proving of this the Apostles did spend most time because then it was hard to beleeve Secondly Not caring for Christ as those that came not to the Kings feast they beleeved that there was a King and a feast but cared not for it they regarded more their Oxen c. Thirdly Not willingnesse to part with all for Christ they will not take him upon all conditions they see some need they have of Christ but not much and so they will forsake some things for him but not all they are loath to part with their master sinne like the young man in the Gospell he had done a great deale yet he would not part with his possessions But to these three things must be opposed three other things to bring us to Christ 1. Faith to beleeve he is God 2. A sleight humiliation to bring vs in love with Christ. 3. Sound humiliation to be willing to part with all for his sake The first is received amongst all Christians although it is to be feared that many doe beleeve it but confusedly The second is a sleighter manner of apprehending of Christ and that a little sorrow will doe a little humiliation But the third which we must have before we can be saved to be willing to forsake all to leave every sinne for Christ his sake and that we will not doe vntill we be thorowly humbled are fully broken harted therefore first a deepe humiliation is necessary for salvation Secondly If we have not such an humiliation then either 1. We will not come to Christ. 2. Or we will not stay with him 3. Or else we will not doe or suffer any thing for him And if wee want any of these wee cannot be saved First If we be not truly humbled we can never come to Christ nor regard him we may preach Christ long enough and no body will regard him except they be soundly humbled for their sinnes as in the Law no body did care for the Citie of refuge but he that had slaine a man to him onely whom the revenger of blood pursueth is the Citie of refuge sweet when the fiery Serpent had stung a man then he looked to the Brazen-serpent and nevertill then so when we see our sinnes and miserie thereby then J say and never till then is Christ welcome The prodigall Sonne never thought of returning home to his Father vntill he saw that he must else starve when he saw he could no longer subsist then he returned So when wee are so humbled for our sinnes that we see we shall indeed be damned without Christ then and never untill then we care for him Secondly Although we doe come to Christ yet without we be truly humbled wee will never stay with him althougst wee may rejoyce in his light for a season And for the better understanding of this consider the foure sorts of grounds which represented foure sorts of hearers Mat. 13. The first were not humbled at all It fell by the wayes side and presently the Fowles of the aire devoured it vers 4 The second was humbled a little but not so much as to suffer for him The Sunne parched them for lacke of rooting vers 6. The third sort were so farre humbled for sinne that they suffered some persecutions but would not part with all for Christ the world they esteemed more The thornes choaked them vers 7. But the fourth ground was fully humbled that is they were so humbled in a sight of their sinne that they saw that they had more need of Christ than of any thing in the world and so would part with all for him and suffer any thing and therefore they are said to bring forth fruit with patience Others may stay a while with Christ but when that comes that they preferre before Christ then they leave Christ for untill a man can bring his heart to that passe that he can prize Christ above all things undergoe all persecutions for his sake he is not soundly humbled but is like the second and third ground 3. If wee stay thus with Christ yet except wee be thus humbled we shall neither suffer nor doe any thing for Christ. If Christ had bidden Paul before he was humbled to have done so much for him as he did he would never have done it but when he was humbled then Lord what wouldst thou have me doe And the reason of this is apparent if we consider these things First There are many lusts that doe encumber us whilest our hearts are unbroken so that there is such a basenesse on the outside of Religion that except we be humbled wee will never like it but shall be offended at it and like proud servants say our wages are too little our fellow-servants too base but on the contrary hee that hath once beene soundly humbled thinkes all too good for him Secondly There be such strong lusts to be mortified which cannot be done without humiliation that we care not for Christ our lusts indeed may for a while sleepe but when once they are awaked like Sampson they cracke a two all the bonds of good purposes and vowes they are never slaine untill we be soundly humbled Thirdly there are such contrary lawes to bee delighted in that wee can never frame our nature unto untill we hunger and thirst after Christ and â—â—en his lawes will bee meat and drinke unto us for before we delighted in the Law of the flesh but now if we be truly humbled we must delight in the law of the Spirit Fourthly There are so many strong lusts to be parted from so many Isaacks which every man at some time or other will be called upon to offer up the which if hee doth not doe hee will damne his owne soule yet untill he is humbled and shewne what damnation is he will not buy salvation so deare For these causes is Humiliation necessary in the first place Therefore in the Scripture this method is alwayes used by the Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe they preached ever repentance and humiliation before sanctification and justification This was Christ order as you may see Luke 4. Thus did Nathan with David he laboured to humble him before he told him God had forgiven him Thus did Ionas Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Ion. 3. Thus also God dealt with Adam in Paradise he intended to reveale unto him the promises of the Gospell and yet at the first he strikes him downe with terror that made him hide himselfe then he told him of his sinnes and after all reveales the Gospell unto him The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. Thus dealt Peter with his auditors Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you c. Thus you see that Humiliation is so necessary that without it there is no salvation Let us come in the next place to make some Use of it Therefore my brethren seeing
Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto mee the joy and rejoycing of mine heart It is joy and rejoycing to those that have a broken heart as the Prophet had nay the sharper it is the more they delight in it The seventh signe of our love to Christ is this It causeth meeknesse of spirit The spirit that dwellethin us before we are humbled lusteth after envy Iam. 4. 5. now every naturall man is so but he that is of a broken heart envieth not he spends his â—nger on himselfe and lookes to his owne offences so much that he regards not others But some man will here bee ready to object and say My nature is hasty and I cannot suppresse it To this I answer It is true every one by nature is a Lion but grace when that comes it turâ—s us into Lambs and meeke Sheepe Luk. 3. 4. Iohn cryes in the wildernesse Prepare the way of the Lord c. but how by Humility Every high mountaine and hill shall be digged downe and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough wayes shall bee made smooth Humility which prepareth for Christ diggeth downe those high mountaines and maketh plaine those rough wayes I deny not but that somtimes Gods child may haue a passion of anger yet the peace of God rules in his heart although that sometimes breakes out as a rebell but it dwels not in him Christ is meeke and so are all his And so much for the third question Now to proceed further in the explication of Humiliation and come to the fourth question which is this Whether this Humiliation must be in all men as well in those which are well educated and have fallen into no grosse sinnes as in others I answer yes it must be in all even this great Humiliation here spoken of else let them goe never so farre they will in the end fall away and that is the very reason why so many Professors that have given up their names to follow Christ fall away because they were never humbled soundly for sinne Yet there is this difference betwixt the humiliation of one brought up well and a grosse sinner 1. The filth of sinne is not so suddenly revealed to those that have beene well brought up and have some knowledge and therefore they are not so suddenly smitten as to those that lived in ignorance all their life long those that have a light on the sudden it presently amazeth them even so God strikes downe suddenly the grosse sinner and amazes him with a more violent sorrow and humiliation than he doth the other 2. The Joy is not so sudden nor flashing nor sensible in him that hath more knowledge the medicine is knowne to him as soone as the wound he knowes Christ a Saviour offered up for all that are wounded for sinne and so as soone as he feeles the wound he applies the medicine so is not his trouble so irkesome neither being delivered hath he such sensible joy For instance Suppose a man be in the way wounded among theeves and almost killed so that he saw no meanes of life if one a friend of his on the sudden should steppe forth and helpe him hee would be more sensible of it than such an one as knowing before he shall be robbed getteth company to goe with him and so escapes the danger And so much for the fourth question The fifth question is this What is the least degree of Humiliation that must be in one that will be saved I answer it is so much as will bring us home to Christ that is so much as will make us apprehend sinne to be the greatest evill in the world and Christ to be the greatest good so much as will enable us to make sinne our chiefest sorrow and Christ our chiefest joy when wee doe so then whatsoever is offered we neglect for Christ and preferre him Thence is it that the Churches are said to rejoyce in Christ with joy unspeakeable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. For when we apprehend sinne to be the greatest evill and by Christ to beefreed from it we must needs rejoyce unspeakably For wee are to know that our conversion consists in threethings 1. In being soundly humbled so that wee see sinne to be the greatest evill in the world 2. In stedfastly laying hold of Christ and beleeving in him so that wee will not part with him for any thing in the world 3. In a newnesse of life walking in obedience to all his Commandements and therefore Christ saith Iohn 16. Hee will send the Comforter to convince the world of sinne and righteousnesse first to humble for sinne and in this also there are degrees for here one may be humbled more than another and so thirst after Christ more but the more wee are humbled the better we are humbled it is a signe God hath a greater worke to doe by us when we are thus humbled It is a great fault in us that we are prone to thinke that we are humbled enough and that our humiliation at our first conversion was enough no beloved our humiliation must not be like a land-flood that runnes but for a little time but like a spring running continually for all degrees in grace depending on God mortification of our lusts c. depends on the degrees of our humiliation and hee that is the most humbled would be much more if he saw himselfe to be the better And so much for the fifth question The sixth question is this How shall we come to be thus humbled I answer By the Law for though the whole act of our humiliation is wrought by the Law and the Gospell Rom. 6. yet that humiliation which I now urge is that legall humiliation which is wrought by the Law by the Law I meane not onely the ten Commandements but the rectitude of our persons to the whole Scripture which is the exposition of them First consider therefore how much perfection Gods word requireth then how short you come of that perfection this is one meanes I but some man will bee ready to say I have done what I could and yet I am not humbled To this I answer it is not the Law alone that must humble us but it must be joyned with the spirit of bondage for as to make the Gospell effectuall there is required the spirit of consolation and a faith to beleeve it so to make the Law effectuall there is required the spirit of bondage and faith proportionable The spirit of bondage is that which enlightneth us to see the bondage wherein we are by reason of our sinnes and then is required a faith to beleeve the threats against those sinnes for faith is required to beleeve Gods threats as well as his promises faith in the generall being nothing but a lifting us up to see what nature cannot for when the uncleane person is threatned
not take him and eat him the Sunne enlighteneth but the window lets it in Christ gives life but our hungring after him makes us eat him which we will not doe untill wee be humbled 2 May come to Christ that is receive him and beleeve in him it is but laying hold of him when hee sees he must perish as a man that is falling into the sea casts himselfe on a rocke and there will lie and rest so wee seeing wee must perish without him wee clap hold on him and will not leave him for any persecution or pleasure 3 Whosoever will It is generally propounded for Christ is a common fountaine he that will may come As Iohn 7. 3 7. If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke hee that beleeveth in mee as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flow living waters and againe Iob. 3. 16. God gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life As the old Adam was a common root of sinne and damnation so is Christ the second Adam of grace and salvation as at the yeere of Iubilee when the trumpet sounded whosoever would might goe free but if any would be sollavish as to serve they might so now to Christ now he calleth whosoever will may goe free and be delivered but if there be any so flavish minded as to stay they may The grounds of this Doctrine why I thus generally deliver it are these 1 Because else there were no ground of our faith faith must have a ground of Scripture and the Scripture makes no particular promise to any man it saith not thou Thomas or thou Iohn shalt be saved but it faith Whosoever will let him come and drinke freely of the water of life Then we say but I will therefore on this ground is the strength of faith that whosoever will may come 2 Because faith is about things that are faith presupposeth his object God gives the generall promise Whosoever will beleeve shall be saved This is the object of faith this premised the faith followeth and is the the cause of all the consequences as that Christ is mine I am sanctified justified c. these follow faith but the object is before viz. that whosoever wil come to Christ may as if I beleeve the world is created then it must first be created so if I beleeve I shall be saved if I goe to Christ then I must first have this for to beleeve that whosoever will come to Christ may come To exhort so many as are humbled for sinne and see what need they have of Christ to come to him to be quickened the fountaine is opened so that be thy sinnes never so many or great however committed of knowledge after many vowes or covenants yet if thou art so touched and humbled for thy sinnes that thou truely thirstest after Christ if thou wilt take him thou maist To those onely that are humbled is this wide doore of comfort opened art thou but humbled let thy sinne be never so great suppose it be of murther uncleannesse c. let them be aggravated with all the circumstances yet if thou canst be but humbled and then lay hold on Christ thou maiest Read 1 Cor. 6. 9. See what great sinnes those were how can you name greater Neither fornicator nor idolater nor adulter nor effeminate now abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers not extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God And such were some of you But yee are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified c. Nay suppose you have not one jot of holinesse nor of godly sorrow yet doe but take Christ and hee is thine To looke for sorrow and holinesse before thou takest Christ is to looke for life before the soule Therefore doe but take him and hee is thine for 1 The promise is free without any condition If godly sorrow and grace were required it were not free godly sorrow and grace followes faith but are not required before it 2 The promise is generall Mark 16. 16. Goe yee unto all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature If therefore there be any poore soule touched with his sinnes so as hee will doe or suffer any thing for Christ to him I speake comfort to him Christ doth belong thou maiest have CHRIST if thou wilt But some man will here be ready to object and say Then every one will take him To this I answer Every one would take him for a Saviour but there be conditions following after though not going before faith if you beleeve hee is your Saviour you must beleeve hee is your Lord you must serve him in all his commands and leave all your sinnes which none will doe untill they see that without him they cannot but perish and none but they will take him whom when they have taken him he descendeth into them and quickeneth them and animates them and makes them like himselfe As fire doth yron to have the same qualities which fire hath although not the same degrees Thus when a man humbled for sinne longeth after Christ and receives him Christ enters into him and gives him a threefold life 1 The life of guiltlesnesse by which wee are free from the guilt of sinne 2 The life of grace 3 The life of joy Thus hee quickeneth those which are dead in trespasses and sinnes Hitherto of the first verse we come now to the second Continuance in SINNE DANGEROVS EPHES. 2. VERS 2. Wherin in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now ruleth in the children of disobedience c. AFter the Apostle had proved these Ephesians to whom hee writes to be dead in trespasses and sinnes here in the next verse hee proceeds to confirme his Dorctrine by proving them to be dead men from the signes of death which are three That they walked 1 According to the course of the world 2 According to the Prince of the aire 3 In the lusts of the flesh These are the guides by whom they were led the world the flesh and the divell where such guides lead a man hee is like to runne a good course Now the point of Doctrine that ariseth from the first of these is That whosoever walketh in any course of sinne is a dead man and the child of wrath that is if there be any ruling lust in a man so that hee followes it and it commandeth him that man is in the estate of condemnation This is plaine Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit If there be no condemnation to those which walke after the spirit then certainely there is condemnation to those which walke after the flesh So likewise
concerning the estate and condition of the Church at this time and needfull it is wee should so doe for doe you not see the dangers that they and we are in and the confusion that is almost throughout all Europe yet God hath not forgotten us neither will he leave us if wee can but rest upon him what though there should be a sudden change so that all things were with us as it was in Hesters time yet could the Lord bring forth some good thing out of it that should tend much to his glory and our good Put the case all were turned upside downe as it was in the confused Chaos wherein heaven and earth was mingled together and the waters overcomming all the rest yet as then when the spirit of the Lord did but move upon the waters many beautifull creatures were brought forth and the Sea divided from the rest that those waters that seemed then to spoyle all serves now to water all and without it we cannot bee Even so were the Church in never so confused a condition yet the Lord shall so order the things that seeme to undoe us that they shall bring forth something of speciall use that is something to water and make fruitfull the house and people of God and therefore be not out of hope whatsoever befalls thee onely bee humbled for there is great cause so to be and the Lord calls thee to it by his Ministers and wee are his messengers to declare his will unto you and as we must bee humbled and take to heart the cause of the Church so wee must consider the time that wee may bee throughly affected thereby for it was Ephraims fault not to doe it and thou must see this distresse so as it may bring thee into the Mount for it is not an extremity simply that will cause the Lord to helpe thee but when thy soule is plowed up therewith and then the Lord will cast in the seed and water it so as thy soule shall spring againe and therefore let us still maintaine our hope in all conditions whatsoever And for this end did I fall upon this Text at this time That in the Mount will the Lord be seene FINIS The scope of the Chapter Three false guides among the Ephesians Doct. The Doctrine proved first by Reason Secondly by Scriptures 1 What this death is Two things a naturall and a spiritual death Dead workes why so called The seat of this death Ephes. 5. 1â— 2. The kinds of this death How terrible the taking away of Gods presence is 3. The signes of this death Foure signs of bodily death 1. Privation of reason Obiect Answ. A difference betweene knowing spirituall things and knowing them in a right manner 2. Privation of sense 3. Want of motion 4. Want of beauty and vigour Obiect Answ. How wicked men may have moral vertues 4. The degrees of this death The death of guilt The death opposite to the life of grace Three degrees of this death The first The second The third The death opposite to the life of ioy Obiect Ans. 1 Ans. 2. Ans. 3. A difference betweene the spirituall and corporall death 5. The Vses of this point Vses 1. Not to defer repentance How the devil deceives men in perswading them to put off their repentance Saving repentance what it is Simile An example of Spira Vse 2. How to esteem civill men Simile Simile Vse 3. To stirre up to thankfulnesse for being quickned Vse 4. How to esteeme of the meanes of grace Vse 5. To examine ourselves whether we have life in us or no. Simile How the divell deceives civill men Two signes of our quickning 1. An application to examine our selves before we receive the Sacrament The nature of dead men Two kinds of spiritually dead men First starke deadnesse Three positive signes of dead men A careless neglect of goodnesse A lying still in any lust A living lust what it is An antipathy to God and godlinesse Five Privitive signes of dead men Privation of speech Privation of heat Obiect Answ. Stiffenesse Simile Privation of sense Obiect Answ. Matth 13. 13. opened No sympathizing in the miseries of others Two things to move us to consider the Churches misery Quest. Answ. What we must doe for the Church Pray for it Our Prayers must be fervent Spirituall Of Faith With Constancy Of righteousnesse With humility Be more â—ealous Stir up others Performe duties in due time With Continuance The Divels cunning to deferre men from doing good Duties Signes of civil men that seem to have life but have none indeed They doe not Grow They are moved by an outward Principle They doe it but in some places and company They speake from the teeth not froÌ„ the heart Iunius converted by a country-mans harty speaking Two meanes to get life Doct. No translation to life without apprehension of Gods wrath due to sinne Things considerable Three things keepe a man from Christ 1. Vnbeleefe 2. Neglect of him 3. Vnwillingnesse to part with other things for him Three things to be set against these to bring us to Christ. The necessity of a deepe humiliation Without sound humiliation we will not come to Christ. We will not stay with him Humiliation compared to the sout sorts of ground Matth. 13. We will not suffer or doe any thing for him Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. The Doctrine of Humiliation must goe before Sanctification Vse Simile Three questions Quest. 1. Answ. True humiliation consists In seeing our lives abound in sinne In considering that there is nothing good in thee In smiting thâ— heart with aâ— apprehension of Gods cursâ— Quest. 2. Answ. What sorrow is required to true humiliation Quest. 3. Answ. How to know true sorrow How true Humiliation differs from other sorrow In the rise In the continuance Bousion Cons. 299. Simile By the signes and effects Contrition of heart 1. Heales our Sinnes Simile 2. It causeth love to Christ Signs to know whether we love Christ or no. 1. Obedience 2. Affection towards him 3. The light prizing of spirituall things 4. Contentednesse with the meanest condition 5. Feare of offending God 6. The finding of sweetnesse in the word of God 7. Meekenesse of spirit Obiect Answ. Humiliation changeth our nature Quest. 4. Answ. The differenâ— of humiliation in one well educated and a grosse sinner Quest. 5. Answ. The least degree of humiliation will make us count sin the greatest cuill Christ the greatest good A mans conversion consists in three things Quest. 6. Answ. The Law the onely meanes of humiliation Obiect Answ. The spirit of bondage what and why required to humiliation Obiect Answ. How afflictions and the Law concurre to humiliation Five meanes to humiliatioÌ„ 1. Meanes to consider our estates 1. Meanes to suffer sorrow to abide on us 3. Meanes see sinne in 〈◊〉 effects 4. Meanes to make these evilspresent by faith Two things ought to be present before vs. 5. Meanes To take heed of shifts Eight shifts whereby
this is so content not your selves with morality and civility except you have more in you than nature can give you nay except you be all new not patched up as 2 Cor. 5. Except you bee wholly changed and cast into a new mould being first broken by humiliation you cannot be saved Try therefore whether now you doe that that others will not doe wherein else doth the power of Religion consist Try whether you have denied your selves and throughly mortified your dearest lust and what soever the flâ—sh desireth and whether you bee sicke of sinne regard not what the world prizeth labour you to hâ—ve yoâ—r hearts broken else you may pray be charitable and loving to othâ—rs and with Herod make a conscience of many things yet all will stand you in no stead because it commeth not from an humble heart for be it never so holy a dutie never so constantly performed except it comes from a broken heart God accepts it not So the Prophet David saith Psal. 51. 16 17. God careth not for Sacrifices and yet they were his ordinances as well as our prayers onely a broken heart was pleasing â—nto him and therefore whatsoever you have done from a broken heart is accepted of God But here Satan deceives men with gilded things namely formall performance of holy 〈◊〉 which when they need them as in the day of 〈◊〉 or trouble stand them in no stead As often he coozeneth Witches in giving them money to doe some murders they laying up the money and when they have need of it going to fetch it have found nothing but dry leaves Even thus will all the holy duties wee have performed from an unbroken heart faile us They are like Glowormes they glister greatly in the darke but when once the Sunne comes their light is nothing So Paul before he was humbled hee accounted himselfe a godly man and none better than he but afterward hee was not worthy as hee said to be counted an Apostle Therefore deceive not your selves any longer for nothing is more dangerous than an unsound heart therefore take heed it deceive you not if you never have beene humbled now labour to be humbled for it was that that made the Publican to be justified rather than the Pharisie because hee was humbled and the Pharisie was not and indeed none are further from salvation than those that content themselves with outward formalities Now in Humiliation for our fuller understanding of it I will explaine these three questions 1 Wherein Humiliation doth consist 2 What kinde of sorrow is required in this Humiliation 3 How we shall know whether our sorrows are true or not The first question is Wherein consists this true Humiliation I answer In three things 1. In seeing your life to abound with acutall sinnes then in looking into your heart and nature which is wholly corrupted and the root of all evill and where your corruption is strongest as fire in the root Many labour to excuse their sinnes from their nature because that that is prone unto it but that makes their cause the worse it increaseth their vildnesse for why hast thou such a nature and dost not curbe it Besides their natures are odious to God though they never should breake out as a Serpent is odious unto us though he never hurt us Further consider hast thou not made thy nature worse Every sinne thou hast committed makes it worse for actuall sinne doth more increase the custome and habit of sinne so that besides Adams sinne thou thy selfe art guilty of corrupting thine owne nature 2. In considering that there is nothing in thee that is good at all so the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me dwelleth no good thing and Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all not onely men but things under sinne Men thinke well of themselves because they have much good in them but consider with thy selfe thou hast nothing good in thee at all Can good fruit proceed from an ill tree 3. In smiting thy heart with an apprehension of death hell and misery due to thy sinne then wilt thou find thy selfe in a miserable estate and canst not chuse but be humbled when in consideration of these things thy heart smites thee as Belchazzars did him And so much for the first question The second question is What kinde of sorrow is required in this Humiliation I answer Not those violent flashings of sorrow which for a while amaze like a land-stood but it must be this When thy judgement is enlightned to see thy estate and the judgements of God hanging over thee and after this convincing then thy affections are stirred to mourne for thy sinne If the judgement bee fully convinced the affections will follow therefore in Scripture when any is said to be humbled in those places is shewed that their affections were stirred as we may see Acts 16. in the Jaylor and of Peter it is said of his conversion He went out and wept bitterly So also of those Acts 2. it is said They were pricked in their hearts for the ground of their sorrow is the convincing of the judgement which workes upon the affections therefore Christ saith The Spirit shall come to convince the world of sinne c. Ioh. 16. 8. The other sorrow not arising from this convincing of the judgement is but a passion and so is streight gone this is an affection and so is more permanent although it is stiller as the deepest water are ever stillest And so much for the second question The third question is How shall he know whether these sorrowes of his be true or no To this I answer There is an Humiliation not deepe enough a sleight Humiliation and there is another too deepe which so drownes vs in sorrow that it takes away all hope of salvation and brings despaire such was the sorrow of Iudas and Achitophel but the third and true is an indifferent betweene both sometimes there may be an humiliation and no grace as there may be a plowing and no sowing But true humiliation differs from other sorrowes thus First In the rice of it both a godly man and an hypocrite may first be wounded with Gods wrath secondly desire freedome from hell but into the godly God doth instill gracious seeds whereby hee is humbled for sinne as well as hell and desires grace as well as mercy But the hypocrite onely desires mercy and freedome from these torments and therefore when the terrour ceaseth his holinesse and desire of goodnesse ceaseth and so being eased from the torments he cares for no more but the godly hee desires to be joyned to Christ and to have his lusts mortified Secondly in the continuance of it hypocriticall humiliation may be longer or shorter but it is never constant it doth vanish but true humiliation doth last all the life long The humiliation of hypocrites is
like iron which while it is hot in the fire you may fashion it which way you will but when it is once out it is presently stiffe againe So Pharaoh as long as Gods hand was on him hee would let the people goe but as soone as the fire of affliction was removed his heart was hardned so was Ahab and Saul But in true humiliation God takes away the iron heart gives an heart of flesh so that although it may be brawnie a little yet still it is flesh Hypocrites so long onely as they are under the judgement are soft but the heart of the godly is alwaies soft Thirdly by the signes of brokennesse of heart Now brokennesse of heart 1. Heales our sinnes First the beloved the master sinne and then all the rest other humiliation skinne over but cures not it stops the streame for a while but it breakes out againe it may cause you to make many purposes to leave the sinne yea and to leave it awhile but you will returne to them againe whereas if one bee truly humbled he is stronger against that beloved sin than against any other not but that hee hath strong inclinations to that sinne but hee is more shye of it and shunnes the occasions of that sinne because hee hath fully felt the smart of it and hath by his humiliation seene that sinne more than any other Now after the beloved sinne is once healed then the other sinnes will soone be healed as in a cloth by washing out a deeper staine the same labour doth wash out lesser staines 2. It causeth love of Christ So Mary Magdalen because she was humbled much and saw that Christ had forgiven her much therefore she loved much So Paul who was much humbled ever expressed a servent love to Christ as we may see Acts 21. 13. where hee saith having beene perswaded by his friends not to goe to Jerusalem I am ready not to bee bound but also to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus as who should say I feare nothing because I care for nothing but Christ So also 2 Cor. 5. 14. he saith The love of Christ constraineth mee and therefore when by humiliation we see what Christ hath done for us we thinke we can never doe enough for him Now you may know if you love Christ or not by these signes The first signe to know the love of Christ is obedience Hee that loveth Christ keepeth his Commandements and they are not grievous unto him The second signe is this If you love him you shall finde in your heart that you love him your heart will be carried towards him as I can tell if I love a man for then my heart is carried towards him The third signe to know the love of Christ is this It causeth me to esteeme of spirituall things to prize them at an high rate and other things little worth for when a man is soundly humbled aske him then what he desires most he will answer Christ and Grace and that his corruptions may cease in him as for outward things hee passeth not for them as a man that sees he must dye hee cares for no outward wealth take you that give him onely the pardon of his sinnes The fourth signe of the love of Christ is this It maketh him content with the meanest condition The prodigall Sonne when he was humbled so he might be in his fathers house he was content he liked the meanest condition even to be a servant I am unworthy to be thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired servants Luk. 15. 21. So Paul after hee was humbled thought himselfe unworthy for the Saints company and that not for a fit onely but even ever after he still cryes out I am unworthy to be an Apostle Thus Naomi returning home to her Countrey said she went out full and yet had nothing but her selfe sonnes and husband she accounted any thing too much for her If a man once come to be verily perswaded that he is worthy to be destroyed hee can with patience beare any losses and crosses for these are nothing to death which he knowes he hath deserved therefore what impatience soever thou hast so much art thou short of true humiliation The fifth signe to know we love Christ is this It makes us fearefull of offending God tendernesse of conscience is ever according to the measure of true humiliation for by how much the more we are humbled by so much doe wee feare to offend God and labour to walke obediently unto him Esay 66. 2. the Lord saith To him will I looke that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word If thou art of a contrite heart thou wilt tremble at his words that is at his Commandements such an one feares to breake any Commandement he is sensible of the least sinne Hence it is that Prov. 28. 14. feare is opposed to hardnesse of heart Happy is the man that feareth alway but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Now the opposite to hardnesse is brokennesse of heart but feare is opposed to it because it is a signe of brokennesse of heart Now this fearfulnesse stands in two things 1. In a facility to be convicted of any sinne for he that is not thus broken in heart stands out with God and will not yeeld unto him 2. In a feare to offend God for when hee is once convinced he labours to doe according to his knowledge and then is afraid to displease God either 1 In committing the least sinne as Moses would not leave the least hoofe behinde him and as Iob feared lest his sonnes should have sinned in heart Iob 1. 4. He was so truly humbled that hee would not sacrifice for owne sinnes onely but even for his sonnes also and that the least the thoughts of their hearts 2 In omitting the least good duty or doing it formally which thing the hypocrite cannot doe because he hath not this tendernesse of conscience The sixth signe of the love of Christ is this It makes Gods Word sweet unto us as it was to David Sweeter than the honie and the home-combe Crummes are sweet to an hungry man so if a man hunger after the Gospell it will be sweet unto him Indeed if the Word be sweetened with humane Eloquence it may bee sweet to one that is carnall for so it is pleasing to nature but if the purer it is and the more it is seperated from those gaudy flowers if the more piercing it is the sweeter it is to us then it is a signe of a broken heart for it is a reproach to those that have not a broken heart and so it cannot be sweet as wee may see Ier 6 10. where the Lord saith Behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight mit And againe the Prophet saith Ier. 15. 16.
Rom. 6. 14. Sin hath no dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace that is if sin hath but dominion over you then were you in the estate of death if but any lust hath dominion over you so that you must yeeld obedience to it you are not in the estate of grace but of damnation and the reason hereof is vers 18. because you are the servants of sinne for his servants you are whom you obey Suppose you have but any one predominant sinne it is enough to damme thee There are some that can deny the sin of lusts but for to leave their company that they cannot doe Againe some can leave their company but by no meanes will part with the sinne of lust some can part with both but for their riches they will not part with a penny and so for other particulars many will be content to part with some of their sins but one is so sweet that they will not part with it But let all such know that if they have but any one sinne to rule and reigne so in them that they must needs obey it if it be so sweet unto them that they cannot leave it they are in the estate of condemnation yea if they continue but in any one knowne sinne for there is but one way to heaven but by-waies a thousand now if thou takest but one by-way it will leade thee from heaven as well as if twenty for the right way to hit the marke is but one but there are many by-waies wherein we may misse I added Whosoever walketh in any knowne sinne Indeed a man may sometimes by chance slip out of the way into some sinne but I meane not such a man but him that maketh some sinne his continuall walke But every one will be ready to say This is a hard saying and who can indure it I will therefore shew you some reasons for it The first reason is because that whosoever walketh in any knowne sinne is overcome of sinne and whosoever is overcome of sinne cannot be saved Indeed a godly man may oftentimes be foiled but never is overcome and at the last getteth the victory But when a man assimulates himselfe to sinne and without any reluctation is overcome of it striving no more against it as fire when it is ouercome by water that man is certainely in the estate of condemnation This is the meaning of the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2. 9. While they promise them libertie they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same hee is brought in bondage If any sinne overcome thee thou art in the estate of damnation It will not serve our turne to use those weake excuses which commonly is our plea to say wee cannot leave them because we are flesh and blood and they are naturally in us The second reason is because whosoevâ—r walketh in any knowne sinne in him sinne is predominant and hath the chiefe command and where that hath the chiefe command and rules God hath no place for the motion followes the predominant element if godlinesse be predominant that moves us and rules us if sinne be predominant in us that rules us As a man speaketh out of the abundance that is in his heart so also he worketh out of the abundance that is in his heart This is plaine for when Christ would shew their hearts to be bad hee biddeth them consider their speech and if he could gather the naughtinesse of their hearts by their speech then certainly much more by their actions and workes I but some may say I have a secret sinne in my heart yet it breaketh not forth I keepe it in and will not suffer it to come out and so long it is not predominant neither doth it beare rule neither doth he walke after it but covers it I answer they have so and though they doe not walke after them yet they are not the better for that for God judgeth according to the inward heart he judgeth according to the heaven we aime at in our owne hearts he feeth the secret bent of the heart which way it is it may seeme contrary to the eyes of men but hee judgeth not according to the outward appearance but hee judgeth with righteous judgement The third reason is because that whosoever lyeth in any knowne sinne is an hypocrite and no hypocrite can be saved though he doth other things never so well for such an one hangeth not like the sprigge but like a bough that is almost rent off the olive tree which can never prosper If he did but a little and yet did it in sinceritie it would be accepted whereas while he doth much yet in hypocrisie God regardeth it not This I finde by comparing these two places together 2 Cron. 25. 2. And 2 Cron. 15. 17. In the first place it is said that Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart and therefore God rejected him the meaning is that he was not throughout perfect but had some secret sinne in him therefore God rejected him Now in the other place It is said The hears of Asa was perfect all his daies yet as we may read he had many infirmities as 1 He put not away the high places 2 He relied upon the King of Egypt 3 He trusted on the Physicians 4 He put the Prophet into prison Yet notwithstanding all these infirmities it is said his heart was perfect because that these did not rule in him For where there is found humiliation wrought in any man he though these through infirmity may be in him yet he walketh not after them and then only humiliation is good when a man is desirous to be rid of his sinnes and this the hypocrite wanteth because there is rottennesse at the core and his heart is not truly sound The fourth reason is because that hee that walketh but in any one knowne sinne if he had but tentation unto other sinnes he would runne into them also Thence is that of the Apostle Iames 2. 10 11. Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guiltie of all his meaning is that if such a man had but as strong tentations unto other sins he would commit them also for if a man doeth any duty out of sincerity he would do all because that God commandeth all as it followeth in the same place For he that said Doe not commit adulterie said also Doe not kill Now if thou commit not adulterie yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the whole Law For looke what sinne soever thou art tempted unto the same thou wilt commit and if a hundred tentations should as much beset thee thou wouldest yeeld to them all as well as to one For the better meaning of the point here it may be demanded what this walking is To
this I answer It is a metaphor taken from the manner of men in their most usuall and ordinary carriage of themselves and therefore it needes some explanation because it is a figurative speech Now it is discerned by these foure things First See what way a man chooseth to walke in If a man by accident happeneth to fall into some by-path where lies not his journy that way is not of his choosing hee is not said to walke in that way Psal. 119. 30. There David saith I have chosen the way of truth thy iudgements have I laid before me His meaning is when hee did wholly consider what journie to take then hee fell into Gods path and went in his waies this was his resolution If then after consideration thou hast a full purpose and inward resolution to go in the paths of righteousnesse thou walkest right 2 See what way thou goest forward in for that way thou walkest in if a man choose a way and goe not on in that way it is nothing David Psal. 119. 32. saies I will runne the way of thy commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart But many are here deceived they thinke they have chosen the waies of God and yet go on in the waies of sinne if they would walke aright they must hold on the paths of goodnesse 3 See what companions and guides you choose for your journie if thou professe thou hast chosen the waies of God and yet dost delight in the same sinfull pleasures thou didest desire thou maiest say what thou wilt but certein it is that thou art the same man thou wert for Davids resolution when hee walked in this path was quite contrary he saies Away from me yee that worke iniquitie for I will now keepe the commandements of my God And this is laid downe in the Text if therefore wee follow the same guides the world the flesh and the divell wee still go wrong and are not yet in the right way 4 See what provision thou makest for the place before thou come thither See whether thou seekest God or the divell A man that is to travell into Italy or any other country to trafficke there will be sure to provide afore hand for his journie doe thou likewise see for what country thou bringest exchange for if thou laist out all here for heaven it is a signe thou art travelling thither but if wee will make shipwracke of a good conscience and all our care is to gaine here it is a plaine signe we walke not aright and that wee mind nothing lesse than heaven Now thus much for the meaning of walking The uses follow 1 This should be a triall for us to examine ourselves whether wee be living men or no for if we be living then we walke and if wee walke then wee are to see whether we walke in the right way or not for this is the scope of the Aposte here Now this we may know by that place Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit his meaning is by this yee shall know whether ye are in Christ Jesus or not if ye are in Christ yee walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit This is a sure place of triall and a true touchstone And this triall is very necessarie for us because that men live in the Church as corne lies in the barne after it is thresht in the floore It is called corne from the more worthy part and that rightly yet there is more chaffe than corne in the heap and therefore it is necessary that the fanne should come and discerne the chaffe from the true corne so in the Church there is need of the fanne also to winnow the good corne from the chaffe Let men therefore by these two rules examine themselves 1 See if it be a knowne sinne 2 See if you continue in any sinne 1 See if it be a knowne sinne A good man may continue in sinne and yet be perfect before God if hee know it not to be a sinne as the Patriarkes lay in polygamie yet it was not acounted of before God because they knew it not to be a sinne There were many good Kings continued in it but if they had knowne it to be a sinne they would have forsaken it and therefore for all that they are said to serve God As for example a good subject may be said to be obedient to his Prince when it may be he doeth not that which at that time is his Princes will because that if he knew what were his Princes will he would doe it but if a man willingly commits treason he cannot be said to be a faithfull subject so he that sinnes against knowledge cannot be a good man 2 See if thy sinne be continued in It is the continuance in sin that makes thee the in estate of condemnation if it be a knowne sin a man fals into yet if he continue not therin this is no argument against him for the godliest man upon occasion may fall but such a man is not himselfe Hence is that saying He was not himselfe when hee did it But as for those that make a common trade of sinning they cannot say but that they are themselves in the cōmitting thereof In the godly as Paul said Rom. 7. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in mee It is not they but sinne that still remaineth in them yet the sinne though it be in them after their regeneration yet it hath no possession as it had before Take heed therefore that although thou hast the same occasions offered thee as before thou haddest yet thou dost not continue in it but totally absteine therefrom for a wicked man may a great while even a whole yeer absteine from some sin and yet be said to lie in it because that if he had the same occasions offered as before he had he would have committed the same sinne as before hee did Let every man therefore looke backe unto his owne heart and consider with himselfe whether he is not the same man he was some had their delight in covetousnesse some in pleasure some in preferment some in credit examin now your selves and see whether thou dost not delight in the same things still see if thou dost not continue still in them and c̄omit them usually and so judge of it accordingly But here men may make many evasions and find many doubts that it is no knowne sin that they lie not in it and the like Therefore to the end I may make it plaine I will reduce all to these five heads The first question shall be this when it is a knowne sinne for the hypocrite will be ready to find an evasion about this as for the breaking of the Sabbath for covetousnesse and the like they will say they are no
sinnes how shall they know they are sinnes To this I answer the sparkes of conscience will glow in the midst of this darknesse that will grudge at that sin and then be sure it is a knowne sin though it doe but whisper against it If therefore thy conscience tells thee that such and such things are naught and to be avoided although it may be for a time thou maiest keepe downe thy conscience and sufferest it not to speake out for the noise thy lusts make yet when thou shalt come to lie upon thy death-bed and at the last day when thou shalt appeare before God in judgement then for certaine shalt thou find these to be sins and that to thy cost Thou now wilt be ready to say some thing and put away thy sin from thee but that will not serve the turne harken therefore now to thy conscience and see whether that doth not tell thee such and such things are sinfull Here it may be demanded A godly man sometimes may have a scruple in conscience whether he is to doe such or such things now therefore wherein lies the difference betweene the scruple of the godly and ignorance of the wicked To this I answer Indeed there is a great difference betweene the scruple of the godly and the ignorance that is in the wicked and the murmuring and accusing of a guilty conscience There are three signes whereby they may be discerned 1 For the guilty conscience when he lies in a knowne sin and his conscience tells him it is a sin he makes no inquiry after it but he findes such a sweetnesse in it that his heart is ingaged to it he cannot speake against it nay he resolves to sin yea and whensoever he is reproved for it he is very angry But on the contrary side for him that hath a scruple in conscience might he but be informed of it that it were a sinne hee would fain know it and with all his heart leave it Therefore he doth but inquire and labour by all meanes to know if it be a sin and no sooner doth he know it to be a sin but he forsaketh it 2 Thou maiest discerne of it by the subject matter of their scruple if it be a hard knot and question then it may be in a good man and such an one should gather the soundest and best reasons and see what side is most probable and that he must follow But on the contrary side if it be an easie matter of morality then thou art the more to be suspected for the morall law is ingrafted into our hearts For an instance if it be about the neglect of the Sabbath or about company keeping and the like the conscience that is a virgin and never will be corrupted that will tell thee these things and perswade thee of them Indeede sometimes thou maiest have a seared conscience past feeling and then when once thy conscience hath done telling of thee then thou art in a pittifull case 3 Thou maiest discerne of them by the rest of their actions if they have a good conscience they will be troubled about that and the rest of their life will be good but thou maiest quickly gather whether it be a raging sin or no for then they will doe all things on the other side and one known sin drawes on another and the falsenesse of their hearts will be discerned in other things also for one raigning sin is like to a disease that weakneth all the faculties of the body for even so that weakneth all the faculties of the soule And so much of the first question The second question is this he that is a carnall man may say I doe many good things as well as others and although I doe sometime sin yet I allow not my selfe therein and what can a godly man doe or say more To this I answer Godly men and wicked may goe farre together but in themselves they differ much Therefore first I will shew how farre they may be said to agree and differ and secondly how they may be discerned 1. In these things they agree and differ First both may agree in the way and yet differ in the end their journeies end may be 2. several places for the end of all that a godly man doth is the glory of God but the good which a wicked man doth is either out of some present feare or hope or flashes of conscience or for som by-respects so that in al he aimes most at his owne profit it proceedeth not from the inward man a new regenerated heart as it doth in the godly for example suppose a man travelling and by chance fall into London road because it is coincident with his way and not because his journey lies to London but only for that is his readiest and perhaps cleanest way now wee cannot say that man tends to London for all that because here the denomination is taken from the utmost end of his journy 2. They both agree and differ for the disapproving of evill I know that this may be in the wicked a disapproving of evil as well as in the godly wherefore we are to know that there is a twofold disapproving of evill 1. That that ariseth from a principle nature in conscience 2. From a true principle of regeneration If thy disallowing of sin doth but arise from a naturall conscience that is nothing But if it be from a principle of regeneratiō that is from a new disposition that is wrought in us if from it we disallow sin our case is good But now the signes whereby we shall discerne betweene these two are three The first signe is this if thou dost disallow thy selfe in sinne from a new principle of regeneration thou wilt absteine from sin with delight and settle upon goodnesse as a stone or any other heavy thing rests in its centre for working with a habit is working with delight when a man sets himselfe against sin with all might and maine then it is a true signe But now for the naturall conscience let him be but out of his old company he is out of his element whatsoever good thing he doth lie doth it not with the whole bent of his spirit but it seemes tedious unto him The second signe whereby you may discerne the natural conscience is sin if he loveth those that continue in such sins as he doth if he be a drunkard he doth delight in drunkards if a gamester he doth delight in gamesters for he never comes to the contrary grace but hath pleasure in them that commit the same sins But the regenerate man hee that hath a heart changed his heart riseth against such men Therefore Rom. 1. 32. it is said Who knowing the iudgement of God that they which cōmit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but have pleasure in them that doe them If this is