nation that did righteously and had not forsaken the statutes of their God they ask of me the ordinances of Justice they draw near to me saying We have fasted and thou regardest it not We see here they take delight in approaching unto God they take delight in Gods Ordinances and seek God early they can do thus and thus and are alive in all performances but that man whose spirit the law hath pulled down and the Lord hath convinced him of his infinite inability to perform the law he cannot see any livelinesse in him unto any performance Let any duty come it kills his heart I should now hear the Word of God but my heart is unprepared and my ear uncircumcised and I cannot hear aright Let an opportunity be offered to pray it kills his heart I should now call upon the Name of the Lord but I have such a cursed heart I cannot pray I cannot speak one right word before God Let an occasion be offered of holy conference it kills his heart alas saith he I want pure language my tongue was never touched with a coal from the Altar my lips have not ability to drop forth savoury speeches I am not able to speak one syllable aright to Gods glory it kills his heart he sees no life at all in him unlesse he can have life from without and ability from without he is dead all is nothing to him the law hath taken away the livelinesse that was in him But he that is not humbled by the law he is alive he hath life in himself it is nothing with him to Pray and go to Church and hear Gods Word it is nothing but thrusting to do the duty he hath life in him to do duties and wait upon God in his ordinances but when the law comes home to him it plainly lets him see that he hath no life in himself to do any good he must seek for life and ability from without else he is a dead man he can do nothing in this case David in this case cannot lookup Mine iniquities are gone over my head I cannot look up Psal 40. Moses he is a man of uncircumcised lips and cannot speak unto Pharaoh Paul cannot do any thing that is good In me dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. And so for the rest of Gods people when the law hath killed them and laid them dead in regard of any performance they must have life from without there is no life at home no grace at home no understanding at home they must go out for all but a carnal man he is alive unto all performances Many a man is like unsavoury salt good for nothing but to throw upon the dung-hill He never received the Holy Ghost and yet he will be inducted into a living and take Pastoral Charge upon him as if he were able to performe the Duty of a Minister and take the Charge of Souls upon him So Ananias will be a husband and Saphira a wife Athalia will be a Queen and Nimrod a King and Abimelech a Judge they are alive to discharge all these duties thus men are alive the Law of God hath not killed their hearts pulled down their spirits it hath not made it appear unto them what wretched cursed creatures they are This is the second thing wherein this livelynesse consists Thirdly This livelynesse consists in a presumptuous hope he conceives that he is justified before God and that God will not damn him but forgive him his sins There is nothing can make a mans heart more full of life then to think that he is righteous before God and that God will not impute his sins unto him there is nothing can make a man more alive then this If they think they are justified before God they have then a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. blessed be God saith the Apostle even the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead So these men have a hope that makes them lively and full of life as a poor man that hath some grounded hope of an Earthly inheritance it makes the heart lively Poverty deads the heart he that hath nothing to maintain himself and those that belongs unto him it deads his heart but if he hath some hopes of an hundred pound a year and his hope is grounded if he hath sure hope of it and he makes no doubt of it it makes his heart full of life so when a man doth believe that he is in a good case that he is delivered from death that he is in the estate of grace when he hath some probability that God hath justified him from sin this breeds an hope in him of an eternal Inheritance and this hope the consideration of it makes the soul full of life There is nothing can make a man more lively then a hope that he is justified before God and that God will not impute his sins unto him Now when a carnal man conceives he is righteous before God and that God will forgive him his iniquities that God will not damn him nor count him a dead a damned man so long as a man doth imagin this he must needs be a lively man he is alive in his own apprehension nay all the delights in the world cannot make a man so ful of life as this hope It is not mens following their pleasure that makes their hearts so full of life as to have hope that the Lord doth not account them dead men that they are justified men and righteous men that they have salvation to shew for heaven and Eternall happinesse to shew for that they shall go to heaven But if now the Law were charged upon a man if he knew that he were a dead man a damned man it would pluck down his spirits and make his spirits dead for all his pleasures It is the conceit that men are justified that makes them so full of life so long as the Law doth not come home to a man and point him out in his colours and make it appear to him that he lyeth under the wrath of Almighty God that the Lord doth account him an abominable wretched creature so long as he doth not apprehend this especially if he have any good gifts and parts and qualities and moral obedience to the Law doing good duties and a general laying hold upon the promises and a hope they belong to him this makes him alive Phil. 3. 9. Paul when he was a Pharisee and did Moral Duties and performed Moral Obedience to the Law of God he thought he had righteousnesse of his own he calls it there his own righteousnesse he so apprehended of himself now this is that which makes men alive when they conceive that they have some Religion and some Grace You shall have many men and women that hate the Servants of God and yet think they are godly men and have Grace and
Life in them We may see it Acts 13. 50. there it is said that the Jews stirred up certain devout and honourable women and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coasts Though they hated Paul and Barnabas yet they are said to be devout and honourable women They imagined they were very Devout they conceived they were Religious How many men and women are there that think they are righteous and they will do many duties and take many good courses in so much that it would pity a man to think they should goe to hell they will be very Zealous they will be very Earnest against Drunkennesse and cry out against the abominations of the times they are marvellous devout and godly and yet a man that is Devout and godly in truth and in deed they cannot abide him but hate him Now if the Law should come home unto them and discover how indeed it is with them it would humble their souls and pull down their spirits and make them dead so that this presumptuous hope that men are in good terms with God and that God will be merciful to them and forgive them their sins this makes them to be alive 2. We come now to the Second thing and that is the Effect of this livelynesse what Effects it works in the heart and the Effects of this Livelynesse are Four 1. First It makes them sound and heart-whole like a boyl unlaunched it is yet sound The true sight of sin and wrath of God in the soul is able to break the heart of any man it is able to dead his spirit and kill all the livelynesse that is in him and make him have little life to go on as he doth But so long as the Law of God is not come home to a man though he have no title to heaven though hell be the portion of his cup yet he is as sound as can be as heart-whole as may be let carnal comfort come he can take it let pleasures come he is able to delight himself therewith and go on in his course as if he ailed nothing Prov. 18. 14. the Wise man saith the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear When the Lord comes to wound a mans heart with the sight of his sins and the fearful condition he is in what a cursed creature he is having no mercy and being out of Christ having no pardon no grace no holinesse but lyeth under the curse of God If the Law thus come home and wounds his Conscience he is not able to bear it this man let carnal comforts come he is not able to take them it kills the heart Look as it is with the Stomack if it can take meat and digest it it must needs be alive for if the Stomack be dead it can digest nothing So for the tast if a mans palat and all the instruments of the tast be dead he takes no delight in any meats so there is a kind of soundnesse in the Soul that is the reason why a man can delight in carnal pleasures in Drinking and Sporting and in Profit and Gain There is a kind of soundnesse and livelinesse in the heart the heart is not yet broken If the Law come and take the hearts life away this wil pull down the heart it will make a mans heart even break it will pull down his spirit But a man whom the Law hath not yet humbled and shewed him his damned estate his heart is yet whole and sound When the Law of God had but a little killed Ahabs heart you might see it in his very gate he went softly he could not tread so confidently upon the ground as he was wont to do it tamed his very steps it is wonderful how his heart was broken it appeared in his very going up and down When the Law comes home to a man it is able to kill his heart and makes him Soul-sick and makes him cry out O the wretchednesse of my heart it makes a man sick at the heart it lyes like a heavy Plague upon the heart and conscience it will make a man sick of his sins it will make him even at deaths door with his sins it will make him say with Paul when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed But another man though he hath evident demonstration that he is a dead man yet the Law of God hath not pulled down his heart sicknesse will pull down a mans Stomack so when the Law of God comes home to a mans Conscience and makes him sick it makes him yield and pulls down his Stomack Many men are crazy and sickly and yet they lye not by it but walk up and down and go abroad but if they were heart sick it would pull them down and make them lye by it So many a carnal man may have some qualms of sin but yet their hearts can go abroad after profits and pleasures after vanities and delights they can goe abroad for all this But when the Law comes home it will pull down a mans spirit and make him heart-sick This is the meaning of that place The whole need not a Physician but the sick Mat. 9. 12. Every carnal man so long as he is not humbled and broken under the sight of his sins his heart is yet whole his spirit is yet sound he is not yet wounded as the Prophet Isaiah speaks Isa 1. 6. from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption there is no soundnesse in him He is indeed full of wounds but the skin is yet sound it is not broken he feels it not the Law hath not yet discovered his estate unto him This is the first effect of this livelynesse it makes men to be sound and heart-whole 2. The Second effect of this livelynesse when a man is alive in the non-appearance of his dead and damned estate alive in performance alive in presumption and self-justifying and self-hopes The effect of it is that he is fearless the more lively the more fearless First the Object must dead the heart before it can make the heart fear so long as the heart is stout the livelynesse that is in the heart is able to keep out fear So the livelinesse of a sinner makes the heart fearlesse and secure A man would wonder how any creature durst provoke God it is almost beyond the reach of true reason how any creature should dare to provoke God to consider what infinite danger he is in to have the wrath of the God of heaven and earth to hang over his head to be under the hand of revenging Justice to pull down all the Woes and Plagues and Comminations of God upon the Soul that a man should do this and yet be secure it would make a man wonder at it But a man that hath this livelynesse he can provoke God and yet be
secure as Job 12. 6. those that provoke God are secure the reason is the Law of God hath not taken down their hearts the Law of God hath not deaded their spirits they are alive in presumption and imagination and therefore though they provoke God they are secure and fear nothing It is the disquietnesse of a mans heart that makes him fear therefore so long as a mans mind is quiet and is not disturbed he is fearlesse So long as the Law hath not disquieted a mans mind nor broken the rest of a mans Soul nor disturbed his conscience but tells him go on in quiet he spends his dayes in security he fears nothing whereas fearfulness and trembling and horrible dread would overwhelm him if the Law of God should come and take away his life it is fear that deads a mans heart as we may see Matth. 28. 4. when the Angel of the Lord roled away the stone from Christs Sepulchre it is said For fear of the Angel the Keepers trembled and became as dead men There is the effect of fear if the law did but open mens eyes and paint out before them how it is with them how they are liable to Gods wrath and under the sentence of condemnation if they were once thus feared it would make them seem as dead men the drunkards would be so afraid that they would become as dead men All wretched men all ungrounded Christians all that are not truly alive towards God it would make them become as dead men and it is the deadnesse of the heart that makes men fear and such a man cannot be secure Carelesnesse and fear are two contraries as Ezek. 30. 9. In that day shall Messengers go forth from me in Ships to make the carelesse Ethiopian afraid and great pain shall come upon them The Prophet there makes these two contraries they shall be full of fear to rouze them out of security so the cause why men are carlesse to get repentance carelesse to get deliverance from sin carlesse of their walking with God the reason is because of this damnable livelinesse that is in their hearts they are not yet deaded by the law 3. Thirdly Another effect of this livelinesse is this it makes the heart stiffe what a deal of stiffnesse is in the hearts of carnal men let God forbid sin they are stiffe and will still continue in their sins as the Prophet speaks the hearts of this people is waxed stiffe their hearts are marvellous stiffe the reason of it is because the law of God hath not taken away their livelinesse it hath nor humbled their hearts and pull'd down their spirits whereas if the law had past upon them and the consideration of their estate were rooted in their minds it would make their stoutness to yield and their stiffenesse to come down infinite is the stiffnesse of a man for want of this work of the law tell a vain gallant of his locks how stiffly will he reason for it Tell a prophane person of the lewdnesse of his course how stiffly will he argue for it This is for want of this killing work of the law 4. Fourthly The last effect of this livelinesse is this it makes the heart peark and brisk what a deal of brisknesse and pearknesse do we see every day in the hearts of men because their hearts are not taken down I will give you two or three Instances If a man have a little knowledge more then others he is proud and brisk and peark and he will be some-body he will be talking and thinks he hath such a deal of knowledge what is the reason of this that he is so peark It is because the law hath not made it known unto him that he knows nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. there saith the Apostle If a man thinks he knows any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know If the law of God did shew him he were a beast and a bruit for all his understanding if it did discover unto him his blockishnesse and blindnesse and ignorance that he knows nothing of the mysteries of Grace and Salvation this would pull down his pearknesse take another man that hath more knowledge and can speak better a thousand times if the law hath shewed him his estate and truly humbled him all his brisknesse is taken away the law hath taught him such a lesson that he cannot be peark Oh! saith he I know nothing there is no man more foolish then I I have not the knowledge of the most high in me though he have never so much knowledge and gifts and parts yet the law hath discovered his estate unto him and pulled down the pearknesse of his spirit Again another man is ready to carp at every word every little occasion will make him on the top of the house his heart is so brisk that it is up upon every little occasion but when the law comes home unto him this will pull down all his pearknesse alas he angry at a word speaking The law hath told him how he hath offended God and provoked his Spirit from time to time he is now cooled from being so peark to be angry at every word So take a man that is full of pleasure and voluptuousnesse and is ready to be vain and foolish every pleasure puts life into him but now let the law come and be charged upon his conscience and then all his pearknesse is presently down he is not able to look up he seeth so many sins discovered by the law that he is not able to look up Jam. 5. 1. Go to now ye rich men saith the Apostle weep and howle for the misery that shall come upon you If the law were charged upon rich men it would make them weep and howle rich men are fullest of pleasure and delight and farthest from weeping and howling but if the law were charged upon their consciences it would make them weep and howle and have little heart to be so pleasant I come now to the Uses and the First Vse is for Instruction to shew us the reason why there are so many men and women among us that think themselves alive that are so secure and fearlesse and carelesse that have their hearts so sound and their spirits so unbroaken the reason is because the law hath not yet come home and killed their hearts 2 Cor. 3. 6. The very letter of the law is able to kill as many of us as are in this estate and condition therefore the cause of this livelinesse and security is because we are strangers from the law of God our eyes were never open to behold it the law of God never came home unto our hearts The Second Vse is this When we find our hearts to be brisk and peark let us pray unto God that he would be pleased to charge his law upon our Consciences Let us buy precious eye-salve that we may be able to look into the law of God
Law and Commandment of God as those to whom the Law comes it eggs a man forward and maks him itch unto Rebellion If a man had asked Paul before whether he had such a devillish heart against God he saw no such matter he never meant God any hurt when he went on in his course he thought not that he was so stubborn and rebellious he did not feel this stubbornnesse and rebellion But when the Law came once it shewed him the venome and cursed nature of his sins 3. The Third life of sin is the worst of all and that is the life of Imputation for here sin is so full of life that it is not only able to discover unto him that he is a sinful wretch and an abominable creature but to bind him over to wrath and send him to hell and everlasting destruction Now it is the Law of God that discovers this life of sinne before the Law comes a man hath many vain hopes that God is merciful and Christ dyed for sinners and that God will forgive him his sins he doth not see the imputation of sin the imputation of sin lying upon the Soul is not clearly discovered before the Law come for where there is no Law there is no imputation of sin Rom. 5. 13. there saith the Apostle unto the time of the Law was sin in the world but sin is not imputed while there is no Law Before the Law is charged upon the heart the heart never dreams of the imputation of sin as if he should answer for sin and be damned for sin for ever He thought the contrary before but now the Law discovers the life of sin unto him and sin revives and appears to have life to damn him for evermore Sin now appears to have life to cast him off from God and to bind him over to Everlasting vengeance Thus it was with Paul when the Commandment came sin revived I saw sin was alive indeed and I saw the life of aggravation I saw the hellish nature of sin it was painted out to the full I saw the life of irritation I saw the infinite egging and itching of sin how it did work in me I saw the life of imputation how all my sins were imputed unto me and did all lye upon my conscience and so sin revived that is the meaning Now for the meaning of the Second word I dyed that is I saw I was a dead man I saw plainly and clearly that I was but a dead man I thought I was alive before because I did good duties and walked in the Ordinances of God and I thought that I might goe for a Christian and servant of God as well as another I did not think I was a dead man I thought I had some goodnesse in me some hope of eternal life in me I did not conclude that I was a dead man But when the Law of God humbled me and discovered my estate plainly unto me then I saw I was a dead man indeed my heart failed me and the livelynesse that was in me before departed from me I saw I was a dead man and had not the Spirit of Christ come and quickned me I had been a dead man to all eternity I now saw that sin began to revive in me and I began to be a dead man Thus we see the meaning of the words Now the Theame I propounded to you was this namely how the Lord converts the will and the first work that prepares a man hereunto is the work of pulling down the will and the pulling down of a mans heart for the will of man is full of obstinacy full of livelynesse against the truth and Commandment of God full of livelynesse in sin and conceives it self to be in a better estate and condition and so the will is obstinate still Now when it pleaseth God to convert a man first he pulls down the will of a man and pulls down his Spirit now here is a Doctrine to make way for this Namely that when the Lord takes a man in hand to pull him down to pull down his will he doth shew him what a dead Creature he is The Lord by pronouncing a man in his own Bosom a dead man a damned man one that can no way help himself he is dead absolutely dead in his own estate and in Gods account all his hopes are rotten he is meerly a dead damned man hereby the Lord pulls down his will We may see this in Paul before his Conversion his will was full of obstinacy and rebellion against God he would go and make havock of the Church he would not submit to the will of God but when the Lord came to work upon him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks What wilt thou that I shall do Lord saith he Act. 9. 6 Now his will is come down but mark how the Lord puts him off go to such a place saith he and there it shall be told thee what thou shalt do The Lord puts him off and would not give him an answer presently what he should do as who should say thou hast as yet an obstinate will thou wilt not do as I command thee I will not tell thee as yet what I will have thee to do but go to such a place and I will Arrest thee there and charge my Law upon thy Conscience and shew thee thy dead and damned estate And now his will is come down he bids him be Baptized and he was so he bids him go and Preach the Gospel and he did so now his will is come down So the prodigal his heart was marvellous obstinate against his Fathers commandement he would be gone from his father he could not abide to stay in a house where there were such strict courses he would have his goods and patrimony in his own hand as it is the property of every carnal man he would have his Inheritance in his own hand he would have power and strength and ability and these gifts and parts in his own hand But when he is humbled by the Law he is content to have all in Gods hand he is content to have all his wisdom there that he may come thither for it he is content to have all his righteousnesse there and all his ability strength and sufficiency there that he may come thither for it all is there and he sees himself a beggar if he comes not to God and keeps close to God and keeps fast to his Covenant he is a very beggar But this man would have all in his own hands and goe and squander away all upon his lusts and pleasures and he would not stay at home with his father Now when the Law of God came home to him to shew this man to himself when he came to himself as the Text saith his father did esteem him a dead man before But when he came to himself and saw he was a dead man for going
law and was able to speak of the points of Religion better then a thousand millions of carnal men he had the literal knowledge of the law Thirdly It is taken in regard of the moral obedience to the law and so wicked men are said to be without the law as we may see 1 Tim. 1. 9. The law is not given to a righteous man but to the lawless and disobedient wicked men are lawless they live as if there were no law drunkards and prophane persons as they are said to live without God in the world so they are said to live without law as if there were no law to bind them they are people that are not to be held within any compasse they take notice of no command to rule in their hearts and rectifie their lives and in this sense Paul was not without the law neither for he lived after the most strict and exact sect of the Pharisees Phil. 3. 4 5. If any man think he hath whereof he may trust in the flesh I much more circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee he was one that fasted and curbed himself yea he kept two Fasts a week as those Pharisees did that were of the better rank he prayed daily and performed the duties of Religion and there was no outward ordinance of the Law which he performed not he was one that was conformable to the letter of the law according as he understood the Law he was morally obedient to the Law he was no extortioner nor unjust person no he did the works of the Law and those things contained in the Law nay there was no body that could challenge him with any blame none that were familiar with him could say any thing to tax him withal when he was in his ignorance and blindness therefore in this sense he was not without the Law Fourthly Therefore in the Fourth place we are said to be without the Law in regard of the spiritual sense of the law and so Paul was without the law he did not clearly understand the divine and spiritual sense of the law he did not see the glory and the beauty of the law of God how it did discover all the breaches of righteousness how it reached to all the inner parts how contrary the law of God was to all his nature thus Paul understood not the spiritual nature of the law he had not the spiritual understanding of the law and thus he was without the law 2. Now for the other words I was alive once 1. It is meant here spiritually towards God he doth not mean naturally for he was alive naturally both before and after the commandment came but the meaning is he did not think himself to be such a wretched cursed creature as he was he thought he had the fear of God in him and true obedience in him he thought he had a spiritual kinde of life as we may see Rom. 6. 11. Ye are dead saith the Apostle to sin but are alive to God in Jesus Christ And Rom. 7. 13. Give not your members as weapons unto sin but give your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead i.e. As those that have the pure and spiritual life of grace in them so Luk. 15. 24. This my son was dead and is alive again that is spiritually alive again he was a dead creature he was departed from his father which is the fountain of life he was dead in sins and trespasses he was a dead man but now he is alive again he hath spiritual life again 2. To be alive is taken to be conceitedly so alive in his own conceit he hath not true life in him yet he doth imagine that he hath life in him he thinks he hath life and is dead Rev. 3. 1. I know thy works thou hast a name thou livest but thou art dead Here the Church of Sardis did imagine she was alive and others conceived so she seemed to be alive and yet notwithstanding was dead she had no true life in her she seemed to be alive not only in the sight of others but in her own apprehension she seemed to be alive and yet was dead now this is the meaning of the words without the law I was alive once that is I thought my self to be alive I apprehended my self to be no dead man no damned man I thought not my self to be under the wrath of God and one that should perish evermore if I continued in that estate wherein I was I hoped better things of my self I saw these signs of grace and life in me and I thought I was alive indeed till the commandment came till the law of God was pressed upon my conscience and shewed me the contrary I thought my self to be a very live man and one that had some hope of eternal happiness and one that might enter into glory I took my self to be alive thus we see the meaning of the words Now the Point I intend at this time to insist upon is the liveliness of a carnal mans heart before the law comes home to him and is pressed to him and shews him his damnable estate and that he is dead in sins and trespasses he hath some colour of righteousness that he is moral and civil and orderly and he hath somthing that is like grace and life he hath some hope towards God and hath some kind of obedience he seems to be obedient to the commandment of God before he is humbled by the law of God he is a live creature Here St. Paul shews it by his own example Without the law I was once alive noting out unto us how it is with every unhumbled man with every unmortified man that is not yet converted to God he hath many things to say for himself but he doth not understand the purenesse of the law the law hath not yet killed him it hath not yet pulled him flat down before almighty God a man that is unhumbled by the law of God is a live man he will not be perswaded that he is a dead damned creature he doth apprehend and hope he hath life it is so with men before their conversion they will not believe that they are damned creatures and they think it uncharitablenesse in any to say they are damned creatures and dead creatures they will not believe it so long as the law is not charged upon their consciences so long as they see not how it is with them they do verily apprehend that they have life in them their hearts are not killed their spirits are not dead within them they are not pulled down in the apprehension of their own cursed estates before Almighty God this is the thing I intend to insist upon 2. For the Proof of the point we may see 1 Tim. 5. 5. there the Apostle speaking of Widows that lived in pleasure saith She that liveth in pleasure
this will make our hearts that they will not be so wanton and our spirits that they will not be so brisk though they would never so fain mind earthly things they cannot If the Lord would be pleased but to charge his law upon the heart it would make the stoutest spirit to yield Thirdly This takes away the imputation that is laid upon the Word of God many think hardly of the Word of God it takes away the spirits of men the preaching of the Law it pulls down the spirits of men and breaks mens hearts it makes men have no spirits as they said of Jeremy thou makest the knees feeble so the law infeebles the knees and takes away the spirits of a man why here we see that the law of God will do so it is the property of the law to do so wheresoever it comes it kills the heart and pulls down all the pearknesse of it The law it will ever break a mans bones as David speakes Let me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51. The Lord had broken his very back bone by the law and now he could not rejoyce Isai 57. 15. I the Lord dwell with him that is of an humble contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble when the law of God hath broken a mans heart and made him contrite he is a dead man till the Lord comes to revive him and raise up his spirit I come now to the Second part of the Text When the Commandment came sin revived and I died Here also as in the former part are two things to be expounded First What doth the Apostle here mean by reviving When the Commandment came sin revived Secondly What doth he mean by dying I died When the Law and Commandment came and discovered me to my self and shewed me what a damnable thing sin was and what a wretched dead creature I was for committing the same and how I lay under the guilt thereof sinne revived and I died Therefore what doth the Apostle mean by sin revived I Answer The Apostle doth not mean here as if sin were indeed dead in him before the commandment came for sin is alive in every carnal mans heart before the commandment comes and therefore he cannot mean thus when the commandment came sin revived as if it were truly and really dead before for his sins were not dead in him when he was Pharisee his sins were not mortified when he was in his unregenerated estate and condition sin was not dead in him that cannot be the meaning as if sin were dead before and now revived But he speaks of the Appearance of the death of sin though it were not dead before yet it did appear to be dead as a Snake in cold weather though it be alive yet it appears to be dead the life of it is in a swound though it hath life yet the cold benums it and keeps it from appearing So before the commandment came sin was in Paul but it seemed to have no life but when the commandment came and discovered plainly what a dead creature he was then the life of sin came indeed to be manifested Now the Law of God doth manifest the life of sin Three wayes it manifests three lifes of sin There are three lifes of sin that appear to the soul when the law comes 1. First There is the life of Aggravation the Law of God doth aggravate and point out sinne to the full life of it it makes sinne appear in the true nature of it the true nature of every thing is the life of the thing the nature of a man is the life of a man Now the law did shew him the nature of his sins it painted them out to the very life in their lively colours this made him see how his sins were aggravated what a cursed and damned thing sin was and what a person it was committed against this made sin appear unto him in the very life of it therefore in the 13. vers of this Chapter the Apostle saith Sin that it might appear si◠wrought death in me that sin might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 measure sinful by the commandment that is when the commandment comes and is manifested to the soul it makes the life of sin appear the life of sin is then manifested the Law of God like a glasse doth shew the life of the Commandment and the very nature of all sinning and transgressing Now before the Law came thus home unto him he could not thus see sin he could say he was a sinner and had committed these and these sins But what these sins were and the exceeding sinfulnesse of these sins he did not see that He had a dead kind of picture of his sins before but the life thereof was not manifested but the Law of God did make his sin revive and made him see his sinnes in the life of them 2. Secondly There is the life of irritation as I may so call it or of itching and egging a man This is another life of sin whereby it is full of operation and working in the Soul the operation of a thing is the life of a thing Now before the Commandment came sin seemed dead it wrought indeed many evils in him but he did not think his heart had been so full of life and so full of activity against Gods Law and commandments Sin seemed to lye dead before but now when the Commandment came and set upon his heart and began to charge him with better obedience now his heart grew itching and marvellous full of life unto lust Hereupon sin egged him the more on to lust It is like water when a man goes about to stop it it runs the more violently So it is with sin in the heart the more the Law of God goes about to stop it and hinder it the more eager it is and the more full of life and working as the Apostle speaks ver 8. without the Law sin was dead there was no such working of sin in my mortal body then but when the Commandment came when the Law was charged upon my heart then sin took occasion hereby to be the more violent and work in me all manner of Concupiscence before I committed sin without any check I had vain thoughts and foolish courses and many a lust in my soul and I went to it as if it had been a good thing not as if it had been evil But when the Law of God came to shew me the slacknesse of my obedience and to controle me and convince me and to stop the course of sin it wrought all manner of Concupiscence in me it wrought before in Paul for it wrought all his security and all his hardnesse of heart and all his vain thoughts and imaginations but this was but a dead kind of working in comparison of that which it wrought after the Commandment came There are none that have such active Rebellions against the
away from his father the Father of life Now his will is come down I will go to my father and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired servants Luke 15. 17. Here his will is come down he would be gone from his father before he could not abide to be held in so strictly he would fain be gone and be at liberty he had no mind to stay in his fathers house But when he came to himself when the Law shewed him he was but a dead man for going from his father and going after his lusts and pleasures now his will is brought down and it submits and yields and now he will go to his father and humble himself before his father aud say Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee c. Now I desire here to shew you Three things as I did in the former point First Wherein this deadnesse consists Secondly What be the effects of this deadness and how it pulls down the heart And Thirdly The Uses we are to make of it 1. For the First Wherein this deadnesse consists and it consists in Three things First In deadnesse in being Secondly In deadnesse in Gods account Thirdly In deadness to all doing 1. First It consists in deadnesse in being When the Law comes it shews a man indeed to be a dead man 2 Cor. 3. 6. the letter killeth saith the Apostle the very letter of the Law without the Spirit of life which Christ doth inform it with when he comes to work upon his children The letter alone without the Spirit of God kills a man now when a man is killed he is a dead man he is then fully dead he hath the very being of a dead man he is a dead man that is his Estate and Condition So when the Law of God comes home to a man it shews him indeed that he is a dead man The property of the Law when it is let in to work upon the heart is to slay a man I have flain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6. 5. The Law which proceeds from Gods mouth is able to slay a poor sinner and kill him at the heart and lay him for dead before Almighty God that he can strive no more the reason is because the Law doth charge the truth of God upon a man Now the Truth is that every sinner is a dead man this is the very Truth of it Rom. 8. 6. To be carnally-minded is death That man is a dead man there is the very death of sin and hell and condemnation in that man that is a Carnal-minded man Now the Law of God when it comes doth Charge this Truth upon the Soul it discovers a man to be in this estate and condition wherein in truth he is 2. Secondly It consists in deadnesse in Gods account For all a mans presumptions for all a mans vain hopes that he is justified for this is the nature of man before he is convinced by the Law of God to justifie himself you are they that justifie your selves not that he is indeed justified but he falsly applies justification to himself and he hopes he is justified before God he is apt to pronounce this hope unto himself let a Minister tell him of his sins here is his Salve God is merciful and Christ came to save sinners Let Sermons beat upon him from day to day to humble him he cannot imagine that he is in a damnable estate Preachers are too harsh and censorious and the like But when the Law comes it shuts up a man that he cannot get out as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3. 22. The Law hath concluded all under sin that is the nature of the word of God to shut up a man that a man is not able to get out before the law is charged the heart hath a thousand starting-holes Denounce hell and damnation against it it hath this starting-hole that Christ dyed for sinners discover plainly that he is a dead man he hath these starting-holes he hopes he shall have peace and he hopes he is not so vile before Almighty God and he hopes he hath better righteousnesse then you would bear him down with and so he hath an evasion to get out but when the Law comes and shuts him up this will tame him As we use to tame Lions and Bears and such like fierce and cruel creatures by shutting of them up so the Lord tames the heart of a poor creature when he would pull him down he shuts him up and layes him in the prison and in the Gaole and he hath no way to get out he is a dead man and there is no way to get out no evasion to escape but still he is a dead man and a damned man he cannot open his mouth any more Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God The Law indeed works thus in the Regenerate though the Lord be pacified towards them yet they shall never open their mouths never cavil against Gods precepts more never be so brisk any more But so long as a man is in his sins the Law doth not only convince him that he is dead in himself but that he is also dead towards God that God accounts him a dead man that God is not pacified towards him but he lies under the wrath of God and this pulls him down and stops his mouth A carnal mans mouth will not be stoped but he will have some thing to say some vain hope or confidence or other some pleading or excusing or other His mouth will never be stoped till the Law of God comes and when that comes that will stop his mouth and make it appear that he is guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. the Apostle saith Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth might be stopped and all the world may be culpable before God But before the Law comes a mans mouth will not be stopped Gen. 20. 3. God came to Abimilech by night and said Thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thou hast taken for she is a mans wife He was a dead man but he little thought it he would not believe that he was a dead man As the Text there speaks of temporal death So it is true of the other carnal men are indeed dead men but they will not believe that they are dead men and damned men they hope for mercy and cry peace peace to their souls but when the Law comes that knocks off all mens hopes and layes them for dead in Gods account 3. Thirdly This deadnesse I here speak of it consists in regard of all manner of doing when the Law of God hath charged it self upon the conscience and
under ground their lives are hidden with God indeed their persons and outward actions and courses may be seen nay wicked men may do those very outward actions which they do they may Pray together with them and come to Church together with them but this new workmanship they cannot see that runs along under ground the world seeth it not neither can they know it because they know not Christ the Author of it Thus we see the second thing namely Why it is so called Now the Third Thing is Wherein this blessed Work doth consist and it consists in Two Things Joh. 1. 12. The Evangelist saith To as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Here be Two Things and both these Regeneration consists of First A Passive receiving of Christ Whosoever receives him Secondly An Active Title to God as to a Father They have power to become the Sons of God First A Passive receiving of Christ To as many as received him for he came to his own and they received him not his own even his own Elect would not receive him till he made them receive him but as many as received him as many as were made passively to receive him did receive him also actively so that this word implyes the Passive receiving of Christ for there is none can receive any thing except it be given him from above Joh. 3. 27. That is except there be first a passive reception of it It is a strange phrase No man can receive Christ till Christ is first received of him he can never take Christ till Christ come into him till Christ ingraft himself into him and him into Christ this is an act of God it is a passive receiving of Christ the reason is because all the Graces and all the Activity of Gods people flowes from this their Faith and all for Faith is an act which receives from the passive receiving of Christ as Paul speaks to the Colossians As you have received Christ so walk in him Faith receives Christ that is an active receiving of Christ but there was a passive receiving of Christ first for a man is in Christ first in a passive manner before he is in him in an active manner Christ hath taken him already before he can take Christ actually This is the first Thing wherein this work of Regeneration consists The Passive receiving of Christ Secondly It consists in having an active power and â—itle to become a Son of God together with Jesus Christ These are the Two Things wherein Regeneration consists I know many Divines branch it otherwise and make Regeneration to consist otherwise First Of Mortification Secondly Of Vivification First Of Mortification Whereby the Spirit kills the Lusts of the Flesh more as Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live Mark here is Mortification and it is done by the Spirit if you through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Secondly There is Vivification that is when a man doth not only die unto sin but rise up again to a new life Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the other work of Vivification when a man is made alive unto God and is made able by the spirit of God to be alive unto God and to wind himself out of death into life by the spirit of the holy One. These be the Two Parts whereof many Divines make Regeneration to consist of but though they beat at the same thing yet I rather make them the Effects and Consequents of Regeneration as flowing from Regeneration this passive work goeth before a man never goeth on in mortifying the works of the Flesh and never raiseth himself up to this heavenly life till he be Regenerated so that regeneration is the first ingrafting of a man into Christ whereby he is alive that he may do all these things it is a power put into him wherby he may believe repent so that Believing and Repentance and Mortification and Vivification are acts of the new creature a man must therefore be a new creature first now this is by Regeneration so that Regeneration consists only of these Two Things First Of a passive receiving of Christ the Son of God Secondly In having a title to be the Son of God and Regeneration doth not only bring a relative change but a real change to a man If you would know the meaning of the phrase A relative change is this when there is a change in a man from that he was before but the change doth not lye in a man as the change of Justification before he was not Justified now he is Justified the man is changed but he is not changed in himself but it stands only in Gods imputation he is not just in himself but by imputation just Now the real change is when God doth purifie and make up the defects in a man more and more that is a real change so that I say Regeneration is not only a relative change whereby God accounts a man as a child but it breeds a real change in a man it gives a man a spiritual Being for the Spirit of God when it comes to work this work is a fruitful principle of all good in that man more and more Therefore the Apostle saith The fruits of the Spirit are joy peace long-suffering c. Gal. 5. 22. 'T is true the Spirit doth not bring forth these Graces till after a man is regenerate but by working that Regeneration which makes the soul to bring forth these fruits and making the heart an honest heart and so a good ground to bring forth these seeds the Spirit is a fruitful principle of all good in that man Thus you see the Third Thing viz. Wherein Regeneration consists Now the Fourth Thing is the Reasons of this Point Why the Spirit of God doth work this work of Regeneration The First Reason is Because it is meerly according to the Will of God Man hath no power at all man hath no activity it is meerly at the pleasure of God whether he will do it or no Jam. 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us he only had an hand in it he only did it and it was meerly at his good Will and Pleasure he might have chosen whether he would have done it or no it is no fruit of our liberty it is no brood of our breeding it is meerly the free act of God in a man Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me except the Father draweth him There Christ sheweth it this bringing of a man to be in Christ it cannot be from any man except the Father draw him except he send forth his heavenly Spirit he can never come to Christ all our sufficiency is from God we cannot so much as think a good
discovered to a man that he is a dead and a damned man It makes it now appear unto him that he is utterly unable to do any thing he is in the depth of misery and he is unable to cry mercy aright he is not able to make a prayer no more then a dead man he seeth he can no more keep a Sabboth as he ought than a dead man So for any duty of Religion he seeth he hath no more life to do it then a dead man hath to do the actions of the living as the Apostle speaks Gal. 2. 19. I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God God made St. Paul alive unto him but first he charged his Law upon his Conscience and made him seem to be a dead man to the Law That he had no life or activity to do any thing pleasing to God but when the Lord made him alive to himself then he could do something nay he was able to do all things through the Lord Jesus Christ that strengthned him But in himself both still and before he was altogether dead to the Law of God so that when the Law comes and shews a mans estate unto him it shews him his utter inability to the performance of any good duty The Pharisee will to the Temple as well as the Publican Saul will sacrifice as well as Samuel Prophane people will take up the Ordinances of God as if they had life to go through them as well as the people of God But when the Law comes it plainly convinceth a man it makes him feel and understand that he hath no activity or life to performe any thing pleasing to Almighty God a dead man can do nothing he is cut off from all the actions of the living dead men they cannot devise ought they cannot purpose ought they cannot work ought So when the Law of God is charged upon a man and shews him that he is but a dead man and a damned man now he seeth he can as well create a world as make a prayer he can as well remove a Mountain as do any thing acceptable to God Such a man will say I am a dry tree and cannot grow I am lost in the wildernesse of sinne and cannot get out again Thus we see wherein this deadness consists 2. Now I come to shew you the Effects of this Deadnesse how it pulls down the heart this will pull down the heart of a man marvellously when the Law chargeth this upon him that he is but a dead man though the will of man be infinitely unruly it is wild it is like the mad man in the Gospel that the Divil was in no man was able to bind him no Chains were able to hold him no Creature could tame him Mark 5. 34. So it is with the will of an unregenerate man his will is marvellous wild he breaks all bonds and snaps all cords in pieces and casts off the yoak from him Let God bid him do this he will not do it let him be in a good mood he is presently out of it again let him be convinced of his vain hopes and let him see what a wretched creature he is he will have vain hopes again his will is infinitely unruly and desperately wild the very Divel in hell hath the rule of it it is full of life against God and his Commandments and will never yield while the world stands till now the Lord comes with his Law and shews a man that he is a dead man and a damned man and shews him that he is under the wrath of God the Law is able to do this as the Apostle speaks Rom. 4. 15. The Law causeth wrath It makes a man appear to lie under the wrath of God under Gods everlasting displeasure and in the mouth of hell and damnation and if God be not merciful to him and more merciful then to a world of men he seeth he is a dead man utterly lost and undone for ever now this will make his spirit yield and make his heart begin to come in as the Psalmist speaks concerning Princes He shall cut off the spirit of Prince he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76. 12. Kings and Princes have stout Spirits now when the Lord sends but a little terrour into their hearts he is able to snib their spirits for all their security and for all the height of their magnanimity he is able to cut off all by sending his terrour into their hearts so the Law sends terrour into the heart Can there be a greater terrour then to have the Law denounce a man to be a dead man and that the wrath of God is gone out against him and that he lyeth in the very mouth of all the Canons of the fury of the most High This will break the heart of a man if his heart were made of brass this would break it Look as it was with the Moabites 2 Sam. 8. 2. They were stout against David and would not yield and submit unto him but when David smote them and measured them with a cord and cast them down to the ground when he measured them with two cords to put them to death and with one full cord to keep them alive then saith the Text the Moabites became Davids servants and brought him gifts So it is with a prophane creature whilest God lets him goe on he is stout and will not serve God but his will is altogether crosse and contrary to Gods will and Commandements he will not take up those courses that God commands he will not submit himself to the precisenesse of the Gospel his will is infinitely crosse in this kind and marvellous obstinate But if the Lord takes him in hand and charge his Law upon his conscience he puts such terrours into his heart that he is willing to submit unto God upon any tearms I confesse the Law cannot do this of it self it cannot thus bring down the will of a man and mortifie a mans sins For if the damned in hell were let loose again to live here upon earth they would forget all their former Plagues and Torments and sin would revive again in them The Law of it self can only lay some in a swound it will up again if it be loose the law cannot do this of it self but I speak now of the law as it is Gods Instrument Hereby he pulls down the heart of a man and pulls down his Spirit labour will pull down any mans spirit when a man is in labour and pain and affliction it will make a mans Stomack come down as we may see Psal 107. 11 12. Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord therefore he humbled their heart with labour and heavinesse then they fell down but there was no helper Before they were stout against the Lord and would not hearken unto him and obey his Commandments now the Lord brought down their heart But how did he bring them down he pulld
them down by laying labours upon them labour and torment and heavinesse pulled down their hearts So when the law makes the heart labour under the wrath of God it lyes labouring and quaking and shaking and weltring and bleeding under the wrath of God this pulls down the will And now I come to speak of the Effects it works in doing of it 1. The First Effect is this it casts the heart into those woful privations we read of there are abundance of comfortable things which the man which is alive in his own conceit thinks himself to have Now when the law comes to dead him it knocks him off from all those comfortable things he seemed to have whereas he seemed to have some admittance to God in prayer he could pray to him before but now he sees he is an out-cast and dares not lift up his eyes to heaven Before he hoped that God would have merey on him and that he had some interest in Christ and hope of salvation but now he seeth he is lost Before he seemed to have liberty and freedom he could do this and that and had a thousand evasions but now he sees himself a meer captive before he thought he had some riches some goodnesse but now he seeth he is but a poor begger before he had some Fig-leaves to cover him but now he seeth he is altogether naked before he was heart-whole and sound he had peace and comfort and quietnesse within him but now he is altogether broken This is the effect of this deadnesse it brings all these privations into the soul death is a privation it self and it brings a hundred privations with it even a privation of all the priviledges of the living this the Law doth when it comes All this while the Soul is lost and captived and poor and blind and miserable and naked and an out-cast it is utterly undone and altogether unable to help it self and this as it doth make a man an object of the Gospel one for whom Christ dyed as it points out such a man so there is a Finger of the Gospel in it also when the soul understands the goodnesse of the Gospel and sees it self to be lost for want thereof yet notwithstanding the first stroke is given by the Law the first stroke that casts the soul into this privation is done by the Law and if the Lord means to convert there the Gospel begins Luke 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind that I should set at liberty them that are bruised When the Law hath humbled a man and thus brought down his will then begins the work of the Gospel As we use to say of natural Philosophy where natural Philosphy ends there Physick begins So where the Law ends the Gospel begins Thus we see the first Effect of this deadnesse 2. Secondly When the Law hath done this when the deadnesse the Law hath wrought hath produced this effect then the next Effect is this the Law holds the heart there when a man is dead the effect of death is to hold a man there There is no redresse no return without the Almighty power of God there is no return to his former life So when the Law hath deaded a man it holds a man there though a man would never so fain get out he cannot he will be snatching at a Christ and looking at the promises and be presuming that there is mercy for him he would fain be brisk again But if the Law hath killed him and made him a dead man he cannot get out Rom. 7. 6. the Apostle saith We are delivered from the Law being dead unto that wherein we were holden St. Paul could not get out to his livelynesse again but the Law held him So it is with the Law when the Law of God hath humbled a man and made him a dead man it holds him there let the Divel come with all the comforts he can there is no evasion let his vain neighbors bring what Scriptures they can to cheer him there is nothing can lift that soul up let all profits and pleasures come they cannot take off his heart they cannot make him alive again unlesse it please the Lord to quicken and revive him 2. The next Effect of this deadnesse is that it makes the heart stiff when the body is dead all the members are stiff the beatings of the pulses cease and all are stiff So when a man is killed by the Law it makes his head stiff it breaks off all his arguing and reasoning and disputing against the Law of God That is against my profit and that is against my pleasure and that is against my credit thus the heart is full of life activity before But when the Law comes and shews him he is a dead man now he is not able to stir now he can say what if it be against my profit and pleasure what if it be against my credit what if men make a mock at me I am a dead man if I live not in this course Psal 36. 12. there saith the Text They are fallen that work iniquity they are cast down and shall not be able to rise So when the Law of God comes and preacheth righteousnesse to a man and shews him against whom he hath sinned it makes him a dead man he cannot stir any more if the Divel bids him reason for his lusts he dares not do it if his old company perswade him to his former life and conversation he dares not do it Isai 41. 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the God of Jacob. You could be reasoning and pleading for your lusts let us now hear your strong reasons and arguments Now this man is a dead man and a damned man he hath no reason no plea to alledge to go on in his former course this man is killed now 4. Fourthly This deadnesse makes the heart yield before the Law comes the heart is marvellous obstinate but now when the stiffnesse of it is gone and the Law hath made him a dead man now he will yield 2 Chron. 30. 8. As Hezekiah speaks Be not now stiff-necked as your fathers but give the hand to the Lord and come into his Sanctuary So when the Lord hath broken the neck of a mans stiffnesse and hath broken his back-bone that he cannot stand stiffly out and hath taken away his livelynesse which was his whale-bone as it were to uphold him in his strength and courage and in his sins Now his heart is made to yield to God he cannot now but yield to the Lord. Thus it is with a poor creature when the law works upon him he cannot stand out any longer It is most true before the Lord converts a man he doth take away
seed is sowen in all mens hearts scattered among all the Congregation but yet it doth not Regenerate all the Congregation the Reason is where the Spirit comes that makes it fruitful and that makes it to quicken the heart and thus you see the meaning of the words That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Now here are Two Points First That the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost Regenerates all the people of God whosoever is born again is born of the Spirit The Second Point is this That all that are Regenerate all that are born of the Spirit they are Spirit that is they are spiritual they are like the Spirit The First is That it is the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost that doth Regenerate all the people of God this is that which makes them to be new Creatures to be new men to be altogether different from that they were before this is that which doth distinguish them from themselves even as much as white from black this is that which doth alienate them from the courses of the world this is that which doth make them to be singular and odde fellows as if they were of another mould this makes them lead a different kind of life and follow a different kind of way from all their neighbors because the Spirit of God works in them as Ishmael and Isaac though Ishmael was born after the flesh yet Isaac was born after the Spirit as the Apostle alludes Gal. 4. 23. that is one took one kind of course the other another one was born one way the other another way the Spirit begat one the Flesh the other and this made Ishmael to persecute Isaac because Isaac could not abide his courses they were of different Natures and Dispositions one was born after the Spirit the other after the Flesh Now here be Six Things I would shew unto you First What Regeneration is Secondly Why it is so called Thirdly Wherein it consists Fourthly The Reasons why the Spirit of God only works this work Fifthly How he works it And Lastly The Vses First What Regeneration is And it is thus much namely The renewing of the whole man and by degrees completed after the Image of God in Jesus Christ This is Regeneration and there be Five Things to be opened in it First That it is the renewing of a man It is not every change there may be abundance of changes and alterations and yet a man for the main may be the same man he is a man may be changed from a Drunkard to be sober from an Adulterer to be chaste yet still he is the same man he was before though there be changes wrought in him but Regeneration is the renewing of a man the making of a man another man as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are passed away and all things are become new The Lord doth take away the old frame and the old affections and the old inclinations the old acquaintance the old course and conversation all these things passe away and the Lord puts in new things in the room thereof till all things become new thus it is in this work as the Apostle speaks Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost the Lord removeth the old rubbish and puts a new fabrick in the room as a Goldsmith he takes a vessel of dishonour and melts it and makes it a vessel of honour God doth undo the old workmanship and makes a new as David saith Create in me O Lord a clean heart c. Psal 51. 10. David thought he had lost all therefore he prayeth to God that he may be new cast that he may be taken all to pieces as a VVatch-maker takes a VVatch that is out of order he takes it all to pieces and sets it together anew again so he prayes God to deal with him he had lost all in sense and feeling and would have God make him a new workmanship it is called the renewing of a man Ezek 11. 19. there is an excellent place I will give them a new heart c. The Lord puts out and he puts in even just as a Suister doth when she works cut-works she puts out the cloths own threds and puts in needle-work so the Lord puts out the old heart and puts in a new heart he takes out that which was stark naught and puts in that which is good and agreeable to his mind the old heart is corrupt and the old man is stark naught there is nothing good in it these the Lord takes out and puts in all new A man is altogether naught and reprobate before what poor creatures are all people that are not Regenerate they are all proud and vain and foolish and wordly and earthly and harden their hearts and are carelesse of Gods wayes they have no fear of God before their eyes they are altogether rotten how ill-favouredly do they pray how worldly do they go on in their callings how unfruitfully do they come to Church they are all rotten and refractory they do nothing that right is now when the Spirit of God doth make them up he puts out all old things and makes them new This is the First thing Regeneration is the renewing of a man Secondly As it is the renewing of a man so it is the renewing of the whole man It is not only in some things for Saul was another man in some sense but Regeneration is the renewing of the whole man as the Appostle saith The God of peace sanctifie you throughout in body soul and Spirit 1 Thess 5. 23. it is a work upon the whole man our Saviour Christ compares it to leaven which a woman took and leavened the whole Lump It is like unto Original sin as Original sin infects the whole man so Regeneration doth repair and renew the whole man it is as general and universal as original sin the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse Ephes 5. 9. It is in all goodnesse in the goodnesse of a mans mind and in the goodnesse of a mans affections in the goodnesse of the inclination and disposition in the goodnesse of the whole man the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness indeed it begins in the goodnesse of the mind as the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your minds Where he calls upon them for this new work Put off the old man saith he and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds that is the First thing when a man hath a new mind given unto him a new knowledge put into his understanding a man is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. This is the first thing when God reneweth a mans knowledge and apprehension of things when a man begins to know the plagues of his own heart and the evils of all his own wayes now a man begins to see through these things and now he begins
for Grace but there is some of this good new soyl that Grace now can hold and shall hold so that the gates of Hell shall not prevail it is not for any goodnesse of the heart but for the goodnesse of Grace in the heart there may be transient acts of goodnesse in a wicked man as Prayer and such-like transient acts but when the transient act is done there is a conclusion but nature is permanent and an enduring thing it is not only to come to Prayer and then be dead to come to a Sermon and then be dead but it is a permanent thing a man is godly between Prayer and Prayer and religious between Sermon and Sermon and in all his wayes he sets himself to be good and well disposed all his dayes God complains against those that give him transient acts of goodnesse Oh Ephraim what shall I do to thee that art as a morning cloud c Thirdly If the Spirit of God hath made a man a new nature then he cannot live in sin as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God sinneth not c. he is born of God and it is against his nature to go on in sin a man cannot go against his nature 't is true a man for a little time may go against his nature as Moses though his nature was mild and meek yet he was transported very much Hear ye rebels and shall I bring water out of this rock he was carried away in his passion but he could not hold on in that strain for it was against his nature so if a man be overcome with any other sin yet when a man is renewed as a Spring clears it self of the mud so this new nature is so opposite and contrary to sin that he cannot go on in sin Fourthly If the Spirit of God hath wrought this work in thee then it is pleasant to thee to do the will of God Look what a man is naturally inclined to it is marvellous pleasant to him to follow it As for example If a mans nature be gluttonous how pleasing is it for him to satisfie his Appetite And if a mans nature be given to Intemperance how pleasing is Excess unto him And if a mans nature be proud how pleasing is it to be flattered and spoken fair to be reverenced and respected at every word A man loves these things a-life because they suit with his nature So if a man have a new nature and partakes of the divine nature how pleasing will Prayer be And how pleasing will the Word be how pleasing will Counsels and Exhortations be how pleasing to be corrected and reproved for sin How sweet are thy words unto my mouth saith the Prophet David Psal 119. 103. As our Saviour saith Joh. 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do his Will that sent me So I have longed for thy Commandments saith David I have loved to know wherein I might glorifie thee and be serviceable to thee Now when it is irksom for a man to obey he cannot abide strictness and preciseness and he counts it a disgrace to him to deny himself in such a thing and he goeth to duty like a Bear to the Stake and he hath no forwardnesse it is a sign he hath no new nature Fifthly If a man be born again Grace will get the upper hand when a man meets with lusts and concupiscence of Soul though they may exceedingly bear a man down for a time and transport a man beyond himself yet in the end Grace will have the victory and prevail 1 Joh. 5. 4. He that is born of God overcomes the world all temptations of the world all pul-backs and draw-backs he that is born of God he will have the mystery so 1 Joh. 5. 18. the Apostle saith The wicked one cannot touch a man that is born of God that is with a deadly touch as he toucheth wicked men he toucheth wicked men so as he infects them and poysons them and carries them away Sixthly He that is born of God he is one that loves the Children of God If there be any Saint in the parish any Child of God there is his affection and bowels most I speak of spiritual affections for otherwise Grace doth not take away nature but set it up having refin'd it But I speak of spiritual love if a man be born of God himself he loves all others that are born of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten If a man loves God that begets he must needs love them that are begotten of God Lastly If a man be born again then a man labours to do good and to spread the Knowledge of Jesus Christ to the glory of God He loves to be communicating that he hath he that hath this Spirit loves to be breathing upon others and would fain seatter his sweet things up and down where he goeth and would fain leave a sweet savour of himself wheresoever he comes this is the nature of him that is born again and regenerate to beget others That man is unworthy to be born by whom another is not born as we say when a man is born again he labours to beget others to God to be generative and fruitful and abundant in doing good up and down he labours to beget his Children and Family to God and to draw his neighbours and acquaintance unto God he would fain have people know Christ and obey him and submit unto him Thus you see the signs whereby we may know Whether we be born again or no CHRISTIANS Ingrafting into CHRIST 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Grecians whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit WEE have spoken of Regeneration which is a work of the Spirit and the first implanting of a man into Christ Now we come to speak of a new work of the Spirit The implanting of a man into the Church the Body of Christ when the Spirit makes a man to be a Member of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and this is done all under one for being once ingrafted in Christ we come to be fellow-Members with all those that are Christs and this we have here in the Text By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body c. The Apostles meaning is this All we that are the people of God we are all one Body and the efficient cause of this is the Spirit of God it is by the Spirit that we are made thus and the instrumental cause though it be not here expressed yet it is implyed and that is Faith and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments First The Sacrament of Baptisme we are baptized into the same Body Secondly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper intimated in
speaks Isa 11. 6 7. Now the Prophet there speaking how Christ means to effect it is to unite these together to make the Lion and the Lamb to have communion together to make the Bear and the Kid to lye down together Mark how he sheweth how Christ will do it in the second verse of the same Chapter the text saith The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him he speaks of Christ that is whereas this requires a great deal of power to do this to make a man to be clean contrary to his nature whenas a mans nature is carnal and wicked and earthly to make him of the Body of Christ therefore saith the text The Spirit of Might shall be upon him c. There is a great deal of Might required to turn their dispositions it is a mighty thing to change a man that is a drunkard a proud person a wicked wretch to turn this man topsie-turvy to make him mind other things to make him clean another man this requires infinite wisdom Therefore the Spirit of Wisdom shall rest upon him to do it and the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord that is the Lord Jesus shall put in the Spirit of Fear into mens hearts and this will turn them this will alter mens minds and conversations Secondly There is none so fit as the Spirit of God to do it For this Body of Christ it is a company of Sons and Daughters that God hath up and down in the world that are able to cry Abba Father now who is so fit to do this as the Spirit of the Son As the Apostle saith That he might redeem them that were under the Law that they might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 5. Fourthly How the Spirit of God doth this and that is Two wayes as the Scripture reveals to us The One is By being one and the same Spirit in all the Members of Christ He comes into them and dwells in them as one and the self-same Spirit and so makes up this union The same Spirit that was in Paul was in Peter and so all the rest of the Members of Christ one and the self-same Spirit is in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwelleth in you Therefore look what Spirit of Faith one man hath another comes to have the same Spirit of Faith as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith with them as it is written I believe and therefore I speak so we believe and therefore we speak Secondly The Spirit doth this by uniting and tying a knot between these Members He doth unite them and make them hang together in one he makes them to be of one heart and of one soul by knitting and combining of their hearts altogether Therefore this fellowship is called the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. Though Paul were far off from Phillippi yet he could adjure the Phillippians by the fellowship of the Spirit But you will say How can this be Can the people of God have communion and fellowship one with another when they are so far asunder one from another and may be never saw one another may be never heard one of another how can this be I say Very well for the Spirit of God hath a long arm and is able to make the people of God shake hands though they be a thousand miles sunder it is the Spirit that tyeth this knot and unites them together As Paul speaks Col. 2. 5. Though I be absent in the Flesh yet I am present with you in the Spirit and methinks I am in your company and meetings when you meet together I see you in my mind methinks and I joy in your order The Spirit makes the communion between the people of God and hence it is that they can love one another because all the Members are tyed together by one knot and they come to help one another and do any thing one for another even by the very love of the Spirit which they have one towards another Rom. 15. 30. The Apostle had some need of the good Romans to help him Now see how he doth intreat help from them he desires them by the love of the Spirit to pray heartily for him he knew that the love of the Spirit would be a great motive to them you know you and I are joyned together by the same Spirit for the love of the Spirit pray for me Thus we see First What this Body of Christ is Secondly What the putting a man into this Body is Thirdly The Reasons why Fourthly How the Spirit doth it Now I come to the Vses And First Is it so that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body Then here we may see the reason of the difference of men in the world The difference of our Congregations some companies that hang together are of one mind another of another mind the reason is they have a different Spirit but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together and the wicked they have another Spirit Secondly Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together in one Body Then that which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder It is spoken in regard of man and wife if it be such a horrible thing to part man and wife then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God this blessed communion of the Spirit what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out When there shall be heart-burnings and strivings between those that are the children of God what a fearful thing is this Is the number of those that fear God so great that we can spare any Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderness Graces that can walk alone and need no help from or can do no good to others Therefore the Apostle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians That the Members of Christ may be of one minde and live in peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Thirdly Here we may see how to try our acquaintance and whether the company we joyn our selves unto be good or no If our company be right the Spirit of God tyeth the knot therefore the Apostle will tell you whether you have the right communion and fellowship or no try the spirits whether they be of God or no saith he If the fellowship we have one with another be not of God if the Spirit of God do not knit us together our fellowship is not right 1 Joh. 1. 3. there is an excellent place That they may have fellowship with us saith he and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ As who should say We would fain have you have fellowship with us and I tell
a Lawyer offer to plead this day he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case and if a minister breake this day he shall be excommunicated half a year and throwne out of the Church and shall not be received into the Church again but upon great humiliation This was the judgment of Divines in all ages and it is the observation of a reverend Divine Musculus upon Exod. 20. God doth not say Remember the Sabbath to keepe it holy he that keeps it an hour or two keeps it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy he will have a day kept holy Nay Calvin whom they take to be on their side to be a patron of their liberty he himselfe writing upon Deut. 6. upon these words Remember the Sabbath day he saith we are to keep this day speaking of himselfe and all the people of God we are to keepe this day and not a part of it but all of it The second Use is this we may hence see that sports and pastimes are not agreeable to the Lords day for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day then surely he hath forbidden sports and pastimes The reason is good first because our weekly works are things Commanded at other times now sports and pastimes are never Commanded by God but onely permitted now if things commanded and things that are good at sometimes if these notwithstanding may not be done upon the Lords day then much lesse must those be done that are permitted onely Secondly because weekely works do lesse distract a man from God then sports and pastimes I appeale to any man here present if he be not more heavenly and better employed and lesse distract from good thoughts and gracious affections when he is plowing or sowing or threshing then when he is diceing and carding sports and pastimes beat a man further off from religion and let a man go to prayer after sports and pastimes he shall find himselfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal then he shall when he comes from the works of his calling Now if those things that do lesse distract from Gods worship and service are forbidden upon the Sabbath day then surely much more those things that do more distract must needs be forbidden upon that day FINIS The Division of the Text. Obser Vse 1 Vse 2. Vse 3. The latter part of the Text opened Obser Luk. 16. Quest Answ Mat. 25. Vse 1 King 21 Acts 5. What it is to watch Literally Ordinary Extraordinary For a Civil end For a Spiritual end Spiritually It implies proneness to be drowzy Endeavour to stir up our selves It is an intentive Consideration in all Cases What we must watch Our Selves Our Thoughts Heart Words Senses Eyes Ears Whole selves Duties of Religion Before Duty In Duty Time Present time Time of Gods wrath Time of Grace Death Judgment Reasons Our proneness to be drowzy Christians life is a Warfare The world an enemy The Divel The certain advantage of watchfulness We cannot else expect help or pardon Object Answ Gods appointment None can Watch for us Object Answ Vse Condemning the general neglect of Watchfulnesse Reproving the godly's too great neglect Directing how to watch Account watchfulness our life Watching in al things Proportioning it to what we are about Avoiding hinderances Vain company Spiritual drunkennesse Setting God before our eyes Vse Exhorting to watchfulnesse Motives Because otherwise it will be ill with us at last Because our souls are sickly We are already awakened Badness of the times and carelessness of the most Regeneration attributed to the spirit Because Christ doth it by the spirit Spirit is the bond of union between us and Christ Becaus the spirit quickens the word wherby we are born again That the spirit of God doth regenerate all the Saints What Regeneration is A Renewing A Renewing of the whole man By degrees perfected According to Gods Image In Jesus Christ Why called Regeneration To shew the great Corruption of Nature The work well expressed by the Name Father both in Natural and Spiritual Generation A Mother in both First Conceâ—tion and thâ—â— Birth â—ain accompaâ—ies both Births Both come to a Being they had â—ot New Kindred follows both Wherein Regeneration consisteth Passive receiving Christ â—n active poâ—â—r to become child of God Reasons why the Spirit worketh Regeneration It is the good pleasure of God No other agent can do it Man is totally against it of himself How the Spirit worketh Regeneration By the Word of Life By a secret and supernatural power Vse 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians c. Information Of our continual need of the Spirit Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit 2. To do any thing for God 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit Of Examination whether regenerated or no. First Signe When doing good is natural The heart 's a good soil for Grace He cannot live in Sin It is pleasant to do the will of God Grace gets the upper hand He loves the people of God He loves Spiritually to profit others VVhat this Body is The invisible Church of God Gathered out of all Nations Predestinated unto life Begotten again by the VVord VVhat putting into this Body is A part of our ingrafting into Christ VVrought by Faith Making us have common life with other Members It makes of one consent with all the people of God For mutual care and help That this is the Spirits work Reasons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Christ None but the Spirit is able None but the Spirit is fit to do it How the Spirit doth Unite to Christ's Body By being one and the same spirit in all Members By tying a knot between all the Members Vses The want of the Spirit is the cause of difference Let none put asunder what the Spirit joyns To try our acquaintance hereby To stir up a sympathy amongst the Saints How to work maintain and express this sympathy By informing our selves concerning one another By visiting our fellow-Members By laying to heart their afflictions Proposit 1. A set time for worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Propos 2. Some set time for worship every day Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Propos 3. Every day in some sort a Sabbath Reas 1. Luk. 1. 74 75. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Propos 4. A particular â—pecial day for Gods worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Propos 5. One day of Seven to be set apart for Gods worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Reas 5. Propos 6. That day of the seven to be kept holy on which God rested Propos 7. All that is in the Fourth Commandment is not essential to it Quest Answ 1. Propos 8. The fourth Commandmen continual alwayes to abide in the Church Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. â—eas 4. Reas 5. Reas 6. Gal. 5. 2 Exod. 35. 3 Reas 7. Propos 9. The first day of he week was the Lords day and so to continue to the end 〈◊〉 the world Reas 1. ver 22. 23 Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Reas 5. Reas 6. Reas 7. Reas 8. Vse 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 2