there can be no benefit at all by Ordinances 2. The next thing is to shew for what reason it is that God sends this grievous judgement upon any people For answer whereto I shall say down some reasons in the general and then some in particular 1 In the general the reason why God withholds or withdrawes the operation and working of his Spirit in his Ordinances Res delicatula est spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut traâ—tatur it is from that injury or offence that men have done to the Spirit of God if men grieve the Spirit and quench its motions it is just with God to withhold its workings and operations The Scripture mentions a six-fold wrong done unto the Spirit of God for one or all of which the Lord may withdraw his Spirit 1. There is a quenching of the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit By quenching the Spirit is meant any act of omission or slighting of the Spirits motions in our hearts take heed therefore of omitting good duties or neglecting its motions for how know you but that the Lord may withdraw his Spirit from you The winde may cease to blow if when it blowes we do not get our sailes ready 2. Another injury which is of a higher nature is grieving of the Spirit Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Then do you grieve the Spirit when you shall do any sinful act for which the Spirit checks you and yet you will run upon the committing of it when you shall hearken rather to the motions of sinne then the motions of the Spirit to Satanical delusions rather then the Spirits motions this grieves the Spirit exceedingly as it will grieve a friend when we leave his counsel and follow rather the counsel of an enemy 3. Another injury done against the Spirit is vexing the Spirit They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit And this is a higher degree Esay 36.10 for then may a man be said to vex the Spirit when he quenches the Spirit and grieves the Spirit and doth so by many reiterated acts hereby is the Spirit grieved A man is grieved when his friend doth him one discourtisie but when he shall persist in the doing of more this raiseth up vexation in him Even so is it with the Spirit of God when we slight its motions and notwithstanding its warnings will yet venture upon the committing of sinne we not only grieve but also vex the Spirit Isa 63.4 and so saith the Prophet They rebelled and vexed his Spirit 4. Another Scripture expression of wrong done to the Spirit is resisting of the Spirit Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 and this is a higher degree then any of the former for resisting of the Spirit is when a man knows such and such motions are from the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will stand out obstinately against its perswasions and motions 5. Another expression in Scripture is Acts 5.7 a tempting of the Spirit How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Calvin explaines this place and saies that their tempting of the Spirit was this Ananias and Sapphira having sold a possession brought a part of the price thereof and laid it at the Apostles feet and kept back the rest and they would carry it so secretly that they would try whether the Holy Ghost was an omniscient God able to punish that secret sinne Now this was a higher kinde of wickednesse and a most desperate pitch of Atheisme to try the omnisciency of the Spirit of God 6. And lastly another injury the Scripture expresses Heb. 10.29 is a doing despite to the Spirit of Grace and this is the very top of all the highest injury that a devil in hell or a man on earth can do to the Spirit This is the sinne against the holy Ghost Which shall never be forgiven Matth. 12.31 Now what is this despite it cannot be to neglect good motions for godly men may be and are overtaken with those neglects the not hearkening to a friends motion is not a doing of despite to him Therefore there cannot be a despite done to the Spirit of God but there must be these ingredients in it as 1 A committing of sinne not only out of an unavoidable infirmity but out of wilfulnesse so if we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 2.6 2. It is a sinne not unwittingly but knowingly committed 3. It is a sinne not only wilfully and knowingly committed for regenerate men do sin partly with the will but that which is the very characteristical difference is this that it is a sinne committed out of malice and hatred to the Spirit of God and this Divines apply to the Pharisees who knew and were convinced by the Miracles which Christ wrought that he was the Son of God and yet though they knew and were perswaded of this yet out of malice against the Deity of Christ they would put him to death so that to summe up all together this is the general reason why God will not suffer his Spirit to strive with men because of those injuries which they do unto the Spirit of God The particular Reasons may be these 1. Despising of the Ordinance of the Ministery I will not say the persons of the Ministers though that is an evill which God will punish but certainly a contempt of the Ministery of the Ordinance of Preaching it may provoke God to withdraw the operations of his Spirit if you despise prophecying you also quench the Spirit and then the Spirit will not have those operations upon you which otherwise it would 1 Thes 5.19 God will not follow the Word with efficacy to them who either contemne or deny the Ministery thereof 2. Another reason may be because men do too much depend upon the hearing of the Word preached Men come to hear the Word preached in the strength of their own spirits and therefore God will not give them the workings of his Spirit When men shall depend upon Ordinances it is just with God to deny the benefit of them 1 Sam. 4.2,3 as the Israelites having received an overthrow by the Philistines Wherein they lost about four thousand men looked upon this as the reason because they had not the Arke of God among them but when they had the Arke with them it is said the second day there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand men Thus did God punish their sinful dependance on the outward badge of his presence and therefore they had lesse successe when they had the Arke then when they were without it God may deny the operations of his Spirit in his Ordinances because men do sinfully depend upon them and not look to the God of the Ordinances for the blessing of his Spirit We must look to
down against the streame so is it with the gales of the Spirit they help a man to overcome the streame both of temptation and corruption too but when the Spirit is withdrawn then how venturous will a man be to commit sinne If thou art left of the Spirit thou wilt not only be apt and ready to yeeld unto sinful temptations but thou wilt suddenly and eagerly commit sinne We read of that young man being seduced by the flattering and faire speech of a Harlot that straight way he followed her Prov. 7.22 When the temptation is once given and the Spirit doth not disswade how suddenly will a man be surprized As Gun-powder to fire so is temptation to a corrupt heart if the disswasions of Gods Spirit do not fence and keep it But this is not all a man will not onely be apt to fall and fall suddenly but here is a farther mischief thou wilt commit a sinne eagerly thou wilt be mad upon thy lust thou wilt burne in the sinne thou wilt be poysoned with the evill and this the holy Ghost hints to us speaking of the Gentiles who were without the Spirit of God saies he They were past feeling that is Ephes 4.19 they had no motions of Gods Spirit they were without the operations of the quickening Spirit but then what followes saies he They have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they sinne and think they can never sin enough As a covetous man that is greedy of gaine thinks he can never have enough so these think they shall never have their fill of their lusts Observe a fivefold gradation in this sin 1. They were past feeling now what followes this it is not said they were carried away inconsiderately to sinne but they gave themselves to sinne when the Spirit is in a man and it doth disswade him from sinne he is never carried to it but he goes in a hurry he is carried with reluctancy but let the Spirits motions once be withdrawn and then he shall give himself to the Devill 2. When the Spirit is withdrawn they not onely give themselves but they give themselves over to lasciviousnesse that is they give themselves not partially but totally unto the wayes of sinne 3. It is said they give themselves and this was worse then Ahabs fact 1 King 21.25 for he sold himself to work wickednesse now for a man to sell himself to the Devill it is a great evill but when a man shall give himself and give himself over this is a farre greater wickednesse 4. Here was not only a giving themselves over to sin in thought but the text saith they gave themselves over to work uncleannesse they contented not themselves with contemplative wickednesse but they were workers of iniquity such as made a trade of sinne 5. It is said they gave themselves over to all uncleannesse not only to some sinnes but to all sinnes and that with greedinesse which is to my purpose Whither will that man runne whom the evill spirit drives if the Spirit of God doth not come in with contrary motions to the Devils motions with what a vehement eagernesse will a poor man damn his own soul such a man will never stay till he comes to Hell if the Spirit of God do not stop him in his careere and say to him this is the way walk in it but when the Spirit withdrawes every man turnes to his course as the horse into the battle Jer. 8.6 and how violently will a horse runne into the battle that is not restrained with bit and bridle Psalm 32.9 so is the man that hath neither checks of conscience nor the disswasions of the Spirit Thirdly A man being left of the Spirit of God when he is tempted unto sinne will not onely fall into it aptly suddenly and eagerly but also with complacency and this is worst of all so we reade of those that received not the truth in the love of it that they took pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2 12. they not only acted sin but acted it with delight Thus I have cleared the first particular that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld before the commission of sinne Quest 2 How it appears to be so great and grievous a judgement to have the Spirit of God withheld from a man after the commission of sinne which may be thus evidenced 1. Because otherwise thou wilt never be convinced of the evill thou hast done John 16.8 it is the Spirit which convinceth the world of sin without the Spirits conviction there is no conviction 2. Thou canst never repent of sinne if the Spirit do not after its commission rebuke and convince thee for the Spirits conviction precedes repentance therefore saies the Prophet no man repents him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Jer. 8.6 a man must be convinced that what he hath done is evill before he repents of that evill We have a proverb amongst us that what the eye sees not the heart grieves not for so if the eye of the soul sees not sinne the heart will never be troubled for sinne 3. Thou canst never have thy nature sanctified from the filth of sin unlesse the Spirit work on thee after thy falling into sin sanctification it is by the Spirit of God And therfore the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians speaking of wicked and unregenerate men saies 1 Cor. 6.11 such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Ephes 2.22 So believers they are said to be an habitation of God through the Spirit Whence you may observe the different works of the Trinity in the heart of a believer God the Father he chuseth this house God the Sonne he buyes it and God the holy Ghost he cleanseth and furnisheth this house else it would be a nasty and dark dungeon thou canst never have thy Spirit to be a house for God to dwell in unlesse the Spirit of God sweeps thee with the bosome of sanctifying grace 4. Thou canst never subdue the power of sin without the Spirit Rom. 8.13 Therefore saies the Apostle If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live It is by the Spirit that we mortifie sinne thus you see what a misery it is to want the Spirit in its disswasions and convictions both before and after the commission of sin Quest But why doth God withhold his Spirit that it shall not disswade men from sinne when they are tempted to it nor convince them for sin after they have committed it Answ In the general you are to know that God doth it not as an act of Sovereignty but as an act of Justice you wrong the Spirit and therefore God withholds the Spirit
natural motions from conscience may put a man upon the doing of a good thing Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor yet it cannot give any power for its performance it leaves thee like Ovids Medea that saw good yet would not do it Natural motions to the soul are as Pharaoh to the Israelites who moved them to make brick but gave them no materials Natural conscience moves to duty but conveighs no power to do it withal therefore you read that the law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8 3. weak as to justification thereby there being no power in man to fulfil it 2. Virtutis amore non formidine poenae 2 Tim. 1.7 The Spirit it moves a man to do good more out of the lovelinesse and beauty that is in holinesse then out of fear of hells torments Hence we read that God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde we do not do things meerely out of fear of hell but out of love to God and holinesse So the Apostle Paul sayes he As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God for ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.14,15 Ducuur à spiritu non trahâ—tur The Spirit of God makes a man do a thing as a childe out of love to his father and not out of fear this is the effect of the Spirit of God But now the motions of natural conscience to good are not out of any excellency a man seeth in the good he doth but meerly out of feare of punishment he seeth damnation if he doth otherwise 3. The Spirit of God moves a man to do good in things not only good for the matter but to make conscience of the end why he doth such a thing that he be sound in his aime and therefore sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 17. We have received the Spirit of a sound minde that is the Spirit it puts a man not only upon the doing of a good duty but makes him have a sincere end in the doing thereof But the natural conscience it rests in the duty in case it be done though done never so corruptly Prov. 7.14 As the harlot Solomon speaks of who had sacrificed and paid her vows though her end was most abominable and base viz. that she might the more uncontrolable play the harlot she first playes the hypocrite and then the harlot 4. The Spirit of God moving men to do good it regulates them in the manner of doing good the duty it must be done with affection with love with faith fervency and composednesse of minde but natural conscience moving a man to duty takes no farther care so it be done not how it be done it may move to prayer and to hearing but never moves to take heed how these duties are done 5. The Spirit of God moves a man so powerfully that it carrieth him to do good notwithstanding difficulty and danger and neither shall hinder him in its performance The Spirits motions are like unto new wine in a barrel that wanting vent is ready to burst holy motions will break forth into holy actions Wicked men are sick till they act their wickednesse and cannot be satisfied till they have done sinfully But those who have natural motions to good they go no farther but rest in them and never bring forth good accomplishments Balaam he had a good motion Num. 23.10 oh sayes he that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end might be like unto his What a heavenly ejaculation was here it was a very good wish but yet it was a lazie one he wisht to die the death of the righteous but yet would not live the life of the righteous he would not practise what he prayed for Natural motions in men freeze between their lips they only deâ—re but never break out into the acting of duty Difficulties do discourage natural men from following their good resolutions with constant practice and the sluggard will not plow because of the cold Prov. 20.4 Querie 3 How may we know the Spirits motions from Satanical delusions The devils suggestions they are like unto the Spirits motions and there have been men in all ages which have taken phantastical illusions for the Spirits motions therefore to difference the one from the other Consider 1. That the motions of Gods Spirit are alwayes agreeable to a written word the words prescript and the Spirits motions are correspondent the one to the other You have both joyned together by Solomon I will poure out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 1.23 So the Prophet Isaiah My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Isa 59.21 The motions of the Spirit of God they are alwayes suitable to the Word of God To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to them it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 and therefore all that are contrary they are the delusions of the evil spirit 2. The motions of Gods Spirit in men are not now to foretell future events but they are holy motions pressing to duty Therefore the Papists who boast of a prophetical Spirit and of foretelling things to come and your starre-gazers and sooth-sayers who pretend to tell future contingent events telling you this party shall prevaile this moneth and that party another moneth these are diabolical delusions and not from the Spirit of God who since the Canon of the Scripture hath been established refers us to the Word as a rule of our obedience 3. The Spirits motions where ever they are they stirre up grace and keep under sinne they stir up grace and therefore we read of the assisting exciting and supplying work of the Spirit those motions which stirre up sinne and cherish corruption are diabolical Rom. 8.13 Therefore saith the Apostle Paul If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if 〈◊〉 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Motions from the Spirit of God they are holy motions exciting grace and depressing sin Micah 2.11 And therefore it is said if a man walk in the Spirit and do lie that is if a man will pretend a message from the Spirit of God and yet Prophesie of wine and strong drink that is by his Doctrine incourage drunkennesse or any sin that man lies he comes not from the holy Spirit but from the devil SERMON IX At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh A third Querie I Proceed now to a third thing to be enquired into and that is How we may know the
into your mindes leave not these motions till you have brought them into actions holy motions should be backed with holy resolutions which also should be followed with holy actions It is the fault of many Christians they let good motions die in their breasts and so they come to an untimely issue Daniel 1.8 That of Daniel is for our imitation He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself He did not rest in the bare motion and purpose but he made it his request he joyned endeavour to his resolution but as for us how may we as I before told you take up the complaint of Job Our purposes are broken off even the thoughts of our hearts Job 17.11 Holy motions they should be followed with holy resolutions and accomplished with holy performances 2. When the Lord vouchsafes you the motions of his Spirit you must not conceive that you have the Essence or the Person of the Spirit this is the errour of the Familists and no lesse then blasphemy for want of a distinction between the motions of the Spirit and the Person of the Spirit their opinion is this that there is in a Beleever not only the graces of the Spirit but the Person of the Spirit but this is nothing else but to make humanity the Deity For the clearing hereof let me exemplifie it by a comparison The Sunne that is in the firmament we use to say that it is in such a house or such a window but when we say so we do not mean that the body of the Sunne is there but only that the light heat or influence of the Sunne is there So though the Scripture tells us that the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3 16. Spiritus Dei habitatin nobis quia regit gabernat saâ—ctificat Paraeus or Spirit dwells in us the meaning is not as if the Person of the holy Ghost were in us but only the motions and graces of the Spirit are there And therefore in both those expressions You are the Temple of the holy Ghost and The holy Ghost dwelleth in you there is saith Paraeus a Metaphor 3. Take heed that you mistake not the Spirits motions for Satanical illusions I gave you the characters before how you might know the Spirits motions from the devils delusions I shall only hint this to you which is an infallible rule That all motions that are not consonant to a written Word they are from the devil not from God Prov. 1.23 Isa 59.21 I gave you two Texts of Scripture wherein the Spirit and the Word were joyned together therefore see that all your motions be according to a written Word Direct 4 4. Take heed of beleeving every one that sayes he is inspired by the Spirit There are many high-flown Teachers in these dayes who indeed are Masters of errour yet would be thought the Disciples of truth that say they are inspired when none else are beside them But as the Apostle John saith Believe not every Spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 2 Thes 2.2 that is every corrupt teacher but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world They are called Spirits because they pretend with such confidence to have the Spirit Now that you may know such men I shall discusse this Question Quest How you may know men who pretend to have the Spirit when indeed they have not Answ 1 Such men who only pretend to have the Spirit they are always proud of the gifts of the Spirit their conceited opinion of having the Spirit raises their mindes to a high degree of pride This is a certaine rule that they who are truely inspired of the Spirit 1 Cor. 7.40 they are alwayes humble thus it was with Paul I give my judgement sayes he and I think I have the Spirit of God Paul he knew he had the Spirit yet would he speak in humility not boastingly and insultingly as many did And so at another time sayes he 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a man caught up into the third heaven and heard words which it is not lawful for man to utter Now who was this man it was none but himself it was his modesty that made him speak in a third Person therefore those who boast of the Spirit and are vain glorious it is an argument that indeed they have not the Spirit of Christ which is a Spirit of meeknesse and of humility Answ 2 Those that so cry up the Spirit as to cry down ordinances and the Ministery they have not the Spirit of God In the time of the New Testament when vision and inspiration were in use yet then the Spirit would not teach men immediately but did referre them to an outward Ministery Acts 8. A famous instance you have hereof as I noted before in the Ethiopian Eunuch who being reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Esaias the Spirit would not interpret to him the meaning hereof Acts 9.6 but bids Philip go and expound it So Paul when Christ revealed himself to him he would not teach him himself but bids him go to Damascus and there it should be told him what he should do The like example we have in Cornelius Acts 10.5,6 the Spirit would not teach him immeditely but bids him send for Peter and he should tell him what he ought to do By these examples we see how the Lord hath honoured the Ministery of the Word And therefore those who cry up the Spirit so as to cry down the Ministery as expecting to have the immediate teaching of the Spirit doubtlesse they have not the Spirit of God Answ 3 Those who pretend to the Spirit and yet boast of the effects of the Spirit rather in future Revelations then in present motions to holy duties are deceived by a Satanical delusion There are many in these dayes that will take upon them to tell you future contingent events but this can be nothing else but a delusion of the devil because the gifts of the Spirit in foretelling future events is now ceased and doth not remaine in the Church It is true I deny not but that the devil by a special manifestation from God may tell a future event but I am sure your Astrologers cannot by the help of the starres Thus the devil appeared to Saul in the shape of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. â—9 and sayes he To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me the Lord also shall deliver the Host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines Now how came the devil to the knowledge of this but by a special Revelation from God the Lord permitting it for the
considerations to provoke you to be humbled 1. Consider that the flesh and thereby this contrariety against grace it was more ancient in thee then grace was in thee it was in thee before the Spirit of grace was Divines make the strugling of Esau and Jacob in the womb of Rebeccah an embleme of corruption and grace in a regenerate man they strugled in the womb and it is observed that Esau the bad sonne was born first and Jacob the good son born last it is a fit resemblance of nature and grace which strive in the heart of a regenerate man but remember this that sin is the elder of the twaine before thou hadst the Spirit thou hadst the flesh nature is the elder brother nay assoon as ever there was an union between the soul and body sin was in the soule nay not only before thou couldst act grace thou hadst sin but before thou couldst act reason I remember Augustine hath a relation in his Confessions concerning a little childe Vidi infantulum Zelantem c. which saw another childe suck his mothers brest and sayes he before the childe spake I saw an envious nature in it the child grew pale to see the other suck his mothers brest this sayes he made me call to mind my original sin and truly this is a great advantage to the flesh that the flesh is first in a man as if two Armies come to fight a pitcht battel that Army which first comes to the field hath much advantage against the other that come after into the field the flesh hath gotten the sunne and winde against us it hath many advantages upon this consideration that it was first in thee and therefore be humbled 2. Be humbled on this consideration that the flesh and this contrariety of the flesh against grace in thy nature 't is more abundant in thee then grace is 't is not onely more timely but also more abundant though a Christian hath the Spirit yet every regenerate man hath more of the flesh you have now received but the first fruits of the Spirit but you have the whole crop of sin the whole harvest of original corruption in a regenerate man there are more swarms of lusts and unholy thoughts then there are gracious thoughts as in every hedge there are more briars and thornes then fruitful trees so in every mans heart more briars and thornes of corruption then of the fruitful trees of grace And as in every field there are more thistles and weeds then lilies and roses so in every heart there is more of corrupt nature then of true grace Sin growes naturally but grace only by divine culture Corruption is natural but grace is supernatural That of the Apostle is observable to this purpose Rom 6.19 where he exhorts us As we have yielded our members to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity so now to yield cur members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse Divines gather hence that the Apostle speaking of sin maketh mention of three To 's there is to uncleannesse to iniquity and unto iniquity but when he speaks of grace and holinesse he mentions but two To 's to note that there is more abundance of sin in thee then grace Ransack a believer in every faculty and in every faculty you shall finde more sin then grace First look into the understanding Hoc tantum scio me nihil scire Hieronym and there you shall finde more ignorance then knowledge and so Hierom himselfe confesseth that he was ignorant of more truths then he did understand In the memory there is more forgetfulnesse then retention of good thou forgettest more good then thou doest remember Heb. 2.1 the best man alive doth not remember so much of a Sermon as he doth forget And therefore the Apostle gives this counsell that we should give the more earnest heed to those things which we have heard lest we let them slip as a broken and leaking vessel runs out for the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a metaphor taken from leaking vessels And so likewise in the fancy there are more vain sinful and unclean speculations then there are divine and holy contemplations In the affections there is more love to earthly things then to heavenly thou more fearest man then God and grievest more for affliction then sin for the punishment more then for the evill of sin if you ransack all men you shall finde more corruption of nature then holinesse and grace in them Gal. 5.19,20 this the Apostle hints in that catalogue which he gives of the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit where he reckons up seventeen sins and but seven graces to note that there is more sinne then grace in men Corruption it is like great Goliah and grace is but like little David but yet though corruption be strong there be more of it in us then grace yet we shall get the victory in the close though Goliah be stronger then David yet as David so all the regenerate shall have the final successe and conquest 3. That you may be humbled consider that this contrariety of nature to grace it works unweariedly in you if this contrariety did shew it selfe now and then upon some extraordinary occasion it were not so much but this corruption it works unweariedly against grace grace and good motions are supernatural and therefore are sometimes irksome to us that are flesh and blood but corrupt motions to sinne they are natural to a man and things which act naturally act unweariedly as the Sea it 's never weary of flowing nor the Sunne of running its course and as the fire is never weary of burning so neither is corrupt nature of opposing the holy Spirit our whole course and way to heaven is up the hill and against the tide and winde both of corruptions and temptations 4. Be humbled also on this ground that this contrariety of nature it will work continually against grace even to thy dying day if it did but oppose sometimes and then would be weary or else if it were stinted to some age of a mans life it were something but this corruption will shew it self contrary to grace as long as thou livest thou mayest get rid of actual sin but thou canst never rid thy heart of this habitual corrupt nature It is a notable saying of Cyprian to this purpose It is more sayes he to take away one sin then many sins his meaning is this that it is harder to take away this one sin of nature then to take away many sins of life as for actual sins the sinnes thou wast haunted with the last year thou mayest not be troubled with them now nor the sins that now thou art troubled with hereafter but the sin of thy nature it hath troubled thee the last year and this year also and it will do all thy dayes that as Ivy in a wall though you lop off the branches yet it is so
but Thirdly from the devil are interruptions and hinderances cast in and in this case you are to do as Abraham did when the fowles did light upon his sacrifice he drove them away Gen. 15.11 By the fowles coming upon the carcases of Abrahams offering as Deodate saith it is an evident signe of the devils disturbing the elect when they are about any holy performance now as Abraham did so do you when these fowles as they are compared in Matth. 13.4 to the devil those foul and infernal spirits when they come to disturb you in worship you must drive them away all those impertinencies and vain thoughts which the devil casts in Job 1.6 In the first of Job you read that upon a certain day the Sons of God presented themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them By the Sonnes of God there cannot be meant the Angels for then it would follow that the devils would be in heaven where the Angels are therefore by the Sonnes of God are meant the children of Iob and thus were the posterity of Seth called in Gen. 6. Gen. 6.2 See Zech. 3.1 The Sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair Now to my purpose the children of Iob are said upon a certain day to appear before the Lord that is say Interpreters on the Sabbath-day now when they appeared on that day before the Lord it is said that Satan came among them Celeberrimum sabbati festum Pined and you may be sure the devil came for no good intent but to labour to interrupt and disturb them in those religious performances And therefore seeing that you have not onely your own hearts the world and natural infirmities but the devil also to hinder and divert you what cause have you with utmost diligence to watch over your selves 7. If the flesh doth interrupt you in Gods service then learn not to place any confidence in your most religious performances darest thou lay the weight of thy soul upon such a weak foundation if thy duties are tainted and mingled with so much evill how darest thou rest in thy duties It is the speech of Iob Though I were righteous yet would I not plead with thee Job 9.28 and again sayes he I am afraid of all my sorrowes I know that thou wilt hold me innocent In the vulgar translation it is I am afraid of all my good works and further sayes he Though I should wash my selfe with snow-water and make my selfe never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in a ditch and my own clothes shall abhorre me Cap. 30.31 Though I should acquit my selfe never so well in duty yet thou wouldest finde much evil in me If then thy best services are mingled with sin rely only upon a Christ for salvation and here to set home this inference I shall lay down three cogent considerations 1. Thou hast more acts of sin that come from the flesh then acts of grace that come from the Siprit in thy duties and wilt thou rest upon such a duty that hath more sinne then grace acted in it more wandring thoughts then holy thoughts thou forgettest more of a Sermon then thou remembrest of a Sermon and the sin of thy nature doth cast in more wandring thoughts then the Spirit of God doth cast in holy thoughts thy graces are as the filings of gold but thy sinnes as heapes of dust and therefore how darest thou rest on thy duties expecting life and salvation by them 2. Consider that one circumstance in a duty is enough to make it evil but many concurring circumstances is not enough to make a duty good Suppose thou prayest one circumstance in thy prayer may make it sinful though thou prayest wel for the manner yet if thou art defective in the end or if the end be right yet if thou failest in thy principle it is not right It is a rule in moral Philosophy In moralibus plus circumstanti a quà m substantia actioâ—is that circumstances are more to be weighed then acts and so it is in Divinity One circumstance may make a duty defective but many circumstances concurring together cannot make a duty good 3. Consider that thou art guilty of many past sins and present duties cannot make a recompence for past sinnes Suppose a tenant who payes his rent duly for time present yet being in arrear it may be ten or twenty yeares his payment of his rent at present will not recompense his past arrear Thus it is with thee thou art much in debt and in arreare to God for past time and if there were merit in thy duties as there is not yet present duty could not expiate past sinnes therefore rely not upon duty 8. Doth the flesh thus interrupt us in duty then from hence we may see the evill nature of sin the mischievous quality of original corruption It is a doctrine which cau never be too much insisted upon and therefore from this doctrine I beseech you turn a little to see the evil nature of originall sin I may illustrate it by this example if you have a vessel full of liquor a little gall shall more imbitter it then a great deal of honey shall sweeten it behold the mischievous nature of sinee how doth it taint both thy person and performances You read of a Law in Numb Numb 19.22 19 22. that whatsoever an unclean person toucheth shall be uuclean this is spoken of ceremonial uncleannesse but it holds true also in spirituals thou art an unclean man all thou touchest becomes unclean thou defilest all thy duties There is an useful passage in Haggai 2.12,13 Hag. 2.12,13 there was an case of conscience which the people were to demand of the Priests concerning the Law The question was this If one beat holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirts do touch bread or pottage or wine or oile or any meat shall it be holy and the Priests said No. And then said Haggai If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the Priest answered and said It shall be unclean Here you may observe that holy things could not make common things clean and holy but if a man that was unclean did but touch holy things they became unclean Now if you would know the meaning of this it is explained by the Prophet in the 14. verse Then answered Haggai and said So is this people and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every worke of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean that is every sacrifice and every duty is unclean In Gospel-language the meaning is this if a man be in the state of nature all his offerings and all his sacrifices Tit. 1.15 that is all his duties they are unclean unto him For unto the unclean all things are unclean Vse 2 The second Use I shall make of this point shall be
duty p. 244 245 Education may restraine from evil p. 283 F Fervency and Frequency in duty p. 62 Fulfill lusts of the Flesh what p. 110 Flesh the meaning of it p. 121 How the Flesh opposeth the Spirit p. 120 Slavish Feare p. 176 177 G Spirit of God our Guide p. 82 Why we must follow the Spirits Guidance p. 83 84 We have more sin then Grace p. 191 H Health must be preserved p. 51 52 Humiliation for corruptions p. 144 Our corruption hinders us from doing good p. 208 I Jesus Christ a faithful High Priest p. 66 Inobservancy of the Spirit p. 92 93 Indulgence of sinne p. 118 Inticements to sinne p. 127 128 129 Inability to do good pretended p. 217 Of Interruptions in holy duties p. 231 232 K How godly kept from doing evil p. 262 c. The holy Spirit keepes us p. 265 We are not able to keepe our selves p 277 Gods keeping of us implies our care ibid. L Lusts of the Flesh p. 109 Of seeing Little sinnes p. 129 M Moral perswasions what p. 13 105 Sevcral Motions of the Spirit to good p. 45 Evil Motions of the heart p. 47 Misery of those from whom Gods Spirit is withdrawn p. 71 How we may know the Motions of the Spirit from the Motions of our natural conscience p. 84 85 Common and saving Motions of the Spirit p. 88 Our natures receptive of evil Motions p. 94 Mortification p 150 Mourne for corruption p. 251 N Great is our Need of Gods Spirit p. 70 Of a Natural conscience p. 175 176 Necessity of Ordinances p. 208 O A childe of God may Often commit the same sin p. 41 Avoid Occasions to sinne p. 149 Of Opposition of sinne by the godly and wicked p. 169 c. Of Original sinne p. 205 257 Of necessity of Ordinances p 209 Omission of good damnable p 228 P Pouring out of the Spirit in latter dayes p. 14 Pretending to have the Spirit p. 101 102 Potency of the Flesh p. 133 134 R Repentance a work of the Spirit p. 31 Motions of the Spirit in Reprobates p. 89 Rejoycing in evil p 113 Why corrupt nature remaines in the Regenerate p. 266 967 A Regenerate man doth not sin as he did before p. 134 144 Of Restraining grace p. 276 S Sons of God what it implies p. 2 Spirit of God withdrawing p. 6 Spirit of God works mediately p 16 17 Saints may fall into those sins which are contrary to their graces wherein they are most eminent p. 37 38 Signes of the Spirits withdrawing p 60 61 62 Sin causeth the Spirit to withdraw p 73 74 Sin brings no good fruit p. 97 How the Spirit is in us p. 100 Suppresse the first stirring of sin p. 147 148 Sense of sinne p. 202 203 204. Succeslesnesse in duty whence p. 226 Sincerity accepted p. 259 T Spirit of God keeps us from yielding to Temptations p. 28. Gods Spirit withdrawes but for a time p. 77 V Good unseasonably done p. 50 W Withdrawing of the Spirit p. 6 Wrong six fold to Gods Spirit p. 7 Withdrawing of Spirit from the Word p. 18 Symptomes of the Spirits withdrawing from the Word p. 23 24 Reasons of the Spirits withdrawing p. 32. Christians are weak to do good p. 69 Of walking in the Spirit p. 80 Of wearisomnesse in holy duties p. 238 We must watch our hearts p. 254 Wicked men restrained p. 271 272 c. Wicked men may abstaine from sinne and yet not upon gracious grounds p. 286 287 c. FINIS THE Christians Directory TENDING To guid him in those severall conditions which Gods providence may cast him into Digested in severall SERMONS BY The late faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Minister of Laurence Jury LONDON Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldsmiths Row in Cheapside 1653. TO THE READER Christian Reader THe experience which the World hath had of the worth of the works of this Reverend Author renders a commendatory Epistle needless to any thing of his Our business therefore at present is only to put this peece likewise into thy hands and according as we promised at the first to assure thee that it is genuine having been faithfully compared with and corrected by Mr Loves own notes Yet thus much we shall say of it that it cannot but be singularly useful unto Christians in regard that it contains directions how to carry themselves in the various and severall conditions they shall be in in this world whether their condition be afflicted or joyons whether they buy or sell or what way soever they make use of the world here is excellent advice and counsel for them And so beseeching the Lord to accompany it with his blessing and make it profitable to the souls of his people in him we rest Thy faithful Friends Edm Calamy Simeon Ash Jer Whitaker Will Taylor Allen Geere A CHRISTIANS DIRECTORY 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing of it for the fashion of this world passeth away I Have chosen this place of Scripture intending through Gods assistance to make many Sermons upon it being a Text that affords us so much variety of matter but I shall not stand long upon any one particular Doctrine because I would gladly end it in some convenient time This Text may well be called A Christians Directory to guide and direct him in his ordinary course and walking through all the various mutations vicissitudes alterations he may meet withall here in the world whatsoever his condition be here is matter of advice and Counsel for him If he meets with crosses troubles and afflictions then his duty is to weep as if he wept not if he meet with a gale of prosperity with an affluence and confluence of all outward happiness then his duty is to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not If he be a Tradesman and by buying and selling and trading in the world he gets a great estate then his duty is to use his wealth so as if he possessed it not And least these particular cases and directions should not reach every mans particular condition therefore the Apostle gives this generall rule to all that have any thing to do in the world whether in one kind or other that they that use this world must use it as not abusing of it because the fashion of this world passeth away Here you see what work I have cut out to you which will afford abundance of matter I shall only at present make a short entrance into the first direction the Apostle here gives to those that meet with crosses and afflictions in the world namely that they that weep be as if they wept not There is some disagreement in opinion amongst interpreters touching the scope of these words Pareus thinks this Text hath a special reference to
miseries and afflictions of other men that want those comforts that you enjoy Judges 16.23.25 Sampson you know when he discovered wherein his great strength lay the Philistins cut off his hair and then his strength was gone and he became as another man and the Philistins took him and put out his eyes and bound him in fetters of brasse and made him grind in the prison-house they made him their drudge and their slave and the Lords of the Philistins gathered themselves together to offer sacrifice to Dagon and to rejoyce and when their hearts were merry they called for Sampson to make them sport their immoderate joy did make them insult over this poor blind man in misery Beloved then is your joy excessive when you make the afflictions of other men to be matter of your Joy 6. Your Joy is excessive when it is mingled with luxury and sensuality 2 Sam. 13.28 Luke 15.23,14 Hence it is that you read so often in Scripture of mens being merry with wine in 1 Sam. 25.36 and as an Authour observes the same word in the Hebrew that signifies to be merry signifies to be drunk in the 43. Gen. last when mirth proceeds so far as to drunkenness and sensuality Eâ—h 1.10 then it is excessive 7. When worldly joy breeds security and insensibleness of Gods judgements approaching any place then it is inordinate Thus Ethiopia was called the rejoycing City that dwelt securely Zeph 2.16 and hence it is that in Psal 2.11 fear is adjoyned to rejoycing serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling And hence it is that Absolom when he would by treachery shed the blood of Amnon gave this Counsel to his Servants When you see Amnon merry then fall upon him as knowing that when his heart was merry he would then be secure And so those in Amos 6.3.6 that chant to the sound of the Violl and drink wine in Bowles are said to be men that put far away the evill day and were secure in their pleasures and so these in Esay 22.12.13 In the day that the Lord called for weeping and mourning and baldness and to girding with Sackcloth behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die they would not believe the prophet that foretold them the Judgements of God that were coming upon them but in scoffing and jearing manner said one to another let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die And so again in Esay 56.12 Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant they feared not want nor alteration of their condition which security of theirs declared their joy to be excessive and inordinate 8. When men will run to worldly joyes and pleasures to still and stifle the troubles and terrours of their consciences When a man shall have a conviction upon his conscience which troubles and perplexes him for some grosse evill he hath committed in his life and shall then run to his recreations and pleasures or get amongst jolly Company to cast away and shake off these troubles that are upon him this shews his joy is immoderate And thus Saul did discover a joviall and sensuall spirit 1 Sam. 16.15 when an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him that is when he had some guilt and terrour lying upon his Conscience then he commanded his Servants to seek him out a man skilfull in Musick to play before him but he had been better to have gone to prayer upon his knees then to call for Musick and run to sensuall delights to remove his trouble And thus it was with those Idolaters that sacrificed their Children unto Moloch they had Instruments of Musick but what to do why first it was to drown the cries of their Children and secondly to provoke them to merriment and jollity that their Consciences might not trouble them for so cruel a murther as the sacrificing their Children Why now beloved you that can when a Sermon hath come home to you and toucht you to the quick and the word of God hath come with power and wrought effectually upon you to the discovering and convincing you of your sin If you then run to your recreations and pleasures to company-keeping and Stage-playes or the like to divert your thoughts from your sins and remove the terrour and trouble of your conscience This is a sign your joy is excessive and sinfull indeed this is the way rather to increase then to quiet the checks of conscience The Pellican to put out the fire flaps it with her wings and so instead of putting it out kindles it the more burns her self so do those that seek by worldly pleasure and jollity to stifle the checks of conscience And thus I have very briefly run over these 8. particulars to shew you wherein a mans worldly joy for outward comforts is excessive I have only now a second thing to run over and then give you a short use and so have done Query 2 2. What Rules and directions can you prescribe us to keep our worldly joy for outward comforts within bounds Answ Answ I shall give you 3. or 4. 1. Consider that you have better things to rejoyce in then any thing here below Directions for mode rating our joyes in worldly comforts thou hast better objects to transport thy soul with joy as thy reconciliation with God communion with Christ the comforts of the Holy Ghost assurance of the pardon of sin the justification of thy person by the merits of Christ the sanctification of thy nature by the spirit of Christ Thou hast thy election vocation redemption glorification thou hast all these objects to provoke thy Joy and to fasten thy delight upon Would any man rejoyce and delight himself in Counters if he might have so many peeces of Gold in the room of them or would any man delight or rejoyce so much in Pibbles if he might have as many Pearls for them or in a flint stone that hath a Diamond oh beloved you have things of more worth then any thing in this world to rejoyce in There is a great deal vaster difference between the things of Heaven the mercies of eternity and these outward comforts here below then there is between Brasse and Gold between Pibbles Pearls between the Sun and a Candle Therefore Consider I have a God and Christ Heaven and happiness pardon reconciliation sanctification Justification redemption and glorification I have all these to fix and place my Joy upon and therefore why should I rejoyce so much in the things of this world The Disciples of Christ thought themselves some body and were puffed up because they could cast out Devills and work miracles but saies Christ to them rejoyce not in that the Devills are subject to you but rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 the
THE COMBATE BETWEEN THE FLESH and SPIRIT AS ALSO The wofull with-drawing of the Spirit of God with the Causes thereof And walking in and after the Spirit together with the blessednesse thereof Being the summe and substance of XXVII SERMONS Preached a little before his death by that faithfull servant of CHRIST Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Late Minister of the Gospel at Lawrence Jury LONDON To which is added The CHRISTIANS DIRECTORY Tending to direct him in the various conditions that God may cast him into In XV. Sermons Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Res delicatula est Spiritu Dei ità nos tractat sicut tractatur Tertull. London Printed by T R. E. M. for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldsmiths-row in Cheapside 1654. To the RIGHT WORSHIPFUL My Worthy Friends Mr. EDWARD BRADSHAW Major of the City of CHESTER AND Mrs. MARY BRADSHAW his wife Right Worshipful and Honoured Friends I Shall crave your favour to give you a short account why I put this Treatise into your hands in this publick way It is not that the works of this worthy Authour need any Patrociny the gratefull acceptation which many of his books already published have found with sober and experienced Christians bears abundant testimony to the profitablenesse and usefulnesse of his labours and that his precious name shall be had in everlasting remembrance and is still unto those that feare the Lord a sweet and precious oyntment But indeed the reason of this Dedication besides the publick expression of my respects to you both is the consideration of that special interest you both have to any thing of Master Loves Your interest Sir is undoubted to this Treatise as having married his widow whereby God hath made the solitary to dwell and rest in the house of her husband and hath caused a mournful widow to forget her sorrows And your right deare Mistresse Bradshaw is very great to the works of this worthy man as having had the honour for several yeeres to be the wife of this eminent servant and Ambassadour of Iesus Christ And my hope is that as your coming together in this dear relation was the answer of many prayers so you will in the strength of prayers still comfortably live together 1 Pet. 3.7 as heirs of the grace of life To help you forward in the wayes and practices of real godlinesse I commend unto your most serious perusal this and other useful and practical Treatises of this reverend Authour which though it cannot be expected that they should come forth with that exactness and accomplishment as they would have done had the Authour lived to publish them himself yet I do assure you that these Sermons have been diligently compared with his own papers and notes taken from his own mouth by the pen of a ready and intelligent writer The world â— confesse is now filled even to satiety and surfet with unprofitable Pamphlets 2 Tim. 2.13 whereby many foolish questions and disputes have arisen which do ingender strifes 2 Tim. 2.16 many opinions have been vented which do increase unto more ungodlinesse but this book now presented unto you is plaine practical and spiritual and will I hope be of great use unto Christians to help them to a right understanding of their spiritual estate These Sermons as the date of them will shew were preached by Mr. LOVE but a few moneths before his imprisonment and death his gracious heart it seemes being to the last much upon that great work of advancing the power of Godlinesse in the souls of his hearers and therefore I hope will be the more acceptable as being some of the last and ripest fruit of his growing and improving Ministery These are the Sermons which he gave his consent should be published and besides all these considerations they are the rather printed because so long expected and earnestly desired by many whose souls have cause to blesse God for Mr. LOVE'S faithful Ministery to all eternity Here you will meet with antidotes against that cursed opinion which under pretence of advancing the Spirit undervalueth both the Scripture and Ordinances of Christ fathering their most blasphemous and Atheistical Tenets upon the holy Spirit of truth God blessed for ever Here you will finde what a woful thing it is when Gods Spirit withdrawes his presence and influence from the Ordinances Oh that Professors may be hereby warned not to grieve the Spirit nor quench the Spirit lest he withdraw from the soul and so leave it without life grace and comfort Here you may also learne how precious and powerfull the influence of the holy Ghost is when he is pleased by his presence to make Ordinances effectual Cant. 4.16 let this therefore be your prayer Awake O north-winde and come thou south blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits Here you will finde comfortable directions to walk in the Spirit â—nd how to follow the guidance of the holy Ghost who is able to lead you into all truth Lastly here you will see notably described that contrariety which is between Flesh and Spirit Every Christians heart like Rebecca's womb having two contrary parties strugling in it but our comfort is The elder shall serve the younger corruption like the house of Saul shall by degrees grow weaker and grace like that of David's stronger and stronger I will conclude with hearty prayers to God for you both that by the consciencious reading of this book you may gain much soul-advantage and be built up in your most holy faith and live many happy dayes together walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost Act. 9.31 This is the unfeigned desire of Your affectionate Friend and servant in the Lord William Taylor London Jan. 25. 1653. To THE Reader THe Reverend Author of this ensuing Treatise our worthy good friend committed unto us the care of such his Works as might be judged fit for publick use And although our occasions have not allowed us leasure to peruse the several pieces which have been already published upon the perusal of some of our Brethren yet with humble thankfulnesse unto God we heartily rejoyce in that acceptance with successe which they have found in the hearts of sober savoury Christians This Treatise which was the matter of some of his last Sermons had more of the Authors heart and approbation as he testified unto two of us not many days before his death then any other of his Works And truly the effects of this discourse the happie issue of his spiritual combate were admirably evident upon his own heart in the sparkling influences of Gods holy Spirit whereby he was extraordinarily elevated above all sublunary comforts or crosses loves or sorrows hopes or feares when his known death drew very nigh for though he was a man
should come when these words were spoken when Noah was five hundred years old and the flood came when he was six hundred yeares old therefore here is twenty yeares shorter then Gods promise This is an intricate knot and interpreters are forced to take much paines to untie it and to vindicate the faithfulnesse of God herein let God be true and every man a lier Jerome he gives this answer saies he It is true God did promise an hundred and twenty years between the making of the promise and the accomplishment the wickednesse of men grew so great and did so provoke God that he did contract the promise to twenty years lesse and thus Musculus also who farther saies God making promise reserves the condition in his own breast for as God may not bring a judgement threatened upon a people upon their speedy repentance as in the case of the Ninevites so neither is he bound to give them a mercy promised in case of wilful and obstinate and incorrigible wickednesse as in the case of Elies family I said saith God to Eli that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith â—e it farre from me c. But the best and genuine answer given hereto is this that this promise was made to Noah not when he was five hundred yeares old but when he was four hundred and fourscore for though it be said in the fifth chapter and the last verse that Noah was five hundred yeares old yet that text doth not say he was so old when this promise was made Thus Rivet Mercer and others There is one difficulty in this answer It may be objected that this promise was made after Noah was said to be five hundred years old 1 Sam. 2.30 To which I answer that in Scripture it is usual in the relating of Histories not to observe an exact order Gen. 1.21 so that some things may be placed before which may be done after and some things after which may be done before as for instance you may read of the womans creation after the seventh day Moses would not observe a direct order but did put those things after which were done before And so likewise another instance you have of a thing put before done afterwards In the case of Terah you reade that he was two hundred and five years old and he died Gen. 11.32 and yet you finde that Isaac's birth is not mentioned until some ten chapters afterwards whereas Terah lived some thirty five years after the birth of Isaac I only mention this to shew the consistency of this answer with other places of Scripture to which may be added what judicious Calvin hath to solve this doubt that though it be said that Noah was six hundred years old when he was but five hundred and eighty yet because he was going in the six hundreth year and so near it as twenty yeares therefore the Holy Ghost saith Noah was six hundred years expressing his age by a whole number Thus you have the difficulties explained My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. It may be observed from the whole that when God threatened the judgement of a flood he threatened a worse judgement before it to note that Gods withdrawing his ordinances or withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit from his ordinances was a worse punishment then any bodily punishment I mention this in the prologue to the point that so when you hear me handle the grievousnesse of this judgement you may look upon it as a most sad and heavy one And yet before I raise the doctrine I must distinguish to you about a double withdrawing of Gods Spirit when the Scripture saies My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man it includes two things 1. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive in the Ministery of the word by effectual working 2. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive by inward motions and checks upon the conscience I shall handle the point both wayes And the first point is this Doctr. 1. That it is a very grievous and deplorable judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings of his Spirit from the outward Ministery of the word I might note collaterally from the word strive That the work of conversion it is a hard work it is not an easie work to convince a man But I shall follow the doctrine I have propounded and in the opening thereof shall dispatch two things 1. Shew you that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withdrawn or withheld from the Ministery of the word 2. The reasons why God sends this judgement upon any part of the world 1. To demonstrate the truth of the first I shall lay down but this one evidence It appears to be so great a judgement because when the Spirit is withheld from the ordinances there can be no efficacy in them to convert a soul A sword in a living mans hand may pierce and wound but a painted sword in a painted mans hand upon the wall can do nothing at all so the word preached without the Spirit of God can do no more then a sword in the hand of a George on horseback it may please the phansie and tickle the eare but never pierce the heart it must be the Spirit of God which works upon the heart Ye are the epistle of Christ â—aies the Apostle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.3 And as the same Apostle speaks My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 It must be the mighty power of God which works upon the heart The Ministery of the word it is like that poole of Bethesda John 5.4 there was no native vertue in the water to heale but the text saies when the Angel did move the water he that first stept in was healed of whatsoever disease he had Ordinances they are like this poole there is no native vertue in bare preaching and bare hearing but it must be the Spirit of God which must move upon these waters otherwise they become not effectual 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter kills but the Spirit gives life which words are not to be understood in Origens sense the letter that is the literal sense and the Spirit that is the allegorical sense neither the meaning is the letter that is the Old Testament and the Spirit that is the New Testament as the Antinomians say but the meaning of the word the letter that is the word of God abstractively considered from the Spirit of God that kills it leaves a man in a dead estate but it is the Spirit which gives life that is the Spirit backing the Ministery of the word makes it effectual to give Spiritual life Thus it appeares to be a grievous judgement when the Spirit is withheld from the Ordinances of God because without the Spirit
Ordinances as the meanes but to the Spirit of God as the Author of grace the Ordinances cannot without the Spirit do us good and the Spirit without the Ordinances ordinarily will not Therefore we must neither refuse Ordinances nor rest in them lest Gods Spirit depart 3. God may withhold his Spirit from the Word because men withhold preparation from the Word they hear With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mark 4.24 It is spoken of hearing of the Word as you measure to God in an holy endeavour to prepare for hearing God by his Spirit will proportion to you a blessing in hearing 4. Generall unfruitfulnesse under fruitful Ordinances that may be another cause When men sit under the droppings of Heaven as it were and are yet barren this may provoke God to do as he did with his Vineyard to take away the hedge and let the beasts of the field destroy it and that no rain fall on it 5. when men increase in sin Isa 5.3 who attend on the Ministery of the Word and thus it was with the old world who enjoyed the Ministery of Noah Methusalah and other holy men and yet their wickednesse grew exceeding great which did greatly provoke God and caused him to withdraw his Spirit that it should not any longer strive with them SERMON II. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving opened and explained these words and shewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word and likewise laid down the reasons hereof I come now to make the application thereof which shall carry a double reference 1. To those who finde the strivings and workings of the Spirit in the ministery of the Word 2. To those who have the Spirit withheld from the ministery which they attend upon Vse 1 To those who are perswaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the ministery of the word there are two cautions or positions I would lay down for such Position 1 Be sure you do not mistake moral perswasion to be the Spirits special working in you When reason is convinced by the strength of Scripture-argument this is a morall perswasion and the word of God may go farre this way and yet there be onely a common work of the Spirit reason may be convinced and there may be a great stirring up of the affections where there is no effectual working of the Spirit there may be flashes of joy as in John Baptists hearers they rejoyced in him for a season pangs of fear as in Felix fits of sorrow as in Esau and Ahab Moral perswasions are very like unto the Spirits workings and that you may not take the one for the other I shall lay down these three distinctions 1. Moral perswasions do reach but to the outward man but the Spirits operations to the inward man they are such which reach the heart and the inward part Thou desirest truth saith David in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Psal 51.6 2. Moral perswasions they do only restraine the acts of sinne but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of sinne and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings seene in that it changes the habit and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill 3. Moral perswasions they only make a man forbeare sinne rather for feare of punishment then out of love to holinesse or hatred of sinne with respect to God whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart changing it and making it in love with holinesse causing us to hate sinne more then fear the punishment of it viz. because of its contrariety to Gods goodnesse holinesse and authority Position 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Ministery of the Word ascribe the glory to God only not to the meanes nor to your selves in the use of the meanes neither glory to the Minister nor glory to the Ministery 2 Cor. 3.3 nor glory to your selves but to God only Ye are our Epistle written saies the Apostle not with pen and inke but with the Spirit of the living God he compares the people to paper the Ministery to inke the Minister to the pen but it must be the Spirit of God which must write with it 2 Cor. 10.4 through the working of the Spirit the Ministery becomes effectuall The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strong holds he doth not say we are mighty but the Gospel â—s mighty not in it self but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God And so also the Apostle saies he I laboured more abundantly then they ai yet not I but the grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Ministers must say with Peter Acts 3.12 Why look you so earnestly on us as if by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walke vers 16. No But the name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong Ascribe not therefore praise to the Minister nor to your selves you have not been your own converters you gave not your selves your first being in nature much lesse your being in grace it is not you but the grace of God Thy pound saith that servant in the Parable hath gained ten pounds and thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk 19.16,18 not my paines but thy pound So say you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it Psal 115.1 and unto thee be given all the glory Not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory Position 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word see thou be thankful for it Consider that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciously now under the Gospel then ever it did upon men under the Law and this is a very comfortable position the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciously 1. More clearly In the latter dayes the Spirit speaks expresly and holy men of God wrote as they were directed by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearer it was to Christs coming in the flesh the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known and so the Evangelist Saint Luke writing to Theophilus saies Most excellent Theophilus the things which we write are most surely believed among us Luke 1.1 things were hardly believed before because they were darkly delivered and therefore you read that in other ages the Ministery of Christ was not made known to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit Eph. 3.5 it was a Mystery hid
from the foundation of the world that is not totally hid in comparison of the now revealing it but there was not so clear a discovery made thereof by the Spirit and here I would have you to observe that under the Old Testament the Spirit did reveale things gradually now a little and then a little and did keep the full manifestation of the glory of Christ untill he came in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 As first in Adams time it was only known unto the world that the Saviour of mankinde should be born of a woman And then in Abrahams time it was farther revealed that Christ which should save the world should come out of Abrahams loines but then all this while Gen. 12.3 though it were known that he should be of the seed of a woman and of the seed of Abraham also Yet thirdly it was not revealed of what tribe he should be that was revealed in Jacobs time viz. of that tribe of Judah Gen. 49.10 but yet in all this time it was not mentioned how he should be borne and therefore in Isaiahs time it was said A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne but where he should be borne Isa 7.14 that was not revealed untill Micahs time where it is said Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings out have beene from of old from everlasting nor the time till Daniel had it by revelation Dan. 9.24 Thus you see and thus true it is what the Apostle tells you that at sundry times and in divers manners the Lord hath revealed himself to the sonnes of men Heb. 1.1 so that herein what cause have we to blesse God that we are not borne in ancient dayes but in those wherein the Spirit of God doth reveale plainly and clearly the Mysteries of Religion 2. As the Spirit in these dayes of the Gospel doth make known things more plainly and clearly So also more efficaciously the Spirit operates with more efficacy upon mens affections and therefore in the dayes of John the Baptist it is said Matth. 11.12 that the Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force that is the Spirit by its effectual working did make men more eager and vehement for heaven then they were before under the Law There shall be a more glorious manifestation of the Spirit in its operations and hence you read of that promise in the Prophet Isaiah concerning the abundance of Gospel-grace that the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes Isa 30.26 In Gospel-times there is a full revelation of the Spirit and therefore you read that when Ezekiel described the holy City in his Prophesie and Saint John the New Jerusalem in his Revelations John describes his City farre more large then Ezekiel did his to note say Interpreters that God reveals more by his Spirit now then he did in former time Position 4 You that have found the Spirit of God efficacious in the Ministery Consider That the Spirit to set a dignity on the Ministery of the Word doth not work upon man immediately but mediately the Spirit will not teach men immediately but transmits them to an outward ministery which sets a great dignity upon it I shall give you three famous instances hereof wherein the Spirit refuses to teach men immediately but leaves them to an outward Ministery One whereof you haves concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch who reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Isaiah and the Spirt observing him how he read and could not understand bids Philip go neare and joyne himself to his Chariot and expound to him what he read Acts 8.29 the Spirit would not do it immediately himself but bids Philip go Interpreters observe hence what a dignity the Spirit of God puts on the Ministery of the Word that in those times when Visions and Revelations were in use yet God establisht the Ministery Another instance you have of Paul at his conversion Act. 9.4 c. when he saw that Vision and heard that voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and crying out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now Christ would not tell Paul immediately but saies he Go to Damascus and thertehou shalt meet with Ananias and he will tell thee what thou shalt do Thus Christ he would not immediately himself teach Paul but sends him to Ananias that he might set◠greater dignity upon the Gospel-Ministery And therefore they that will expect the Spirit must attend upon the Ordinances as those that would be healed must step into the Poole when the Angel moved Another example you have of Cornelius when he saw the Angel and was sore afraid and said What is it Lord The Lord he bids him send for Peter and he should shew him what he ought to do Thus doth the Lord dignifie the Ministery of the Gospel I mention this particular the rather to shew the vanity of Enthusiasme that would abolish the Ministery and cry up the Spirits immediate teaching but here we see the great dignity which the Spirit sets on the Ministery of poor weak and fraile man in that he will not teack men immediately but sends them to the Ministery of the Gospel Position 5 Though the Spirit who is absolutely free in his operations sometimes hath wrought without the Word yet never hath the Spirit wrought upon any mans heart against the Word To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to the Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 I mention this Position to condemne those vaine impulses of Spirit which men in our dayes pretend to but let such remember that to plead an impulse of Spirit contrary to the Word of God it is not from God but an instigation from the Devill And yet many have forsaken the bright Lamp of Gods Word to follow the ignis fatuus of their own fancy Position 6 You which have found the efficacious working of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word blesse you God that hath not left you a naked empty and inefficacious Ministery to attend upon the word as it is in our mouths without the operation of the Spirit is but a poor weak and empty thing thereby men often occasionally are hardened and perverted but you who have found the Spirit backing the Word in the Ministery thereof blesse you God that hath put such rich treasure in earthen vessels that what the Apostle said to the Corinthians is made good to you 1 Cor. 2.4,5 Our Ministery saies he came not to you with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power blesse you God that hath put forth such a power in
the poole of Bethesda before he was healed so an elect vessell of God may lie twenty thirty or fourty yeers in a state of unregeneracy before he is converted Nay after conversion the Spirit of God may be withheld from the Ministery of the Word which Gods own people attend upon and that in these two wayes 1. In its Comforting work and thus it was with David Lord saies he take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11.12 thus was the Spirit withdrawn from David in its comforting work I do not tell you the graces of Gods children can be taken away but the comfort of their graces and of the Spirit of God may be taken away from them 2. God may withhold his Spirit in its quickening work thou mayest come to an Ordinance with a hard heart and it may not soften thee though the presence of God is never utterly taken away from a godly man yet the influences and quickenings of Gods Spirit may be withdrawn the Spirit may be withdrawn in a quickening way so as in grace thou mayest decay and in duty thou mayest grow cold and dull but yet the presence of God shall never be taken away from a godly man There is the same Sun in the firmament in winter as in summer but not the warme working and quickening influence 7. And lastly The Spirit of God may be given to men waiting on a publike Ministery in its common workings and yet it may be withheld from them in its saving and effectuall operations and thus it was with the Corinthians many of them had the Spirit to attend Pauls Ministery in the common workings of it but yet not in its saving effects and therefore saies Paul Though you come behinde in no gifts yet I must speak unto you as carnal look to your selves therefore the Spirit in its common workings may attend the Ministery to fill you with notions yet it may be withheld in regard of its saving operations SERMON III. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving shewed that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Ministery of the Word and laid down several Cautions and Positions concerning this judgement I come now to answer an objection Objection You may say This is a very sad judgement indeed but what demonstration may be given thereof or how may it be known that this judgement is in any part of the world Answ For answer hereunto you must know that this is a very dark point and hardly determined and therefore many of the particulars I shall give in answer to it they shall be but probable conjectures rather then infallible Demonstrations There are many things that give me to fear that in part the saving operations of the Spirit are withheld from the Ministery of the Word 1. And first we have cause to fear that in part the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word amongst us because there are fewer which are converted by the Ministery of the Word now then there were in former times now the Spirit ceases to back the Ministery of the Word with numerous numbers of Converts it is an argument that the Spirit is in part withdrawn When the Disciples did first preach the Gospel how did Satan fall down like lightening before the Word there were three thousand converted in one day by Peters Sermon and how may we preach three thousand times and yet not convert one Acts 2.41 Multitudes were brought in and converted in the morning of the Gospel according to that Gospel-promise Psal 110.3 From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth that is multitudes of people should be converted upon the first preaching of the Gospel which should overspread the earth even as the morning dew but in the age wherein God hath cast us the number of converts are greatly lessend and not only lessened to what they were in former time but to what they have been in our time what numbers of the younger sort of people did come in upon the preaching of the Word within these few yeers but now how is the work of conversion at a great stand heretofore Ministers fished as with a net many were brought in but now we fish as it were with an angle now one comes in and then another this may be one probable demonstration that in part the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word 2. Another conjecture is this when men that live under the Ministery of the Word grow worse and worse and not better for men to remaine many yeeres under the Ministery of the Word and yet to be more blinde and more blockish and more perversel and more profane this argues that certainly the Spirit of God is withheld from such and that their destruction is nigh the ground which hath the raine often falling upon it and yet is unfruitful Heb. 6.7.8 is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned as the Apostle speaks The Spirit being withheld the raine of the Gospel is a curse to them and the end of such shall be burning 3. You may feare the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word because there are more perverted by Errour then converted by the Truth for these last years especially since erroneous men have had liberty and countenance What multitudes have beene perverted and led away by the Errours of ungodly men this is an argument of a judiciall hardnesse upon the Land How are we fallen into those times of which the Apostle Peter speaks wherein shall be false teachers and such who shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2.1,2 How many in these our dayes have been perverted following the pernicious wayes of false teachers which surely is an argument of the Spirits suspension from the Ministery Demonstr 4 4. Because the Word of truth is so adulterated with Error this may be a reason why the Word prevailes so little upon the hearts of men As in a field where there are many weeds the seed will never grow there so where there are many Errours sprung up in a Church the seed of Gods Word will not thrive there The increase of damnable Heresies suspends the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of men Christ it is said of him Mark 7.13 that he taught the people with authority and not as did the Scribes and why not as did the Scribes you have the reason given by Christ in the Evangelist Saint Marke sayes he You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions which ye have delivered It was of no force upon the consciences of their followers their erroneous traditions made
There may be five reasons laid down as the ground why God withholds his Spirit in its strivings with men 1. Because in times past you have refused to hearken to the frequent motions and perswasions of Gods Spirit the Spirit of God hath told you that if you walk in such wicked wayes the end of them will be death how often hath it suggested unto you that if you go on in such and such courses you will be undone for ever and yet you have gone on in sinne and would not hearken unto the Spirit thus God complaines of his people by the Psalmist Psal 81.11,12 My people would not hearken my voice and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels as if he should say they would not hearken unto me and therefore my Spirit shall disswade them no more I will leave them to themselves and let them take their own course 2. Because it may be you have fastened and fathered sinful affections that arise from the flesh upon the Spirits motions and this is such an injury to the Spirit that he will not bear as when men shall say their wrath kindled from hell is the zeale of the Spirit coming down from Heaven that their erroneous opinions are the Spirits teachings when he is the Spirit of truth and Satanical delusions divine inspirations And this is an indignity not inferiour then if some subject should lay his bastard at his Princes gate and this some think is understood by the vexing of the Spirit mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 63.10 this may be another cause why the Lord may withhold his Spirit 3. Because men do more easily listen to the suggestions of the evill Spirit then to the motions of the good Spirit it makes your friend deny to come to your house when you shall give entertainment to his enemy when the Devill shall come and easily prevaile with you when you shall either sinne upon no temptation or upon a smal temptation this is a high provocation to Gods Spirit and this is a reason why there is so severe a judgment annexed to the third Commandment that God will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine because there is lesse temptation to the sinne of swearing then to any other sinne in the world Other sinnes they are more consonant to flesh and blood but swearing of all sinnes men have the least temptation to it The swearer serves the Devill gratis and hath neither profit nor pleasure by his sinne and therefore God annexes so severe a punishment When thou shalt runne unto sinne upon an easie tâ—mptation and wilt not hearken to Gods Spirit upon an earnest motion this provokes the Lord to withhold the strivings of his Spirit from thee 4. Because in former time thou hast plotted and deliberated how to commit sinne therefore the Spirit will withdraw from thee for time to come There are many that do commit sinne with deliberation premeditation and consultation and that man which commits a sinne deliberately and contrivedly he doth greatly provoke the Spirit of God Pro. v 16.30 It is said of a wicked man that he shutteth his eyes to devise mischief shutting of the eye is a studying plotting and deliberating posture As it is with a friend if you shall give him a blow at peradventure though he may be angry at first yet when he shall understand that it was against your will he will be quickly pacified but if he sees that you plot and contrive his death this makes him that he will never come into your company more Thus it is with the Spirit of God when he sees thee fall into sinne inconsiderately and unadvisedly he will not withdraw from thee for this but when the Spirit shall see that we way-lay him and do deliberate and contrive how to commit sin this provokes him if not for ever yet for a long departure Such deliberate acts of the soul they are more directly against God 1 King 15.5 and to this purpose is observable what you reade concerning David that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter ofVriah the Hittite Now why doth not the text say rather that he was perfect or did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord save onely in the matter of Bathsheba for that was the foulest sinne There is this reason given hereof why the Spirit of God should say that he was a perfect man save onely in the matter of Vriah rather then in that of Bathsheba because his sinne in the matter of Bathsheba it was done rashly and inconsiderately he was suddenly surprized with a temptation but the matter of Vriah 2 Sam. ch 11. it was done more deliberately plottingly and contrivedly for first he sends for him home from the warres that so he might cloak his foul fact then he makes him drunk and after he makes him carry the contrivance of his own death in a letter to Joab so that it was a sinne so deliberately acted that the Spirit of God put a brand upon him for it take heed therefore of deliberate acts of sinne I censure none every one of you must stand or fall to your own Master but this I say that it is a sinne which gives an especial provocation to the Spirit of God It is the saying of a Modern Divine and a true one That a deliberate will to sinne without the act is more sinful then the act of sinne without a deliberate will and thus in the case of Peter that man does worse who purposes to deny Christ though he never doth it then Peter that did actually deny Christ and never intended it therefore look to your purposes and deliberations if you sinne deliberately it is the next step to the sinne of those against whom the Prophet prayes Lord be not merciful to those that sinne maliciously 5. The Spirit of God will withdraw from a man when men prostitute the holy Spirit to base lusts as all hypocrites do who do talk of the Spirit onely to commit sinne and enjoy their lusts more securely Thus Simon Magus he desired the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit that he might seeme some body and enrich himself this was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.5 a cloak for his covetousnesse Many grieve and provoke the Spirit to depart when they themselves do not serve God but rather serve themselves on God SERMON IV. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 10. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to answer another Quere or case of Conscience very usefull which is this Quest How farre the Spirit of God may be withheld or withdrawn even from a godly man both before and after the commission of sinnes First I shall shew you
how far the Spirit of God may be withheld before and then secondly after the commission of sin The Spirit of God in a fivefold respect may be said to be withdrawn from a godly man before the commission of sinne 1. That it shall not enlighten thee to make thee know it is a sinne thou art tempted unto and thus we read of the Patriarchs that married divers wives The Spirit of God in that dark age of the world the Patriarchs was so withheld that it did not enlighten them no not till their dying day that we read of that Poligamy was a sinne and therefore they lived and died in it 2. Though thou mayest be enlightened to know that it is a sinne thou art tempted unto yet thou mayest be so left of the Spirit that through the impetuousnesse of thy lust and the violence of the tempâ—…tion thou mayest be carried to commit that sin and thus we find plainin the case of David David he could not but know that Adultery was a sin and yet being left of the Spirit of God the strength of his lust and the violence of his temptation was such that he was carried to commit it 3. A godly man may be so farre left by the Spirit that when he is tempted to a sinne he may rather consult with flesh and blood then with the Spirit of God whether he should commit the sinne yea or no And thus a godly man when life liberty and estate lie at stake doth often consult his own safety rather then inward peace and this is very much 2. Sam. 11. and yet thus it was with David in the matter of Vriah 4. Godly men may be so left that they may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne before they commit it Divines do usually give it as a difference between godly and wicked men that the one sinnes deliberately the other not yet there are instances in Scripture that shew that godly men may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne now this as Divines shew is at the threshold of hell there is but a little between them and damnation and thus David it is true the sinne of adultery it was not so deliberate as the murther of Vriah for there David did contrive the meanes whereby he should be killed and the time when with the manner how and the instrument by whom now this was a very deliberate act of sinne yet thus farre may agodly man be left therefore what cause have they to blesse and magnifie the free grace of God that come so near hell and yet never come there you may have your garments smell of hell-fire yet you may never come into burning Deliberate acts of sinne tend unto that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost which is of malice therefore take heed of such sins 5. The Spirit of God may so leave thee though a godly man that thou mayest fall into those sinnes that are contrary to those graces wherein thou art most eminent For a man that is chaste to keep from those sinnes which are not so contrary to his native disposition is not so much but for a chaste man to be so left of God as to fall into adultery for a meek man to fall into passion this is a great evill I shall lay down severall instances hereof of godly men that have been thus left by the Spirit of God Abraham you finde him in Scripture recorded to be the father of the faithful Rom. 4. what a large encomium doth the Apostle make of Abrahams faith and God did so leave him that he fell into unbelief and distrust of God Gen. 12.11,12 by denying his own wife which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was so eminent You finde also of Noah that in the Scripture he is commended for a very sober man and that when all the world were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage it was a very drunken excessive and luxurious age and Noah he was commended by God for his sobriety Gen. 9.21 but yet through drunkennesse was the sinne most contrary to that excellent grace of sobriety he was so eminent in yet was he overtaken therewith Likewise Lot he is commended by the holy Ghost for disliking the filthy conversation of the Sodomites and it is strange that Lot himself should be overtaken with the sinne of uncleannesse and that he should fall into the abominable sinne of Incest for so you finde it related of him Gen. 19.33,35 he lay with his two daughters So also Moses the Scripture tells you of him that he was the meekest man upon the earth Num. 12.3 Now of all sinnes you would least suspect that he should fall into passion but yet you finde Moses his meeknesse turned into passionatenesse insomuch that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 Num. 11.15 and thus speaks unto God If thou deale thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand David the book of Psalms tels you how eminent he was for patience 2 Sam. 16.10 how quietly he bore Gods afflicting hand how patient was he when Shimei did so curse and revile him And yet meeting but with a churlish carriage from Nabal his Spirit was all in a rage insomuch that he went with a purposed revenge to kill Nabal and all his family 1 Sam. 25.13 Job you know the Scripture tells of him that he was the most eminently and exemplarily patient would you think that ever he should fall into impatiency why yes he falls into that sinne which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was most eminent how doth he curse the day of his birth Job 3.3 Let the day perish saith he wherein I was borne and the night in which it was said There is a man-childe conceived and so he prayes earnestly for the day of his death Job 6.8,9 Oh saies he that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Here you see the impatiency of Jobs spirit this I mention to you to let you see what a poor thing man is if Gods Spirit leave him that he shall not onely fall into those sinnes which are pleasing unto nature but into those sinnes which are most contrary to his nature thus you see how farre the Spirit may leave a man before the commission of sinne Quest 2 How farre may the Spirit of God leave a man after the commission of sinne Answ 1 The Spirit it may not convince thee that it is a sinne thou hast done after thou hast committed it and thus it was with the Patriarchs in the first age of the world they were given to marry many wives and it was as in doubtlesse because it did crosse the first institution of marriage which was between one man and one woman now the Spirit of God was
upon mens consciences Inference 4 Labour and pray the lesse the Spirit of God hath striven with you before the commission of sin that it may the more strive with you by convincing you after you have fallen into it It may be you have sinned ignorantly aptly eagerly or deliberately the more the Spirit hath bin withheld from thee before the commission of sinne pray to have it strive the more with thee afterwards and that in these three wayes 1. By working in thee a more clear conviction of sinne to shew thee not sin in the lump but thy particular sinne clothed with all its haynous and agravating circumstances to convince thee savingly that there may be as it were some compensation made of the Spirits being before whithheld from thee 2. In a more deep humiliation the more the Spirit hath been withheld from you before the commission of sinne desire that the more the Spirit may cast thee down after its commission This was typed out under the Law that man which did but touch an unclean thing was to be unclean till evening but if a man had carried an unclean thing about him then he was to cast off all his clothes So if you have but touched a sinne you are to be humbled but if you have fallen into a sinne which the Spirit hath not convinced you of then you are to labour for a greater measure of conviction and humiliation afterwards 3. Learn that the Spirit may work in thee a more dear affection to Jesus Christ It is observed of Peter the Spirit did more leave him to fall into sinne then he did all the other Apostles except Judas Now when Christ comes to aske Peter whether he loved himor not saies he Simon Peter doest thou love me more then these He doth not say onely doest thou love me Peter but lovest thou me more then these as if he should say Peter thou hast sinned against me more then all the other Apostles have and therefore thou shouldest love me more then they So Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner having seven Devils cast out of her but what is said of her Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for she loved much that is the lesse love she had to Jesus Christ before the commission of sinne the more she had afterwards Many sinnes were forgiven her and therefore she loved much therefore in that place must not be understood as if her love was a cause of her being forgiven but a demonstration and an evidence of it SERMON V. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 17. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to handle to you the with-holdings of the Spirit in reference to good that it shall not stirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty But before I come particularly to speak of this I shall lay down a fourfold distinction about the Spirits motions to good 1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in stirring up holy affections in the heart in blowing up those coales of affection and grace within them John 14.26 and this is that which was promised by Christ that the holy Ghost shall bring all things to rememberance 2. There is an assisting act of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit in Scripture is said to help our infirmities You reade not onely of an intercession of the Spirit in a way of acceptance but of an intercession of the Spirit by way of assistance As in a tree though there be a seminal vertue in the tree yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit So the Spirit of God helps us to work Col. 1.18 Psal 12.13 and Ephes 1.19 3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit not onely bare assistance but strength and increase of grace by the Spirit of God to the souls of men and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farther degrees and measures of the Spirit 4. There is a comforting and a testifying act of the Spirit when the Spirit of God shall back the testimony of thy conscience to evidence the sincerity of thy heart and thus you read of Paul that his conscience did beare him witnesse in the holy Ghost the Spirit of God did witnesse with his spirit the truth and sincerity of his heart Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Now though I might handle all these particulars and shew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in these regards Yet I shall onely speak of the Spirit and shew what a sad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts that it shall not stir up holy motions in the heart to good in the handling of which I shall proceed after this method 1. Shew you wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good 2. When the Spirit doth vouchsafe such motions how you may know them and difference them from those motions to good which the Devil may stir a man up unto 1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good there are these three miseries which will attend him 1. There will be a vacuity or emptinesse of holy thoughts in thy heart The Spirit of God is like unto the spring in the Clock if that lie still all lies still so if the Spirit of God lies still within thee Phil. 2.13 all thy affections which are the motions of thy soul they cannot stirre It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure If the Spirit of God be withheld there cannot be so much as a will in thee to that which is truly good Mans heart it is like that house in the Parable Matth. 12.44 when the Spirit is withheld from him when the Devil came to possesse it it is said that he found it empty swept and garnished empty that is void of any holy thoughts and gracious motions and garnished that is not with the graces of Gods Spirit but with the Devils furniture and if you will see what that furniture is read Matth. 15.19,20 There will be an emptinesse in thy heart of good motions when God withdrawes his Spirit 2. Thy heart will he filled and pestered with evill motions from the Devill Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions it will be by the Devils instigations The heart if it be not Christs garden it will be the Devils Seminary if not Christs store-house it will be the Devils work-house if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghost it will be the Devils Chappel Now this is that which makes the misery the greater when evill motions do pester and fill the heart the Sripture expresses it by the Devils filling of the heart If the gales
of the holy Spirit do not fill the sailes of thy heart to set thee forward to heaven then the instigation and provocations of Satan will help to drive thee forward to hell Ephes 5.18 1 John 4.13 and it is worth your noting as the Scripture speaks of the indwelling of the Spirit that is by its motions in the hearts of the godly as we say the Sunne is in the house when only the beames thereof are there So when evill motions shall fill our hearts the Scripture expresses this by the Devils being there thus the Apostle to Ananians Why hath Satan filled thy heart Acts 5.3 it is not to be understood of a bodily possession but the meaning is that the Devil put that covetous motion into his heart the Devill was in that motion which was in his heart and therefore men are to look upon evill motions as having the Devill in them When Judas had a motion to betray Christ it 's said Luke 22.3 Then entered Satan into him the Devill entered with that motion for immediately he went out and communed with the high Priests and came to an agreement with them about the betraying of Christ and they must needs go whom the Devill drives as we say in the Proverb What a misery then is this when the Spirit of God is withheld in its gracious motions then will the Devill possesse thy heart by evill motions 3. If the Spirit withdraw in its exciting acts it will also be withheld in its assisting acts this is a farther misery if it never move you to act grace it will never assist you therein It is true that sometimes there may be motions to good in the heart which may not be backt with assistance The resolutions that many take to become reformed are the common workings of the Spirit which many times are never brought into act by any farther assistance of the Spirit as sometimes convictions are without conversion But this is certain that where the Spirit moves not to good it will not assist in the doing thereof water can rise no higher then the spring from whence it flows if thy motions are natural there will be no more assistance then what comes from nature Now we may know the misery of the Spirits withdrawing his exciting and assisting power by the particulars following viz. 1. Upon this withdrawing the soul is not so voluntarily put upon doing good nor doth it set upon holy duties with so much liking delight and complacency but rather doth them in a compulsory way and we come to them as a Bear to the stake or as a childe sent to schoole 2. Nor with so much frequency once seven times a day with David or three times a day with Daniel now not seven times in a moneth nor thrice aweek 3. Nor with so much fervency nor with such warme working affections as formerly but men are lazie luke-warme listlesse and livelesse in all holy exercises 4. Nor is there such consistency of holy motions but they are gliding transient and fleeting not fixt and abiding upon the heart But how may a man know the difference between the Spirits exciting to good and the Devils motions in the heart to do good This is a practical and useful case because it is possible yea common that the Devill will move men to do good the Devill in this case doth sometimes appear as an Angel of light therefore to answer the Question I shall lay down several particulars Answ 1 If thou hast a motion to do good out of thy place and calling this motion is from the devil not from God An example hereof you have in Saul when the Philistims were comming down against him and sayes he I have not made supplication to the Lord I forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13.12,13 The matter of the thing he did was good to offer a sacrifice and make supplication but it was not Sauls office and place to do so and therefore though the matter was good yet the motion thereunto came from the devil and hereupon you finde how much the Lord was dispâ—eased with him for the doing of it and Samuel reproved him for it ver 13. and said Thou hast done foolishly and hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord. So you read of Vzziah he would not intermit the worship of God and therefore he himself would burne incense 2 Chron. 26.18 but for his fact you finde that he was smitten with a Leprosie To offer sacrifice it was a good thing but it was not good in Vzziah who had no call so to do And as it is thus in Divine so also in Political affairs as for a private man to do the work of a Magistrate it being out of his place and calling it is from the devil not from God Absolom undertakes to shew justice to the people but what this he was but an usurper of the royal office and as he had no right to the regal power neither had he any call to administer pulick justice For private men upon a pretence of being gifted to take upon them the publick Ministery it cannot be from the Spirit of God for the Spirit keeps men within their bounds therefore sayes the Apostle Let every man wherein he is called abide therein with God 1 Cor. 7.20,24 The Spirit it puts men upon the doing of good in their place and calling but the devil doth not As fire in the Chimney it is good and is put there by your sevants but fire put in the roofe or rafters of your house that is done by an enemy Motions to good in your place and calling they come from the Spirit of God but motions to good out of your calling are suggested by the devil 2. The devil he may move you to good but then it may be it is that he may hinder you in the doing of a greater good It is very observable when our Saviour began to shew his Disciples Mat. 16.21,22,23 how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders the chief Priests and the Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day That Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Now this came from the devil that he might hinder the work of mans salvation and therefore sayes Christ Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men There is much of Gods minde in these words Indeed the Papists who pretend a fu cession from Peter they would excuse Peter in this motion and would make it a divine motion But Protestants do generally concurre in this that Peters motion was naturally good he shewed in it a natural love to Christ but yet the devil was in it too and therefore Christ calls him Satan Get thee behinde me Satan and then Thou
art an offence to me in that thou shouldest make such a motion to hinder me from going on to work out and accomplish the salvation of my people and then it could not be from the Spirit for sayes he Thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that are of man At the first view you would deeme this a very loving motion but the devil had a finger in it he will move you to do good so it may hinder you in the performance of a greater good But the Spirit of God will so move you to the doing of one good thing that it shall not justle out the performance of another 3. The devil when he moves men to do good it is to make them do it unseasonably on pâ—rpose that one duty may justle out another as suppose thou wouldest pray and happily the devil he cannot distract thee by sinful thoughts yet he will labour to do it by good thoughts unseasonably remembred as if thou art praying to have thy thoughts then taken up with what Sermons thou hast heard and of what parts of the Bible thou hast read this though in it selfe it is good yet it comes from the devil and therefore those that now come to our assemblies and will presently fall upon private prayer in the time of publick worship though the duty in it self is good yet it is unseasonably done and comes not from the holy Spirit the God of order There are several instances hereof That man which came to Christ and desired him to divide the inheritance between him and his brother Luke 12.13 the motion though it was good yet it was unseasonably made because it was when Christ was preaching and therefore though good yet it came from the devil that he might hinder a greater good And thus those people When will the new Moone be over that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate Amos 8.5 It was no evil thing to sell wheat but the motion was unseasonable because it was upon the Sabbath day Good motions in season they are a blessing Deut. 28.12 even as rain in a dry season is a comfort but raine in harvest is not so Good motions coming into a mans minde unseasonably as when a man is praying then to think of what he hath heard in a Sermon and when a man is hearing then to think of praying these come from the evil not the good Spirit as a Printer though his paper be good and his letter faire yet if he misplace his letter and put one letter for another he will make non-sense Even so are good thoughts out of season 4. When a man is moved so to do good that the performance of it is a prejudice to bodily health this comes not from Gods holy Spirit but from the evil spirit And herein young converts are very injudicious at first they have strong affections and they think they must read so many Chapters pray so many houres and hear so many Sermons otherwise their consciences check them and they think that all this comes from God whereas rather they are put upon it by the impulses of their own spirit If thou art strongly moved to a duty and so moved to it that either the continuance or frequency in it doth impaire the strength of nature this is not commanded by God for God had rather have mercy then sacrifice in such a case God is not rigorous and cruel in commanding of duty The Jews learnt of God to sacrifice their beasts but they learnt of the devil to sacrifice their children God requires not that you should fast so often and do duty so long as to weaken health and strength he hath made no duty for the soul to be prejudicial to the body God will have mercy and not sacrifice Hosea 6.6 God deals with young converts as Jacob did with the children and flocks he will not out-drive them Indeed it is the devils Religion to put men upon such services as are cruel to their own bodies and thus the worshippers of Baal they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them 1 Kin. 18.28 they were cruel to their own bodies whereas the Lord never commanded any such thing at their hands I mention not this that it may be a plea for any one to pamper their bodies or that they should be negligent in the service of God but for the sake of young converts who think they can never do enough in duty who do more then ever God required at their hands 5. Motions from the devil to good they are usually when they may hinder and cause a man to neglect his outward and necessary calling this young converts are greatly faulty in their endeavours are such and their prosecutions so earnest to live holily that they live idly God did never so order Religion that it should be a disadvantage to our particular callings in the world He is a good Christian that knows how to pray and hear and how to labour in his calling too I know that secular affaires and imployments they robbe the soul of much time in that duty it ows to God I plead not at all for this but this is that which I would presse I would neither have your particular callings rob time from your general callings and duties as Christians nor your generall callings rob time from your particular callings as men who are to live here in the world This was a corruption grown upon the first plantation of the Church the Apostle tells you of some who walked disorderly and did not worke at all 2 Thes 3.11 Some imagine that under this pretence they would not follow a calling because they would wholly devote themselves to the service of God of these the Apostle speakes and such are they who lead a Monasterial life under a pretence to be more at leasure to serve God when indeed they but put their candle under a bushel and hide their talent in a napkin This comes from the Devil and not from God for God never ordained that his service should make you negligent in your outward callings but hath commanded that with quietness you work and eat your own bread 2 Thes 3.12 1 Tim. 5.8 I speak not this to make men worldly and that they should glut themselves with worldly business It is the fault of many that they grasp too much worldly business and are to their souls worse then Egyptian task-masters but let not men rob time from God and give it to the world but I speak this for the sake of young converts who will be every day fasting and every day hearing and in the mean time neglect their outward and necessary callings in the world 6. Motions to good come from the Divel in case our motions of duty to God make us neglect our duty to man A notable text you have for this out of the Evangelist Matthew the Scribes and Pharisees had taught this Doctrine
their preparations rob themselves of much time which they ought to imploy in the maine duties themselves but the Spirit of God doth so gird up the loyns of our mind 1 Per. 1.13 that it makes us succinct in the dispatch of his duties 12. Motions to good come from the Divel in case thou art moved to it that so it may be a cloak to thee to do wickedly with the less suspition and with the more boldness Thus it was with Absolom it was a good thing in him that he would do justice to all the people and when they came for justice to his father he would speak friendly to them and kiss them 2 Sam. 15.3,4 but all this was meerly in a pretence that so they might not entertain the suspition of his usurping his fathers Kingdome And so also the Scribes and Pharisees they devoured widows houses and for a pretence made long prayers Mat. 23.14 It was good to make long prayers but to do it for so wicked an end was most abominable So that if a mans motions to good be for this end that he may sin with more freedome and less suspition they come from the Divel not from God The Devil cares not how good you seem so you may but be really evil and sinful vse 1 Oh then do not conclude that you are in the state of grace because sometimes good motions come into your mindes thou mayest have good motions and yet thou mayest be a bad man all fire is not the fire of the Sanctuary Remember therefore that you may have a thousand good motions and yet you may go to hell It was a good motion in Balaam O that I might die the death of the righteous and yet he was one who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 Though I would not discourage good motions yet I say such you may have and they may come rather from the Devil then the Spirit of God therefore survey your wayes and your motions to good and see whether they come from the strivings of the Spirit of God in you or from the excitations of the evil Spirit which is against you SERMON VI. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 24. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. Quest 3 I Proceed now to a third Question and that is Why or for what reason it is that God doth withdraw or withhold the strivings of his Spirit from the souls of men I shall say down four reasons as the cause of this judgement Answ 1 Because you quench the motions of Gods Spirit therefore he withdraws the Spirit in its motions from you Res delicatula est Spiritus Dei it à nos tractat sicut tractatur Tertullian Psal 81.11,12 The Spirit of God is a delicate thing it must not be injured no◠abused if it be it wil deal with us as we deal with him Your act is a sinful act and Gods act is in a way of justice Because Israel would not hear therfore God gave them up to their hearts lusts Thus it was with the Spouse in the Cantieles Cant. 5.2,3,6 Christ he came knocking at the door saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with dew and my looks with the drops of the nigh But sayes she I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Thus she puts off Christ and hereupon Christ withdrawes himself and then she seeks him in bitterness but cannot finde him I opened sayes she to my beloved but he had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer Because we refuse Christ and quench the motions of his blessed Spirit therefore he in an act of his justice departs from us There are three sorts of spiritual desertions 1. Cautional for preventing of sin so was Paul buffeted by Satan lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.7 2. Probational for trial and exercise of grace and thus it was with holy Job 3. Penal and castigatory for chastisement of spiritual sloth and so in the example of the Spouse before mentioned 2. Because men are more ready to entertaine evil motions to sin then the Spirits motions to good This is another reason When a friend shall see that an old acquaintance will rather hearken to the solicitations of an enemy then himself this will provoke him to break off intimacy with him thus the Spirit of God which hath been thy old friend thy best friend when he shall see thee hearken to the suggestions of the evil spirit rather then to his motions this provokes him to a departure I may accommodate the History of Rehoboam to this purpose When the grave sage Ancients of the children of Israel saw that that inconsiderate King had forsaken their advice and did adhere to the raw and rash advice of a company of green-headed young men they left him and ten parts of twelve fell from him even so doth the holy Spirit leave them that do slight his motions and saving counsels 3. Because men have abused the motions and workings of the Spirit to base and sinful ends as for popular applause vaine glory secret advantage for a cloak to hide some secret lust when the Spirit of God in its workings is made so ill an use of as to be made an excuse for a mans lusts this provokes the Spirit of God to leave a man to prostitute spiritual gifts to base imployments What is this but for a man to light his Lanthorne at the Lamp of the Sanctuary that he may see to steal by it And this was the sin of Simon Magus Acts 8.19 he would faine with money have bought the gift of the Spirit that so he might have prostituted it to an ill use This is a high provocation to the Spirit of God 4. Because men have fathered and fastned those sinful affections which proceed from the flesh upon the Spirit when men shall accompt their own wrath kindled from hell to be the zeal of the Spirit coming from heaven Satans delusions the Spirits motions licentious living a Christians Spiritual liberty erroneous opinions the Spirits teaching when men shall intitle a presumptuous peace the Spirits testimony this is as if an adulterous begger should lay his brat at the Kings door this is such a high provocation that the Spirit of God cannot but withdraw from such I now come to lay down the Symptom's or signes of the Spirits withdrawings and when I mention a withdrawing of the Spirit I do not mean a total but a gradual with-drawing and there are ten symptomes I shall lay down any of which if you sinde you may be able to pass a righteous sentence upon your selves 1. If the Spirit be with-drawn thou settest
not upon the doing of good so voluntarily as thou hast done in former time Thy soul in former time did run swiftly and freely in away of goodnes but now the wheels of the chariot of thy soul are taken oaff nd thou drivest on heavily it is not the Chariot of Amminadab Cant. 6.12 It is a description of Gods people in Gospel-times that they shall be a willing people Thy people shal be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pepulus devotionum sive devotus populus spontaneitatum sive spontanâ—us a people of willingnesses as it is in the original but a man from whom the Spirit of God is withdrawn he is carried to do good not so much out of content as by a compulsory act he comes to duty as a Bear to the stake or a childe goes to schoole which doth nothing but what is commanded with much regreet and much backwardness with little willingness he is rather drawn then led to duty Nilnisi jussus agit Ovid. coâ—…strained to do good out of a dreadful awe of hell and some hope of heaven or to still the clamouring of a craving natural conscience when the Spirit is with drawn thou comest not to duty so willingly as in former time 2. Neither so preparedly as thon wast wont to do In former time you could do as Abraham did leave his cattel and his servants in the valley Gen. 22.5 shake off clogges which might hinder and divert you when you prayed you would use consideration when you heard preparation and when you received the Sacrament examination but now the Spirit of God being with-drawn thou layest aside those preparitory duties which are so helpful to us in those duties wherein we have communion with God The soul was wont to trimme her self as a bride when she went into the King to injoy communion with the great God but now is grown carelesse in this preparation it is a signe the Spirit is withdrawn 3. Thou hast not so much complacency of heart in holy duties as formerly Those duties which heretofore have been done as a delight are now as a task formerly they were as sweet as honey to thy taste but now thou findest no more relish in them then in the white of an egge time was when thou couldest say with the Psalmist I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the house of the Lord Psal 122.1 and thy esteeme of the worship of God such that thou couldest say with David That one day in the house of the Lord was better then a thousand else-where Psal 84.10 But alas where is this delight now now duty is as a burden not as a preasure 4. It is an argument of a gradual with-drawing of the Spirit This grieves the Spirit when we stifle and quench its most holy motions unto holy duties when thou dost not do duty so frequently as formerly Heretofore thou couldest pray seven times a day with David or three times a day with Daniel but now not three times a week how are the frequency of thy â—uties abated to such I would say Consider 1. Thou hast not fewer enemies now then formerly and therefore why shouldest thou be lesse in duty the watchfulnesse of the enemy is an taged by our sloth and security 2. Neither have you lesse temptations then you had and therefore why should you not be frequent in prayer to be delivered out of them Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation said our Saviour Mat. 26.41 3. Neither fewer sinnes then formerly it may be more and therefore why shouldest thou be lesse in prayer for pardon He that doth often offend he had need often to ask forgivenesse 4. You have not lesse need of grace then formerly it may be more and therefore why art thon lesse in duty to God for supply of grace If thou art lesse frequent in holy duties then formerly it is an argument that the Spirit is gradually with-drawn from thee 5. If thou hast not that fervency in holy duties as formerly it is a shrewd signe that thou art very much decayed in grace Revel 2.4 This is made a note of the decay of the Church of Ephesus Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love He doth not say thou hast lost but thou hast left thy first love grace may be left but not lost that first affection which thou haddest in the ways of God thou hast left that thou art decayed in these affections Hierom chides the slothful in prayer What said he do you think that Jonas prayed so in the sea or Daniel amongst the lions or the Thief on the Crosse as you do Siccine put as Jonam in profundo Danielem inter leones siccine latronem in cruce or âsse putas Hieron Many men they are so left of the Spirit that they are come into that state which Austine complaines of in his time Plurimi novitate conversionis ferventer orant posted srigidè posteà languidè posteà negligenter Aug. Many men at the beginning of their conversion they will pray feelingly buâ— in tract of time they will pray coldly negligently and languidly they lose those affectionâ— which once they had They had need stir up the fire that lies hid in the ashes Ferventior esse solet qui rem primùm aggreditur 2 Tim. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. It is an argument of the Spirits with-drawing when a man performes duty lesse composedly then formerly Distractions break in and wandring thoughts go out holy motions they are declining and transient when they have not such a fixed abiding on the heart as formerly this is a signe of a gradual departure of the Spirit For where the Spirit of God is there it doth establish and fix the heart in holy duties and therefore David prayes Establish me by thy free Spirit but when there is much unconstancy and inconsistency in the heart it is a signe that the Spirit in part departed from that soul 7. If thou art under the use of duty not so fruitful as in former time Duties formerly took an impression on thy heart as a signet on soft wax but now they make no more impression then a seal upon a marble formerly the ordinances came upon thy soul as raine upon the valleys now they are as water poured out upon a wrock Many men they lie under ordinances without profit and like unto the Cypress-tree of which it is said that it is a tree that is very good for sent and for sight but yet unfruitful Many Christians are like unto this tree they grow in Gods garden and they are good in the sight of others but yet they bring not forth fruit If thou art not a fruitful tree in the garden of grace it is an argument that the Spirit of grace is withheld from thee 8. It is an argument of a gradual departure of the
Spirit when thou continuest in the use of duty not so spiritual as in former time This appears in two regards 1. When there is lesse grace exercised 2. When there are more sins committed in the performance of duty 1. When there is lesse grace exercised in duty as if there be lesse affection lesse zeal lesse delight lesse love lesse joy and lesse heavenly mindedness then there was found in thee in years past it is an argument of a gradual departure of the Spirit 2. If thou committest more sinnes in the doing of duty as if there be more spiritual pride more carnal dependance more selfe-ends more wandring thoughts more irreverence of God more hardnesse of heart and wearinesse of spirit in holy exercises this shews the abundance of sinne in thee and is an argument of the Spirits withdrawing I appeale to your own consciences judge your selves whether some or all of these symptoms may not be found in you and whether this in particular that thou doest duty less spiritually then formerly thou hast more sinnes and lesse grace exercised in it I may illustrate this by a Simile You never see a crow pitch upon a living man but if the man be dead and lie in a ditch then how will every bird of prey fasten on him You never see wormes creep upon a living man but let him be once dead and his soul once departed how soone will wormes and vermine devoure his carcase I only accomodate this Simile to this end That what the soul is to the body that is the Spirit of God to the soul while the soul is with the body a crow or a bird of prey will not fasten on it whilest the Spirit of God quickens thee vermine-lusts will not seize upon thee but if once the Spirit of God which is the life of thy soul be withdrawn then what swarmes of vermine-lusts will fasten on thy heart in all the dnties thou performest to God what a cage of unclean birds what a receptacle of devils will thy heart be if the Spirit of God be but once with-drawn from thee 9. Thou mayest know if the Spirit be withdrawn by this if thou settest not upon duty so carefully and diligently as thou hast done in former time thou dost with more negligence set upon the performance of duties rush hand over head as we say upon it When the Spirit of God is withdrawn from a soul it wiâ—… grow carelesse in holy duties in two respects 1. thou wilt be careless of the manner how thou dost it and never take care how to make thy Spirit meet for its performance And then secondly thou wilt never take care for the end of duty that thy soul may be bettered by it and thou made more meet for the enjoyment of God 10. If the Spirit be withdrawn thou mayest know it by this that thou continuest not in the use of duty so practically and influencially as in former time the meaning of this is in such a case Good duties done have not such an influence to the bettering of our conversation God never ordained duties for themselves that you might rest in them but for other ends Gal. 5.25 in order to your lives and conversations therefore sayes the Apostle If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Those duties wherein the Spirit assists us should have an influence upon our lives thou therefore which art constant in holy duties and those duties have no influence upon thy heart thou art a great hearer but not a godly liver a great professor but thy practice doth not hold-level with thy profession this is an argument that thy duties do not carry a saving influence unto thy life thou canst pray well but thou doest not live well thou art a good man upon thy knee but a bad man in thy trade this is an argument that the Spirit of God is withdrawn from thee Now look over your hearts and examine them in all these particulars and see whether the Spirit of God be not departed from thee yea or no I now come to the Application hereof Vse 1 Shall be of comfort lest any thing which I have said should be a discouragement to any perplexed conscience and there are four words of comfort I shall lay down for such 1. Consider that though the quickenings of the Spirit may be withdrawn from a godly man yet the presence of the Spirit can never be withdrawn and therefore oh beleever lie not down in despaire and despondence The Spirit to thee is but as the Sun under a cloud it is in the firmament still so is the Spirit in thy heart and though it be under a cloud as to the influence of it yet it is constantly with thee as to its presence A Believer may have the truth and being of grace in him though not the comfort of it 2. Consider then Oh childe of God who sayest that these symptoms discover the departure of the Spirit from thee Why remember that God did never continue the Spirit in its motions and workings alwayes alike in any godly man It is with thy soul in this case as with natural things in the water of the sea there is an Ebbing and Flowing in the seasons of the year there is the Winter as well as the Summer and the Autum as well as the Spring as it is thus with the times and seasons in natural things so also is it in Spiritual things the Spirit of God was never continued to all men alike but there are Ebbings and Flowings of it As it is in the Aire so it is in the heart sometimes it is clear and sometimes cloudy The Sunne in the firmament it is alwaies there yet it doth not always give the same warmth and heat and influence upon the earth What is true of the Sunne in this respect is also of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his it hath not always the same influence upon the heart The time may be that thou mayest be in thy winter wherein thy graces may not have a verdure and greennesse and yet still the Spirit is in thee and will in the spring-time cause thee to flourish The tree may have life in the root when during the Winter-season it may have neither leaves nor blosoms nor fruit A childe of God may have his life hid in Christ the root of all spiritual life though it may be winter-season sometimes with him both in respect of the growth exercise and comfort of grace 3. Jesus Christ is not onely a faithful but a merciful High-Priest Heb. 2.17 Remember that Jesus Christ doth know that thou canst not all thy life-time performe duâ—… without infirmity and therefore he had his perfect righteousnesse to cover thy imperfect duties and this should greatly establish the hearts of poor Christians It is a good note which one hath upon Cant. 3.6 It is said there Cant. 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the wildernesse like pillars of
smoak perfumed with myrrhe and frankincense By him who came out of the wildernesse is not meant Christ but the spouse of Christ Now here observe two things she comes out of the wildernesse That the Church may be an afflicted Church though a Religious Church It alludes to the great trials by which God exercised his people with when he led them through the wildernesse of Canaan And then she is said to come out of the Wildernesse like a Pillar of smoak Now what is meant by that A Divine gives this sense of it Gods people they may have smoky duties blackt with many foul infirmities they may be Pillars of smoak thy duties may be much sooted but now what is thy comfort though it be said the Spouse came out like a Pillar of smoak yet she was perfumed with myrrh and frankincense that is she had the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to perfume her duties he perfumes my duties with the myrrh of his own righteousnesse And when the prayers of the Saints which are compared to incense Psal 142.2 are offered by Christ they go up to heaven as a most sweet and acceptable sacrifice far more acceptable and welcome then the costly evaporations of the most pretious Arabian gummes Oh then let this bear up thy heart thou art black by reason of thy infirmities yet there is a perfume which can sweeten all thy duties Hence it is said That the Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne Rev. 8.3,4 This doth not make for the Popish opinion as if we should use the Mediation of Angels but by the Angel here is not meant a created Angel of the Lord but the Angel of the Covenant who is the Lord and what was his office he had much incense and this much incense he offered with the prayers of the Saints all the people of God they share in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to cover their imperfect duties And then it is said that the smoak of the inoense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand that is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ is sented with the prayers of the Saints unto the Lord whereby they are accepted 4. And lastly this may be your comfort though thou canst not performe duty without infirmity yet thou doest performe duty without known hypocrisie though thou doest offend in the manner of performance yet thou wouldest not be false in the end or principle of thy doing the sincerity of thy heart herein may be thy comfort and from such though the Spirit may withdraw for a while yet 't will not be long before it return again who though to humble thee he may for a while withdraw in anger yet he will returne again In a little moment have I hid my face and forsaken thee but I will gather thee with everlasting mercy Isa 54 7. SERMON VII At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 24. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed Now to some farther use and Application of this point which I shall do by laying down some particular inferences directions or positions concerning the withdrawings of Gods Spirit Posit 1 Be convinced of the great need you stand in of having the motions of the Spirit vouchsafed and continued to you and that upon a fourfold ground 1. If you consider the weaknesse and disability of our natures to holy motions as well as to holy actions Phil. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt acti agentes ut moti moventes 2 Cor. 3.5 A man is not only weak to act good but is weak to any holy motion therefore sayes the Apostle It is the Lord which works in us both to Will and to do the very desire of the soul after good it is a thing above nature it comes from God and therefore the same Apostle sayes he We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God The inferior orbes move as they are acted and moved by the superior A Mole can as easily move the earth from its centre or a sparrow drink up the waters of the Ocean out of their channels as thou of thy self have any good motion or ability to act good all your assistance comes from the Spirit of God and therefore sayes Saint Paul If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Thou art weak in thy self therefore that should make thee see thy need of the Spirit 2. Consider not only the weaknesse but the backwardnesse that is in us unto that which is good And therefore the Scripture mentions not onely a grieving and quenching but also a resisting of the Spirit Acts 7.51 And therefore those phrases of Scripture John 6.44 Draw me and I will runne after thee And None can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him they denote not only a weaknesse but an unwillingnesse in us to come and a backwardnesse also in our hearts to yield subjection to a law of holinesse Psal 110.3 Till God by his Spirit make us a willing people in the day of his power 3. Be convinced of the great need you stand in of the Spirit from those strong resistances that are in your natures to holy motions Though grace be of an active nature yet because there is an indisposition in the subject therefore grace must be put on by the Spirit Fire you know it is of an active nature apt to burne but let fire be put to green or wet wood the greenesse of the wood resists the prevalency of the flame thus it is with grace in our natures it is like fire in green wood there must be much blowing before it will burne therefore the Apostle uses these words to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 sayes he Stirre up the gift of God which is in thee Blow up the coales There is much resistance in our hearts against the Spirit of God 4. You have great need of the Spirits motions if you consider the abundance of evil motions which will break in upon thy heart if the Spirit in its motions be withdrawn What a receptacle for the devil and lusts will thy heart be if the Spirit absent himself As smoak comes out of a chimney so will corruption come out of thy heart As sparks out of a blown fire so will evil motions come into thy heart when corruption is blown with temptation Thou art unwilling and backward to good it must be the Spirit wich must stirre thee up To this purpose you have a passage in the Prophet Isaiah He wakeneth me morning by morning Isa 50.4 sayes he thou hast need to be awakened and excited by the Spirit of God day
by day because of thy daily indisposition From hence see the need thou hast of the Spirit of God Posit 2 It is not enough you be convinced of the need you have of the Spirits motions but also you should be convinced what a great gulfe of misery you are plunged into if the Spirits motions be restrained which will appear upon this threefold account 1. It is recorded in Scripture as a great misery if but the common workings and gifts of Gods Spirit be withdrawn 1 Sam. 28. and therefore you read what a lamentable complaint Saul made because the Spirit was departed from him which was but in its common gifts And so also of Sampson it is said he wist not that the Spirit was departed from him that is the Spirit of fortitude Judg. 16.20 and is this a lamentation when the Spirit in its common gifts shall be withdrawn and shall it not be looked upon as a sad misery when the Spirit in its saving comforting and sanctifying operation shall be withheld 2. Be convinced hereof because whilest the Spirit is withdrawn thou art under a constant losse I may exemplifie it by this comparison Suppose a great Merchant that had a ship at sea richly laden and this ship should be neer the harbour but being becalmed or having crosse windes it should not be able to come to its haven Now all the while the ship is out the Merchant is at a daily losse Make it your case in a spiritual sense this ship is thy soul the lading is grace and the haven is heaven the gales of winde are the motions of the Spirit cross gales that arise are temptations now if the motions of the Spirit help thee not thou wilt not be able to come to the haven from hence see your misery without the motions of Gods Spirit 3. Be convinced of thy misery because if good motions do not possesse thy heart multitudes of evil motions will if the house of thy heart be empty of good motions the devil will enter by evil motions and dwell there Mat. 12.44,45 Either thy heart is an habitation for the Spirit of God or else it is a receptacle for the evil spirit with all its sinful motions The soul is a restlesse active thing and when the good Spirit doth not act it the evil spirit will the devil will slippe no oportunity that may advantage he will not let any house long stand empty Posit 3 What cause have we to be humbled for that receptivenesse that is in our natures to entertaine evil motions from the wicked spirit and for that backwardnesse in our hearts to entertaine holy motions from the good Spirit Our natures are as gunpowder to fire if a spark of temptation fall upon us how soon are we all on a fire but to good motions out hearts are as green wood to the fire what opposition is there in us and backwardnesse to entertaine them Evil thoughts in the soul are natural but good thoughts are supernatural Mans heart by nature is a slaughter-house to holy motions many good motions hast thou stifled and strangled in thy heart but that nature which is a slaughter-house to good motions it is a store-house to wicked motions An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil Luke 6 45. saith our Saviour what a natural receptivenesse is there in thy heart for the intertaining of that which is evil Posit 4 When the Spirits motions are withdrawn labour to search and finde out the cause and then bewaile it what injuries or unkindnesse hast thou done to the Spirit that it is gone To grieve the Spirit Eph. 4.30 is more unkindnesse then to resist the Spirit a man is more troubled for the unkindnesse of a friend then for all the hatred and opposition of his enemy Surely something is the matter hast thou not kept thy conscience nasty it is nastinesse in the dove-house that causes the dove to leave the house Is there not an indulgence of some allowed provoking sinne that the Spirit of God sees in thee hast thou not quenched the Spirits motions hast thou not grieved the Spirit vexed resisted or tempted the Spirit Search out the cause and when thou hast found it then bewaile it and cry Wo is me the Spirit would have taken up his residence in my heart and I would not give him entertainment And so whom I have begg'd with teares and enjoyed with comfort I have lost through the folly of my sinful doings If thou hast not yet found out the cause I would have thee to consult with thy own conscience which is Gods officer in thee and it will give thee a true account if thou wilt hearken to it ask it these three question Have not I fallen from my first love as the Ephesians did Revel 2.4,5 Have I not stifled checks of conscience and the Spirits motions Have I not prostituted the Spirits motions to servile and base imployments as Simon Magus for secular advantage and worldly interest hast thou not addicted thy self to contrary motions hast thou not been more ready to hearken to the solicitations of the evil spirit then to the incitations of the good Spirit Aske thy conscience it may be it will give in this answer Hath not the Spirit departed because of thy pride and idlenesse and self-conceitednesse by such like proposals as these to conscience thou mayest come to know the cause wherefore the Spirit is withdrawn from thee Posit 5 Consider that the withdrawings of the Spirits motions is not alwayes for sinne but some other higher and greater ends which God hath 1. It is true that God doth usually withdraw the motions of his Spirit because of sinne and therefore sayes the Prophet Isaiah Your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isai 59.2 and so also the Prophet Micah They shall cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them at that time as they have behaved themselve ill in their doings Micah 3.4 Usually sinne is the cause for which the Spirit of God withdraws 2. This is most true that if there were not sinne in us Gods Spirit should never be withdrawn from us we should be uncapable of desertion of the Spirit were it not for sinne in general and therefore though sinne in general be the causa sine qua non yet it is not alwayes the cause immediate for which the Spirit withdraws 3. Though there be sinne in us as a cause to us why Gods Spirit departs yet God doth not alwayes make sinne a cause to himselfe but it is for some other higher ends Divines that handle this subject touching the desertion of the soul and the withdrawings of Gods Spirit they distinguish a threefold desertion upon a threefold cause and we have touched upon that already 1. There may be a desertion which is cautional not for sinne 2 Cor. 12.7 but to prevent sin And
difference between those common motions of the Spirit in the wicked and the saving motions of the Spirit in the regenerate Answ The reason why I shall discusse this question is Heb. 6.4 because the Scripture saith that wicked men may be partakers of the holy Ghost and therefore to answer the question you must know that there is a twofold difference between the wicked and the godly their partaking of the Spirit 1. About the measure 2. About the manner 1. In the measure though a Reprobate partakes of the motions of the Spirit yet he hath not such a measure of the Spirit as a regenerate man hath Forbes in that practical Tract of his concerning this doubt gives you this exemplification Summis tuntam labris pitissare Wicked men sayes he partake of the Spirit as Coocks do of the meat they dresse they taste of as much as will relish their palates but do not take so much as to make a meal of which may refresh nature and strengthen it But the regenerate are as the invited guests and they not only taste the meat prepared but also make a meale thereof Wicked men they have but a taste and therefore sayes the Apostle of them They have tasted of the heavenly gift Heb. 6.3 They are just like unto men going by an Apothecaries shoppe who may smell the sweet sents of his pots but only the sick patient gets benefit by his cordials Thus it is with the wicked God he may and doth give them tastes of his Spirit but they have not so much as will do their souls good It is only the godly who have saving participations of grace As there were many of the Israelites who had a taste of the fruit of the land of Canaan who yet never came to heaven so some may taste of the heavenly gift who shall never come to heaven 2. They differ as in the measure of their receiving the Spirit so also in the manner 1. Motions of the Spirit in the reprobate they are transient and gliding not lasting motions they passe like a shadow And therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet Hosea speaking of Ephraim Your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away Hosea 6.4 As the rising Sunne dissipates the clouds and dries up the dew so do the motions of the Spirit in Reprobates soon vanish and passe away But the motions of the Spirit in the godly they are like an old inhabitant they dwell with him and therefore saith our Saviour If my words abide in you ye shall aske what ye will and it shall be done unto you John 15.7 The words of Christ are transient and as sojourners in the wicked but abiding in the godly they stay with a godly man all his life-time he is one that hath alwayes a conscience void of offence Acts 24.16 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgements at all times Psal 119.20 Psal 27.4 saith David And that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all my dayes Psal 23.6 The motions of Gods Spirit in the godly they are not by fits and starts but they are abiding and lasting motions 2. They are rare and seldome not ordinary and usual as they stay but a while so they come but seldome now and then upon some extraordinary emergencies It is in this case with the Reprobate in regard of good motions As it is with a man in a lottery to one prize he may draw a hundred blankes so wicked men they have a hundred Satanical motions to evil for one motion of Gods Spirit to good they are as rare and seldome as it is to see a Swallow in Winter While a wicked man is thinking evil thoughts he is in his own element and he as familiarly doth that as breath but good thoughts are but as strangers in his heart 3. The Spirits motions in wicked men they are constrained not voluntary they are not in them as water which proceeds from a fountaine but as water coming from a still forced by reason of the fire underneath it The Spirits motions in wicked men they are constrained upon a double ground First either from natural conscience which tells them they must not be such devils incarnate as never have any good motions Balaam he had a desire to curse the people of Israel yet natural conscience prevaised with him to the contrary Numb 23.12 and sayes he Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Or secondly this may proceed from the sense of outward judgements this may occasion the entertainment of good thoughts When their fear cometh as desolation and destructions as a whirlewinde then shall they call upon me Prov. 1.27.28 It must be a whirlewinde of feare which drives them to call upon the name of the Lord agreeable to that of the Prophet Hosea In their affliction they will seek me early Hose 5.15 When the Israelites were afraid of the thunder and the lightening They said unto Moses Speak unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will do it Deut. 5.26,27 4. Motions of the Spirit in the Reprobate they are casual and accidental not studied and considered such which fall in by the by without preparation or meditation motions which tumble in they know not how The wicked man he consulteth evil thoughts therefore sayes the wise man He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things Prov. 16.30 Shutting of the eyes it is a posture which argues intentions of minde thus wicked men they contrive how to bring about a mischievous device and are students in sinne and to this purpose saith the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God will make manifest the counsels of the heart Deliberate thoughts about sinne they are called the councels or consultations of the heart and these will God lay open The wicked are said to plot against the just but they never study to have good thoughts when they come they fall in accidentally and passe away without consideration 5. Good motions in wicked men they are partial not universal as moving them not to good at all times so neither to all good They may have motions to move them to the doing of outward good things such whereby their names may become to be spoken of with applause but not to the doing of all good their motions to good put them not upon the mortifying of strong lusts and keeping under sin whereas the Spirits motions to good in the godly they are universal to one good thing as well as another Heb. 13.18 We trust saith the Apostle Paul that we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Acts 24.16 and as the same Apostle in another place Vniversalitas objecti subjecti Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men
There is a universality in the motions of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of the godly The whole heart being moved unto all good and that alwayes 6. Motions of the Spirit in the wicked they are fruitlesse motions which have no influence upon their lives One saith that the heart of a fool is like unto a cart-wheel his thoughts like a roving a xletree as a cart-wheel it goes round and round all the day 2 Cor. 1.17 Isa 51.1 Daniel 1.8 yet still abides where it used to be so wicked men it may be sometimes they have good thoughts and good motions but yet these have not an influence upon his life his motions to good are fruitlesse motions But motions to good in the godly are joyned with practice and holy purposes joyned with prayer Psal 119.2 7. The motions of Gods Spirit in Reprobates they are for good things done in publick not in private thou wilt do good that thy name may be cryed up The winde of vaine glory may blow the saile of thy heart and fill it with good motions Simile Wicked men may be compared to a nightingal they say of that bird if it sees a man listen to her it will sing the more sweetly thus it is with wicked men they are better to men then they are unto God and better in the Church then they are in the closet It is reported of one that could fast several dayes in a Monastery but not halfe a day in the Wildernesse and being asked the reason he gave this answer When I fast in the Monastery I feed upon vain glory and the praise of men but not so in the Wildernesse It is so with formal professors their motions are such which put them upon outward and visible good but never upon inward and secret duties to examine their hearts to watch over them to keep close communion with God in secret if thou comest short of this thou comest short of the effectual and saving motions of the Spirit The use I shall make of this point shall be twofold First of humiliation Use of humiliation Secondly by way of instruction to draw out some practical inferences from the point If it be the duty of Gods people to walk after the guidance and motions of the Spirit of God then Vse 1 Be humbled for that inobservancy that is in us of the Spirits motions As it is with the winde to which the Spirit is compared Joh. 3.8 The winde it bloweth where it listeth but who takes notice of the winde How often do men walk in the streets and yet observe not which way the winde blowes as it is with the winde so is it with the Spirit the Spirit comes with many a sweet gale and yet we do not observe it That as Job said of the Lord He passed by and he saw him not Job 9.11 so may we say of the Spirit of God It was nigh me and I perceived it not Thus our Saviour speaks of the world that they cannot receive the Spirit of truth Because they neither see him nor know him The meaning is not John 14.17 as if they could see the Spirit with a bodily eye for the Spirit is not a bodily substance but they neither see him nor know him that is they see not his motions neither have any experimental knowledge of the Spirits workings Natural men are unacquainted with their own Spirits and much more with the motions of Gods Spirit We cannot see the Sunne but by its own light nor observe the Spirit without the Spirit There are many in the world like unto that Ruler of the feast when Christ turned the water into wine Joh. 2.9 it is said He knew not whence it was I may allude to this Scripture thus there are many men whose water the Spirit would turne unto wine that is their corrupt motions into holy and gracious motions yet they do not know it neither will they see it 2. If you are not guilty of inobservancy of the Spirits motions yet be humbled for the infirmity of the flesh that you cannot alwayes imbrace the Spirits motions when you know them You read in Joh. 14. where Christ speaks concerning the sending of the Spirit That the world cannot receive him He doth not say John 14.17 the world doth not receive him but the world cannot receive him to note a debility in the flesh that men cannot entertaine holy motions Rolloc on this place compares the heart of natural men unto wet wood 1 Cor. 2.14 which is not so easily set one fire The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritâ—ally discerned And the carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 There is not onely a meer suspension of the act but a disability in the soul this is our infirmity that we cannot imbrace the Spirits motions in the flesh though we know them 3. Be humbled though knowing them yet because you cannot bring these motions into holy practice there are many men who entertaine the Spirits motions but alas they act not these gracious motions The Spirit moves to pray better to heare better to live more holily and yet still they remain as they were and though sometimes they may resolve to live better yet how soon are these resolutions forgotten such may complaine with Job in this case Job 17.11 My purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart Doubtlesse these were good thoughts as if he should have said I have purposed to live thus and thus if God had kept me in prosperity but now they are broken off and I am disappointed in my own thoughts many of us may take up this complaint that our purposes are disappointed many a good motions hath the Spiritâ— stirred up in thy heart and yet thou couldest not bring that holy motion into action But it will become every childe of God to say and hold to purpose and practice and with David to say I will confesse my sinne and so to confesse then Psalme 32.2,3 4. Be humbled for that receptivenesse that is in our natures to imbrace all sinful motions How unlike are we unto our Saviour John 14.30 the Tempter came unto him but found nothing in him he found no matter for his temptation to fasten upon but the Tempter comes to thee and he findes something in thee he findes in thee a receptive nature to close with the temptation he suggests unto thee Christs nature it was like unto a Crystal-glasse filled with pure water the devil shook the glasse but it was still clear but when the devil comes to us he findes us as a puddle of water and he doth but take into this puddle and how doth the mudde appear A dunghill may have herbes and flowers grow upon it but if you rake and
digge into it how quickly will the stench thereof take away the sweetnesse of the flowers though our natures seem not to be so bad as they are yet if the devil do but rake into them then will it appear what we are The heart of man may be compared to a tinder-box the corruption of nature to the tinder in this box now let but the devil strike flint and steele together that is suite a temptation to our corruption and how soone are we set on fire Christs nature it was like Iron it would not take with the sparks but the devil he tempts us and our natures are like tinder to the temptation What cause have we therefore to be humbled and greatly to be abased in the rememberance of the receptivenesse of our natures to take in the devils suggestions 5. Be humbled for that antipathy that is in our natures against the Spirits motions Our natures in innocency they were like the rivers of Egypt before they were turned into blood they were then the proper element for fish to live in but being once turned into blood all the fish die In innocency thy nature it was the proper element for the motions of the Spirit of God to be in but when thy nature was turned into blood by degeneration then the Spirits motions depart The words following my Text set out the contrariety of our natures Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit by Spirit is not meant the regenerate part but the motions of Gods Spirit corrupt nature warres against Gods Spirit in its motions and workings There are three expressions in Scripture which set out the enmity of mans nature against the Spirit of God As Isa 63.10 Acts 7.51 Heb. 10.29 1. A vexing of the Spirit 2. A resisting of the Spirit And 3. A doing despight to the spirit of grace Now all these expressiotions they denote the very height of enmity and that the nature of man it carries a deadly enmity to the Spirits motions Vse 2 I come now by way of instruction to lay down some inferences that may be drawn from this Doctrine and they shall be of two sorts First I shall lay down some general positions Secondly some particular directions about the Spirits motions Position 1 That the motions of the Spirit they are free and voluntary they are in whom and in what measure the Spirit pleases John 3.8 The winde blowes where it listeth that is the Spirits motions are imparted to whom God pleases The Spirit of God it is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 it is a holy Spirit if you regard the effects of it but a free Spirit if you regard the grounds of its working And therefore the Apostle James sayes he Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth James 1.18 The Spirit of God it is a free agent Position 2 No man doth enjoy the Spirits motions alwayes alike That as the Sunne in the firmament though it be alwayes there yet it hath not alwayes the same influence so the same Spirit it is not alwayes in the same measure in regenerate men As it is with the winde in the aire sometimes it is calme at other times it is boysterous thus it is with the Spirit in the hearts of the godly they have it not alwayes in the same measure Posit 3 That men do more walke after the motions of the evil spirit then after the motions of the good Spirit It is a note which Divines commonly gather from Verse 19. and 22. following my Text where it is said that the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19,22 and there he layes down a catalogue of them But when he comes to speak of the works of the Spirit he doth not give them that name but calls them the fruits of the Spirit to let us know that men do more walke after the flesh then after the Spirit The wayes of most men are rather to follow manifestly the guidance of the flesh then of the Spirit Eph. 2.2 And so the Apostle speaks of men Who walk after the course of this world and according to the Spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience not according to the motions and suggestions of the holy Spirit of God Posit 4 That there is more fruit and profit to be found in walking after the motions of Gods Spirit then after the sinful motions of the evil spirit And this I gather from the variation of the phrase when the Apostle makes a catalogue of the workes of the flesh and of the Spirit sayes he The works of the flesh are manifest but the fruits of the Spirit are c. Gal. 5.19,22 To let you know that there is no fruit nor profit in sinne and therefore sayes the Apostle elsewhere Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Sinne brings forth no fruit but sorrow and shame sinne it is a work of the flesh it is the devils drudgery sinne is a work and it is a work of the flesh and there is no profit in it but there is fruit in the Spirit to let you know that if you imbrace the Spirits motions there will fruit and profit redound unto you thereby He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 There is no profit in following the flesh but much in following the Spirit Luther hath a good glosse upon that of Paul Let us cast off the work of darknesse and put on the armour of light Rom. 13.12 Sinne is called a work of darknesse and if you regard the antithesis grace should be called the work of light but it is not called so it is called the armour of light not the garment but the armour of light now why is the opposition carried on so unevenly it is sayes Luther for this reason sinne is called a work of darknesse not armour to note that there is no force in it against the wrath of God but grace it is called the â—rmour of light that as armour is for ornament and defence so grace it is that which beautifies the soul and keeps you from the wrath which is to come I shall conclude this particular with that of the Apostle Paul to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace there is peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come much profit to a man which walkes after the Spirits guidance here but everlasting life and happinesse hereafter SERMON X. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Come now to the particular directions touching the motions of the Spirit of God Direct 1 1. When the Spirit of God suggests holy motions
delusion of wicked Saul Or else the devil may know future events by that great knowledge which he hath in Scripture-Prophecies those Prophecies which are dark to us the devil may know them and therefore we read in History that the devil hath told the events of Wars Thus the devil in the Delphick oracle told Alexander that both the Caldean and Grecian Monarchies should be under his government the devil told him so So that if men shall take upon them peremptorily to tell future contingent events I may confidently say it comes from the devil not from God Direct 5 Another direction about the Spirits motions is this Bring your selves under all advantages whereby you may gain the Spirits motions There are three advantages which I would commend to you 1. Be much in holy discourse with good company conversing with those who have the Spirit about spiritual things is a likely advantage for thee to gain the Spirits motions What Christ did whilest he was upon earth that will he yet do by his holy Spirit You read when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus Luke 24.15 communing and reasoning together that Jesus drew neere and went with them Christ will draw neere to those by the motions of his â—pirit who are discoursing about holy things 2. Give due attendance to the ordinances of God they are that poole which the Angel at certain times will move It is a Text worthy of observation which you read of in the Prophet Isaiah where the Lord sayes Isa 30.20,21 That thy Teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine ears shall hear a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Mark the connexion you shall see your Teachers and in seeing them shall heare a voyce that is of the Spirit The ordinances are they which convey the Spirit in its motions to us and to this purpose I may accomodate that of the Prophet Zachariah Zech. 4.12 where it is said that the two Olive-branches did empty themselves of the golden oile by the two golden pipes and so it ranne into the Candlestick This Candlestick is the Church the oile is the motions of Gods Spirit and these motions they runne through ordinances they are those golden pipes which convey the Spirits motions into your hearts It is with the motions of the Spirit and holy ordinances as it is with the blood and Spirit and the veines and Arteries for as these convey the blood and spirit to each part so also ordinances convey the graces and comforts of the Spirit to each believing member of Christ Waite upon the Preaching of the Word and then waite also upon prayer that will be a means whereby you shall obtaine the Spirit Christ he makes this an incouragement to prayer Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to you children how much more sayes he shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Go therefore to God in prayer and that will be a means to bring the Spirit into thy heart 3. Be much alone in holy meditation Christ could tell you that he was alone and yet sayes he I am not alone because the Father is with me So you if you are alone in meditation yet you will not be alone because the Spirit will be with you in its holy motions That as Isaac when he went forth to meditate Gen. 24.63,64 it is said that then he saw Rebeccah that mercy he so long prayed for so may I say to thee be much in meditation and the Spirit which thou hast prayed for shall be given in unto thee 1 Kings 19.12 As Eliah when he was in the mountaine he perceived that the Lord was in the still voice so will the soul at last perceive that though the holy Spirit is not in the strong winde of boisterous passions yet he will be in the still voice of holy meditation Direct 6 Look more after the holy motions of the Spirit then after the ravishing comforts of the Spirit and the reason is this because you more need the Spirits motions then the Spirits comforts you may go to heaven without comfort but you cannot go to heaven without grace though it be the ravishing work of the Spirit which makes my life comfortable yet it is the holy work of the Spirit which makes my soul saveable The sealing work of the Spirit whereby I cry Abba Father gives comfort but the Sanctifying work of the Spirit whereby I mortifie the deeds of the flesh Romans 8.13,14,15 is the ground of that comfort Direct 7 And lastly take heed that you do not mistake moral perswasions for the Spirits motions This is a very useful rule Men are apt if they have a good motion to intitle it unto the Spirit whereas there may be a thousand good motions in thy minde which may meerly come from moral perswasion Meere nature may make a Reprobate go farre how do you read of flashes of joy in Herod he heard John Baptist gladly of pangs of fear and horrour in Felix and fits of sorrow and grief in Judas yet all these came from the force of moral perswasion and were not saving workings of the Spirit That you may not be mistaken about moral perswasion I shall give you four differences between it and the Spirits working 1. Moral perswasion it may move a man to do good but it never changes the affections And therefore you read of those 2 Thes 2.10 That did not receive the truth in the love of it Which intimates that men may receive the truth in the motion of it and yet not in the love of it Eph. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence are those expressions Of speaking the truth in love or doing the truth in love whatsoever you do you must do it in love Now moral perswasion may move you to do a good act but it never draws out your affections in love to the things you do 2. Moral perswasion presses men to do good but it gives them no power to do the thing it perswades to Moral perswasion may give a man an eye to see what is to be done but the Spirit it gives not only an eye Rom. 3.26 but a hand also and helps us in the doing of that good whereunto it perswades 3. Moral perswasion moves men to do good more out of hope of reward or fear of punishment then of love to grace or holinesse it looks more at what God gives then what he requires and hath more respect to the reward of grace then to grace it self 4. Moral perswasions they are partial perswasions they move a man to some kindes of good but not to all good to good that may be easily done but not to difficult duties to outward but not to inward good but the Spirits motions they are universal there is no good act but the Spirit it moves a man
to Vse 1 Of comfort Consider in the general what cause of comfort we have in that the Lord hath promised to us more of his Spirit then he gave out under the law It shall come to passe in the last dayes Acts 2.17 saith God that I will power out my Spirit upon all flesh The Spirit it reveales things now more clearly and more abundantly In the last dayes the Spirit speaks expresly before they saw things darkly but now we see face to face that is more plainly there shall be a more full revelation of the Spirit Isaiah 30.26 When the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Eph. 3 5. And hence is that promise that knowledge shall fill the earth as water filleth the sea In other ages the Mystery of Christ was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto us by the Spirit Blesse God then this is a general comfort that more of the Spirit was reserved under the New Testament then was dispensed under the Old In particular there are six comforts which I shall lay down for such who walk after the guidance and motions of Gods Spirit 1. The Spirit of God will be a sure guide to you to discover to you John 16.13 and to lead you in all truth so saith our Saviour He will guide you into all truth that is into all truth necessary to salvation A like place you have in the same Evangelist John 14.26 where it is said that the Spirit shall teach you all things that is all things needful for an elect man to know that he may be saved The Spirit of God reveales the Mysteries of salvation to his people 1 Cor. 2.9,10 and therefore you read that eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit The Spirit it makes known to us Gospel-truths and reveals Gospel-Mysteries 1 Cor. 2.15 The spiritual man judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man he hath the Spirit of God inabling him to discerne of Doctrines whether they be true or false and sayes the Apostle he himselfe is judged of no man that is he is so assured of the truth of his Doctrine Hildersam on Psalme 51. pag. 774. that other men cannot pervert him 2. The Spirit will not be only a guide to lead you but a seale to assure you of your Adoption Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God that is which walk after its motions and guidance they are the Sonnes of God And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 that is giving you a farther assurance and Seale of your Sonneship that you may with more boldnesse poure out your hearts into the bosome of your Father 3. The Spirit will be an evidence unto thee of thy union with Jesus Christ So saith the Apostle Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 3.24 Chap. 4 13 Get therefore the Spirit into thy heart and follow its motions and guidance and hereby wilt thou be assured of thy union with Christ 4. Walk in the Spirit and it will be a sure pledge to thee that thou art exempted from damnation and brought into a state of salvation Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit It will be an evidence to you that you are past damnation 5. That you are free from the curse and power of the law If ye be led of the Spirit ye are not under the law Gal. 5.18 Liberati sumas per Christum à damnatione non à directione legis You must not understand it as if you were not under the moral law as a rule of life but only that you are freed from the curse of it so you are not under it 6. And lastly if ye have the Spirit of God and walk after its guidance here will be your comfort that ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh And this brings me to the second Doctrine to wit That walking after the Spirit is an especial help to Beleevers that they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh though they may act the lusts of the flesh and commit those sinnes which the devil and their own hearts may move them to yet they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh But more of this in the following Sermons SERMON XI At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. And ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Have hitherto treated on the duty Walk in the Spirit And am now to treat of the benefit annexed to this duty And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh In the handling of which I shall first explaine it and then give you the Doctrine There are two things to be opened First what is meant by the lusts of the flesh Secondly what is meant by fulfilling these lusts Quest 1 What is meant by this phrase the lusts of the flesh Answ 1 By the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body then this Text cannot be made true for we may and do fulfill the natural appetite of the body if it be hungry we give it meat if thirsty we give it drink if weary we give it rest So that the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body these ye may lawfully fulfill therefore it cannot be so taken here 2. Neither is it to be confined to the sinne of incontinency but to be taken more comprehensively for the sinfulnesse of our corrupt nature the lusts and motions whereof you must not fulfill 3. These motions and lusts of corrupt nature must be considered two wayes First either as a power Or secondly as an act 1. As a power and so they nore that radical indisposition that is in mans nature to good and its proneness to evil Or 2. As an act and so it notes those sinful motions to sinne that come from corrupt nature and so I take the meaning of this place 1 Pet. 2.11 You shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is walk according to the dictates and motions of the Spirit and you shall not act those sinful motions which arise from corrupt nature Quest 2 But then a farther question is what is meant by not fulfilling these lusts of the flesh Answ To which I answer 1. Negatively we must not understand this as if so
You have cause to blesse God because otherwise you would commit more sinnes then you do and those which you do commit after a worse manner more willingly more eagerly more wilfully blesse God therefore in this regard for his holy Spirit Vse 2 You may learne the happinesse of a godly man and the misery of a wicked man The happinesse of a godly man that thou hast the Spirit to keep thee from sinning so as other men sinne 1 John 3.9 Non homines sed monstra Hominum sunt Pelagiani Cathari Caelestiani Donatistae A nabaptistae Libertini qui ex hoc loco perfectionem illam somniant à qua absunt ipsi emnium hon inum longissimi Beza Chap. 2.1 Job 1.22 Job 5.24 and the Scripture speaks of a godly man in this regard as if he had no sinne at all Whosoever is borne of God sayes the Apostle doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God It is not to be taken absolutely as if we had no sinne but comparatively he cannot sinne so as wicked men These things write I unto you that ye sinne not saith the Apostle And as it is said of Job that in all this he sinned not These expressions are not to be taken absolutely but comparatively not that godly men sinne not at all but that they sinne not after that manâ—er wicked men do Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne saith Job What an honour then is this put upon the godly that because they sinne not as the wicked therefore the Scripture makes mention of them as if they did not sin at all But farther see the misery of the wicked what a case are they in who have not the Spirit of God to lay a controule upon their sinful natures what servants to sin are they what vassals to their own lusts when the devil tempts from without and their own lusts from within they have no Spirit of God to withhold them Wicked men they sin so as no godly men can and therefore saith the Lord Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves and their spot is not the spot of my children It is true I confesse there may be a spice of those particulars I mentioned in thy practice there may be something of the will in sin some delectation some deliberation yet do not be discouraged if thy heart yield not fully if there be not such a strong bent of will to sin as is found in wicked men SERMON XII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving treated in several Sermons upon the Verse foregoing concerning walking in the Spirit I come now to handle this Verse which containes in it the combate between the flesh and the Spirit I shall only open the first clause of the Text at this time and dispatch the other in order The first onset given in this spiritual combate is by the flesh The flesh lusts against the Spirit to open which two things must be unfolded Quest 1 1. What is meant by flesh 2. What is meant by the Spirit and then what by the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit Answ By flesh is to be understood the corruption of mans nature by original sinne which corruption may be understood either as an habâ—t or as an act If you consider the flesh as an habit then it notes that primitive radical and original indisposition in mans nature to good But if it be taken as an act then it notes our corrupt motions against grace and so I take it in this place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit that is when the Spirit of God doth by divine pulsations beat upon the heart in holy motions then there is a contrariety in the flesh against these motions suppressing them and carrying the heart to evill The corruption of nature may be called flesh for these reasons 1. Because the soul was defiled with corruption immediately upon its union and conjunction with the body It is true there is a contest among Divines when the soul comes to be corrupted seeing it is infused by creation and is therefore pure But the generality of Authors conclude upon this that immediately upon the conjunction of the soul with the body the creature is said to have natural corruption and for this reason some think that corrupt nature is called flesh because man is naturally corrupted assoon as soule and body joyne together 2. Corrupt nature is called flesh because this corruption of nature remaines as long as we carry flesh and blood about with us as long as you have flesh you shall have sin The body of death is not destroyed but by the death of the body and therefore corruption may be called flesh 3. Because the motions of corrupt nature are naturally as deare to a man Ephes 5.29 as his own flesh No man yet ever hated his own flesh and this is the reason why the Scripture calls it a right hand Math. 5.29,30 and a right eye corruption of nature it is closely joyned to a man Quest 2 What is meant by the spirit Answ By spirit some understand the soul of a regenerate man but this seems to be incoherent the scope of the place carrying it to something else though this also may be included Therefore by spirit is to be understood the holy motions and workings of Gods Spirit and there the flesh is said to lust against Gal. 3.2,14 Gal 4.6,29 Gal. 5.5,16,17 18,22,25 and it is apparent that it is thus to be understood because spirit is so taken in the foregoing Verse and also in the Verse following my Text so that by spirit I understand the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the soule And in this sense is the word spirit taken in most places of this Epistle Quest 3 What is meant here by lust Answ When it is said to lust against the Spirit you may observe that it is not said to work against the Spirit nor act against the Spirit though sin be of an active nature yet it is not alwayes in the act but though it be not alwayes acting yet it is alwayes lusting there is an opposite disposition in nature to the work of Gods Spirit upon the heart In the words you may observe three parts 1. A double conflict The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 2. A double cause These are contrary the one to the other the flesh contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit contrary to the flesh 3. Here is a double consequent So that ye cannot do the things ye would the flesh lusts against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good ye would and the Spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot do the evil ye would Before I raise the
doctrine I shall premise a few particulars to be considered of 1. This conflict between the flesh and the Spirit it was not found in innocency then there was an harmony between the motions of Gods Spirit and all the powers and faculties both of soule and body God made man upright 2. This conflict it shall not be found in a state of glory for then thou shalt be all Spirit and no corrupt flesh for then the flesh shall be utterly abolished 3. This opposition it is not found in infancy it is true there is a corrupt nature in infants sinful motions in children but there is not that which we call actual opposition because they cannot exercise neither grace nor sin 4. This conflict it is not found in the state of unregeneracy while a man is wholly unregenerate he hath no saving motions in him and there cannot be an opposition but where there are two contraries 5. That the time of this life is the time how long this conflict shall last it cannot be ended untill this life be ended untill thou castest off the body of flesh thou shalt not be rid of the motions of sin 6. That even in the most holy that are there will be this conflict between the flesh and Spirit and those who have most grace are most sensible of the contest of the flesh against the Spirit 7. That even regenerate men do more often side with the motions of the flesh then close with the motions of the Spirit they are more in sin then in obedience more in imbracing sinfull motions then in entertaining divine motions some gather this from the Apostles vatiation of speech when he sayes The works of the flesh are manifest but he doth not say so of the fruits of the Spirit intimating that mâ—n are apt to close with the flesh rather then with the Spirit 7. These motions of corrupt nature they do not only reside in the inferiour part of man as the concupiscible faculty exciting to gluttony and lusts and irascible to envy and wrath but also in the superiour part though the Papists would make us believe otherwise The more noble and rational faculties of man are become corrupt thou art become vain in thy reason and in thy imagination thy understanding is tainted and thy will rebellious thy affections displaced thy superiour faculties are defiled Now having laid down these particulars I come to raise the Doctrine which is this Doctr. That the motions or inclinations in our natures to sin do ever conflict or warre against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing us to good I shall not dilate upon the proving of this point it is written legibly in the Word and engraven in every mans experience Therefore in the handling thereof there are several Queries I shall dispatch and then shall give you the use Querie 1 Wherein consists this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 1 In stirring up in the heart motions to sinne when the Spirit disswades from sinne Thus the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.5 he speaks it in the name of the regenerate sayes he When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the law accidentally did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Not only in unregeneracy do motions arise from corrupt nature James 1.7,14 contrary to Gods Spirit but in a regenerate man Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed that is by original sinne and thus Paul he speakes of himself as converted Rom. 7.23 sayes he I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members the Apostle he calls sinne a law because it had a force over him and brought him into captivity the law of his members did warre against the law of his minde by provoking him to sin Answ 2 By quenching and stifling the good motions of the Spirit that presses us to good The Spirits office is not only to testifie to us our graces and to evidence to us our interest in Christ but also to excite and stir up holy motions in the heart Now the flesh it doth what it can to quench all these good motions Rom 7.19 hence it is that Paul complaines of himself that the good he would do he did not and the evil he would not do that he did and this arose from that corruption of nature which in the whole Chapter he complaines of and herein chiefly consists the opposition that is between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 3 By inturrupting you when you are about good duties if the flesh cannot prevaile with you to make you not do it will labour to make you misdo duty herein is the great sinfulnesse of it To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 saith Paul but how to performe that which is good I finde not as if he should say I have alwayes an evil nature within me which is interrupting me and debilitating me that I cannot do the good I would herein consists the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Querie 2 How doth the flesh oppose the Spirit and provoke to sinne the Spirit disswades from sinne the flesh intices to sinne Now what way doth the flesh take to intice to sinne so as thereby to conflict with the Spirit Answ 1 In general the way and manner which the flesh takes to oppose the Spirit it is very sly and subtil Hence is that of Paul Rom. 7.11 sayes he Sinne taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me by sinne he means not actual but original sin the sin of nature is very subtil to deceive as will appear 1 By the names the Scripture gives to the sin of nature They are called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 There is great deceitfulnesse in sin according to that exhortation of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 2. The sin of nature it is deceitful as appears by the experience of Gods people Rom. 7.11 Sinne taking occasion saith Paul by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 3. Because this sinne of nature it is that which makes the heart deceitful above all things and desparately wicked Jer. 17.9 Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale the heart is deceitful and is very subtill therein Answ 2 In particular there are seven wayes by which corrupt nature intices men to sin 1. By varnishing over sinne with the colour and paint of grace As a light woman may sometimes dress her self in modest attire that so she may not be suspected so thy heart may varnish over sinne that thereby it may the sooner deceive thee As it is usual that the beautiful face of grace by the corruption of our hearts may be smeared over with deformity as that tendernesse of
conscience may be termed a needlesse scrupulosity zeal may be called rashnesse holy walking needlesse and precise nicenesse patience in bearing suffering cowardise and lownesse of Spirit So thy corrupt heart on the contrary may paint over foule sinnes with the varnish of grace So many have painted over the foule sinne of covetousnesse with the vertue of frugality and thriftinesse pride called neatnesse drunkennesse good fellowship prodigality may be stiled generous magnanimity and such like varnish doth the world put upon the deformed face of sinne And as for practice so also for opinion how are old Heresies that may be found in Eusebius and other Authours how are they now termed new lights how are Satans delusions termed the Spirits motions how is loose walking termed Christian liberty This varnishing of sinne with the paint of seeming grace comes from our corrupt natures and is one way by which the flesh intices to sinne 2. By perswading thee that there are some sinnes that there is no fear of thy committing them The devil hath a great advantage over men in this regard Our own hearts sometimes tell us that there are some sinnes so foule and so contrary to our natural temper and we think we have such a measure of grace that certainly we shall never commit them thus it was with wiâ—ked Hazael when the Prophet told him what evil he should do unto Israel that he should burne their Cities slay their young men dash children against the stones and rip up women with childe 2 Kin. 8.12,13 Hazael could not believe this but sayes he Mat. 26.35 Is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing Thus Peters heart deceived him Though all men forsake thee sayes he yet I will not but how did his heart deceive him even a godly man may be thus cheated by his own heart Men will not believe their hearts to be so bad as they are and when the heart is once brought to this to think that there are some sinnes which it shall never commit by that means a man grows secure and is thereby the more easier drawn unto it Thus David who made conscience of lesser matters for his conscience smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment but he never thought that he should fall into those grosse and scandalous sinnes of adultery and murder and so his heart grew secure and deceived him 3. The flesh intices to sinne by promising to a man pleasure and delight in the commission of sinne but conceals the hurt and mischief which comes by it and how are thousands deceived hereby Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed James 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are said to be enticed by our lusts the word is very emphatical being a Metaphor drawn from fishermen who will let the fish see the bait but not the hook and as the fisherman deals with the fish so also doth the devil and thy corrupt nature they will shew thee the pleasure but not the danger of sinne the bait but not the hook as the Apostle Peter speaks beguiling unstable souls 2 Pet 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is thy own heart which deceives thee As the devil before Adam had a sinful nature used this engine against him so now thy own heart uses it against thy self If you will eat sayes the devil you shall be as gods knowing good and evil and your eyes shall be opened the devil hid the hook did not shew them that they should be driven out of Paradise but hid their danger and so deceived them Now thy own corrupt heart sets upon thee in the same method The way of a wicked man seduces him Prov. 12.26 Prov. 11.18 saith Solomon The wicked worketh a deceitful work but to him that soweth righteousnesse shall be a sure reward Pro thesauro carbones The work of the wicked shews him a seeming reward but it is only the godly whose reward is sure 4 By perswading to entertain smal and lesser sins promising that if they will but yield to these they shall never be troubled to commit greater This is a great deceit of the heart wherein thousands have been taken whereas small sinnes they are as an inlet to greater sins A little thief put into a house may open the doores for greater and stronger to come in You know a wedge small and thin in one part makes way for a greater little sinnes they will draw us on to greater I have read a story of a young man that was tempted by the Devil and his own heart to three sins to kill his father to lie with his mother and to be drunk the two former he would not do being abhorrent to nature but thought he I will yield to the last because that was the least which was enough for being drunk he did in his drunkennesse kill his father and ravished his own mother Take heed therefore of this deceit of sin thy own heart will not prompt thee to all sin at first but will labour to draw thee on by degrees from lesse sins to greater untill thou become abominable therein Behold Isa 3.5 saith the Apostle James what a great matter a little fire kindleth Little sins yielded to may be occasions to bring forth many great sins therefore take heed you be not deceived by the corrupt dictates of nature 5. The flesh will tempt thee to sinne upon this ground because it is but a little one it is but a small sin as Lot said of Zoar Is it not a little one but consider that this is the meere policy of sin to undo thee for though there are some sins lesse then others are in respect of the act yet all are alike in regard of the object there is no little God to sin against and therefore there can be no little sin sinne must not be measured by its act but by its object A blow given to an ordinary man it is accompted as nothing but a blow given to a great man how hainous is it therefore if thy heart shall say to thee that it is but a little sin do thou say The God I sin against is no little God and thâ— merit which must procure pardon for this sin can be no small merit and the hell prepared for the punishment of a little sin is no small torment therefore take heed to thy heart in this regard 6. Thy heart may intice thee to sin upon pretence of good that may ensue upon thy committing of it and how many have been intangled in this snare Hereby were Lots daughters intangled to lie with their own father Gen. 19.32 upon this pretence that they might preserve seed of their father they saw there was no likelihood for a posterity to come from their father and so thought that the Church of God would cease here was their end and therefore for preserving a seed they would venture to sin This is expressely against
wanting this there would be hope that it would be tyred and wearied out at last but this is the nature of corruption it is unweariedly an enemy against the Spirit Things that act naturally act unweariedly the fire is never weary of burning nor the water of ebbing and flowing because it is natural to those creatures the Sun is never weary of going its course because its motion is natural sin it is a thing natural to thee thou wast borne in in it and bred up in it and therefore it acts unweariedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This war between the flesh and Spirit is a truceless war 6. Corrupt nature it is an inward enemy it dwells not only with us but in us and therefore sayes Paul It is not I but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.20 An enemy without to assault a City cannot do much hurt if the walls be strong and well mann'd but if there be traytors within as well as assailants without it will indanger that City Remember thou hast not only the Devil without but corrupt nature within a sin within which ever seeks to betray thee A little thief once gotten in there is more danger of him then of all the robbers without Corrupt nature is this little thief which alwayes will seek to betray thee to the Devil 7. This corruption of nature it is a continual enemy against the Spirit There is nothing which acts continually but corrupt nature the eye is not alwayes seeing the Sea not alwayes flowing the Sun not alwayes shining but corrupt nature it is alwayes working the Spirit cannot send forth a good motion but the flesh labours to send it back again and to quenâ—h it The Devil is not always tempting nor the world alwayes vexing but the flesh is alwayes resisting the Spirit 8. The flesh it is a politick enemy against the Spirit it works more by flattery James 1.14 then by force Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed It is a Metaphor taken from fisher-men which shew the baite but hide the hook it works slyly and subtilly 9. It is an outragious enemy against the Spirit The Apostle exhorting the Thessalonians to holinesse and sanctification 1 Thes 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids them not to walk in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which knew not God Not in the passion of concupiscence as the original hath it corrupt nature it is inveterate against a man and therefore it is called a burning in lust Rom. 1.27 and what is more fierce and outragious then fire burning Corrupt nature it puts the soul on fire so also it is compared to a horse rushing into the battell It is called a drawing of sin with cart-ropes to note the eagernesse of a sinner it is fierce out ragious and violent 10. It is an equal enemy in all men it is not in one man more and in another lesse but in all alike all are equally tainted with it and there is this reason for it because all men are equally alike in Adam otherwise some men should be more in Adams sin then others which is impossible We are all sons of Adam and therefore are all equally polluted yet this is true that actuall corruption is more drawn out in some men then in others some are more profane some more incontinent some more passionate then others because in some there are strong natural inclinations and more prevalent corruptions then in others to some sins yet no man is more corrupted in his nature then another and therefore thou which art regenerate thou hast as much cause to bewaile a corrupt and sinful nature as any Devil in hell hath And these are the properties of this enemy which wars against the soul Vse 1 Let the consideration of this stirre you up to thankfulnesse that notwithstanding corrupting nature hath all these properties to wit that it is so powerfull so malicious so universal unsatiable indefatigable inward subtile and outragious an enemy yet that it could not hinder converting grace blesse God that converting grace hath conquered this enemy and notwithstanding all its potency malice and subtilty yet hath brought it into subjection 2. Blesse God for establishing grace This is one of the wonders of the world that a childe of God should have so much corruption in him and that that corruption should not destroy grace the wonder appeares in this Adam who had no sinful nature seeing only he was a mutable creature left to the liberty of his own will yet being tempted by the Devil fell And the Angels in heaven who neither had an evil nature within nor a tempting Devil without yet rhey fell also But thou who hast both a tempting Devil without and a corrupt nature within yet thou shalt not fall Oh blesse the Lord for this It comes from this thy being interessed in an unchangeable Covenant because thou art chosen by an unchangeable decree and kept by an unchangeable God therefore being once in the Covenant of Grace thon art alwayes kept therein Jude vers 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.5 blesse God for this unchangeable grace of his towards thy poor soul whereby thou art kept unto salvation whereby the people of God are kept from falling Vse 2 Let this also stirre you up to watchfulnesse against the motions of sin in your corrupt natures If the flesh hath all these properties have you not cause to keep watch and ward in your own hearts There is this reason why thou should'st be watchful because thy corrupt nature hath a manifold advantage against grace 1. It hath been longer in thee then grace hath been Therefore in the first place it is said The flesh lusteth against the Spirit which is a great advantage As we may observe in military affaires when a pitcht battel hath been fought that Army which first takes the field will be sure to chuse ground for their own advantage Thy corrupt nature which warres with the Spirit it was first in the field and so hath got wind and ground thou waft borne a sinner with an evil nature but not with a divine nature therefore here in the Text the flesh begins the conflict watch therefore against the flesh having this advantage against you 2. The flesh hath not only the advantage of time but of number there is more of flesh in thee then there is of the Spirit more kindes of sin then of grace there are more weeds then flowers in the best garden more corruptions then graces in the best soul I may appeal to your experience whether ever you have acted so many graces as sins in the Chapter wherein my Text is there are seventeen sins mentioned in the catalogue but there are but seven graces to shew that the flesh is more in us then the Spirit there are swarmes of lusts and vain thoughts but alas how few good thoughts and holy motions of the Spirit of God are there in
rather then charge it upon our selves There are three things which men usually lay the blame upon Either upon God the devil or else upon other men 1. Upon God and so did Adam The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat Gen. 3.12 thus he layes the blame of his fall upon God himselfe if thou hadst not given me this woman she had not tempted me and I had not eaten 2. Others say the blame upon the devil and yet if there were no devil to tempt us weshould tempt ourown selves and indeed neither the one nor the other is to be blamed God is never to be blamed though the devil be sometimes to be blamed the Apostle James tells you that God tempts no man James 1.13 And the devil sometimes is not to be blamed James 1.14 because thy own nature is a tempter to thee so the same Apostle declares that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised Lust conceives sin the devill may be the Father to beget sin but the flesh is the mother which conceives nourisheth and bringeth forth sin and the reason is this because the devils suggestions could do no harm were it not for our vicious inclinations The devill came to Christ but he found nothing in him the devil shak't the bottle but it was a Crystal glasse of pure water there was no mud in it but thou though thou hast a fair appearance yet if the devil do but rake into thy heart the mud of thy corruption doth quickly appear 3. Again some there are who will lay the blame of their sinne upon men and thus did Aaron when Moses chode him for his Idolatry Exod. 32.22 Thou knowest the people sayes he that they are set on mischief he would fain shift off and excuse his own wickednesse by laying it upon the people yet this would not serve his turn for God charges the sin upon him Nothing is more natural then to excuse and hide our sin Job 31.33 and therefore it is said that men cover their transgression as Adam if thy heart were not in the fault examples of sin would rather provoke to detestation then imitation Others there are who will lay the blame upon the badnesse of the times whereas if thou hadst not a bad heart thou wouldest be good in bad times if thou hadst a good heart the worse the times were the better thou wouldest be and therefore lay the blame of thy sin where it ought to be upon the naughtinesse of thy evill heart Vse 3 Of exhortation doth the flesh lust against the Spirit oh then joyn with the motions of the Spirit against the flesh though thou art a godly man and sin shall not damne thy soul yet it may wound thy conscience and will eclipse thy comfort And though thy sirs cannot as to damnation huurt thee who art a childe of God yet they may hurt others As Tostatus oâ—seves upon the 1 Chron 21.1 where it is said That Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people Observe it is not said that Satan stood up against David but against Israel and the reason is this David was a publick person and the devil knew if he could provoke him to sinne Israel should smart for it and therefore the devil in tempting David stood up against Israel so that if thou art a publick man and the devill get thee to yield to sin others will be hurt by it Vse 4 Lastly you who are regenerate remember that you carry flesh and blood about with you you have the flesh lusting against the Spirit and there is a repugnancy in your spirits to the holy Spirit of God go home therefore and complain of the contrariety and naughtinesse of your hearts Gen. 25.22 and say as Rebecca when she had two babes strugling in her womb Why am I thus thou hast an Esau and a Jacob within thee nature and grace evill motions strugling against good motions go unto the Lord and say Rom. 7.24 Why am I thus and with Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Now proceed to the second part of the conflict the Spirits lusting against the flesh the flesh began the onset first because there was flesh in us before the Spirit but the Spirit doth undertake the war and as the flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the flesh Before I draw out the point I shall clear one Scripture which seems to contradict this which is in Ephes 6.12 where it is said that we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darknes of this world against spiritual wickednes in high places This place may be renonciled with the Text two wayes First when the Apostle sayes we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers the words may be understood not simply or absolutely but comparatively and if you take flesh and blood there for corrupt nature then the meaning is this that we do not only wrastle with flesh and blood corrupt nature within but we have also the devil without against whom we are to stirre But the more likely reconciliation of this place is this it is said in the Text that we do warre with the flesh and in the Ephesians that we do not warre with the flesh now though the same word be used in both places yet it is used in a different sense and that you may know how it is used in both places â—ake these three acceptations of the word 1. Flesh and blood is sometimes taken for corrupt nature and so is that saying of Christ to be understood Matth. 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee 2. Flesh and blood is taken for the natural body of man so it is used in 1 Cor. 15.50 1 Cor 15.50 Flesh blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God that is as now we are living in the world as our bodies are now natural corruptible mortal bodies they are not capable of the glory and happines of Heaven 3. Flesh and blood it is taken for wicked men in Scripture and so it is taken in Ephes 6.12 Isay 66.16,23 Ier. 25.31 Zech. 2.13 Gal. 1.1 We wrastle not against flesh and blood that is not so much against wicked men as against the devil the ruser of the darknesse of this world and thus you have the reconciliation of these places The flesh lusts against the Spirit that is the motions and workings of Gods Spirit they do oppose the motions to sin of corrupt nature so that
from hence take this doctrine Doct. That the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the regenerate do warre and conflict with the motions of sin which flow from corrupt nature In the handling of which point I shall do these four things 1. Shew what the nature of this conflict is 2. Wherein it consists 3. How you may know that conflict which the Spirit hath against the motions of sin from that conflict against sin which may be found in a natural mans conscience 4. Give you rules about this conflict Quest 1 What this conflict is Answ Negatively There are four sorts of conflicts against sinne which come short of the Spirits conflict 1. There may be a conflict against sin by sin one corruption may conflict with another and a lesser sin may oftentimes be overcome by a greater and this oftentimes is found in natural men as pride and covetousnesse a man that is proud he must have something to feed his pride and because he is proud therefore he will be in high company and in brave and rich apparel now covetousnesse being a contrary vice may give a check to pride So a man that is prodigal that spends his dayes in revelling and roaring inordinate love of the world will tell him that he spends too much in money thus one corruption may contest with another and yet may come short of the Spirits conflict against sin 2. There may be a conflict against sin in the natural affections wherein nature seeks to preserve it selfe As it is with brute creatures fear many times keeps them from that which their natural appetite would carry them unto the wolfe would fain worry the sheep but his fear of the shepherd restraines him so between anger and fear a man that is angry his anger puts him upon it that he would fain be revenged on the man whom he is angry with but another passion fear tells him if thou killest the man thou art angry with the Law will take hold on thee this arises not at all from the Spirit 3. There is a conflict which arises from a mans natural disposition some men have such heroick and generous dispositions that they naturally conflict with many vices as Luther said of himselfe that he was never tempted to the sin of covetousnesse he was of such a generous and free spirit It was a saying of Plutarch I had rather said he that men should say there was never any such person in the world as Plutarch rather then say Plutarch is unfaithful or unconstant of such a noble disposition was this Heathen to scorn all basenesse 4. There is a conflict which arises from the light of reason helped by a natural conscience which checks and controls a man for sin The Heathens could by the light of natural conscience see and detest sinne they counted it a base thing to prostitute themselves to base and beastly lusts Conscience it is Gods spy and mans overseer Major sum ad majora natus quam ut corporis mei sim mancipium it is Gods officer in man to warne him against sin now this is found in unregenerate men and falls short of the Spirits conflict against the flesh as shall be shewed afterwards But to shew you positively what this conflict is I answer that the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh it is a mighty and irreconcileable opposition stirred up by the motions of Gods Spirit in regenerate soules against all the motions of sin proceeding from corrupt nature this is a plain and full description of this conflict Quest 2 The next question is wherein the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh consists Answ This conflict of the Spirit against the flesh hath a double reference First to sin to prevent it Secondly to good to provoke it In reference to sin the Spirit doth these five things 1. It enlightens a man and discovers sin to a man which he never saw before Thus saith Paul Rom. 7.7 John 16.8 I had not known lust to be sin except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet The Spirit of God by the Law discovered sin to Paul and the discovery of an enemy is a degree of opposition 2. The Spirit doth not rest only in discovering sin but resists the motions of sin which proceed from corrupt nature the Spirit it lusts against the flesh that is it opposes the workings of corrupt nature this is in the Text. 3. The Spirit puts conscience on work to check and rebuke a man for entertaining evil motions for making his heart a lodging for sin It convinces the world of sin John 16.8 4. The Spirit it sanctifies the nature of a man and washes him from the filth of sin 1 Cor. 6.11 and therefore the Spirit of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit because of the sanctifying work of the Spirit upon the hearts of Gods people the Spirit is not only holy himself but the Author and maker of holines in the hearts of believers 5. The Spirit of God it suppresseth the motions of sin ' it not only resists but helps a man to mortify the motions of sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live saith the Apostle and you have a promise for this in the verse before my Text Gal. 5.16 That if ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh he doth not say you shall not act but you shall not fulfill them it shall not have so much power and prevalency over you as over wicked men thus as to sin you see how the Spirit conflicts with the flesh 2. In reference to the doing of good the Spirit opposeth the flesh several wayes 1. By enlightening and discovering to a man what is good Isay 30.21 thus the Lord promiseth by the Prophet Thou shalt hear a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it the Spirit discovers to a man his way his work and his duty 2. Not only so but the Spirit stirres up holy motions and holy resolutions in thee to do that duty it not only shewes thee the way but presses thee to walk therein 3. The Spirit assists a man in the doing of good when the flesh hinders Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us and helps our infirmities 4. It more and more communicates grace to his people whereby they may be inabled to do that which is good it gives continual supplies of help and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 Thus you see wherein the conflict of the flesh against the Spirit consists both in reference to sinne and in reference to good Quest 3 Seeing there may be a conflict in wicked men against sin as I have shewed you arising from natural conscience wherein then appeares
rebuke a man for sin of nature 2. Natural conscience as it doth not reach to sin of nature so neither to the nature of sin My meaning is this natural conscience it never conflicts against the nature of sin but only against the punishment of sin it rebukes not a man for sin under this consideration that it is against a holy God and contrary to a holy and pure Law it is the punishment of sin and not the nature of sin which natural conscience relucts at not because sin defiles the soul but because sin destroyes the soul not because sin blots out the image of God but because sin keeps men that they shall not see the face of God not because God hates sin but because God punisheth sin But the regenerate they do not only through the Spirit conflict with the sin of their nature but with the nature of their sin with their sin not as destroying their soules but as defiling their soules not as tormenting the conscience but as polluting the conscience not as damning the soul but polluting the heart A natural man may be afraid of sin as a childe is afraid of a fire-stick not that it feares to handle it because it will colly his hands but because it will scorch his fingers It is a main difference for a childe of God would abstain from sin because of God not only because of hell The godly would not offend against the purity holinesse authority and goodnesse of God and therefore abstaines from sin The natural man as Augustine saith metuit ardere non metuit peccare is afraid to burn in hell but is not afraid to sin 3. Natural conscience may conflict with sinne yet it comes farre short of the Spirits conflict because it reaches only to open and grosse sins not to secret and small evils Cursing it is so execrable an evill that a mans own heart wil tel him of it Eccles 7.22 as the wise man sayes Oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast cursed others natural conscience will not so often check thee for secret and bosome-sins as spiritual pride wandring thoughts in holy duties and emptinesse of minde but a renewed conscience when the Spirit of God comes by it to convince of sin it reaches to secret sins it reaches to the very motions is well as to actions and thus it was with the Apostle Paul sayes he Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 whilest original sin did work but in its motions before they were acted the Apostle was sensible of them And so Hezekiah a good man it is said that he humbled himself for the pride of his heart for the lifting up of his heart as in that no man could accuse him of These are the differences between the conflict which natural conscience hath against sin and that conflict which the Spirit hath against corruption Vse 1 If this be so that the Spirit doth as well lust against the flesh as the flesh against the Spirit in regenerate men Then first see the reason why regenerate men do not live so sinfully as the wicked do It is not as if good men had better natures then bad men for the best man on earth yea the most glorious Saint in heaven had as bad a nature as the worst man on earth The true reason is this because a godly man hath the Spirit to warre against the flesh he hath the Spirit to conflict with corruption Gal 5.16 and therefore he acts not sin as wicked men do If ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1 John 3.9 and according to this is that of the Apostle John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God He cannot sin it is not to be taken absolutely but comparatively he shall not sin after that manner and in that measure with those circumstances as the wicked do because they are born of God have a seed of grace remaining in them this is the reason why godly men live not as the wicked do The godly have another kinde of spirit in them then the meer natural man hath he hath the Spirit of Christ whereas the other hath only the spirit of the world Vse 2 Learn to blesse God seeing thou hast so bad a nature that thou hast the Spirit within thee which is able to suppresse the workings of corrupt nature All you that are begotten again by the immortal seed of the Word that have the Spirit to keep under your corruption what evill would you not do and what good would you not leave undone if the Spirit were but withheld from you what will that man be that wants the Spirit will he not be an habitation for swarms of lusts and a cage for every unclean bird if thy heart be not a storehouse for the Spirit it will be a workhouse for the devil if it be not Christs garden wherein he sowes the seed of grace it will be the devils seminary wherein nothing but sin will thrive and grow oh therefore blesse God seeing thou hast such an evill heart that thou hast the motions of the Spirit to warre against the motions of the flesh 3. Pray unto God that his Spirit may do its office in thee thou needest not pray thy heart to tempt thee to sin but the Spirit needs intreaty to do its office in thy heart do thou every day put up that request of David Lord withhold not thy Spirit from me seeing every day I have sinful motions let me every day have the motions of thy Spirit seeing every day Satan perswades me to sin let thy Spirit every day perswade me to good Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to the third difference touching this conflict A third difference Of this conflict in an unregenerate and a regenerate person and that is in regard of time concerning which there are these particulars to be handled 1. The time when this conflict begins 2. The time of its continuance 3. The time how often this conflict comes 1. The conflict between natural conscience and sinne may begin assoon as ever a man hath light of nature whilst a man is in an unregenerate estate Rom. 2.14 The Apostle tells you that the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law that is natural conscience it carries the force of a Law with it and hath power over them so that they shall not break out into many evils contrary to natures light so that the time when a natural conscience may conflict against sin may be whilest a man is in the
flesh is against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and then I call it an irreconcileable contrariety because though enemies may be reconciled yet contraries never In the handling of which point I shall onely demonstrate the truth of it and then conclude with a practical application Demonst 1 And first this contrariety appears by the contrary names given both to the flesh and Spirit in Scripture as here in the Text corruption it is called flesh and grace is called the Spirit corruption is called darknesse but grace is called light Rom. 13.12 Rom. 13 12. It is called a law of death Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 4.12 but grace is called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Corruption is called filthinesse of the flesh 2 Cor. 7.1 but grace is called purity of spirit 1 Tim. 4.12 So that by the these contrary names given both to the flesh and the Spirit the contrariety of both is set out 2. They are both contrary principled and origined for First corruption it is called the work of the devill and For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil John 3.8 1 John 3.8 but grace is called the work of God Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Again corruption it is called the lust of the devil John 8.44 John 8.44 but grace is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Gal. 5.22 so that these proceed from a contrary original That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.6 3. They have contrary acts and contrary uses the flesh is said to lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh they are contrary in their works and hence in Scripture sin it is called a work contrary to God Levit. 26. sin makes a man walk contrary to God but the Spirit drawes a man to walk in the wayes of God sinne is the Dalilah that will never let a man alone but presse him with importunity to yield to the temptations thereof 4. They are contrary in their ends and issues the end of the flesh is to damne the soul but the Spirit its motions and workings are to save the soule We are commanded to abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule and the Apostle tells us That if we live after the flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live Rom. 8.13 The tendency of sin is unto death but of grace unto eternal life And therefore saith the same Apostle The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Upon these demonstrations it appears the flesh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other Vse 1 Of instruction If so be these are contrary the one to the other first let us consider the contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit and thence learn these three inclinations 1. Learn to admire the free grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding this contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit in thee yet that this should not stirre up anger and fury in God but rather pity and mercy herein is Gods great love shewed to his people God doth to us as we would do to a man that hath taken poyson we pity such a man but poison in a tode that we hate when God sees sinne in his people tormenting them as poison in the body though they have such sinful natures and so contrary to grace yet this stirres not up fury but favour and pity in God It is a note worth your observation by comparing two Scriptures together Gen. 6.5,6 Compared with Gen. 8.21 Gen. 6.5,6 with Gen. 8.21 In the sixth of Genesis it is said there that the Lord saw that the imaginations of mans heart were evill and only evill and that continually and therefore saith God I will destroy man from the earth there their corrupt nature and the issues and acts of it provoked God to fury but compare that place with Chapt. 8.21 and there you read that God will not any more curse the ground for mans sake because the imagination of his heart is evill from his youth this is a strange reason one would think it should be on the contrary but God doth not bring a curse but annexeth a promise as if he should say though I might destroy man as I did in the flood yet I will not do it though the imagination of his heart be evill and that continually no though his heart be so bad this should teach us to admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of our natures unto holinesse yet that this should not stirre up fury but rather pity and mercy in God to us 2. Learn to admire the grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding the contrariety that is in our natures against the Spirit that yet there is an irresistiblenesse in the Spirits working converting grace that the Spirit should conquer a man and break down the strong holds of nature 2 Cor. 10.4 that the Spirit of God should out of these contraries bring other contraries for so the Lord doth commanding light to shine out of darknesse Oh admire the omnipotency of Gods grace 2 Cor. 4.6 that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet it hath not been able to resist converting grace 3. Admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet that there should be in the regenerate either activity or perpetuity of grace that thou doest act grace seeing thou hast a principle of sin in thee Gratia in nobis est flamma in extingui bilis in med â—o mari and that thou hast a perpetuity in the state of grace that this contrariety should never be able either totally or finally to conquer grace admire that this spark of fire should not be drowned by this flood of corruption that this contrariety in thy heart against grace should not destroy grace if thou art once in the state of grace thou art ever so and therefore let this heighten your admiration Adam had perfect grace and yet not perpetuity in it but thou hast imperfect grace and yet thou art established therein that thou shalt not fall Vse 2 Of humiliation and indeed these doctrines about corruption of nature they tend chiefly to debase this proud heart of man that is degenerated and fallen from so glorious an estate Be humble oh man though thou hast a principle of grace yet thou hast something in thee that carries a contrariety to grace thou hast a contrary principle to a gracious principle The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other now here I shall speak not onely to unregenerate men but to the regenerate also and there are these seven
would intimate that he often lost his heart in prayer as if David did many times come to pray but could not finde his heart It is the hardest thing in the world when you come to pray to finde your hearts and when you have found your hearts to keep them 10. That the blood of Jesus Christ wipes off that guilt and filth that cleaves to your holy duties God knowes that when you come to worship him you are men and not Angels you are the spirits of good men imperfect and therefore God doth not expect from you that your service should be perfect because your state is imperfect therefore here is your comfort that your defects in duty shall never damne you who are regenerate soules thou mayest be often hindred in duty but that interruption shall never damne thee Jesus Christ wipe off the stain of all thy duties In the ceremonial law you read that the Altar for the burnt-offering Exod. 27.4,5 it had a grate made for it of net-work of brasse that the dust and the ashes might fall out and so be carried away This is a type of the intercession of Jesus Christ that though in your services and sacrifices to God though you have much affection and zeal yet also there is much ashes of corruption and as that grate was made to carry away the ashes so Jesus Christ he is the Mediatour which will carry away all your defects in the service of God And this should incourage the people of God though you are weak in duty yet neglect not duty though you are forgetful in hearing yet leave not to heare and though distracted in praying yet neglect not prayer because it is the office of Jesus Christ to bear the iniquity of your holy things These are those Positions or Conclusions that I desired to premise before I came to handle the Queries The point that I am to handle is this That such is the prevalency of corrupt nature even in regenerate men that it doth oftentimes interrupt them in holy performances Doct. In the handling of this point there are many particulars which I shall go through 1. I shall prove the point that it is so 2. I shall shew you how the flesh doth hinder in duty 3. Wherein the interruption of the flesh doth most appear 1. For the proof of the point Rom. 7.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have not only Pauls testimoy but his own experience how to perform the good I would I finde not how to work it out that is to carry on a duty from the beginning to the end it is the same word in the original as that in Philip. 2.12 where we are commanded to work out our salvation with feare and trembling As he complain of himselfe and as he gives you his experience so we may conferre all our experiences with his and say that how to do that which is good we finde not As rust cleaves to the iron so cleaves the flesh to our holy duties In general do not our own hearts tell us that there is much of the world in them and are there not many vain and impertinent thoughts in the duties we perform to God and that not only in general but in particular duties in prayer how doth the flesh interrupt us by vain and impertinent thoughts and wrong ends how doth it dead our affections damp our zeal and straiten our hearts in hearing how doth the flesh cast in prejudices and misconstructions infidelity and forgetfulnesse In meditation how doth it make the minde roving and wandring up and down so that thou canst not bring thy meditations to a perfect issue In discourse how doth the flesh mingle censures and vain glory when thou comest to the Lords Supper how doth the flesh hinder thee that thou canst not exercise godly sorrow that thy love is not inflamed and that thy joy in Christ is not elevated Therefore what cause have to complain as Augustine when he saw a shepherd tie a stone to the legge of a bird and the bird assaying to fly upwards was still pulled down again by the stone Just thus sayes he is it with my soule fain would I so are aloft by holy meditation but there is a stone tied to my legge a corrupt nature whereby I am coutinually pulled down Quest The next Question is how doth the flesh hinder us in holy performances I shall confine my answer to these two particulars there are these two wayes how the flesh doth hinder us in holy duties 1. By soliciting men to abate and lessen their duties 2. By injecting and casting in vain and impertinent thoughts Answ 1. By soliciting men to abate in their duty if so be nature can prevaile with you to omit duty or not to be so much in duty as thou hast been heretofore to pray lesse and hear lesse herein is a great policy of thy corrupt heart to perswade the heart that thou needest not be so zealous because remisse acts do weaken habits to pray remissely and coldly will in time bring thee not to pray at all Now to those who are thus intangled by the flesh that they decay in duty to such I have three things to say 1. You have not lesse need to pray nor perform duty then in former time and therefore why should you lessen your duties you have not less temptations from Satan no lesse corruptions in thy soule nor fewer spiritual wants no lesse troubles on the Church and therefore let not nature prevaile with you to decay in duty 2. As it is a deceit of the heart in sinne to bring you from little sinnes to great sinnes so in grace it is the deceit of nature to bring you from doing little in duty at last to do nothing at all 3. Gradual abatements and decayes in duty may be as dangerous to thy soule as total omissions and thou mayest go to hell as well for the one as for the other not but that total neglects do more provoke God Though a man is in more danger of present death that is sick of a fever then he that is sick of a lingring consumption yet the one will kill as surely as the other Men that cast off Religion they die by a burning fever but thou which decayest in Religion thou mayest die of a lingring consumption thou mayest consume and consume untill thou comest to a meer skeleton in Religion and to have no verdure nor vigour in thy spirit in the exercises of holinesse Answ 2. And chiefly the flesh interrupts in duty by injecting and casting in vain thoughts and impertinent when thou art about duty Now those thoughts which the flesh casts in they are of two sorts either such which for the matter of them are lawful or else which are for their matter unlawful 1. Levit. 28.12 compared with Prov. 26.1 Though it be not cogitatio mali yet it is cogitatio mala The flesh will cast in thoughts
Thy pound hath gained ten pounds He doth not say my labour and my industry Lukeâ— 9.16 but thy pound give God the glory of all the good thou doest extoll the free grace of God both for initiall progressive Phil. 1.6 and consummative grace He which once begins a good work in you will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ Heb. 12. â— and he which is the authour will also be the finisher of your faith Phil. 2.13 It is the grace of God whereby we are able to do any thing it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure The whole series of our salvation is to be ascribed unto the grace of God art thou called in grace and established in grace admire grace and not nâ—ture Hos 11.3 Ezek. 34.16 Rom. 8.14 1 Pet. 5.10,11 If the Spirit of God do not lead us and uphold us we shall faint Hos 11.3 Ezek. 34.16 Rom. 8.14 This the Apostle Peter excellently sets forth The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever AMEN 4. Doth the flesh disable you to do good Oh then labour to have a sight of and to mourne under the sense of the impediments and interruptions which you have from the flesh Thus did Paul cry out Exod. 3.88 Rom. 7.14,24 Oh wretched man that I am Rom. 7.14,24 In Exod. 38.8 you have mention made of a laver which was a great vessel wherein the sacrifices which the people offered were to be washed and the Scripture tells you that the foot of the laver was made with looking-glass to note as some say that when they came to offer their sacrifice the people in that glasse might see and have a view of their own faces what spots there were upon them So when you come to duty behold here are looking-glasses for you to see your selves behold the interruptions of the flesh to hinder you and be humbled It is said of the Spouse Returne O Shulamite that we may look upon thee And then the question is put what will you see in the Shulamite and the Answer is as it were the company of two Armies Cant. 6.13 noting this opposition Gen. 25.22,23 And that as Rebeccah said when the children strugled in her womb Lord why am I thus so do thou thou hast an Esau and a Jacob within thee the flesh against the Spirit do thou complaine unto God and say Lord why am I thus why doth the flesh thus disturb and interrupt me in all my performances to God Sermon XXIV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 2. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to lay down some more practical inferences from this point The flesh its hindering and interrupting even godly men so that they cannot do the things they would and the fifth in order is this 5. What great need have the best even of Gods children of the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ when they present any duty to God If so be we should come to God with these defilements and interruptions of the flesh in our duties without a Christ God might say to us as Elisha to the King of Israel Verily were it not that I regard the presence of Iehosophat King of sudah I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 King 3.14 thus God the Father might say to each of us Verily were it not that I regard Jesus Christ I would not see nor regard thee in any duty thou doest as Ioseph said to his brethren Except ye bring Benjamin with you ye shall see my face no more Gen. 43.3 so except ye bring the Lord Jesus Christ with you you cannot expect to see the face of God with approbation You read in Exod. 28.36 that Aaron the Priest of the Lord was to have a plate of pure gold upon his fore-head Exod. 28.36 and upon it was to be ingraven Holiness to the Lord to note that when you come to do any service to God you need the intercession of Jesus Christ who by his intercessions bears the iniquity of our holy things Though you have the assistance of the Spirit in performance of duty yet you stand in need also of the mediation of Christ for your acceptance and therefore you read not only or an intercession of Christ Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the intercession of the Spirit The Spirit makes intercession in us and Christ makes intercession for us 6. If the flesh doth interrupt in duty then what great need have you when you are about duty to watch over your hearts and to fortify them against the incursions and disturbances of the flesh Those that live by the Sea-side they are forced for the preservation of themselves in safety to make great mounts and banks to keep out the Sea from overflowing them whereas those who dwell in Inland-countreys little ditches will serve their turns Corrupt nature it is a Sea and thou hast need to make many a mount and many a bank in thy heart otherwise corrupt nature will send in an inundation of vain and impertinent thoughts Numb 4 23. It is a good note of Ainsworth upon Numb 4.23 where all from thirty yeares old to fifty of the house of Gershon are said to enter in to perform service and to do the work of the Tabernacle The word which signifies to perform service signifies also to warre a warfare and so Ainsworth translates it and why doth the Scripture mention this but to note that when you are doiug any service to God 1 Pet. 4.7 you are then to warre a spiritual warfare You read in 1 Pet. 4.7 of watching unto prayer and in Coloss Col. 4.2 4.2 Of watching in prayer You are not only to watch unto before you pray but in prayer whilest you pray You have not only ground to watch against the interruptions of the flesh but there are also other interruptions As first from the world and this is the Apostles desire that we might be without care 1 Cor. 7.35 and that we might attend upon the Lord without distraction Cares of the world they are a hinderance unto holy duties and therefore we are to watch against them Secondly we are hindred also by natural infirmities and those we are to watch ugainst and so I understand Piscator upon Matth. 26.41 Mat. 26.41 where Christ speaks that the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak Flesh there is not to be taken for corrupt nature but for bodily infirmity And then not onely from the world and natural indispositions
have a seed of grace remaining in them 3. Wicked men they do not so clearly discerne and sensibly bewaile the interruptions of the flesh as those who are godly do 4. The wicked they shall never be rid of the evil workings of the flesh neither in this world nor in that which is to come Sinne in this life shall hinder duty and in the world to come they will cast off duty But the godly though pestered with the flesh yet they shall one day be rid of the flesh And thus I have finished the first part of the double consequent Sermon XXV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now to proceed to the second reference of these words and that is the Spirits conflicts against the flesh so that men cannot do the evil they would And the observation is this Doct. That the Spirit of God keeps regenerate men oftentimes that they shall not do the evil they would In the handling of which Point there are three particulars in the doctrinal part that I shall insist on 1. I shall shew you how the Spirit doth keep a man from doing the evil he would do 2. Wherein consists this work of the Spirit 3. How you may know the difference between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping a wicked man from sinne and the renewing grace of the Spirit in keeping regenerate men from evil 1. How doth the Spirit keep a man from doing the evil that he would do To this question I shall give you five particulars by way of answer 1. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by enlightening his judgement and making him to see the evil of sinne in its nature and the danger of sinne in its event Thus you read in Job 36.9 Job 36.9 He sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded here is the inlightening of their judgements and then it followes in the tenth verse He openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity verse 10. vers 12. and in the twelfth verse If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and shall die without knowledge The sinne of nature it is described by a state of ignorance to note that a man without the Spirit is blinde and cannot see those evils which he commits the Spirit therefore enlightens a man and hence you read Acts 26.18 that the Apostle Paul was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God See 2 King 6.15 intimating that there must be first the opening of the eyes and the enlightening of the judgement before there can be a rescuing from sinne 2. The Spirit keeps a man from sinne by setting conscience on work to check and rebuke a man when he is tempted thereunto Conscience is Gods Officer and mans Overseer and were it not for a natural conscience a wicked man would commit all imaginable evills every wicked man would commit every sinne that he had opportunity to act Now as sinne wounds the conscience after commission so conscience checks for sinne before commission It is conscience which is as an iron gate and as a brazen wall to keep thee from many evills which otherwise thou wouldst run into And therefore Ioseph consults with his conscience How can I do this great wickednesse and this kept him from committing folly with his Mistresse 3. Another way whereby the Spirit keeps a man from sinne is by infusing into a man a principle of grace and holinesse repugnant to that principle of sinne which is in the nature and thus the Apostle John tells you that Whosoever iâ— born of God doth not commit sinne for the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is born of God hath a renewed nature and a new principle put into him contrary to the sin of his nature 4. The Spirit keeps a man from evil by calling to his remembrance some particular passage out of Sctipture against that sinne unto which he is tempted To this purpose David speakes that he had hid the Word of the Lord in his heart Psal 119.11 that he might not sinne against him This is the way whereby the Spirit fortifies the heart against sin you have it often mentioned in particular cases Solomon gives this counsel to his sonne that he should keep his words Prov. 7.1,5 and lay up his commandments and that to this end that they may keep thee from the strange woman and thus David Psal 17.4 saies he By the Word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Thus Augustine reports of a young man who was given to wantonnesse and it pleased God by bringing this passage to his remembrance Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse it pleased God to make this a meanes whereby he left off his dalliance and wantonnesse ever after 5. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by possessing the heart with an awe and dread of the presence of God when he is tempted to evil Fear the Lord and depart from evil Prov. 37. the wise man joynes them both together to let you know that when the heart is possessed with the fear of God it keeps a man from evil And thus Solomon in a parallell place speaks to the same purpose Prov. 16.6 Prov. 14.16 that By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil An awefull fear of the great God is a good preservative gainst sin Quest 2 The next question is Wherein this worke of the Spirit in keeping a man from sinne consists And for answer hereto in the general it consists in three things 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne 2. In regard of the time and place where sinne would be committed 3. In regard of the manner of sin 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne so the Spirit keeps a regenerate man that he shall never commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost not but that there is the seed of that sinne in the godly as well as others this you have fully proved by John in 1 Joh. 5.18 1 Joh. 5.18 After he had been telling that there was a sinne unto death and saies he I do not say ye shall pray for it he tells you after in the eighteenth verse We know saith he that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That is shall not prevaile over a godly man to sinne this sinne unto death grace in the hearr will keep a man that the wicked one shall not so touch
him 2. The Spirit of God will keep a man that he shall not commit sinne at that time and in that place where he would Thus the Spirit kept David in a pettish mood he resolves to kill Nabal and all his family but Abigail coming to meet David by good perswasions soon allayed Davids hot spirit and herein the work of Gods Spirit was exceedingly seen that though David resolved that at such a time and in such a place he would do thus and thus yet the overruling hand of Gods Spirit kept him back 3. And chiefly the Spirit keeps a man from sinne in respect of the manner how a man doth evil A regenerate man he shall not sinne after that manner as he did sinne before he was converted I shewed you before how the Spirit keeps a man from fulfilling sinne And now I shall shew you how the Spirit of God keeps a regenerate man from sinning after that manner as formerly he did And there are seven particulars which I shall mention in this Point 1. A regenerate man he shall not sinne so ignorantly as formerly he hath done Paul tells you of himselfe that during his unconverted state the Lord had mercy on him 1 Tim. 1.13 because he sinned of ignorance but when a man is once converted his eyes are then opened and he shall not sinne so ignorantly 1 Pet. 1.14 Hereunto referres that exhortation of the Apostle As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance before conversion a man walks in darknesse and as the wise man speaks Prov. 4.19 Joh. 12.35 he knows not at what he stumbles An unconverted age is a dark age a man sins and he knows it not but after conversion God puts a light into the soul whereby he shall be able to see into the mischievous nature of sin 2. Thou canst not commit sin so stupidly and insensibly as formerly Before conversion sin did no more trouble thy conscience then gravel in the fingers of thy glove but now it is as gravel grating in thy bowels before thou waft stupid and as the Apostle speaks thou hadst thy conscience seared as with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seared flesh is unsensible it is your raw and galled flesh which is tender formerly thy conscience was sensible of no sin whereas now if thou doest sin it is as the pricking of a sword into raw flesh before conversion the Law was cast behinde a mans back Eph. 4.17,18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now a godly man sets it before his eyes before thou waft past feeling now sin is as a dagger at thy heart 3. Thou canst not sin so contentedly as in former time heretofore thou wallowedst in sin as a Sow in the mire but now thou art as a Sheep in the mire which would â—aine be in the green medows again I told you formerly Jude 18. that corruption in a godly man it was like poyson in a mans body troublesome and painful but sinne in the wicked it was but like poyson in a toade which was natural before thy conversion thou wast as much content with sin and corruption in thee as a toade that hath poyson naturally in it but now after conversion sinne troubles thee as if poyson were in thy bowels Prov. 13.23 2 Thes 2.12 sinne to a wicked man is his sport and pastime to the godly his grief and burden 4. Thou doest not so fearlesly commit sinne as in times past Formerly thou didst rush into sinne as a horse rusheth into the battel thou hadst not the impression of Gods fear stamped upon thy minde the dread of God did not keep thee from sin but when God hath converted a man he sinnes with more feare of heart then ever he did before and it is worthy your noting that when the Scripture speakes of a converted man it doth not speak of him as forbearing a sinne but fearing of it A good man is one who not only forbeareth idle swearing Eccles 9.2 Prov. 13.13 but feareth an oath And hence godly men are said to fear the command A wicked man may fear the threatening and the punishment but it is only a good man which fears the command and therefore will not sin because it is against a holy law 5 The Spirit will keep thee that thou shalt not sinne so maliciously as thou hast done formerly Before conversion the Scripture speakes of wicked men Judg 15. that the Lord shall convince them of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed The Scripture speaks not only of ungodly men and ungodly deeds but of committing ungodly deeds ungodlily that is after a most ungodly manner after a most wilful and malicious manner But so thou canst not commit sinne after conversion We reade of some who do despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 but a godly man shall never so sinne he may quench the Spirits motions and he may grieve the Spirit but he shall never do despite unto the Spirit A godly man shall never sinne out of malicious wickednesse Psal 59.5 6. Thou canst not do evil as to the maine not so voluntarily as thou hast formerly done before conversion thou didst rush into sinne voluntarily but now thou goest and yieldest to sinne with much unwillingnesse This change doth converting grace make in thee formerly thou didst sinne with all thy will but now there is one part of the will against the other and therefore saies the Apostle With my minde I serve the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.25 whereas before conversion the whole of man was given up to the service of sinne a childe of God when he is converted though he sinne yet it is upon some surprise as Peter rashly denied Christ but a wicked man sinnes deliberately even as Judas betrayed Christ 7. Not so impudently as before conversion then men sinned and were not ashamed as the Prophet Jeremy speakes but now with fear and blushing shame The next Question is seeing this is a blessing in common to wicked men as well as to the godly to be kept from evil then what difference is there between the restraining grace of the Spirit in wicked men Jer. 6.15 and the renewing grace of the Spirit in the godly But this question I shall not now handle but shall reserve it for the next Sermon That which I shall now do shall be to conclude this Sermon with some use of what you have heard Vse If it be so that the Spirit keeps regenerate men that they cannot do the evil they would then from hence see 1. The great misery of those men who are destitute of the Spirit to do this great and good office for them what slaves to sinne are they who are void of the Spirit they are liable to every incursion and invasion which the devil shall make upon them Now the Spirits motions and disswasions they
mariage though it be intensive also to all sorts and conditions of people in the world yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition A man in a maried estate must look to meet with cares and crosses and troubles as the Apostle intimates in the next verse but one to my Text Vers 3. and therefore he gives this advice you that are in a maried estate and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the same why you must weep as if you wept not you must mourn regularly and moderately suppose you meet with troubles and afflictions as a froward wife or if you have a good wife yet no Children by her or if you have they are bad Children or if they be good they die God takes them away from you or if they live they take pernitious courses and are a grief and sorrow and vexation to you why in all these or the like conditions you should so moderate your sorrows as to weep as if you wept not And truly beloved the scope of the Chapter caries the sence this way and from hence I might note to you Doct. 1 1. That a maried life exposeth a man to a great many crosses and troubles either unsutableness of temper and constitution between man and wife the having of bad Children or no Children or Children or wife die these and many more afflictions do sometimes happen in a maried estate 2. From hence I note that people ought to take heed what ever troubles they meet with in this condition that they be not cast down with over much sorrow and grief but I only hint these things by the way And though I believe this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall estate yet because the Scripture is large and speaks in generall terms that he that weeps should be as if he wept not c. therefore I shall rather chuse to handle it in this sence that whatsoever crosses troubles losses or afflictions befalls any men here below they should mourn and wâ—ep as if they wept not that is so regulate and moderate their sorrows that they should not be inordinate or excessive in the same and the Doctrine I shall observe from hence is this Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they be not immoderate or excessive in worldly sorrows either for the meeting with any crosses undergoing any troubles or the losing of any comforts here in the world Whatsoever afflictions you meet with or whatsoever comforts you part with you should take care your sorrows be not immoderate and inordinate In the handling of this it may be I may come near the bosoms of many of you some of you it may be are troubled for want of trading that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths others troubled for losses some for crosses and afflictions some for outward others for inward troubles why in all these conditions you must weep as if you wept not you must have a care of immoderateness and excessiveness in all your sorrows Before I shall discuss those quaeries I intend about this Doctrine I shall first lay down three conclusions concerning it Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall sensibleness of any crosses or afflictions you meet with Beloved God would not have you stupid and insensible under his hand this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not doth allow of naturall sensibleness of any crosse or affliction that befalls us God would have none to be stoically insensible of heart Con. 2 2. Take this Conclusion that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and crosses at one time then they are at another It was the case of David at one time when Absalom was dead he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33 Oh Absalom my Son my Son oh Absalom would to God I had died for thee my Son my Son And yet at another time when his Child was dead in the 2 Sam. 12.20 He riseth up and anoints his face and eats bread and takes patiently the hand of God upon him the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate sorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his stroaks upon you to make your burdens heavier and your bondage greater God deals with us as a Father deals with his Child if the Father sees that the Child beares his corrections kindly he will give him the lesse but if he be stubborn and frets and takes on it will not make the Father lessen his stroaks but to give him more and more so if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in these afflictions he layes upon us it is the way to have them alleviated but if we repine and murmure against God and are immoderate in our sorrows this is the way to have them increased Queries I come now to the Queries which I promised to handle and they are these three 1. When peoples sorrows are immoderate and excessive for worldly afflictions 2. Why a Christian should take heed that his sorrows be not so 3. I shall give you some considerations to allay excessiveness and immoderateness in sorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world For the first Quest 1 First When may a Christians sorrow either for the meeting with any crosses or afflictions Signes of immoderate sorrowing for worldly afflictions or the losing of any comforts here in this world be said to be immoderate Answ I shall lay it down to you in these five particulars 1. Then is your sorrow inordinate and excessive when it laies you under great indisposition of heart to the performance of religious duties when it makes you unfit and indisposed to holy duties and especially these two hearing the word and private prayer First When it indisposeth you for hearing the word of God as in Exod. 6.9 Moses spake unto the Children of Israel but they hearkened not unto him for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage The people were so grieved and over-pressed with sorrow that what Moses spake to them from the Lord they did not regard it because of their afflictions and great bondage Now if ever any sorrow or crosse went so near thy heart as to disturb thee and indispose thee to the hearing of Gods word that hath been an immoderate sorrow And therefore it is a great sin and greatly to be reproved in those that when any of their nearest relations are dead they are so dejected with sorrow as not to come to Church in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward which is very usuall with a great many In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4 The Lord commanded there that there should none be defiled for the dead amongst his people There was a custom amongst the Heathen when any of
you there is a clashing between Gods will and yours as if God did not so well know how to deal with you as you do with your selves else you would quietly submit to his will 3. Another evill cause from whence this immoderate sorrow ariseth is ignorance both of the vanity of temporall things and the reality of spirituall things we discover thereby that we think temporall things to have more worth in them then indeed they have and spirituall things lesse But 2dly As it proceeds from evill causes so it produceth evill effects there are these five evill effects that immoderate sorrow produceth as 1. It prejudiceth your naturall health 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And Solomon tells us a sorrowfull spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 so saies David in Psal 31.10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my bones are consumed 2. It is a blemish to Religion for a Christian to be excessive in his sorrows for the joy of the Lord should be his strength A godly Christian hath alwayes cause of joy unspeakable and full of glory therefore it is a blemish to Christianity to see a godly man overpressed with worldly sorrow it is an aspersion upon Religion for a godly man to hang down his head for the losse of any outward things as if he had no greater concernments to look after no joy nor comfort nor happiness to look after but here in this life 3. It exceedingly indisposeth the heart to holy and spirituall duties it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word and prayer Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage c. Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak 4. Excessive sorrow imbitters those sweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy a thousand mercies are buried under the excessive sorrow for one affliction as in Gen. 37.35 the place before quoted Jacob did so extreamly mourn for Joseph his youngest Sonne which he supposed to be dead that though he had eleven Sonnes and many Daughters and all of them came to comfort him yet he could take no comfort in any of them but resolved that his gray hairs should go down to the grave in mourning for him this one excessive sorrow for Joseph did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy So Esther 5.13 though Haman was admitted to the greatest intimacy familiarity with the King yet all this availed him nothing so long as he saw Mordecai sitting at the Kings Gate in this regard many men discover a temper much like the Hedg-hog which as naturalists tell us hath this property it will gather a great many apples or such like fruit upon his bristles and then go to a Hedge and eat them but it is so mournfull a Creature that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way it will so vex and trouble him that he will throw down all the rest So many men if they meet but with one cross or affliction it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy and take no comfort in any of them 5. Excessive sorrow for worldly crosses provokes God many times to send heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you suffered As I told you before a stubborn Child that blubbers and cries and murmurs under the Fathers corrections will fare the worse and have the more blowes for it so the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions the more crosses and troubles we are like to have And thus I have done with the second question why Christians should take heed of immoderacie and excessiveness in worldly sorrows We come now to lay down some considerations whereby to allay your sorrows but I must leave that till the afternoon I shall onely for the present make a short application of what hath been said and so have done Vse Vse Is it so that Christians should not be excessive in worldly sorrows but weep as if they wept not then this reproves those that can mourn for every crosse that befalls them but yet cannot shed a teare for any sin they commit Many men complain of small inconsiderable troubles and affliction but yet never complain of their sins and corruptions these never trouble them nor come near their hearts they can mourn for that which can but at most prejudice the body and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and destroy their soules 2. I beseech you beloved take heed of being lavish of your teares for worldly crosses or afflictions it is pitty to wash a foul Room with sweet water I must needs tell you teares are too pretious to shâ—d for every trifle it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to wash away your sins for though it is Christs blood alone that can wash away the guilt of sin yet your teares may much conduce to wash away the filth and power of sin When you mourn for worldly crosses then weep as if you wept not but when you mourn for sin mourn as much as you can Be like yee before the Sun that will soon melt and convert into water you that are the Children of God know that you have greater things and of higher concernment to bestow your teares upon then any outward troubles you have daily failings and many sins and corruptions unmortified and unsubdued and the losse of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for your sorrows never run aright but when they run in this Channel when your tears run into the Mill-pond to grind your lusts and corruptions to consume and weaken them then are your sorrows right and regular Lastly Let me intreat and advise you not to mistake in reference to your sorrows to think you do mourn and grieve for sin when it is only for outward afflictions Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are so sad and mournfull and weep so much will be ready to say it is for their sins and failings and corruptions that are too strong for them or the like when indeed it is only for some crosse or outward trouble they have met with therefore do not mistake that sorrow to be for your sins which is onely or especially for some outward affliction you have met with SERMON 2. WEe come now to the third Question which I shall spend this whole Aftemoon upon and that is this to lay down to you 12 considerations whereby to allay and keep under immoderateness and excessive sorrow for any worldly crosses or afflictions and how to keep our selves in the frame and temper of spirit which the Apostle here enjoyns us namely to weep as if we wept not I told you in the morning God would not have us stupid and insensible of his hand in any affliction but yet as we should not be stoicall so neither must we be excessive in our sorrows I have
the world the fitter you are for Gods service The lean Oxe is fitter for service then the fatted Oxe what if God keeps thee low and poor seeing it is to make thee more capable of doing him service why should you be troubled 5. Consider that thou art free from the more cares and incumbrances by how much the lesse the Lord gives thee here in this world for they that will be rich fall into divers snares and temptations 1 Tim. 6.9 Now which is best either to go in a broad way where there is a snare laid for thee or to go in a narrow way where you may go with safety and without danger And therefore beloved if God give you but a small portion here below why then say I have the lesse cares and troubles and snares and incumbrances that rich men are liable and exposed to In Gen. 13.2 t is said Abraham was rich the word in the Hebrew is heavy and so those that are encompassed with riches the Prophet Halbakuk expresseth it by a compassing about with thick Clay they are so loaden with worldly enjoyments that they cannot run the race that is set before them in the way to Heaven 6. Consider that it may be thou hast more peace and comfort and contentedness in the little thou possessest then many times wicked men have in their great abundance you have many times more reall comfort in your scarcity and penury then the wicked have in all their plenty Psal 37.16 A little that the righteous man hath is better then the riches of many a wicked man Prov. 15.6 Beloved those to whom God gives abundance they have every thing neat and necessary about them yet they may have something or other that pinches and troubles them the condition of poverty want and disgrace may be more easie in some respects A Sattin Suit may more gall a rich man then a Russet Coat that a poor man weares does trouble him God doth many times mingle care and trouble with the riches and abundance that wicked men have but now a poor man though he has but a little yet he hath the blessing of God with it Prov. 10.22 The blessing of God maketh rich and he adds no sorrow with it Eccles 4.6 Better is a bandfull with quietness then both the hands full with travel and vexation of spirit A little Estate with peace and contentedness is better then twice as much with sorrow and care Suppose thou art a poor man yet it may be thou hast more comfort in what thou hast then the rich have in their affluence and confluence of all worldly things Now consider with your selves is it not better for thee to wear a Russet Coat and have a sound and healthy body then to be cloathed in Sattin and Purple and have a Leprosie all over thy body Is it not better for thee to enjoy a little with the blessing of God upon it then to have all the riches and abundance of the wicked and to have their care and trouble with it SERM. XI 1 Cor. 7.30 And they that buy as though they possessed not I Come now to direct the use of this Doctrine that Christians ought to take heed that they do not place an inordinate and excessive affection upon the Estates that they have gotten by buying and selling in the world to the second sort of people I promised to speak to and those are such as do buy and sell in the world and have gotten them Estates and possessions and that honestly and justly I have three things to say to you 1. I shall give you some cautelary directions 2. Some astonishing considerations 3. Some usefull admonitions in reference to your Estates justly and honestly gotten 1. I shall begin with the cautelary directions 1. You that have gotten wealth and riches in the world Severall cautelary directions to those that have got great Estates in the world justly I would have you often recollect and call to mind your former poverty in the world before you were rich this the Lord commanded the Israelites to do Deut. 8.2 saies God there to them when you shall live and multiply and go in and possess the Land which I promised to your Fathers then thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee and to keep thee from pride and haughtiness of spirit I remember what Plutark relates of Agathocles that when he was advansed from a Potters Son to be a Prince he would alwayes have his meat served up to him in earthen Platters to humble him in the remembrance of his mean extraction and to put him in mind from whence he came that he might not be lifted up with pride And so beloved you should often call to mind and reflect upon your former poverty and low condition it may be some of you when you came to this City had scarce Cloaths to your backs which now are clad in Silk and Sattin you should remember from whence you came Thus David did in Psal 78.71 He chose David also his Servant and took him from the sheep Folds from following the Ews great with young be brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance This is here mentioned by the Psalmist as a holy meditation to keep his heart humble this is the first direction Direct 2 2. Attribute nothing to your own industry and diligence in your Calling but to the blessing of God upon your endeavours if he hath given thee an increase of riches by thy Trade and the reason of it is this because though a man doth rise up early and go to bed late and take never so much pains in the world yet without the blessing of God Psa 127.2 all will do no good Deut. 8.17.18 Thou shalt not say in thy heart my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth Beloved you must take heed of ascribing your riches to your own industry for without the blessing of God nothing can prosper Hab. 1.16 take heed of sacrificing to your own nets and burning incense to your own draggs because you have gotten wealth in the world 3. Be not proud of those riches that God hath given thee In 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them saies the Apostle that are rich in the world that they be not high minded Vermis divitia um superbia est August Ardua res haec est opiâ—us non â—adere mores Et cum tot 〈◊〉 oesos viceris esse Nâ—mam Martial the worm of pride does often breed in rich mens hearts it is a hard matter to keep your heart low and humble when your Estate is high and to keep pride down when God hath lifted thee up above thy Brethren Ezek. 28.4.5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick thou hast
of exhortation to yield to and pat in practice this Apostolicall Rule to use the world as not abusing of it And the better to set home this exhortation upon your hearts I shall lay down before you these ten pressing considerations by way of motive and Beloved in regard of the coldness of the season I shall very much shorten my meditations and give you only the heads and pith of things 1. If you would use the world as not abusing of it Ten considerations to perswade men to use the world as not abusing of it consider That in abâ—sing the things of the world you do pervert the end of God in giving you the things of the world for the end that God aims at is that every Creature should lead thee to the Creator that thereby you may the more admire his goodness and advance his praise and glory he looks that every blessing he bestowes upon you should be as a Perspective-glasse through which you may have a clearer sight and view of himself though you are at a great distance from him In 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good and to be received with thanksgiving As Doves every grain they pick look upward so should Christians and therefore if thou dost abuse any of his Creatures thou dost pervert the end of the most High God did ordain food for thy use to satisfie thy hunger and not to feed thy gluttony He gave thee drink to extinguish thy thirst and not to provoke thee to drunkenness God gave thee Apparell to cover thy nakedness and to keep thee warm and not to be an instrument of pride in thee and so of any other comfort this is the first Consideration Consid 2 2. To keep you from the abuse of the things of the world consider that thou art not a proprietor but only a possessor of those blessings thou injoyest in the world It is true there is a common Proverb amongst men when they are reproved taxed for abusing the Creatures they will presently reply may not I do with my own what I please why no beloved you may not for you have nothing that is your own they are all Gods As in Psal 50.10,11,12 Every beast of the Forrest is mine and the Cattle upon a thousand hills I know all the fouls of the Mountains and the wild Beasts of the forrests are mine If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulnesse thereof Hos 2 8 9. So that if you abuse the things of the world you abuse that which is none of your own but Gods And you know it is a part of dishonesty to abuse another mans goods All that you have in the world they are but borrowed blessings God only hath a right and propriety in them He does but only lend them to us for our use and keeps the propriety of them to himself If there be any thing amongst all those things we call our own may be properly said to be our own it is our bodies for that is nearest us and yet this is not our own neither for the Apostle saies in 1 Cor. 6.19,20 What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and ye are not your own but you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your spirits which are Gods When a man borrows a thing he that lends it prayes him to use it wel Elisha's Servant borrowing but an Axe to cut down wood and it falling into the water cryed alas Master 't was but borrowed 2 King 6.5 The mercies you have are rather lent then given you shall I wound a man with his own Weapons yet thus thou dost to God when thou abusest any of his blessings Consid 3 3. To keep you from abusing the lawfull comforts of this life consider what was noted before that men are more apt to miscarry in the use of lawfull things then in committing those things that are in themselves simply unlawfull there are more a great many die by surfetting upon wholsome meats then there do by taking of poyson Beloved millions of men miscarry by the use of lawful things Consid 4 4. Consider that it is not so easie for men to repent for the abuse of lawfull things as for the commission of grosse sins they are more easily discernable and the conscience does often check and controle and rebuke men for such notorious and palpable sins but a man may soon miscarry in the use of lawfull things and yet not perceive it Who suspects lawfull things these sins are not so evidently discerned and therefore cannot be so easily repented of Consid 5 5. Consider that the Creatures that you abuse in this world they shall rise up as a witness against you at the last day Jam. 5.3 Deut. 4.26 Your silver and gold shall rise up and witness against you not as if the unreasonable Creatures as silver and gold should by a vocall expression plead against you but when God shall condemn thee he shall declare that he proceeds thus against thee for the abuse of his Creatures that he has given thee as silver and gold riches and possessions in the world The very Creatures that thou hast abused shall be a witness against thee to condemn thee As in Hab. 2.10,11 saies the Prophet there The stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it against wicked men and oppressors at the day of judgement Not as if the stones and timber should have a voice but God shall then say the cries of the very stones and timber in my ears which thou hast gotten by violence does witness against thee And Christ shall then say when he condemns thee the word that hath been so often preached to you in my name inviting and beseeching you to come in and accept of mercy and pardon and you would not hear nor obey but rejected it and cast it behind your backs that word does now witness against you 6. Consider that it is a part of the Creatures curse and bondage to be abused by those that make use of them in abusing the Creatures you make them grone under you I will give you a very full Text for this in Rom. 8.20.21.22 for saies the Apostle the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain untill now The great burden and bondage of the Creatures is then that being created by God to be instruments of his glory and to provoke those that use them to advance his praise they are notwithstanding imployed by wicked men to the dishonour of God and scandall of Religion Under this bondage do the Creatures groan that although they were