the same kind as every creature doth Sheepe with Sheepe Lyons with Lyons Doves with Doves so living men will converse with living men Not loving the brethren wee are in a state of death every creature must have an element to live in a new life must have a new element evill men out of their companies are as Fish out of the water every life hath a tast appetite a new life hath a new tast and judgement Pro. 29.27 an unjust man is an abomination to the just he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked that is one hates the things that the other loves he that is alive the things which before he loved he now hates he abhors the things that evill men delight in That which is a dogs meate is a sheepes poyson as the proverb it so that which wicked men delight in is as odious as poyson to the just To judge this life by see what your company and delights are nothing can bee lesse dissembled than company In his company man doth speake out of the abundance of the heart he then bewrayes himselfe what he is there is no dead man nor living man but hee is inward with the like no signe so much poynted at in the Scripture as this yee are translated from death to life if yee love the brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 and Ioh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee love one another this rule will not deceive you Secondly yee may know whether yee live this life if yee contend for it that life which a man lives for it he will contend he will let any thing goe rather than it If yee live this life of grace yee will maintaine it and yee can doe no otherwise 1 Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne to be borne of God is to leade a new life he that lives a new life admits not the things which tend to the destruction of it Compare this with the 1. Pet. 2.11 abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule hee that is borne of God sinnes not that is hee yeelds not to sinne with his good will but struggles against it as one in health strives against sickenesse resistes the disease and maintaines a warre against it But yet the best are foyled T is true yet they strive they never yeeld they maintaine a warre and this they doe not onely by discourse but there is a naturall instinct that puts them forwards they may be cast backe yet they returne againe they may have a sicknesse that takes away sence they may swound and be astonished for a time yet after they contend for life every evill man contends for his life he leads his life in some lust from which if he be drawne hee returnes againe as a thing that is lifted from the earth will fall downe to it againe hee reckons the wayes of God hard and opposite to him the wisedome of the Spirit is enmity to the flesh neyther can it be subject to the Law of God Rom. 8. it cannot but resists it Every creature labours to maintaine its being so evill men continuing in sinne strive naturally against all that would bring them out of this life of sinne so the Saints they live a life of grace and labour to maintaine it Iohn 6.68 Christ asking his Disciples whether they also would goe away Peter made this answer Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life that is whiles we conceive thee to be the principle and fountaine of this life wee cannot depart from thee The Saints wil let go friends and life and all for this life Count therefore of others and judge of your selves by contesting for this life strive to maintaine it let all goe rather than it Thirdly yee may know whether yee have this life in you or not by the fruits of it as the tree is knowne by its fruites If the word turne the stocke into its owne nature ye know it by the fruites Gal. 5.25 If yee live in the Spirit yee will also walke in the Spirit that is if yee professe your selves holy men shew it by walking in the Spirit holy men will bee doing that which is good This is the surest triall our workes will not deceive us other things which consist in imagination may 1 Ioh. 3.10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Divill who doth not righteousnesse is not of God he that is of God doth not unrighteousnesse Consider then what your walke and your actions are and by them yee shall know this life But how shall wee know whether we walke in the Spirit or no I answer first that there are many by-walkes and if yee walke but in one of them yee walke in the flesh and not in the Spirit Iam. 1.26 If any man seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine that is hee that makes this sinne his trade and walkes ordinarily in it his religion is vaine Secondly yee may know it by the guides yee follow Evill men they follow three guides Ephe. 2.3 they follow first the world secondly the Divill thirdly the flesh Holy men have three contrary guides first the renewed part within secondly the holy Ghost thirdly the course of the Saints Go yee the broad way oportet Sanctos vadere per diverticula the Saints doe not so follow yee the streame fulfill yee the will of the flesh or of the Spirit what are your actions Ephe. 4.17 I charge you that you hence forth walke not as the Gentiles do in the vanity of their minds that is holy men may have vanity in their minds yet they walke not in it as others doe evill men may have holy thoughts yet they walke in the vanity of their minds and albeit that evill men walke not in all the wayes of sin yet they are dead there is but one way to hit the marke but there are a thousand by-wayes a holy man may stumble in the wayes of God and have some foyles but he leads not his life in sinne he strives against it hee that leades his life in any knowne sinne not resisting it and will doe it and not crosse himselfe in it is dead his religion is vaine But what actions are there that holy men doe but that wicked men and others doe them I answer that there is no good actions wee doe but they may bee dead workes as men may pray keepe the Sabbaths and yet they may bee but dead workes they may doe them for a shew yet they are dead A shaddow hath all the liniaments of a body yet it wants life so the workes of hypocrites they want life consider therefore whether your workes are living workes you may know it by these three signes First if they proceed from the fountaine of life they are not dead workes compare Gal.
are three degrees of working this light by the Spirit First there is a stirring up of men to attend to the voyce of Christ many there are that heare yet attend not Act. 16.14 The holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto Pauls preaching We sow on fallow ground till the Spirit opens the heart to attend to the things that are spoken The second worke of the Spirit is to convince and perswade effectually and fully Ioh. 16.8 The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne that it it shall convince and perswade thorowly none can doe this but the Spirit It doth also farther perswade men that it is good for them to bee convinced and this is when the knowledge is full when as all the corners of the heart are answered and the minde resolves to practice Hypocrites and civill men are perswaded yet not fully therefore they never practise if that one objection of the heart bee unanswered yee never came to practise The last worke of the Spirit is to keepe this voyce on the heart that it vanish not Iames 1.21 The ingrafted word is that which is made able to save our soules and none else Men may attend for a flash but the Spirit must ingraft the Word into the heart which as a sprig ingrafted growes bigger and bigger and hath fruit from the sap other men having truthes not fastned on them they grow weaker and weaker To understand fully what this voyce of the Sonne of God is yee must know that there is a double voyce First an outward voyce of the word which all heare Secondly an inward voyce of the Spirit This I collect out of Esay 6.9 Goe to that people and tell them heare yee indeed but not understand see yee indeed but not perceive that is they shall have an outward hearing an outward knowledge but not an inward There is a common knowledge which all these have who live in the Church and there is a knowledge that is onely proper to the Saints which saves them The differences twixt these two knowledges that of hypocrites of them in sixth of the Hebrewes twixt common knowledge and effectuall knowledge that is wrought in the hearts of the elect are these First common knowledge is confused and generall this is distinct inward and particular that is the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking in the Ministry to all may breed a knowledge of truths in men yet they apply them not to their hearts and the turnings of them Heb. 4.11 The Word is sharper than a two edged Sword discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart piercing even to the deviding asunder the soule and spirit and of joynts and marrow that is that word of God that is lively indeed that voyce of God that is effectuall to salvation it is sharpe it strikes not in generall but enters the inward parts A staffe cannot enter the flesh it may bruise it but the voyce of Christ enters like a two edged Sword discerneth twixt morrall vertues and supernaturall things wrought by the Spirit it distinguisheth exactly twixt the rectitude and obliquity of mens hearts this is proper onely to the saving knowledge of the Word As nothing is hid from God but it is naked to his sight so it is to his word See if the word be distinct to you else you know nothing A man never knowes any thing till he knowes the Elements parts and grounds of it the voyce of the Sonne of God onely makes you know things thus particularly So in other things yee know not till you know particulars Aristotle saith a man is not a Physition that knowes things in generall in the grosse but hee that knowes them in particular This is not to be a Physition to know that such dry meates are good for a moyst stomacke unlesse he also know dry meates and the Symptomes of a moyst stomacke so it is in the knowledge of the Word To know what regeneration is is not enough except yee know the parts the kinds and signes of it To know that none are translated from death to life that love not the brethren is not enough except yee know the brethren and love them To know that hee that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it is nothing except yee know that yee your selves have crucified it This particular knowledge is it that makes manifest to a man the secrets of his owne heart 1 Cor. 14.25 that is the voyce of the Sonne of God discerneth the secrets of the heart to know things particularly that are in it The sheepe distinguish the voyce of the sheapheard from the voyce of a stranger when men come to heare they heare the voyce and distinguish not the sound because they want this particular knowledge Secondly this hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God workes a quicke sence in the hearts of those that heare it that the outward voyce doth not and this followes the former Let knowledge be particular it workes quicke sence Heb. 4.11 it is called lively in operation now life consists in quicknesse and motion the voyce of Christ speaking effectually breeds quicknesse Sola individua agunt et sentiunt A knife in generall cuts nothing the particular knife cuts To know in generall you are sinners have corrupt natures offend in many things workes nothing it is the reflection on the particular lives that workes this makes men tremble Act. 2. Peter having told the Iewes that they had crucified Christ that pricked them at the heart As of sinnes so is it of comforts particular comforts worke If one can say I am thus and thus then comfort followes so particular threatnings make men sensible When God said to Adam Hast thou not eaten of the tree whereof I said thou shouldest not eate this made him feare The word doth breed a quicke sence they who have not this true voyce sounding to them Esay 6.9 in hearing they doe not heare and seeing they doe not see their hearts are fat their eares heavy and their eyes shut Rom. 11.8 God hath given them the spirit of slumber that is when as men heare this voyce in a common manner they are as a man in a slumber it stirres them not their hearts are fat that is they are sencelesse for fat is without sence The property of them that heare in an ineffectuall manner is this they have a spirit of slumber they are as one hearing a tale when as his mind is other where If the things propounded were naturall they would heare them well enough but they are spirituall therefore they are dull of hearing them Thirdly which followeth the second those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have experimentall knowledge the other is but speculative 1. Cor. 2.6.9 Wee preach wisedome to those that are perfect such wisedome as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man but God reveileth it to
AN ELEGANT AND LIVELY DESCRIPTION OF Spirituall Life and Death DELIVERED In divers Sermons in Lincolnes-Inne November the 9. th M.DC XXIII vpon Iohn 5.25 BY John Preston then Bachellor of Divinitie and Chaplaine in Ordinarie to the Prince his Highnesse Ignatius Epistola 15. ad Romanos Mors est vita sine Christo. LONDON Printed by Tho Cotes for MICHAELL SPARKE at the blue Bible in Greene-Arbor 1632. AN Elegant and lively description of Spirituall DEATH and LIFE IOHN 5.25 Verily verily I say unto you that the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live THE Occasion of these words was this when as Christ had affirmed to the Iewes That God was his Father and the Iewes went about to kill him for it Hee proves what hee had said by this argument He that is able to give life to the dead is God or the Sonne of God But I am able to give life to the dead The houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and those that heare it shall live Therefore I am the Sonne of God In briefe these words shew Christs Divinity by the effects of it that hee can quicken the dead In these words we may consider these parts First the subject on which Christ doth exercise his Divinity and that is on dead men The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and shall live Secondly the instrument by which he doth it and that is by his word which is not meant onely the bare preaching and hearing of the word barely but such an inward commanding powerfull operative word that makes men doe that which is commanded them Such a word was spoken to Lazarus being dead Lazarus come forth and hee did it This word commands men and makes them to obey it Thirdly the time when hee will exercise his divinity the howre is comming and now is that is the time shall come when as it shall be abundantly revealed the fruite of the Gospel shall appeare more plentifully and fully hereafter but yet it is now beginning to appeare there is now some small fruit of it Lastly it is affirmed with an asseveration or oath Verily Verily I say unto you And these are the parts of this Text. Out of these words I purpose to shew you these three things First what the estate of all men is out of Christ. Secondly what we gaine by Christ. Thirdly what we must doe for Christ. First we will shew you what your estate is out of Christ for this will make you to prize him more And the point for this is That every man out of Christ is in a state of death or a dead man that is All men however they are borne living yet they are still dead men without the living Spirit the root is dead Hence are these places of Scripture Gen. 2.17 The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Math. 8.22 Let the dead bury their dead Ephes. 2.1 You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephe. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The meaning is that all men are spiritually dead This will be of some moment to shew you that you are dead without Christ. Yee account it a gastly sight to see many dead men lye together it affects you much but to see a multitude of dead men walke and stand before us that affects us not The naturall death is but a picture or shadow of death but this spirituall death is death indeed As it is said spiritually of Christs flesh Iohn 6.55 That it iâ— meate indeed Now that you may know what this death is I will shew you First of all what death is Secondly how many kinds of death there are Thirdly the symptomes and signes of this death Fourthly the degrees of this death For the first what this death is it consists in two things First in death there is a privation of life then a man is dead when as the Soule is separated from the Body so a man is spiritually dead when as the soule is separated from the quickning Spirit of Grace and righteousnesse This is all our cases In us there dwels no good there is no Spirit of life within us the Soule is so out of order that the spirit is weary of it and forsakes it When the Body growes distempered and unfit for the Soule to use it then the Soule leaves it Even as when the instrument is quite out of tune a man layes it aside whiles it is in tune he playes on it So a man dwels in a house as long as it is habitable and fit to dwell in but when it becomes unhabitable he departs so as long as the body is a fit organ for the soule it keepes it when it becomes unfit it leaves it Even so the holy Ghost lives in the Soule of man as long as it is in good temper but being distempered by sinne the holy Ghost removes You may see it in Adam as soone as hee eate of the forbidden fruite the holy Ghost left him and hee lost his Originall righteousnesse Secondly in this death as there is a privation so there is also a positive evill quality in the soule whereby it is not onely voyd of goodnesse but made ill In the naturall death when as a man dyes there is another forme left in the body so in this spirituall death there is an evill habit left in the soules of men This you may see Heb. 9.14 where the workes you doe before regeneration are called Dead workes there would be a contradiction in calling them dead Workes if there were not another positive evill forme in man beside the absence of the quickning Spirit which forme is called Flesh in the Scriptures But it may be objected that sinne is a meere privation of good that it is a Non-ens therefore flesh cannot be said to be an operative quality and forme of sinne To this I answer that though all sinne bee a meere privation yet it is in an operative subject and thence it comes to passe that sinne is fruitfull in evill workes as for example take an horse and put out his eyes as long as hee stands still there is no error but if he begins to runne once he runnes amisse and the longer hee runnes the further he is out of the way wherein he should goe and all this because hee wants his eyes which should direct him So it is with sinne though it in its selfe bee but a meere privation yet it is seated in the soule which is alwaies active Anima nunquam otiosa The goodnesse that should inlighten us is taken away and there is a positive evill quality put into it that leads us on to evill Consider farther whence this death proceeds the originall of it is the understanding mind of man which is
primū vivēs et ultimū moriens That which lives first and dies first The cause of life is the understanding inlightened to see the truth when the affections are right and the understanding is straight then wee live when it is darkned all goes out of order Iohn 1.4 speaking of Christ it is said that in him was life and the life was the light of men he was life because he was light he did inliven men because he did inlighten them therefore Ephe. 5.4 Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light because light is the beginning of spirituall life Iames 1.18 Therefore it is said Of his owne will begot he them by the word of truth that is the word rectifies the understanding and opinion which is the first thing in this spirituall birth Ephe. 4.22.24 Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts thereof and put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and perfect righteousnesse The old man is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts that which is heere called deceitfull lusts c. in the originall signifies lusts proceeding from error and holinesse proceeding from truth lust proceeds from error in mistaking things for lust is nothing else but affection misplaced proceeding from error That holinesse in which God delighteth in which his Image consists comes from truth When Adam was alive he judged aright then the wheele and affections of his soule were right Being dead by reason of his fall he lost his sight he saw no beauty in the wayes of God and this is the case of all unregenerate men but when the Spirit rectifies the judgement convinceth them of sinne and righteousnesse then they begin to revive To be dead is to have the understanding darkned the judgement erronious to be alive is to have the understanding inlightened and the judgement rectified And thus much for the first what this death is We come now to the kindes of death which are three First there is a death of guiltinesse one that is guilty of any offence that is death by the Law is said to be but a dead man So every one by nature is a dead man bound over to death though he be not executed Secondly there is a death in sinne that is opposite to the life of sanctification Ephe. 2.1 you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes there is a death for sinne that is contrary to the life of Glory Thirdly there is a death that is opposite to the life of joy in hell there is a life man is not quite extinguished but yet men in hell are said to be dead because they have no joy This death consists in the separating of God from the soule when God is separated from the soule then man dyes this death of sorrow God joynes himselfe to the soules of good and bad to those who are not sanctified he joynes himselfe in a common manner and thence it is they have common joy common comfort common civility to the godly he joynes himselfe in an extraordinary manner by which they have extraordinary joy now when God is separated from the soule then comes a perfect death see it in the separation of God from Christs humanity God withdrawing himselfe from him but for a time he cryeth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me As God withdrawes himselfe more or lesse so is our joye our sorrow more or lesse Thus much for the kinds of this death We come now to the Symptomes or signes of this death and they are foure The first is this men are said to be dead when they understand nothing when as there is no reason extant in them when they see no more then dead men The life is nought else but the soule acted then a man is said to live when the understanding part is acted man is spiritually dead when as his understanding is darkned when as he sees or understands nothing of Gods waies because they are spirituall and he carnall But it may bee objected men doe understand things belonging to faith and repentance carnall men not yet sanctified have some understanding of these I answer that they may understand the materials belonging to Godlinesse as well as others but yet they relish them not they see them not with a spirituall eye Tit. 1.16 They are to every good worke reprobate they cannot judge aright of any good workes as to like approve and love them to see a beauty in them as they are good Rom. 8.7 the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God for it is not subiect to the law of God the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is not that they understand it nor but they like it not they relish it not they tast it not they thinke of Gods wayes that they are but folly 1 Cor. 2.14 They are at enmity with them they count them drosse The second symptome of death is want of motion where there is no motion there is death All men naturally want this motion they cannot judge or doe any thing by nature they may doe opus operatum but they cannot doe it in a holy manner their prayers their hearing receiving of the Sacrament and the like are dead workes without faith the principall of life however they may be faire in other mens eyes The third signe of a naturall death is sencelesnesse so men are spiritually dead when they are not affected with Gods judgements when they have hard hearts which cannot repent Rom. 2.5 when they have hearts as hard as a stone Ezek. 36.26 yet they may be affected with them as naturall men apprehend evill not from a quickning Spirit but from a selfe love Lastly in a naturall death there is a losse of that vigor and beauty in the face and countenance which is in living men So in men that are spiritually dead there is no beauty no vigor they have death in their faces they may have painted beauty which may be like the living as he said pictum putavi esse verum et verum putavi esse pictum they may bee much alike yet they have not that livelinesse and beauty as living men have Gods beauty the beauty of holinesse is not found in them But it may be objected they have many excellencies in them they know much they excell in morall vertues I answer they may have excellencies as a dead man may have Iewels and Chaines about him yet they are dead they have them but yet they are as Iewels of Gold in a Swines snoute they are as Swine their good things make them not men they are beautifull yet they are but dead men as the evill workes of good men make them not bad men so the good workes of evill men make them not good Thus much for the signes of this Death We come now to the degrees of this death in all these deaths
there are degrees First in the death of guilt if you have had more meanes the guilt is greater if you make no use of them The Gentiles they shall onely be condemned for breaking the Law of nature because they knew no other Law The Iewes they shall be condemned for sinning against the Law of nature and the Law of Moyses they had a double Law and shall be condemned for the breach of it Christians having a treble Law the Gospel the Law of nature the morrall Law shall be condemned for all three and among all Christians such as have had more meanes and better education the greater shall their punishment be Secondly in the death opposite to the life of sanctification there are degrees Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death but they are onely in the positive The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the waies of God being fighters against God enemies to the Saints this is the lowest step The second degree is when as men are not so active that way but yet are dead in pleasures Ambition covetousnesse the like There is a generation of men which trouble not themselves to oppose God the Saints but give themselves to pleasures and like those Widowes 1 Tim. 5.6 are dead in pleasures while they are alive The last step in this death is the death of Civility Civill men come nearer the Saints of God than others they come within a step or two of heaven and yet are shut out they are not farre from the kingdome of Heaven as Christ said to the yong man yet they misse of it as well as others Thirdly for the death that is opposite to the life of ioy the degrees of it are more sensible Some have legall terrors the beginnings of eternall death others have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost the beginning of eternall life And thus much for the degrees of these deaths Now hearing that all are dead in trespasses and sinnes yee may obiect If wee are dead why doe you preach unto us If we bee dead we understand not wee moove not wee are not capable of what you say To this I answer First there is a great difference betweene this spirituall death and naturall death For first those who are naturally dead understand nothing at all but in those who are spiritually dead there is a life of understanding by which they themselves may know that they are dead men who are naturally dead cannot know they are dead Secondly those who are spiritually dead may understand the wayes of life though they relish them not yet they may heare and receive them which those who are naturally dead cannot doe Thirdly those who are spiritually dead may come to the meanes to the poole in w c the Spirit breaths the breath of life whereas naturally dead men cannot come to the meanes of life Secondly I answer that though ye are dead yet hearing may breed life the word can doe it There was an end why Christ spake to Lazarus that was dead Lazarus come forth because his word wrought life therefore though ye are dead yet because the word can worke life in you our preaching is not in vaine Lastly this death is a voluntary death Men who are naturally dead cannot put life into themselves no more can those who are spiritually dead when they have made themselves dead Men dye this death in a free manner I cannot better expresse it than by this similitude A man that is about to commit the act of murther or treason his friends perswade him not to doe it for if hee doth he is but a dead man yet notwithstanding he will doe it we say of such a one that hee is a dead man willingly So wee tell men if they doe thus and thus that they goe downe to the Chambers of death yet they will doe it Hence is that Ezek. 18.31 Why will yee dye O yee house of Israel implying that this spiritual death in sinne is a voluntary death But yee will obiect Men are not quite dead there are some reliques of Gods Image still left in them how are they then dead To this I answer that there is a double Image of God first a naturall standing in the natural frame of the soule as to be immortal immateriall So there is understanding will and reason and some sparks of life left in us as the remainder of a stately building that is ruinated but yet there are no sparkes of the living Image left in us the spirituall Image of God consisting in holinesse and true righteousnes remaines not The Papists indeed deny it but how will they answer the rule of the Fathers that Supernaturalia dona sunt penitus ablata naturalia quassata that supernaturall gifts are utterly taken away no sparkes of them remaine But it will be objected that though men by nature have nothing left yet there is now an universall ability and grace an universall sufficiency given unto them To this I answer that that which they call universall grace is the same thing that nature is but they put another tearme upon it it is found in nature and is common wherever it is therefore it cannot bee grace For in grace there is always someting that is peculiar Secondly if there should be an universall grace the Saints would be no more beholding to God than other men if God give all alike to all it should not bee God but themselves that put the difference Thirdly if there were that generall sufficiency it would take away all election there might then be prescience but no election no predestination to death or life Fourthly if there were a generall grace what is the reason that Paul made it such matter of difficulty to answer that question of election Rom. 9. If Aristotle and other heathen if every one have such a generall sufficiency Paul would not have made such a scrupulous answer and have cryed out of the depth Thirdly there is not that universall ability because that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit wee are borne of the flesh and cannot therefore have this spirituall sufficiency But yet there are some spirituall gifts in men I answer that we cannot have these spirituall gifts if we are not borne of the Spirit that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Not Bellarmine himselfe nor no man else will say that all are borne of the Spirit Iohn 15.2 Every branch in me not bearing fruite he taketh away and it is cast out and withered that is as the branch not being in the root bringeth forth no fruite so men as long as they are not ingrafted into Christ bring forth no buds no fruite they may heare the word but they cannot make use of it they cannot doe it without the Spirit and that is free it breatheth where it
listeth compare Iohn 3.8 the Spirit breatheth where it listeth with Iohn 6.44 No man can come unto mee unlesse the Father draw him draw him that is not as a sheepe is lead with a bough for Christ doth not say no man will come but no man can come except the Father draw him compell him as it were by force not perswade him by intreaties that is unlesse he changeth and taketh away his wolvish will But it will be objected that God drawes every man I answer that the context concludes against this For Christ doth bring this in to shew the reason why many did not receive his Doctrine and he concludes with this that men therefore doe not receive it because God doth not draw them None can come unto me except my Father draw them I will answer one objection more and so conclude If wee are dead to what end is the law given why are wee commanded to doe thus and thus if we be dead To this I answer that the Law is given to this end to shew us our weaknesse and to leade us unto Christ it is not given us to keepe exactly for that is impossible it was impossible to keepe it through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 the Law was therefore given that wee might know our weaknesse not that we should keepe it but that Christs righteousnesse might be fulfilled in us by faith Gal. 3.24 the Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be Iustified through faith That is the end of the Law But it will be objected that in as much as we are commanded to doe things impossible mans nature is destroyed for man is a free creature Secondly the command implies an absurdity and impossibility to bid a man doe that which he cannot doe to bid a man that is in a deepe Well bound hand and foote to come out himselfe is foolish yee may blame him for falling in it is absurd to bid him come out To this I answer that there is a difference betweene the externall binding and the bonds wherewith a man is fettered by sinne There is an externall impediment which a man cannot remove when hee is fettered in the Well but there is no externall impediment when as men are bound in the chaines of sin When wee command you to doe thus and thus all the businesse is with the will we rather say men will not then they cannot come There is liberty when as a man hath eligibile or non eligibile when hee hath a thing in his owne choyse when there is no impediment when hee may argue both wayes If a man out of the perversnesse of his nature doth it not it is not compulsory but free a beasts action is free because he cannot reason on both sides but man when he considers arguments on both sides when he can say doe not doe such a thing but doe such a thing when he can conceive arguments on both sides he is free there is no such externall impediment in him as to bid one in darknesse to doe a thing of the light or one bound hand and foote in a pit to come out since the chiefe impediment here is in the depraved wils of men which God doth rectify and change by his grace Spirit through the use of meanes If then every man out of Christ bee in an estate of death let every man examine himselfe and consider whether he be a dead man or no this is the great quere or question in this mutability and incertainety of things Let us make the life to come sure our life is uncertaine here but have wee this spirituall life are wee living men then we are happy but are we dead then he that is not partaker of the first resurrection shall not be partaker of the second It is too late to begin to live when we are dying certainly naturall death is a time of spending not of getting or inquiring after life If yee deferre this search while yee are in health when yee lye on your deaths bed when you shall see heaven and hell immediately presented unto you this question will hold you solicitous and then you shall see that this spirituall life is the life indeed The time of this naturall life is not long the Candle burnes not long if it burne out yet it is oftner blowne out than burnt out men oftner fall downe than come downe from the tree of life this Tabernacle is often throwne downe before it fals downe therefore in this short life make your selves sure of eternall life Now there are two things which hinder this search and inquiry after spirituall life The first is a false opinion men thinke themselves in the waies of life being in the waies of death they thinke there is a greater latitude in the Gospell than there is The second is men are not at leysure there are millions of businesses in their heads so that they cannot hearken to the whisperings of conscience they have no spare time to be wise unto salvation It will be our wisedome therefore to consider our end Deut. 32.29 To helpe you therefore in this Quere whether you are dead or alive Consider first if ever you have beene dead Secondly if ye have beene dead whether yee are made alive First I say consider whether yee have bin dead or no I meane whether sinne hath bin made alive in you that you might dye Rom. 7.9 10. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed that is the Commandement awakens my sinnes and they being alive I dyed sinne when it affrights not a mans conscience then hee is dead when it wounds the conscience then he is alive The Law being brought to the soule by the Spirit yee see the rectitude of the Commandement and your owne obliquity and crookednesse sinne is alive and yee dye Peter preaching to the Iewes Act. 2. recites to them their sinnes in crucifying the Lord of glory which sinne was made alive and pricked them at their hearts Sinne was dead in David till Nathan and the Law came unto him afterward hee lived and was humbled Luke 5. Peter seeing Christs divinity by the draught of Fishes cries out Depart from mee Lord for I am a sinfull man hee had sinnes in him before but they were dead then they were made alive Paul he had sinnes that were dead in him but when the outward light which was but a tipe of his light within did shine about him then hee dies and his sinnes were made alive So Iosephs brethren had sins but they were not made alive till they were put in prison then their sinne in selling their brother Ioseph lived and they dyed Hath sinne ever bin alive in you by the commandement to slay you that is hath it bred such an apprehension in you as of death not a sigh or two for a day that is no slaying of you but yee must apprehend
Christ are dead learne to judge of the Ordinances of God and the meanes of salvation let us not undervalue nor overvalue them the Ordinances cannot bring life not the Word nor Sacraments If yee are sicke and send for the Minister hee cannot quicken you the Ordinance is but a creature and cannot give life If we speake to the eare and Christ speake not to the heart it is nothing Let your eyes bee fixed on Christ beseech him to put life into you pray to God for a blessing the Ordinances are but dead Trunkes as Pens without Inke Conduit pipes without water Learne then that God doth convay life by the Ordinances that they themselves cannot give life therefore doe not overvalew them Yet know withall that God doth worke but by his Ordinances the Spirit breathes not in Taverns nor Playhouses but in the Church assemblies Act. 10. whiles Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his family the Spirit fell upon them so the Spirit fell on others by laying the Apostles hands on them the Ordinances are the Vehiculum of the Spirit give what is just to them and no more give them neither too little nor too much Neglect not the Sacrament ye know not what yee doe when yee neglect it yee thinke that yee eate and drinke your owne damnation if yee receive it unreverently Absence from it is a sinne as well as the remisse and negligent receiving of it Sickenesse and death yee feare why then doe you neglect the Sacrament why doe you receive it unworthily Whence are those Epidemicall diseases amongst us the cause of them is from hence that yee neglect the Sacrament that yee receive it unworthily 1. Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe Consider the danger of neglecting the Sacrament he that came not to the Passeover must be cut off from the children of Israel the same Equity remaines still in the Sacrament the cause of that was because he was to come up with the rest to remember the death of the first borne of Egypt and the redemption from their bondage hee being passed over thereby It is now the same sinne to neglect the Sacrament the Equity still remaines Are yee to strong in faith as yee need it not To bee absent from the word yee thinke it a sinne so is it to bee absent from the Sacrament nothing can excuse you If a master bid his servant doe a thing and he goes and is drunken so that he cannot doe it will it excuse him If you have made your selves unfit to receive the Sacrament by committing any grosse sinnes the unfitnesse will not excuse you If a man hath occasion to ride a journey if he misse one day he will take the next so ye if yee misse the Sacrament once be sure to take it the next time It is devided here that so if yee misse once yee may receive it the next time take heed therefore how yee neglect it The end of the Sacrament is to worship God to set forth Christs death it is the cheifest part of Gods worship therefore give it the cheifest respect Now from hence see the necessity of this life of grace how can yee come to the Sacrament if yee are dead men Labour therefore for this life of grace And thus much for the first poynt that all men out of Christ are in a state of death We come now to the second and that is this That all in Christ are in a state of life Our scope is to shew you what you are out of Christ and what benefits yee receive by being in Christ we cannot goe throughout all particulars but wee will take the greatest life and death the one the greatest good the other the greatest evill All in Christ are living men this is the great benefit because death is the greatest evill therefore by the rule of contraries life must be the greatest good Farther men prize nothing so much as life this experience sheweth and Sathan himselfe could tell that skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will give for his life Iob. 1. Beyond experience God himselfe threatens death to Adam as the greatest evill The day that thou eatest of it thou shalt dye the death Gen. 3. Now all that live this life are living men and have all things pertaining to life 2. Pet. 1.2 they have all that pertaines to life and godlinesse that is all things necessary for the nourishment and cherishing of them life were else unhappy take beasts and plants they having all belonging to their life are happy and they are said to live take any naturall life when as a man hath food and rayment and recreation hee is said to live A man lives when he hath life and all that appertaines unto it I will divide this Doctrine into two parts and I will shew you two things First that there is such a life as this Secondly what this life is First that there is such a life as this It is needfull to shew you that there is such a life because it is a hidden life God hides these spirituall things as he hid Christ under a Carpenters sonne so he hides the glorious mysteries of the Sacrament under the base elements of Bread and Wine he hides the wisedome of God under the foolishnesse of preaching he hides those whom the world is not worthy of under sheepes Skinnes and Goates Skinnes Heb. 11. Col. 3.3 Our lives are hid with Christ in God But from whom is this hidden I answer that it is hidden from naturall men as Colours from a blind man they are there and he sees them not But with what is this hidden I answer that it is hidden First with this naturall life wee see it not because wee have this life it is hid as the Sap in the roote or water in the spring Secondly it is hidden with a base outside 2. Cor. 6. The Saints are as poore as despised as having nothing Christ had a base outside there was no forme or beauty in him that wee should desire him and so have the Saints being conformable to him they are like other men for their outsides Thirdly it is hidden with mis-reports thus Christ himselfe was hidden he was counted a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners one casting out divels by Belzebub and therefore hee became a stumbling blocke unto many The Saints are likewise misrepresented they are evill spoken of they are presented to mens understanding otherwise than they are There are a generation of men that pervert the strait waies of God Act. 13.10 that is they make them seeme crooked though they are straight notwithstanding they pervert them as a crooked as a false glasse doth pervert a face that is beautifull representing it in another shape or as a sticke that is halfe in the water and halfe out seemes to be crooked yet it is straight in it selfe But in what is it hidden
drinkes my blood shall live As flesh gives life to the body so the Sonne gives it to the soule To eate the flesh of Christ is to prize him to desire and long after him which is after the spirit of bondage to eate him is to take him to come to him to have him your God In these stands the eating of Christ. First in prising of him exceedingly to part with any thing for him to take his Crosse with all losses Secondly to eate him is to beleve him to be yours and you his this eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ expresseth our relative union with him and then followes our reall union the Spirit immediately gives this he that doth the first shall have the second But how shall we doe to beleeve this I answer yee see the old Adam communicated corruption to all his posterity because they were borne of him so these who are borne of the new Adam that is these who take him and beleeve in him have grace communicated to them by him this new birth makes you as capable of Christ as the other doth of the first Adam why then shall not the second Adam communicate grace as well as the other doth corruption The philosophers were all deceived in this poynt from whence corruption should come but wee know that it came from Adam and so doth grace come from Christ. To get this life let us seeke it in him let us beleeve more let us be humbled more repent more and take Christ more take him on any condition prize him set him at the highest rate hold him fast As in the actions of mariage those who are to marry will not part upon any condition they take one another for richer for poorer for better for worse after this manner must wee take Christ the more yee take Christ thus the more yee have the Sonne and so yee live more the life of grace All grant that this life comes by the Spirit and there is no way to get the Spirit but by the Sonne Yee must first eate ere yee can be nourished yee must fixe your eyes on his passion as the wife doth fixe her eyes on her husband yee must seeke this life from the Spirit ultimately but yee must first have the Sonne and then yee have life He must have the Sonne that will have this life hee must be ingraffed into Christ as the branches are into the roote get Christ and then this life shall abound in you The fourth meanes to get and increase this life is communion of Saints The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life Prov. 10.20 they put life into those that have it not and increase it in those in whom it is Ephe. 4.24 their speeches minister grace to the hearers they edifie them hearing of the word of life and talking of the fountaine of life puts life into men The health of the body doth not communicate it selfe to others it is otherwise in the life of the soule the life of it makes others to live more as Iron sharpens Iron so one holy man doth another See it by the contrary In evill men who are dead there is an aptnesse to dead others their words are as continuall droppings to put out this life their tongues are set on fire of hell Iame. 2.6 The tongue of good men is a cole fetched from the Altar they have fire within thē When two lie together they keepe one another warme there is action and redaction this is powerfull meanes to get and increase this life The tongue of the righteous if full of life it is powerfull to make men live Gal. 2.14 Paul speaking to Peter saith why compellest thou the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Iewes he used not outward compulsion his example and life was a compulsion The company which wee keepe compell us to doe as they doe evill company they are the Divels snares they doe as brambles keepe us in and fetter us the sutablenesse of evill companions drawes out our secret corruption He that resolves to live this life must resolve to withdraw himselfe from evill company who are a strong temptation unto evill There is a difference betweene leading our selves into temptation and being led into it when you leade your selves into temptation as you do when as you rush into evill company you are out of the pale of Gods protection If yee touch pitch yee cannot but bee defiled with it wherefore make your company good this is an effectuall and powerfull meanes to beget this life in you Saul being among the Prophets changeth his spirit and became a Prophet one that goeth fast makes those that goe with him to mend their pace Act. 11.23.33 it is said of Barnabas being a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith that hee added much people unto the Lord. Which manner of speaking shewes that the speeches of those who are full of faith helpe to breed faith that if men be full of the Spirit they quicken the Spirit Evill company deads men they are the trunkes through which the Divell speakes and this deading is done in an insensible manner and then most of all where it is least perceived Evill company poysons men a man turning his opinion which company can doe is most of all poysoned when as hee thinks that he hath least hurt The last meanes to get and increase this life is that which is mentioned in the text and that is the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God this will beget and increase this life that is if when wee speake to your eares he speake to your hearts then yee live Yee have two teachers the one is he that speakes to you the other is Christ. Heb. 8.11 They shall no more teach one another for they shall all be taught of God There are two sheapheards the one is hee that feeds you the other is the great sheapheard of the sheepe there are two great voyces the one speaking outwardly to the eare the other when as Christ speakes effectually to the heart When Christ speakes inwardly to the heart then men live and not before This is such a speech as Christ spake to Lazarus Lazarus come forth and he came his speaking puts life into us Now what is this inward speaking of life to the heart It is nothing else but to perswade fully and every way to convince us that it is best to take Christ to set to an holy course to leade a new life There is a speaking that comes neare this life and is not it that is when as men heare and understand the way and apprehend the things of God but practise them not Here is a proximity to this life yet it is not this life Let a man come so neare as that he thinkes he acts it yet he is dead if he act it not when he acts it then he is made a living man and then hee
us by his Spirit that is the cheefest in knowledge have not seene with their eyes or heard with their eares but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have an experimental knowledge which others have not This experimentall saving knowledge hath triall 1 Ioh. 2.13 I write unto you fathers because you have knowne him that was from the beginning expound this with the 33. of Ezekiell 33. When this commeth to passe then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you that is when I shall doe this they shall know experimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them 1 Ioh. 5.49 wee know that we are of God that is wee know it experimentally they can say of this as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1 That which we have heard that which we have seene with our eyes that which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the words of life declare we unto you David takes it as peculiar to himselfe Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee that is they that experimentally know thee will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that trust thee they know it by experience 1 Pet. 2.3 Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious We find in the Saints a longing after God they desire him which others doe not thus did David moreover they have assurance of salvation which others have not and this assurance comes from hence optima demonstratio est a sensibus the best demonstration is from sence as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best tasting breeds longing assurance from experience breeds certainty Fourthly effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God makes them to relish them this followes the other when men have tryed them they approve them Ioh. 6.63 The Spirit quickens the word profiteth nothing the words then that I speake they are Spirit and life Christ having spoken that his body was meate indeed many were offended at it then hee said The Spirit doth quicken that is yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge my words are spirituall and you are carnall therefore they doe not relish you These words are otherwise interpreted by some that is these materials profit nothing without the Spirit but the other is undoubtedly the meaning for so it is through the Scripture the Spirit profits that is saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit men not having it doe not approve it It cannot be otherwise where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually there they justifie this Wisedome is justified of her children Luk. 7.35 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospel of peace that is they see such beauty in the wayes of God that they are beautifull to them they are vile to others The Scripture often toucheth this that when as there is but a common knowledge men relish not the word Rom. 8. they tast not the word the spirituall part of the word crossing them is bitter to them 2 Cor. 2.15 The word is compared to a sweet savour to many it is not so to some it is the savour of death to death it is a savour diffused through the house they abhorre it and being guilty of death it leades them to death In others it is the savour of life that is they smell a sweetnesse in it it brings them to life to heaven the word being powerfully taught there comes a savour some smell sweetnesse in it others otherwise Luk. 2.35 When Christ shall come the hearts of many shall be opened to approve or disapprove him therefore he is the fall and rising of many so when he came some said he was a good man others that he was a divell some said that the Apostles were good some that they were bad See how yee approve the word in its selfe and as it is expressed in mens lives Fiftly if it bee a right knowledge it breeds holy affections the other doth not this followes the other If men justifie the Word then they affect it It s a generall rule that all full perswasions draw on affections let it bee but a perswasion in habit it stirres as the habit is 1 Thes. 1.6 My word was to you not in word but in power because it did worke in you joy in the holy Ghost Ier. 23.29 comparing the word of true and false Prophets together My word is as fire saith God and as the hammer that breaketh the stone it is the powerfull word of it stirres your affections Luke the last Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus their hearts burned within them they were full of holy affections Consider if yee have those holy affections Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge every where where men heare they know aright Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements Psal. 1.2 Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord See whether there be holy affections in you Felix did tremble at the Word so the second ground received the Word with joy but not with holy joy But how shall we distinguish them I answer that if your joy bee holy joy afflictions will not put it out if your joy bee carnall joy persecution puts it out but joy in the holy Ghost is not put out by the contrary Sixtly that knowledge which is lively brings forth action it is powerfull in mens actions it is active and mighty in operation Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily to overcome all contraries Esa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and bee healed that is Let them have such a common knowledge as civill men and hypocrites have and no more least seeing aright they understand with their hearts and be converted and they bee healed Seeing with their eyes is meant seeing with this knowledge which if they see with their hearts will bee wrought on their hearts being wrought on they are converted then they are healed This followes on the other Let the affections be stirred they are the immediate principles of action what one affâ—cts hee doth these are tyed all on one string flashy affections flashy actions Ioh. 6.45 They shall all bee taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee that is every one that heareth this true voyce of the Sonne of God comes to mee that is they breed actions whereby they come to me See if your knowledge bee operative Iam. 1.22 distinguishing of hearers he saith
men see it so like religion as a sparke is like the fire they imbrace it All deceit is from similitude false wares having the same dye that true hath deceive the buiers so falling starres are like other starres When wee see some men that professe religion to be false hearted we thinke all are so wherefore Phil. 1.10 The Apostles prayes that they might abound in all knowledge and judgement to discerne of things that differ this proximity makes us deceived Fourthly false experiments hinder us much some experiments of the workes of God that should draw us nearer to him if wee make false use of them make us farther from him As if God afflict and restore againe or keepe us from affliction our hearts are hardened Exod. 8.15 when as the Froggs were removed Pharoah his heart was hardned rest made him harden his heart so many times it makes men slight the word and afflictions which God layes on them We may see this in Souldiers and Mariners none more ready to contemne dangers than they because they have often escaped they delude the workes of God that should draw them to salvation Rootes will make the weeds grow againe not being taken heed of The long suffering of God should draw us to repentance but it doth not so 2 Pet. 3.3 In the last time shall come mockers walking after their owne lusts and saying where is the promise of his comming for all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation that is men shall feele nothing apprehend nothing judgements being beleeved they second the Word being eluded they hinder us and it The fift impediment is ignorance men know not the wayes of God therefore they doe not imbrace them Ioh. 4.10 If thou hadst knowne the gift of God and who it is that speaketh to thee thou wouldest have asked of him There is enough in religion to make men love it if they knew it there is vertue in it there is beauty and profit in it Esa. 57. There is a peace in it all the wayes of it are wayes of pleasantnesse there is honour in it old age is honourable with righteousnesse But mens hearts are full of darkenesse they see not neyther doe they understand it 2 Pet. 2.12 They speake evill of the things they know not It s true they know the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they know them not experimentally and really and that deceives them 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man thinke hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know One may know all things and yet know nothing as he should Ignorance deceives many it makes them to measure religion by a false rule and common opinion Acts 24.14 it is called heresy when yee iudge of it by externall shewes all basenesse is outwardly in religion it is like a costly thing covered with straw Christ was hid under a Carpenters Sonne preaching under the name of foolishnesse so our ignorance in attributing things to false causes keepes us off If the Gospel be hid it is hidden to those that perish there is a double ignorance privative and positive that is it by which the God of this world blinds men breeding a false perswasion of good and a good perswasion of evill The sixt impediment is in-consideration men doe not consider the things they might know if men would deduce one thing from another and doe that they know they might be brought to God Deut. 29.2.3 yee have seene saith Moyses all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt upon Pharoah and his servants yee have seene those great signes and miracles which he did yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare untill this day that is yee have not profited because yee have not considered We thinke if that we had lived then wee had beleeved yet we see how few of them did beleeve we beleeve the Scriptures yet what inconsequency is there in mens lives because wee doe not consider things Consideration helpes to perfect mens actions it is a circular line one part helpes the other If we looke backe and examine our actions it helpes want of it hinders What is repentance but consideration Ier. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done want of this keepes men from salvation 2 Chron. 6.37 If they bethinke themselves in the Land whither they are carried away and turne and pray unto me in their captivity saying We have sinned we have done amisse and dealt wickedly then I will heare So Ier. 8.6 God harkned whether any would say What have I done men goe on and consider not Hosea 4.11 Whoredome and new wine steale away their hearts that is it makes them not to consider Mark 6.52 They considered not the loaves therefore their hearts were hardned they were fearefull in the ship because they considered not the miracle of the loaves The seventh impediment is a certaine stifnesse and obfirmation of minde whereby a man is setled to continue in such a course that is pleasant to him and all that crosse him in it are enemies to him Rom. 8. the flesh is not subject to the Spirit it crosseth it one reckons not a man his enemy unlesse hee crosse him It must be so every creature as long as it hath a being opposeth that which is contrary to it so every man that delights himselfe in such or such a lust will not be circumcised cleansed and washed from it he will not have Christ reigne over him he will have his elbow roome Those men that are not translated from death to life they count the wayes of God eyther vanity or folly and will not submit unto them nor yet heare Christ voyce Now the meanes the helpes and wayes to breake through these impediments and to receive the Word with profit are these First to heare profitably that the voyce of the Sonne of God be not a common voyce but peculiar take that rule which is set downe Luk. 8.18 Take heed how you heare Christ gave that admonition to his hearers and I give it to you looke to your selves take heed how yee come to heare the Word doe it diligently the reason of this is added in the same verse for unto him that hath shall be given from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemed to have that is if yee heare and get a little knowledge yee shall have more he that yeeldeth some fruits shall bring forth more hee that doth some things shall doe more God will blesse you But from him that hath not shall bee taken even that which he seemed to have that is your hearts shall be hardned and that common knowledge which you have shall be taken away Ioh. 15.2 Every branch that beareth not fruite God cuts downe God lookes into a Congregation to see who doth make conscience of hearing those that doe he purgeth but those that profit not
to bee blessed that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much often hearing of the word which puts you in remembrance addes to your life though it hinders you in other things Those who have not the word to heare live not under preaching Ministers who will not be at the cost to get them or live where they are not are much to blame and live not this life Simon Magus sinned in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony doe not they also sinne who doe lesse than hee that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them There is the like fault when as men may have the word and come not to it If they come to it though it addeth not to their knowledge yet it helpeth their acting and life Those who neglect the constant reading of the word who are not constant in private prayer those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things they neglect this life That Arabian proverbe Shut up the five windowes that the house may be full of light will be of good use here that is the five senses being shut up the fuller of light shall wee bee the not stopping up of them makes men ignorant cares and businesses possessing mens minds there is no roome left for better things Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth It is ignorance that makes men strangers from the life of God Ephe. 4.18 and this is not an ignorance that proceedeth from want of knowledge but from the badnesse of your hearts hard hearts makes men ignorant why doe men heare and yet are ignorant but because their hearts are hardned they regard not the word and so they grow not in knowledge The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing be much in doing in acting the duties of new obedience the more yee are occupied the more yee live else deadnesse doth possesse you be still praying and meditating those revive you those are the coales that keepe the heart warme this life like water is apt to grow cold But I must be full of life ere I can doe actions I answer that one begets the other action begets life and life begets action as health produceth exercise and exercise procureth health But I am indisposed and unfit for such actions I answer that if yee are indisposed the more need you had to be doing else you are more unexcusable the way to get heate is to bee acting as motion doth bring life to a benummed member so doth it to the soule be awaked be stirring this will revive you againe Christians hearts are awaked when as they themselves sleepe if they stirre them up there will be more life in them Rom. 2.13 They beginning to languish their medicine is to rise up and be doing Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit those who have the Spirit stand not still as one that cannot stirre this acting helpes the Spirit first by inlarging and intending life Secondly by preventing that which increaseth death the more wee walke in the wayes of life the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death Be doing if not one thing yet another In the steppings out of your callings be doing reading and praying Conferring and talking of good things the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace Men content themselves with morning and evening duties and it is well if they doe them but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundantly It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing life is maintained by the actions of life habits are maintained by actions that are sutable to them We live in the commandements by well doing as the creature doth by food Good actions maintaine life it receives strength from well-doing set your selves to pray doe holy duties still pray doe more and more the more yee doe the more life increaseth The third meanes to get this life is to get faith Faith helpes this life it is a life of faith and it makes us to live this life by three wayes First it gives a reality to the priviledges of life makes you see they are so indeed therefore yee act yee beleeve that God is such a God that yee have such priviledges that yee are heires of all things If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is in wisedome power and mercy yee intend them and live the life of grace If yee doubt and question with Atheists if these bee dreames then yee intend them not He that beleeves saith let me have God sure the other saith let me have that I touch and feele but the imaginary things resting in faith and hope I care not for the more yee beleeve these things the more yee are occupied about them Secondly faith drawes you on to action this life is the acting of the duties of new obedience Faith and a perswasion further other things as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him it produceth an action of the will abstinence if a man bee perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition hee sends for him So in all other actions perswasion is that which sets a man on worke So in spirituall actions if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed will not make our bodies sicke but our soules wee will not doe it if wee are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if we doe such a thing this makes us to doe it being perswaded we shall have a recompence of reward it produceth action and the more action the more life Thirdly faith doth it by fitting us for Christ from whom our life comes 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life First the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom hee is conjoyned the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative and betweene the king and the subject when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king they are conjoyned to him so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband shee is conjoyned to him The action of taking Christ is to take him as a Lord to serve him as a Saviour to have all comfort by him hee that hath the Son in the relative union shall have him in the reall union the Sonne will quicken you as the soule doth the body A Chrian hath the life of the Sonne of God Gal. 2.21 I live yet not I but Christ lives in me all that I doe Christ doth it in me all that the body doth the soule doth it the body lives not but the soule lives in it After that manner Christ lives in us not a good thought or affection not any resolution or motion of the soule but comes for Christ being united to Christ by faith he lives in us Ioh. 6.33 he that eates my flesh and