and to giue vs warning vpon whom the ends of the world are come that whereas for them there was a cure behind the sacrifice of the Lambe which was not yet slaine but for such as shall now sinne Christ dieth no more Reu. 22.7 for his next coming shall be in iudgemen 4. Mat. 7.1 We are taught to beware of rash iudgement to condemne a man for some few infirmities as because one professor is discouered for an hypocrite therefore to censure all as if all the Apostles were to be condemned for Iudas Should a sonne despise his father because he is poore or the blind disdaine to be directed by the lame because he cannot walke with him Surely we are not to contemne the meanest gifts for in the building of the Temple all haue not the chiefest place but some square the stones some fit the mortar some carry and some place the worke Ex quouis ligno non sit Mercurius so to the building of the Temple of Christ 1 Cor. 3.13 1 Cor. 12. some bring stubble some straw some mortar euery man according to the measure of faith which he hath receiued and in the end euery mans worke shall be tried by the fire and till the end let all this be vsed to edification If none should study physick but those that could cure all diseases we should haue no Physicians and if none should serue God but those that could serue God perfectly we should haue none to serue God Which of you casteth away a crackt peece of gold or a broken siluer cup No more are we to despise the graces of God in a meane person though imperfect for he which hath receiued most hath many wants and a wise mans iudgement begins at his owne house 5. And lastly we learne not to brag and boast of our broken seruice but to be humbled with our manifold wants and infirmities When we haue preached all our liues and praied with