some other examples to proove this that are not so extraordinary as that of Iohn Baptist was First for saving knowledge wee have the Apostles testimony of Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 that hee had knowne the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his childhood yea from his infancy as the word properly signifieth And for the seeds and beginnings of holy affections see them in the little children of Gods people at Tyre Acts 21.5 they shewed their love to the Apostle and went with their parents to bring him on his way unto the sea shore And for conscience of sin and feare to offend God see it in Daniel 1.8 Hee resolved with himselfe that whatsoever came of it he would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine that hee dranke And if you consider how long hee lived after this in the reignes of foure Kings Nebuchadnezzar Evilmâ—rodach Belshazzar and Darius it will appeare plainly hee was very young when he made this conscience of sinne Secondly I answer That childhood is the fittest age of all to bee wrought upon this way children of all others are the fittest to have the seeds and beginnings of saving grace wrought in them That which the Prophet saith by way of exprobation to the Iewes may fitly bee applyed unto this purpose Esa. 28.9 Whom shall hee teach knowleage and whom shall hee make to understand doctrine Them that are weaned from the milke and drawne from the breasts They are not indeed fit to feed themselves nor capable of strong meat but they are the fittest of all other to bee fed and dieted by others to bee fed with milke That is a comparison that the Apostle twice useth 1 Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 Your children while they are young are like soft wax apt to receive any impression like little twigs which you may bend and bow which way you will There is not in them that stubbornnesse that spirit of contradiction neither in their reason nor will to oppose and reason against good things as you shall find in them of more yeares In which respect our Saviour telleth us Mar. 10.15 we must all be like unto them Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therein Thirdly and lastly I answer That admit that your children have no understanding at all nor feeling of the good things you teach them while they are so young admit no seeds no beginnings of grace be wrought in them thereby then yet will that which you teach them then do them good afterward and prepare and make them fitter to receive good by the ordinary meanes of grace afterward when they shall come to more understanding and discretion Wee baptize our children when they are infants though they have for the present no feeling nor understanding of it It is twice noted of our Saviours Disciples Iohn 2.22 and 12.16 that the things which they understood never a whit at the first when Christ taught them did them great good afterward And the same is noted also of the disciples of Iohn Iohn 10.41 42. And parents may well thinke they have not lost their labour but done a good and blessed worke if they have by their teaching prepared their children to receive good by the publike ministery of the Word And thus have I answered the first objection The second objection they make is this Admit that children by the teaching they have may attaine to some beginnings of knowledge and grace yet is there say they no heed to bee taken of the good things that bee in children they will quickly loose all againe Many a young Saint hath proved an old Devill But to these that object this I answere with the words of our Saviour to the Sadduces for they are certainly little better then Sadduces and Athiests that say or thinke thus Matt. 22.29 Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God For First the Scripture teacheth us that a great guesse may bee made what our children will prove when they grow in yeeres by observing well their disposition when they are very young Pro. 20.11 Even a child is knowne by his doing whether his worke be pure or whether it bee right For then they cannot dissemble but will more freely discover their inclinations then they will doe when they are growne in yeares And as experience hath proved in a number of lewd menâ— our old proverbe to be true soone it pricks that thorne will be they did when they were young discover a most ungracious disposition so it hath also proved this true of many worthy men that the great towardnesse and inclinations unto good that appeared in them while they were very young did presage what they would prove afterwards And parents shall doe well to observe this not onely that they may know thereby what callings to fit and prepare their children for but also what vices they should chiefly labour to prevent in them and what good things above others they should principally nourish in them Secondly The Scripture teacheth us that by teaching our children good things while they are young they will be made the better while they live Pro. 22.6 Teach a child in his way and when hee is old hee will not depart from it And experience in all ages hath confirmed this that as a vessell will long keepe the savour of that liquor it was first seasoned with so doe men the instructions they have learned in their childhood The seeds of knowledge and grace which were sowne in Moses heart by his mother while she nursed him Exod. 2.9 10. could never be gotten out of him by all the pleasures and honors and examples he had in Pharaohs Court Thirdly The Scripture teacheth us that though some that have beene religious in their childhood have proved most lewd and so it hath beene with men too as well as with children yet the worthiest men and such as have done God most excellent service began to bee gracious and good betimes even in their childhood Many such examples we have as Ioseph and Moses and Obadiah 1 King 18.12 and Ieremy and Daniel and Iohn Baptist and Timothy and many more They that proved such excellent Saints when they were old were Saints when they were young And on the other side as of all that wee read were possessed with evill spirits the divill was most hardly gotten out of him whom he had possessed from his childhood Mark 9.21 29. so wee find by experience that the most of them that are old divills in their age were also young devills in their childhood bewrayed much ungraciousnesse even when they were very young And thus have I finished the second meanes that you that are parents must use to heale your childrens natures and breed grace in them you must instruct them betimes even while they are very young The third meanes is good example You that are parents
and to desire him to resolve them in the things they doubted of Such hearers Paul himselfe had Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported of and some affirme that wee say let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just The fift and last duty that you are to performe after the hearing of the Word if you would profit by it is this that you presently set upon the practise of that that you have heard 1. The end of all our hearing is that wee may practise what we heare Deut. 5.1 Heare ô Israel the statutes and the judgements which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and keepe and doe them 2. That that we heare is not blessed to us we receive no good nor comfort by it till we practise it Iam. 1.25 Who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke this man shall be blessed in his deed 3. It is a great advantage to us to set presently upon the practise of that we have heard when God hath by his Word convinced our consciences and stirred up in us good desires and purposes as it was for them that lay at the poole of Bethesda to step into it presently after that the Angel had stirred the water Ioh. 5.4 For delay will make the practise of any good duty a great deale more difficult Which made Abraham goe presently about the circumcising of his family Gen. 17.23 and the offering up of his son Isaac Genes 2â— 3 so soone as ever he had received the commandement from God to do it This also made David to use such speed in this case as we shall find Psal. 119.60 I made hast and delayed not to keepe thy commandâ—ments Alas then how can the most of our hearers thrive in grace or be the better for that they heare 1. Few practise any thing they heare â—eave any sinne do any good duty ever a whit the more for any thing they heare and therefore must needs prove like the house built upon the sand when the time of tryall shall come Mat. 7.26 27. 2. Many that when they are hearing have good motions and purposes yet through delay they vanish and come to nothing of whom in respect of their spirituall poverty that may be said which Solomon speaketh Prov. 24 3â— 34. Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth and thy want as an armed man Lecture VIII On the Title of Psalme 51. Decemb. 14. 1625. WEe have already heard that in the means that are here mentioned wherby David was brought unto repentance two things are to be observed 1. That Nathans ministery was the meanes to recover him 2. What that course was that Nathan held with him and whereby he did so mightily prevaile The former of these wee finished the last day and it followeth now that we proceed unto the second This is set downe in the 2. Sam. 12.1 14. But I intend not to handle the whole speech of Nathan but onely to observe this in it in generall that he did particularly and boldly reprove him and denounce Gods judgement against him and by that meanes he brought him unto repentance The parable whereby he laid open the odiousnesse of his sinne in another mans person moved him not but when he directed his speech to him in particular and boldly and sharply reproved him that through the blessing of God prevailed mightily with him Now from this thus observed in the course that Nathan tooke with David this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the ministery that God hath sanctified for the conversion of sinners and wherein hee useth to shew his mighty power that way is such a ministery as applieth the word particularly to the hearers such as plainely and boldly reproveth sinne See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First the best preachers and Prophets to whom the Lord hath in his word given greatest testimony were wont to preach in this manner they were wont to reprove sinne boldly and without partiality and plainely and particularly so as the party they desired to reforme might know himselfe to be meant So did Eliah speake to a King 1. Kings 18.18 It is thou and thy fathers house that have troubled Israel in that yee have forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim So preached Iohn the Baptist who came also in the spirit and power of Eliah Luke 1.17 to another King Luke 3.19 Herod the Tetrach was reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils that Herod had done Thus did the Prophet Malachy preach Mala. 2.1 And now ô ye Priests this commandement is for you And thus did the Prophet Hosea preach Hos. 5.1 Heare ye this ô Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare ô house of the King You see how particularly they dealt and how boldly also not with the common sort of the people only but even with Kings and with Priests whom it hath ever beene as dangerous a matter and cause of greater persecution to meddle with then with Kings themselves Yea this was so usuall in the ministery of the Prophets to reprove and denounce judgements against sinne that it is made a note of difference to distinguish the true Prophets from the false Iere. 28.8 The Prophets that have bin before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countryes and against great Kingdomes of warre and of evill and of pestilence And Mic. 3.5.8 The Prophets make my people erre that bite with their teeth and cry Peace But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Secondly God hath straitly injoyned his servants to preach thus and commanded them in this manner to reprove sinne as a chiefe worke and duty of their ministery And in this proofe observe an answer to an objection that is made by some against the former proofe taken from the example of Eliah Iohn Baptist and the Prophets for they say some had another manner of spirit another manner of power authority then the ministers of the Gospel now have And indeed I cannot deny but this is true in some part for the Prophets 1. Had an immediate calling from God 2. Spake by divine inspiration so as they could not erre either in the matter that they delivered or in the manner of their delivery 2. Pet. 1.21 Yet in this point there is no difference betwixt us and them we also are bound aswell as they to apply our doctrine and to reprove sinne boldly and particularly Observe therefore that this manner of preaching is enjoyned to the ministers under the Gospel as a chiefe worke of their ministery See this first in the commandement given by that
subject matter of it was the grace of God it ascribed nothing to man but all to God and to his free grace and mercy onely Ephes. 2.5 By grace yee are saved and againe verse 8. For by grace yee are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God A surer note to try the true religion and the true teacher by you can never have When our Saviour would teach them to know whether his Doctrine were of God hee giveth them this note Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane Doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man and advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him In this religion be resolute I pray you 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong Make straight paths to your feete as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.13 goe steadily goe strongly waver not lest that that is halting be turned out of the way If you will suffer your selves to bee drawne to stagger and doubt of your religion you will bee in danger to be perverted and drawne from it I will therefore give you for a preservative that which the Apostle speaketh Gal. 1.9 If any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed Whatsoever Doctrine is brought unto you that doth derogate in the least point from the glory of Gods grace and ascribe any thing unto man detest it abhorre it whither it bee old Pelagianisme or new Popery and Semipelagianisme detest it abhorre it for they are all adversaries to the grace of God that teach as these men doe First that a man is justified by works and that inherent grace which God by his spirit worketh in him is directly contrary to the Word If by grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11.6 then it is no more of works that we are justified otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke And Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Secondly That the works of those that are true beleevers doe merit eternall life contrary to the Word Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Luke 17.10 When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say Wee are unprofitable servants we haue done that which was our duty to doe and the like might be shewed in all other points of Doctrine that derogate from Gods Grace and glory and therefore to bee abhorred as contrary to the word of God Lecture XXI On Psalme 51.1 2. Aprill 4. 1626. NOw it followeth that wee proceed unto two other uses that this Doctrine serveth unto whereof the first is for exhortation the other for comfort For this Doctrine if it be rightly understood and beleeved hath great force to stirre us up 1. To sundry duties that we owe unto men with whom wee live 2. And chiefâ—ly to sundry other duties that we owe unto the Lord himselfe Two duties there be which we cannot choose but performe unto men if we doe rightly understand and beleeve this Doctrine the one consisteth in forgiving of them that have wronged us the other in giving to them that stand in need of us For the first Nothing hath that force to make a Christian willing to forgive and to live in charity with all men as the knowledge and true consideration of the Lords marvellous mercy and goodnesse towards us Ephes. 4.32 Be yee kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Colos. 3. â—3 Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave you so also do yee 1. Whatsoever the wrong be for so God doth forgive us Exod. 34.7 He forgiveth iniquiâ—y and transgression and sin 2. Whatsoever the party bee that hath wronged us for so doth God forgive the unworthyest of all Rom. 10.21 All the day long he stretcheth forth his hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people such as hee sought reconciliation with and they scorned it and despised it 3. How oft soever wee have forgiven him already Matth. 18.12 I say not untill seven times but untill seventy times seven times For so doth God forgive as our Saviour sheweth by inferring that parable verse 23 Therefore is the Kingdome of heaven likened unto a certaine King c. If any man shall object it is impossible we should forgive as God forgiveth can there be that mercy and goodnesse in us that is in the Lord Would I could forgive wrongs but as some men that I know can to forgive as God forgiveth I shall never be able I answer Indeed thou canst not But this is that that thou must aime at and strive unto this is the patterne that God hath given thee to worke by Our Saviour therefore having spoken of this very point of forgiving wrongs inferreth Mat. 5.48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect As if hee had said Never thinke thou hast forgiven as thou shouldest till thou hast forgiven as God forgiveth And the force of the argument from this example lyeth in foure points First That it is the example of our Father whom we ought whom wee cannot choose but resemble Ephes. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God in this he meaneth as appeareth by the words immediatly going before as deare children Secondly That our Father hath in his word reveiled and spoken so much of his mercy this way of purpose to make himselfe an example to us and to provoke us to follow him Iohn 13.15 I have given you an example saith our Saviour that ye should doe even as I have done unto you This is evident in the whole drift of that parable Mat. 18.23 35. Thirdly There is no proportion betweene that which the Lord forgiveth to us and that which wee are to forgive unto men no more then betweene a debt of an hundred pence and one of ten thousand talents Mat. 18.29 28. all that we have to forgive is nothing in comparison of that Fourthly That the Lord hath thus farre tyed his mercy in forgiving us to this condition that wee can forgive them that have wronged us that no man can know or hope that his sins are pardoned that findeth not himselfe able to forgive men whomsoever he forgiveth he maketh them also able and willing to forgive Matth. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses This point I will the rather stand upon a while because it is so seasonable for this time And I doe acknowledge Gods good providence in directing my ministery so as
receive their comfort And these directions are six principally First They must enquire into and labour to find out in themselves the cause of this affliction that by unfained repentance they may remove it Thou must examine what sin it is that is in thee or hath beene in thee that hath thus provoked God to with-draw the comfort of his spirit from thee This is the wisest course to be taken in any affliction David took this course in a grievous famine 2. Sam. 21.1 David enquired of the Lord. What he did enquire may appeare by Gods answer that is to say what the speciall sinne was that he or his people had committed that provoked God to this It is for Saul saith the Lord and his bloudy house because he slew the Gibeonite But in this kind of affliction of mind this course is specially to bee taken This course Saul before hee fell away from that goodnesse hee had learned by being brought up in Gods Church tooke when hee had sought unto God and could receive no answer from him 1. Sam. 14.37 38. Draw ye neare hither all ye chiefe of the people and know and see wherein this sinne hath bin this day As if hee should say Certainly some sin of ours is the cause why the Lord refuseth to answer us let us find it out and remove it Thus did Iob when he was in this case we now speake of when hee had lost the feeling of Gods favour for that was doubtlesse his chiefe affliction he beseecheth God to helpe him to find out the cause of it in himselfe Iob 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me And 13.23 Make me to know my transgression and my sinne For 1. though not alway yet usually this is the cause even of this affliction either some sin they have fallen into as in this case of David or some secret corruption they nourish in themselves that choketh their peace and comfort and like a thicke fog or filthy vapour rising up in their soules keepeth the light of Gods countenance from shining on them according to that Esay 59.2 Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you Now this this speciall sin must be found out Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our waies and turne againe unto the Lord. 2. This is a sure way to recover our comfort when wee can mourne more for this that by sin we have departed from God then that God hath by this spirituall desertion departed from us and so by repentance returne to him againe hee will certainly returne then to us and restore to us our comfort For this is his promise Mal. 3.7 Returne unto me and I will returne unto you saith the Lord of hosts The second direction is this Thou must call to mind the times that are past how it hath bin with thee formerly Hadst thou never any comfortable feeling of Gods favour and of the worke of Gods grace in thy heart Didst thou never heare in thy selfe that sweete voice of the spirit of adoption witnessing to thy heart that thou wert Gods child enabling thee to cry Abba Father of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.15 16. Examine thy selfe well rub thy memory and call this to mind This direction the Apostle giveth the faithfull Hebrewes when hee would perswade them to hold fast their confidence and not to cast it away Hebrewes 10.35 Call to remembrance saith hee verse 32. the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great sight of affections and what joy you found in your selves then verse 34. Ye tooke joyfully the spoyling of your goods This course David tooke in this very case Psalme 77.5 6. I have considered the dayes of old the yeares of ancient times I call to remembrance my songs in the night I commune with mine owne heart and my spirit made diligent search and verse 10. And â— said this is mine infirmity but I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most High By remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High that is of the comforts hee had found in the assurance of Gods favour hee came to perceive that it was but his infirmitie to bee thus dejected now This course hee also tooke at another time when hee was in this case Psalme 143.45 My spirit is overwhelmed within mee my heart within mee is desolate I remember the dayes of old Observe beloved and take notice therefore I pray you of the working of Gods grace in your selves of the sweete comforts you finde at any time in the light of Gods countenance and assurance of his favour in the hearing or reading of his Word in receiving the Sacrament in your prayers and specially in your afflictions Yea doe as David did Psal. 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will speake for hee will certainely at one time or other speake peace to his people and to his Saints Keepe a Register of these times because the remembrance of them may stand you in stead when a change shall come For you may write as wee say and build upon this if ever thou wert in Gods favour thou art still if ever God by the spirit of adoption did say unto thy soule I am thy salvation thy God thy father Christ is thy Saviour his body was broken for thee his bloud was shed for thee he is so still The spirit of God in the holy Scripture teacheth this expressely Iohn 5.14 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And Romans 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance that is such gifts and such a calling as God vouchsafed to the fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob for of those the Apostle had spoken the gifts of Election justification santification effectuall calling God never repented him of This the Apostle Iames also teacheth Iames 1.17.18 that in those gifts of God that are good indeed and perfect gifts perfectly good such as hee instanceth in the next verse the gift of regeneration to bee there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning in the Lord. Thus the Lord answereth his people that were in this very tentation Ieremy 31.3 The Lord hath appeared to mee of old say they so it is to bee read as in the Geneva As if they had sayd but now hee hideth himselfe and hath forsaken mee Yea saith the Lord I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee As if hee should have sayd I would never have drawne and effectually called thee to bee my people If I had not loved thee with an everlasting love If I had meant ever to cast thee off againe So that 1. this should make us all in love with Grace Wisedome is the principall thing saith Solomon Pro. 4.7 therefore get wisedome and with
spirit of Christ. If any man have not the spirit of Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 hee is none of his And 1 Iohn 3. 24. hereby wee know hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And this is the second meanes whereby as I told you Paul said hee was delivered from the body of his death and whereby every one of us must seeke to bee delivered from it and from the accusations of our conscience for it by feeling in our selves the worke of Gods spirit subduing the corruption of our nature keeping it from raigning in us mortifying and killing of it in us Rom. 8.2 This is the way to know wee are in Christ and that by his death and the perfect holinesse of our nature in him wee are fully delivered from the guilt and punishment of it if by his spirit wee bee delivered from the dominion of it Hee will subdue our iniquities saith the prophet Micah 7.19 Where God pardoneth sinne hee subdueth it that it shall not raigne any more If thy corruption bee not mortified in thee but have as much strength and vigour in thee as ever it had certainely it is not pardoned thou art not in Christ. This second meanes of our deliverance though it be not so full and perfect as the former yet is it more sensible unto us and wee may better take notice of it then of the former because wee are agents in it our selves They that are Christs saith the Apostle Galat. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And Rom. 8.13 If yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live And 1 Iohn 3.3 Hee that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe And 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit And 1 Pet. 1.22 Yee have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spirit Wee must cleanse our selves purifie our selves keepe under our corruption that it raigne not in us mortifie and kill it or it will kill and damne us If wee doe not this our selves certainely wee have no part in Christ. Why will you say alas what can we do I answer surely nothing of our selves by nature Rom. 5.6 Yea 2 Cor. 3.5 Nothing till wee bee in Christ. Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing Nothing till wee bee acted and led by the spirit of God Wee must through the spirit mortifie the deedes of the body as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. â—3 there is no way els to doe it The Popish exercises of mortification consisting in their kind of fastâ—ings and whipping and pilgrimage and wearing of haire cloth next their skin will never worke true mortification in the heart Of them we may say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 48. Bodily exercise profiteth little And Col. 2.23 Though they have a great shew of wisedome and humility and of neglect of the body yet they are of no worth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are but will-worship not such exercises of mortification as Gods spirit hath taught us If any man then shall aske what are those meanes and exercises of mortification that Gods spirit hath taught us to use I answer They bee seven principally Lecture LXIIII. On Psalme 51.5 Iuly 17. 1627. FIrst He that desireth to mortifie corruption in himselfe and to keep it from raigning in him must observe and make conscience of the very first stirrings and beginnings of it even in his heart Observe them I say first that so we may know what are the sins we are most inclined unto and then make conscience of them tread upon these eggs of the cockatrice as the Prophet calleth them Esay 59.5 while our heart is hatching of them Keep the heart with all diligence saith the holy Ghost Prov. 4.23 Take heed saith the Apostle Hebr. 3.12 left there bee in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart from the living God The unbeliefe of the heart the motion and inclination of the heart to depart from God must be taken heed of They that are Christs saith the Apostle Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The very affections and lusts of the flesh must be crucified This is the way to keep sin from reigning Take heed to your spirit saith the Prophet Mal. 2.15 and let none deale treacherously against the wise of his youth and againe verse 16. Take heed to your spirit that ye deale not treacherously The way for a man to keep himselfe from falling into any actuall sin against God or man is to take heed to his spirit And certainly the man that hath no care to observe his owne evill inclinations and the first workings of corruption in his heart that maketh no conscience of the vanity and wickednesse of his thoughts and affections hath no true desire to mortifie sin in himselfe or to keepe it from reigning in him Secondly He that desireth to mortifie sin in himselfe and to keepe it from reigning must so soone as he spyeth it set himselfe against it as against a mortall enemy that warreth against his soule 1 Pet. 2.11 and be content even to offer violence to himselfe and to his owne nature in it Certainly the corruption of our nature will not be weakened and kept under without putting our selves to much paine without doing violence to our selves This worke of mortification which is the first part of true repentance is compared to the plucking out of our right eye and casting it from us with detestation Matth. 5.29 It is called a sacrificing of our selves Rom. 12.1 And a crucifying of our flesh with the lusts and affections of it Gal. 5.24 All these were most painfull things See this in three particulers First Wee must resist and fight against every corruption wee find not consent not yeeld unto it but maintaine a conflict in our selves against it That I doe I allow not Romans 7.15 The spirit lusteth against the flesh saith the Apostle Galat. 5.17 and thâ—se two bee contrary the one to the other If the spirit bee in us wee shall find him like Iacob in his mothers womb Gen. 25.22 strugling with this Esan And certainly where there is not this resisting of corruption there is no truth of grace and where this conflict is maintained there corruption shall not reigne but will be kept under That which the Apostle saith of Satan himselfe Iam. 4.7 may be also said of this imp of Satan if we can but conscionably resist him we may be sure to overcome him Secondly We must heartily dislike and hate every corruption we discerne in our selves and be angry and displeased with our selves for it What I hate saith Paul Rom. 7.15 that do I. See two notable examples of this holy indignation against themselves The one in Ephraim Ier. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh The other in the Publican Luk. 18.13 who smote himselfe upon his breast As if either of
truly knoweth Christ to have dyed for him cannot but cast off and renounce his lusts and corruptions This is that also which the Prophet teacheth Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne aboundantly It is the spirit of grace onely that maketh a man able to know and beleeve aright that his sins pierced Christ that Christ in all that hee suffered had speciall respect unto him nothing but the spirit of grace maketh a man able to looke upon Christ whom he hath pierced to consider it to be moved with admiration and astonishment at this wonderfull love of his But when once the spirit of grace hath made a man to know and beleeve and consider this it must needs affect the heart much and make him mourne for his sins aboundantly it must needs worke in him a loathing of his sins and a resolution to set himselfe against them O that all wee that say wee know and beleeve that Christ loved us and dyed for us would thinke seriously of this Certainely thou that sayest so and findest no force in this assurance to mortifie sin in thee and to strengthen thee against thy corruptions deceivest thine owne soule and hast no true assurance that Christ bare such love to thee as to endure so much for thy sake Hereby wee know that wee know him to bee a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 4. if wee keepe his commandements He that saith I know him to bee a propitiation for my sins for that is the knowledge of Christ he speaketh of as appeareth verse 2. and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee is a ranke hypocrite and void of all truth of grace how faire a shew soever hee make in the Church of God O fearefull sentence against the most of such as say they have faith And so much shall suffice to have bin spoken of the first reason why true faith must needs mortifie corruption wheresoever it dwelleth it applyeth Christ particularly to every one that hath it The second reason of it is this because true faith joyneth and uniteth us unto Christ. This union that faith maketh betweene us and Christ is indeed mysticall and spirituall Yea this is a great mistery as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 5.32 But though it bee mysticall and supernaturall yet it is most true and reall a most neere and unspeakeable union that faith maketh betweene Christ and every beleeving soule as neere as betweene husband and wife Ephes. 5.23 as betweene the head and the members Ephes. 1.22 23. as betweene the vine and the branches Iohn 15.5 By faith we receive him and make him our owne Iohn 1.12 Nay we feed upon him and make him our owne as the meat we eate which is turned into our substance is made our owne Iohn 6.35 By faith hee dwelleth in us Ephes. 3.17 By faith wee are grafted into him Rom. 11.23 Now if faith do so joyne us unto Christ and make such an union betweene us and him it is not possible but it must needs mortifie and kill sin in us Wee cannot bee thus joyned unto Christ but wee must needs receive vertue and power from him his spirit must needs bee derived from him unto us He that is joyned unto the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 is one spirit The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the law of sin and of death The spirit of Christ must needs free him from the dominion of sinne that is thus by faith united to him And therefore to conclude this second point Certainly that man in whom sin reigneth still in whom the strength of his naturall corruption is not at all abated is not united unto Christ and consequently hath no true faith in him If wee say we have fellowship with him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth Lecture LXVII on Psalme 51.5 Aug. 14. 1627. THE third and last point which hath beene propounded for the more distinct handling of the last means of mortification is this He that desireth to get strength against any corruption must not content himselfe to have faith but hee must exercise and make use of his faith in this worke The most of us loose much of the benefit and comfort wee might find in our faith because wee doe not make use of it nay the cause why wee find it so weake and feeble to stand us in any stead when wee have most need of it for our comfort is because wee have not beene wont to exercise it and put it into action We have an old proverbe Vse legs and have legs and experience teacheth that the neglect of exercising the body is a great meanes to weaken it much This may every whit as truly bee said of the graces of Gods spirit exercise them by practise and they will increase neglect to exercise them and they will decay in thee To every one that hath saith our Saviour in the parable of the talents Mat. 25.29 that is that by making use of it and imploying it doth shew that hee hath grace more shall bee given and bee shall have aboundance but from him that hath not shall bee taken away even that which hee hath The Apostle commending the Thessalonians saith 1 Thess. 1.3 hee remembred their worke of faith their faith was ever in action ever exercising it selfe And what is the proper worke and act wherein faith exerciseth it selfe Surely in taking hold of the promises that God hath made unto us in Christ in applying them unto our selves and resting upon them Thus must wee exercise our faith if we would have it grow if wee would have the comfort of it The Apostle saith of all the faithfull 2 Cor. 5.7 that they walke by faith In our whole conversation we may and ought to make use of our faith And of himselfe he saith that hee did live by his faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith he Galat. 2.20 In all the occasions of our life we may and should exercise our faith and we loose a great deale of sweetnesse and comfort because we doe not so But in no occasion of our life can we have more use of our faith then when wee are troubled with any strong corruption which wee would faine overcome and get the mastery of Let us come then to Christ and stirre up our selves to take hold of him and confidently expect and looke for helpe and strength from him against it and wee may bee sure to bee delivered from the dominion of it Through God wee shall doe valiantly saith David Psal. 108.13 for hee it is that shall tread downe our enemies And Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Wee read
of the Lord Iesus that is his quickning grace was mad manifest in their bodies In this respect also hee calleth the regenerate part Colos. 3.10 not a new mind nor a new will nor a new heart only but the new man Ye have put on saith hee the new man it is a compleat man it hath all the faculties and powers of a perfect man in it So speaketh hee againe 2 Corinth 5.17 If any man bee in Christ in the state of grace hee is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Every one that is in Christ is become a new man every faculty every part of him is renewed In this respect also every upright-hearted man is called a perfect man Marke the perfect man and behold the upright saith David Psalme 37.37 because they have this perfection of parts they are sanctified throughout in all their parts And as the children that wee beget are perfect men and women so soone as ever they are borne because they have the soules and bodies and all the parts of men and women though in great weakenesse so is it with all the children of God much more Men may beget children that are defective and want some of their parts wee reade of some that have beene borne blind Iohn 9.1 and of some that have beene creeples from their mothers wombe Acts 14.8 and of some that have beene borne fooles But our heavenly father begets no such children all his children are perfect and have no such defect of parts in them Now before I make application of this point I must first give you three cautions to prevent the children of God from taking occasion of much feare and discomfort by the mistaking and misunderstanding of this point The first caution is this As the goodliest child that ever was borne is defective when it is an infant and new borne not onely in the stature and strength of every member of his body but even in the measure of his understanding also even so is it with the new man They that are sanctified in the best measure are yet in every part in every faculty of their soule in every sense and member of their body defective in the measure and degree of grace Paul telleth those worthy Christians the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 that hee desired to come to them to perfect that that was lacking in their faith Yea of himselfe hee saith Phil. 3.12 that hee was not perfect And if that great Apostle could say of himselfe and such as he was 1 Cor. 13.9 we know but in part then how great cause have the best of every one of us to complaine alas how little spirituall light and knowledge have I in my understanding how little sanctifying grace and goodnesse have I in my thoughts in my memory in my conscience in my will in my desires and affections How little inclination to any thing that is good in my eye or in my eare or in any other of my senses or parts of my body Secondly Though they that have truth of grace in them have every faculty and power of their soule and every sense and member of their body seasoned in some measure with the new leaven of sanctifying grace yet have they also much of the old leaven of their corrupt nature remaining still in every facultie of their soule and in every sense and member of their body Purge out therefore the old leaven saith the Apostle 1 Cor 5.7 As if hee had said This is a worke wherein we must alwayes be doing and which we shall never make an end of while we live here In which respect the regenerate man may fitly bee compared unto the ayre in the twilight in which there is no part but it hath some light in it neither is there any part of it but it hath some darkenesse in it also and unto the water that is luke-warme there is no part of it but it hath some heate in it nor any part but it hath some coldnesse in it too Therefore as the spirit the regenerate part in us is called as we have heard the new man so is the flesh and the unregenerate part in us called the old man likewise Eph. 4.22 because it goeth through the whole man as the other doth And this maketh many a good soule thinke there is no truth of grace in them because that throughout in their whole spirit and soule and body they discerne still so much corruption From the sole of the foot say they as Esa. 1.6 even to the head there is no soundnes in me This maketh them complaine with Iob 40.4 Behold I am vile What a deale of ignorance and blindnes have I in my understanding how vaine wicked are my thoughts for the most part how hardly can I forget any small wrong that hath bin done me and how apt am I to forget any good thing how hard a heart have I and unable to mourne for any of my sins how apt to be overwhelmed with griefe for the smallest crosse that befalleth me With what delight doe mine eares listen to any evill I can heare of my neighbour how dull of hearing is it towards any thing that is good how apt is mine eye to wander and to steale away my heart when I should attend to the word and how hardly can I keepe it fixed upon any thing that might bring good to my soule These we know are the complaints of the best soules And yet all this may be where there is truth of heart Thirdly and lastly Though where truth of grace is it diffuseth and sheddeth it selfe abroad throughout the whole man every faculty of the soule is sanctified and every part of the body also yet is not the worke of grace therein so sensible and manifest as is the corruption of our nature The workes of the flesh are manifest saith the Apostle Galathians 5.19 more manifest then the worke of grace is I cannot perceive saith many a good Christian any worke of Gods sanctifying grace at all in my memory in sundry of my affections in my joy and my anger much lesse in the members of my body and how can I say then that there is any truth of grace in mee To such I say there may bee some sanctifying grace in thee yea in every faculty of thy soule and member of thy body though thou perceive it not The little infant hath all the parts of a mans body though there bee sundry of them thou canst discerne no use he hath of them in any action yea hee hath a reasonable soule and all the faculties of it though it appeare not in any operation at all Three things thou hast in thee that shew thou hast sanctifying grace even there where thou perceivest it least 1. As thou hast in thy whole man in every faculty and part both flesh and spirit so hast thou in thy whole man a conflict between them The flesh lusteth against the
in Christ Iesus That hee telleth us in the next words verse 22. that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse As though he had said Every one that hath learned Christ aright and is taught of God hath true and sanctified knowledge in him cannot but forsake his old sins and become a new man It is such a knowledge of God as whereby wee are changed into the same image as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. See this briefly confirmed in both the parts of true godlinesse that is to say both in eschewing of evill and in doing of good For the first Heare what the Lord saith Iob 28.28 To depart from evill is understanding As if he had said This is the onely right knowledge sanctified and saving understanding that hath power in it to kill sin in a man to make him forsake all knowne sins Yea the knowledge of Gods Word if it be a Gods teaching will make a man not onely to eschew evill but to doe it out of a zealous hatred of sin Through thy precepts I get understanding saith David Psal. 119.104 therefore I hate every false way As if he should say The more my knowledge in thy Word increaseth to more my hatred to every sinne increaseth likewise See this also in the other part of godlinesse In doing of good A man of understanding walketh uprightly saith Solomon Pro. 15.21 If wee know any duty God requireth of us with a sanctified knowledge we cannot but make conscience of the practise of it yea practise it with uprightnesse and sincerity of heart A good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 have all they that doe his commandements As if hee had said That and that onely is good understanding sanctified and saving knowledge that draweth a man to obedience to the practise of that he doth know So the Lord speaketh of the knowledge that was in good Iosiah Ier. 22.16 He judged the cause of the poore and needy was not this to know me saith the Lord As if he should have said This was sound and sanctified knowledge indeed that made him conscionable in the duties of his particular calling This wisedome that commeth from above as the Apostle speaketh Iames 3.17 this knowledge that is of Gods teaching is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Let me now make some application of this in two points First To stop the mouthes of Papists and others that object our religion cannot be the truth because it bringeth forth no better fruits it reformeth not the lives of them that professe it most and have most knowledge in it that cry out against all profession and following after the meanes of knowledge because many that know most are worse men then any other To these men I have three things to answer First That our religion may be the true and holy religion of God though they that professe it bee most lewd and wicked men For so was the religion that Christ and his Apostles taught though Iudas who was both a professour and a preacher of it were so lewd a man Secondly That our religion and every principle and doctrine in it even those that are most slandered to tend unto licentiousnesse the doctrine of predestination of conversion by grace onely of justification by faith alone of certainty of salvation of finall perseverance is so holy such an enemie to all sin so effectuall to reforme the heart and life of a man as it is not possible for him that truly understandeth and beleeveth it but his heart and life must needs bee reformed by it Even such a religion as the Apostle describeth and calleth 1 Tim. 6 3. A doctrine which is according to Godlinesse Thirdly That such professours of it at whose lives they stumble so what shew so ever they make of knowledge in it though they professe it yet they doe not indeed understand and beleeve it they have no true and sound knowledge in it for they are sensuall and not having the spirit Iude 19. And it is not flesh and bloud that can reveile these things unto a man as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 16.17 But there is a spirit in man saith Elihu Ioâ— 32.8 and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding He that liveth in any knowne sinne understandeth nothing aright in our religion Of every such a one be he never so learned that may be said which the Holy Ghost speaketh of the harlot Pro. 9.13 He is simple and knoweth nothing He that maketh not conscience of every commandement and duty that God hath enjoyned him in his generall or particular calling hath no sound and true knowledge of God or of religion in him He that saith I know him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.4 and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Secondly Let me apply this by way of exhortation unto every one of you Labour to feele the knowledge thou hast gotten out of Gods Word to bee a powerfull and effectuall knowledge in thee that it ruleth and mastereth thee so as thou darest not goe against it darest not but obey it Not onely in grosse and great sins but even in smallest even to the reforming of thy choller and moderating of thy passions He that hath knowledge spareth his words saith Solomon Pro. 17.27 and a man of understanding is of a coole spirit Els 1 thou canst have no comfort in all thy knowledge if it be not powerfull to restraine thee to reforme thee Iohn 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them As if he had said not els It is no happinesse to have knowledge carnall knowledge naturall knowledge that is not sanctified not effectual 2. The more thou hast of it the more it will increase thy sinne Iames 4.17 He that knoweth to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne And consequently the more thou hast of it the more extreame shall thy condemnation and torment be You know the saying of our Saviour Luke 12.47 The servant that knoweth his maâ—sters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And so it is with Saâ—an who as he knoweth more in religion then any man and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall his torments be greater then any mans both in the life to come Matth. 25.41 those unspeakable torments are prepared chiefly for him and his angels and even in this life also his knowledge increaseth his torments The divels beleeve and tremble saith the Apostle Iames 2.19 The certaine knowledge he hath of things revealed in the Word worketh unspeakable horâ—ours in him O glory not in that knowledge that hath no power in it to reforme thee but tremble to thinke how
one of us take heed wee bee not found among them in that day whom Christ shall so disclaime Thirdly Know that those generall speaches of holy Scripture touching the large extent of the merit of Christs death which thou buildest so much upon and which the Holy Ghost to a singular purpose is pleased to use for the comfort of Gods elect are in many other places in a speciall manner appropriated to a certaine choise and peculiar people For the transgression of my people was hee smitten saith the Lord himselfe Esa. 53.8 And this Church and people of God for whom Christ in a speciall manner was stricken to whom his death is effectuall is not the common field the vast wildernesse of this wide world but Gods severall and peculiar plot of ground A garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse saith our Saviour Cant. 4.12 a spring shut up a fountaine sealed And thus did our blessed Saviour himselfe who best knew who should have benefit by him professe I lay downe my life for the sheepe saith he Ioh. 10.15 And Iohn 17 9. I pray for them that thou hast given me for they are thine And for this cause doth the Church admire and magnifie the love of Christ toward them in their solemne song of thankesgiving Revel 5 9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation See an universall grace see how universall a redemption Christ hath made thou hast redeemed say they by thy bloud us out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation Fourthly and lastly Know that the number of this peculiar people that shall have benefit by Christ and whose peace he hath made with God is very small is nothing if it be compared with the number of them that shall have no benefit by him We know that we are of God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.19 and that the whole world lieth in wickednesse The whole world in a manner lyeth in wickednesse and shall perish in their sins few or 〈◊〉 in comparison shall have benefit by Christ. O therefore beloved be not deceived or made secure any longer with this vaine conceit that because Christ died for the world therefore that Christ hath payed every mans sâ—orâ— â—atâ—fied Gods justice for every mans sin But seeing there be very few in comparison that hee hath in speciall undertaken for let thou and I labour to know that we are some of those few of that small number of that remnant 〈◊〉 hee hath answered for And to that end I will shew you out of Gods Word which is the second thing I promised to handle for the enforcing of this exhortation the signes and notes whereby we may know this and not be deceived in it One signe and note the Holy Ghost hath given us to know this by Hereby we know saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.13 that we dwell in him and he in us that he is ours and we have good title unto him because he hath 〈◊〉 us of his spirit If thou canst find that the spirit of Christ dwelleth in thee and thou art guided by it thou maist be sure that Christ is thine But if thou have nothing in thee but nature be it never so good a nature thou canst not say thou hast any part in Christ. If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 He is none of his But this signe is somwhat too generall I will therefore give you foure particular effects and fruits of this Spirit of Christ wherby you may judge of this First They that are Christs saith the Apostle Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts If any â—inne raigne in thee and thou obeyest it in the lusts thereof nay if thou do not make conscience even of thy evill affections and passions and desires if they be not grievous to thee if they never trouble thee certainly thou canst not say that thou art Christs that thou art one of them that he did undertake for Secondly If any man be in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.17 he is a new â—rrature old things are past away behold all things are become new If there be no change wrought in thee by Gods Spirit in thy mind in thy affections in thy words in thy company in thy whole conversation but thou art the same that ever thou wast if not worse certainly thou canst not say that thou hast any part in Christ. Thirdly Christ became the author of eternall salvation saith the Apostle Hebr. 5.9 to all them that obey him Till thou canst bee content to take Christs yoke upon thee and resolve with thy selfe willingly to obey him in all his commandements so long as thou bearest this mind that thou wilt beare no yoke thou wilt be a free man thou wilt live as thou liftest Christ shall serve thy turne but thou wilt not serve him thou sayst all that he did and suffered was to save thee but thou wilt neither suffer nor do any thing to honour him certainly thou canst not say He is become an author of eternall salvation unto thee Fourthly and lastly I will powre upon them saith our Saviour Zachar. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and then they shall mourne and be in bitternesse If the knowledge of this that Christ died for thee keepe thee from being troubled at all in thy mind for any of thy sinnes nay if thou have not felt more hearts griefe and bitternesse in thy soule for thy sinnes and canst more heartily sue to God for the pardon of them since thou didst believe in Christ than ever thou didst before certainly it was never the Spirit of grace but thy owne foolish fancy that hath perswaded thee that Christ was pierced for thy sinnes or that thou hast any thing to doe with the merits of his passion O thinke of these things beloved and suffer not thy heart to bee any longer deluded in this matter that so much concerneth thee but by these notes examine thine owne heart and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that thou art Christs so as when thou shalt appeare before him either at the houre of thy death or at the dreadfull day of judgement he may not renounce thee And if thou canst not find that thy title to Christ is so good as thou thoughâ—st it had beene and wouldest faine mend it I will shew you how that must be done which is the third and last thing I promised to doe for the inforcing of this exhortation I will not now speake of the outward Meanes whereby God hath ordained to bring his people unto faith that is to say the word and prayer I will speak onely of three things whereby every mans heart must be prepared to receive Christ and without which hee shall never be able to know Christ to bee his though he use the outward meanes of the
doth make and which may rise in your mindes against it And indeed if it were an objection of Papists onely I would never trouble you or my selfe about it But wee are all by nature ranke Papists in this and in many other points of religion and I know this first reason will seeme strange and absurd to many of you and that you will be ready to say what Shall every man in the matter of religion rest upon the instruction and perswasion hee hath from his owne private spirit This fond conceit saith the Papist hath already and still must needs bring into the Church an infinite variety of opinions in religion Quot capitatot sensus so many men so many mindes and opinions there must needs bee in religion if every ones private spirit bee supreame judge and determiner what is truth in the matter of religion Is it not a farre surer way for all men to depend and rest upon the Doctrine and instruction of the Church according to the ordinance of God then upon that which their owne private spirit teacheth them Aske the priests concerning the law saith the Lord Hag. 2.11 and againe The priests lips shall keepe knowledge saith the Prophet Mal. 2.7 and the people should seeke the law at his mouth Now unto this I have Foure things to answer First That though this Doctrine that every true beleever hath the spirit of God and that the spirit of God will teach him bee strange and ridiculous to such as are sensuall not having the spirit as the Apostle speaketh of some Iude 19. and indeed to every naturall man yet to the regenerate man it is not so The spirit of truth saith our Saviour Iohn 14.17 the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for hee dwelleth in you and shall bee in you Every true beleever every true Christian hath the spirit of God and knowes and finds in himselfe that hee hath it Because ye are sonnes saith the Apostle Galathians 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father Hee could not pray els nor cry Abba father unto God And he that hath it not let him scoffe and â—lout at it never so much is in a wofull case certainely and will find it to be so one day He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 Secondly The spirit that every faithfull man hath to teach and instruct him is not his owne private spirit as they scornefully and blasphemously call it for 1 it is the spirit of God even the same that first indited the holy Scriptures and inspired the holy Prophets and Apostles in the writing of them and is therefore best able to instruct and teach us in the true meaning of them Wee have received saith the Apostle â— Cor. 2.12 not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are freely given us of God And 2 besides it is not mans private spirit because it is one and the same in all the faithfull throughout the world and teacheth them all one and the same thing By one spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 wee are all baptized into one body whether we be Iewes or Gentiles bond or free and have beene all made to drinke into one spirit As if hee should have said As all the faithfull throughout the world enjoy the same outward Sacraments so is the inward grace that is sealed thereby one and the same in all the faithfull throughout the world and teacheth them all one and the same thing So that this teaching that every true beleever hath and must have from the spirit is no cause of the diversity of opinions that is in the world no no it is the following and hearkning unto our own naturall and carnall spirits that is the true cause of that if we were all taught by the spirit of God we should agree better in opinion then we do Yea it is one and the same spirit that is in all the faithfull that are now living that it was in all the faithfull in old time and teacheth us now no other thing then it did teach all the faithfull from the beginning of the world So the Apostle alluding unto David and to the faithfull in his time saith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved and therefore have I spoken we also beleeve and therefore speake Thirdly Wee doe not say that that teaching and perswasion which every faithfull man receiveth inwardly in his owne heart from the spirit of God is the supreame judge and determiner what is true and what erroneous in the matters of faith and religion from which no appeale is to bee made for all hereticks and selfe-conceited persons will bee apt to pretend that but wee have a certaine rule given us whereby that which the spirit of God teacheth a man inwardly may be knowne and discerned from all opinions and motions that come from a false and fantasticall spirit and that is the written Word of God That Doctrine that is consonant to the Word is of the spirits teaching that that swerves from the Word comes certainely from a false and erroneous spirit By this rule we must judge of the spirit that is in other men Beloved beleeve not every spirit saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.1 but try the spirits whether they bee of God But how shall wee try whether the Doctrine that our teachers bring us bee such as they received and learned of Gods spirit or no Why wee must try it by this rule To the law and to the testimony saith the Prophet Esa. 8.20 if they speake not according to this Word it is because they have no light in them As if hee should have said they were never taught of God And this is also the rule whereby wee must try every opinion in religion that wee hold every motion and inclination that wee find in our hearts whether it bee of the spirit of God yea or no the spirit never disagreeth from the Word Behold saith the wisdome of God Proverbes 1.23 I will powre out my spirit unto you I will make knowne my words unto you And Esa. 59.21 This is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth The spirit and the Word goe alwaies together Fourthly and lastly The spirit of God useth to teach the conscience by the ministery of the Word that is in the Church of God and not either by immediate inspirations and enthusiasmes or by any other outward meanes ordinarily but by this onely And by this also a man may judge whether that that hee holds in religion bee of the spirits teaching yea or no. Whether the good things that seeme to bee in him were wrought by the spirit of God that is if hee have learned and
esteemed him not And yet all this was nothing in comparison of his inward miseries and sufferings his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Matth. 26.38 He was so overwhelmed with terror and feare of that death he was to endure that in his prayer he uttered strong cries and roared and shed teares abundantly Heb. 5.7 He sweat drops of blood through the extreamity of his sorrow and anguish so abundantly that they fell upon the ground Luk. 22.44 Being on the crosse he could not containe himselfe but though he knew who were by to heare him Mat. 27.39 44. yet cryed with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me verse 46. In a word he was made a curse as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.13 The curse of God and the torments due to all the elect were laid on his blessed body and soule to the full Now true faith as I said applieth all this that Christ hath suffered particularly to every beleever and perswadeth his soule that out of his love to him he endured all this It maketh him able to say with blessed Paul Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himselfe for me And as Esa 53.4 He hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes These sorrowes and terrours and torments were mine and I should have endured them everlastingly if hee had not endured them for me And verse 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities they were my sins that put him to all these torments Now he that is thus perswaded Christ hath so loved him hath had this respect unto him in particular he cannot choose but he must needs out of love to Christ hate and renounce his sins If the spirit of Christ have perswaded us once that Christ hath so dearely loved us we cannot choose but love him againe We love him saith the Apostle 1 Ioâ— 4.19 because he loved us first The bloud of bulls and goats saith the Apostle Heb. 9 13 14. sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh that is served the turne to cleanse a man from legall and ceremoniall pollutions How much more shall the bloud of Christ if it be sprinkled and by faith particularly applyed to you purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God O there is great force in this particular application of the bloud of Christ and assurance it was shed for thee to mortifie sin in thee The love of Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 constraineth us Nothing hath that force to curb corruption in Gods childe and to compell him to live in Gods feare as this hath They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies that is under the Gospell saith the Prophet Hos. 3.5 When the Apostle had prayed for the Ephesians 3.16 that they might be strengthened with might by the spirit of God in the inner man He prayeth further verse 18 19 that to that end they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God If thou didst indeed know the love of Christ aright that out of his love to thee he endured such torments even to save thee from hell thou couldst not choose but be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man to withstand and overcome thine owne corruptions I know the Papists prate much against and blaspheme this doctrine of particular application of Christ by faith of the assurance it giveth to a man of Gods speciall love to him in Christ they say it layeth reines on mens necks and openeth a gap to all licentiousnesse But these two things I confidently affirme concerning this Doctrine by warrant of Gods Word First That as a Christian can have no sound comfort without it neither in life nor death so is there no doctrine hath that force in a good heart to make it study and practise mortification as this hath Indeed with hypocrites wrath judgement will do more as David saith Psal. 78.34 When he shew them then they sought him and returned and inquired early after God but it is farre otherwise with Gods child The knowledge even of this more generall love and goodnesse of the Lord to poore sinners that he is ready upon their repentance and turning to him to forgive their sins how great soever they have beene that he offereth Christ unto all men in the ministery of the Gospell and proclaimeth his pardon in the most generall tearmes that can be Ioh. 3.16 and commandeth all to beleeve that Christ died for them Even the consideration of this generall love to all that live in the Church is a most strong and effectuall argument to perswade a man to forsake his sins and turne unto God Nay till a man can be perswaded of that love and goodnesse of God he can never have an heart to repent and to turne unto him This is plaine by that speach of the Evangelicall Prophet Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Having these promises saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 And what promises meaneth hee Surely those mentioned Cap. 6.16.18 let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Secondly That hee that truly knoweth that Christ loved him and gave himselfe for him cannot possibly grow licentious by it He that hath gotten a conceit and perswasion of heart that Christ dyed for him onely out of a carnall and naturall knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel may abuse this perswasion I grant and grow the worse by it such a one I know may turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But he that hath beene taught this of God and brought to this perswasion by the word and spirit of God cannot possibly abuse it but it must needs mortifie sin in him See a plaine proofe of this Ephe. 4.20 But ye have not so learned Christ so hee meaneth as to live licentiously still what followeth verse 21 if so bee that yee have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus As if hee should have said Many live in the Church and make a profession of Christ by vertue onely of an outward calling they have heard and beene taught by many excellent ministers of Christ and by hearing them have attained the knowledge of Christ but they never heard Christ himselfe speaking to their heart in the ministery of his word they were never taught of him as the truth is in Iesus And what is it to be taught by him as the truth is in Iesus To know Christ aright That hee telleth verse 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts The man that