may take notice thereof labour to attaine to the knowledge and assurance of it being a truth so important and comfortable Secondly if we doe not know that the Spirit dwelleth in vs we cannot know that we haue any part in Christ and consequently that we are true Christians seeing the holy Spirit is the principall bond of the vnion betweene him and vs by which he dwelleth in vs and wee in him Thirdly if we doe not know that the Spirit dwelleth in vs we cannot know that wee are iustified for wee haue nothing to doe with Christs righteousnesse in which we stand righteous before God till by our spirituall vnion he is made ours whereby we haue right and interest in all his benefits wee cannot know that wee are adopted the children of God vnlesse we know that wee haue the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Nor that we are sanctified vnlesse wee haue the sanctifying spirit which is the beginner and perfecter of all our holinesse nor that our prayers are heard of God seeing of our selues we know not how to pray as we ought but it is the spirit of supplication which helpeth our infirmities and teacheth vs to pray with sighes and grones which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. 26. Iam. 4. 3. Neither doth the Lord heare any prayers but such as the Spirit inspireth because such only are according to his will And when without his helpe wee pray Wee aske and receiue not because wee aske amisse as the Apostle speaketh Fourthly vnlesse we know that wee haue the Spirit wee Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 14. 26. cannot know whether we are in errour or truth or whether our Religion which we professe bee true or false because he is the spirit of illumination who onely inlighteneth vs and teacheth and leadeth vs in all truth Now how shall he shew vs other things so as we may know that hee sheweth them if he doe not shew vs himselfe and make it knowne vnto vs that he dwelleth in vs and teacheth vs Fiftly if we be not assured that he is in vs wee can haue no sound comfort because hee is the onely true comforter from whom all sound comfort springeth and all other comforts of which he is not the author are false vngrounded and meere delusions Lastly wee must labour after the knowledge 2 Cor. 13. 5. of the fruits of the spirit dwelling in vs as that wee haue faith and that Christ dwelleth in vs and therefore we must also be assured that we haue the tree and roote for the effect argueth his cause as well as the cause his effect and not to know that wee haue the spirit is not to know that we haue any grace § Sect. 2. The first infallible signe is the ministery and meanes by which it hath bene wrought in vs. Now we may know whether the spirit of God be in vs or no First by the ministerie and meanes which it vieth to make entrance and to take possession of vs the which is the ministerie of the Word of God For when the flesh with the lusts thereof are somewhat amazed and affrighted with the canon shot of legall threatnings making as it were a large breach into the heart and conscience and the trumpet of the Gospell soundeth offering remission of sin and eternall saluation to all that beleeue and repent then this victorious captaine maketh his entrance assaulteth the flesh and driueth it into corners taking possession of all for Gods vse the great Monarch of heauen and earth And this the Apostle sheweth where he saith that the Galathians Gal. 3. 2. receiued the spirit not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith that is the doctrin of faith contained in the Gospel of Iesus Christ Whereof it is that the Ministers of the New Testament are by him called the ministers of the 2 Cor. 3. 6. spirit because by their preaching they prepare the way for the spirit as Iohn the Baptist for Iesus Christ and are as it were his harbingers to take vp a lodging for him in our hearts and soules So that wee may discerne the spirit by the meanes whereby it entreth which is not by dreames and extraordinarie reuelations for this is the fanaticall spirit of Anabaptists and Familists nor by the preaching of the law onely For he commeth not in this great strong 1 King 19. 11. 12. winde that rents the Mountaines and breakes in pieces the Rockes nor in this earthquake which shaketh the foundations of mans heart nor in this fire which consumeth all sinners that come in the way of it But when these haue gone before like a peale of Canons that giue warning of the comming of this mighty Prince then the still voice of the Gospell is vttered by the Ambassadours and Heralds of the great King and with it hee entreth and scateth himselfe in our hearts as it were vpon his royall throne § Sect. 3 The second signe is the effects and fruits of the spirit 1 by the nature of the gifts in vs we may discerne the spirit Secondly we may know whether the spirit dwelleth in vs and fighteth against the flesh by the effects and fruits of it And first generally by the nature of the things wrought in vs and then by their constancie and continuance For if the gifts and endowments which we haue be but meerely naturall or such as may be attained vnto by our owne art industrie and indeauours then are they no infallible notes of Gods sanctifying spirit or sauing graces dwelling in vs the which are supernaturall diuine and sent downe as it were from heauen into vs. Whereof it is that the Apostle opposeth this spirit of God and that which is in worldly men the one against the other Wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God And a little after the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. 14 of God Againe if they be but the common gifts of the Spirit as meerely Morall vertues and restraining graces which are common to ciuill worldlings and haue beene also in many Heathens and honest infidels then cannot we by them gather any assurance that the sanctifying spirit dwelleth and warreth in vs against the flesh onely there is a fight betweene conscience and affections vice is curbed and ouer-ruled by vice and one corrupt facultie by an other of the same kinde §. Sect. 4. The graces of the spirit may be knowne by their constant continuall actions and operations Secondly the spirit and the sauing graces thereof are constant and continuall in their actions and operations dayly more and more mortifying and subduing the flesh and carnall corruptions and inciting vs vnto all Christian and holy duties like the sunne which from the rising shineth still more gloriously vntill noone day or a liuely fountaine which continually springeth and sendeth forth
true iustifying faith maketh vs to reioyce when as wee thinke of the appearing of our Sauiour Christ vnto iudgement and euen to long for this time as being the day of our full redemption when both in body and soule wee shall be freed from all sinne and misery and enioy all glory and endlesse happinesse according to that of our Sauiour When these things beginne to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nigh And so the Apostle saith that we which haue receiued the first fruites Luk. 21. 28. Rom. 8. 23. of the spirit euen we our selues groane within our selues waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body The which ioy in thinking on this day and mourning because it is deferred commeth through our assurance of faith and confidence of hope For therefore doe we desire to leaue 2 Cor. 5. 1. 7. Gal. 5. 5. this world and to be dissolued because we knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God a house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens and because through the spirit wee waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith But no such ioy or longing accompanieth the faith of temporaries because they haue no such assurance of this happinesse and are besides so besotted with the loue of worldly things that they cannot without terrour and amazement thinke of that day which when it commeth will wholly depriue them of all their earthly ioy § Sect. 19. The 3 effect is the spirit of adoption A third effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is to perswade and assure vs that we are the children of God and to entitle vs as heyres to our heauenly inheritance the which is a priuiledge and prerogatiue that belongeth to all the faithfull and to them alone according to that of the Euangelist But as many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to Ioh. 1. 12. become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And this is an vndoubted fruit of the spirit as the apostle witnesseth For yee haue not saith hee receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee haue receiued the spirit Rom. 8. 15. 16. Gal. 4. 6. of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirit that wee are the children of God and if children then heyres heyres of God and ioynt heyres with Christ And againe Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father In which regard the spirit of God dwelling in vs 2 Cor. 5. 5. is called the spirit of adoption which doeth not giue vnto vs a doubtfull testimony of this inestimable priuiledge but certainely assureth vs that it doeth belong vnto vs. In which regard it is called an earnest which God therefore Eph. 1. 14. giueth vs to put vs out of all doubt that he wil make good this heauenly bargaine which hee hath promised vnto vs. Which is saith the Apostle the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession And in the same respect it is called a seale which by the powerfull impression that it imprinteth in vs assureth vs that God will make good vnto vs the promise of grace and saluation in Iesus Christ So the Apostle saith In whom also after ye beleeued yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise And Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. grieue not the holy spirit of God whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of redemption If therefore by this earnest and seale we haue attained vnto this assurance of our adoption and right vnto our heauenly inheritance we may be assured also that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs for the cause and the effect cannot be seuered and our assurance of our heauenly bargaine doeth plainely argue that we haue receiued this earnest and seale by which alone it is confirmed vnto vs. But that we may not be deceiued with a false and counterfeite seale let vs remember that this seale onely is annexed vnto the couenant of grace which requireth on our part the condition of faith and repentance and as it is Gods priuy seale according to that the Lord knoweth them that are his so there is a broade seale ioyned with it let euery 2 Tim. 2. 19. one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity and therefore those who liue in their infidelity and impenitency haue not receiued this seale for what haue they to doe with the seale to whom the couenant doeth not appertaine § Sect 20. The fourth effect is the spirit of supplication A fourth effect of the spirit is to enable vs vnto prayer and to powre forth our soules vnto God in such an acceptable manner as that our suites and petitions are hard and graunted by him whereof it is called by the Prophet Zachary the spirit of grace and supplication which the Lord promiseth to power vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants Zach. 12. 10. of Ierusalam that is all the true members of the inuisible Church militant here on earth So the Apostle plainly Rom. 8. 26. telleth vs that we know not for what to pray as we ought but it is the spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession Iud. ver 20. for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered And therefore the Apostle Iude knowing our insufficiencie in our selues to performe this duty doeth exhort vs to pray in the holy Ghost Whereby it appeareth that the spirit of God dwelleth in all those who in the sight and sense of their owne spirituall wants doe powre foorth their hearts and soules vnto God in prayer with faith and feruency of spirit which properties I require in that prayer which assureth vs that the spirit dwelleth in vs and not ability on the sudden vpon euery occasion to conceiue a prayer and to vtter it in eloquence of words choyse phrases or a continued ready discourse of speach For it is not saide that the spirit teacheth vs wordes and fluent phrases but to pray in the heart and spirit with sighes and groanes which cannot bee vttered which language God that searcheth the heart vnderstandeth and accepteth as the Apostle speaketh yea being a spirit and requiring to be worshipped in spirit and Rom. 8. 27. Ioh. 4. 24 trueth hee esteemeth not the most eloquent prayers conceiued and vttered without this sight of our wants zeale and feruency of spirit and contrariwise where these are he heareth and granteth our fuites supplications though with Ezechias we are not able to expresse them but chatter like a Crawe or Swallow or with Hannah onely moue our Esa 38. 14. lippes yea in trueth though wee should not so much as moue them so that with her wee speake vnto him in our 1 Sam. 1. 13. hearts Neither hath the Lord promised that he
of nature which was to bee purged away not onely in the body which here is signified by flesh but also in the soule which is here vnderstood by the Spirit So Ephe. 2. 3. Among whom saith he also wee all had our Ephes 2. 3. conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde And Rom. 8. 8. hee telleth Chrysost in Rom. 8. Ser. 13. Rom. 8. 8. vs that they who are in the flesh cannot please God Where by flesh we cannot vnderstand the body for then the seruants of God could not please him in this life but the corruption of nature with which our bodies and soules are defiled till they be renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth this place What then saith he shall we destroy our owne bodies and so goe out of the flesh that wee may please God Doest thou command vs to bee murtherers when as thou pretendest to draw vs vnto vertue Ye see what absurdities doe hence arise if these things be simply and literally vnderstood But by flesh here he meaneth not the body or bodily essence but a worldly and carnall life addicted to wantonnesse and voluptuous pleasures which make the whole man to become flesh For as they who are led by Gods spirit haue also their bodies made spirituall so they who are led by the flesh and are addicted to carnall delights they make their soules to become fleshly and carnall not by changing the essence and substance but by spoiling it of true nobilitie And this manner of speaking is vsed in the Old Testament where the flesh signifieth that grosse and earthy life which is filthily intangled in all absurd pleasures For God saith to Noah my spirit shall not stay with these men because they are flesh And yet Noah himselfe was clothed and encompassed with the garment of flesh but this was not the fault that offended God to be compassed with flesh because this was the worke of nature but in that they had made choise of a carnall and sensuall life And therefore Paul saith They who are in the flesh cannot please God and also addeth But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit not vnderstanding simply the substance of the flesh for so they were in it to whom hee writeth but such a flesh which is drawne and oppressed with lusts and passions Euen as the like speech of our Sauiour is to be vnderstood but you are not of the world not because they had not their habitation in the world but because they were not defiled with worldly malitiousnesse And afterwards more fully expounding those words You are not in the flesh but in the spirit What then saith he were they not in the flesh and did they goe about without bodies What sense or reason were in such a speech And therefore you see that he meaneth by flesh a Ambros de fide resurect To. 3. fleshly life And thus also Ambrose expoundeth this place The Apostle saith he by denying those to be in the flesh whom it is manifest to haue been in the flesh did not condemne in them the substance of flesh but their sinnes and sinfull corruptions that is the workes of the flesh §. Sect. 2. Other testimonies to proue the former poynt And vnto these testimonies of Scripture many more might be added As Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled So the Apostle saith that the wisedome or a Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minding of the flesh is emnitie against God and that the b Col. 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minde as well as the bodie is fleshly And thus he exhorteth the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of their mindes thereby implying that not onely the body and sensitiue faculties are naturally corrupted but c Eph. 4. 23 also the minde the chiefe part of man and hereof the spirit that is the prime vigour and chiefe faculty of the minde For what needeth any renouation if there were not in them the taynture of their old corruption So Rom. 12. 2. And be Rom. 12. 2. not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minde that you may proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Whereby hee implyeth that naturally they were corrupted euen in the vnderstanding part and ignorant of the will of God till they were renewed and inlightned by the Spirit of God which renouation is not finished at once but by little and little euen to the end of life according to that 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Againe where the Apostle prayeth vnto God that the mindes of the faithfull might be renewed he plainely intimateth that they were by nature corrupt and sinfull And thus he prayeth that the faithfull Thessalonians might be sanctified 1 Thes 5. 23. wholly and that their whole spirit and soule and body might be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And that the Ephesians might haue the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him and that the eyes of their vnderstanding being in lightned they might know what was the hope of their Calling c. Of which prayers they had great neede seeing as the Apostle testifieth of them they together with the rest of the Gentiles had their vnderstandings Eph. 4. 18. darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Ephes 4. 18. Finally the Apostle plainely determineth this question whereas hee saith that the enemies with whom wee wrastle in this Christian Warfare are not flesh and bloud but spirituall wickednesses euen the wicked spirit the world and our owne corruption §. Sect. 3. Reasons to proue that the body only is not the flesh The first taken from the names that are giuen vnto it Vnto these testimonies of Scripture wee may adde many reasons to proue that by the flesh wee are not onely to vnderstand the bodie and the sensitiue faculties or the corruption of them both but the sinne and pollution which hath ouerspread the whole man soule and body First because the names in the scriptures which are giuen to the flesh doe intimate thus much for it is called the old Adam and the old man which consist as well of a reasonable soule as of a Omne peccatum Caro dicitur Ambr in Eph. ◠Ezech. 18. 4. naturall body It is called sinne according to that of Ambrose All sinne is called the flesh and the soule sinneth as well as the body as the Prophet implyeth where hee saith that the soule that sinneth shall dye It is called the euill concupiscence and the act of lusting belongeth to the
The which danger is much aggrauated in that he doth not professe his emnity but is in outward shew a familiar friend vvho eateth drinketh and sleepeth with vs it maketh shew of loue but indeede mortally hateth vs it is like an helper but is in truth our greatest Aduersarie and like Sanballat and Tobiah it offereth his paines in building the wals of our Citie which may repulse forraigne forces when as it intendeth nothing but our ruine and to betray vs into the power of outward enemies For no sooner doth Sathan and the world besiege and assault vs with their tentations but presently it ioyneth with them and being acquainted with all our counsailes it reuealeth vnto them our secrets euen our hidden thoughts and vnknowne desires and like a wicked Dalilah hauing by treacherous flattery vndermined vs it discouereth to these cursed Philistims where our chiefe strength lyeth yea it secretly openeth the gates of our hearts and not onely letteth in all their forces but as soone as they are entred ioyneth with them and laying violent hands on the spirituall man it laboureth all it may to captiuate and destroy him And therfore the wilye red Dragon neuer maketh warre against vs vntill he be assured first of these inbred traytors and carnall Hic est qui manus nostras proprio cuigulo alligat et baculo nostro nos caedit Bernard ibid. aydes And as one saith it is his policie to binde vs alwaies with our owne girdle and to ouercome and beat vs with our owne staffe Yea not onely doth the flesh dwell and co-inhabite with vs but it also adhereth and inseparably cleaueth vnto vs as being a part and the greater part of our selues Whereby the dangerousnes of this enemy appeareth for the warre which it maketh against the new and spirituall man is not onely ciuill and domesticall which notwithstanding is much more perilous and terrible then that which is forraigne but without any metaphor properly and truely intestine and as it were in our owne bowels Besides this combate betweene them is fought in a place of great disaduantage namely this world where the worser Brande quidem periculum est et grauis lucta adusus domesticum hostem c Bernard de Quadri serm 5. parts hath many friends and strong aydes euen millions of wicked men and whole legions of Diuels and contrariwise the better part hath few friends and many enemies Great surely saith one is the danger and the conflict sore and grieuous against an enemie so domestique especially seeing wee are strangers and he a citizen hee inhabiteth his owne countrey and we here are exiles and strangers Yea in truth this warre is more intestiue then that vvhich was betweene Rebecca her twins For not onely doth here one person fight against another nor as some would haue it the body against the soule of the same man nor yet one faculty alone against another of a different nature the sensitiue against the reasonable and the will affections against the iudgement and conscience but also the selfe-same faculties against themselues reason against reason will against will the same affection against the same loue against loue feare against feare and hope against hope In which respect this fight with our flesh is much more dangerous then our fight with Sathan himselfe for though hee be sometime yea often neere vs yet not alwaies and when he is neerest hee is not alike neere as our owne flesh which adhereth to euery part and faculty of body and soule Though he casteth into our hearts and mindes the fiery darts of his tentations yet if we catch them vpon and quench them with the shield of faith they will not hurt vs. Yea though he buckle and close with vs yet if the Spirit of God dwelling in vs resist this foule spirit he will flie away at least for a season and wee Luk. 4. 13. shall be rid of his noysome company but our flesh and carnall corruptions inseparably cleaue vnto vs and though they be neuer so often ouercome by fasting prayer watchings and such like spirituall exercises yet as long as we liue we cannot be quite rid of them nor wholly subdue them and an hilate their strength but after they seeme to be withered they will againe flourish after they are weakened they will recouer strength after they seeme to languish with age they will regaine their youthfull vigour yea when in outward shew they appeare mortified and quite dead they will againe reuiue and standing stoutly in their strength they will re enforce the fight against vs. § Sect 2. That the daungerousnes of this enemie is much increased by reason of this cohabitation From whence it may plainely appeare how exceeding dangerous the flesh with the lusts thereof are vnto vs seeing they are enemies not onely strong and subtle but alwayes hard at hand not onely besieging and besetting vs but euen dwelling with and in vs. Whereby they haue no small aduantage against vs for neuer leauing but adhering and cleauing vnto vs in all places and at all times they are ready to vvatch all occasions and to take all opportunities of doing vs mischiefe laying traps and snares for vs in all our enterprises For doe vve vndertake the performance of holy and religious duties Why then they dogge and follow vs to the exercises and distract vs with vvorldly cogitations and wandring thoughts and oppresse our mindes with dulnesse drowsinesse and carnall wearinesse Are vve imployed in the duties of our callings They vvill make vs negligent and lazie and carrie vs away vvith carnall pleasures or so wholly and earnestly intent on them that vve shall spare no time for Gods seruice nor for the inriching of our soules vvith spirituall treasures Doe vve eate and drink to relieue and sustaine our bodies They are ready to make our tables snares turning sufficiencie into superfluitie and necessary foode into excesse and belly-cheare surfetting and drunkennesse where the soule and spirits are so oppressed that they are vtterly vnfit for any Christian duties Doe we intend to refresh our selues vvith honest recreations They doe attend and waite on vs mouing vs to consume a great part of our time in them which should be allotted to better exercises and euen to spend our strength and spirits in the immoderate vse of them whereby instead of being refreshed and cheared vve are disabled and made vtterly vnfit for the duties of Christianitie and of our callings and are so vvholly taken vp in the meanes that vve neglect the maine ends for vvhich we vse them Yea doe we after our labours betake our selues to our rest When vve locke our chamber doores vve cannot shut out these enemies but vvhether we vvill or no they vvill be our bedfellowes and are alwayes ready at our lying downe to distract vs from any good meditations or serious examination of vvhat we haue done or omitted the day past to fill our mindes with vaine dreames and vvicked imaginations and to
is likened to a filthy harlot which by her alluring baytes inticeth to commit folly with her vpon which followeth the conception and birth of sinne and death And our Sauiour Christ telleth I am 1. 14. 15. vs that from within euen in the heart that is the sinnefull Mat 14. 18. 19. flesh and naturall corruption which chiefely resideth in the heart proceede euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers thefts couetousnes wickednesse deceipt lasciuiousnes an euill eye blasphemy pride foolishnesse c. Contrary to this is the lusting of the spirit which endeauoureth to stirre vp perseuer good motions inclinations in vs as good meditations in the mind good resolutions in the will good desires and affections in the heart which are conformable and agreeable to the holy will and word of God Thus the Apostle Iohn saith that we haue receiued an vnction from 1 Ioh. 2. 10. the holy one whereby wee knowe all things And Saint Paul exhorteth vs not to quench the spirit that is the good motions which arise from it as it were sparkes from the fire So Dauid I will blesse the Lord who hath giuen mee 1 Thes 5. 19. Psal 16. 7. counsell my raynes also instruct me in the night season that is those sweete meditations and motions which the spirit secretly in the night season putteth into our mindes and hearts And the Prophet Esay saith that the eares of the faithfull shall heare a voyce behinde them saying This is the Esa 30. 21. way walke yee in it when they turned to the right hand and when they turned to the left Which is to be vnderstood not onely of the voyce of Gods Ministers outwardly speaking vnto vs in the ministery of the word but also of the voyce of the spirit secretly by the good motions thereof leading vs into all truth For so our Sauiour accordingly promiseth that hee would send his spirit the comforter who should conuince the world of sinne righteousnesse and iudgement and that when hee was come hee should leade the faithfull into all trueth and reueale vnto them things to Ioh. 16. 8. 13. come § Sect. 6. The second many end at which the flesh aymeth in lusting against the spirit The second maine thing at which the flesh aymeth in this conflict is either to represse and smother the good motions and inclinations which the spirit exciteth and stirreth vp in vs or else to poyson and corrupt them that they may become vnprofitable and turned into sinne So when the spirit moueth vs to performe some good duty of Gods seruice of iustice or mercy it will labour to quench this motion and to withdrawe vs from it either by alluring vs vtterly to neglect it and to spend our time rather in pursuing worldly vanities or by perswading vs that there is such difficultie in it that wee shall not bee possibly able to compasse and atchieue it or if we doe that it will not bee worth our labour or finally by intycing vs to deferre and delay it because we may be fitter or haue better opportunitie to performe it hereafter then at this present in which respect the Apostle saith that through this opposite lusting of the flesh we cannot doe the good we would But if it cannot Gal. 5. 17. perswade vs either vtterly to neglect the duties of Gods seruice which he commaundeth or to deferre them till we get some better opportunity then it will endeauour to inturrupt and distract vs in them and to staine them with our corruptions and imperfections that they may not bee acceptable As when we set our selues to pray or heare the word it will put into our mindes worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts that so we may not intende these holy exercises or else oppresse our hearts with drowsie dulnesse deadnesse of spirit and carnall wearinesse so as we cannot performe them with any chearefulnesse And of this the Apostle complaineth namely that when he delighted in the lawe of God in the inner man he sawe another lawe in his members Rom. 7. 22. 23. warring against the lawe of his minde and bringing him into captiuitie to the lawe of sinne which was in his members Esa 64. 6. And this is the cause why our best righteousnesse becommeth like a menstrous cloth and why our best prayers neede to be perfumed with the sweete odours of Christs intercession before they can ascend vnto God and become sweete incense in his nostrils § Sect. 7. The ends at which the spirit aymeth in lusting against the flesh Contrariwise the spirit laboureth and endeauoueeth to suppresse and subdue those euill motions which the flesh rayseth in vs and still moueth vs to take the first and best opportunities of seruing God and doing his will So also it purifieth our hearts by faith from all our sinnefull corruptions and maketh vs to labour and striue against our infirmities and imperfections that wee may with feruency of spirit and chearefulnesse of heart performe all holy service vnto God and when in these our endeauours wee come short of our desires through this sinfull flesh which doth so easily encompasse vs it moueth vs to bewaile our imperfections Hhb 12. 1. and still more and more to labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto more perfection as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul who kept vnder this body of corruption beating it as it were blacke and blewe that he might hold it with the lusts thereof in subiection whereof when hee fayled and was 1 Cor. 9. 27. Rom. 7. 23. 24. either hindred from doing good or led captiue vnto sinne he makes lamentable complaints of these rebellious lustes and not contenting himselfe with that portion of grace and godlinesse vnto which hee had attained hee forgate what was past and still did labour and striue to attaine vnto Phil. 3. 12. more perfection And thus the spirit mastereth and subdueth the flesh so as it cannot haue full libertie and take it full swinge in sinne as it desireth according to that of the Apostle Whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not commit sinne for his 1 Ioh 3. 9. seede remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne namely like the vnregenerate with full swing and consent of will because he is borne of God CHAP. V. Of the manner of the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit in our seuerall faculties and parts § Sect. 1. The conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the minde BVt let vs descend to some particulars and consider the maner of this fight betweene the flesh and the spirit in our seuerall faculties and parts And that both the superiour and inferiour faculties In the superiour as both the minde and the will whether we consider them seuerally or ioyntly Concerning the former the minde of the faithfull being but in part renewed and regenerate the reliques Est mihi mens duplex altera bona et boni sequax at
man regenerate with more care and diligence to obserue his owne heart and more conscionably to watch ouer all his wayes that hee giue no aduantage to his sinfull flesh It causeth him studiously to affect and earnestly to endeauour in the vse of all good meanes whereby the spirituall part may be more and more strengthened and the flesh with all carnall lustes may be mortified and subdued that so it may not rebell and gather strength to preuaile against it as wee see in the example of the Apostle But the conflict of conscience 1 Cor. 9. 27 is commonly ioyned with secure retchlesnesse whereby the vnregenerate man doeth car lesly neglct the causes and occasions of this bitter conflict vntill he be ouertaken with them and onely auoideth the punishment and not the sinne which causeth it oâ— the sinne onely when hee is sensible of the punishment it worketh in him no care to mortifie his sinnes vnlesse it bee onely in outward fact and that alone for seruile feare of paine and smart and not in loue and obedience vnto God yea still he loueth them as his dearest darlings and when he dare not giue them place and entertainment in his workes and actions as it were in his outward roomes he secretly lodgeth them in his heart as in his secrete closet or priuate chamber It doeth not make him vse any meanes to subdue his flesh and mortifie his corruptions yea rather it bringeth him into a sluggish despaire which maketh him to cry out that there is a Lyon in the streete to starue his soule because hee will not take paines to plucke his hand out of his bosome and put it to his mouth to stop his eares against all good counsel and to harden his heart against all instruction 〈…〉 exhortation whereby he is taught the way wh 〈…〉 may come out of his misery or is incited and stirred vp to walke in it complaining that all these meanes are vnto him vselesse and bootelesse seeing he is already irrecouerably plunged into a desperate condition Or else if he vse at all the meanes of his recouery it is onely inhypocrisie not with a desire to profite by them but onely to stop the cry of conscience vpon this perswasion that God will bee contented with this formall seruice notwithstanding that he still goeth on in his wicked courses § Sect. 8. The first difference is in the subiect matter or occasion The fift difference is the subiect matter or occasion about which these conflicts are made by these diuers enemies For the Flesh and the Spirit doe in all things oppose against one another the spirit the flesh in all that is euill the flesh the spirit in all that is good For there is no good action which the spirituall man performeth but the flesh interposing hindreth and interrupteth him as in prayer hearing the word receiuing the sacrament sanctification of the Sabbath the workes of iustice and mercie temperance and sobrietie sometime wholly withdrawing him from them and sometime distracting and disabling him in them which maketh him to complaine with the Apostle To will is present with me but I finde not how to performe that which is good For I finde a law that when I would doe good euill is present Rom. 7. 18 21. with me the which is to be vnderstood not only of particular actions but also of our whole life and conuersatition And contrariwise there is no euill knowne to the spirit and done by the flesh wherein the spirit doth not crosse and oppose it no not those sinnes which by carnall men are thought sleight and veniall either hindering and restraining the regenerate man that hee may not fall into it or mouing him being fallen to rise againe by vnfained repentance But the conflict of conscience extendeth not to the whole course of life but onely to some particular actions and yeelding vnto the will and affections in lesser common and ordinarie sinnes it onely con 〈…〉 h with them about the committing of such sinnes as 〈…〉 â—nd outragious and especially those which are against the second Table not so much regarding or restraining them in those which are committed against the first § Sect. 9 The last differeÌ„ce is in respect of time The last difference betweene these diuers conflicts is in respect of time for the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit beginneth at the time of our regeneration conuersion and not before and being begunne it is constant and continuall to the very end of our liues though it may haue some intermissions in respect of our sense and feeling as when the spirit through the thicke vapour of corruption raised by the flesh is cast into a slumber or by some mighty blowe wounding the conscience astonishing the senses and hardening the heart is as it were cast into a sowne and hath no signes of spirituall life remaining in it out of which it alwayes recouereth being excited and reenlyued by Gods quickening spirit But the combate of conscience doth begin oftentimes long before conuersion euen as soone as we haue the vse of reason and vnderstanding receiuing common notions from the light of nature but it is neither constant and continuall but onely by panges and fits vpon the occasion of some grieuous sinne already acted or about to be committed nor yet alwayes permanent and lasting to the end of life seeing oftentimes by customable sinning the conscience becommeth so deadded and seared that it taketh no notice of sin nor opposeth against the will and affections but as it were casteth the reines in their necke neuer at all checking or curbing them in but suffering them to runne on in an headlong course vnto the committing of all manner of wickednesse CHAP. IX That the Conflict of Conscience is not in all that are vnregenerate nor in them onely § Sect. 1 That no comfort arisetth out of the conflict of conscience AND thus we haue shewed the many differences betweene the combate of the flesh and spirit and of the conscience and affections Whereby it is plaine that as the former giueth vnto vs comfortable assurance of our regeneration adoption and saluation so there can no such hope arise from the other For as we see it may be and most commonly is in the wicked and reprobate it hath no reference to God nor springeth from faith loue filiall feare and obedience but from carnall selfe-loue and seruile feare of iudgement and punishment not from any dislike of sinne the which the wicked in the hottest of this conflict doe loue with all their heart but onely because they desire to auoide the punishment like vnto children whose teeth water when they seâ— lâ—â—â—rous meates but yet dare not touch them for feare of the rod. An example whereof we haue in Balaam who with all is heart would haue sinned in cursing Gods people that hee might haue gained the reward of vnrighteousnesse but yet durst not doe it for Balaacs kingdome because he was affraid to
that euery branch that beareth fruite shall be purged that it may bring forth more fruite How bee it they may as I haue saide seemingly loose those graces which they keepe in trueth For example they may seemingly loose their illumination and sauing knowledge when as through the reliques of ignorance remaining in them they fall sometimes into grosse errours and when through the subtile sophistry of the world and the flesh they are already fallen or ready to fall into Schismes or heresies They may also seemingly loose their faith when as being violently assaulted with the temptations of their spirituall enemies it receiueth grieuous foyles and lyeth hid and couered with doubting and incredulitie like fire vnder the ashes or the Sunne beames vnder a darke clowde So they may seeme to haue lost the grace of repentance when as they are ouertaken afresh with their old sinnes and when their corruptions after they haue receiued a deadly wound doe seeme to reuiue againe and to recouer some strength by exercising their vigour in their earthly members especially when as after they are cleansed they relapse and fall into the same grosse sinnes not onely ignorantly and through infirmitie but also wittingly and willingly against their owne knowledge and conscience Finally when as they are growne colde or lukewarme in their loue and zeale and slacke and negligent in the performance of all Christian duties because they doe not stirre vp Gods graces in them or doe ouerwhelme them with fleshly cares or the eager pursuite of wordly vanities And yet all this while these sauing graces are not lost but onely hid and couered they are not outright killed but onely brought into a deadly sownde the faculties themselues are not quite perished but the functions and operations of them onely for a time are hindred and interrupted § Sect. 7 Other graces springing from those which are fundamentall may for a time be lost Hab. 2. 4. Secondly though the prime and principall the radicall and fundamentall graces which are essentiall to the life and being of a Christian cannot be lost as faith hope charitie affiance and the true feare of God without which a Christian ceaseth to be a Christ an and of the childe of God becommeth the childe of the diuell for the iust shall euer liue by their owne faith yet other graces which are secundary fruites springing from them and necessary to the wel-being of a Christian as fulnesse of perswasion peace of conscience zeale of Gods glory the sense and feeling of Gods loue fauour the comforts of the spirit familiar acquaintance with God and ioy in the holy Ghost which are the life of our life may for a time through the assaults of the flesh and violence of temptations be much blunted and deaded yea in respect of present apprehension quite lost and extinguished as we see in the example of Iob who sometimes conceiued of God as of his enemy and in Dauid who complaineth that hee was reiected and forsaken Psal 22. 1. 88. 51. 8. 10. 11. 12. and that the terrours of God did fight against him and prayeth that God would create in him a cleane heart and and renew a right spirit in him that he would make him to heare ioy and gladnesse and restore him to the ioy of his saluation Implying by these phrases that these graces were so vtterly lost in his sense and feeling that being quite abolished and adnihilated there needed not onely a renouation and repayring but a new making and creation Euen as a man by sicknesse may loose his beauty and complexion his flesh strength and the kindly motion of his pulse and vitall spirits his memory and discourse of vnderstanding and with them all the pleasure and comfort of his life and yet remaine a man because these are not essential to his humaine nature and being And when these are gone for a time the chiefe principles of nature the radicall heate and moysture the breath life and reasonable soule may still continue though much weakened in their functions and operations and within a while recouer and restore him to all which was lost in as great perfection as euer they were before And so a Christian may loose the fruites of his chiefe graces which are the delight and comfort of his life and being and yet those essentiall radicall and fundamentall vertues euer remaining he continueth still a Christian and the childe of God and these preseruing his life and being will recouer and restore the other to their former or greater perfection so that when hee dyeth hee shall be richer in all spirituall grace then he euer was in the whole course of his life Neither can grace and vertue more decay in the faithfull and regenerate then sinne and corruption in the wicked and vnregenerate in whom there may be some intermissions or temporary surceasing in respect of the actes of sinne and practise of wickednesse though they be habitually as corrupt as euer they were and the more they are for carnall and worldly respects restrained from the committing of sin the more in their longing desires hearts and affections they adhoore and cleaue vnto it for so also there may be some interruptions in the practise of godlinesse and some surceasing of the actes and operations of Gods sauing graces and yet the graces themselues doe not dye and perish and in these intermissions the sound Christian hath restlesse longings after the sense and feeling of renewed graces and shewes as much feruency of affection and entirenesse of loue towards them by his bitter mourning for their absence as he formerly did by his ioy and reioycing in their presence and his comfortable fruition of their sweete societie § Sect. 8. That sauing and fundamentall graces may be lost in some degrees at least in respect of their operations Lastly those fundamentall graces themselues howsoeuer they cannot by the assaults of the flesh be wholly or finally lost yet may they in some sense be weakened and impaired in respect of their degrees As for example the strong faith may bee shaken with doubting the most feruent loue may bee cooled and loose the first degrees of heate the most assured hope and affiance may somewhat quaile and bee abated and so in the rest The which we see in the example of Iob Dauid Peter the Galathians and the Angell of the Church of Ephesus who is reproued for hauing lost his first loue and of Sardis who is exhorted to strengthen the things that remained and were ready to dye Yea these graces Apoc. 2. 4. Apoc. 3. 2. may be not onely shrewly shaken and sore wounded but also cast into a dead sownde in which there wil appeare neither to others nor those that haue them any motion breathing or signe of life so as there shall be little difference betweene them whilest this trance lasteth and those carkases which are dead in sinne But yet as I take it submitting my iudgement herein to the godly learned all
direction It much cheareth and delighteth this heauenly counsellour when as wee hearken to his counsels and be aduised by him in all our courses whereas there can be no comfort to any Prince in his gouernment when as his subiects vpon euery occasion stand out in open rebellion and continually resist him in all his lawfull Commaundements and who would not refuse it as an irksome office to be still aduising a man of such a refractory spirit as will either neuer followe his counsaile or make it vnseasonable and vnprofitable by vnnecessary delayes If therefore we would comfort and cherish the spirit let vs willingly entertaine the good motions which it putteth into our minds and speedily put them in practise and execution As for example when as fit oportunitie being offered it moueth vs to call vpon God by prayer either to begge the graces which wee want or to giue him thankes for benefits receiued we are not to tread this motion vnder foote by vtter neglect nor yet to coole or quench it by casting vpon it the cold water of delaies but wee must presently nourish the motion and not deferre to put it in execution when it moueth vs to attend vnto the hearing of the word either on the Lords day when as we are bound to meete in the holy assemblies or on the weeke day when as our necessary imployments in the workes of our callings will giue vs reasonable opportunitie we are to take hold of the occasion offred and not deferre it by causelesse delaies And when God presenteth vs with an obiect of misery and his spirit moueth vs to take the present occasion of doing a worke of mercy as by giuing an almes to the needy visiting the sicke and such as are in prison helping the impotent and comforting the comforâ—les and afflicted wee must not neglect these workes of charitie nor put them off to another time but as willingly and chearefully apprehend the present opportunitie as the husbandman doeth the season of sowing the Merchant of trading and the Marriner of hoysing vp sayles when as hee hath gotten a good gale of winde seeing otherwise God may iustly punish our negligence by neuer granting vs againe such seasonable occasions §. Sect 4. The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience The fourth meanes of cherishing and strengthening of the spirit is to bee carefull of maintaining our peace with God and our assurance of his loue and fauour the which is best done by preseruing peace in our owne consciences and by keeping them cleare of knowne voluntary sinnes whereby the anger of our heauenly Father is prouoked against vs and we exposed to his heauy iudgements For if God bee offended how shall his spirit bee well pleased with vs how shall hee be willing to renewe our strength and to send vnto vs fresh supplies of his graces to aide and assist vs against our spirituall enemies or how shall the created spirit dwelling in vs with courage and comfort fight against the diuell the world and the flesh when as it is depriued of the light of Gods countenance and hath its peace interrupted with him yea when it apprehendeth his wrathfull displeasure and as it was with Iob and Dauid conceiueth that God hath not onely forsaken him but is also become his enemie how shall the streames of Gods graces continue running when as they are stopped and cut off from the spring and fountaine or how should our strength hold out when the God of our strength doeth withdrawe himselfe from vs If therefore we would haue the spirit in vs strong and uigorous let vs preserue as much as in vs lieth our intercourse with God and vse all good meanes to strengthen our faith in the assurance of his loue and our reconciliation and peace with him for if God be with it the spirit will be so couragious and magnanimous that it will not care who opposeth against it Yea our care must bee not onely to strengthen our faith in this assurance that God who hath chosen vs will neuer leaue vs and that hauing begun the good worke of regeneration he will neuer giue it ouer till he hath fully finished it because hee is vnchangeable in his loue and his gifts and calling are without repentance but if wee would haue the spirit strong and vigorous wee most not neglect the feelings of faith nor the sensible comforts of Gods loue warming and comforting our hearts but wee must labour to finde the vertue and efficacy of his grace working in vs and haue the experimentall apprehension of the comforts of his spirit Wee must endeauour to haue not onely Gods graces habitually but to feele their seuerall actions and operations working our hearts to all good duties For though the sunshine of Gods fauour once shining vpon vs can neuer vtterly faile yet the beames thereof may by the interposition of our sins bee ecclypsed from vs for a time though the fountaine of his grace towards vs can neuer be dried vp yet the streames thereof may bee so stopped that wee can by present apprehension feele little comfort by it And though our faith which is the life of our spirit cannot be lost of those who euer had it yet when the life of our life the comfortable seelings of faith our communion with God peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost are taken away or for a time suspended and hid from vs we are exceedingly weakened in the spirituall part and haue litle comfort or courage in maintaining the fight against our spirituall enemies Now these feelings of faith and comforts of the spirit are best obtained and kept when as wee preserue our Communion fellowship and familiar acquaintance with God in the conscionable and frequent vse of his holy ordinances the hearing of his word Prayer the vse of the Sacraments keeping company with him in his holy assemblies where he is present by his spirit when as with the spouse in the Canticles we reioice in his coÌ„pany and with Dauid bee rauished with ioy and delight when as wee meete him in his holy Temple and when as with them Psal 84. 1. psal 42. 1. 2. wee mourne and grieue for his absence and when he with draweth himselfe doe seeke his face and fauour and aboue all things desire and long after his comfortable presence When as wee labour daily in the mortification of our sins which doe make a seperation betweene our God and vs and doe exercise our selues in all holy duties of his seruice thereby glorifying his holy name and edifying our neighbours by our good example Which if wee doe then shall the beames of Gods fauour and the streames of his graces haue a cleare passage vnto vs with which our spirituall part shall be so cheared cherished and encreased in strength that we shall easily withstand all the malice and fury of our spirituall enemies and obtaine an happy victory in our Christian warfare
§ Sect 5. The 5 meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pellution The fifth meanes to nourish and cherish the spirit in vs is to preserue our bodies and soules which are his temples in their cleannesse and puritie from all pollution of sinne and wickednesse for as a good ayre and sweete habitation doeth much refresh and strengthen our naturall and vitall spirits and preserue our bodies in health so no lesse doeth it comfort our comforter and cheare and cherish the spirit of God in vs if wee prouide for him a holesome and pleasant lodging cleansed and purged from all noisome filth of sinfull impuritie and sweetned and adorned with the incense and odours of our prayers and the flowers and fruits of our good workes and holy obedience § Sect. 6 The 6 meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise The sixth meanes to preserue and strenthen the spirit and to increase in vs the graces and giftes thereof is to keepe them in continuall exercise and to cause these habits to shew themselues in their functions and operations For no more necessary is breathing and mouing for the preseruing the life of our bodies then fruitfull working and holy walking in all Christian duties is for the preseruing and cherishing the life of the spirit according to that of the Apostle If wee liue in the spirit let vs also walke in the Gal. 5. 25. spirit And as in naturall things the causes are preserued by producing their effects and habits and qualities confirmed and strengthened by their functions and operations so is it also in the spirit and spirituall graces We finde by experience that the sight is bettred by seeing and much weakened when it is depriued of fit obiects The habituall memory is much strengthened by the practical and made feeble and vnfaithfull when as it hath no exercise or imployment the vnderstanding becommeth more intelligent by minding and conceiuing and iâ— much impaired when it is not vsed the strength of the arme hand legge and the whole body is much strengthened and increased by action and exercise and decaieth and is greatly enfeebled by sloth and idlenesse And thus it is also with the spirit and spirituall graces let vs vse them and we shall haue them let these rootes of holinesse bring forth their boughes and branches their leaues of profession and their fruits of practise and they will liue and prosper spread inwardly and spring and sproute outwardly but if wee hinder them from bearing their leaues and rootes and bee still cutting and lopping of their boughes and branches they will in a while dye and perish Let this fire of the spirit haue fit vent to send out its flames of holy and righteous actions and it will still liue burne and blaze but if once wee beginne to stop this vent it will presently dye and turne to cold embers Let faith exercise it selfe in apprehending the promises in waiting for the performance in fighting against doubting and in bearing the fruits of good workes and from a graine of mustardseede it will growe to a great tree from smoking flaxe to a burning flame and from a feeble assent to a firme and full perswasion So let loue be exercised in doing and suffring for Gods sake in performing vnto him all holy seruice and Christian duties and in the workes of mercy and charitie towards our neighbours and of a litle sparke it will increase to a great fire let the shoulders of patience be inured to bearing of the Crosse and suffering afflictions in putting vp wrongs and ouercomming euill with good though they bee weake and tender at the first they will in a litle while become hard strong and so it is in all other graces by exercise they are increased by sloth and ease they are weakned and wasted And therefore Dauid no sooner thinketh of receiuing grace and strength from God then he resolueth to exercise them to the vttermost I will runne saith he the way of thy Commaundements when thou shalt inlarge my heart And againe teach me O Lord the way of thy Psal 119. 32. 33. 34. statutes and I will keepe them vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart § Sect. 7 The last meanes is frequent and feruent prayer The last principall meanes of strengthening and cherishing the spirit is earnest and effectual prayer vnto God that he will strengthen our weaknesse and quicken our dulnesse and support our faintnesse by continuall renewing his spirit in vs and sending fresh supplies of his sauing graces to re-enforce and refresh our decaied bands that by these new aides wee may be enabled to stand in the day of battell and to get the victory ouer all our spirituall enemies for it is this holy fire descended from heauen which kindleth this spirituall fire in vs whereby wee offer incense sacrifices and oblations acceptable vnto God the smoake whereof driueth away the enemies of our saluation His eternall spirit is the liuing fountaine of these cleare cristalline waters whereby our thirsty soules are refreshed in the spirituall conflict and our hands and eyes all other parts when they are wearied and tired doe receiue renewed Psal 144. 1. strength It is he that teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight and giueth vnto vs full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory And therfore when we see the battell hot against vs 1 King 22. and ourselues weary and weake to make resistance let vs imitate the good King Iehosaphat and crie aloude vnto the Lord to succour and strengthen vs when wee see our graces spent and our spirituall strength wasted and weakened in making resistance let vs call vnto him for fresh aides and renewed strength whereby wee may bee enabled to hold oâ—t and ouercome § Sect. 8. The conclusion of the booke And thus haue I through Gods mighty and most mercifull assistance finished also this last part of the Christian Warfare a worke so much the more difficult because the flesh which is the enemy against whom I intend it holdeth a strong party in my selfe darkening my vnderstanding that I might not discouer its slights and subtilties malice and might nor discerne the best meanes for the defeating of its pollicies and subduing of it power The Lord make me euer truely thankefull vnto his holy Maiesty for this mercie and giue me grace alwayes to esteeme it as one of his his chiefest benefits in this life that hee hath vsed mee the weakest and vnworthiest of many hundreds of my brethren as his poore instrument in so good an imployment and stirre vp in his good time some other of his choysest and chiefest Worthies for the further perfecting of that which I in my mediocritie haue begun hitting the marke at which I haue but aymed and training exactly the Christian Souldiour in the feates of spirituall armes whom I as I was able haue but in some little measure acquainted with the knowledge of the Christian Warfare And the Lord giue his grace vnto vs all both strongest weakest that we may not onely instruct others in this spirituall art of fighting against the enemies of our saluation but that wee our selues muy put on the spirituall armour and fight continually with courage and resolution vnder the standard of the Lord of Hoasts and because we are vnskilfull and knowe not how to fight and exceeding weake and feeble in our strength and vnable to stand in the incounter and beare the brunt of the battell that hee will teach our hands or rather our hearts to warre and our fingers or rather our affections to fight and that hee will continually renew our strength and send vs dayly fresh supplyes of his spirituall and sauing graces whereby wee may be enabled vvith constancy and perseuerance to maintaine the fight vntill hauing gotten a full and finall victory wee be like conquerours crowned with glory and immortalitie the which he vouchsafe vnto vs euen for his Christs sake the Sonne of his loue and the author continuer and finisher of our saluation to whom with the blessed Father and holy Spirit be ascribed of vs and his whole Church all praise and glory power and dominion from this time forth and for euermore Amen FINIS
vnperfected is the cause of this conflict 1 because of the greate contrarietie betweene grace and corruption § 7. Secondly because these enemies so opposite dwell togeather § 8 New such contraries can dwell togeather and not abolish one another CHAP. IIII. Of the combate it selfe and the manner how it is fought in vs. § 1 When we be called of God to this conflict § 2 Of the second summons to this conflict § 3 The manner of the conflict it selfe § 4 That this fight is fought not with carnall but spirituall weapons § 5 The first end at which the flesh aymeth in lusting against the spirit § 6 The second end at which it aymeth in this lusting § 7 The ends at which the spirit aymeth in lusting against the flesh CHAP. V. Of the manner of the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit in our seuerall faculties and parts § 1 Of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the minde § 2 Of the conflict betweene them in the vnderstanding § 3 Of the conflict betweene spirituall and carnall wisdome § 4 The conflict betweene the iudgment of the flesh and the spirit § 5 How these faculties of the minde preuaile against one the other § 6 The cause why the godly learned differ in iudgment from one an other § 7 That this should make vs conforme our iudgment to the analogie of faith § 8 The conflict in our thoughts and imaginations § 9 The conflict betweene spirituall and carnall wisdome § 10 Of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the conscience CHAP. VI. Of the manner of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the will heart and affections § 1 Of the conflict betweene carnall and renewed will § 2 Of the conflict betweene faith and in fidelity and presumtiō § 3 That the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit is most turbulent in the affections and sensuall appetite § 4 Of the conflict betweene the affections and passions CHAP. VII Of the diuers effects which this cōflict betweene the flesh and spirit produceth in vs. § 1 That the man regenerate cannot with full consent of will chuse or refuse eyther good or euill § 2 That the regenerate man cannot at all times doe the euill which the flesh chuseth § 3 That by reason of this conflict hee cannot doe the good hee would § 4 That though the flesh cannot wholy hinder the spirit from good actions yet it interrupteth it in them CHAP. VIII Of the subiect of this cōflict betweene the flesh the spirit § 1 That there can be no conflict in them that are perfectly sanctified § 2 That this conflict is not in the vnregenerate § 3 That the conflict that is in the regenerate and that which is in the vnregenerate differ much and 1 in their grounds and causes from which they arise § 4 Of the 2 difference which is in the mouing causes of these conflicts § 5. 6 Of the 3 difference which is that the conflict in the vnregenerate is betweene diuers faculties and the 1 the regenerate is in the same § 7 The 4 difference is in their contrary effects § 8 The 5 difference is in the subiect matter or occasion § 9 The last difference betweene them is in respect of time CHAP. IX That the conflict of conscience is not in all that are vnregenerate nor in them onely § 1 That there is no comfort ariseth out of the conflict of consciēce § 2 That the conflict of conscience may be in the regenerate § 3 That this conflict of conscience is not in those who are extraordinarily ignorant § 4 That the conflict of conscience is seldome in simple people § 5 That it is not in proude iusticiaries and ciuill worldlings § 6 That it is seldome in those who are transported with violent passions CHAP. X. Whether the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit be in all the regenerate and if it be whether it be in the same manner and measure § 1 That this spirituall conflict is in all the regenerate that are of yeares § 2 What we are to thinke of Infants and Ideotts § 3 That this conflict is not in all the regenerate in like manner measure § 4 That this conflict is often weake in strong Christians CHAP. XI How wee may know whether this conflict be fought in vs that is whether the spirit of God dwell in vs or no. § 1 That euery faithfull man may and ought to be assured that the spirt of God dwelleth in him § 2 The 1 infallible signe is the ministery and meanes by which it hath beene wrought in vs. § 3 The 2 signe is the effects and fruites of the spirit and 1 wee may discerne the spirit by the nature of the gifts and graces in vs. § 4 That the graces of the spirit may be knowne by their constant and continuall operations § 5 Of the particular effects of the spirit the 1 whereof is spirituall illightening and of the differences between the illightening of the regenerate and vnregenerate § 6 The 2 effect of the spirit is to prepare our heartes for faith then to worke it in vs and how both of these are done § 7 The differences betweene iustifing faith and the faith of presumptuous worldlings § 8 The differences betweene iustifing faith that which is temporary and hypocriticall and 1 in the preparation vnto them § 9 The 2 difference in their nature and parts § 10 The 3 difference is in their properties § 11 The 4 difference is in their concomitants § 12 The 5 difference is in their effects 1 true faith purifieth the heart § 13 The 2 effect wherein they differ is in respect of their operatiō § 14 The 3 effect respecteth their diuers ioy § 15 The 4 effect respecteth confession and Christian apologie § 16 The 5 effect respecteth contentment § 17 The 6 effect is the ouercomming the world § 18 The last of true iustifiing faith is reioycing to thinke of Christs comming to iudgment § 19 The 3 effect of the spirit is the spirit of adoption § 20 The 4 effect is the spirit of supplication CHAP. XII How we may know that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs by our sanctification and the qualities and gifts of holynesse infused in vs. § 1 The 5 effect of the spirit is the worke of sanctification § 2 Of the 6 effect of the spirit which is repentance and of the preparation thereunto § 3 That faith is the cause and foundation of our repentance § 4 That the spirit dwelling in vs purgeth vs from our naturall corruptions § 5 The differences betweene the mortification and repentance which is in the regenerate and that which seemeth to be in the vnregenerate § 6 That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickening of vs in the inner man § 7 The differences betweene the quickning of the spirit in the regenerate and that which seemeth to be in the vnregenerate § 8
The operations of the sanctifing spirit signified by diuers metaphors and first by wine an oyle § 9 The spirit compared to water § 10 The spirit compared to fier § 11 That wee may know that the spirit dwelleth in vs by the operations signified by the former metaphors § 12 Of the special fruites of the spirit whereby we may knew that it dwelleth in vs. § 13 Of other speciall fruits of the spirit respecting our neighbours § 14 Of some other special fruits of the spirit respecting our persons CHAP. XIII Of the euent and successe of the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit § 1 Of the foyles which the spirit receiueth in this conflict § 2 That from the foyles of the spirit arise earnest desires to be freed from the slauerie of sinne § 3 Secondly an indeauour in the vse of all good meanes to be preserued from such foyles for the time to come § 4 How farre the flesh may preuayle against the spirit and 1 that common graces may be lost for a time § 5 Secondly that the shewes and semblances of sauing graces in temporaries may perish vtterly § 6 That true sauing graces in the regenerate may be lost seemingly § 7 Other graces springing from those which are fundamentall may for a time be lost § 8 That sauing and fundamentall graces may be lost in some degrees in respect of their operations § 9 Whether Dauid lost any degree of his fundamentall graces when he committed adulterie and murther § 10 That our spirituall graces in the Conflict doe not stand in their owne strength § 11 An obiection against the former doctrine answered § 12 Of the assured victorie which the spirit obtaineth ouer the flesh in this Conflict § 13 An obiection against the former truth answered § 14 That there are two degrees of the spirits victory 1. in this life § 15 Of the second degree of victory at the houre of death CHAP. XIIII Of the reasons which may encourage vs to this Conflict against the flesh § 1. The 1. reason because it is the will of God that we should fight against it § 2 The 2. reason is the necessitie of this Conflict § 3 The third reason taken from the manifold euils which are done vnto vs by the Flesh § 4 The fourth reason is taken from the assurance of victory CHAP. XV. Of the meanes whereby we may be enabled to ouercome the flesh § 1 The 1. meanes that we put on the whole armour of God § 2 The second meanes is to obserue certaine rules for the weakening of the flesh and first that we doe not nourish the enemie which we would ouercome § 3 That we must withdraw from the flesh the prouision and munition whereby it is strengthened § 4 That wee must stop all the passages to keepe backe prouision for the flesh § 5 That we must take heede especially of some principall sinnes which most strengthen the flesh § 6 That we must moderate our selues in the vse of things indifferent § 7 That we must auoide the other extreame of hurting our bodies whilest we goe about to tame the flesh § 8 That wee must take from the flesh the weapons and armour whereby it most preuaileth CHAP. XVI Of other meanes whereby the flesh may be subdued and ouercome § 1 That wee must keepe a narrow watch ouer our selues and ouer our enemies § 2 That we must keepe this watch in all things § 3 That we must keepe this watch ouer all the faculties and parts of our soules and bodies § 4 That we must keepe a speciall watch ouer our tongues § 5 That aboue all other parts wee must keepe this narrow watch ouer our hearts § 6 That we must keepe this watch in our spirituall armour CHAP. XVII Of two other rules to bee obserued of those who would subdue the flesh § 1 The third rule is that we withstand the flesh in all the occasions and meanes of sinfull lusts § 2 The fourth rule is that we resist the flesh in the first beginnings of sinne § 3 That the longer wee deferre the fight the more difficult and doubtfull we make the victory § 4 That if we doe not withstand the first assaults of the flesh we are not so wise as worldlings in their generation § 5 How dangerous it is to giue away the first motions vnto sinne shewed by examples CHAP. XVIII Of three other rules to be obserued for the subduing of the flesh § 1 That wee must thinke no sinne so small that wee may willingly commit it To vvhich end wee must consider first that by the least sinne Gods Law is transgressed § 2 The great euils which come of the least sinnes § 3 That small sinnes willingly entertained are no lesse dangerous then the greatest § 4 That the auoiding of small sinnes is a notable meanes to preserue vs from greater § 5 That euen the least sinnes are the poison of the Soule and the liuery of Sathan § 6 That enemies proue most dangerous whē they are most despised § 7 That if wee doe not hate small sinnes as well as great wee hate none with Christian hatred § 8 The sixt rule is that we must neglect no sinne as though we were in no danger of falling into it § 9 The seuenth rule is that we set no stint to our mortification § 10 That our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times CHAP. XIX Of the first meanes to strengthen then the Spirit which is to auoide the meanes whereby it is weakened § 1 That our sins are the chiefe meanes wherby the spirit is weakned § 2 Of some speciall meanes wherby the spirit is most weakened § 3 That we must not prouide for the spirit poison in stead of holesome nourishment nor carnall weapons in stead of spirituall § 4 That wee must not remit any thing of our first zeale in holy duties § 5 That we must auoide sloth and negligence CHAP. XX. Of the meanes whereby wee may comfort cheare and strengthen the Spirit to this Conflict § 1 The first meanes earnest and longing desires after spirituall strength § 2 The second meanes is a carefull indeauour in the vse of all good means for the strengthening of it § 3 The third meanes is to nourish the good motions of the spirit § 4 The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience § 5 The fift meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pollution § 6 The sixt meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise § 7 The seuenth meanes is frequent and feruent Prayer § 8 The conclusion of the Booke A In this Conflict two things to be considered 1. The enemies and combatants which are described 1. By their names and natures the Flesh Chap. 1. to 8. Spirit Secondly their properties where is shewed that the flesh is an enemy exceeding dangerous the which appeareth first in respect
to vnderstand by Spirit in the following discourse The spirit then whereof we intreat is the new man or the regenerate part of a Christian which is nothing else but a created qualitie of wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse whereby we are in the whole man renewed vnto Gods image which continually fighteth against and in the end ouercommeth the flesh with all the lusts thereof And Ephes 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. this is the other champion in the spirituall combate which also is described vnto vs in the Scriptures by diuers names that wee might the better conceiue of the nature thereof For first it is called the Spirit both to note the cause and author of it which is the Spirit of God and to teach vs Ioh. 3. 6. Rom. 7. 6. that it is of a simple pure and immortall nature and most opposite to that which is carnall earthly and sensuall It is called the new man in opposition to the old Adam and that corruption of nature which was deriued immediately from Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3. 10. him and to point out the difference betweene the flesh and the spirit in respect of their causes for the cause of the flesh was the old man our first parent Adam from whom it was propagated the cause of the other was the new man or second Adam Christ Iesus who by his Spirit hath regenerated 2 Cor. 2. 15. and begotten vs vnto God making vs to become new creatures renewed according to the image of God It is called the spirituall man both to point out the cause from which it hath it being euen the Spirit of God which regenerateth Gal. 6. 1. and sanctifieth vs and also in respect that it selfe is the cause of many spirituall actions and is wholly taken vp and exercised about spirituall and diuine obiects aboue all things seeking to bee inriched with Gods sauing graces and to haue sure title and iust claime to the Kingdome of heauen which is the inheritance of the blessed Angels and holy spirits And finally to put a difference betweene him who is led by the spirit and him who is meerely natural and worldly the one resembling and imitating the old Adam who was from the earth earthly the other the second Adam who was from heauen heauenly the one led by the sense and seeking onely things sensuall and carnall the other soaring aloft and minding those things which are diuine and spirituall It is called the a Ioh. 3. â— 1 Pet. 1. 23. regenerate man to note that wee haue it not by naturall propagation but by spirituall regeneration and new birth wherby being begotten by the word and spirit wee are borne vnto God It is called the inner man and the c 1 Pet. 3. 4. hidden man of the heart because it swayeth ruleth principally in the soule mind and b Rom. 7. 22. Eph. 3. 16. heart inlightning the vnderstanding sanctifying the will and affections and so making them conformable to the word and will of God and cannot be discerned outwardly by the sense but only when it sheweth it selfe in the effects and fruits thereof It is called a d 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. new creature because it is no relique or remainder of that image of God according to which we were at the first created but a new work of Gods holy spirit by his sole omnipotent power made of nothing and not of any praeexistent matter which it found in vs. Finally it is called the law of the spirit and the law of the e Rom. 8. 2. 7. 23. minde because it is ingrauen and written in our hearts ruling and gouerning vs directing and inclining vs both in our soules and bodies vnto all holy obedience f Rom. 8. 1. 14. and inciting vs to the performance of all Christian duties wherein this lawe of the Spirit differeth from the lawes of men for although it bee the intention of lawgiuers to make men good yet their lawes doe this onely thus far forth as they giue notice vnto them what they ought to doe and leaue vndone but the holy spirit dwelling in vs doth not onely by inlightning our vnderstanding teach vs what is our dutie but also inclineth our hearts and affections vnto obedience causing vs to put in practise the things we know And it is called the Law of the spirit of life For as the naturall spirit or soule is the cause of our naturall life so Gods holy spirit is the cause of the life of Grace according to the saying of our Sauiour It is the spirit which quickneth and the words which I speake vnto Iohn 6. 63. you are spirit and life The which spirit of life is originally in our Sauiour Christ and from him deriued vnto vs who are vnited vnto him and to no other For as the naturall spirit extendeth vnto no member which hath not connexion with the head so this holy spirit of life is deriued vnto none who is not ioyned in communion with Christ our head according to that 1. Ioh. 4. 13. Hereby wee know that 1. Ioh. 4. 13. we dwell in him and he in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his spirit §. Sect. 3. That this combate is not maintained betweene bare qualities onely but as they are backed by the holy spirit and Sathan the wicked spirit And thus haue I shewed what the flesh and the spirit are which are the combatants in this spirituall Warfare the one being that naturall corruption and carnall concupiscence in which wee are conceiued and borne the other a created qualitie of holinesse whereby we are renewed vnto Gods image which through the sinne of Adam was defaced in him and his posteritie and is continually preserued supported and strengthned by the Spirit of God dwelling in vs from which also it had first â—t being Neither are we so to vnderstand it as though this combate were onely maintained by bare and naked qualities of renewed puritie and old corruption but that they are also backed and vpheld by those spirits which are the causes and the authors of them namely the holy Spirit of God and the impure and wicked spirit Sathan the author of all sinne and wickednesse For whilest men remaine in the state of infidelitie the strong man Sathan keepeth possession and dwelleth in them though not after a grosse and sensible manner as in demoniacks yet inuisibly and spiritually ruling and reigning in them and as the Apostle speaketh holding them captiue to doe his will In which his regiment and gouernement hee imployeth the 2. Tim. 2. 26. flesh and our carnal concupiscence as his deputie and chiefe instrument to leade sinfull men into all wickednesse the which he continually animateth inrageth and strengthneth vnto all euill But when a stronger then hee commeth euen the good spirit of God he casteth him out and taking possession dwelleth reigneth and ruleth in our soules and bodie creating in vs that qualitie of holinesse and righteousnesse
called the spirit which hee substituteth as his vicegerent and chiefe deputie in the regenerate man And though he doth not quite expell the flesh Sathans lieutenant out of vs yet at the first entrance he giueth him a mortall wound of which he neuer recouereth and deposeth him from his vice-gerencie so that howsoeuer it still dwelleth yet it reigneth not in our mortall bodies as in former times Onely Rom. 6. 12. Gods spirit suffereth this enemy to inhabite still with vs that by the opposition which it maketh it might exercise the spirituall part in the Christian Warfare that hereby it might bee made more vigilant and diligent more strong and actiue and in the end obtaining victory might bee crowned with the greater glory In which combate and conflict he leaueth not the spirituall man to himselfe but continually sendeth vnto him fresh aydes of renewed graces whereby he is inabled to ouercome Euen as on the other side Sathan the prince of darknesse though hee bee thrust out of his possession and regency yet he leaueth and forsaketh not his wounded and weakned deputy the flesh but laboureth continually to recure his wound ministreth vnto him new strength by his hellish tentations and suggestions and by breathing and infusing into him the poyson of enmity and malice against God and all goodnesse stirreth him vp to rebellion against his holy spirit and to make warre against that garrison of his graces which hee hath placed in vs. §. Sect. 4. The former poynt proued by diuers reasons So that not onely the qualitie of holinesse but the holy spirit not onely the gifts and graces of the spirit but the holy Ghost himselfe dwelleth and raigneth in the man regenerate keeping still possession after that Sathan is driuen out and strengthening the regenerate part against all the assaults of the flesh and the lustes thereof The which may appeare by these reasons first because we are called the habitation 1 Cor. 3. 16 6. 19. of God and the temples of the holy Ghost which cannot be vnderstood of his giftes and graces onely which are improperly saide to dwell in Temples seeing this belongeth rather to persons then vnto things and qualities but of the holy spirit himselfe Secondly the spirit of God and not his gifts and graces onely are the bond of the spirituall vnion which wee haue with Christ for dwelling in Christ our head and in vs likewise who are his members it maketh vs to become one mysticall body with him euen as the head and diuers members make one naturall body being animated quickned by the same soule Thirdly the actiōs which in the Scriptures are attributed to the spirit dwelling in vs cānot fitly be applied to bare qualities but properly belong to the spirit it selfe For this spirit dwelling in vs is said to rule and gouerne vs to guide direct teach and instruct vs to sanctifie and purifie vs to conuince vs of sinne and to replenish vs with all sauing graces Now the qualitie of holinesse and the author by whom it is created the graces themselues and he that infuseth them and worketh them in vs are diuers Fourthly as Sathan keepeth his residence in wicked men working them vnto all maner of sinne and holding them so captiue that they doe his will for so the Apostle saith that the Ephesians walked in time past according Eph. 2. 2. to the prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience c. So the spirit of God comming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in vs leading vs into all trueth replenishing vs with all grace and enclining vs to all holy obedience and to the performance of all good and Christian duties Lastly the spirit dwelling in vs and the new man are plainely distinguished in the Scriptures For so the Apostle saith yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. dwell in you now if any man haue not the spirit of Christ that is the same holy spirit which dwelleth in our head and Sauiour Christ he is none of his And else where he prayeth that God would grant vnto the Ephesians according to the riches Eph. 3. 16. of his grace to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man By all which it appeareth that not onely the qualitie of holinesse wrought in vs by the spirit and the sauing graces thereof but also the spirit it selfe dwelleth in vs assisting and strengthening vs in this christian warfare against the diuell and the flesh with the lusts thereof §. Sect. 5. That the spirit-doth not dwell in vs essentially more then in other creatures Notwithstanding I doe not nor dare affirme that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs essentially more then in any other creature communicating his essence with vs as an essentiall part of vs. For his nature and essence being most simple and indiuisible in comprehensible and omnipresent filling all places without repletion and containing all it selfe being infinite and contained of nothing cannot be saide thus to dwell in man for this were to deifie and make a God of him much lesse doe I say that the spirit assumeth our nature as the second person assumed the nature of Christ to subsist in him by personall vnion and to become one with him and he with vs for thus also we should fall into the same errour of deifying man and besides then the third person in Trinity should be incarnate as well as the second Yea contrariwise we are to knowe that the spirit is said to be giuen vs in the same sense as he is said to be sent forth vnto vs Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit Gal. 4. 6. of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father Now by this phrase of sending forth the holy Ghost teacheth vs that the spirit is in one maner in Christ in another maner in vs for he is in him most properly substantially essentially as being his spirit coessentiall with him coeternall in which respect the Apostle maketh him and the spirit all one 2. Cor. 3. 17. The Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Col. 2. 9. he saith that in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily but in vs not primarily and originally but as he is sent forth of Christ vnto vs by whom Col. 2. 9. we haue speciall right vnto him since his resurrection by Iohn 16. 7 vertue of his promise Iohn 16. 7. If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And by his mediation and intercession now sitting at the right hand of his father according to that I will pray the father and he will giue you another comforter that he Iohn 14. 16. may abide with you for euer So that the spirit is in
Christ originally and aboue measure euen the fulnesse of the spirit Eph. 4. 7. Ioh. 1. 14. Psal 133. 2. but in vs in that measure which wee haue receiued from him according to that of the Apostle Eph. 4. 7. Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ and that of the Euangelist Ioh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs full of groce and trueth 16. and of his fulnesse haue all we receiued and grace for grace Finally this oyle of the spirit like that of Aarons was first powred vpon our head Iesus Christ and from him descended to vs as vpon the skirts of his cloathing or rather members of his body §. Sect. 5. That the spirit-doth not dwell in vs esscentially more then in other creatures Furthermore although the spirit of God doeth not essentially dwell in vs more then in all other creatures yet the elect and faithfull haue right vnto him aboue all others euen in respect of his essence and efficacy because he is ours by Gods free and gratious couenant wherein he hath promised that he will be our God and we shall be his people now Esa 59. 21. Eze. 11. 19. 36 26. 37. 14. he is ours in his sonne and by his holy spirit So in many places the Lord promiseth to giue vnto vs his holy spirit which is not onely to be vnderstood of the gifts and graces of the spirit but also of the vertue and efficacy of the spirit dwelling in vs and effectually working these graces in our hearts for so the Apostle saith that the Loue of God is shed abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs where hee sheweth that by Gods gift wee haue right not onely to the graces of the spirit but euen after a speciall manner to the spirit himselfe Besides where Christ is said to dwell in vs and to be vnited vnto vs by his spirit we are to vnderstand that the bond of this vnion is not onely bare qualities and gifts and graces of the spirit but euen the spirit it selfe which dwelling in Christ our head essentially is after an vnspeakeable and mysticall manner yet really and truely communicated vnto vs who are the members of his body In which respects though the spirit of God in regard of his essence be alike present to all creatures yet is he not saide to be giuen vnto them or to be their spirit because they haue no right vnto him by couenant as we haue nor any interest by Iesus Christ neither yet any efficacy operation nor influence of sauing grace from him in all which he is proper onely to the Elect. Moreouer by vertue of this donation and right the holy spirit becomming ours doeth worke in vs after a speciall and powerfull manner he is intimate familiar and in neare acquaintance with vs like inmates or coinhabitants comforting directing ruling strengthening and cherishing vs. In which respect we are saide to be his a Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. 2. Cor. 6. 16. houses and temples in which b Rom. 8. 9. 11 1. Cor. 3. 16. 2. Tim. 1. 14. he dwelleth Whereas contrariwise worldlings and infidels to all these purposes are meere strangers vnto him because they receiue him not but make their bodies habitations for vncleane spirits For so our Sauiour saith that the world cannot receiue this spirit of trueth because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee saith he to his Disciples and in them to all the faithfull knowe him for he dwelleth with you and Ioh. 4. 14. shall be in you Furthermore this holy spirit is giuen to the Elect and faithfull in a speciall manner not onely in the fruits and streames of his graces but also to be vnto them as the roote and fountaine from which they spring and flow and the authour worker preseruer and continuer of all grace and goodnesse in them according to that of our Sauiour Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him Ioh 7. 37. 38. shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vnto euerlasting life And againe If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth on me as the Scripture hath saide out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing water But this saith the Euangelist be spake of his spirit which they that beleeue on him should receiue for the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now the streames of Gods graces and the euerlasting springing fountaine from which they flow are diuers and to be distinguished the one being the cause and the other the effect the one the tree the other the fruite Finally to conclude this point although the spirit dwelleth in vs in respect of essence as in other creatures yet he doth after an especiall manner exercise his nature and shewe his presence by his vertue and efficacie more in the faithfull then in the whole earth in that he chooseth them for his owne peculiar people taketh full possession of them as of his owne right raigneth and ruleth in their hearts and consciences as in the chiefe seate of his Kingdome vniteth them vnto Christ their head purgeth and purifieth them from their sinne and corruption replenisheth them with all sanctifying and sauing grace defendeth preserueth and strengtheneth them from all enemies and from the inundation of all daungers by his almightie power and especiall prouidence watching ouer them And finally inlighteneth them in all trueth and guideth and directeth them in the way of holinesse and righteousnesse which leadeth to Gods kingdome And euen thus doth Sathan dwell in the children of vnbeliefe not by communicating his essence vnto them for then they should be no more men but incarnate diuels but by taking full possession of them as his owne vassels by infusing malice into their hearts and all maner of corruption and sinne into all the powers of their soules and bodies by setting vp his throne in them and ruling them with his power according to his owne pleasure 2. Tim. 2. 26. and making them to become his slaues to doe his will finally by leading and guiding them into all manner of wickednesse through his tentations and suggestions vntill at last he bringeth them together with himselfe vnto condemnation and vtter destruction in the fire of hell CHAP. IIII. The erroneous conceipt of the Papists who by the flesh vnderstand the body and the sensuall faculties onely §. Sect. 1. That the Papists propound vnto vs a friend to fight against in stead of our enemy HAuing shewed what our enemies in this spirituall warfare are we should now proceede to warfare are we should now proceede to discouer their nature and properties were it not that these enemies were by the diuell and the world disguised yea quite hid from our sight in secrete
calleth the body of death and by chastizing whipping whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth to suppresse or keepe vnder And although hee granteth that the Apostle heere vseth a borrowed speech from those who according to ancient custome fought for a maistery and saith that he did euill intreate and keepe vnder his body like those champions who either with their sistes or with bags of sand did beate and bruise their aduersarie till they were blacke and blewe yet he saith and onely saith it without any shewe of reason that it is very probable that Paul vsed to whip his owne body both because the Greeke word signifieth so much which is vtterly false and because this kind of punishment was vsuall among the ancients which also wee must take vpon his word seeing he neither alleadgeth nor in trueth is able to alleadge any authoritie for it His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the body are the Publicans smiting of his breast whereby hee shewed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sinnes some testimonies of Hierome which speake of fasting sackcloath and beating of the breast Gods approouing and commaunding the paying of voluntary vowes the which he childishly restraineth Numb 30. to fastings and other afflictions of the body and among the rest to whipping though there be no collour for it in the place which he alledgeth And finally he produceth the example of Iohn the Baptist whose garment was Cammels hayre his meate locusts his bed as he saith but proueth not the ground his house the desart All which reasons and examples being farre vnfitting the wit of such a subtill sophister and in trueth nothing to the purpose I will passe ouer supposing that the bare repeating of them is a sufficient confutation and that like abortiue birthes they will presently dye as soone as they come to light § Sect. 3. That the papistes in their purest doctrine vnderstand by the flesh our bodies the inferiour sensitiue faculties only And thus doe they as it were in their dreame or dotage by the flesh vnderstand the body alone but when they are most awake and in the best strength of their memory and vnderstanding they doe by the flesh vnderstand the inferiour parts of the soule the sensitiue faculties the appetite and imagination as they are corrupted which also according to the doctrine of the last councell of Trent they hold not to be sinne but onely the punishment of it though the Apostle maketh the flesh not onely to be the cause of all other sinne but also with a certaine emphasis calleth it sinne it Rom. 7. 17. selfe So on the other side by the spirit they vnderstand the superior part of the soule the reason vnderstanding and wil which they magnifie and extoll as though it were free in it selfe from al corruption the cause of all good a professed enemy to the flesh fighting against it continually with all the lusts thereof And thus Thomas Aquinas saith that the flesh is said to fight against the spirit in as much as the sensitiue appetite Aquin in Rom. 7. lect 3. tendeth to the contrary of that which reason desireth according to that of the Apostle Gal. 5. the flesh lusteth against the spirit So Lewis de Granada saith that there are in our soule two principall parts which of Diuines are called the superiour and inferiour parts And that in the superiour L. Grenâ—t de perfect amoâ—is Dei cap. 7. which is called the spirit and the minde is the will and vnderstanding which ruleth the will and is as it were it eye and guide In the inferiour is the sensitiue appetite with the imagination which also is the eye of the appetite of which it is moued and these parts he maketh to be as it were two common wealthes in man the one of beastes the other of Dulcis precator lib. 1. par 2. Cap. 19. Angels That he calleth else where the flesh concupiscence sensualitie or the sensitiue appetite whence all the perturbations of the minde doe arise as it is corrupt and made inordinate through sinne And in the same place hee compareth the superiour part to a wife of so great beautie nobilitie and wisedome as is possibly incident to that sex making the man happy who is married vnto her and the inferiour part he compareth to a seruant a witch and sorceresse vpon whose loue this man is so besotted that putting away his wife hee maketh himselfe a pray to his slaue c. §. Sect. 4. That the practise of popish mortification plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vnderstand the body onely their mortification being nothing else but a bodily exercise And this is their purest conceit concerning the flesh and the spirit which being wholly corrupt how great is the corruption For in their practise they manifestly shewe that by the flesh they vnderstand the body seeing for the mortification thereof they appoint onely bodily exercises which tend to the vexing tormenting and weakening thereof as penance pilgrimages watchings whippings rough cloathing hard lodging and such like supposing that they fight against the flesh when they make warre against their owne bodies by afflicting and punishing it Wherein that I may not seeme to slaunder them I will insert an history of Memor lib. 2 in tract de satisfact Cap. 1. monkish mortification as it is recorded by their famous S. Clematus in his Booke called the Ladder of Paradise and in the fifth staffe of his ladder Which story for the worthinesse of it is related by Lewis of Granada in his Booke intitled the memoriall of a Christian life as a perfect patterne of mortification and is most vnfaithfully translated into english by one Hopkins a Priest for the practise and exercise of the english Catholickes And not to alter his methode though most confused because it is well enough sorted and suited to the matter nor to tire the reader with viewing ouer euery particular in that heape of trash briefely he telleth vs that himselfe comming into a much admired monastery he saw among the Monkes in their practise of penitence such wonderfull things as the eye of the negligent hath not seene the eare of the slothfull hath not heard neither hath entred into the heart of the dull and sluggish To wit such things and wordes as might ouercome with violence even God himselfe and such fashions and endeauours as would speedily encline him to shewe mercy For saith he I sawe some of the penitents stand abroad in the open ayre watching there whole nights vntill the morning neuer mouing their feete out of the same place and when they were grieuously vexed with drowsinesse comming vpon them they offered force to nature and would not take any rest but reuiled themselues and with disgraces and contumelies offered against their owne persons they rowsed vp their spirits Others I sawe standing in prayer and hauing their handes bound
are blessed who heare the word and keepe it that not euery one who saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but hee that doth the will of our Father which is in heauen that it will nought auaile vs to boast of our faith if it doe not appeare in the fruits of good workes seeing such a faith as is without workes is but a dead carkase without life or soule and therfore cannot iustifie nor saue vs. So the Lord sharpely reprehendeth and condemneth wicked men for Psal 50. 16. 22. making profession of his religion Vnto the wicked saith God What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee c. And then concludeth Now consider this yee that forget God lest I teare you in pieces and there be none to deliuer So the Prophet Ieremie Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Will yee steale murther and commit adulterie and sweare falsly and Ier. 7. 8. 9. burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other gods that yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house which is called by my name and say we are deliuered to doe all these abominations § Sect. 7. The fleshes deceipt in perswading men to rest in externall ceremonies But if this deceipt bee too grosse as hauing nothing to colour or countenance it but the slight thin vayle of a bare profession then it will perswade vs to place all religion about externall rites and ceremonies and to thinke that we haue done inough if we be strict in the obseruation of them although in the meane time we make no conscience of many Morall duties and vtterly neglect the waighty things of the Law So the Pharises of old placed Mat. 23 all their religion in some legall rites and humane traditions in externall washings sacrifices and tything mynte cummine and annise and neglected the dutie of children to their parents the pure and sincere seruice of God and the waightie points of the Law iudgement mercie and faith And the Apostle telleth vs of some in his times who placed all their religion in the obseruation of dayes Sabbaths Holy-dayes and New Moones and in their obseruance of certaine ordinances Col. 2. 16. 21. as touch not taste not handle not all which did perish with the vsing And wherein doth in these dayes the religion of the Papists chiefely consist but in the obseruation of such holidayes washings purifications fastings from certaine meates at certaine times and in vse of their rites and ceremonies which they preferre before and presse more then many Morall duties or the essentiall parts of Gods seruice with which they will much more easily dispence then with their traditions and superstitious inuentions With which deceipt if the flesh preuaile not it is readie to thrust vs into the contrary extreame and to place all religion in the opposing of these superstitious ceremonies and to spend all our time which should bee spent in attaining vnto the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse in declaiming against will-worship and humane traditions As though it were enough to be free from superstition though we be destitute also of all true religion to oppose against false worship though wee doe not practise that which is true to be zealous against ceremonies and to be key-cold in imbracing the substance truth faith mercie iudgement brotherly kindnes and the rest § Sect. 8. The meanes to defeate the former policie But that we may not be ouertaken with this deceit nor be perswaded to spend the strength of our deuotion about ceremonies things of smal moment let vs know that there is no lesse order and due proportion then iustice iudgement in the commandements of God the Lord requiring that those things which are chiefe and principall in their owne nature should haue the first and chiefe place in our obedience So the Morall duties are to be preferred before ceremoniall and among them our dutie to God before our dutie to our brethren the duties of greatest importance before the meane and the meane before the least Which order who so transpose and wil prefer the duties towards men before their dutie vnto God the ceremonies before the substance such mens religion is hypocriticall and odious in Gods sight Hence is it that the Lord condemneth Esa 11. 12. 13 the Sabbaths New Moones sacrifices and solemne assemblies of the Iewes because they put all their religion in them and neglected iudgement mercie relieuing the oppressed and iudging the fatherlesse Thus hee condemneth Esa 58. 5. their fasts and the afflicting of their soules by these bodily exercises because they were ioyned with strife and debate oppression and cruelty yea so odious is this ceremoniall seruice being seuered from the more weighty and substantiall that the Lord professeth that he that killeth Esa 66. 3. an Oxe is as if he sâ—â—e a man he that sacrificeth a Lambe as he that cutteth of a dogges necke he that offreth an oblation as he that offereth swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an idoll So he professeth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Hos 6. 6. not because he simply reiected sacrifices which himselfe had commanded but if they were seuered from mercie or preferred before it And saith that hee spake not vnto their fathers nor commanded them in the day that hee brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or Ier. 7. 22. 23. sacrifices but this thing saith hee commanded I them saying obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes that I haue commanded you that it may be well vnto you Implying hereby that as these maine Morall duties were first commanded so also they should be first and chiefely practised Finally the Apostle telleth vs that true religion consisteth not in outward rites signes and sacraments but in the truth and sinceritie of the heart Circumcision saith he verily profiteth if thou be a keeper of the Law but if thou bee a breaker of the law thy Rom. 2. 25. 28 circumcision is made vncircumcision For he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God CHAP. XIII Of the pollicies of the flesh towards temporarie beleeuers §. Sect. 1. That the flesh in a subtill sort deceiueth temporaries ANd thus the flesh deceiueth the grosser kinde of hypocrites But when men haue receiued such a measure of illightening that these darke fogges and mistes of ignorance are somewhat dispelled and haue their sleepie consciences somwhat awakened so that they are able and ready to tell them that all which is
him or else it worketh our minds to some carnall proiudice or dislike of our teachers or of some passages in his Sermon whereby we are affected with choller and spleene towards him or to thinke meanely and basely of him in respect of some naturall infirmities or defects or else because of the mediocritie of his guifts or it hangeth so heauily on vs that it maketh vs weary of these holy exercises before they be halfe ended Or if non of these yet it will neuer faile to distract our mindes with worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts so as wee cannot intend these religious duties but performe them with the lippes eares and outward man but not with the heart in shewe and ceremony but not in spirit and trueth And thus the flesh like Iudas waiteth vpon vs that it may betray vs it goeth with vs into Gods market that it may hinder vs from buying any spirituall merchandize it thrusteth in with vs into Gods armory when as we goe to furnish our selues with spirituall weapons that it may make vs neglect them and leaue them behinde vs or else so weaken vs that we cannot carry them with vs it will like Hushai force kindnesse vpon vs and by no perswasions will stay behinde vs but it is to this ende that by cunning pollicy it may frustrate our enterprises so betray vs into the hands of our enemies For the defeating of which pollicy our best course is to leaue behinde our chiefe corruptions by renewing of our repentance before we come to performe these holy exercises and keepe vnder those which we carry with vs watching ouer them with all diligence that they doe not distract nor hinder vs. To which ende wee must come vnto these holy duties with due preparation and being come we must meditate on Gods glorious presence before whom we stand we must with all diligence looke to our hearts because that the Lord chiefely requireth them in all duties of his seruice we must thinke of the excellency waight and fruite of these Religious exercises that our hearts being inflamed with the loue of them wee may performe them with all cheerefulnesse and delight And finally we must continually craue the assistance of Gods gracious spirit that thereby we may be in some good measure enabled to performe them so as that they may be acceptable to God and profitable for our owne saluation § Sect. 2. How 〈…〉 duties Thus also when wee haue in the regenerate part an earnest desire to embrace vertue and to bee inriched with sauing graces like a cunning sorceresse it laboureth to infect them with the poyson of corruption and like a subtill Merchant it sophisticates these pure wares and intermingleth with them the base refuse of sinneful vices that they with the other may become vendible Thus if wee be deuout and earnest in religion it seeketh to taint vs with wil-worship and superstition if we excell in knowledge it laboureth to puffe vs vp with selfe-conceipt to contemne plaine trueth and curiously to affect nice and vnprofitable speculations and to despise others in comparison of our selues whom wee thinke doe come short of our measure With our faith it intermingleth presumption and carnall securitie which our loue lust and iealousie with our zeale rashnesse and corrupt anger with our humilitie basenesse with our courage audatiousnesse with our constancy pertinacy and obstinate inflexiblenesse and finally with all our graces and excellent vertues pride and vaine glory whereby wee ouerweene them or arrogate the praise of them or magnifie our selues before others who haue not attained to our pitch and proportion And thus this cunning coyner embases the pure mettall of grace and vertue by mixing with it the copper or rather drosse of carnall corruptions setting notwithstanding vpon it vertues stampe and superscription that so it may goe for currant with vs and by mingling these poysons with our holesome food doeth make it become vnto vs mortall and pernitious For preuenting of which deceipt we are often to examine our vertues and to try if they be not tainted and infected with the contagion of the next extreames let vs often bring them to the touchstone of Gods trueth which is onely sufficient to make vs discerne the differences betweene the pure gold of Gods graces and the base mettals of our own corruptions let vs continually desire the helpe of Gods holy spirit which is that heauenly fire that can part and seuer the solid substance from the drosse purifying he on and consuming the other and the pure gold from other base metalles of any kinde § Sect. 3. How the flesh perswadeth vs to abate of our zeale and to intermit vertuous actions for a while The third and last kinde of policies which the flesh vseth are those whereby it seeketh to alienate our hearts and affections from imbracing and practising of holy vertues and Christian actions And first of all if it cannot perswade vs wholly to forsake them at once to desist from the exercise of them then it will allure vs to abate our feruour and zeale in piety to intermit all vertuous actions for a little while and not to fall altogether but in some degrees from our former sinceritie either pretending that if we goe more slowly we shall goe more surely or that we are more zealous then needs seeing with faire lesse strictnesse in our courses wee may attaine vnto happinesse or else though vpon some occasions we slacken our pace in the waies of godlinesse for a while we may hereafter make more speed and easily recouer and redeeme our lost time by our future diligence With which deceipt that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that there is no standing still in the Christian course seeing he who doth not dayly goe forward in it will questionlesse goe backward and what then can become of them who are in the way of declination and backsliding That if we giue way to our spirituall enemies for a time and be perswaded to lay aside our Christian armour they will giue vnto vs deadly wounds before we shall be able to put it on againe and that we may much more easily keepe them out of the gates of our city then driue them backe when they are once entred Let vs know that if we slacken our hold we shall hardly recouer it in our fall and that we may be as desperately endangered by a lingring consumption of grace and goodnes as by a feuer of Apostacie Let vs remember that if our heate come once to lukewarmenesse it will within a while turne to keycoldnes and that if the Diuell and our owne corruption can but a little while disacquaint our hearts from God and his waies they will not leaue till they haue made them meere strangers if they haue a little loosened them from him they will with much more ease pull them quite asunder And therefore let vs carefully watch ouer our selues that there bee no declination in grace nor the least
eternall glory prepared for the faithfull And from this contrarietie in affection and disposition the Christian may discerne the like contrariety in all his actions vvhich arise and spring from them For one while the spirit lifteth him aloft in heauenly meditations and another white the flesh pulleth downe his thoughts and fiâ—â—â—h them vpon earthly vanities now with puâ—â—ing speed hee runneth in the wayes of God and sayâ—â—â—h with full sayles hauing the winde and tyde to helpe him forward and soone aften the flesh diuerteth him into the by pathes of sinne or maketh him sit still oâ— to returne into his old courses or tripping at his heeles causeth him to fall or so settereth his feete and presseth him downe like a heauy burthen that like them noubled with the â—pâ—ialtes or the night Marc though he hath a great desire to runne a pace yet can he scarce stirre but he runneth as it were vp a sleepe hill and sayles against the winde and tyde Finally now hee loueth God and is rauished with delight when hee inioyeth his presence in his courts and feeleth sweet communion and fellowship with him to his inestimable ioy and comfort and this maketh him to contemne the world to take all his pleasure in spiritual and heauenly things and by and by the world catcheth him in her birdlime of carriall delights and fettereth him in her golden chaines so as he is made negligent in Gods seruice and therefore either omitteth it altogether or else performeth it with drowsie dulnesse senselesse deadnesse and carnall wearinesse vvhereof it is that he can take no manner of comfort and contentment in it Yea rather he seeth Gods angry countenance frowning vpon him in the abuse of his holy ordinances and being terrified therewith he goeth away discontented and dismayed § Sect. 5. The poynt proued by Gal. 5. 19 And of these contrary effects and fruits of the Spirit in the same Christian the Apostle plainely speakeths Gal. 5. 19. Now saith he the workes of the flesh are manifest which are these Adulterie Fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse idolatrie witcheraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuilinge and such like For the seedes of all 〈◊〉 grieuous sinner lye lurking in our corrupt flesh and though they be so nippped and suppressed by the contrarie motions of the spirit that they can neuer come to full ripenesse yet doe they often appear to the best Christians in their first motions and suggestions So contrariwise he saith that the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse and temperance To which purpose verse 21. Hierome saith whatsoeuer we speake doe or thinke is sowed in Omne quod loquimur agimus cogitamus in duobus seminatur agtis carne et spiritu c. Hieronym in Gal. 6. two grounds the flesh and the Spirit if the things bee good which issue from the mouth hand and heart they are sowne in spirit and shall bring forth aboundant fruit to eternall life if they be euill they are taken from the field of the flesh and wil bring forth vnto vs the fruit of corruption CHAP. II. What the Conflict betweene the Flesh and the Spirit is and what are the causes of it The conflict betweene â—â—â— flesh and â—e spirit described BY this it appeareth that there is a combate in euery Christian betweene these enemies now in the next place let vs consider what iâ— is and the causes of it Where then needeth no curious definition seeing the very name doth sufficiently expresse the nature of it For it is nothing else but a continuall conflict betweene the vnregenerate part the flesh with the lusts thereof and the part regenerate the spirit with all the holy qualities graces and motions thereof by reason of their contrarietie in nature and coniunction in place whereby they mutually lust and striue one against the other the flesh willing and in bracing that euill which the spirit nilleth and hateth and nilling and shunning that good which it willeth and effecteth and contrariwise For in this conflict they mutually assault one another with vnreconcilible emnitie and immediate and vnplacable contrarietie so that as the one getteth the other looseth as the one gathereth strength the other is weakened and looke how much this preuaileth and triumpheth so much his enemy and opposite is foyled and deiected Like herein to a payre of scales in which the rising of the one is alwayes ioyned with the going downe of the other or like the spleene in the body the swelling whereof is ioyned with the others consumption Yea alike nay much more contrary then light and darknesse heate and cold the one vvhereof increaseth as the other decreaseth § Sect 2. Of the first and cheife cause of the conflict which is Gods will for the manifestation of his owne glory The causes of this conflict are either efficient and more remote or formall and essentiall the later is plainely expressed the former implyed in the description of this conflict namely Gods will appointing this fight and to this purpose not perfecting our sanctification in this life but in part regenerating and in part leauing vs vnregenerate Yea but why did not the Lord who through his infinite wisedome was as able to haue recreated and renewed vs at once by his sole word as he did first create make vs perfect this worke of regeneration replenish vs with abundance of his spirit and with sanctifying graces thereof and quite abolish the flesh with the lustes thereof I answere though there were no other reason but the good pleasure of his most wise will it were sufficient to satisfie vs for hee best knoweth what to giue and when to giue it what measure of his grace is fittest for him to bestowe and the most seasonable time for vs to receiue it But yet diuers reasons may bee yeelded why the Lord suffereth the flesh and the sinfull lustes thereof still in some measure and degree to remaine in vs and to fight with and assault the spirituall part all which may be reduced to two heads first because this course is most profitable and secondly most fitting and seasonable It is most profitable both for the setting forth of Gods glory and the aduancing and furthering of our owne good It doeth more manifest and magnifie the glory of God for the weaker vvee are in our regenerate part and the stronger the flesh is with all other the enemies of our saluation the more clearely his wisedome and power shineth and appeareth which so strengtheneth this weake part that it is able to stand in the day of battell yea that it obtaineth a full and finall victory and putteth all it mighty enemies to flight Whereas if we were perfectly regenerate and the flesh vtterly vanquished and abolished it were no great wonder that we were not ouercome if we had no enemy or but a vveake one to set vpon vs. And this moued the Lord to
doeth make our sinnes as it were the flesh of the Viper a most holesome preseruatiue and cordiall for the dispelling from our hearts more daungerous poysons §. Sect. 4. This conflict is effectuall to make vs deny our selues Secondly whereas we cannot be Christs Disciples vnlesse we deny our selues nor bee partakers of his righteousnes for our iustification vnlesse we renounce our own nothing can be more effectuall to this purpose then the sight and sense of our owne imperfections and corruptions for when wee plainely discerne that there is nothing in our selues to rest vpon for the satisfying of Gods iustice this will make vs to flee vnto Christ to hunger and thirst after his perfect and al-sufficient righteousnesse and to make vs wholly to relye vpon him for our iustification and saluation Which when we doe we may be more secure and better assured of heauenly happinesse then if we were as perfect in our owne inherent righteousnesse as our first parents in the state of innocency seeing they fell into sinne and misery through the strength of Sathans temptations but wee cannot so long as wee wholly rest vpon Christ and are vpheld by his omnipotency And as hereby our selues haue great assurance of our happy condition so doe we more glorifie our Lord and redeemer seeing we acknowledge the al-sufficiency of his grace and yeelde vnto him the whole glory of our saluation § Sect. 5. By this conflict we are moued the more to hate sinne Thirdly we are hereby moued to abhorre sinne which God so hateth with greater detestation when as by our owne experience we finde and feele the venome and poyson of it working in our selues and to bewaile and forsake it with more earnest endeauour when we discerne and see what miserable effects it produceth and what bitter and cursed fruits it bringeth forth in vs. As namely that it hath corrupted our whole nature disabled al our strength defaced in vs Gods glorious image incensed his wrath against vs made vs subiect to the curse of the lawe depriued vs of the glory of God and made vs guiltie of eternall damnation From all which miseries nothing could free vs vnlesse the sonne of God had dyed for vs and washed vs from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes in his most precious blood All which plainely discouereth the haynousnes and tyranny of sinne and maketh vs thankefull vnto our Sauiour who hath freed vs from it § Sect. 6. Wee are moued hereby to fly vnto God by frequent and feruent prayers Fourthly by the sight and sense of these sinnefull corruptions still dwelling in vs wee are occasioned to flee oftener vnto God by feruent prayers acknowledging and bewayling them before the throne of grace earnestly crauing the remission of them and the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit whereby we may be inabled to mortifie our corruptions and to flee all sinne for the time to come and to returne vnto him praise and thankesgiuing when we haue receiued these graces from him Fifthly whereas there is nothing more daungerous vnto vs then sloth and securitie we haue through these corruptions dwelling in vs the benefit of spirituall exercise whilest wee make warre against them withstand their assaults prepare our selues for the conflict watch ouer our owne hearts that wee bee not surprised at anawares with their deceiptfull pollicies mortifie and subdue them with the sword of the spirit exercise the spirituall graces receiued from God and our selues in all holy duties which God requireth for the obtaining of victory by which they are more and more confirmed and encreased So also hereby wee haue great cause to bee more carefull and watchfull ouer our hearts and wayes seeing we haue dwelling in vs a secrete enemy who watcheth all opportunities to supplant vs and to betray vs into the hands of Sathan and the world the which should make vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and vvhilest vve stand to take heede of falling this should cause vs to Phil. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 6. 10. stand daily and howerly vpon our guard and to keepe the spirituall armour girded fast vpon vs as the Apostle exhorteth vs. § Sect. 7 It serueth to worke in vs patience and contentment Lam. 3. 39. Sixtly it may serue to make vs goe on in our pilgrimage vvith contentment and to beare all afflictions vvhich are layde vpon vs vvith meekenesse and patience not onely because vve haue deserued them by this sinne that dwelleth in vs according to that in the Lamentations Wherefore doeth a liuing man complaine seeing he suffereth for his sinned but also because wee knowe and haue experience that these corrections are necessary to bridle mortifie the flesh with the lustes thereof and serue as drawing salues to drawe out the core of our corruptions as the launcher and searing yron to helpe and heale our impostumations of sinne as bitter potions to purge away our corrupt humours and as salt to season vs that we may not be tainted and perish in our fleshly puterfaction and to make vs more wise wary that we may not nourish our enemy but mortifie crucifie it seeing it is the chiefe authour of all our calamities § Sect. 8. By this conflict our heartes are weaned from the world Seauenthly it is profitable for the weaning of our hearts and affections from the world and to make vs long after our heauenly happinesse when as wee finde our selues tyred and wearied in fighting not onely with forraigne foes but with these intestine and secret traytors in our owne bowels whereas if hauing gotten full conquest we should haue continuall peace and our victory crowned with earthly prosperitie wee would neuer so much long after our heauenly happinesse And this chiefely made the Apostle to long after his dissolution and to be with Christ because he found himselfe so often foyled with this lawe of his members and Phil. 1. 21. Rom. 7. 23. led away captiue by his sinnefull flesh Eightly as it maketh vs to long after the crown of victory so it will make it when we shall obtaine it much more glorious for the Lord will haue vs first to fight and ouercome our spirituall enemies and then hee will reward vs with the crowne of victory first he will haue our spirituall graces exercised and manifested in the conflict and then being approued he will giue vs a proportion of glory according to the propertion of our graces So our Sauiour promiseth not to the Souldiars which lye quietly in their garrison assaulted with no enemy but to them who fighting ouercome that they shall sitte with him on his throne cloathed with white rayment and shall eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God And this order Paul vseth in Apoc. 2. 3. laying hold on these blessed hopes first to fight the combate and then to receiue the crowne I haue saith hee fought a good fight
spirit but presently the Lord rich in mercy and goodnesse by the same meanes doeth satisfie them and sendeth his spirit accompanied with a strong army of sanctifying graces to take possession of vs for his vse to raigne and rule in vs and to thrust downe Sathan from his throne and to depose him from his regencie or rather tyranny ouer vs and to subdue kill and mortifie all those garrisons of sinnefull lustes so as they shall not be able vnder their great Generall to rule raigne in vs as they did in former times For example hee causeth knowledge spirituall wisedome iudgement discretion holy reason and spirituall cogitations to enter into the head and by stronge assault to encounter ignorance curiositie carnall wisedome errour rash giddinesse and carnall imagination Christian resolution and holy obedience to enter the will and to set vpon cowardly feare and vnconstancy vnflexible stubbornesse and stiffe rebellion faith and loue with innumerable numbers of holy affections to take possession of the heart and to subdue vanquish infidelitie selfe-loue and loue of the world with those many legions of vnlawfull lustes and vnruly passions which Sathan had placed in it spirituall concupiscence and holy desires temperance sobriety and chastity to seate themselues in the inferiour faculties and sensuall appetite and to thrust out and to hold possession against carnall concupiscence worldly lustes intemperance wantonnesse and vncleannesse with the rest of their opposites Finally puritie and honour to seaze vpon the body and all the members thereof and to driue out and cleanse it from all vncleannesse and noysomnesse wherewith it had beene defiled like a filthy stye of impure beastes through the inhabitation and abuse of sinfull lusts § Sect 3. The maner of the conflict it selfe Which royall and heauenly army of Gods sauing graces led vnder the conduct of his holy spirit doe no sooner enter the fielde and encounter their enemies but presently they put them to the worse and causing them to retire doe get the victory Sathan the strong tyrant that held all in quiet possession and ruled as hee list is put to flight spoyled of his power and regency and the spirit of God seateth himselfe vpon the throne and the flesh and the lusts thereof in the first conflict receiue such deadly wounds that they neuer recouer of them but languish in a continuall consumption till at last they bee wholly abolished And therefore being in the first battell thus weakened foyled and discomfited they haue neuer the courage afterwards in a martiall maner to proclaime warre against the spirit and the army of Gods graces which doe accompany i◠to bid thē battell and to fight against them in a pitched field but crafuly and cunningly reentrouping their scattered forces they like the sauadges or Irish kernes will onely fight vpon aduantages and therefore make secrete ambuscadoes and hide themselues as it were in the woods and thickers from which they sally out at vnawares when we are most secure and so skirmishing with vs they sometime wound and foyle vs and for a time cause vs to retire And so otherwhiles they set out some booty of worldly profit or pleasure with which they allure vs to come when wee thinke not of it within the danger of their shot somtimes as it were in the night when wee are brought into a deepe sleepe of retchlesse securitie they make some inuoades vpon vs wast and spoyle and doe much mischiefe firing our he 〈…〉 with vnlawful lusts corrupting or gagging the conscience which as the centinell should giue vs warning of their approach wounding and misleading the will vnto some peruersnesse and carrying the members of the body as captiues vnto sinne But when the spirit taking notice of these conflicts riseth vp to giue them battell gathereth his scattered forces and entring the field soundeth the alarem to the fight then the rebelles quit their standings and runne away or yeelde themselues as captiues to suffer the punishment which their rebellion hath deserued Howbeit they doe not long continue vnder subiection being onely kept vnder by slauish feare but vpon euery opportunitie they rebell againe and giue fresh assaults to Gods graces in vs though in the ende they are assured of an vtter ouerthrow like herein vnto theeues and cut purses who when they are apprehended and cast into prison are only restrained from their wicked courses but not reclaimed and amended or vnto gally-slaues who are forced to labour at the command of their enemies whilest they are tyed in chaines and feele the smart of the whip but no sooner doe they breake loose and make an escape but they are ready to encounter with all fury the same persons who not long since they so seruilely obeyed or finally like vnto their father diuell who though he be continually foyled and put to flight yet is so wholly transported with his inueterate mallice that hee continually opposeth God in all things especially in the saluation of his Elect and maketh continuall warre against Michaell the Arch-angell or the Prince of Angels Iesus Christ and the army of his Saints though he be not able to preuaile against them Now this fight betweene these enemies is maintained on both sides not by handy blowes swoord and shield pike and shot for of the fight of the spirit the Apostle saith that though we walke after the flesh yet we doe not warre after the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting 2 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 5 down imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ And hauing in a readines to reuenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled But as the enemies are spirituall so is the maner of the fight spirituall by inward lusting and concupiscence whereby motions and inclinations either good or euill are stirred vp in the heart and soule And thus there is a contrary lusting betweene these enemies the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh as the Apostle plainely teacheth vs. In which their contrary lusting they both of them mainely ayme at two generall ends Gal. 5. 17. § Sect. 5. The first end as which the flesh aymeth in lusting against the spirit The first ende at which the flesh in it lusting aymeth is to stirre vp and incline vs vnto such lustes desires and motions as are sinnefull and contrary to the lawe of God as to infidelitie impenitency pride selfe-loue hatred enuy vncleannesse couetousnesse and such like or to speake more distinctly it endeauoureth to beget and stirre vp preserue and nourish euill cogitations in the minde wicked inclinations in the will and sinnefull affections and desires in the heart in which respect it is fitly compared to a fiery furnace or boyling potte which continually send vp sparkes and smoke and by the Apostle Iames it
euery particular member of it who notwithstanding may and doe erre in some particulars and therefore the promise is to be limitted first vnto al truth necessary to our saluation and secondly that they shall by the spirit receiue this priuiledge that whereas the wicked continue and perish in fundamentall errours the faithfull though they may fall into them and continue in them for a time yet they shall not liue and dye in them but shall in Gods good time after their going astray heare the voyce of Gods word and spirit reuoking and recalling them into the right path and saying this is the way walke yee in it Esa 30. 21. § Sect. 7 That this should make vs to conforme our iudgment to the analogie of faith Againe seeing through the flesh dwelling in vs wee are subiect to ignorance and errour this should make vs to conforme our iudgement and opinion to the analogie of faith and as to hold fast those doctrines which are manifestly grounded vpon the Scriptures so to be modest and sober in maintaining such points as are doubtfull and controuersall when as other of our brethren differ from vs because we may erre by reason of those reliques of ignorance remaining in vs and they may erre also out of humaine frailtie and therefore are rather to bee pitied then hated and to be drawne not with rigour but with the spirit Phil. 3. 15. Gal 6. 1. of meekenesse Finally seeing the reliques of ignorance and errour will neuer leaue vs till death deuide vs this must make vs labour continually in the vse of all good meanes whereby our mindes may bee more and more illightened and our iudgements informed in the knowledge of Gods trueth that so we may be strengthened against those sharpe encounters where with ignorance and errour will daily assault vs. And especially wee are to heare the word study and meditate in the Scriptures and call often and earnestly by feruent prayers for the assistance and illumination of Gods holy spirit whereby we may be preserued from all errours and led into all trueth For if Dauid who was wiser then his ancients and had attained vnto more knowledge then his teachers had neede to make that prayer Open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Psal 119. 18. and if the Apostle Paul who was immediately taught by Christ and had receiued such abundance of reuelations desired aboue all things still more and more to knowe Christ and to finde and feele the vertue and power of Christs Phil. 3. 10 death and resurrection then how much more should wee who come farre short of their perfection § Sect. 8. The conflict in our thoughts and imaginatiōs The next conflict which is to be considered in the mind is betweene the actions and opperations of it which like vnto the minde it solfe being partly spirituall and partly carnall doe continually striue and fight against one another And these are our thoughts and cogitations our meditations and imaginations which labour mutually to expell one another and to keepe the minde in their sole possession For when the spirit lifteth vp the minde in diuine contemplations and causeth it to thinke and meditate on heauenly things as the ende of our hopes or on the seruice of God the duties of Christianity or of our lawfull callings as the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto them then the flesh depresseth and pulleth it downe and as it were clippeth the wings or casteth vpon them the lime or slime of sinne when as it is soaring this loftie pitch and by suggesting such thoughts as are simply worldly and wicked or else impertinent and vnseasonable in respect of the present employment doe cause it to stoope vnto earthly vanities and so leauing the substance to catch a shadowe But the spirituall part finding it selfe thus defeated of those spirituall excellencies which so earnestly it persueth doeth not rest thus deiected and depressed but shaking of the thoughts of sinnefull vanities and sensuall delights and bathing it selfe in the precious blood of Christ by a liuely faith it is washed from the filth of earthly corruption and as it were picking and pruning it ruffled feathers when the Sunne-beames of Gods louing countenance shine vpon it it leaueth the earth and vp againe it mouneeth in spirituall and heauenly thoughts and remembring that we are but Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1. 2. Pilgrimes on earth and that heauen is our countrey it causeth vs by diuine meditations to haue our conuersation there whilest our bodies are on earth and knowing that we are risen with Christ it maketh vs to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to set our affections on things aboue and not on things which are one the earth § Sect. 9. The conflict betweene spirituall and carnall memory And this is the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in our minds and vnderstanding To this we may adde the combats that are betweene them in our memories for these being but in part regenerate and the reliques of corruption remaining in them there is a great conflict whilest the memory so farre forth as it is spirituall laboureth to blot out and deface all worldly wicked and sinnefull impressions and to haue imprinted in it those heauenly and spirituall documents and instructions which haue beene entrusted vnto it by the sanctified vnderstanding and whilest it endeauoureth to cast out the rubbish and noisome filth of prophannesse ribaldry scurtilous jestes maliciousnesse and all maner of impietie and wickednesse that so it may be a fit sure and faithfull treasury of wise sayings and Religious discourses And contrariwise whilest on the other side the flesh and vnregenerate part standeth in direct opposition to the spirit by reprinting and repeating those lessons of impietie and prophannesse which before our conuersion especially and since also wee had learned in the schoole of the diuell and the world and by working in vs obliuion and forgetfulnesse of all good things whereby these heauenly treasures and spirituall iewels are as it were presently cast out of dores as soone as they are receiued these holy lessons are no sooner written but they are presently blotted out and cancelled and these waters of life doe no longer stay with vs then common water continueth in a leaking vessell or in a siue § Sect. 10. Of the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit in the conscience Finally there is also the like conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the conscience whereby I vnderstand not the fight betweene it and the will affections and carnall appetite which may be in those who are vnsanctified and meerly naturall of which I shall speake more in the following discourse but that conflict which is in the same facultie as it is partly regenerate and renewed by the sanctifying grace of the spirit and partly vnregenerate the reliques of sinnefull corruption remaining in
it For as it is regenerate it is so inlightned and rectified by the spirit of grace that like a true witnesse it giueth an infallible testimony betweene God vs excusing vs when we doe wel that we may proceede in well doing and accusing vs when wee haue done euill that wee may forsake it and recouer our selues by vnfained repentance yea before the doing of either of them both it giueth testimony and approbation vnto that which is good that we may embrace and practise it and also discouereth that which is wicked and sinnefull that wee may shunne and auoide it Neither doeth it onely play the part of a witnesse but also of a iudge and according to this true euidence it either iustifieth vs or pronounceth the sentence of condemnation against vs. From the former where of arise peace comfort and spirituall ioy in the holy Ghost whereby we are encouraged to proceede in all holy duties and from the other either feare whereby wee are restrained from falling into sinne or sorrowe and repentance not to bee repented of causing saluation after 1 Cor. ◠1◠that we are fallen But contrariwise as the conscience is vnregenerate it remaineth blinded with ignorance and corrupted with malitiousnesse and therefore is continually ready to play the part of a false witnesse either dawbing and colouring ouer our sinne with deceiptfull colours that wee may ignorantly fall into it or excusing it being committed as though it were veniall or none at all that wee may continue in it without repentance or on the other side it is ready to accuse vs when wee doe well and in the seruice of God or the vse of our Christian libertie about things indifferent to raise in our minds superstitious feares and causelesse doubts that so we being affrighted may bee hindered from Christian duties or discouraged after wee haue done them And so answerably it playeth the false Iudge condemning where God and a good conscience iustifie iustifying where they condemne The which false sentence is the cause of carnall securitie when we continue in sinne and of causelesse terrours and needelesse feares when we are carefull to performe our duty The which if at any time it bee reuersed by a good conscience inlightened by Gods word and holy spirit and the vglinesse and haynousnesse of sinne be discouered and layed open then the carnall and corrupt part of conscience which before seemed feared and senselesse being pricked and awakened filleth the minde with loude cryes and grieuous accusations with terrible horrours and hideous feares and now as eagerly moueth to despaire as it did before to securitie and presumption telling vs that our sinnes are vnpardonable and that it is too late to turne from them by repentance But then againe the good conscience putteth it to silence and allayeth and quieteth the fury of it by witnessing vnto vs that our hearts are vpright with God notwithstanding that we haue been ouer taken and haue fallen through frailty and infirmity or at least by bathing it selfe from the filth of sinne in the precious blood of Iesus Christ which is sufficient to purge vs from the pollution euen of those sinnes which are wilfull and presumptuous with which washing of blood applyed by the hand of a liuely faith it causeth vs to ioyne that washing of water in the teares of vnfained repentance and amendment of life CHAP. VI. Of the maner of the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit in the will heart and affections § Sect. 1. Of the conflict betweene the carnall and renued will ANd thus haue wee shewed the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the minde and vnderstanding with those faculties which belong vnto it Come wee now to that fight which is betweene them in the will the which is much more sharpe and sensible for it likewise being partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate there is a continuall combate betweene these contrary factions whilest the regenerate part willeth and enforceth that which is good and nilleth and reiecteth that which is euill and contrariwise the part vnregenerate willeth and chooseth that which is euill and nilleth and refuseth that which is good As for example the spirituall part being guided by the vnderstanding inlightened with sauing knowledge chooseth embraceth God as the chife goodnesse his kingdome and righteousnesse as the chiefe happinesse and refuseth and contemneth the world and earthly vanities the seruice of Sathan and the momentany pleasures of sinne which in the ende bring death and destruction though they for the present be bitter to the flesh and much more imbittered by afflictions and these be sweete and delightfull to the carnall appetite But contrariwise that part of the will which remaineth vnregenerate being directed by that wisedome of the which is worldly sensuall and diuellish neglecteth and refuseth the present comforts of grace which it relisheth not and the future hopes of heauenly happinesse which it knoweth not as being out of sight and beyond the apprehension of sense vncertaine and not to bee compassed without great difficultie and contrariwise chooseth and embraceth this present world with the vaine honours vncertaine riches and sinnefull pleasures of it because they are subiect to the senses and may bee had in present possession In which conflict they mutually encounter one another and as they get their aduantages sometimes the one and sometimes the other preuaile and cause the aduerse part to giue ground And this conflict with the issue of it the Apostle felft in himselfe Rom. 7. 15. Rom. 7. 15. For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. And againe Cui rei ego suspicabam ligatus non ferro alieno sed meaferre a voluntate c. Aug. confes lib. 8. cap. 5. To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not for the good I would I doe not but the euill which I would not that I doe So Austine confesseth that whilest he desired his sound conuersion be found himselfe bound not with other mens chaines but by his owne yron and obdurate will The enemy saith he did hold my will and thereof made a strong chaine to binde mee for out of peruerse will sprung vnlawfull lust and whilest I obeyed lust it became a custome and whilest custome was not infringed it became necessitie with which linkes infolded one in another a chaine as I saide was made and held mee bound in a miserable seruitude And my will renewed which begunne to moue mee to worshippe and enioy thee freely my God and onely sure ioy was not yet fit to ouercome the other confirmed by age And so my two willes one olde the other new that carnall and this spirituall did fight betweene themselues renting my soule in sunder by this their discords And so I vnderstood in mine owne experience that which I had reade how that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit
loue our owne saluation for though these doe potentially belong to all the faithful yet they cannot actually be applied vnto them so long as they liue and lye securely in some knowne sins without repentance especially those promises which concerne temporary benefites which are present pledges and pawnes of Gods loue and fauour But against these also faith preuaileth when as it purifieth our hearts bringing vs to a sight and sence of our sinnes to a loathing and detestation of them and to a constant resolution and earnest endeauour to labour and forsake them for the time to come and so againe afresh applyeth the promises vnto vs as hauing now iust interrest and right vnto them § Sect 3. That the conflict betweene the Flesh and the Spirit is most turbulent and sensible in the afeections and sensuall appetite And thus haue we seene the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the superiour faculties the like may be obserued in the inferiour seated in the heart as the affections passions and sensuall appetite the which though they bee no more corrupted then the other yet the corruption in them is much more sensible and though the conflict be no more daungerous yet is it much more turbulent and violent For as the poyson in the braine is as mortall and pernitious as any other and not resting there alone but diffusing it selfe into all the parts of the body doeth benum and dead them but that which is receiued into the stomach is much more raging and painefull sending vp poysonous vapours into the head wherewith it is annoied and mortally affected so the poyson of corruption hauing tainted the vnderstanding faculties doeth from thence descend to the heart and affections infecting them with their malignitie but that which is infused into them doeth cause a more raging and violent disease which is more sensible and grieuous and becommeth more dangerous to the soule sicke in sinne because these inferiour faculties being corrupted doe worke also vpon the will and vnderstanding striking vp their poyson backe againe vnto them with redoubled violence For as the outward obiects moue and affect the senses and they the heart and affections so they being thus moued doe moue the will and the will draweth also the iudgement and vnderstanding But though these sensuall faculties are more grossely poysoned and therefore seeme more desperately incurable yet the spirit of God working also vpon these parts doeth purge them from their contagious humours and comforteth the heart with such spirituall cordials and strengtheneth it with such heauenly antidotes that spirituall health is in some measure recouered but for as much as in this life the poyson of corruption is not wholly expelled so they are not fully perfected there is a continuall conflict betweene health and sicknesse the antidotes and the poyson the heart and affections as they are renewed and sanctified and as they remaine corrupted and vnregenerate For the hard stone in the heart striueth with the soft flesh rebellion with obedience corrupâ—on with grace and whilest the spirit draweth the heart vnto God and spirituall and heauenly things that it may inseparably cleaue and adhaere vnto them the flesh pulleth it backe and withdraweth it from them and laboureth to keepe it still fixed and fasted vpon earthly and worldly vanities §. Sect. 4. of the conflict betweene the affections and passions And from the same cause springeth that continuall conflict which is betweene the affections and passions wherein sometimes the same affections deuided as it were betweene grace and corruption doe fight and striue against themselues and sometimes being crosse matched doe mutually oppose and encounter other affections and passions which are contrary and opposite vnto them the former combate being exercised in contrary the latter about the same subiects Thus the loue of God and of spirituall and heauenly things is assaulted with selfe loue loue of the world and hatred of those Diuines excellencies Affiance in God his prouidence and promises with confidence in the creatures and diffidence in the all-sufficient creatour zeale of Gods glory with carnall blinde zeale coldnesse and lukewarmenesse the feare of God which is ingenuous and filiall with feare of men and that feare of God which is slauish and seruile Hope in God with earthly hopes and also with presumption and despaire sorrow for sinne with worldly sorrowe which causeth death also with wretchlesnesse and carnall securitie ioy in the holy Ghost and spirituall reioycing in God with carnal ioy in the pleasures of sinne and desperate griefe for worldly losses Alacritie and chearefulnesse in Gods seruice with carnall chearefulnesse in pursuing our sensuall and sinnefull lustes and also with lumpish heauinesse dulnesse deadnesse of heart and carnall wearinesse In which conflict though the spirit receiue many foyles through the raging violence of these wilde and rebellious passions and is oftentimes so wounded that in outward appearance there seemeth to be no life remaining yet it proueth to be but a daungerous sownde out of which recouering with redoubled valure it reneweth the conflict and getteth the victory Though it seeme but a small sparke remaining of a great fire almost extinguished with a flood of passions and so couered vnder the ashes of corruptions that it scarce appeareth yet when the spirit of God doeth blowe vpon it it encreaseth in strength to a great flame and finally though whilest the storme lasteth like a shippe in a mighty tempest it is so hidde vnder the waues of sinfull passions that scarce any shew or semblance of grace remaineth yet the good spirit of God asswaging the tempest and becalming these rough and raging Seas like the shippe which seemed lately suncke they re appeare shew themselues in their former beautie and being helped on with that diuine breath they carry vs forward in all Christian courses as it were vnderfull sayles with a prosperous winde and tide CHAP. VII Of the effects which this Conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit produceth in vs. § Sect. 1. That the man regenerate cannot with full consent of will chuse or refuse either good or euill WEe haue seene the manner of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in our seuerall parts and faculties now let vs briefly consider of the effects which it produceth in vs. And these are either in the will and desires or in the workes and actions Concerning the former from this conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit arising from the imperfection of our regeneration this effect is wrought and caused in the man regenerate that hee cannot with his whole will and full consent either choose and embrace or refuse and reiect either good or euill because being partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate his will is deuided and accordingly doeth at the same time refuse and choose both the euill and the good For when the will as it is regenerate would doe that which is good or auoide and shun that which is euill that part
which remaineth vnregenerate struggleth and hindereth and when this would embrace the euil or refuse the good the regenerate part resisteth and opposeth And this is that Law which the Apostle saith he found in himselfe namely that when hee would doe good euill was present with him and that when he delighted in the lawe of God after the inner man bee saw another laws in his Rom. 7. 21. 23. members warring against the lawe of his minde and bringing him into the captiuity of the law of sinne which was in his members From whence ariseth a notable differēce betwene the sinnes of the regenerate and the vnregenerate which though they be all one in respect of the act and deede done yet not in respect of the agent and maner of doing For the regenerate man cannot commit a knowne sinne with full consent of will but there is a reluctation resisting against the flesh not onely in his conscience but also in his heart will and affection For being spirituall and regenerate in all the faculties of his soule the chiefe and principall part of his will adhaereth to the lawe of righteousnesse desiring in all things to yeelde obedience vnto it And consequently it resisteth the motions of the flesh nilling that which it willeth And if through frailty and weakenesse it be ouercome it hateth and detesteth that sinne with which it is taken captiue and maketh the Christian to be much displeased with himselfe because he hath committed it Hee consenteth to the lawe of God that it is holy and good and i◠more delighted in it then in the bewitching pleasures of sinne An example whereof we haue in Dauid who though by his flesh he was drawne not onely in his wil to embrace but also in his actions to practise some grieuous sins yet he truely saith of himselfe that in his heart he hated euery false Psal 119. 10◠118. way and that he would haue respect to Gods statutes continually But the vnregenerate man though he sometime feeleth some panges of conscience checking him for his sins so as he cannot securely sleep in them without disturbance yet he liketh and loueth them with all his heart hee willingly obeyeth his sinnefull lustes hee pleaseth and delighteth himselfe in them neither doeth any thing trouble him but the feare of a guilty conscience apprehending and expecting deserued punishment so that he inuerteth the Apostles speech and is ready to say the euill I loue that doe I not but the good I hate that doe I. § Sect. 2. The regenerate man cannot at all times doe the euill which the flesh chuseth Gen. 39. 9. The effects which arise from this conflict in the actions and workes of the man regenerate are diuers first that he cannot doe the euill at all times which the flesh chuseth and imbraceth and this Ioseph intimateth in his deniall of the wicked suite which his mistresse made vnto him How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God And what restrained him surely the feare of God and his holy spirit which would not suffer him to fall into so great a wickednesse Secondly that he cannot commit sinne as the wicked doe with full consent of will for sinne being deposed from it regency cannot raigne and rule in the whole man as in times past but is confined vnto a part alone and so farre foorth as we are regenerate we cannot sinne According to that of the Apostle Hee that committeth sinne 1. Ioh. 3. 9. is of the diuell whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not commit sinne for his seede that is regeneration or the seede of the spirit remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God Thirdly that hee cannot walke in the way of sinners but propoundeth vnto himselfe to worship and serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse in which course though sometime he slippeth and falleth and sometime erreth out of the right way for a little space yet the spirit of God dwelling in him and conuicting him of his sinnes and shewing vnto him the digressions and errors of his life exciteth him to rise againe after his falles and to returne into his olde and right way by renewing his repentance Whereby it appeareth that they who liue and continue in knowne sinnes and make a daily practise of committing wickednesse haue not the worke of regeneration so much as begunne in them though they make neuer so glorious a profession and like Herode doe many things praise-worthy in the sight of men § Sect 3. By reason of this conflict he cannot doe the good he would Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 7. 15. 18. Heb. 12. 1. Secondly by reason of this conflict the man regenerate cannot doe the good he would nor yeeld that perfect obedience to Gods lawe which it requireth and he desireth So the Apostle out of his owne experience saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that we cannot doe the things that we would And againe what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not For when he would runne the Christian race the sinne that compasseth him doeth clinge about his necke and either maketh him for wearinesse to sit downe or to runne forward slowly and with great difficultie It giueth him such blowes and wounds that hee is often foyled and falleth in his course and when he recouereth himselfe and riseth by repentance though he laboureth and much desireth to redeeme his lost time with his suture hast and swiftnesse yet after his wrastling and combate he goeth on his iourney but haltingly yea and is often times so dazled and blinded with the deceites of the flesh that hee erreth and goeth astray and oftentimes is haled with violence into the by-wayes of sinne and wickednesse Whereof it is that our best obedience is imperfect euen after wee are regenerate and our best actions so stained and defiled by our sinfull flesh that were not their imperfections couered with Christs perfect obedience and their pollutions washed away in his blood they would neuer ble acceptable in the sight of God for though they spring from the pure fountaine of Gods spirit yet running through the filthy puddle of our sinfull flesh they are hereby defiled and loose their natiue beautie and puritie It is true that the flesh in this conflict doeth not wholly hinder and withdrawe the regenerate man from performing of his duty nor alienate his mind and heart from the flesh cannot wholly hinder the spirit from good actions yet it interrupteth it in them study and embracing of godlinesse and righteousnesse but yet it still endeauoureth to doe it and though it cannot make him to stand still or turne backe againe yet like a heauy burthen it presseth him downe and hindereth him in his iourney though it cannot make him desist running the Christian race yet it casteth many
the spirit the reason minde and conscience not excepted But in the combate which is in the vnregenerate the conflict is betweene diuers faculties which are all carnall and corrupted fighting one of them against another as betweene the reason and the will the conscience and the carnall concupiscence passions Rom. 2. 15. and affections in which whether soeuer party preuaileth still the vnsanctified man is drawne vnto sinne And so also they differ in the manner of the fight for that which is betweene the spirit and the flesh is done by contrary lusting the one against the other in a practicall reall and effectuall maner but that which is betweene the reason and the will the conscience and the affections is maintained by logicall disputes and mentall discourses whilest the conscience inferres fearefull conclusions of punishments Gods ensuing iudgements vpon the wicked choyse of the will and their yeelding to satisfie their carnall affections For though in the creation the wil was in subiection to reason and embraced or shunned that which it approued or disalowed and though this order bee commonly obserued betweene the faculties euen in this state of corrupion yet after that man rebelled against his chiefe Soueraigne there followed rebelliō therupon in the inferior faculties against their superiour in the little commonwealth of man and now the will yeelding obedience no further then it liketh and lusteth doeth often resist reason which is his King and refuseth to follow it directions and to allow of it conclusions but rather embraceth the cleane contrary Now whilest reason is earnest in perswading by arguments and the will rebellious and violent in crossing and thawarting it the conscience being awakened and rowsed vp commeth in to the rescue of reason restraining the will from embracing that euill it liketh by the terrours of punishment which it adiudgeth the offender vnto vpon the committing of the sinne wherewith oftentimes when the violence of the will is abated and the courage thereof cooled so that it beginneth to stagger and faint in its resolution then enters in a tumultuous troope of passions and affections as fresh aydes to strengthen the will in rebellion which being themselues first hyred and corrupted to doe seruice vnto Sathan in sinnefull desires and actions with the present pay or expected wages of worldly vanities doe by the same proffers perswade the will to continue stiffe and obdurate in rebellious courses and with all resolution to oppose it selfe against reason and conscience But yet consider that in all this conflict betweene these diuers faculties there is no enmitie contrariety betweene them in their natures neither is there more grace or lesse corruption in the reason and conscience then in the will and affections for they as well as these doe like and loue sinne with the pleasures and profits of it in it owne nature if they were not deterred with the fearefull consequents of Gods iudgments and punishments which they see will necessarily follow vpon such sinnefull praemises Nor is there lesse emnitie betweene them and Gods grace and goodnesse for were they out of the gunshot of daunger they would as willingly embrace the pleasures of sinne as doe the affections and will but heere onely is the difference that they are more pollitique enemies to God and all goodnesse and more wisely louing themselues dare not seeke pleasure in such sinfull attempts as will cause more bitternesse sorrow in the ende through sense of punishment then can be counteruailed with the short ioy which they shall take in the fruition of their wicked delights whereas the other being more rude and sensuall doe onely looke vpon present obiects and therefore when they see a bayte and booty of sinne set out before them they runne vnto it with a headlong violence not fearing nor caring for the imminent daunger of denounced punishments § Sect. 6. The conflict betweene the flesh the spirit is in the same saculties But it is farre otherwise in the conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh which is not betweene diuers faculties all still remaining and agreeing in their naturall corruption and onely differing one with another like Souldiars in the same Campe and fighting vnder the same Generall vpon their diuers reasons and grounds in the managing of the War the one being more willing in running into dangers the other more wary to auoide and escape them but it is betweene the same faculties fighting against themselues reason against reason and will against will not arysing from a syllogisticall discourse vpon outward grounds of ensuing mischiefes but from a reall change of their nature wrought by Gods spirit the which because it is but begun and imperfect the reliques of sinnefull corruption remaining and dwelling in the same house and heart with spirituall and renewed graces these being euen in their owne nature as contrary one to another as fire to water light to darknesse good to euill there necessarily followeth a continuall conflict betweene them in which as vnreconciable enemies they seeke to destroy one another not moued hereunto by discourse of reason no more then in the fight betweene the Lyon and the Dragon the Dogge and the Beate the fire and water but by the antipathy and contrarietie which is in their natures Whereof it is that a new borne babe in Christ who hath litle learning and a small degree of knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding doeth with as great resolution withstand the encounters and motions of sinne and endeauours to please God though he be scarce able to render a reason of his doings as those who are growne vnto a riper age and haue attained vnto an higher degree of learning and wisedome An example whereof wee haue in many poore simple illiterate men who as conscionably auoide all sin and practise the holy duties of a Christian life as other Christ ans who are learned and haue a greater measure of knowledge and wisedome and also in many martyres who being vnlearned and not able to maintaine the trueth of their cause by syllogisticall disputes did yet as resolutly oppose themselues against idolatry and popish heresies and as willingly and couragiously seale the trueth with their blood as others who had attained to the greatest learning Which plainely sheweth that their opposition to errour and falsehood was not chiefly grounded on mentall discourses for then those who most excelled in learning knowledge should haue as much exceeded in their resolution and opposition but vpon that secret change of nature made in them by Gods spirit by which they opposed that which was euil not onely in their reason and vnderstanding but also in their will hearts and affections with all other powers and parts of their soules and bodies By which it appeareth that the Christian is no sooner conceiued of the seede of the spirit and by communication of sauing grace receiueth spirituall life birth and being but hee presently becommeth one of Gods souldiars and as naturally and voluntarily by vertue
of his regeneration fighteth against the flesh the world and the diuel without any pressing by the conscience or inticement and enforcing by the terrours of the lawe denouncing punishment if hee goe not on this Warfare onely out of his loue and obedience towards God and his owns inclination carying him against these enemies as it were by a naturall antipathy and inward contrariety as the fire striueth against the water health against sickenesse or life against death § Sect. 7. The fourth difference is in their contrarie effectes The fourth difference betweene the combate of the spirit and the flesh in the regenerate and betweene the reason and will the conscience and affections in the vnregenerate is in their contrary effects for by the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit our faith is confirmed in the assurance of our regeneration seeing the spirit of God which is one of the combattants dwelleth in vs of Gods loue and fauour seeing hee hath chosen vs for his souldiars to fight his battailes and of our owne saluation seeing Gods spirit fighting in and for vs we are assured of victory for who can withstand his power or resist his will and of the crowne of victory euerlasting glory promised by trueth it selfe to all those who ouercome But contrariwise from the conflict of coÌ„science in the vnregenerate where in oftentimes the worser part preuaileth ariseth doubting and incredulity terrours feares and vtter despaire in the apprehension of Gods wrath and those dreadfull punishments which sinne hath deserued Secondly from the combate of the flesh and spirit vnsained repentance is begunne or renewed and encreased in those who are regenerate for there is a change in them principally in their wils hearts and affection whereby in all things they oppose the flesh hating that which it loueth and louing that which it hateth willing what it nilleth and nilling that which it willeth vpon which followeth the purifying of the heart and the purging of it from all sinfull corruptions the hating and forsaking of all sinne and a hearty desire and earnest endeauour to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnes of life and not onely a reformation in part but totall obedience in all our affections and actions in the renouncing of all sin and the embracing of al good duties in the whole course of our liues But there is no such change following the conflict betweene the conscience and affections reason and will onely there may bee some pange of sorrowe and shedding of teares caused not by the loue of God or hatred of sinne but by the apprehension and expectation of deserued punishments There may be also some confession and acknowledgement of sinne whilest they are vpon the racke of conscience and are terrified with the feare and apprehension or pinched with the present sense and smart of punishment and some promise or it may be purposes of leauing and forsaking their wicked courses as wee see in the example of Pharaob who whilest the hand of God was vpon himselfe and his people confessed his sinne and promised amendment And finally they may out of this serude feare leaue the most of their sinnes and outwardly reforme themselues and conforme their practise in many things to Mark 6. 20. such obedience and to the performance of so many good duties that they may thinke themselues and perswade others that they are notable conuerts as we may see in the example of Herod and yet for all this there is in them no sound repentance no change of nature no purging and remouing but onely a temporary restraining of their corruptions wrought in them not by grace and the spirit but by other corruptions of a different nature namely seruile feare and terrour of conscience As hereby it plainely appeareth in that when as they are taken from the racke and secured â—n their conceipt from the feeling of further punishment they returne againe to their wicked courses and become more obdurate and rebellious then they were before or if there is any shewe of some amendment yet it is not a through reformation or a purging of the heart from all the filth of sinne such as followeth the conflict of the spirit and the flesh but a reducing of the vnregenerate man from extreamitie to some medioctitie from being a Publican and notorious sinner to be a Pharisee Hypocrite or at the best a meere ciuill man conformable to the politique lawes in the state and no opposer to outward discipline and order in the Church And this also is the worke of naturall reason which perswadeth them to this information for worldly respects whereas the other is the worke of the spirit which in loue and obedience to God beginneth and continueth this amendment in them the fruite and benefite whereof redoundeth chiefely to the preseruation of humaine societie the good of common wealthes in the maintayning of externall discipline which could not stand against the rage and fury of tumultuous passions and affections were it not that their strength is abated their violence restrained by the conflict of conscience whereas the fruits of the combate betweene the spirit the flesh are much better namely the aduancement of Gods glory by our worshipping seruing him in spirit truth the strengthening increasing of our faith the inward purging and purifying of the heart and conscience from the hidden and secrete corruption of all sinne humiliation in this life and glorification in the life to come for all that thus fight shall surely ouercome and receiue for thâ—â— reward the crown of victory euerlasting blessednes Thirdly the warre betweene the spirit and the flesh causeth vnto vs the most secure peace euen peace with God when as be comming his souldiaâ—s we fight vnder his standard against his and out enemies peace betweene the faculties of our soules when as the inferiour faculties are in quiet subiection to the superiour the affections harkening vnto and obeying the conscrence the will yeelding voluntary obedience to reason as Gods viceroy and all to God as their supreame soueraigne It bringeth also with it vnspeakeable comfort spirituall reioycing and ioy in the holy Ghost because it assureth vs of Gods loue and gracious assistance of a full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory but the conflict of conscience in the vnregenerate causeth continuall garboyles hot dissension tyranny in the superiour faculties ruling onely by seruile feare and rebellion in the inferiour when as they haue power to breake the yoke of gouernment horrour and anguish of minde disconsolate sorrow and hellish dispaire when the affrighted conscience beareth sway or the mad and tumultuous ioy of frantique men when the wilde affections and disordred passions by gagging and silencing the conscience doe get the vpper hand the which oftentimes lasting no longer then a blaze of thornes doth leaue behinde it redoubled griefe and desperate despaire Finally the conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh maketh the
maintaine peace because they are not able to discerne those iust causes which are offered of discording from one another like enemies who lye quietly in their tents in the darke night when the aduerse party doeth goe a spoyling and forraiging because they haue no light to discouer their attempts Opposite vnto these are those carnall men who hauing a great measure of speculatiue knowledge art and learning are able by their paralogismes and subtill sophistry their nice distinctions and cunning shifts to make blacke seeme white darkenesse light falsehood trueth and good euill whereby they blinde the eye of reason stoppe the mouth of conscience and so corrupt and dazle the iudgement that they can doe what euill they list and satisfie in all things their carnall lusts and affections vncontrouled and condemned Of these it is truely saide that they haue much science and litle conscience like these Lamie who were sharpesighted when they went abreade but starke blinde when they entred into their houses oâ— the Pharisees who sitting in Moses chaire were able to teach others Mat. 7. 5. their duties and to rebuke and controule them for their smallest sinne but were not able to see their owne carnall worldlinesse hellish pride and damnable hypocrisie and as our Sauiour chargeth them could discerne a mote in their neighbours eye though there were a beame in their owne In these there is no conflict of conscience because like crafty and skilfull Lawyers they can with false colours and collusions blinde the eyes of the Iudge making their euill cause seeme iust and good or like cunning theeues they doe so subtilly and secretly atchieue their wicked designes that when they come to be arraigned they shift off and elude the most pertinent accusations § Sect 5. That the conflict of conscience is not in proud iusticiaries and ciuill worldlings Vnto these we may adioyne proude iusticiaries who taking away from the lawe of God the life and rigour of spirituall sense doe expound it after a grosse and litterall manner that so they may satisfie it with their grosse obedience because their obedieÌ„ce caÌ„not reach to the spirituall meaning therfore they frame a meaning sutable to their carnal obedience And so iustifying them selues as though they had done all which the law requireth their consciences sleepe securely in all their sinfull courses neuer accuse them for any sinne of which wee haue an example in the Luk. 16. 15. Mat. 19. 20. Pharisees who iustified themselues when our Sauiour most condemned them in the young iusticiary who boasted that he had done all which was required when as hee had done nothing and in the vaine-glorious Papists who farre outstrip them both affirming that they can fulfill the Lawe and doe more then it requireth for which indeede they haue speciall helpes seeing they giue what sense they list to euery Commaundement and if they can make no sense seeme sensible and probable to their too dimsighted followers then for more surety they will quite cancell and blot it out as they deale with the second Commandement condemning their imagery and idolatry and hauing made none of one they make of one two by deuiding of the tenth and so filling vp the number that their theft and falsehood may not be discouered Like vnto these are our ciuill worldlings and ignorant Protestants who placing all Religion in out ward abstaining from haynous faults as periury whoredome drunkennesse and such like and in performing formall seruice to God according to the Princes lawes and mortall duties of honesty and iustice to one another doe thinke that God is throughly satisfied when they haue attained to this periode of perfection which themselues haue pitched And therefore their consciences are quiet and suffer them to enioy a secure peace though they liue in ignorance and vnbeliefe in the neglect of spirituall seruice swearers Sabaoth breakers and in all things followe those courses which ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse and selfe-loue will prescribe vnto them § Sect. 6. That the conflict of conscience is seldome in those who are transported with violent passions Finally we may adde vnto these such others who are violent and furious in their affections who whilest the fit and feauer of their passion lasteth can commit any wicked outrage and neuer feele any conflict of conscience Not because reason is quite blinde and conscience dumbe but because seeing and speaking they are not hard and discerned no more then the speech of a wise Citizen and Senatour in a tumultuous vproare of common people Not because they vtterly refuse to doe their office and make resistance but because they are so caried away and hurried with the violence of the throng that they are not able to keepe their standing or hinder their proceedings Or if wee will wee may here compare reason and conscience in them to that they are in drunkards which are so hindred and disabled with intoxicating fumeâ— that they are not able to doe their functions till by naturall heate they be spent and scantered But in these commonly when the heate and violence of passion is somewhat spent and abated reason and conscience especially doeth recouer strength and like a Prince foyled and put to flight by his rebellions subiects recouering by force his state and dignitie of a King becomes a tyrant and so much the more seuerely keepeth them vnder by how much be hath tasted more sensibly of the mischiefes accompanying their rage disloyaltie For thus experience teacheth vs that when conscience hath beene foyled and wounded with rage and passion their power being spent by their owne fury it doeth affresh set vpon them and beating them out of their holds doeth put into their place affrighting terrours and astonishing feares and so terrifieth the heart with his vehement accusations that oftentimes it sinketh into the gulfe of despaire the which we see manifest in the example of Caine Saâ—â—â— Iudas and many others And these are the men in whom either a peace or truce is maintained betweene the conscience and affections there being whilest it lasteth no conflict betweene them Now if we would knowe in whom principally this combate is fought it is in such vnregenerate men as haue still remaining in them some common notions of the light of nature encreased by their study in the volume of the creatures and in the booke of holy Scripture and their obseruation of the due execution of Gods fearefull iudgement In such whose conscience remaineth liuely and sensibly soft and vigorous because it is not yet cautherized and seared with the often and wilfull committing of haynous sinnes Finally in such whose affections are somewhat gentile and moderate and whose hearts are not so hardened not wholly taken vp with wicked infidelitie but that they giue some credite to Gods fearefull threatnings CHAP. X. Whether the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit bee in all the regenerate and whether if it be it be in the same manner and measure § Sect. 1
and foyleth the aduerse party like those warres of old betweene the Romanes and Carthaginians and those mighty enemies the Turkes and Persians in these dayes And because both parties continue in their great strength hereof it commeth to passe that these sharpe and fierce encounters doe also last euen to the end of their liues vntill the Lord by death doe put an end to the battaile giuing vnto the spirituall man full and finall victory ouer all his enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting happinesse § Sect. 4. That this conflict is aften weake in strong Christians Finally the Lord to shew the riches of his bounty doth sometimes giue vnto his seruants such a large measure of spirituall strength sauing grace knowledge faith loue Christian magnanimitie and the rest that like those mightie worthies in the time of Dauid none of their spirituall enemies are able to withstand them but in the first encounters after this strength receiued they foile wound and vanquish them either leading them captiue without any great resistance or else putting them to a shamefull flight So as they neuer againe gather their scattered forces nor once dare to enter the field onely they may perhaps after a treacherous manner lye in ambushment and make some attempt vpon some great aduantage And in this case the spirituall sould our gloriously triumpheth ouer his spirituall enemies and keeping them vnder with vnresistable power doth enioy his victory with much peace and heauenly comfort But all this while we are to remember that the Christian Champian and the Lords great worthy doth not thus preuaile by vertue of any naturall strength which he hath aboue others of his fellow souldiers but like Sampson through the gifts of the spirit and the power of God communicated vnto him which because through their pride and selfe-loue they are apt to forget and beeing swollen vp in their owne conceipts to rob God of his glory by arrogating some part of the praise of their spirituall strength and victories vnto themselues the Lord leaueth them by spiritual desertions vnto their owne abilities and letteth loose their enemies to assault and encounter them In which case they are vtterly vnable to stand in the least conflict but are shamefully foyled put to flight and led captiue of sinne as we see in the example of Noah Lot Iob Dauid Peter and many others And then being discouraged and discomfited they complaine with Iob that God opposeth them as a mightie enemie making them his markes and shooting against them his enuenomed arrowes With Dauid that God hath forsaken them will be no Psal 22. 1. 77 7. 8. more intreated but hath shut vp his kindnesse in displeasure that his terrours doe fight against them dry their bones and drinke vp their spirits And finally with the Church they cry out O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy Esa 63. 17. 64. 9. wayes and hardened our heart from thy feare Bee not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquitie for euer On the other side the flesh all this while proudly swelleth in victorie insulteth ouer the spirit is this the man that tooke God for his hope Carryeth away the spoiles and vaunteth it selfe in a wicked triumph But though God hath withdrawne himselfe a little that the spirituall man might more carnestly seeke him yet hee doth not vtterly forsake his souldiers and seruants and those his graces in them though in respect of sense motion and outward operation they seeme quâ—â—e vtterly extinguished yet in truth they are but in a swound and as it were couered ouer with the ashes of corruption and therefore when the Lord reuiueth them bloweth vpon them with his spirit and cherisheth their inward heate by fresh fuell and a new accesse of sauing grace then Sampsons haire growing cut againe hee recouereth his strength and the Christian Champion being grieued and ashamed for his former foyles gatheteth together his scattered forces and with more then wonted valure and resolution encountering his enemies he putteth them to flight obtaineth the victorie and for euer after holdeth them vnder in more base subiection CHAP. XI How we may know whether this Conflict be fought in vs that is whether the spirit of God dwell in vs or no. § Sect. 1. That euery faith fall man may ought to be assured that the spirit of God dwelleth in him THE third point propounded iâ— how a Christian may know whether there bee in him this conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh or no which is in effect as much as to knowe whether wee be sound Christians whether we be the children of God whether wee belong to Gods election and finally whether we haue in vs any sauing grace yea or no seeing in all these and these onely this conflict is or wil be fought as soone as they are regenerate and conuerted vnto God The which waighty question hath already in part beene resolued when as I shewed the differences betweene the combate of the flesh and spirit and the conflict of conscience and the will and affections and now commeth to be more fully and directly handled For the clearing whereof we need not to make any further search but onely to examine whether the spirit of God accompanied with his sauing graces which is one of the combatants doth reside and dwell in vs. For if it doe theÌ„ there is no question but this conflict is in vs seeing it no sooner entreth and taketh possession of vs but presently it maketh warre against our flesh with all the carnall lusts thereof deposeth them from their regency giueth them deadly wounds holdeth them in subiection and laboureth all it may vtterly to desplace and roote them out Now euery faithfull man ought to be assured of this namely that the spirit of God dwelleth in him or if hee haue not this assurance as yet he is neuer to be at rest till it bee euident and cleare in his owne heart and conscience as being the greatest question and the waightiest and most important case of conscience that can bee propounded or knowne of vs. The which as it may bee knowne so no Christian ought to bee ignorant of it as the Apostle implyeth by that interrogation Know yee not that yee are the 1 Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you And againe Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost And therefore we must not content our selues with the doubtfull opinion of the Papists nor with the vncertaine and vngrounded hope of carnall gospellers but labour after certaine assurance that wee are the Temples of God and that his holy Spirit dwelleth in vs. Which that we may studiously indeauour to attaine vnto let vs consider first that God in his Word reuealeth this truth of the spirits dwelling in euery faithfull Christian by many infallible markes and signes to this end and purpose that we Deut. 29. 19.
apply not or misapply they either apply all vnto others or apply falsely vnto themselues arrogating all the promises of life and saluation though they doe not all belong vnto them Fourthly the knowledge of the regenerate drawes them neerer vnto God and vnites them more firmely vnto him in loue true obedience first in loue of God and of that truth which he hath reuealed vnto them for when he hath made knowne vnto them not onely his infinitenesse in all perfection but also his goodnesse and mercy towards them then this flame of Gods loue kindleth in their cold hearts the fire of loue towards God againe which maketh them to thinke nothing too much or enough which they can doe or suffer for his sake whereby they are moued to make an holy vse of all they knowe both for the auoyding of all which God hateth whom they so loue and the embracing and practising of all which he loueth and and requireth But the knowledge of the vnregenerate is a light onely without heaâ—e which driueth them further from God and alienateth their hearts from him because they cannot apply to their owne vse his sauing attributes but rather are terrified with his wisedome power and iustice whereby he is able and willing to punish and take vengeance on all sinners Neither doeth it stirre them vp to any obedience vnlesse it be for seruile feare but rather enableth them to rebell and disobey more securely whilest by their great learning their subtill shifts and nice destinctions they can more cunningly vntwist the cords of Gods Commaundements which should bind them to their dutie and so winde themselues and slip their neckes out of the yoke of Gods Lawe that it cannot hold them and whilest thereby they are enabled to defend their sins with their subtill sophistry and to preserue themselues from iust censures their names from deserued shame to stoppe the crye of their consciences that they may not checke and accuse them for their sinnes Finally the knowledge of the regenerate bringeth them to true humilitie and the better and more clearely they conceiue of Gods goodnesse power and glorious maiestie and of their owne misery sins and imperfections the more they abase themselues and become vile in their owne sight as we see in the example of Abraham who when he most neerely and familiarly conuersed with God had the meanest conceipt of himselfe acknowledging that he was but dust and ashes in Dauid who hauing attained vnto a greater measure of spirituall Gen. 18. 27. knowledge then his teachers confesseth that hee was but a worme and no man in Iob who hauing come vnto psal 22. 6. a more cleare knowledge of God by seeing him with Iob. 42. 5. 6. his eyes abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes and in Agar who being inlightened with a large measure of heauenly Pro. 30. 2. wisedome professeth that hee was more brutish then any man and had not the vnderstanding of a man But contrariwise the knowledge of the vnregenerate puffeth them vp with pride according to that of the Apostle knowledge puffeth 1 Cor. 8. 1. vp loue edifieth and causeth them to vilefie and contemne others in comparison of themselues as wee see in the example of the Pharisees who despised all them who confessed the trueth concerning our Sauiour Christ as ignorant and simple ideots But this people who knowe not the law Ioh. 7. 48. 49 are cursed And the reason is because their knowledge is onely speculatiue confused and generall and doeth not bring them to any sense and feeling of their sinne and misery or to a liuely and experimentall apprehension of Gods sauing attributes § Sect. 6 The second effect of the spirit is to prepare our heartes for faith then to worke it in vs. A second effect of the spirit whereby we may be assured that it dwelleth in vs is the preparing of our hearts to receiue the grace of a liuely and iustifying faith and the effectuall working of it in vs being thus prepared It prepareth them first by enlightening our mindes and by shâ—wing vnto vs our sinne and misery by the lawe of God and that in respect of our selues wee are brought into a damnable and desperate condition out of which wee cannot recouer by any meanes of our owne nor by all the helpe of men and Angels And when her by it hath throughly humbled vs and made vs despaire of all our owne abilities then it reuealeth vnto vs the infinite mercies of God his free grace and eternall loue in his sonne and the al-sufficient merits of Christ together with the sweete promises of the Gospell made in him offring grace and mercy for the forgiuenesse of sinne and the saluation of our soules to all that will receiue them by the hand of faith and will turne vnto God by vnfained repentance vnto which truth of God reuealed in the ministery of the Word the holy spirit by a secrete operation worketh an assent as being most infallible seeing it proceedeth from him who is trueth it selfe and cannot lye which assent being effectuall worketh in our vnderstandings a perswasirn that our sinnes though many and haynous are yet pardonable and in our iudgements a most precious esteeme of Gods mercies and Christs merits from and by which alone we receiue remission In our hearts also this effectuall assent worketh an earnest and constant desire that they may be pardoned and to this ende an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse in our willes a firme resolution to rest vpon Christ alone for iustification and saluation and in our actions a conscionable endeauour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may be more and more assured that we shall haue our part in the mercies of God and the merits of Christ And these are the first degrees of iustifying faith which who so want are destitute of it the which being wrought in vs the Lord blesseth the meanes of saluation which the beleeuer conscionably vseth with a desire to profit by them as the word Sacraments Prayer and the rest for the encreasing of these first degrees in vs vntil they growe from a graine of mustardseede to a great tree from an assent to an apprehension and application of the promises with some assurance that Gods mercy and Christs merits belong vnto vs. Vnto which degree the most Christians who labour after it doe attaine if death preuent them not and hinder them from comming from their spirituall infancy to their riper age in Christ Now this faith being come to application of Christ and the promises and some assurance that they belong to the beleeuer it groweth daily in the carefull and diligent Christian to more strength by his often feeling and experience of Gods loue by his acquaintance with him in his holy ordinances by testifying and approuing of his loue towards God againe in his continuall fruits of new obedience the exercises of a Christian life in good workes and by his
chearefull readinesse to suffer any thing which it pleaseth God to cal him vnto for his sake vntill at last it come to that plerophory and full perswasion of Gods vnchangeable loue and our Election Rom. 8. 38. 39. 1 Ioh. 4. 18. Adoption and Saluation which was in the Apostle Paule who was fully perswaded that nothing in the world was 1. Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 5. 3. able to seperate betweene Gods loue and him And this is accompanied with such peace of conscience as passeth all vnderstanding For when we are assured that wee haue the remission of our sinnes and are quite freed from them both in respect of their guilt and punishment then the terrours and feares which did accompany them are taken away and both Sathan and our owne consciences which did continually accuse vs are put to silence so as they can no longer affright vs nor disturbe our peace From whence springeth spirituall ioy vnspeakeable and glorious whereby we reioyce not onely in the fruition of Gods benefits but also in afflictions and tribulations as the Apostle witnesseth when as we see our selues freed out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies the wrath of God the curse of the lawe death hell and condemnation and now brought into an happy and blessed estate of grace and saluation in and by Iesus Christ and and his benefits apprehended and applied by faith Which effects who so finde thus wrought in them they may be assured that they haue the spirit which is the cause and authour by which they are wrought euen as the light bringeth vs the Sunne the streames to the fountaine and the branches and fruite vnto the roote from which they flow and spring § Sect. 7 The differences betweene a iustifying faith and the faith of presumptuous ciuill worldlings Yea but hypocrites and vnregenerate men doe boast most of their faith and assurance of saluation and therefore they also may haue the spirit or else this faith is no infallible signe of it To which I answere that they haue no true faith but as it were in a dreame and dotage they delude themselues by mistaking their carnall and secure presumption for a liuely and iustifying faith But how shall we discerne the one from the other seeing they seeme to haue oftentimes as strong confidence assurance of their saluation as the best Christians I answere that though there be betweene them some seeming similitude yet there is as great difference as betweene pure gold a rotten post guilded ouer For first true faith is grounded on the Scriptures the word of God but presumption hath no ground but an idle conceipt arising cut of pride and selfe-loue True faith alwayes followeth vnfained humiliation in the sight and sense of our sinne and misery whereas the presumptuous man was neuer humbled but hath a proude conceipt of his owne righteousnesse and worthinesse Faith followeth illumination and knowledge and first we must know God and his Christ before we can truely beleeue in them but presumption riseth commonly out of ignorance and the more destitute the woldly man is of the knowledge of God and his wayes the more bold and confident hee is in his perswasion True faith is ioyned with all other graces as loue zeale of Gods glory humilitie patience and obedience manifesting it selfe by the fruites that it bringeth foorth in good workes But presumption is seuered from them all and goeth alone without any such company and attendants True faith is not discerned before sound conuersion and then it beginneth in some small and weake degrees but presumption is borne and bred with vs and in an instant commeth to its full strength which maketh the secure worldling to bragge that he hath alwayes beleeued and is so strong in faith that he neuer doubted of his saluation True faith is not attained vnto without great difficulty it being no lesse a worke to beleeue the Gospell then to fulfill the Lawe but presumption voluntarily creepeth into our hearts and the lesse paines wee take in the vse of Gods holy ordinances the more easily it entreth and the stronger it waxeth Faith is alwayes assaulted with doubting and the one being a fruite of the spirit the other of the flesh there is a great and continuall conflict betweene them but presumption is bold and confident and he who is possessed of it professeth that hee neuer doubted of his saluation neither feeleth he any conflict in him because he is wholly carnall and corruption warreth not against corruption but onely runneth out of one extreame into another for when the secure worldling being by some meanes awakened out of his lethargy ceaseth to presume then he beginneth to despaire Faith purifieth the heart and worketh by loue and is neuer seuered from vnfained repentance but presumption nourisheth and increaseth all sinfull corruptions and they who most presume are most destitute of all true loue towards God and their neighbours And howsoeuer they leaue some grosse sinnes forworldly respects yet they repent of none there being no charge in their affections but onely in their actions yea in this respect also they nourish many sins in their bosomes which they thinke most sweete and aduantageable and will by no meanes be perswaded to part with them Faith vniteth and applieth Christ vnto the beleeuer for all vses for which God gaue him that is as well for sanctification as for iustification and saluation and applieth the vertue of his precious Rom. 12. 1. blood for the taking and purging away of the pollution and corruption of sinne as well as the guilt and punishment and as it taketh hold of Christ to make him ours so it giueth and offereth our soules and bodies vnto Christ that we may become his and be wholly deuoted and dedicated to his worship and seruice but presumption onely apprehendeth Christ for the remission of sinne and the obtaining of euerlasting life and not for the mortification of sinne by vertue of his death nor spirituall quickening and renewing by power of his resurrection and so also it is onely a receiuer but no giuer it taketh all in shewe which Christ offereth but it will in loue of thankefulnesse returne nothing vnto him againe Faith finding it owne weakenes and the sharpe encounters of doubting and incredulity laboureth earnestly in the vse of all good meanes whereby it may bee more and more encreased and confirmed as hearing the word receiuing the Sacrament reacing prayer meditation and such like but presumption finding no such assaults securely neglecteth all these helpes feeling it selfe then the strongest when it is most destitute of them Finally true faith endureth in the day of fiery tryall and temptation and euen when God seemeth to frowne to withdrawe outward testimonies of his loue and in stead of them sendeth afflictions and crosses then the beleeuer with Abraham hopeth aboue hope and beleeueth against beliefe it Rom. 4. 18. Iob. 13. 15. 19. 25. pearceth through all these cloudes of
will hearken vnto them who can speake eloquently but that hee will satisfie the desires of them that feare him heare their cry and Psal 145. 18. 19 saue them and that hee will be nigh vnto them that call vpon Exod. 4. 10. 16. him in trueth Of which wee haue an example in Moses who though he were not cloquent but so slowe of speach that he needed to haue Aaron to be his spokesman and in stead of a mouth vnto him for the deliuery of his ambassage to Pharaoh and the people yet God gaue audience vnto his slowe and vnready suites rather then vnto Aaron who exceeded him in cloquence in so much that when Moses must pray in the behalfe of the people Aarons office was to stay vp his hands that hee might more fitly continue and perseuere in this holy exercise Againe to conceiue a prayer vpon euery occasion and to vtter it in a continued and eloquent phrase of speech is no assured signe that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs because it is neither proper to the faithfull nor commune to them all For an hypocrite may attaine vnto this abilitie yea euen excell in it by vertue of his naturall endowments memory eloquence and liberty of speech boldnesse and such like especially when as he hath had vertuous education and hath beene instructed in the doctrine of godlinesse and also trained vp in these Religious duties not onely by precepts but by the examples of the godly which he is able to imitate by helpe of these naturall endowments in the exercise of prayer as well as in the function of Preaching and ministery of the word And so likewise it is not commune to all the faithfull to haue this ability for there are many who haue a great measure of grace sight of sinne and sense of wants seruent desires strong faith who are so disabled through naturall imperfections want of memory boldnes or slownesse or vnreadines of speach that they are not able to performe this duty especially whē they are in the presence of others And this I write not to detract any thing from the excellency of their guifts who are able vpon all occasions to expresse the desires and prayers of their heart in good wordes and conuenient discourse of speach seeing this is a guift of God which not onely stirreth vp our owne deuotion but is profitable also for the edification of others who can onely conceiue of holy desires as they are by vtterance made knowne of those that haue them but partly to giue vnto the prayer of the heart and soule a superiour excellency farre aboue the prayer of the lippes euen then also when it is without it partly that none should please themselues in it though they could rauish others with the admiration of their gifts if they be not as earnest deuoute and feruent in the desires of their hearts as they are able and eloquent in the prayers of their mouthes for of these in their greatest excellency it may be truely saide that they are in Gods estimate but meere lip-labour which will for reward drawe vpon vs that iust censure this people draweth neare vnto me with their lips when their hearts are farre from Esa 29. 13 me And partly yea especially for the comfort of all those who hauing holy desires through want of naturall parts haue no ability to vtter them seeing if such can but make their suites knowne vnto God by their sighes and grones it is an euidence vnto them that the spirit dwelleth in them who enableth them thus to pray and whose suites and supplications are sure to be heard and granted But yet we are not truely capable of this comfort if we doe not labour 1 Cor. 14. 1. after perfection striue to attaine vnto the best gifts much lesse if wee are disabled for the performance of these holy duties not through want of naturall guifts but of spirituall grace and through sloth and negligence which hindreth vs from imploying and vsing them Of which this is an euident signe when as wee haue libertie of speach and plenty of wordes to discourse readily and freely vpon all occasions of worldly and earthly things but are then onely tongue tied when we should speake vnto God and can finde no fit wordes to expresse our mindes in any sensible manner when as by prayer wee should make our suites knowne vnto him CHAP. XII How wee may knowe that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs by our sanctification and the qualities and gifts of holinesse infused into vs. § Sect. 1. The fift effect of the spirit is the worke of sanctification A Fift effect of the spirit whereby hee may bee knowne to dwell in vs is the worke of sanctification and the qualities of holinesse infused into vs which is so proper and peculiar to the spirit that none besides him can effect it For as impossible it is for any man to giue vnto himselfe this spirituall renewing as it was at first to be the cause of his owne being as vnable are wee to bee the causes of our regeneration as wee were to bee of our generation and therefore as the creature euidently proueth that it had a creatour and the childe that it had a father so alike certainly may we be assured by our renewing and regeneration that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs who hath beene the sole authour of this worke And thus our Sauiour ascribeth it to his holy spirit where he saith that vnlesse wee bee borne of water and the spirit wee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11 Rom. 1. 4. So the Apostle hauing tolde the Corinthians that they had beene notorious sinners saith that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of our God And hereof it is that he is called not onely the holy spirit but the spirit of holinesse the spirit of sanctification or the sanctifying spirit not onely because he is infinitely holy himselfe but also doth sanctifie and make vs holy who were in our selues corrupt and sinnefull The which sanctification he worketh by begetting a liuely faith in vs which purifieth our hearts and so applyeth vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby we are cleansed from our sinfull corruptions and quickened in the inner man to holinesse of life the which sanctification mortification and spirituall quickening alwayes beginneth at the heart minde will and affections and then afterwards sheweth it selfe in our outward actions And therefore whosoeuer finde this worke of sanctification thus begun in them they may bee assured that the spirit of God dwelleth in them § Sect. 2. Of the sixt effect of the spirit which is repentance and of the preparation there unto A sixt effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is like vnto the former namely vnfained repentance and amendment of life vnto which it maketh the same preparation that it doth for faith For first by the ministerie of the law the
spirit as our Sauiour speaketh conuinceth vs of sin shewing vnto vs both the hainousnesse of our sinnes together with their multitude and also the grieuous and endlesse punishments Ioh. 16. 8. which they haue deserued And this it doth commonly at the first in a more generall and confused maner amazing and astonishing vs with terrours and feares horrours of minde and panges of conscience when as wee see the huge masse or mountaine of our manifold and grieuous sinnes as it were in the whole lumpe and the wrath of God the curse of the Law the plagues and punishments of this life and the life to come which we haue by them deseruedly and in respect of our owne meanes ineuitably drawne vpon vs and afterwards more particularly and distinctly it setteth our sinnes in order before vs and especially presenteth to our viewe those sinnes which wee are most guiltie off and by which wee haue most dishonoured God and wounded our owne consciences By all which it worketh in vs that which we call penitence contrition and humiliation whereby we are cast downe vnder the heauie waight of our sinnes and lye grieuing and groning vnder them as it were vnder an intollerable burtheÌ„ finding no rest or comfort in our selues or in any worldly things besides And thus the spirit by the law as it were with an yron hammer battereth and bruiseth our hard and stony hearts in pieces that he may mixe with them beeing made contrite Ier. 4. 3. the oyle of his spirituall graces and vseth it like a plow to breake vp as it were these clunge stiffe and fallow grounds that being thus prepared he may sow in them these holy seedes For when hee hath thus cast vs downe and throughly humbled vs then he raiseth vs vp againe by reuealing vnto vs the mysterie of saluation the mercies of God and merits of Christ offered vnto all who will receiue them by saith And then as hath beene shewed it worketh in vs an hungring desire after Christ and his righteousnesse and a carefull earnest and constant endeauour in the vse of all good meanes as the hearing of the word prayer and the rest whereby wee may be made partakers of them The which by his inward and secret operation he so blesseth and sanctifieth vnto vs that they become effectuall to worke in vs a liuely faith whereby wee lay hold vpon Christ and his benefits and so are assured of the mercie of God and the remission and pardon of all our sinnes of Gods grace in this life and eternall glory in the life to come § Sect. 3 That faith is the cause and foundation of our repentance And thus being possessed by faith of all these inestimable benefits our hearts are rauished with the apprehension of the infinite loue of God and our Sauiour Christ and inflamed with vnsained loue towards them againe which faith thus working by loue doth cause a change and alteration which is called repentance beginning in the minde and heart and so proceeding to the outward parts and actions and worketh in vs a godly sorrow because by our sinnes we haue so much offended and displeased so gracious a God and good a father a true hatred of those sinnes and corruptions which wee haue either formerly committed or which yet adhere and cleaue vnto vs and a settled resolution and constant purpose to mortifie and subdue leaue and forsake them for the time to come and to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life All which wee doe not out of seruile feare but out of child-like loue and affection which maketh vs willing and desirous by our new obedience to please and glorifie our heauenly father not for feare of condemnation but because through the mercies of God and merits of Christ we are assured that we shall neuer be condemned Where by the way we may note a notable difference betweene that sorrow for sinne which the spirit worketh in the regenerate and that which is in carnall men For though these may sorrow and grieue after they haue sinned yet it is not for sinne it selfe the remembrance whereof is pleasant vnto them but for the punishments which they either presently feele or feare and expect in time to come where as the sorrow of Gods children is a floud or streame that springeth from faith and loue making vs to bewaile our sinnes because we haue offended and dishonoured so good a God who hath freed vs from the guilt and punishment of them by giuing his onely Sonne to death as the price of our redemption § Sect 4. That the spirit dwelling in vs purgeth vs from our naturall corruptions So that if the Spirit of God dwell in vs then hath it wrought in vs this worke of repentance in all the parts thereof and hath made in vs an happy and blessed change from euill to good from sinne to holinesse and from corruption to grace For as in nature corruption goeth before generation the abolishing of the old forme before the bringing in of the new so before wee can bee spiritually renewed the old man must bee killed and crucified and then the new man will bee quickned and reuiued sinne and corruption is purged away and then holinesse and righteousnesse is wrought in vs. First then in effecting this worke of repentance the Spirit of God dwelling in vs purgeth and purifyeth vs from all our sinfull corruptions in all the parts of our soules and bodies by applying vnto vs the efficacie and power of Christ Iesus his death which mortifith and crucifieth them in vs so as they doe no longer raigne in our mortall bodies as in time past As for example it causeth the scales of ignorance to fall from the eyes of our minde it freeth in some measure our iudgements from errour our imaginations from vanitie our consciences from dead workes our hearts from hardnesse our wils from peruersenesse and rebellion our affections from corruption and disorder and all the members of our bodies from the seruitude of sinne All which are the proper and peculiar workes of the spirit and the fruits of our regeneration and nâ—w birth according to that of the Apostle Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is 1 Ioh. 3. 9. borne of God § Sect 6. That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickning of vs in the inner man Yea but in the regenerate also there may seeme to bee some mortification some mourning for sinne some leauing and forsaking of it As we see in Herod who heard Iohn the Baptist gladly and did many things according to his instructions In Simon Magus who for a time left his forcerie beleeued and was baptized In Ahab who humbled himselfe before God wearing sackcloth and going mournfully In Iudas Demas Ananias and Sapphira with many such like and how then may we discerne the one from the other I answere that though there be some seeming
similitude betweene them yet there are many great and essentiall differences whereby wee may know the one from the other For the regenerate man mortifieth and forsaketh his sinnes out of loue and obedience to God but the vnregenerate out of selfe-loue for the obtaining some temporall good or the auoiding of some euill Hee renounceth all sinne and laboureth most in the mortification of those corruptions vnto which hee is naturally most inclined as wee may see in the example of Dauid who shewed his vprightnesse before God by keeping himselfe from all his iniquities by hating euery false way and esteeming all Gods precepts So that his repentance and mortification is without restraint Ioh. 6. 63. or limitation and extendeth to the subduing and rooting Tit. 3. 5. out of all sinne without exception But the other in his fained repentance renounceth onley some sinnes which Eph. 2. 1. he can best spare as being least pleasant or profitable but as for those which are most aduantageable and delightfull he keepeth them like sugar vnder his tongue and will rather part with any thing euen the first borne of his body Iob. 20. 12 Mic. 6. 6. as the Prophet speaketh yea loose his owne soule then leaue and forsake it As we see in Herode and many others The man regenerate is constant in his repentance and casteth away his sinnes with detestation like filthy rags with a purpose neuer againe to returne vnto them but the hypocrite Esa 58. 5 Heb. 12. 1. onely leaueth them for a time and then returneth vnto them againe he layeth them aside like his apparell with a purpose to resume them when hee hath fit opportunitie and there is not a through diuorce betweene him and them but onely a temporarie separation as it were by mutuall consent Hee leaueth his sinnes willingly and chearefully and because they so beset him and clinge about his necke that he cannot in such hast flie from them as he desireth therefore he is content that the Lord should pull him out of this sinfull Sodome with some violence burne away his drosse with the fire of tribulation and cut the throate of those which he hath esteemed his darling sins with the sword or razor of afflictions but the other vnwillingly forsaketh his darling sinnes and when he is dragged from them by the feare of Gods approaching iudgements he doth with Lots wise looke backe vpon them as being loath to part with them vnlesse he were constrained by meere necessitie From whence another maine difference plainely ariseth betweene them For the sound Christian by his repentance hath his minde and affections changed and whereas in the dayes of his ignorance he allowed and approued loued and liked his sinnes now hee condemneth loatheth and disliketh them so that hee is freed not onely from the outward act of sinne but also from the inward loue yea more from the corrupt affection then from the sinfull action as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul who did the euill which hee hated and Rom. 7. 15. 23. was delighted in the law of God in the inner man when by the Law of his members he was led captiue of sinne But the vnregenerate doe onely leaue their sinnes in respect of the outward act when as in the meane while their hearts and affections doe cleaue vnto it As we see in the example of Balaam Num. 23. 20. 26 who rendereth this as the reason why hee would not curse the people of Israel not because hee loued them as being the Church of God and his peculiar and chosen people but because the Lord would not giue him leaue wherby he implyeth that hee would very gladly haue done it that by gratifying Balaacke hee might haue receiued the wages of iniquitie but was restrained by the terrours of the Almightie so as he durst not for his life presume to doe it In which respect it may be truely said that Pauls sinning through infirmitie and in some sort vnwillingly was lesse sinfull then Balaams not committing of that act of sinne in cursing the people yea then his blessing of them seeing all hee did was through feare and constraint which made him to blesse them whom hee cursed in his heart as appeareth by that his cursed counsaile which he gaue vnto Balaacke namely that he should by alluring the people to Num. 24. 14. 24. 1. 2. commit first carnall and then spirituall fornication vtterly disarme them of Gods protection and leaue them naked to their enemies And the Lord doth not so much regard the hand as the heart nor the outward action as the minde and inward affection § Sect 6. That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickning of vs in the inner man Secondly as the spirit mortifieth and crucifieth the olde man with the lusts thereof so it quickeneth vs in the inner man and reneweth in vs all sanctifying and sauing graces as it maketh vs to flye all euill so to imbrace that which is good as it causeth vs to forsake our old sinful workes and corrupt conuersation so it inableth vs by our new obedience to serue the liuing God Thus our Sauiour ascribeth to the spirit this spirituall life and quickening It is saith he the spirit that quickeneth And the Apostle telleth vs that Iohn 6. 63. God according to his mercie hath saud vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost If therefore the Tit. 3. 5. Spirit of God dwelleth in vs then are we who were dead in trespasses and sinne quickened with sauing grace and raised Eph. 2. 1. and inabled vnto new obedience our vnderstanding which were darkened with ignorance are inlightened with the knowledge of Gods truth the worke of redemption and mysteries of godlinesse Our iudgements are informed so as we can discerne betweene truth and falsehood good and euill Our mindes which onely minded earthly vanities are now set not on things beneath but vpon those Col. 3. 2. Heb 9. 14. that are aboue our consciences which were loaded with dead workes doe now serue the liuing God performing that dutie for which they were created in excusing vs when we doe well and accusing vs when we doe euill Our wils which were stubborne and rebellious are now obedient plyable and subiect to the will of God Our hearts of stone are Psal 51. 17. made hearts of flesh and becomming broken and contrite are fit sacrifices which God accepteth Our corrupt affections are now sanctified and brought in order our loue of the world is changed into the loue of God spirituall and heauenly things our confidence in the creature into affiance and trust in God Our feare of men into a godly feare which restraineth vs from sinne and inciteth vs to all good duties Our carnall ioy into spirituall reioycing our corrupt anger into godly zeale which setteth it self against all the impediments of Gods glory especially our owne sinnes And finally being freed from the
vigorous nimble and actiue to runne in the wayes of Gods Commaundements as our limbes annoynted with materiall oyle are made more agill and fit for any bodily exercise or feates of actiuity And finally it is likened to oyle because like it it maketh a chearefull countenance whilest it comforteth and cheareth the heart bringeth peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding and replenisheth our soules with such inward ioy as is vnspeakable and inestimable § Sect. 9. The spirit compared to water Esa 44. 3. Thirdly it is compared vnto water For I will saith the Lord powre water vpon him that is thirsty and floods vpon the dry ground I will powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy of-spring because in many things it doeth resemble it for it cleareth the eyes of the minde as materiall water doeth the eyes of the body and maketh vs much more perfectly to behold the wayes of God and mysteries of his kingdome to which ende the Lord promiseth his Church that hee will powre the water of his spirit Ioel. 2. 28. vpon all flesh the effect whereof should bee this that they should prophecy their young men see visions and their olde men Esa 61. 2. 3. dreame dreames Secondly like water it cooleth and refresheth vs when we are scorched with the heate of Gods displeasure with afflictions and persecutions and are ready to faint with wearinesse as we are trauailing in our iourney towards our heauenly countrey Thirdly like water it quencheth our spirituall thirst by applying vnto vs that wel-spring and fountaine â—f liuing waters Iesus Christ his blood his righteousnes and obedience to which purpose is that speech of our Sauiour to the woman of Samaria Whosoeuer drinketh of the waters that I shall giue him shall neuer Ioh. 4. 14. and 7. 37. thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vnto euerlasting life And that proclaimation which he made at the feast If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke He that beleeueth in me out of his belly shal flow riuers of liuing water the which as the Euangelist expoundeth it hee speake of his spirit which they that beleeued on him should receiue Fourthly he is compared to water because like it he hath a cleansing vertue to purge vs by the application of Christs merits and blood-shed from the guilt punishment and corruption of all our sinnes So the Apostle saith to the Corinthians that they were washed and 1 Cor 6. 11. Tit. 3. 5. Heb. 10. 22. Zach. 13. 1. cleansed from their sinnes in the name of the Lord Iesus by the spirit of God Lastly like water it watereth our dry and barraine hearts and maketh them fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse for so the Lord hauing saide that he would powre the water of his spirit vpon his Israel addeth in the next wordes and they shall spring vp as among the grasse and aâ— willowes by the water courses And againe Thou shalt bee Esa 44. 45. like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not § Sect. 10. The spirit compared to fire Ioh. 3. 11. Act. 2. 3. Finally it is compared to fire according to the Baptists speech of our Sauiour Christ Hee shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire and so when hee descended vpon the Apostles it is said that there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as fire and it sate vpon each of them The which similitude is most liuely to signifie and represent the vertue and operation of the holy Ghost For first like fire it giueth light euen in the darkest places and dispelleth and scattereth the blacke and thicke fogges of ignorance and errour so that all things about it which were hidden and secrete are spiritually discerned in which respect hee is called the a Iam. 1. 17. father of lights which causeth the b Tit. 2. 11. 12 light of grace bringing saluation to shine vnto vs by which we are c Luk 1. 79. illightned who sate and in darkenes and in the shadow of death that wee might d 1 Cor 2. 12. 14 knowe the things of God which cannot otherwise be discerned and might haue our feete guided into the wayes of peace Secondly as fire burneth all things that are combustible as straw wood chaffe and such like so the spirit of God burneth and consumeth in vs whatsoeuer may be consumed as sinne corruption and all manner of fleshly lustes and so offereth vp our bodies as a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable and without Rom. 12. 1 Mark 9. 49. blame which would not be acceptable vnto God vnlesse like the whole burnt offring it were thus salted seasoned and purified with this holy fire as our Sauiour speaketh Thirdly as fire by consuming the rust and drosse doeth refine and purifie the mettall so that the more it is tryed the purer it waxeth So this holy spirit consuming the rust and drosse of our sinnes and corruptions doeth make vs pure and refined mettals yea it also like the fire hath the vertue of separation parting asunder our tinne and copper from right siluer and gold that so wee might be a treasure vnto God and as it were fit vessels for his owne table So the Lord promiseth I will turne mine hand vpon thee and Esa 1. 25 will purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne And a againe Euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem shall be called holy when the Lord shall haue washed away Esa 1. 25. the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall haue purged the blood of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of Esa 4. 4. iudgement and by the spirit of burning Fourthly as it is the propertie of fire to turne things into it owne nature and to make them like vnto it selfe so the spirit doeth turne and transforme vs making vs of earthy naturall and carnall to become heauenly supernaturall and spirituall More specially it is the propertie of fire to take from yron it owne qualities when it is put into it and to communicate vnto it such qualities as it selfe hath and whereas naturally it is blacke and hard cold and heauy it maketh it bright and shining soft and liquid hot and light so that a man would thinke that the yron were transformed and changed into fire it selfe So it is the property of the spirit to communicate the like qualities to the naturall man for whereas naturally 1 Cor 2. 14 10 Eph. 4. 18. Esa 42. 16. Psal 36. 9. he is darkned in his vnderstanding through blacke and palpable ignorance it inlightneth his minde with the bright beames of sauing knowledge whereby hee is enabled to see and vnderstand the high and deepe mysteries of Gods kingdome Whereas his heart is so hard and obdurate 1 King 22. 19. Act. 2. 37. that nothing will make it relent but it will rather
breake then bowe and incline to any good the spirit of God maketh it to melt like the heart of Iosiah and so suppleth and softneth â—t that it becommeth flexible to Gods wil and fit to receiue any impression which he is pleased to stampe vpon it or any forme which hee will frame it vnto as if it were no more yron but now become clay or waxe So whereas he is naturally of a more then earthy coldnes Eph. 2. 1 Psal 34. 38. and like yron which maketh other things colde with the very touch thereof Gods spirit so heateth and inflameth him with feruent loue and ardent zeale that hee hath not onely liuely heate in himselfe but euen like spirituall fire he communicateth his heate and warmth of holinesse and righteousnesse to all that are neare vnto him making them which were colde and dull hot and zealously feruent in all Christian and holy duties Finally whereas like yron hee is naturally so lumpish and heauy that hee is wholly fixed and fastened to the earth minding onely worldly things and can no more mount vp aloft in holy heauenly meditations then yron of it selfe can ascend into the ayre or if by some outward force his thoughts be raised vp to minde those things which are aboue no sooner is the strength of the outward agent spent but presently like an yron bullet it falleth downe againe and euen presseth into the earth with more then wonted waight violence Contrariwise when as his earthy massinesse is attenuated with the fire of Gods spirit hee not onely becommeth more light but being throughly heated in this holy forge he sendeth vp the sparkes of spirituall meditations and now forgetting his olde earthy nature hee doeth no longer lye groueling on the ground minding onely earthly things but being risen with Christ he seeketh not things beneath but those things that are aboue and euen whilest his body is on earth Col. 3. 2. Phil. 3. 20 his conuersation is in heauen and though hee cannot corporally ascend yet he continually sendeth vp the therward the sparkles of holy heauenly thoughts and euen taketh his chiefe comfort and delight to spend his spirits in diuine contemplation Lastly as fire by the warmth and heate thereof refresheth and cheareth those creatures which are frozen and benummed with colde and communicateth vnto them the operations of life strength and nimblenes So this holy fire of the spirit giueth spirituall life and quickening vnto vs who are dead in trespasses and sinnes and by the diuine heate of Gods loue it warmeth cheareth and refresheth our icy and benummed hearts inflameth them with a feruent zeale of his glory and an ardent loue towards him who hath so loued vs and also to our neighbours for his sake whereby it commeth to passe that we who were frozen in the dregges of our sinnes and so weake and stiffe that we were not able to stirre a limbe for the doing of any good action are now made by this vitall heate strong and actiue for all good duties So our Sauiour saith that it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing and the Apostle telleth vs that the spirit giueth life And Ioh. 6. 63. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Rom. 8. 2. 10. therefore he calleth him the lawe of the spirit of life and saith that this spirit is life because of righteousnesse § Sect. 11 That we may know that the spirit dwelleth in vs by the operations signified by the former metaphors If therefore we would knowe whether the spirit of God dwell in vs or no wee must examine our owne hearts and try our selues whether there be in vs these operations and effects of the spirit which are resembled by these metaphors and similitudes as first if it haue like a mighty winde cast downe the strong holds of sinne and as it were laide flat on the ground our proude carnall reason and rebellious will subiecting them to the will of God and the rule of his word if it hath caused vs not onely to burne in loue of Gods Maiesty but euen to blaze out in the zeale of his glory and if it hath cleansed vs like pure wheate from the chaffe of our corruptions and from the light corne of humaine inuentions and vngrounded superstitions Secondly let vs consider and try our selues if like an oyle it hath suppled and softned our hard and stony hearts so as they are pliable to Gods will if by this spirituall annoyting wee be made more strong actiue and nimble to performe holy and Christian duties then euer wee haue beene in time past and finally if it haue comforted and cheared our hearts in the assurance of our reconciliation with God and remission of our sinnes filling them with spirituall ioy and hath brought peace of conscience which maketh vs to looke with a chearefull countenance euen whilest the world frowneth vpon vs. Thirdly let vs examine if like water it hath cleared the eyes of our mindes and hath giuen vnto vs a sauing feeling and experimentall knowledge of God our selues and his holy trueth if it hath cooled and refreshed vs who were scorched with the apprehension of Gods anger for our sinnes or with the heate of troubles and afflictions and hath quenched our spirituall thirst by applying vnto vs Christs righteousnesse and blood-shead as it were a fountaine of liuing waters if it hath by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death cleansed and purged vs not onely from the guilt and punishment but also from the corruption of our sinnes so as though they dwell yet they doe not raigne in our mortall bodie and lastly if it haue watered our hearts as it were dry and barraigne grounds and hath made them like a fertile soyle to bring foorth plentifull fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse Finally let vs examine and try our selues if it haue beene vnto vs a spirituall fire to giue vnto vs light who sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death if like a fire it haue consumed the drosse and rust of our corruptions and in some measure hath refined vs and made vs vessels of grace fit for Gods vse and finally if it hath warmed our colde and frozen hearts with the zeale of Gods glory and with the loue of him and our neighbours so as wee who were stiffe and benummed are become strong liuely and actiue in performing all holy and Christian duties which wee owe vnto them And if wee finde these effects and operations in vs then may wee be assured that the spirit of God which is the cause and authour of them dwelleth in vs though they be not in vs in perfection if they be in sincerity and truth but if vpon trial we finde that they are altogether wanting then haue we not the spirit of God which can no more be seuered from these effects and signes of it then light from the Sunne or those effects before spoken of from the wind and oyle the water and the fire § Sect 12.
Of speciall fruites of the spirit whereby wee may know that it dwelleth in vs. The last effects which are infallible signes of the spirits dwelling in vs are all the sauing and sanctifying gifts and graces which it worketh in vs as first a liuely faith apprehending the promises and applying vnto vs Christ Iesus and all his benefits of which I haue already spoken The second fruite of the spirit is vnfained loue of God not onely for his benefits receiued or expected present prosperitie the confluence of worldly benefits and euerlasting saluation but also in his owne nature and in respect of his 2 Tim. 1. 7. goodnesse mercy iustice holinesse and all other his sauing attributes In which the faithfull in their loue resemble children who loue their parents out of naturall affection simply and sincerely when as they haue no other outward motiue euen when they crosse them in their desires and doe correct and chastise them for their amendment For such is the loue of Gods children free and generous although their loue may be encreased and made vnto them much more sensible by temporall benefits and heauenly hopes in which respect they are saide to haue receiued a free spirit and so serue God in the libertie of it Whereas contrariwise if there be any loue towards God in the wicked it is onely seruile and slauish not for his owne sake or out of their owne disposition and naturall affection but onely for the hyre of worldly prosperity honours riches pleasures peace health ease and such like temporary benefits the which when he doeth at any time take from them and inflict vpon them the contrary crosses then the cause of their loue ceasing their loue it selfe also ceaseth as we see in the example of Saul Iehu Iudas Demas and many others Thirdly the spirit bringeth with it peace of conscience Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 5. 17. which is a fruite of faith that the spirit worketh in vs assuring vs of the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God for so the Apostle saith that being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore hee also reckoneth it among the fruits of the spirit Fourthly by this assurance of faith and inward peace it also worketh in vs inward comfort and consolation which maketh vs with patience to indure all afflictions and to stand against all the temptations of our spirituall enemies in which respect our Sauiour Christ calleth Ioh. 15. 26. the holy spirit the Comforter because he is the authour and fountaine of all consolation Fourthly from this peace and comfort he raiseth spirituall ioy and reioycing in God our hearts being rauished in the assurance of his mercy and the sense and feeling of his loue and fauour in Iesus Christ in the freedome out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and our assured hopes of heauenly happinesse the which also is a fruite of the spirit as the Apostle reckoneth Gal. 5. 22. it in the same place and is so to be seene in the faithfull not onely when their wine and oyle aboundeth in which Psal 4. 6. 7. the wicked also may reioyce but also when in the absence of these the light of Gods countenance doeth shine vpon them which causeth vs to ioy and reioyce euen in the middest of crosses and tribulations as the Apostle telleth vs. Rom. 5. 3. Fiftly from all these ariseth thankefulnesse vnto God from whom wee haue receiued all these benefits the which is shewed not with our lippes alone but by our conscionable care and zealous endeauour to glorifie God in all our thoughts words and actions and our earnest desire to approue our selues vnto God in all things and to retaine his loue and auoide his displeasure in louing and practising whatsoeuer he loueth and requireth and in hating and forsaking all that he abhorreth and forbiddeth § Sect. 13. Of other speciall fruiâ—tes of the spirit respecting our neighbours Vnto which duties immediately respecting God the Apostle also ioyneth as fruits of the spirit diuers others respecting our neighbours and our owne persons As first long suffering when as considering how the Lord hath borne with vs when he might haue consumed vs with his wrath we doe also beare with our brethren and when the wrong and iniure vs indure it with patience or else at least deferre and put off our anger or restraine and moderate the rage and heate of it according to that of the Apostle Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued bowels of mercies Col. 3. 12. kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe yee The second is gentlenesse whereby a man carryeth himselfe courteously and affably in his words and friendly and kindely in all his actions vnto all men mildely to his inferiours and reuerently and respectiuely to his superiours And this the Apostle requireth that we should be no brawlers Tit. 3. 2 but gentle shewing all kindnesse vnto all men The third is goodnesse whereby we are ready by all meanes wee can to doe good vnto our neighbours both in the duties of iustice and mercie vnto their persons and states soules bodies and name And this we are bound vnto by Gods commandement namely that we should by loue serue one another Gal. 5. 13. and also by that bond of the Spirit which vniteth vs together in our body vnder one head Christ which should cause vs to demeane our selues towards one another as it be commeth members of the same body The fourth is faith or fidelitie whereby in our words we keepe all our lawfull promises and couenants though it be to our owne hinderance and in our actions carrie our selues truely and honestly without falshood lying and deceipt The fift is meekenesse which consisteth in two things the first patience in forbearing Mat. 5. to reuenge by our owne priuate meanes wrongs and iniuries from which our Sauiour would haue vs so farre that wee should rather offer our selues to beare new iniuries then reuenge the old and the other lowlinesse whereby laying aside all proud conceipt of our own worth and excellencie wee thinke better of others then of our selues and in giuing honour striue and labour to goe before them 2 Sect 14. Of some other speciall fruites of the spirit respecting our owne persons In respect of our owne persons the fruits of the spirit are principally two the first whereof is temperance whereby a man rightly ordereth ruleth and moderateth his appetite in his meate drinke and apparell pleasures and recreations according to the rules of Gods Word hating and forsaking gluttonie and drunkennesse excessiue brauerie and strange fashions sinfull delights and vnlawful and excessiue pastimes The other is sobrietie which especially teacheth vs the right vse of all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall and spirituall And for the
first this sobernesse of minde maketh vs contented with that measure of earthly blessings which wee enioy as being that portion which God hath allotted vnto vs and not so much as to desire any more but when the Lord offereth it vnto vs by honest and lawfull meanes Contrarie wherevnto are the desires and indeauours of worldly men who when they haue little murmure and repine against Gods prouidence and are ready vpon all occasions to vse vnlawfull meanes for the bettering of their earthly estate and when they haue much and more then enough are not contented and satisfied with their aboundance but still abour after more carking and caring as though they were in want and biting at euery baite which promiseth gaine although the hooke of sinne be hid vnder it Secondly from contentation springeth thankefulnesse whereby we ascribe all wee haue receiued vnto God as being his gifts and hauing nothing else to returne doe render vnto him praise and thanksgiuing Whereas contrariwise those who are wicked and vnregenerate howsoeuer they reioyce in the fruit o◠of his temporall benefits yet not in him for they doe not giue vnto him the glory of his owne gifts but rather glory in themselues and sacrifice as the Prophet speaketh vnto their Hab. 1. 16. owne nets and kisse their hands as though by their owne wisedome and prouidence industry and painefull indeauours they had made themselues owners of al these things whereby they are moued to an high and proud conceipt of their excellencie and sufficiencie and in comparison of themselue◠to contemne all others So in the second place this sobrietie of minde appeareth in the right vse of spirituall graces For the spirituall man looking vpon them as the gifts of God and beholding them as the first fruits of the spirit which are not perfect but only begun and seeing the many faylings defects wants and weakenesses which are in them and the strong corruptions which are mixed with them he resteth not contented and satisfied with the portion which he hath receiued but like a new borne babe hungreth and thirsteth after the sincere milke of the word that 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. he may grow vp thereby and still inlargeth his desires and striueth indeauoureth in the vse of al good meanes wherby hee may attaine vnto more and more perfection in the meane time waiting vpon the Lord with faith and hope meekenes and patience for his blessing vpon these meanes whereby they may become effectuall and profitable for the ends for which they vse them As we see in Dauid who expected and waited for the Lord more then they who watch for Psal 130. 6. the mourning and as the eyes of seruants looke to the hands of their maisters and of the maiden vnto the hand of her mistresse Psal 123. 2. so his eyes waited vpon the Lord his God vntill hee had mercie vpon him But yet the faithfull doe not so looke after more increase of spirituall graces as that they forget to bee thankefull vnto God for that measure which they haue alreadie receiued but considering that they are no naturall endowments but Gods free and gracious gifts which of meere loue he hath granted vnto them without any their deserts denying them to many others which are by nature as good as they this maketh them not onely for the present to inioy the graces they haue receiued with contentation and much comfort and spirituall reioycing but also to leade and magnifie Gods mercie and goodnes towards them and to render vnto him all thankes and praise for his gracious gifts CHAP. XIII Of the euent and successe of the fight betweene the Flesh and the Spirit § Sect. 1 Of the foyles which the spirit receyueth in this conflict THE last thing to be considered in this conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh is the euent and successe of the fight betweene them which is two-fold the first whereof is the repuses and foyles which the spirit receiueth and suffereth through the malice and furie of the flesh the second is the victory and triumph of the spirit ouer it the first being temporarie and lasting onely for a time the other permanent and euerlasting Concerning the former the spirit is often foyled in this combat when as by the subtiltie or violence of the flesh it is hindred in the course of godlinesse and allured or forcibly drawne to the committing of sinne Of which the Apostle complaineth I see saith he another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captiuitie to the law of Rom 7. 21. 22. sinne which is in my members And againe I finde then a law that when I would doe good euill is present with me The which happeneth either through the weakenesse of the spirit or want of watchfulnesse and spiritual care to keep the whole armour of God fast buckled vnto vs. Of which foyles there follow two notable effects the first is vnfained and bitter griefe and sorrow for our slips and fals the other an earnest and feruent desire to rise againe to be deliuered from the bondage of the flesh and hauing regained the victory to subdue and keepe it vnder for the time to come Of the former we haue an example in the Church which finding her failings and fals into sinne pittifully complaineth and cryeth out vnto God for helpe O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes And hardened our heart from thy feare Returne for thy seruants sake the tribes of thine inheritance Esa 63. 17 Wherein we may obserue an apparant difference betweene the fals of the faithfull and the vnregenerate For whereas these being fallen willingly doe liue and lye in their sinnes with pleasure and delight The godly beeing surprized at vnawares or being ouercome through their frailetie and weakenesse and the violence of tentation doe mourne and grieue for their sinne and labour to rise out of it by vnfained repentance and whereas they yeeld vnto it voluntary and cheerefull obedience as vnto their lawfull King and soueraigne the other being held vnder a forcible and tyrannicall subiection doe bewayle their thraldome and are neuer at rest till they haue found out some meanes to be deliuered out of it § Sect. 2. That from the foyles of the spirit arise earnest desires to be freed from the slauerie of sinne Rom. 7. 24. And from hence arise vehement and earnest desires to be freed from the slauery of sinne like that of the holy Apostles O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And to serue the Lord in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse For as the needle in the dyall which is touched with a loadstone may by a forcible motion turne wind too and fro but wil neuer stand fixed and stedfast till it bend vnto it owne proper point so the heart of the regenerate touched with Gods holy spirit howsoeuer through the violence of
but strengthen his enemy for his owne ruine and ouerthrow What doth hee but cocker a slaue and famish a sonne There are saith one two by God committed to thy custody a noble man and a slaue on this condition that thou shouldest feede the slaue like a captiue with bread and water and entertaine the Noble man with all prouision befitting his dignity But thou contrariwise consumest and killest the Noble man with hunger thirst and many iniuries but nourishest the slaue with all dainties and delicacies whereby making him insolent he becommeth a rebell against his Lord and rising against him in armes hurteth woundeth and at last killeth him What then wilt thou answere vnto him who hath committed both vnto thee Thou hast shewed thy selfe cruel who hast not refreshed the noble man the spirit with the dainties of vertue with the fat and marrow of deuotion but hast nourished the contumarious slaue delicately and pampered the flesh with gluttony drunkennesse and the sinfull pleasures of this life And so it rebelleth against the spirit wounding killing and constraining it to become a seruant vnto sinne §. Sect 4. We must stop all the passages to keepe back prouision for the flesh But what is the prouision of the victuals which must bee withheld from this our enemy And from what places and parts is it to be kept backe that it may receiue no benefit by it To the later I answere first that the flesh is resident in all the parts and faculties of our bodies and soules and therefore our care must bee generally and particularly to keepe it from all and euery of them Now the prouision it selfe which we are to withhold from it are all the meanes whereby it may be nourished and strengthened and so enabled to resist the spirit As for example wee must vse our best indeauour to keepe from our corrupt mindes all sinful cogitations and from our phantasies all vaine imaginations we must not entertaine wicked deliberations and vngodly counsailes pernicious errours and false doctrine but cut them off when they are approaching or cast them out as soone as they are entred And contrraiwise let vs furnish our mindes in the regenerate part vvith holy thoughts diuine meditations with religious counsailes holesome instructions and pure doctrine concerning God and his will according as in his word hee hath reuealed it vnto vs following herein the Apostles counsaile Set your minde on things aboue not on things on the earth So let vs keepe out of our consciences all manner of sinne and Col. 33. Heb. 9. 14. and purge them dayly from all dead workes that we may serue the liuing God Let vs as much as in vs lyeth preserue them from the hote searing yron of knowne voluntary and presumptuous sinnes from vaine excuses of that which is euil and false accusations for doing good from the deepe lethargie of carnall securitie and from the tormenting corrasiues of terrours and feares and let vs labour to keepe them pure peaceable and tender Let vs keep or blot out of our Col. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 20. memory the remembrance of sinfull pleasures vnlesse it be to repent of those that are past and to loath flee from those which are present and to come of ribald speeches Pet. 5. 8. 9. obscaene lests iniuries receiued with a purpose of reuenge with all other lessons of impiety imprinted in them by Sathan the world or our owne corruption and let vs write and euen engraue in them all holy documents which out of the word haue beene imparted vnto vs. Let vs preserue our hearts from all vnlawfull lusts wicked desires vnruly passions and vngodly affections especially from couetousnes ambition and carnall voluptuousnes and labour to haue them fixed and fastened on spirituall and heauenly things and to be wholly taken vp and constantly possessed with sanctified affections and holy desires Let vs keepe out from our appetite intemperance all desire of excesse and nourish in it temperance sobrietie modesty and chastitie Let vs preserue our tongues from all corrupt communication our cares from vngodly and dishonest discourses our eyes from wanton and wicked obiects and finally our bodies from sloth and idlenesse effeminate delicacie excessiue sleepe and all manner of carnall and sinfull pleasures and contrariwise let vs entertaine watchfulnes sobrietie man-like exercises befitting our spirituall Warfare when being too well fed it beginneth to be wanton let vs keepe it vnder with fasting watching and painfull labours § Sect. 5. We must take heeed especially of some principall sins which most strengthen the flesh More especially wee must take heede of such principall sinnes as are the chiefe prouision whereby the flesh is nourished and strengthned against the spirit as ignorance of God and his will whereby the eyes of our vnderstanding being hood-winckt or quite blinded wee may easily be misled into al the by-waies of sin infidelity and vnbeliefe which nourisheth the flesh in all impiety whilest neither beleeuing Gods promises nor threatnings we neither care to please him hauing no assurance of reward nor to offend and displease him because we doe not feare his iudgments security impenitencie and hardnes of heart then the which nothing more confirmeth the flesh in all wickednesse because hereby it goeth quietly on in sinne without checke or remorse and putteth the euill day farre out of sight But especially wee are to take heede of the loue of the world and of setting our hearts affections vpon earthly things Iam. 4. 4. 1 Ioh. 2. 15. For this will easily weaken the spirit and quench all the good motions which crosse and hinder vs from the fruition of those moment any and mutable vanities honours 2 Tim. 6. 9. 10. riches and pleasures it will roote out of our hearts the loue of God from which springeth all true obedience and and thrust vs headlong into noysome tentations and all manner of sinne which promise vnto vs the satisfying of our earthly desires And therefore he who wil be a good 2 Tim. 2. 4. souldiour in this spirituall Warfare must not intangle himselfe with the affaires of this life but labour chiefely to please and approue himselfe to him who hath chosen him to be a souldiour He that will haue heauen for his Citie and countrey Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1. 2. must haue his conuersation there euen whilest he liueth in the world and if we be risen with Christ wee must seeke and set our affections on things aboue and not on things on the earth but chiefely let vs flee couetousnesse an◠voluptuousnesse 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. For they that wil be rich fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition For the loue of money is the roote of all euill So also wee must take heede of voluptuous pleasures as surfetting and drunkennes chambering and wantonnes lust vncleannes sloth and idlenes For the more we pamper
good and Luk. 8. 45. an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is euill For out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh And againe Those things which proceede out of the mouth come forth the heart and they defile the Mat. 15. 18. 19. man For out of the heart proceede euill thoughts murders adultiries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies And Mat 15. 18. 19. therefore it neerely concerneth vs at all times in all places and vpon all occasions in our â—â—rth and in our mourning in our prosperity and in our affliction when we are alone and when we are in company in our abstinence and in our eating and drinking in our painefull labours and in our honest recreations in our dealings which wee haue with God as hearing reading meditating praying receiuing the sacrament and in our commerce and affayres vvith men talking walking buying selling in those actions which we performe abroad and those which are done by vs in secret in our owne houses and priuate chambers that wee keepe a narrow watch ouer our hearts that they bee vpright with God honest iust and mercifull towards our neighbours pure and holy sober and temperate towards our solues least they be surprised and ouertaken with the tentations of the Diuell the would and our owne flesh and being corrupted and misted doe defile and mis-guide all other powers and parts And seeing our owne watchfulnes is not sufficient because they are so wilye and subtile that we cannot knowe them and so stubborne and rebellious that wee cannot rule them let vs continually pray vnto the Lord who alone searcheth the heart and reines and ruleth and turneth euen the hearts of Kings like the riuers of waters that hee will keepe a straite watch ouer them and taking them into his hand will rule and guide them so as they may bee alwayes subiect vnto his will that so with themselues they may bring all our other faculties into this sauing subiection that hee will cause them to loue that which hee loueth to loath that which hee hateth and to flee that which hee forbiddeth and to doe Psal 141 3. that which hee commandeth Let vs earnestly desire him with the Prophet Dauid that hee will apply our hearts vnto his testimonies and not to couetousnesse that our hearts may Psal 119. 36. bee found in his statutes that so wee may not bee ashamed that he will create in vs cleane hearts and renew a right spirit Psal 51 10. within vs and because they are naturally flitting and remouing that he will knit them fast vnto him that we may alwaies psal 86. 11. feare his name § Sect. 6. That we must keepe this watch in our spirituall armour And thus you see what is the Christian watch ouer our enemy the flesh Now we are further to consider that wee are not to watch vnweaponed and disarmed but as wee are to haue our compleate armour on our heads and backes so especially the shield of fait and sword of the spirit in our hands that we may be ready to assault the flesh and the lusts thereof as soone as euer they appeare and approach towards vs sometimes beating them downe wounding and killing them with the terrible threatings of the law and somtime piereing throsting them through or beating them backe and putting them to flight with the sweet promises of the Gospel encouraging vs to a godly life the remembrance of Gods loue in Christ what our sweet Sauior hath done and suffered to free vs from our sins Yea we must not onely in some generall manner vse this sword of the spirit against the flesh and our sinfull corruption as it were in the whole lumpe but we must draw it out and fight with it against euery particular lust when it setteth vpon vs. As when it withdraweth vs from the seruice of God to the seruice of Sathan and the world let vs withstand the tentation by remembring that wee are bound by Gods law to worship and serus him and no other and that wee are purposely redeemed Exod. 20. 3. Deut 6. 13. Mat. 4. 10. Luc. 1. 74. by him that we should worship and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues When it moueth vs to neglect good workes let vs remember that wee are Gods workmanship created vnto them that hee hath therefore parged vt and made vs his peculiar people that we might be zealous of good workes When it perswadeth vs to deferre our repentance let vs remember that we are commanded Eph. 2. 10. to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth and that euen to day we must hearken vnto Gods voice and not harden Eccle. 12. 1. our hearts When as worldly lustes doe set vpon vs let vs remember that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God Psal 95. 7. 8. and that whosoeuer maketh himselfe a friend to the world doth Iam. 4. 4. in the very act make God his enemy that we must not loue the world nor the things of the world for if any man loue the world Ioh. 2. 15. the loue of the father is not in him When the lusts of pride do 1 Pet. 5. 5. assault vs let vs call to minde that God resisteth the proud but giueth his grace to the humble that a mans pride shall Pro. 29. 23. 18. 12. bring him low but honour shall vphold the humble in spirit that the heart of a man is haughty before destruction and before honour is humilitie So when the lusts of couetousnesse doe 1 Tim. 6. 6. 10. fight against our soules let vs beate them backe and foyle them by the sword of the Spirit calling to minde that Godlinesse with contentment is the greatest gaine and that the loue of money is the roote of all euill That we haue an expresse charge from God to haue our conuersation without couetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. and that we should be content with such things as we haue hauing this gracious promise from him that he wil neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs if we still depend vpon him And thus must wee with the sword of the Spirit giue euery other speciall lust speciall blowes and vvounds that they may bee foyled and get no strength to preuaile against vs. Yea not onely are wee thus our selues to drawe out this spirituall sword but also in the publique ministerie of the Gospell wee are to lay open and naked all our sinnefull lusts to those powerfull blowes and thrusts which Gods Ministers by the Word shall make against them suffering meekely the vvord of exhortation admonition and reproofe and by diligent application Esek 16. 63 bringing it home to our owne hearts and consciences for the vvounding and killing of all our sinnefull corruptions CHAP. XVII Of two other rules to bee obserued of those who would subdue the flesh § Sect. 1. The third
cherished will insensibly growe first to a blade and then to an eare and so bring forth a plentifull haruest of all maner of wickednesse and therefore our best course is to preuent the casting of it into the ground or if it be sowed quickly to weede and pull it vp by the rootes It is a plant of the diuels planting which is easily plucked vp when it is new set but if wee let it growe till it be deepely rooted wee shall not stocke it vp Vitia corporis non sunt sinenda coalescere sed in exordijâ— statim enecanda sunt c. Hillarius eâ—arrat in Psal 36. p. 594. without great difficultie nor cut it downe when it is growne to a great tree without many blowes and much labour To which purpose one saith that wee must not suffer these fleshly vices to growe and spring but we must presently kill them in their first beginnings For these lustes proue daungerous when they are growne to their strength and being come to ripenesse they are hardly killed And it is much more easie to pull them vp when they first spring to cut them downe when they are young and to writhe them which way wee will when they are tender and flexible Carnall corruption is best killed in the roote whilest yet it remaineth hidden in the heart and hath not brought forth fruite in our wordes and actions the which is best done when as we often yea continually loppe this tree off vnrighteousnesse and as much as in vs lieth neuer suffer it to beare any fruite For as the spirit is soonest quenched when as we smother the flames thereof in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse by restraining them from hauing any vent And as this tree of Gods planting is soone killed in the roote if we will not suffer it to bring forth fruite in his due time and season and contrariwise if wee let it haue a free passage increaseth to a great flame and the more fruite it beareth the more liuely and strong it waxeth the many actes of holinesse and righteousnesse increasing and strengthening the habits of these graces in vs so fareth it also with our carnall corruption the more vent wee giue these fiery lustes in our words and actions the more hotly they rage and burne and the onely way to extinguish and quench them is by stopping the vent and returning vpon them their owne flame and smoke The more fruite of wickednesse these trees of vnrighteousnesse beare the more they may beare and the meanes to strengthen these lustes is to fulfill them For habits are strengthened and intended when as they are excercised in their acts and euery actuall sinne addeth to our habituall corruption leauing behind it a blot and staine in our soules whereby they are made more apt and actiue to the committing of more wickednesse § Sect 5. How daungerous it is to giue way to the first motions vnto sinne shewed by examples And this will manifestly appeare by examples in the Scriptures because Cain did not repent of his prophanesse and wicked enuy towards his brother hee proceedeth to horrible murther Because Salomon gaue way to the excessiue vse of lawfull pleasures they brought him vnto those that were vnlawfull not repenting of them he is drawne by carnall whoredome with straunge women to spirituall whoredome with strange Gods So Ionas not mortifying his priuy pride which made him to respect his owne credit more then Gods glory is moued thereby to flat disobedience and open rebellion and giuing way to his impatiencie he falleth to direct chiding with God and that after hee had so largely tasted of his mercy and goodnes in his maruellous deliuerance Thus Sampson not quenching at the first his fiery lusts is moued by them to marry with the enemie of God and the Church contrary to his commandement And holy Dauid giuing place to sloth is drawne first to gaze on a strange woman then to lust then to commit the fact of adultery and not seasonably repenting of this sinne to adde vnto it one more haynous the murther of his faithfull seruant Thus Herode not repenting of his incest cutteth of Iohn the Baptist his head and Iudas nourishing his couetousnesse groweth discontented with Christs seruice because it yeelded no more profit and then betrayeth and selleth his Lord and Master for thirty pieces of siluer who could not be valued with many worlds And therefore let vs by these mens harmes learne wisedome and labour to mortifie our corruptions and fleshly lustes in their first and weakest degrees seeing if out of our securitie wee neglect this dutie they will gather more and more strength and like carrion crowes hauing seazed vpon vs will call others to ioyne with them vntill at last they grow so strong and numerous that wee shal be vtterly vnable to withstand or ouercome them CHAP. XVIII Of three other Rules to bee obserued for the subduing of the flesh § Sect. 1. We must thinke no sin so small as that we may willingly commit it to which end consider 1 that by the least sin Gods law is transgressed THE fift Rule to be obserued of those who desire to resist and subdue the flesh is that wee doe not esteeme any sinne so small and veniall as that wee may safely giue it entertainement and continue in it without repentance But contrariwise that we iudge our selues euen for the least sinnes flee from them with so much the more diligence by how much wee are naturally more apt to neglect them as slight and of no great importance For as one saith it is not the least thing in mans life to neglect such things as seeme to Non est minimum in vita hominum negligere minima c. Euseb emisseÌ„ ad monach Hom. 5. Cic. 1. de offic be least I know not concerning what faults we may be secure seting we must be iudged euen for sins of ignorance and giue an account of our idle words and thoughts And euen the Heathen Oratour could say that we are with greater diligence to auoide those vices which seeme so small that they are not known of the most to be faults To this end let vs consider that euen by the least sinnes Gods law is transgressed his iustice violated and his wrath prouoked and wee must not esteeme that to be small which doth offend his infinite Maiesty To this purpose Hierome saith well I doe not know how wee can Hieron de ratione pie viuendi ad Celantiam esteeme that a light sinne which is committed in contempt of God And he is most wise who doth not so much consider what is commanded as who he is that hath commanded it nor the extent and quantitie of the gouernment as the dignitie of him that Ne consideres quod parua sint peccata sed quod magnus sit Deus cui displicent gouerneth And againe Doe not consider the smalnesse of thy sinnes but the greatnes of thy
as we say the burnt childe will euer after dread the fire Hee that hath beene bitten with suert ship and hath had his goods attached and his person arrested and laide vp in prison will if hee haue any wit afterwards take heede how hee striketh the hand and becommeth suretie for a stranger He that hath beene notably cousened to his great losse and hindrance wil keepe a vigilant eye vpon the cousener from the time to come that he be not againe deceiued especially by the same wiles and hee that hath gotten fore falles by going in slippery places will afterwards looke better to his footing when hee is to come backe in the same way And therefore let grace teach vs the same vigilancy and wise prouidence in spirituall things and cause vs to double our care in withstanding those sinnes wherewith we haue beene most often surprized and bend our whole strength and endeauour for the subduing and mortifying those carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which are most strong and raging in vs. § Sect. 9 The 7 rule is that we set no stint to our mortification The last rule is that we set vnto our selues no stint in mortifying and subduing our fleshly lusts but that wee labour from one degree to attaine vnto another vntill we attaine vnto perfection Wee must not deale with these spirituall enemies as Ioash with the Aramites contenting our selues with two or three victories ouer them for then they will againe gather head and renewing their forces afresh assault vs but we must continually make warre against them vntill wee haue giuen them a finall ouerthrow Wee must not deale with them as the Israelites with the cursed nations suffring them quietly to dwell with vs on condition that they will contribute something to our pleasure or profit but wee must make warre against them according to Gods Commaundement and neuer make any peace or truce vntill we haue vtterly rooted them out or at the best let vs deale with them as Ioshuah with the Gibeonits if they must needes dwell with vs let vs hold them vnder as our slaues and make them to become droyles and drudges ready to yeelde obedience to euery spirituall motion Let vs not deale with our carnall lustes as Ahab and Saul with Benhadad and Agag get the victory ouer them and suffer them to liue least in Gods iust iudgment our life be exchanged for theirs and they kill vs because we killed not them Neither let vs with Saul destroy the lowest of the people and the vilest of these carnall cattell reseruing aliue the chiefe of our corruptions and the fattest of our fleshly lustes whereby wee haue most gaine and aduantage most pleasure and delight Let vs not be like vnto Herod who refrained from many sinnes but would not leaue his incestuous darling or like vnto Iudas and Demas who hauing outwardly reformed themselues of many sinnes did still nourish their couetousnesse and loue of the world For if when wee cast out Sathan and the flesh wee suffer any of their spawne or sinfull corruptions to remaine in vs they will be pledges and pawnes vnto vs of their returning and when they come backe and bring many other wicked spirits Mat 12. 44. 45. and sinfull corruptions with them these retained and nourished sinnefull lustes will like secret traitours open the doore of our hearts and let them in and then taking more strong possession of vs our latter end wil be worse then our beginning § Sect 10. Our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times But our mortification must be without stint or restraint extending it selfe in respect of the obiect vnto all our lustes and not vnto some onely in respect of the time also it must be continuall euen to the very ende of our liues because as with Sampson our enemies will liue with vs euen vnto our death and then with it we shall destroy more of them then we haue done in the whole course of our liues yea in trueth then and not before wee shall destroy them all so as for euer after they shall neuer bee able to assault vs or disturbe our peace and therefore in the meane time wee must neuer thinke that wee haue long enough fought against our fleshly lustes and that now wee may make a truce and take our ease but wee must continue fighting till we haue by death gotten a full and finall victory and then ouercomming and continuing faithfull vnto death wee shall receiue the crowne of life Finally in respect of the degree wee must not content our selues to haue ouercome and Apoc. 2. 10. mortified all our sinfull lustes in some small measure but we must labour and striue after perfection driuing our enemies not onely out of the hart of our Citie but out of our suburbs also and the vtmost borders and confines of our countrey Wee must not suffer it to haue any footing either in the secrete corners of our hearts by entertaining fleshly lustes or in our tongues by vttring vaine prophane and filthy speaches or in our handes by acting wicked vniust and dishonest workes but as the Apostle exhorteth vs we must cleanse our selues from all filthines of the 2 Cor. 7. 1 flesh spirit and perfectour holines in the feare of God if we would approue our selues to be Gods children we must Mat. 5. 48. striue after perfection as our heauenly father is perfect because we cannot effect this great worke of our selues wee must desire with the Apostle that the God of peace wil sanctifie vs throughout and that our whole spirit and soule and body 1 Thes 5. 23. may be preserued blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Yea we are to desire our Sauiour himselfe who hath giuen himselfe for vs That he will sanctifie and cleanse vs with the washing of water by the word that hee may present vs vnto himselfe a glorious people not hauing spot or wrinkle or any Eph. 5. 25. such thing but that wee may bee holy and without blemish In the meane time we must with Gods worke ioyne our own earnest desires and hartie endeauours to abound more and more and to increase in the measure of our mortification getting daily new victories ouer all our sinfull lusts For he that thinketh in this kind that he hath done enough hath as yet one nothing at all as he ought to doe hee that is come to his stint and meaneth there to take vp his standing is ready to turne backe and to relapse into all his former wickednesse and hee that continueth not still fighting is neare vnto foyling and being ouercome to bee made a slaue to his sinfull lusts True grace is growing grace and that which groweth not is false and counterfait and they who euer made any progresse in the wayes of godlinesse with vpright hearts and good consciences they will neuer cease trauelling till they come to their iourneyes end neither is it
hiding from our sight his fatherly countenance and the bright beames of his fauourable countenance in the apprehension whereof the life of our life consisteth and depriueth vs of the peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost by which wee are in the spirituall man made strong and couragious in the day of tentation after that wee haue receiued wounds of the flesh in the spirituall fight it hindreth their cure and causeth them to fester and ranckle and to growe euery day more dangerous and incurable then other And after wee haue beene allured to drinke the sweet poisons of the fleshes bewitching cup this impanitencie doth cause vs to retayne them in the stomacke vntill working they doe make vs sicke vnto death where as they would not be hurtfull and pernicious if as soone as they were swallowed they vvere cast vp againe by vnfained repentance The fourth sin that weakeneth the spirit is carnall security and hardnes of heart whereby wee blesse our selues when our estate is dangerous and haue no sense and feeling neither of Gods mercie and loue nor of his anger and displeasure by the one whereof the spirit is strengthened vnto Gods seruice and by the other preserued from sinning against him So also the strength of the spirit is by this carnall securitie much impayred because it maketh vs to put the euill day far from vs and vtterly to neglect our spirituall enemies as though we had a secure peace and all cause of danger were farre remoued it causeth vs to neglect our Christian watch and so to lye open to the malicious and secret assaults of our spirituall enemies and to neglect the meanes of our safety and defence our spirituall foode and prouision our weapons and munition our fortifications and all other prepararations which should be any meanes of defence in the day of battell whereby the spiritual part is betrayed suddenly surprized before it expecteth any danger The last speciall sin wherby the spirit is weakened and all the good motions thereof quenched is the loue of the world which like birdlime so besmeareth the spirituall part and the wings of the soule that it cannot flee aloft but is intangled and catched fixed and fastened to the earth and worldly vanities More especially the loue of honours and the glory of the world doth make the spirituall man slacke and sluggish in the pursuite of eternall glory and heauenly happinesse The loue of riches hindreth him from seeking with all earnestnesse spirituall graces and those incomparable treasures which are laide vp for vs in Gods Kingdome it choaketh the seede of the Word so as it cannot take roote and beare fruit frustrateth all the good motions of the spirit so as they cannot take effect it exposeth vs to many tentations and snares and causeth vs to fall into many foolish hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition And so also the loue of earthly pleasures doth much enfeeble 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10 the spirituall part in the pursuit of those eternall pleasures and fulnesse of ioy which are at Gods right hand for euermore and as they weaken the body and effeminate the minde so as they are made vnfit euen for any warlike imployments in the world so much more doe they disable the soule and spirit for this warfare against the enemies of our saluation For when the flesh is pampered with these carnall delights the soule is starued and pined when it is distended and growne fat grosse with gluttony and belly-cheare the spirit is made leane and infeebled when it reuelleth in fleshly ioy the regenerate part droopeth and mourneth beeing spoyled and robbed of the ioyes of the holy Ghost When it is filled and euen glutted with excesse the spirit is straitened of roome and hath no place where it may reside and therefore the Apostle requireth first emptinesse of wine and then that wee should be filled Eph. 5. 18. with the spirit to note vnto vs that fulnesse of both will not stand together § Sect. 2. We must not prouide for the spirit poyson instead of holesome foode nor carnall weapons instead of spirituall A second meanes of weakening and disabling the spirit which is to be auoided respecteth our prouision which we are to make for the armie of Gods graces as first that we doe not prouide for their nourishment poyson in steade of holesome foode as for example in stead of the pure word of God the spirituall Manna the sincere milke of the Gospell and Sacraments instituted by our Sauiour Christ humane traditions and inuentions will-worship and our owne superstitious deuotions which haue no ground or warrant out of the scriptures nor scarce any resemblance of that holy and holesome foode which is by God appointed for our nourishment Of which meate the more liberally we feede the more leane and lanke we waxe in our spirituall strength and stature the more feeble and faint we growe in all sauing graces because howsoeuer it be sweet to our naturall and carnall appetite yet it is of a quite contrarie qualitie to the spirit and the graces and gifts thereof and it is no better then the Diuels most artificiall poysons which cause them that taste and feede of them to waste and weare away in a continuall consumption of all pietie and true godlinesse Secondly we must beware that we doe not prouide for this spiritual Warfare carnall weapons and munition For as the Apostle saith the weapons of our warfare 2 Cor. 10. 4. are not carnall but sutable vnto the Spirit it selfe and mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds As for example we must not fight against the flesh with fleshly anger and carnall reuenge for here especially the saying Iam. 1. 20. of the Apostle is verified The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God we must not fight against and indeauour to subdue it with spirituall watchings as resting in the deed done and not destinating it to a superiour end namely in the imploying of our time in prayer with it Watch and pray and the watching ouer our hearts that wee doe not sinne rather then ouer our eyes that we doe not sleep Wee must not seeke to subdue it by popish fasting which is nothing else but like all other their deuotions a bodily exercise consisting in their superstitious abstinence from certaine meates contrary to the Word of God which calleth it a doctrine of Diuels and teacheth vs that all the creatures 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3. 1 of God are cleane if they be sanctified by the Word and Prayer and allowing the vse of all the daintiest fish and delicatest wines and fruits which pamper the flesh more then the moderate vse of ordinarie dyet But as occasion serueth we must vse totall abstinence when we would tame the flesh and humble our selues before God yet not like them resting in the deede done much lesse esteeming it satisfactorie and meritorious but onely vsing it as