likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. All those are unregenerate that depend not upon God as their chiefest Benefactor and do not most carefully apply themselves to him as knowing that in his favour is life Psal 30.5 and that his loving kindness is better then life Psal 63.3 and that to his judgement we must finally stand or fall but do ambitiously seek the favour of men and call them their Benefactors Luke 22.25 Matth. 23.9 whatever become of the favour of God He is no child of God that preferreth not the Love of God before the Love of all the world He is no heir of heaven that preferreth not the fruition of God in Heaven before all worldly glory and felicity Col. 4.1 2 3. If ye be risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things above not on things on the earth The Love of God is the summ of Holiness the Heart of the new creature the perfecting of it is the perfection and felicity of man 4. They are certainly unregenerate that Believe not the Gospel and take not Christ for their only Saviour and his promises of Grace and Glory as purchased by his Sacrifice and Merits for the Foundation of their hopes on which they resolve to trust their souls for pardon and for peace with God and endless Happiness Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 John 5.11 12. This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life When our Happiness was in Adams hands he lost it It is now put into safer hands and Jesus Christ the second Adam is become our Treasury He is the Head of the Body from whom each member hath quickning influence Eph. 1.22 The life of Saints is in him as the life of the tree is in the root unseen Col. 4.3 4. Holiness is a Living unto God in Christ Though we are dead with Christ to the Law and to the world and to the flesh we are alive to God So Paul describeth our case in his own Gal. 2.19 20. I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ is the Vine and we are the branches without him we can do nothing If you abide not in him and his words in you you are cast forth as a branch and withered which men gather and cast into the fire and they are burnt John 15.1 5 6 7. In Baptism you are married unto Christ as to the external solemnization and in spiritual Regeneration your Hearts do inwardly close with him entertain him and resign themselves unto him by Faith and Love and by a resolved Covenant become his own And therefore Baptism and the Lords Supper are called Sacraments because as Souldiers were wont by an Oath and listing their names and other engaging Ceremonies to oblige themselveâ— to their Commanders and their Vow waâ— called A Sacrament so do we engage ouâ— selves to Christ in the holy Vow or Covenanâ— entered in Baptism and renewed in the Lords Supper 5. That person is certainly unregenerate that never was convinced of a Necessity of Sanctification or never perceived an excellency and amiableness in Holiness of heart and life and loved it in others and desired it himself and never gave up himself to the Holy Ghost to be further sanctified in the use of his appointed means desiring to be perfect and willing to press forward towards the mark and to abound in grace Much less is that person renewed by the Holy Ghost that hateth Holiness and had rather be without it and would not walk in the fear and obedience of the Lord. The Spirit of Holiness is that Life by which Christ quickneth all that are his members He is no member of Christ that is without it Rom. 8.9 According to his Mercy he saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 6. That person is unregenerate that is under the Dominion of his fleshly desires and mindeth the things of the flesh above the things of the Spirit and hath not mortified it so far as not to live according to it A carnal mind and a carnal life are opposite to Holiness as Sickness is tâ— Health and Darkness unto Light Rom. 8.1 to 14. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if by the spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness revellings and such like of which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God But the fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Galat. 5.18 to 25. 7. Lastly that person is certainly unregenerate that so far valueth and loveth this world or any of the carnal accommodations therein as practically to prefer them before the Love of God and the Hopes of Everlasting Glory seeking it first with highest estimation and holding it fastest so as that he will rather venture his soul upon the threatned wrath of God then his body upon the wrath of man and will be religious no further then may consist with his prosperity or safety in the world and hath something that he cannot part with for Christ and heaven because it is dearer to him then they Let this man go never so far in Religion as long
Luke 16. thought of his poor Brethren â—hat remained in prosperity and presumâ—â—ion upon earth and little thought what â—ompany he was in what a sight he saw and what he did endure Poor careless souls you know not now what it is for the ungodly to see that they are ungodly by the unresistible light of another world and for the unholy to feel in Hell that they are unholy and to be â—aught by flames and the wrath of the Almighty what is the difference between the sanctified and the carnal betwen an obedient and a rebellious life While you sit here you little know these things You see them not you feel them not and the Lord grant you may never so know them by wofull experience that you may scape such a knowledge is the end of all that I am saying to you But that will not be but by another kind of knowledge even the knowledge of Belief and serious Consideration For your souls sake therefore come into the Light and try your selves and huddle not over a work of such unspeakable consequence as the searching of your hearts and judging of your spiritual state O be glad to know what you are indeed Put home the question Am I sanctified or not Aâ— I in the Spirit or in the flesh Be glad of any htlp for the sure resolution of such doubts Take not up with sleight and venturous presumptions It is your own case your nearest and your greatest case All lies upon it Who should be so willing of the plainest dealing the speediest and the closest search as you O be not surprized by an unexpected sight of an unrenewed miserable soul at death It it be so see it now while seeing it may do good If it be not so a faithfull search can do you no harm but comfort you by the discovery of your sincerity Say not too late I thought I had been born again of the Spirit and had been in a state of grace I thought I had been a child of God and reconciled to him and Justified by faith O what a heart-tearing word would it be â—o you when time is past to say I thought â—t had been better with me 4. Consider also that It is one of Satans â—rincipal designs for your damnation to keep â—ou ignorant of your selves He knows if he can but make you believe that you â—ere Regenerate when you are not you will never seek to be regenerate And that if he can make you think that you are Godly when you are ungodly and have the spirit of Christ while you are servants to the flesh he may defeat all the labours of your Teachers and let them call on you to be Converted till their hearts ake to no purpose but leave you as you are He knows how light you 'l set by the Physicion if he can but make you believe that you are well and how little care you 'l take for a pardon if you think that you need it not or have one already In vain may we call on you till we are hoarse to Turn and become New creatures and give up your selves to Christ if you think that you are good Christians and are in the way to Heaven already And when you know before hand that here lieth the principal game of the Deceiver and that it will be his chief contrivance to keep you unacquainted wiâ—â— your sin and danger till you are 〈◊〉 recovery one would think there should 〈◊〉 no need to bid you be diligent to know your selves 5. And I beseech you consider also thâ—â— Without this design there is no likelyhood thâ—â— Satan could undo you If he keep you not Ignorant of your selves he is never like to keep you in his power You come out of his Kingdom when you come out of darkness He knoweth that if once you did but see how near you stand to the brink of Hell you would think it time to change your standing There is a double principle in Nature that would do something towards your Repentance and recovery if your eyes were opened to see where you are 1. There is since the seduction and ruine of man by Satans temptations an Enmity put into the whole Nature of man against the Whole Satanical Serpentine Nature so that this Natural enmity would so much conduce to your deliverance as that you would not be contented with your Relation if you knew that you are the drudges of the Devil nor would you be charmed â—nto sin so easily if you knew that it is he â—â—deed that doth invite you nor would â—ou dance after his pipe or take his bait 〈◊〉 you perceived indeed that it is his no â—â—nguage would be so taking with you which you knew were uttered by his voice 〈◊〉 would do much to affright you from â—is service if you knew that it is he indeed â—hat setteth you on work and is gratifyâ—d by it He keepeth men in his bondage â—y making them believe that they are free â—e perswadeth men to obey him by perâ—wading them that it is God that they â—bey And he draweth them to Hell by making them believe that they are followâ—ng Christ to Heaven or at least that they â—re following the inclination of their naâ—ure in a pardonable infirmity 2. And the Natural principle of self-love â—ould in order to self-preservation do much â—o drive you from your sinfull state if â—ou did but know what a state it is There 〈◊〉 no man so far hateth himself as to be willing to be damned You cannot choose â—nhabitation in Hell Such a place can never be desired Sure he that cannot choose â—ut fly from an enemy or a bear that did pursue him or fly from fire or water or pestilence when he perceives his danger would fly from Hell if he perceived his danger I beseech you all that are secure in an unsanctified state do but look inwards and help me in preaching this doctrine to youâ— hearts and tell your selves whether you do not think that your state is good and that you are the children of God as well as others and that though you are sinners yet your sins are pardoned by the blood of Christ and that you shall be saved if you die in the state that you are in And are not these thoughts the Reason why you venture to continue in your presenâ— state and look not after so great a change as Scripture speaketh of as necessary And I pray you deal plainly with your hearts and tell me you careless sinners young or old that sit here as quietly as iâ— all were well with you If you did but know that you are at this hour unregenerate and that without Regeneration there iâ— is no Salvation If you did but know that you are yet carnal and unholy and thaâ— without Holiness none shall see God If yoâ— did but know that you are yet in a statâ— of Enmity to God while you call him Father and of Enmity to Christ while you call him your
knoweth that he is a sleep Somnium narrare vigilantis est saith Seneca Its men awake that tell their dreams And thus you see that through self-ignorance it comes to pass that both secret Habits and the most open acts of sin are oft-times little known A man that is drunk is in an unfit state to know what drunkenness is and so is a man that is in his passion You will hardly bring him to repentance till it be allaid And so is a man in the brutifying heat of lust or in the childish use of such recreations as he doteth on 〈◊〉 or in the ambitious pursuit of his deluding honours And therefore abundance o◠unknown sin may remain in a soul that laboureth not to be well acquainted with i◠self And as I have shewed you this in General both of Habits and Acts of sin let us consider of some Instances in particular which will yet more discover the necessity of studying our selves 1. Little do we think what odious and dangerous errors may befall a person that now is orthodox What a slippery mutability the mind of man is lyable unto How variety of representations causeth variety of apprehensions Like some pictures that seem one thing when you look on them on one side and another thing when on another side If you change your place or change your light they seem to change Indeed Gods word hath nothing in it thus fitted to deceive but our weakness hath that which disposeth us to mistakes We are like an unlearned Judge that thinks the cause is good which he first hears pleaded for till he hear the confutation by the other party and then he thinks the other hath the best cause till perhaps he hear both so long till he know not whose cause is the best The person that now is a zealous lover of the Truth when it hath procured entertainment by the happy advantage of friends acquaintance Ministers Magistrates or common consent being on its side may possibly turn a zealous adversary to it when it loseth those advantages when a Minister shall change his mind how many of the flock may he mislead When you marry or contract any intimate friendship with a person of unsound and dangerous principles how easily are they received When the stream of the times and authority shall change and put the name of Truth on falshood how many may be carried down the stream How zealous have many been for a faithfull Ministry that have turned their persecutors or made it a great part of their Religion to revile them when once they have turned to some Sect that is possest by the malicious spirit especially the Papists and Quakers are famous for such language of reproach though the former excell the later much in the slandering part and the later excell in the open bawling and incivility of speech And O that we could stop here and could not remember you how faithfully and honestly some have seemed to love and obey the word of God and to delight in the Communion of Saints that by seducers have been brought to deny the divine authority of the Scriptures and to turn their backs on all Gods publick Ordinances of Worship and excommunicate themselves from the Society of the Saints and vilifie or deny the works of the spirit in them Little did these men once think themselves whither they should fall under the conceit of rising higher And little would they have believed him that had told them what a change they would make Had these men known themselves in time and known what Tinder and Gunpowder was in their hearts they would have walkt more warily and its like have scap't the snare but they fell into it because they feared it not And they feared it not because they knew not or observed not how prone they were to be infected 2. Little do many think in their adversity or low estate what seeds are in their hearts which Prosperity would turn into very odious scandalous sins unless their vigilancy and a special preservation do prevent it Many a man that in his shop or at his plough is censuring the great miscarriages of his Superiors doth little think how bad he might prove if he were in the place of those he censureth Many a poor man that freely talks against the Luxury Pride and Cruelty of the Rich doth little think how like them he should be if he had their temptations and estates How many persons that lived in good repute for humility temperance and piety have we seen turn proud and sensual and ungodly when they have been exalted I would mention no mans case by way of insulting or reproach but by way of compassion and in order to their repentance that survive I must say that this age hath given us such lamentable instances as should make all our hearts to ake and fear when we consider the crimes and their effects Would the persons that once walk't with us in the wayes of Peace and Concord and Obedience have believed that man that should have fore-told them twenty years ago how many should be puffed up and deluded by successes and make themselves believe by the ebullition of pride that Victories authorised them to deny subjection to the higher powers and by right or wrong to take down all that stood in their way and to take the Government into their own hands and to depose their rightfull Governours never once vouchsafing to ask themselves the question that Christ asked Luke 12.14 Man who made me a Judge or a divider over you as if authority had been nothing but strength and he had the best right to Govern that could make the greatest force to compell obedience Little were the seeds of all this evil discerned in the heart before prosperity and success did cherish them and bring them to that which with grief we have long observed They would have said as Hazael Am I a dog that I should do this if one had told them before that when God hath charged every soul to be subject on pain of condemnation and they had vowed fidelity they should break all these bonds of commands and vows and all because they were able to do it When they would not justifie him that should do any mischief to themselves and think it warrantable because he was able when the Ministers of the Gospel and their dearest friends bore witness against the sin the heart could not by all this be brought to perceive its guilt or that it was any sin to overturn overturn overturn till they had overturned all and left not themselves a bough to stand upon And how hardly to this day do the notable discoverings of God and the plainness of his word and the continued witness of his servants prevail for kindly true Repentance The unrighteous usage of Magistracy and Ministry and the licentious indulgence of the open enemies and revilers of both and of all the Ordinances and Churches of the Lord do proclaim aloud to all that