vice the gainer An unsound conscience is large and can swallow downe any thing the sincere conscience is strait and the least bone though but such as are in little fishes will sticke in her throat Neglect of smaller matters may justly bring our obedience in greater matters in suspition the same God that requires our fidelity in the one requires it also in the other A gracious heart is like the eye troubled with the least more certainly hee that is unjust in a little will bee also unjust in much Is the uprightnesse of others of Gods servants more highly esteemed by thee than thine owne Doest thou see greater excellencies in them than in thy selfe Feelest thou no bottome in other mens praises when thy heart tells all is not well within An humble Christian hides himselfe in the closet and as in prayer so in all good duties shuts the doore he is much affected with a sense of his owne infirmities resting it selfe wholly upon the power of God to be perfected in her weaknesse and is many times more humbled for the mixtures and defilements of good workes than for some workes simply evill in themselves he desires to be good rather then to be thought so Are the sinnes of others and the sorrowes of the Church as sensible and bitter to thy soule as thine owne Canst thou forget thy selfe and thy particular businesse to lay these to heart Doest thou rejoyce alwayes to be crossing and thwarting thy selfe in those succours and supports of sinne which thy corruption suggests Is that experience which thou hast of sinne and of grace no dead but a stirring experieÌ„ce quickening thee to duty and mortifying corruption in thee so as not onely knowledge but conscience also swayes thee to Christian duties and art thou as carefull to persevere in grace as once to imbrace it these are good signes Cheere up therefore thy drooping spirit the Lord by the power of his grace hath tooke possession of thee Nothing but grace alone is able to keep the love of sinne out of the heart though peradventure some other thing may keepe it out of thy hand Civility and hypocrisie may a little snib sinne or bid it for a while stand aside and give way to better things but it is onely grace that strikes this Goliah dead It is onely the spirit which subdues the flesh But wee must know there is a great deale of difference betweene forsaking of sinne through the strength and power of grace and for other carnall ends and by-respects for an hypocrite may sometimes forsake sinne not out of any love to God or hatred of ill but because sinne leaves him happily hee feares it will bee some losse or discredit to him or else fit meanes and opportunity of committing it serve not his turne and therefore hee forbeares It is nothing for a man to bee chast where there is no provocation to uncleanenesse Here was the tryall of Iosephs integrity that though the occasion were offered by his owne Mistresse to doe the deed in such secresie and security that no eye perceived it yet the feare of God overruled him Many seem to bee meeke and moderate men while they are well dealt with but let some injury bee offered and the contrary will appeare That wee are indeed which wee are in temptation Examine thy heart then in this particular what is the ground of that divorce which seems to bee betwixt thee and thy olde lusts If it flowes from any thing in the world but the love of God and goodnesse thou art in a wretched conditioÌ„ be thy thoughts of thy selfe never so pleasing Art thou one whose heart likes well of sinne though thou canst not or darest not commit it Art thou one who when thou art convinced and rebuked of thy failings thy heart riseth against the reproofe though for thy credit and profit sake thou seemest to welcome and thankfully entertaine the same I tell thee thou art in a dangerous condition thou hast but weake and slender evidence of the spirits prevailing in thy heart But why saith the Apostle here yee shall dye and not yee shall be damned in as much as that is chiefly meant Because the Spirit of God would drive men from sinne by that which is most fearefull to their present apprehension the remembrance of death doth more forcibly move the minde than the remeÌ„brance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grievous then death for our affection is moved according to our knowledge of the thing that which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by faith but we know death to bee fearefull by reason and sense because we feel it growing upon us eveâ—y day The opposition made here by the Apostle warnes us that a necessity lyes upon us to mortifie our sinfull lusts It stands upon our lives unlesse we slay sinne sinne will not faile to slay us It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot live but by sucking out that blood whereby wee live What pittiful folly is this we hate them which pursue our bodily life we eschew them by all meanes that would spoile us of our worldly goods onely wee cannot hate Sathan to the death who seekes by sinne to spoyle us of eternall life That same commandement which was given to Adam and Eve If ye eate of the forbidden tree ye shall dye is in effect here given to us all If you live after the flesh you shall dye let not us make an exception where God hath made none every sinne to us is that forbidden tree to Adam if wee meddle with it we shall finde no better fruit than he found Bitter death growes upon the pleasant tree of sinne for the wages of sinne is death It is therefore a point of great wisdome to discerne betweene the deceit of sinne and the fruit of sinne Hee that would rightly know the face of sinne when it stands before him to tempt him let him looke backe to the taile of that sinne which he hath already committed and the sting which it leaves behinde it The perishing pleasures of sin are paid home with everlasting perdition it is done in a moment but brings forth death and breeds a worme that will never die Men may sleep in their sinne but their damnation sleepes not Every mans state in this life is a prediction of that condition which hee shall have hereafter Hee that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but hee that soweth to the spirit shall reape immortality and life No man commeth to heaven or hell but by the way that leads thereunto A wicked life is a thorow-way to the place of darknesse But a godly life is the direct path to salvation As the tree fals so it lyes and it commonly falls on that side which did most bend towards the earth before if the greatest growth of our affections and actions spring out after the spirit no doubt we shall fall on the right
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
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
the benefit of the law in a case not sufficiently proved against us But at this time the skirts of thy pollution shall be discovered before the sun and though thou wipest thy mouth like the harlot which Solomon describeth yet thy sinne shall be written in great Characters in thy forhead so as hee that runnes may read thy chambering and wantonnesse thy whoredome and uncleannesse thy theevery and oppression yea all thy cradle sinnes which never yet were set on foot thy wicked and abominable thoughts I meane which lye lurking in thy heart as in a denne not daring to come abroad for feare of losing thy credit Oh the fearefull reproach ensuing hereupon when many a sober man and vertuous matron so falsely esteemed of in the world shall have their vizzards pluckt downe from their faces the ulcer of their hearts launced and all the buried corruptions of their childhood of their youth and riper age plainely before men and Angels Saints and blessed Spirits devills and reprobates laid open to their eternall shame Imagine that thou being a man of great credit and esteeme shouldest have all the vanities of thy heart whereunto thy conscience giveth testimony and all the night practises of thy youth commēced against thee even in the high Court of Parliament before thy Prince and nobles how couldst thou shew thy face Now thou pluckest thy garment about thee to cover thy shame but then thou shalt bee stript naked and unclothed to the reproach of thy selfe and thy whole family now thou shelterest thy iniquity in a closset or secret chamber from the eyes of him that cannot pierce the walls then shalt thou stand before the face of the heavens in the presence of him whose eyes are as a flaming fire knowing the secrets of thy parlour and polluted bed thy words thy thoughts the place time and every circumstance of thy sinne Now thou overlayest the drosse of thy heart with a guilded outside of joy and meriment but then the Lord shall blow upon the paint of thy face thy withered deformity shall then bee espyed now like Ieroboams wife thou disguisest thy selfe with pretended holinesse but at that time the Lord shall defeate thee and display thy hypocrisie To conclude what causeth a man having one foote on the earth and another in the grave halfe dead and halfe alive to acknowledge some capitall sinne which in his health hee would not for all the world The Lord will make thine owne conscience impeach thy selfe and discover thy transgressions Thou thinkest not so so thought Iudas but as then with him so also with thee the case will cleane be altered The third appendix of their death is their society with the devill and his angells Mat. 25. we account it a fearefull thing to see a Spectrum or diabolicall delusion and so it is to our weake nature but to be really present with Sathan world without end a companion in torment what earthly man can abide it To bee in a prison full of Murtherers it is horrible but in that bottomelesse pit with thousands of condemned spirits abject and forlorne creatures a heavy heareing The theefe before he bee attached and caryed to the gaole perhaps he frequenteth the house of many a worthy person It is not thy stocke and kindred thy pompe and outward bravery that will serve thy turne when thou art arrested with death all the world will not be of sufficient credit to baile thee Thinke seriously of this and lay it to heart To bee taken out of the fields of pleasure and to bee throwne into the dungeon of hell there to bee guided with that cursed crew is no jesting-matter Oh that all carnall livers of our age would cōsider hereof no doubt it would somewhat restraine them in their wilfull course and gash their hearts amidst their pleasures O that that the curious and nice women that cannot abide the noise of a canon or the sudden flashing of fire could ponder the misery whereunto they are born namely to dwell in darknesse with those blasphemous spirits world without end In the night season or in a darke place thou art ready to runne away at the sight of a shadow or at the reciprocall imagination of thy owne thought upon the noise of a Scritch owle or the like and thinkest thou that thou canst abide the sight nay the company and continuall familiarity of that hellish Cave The Lord give thee a heart to consider of this fearefull horror before it betide thee and to goe out of thy selfe to behold the strange change which is wrought by the grave and sepulchre The fourth is the incredible horror and distresse of consciēce which the carnall liver sustaineth by the sense and feeling of the whole wrath of God powred upon him for ever They shall goe forth and looke upon the carkases of men which have transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh In respect whereof the punishment of the damned is likened in holy Scripture to fire to a Worme to gnashing of teeth to utter darknesse and the like Not as if these were sufficient to describe it for what can declare the depth of that which hath no bottome but onely by these most fearefull creatures in a superficiall manner to proportion that which nothing favoureth For as the joyes of heaven are unspeakable So are also the torments of hell and therfore why doth my barbarous tongue endeavour to decipher them Deare Christian esteeme of my words not as the full size of the thing it selfe but as a slight picture or a briefe draught of that unutterable volumne of all misery I am not able possibly herein to shew the mystery of this wonderfull worke made by the Lord of purpose to set forth his glory in justice Yet to helpe thy consideration which is nothing serious in regard of the thing I speake it also to the shame of my selfe I would faine imprint some conceit hereof in my heart that might make way to a second thought Wee esteeme horror of Conscience a matter of great importance because the most of us in these fearefull times are possessed with secure hearts and benummed spirits But when conscience shall once be throughly wakened like a wilde beast it will then shew his fiery eyes and take thee by the throat No torment of tenne thousand tyrants like unto it Doe but remember in what feare and dread sometimes thou seemest to be when in a sleepe or vision a glimpse of hell flashings are presented unto thee oh how thou strivest and strugglest how thou cryest and ravest with paine Nay how glad art thou thou awakest and findest it to bee but a dreame how thou tellest thy friend as much as thou canst but alas nothing in respect of what thou feltest what thinkest thou this to be Certainely the groveling of the Conscience stirred up by Sathan of purpose to overwhelme the godly to solicite to
earth worthy to be affected but thy Saviour What is to be dreaded but his displeasure Is there any recompence to the joyes of heaven any danger to the torments of hell any pleasure to the sense of Gods favour Resolve then with thy selfe and say I have fully purposed to observe thy commandemēts for they are the joy of my heart but Lord I leane not upon mine owne strength but upon thy grace who givest both to will and to doe thou hast commanded me to keep thy testimonies give mee I pray thee to doe what thou requirest Teach me the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end Some understand by the mortifying of sinne not onely the first wound which it receives at a sinners first conversion but also the whole practice of repentance renewed thorow the whole course of a mans life for a man after his conversion is continually to lie in armes against his owne flesh and to stir up the spirit with the forces thereof which otherwise will bee overwhelmed with the adversary not able to maintaine the fight For Christians whilest they are here are not wholly flesh nor wholly spirit but a part of each God hath placed in our bodies two inmates of contrary dispositions two strangers of divers natures and qualities not in the highest degree for then they would utterly expell one another but in a remisse māner which causeth this bickering and skirmishing in our inward man Now whereas every one whose understanding is renewed seeth the drift of his flesh however thorow the deceit thereof he doth not alwaies feele it give mee leave to prescribe some few directions wherby he may come to have his corruptions subdued and temptations vanquished that they triumph not over his spirit to the disquiet of his conscience That which I shall principally commend to every Christian is that hee buckle about him the compleat armour of God wee must not fly away from Sathan a run-away never makes a good conclusion of his temptations Some sins indeed are best conquered by flying but from sathan it is neither possible nor lawfull to fly However stand it out what if we quake better tremble every veine than sinne better die in the place than fly from the place Resist the devill and he will fly from you we are sure to conquer if wee keepe our ground Sathan will play his part to hold his hold and will never out unlesse hee be forced When a man comes to abhor his lusts then hee gives sinne its deaths wound It is the nature of sin not to be driven away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharp words will not doe it you may rate away your dog but sinne is not so easie removed as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their lusts calling themselves beast and wretch but presently they returne to their former courses Whē thou hast therefore to do with sinne have no compassion fight against it with all thy might never leave till thou hast got the heart bloud of it out so much as thou sparest sin so much thou hurtest thy selfe Saul spared Agag but it was his ruine and if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee the Kingdome of heaven kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death bee carefull old wounds must have strong medicines What adoe have wee to bring under our unruly lusts hee that favours these let him want favour we weede our gardens and are ever weeding sins are ill weeds and grow apace our hearts are a step-mother to goodnesse and a natural mother to vice therefore bee alwaies dealing with it The Captaine that batters the enemies fort a day or two and then gives over gives the more courage to his enemy and loses his labour In this life thou shalt never want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent never give over so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes Sathan that strong man will not yeeld possession suddenly looke how much power wee get to resist sinne so much power Sathan loseth there is never a prayer wee make nor act of resisting that wee doe use but gives the devill a knock and sin a mortifying blow by fighting against our lusts what ever wee see and feele at first wee doe and shall conquer corruption at last Repell evill motions at their first onset if wee resist at the beginning the worke is halfe done wee shall find Sathan a coward but if wee resist not wee shall find him a lyon wee must trust neither our selves nor sathan with any temptation Begin as soon as the temptation begins to peepe and where sathan begins doe thou begin despise not the least sin a small wound may kil a man in time little gashes make way for greater If the enemy assault one way and the garrison defend another way the towne is lost Sathan will try his skill and doe his uttermost to prevaile against us why should wee not then improve our graces to make head against him we may preserve our selves from being conquered by him though we cannot utterly subdue him There is no possibility of remaining safe without resistance they are much deceived who think though they have no spirituall armour upon them they may rest secure Alas what can a naked man doe hee can no more free himselfe from the power of the devill than a poore silly lambe from a roaring lyon If we bee foyled the fault is our owne for God gives us means to stand fast Who would not be kept from spiritual wounds hurts from eternall bondage to sin and sathan 2. Beware of pride swelling in the body is dangerous so is it in the soule when a man pleases himselfe with his owne weldoing his heart is soone puffed up Hee that thinkes to stand by his owne strength shall suddenly fall the weakest shall be able to overcome their greatest enemies being under-propped of the Lord. In every strong encounter we must look for supply from above It is dangerous to looke for that frō our selves which wee must have from Christ. All our strength lies in him as Sampsons did in his haire therefore dependant spirits are alwaies the best Nothing is stronger than humility that goeth out of it selfe or weaker than pride that resteth upon its owne bottome Sathan knowes that nothing can prevaile against Christ or those that relye upon him therefore hee labours to keepe men in selfe dependancy If you would in truth mortifie sinne represent it to your thoughts as the most hurtfull hatefull and most loathsome thing in the world and represent to your minde the obeying of Gods will as the most sweete profitable and excellentest thing whatsoever and then you cannot but shunne the one and embrace the other for Sinne is the onely object of Gods infinite hatred he hates nothing at all properly but iniquity Now what a bedlam is hee who willingly commits any sinne
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
of the sun or moone for the spirit of God shall bee instead of all these from whom immediately they shall bee quickened for ever Their glory consisteth in this that they shall continually behold the face of God 2. They shall be like unto Christ just holy incorruptible glorious honourable beautifull strong nimble 3. They shall possesse the new heavens and the new earth they shall joyfully praise and laud the name of the Lord world without end FINIS A Table of the principall heads A DIsorderly Affections discovered Page 41 Misery of being guided thereby 47 Antidotes against sinne 65 B BEginnings of sinne to be resisted 190 Better be in hell than offend Christ. 197 Body not to be pampered 220 C HOw a man may know whether his heart be carnall 87 Conscience corrupted and how 33 What a stirring conscience is 35 Carnall men indocible 38 Corrupt motions natural to a carnall heart 61 A fleshly conscience described 93 The distresse of conscience that betides the wicked 154 The estate of a creature cursed of God 131 Rejoycing to crosse a mans selfe a signe of sincerity 244 D DEath what is meant by it here 127 What the first death is 141 The second death described 133 Then the most secret sinne shall be discovered 149 Danger of being unarmed 191 218 Discovery of a true Christian or infallible marks to try himself by 236 Christians should discerne betwixt the deceit of sin and the fruit of sin 252 F FAith a speciall means to overcome temptations 212 How it doth this 213 Nothing hurts us so much 〈◊〉 our owne flesh 220 Forsakings of sin different 246 Flâ—sh what it signifieth 7 It disperseth sinne into the whole man 11 Why naturall corruption is called by the name of flâ—sh 8 It cleaves close to our nature 50 What it is to be fleshly minded 31 It derives venome upon every action 51 It tempts daily 52 It continually warres against the spirit 55 It is unwearied in sinfull follicitations 59 It raignes in naturall men 57 Not so in the godly 100 They are part flesh and part spirit 101 We must fight with Sathan if wee would overcome him 186 G GRace abides not in a carnall memory 96 How a man may know whether grace hath got the upper hand in him 230 Grace cannot stand with the Regiment of sinne 232 Nothing but grace can subdue sin To bee deprived of Gods favour an unspeakeable misery 141 246 H HEart narrowly to be watched 64 An unsound one discovered 99 The thorne in our flesh should humble us 70 Want of Humiliation very prejudiciall to the soule 73 Symptomes of a good heart 237 Hypocrites speake after the spirit and live after the flesh 107 Hypocrisie the danger of it 170 L LAw hath a double use 1 Little sins very dangerous 117 Lust growes never old 62 Losse of Gods presence what it is 138 Loathsomnesse of sin described 194 M MIsery of being under the flesh 16 Memory corrupt through sin 36 How discerned 94 No member to be trusted alone 85 Man by nature uncapable of goodnesse 27 Hee hath nothing in himselfe to glory of 80 Mortification described discovered 165 183 How we are said to mortifie sin 174 Meanes to subdue the flesh 185 Markes of a spirituall Christian. 239 Jealousie over our hearts a meanes to keepe out sinne 69 Licentious Ministers reprooved 106 O ORiginall sin a hereditary disease 48 It overspreads the whole man 88. 49 It is full of propagation 63 Its manner of tempting us 81 P FLesh powerfull to bring about its projects 57 Policies of the flesh to be studied 76 Pride disableth to resist temptations 192 Provision for the flesh must be hindered 219 Peace with the flesh dangerous 226 Carnall Professors reproved 109 Discovered 112 Our present condition a prediction of our future 253 Price of sin infinite 199 R SInners shall be exceedingly reproched at the day of judgment 146 Root of sin must be killed 171 Reason a weak thing to expell temptations 214 S SOule corrupted by sin 23 Sin must be slaine or it will slay us 250 Signes of a fleshly mind 50 Sinne the greatest ill 197 Hainous sins waste the conscieÌ„ce 116 To live in any sin a signe we are under Sathans bondage 120 Many begin in the spirit and end in the flesh 109 Impenitent sinners shall surely bee damned 122 Society with the devills every sinners portion 151 The Spirit onely can mortifie the flesh â—5 Sinne is not driven away with an â—â—gry locke 186 Signes of the Spirits prevailing in us 235 A Christians strength is in God 216 193 Severity against our owne sinnes a blessed signe of grace 240 T TEmptations of the flesh undiscernable 77 Tendernesse of conscience a speciall preservative against sin 201 It is a great blessing 202 Yet may be turned into a curs 203 Tryall of a true Christian. 166 V VOyce of conscience to bee hearkened to 206 Vniversall hatred of sin discovers a gracious heart 241 W WIll since the fall corrupted 39 A corrupt will discovered 96 Men weake in themselves 176 Every sinner underualues the bloud of Christ. 200 FINIS 1 Pet. 3. 18 1 Cor. 7. Gal. 1. 13. Esay 44. 7. Reas. Gen. 6. 3. Genes 8. John 3. 6. Rom 7. RoÌ„ 7. 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom 7. 45. Rom. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Luk. 24. 45 Quest. Answ. Tit. 1. 15. What a dead conscience is 1. Tim 4. What a stirring conscience is Phil. 2. 3. Luke 15. Rom. 7 Rom. 7. Iames 1. 14. Joh. 14. 30. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. Mar. 9. 24. Rom. 6. Rom. 7. 23 Rom. 7. Heb. 13. 5. Hos. 14. James 4. 7. Eccles. 1. 8. Vse Job 31. 1. Psal. 39. Gen. 39. Psal. 101. Vse 3. Gal. 5. Iob 31. 1. James 3. 6. Psal 39. 1. Rom. 12. 2. Vse Ephes. 4. 23 2 Cor. 3. 1 Rom. 8. Vse 1. Vse 2. Phil. 3. 8. Mat. 5. Quest. Answ. Obiect Answ. Acts 5. Mat. 25. Eccles. 11. Job 27. Job 2. Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 21. 18 Quest. Answ. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Mat. 25. Quest. Answ. Job 1. Psal. 139. 1 Joh. 2. 18. Esay 66. Rev. 22. 8. Mat. 13. 1 Cor. 15. What vivification is Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Revel 3. Quest. Answ. 2 Chro. 20 Psal. 119. Ephes. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Sam. 15. 2 Pet. 2. Deut. 28. 18. Psal. 51. 2. Sam. 24. 10. Acts 24. 26 Jonah 4. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 4. Rom. 4. 7. Vse Heb. 12. Bellum est non triumphans Quest. Answ. Rom. 7. Rom. 7 22 1 Pet. 4. Col. 3. Psal. 40. Mat. 16. 25 Quest. Answ. Every sin is as the forbidden fruit Eccles. 11. Obiect Answ. Vse Prov. 7.