on the soul all fitness and disposition for pardon is from the Spirit who is here rejected Fourthly The constant order of operation in the Trinity He sins against the order of Operation of the Trinity suggests unto us the reason of the irremissibleness of this sin which order is alwaies by descent and not by regression If a man sin against the Father the Son hath an operation for the sinner if a man sin against the Son the Spirit hath an operation for the sinner in working upon his conscience and offering of Christ but if a man sin against this Spirit whether should he go or who is to present pardon To the Father he cannot go withour the Spirit to the Son he cannot go without the Spirit but the Spirit is by him rejected and despitefully scorned He that sins against the Holy Ghost sins against the whole Trinity the Fathers love the Sons death and the Spirits operation I know that Hierome saith this sin shall not Epist ad Marcellum Epist ad Bonifacium be forgiven Propter blasphemiam Augustine propter perseverantissiman cordis duritiem and the Schols Propter defectum excusabilitatis indignitatem and others quod qui sic peccant traduntur in reprobum sensum thus Hilary Athanasius and some of our modern Writers Use I. THE Uses from the explication of this high sin shall serve us both for first Information And secondly Information Caution Thirdly Direction First That the greatest illuminations in the understanding The greatest illuminations are not able of themselves to save a man and determinate convictions in the Conscience are not able of themselvs to save a man A person may have a deep insight in the Misteries of Heaven an ample apprehension of supernatural truths a large acquaintance with the Rules of Grace and life a yielding in his conscience to the revealed testimonies of the spirit concerning Christ and his Doctrine yet be so far from the assurance and possession of glory that he may be reprobated to the lowest gulf of misery and damnation for the damned Devils are invested with most general extent of objective knowledge and these here who sin against the Holy Ghost do participate of divine illumination even to the measure of approbation in the conscience touching the truth yet you see that their condition is utterly incompatible with the just hopes or expectation of happiness it is not capable of remission and therefore eternally desperate of salvation all which must be so understood by you not that spiritual illumination is not necessary but that it is not alone sufficient to save The strongest abilities of knowledge may only serve to purchase us a more learned and full damnation Secondly That greatest knowledge may be in a subject The greatest knowledge may be in a subject void of Grace and an enemy to it both deprived of the inexistence of sanctifying grace and also filled with bitterest enmity and malice against the truth of Grace I justly question whether any persons uncapable of Glory are convinced with more supernatural light then these who sin against the Holy Ghost yet sure I am none are more enraged Lyons against the innocency and simplicity of Holiness and true Grace then these A person may put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 5. speaks and yet his heart be void of the inward power of Godliness A dead man may be clothed with beautifull Garments and a heart utterly void of the life and quicknings 1. Privation of Holiness may yet be adorned with the fair robes and endowments of knowledge Nay Do but consult with the Records of the spirit in the Scripture and the examples of persons and attempts in all Ecclesiastical History you shall not only find knowledge divided from grace but oft-times makeing strongest oppositions against it None with-stood 2. Opposition Christ more then the learned Scribes and Pharisees none withstood Paul more then the learned Athenians Whom have we in our age more eager against the Doctrine of faith then the subtile Jesuite and against the independency and immobility of grace then the Arminian Dull and blind apprehensions are not so serviceable Engines for the execution of Diabolical malice the most advantagious servant that ever Satan had was a learned head and a graceless heart Abstract knowledge will easily blow up pride and pride will easily fire our malice and contempt and these will suddenly break out into our tongues with derision and persecution of Grace Thirdly That our greater knowledge without sanctifying Great knowledge without grace adds to misery Grace adds to our greater ruine and judgement This illation is most conspicuous in the subjects of this sin whose Judgement becomes the more heinous and inevitable because of the greatness of their illumination and conviction I know the schools deliver unto us several circumstances whereby a sin common with another in identity of nature is yet by the access of them variously altered but amongst all the intensive perfections of sinfull guilt this addition of knowledge is one excessively aggravating If ye were blind saith Christ Iohn 9. 41. ye should have no sin comparatively for measure but now you say we see therefore your sin remaineth An ignorant Offendor may have some plea and excuse but a willfull sinner is without all Pretext None shall find greater stripes then he who knows and doth not or he who sees to do but will not As the most practical Christian shall rise to the highest seat and Throne of happiness in heaven so the most illuminated sinner shall sink into the deepest dungeon of misery in hell Use II. NOW I come to Caution you have heard what this sin Caution is and you have heard the sad condition of this sinner that he may for ever despair to see the face of God! I dare not fasten the compleat guilt of this sin on any who hears me this day Only remember that of the Apostle Heb. 3. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Take heed of Yet because this sin is possibly incident unto us who take upon us the profession of the Gospel it shall not prove I trust an unseasonable endeavour if I describe unto you some few steps by which the soul gradually descends unto the bottom of this damned impiety First Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ which Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ is done three wayes 1. When the Judgement hath no reverent estimations of God in Christ and of the Promises made in the blood of Christ or of the necessary conditions of the Covenant of Grace to be performed by us Secondly When the heart either in hearing or reading is without life and affections so that the Gospel draws not our love and joy and delight or any adhesion of the mind Paul tells us 2 Thes 2. 12. of some to
repentance is a work of this life death bindes us over to sentence and then 't is too late to return And therefore every presumptuous sinner adventures boldly upon that which cannot be his beyond the time present Another is the returning of the heart from sinne though our natural principles can give the wound yet they must be supernatural principles which give the cure our own hearts can cause us to fall but Gods grace only is that which raiseth us Now Gods grace is Gods gift and not mans stock though we alone can fall off from God by sinne yet none but God can bring us back from sin by true repentance unto himself yet presumption makes the heart bold not only with time which is in Gods hand but also with grace which is only in Gods gift Though I sinne yet I will hereafter repent thus the presumptuous soul whose life may be instantly cut off and to whom God may therefore deny his grace to repent because it did before-hand presume to sin 5. In many presumptuous sinnings there is a slighting contempt It is with a slighting contempt therefore Numb 15. 30 31. presumptuous sinning is called a despising of the Word of the Lord the soul that doth ought presumptuously c. shall be cut off because he hath despised the Word of the Lord c. to despise the Word of the Lord is to esteeme of it as a vaine thing to disregard it in his authority and Majesty over our consciences and hearts and wayes As if a soul should say what care I though God doth speak thus and thus I will not be curbed and limited nor restrained this is to contemn God And it is called a rebelling against him Deut. 1. 24. I spake unto you and you would not heare but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went up presumptuously to the hill It is called a casting of Gods Law behinde our back God hath hemmed and circumscribed the soul with precepts within which if a man walks he hath God to be his security but in presumptuous sinnings a man will exceed his limits and yet believe a safety this very thing is expressed in Deut. 17. 11. According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgement which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand or to the left ver 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken to the Priest c. even that man shall die ver 13. And all the people shall hâ—ar and fear and do no more presumptuously There you see that presumptuous sinning consisted in the slighting of the sentence of the Law by the Priest the Priest said this is it which God would have you do This is it which he would not have done Now the person who sinned presumptuously would not stand to this but would break over this sentence and would go in his own way he disregarded what God spake that should not be his rule no not his 6. Lastly presumptuous sinnings may rise higher then all It may arise to malice and despight against God and Christ this as when a man sinnes not only knowingly and wilfully but most maliciously and despitefully against God and Christ the Apostle speaks of such presumptuous sinners who tread under foot the Sonne of God and do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And who crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 6. This kinde of presumptuous sinning is not only to sinne though a man knows it nor only to sin because a man will sin but it is also to sin on purpose to dishonour God and to vex his holy spirit the soul is grown unto that abominable insolency that a man even plots deliberately how to crosse God and will therefore apply himself to such words and acts because he knows they will displease God this is the very top and height of presumptuous sinning when a man in a sober and calme spirit exempted from violent diseases and strong passions and insolently turbulent temptations shall in sober circumstances desperately and of malicious and set purpose encounter God adventure iniquity to provoke God he knows that the worst which shall befall him is damnation but he cares not for that he will however have his pleasure in sinne and will strive to despite that God who stands in a just enmity to his soul and sins SECT II. Quest 2. WHat that strength is which keeps back regenerate What that strength is which keeps back the regenerate from presumptuous sinnes persons from presumptuous sinnes and what difference 'twixt the restrainings of evil men and this keeping back of good David Sol. For a more distinct knowledge of this point observe a few particulars 1. Restraint is any kinde of stop 'twixt the inclination and the Restraint is any kinde of stop betwixt the inclination and the object object when the nature is inclined to such or such a thing and a barre falls in to keep them asunder this is restraint As when God bridled up the fire from burning the three children and the Lion from devouring Daniel and Abimelech from touching Sarah and Laban from hurting Jacob The natural inclinations of the former and the morally evil dispositions of the latter were chained in they were stopped they were hindred in respect of their actings and exercise All creatures are capable of restraint because under a Supreame power only God cannot be restrained but for all creatures their natures and inclinations and operations are under his command by the Lawe of Creation 2. Restraint of any Agent ariseth from a greater strength Restraint of any agent is from a greater strength of a superior agent of a Superior Agent whatsoever keeps a man back from a sinful acting it is at that time whiles a restraint of more actually strong force then the present inclination is as in the stopping of a stone or water that which is unequal in strength a lesser force is not able to keep in the stronger the cords wherewith Sampson was bound were no restraints to his motion and escape for his strength exceeded them and he easily brake them asunder But Gods decree and providence is a restraint to the raging sea and his power is a restraint to gird in the malice and rage of man because though sinfull inclinations be strong yet God can over-rule and bound and bind it in 3. All Restraints presupposeth an aptness a disposition ready to Restraints suppose a readiness â—o get out run and get out The Child whose desire is to lie in the Cradle is not there said to be restrained and the Trades-man whose shop is his paradise is not therefore restrained from going abroad but when a servant would be gadding and yet is kept in this is Restraint In every man there is too much sin
that Ignorance it Sol. There are four things which do it 1. One is ignorance The blindnesse of the understanding is a principal guard of reigning sinne you reade that they in Eph. 4. 19. Gave themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greediness like a souldier who gives himself up and takes pay or like a servant who passeth away himself to service so these resigned up their hearts and lives to all uncleanness it was their delight it was their work this shewed the dominion of sin But what was the cause of this See v. 18. Their understandings were darkned through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindness of their hearts The ignorance of sinne kept up their earnestnesse and practice of sinning If ignorance rules the minde then sinne will easily rule the heart all sinful dominion is enabled by ignorance The Devil is a Prince of darknesse and takes speciall care to keep men blinde Antichrist is a sonne of darkness and therefore above all sets up his kingdome by ignorance So is it with sin it selfe its dominion is mantained by blindnesse in the minde and therefore sin in unconverted men makes the mighty opposition against the word and the meanes of knowledge it knows well that no man turnes from sin who doth not discerne it nor hates it who knowes it not The prisoner is sure enough under a locke and in the dungeon Now then if ever you would get off this natural dominion of sinne you must get knowledge a double knowledge in the minde 1. One direct and that is a distinct and true apprehension of sin just as the Lord reveals it to be both for its proper nature and genuine affects 2. Another is Reflexive that is sinfulnesse which God hath revealed to be so vile so abominable so fearfull It is in you and it is working in you you are under the powers of darknesse you must come to your selves you must fetch your souls unto your souls if you wiâ—l not get a sensibleness of sin and that is begun by knowledge you will live and die in your sins A Second thing which keeps up the naturall dominion of sin is a violent love of sin Love is the sinew of the heart yea it is the chaire of state whatsoever sits in it that is the King of the Violent love of sin soule whether grace or sin For love doth bestow the heart what our love is that our heart is it makes all to stoop and yield There is no talke of parting while love remaines I will not goe free said the Hebrew servant for I love my master Why the soule and sin are in a sworne covenant like David and Jonathan if the soule doth love sin untill you take off the love you shall never be able to take downe the dominion Therefore this shall be another direction break downe the love of sin Ob. But how should that be done Sol. First convince the heart that sin is no lovely thing There be three things which should not fall under our love 1. That which is the object of Gods hatred No man may love that which God hates 2. That which is the object of Gods curse that cannot be good which he curseth and therefore not lovely 3. That which is the cause of mans damnation and misery for no man is to love the cause of his undoing Now sin is the only thing which God hates and which God curseth and which will damn a man 2. Give to thy soule a solid and full object of love finde out something which thou shouldest love Is there not a God a Christ an Holy spirit His word heaven c. There is no loveliness in sin and all loveliness in these things 3. Another thing which keeps up the dominion of sin is error Error and deceit and deceit there is a lye in every sin and the judgement is deceived where the sin is retained either a man thinkes he sins not but is escaped out of the hands of lust or that his condition is sound and good or if it be bad yet not so bad as others or if very bad yet he can at pleasure release himselfe and thus through a vaine fancy he continues under the bondage of his corruptions And so for the actions of sin he deceives his soul he doth not behold them in a comparison to the rule he doth not judge of them by the word but in a reference to his owne corrupt desires and delights which swallow downe infinite sins sugared over by pleasure and profit Now if ever you would get free from sin get your judgements to be cured a sound judgement may be a good meanes Note to breed a sound heart thou wilt never be perswaded to be good untill the erroneous confidence that thou art not bad be removed convince thy minde of these truths against all errors that indeed thou art sinfull And that no sin is little in its merit and it is not what is least wicked but he who is really good shall be saved Do not judge of acceptance or disacceptance by sensible pleasures or profits but beyond these look what that is which is so coloured and disguised it is even a snare for thy life and that which hunts for the precious soule 4. A fourth thing which keeps up dominion is custome the heart by customary sinning grows strong in sin and resolute and Custome is by often committings made more naturally sinful and more apt for further sinfull actions Now observe a little Give some checks to the ordinary Ob. course of sin why you will say It is impossible nay but it is not Though it be Impossible for a man alone to change his sinful Sol. heart yet it is not to check an outward sinfull act a man may chuse whether he will go and be drunke whither he will speake and sweare c. Ob. But if it were done this were vaine and fruitlesse for the dominion of sin Subsists in the nature Though manifested in the acts Sol. I grant it yet first If the heart be brought to set against the sinfull acts it may be brought to set against the sinfull nature secondly The abating of the acts may virtually conduce to the abating of that sinfull nature What may demolish the naturall dominion of sin Qu. 2. What may demolish and breake down the naturall dominion of sin Sol. I will Tell you a few things for this and I pray you to remember them That which doth this must have a greater power then sin 1. That which doth this it must have a greater power then sin for naturall dominion goes not of but by a stronger hand Satan is not dispossessed but by a stronger then Satan And we are not translated from the powers of darknesse but by an hand of omnipotency It must be of a contrary nature unto sin 2. That which doth this it must be a contrary nature unto sin for no kingdome can subsist by
from encreasing his guilt he puts forth some accident some impediment or other which stands twixt the intention of sinne and the execution of it the sinner hath contrived and plotted the time and place and the manner of the sinning but God who over-rules all hath disappointed him by the unexpectedness of other company or some other occurrence of sudden sickness or misadventure if now the heart do grow into Ahabs turbulent fits it is a signe it would have had Naboths vine-yard if the hindrance of the sinful fact whether open or secret be a grief to thee this shews the bent of thy heart to the sin but I passe on 3. When the nature of sinne is no burden but some particular actings When the nature of sin is no burden but only some particular actings are As Joab said to David when he observed his sorrow for Absolom I perceive said he 2 Sam. 19. 6. that if Absolom had lived and all we had died this day then it had pleased thee well So here when the main trouble is for some actions irregularly starring out to the world and not for the nature which is a cause of that and all other sinful actings this shews that our eye is outward and not inward Brethren mistake me not I do not mean that sinful actions should escape our tears nay verily all our sinful births and broods naturally calls for sorrow and humblings and the more sinful any explicit act is the more dishonour God hath by it the more scandal religion suffers for it therefore I say the more sorrows and tears should we cast after it but then know that according to the guilty quality according to the proportion of it should be the answerablenesse of our grief and perplexity am I grieved for a rash and hasty word and not for a passionate and violent nature am I troubled for an uncleane gesture or act and not for an unclean heart am I perplexed for a lie by my tongue and not for an evil and false heart verily then my eye is not on God but man it is not upon secret sinnes but only upon open and manifest sinnes 4. When we cannot abide the spiritual efficacy and inward When we cannot abide the spiritual efficacy of the word searching of the word Beloved the Word of God is quick and powerful a two-edged sword it divides between the joynts and the marrow it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. you finde it to be so that it comes into your closet it findes you out in your most secret wayes of sinning it follows you into the most dark corners it pierceth into the imaginations and plots which you never yet brought out to the Sunne it tells you of your very desires and affections what you like most crave most do most Now what do your hearts say how do they bestir themselves when they finde the word to haunt and pursue them when they observe the word to come and close with the secret windings and turnings do you not strive to keep out the light do you not hold it off as they do the enemy in a siege in the out-works that he might not break into the heart of the City would you not be spared unsearched nay you cannot endure the word which comes to your private sinful gains and to your private sinful pleasures you will not endure to be ordered how to think and how to desire if it be so where is then in When the apprehension of Gods eye troubles the man he wisheth there were no God to see or hinder his sinning Positive Tryals Consider Of what acceptance are secret temptations you the property of an holy David who doth not desire to guard and defend but to be cleansed from secret sins Positive Trials The Positive observations by which you may know that you desire in truth to be cleansed from secret sins may be these 1. Consider of what acceptance are secret temptations there are open and broad temptations which carry some expresse prejudice unto our names and there are implicit and close temptations which carry a real prejudice to Gods glory of this latter sort there are again two kindes some temptations there are which the ingenuity of a refined nature may perhaps start at as too infinitely gross to yeeld unto them as some kinds of blasphemy and mockings and revilings of God or Christ or the Gospel and those hidious excitations to self-murder or any unnatural villany other temptations there are which may finde a principle within the soul more intimate and apt to take and receive the impressions if not opposed by the advertency and purity of a spiritual heart now assuredly the heart doth desire to be cleansed from secret sins which stirres up it self with all its might against those secret temptations which deal for sin within the soul which lighten and quicken natural corruption by representation or by excitation or by both O it is the heavy day of the soul when it is so inwardly assaulted and buffeted the heart is so far from yeelding that it is resisting with tears with prayers yea and observe one thing which is this that the temptation to the sinning is not only resisted but it is made an occasion to the holy soul the more to labour against the corruption unto which the temptation would secretly encline as if Satan should tempt to secret pride not only not to admit the temptation but now to go to God and pray more earnestly against a proud imagination and a proud spirit yea to be vehement for an heart more lowly and humble or if Satan doth tempt to contemplative uncleanness or secret actings not only to resist and abhor them but to pray more earnestly for a Chast and pure heart and for chast and spiritual imaginations and thoughts 2. Consider how far forth thou desirest to approve thy selfe How far forth thou desirest to approve thy self to God to God God is the God of our spirits as well as of our bodies and he doth not only ponder our paths but doth also search our hearts That thou sendest forth some words in prayer O this satisfies not because of so many distractions in the minde and of so many deadnesses in the affection that man cannot accuse thee for any habitual unevennesse this is not enough if God cannot approve of thee for a person after his own heart if thy heart were such as God would like regard approve accept then thou wouldest be better satisfied There is a twofold approving of our selves one in the conscionable exactnesse of duty appertaining to our callings hence the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 3. giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed vers 4. But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses Another in the internal disposition of the soul which is when the private frame of the spirit is so
of people Some dawbing and dissembling and shuffling whose care it is not not to sinne but to be cunning in sin these shall find that in the day of their distresse conscience shall rip up before their eyes their most private vilenesses and that God will set their secret sinnes before the light of his countenance yea and the more industrious and witty that they have been that way the more shall conscience aggravate the hypocrisie of their souls Others conflicting and agonizing with secret motions outward occasions strong temptations these persons in a day of distresse shall finde singular testimony from conscience for though now whiles their judgement is oppressed with variety of arguments and the minde is overladen with the heap of temptations they are not able clearly to judge and decide their condition yet when conscience which is the great umpire in man shall arise to examine fore-past actions and endeavours it will there give sentence for thee excusing thee approving thee That in all simplicity and sincerity thou hadst thy conversation both towards mâ—n and towards God and that it was the desire of thy soul to fear the Lord to do no iniquity but to walk before him in all well-pleasing conscience doth cleare as the word clears and whom the word doth clear 3. They may with confidence make their prayers to God and They may with confidence pray and shall be heard shall be heard The hypocrite hath Moabs curse that he shall pray but not prevaile Esay 16. 12. for saith David If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Psalme 66. 18. But saith Eliphaz Job 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almighty c. and shalt put away iniquity from thy Tabernacles ver 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee O how acceptable unto God are the sacrifices of a spirit truly and uprightly tempered 4. The Lord will more and more cleanse them he will by degrees God will more and more cleanse them put more beautiful ornaments on the inward man and change their burdens if Paul be troubled with himself Christ will deliver him from himself he hath this comfort that for the present God observes his inward conflicts and accepts his secret uprightnesse and for the future that he shall have the victory over his rebellions by Jesus Christ There be two things of which the soul which deales with inward convictions out of a pure respect may be confident viz. One is grace to combate Another is strength to overcome Ob. 1. O but can a man be truly holy who hath such vile inclinations abhorred thoughts and motions such wonderfull eruptions of sinful abominations working yet within him Sol. 1. A word for this you must know this that an holy man is a man and a man he is compounded of a nature and a nature flesh and spirit grace and sin Secondly you must distinguish 'twixt the secret motions of sin and the secret approbations thereof as grace doth not utterly root out all the existence of natural corruption so neither is it able absolutely to suppress though to hinder the operations or workings of sinful corruption Thirdly we distinguish of secret workings of sinne there is a double secrecy 1. One is natural and it befals any man for sinne naturally carries shame with it and therefore hath a desire of secrecy 2. Another is artificial which is a cunning devising of sin this kinde of secrecy is not so incident to holy persons they do not frame methods of transgressing no ways of dishonouring God yet I will put forth a distinction I think it good there is a twofold artificial secrecy 1. One antecedent and delightful contrived on purpose to enlarge the way of the vile heart out of a deep love of the sinne and to compasse the contiuall fruition thereof Another is a consequent and troublesome and a kinde of inforced artificialnesse as was that of David which did arise from a sin secretly commited by him in the hast of a temptation Now I think that even an holy soul may possibly touch upon an artificial secrecy by consequence having been violently and preposterously carried unto some precedent sin which that it may be hid from the eye of man it doth therefore spin out some other methods of sinning however this is a very fearful course there is no comfort at all in it but a deeper aggravation of the former sinning for as much as adding sinne to sinne is no remedie but to repent of former sinnings is the onely and best way of help SECT VII Use 4 A Fourth Use of this assertion shall be for Exhortation to take heed of and labour against secret sins its true that all Exhortation to take heed of secret sins sin is to be declined But I therefore stir you up to beware of secret sinnes because we are more apt to those then to the open we sink our selves sooner with these then with any other sinnings There are three things which I will handle here and so conclude this point viz. 1. Motives to enforce our care 2. Aggravations of secret sins 3. Means which may present help against secret sin 1. The Motives There be many arguments which may justly stir us up to take Motives heed of and to cleanse from secret sins 1. The Lord knoweth our secret sinnings as exactly as our visible The Lord knows our secret sinningâ— exactly sinnings Psal 44. 21. He knoweth the secrets of our hearts Psal 139. 2. He knoweth our down sitting and our uprising and understands our thoughts afar off ver 11. If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me vers 12. yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike unto thee Ezek. 8. 6. Sonne of man seest thou what they do even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here Like one on an high mountain pointing at the thiefe robbing a man in a thicket see you yonder thief plucking of him down c. so here the great and lofty God whose seat is on high beholds all the wayes and motions of the children of men even thorow the thickest clouds and nothing can barre out his observance whose eye fills heaven and earth what is the curtain to him or the night or the lock or the chamber or the whispering or the thinking or the imagination of that thinking he needs not to have his understanding to be informed by the sensiblenesse of speech or the visibleness of acting who made the frame of spirit and searcheth into the depths of the soul and clearly observes all things in a perfect nakedness 2. The Lord will make manifest every secret thing Mark 4. God will make manifest every secret thing 22. There is nothing hid which shall not be manifested Neither is any thing kept secret but that it should come abroad There
division let something come unto the soule which makes a division sin will quickly lose its dominion It must be something may gaine the affections It must be something that must breed a strife Directions Look up to God and Christ 3. Againe It must be something which may gaine the affections it must be able to winn the heart to dispose of love and hatred for dominion is made or marred by one of them 4. Againe it must be something which may breed a stiffe and couragious resolution that the heart will not serve sin but will go free And hereupon against all inward and outward opposition breakes forth into the use of victorious meanes Now then the directions are these 1. If ever thou wouldest get down the dominion of sin thou must looke up to God and Christ they are able to disanull the covenant with sin and to subdue iniquities Rom. 8. 2. the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death looke as it must be a Rich mercy which pardons so it must be a mighty power which conquers sin why but what is it to the Lord to command thy heart home to himselfe to cast down the high imaginations and strong holds As Jehosaphat spake against those strong armies we know not what to doe yet our eyes are upon thee soe in the sense of thy naturall vileness and sinfull dominion O Lord I am bound I am in bondage I am dead in sins Lord I am unable to escape but thou art able to deliver O deliver my soule for thy mercies sake and subdue mine iniquities and shew forth thy power c who shall deliver me I thanke God through Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 24 25. Secondly because meer power doth not do it but power in a quality working through some quality Therefore beg of Beg the grace of Gods spirit God that he would give thee the grace of his spirit it is true that naked power takes not off the sinfull dominion nor doth the quality alone doe it but both can doe it If God gives a man grace and mightily asists and workes by and through that grace this now will beat downe â—he dominion of sinne The light though it be but a little at first yet asisted by a mighty principle of light shall conquer darknesse pride will have dominion till humility comes in Now then beg of God for grace for his holy spirit for another heart for a new heart and a new spirit Thirdly labour earnestly for faith if two things were done Labour for faith sin could not possibly continue in dominion viz. If Christ did rule in the soule If thy love were drawn off from sin But faith sets up the scepter of Christ it will know no Lord but Christ my Lord and my God said believing Thomas And faith turnes the love to Christ makes Christ the center of the heart O it represents such goodnesse such excellency such propriety such bounty such love in Christ as inflames the heart and knits it with love to Christ again Nay to add to all this faith bestowes the life on Christ too He died for me said faith I judge it therefore most reasonable that I should live to him Now where Christ comes to rule and hath love and life there sinne without all doubt looseth its dominion 4. Lastly take a couragious resolution we are held many times by our lusts through a faintnesse of spirit why we shall Take a couragious resolution never get down these sins and what will people say and we know not what to do Sol. Why up and be doing for what is past the Lord will mercifully pardon all of it if now the yoke be broken and be consident of this if thou art setting against thy sins thou doest that which God likes very well for he hath commanded thee it as a duty and hath set out meanes and promised his helpe and blessing Therefore stand not hovering and hammering were I best shall I shall I yet O no thy life lies upon this or thy death Therefore resolve on it to set against thy sins say this with thy selfe if I suffer sin to rule thus I perish for ever if I get off the dominion I live for ever if I continue in this sinfull estate I must bid God farwell and Christ farwell and heaven and all the comforts of my poor soul farwel I confess I may get a little pleasure by my sins a little profit by my sins but I am not sure to enjoy them one moment and why should I venture eternity of misery for one draught of sinful water If I could get off sins dominion O what a God might I look on plead with sue unto what a Saviour should I get what precious joys what heavenly consolations what peace here what hopes for hereafter well come of it what will though I have been sinful I will not still continue so to God will I come to Christ will I goe I will beseech them to have mercy upon me a sinner and to give me grace and to change my heart I will not serve my base lusts any longer I will never leave praying hearing reading studiing inquiring working till I be delivered from this bondage and translated into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Against actuall dominion Wherein actual dominion lies 2. Against Actuall dominion Thus for directions Against the natural dominion of sin Now I proceed to some helpes against actual dominion which is the particular prevalency of a sinne into act Let me premise a proposition or two and then you shall have the special directions themselves 1. Actual Dominion I speak in respect of grosse acts is usually in respect of some particular lusts which works with more strength in the soul then any other lusts Though it be most true that in every man there is an universal root of sinning yet you finde it in experience that the multitudes of sinful inclinations and thoughts and temptations run ordinarily in some peculiar way with most frequency and violence Secondly actual Dominion is ordinarily by such a sin which hath the advantage of a natural complexion and outward condition and occasions and affections upon these doth sinne set the temptation as an Enginer doth place his battery upon such a Simile piece of ground which doth best advantage and further his shot against a City A mans natural temper and complexion doth mightily facilitate his acts and a mans calling or condition of life may accidentally be a forcible perswasion to him to much infidelity and impatience and indirectness And occasions in conversing actively or passively have infinite baits in them and when our affections may run in some lawful measure and manner there sin takes occasion to tempt and prevaile with ease if we look not to it he may quickly be cast down by a sinful temptation who is already prepared thereunto by a sinful faction Therefore if
33. which is expounded v. 38. by a perfect heart A mans heart is upright when God alone and his ways alone and his truth alone satisfie and order and bound it when a man can say in truth as they in the matter of Choice Nay but the Lord is our God him will we serve I have chosen the Lord to be my God and his truths to be my guide and his precepts to be my paths and his glory to be my end and hereto only will I stick when the soul doth not halt between two or divides it self in a service of any side or way but keeps only to God Sometimes it is called perfection and the upright are called perfect as Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God Psalme 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright There is a double perfection One Absolute in respect of degrees which no man can now attain unto in this life no not the most upright for in many things we offend all The other Evangelical which consists in the evennesse of desire and endeavour when a man sets up and exalts the word of God and strives to square his heart and his life in all things thereby As Paul exercising himself to have a conscience void of Note offence and willing to live honestly in all things when a man doth as it were measure his paths as by a line he doth set them by the compasse of a divine rule or warrant not willingly stragling on the right hand or bending toward the left not willingly omit the least duty and commit the least sin he is an upright person when the heart is as large as the precept and the whole will of God is complied with in will and desire and endeavour Sometimes it is called a spirit without guile so Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile and Christ of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An hypocritical heart is a cunning heart it hath many devises shufflings windings and turnings this heart is not plain and sound Therefore the hypocrites are said to have corrupt thoughts and to flatter with their tonguâ—s and to have crooked wayes They do not indeed hate the sin which they pretend nor love that holinesse which oft-times they praise and sometimes act some ends they have of Religion for their belly and for their own advantage but they do not heartily hate sinne nor truly love holinesse Now on the contrary an upright heart is without guile it is even plain and down-right therefore is it in the parable called an honest heart and saith Paul we speak the truth in Christ and upright walking is stiled a walking in truth and serving of God in truth and in spirit The meaning is this that the upright man is indeed that which he professeth his life and profession is not a painting which owes it self to an Artificer but a natural colour which owes it self to the soundnesse of temper he is one who hath truth in the inward parts as David speaks Psal 51. 6. He doth without base ends directly love God and from his very heart hate sinne Though he cannot expresse himself in that flourish of formality yet for Christ he can plainly say as Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And touching sinnes as David of Gods enemies I hate them with a perfect hatred this he is in good earnest Sometimes it is called the allnesse or whollinesse of heart so Deut. 4. 29. If thou seek him with all thine heart Deut. 26. 16. Thou shalt keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee c. when the heart is upright the whole man comes in unto God all the soul and all the body none shall dispose of them but God And God shall dispose of him in every precept the very bent of a man is to please God in all things and the whole soul in the understanding will memory affections bears a respect to all his Commandments There be other phrases to set out this businesse of uprightnesse but I must passe them over and pitch upon the description 2. Now to the second quid Rei I conjecture that uprightnesse The description of uprightness may be thus described Uprightness is a sound and heavenly frame or temper of a gracious heart or spirit given by God by which graces are acted sinnes are opposed duties are performed affectionately directly and plainly In reference to God and not for by-respects I will briefly open this description in its particulars First it is the temper or frame of the heart The seat of uprightnesse The seat of it is their heart is the heart or spirit hence is it stiled uprightnesse of heart 1 King 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercies according as he walked before thee in truth in righteousnesse and in uprightness of heart So 't is stiled singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. and Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. and a service in spirit Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne Hypocrisie is a colour but skin deep A painting which lies only upon the superficies or surface of the wall upon the visibles or outwards of profession or action but uprightness like health it is an inward crisis or temperature as the conversation renders it self to the eye of man so the inward disposition strives to render it self to the eye of Gods approbation if a man be upright it is with him as with Solomons Temple though the outward parts were comely and uniform yet the inside was covered with the most precious gold and had the sweetest incense All counterfeit things are best in their shew and worst in their substance and vertue But uprightnesse is best there where least can be seen The actions are nothing to the Inward affections and desires We do but as the Queen of Sheba here no not halfe of the goodnesse of an upright man by what he doth if you would but look into his heart and converse with him there a while you should find the heart the disposition the desire of his soul infinitely to exceed all that he doth Psal 119. O how I love thy law O that my ways were so direct The heart oftimes mournes when the eyes can shed no teares and the heart believes when the tongue cannot speake much faith and the inward man the heart would doe that and much more then what is done or performed Secondly it is a temper or frame of the heart a composition It is the temper and frame of the heart It is not a single or transient act or motion as it were in which methinks two things may be observed 1. One that uprightness is not a
strive and aim at as David here did and Why we should endeavour to be upright endeavour to be upright There are abundant reasons thereof I will deliver a few unto you First this uprightnesse is the great thing which God looks for Uprightness is the great thing that God looks for Joh. 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him Gods seeking notes either his grace which prevents us or his pleasure which enjoyns us The father seeketh such to worship him i. the Lord by all means would have men in his services to come with spirit and truth to be upright Prov. 23. 26. My son give me thy heart q. d. though the body be made by me and every part thereof and though that whole frame be made for me as well as by me and thou art to glorifie me in thy body yet that which I principally enjoyn thee in thy services is to bring them with thy heart with affections intirely and not pretensively Nay secondly this is it which the Lord looks at See Jerem. This is it the Lord looks at 5. 3. Are not thine eyes upon the truth q. d. Why it is not your words which God doth so much regard nor is it your looks nor your tears nor your cries that which the Lord sets his eye on is the truth of the heart in and under all these uprightnesse there Excellent is that place in 1 Chr. 29. 17. I know also my God said David that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightnesse As for me in the uprightnesse of my heart I have willingly offered all these things In that place you finde David contributing toward the building of the Temple and stirring up others to that work and David for his part gave like a King thereto even three thousand talents of gold of gold of Ophir ver 4. And seven thousand talents of refined silver and the chief of the Fathers and the Princes gave also five thousand talents of gold and ten thousand dâ—ammes and of silver ten thousand talents and of brass eighteen thousand talents and one hundred thousand talents of iron besides precious stones v. 6 7 8. Now what a goodly gift was all this but David presently subjoynes I know my God that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightnesse q. d. O Lord all this is nothing thou wilt not accept of it thou wilt not look upon it if uprightness be wanting O that is it which thou regardest the heart the heart thou triest and if uprightnesse be found there that is it which thou regardest You read of the Jews that they made many prayers but God would not hear them brought many oblations but they were vaine i. is of no account Esay 1. 11 12. and 15. They remember the solemne feasts but prevailed not with God he did shut his eyes nay they were at their solemn fasts too but God took no knowledge Esay 58. 3. He gives the reason in both places in Esay 1. 15. your hands are full of blood ver 16. wash ye c. and Esay 58. 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate to smite with the fist of wickedness ver 6. Is not this the fast which I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse q. d. away ye hypocrites do you commit and allow cruelties and villanies and oppressions and whoredomes and then bring multitudes of sacrifices and oblations and cryings and think that I am taken with these go and cleanse your hearts mend your lives leave your sins be plain upright with me that is it which I look at more then any thing that is it which pleaseth me Hence it is that oftimes in Scripture that the Hebrew word Jashar which signifies Right is many times translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasing as Numb 23. 27. perhaps it will seem right in the eyes of the Lord we translate it peradventure it will please God so true is that of Solomon Prov. 11. 20. Such as are upright in their way are his delight yea and so that phrase of walking with God which is nothing else but the path of the just or upright is rendred by the Septuagint pleasing of God as Gen. 5. 22. 24. holy Enoch walking with God The seventy renders it he pleased God Thirdly this seemes to be the only thing that God expects 1 Sam. 12 24. onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all This is the only thing which God expects your heart Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul When the Lord did enter into the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. and promised to be an Al-sufficient God unto him what doth he require of Abraham but only this be thou upright when he advanced Solomon to the Kingdome and enricht him with honour and wealth and wisdome above all that ever sat on the Throne what did he require of him 1 Kings 3. 14. Walk in my wayes keep my Statutes as thy father David did How was that see back to vers 6. David my father walked before thee in truth and righteousness and in uprightnesse of heart When Paul had commended many singular things of knowledge and duty to the Corinthians he closeth up all with finally my brethren be perfect 2 Cor. 13. 11. q. d. Will you have me to give you all in one word why then be perfect be upright 4. Uprightness doth bring the whole man unto God It is that Vprightnesse doth bring the whole man to God which commands all and carries all with it the thoughts these inward and sweet breathings of the minde Let the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer saith upright David in Psalme 19. 14. The words Let the words of my mouth be acceptable so he there the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his talk is of judgement Psalm 37. 30. The heart the Law of his God is in his heart Psalm 37. 31. my heart is fixed saith David again the conversation that is ordered aright Psal 50. hath a man any gifts many gifts why uprightnesse brings in their use and strength to God hath he any graces why uprightness brings in their service to God it keeps us in with God and are one with God and will not suffer us to deal falsely with God 5. God judgeth of a man by his uprightnesse thou art in his judgement good or bad according to the presence or absence God judgeth of a man by his uprightnesse of uprightnesse this is that which distinguisheth twixt the precious and the vile twixt the faithful and the unsound In outward appearances and in the colour of visible services the good
and verily so it was with him that the love of Christ was sufficient to constraine him 2 Cor. 5. 14. And he went through good and through bad report yea and he was not discouraged by all the bonds which did a tend him nor counted he his life deare for Christ it was all one to him so that Christ might be magnified whether by life or whether by death 4. Spiritualâ—ty of obedience there is a twofold acting of dutie Spirituality of obedience One is carnal when we do them as ordinary works as works of course the meere material acting of them sufficeth us so that we say some words it makes a prayer so that we give some money it makes uâ— our charity so that we be a Church it makes up our hearing so that we go over a chapter it makes up our reading so that we study and speak a Sermâ—n it makes up our preaching so that we eat no meat this makes up fasting It matters not what melody and harmony so that Simile we touch the strings Another is spiritual when duties are performed in an obedience to God because he commands them and also the very heart and soul the spirit and the affections act themselves they co-operate with our services the desires of our souls is to the remembrance of thee or as David with my whole heart have I sought thee When a man can say as Paul whom I serve with my spirit Rom. 1. 9. or as David my soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. or with Mary my soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Luke 2. or as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the spirit and with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also or as Christ saith thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might An hypocrite he may do so much about duties as may manifest the excellency of his gifts but he doth not that about duties â—â—ich argues the efficacy of grace he may be high and admirable in the visible parts in the very works he may hit upon as ample and pertinent phrases in preaching and sweet expressions in praying as another his lips may draw neare but yet his heart is far off it can suffice him to do service to the eye of man But an upright person there is fire and incense in his sacrifices he must present living and reasonable services why if he hears and not with attention not with reverence not with fear not with faith he is greatly troubled he knowes that God must be served with godly reverence and feare for preaching let him speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. If I do this willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9. 17. see 1 Thes 2. 4. If he prays and his minde be drawn aside by distractions and his affections work not with sorrow hope with earnest desire and some confidence he accounts that the work is not done he hath said something but he thinks he hath not prayed 'T is true and he confesseth so much that the cause of acceptance of all services is in Christ yea but he must serve and strives to serve the Lord with all his heart he looks to the manner of service on his part In singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service c. Eph. 6. 5 6. see Rom. 12. 8. 3 John 5. Thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest 5. Humility of obedience why this doth argue the uprightnesse Humility of obedience of a person There is no person more proud of his work then an hypocrite Christ tells us that he cannot give an almes but the trumpet is presently at his mouth There are two things which may befal a man upon the performance of any holy duties One is rejoycing and this is lawful when God hath enlarged my heart in prayer when he hath quickned me in his service raised my affections animated my faith assisted me more then ordinary against my dulnesse distractions unbelief temptations I may rejoyce my heart should be raised to blesse the Lord and in some cases to speak of this his goodness to his glory Another is boasting when a man like the cock claps the wing upon his own body when he sets out himself the more deales with others more to admire him to extoll him when he blesseth himself and bestows the honour of all his performances upon himself Now this is base and argues that the heart is not upright but the upright heart doth all the holy performances by its masters strength and for it masters glory when it is to do duty it begges for Gods grace when it hath done duty it gives â—od the glory 1 Chron. 29. 13. Now therefore O Lord our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name ver 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Like a faithful servant who craves direction how to sell â—nd trade And when that is done the money which he takes he puts into his Masters coffer Nay more then all this the upright heart doth much feare it selfe least by any meanes it should finger any part of Gods â—lory by well-doing let any praise from man come near O saith the upright personâ— what have I which I have nor received Not I but the grace of God in me it is but duty and that not done so much or so well as is required so that God will pardon my failings and accept of me in Christ it is enough Obj. It is true that upon some extraordinary actings even an upright heart may feel some secret thoughts of self applause and oftentation Sol. But these are felt as temptations as snares and resisted yea and such secret flies cause many tears to be cast after singular performance but the hypocrite he doth seek praise and accept of it he loves the praise of men and knows how to cry up himself Epamâ—nondas went weeping because of the vain-glory of yesterdays victory and triumph the hypocrite is proud even of his humility 5. A fifth trial whether a man be upright or no is if the bent An upright person the bent and purpose of his heart is unto God and purpose of his heart be unto God Meer particular actions do not conclude either way the estate of the soule An hypocrite may do some good act and an upright person may do some sinful act But that which even in such Cases may testifie unto a man his uprightnesse is the true bent and purpose of the heart Look which way the heart is set and purposed in the habitual temper of it that doth convince either of hypocrisie or of uprightnesse By the heart of man
Hence doth this sin borrow its denomination against the Holy Ghost Now here I shall briefly open First How the Holy Ghost is taken Secondly What the Conviction by the Holy Ghost is 1. The Holy Ghost is sometime taken First Essentially How the Holy Ghost is taken for that one infinite indivisible independent Deity Secondly Personally as the third person in Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son Thirdly Virtually In respect of Energy or operation and this Origen calls Proprietatem Loc. cit gratiae Aquinas bonum spirito appropriatum for though external operations be common to the Trinity yet the immediate manner of working is more common to one person then another as the work of Creation to the Father Redemption to the Son Illumination and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Thus is the holy Ghost here considered in his proper operation viz. Conviction Secondly The operation or conviction of this person by the Holy Ghost consists in these particulars What this conviction is Objective Patifactio First The clear Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel both in respect of Truth and Goodness of Truth that he is the true and only Son of God of Goodness that he is the Redeemer of the world and assured Saviour to Believers Secondly There is by the Holy Ghost wrought in them an Apprehension of all this by a supernatural illumination as in Heb. 6. 4. They were once inlightned not naturali lumine for by that of conscience every one is inlightned but lumine supernaturali by that of the Spirit Thirdly Not a sleighter apprehension but a more determinate Conviction so that they cannot deny the truth the light whereof shines with such clear beams upon the understanding The testimony of the conscience determinately assents with the testimony of the Spirit that this Revealed Gospel is indeed the Gospel of Christ and of salvation You know who I am and whence I come saith Christ to the Pharisees yea themselves professed so much because ye say we see therefore your sins remain John 9. Fourthly Nay yet undeniable Conviction is not all there is also some kind of approbation of those truths which the Apostle calls A tasting of the heavenly gift and a tasting of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come A man may have a little taste of Honey so that he can say I know it is sweet and of wine that he can say it is comfortable In like manner they who sin this sin against the Holy Ghost may feel his operation not only in an objective revelation not only in a subjective apprehension not only in an undeniable conviction but also in some degree of approbation There may drop some effects from the truth imprinted upon the affections that the Conscience may be perswaded and give testimonie assuredly that these are the very truths of Christ All which is very evident in some of the Pharisees who had Christ revealed to them who did know and were convinced in their own hearts who Christ was and what his Doctrine was yet did they with inward malice break out against him and his Doctrine and in words poured the basest contumelies and blasphemies upon him and in their pertinacious workings did constantly persecute him even to the most reproachfull death of the Cross and all this against the clearest Convictions of the Holy Ghost in their own Consciences Thus for the nature of the Sin Consider the Irremissibleness The irremissibleness of this sin of it It shall not be forgiven unto men The Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and other Hereticks said the Holy Ghost was a Creature and the Object Photinians denied to him a real substance i. e. a Personality Vide Aug. Ep 50. ad Bonifacium Comitem Vide Athan. Tom. 1. in Ep. ad Serapionem p. 344. of this very Argument as Erasmus interprets it yet many of these repented if we believe Saint Austin and obtained pardon The same Father fitly removes this scruple by distinguishing between erroneous opinions concerning the Holy Ghost and this unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost It is one thing to mis-apprehend the Essence or personal subsistence and hereupon to pronounce according to the dark misconceits of the holy Ghost It is another thing to blaspheme Christ and his Gospel after clear conviction by the Holy Ghost this is the sin which shall not be forgiven Hence it is that this sin is called 1 John 5. 16. A sin unto death And H. b. 6. 4 6. A sin that casts a man into an impossibility of renewing And Heb. 10. 26. All sacrifice for this sin is taken away Which places strongly refell Concord Evan li. 2. de poenit c. 16. the errors of Jansenius and Bellarmine and other Papists who interpret this of the difficulty and the raâ—ity only of this remission not of the impossibility Quest Why is it that this sin shall never be forgiven Answ 1. It is not because the Holy Ghost is greater Why is it pardonable then the Son for there is not Major and Minor where every one is equal in Nature and Dignity 2. Nor is it because this sin is so intensively great that exceeds the absolute power of God to forgive it or the infinite Merits of Christ Omnipotenti Medico nullus insanabilis occurrit languor Isidore But the Reasons given are these First Because it is Repugnant to the immutable Statute and Decree of the Divine Will It is Gods absolute pleasure It is Gods absolute pleasure not to pardon it who of himself sets the extent of his Mercy and the bounds of his Justice Though he will be pleased to allow a possibility of Mercy to other sinners yet as a King for some facts will not allow an Offender his book so God is pleased here to deny Mercy This Reason is true but because it is of common equity to some other sins therefore further satisfaction may be sought Secondly It directly resists and repudiats the matter of pardon and remission viz. The blood of Christ If a Contrariatur per â—e gratiae remissionis Alex Aleâ— Tom. 2. q. 155. m. 6. It rejects the pardon Patient could be healed only by one Medicine and he did wilfully reject that it is impossible he should recover not that the medicine is not of vertue but that he wilfully rejects this virtual Medicine so here there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ no plaister but the blood of Christ which yet this sinner despitefully rejects c. Thirdly It contemptuously and with a wilfull obstinacy resists that spirit which should apply this pardon and Remission He willingly resists the spirit who should apply the pardon Pardon cannot be obtained unless the Spirit apply it but here the sinner fights against the Spirit of God and despites the Spirit of Grace and will not permit any operation any saving operation of the Spirit to fasten
be damned And verse 10. They were such who received not the truth in the love of it Thirdly When there is no conformity to the Gospel-rules of life Now what shall I say of our selves what accounts have we of this pearl what affections have we to this Doctrine of Grace Have we any impressions of Reverence any impressions of love unto the Ministry of the Spirit Alas our stomacks begin to loath the hony comb and we are almost as weary of this Gospel as the Israelites were of their Manna Why else those many neglects Acts 7. 5. Ye resist the Holy Ghost of this word of grace why else our slight entertainment of it why else our very scorn and contempt of it Shall I speak the truth the heavenly strains of the Holy Ghost in the Gospel fall too low and sound too flat in our curious ears The sharp inventions of some Poet or the brain-Raptures of a Comedian shall relish our Palats with more pleasure then the sweerest principles and lessons that ever the wisedome of Heaven hath dedicated The plain tune of Scripture striks us not unless there be also smart descantinâ—s of humane wit Mistake me not I speak not this to banish the convenient use of fitting expressions in our delivery of the Gospel of Christ by condemning our inaffectionate attentions to the simplicity of Christ I do not hereby apologize for the language of rudeness no I would not have the highness of the word to be made offensive by my Barbarisms only let me tell you that where the Word of life coming in the strength and beauty of its own elegant plainness findeth not only coldness of respect and love but the lashes also of ignorant censure and scorn we are mounted upon an high step of prophaneness and are descending to that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost Secondly Private or publick scorning of holiness Holiness it is the Glory of God and in a sort the rectitude of all his attributes God delights to reveal himself in Scorning of Holiness Heb. 12. 14. this holiness and tells us that without holiness none shall see his face It is the most distinguishing effect of the Spirit of God and that which is both an assurance of divine Election as also the secular zeal of our salvation Yet may not I confidently affirm to you that nothing is more fallen into the base derisions of witless sinners then this glorious image of heaven Strip me a person of the well-spoken complements of dignity wealth conceited projects and deportments for the itch of the times and suppose him only cloathed with the endowments of true grace and holiness who is there that is set forth with more disdain and derision and jeering then such a person this is the only reason of our scornings that he is aperson of purity one of the Spirit A religious David is the song of Drunkards and the Innocent Objects of mockings reproaches scorns and jestings Bonus vir perhaps but Christianus so now bonus vir sed Bonus vir Cajus Seius sed malus tantum quod Christianus Tertul. Apolog p. 810. Christianus si nullius criminis nomine reus est valde infestum si solius nominis crimen eâ—â— Ibi p. 809. Religiosus Lord What think we of God or his Spirit or Heaven is holiness beautifull in God admirable in the Spirit of God lovely in the Word of God and yet contemptible effectively considered in the servants of God As sure as the Lord liveth if the bounds of publick Authoity did not awe and the sectet suspitions of publick shame did not bank these enemies of Grace their private Sarcasms and blemishes of Grace would break forth into publick fury against all real power and practise of Grace Who but an Ishmael will scoff at an Isaae and who but a Cain will hate his brother because his works are good and who but an ignorant wretch agitated by the Spirit of darkness and perverseness will flie out with hellish invectives against holiness in heart and practise which is the Glory of God the perfection of Angels the sacred work of the Spirit and the pledge of our immortal inheritance in the heavens My brethren be cautioned to sorrow for this and reform in offering violence to holiness in man thou fastnest indignity upon the very image of God and despite upon the Holy Ghost who is the immediate efficient of Holiness in the Creature Thirdly Sleighting the checks of conscience Conscience Sleighting the checks of conscience especially inlightned it is our Angel-Guardian the private Register of our courses and the faithfull Monitor within our own breasts it is the eye of the soul to oversee the whole occasions of heart and life and it is the tongue that reports to us the rectitude or aberration of our wayes The Law testifies de jure and this de facto There is not I believe a sinner partaking of any illumination general or particular under the powerfull presence of a sound Ministry but his Conscience sometimes in the hearing of threatnings from the Pulpit sometimes in his retired secessions or withdrawings from company doth lay unto him the guilt of his sins and perhaps stings him with unquestionable convictions and horrors it tells him that his heart is yet desperately foul and that his wayes are not the wayes of life and comfort Zach. 7. 11. But now for this person to stop his ears at this faithful voice of conscience for him to deal with this as Felix did with Paul discoursing of Judgement to come go thy way for this time whâ—n I have convenient season I will Act. 24. 25. call for thee or else to quench and drown their private clamors by the untimeliness of other discourses and fouler actions O what direct injury do we hereby offer to the workings of Gods Spirit and what stronger power do we add hereby to the workings of our heart A tender conscience is like a tender eye or stomack but neglect of motions in the conscience prepares for hardness of heart It will be with us in sinning as it is with the iron which becomes the more hardened after the fire and the sinner more sinfull after the slighting of the checks of conscience or as with a disease which growes incurable by neglect yet might have been cured and healed by observance or as a tree which after many shakeings takes deeper root and hold in the earth It is a fearfull Judgement to sin against Conscience this will breed custome and delight and defence and at length hatred of that Truth which shall present light for Reformation Hereby we grieve the Holy Spirit and quench him and cauterize or sear our consciences with senselesness whence ariseth a greediness to sin Ephesians 4. 18. Fourthly Be not peremptory for worldly ends he who Be not peremptory for worldly ends sets up his resolution that he will be some body in the world he will have his covetous ends or ambitious projects no