should come when these words were spoken when Noah was five hundred years old and the flood came when he was six hundred yeares old therefore here is twenty yeares shorter then Gods promise This is an intricate knot and interpreters are forced to take much paines to untie it and to vindicate the faithfulnesse of God herein let God be true and every man a lier Jerome he gives this answer saies he It is true God did promise an hundred and twenty years between the making of the promise and the accomplishment the wickednesse of men grew so great and did so provoke God that he did contract the promise to twenty years lesse and thus Musculus also who farther saies God making promise reserves the condition in his own breast for as God may not bring a judgement threatened upon a people upon their speedy repentance as in the case of the Ninevites so neither is he bound to give them a mercy promised in case of wilful and obstinate and incorrigible wickednesse as in the case of Elies family I said saith God to Eli that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith â—e it farre from me c. But the best and genuine answer given hereto is this that this promise was made to Noah not when he was five hundred yeares old but when he was four hundred and fourscore for though it be said in the fifth chapter and the last verse that Noah was five hundred yeares old yet that text doth not say he was so old when this promise was made Thus Rivet Mercer and others There is one difficulty in this answer It may be objected that this promise was made after Noah was said to be five hundred years old 1 Sam. 2.30 To which I answer that in Scripture it is usual in the relating of Histories not to observe an exact order Gen. 1.21 so that some things may be placed before which may be done after and some things after which may be done before as for instance you may read of the womans creation after the seventh day Moses would not observe a direct order but did put those things after which were done before And so likewise another instance you have of a thing put before done afterwards In the case of Terah you reade that he was two hundred and five years old and he died Gen. 11.32 and yet you finde that Isaac's birth is not mentioned until some ten chapters afterwards whereas Terah lived some thirty five years after the birth of Isaac I only mention this to shew the consistency of this answer with other places of Scripture to which may be added what judicious Calvin hath to solve this doubt that though it be said that Noah was six hundred years old when he was but five hundred and eighty yet because he was going in the six hundreth year and so near it as twenty yeares therefore the Holy Ghost saith Noah was six hundred years expressing his age by a whole number Thus you have the difficulties explained My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. It may be observed from the whole that when God threatened the judgement of a flood he threatened a worse judgement before it to note that Gods withdrawing his ordinances or withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit from his ordinances was a worse punishment then any bodily punishment I mention this in the prologue to the point that so when you hear me handle the grievousnesse of this judgement you may look upon it as a most sad and heavy one And yet before I raise the doctrine I must distinguish to you about a double withdrawing of Gods Spirit when the Scripture saies My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man it includes two things 1. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive in the Ministery of the word by effectual working 2. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive by inward motions and checks upon the conscience I shall handle the point both wayes And the first point is this Doctr. 1. That it is a very grievous and deplorable judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings of his Spirit from the outward Ministery of the word I might note collaterally from the word strive That the work of conversion it is a hard work it is not an easie work to convince a man But I shall follow the doctrine I have propounded and in the opening thereof shall dispatch two things 1. Shew you that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withdrawn or withheld from the Ministery of the word 2. The reasons why God sends this judgement upon any part of the world 1. To demonstrate the truth of the first I shall lay down but this one evidence It appears to be so great a judgement because when the Spirit is withheld from the ordinances there can be no efficacy in them to convert a soul A sword in a living mans hand may pierce and wound but a painted sword in a painted mans hand upon the wall can do nothing at all so the word preached without the Spirit of God can do no more then a sword in the hand of a George on horseback it may please the phansie and tickle the eare but never pierce the heart it must be the Spirit of God which works upon the heart Ye are the epistle of Christ â—aies the Apostle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.3 And as the same Apostle speaks My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 It must be the mighty power of God which works upon the heart The Ministery of the word it is like that poole of Bethesda John 5.4 there was no native vertue in the water to heale but the text saies when the Angel did move the water he that first stept in was healed of whatsoever disease he had Ordinances they are like this poole there is no native vertue in bare preaching and bare hearing but it must be the Spirit of God which must move upon these waters otherwise they become not effectual 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter kills but the Spirit gives life which words are not to be understood in Origens sense the letter that is the literal sense and the Spirit that is the allegorical sense neither the meaning is the letter that is the Old Testament and the Spirit that is the New Testament as the Antinomians say but the meaning of the word the letter that is the word of God abstractively considered from the Spirit of God that kills it leaves a man in a dead estate but it is the Spirit which gives life that is the Spirit backing the Ministery of the word makes it effectual to give Spiritual life Thus it appeares to be a grievous judgement when the Spirit is withheld from the Ordinances of God because without the Spirit
Ordinances as the meanes but to the Spirit of God as the Author of grace the Ordinances cannot without the Spirit do us good and the Spirit without the Ordinances ordinarily will not Therefore we must neither refuse Ordinances nor rest in them lest Gods Spirit depart 3. God may withhold his Spirit from the Word because men withhold preparation from the Word they hear With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mark 4.24 It is spoken of hearing of the Word as you measure to God in an holy endeavour to prepare for hearing God by his Spirit will proportion to you a blessing in hearing 4. Generall unfruitfulnesse under fruitful Ordinances that may be another cause When men sit under the droppings of Heaven as it were and are yet barren this may provoke God to do as he did with his Vineyard to take away the hedge and let the beasts of the field destroy it and that no rain fall on it 5. when men increase in sin Isa 5.3 who attend on the Ministery of the Word and thus it was with the old world who enjoyed the Ministery of Noah Methusalah and other holy men and yet their wickednesse grew exceeding great which did greatly provoke God and caused him to withdraw his Spirit that it should not any longer strive with them SERMON II. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving opened and explained these words and shewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word and likewise laid down the reasons hereof I come now to make the application thereof which shall carry a double reference 1. To those who finde the strivings and workings of the Spirit in the ministery of the Word 2. To those who have the Spirit withheld from the ministery which they attend upon Vse 1 To those who are perswaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the ministery of the word there are two cautions or positions I would lay down for such Position 1 Be sure you do not mistake moral perswasion to be the Spirits special working in you When reason is convinced by the strength of Scripture-argument this is a morall perswasion and the word of God may go farre this way and yet there be onely a common work of the Spirit reason may be convinced and there may be a great stirring up of the affections where there is no effectual working of the Spirit there may be flashes of joy as in John Baptists hearers they rejoyced in him for a season pangs of fear as in Felix fits of sorrow as in Esau and Ahab Moral perswasions are very like unto the Spirits workings and that you may not take the one for the other I shall lay down these three distinctions 1. Moral perswasions do reach but to the outward man but the Spirits operations to the inward man they are such which reach the heart and the inward part Thou desirest truth saith David in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Psal 51.6 2. Moral perswasions they do only restraine the acts of sinne but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of sinne and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings seene in that it changes the habit and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill 3. Moral perswasions they only make a man forbeare sinne rather for feare of punishment then out of love to holinesse or hatred of sinne with respect to God whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart changing it and making it in love with holinesse causing us to hate sinne more then fear the punishment of it viz. because of its contrariety to Gods goodnesse holinesse and authority Position 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Ministery of the Word ascribe the glory to God only not to the meanes nor to your selves in the use of the meanes neither glory to the Minister nor glory to the Ministery 2 Cor. 3.3 nor glory to your selves but to God only Ye are our Epistle written saies the Apostle not with pen and inke but with the Spirit of the living God he compares the people to paper the Ministery to inke the Minister to the pen but it must be the Spirit of God which must write with it 2 Cor. 10.4 through the working of the Spirit the Ministery becomes effectuall The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strong holds he doth not say we are mighty but the Gospel â—s mighty not in it self but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God And so also the Apostle saies he I laboured more abundantly then they ai yet not I but the grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Ministers must say with Peter Acts 3.12 Why look you so earnestly on us as if by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walke vers 16. No But the name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong Ascribe not therefore praise to the Minister nor to your selves you have not been your own converters you gave not your selves your first being in nature much lesse your being in grace it is not you but the grace of God Thy pound saith that servant in the Parable hath gained ten pounds and thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk 19.16,18 not my paines but thy pound So say you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it Psal 115.1 and unto thee be given all the glory Not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory Position 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word see thou be thankful for it Consider that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciously now under the Gospel then ever it did upon men under the Law and this is a very comfortable position the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciously 1. More clearly In the latter dayes the Spirit speaks expresly and holy men of God wrote as they were directed by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearer it was to Christs coming in the flesh the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known and so the Evangelist Saint Luke writing to Theophilus saies Most excellent Theophilus the things which we write are most surely believed among us Luke 1.1 things were hardly believed before because they were darkly delivered and therefore you read that in other ages the Ministery of Christ was not made known to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit Eph. 3.5 it was a Mystery hid
from the foundation of the world that is not totally hid in comparison of the now revealing it but there was not so clear a discovery made thereof by the Spirit and here I would have you to observe that under the Old Testament the Spirit did reveale things gradually now a little and then a little and did keep the full manifestation of the glory of Christ untill he came in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 As first in Adams time it was only known unto the world that the Saviour of mankinde should be born of a woman And then in Abrahams time it was farther revealed that Christ which should save the world should come out of Abrahams loines but then all this while Gen. 12.3 though it were known that he should be of the seed of a woman and of the seed of Abraham also Yet thirdly it was not revealed of what tribe he should be that was revealed in Jacobs time viz. of that tribe of Judah Gen. 49.10 but yet in all this time it was not mentioned how he should be borne and therefore in Isaiahs time it was said A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne but where he should be borne Isa 7.14 that was not revealed untill Micahs time where it is said Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings out have beene from of old from everlasting nor the time till Daniel had it by revelation Dan. 9.24 Thus you see and thus true it is what the Apostle tells you that at sundry times and in divers manners the Lord hath revealed himself to the sonnes of men Heb. 1.1 so that herein what cause have we to blesse God that we are not borne in ancient dayes but in those wherein the Spirit of God doth reveale plainly and clearly the Mysteries of Religion 2. As the Spirit in these dayes of the Gospel doth make known things more plainly and clearly So also more efficaciously the Spirit operates with more efficacy upon mens affections and therefore in the dayes of John the Baptist it is said Matth. 11.12 that the Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force that is the Spirit by its effectual working did make men more eager and vehement for heaven then they were before under the Law There shall be a more glorious manifestation of the Spirit in its operations and hence you read of that promise in the Prophet Isaiah concerning the abundance of Gospel-grace that the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes Isa 30.26 In Gospel-times there is a full revelation of the Spirit and therefore you read that when Ezekiel described the holy City in his Prophesie and Saint John the New Jerusalem in his Revelations John describes his City farre more large then Ezekiel did his to note say Interpreters that God reveals more by his Spirit now then he did in former time Position 4 You that have found the Spirit of God efficacious in the Ministery Consider That the Spirit to set a dignity on the Ministery of the Word doth not work upon man immediately but mediately the Spirit will not teach men immediately but transmits them to an outward ministery which sets a great dignity upon it I shall give you three famous instances hereof wherein the Spirit refuses to teach men immediately but leaves them to an outward Ministery One whereof you haves concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch who reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Isaiah and the Spirt observing him how he read and could not understand bids Philip go neare and joyne himself to his Chariot and expound to him what he read Acts 8.29 the Spirit would not do it immediately himself but bids Philip go Interpreters observe hence what a dignity the Spirit of God puts on the Ministery of the Word that in those times when Visions and Revelations were in use yet God establisht the Ministery Another instance you have of Paul at his conversion Act. 9.4 c. when he saw that Vision and heard that voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and crying out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now Christ would not tell Paul immediately but saies he Go to Damascus and thertehou shalt meet with Ananias and he will tell thee what thou shalt do Thus Christ he would not immediately himself teach Paul but sends him to Ananias that he might set◠greater dignity upon the Gospel-Ministery And therefore they that will expect the Spirit must attend upon the Ordinances as those that would be healed must step into the Poole when the Angel moved Another example you have of Cornelius when he saw the Angel and was sore afraid and said What is it Lord The Lord he bids him send for Peter and he should shew him what he ought to do Thus doth the Lord dignifie the Ministery of the Gospel I mention this particular the rather to shew the vanity of Enthusiasme that would abolish the Ministery and cry up the Spirits immediate teaching but here we see the great dignity which the Spirit sets on the Ministery of poor weak and fraile man in that he will not teack men immediately but sends them to the Ministery of the Gospel Position 5 Though the Spirit who is absolutely free in his operations sometimes hath wrought without the Word yet never hath the Spirit wrought upon any mans heart against the Word To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to the Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 I mention this Position to condemne those vaine impulses of Spirit which men in our dayes pretend to but let such remember that to plead an impulse of Spirit contrary to the Word of God it is not from God but an instigation from the Devill And yet many have forsaken the bright Lamp of Gods Word to follow the ignis fatuus of their own fancy Position 6 You which have found the efficacious working of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word blesse you God that hath not left you a naked empty and inefficacious Ministery to attend upon the word as it is in our mouths without the operation of the Spirit is but a poor weak and empty thing thereby men often occasionally are hardened and perverted but you who have found the Spirit backing the Word in the Ministery thereof blesse you God that hath put such rich treasure in earthen vessels that what the Apostle said to the Corinthians is made good to you 1 Cor. 2.4,5 Our Ministery saies he came not to you with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power blesse you God that hath put forth such a power in
the Ministery of the Word for the good of your souls This is the first use to to those who have found the Ministery of the Word accompanied with the efficacy of the Spirit Vse 2 To those who have the efficacy and operation of the Spirit withheld from the Ministery they attend upon there are seven things I would have such to take notice of 1. That Gods Spirit is a free agent and is not to be tied to an outward Ministery but to be left at liberty to work how when and in what manner he pleases The winde bloweth where it listeth even so is every man which is born of the Spirit John 3.8 By the wind is meant the Spirit There is a Sovereignty and free agency in the Spirit of God to work when he pleases or to withhold working from whom he pleases And therefore the Spirit of God is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit and James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 2. Consider that God doth not withhold his Spirit from the outward Ministery meerly as an act of his Sovereignty but as an act of his Justice because of your sins whereby you have provoked him You provoke him to withhold the efficacy of his Spirit from his Ordinances by your sins and therefore are you hardened and receive not benefit by them you do some of those injuries to the Spirit as quenching grieving resisting vexing tempting and despising the Spirit which I mentioned before therefore do not think hardly of God but judge your selves Sinne was the cause which made the Lord withdraw his Spirit that it should not strive with the men of the old world it was their disobedience as you finde the Apostle Peter speaking Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah 1 Pet 3.19.20 their disobedience made God withdraw the efficacy of his Spirit if therefore the Spirit do not work on you think not hardly on God but thank your selves he is provoked unto it Thus God departed from the Israelites because of their sinfull provocations Psalm 81.11,12 But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own wayes The Spirit in Scripture is compared to a Dove now a Dove will alwayes keep in the house where it is bred unlesse the Dove-house be nastily kept The Spirit of God in this may fitly be resembled by a Dove keep your hearts clean and the Spirit will abide with you keep them nasty and the Spirit will soone leave you sin is the cause why the Spirit withdraws it self from the Ordinances and why men are left unto themselves and God doth it as an act of his justice punishing of sin 3. If God do withhold his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word the fault is rather to be imputed to thy self then unto the Word Many like the woman in Seneca complaine the roome is dark when they themselves are blinde and the place wants no light but they want eyes Or to him that preaches the Word usually if men do not profit by the hearing of the word the blame is cast upon the Minister and truly we Ministers have our faults as well as others if we preach not plainly methodically and duly there is a fault in us but yet I say you are rather to blame your selves then either the Word or the Minister thereof If the seed grow not the fault is neither in the hand of the husbandman nor in the influence of the heavens but in the badnesse of the soile That you may know where the fault lies consider 1. If a Minister preaches plainly and impartially and yet thou gettest no good by him the fault is thy own not his It was the Herodians fault not Christs that those persons profited not by Christs preaching for they themselves give this testimony of Christ Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2. If other men get good by his Ministery and not thou the fault is thine not his If at a feast others are fed thou famisht the fault is in thy stomach not meat 3. In case you have formerly got good by a Minister but now you get none formerly your affections were stirred up your desires were increased your love inflamed but now no such effect the fault is thine own It was the fault of the hearers of John Baptist the fault was not in John's Doctrine that they rejoyced onely for a season this also was the fault of the Galatians that they profited not by Pauls Ministery as before Gal. 4.16 Gal. 4.16 This cometh not from the seed it self but from the badnesse of the ground into which it is cast If thou profitest not by the Word thou hearest thou art to blame thine own naughty heart not the Word or the dispenser thereof 4. Though there is much dignity and excellency to be ascribed to the Word of God nakedly considered yet there is no efficacy in it to convert a soul without the Spirits ' concurrence As it was in the Pool of Bethesda not the water nor stepping into it healed but the Angels moving therein John 5.4 So also not the Word alone nor hearing of it 2 Cor. 3.6 but the Spirit healeth The letter kills but the Spirit gives life saies the Apostle that is the Word without the Spirit it is only the Spirit which can give life The Spirit without the Word will not ordinarily convert and the Word without the Spirit cannot I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Isa 57.19 by the fruit of the lips the Prophet understands a Gospel-Ministery but sayes God I must not create peace by the fruit of the lips it is the working of the Spirit with the Word which makes the Word to become effectual and therefore the Gospel is called the Ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8,9 5. It is a worse judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Word then to be without the Word and the reason is this because the Spirit can convert a man without the Word but the Word can never convert a man without the Spirit and therefore it is a worse judgement for thee to hear Sermons every day and to have the Spirits concurrent efficacy withheld from those Sermons then if thou shouldest never learn a Sermon in all thy life-time therefore pray unto God that his own Spirit may accompany his own Word and Ordinances to make them effectuall for the good of thy soul 6. The Spirit of God may be for a time withheld from Gods own people that it shall not attend an outward Ministery and this is a very sad judgement it may be withheld from Gods elect in a converting way As the man lay 38. yeers at
the Word of God of none effect even as those erroneous opinions in our dayes how do they ecclipse the glory and splendor of the Word of God and hinder the Spirits working Is not this the language of many How shall we beleeve Ministers if we go to one Congregation we shall hear one thing preached if we go to another 2 Cor. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall hear the same thing contradicted How doth â—his stagger people and greatly hinder the working of the Spirit upon them The Apostle Paul when he tels you of the force of his Ministery saies he we do not handle the Word of God deceitfully that is we do not mixe nor adulterate the Word as Vintners do their wine but saies he by manifestation of the truth commend our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God the word in their mouths it was truly and powerfully preached it reached even the consciences of men Demonstr 5 Because men deny the calling of the Ministery this may he another reason why God suspends his Spirits operation in it God will not pursue the Ministery to such with efficacy who contemn and deny the Ministery There are multitudes of men which do not onely despise our persons but the very Ministery it self who deny the Calling and would beat down the Office and therefore it is just with God that those who will not believe the Office of the Ministery that they shall not finde the efficacy of the Spirit in it Hence the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians saies Our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes 1 Thes 1.5 as if he should say you know our Office and Calling and our manner of living you believe it and therefore the Gospel comes to you not in word but in power and in the holy Ghost It is observable of John the Baptist that the reason why he wrought so much on the people insomuch that all Judah and the Regions round about came out unto him the reason was this Matth. 14.5 because they did all hold John for a Prophet the people did believe his Office They all held that the Baptisme of John was of Heaven and not of man and therefore for men to cry down the Office of the Ministery Matt. 21.26,25 and to deny it this may render it ineffectual and may provoke God to withhold his Spirit from accompanying of it Demonstr 6 Another Reason why God withdrawes his Spirit from the Ministery because multitudes runne upon the Office of the Ministery without a call and those who runne when God sends them not he will not blesse the Word in their mouths for the good of people Thus you see clearly from that of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 23.21 where the Lord saies he sent not those Prophets yet they ran he spoke not to them yet they prophesied but what good shall they do to the people to whom they prophesied you finde in the 32. verse Vers 32. therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord such shall be the effect of their preaching who runne upon the Office without a Call Demonstr 7 7. And lastly another reason why the Spirit of God backs not the Ministery of the Word as in former time it may be this because the judgement of the sword is upon the Land it may be you may think this a strange reason but I may evidence it thus other judgements as sicknesse upon a mans body the plague famine or such like they concurre with the Word and set the Word preached home upon the hearts of people but the sword it is a judgement which makes men savage and brutish one towards another Inter arma silent leges Dei hominumque whereas in other judgements men will look at Gods hand in them before these warres how many Converts were brought in since the sword came among us how hath it made neighbut bour cruell to neighbour that amiablenesse and sweetnesse for which the English Nation had a commendation how is it now turned into barbarousnesse Thus I have done with the first particular wherein I have shewed you this great spiritual judgement when the Spirit is withdrawn from the publike Ministery and likewise the demonstrations and causes of such a jugement I now come to the second part to shew you the wofulnesse of that judgement when the Spirit is withheld from men in its inward motions upon the conscience in their ordinary walkings in the handling whereof I shall proceeed after this method The Spirit of God may be withheld from men in its inward motions upon the conscience two wayes 1. In regard of sinne 2. In regard of duty 1. In regard of sinne the Spirit may be withheld two wayes 1. Before the commission thereof that it shall not check nor disswade thee from it 2. After the commission of sinne that it shall not rebuke and convince for it 1. I shall shew you how it appears to be a misery to have the Spirit withheld from you both before and after the commission of sin 2. Why or for what reason it is that the Spirit of God is withheld both these wayes 3. How farre a childe of God may be thus left of the Spirit First Now to make it appear that it is a grievous judgment to have the Spirit withheld from a man before the commission of sin it may be thus Demonstrated 1. Because if the Spirit do not disswade thee thou wilt be ready and apt to yeeld to any sin thou art tempted unto Men under the temptations of sin without the contrary disswasions of Gods Spirit are like a City whose walls are broken down and so are liable to every incursion of an enemy Prov. 4.23 the disswasions of the Spirit they are as fortresses to preserve the strong hold of mans heart they fence and keep the heart when the Devill by his temptations perswades to sinne the Spirit by his motions graciously disswades from it Oh do not break Gods Law do not wound and hurt thine owne conscience by these disswasions there is a curb laid upon the heart but when these are away how venturous will a man be to do evill It is said of Paul and Timothy that they assayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffereâ— them not Acts 6.7 so may it be said of many a man in respect of sin he hath through the corruption of his heart assayed to commit such and such a sinne but the Spirit hath not suffered him As a godly man he cannot do all the good he would because of the flesh so sometimes he shall not do all the evill he would because of the Spirit When the winde blows with a fresh gale the vessell may saile against the streame which otherwise was to be carried
You have cause to blesse God because otherwise you would commit more sinnes then you do and those which you do commit after a worse manner more willingly more eagerly more wilfully blesse God therefore in this regard for his holy Spirit Vse 2 You may learne the happinesse of a godly man and the misery of a wicked man The happinesse of a godly man that thou hast the Spirit to keep thee from sinning so as other men sinne 1 John 3.9 Non homines sed monstra Hominum sunt Pelagiani Cathari Caelestiani Donatistae A nabaptistae Libertini qui ex hoc loco perfectionem illam somniant à qua absunt ipsi emnium hon inum longissimi Beza Chap. 2.1 Job 1.22 Job 5.24 and the Scripture speaks of a godly man in this regard as if he had no sinne at all Whosoever is borne of God sayes the Apostle doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God It is not to be taken absolutely as if we had no sinne but comparatively he cannot sinne so as wicked men These things write I unto you that ye sinne not saith the Apostle And as it is said of Job that in all this he sinned not These expressions are not to be taken absolutely but comparatively not that godly men sinne not at all but that they sinne not after that manâ—er wicked men do Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne saith Job What an honour then is this put upon the godly that because they sinne not as the wicked therefore the Scripture makes mention of them as if they did not sin at all But farther see the misery of the wicked what a case are they in who have not the Spirit of God to lay a controule upon their sinful natures what servants to sin are they what vassals to their own lusts when the devil tempts from without and their own lusts from within they have no Spirit of God to withhold them Wicked men they sin so as no godly men can and therefore saith the Lord Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves and their spot is not the spot of my children It is true I confesse there may be a spice of those particulars I mentioned in thy practice there may be something of the will in sin some delectation some deliberation yet do not be discouraged if thy heart yield not fully if there be not such a strong bent of will to sin as is found in wicked men SERMON XII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving treated in several Sermons upon the Verse foregoing concerning walking in the Spirit I come now to handle this Verse which containes in it the combate between the flesh and the Spirit I shall only open the first clause of the Text at this time and dispatch the other in order The first onset given in this spiritual combate is by the flesh The flesh lusts against the Spirit to open which two things must be unfolded Quest 1 1. What is meant by flesh 2. What is meant by the Spirit and then what by the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit Answ By flesh is to be understood the corruption of mans nature by original sinne which corruption may be understood either as an habâ—t or as an act If you consider the flesh as an habit then it notes that primitive radical and original indisposition in mans nature to good But if it be taken as an act then it notes our corrupt motions against grace and so I take it in this place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit that is when the Spirit of God doth by divine pulsations beat upon the heart in holy motions then there is a contrariety in the flesh against these motions suppressing them and carrying the heart to evill The corruption of nature may be called flesh for these reasons 1. Because the soul was defiled with corruption immediately upon its union and conjunction with the body It is true there is a contest among Divines when the soul comes to be corrupted seeing it is infused by creation and is therefore pure But the generality of Authors conclude upon this that immediately upon the conjunction of the soul with the body the creature is said to have natural corruption and for this reason some think that corrupt nature is called flesh because man is naturally corrupted assoon as soule and body joyne together 2. Corrupt nature is called flesh because this corruption of nature remaines as long as we carry flesh and blood about with us as long as you have flesh you shall have sin The body of death is not destroyed but by the death of the body and therefore corruption may be called flesh 3. Because the motions of corrupt nature are naturally as deare to a man Ephes 5.29 as his own flesh No man yet ever hated his own flesh and this is the reason why the Scripture calls it a right hand Math. 5.29,30 and a right eye corruption of nature it is closely joyned to a man Quest 2 What is meant by the spirit Answ By spirit some understand the soul of a regenerate man but this seems to be incoherent the scope of the place carrying it to something else though this also may be included Therefore by spirit is to be understood the holy motions and workings of Gods Spirit and there the flesh is said to lust against Gal. 3.2,14 Gal 4.6,29 Gal. 5.5,16,17 18,22,25 and it is apparent that it is thus to be understood because spirit is so taken in the foregoing Verse and also in the Verse following my Text so that by spirit I understand the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the soule And in this sense is the word spirit taken in most places of this Epistle Quest 3 What is meant here by lust Answ When it is said to lust against the Spirit you may observe that it is not said to work against the Spirit nor act against the Spirit though sin be of an active nature yet it is not alwayes in the act but though it be not alwayes acting yet it is alwayes lusting there is an opposite disposition in nature to the work of Gods Spirit upon the heart In the words you may observe three parts 1. A double conflict The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 2. A double cause These are contrary the one to the other the flesh contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit contrary to the flesh 3. Here is a double consequent So that ye cannot do the things ye would the flesh lusts against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good ye would and the Spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot do the evil ye would Before I raise the
there can be no benefit at all by Ordinances 2. The next thing is to shew for what reason it is that God sends this grievous judgement upon any people For answer whereto I shall say down some reasons in the general and then some in particular 1 In the general the reason why God withholds or withdrawes the operation and working of his Spirit in his Ordinances Res delicatula est spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut traâ—tatur it is from that injury or offence that men have done to the Spirit of God if men grieve the Spirit and quench its motions it is just with God to withhold its workings and operations The Scripture mentions a six-fold wrong done unto the Spirit of God for one or all of which the Lord may withdraw his Spirit 1. There is a quenching of the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit By quenching the Spirit is meant any act of omission or slighting of the Spirits motions in our hearts take heed therefore of omitting good duties or neglecting its motions for how know you but that the Lord may withdraw his Spirit from you The winde may cease to blow if when it blowes we do not get our sailes ready 2. Another injury which is of a higher nature is grieving of the Spirit Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Then do you grieve the Spirit when you shall do any sinful act for which the Spirit checks you and yet you will run upon the committing of it when you shall hearken rather to the motions of sinne then the motions of the Spirit to Satanical delusions rather then the Spirits motions this grieves the Spirit exceedingly as it will grieve a friend when we leave his counsel and follow rather the counsel of an enemy 3. Another injury done against the Spirit is vexing the Spirit They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit And this is a higher degree Esay 36.10 for then may a man be said to vex the Spirit when he quenches the Spirit and grieves the Spirit and doth so by many reiterated acts hereby is the Spirit grieved A man is grieved when his friend doth him one discourtisie but when he shall persist in the doing of more this raiseth up vexation in him Even so is it with the Spirit of God when we slight its motions and notwithstanding its warnings will yet venture upon the committing of sinne we not only grieve but also vex the Spirit Isa 63.4 and so saith the Prophet They rebelled and vexed his Spirit 4. Another Scripture expression of wrong done to the Spirit is resisting of the Spirit Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 and this is a higher degree then any of the former for resisting of the Spirit is when a man knows such and such motions are from the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will stand out obstinately against its perswasions and motions 5. Another expression in Scripture is Acts 5.7 a tempting of the Spirit How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Calvin explaines this place and saies that their tempting of the Spirit was this Ananias and Sapphira having sold a possession brought a part of the price thereof and laid it at the Apostles feet and kept back the rest and they would carry it so secretly that they would try whether the Holy Ghost was an omniscient God able to punish that secret sinne Now this was a higher kinde of wickednesse and a most desperate pitch of Atheisme to try the omnisciency of the Spirit of God 6. And lastly another injury the Scripture expresses Heb. 10.29 is a doing despite to the Spirit of Grace and this is the very top of all the highest injury that a devil in hell or a man on earth can do to the Spirit This is the sinne against the holy Ghost Which shall never be forgiven Matth. 12.31 Now what is this despite it cannot be to neglect good motions for godly men may be and are overtaken with those neglects the not hearkening to a friends motion is not a doing of despite to him Therefore there cannot be a despite done to the Spirit of God but there must be these ingredients in it as 1 A committing of sinne not only out of an unavoidable infirmity but out of wilfulnesse so if we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 2.6 2. It is a sinne not unwittingly but knowingly committed 3. It is a sinne not only wilfully and knowingly committed for regenerate men do sin partly with the will but that which is the very characteristical difference is this that it is a sinne committed out of malice and hatred to the Spirit of God and this Divines apply to the Pharisees who knew and were convinced by the Miracles which Christ wrought that he was the Son of God and yet though they knew and were perswaded of this yet out of malice against the Deity of Christ they would put him to death so that to summe up all together this is the general reason why God will not suffer his Spirit to strive with men because of those injuries which they do unto the Spirit of God The particular Reasons may be these 1. Despising of the Ordinance of the Ministery I will not say the persons of the Ministers though that is an evill which God will punish but certainly a contempt of the Ministery of the Ordinance of Preaching it may provoke God to withdraw the operations of his Spirit if you despise prophecying you also quench the Spirit and then the Spirit will not have those operations upon you which otherwise it would 1 Thes 5.19 God will not follow the Word with efficacy to them who either contemne or deny the Ministery thereof 2. Another reason may be because men do too much depend upon the hearing of the Word preached Men come to hear the Word preached in the strength of their own spirits and therefore God will not give them the workings of his Spirit When men shall depend upon Ordinances it is just with God to deny the benefit of them 1 Sam. 4.2,3 as the Israelites having received an overthrow by the Philistines Wherein they lost about four thousand men looked upon this as the reason because they had not the Arke of God among them but when they had the Arke with them it is said the second day there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand men Thus did God punish their sinful dependance on the outward badge of his presence and therefore they had lesse successe when they had the Arke then when they were without it God may deny the operations of his Spirit in his Ordinances because men do sinfully depend upon them and not look to the God of the Ordinances for the blessing of his Spirit We must look to
the poole of Bethesda before he was healed so an elect vessell of God may lie twenty thirty or fourty yeers in a state of unregeneracy before he is converted Nay after conversion the Spirit of God may be withheld from the Ministery of the Word which Gods own people attend upon and that in these two wayes 1. In its Comforting work and thus it was with David Lord saies he take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11.12 thus was the Spirit withdrawn from David in its comforting work I do not tell you the graces of Gods children can be taken away but the comfort of their graces and of the Spirit of God may be taken away from them 2. God may withhold his Spirit in its quickening work thou mayest come to an Ordinance with a hard heart and it may not soften thee though the presence of God is never utterly taken away from a godly man yet the influences and quickenings of Gods Spirit may be withdrawn the Spirit may be withdrawn in a quickening way so as in grace thou mayest decay and in duty thou mayest grow cold and dull but yet the presence of God shall never be taken away from a godly man There is the same Sun in the firmament in winter as in summer but not the warme working and quickening influence 7. And lastly The Spirit of God may be given to men waiting on a publike Ministery in its common workings and yet it may be withheld from them in its saving and effectuall operations and thus it was with the Corinthians many of them had the Spirit to attend Pauls Ministery in the common workings of it but yet not in its saving effects and therefore saies Paul Though you come behinde in no gifts yet I must speak unto you as carnal look to your selves therefore the Spirit in its common workings may attend the Ministery to fill you with notions yet it may be withheld in regard of its saving operations SERMON III. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving shewed that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Ministery of the Word and laid down several Cautions and Positions concerning this judgement I come now to answer an objection Objection You may say This is a very sad judgement indeed but what demonstration may be given thereof or how may it be known that this judgement is in any part of the world Answ For answer hereunto you must know that this is a very dark point and hardly determined and therefore many of the particulars I shall give in answer to it they shall be but probable conjectures rather then infallible Demonstrations There are many things that give me to fear that in part the saving operations of the Spirit are withheld from the Ministery of the Word 1. And first we have cause to fear that in part the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word amongst us because there are fewer which are converted by the Ministery of the Word now then there were in former times now the Spirit ceases to back the Ministery of the Word with numerous numbers of Converts it is an argument that the Spirit is in part withdrawn When the Disciples did first preach the Gospel how did Satan fall down like lightening before the Word there were three thousand converted in one day by Peters Sermon and how may we preach three thousand times and yet not convert one Acts 2.41 Multitudes were brought in and converted in the morning of the Gospel according to that Gospel-promise Psal 110.3 From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth that is multitudes of people should be converted upon the first preaching of the Gospel which should overspread the earth even as the morning dew but in the age wherein God hath cast us the number of converts are greatly lessend and not only lessened to what they were in former time but to what they have been in our time what numbers of the younger sort of people did come in upon the preaching of the Word within these few yeers but now how is the work of conversion at a great stand heretofore Ministers fished as with a net many were brought in but now we fish as it were with an angle now one comes in and then another this may be one probable demonstration that in part the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word 2. Another conjecture is this when men that live under the Ministery of the Word grow worse and worse and not better for men to remaine many yeeres under the Ministery of the Word and yet to be more blinde and more blockish and more perversel and more profane this argues that certainly the Spirit of God is withheld from such and that their destruction is nigh the ground which hath the raine often falling upon it and yet is unfruitful Heb. 6.7.8 is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned as the Apostle speaks The Spirit being withheld the raine of the Gospel is a curse to them and the end of such shall be burning 3. You may feare the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word because there are more perverted by Errour then converted by the Truth for these last years especially since erroneous men have had liberty and countenance What multitudes have beene perverted and led away by the Errours of ungodly men this is an argument of a judiciall hardnesse upon the Land How are we fallen into those times of which the Apostle Peter speaks wherein shall be false teachers and such who shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2.1,2 How many in these our dayes have been perverted following the pernicious wayes of false teachers which surely is an argument of the Spirits suspension from the Ministery Demonstr 4 4. Because the Word of truth is so adulterated with Error this may be a reason why the Word prevailes so little upon the hearts of men As in a field where there are many weeds the seed will never grow there so where there are many Errours sprung up in a Church the seed of Gods Word will not thrive there The increase of damnable Heresies suspends the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of men Christ it is said of him Mark 7.13 that he taught the people with authority and not as did the Scribes and why not as did the Scribes you have the reason given by Christ in the Evangelist Saint Marke sayes he You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions which ye have delivered It was of no force upon the consciences of their followers their erroneous traditions made
so withheld from them that after they fell into that sinne they were not convinced of it and therefore they lived and died in it Answ 2 The Spirit may be so farre from convincing a man of sinne and may so withdraw from a man that after he hath sinned he may go about to defend and justifie the sinne he hath committed and thus Jonah he sinned in not obeying Gods commandment of going to Nineveh and when God spared Nineveh Jonah was very angry and when God comes to reason with him asking him whether he did well to be angry why yes saies he I do well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4.9 Here was a good man in a pettish mood and to Gods face would justifie his own passion So Israel under the name of Ephraim they would justifie their own wickednesse Ephraim is a Merchant saith the Prophet Hosea 12.7,8 the balances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppresse But what said Ephraim yet saies he I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall finde no iniquity in me that were sinne and yet God charges them with the balances of deceit Answ 3 A godly man he may for a long time yea many years lie under sinne and the Spirit of God may not work remorse of conscience in him for the sinne he hath committed and this is very sad thus the Spirit was withdrawn from David he commits adultery with Bathsheba and till the childe was borne and Nathan the Prophet came to him we never read that he was troubled for his sinne the Spirit did not work remorse of conscience in him which must be nine moneths after the manner of women Nay we read of Josephs brethren that they cast him into a pit and sold him unto the Ishmaelites and though they dealt thus unnaturally with their brother yet the Scripture tells us that it was about one and twenty years before they were troubled for this sin when they were in prison in Egypt then they said one to another Verily we are guilty of our brothers blood and therefore is this evill come upon us Gen. 42 21. Answ 4 The Spirit of God may so farre withdraw from a godly man after he hath committed sinne that he may rather commit more sinnes to hide that one sinne then to repent of it and this is a high step how near hell it is Yet thus David after he had fallen into adultery he doth not put his conscience on work to repent of this sinne but puts his wits on work how to cover this sinne and for that end sends for Vriah home to lie with his wife to cover his own sinfull fact and makes him drunk and when he could not bring that to passe then he contrives his death and makes him the messenger of death to himself So Peter a good man and yet Peter committed many sinnes to excuse one sinne nay he committed many sinnes sooner then he did repent of one sinne when he denied Christ First he denies him Then he denies him with an oath And thirdly he denies him with a curse whether he cursed Christ or himself or both it is not certaine Thus committed he many sinnes to excuse one This is a farre degree and yet thus farre may a godly man go Answ 5 A godly man after he hath committed sinne may be so farre from having power to mortifie that sinne that he may fall into it often and again Gen. 12.13 Gen. 20.2 We have many Scripture-instances hereof Abraham he fell twice into the sinne of lying in denying his own wife so Joseph Gen. 42.15,16 1 Kings 11.9 he fell twice into the sinne of swearing Solomon he sinned against the Lord after he had twice appeared to him And so the children of Israel Num. 14.22 they fell into the sinne of murmuring against God ten times together one after a-another 1 Kings 22.49 2 Chron. 18.2 Thus Jehosaphat sinned in sinfull compliance with wicked men twice as may be gathered I do not mention this to boulster any man in a ventrous way of sinning but only for the ease of afflicted consciences the Spirit may leave thee thus farre both before and after the commission of sin Before I come to handle the witholdings of the Spirit in reference to that which is good I shall give you the use of the former points If the Spirit of God do leave you thus farre then I inferre Inference 1 That you are not to impute it to God as an act of Sovereignty but as an act of Justice God is provoked to do it Why doth the Spirit of God say to thee as the Lord to Ephraâ—m He is given to Idols let him alone Hosea 4.17 why is it that Gods Spirit leaves thee some affront or other thou hast done to the Spirit either thou hast quenched the Spirits motions or grieved the Spirit or vexed the Spirit or resisted the Spirit in its operations and therefore thou shalt hear no more of the disswasions of the Spirit in thy heart Inference 2 Do not censure a man when thou seest him fall into sinne be not severe against him if Gods Spirit should be withdrawn from thee thou wouldest sinne a thousand times more then that man The Scripture commands that you should restore men fallen with the spirit of meeknesse considering your selves lest you also be tempted Gal. 6. i. Tu hodie Ego cras Aug. Doest thou see another man sinne do not judge him consider thy self if the Devill should tempt thee to a worse sinne and the Spirit withdraw from thee thou wouldest sinne worse then that man hath sinned Inference 3 What cause have you to blesse God that he hath given the strivings of his Spirit both to your selves and other men 1. Blesse God the Spirit is given to you The Spirit in the Word is the voice behinde thee saying This is the Way walk in it and by this meanes you are renced from many temptations and freed from many evils should a tempting Devill and thy corrupt heart meet and Gods Spirit but withdraw into what evill wouldest thou runne Even such a man in such a case would rush on in evill as the horse rushes on into the battle if the Spirit should not restraine him from sin Secondly blesse God for other men that by the common restraining power of the Spirit he laies a check and controll upon the spirits of men were it not for this there would be no living in the world Homo hominis Lupus how would humane socies be destroied every man would be savage and cruell each to other we should kill and murther every man that angered us deceive every man that dealt with us tell a lie to every man that speaks to us we should commit all sinne There is great wickednesse done in this last and worst age of the world but there would be more evill done did not the Spirit lay curbâ— and restraints
Spirit when thou continuest in the use of duty not so spiritual as in former time This appears in two regards 1. When there is lesse grace exercised 2. When there are more sins committed in the performance of duty 1. When there is lesse grace exercised in duty as if there be lesse affection lesse zeal lesse delight lesse love lesse joy and lesse heavenly mindedness then there was found in thee in years past it is an argument of a gradual departure of the Spirit 2. If thou committest more sinnes in the doing of duty as if there be more spiritual pride more carnal dependance more selfe-ends more wandring thoughts more irreverence of God more hardnesse of heart and wearinesse of spirit in holy exercises this shews the abundance of sinne in thee and is an argument of the Spirits withdrawing I appeale to your own consciences judge your selves whether some or all of these symptoms may not be found in you and whether this in particular that thou doest duty less spiritually then formerly thou hast more sinnes and lesse grace exercised in it I may illustrate this by a Simile You never see a crow pitch upon a living man but if the man be dead and lie in a ditch then how will every bird of prey fasten on him You never see wormes creep upon a living man but let him be once dead and his soul once departed how soone will wormes and vermine devoure his carcase I only accomodate this Simile to this end That what the soul is to the body that is the Spirit of God to the soul while the soul is with the body a crow or a bird of prey will not fasten on it whilest the Spirit of God quickens thee vermine-lusts will not seize upon thee but if once the Spirit of God which is the life of thy soul be withdrawn then what swarmes of vermine-lusts will fasten on thy heart in all the dnties thou performest to God what a cage of unclean birds what a receptacle of devils will thy heart be if the Spirit of God be but once with-drawn from thee 9. Thou mayest know if the Spirit be withdrawn by this if thou settest not upon duty so carefully and diligently as thou hast done in former time thou dost with more negligence set upon the performance of duties rush hand over head as we say upon it When the Spirit of God is withdrawn from a soul it wiâ—… grow carelesse in holy duties in two respects 1. thou wilt be careless of the manner how thou dost it and never take care how to make thy Spirit meet for its performance And then secondly thou wilt never take care for the end of duty that thy soul may be bettered by it and thou made more meet for the enjoyment of God 10. If the Spirit be withdrawn thou mayest know it by this that thou continuest not in the use of duty so practically and influencially as in former time the meaning of this is in such a case Good duties done have not such an influence to the bettering of our conversation God never ordained duties for themselves that you might rest in them but for other ends Gal. 5.25 in order to your lives and conversations therefore sayes the Apostle If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Those duties wherein the Spirit assists us should have an influence upon our lives thou therefore which art constant in holy duties and those duties have no influence upon thy heart thou art a great hearer but not a godly liver a great professor but thy practice doth not hold-level with thy profession this is an argument that thy duties do not carry a saving influence unto thy life thou canst pray well but thou doest not live well thou art a good man upon thy knee but a bad man in thy trade this is an argument that the Spirit of God is withdrawn from thee Now look over your hearts and examine them in all these particulars and see whether the Spirit of God be not departed from thee yea or no I now come to the Application hereof Vse 1 Shall be of comfort lest any thing which I have said should be a discouragement to any perplexed conscience and there are four words of comfort I shall lay down for such 1. Consider that though the quickenings of the Spirit may be withdrawn from a godly man yet the presence of the Spirit can never be withdrawn and therefore oh beleever lie not down in despaire and despondence The Spirit to thee is but as the Sun under a cloud it is in the firmament still so is the Spirit in thy heart and though it be under a cloud as to the influence of it yet it is constantly with thee as to its presence A Believer may have the truth and being of grace in him though not the comfort of it 2. Consider then Oh childe of God who sayest that these symptoms discover the departure of the Spirit from thee Why remember that God did never continue the Spirit in its motions and workings alwayes alike in any godly man It is with thy soul in this case as with natural things in the water of the sea there is an Ebbing and Flowing in the seasons of the year there is the Winter as well as the Summer and the Autum as well as the Spring as it is thus with the times and seasons in natural things so also is it in Spiritual things the Spirit of God was never continued to all men alike but there are Ebbings and Flowings of it As it is in the Aire so it is in the heart sometimes it is clear and sometimes cloudy The Sunne in the firmament it is alwaies there yet it doth not always give the same warmth and heat and influence upon the earth What is true of the Sunne in this respect is also of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his it hath not always the same influence upon the heart The time may be that thou mayest be in thy winter wherein thy graces may not have a verdure and greennesse and yet still the Spirit is in thee and will in the spring-time cause thee to flourish The tree may have life in the root when during the Winter-season it may have neither leaves nor blosoms nor fruit A childe of God may have his life hid in Christ the root of all spiritual life though it may be winter-season sometimes with him both in respect of the growth exercise and comfort of grace 3. Jesus Christ is not onely a faithful but a merciful High-Priest Heb. 2.17 Remember that Jesus Christ doth know that thou canst not all thy life-time performe duâ—… without infirmity and therefore he had his perfect righteousnesse to cover thy imperfect duties and this should greatly establish the hearts of poor Christians It is a good note which one hath upon Cant. 3.6 It is said there Cant. 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the wildernesse like pillars of
smoak perfumed with myrrhe and frankincense By him who came out of the wildernesse is not meant Christ but the spouse of Christ Now here observe two things she comes out of the wildernesse That the Church may be an afflicted Church though a Religious Church It alludes to the great trials by which God exercised his people with when he led them through the wildernesse of Canaan And then she is said to come out of the Wildernesse like a Pillar of smoak Now what is meant by that A Divine gives this sense of it Gods people they may have smoky duties blackt with many foul infirmities they may be Pillars of smoak thy duties may be much sooted but now what is thy comfort though it be said the Spouse came out like a Pillar of smoak yet she was perfumed with myrrh and frankincense that is she had the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to perfume her duties he perfumes my duties with the myrrh of his own righteousnesse And when the prayers of the Saints which are compared to incense Psal 142.2 are offered by Christ they go up to heaven as a most sweet and acceptable sacrifice far more acceptable and welcome then the costly evaporations of the most pretious Arabian gummes Oh then let this bear up thy heart thou art black by reason of thy infirmities yet there is a perfume which can sweeten all thy duties Hence it is said That the Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne Rev. 8.3,4 This doth not make for the Popish opinion as if we should use the Mediation of Angels but by the Angel here is not meant a created Angel of the Lord but the Angel of the Covenant who is the Lord and what was his office he had much incense and this much incense he offered with the prayers of the Saints all the people of God they share in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to cover their imperfect duties And then it is said that the smoak of the inoense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand that is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ is sented with the prayers of the Saints unto the Lord whereby they are accepted 4. And lastly this may be your comfort though thou canst not performe duty without infirmity yet thou doest performe duty without known hypocrisie though thou doest offend in the manner of performance yet thou wouldest not be false in the end or principle of thy doing the sincerity of thy heart herein may be thy comfort and from such though the Spirit may withdraw for a while yet 't will not be long before it return again who though to humble thee he may for a while withdraw in anger yet he will returne again In a little moment have I hid my face and forsaken thee but I will gather thee with everlasting mercy Isa 54 7. SERMON VII At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 24. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed Now to some farther use and Application of this point which I shall do by laying down some particular inferences directions or positions concerning the withdrawings of Gods Spirit Posit 1 Be convinced of the great need you stand in of having the motions of the Spirit vouchsafed and continued to you and that upon a fourfold ground 1. If you consider the weaknesse and disability of our natures to holy motions as well as to holy actions Phil. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt acti agentes ut moti moventes 2 Cor. 3.5 A man is not only weak to act good but is weak to any holy motion therefore sayes the Apostle It is the Lord which works in us both to Will and to do the very desire of the soul after good it is a thing above nature it comes from God and therefore the same Apostle sayes he We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God The inferior orbes move as they are acted and moved by the superior A Mole can as easily move the earth from its centre or a sparrow drink up the waters of the Ocean out of their channels as thou of thy self have any good motion or ability to act good all your assistance comes from the Spirit of God and therefore sayes Saint Paul If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Thou art weak in thy self therefore that should make thee see thy need of the Spirit 2. Consider not only the weaknesse but the backwardnesse that is in us unto that which is good And therefore the Scripture mentions not onely a grieving and quenching but also a resisting of the Spirit Acts 7.51 And therefore those phrases of Scripture John 6.44 Draw me and I will runne after thee And None can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him they denote not only a weaknesse but an unwillingnesse in us to come and a backwardnesse also in our hearts to yield subjection to a law of holinesse Psal 110.3 Till God by his Spirit make us a willing people in the day of his power 3. Be convinced of the great need you stand in of the Spirit from those strong resistances that are in your natures to holy motions Though grace be of an active nature yet because there is an indisposition in the subject therefore grace must be put on by the Spirit Fire you know it is of an active nature apt to burne but let fire be put to green or wet wood the greenesse of the wood resists the prevalency of the flame thus it is with grace in our natures it is like fire in green wood there must be much blowing before it will burne therefore the Apostle uses these words to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 sayes he Stirre up the gift of God which is in thee Blow up the coales There is much resistance in our hearts against the Spirit of God 4. You have great need of the Spirits motions if you consider the abundance of evil motions which will break in upon thy heart if the Spirit in its motions be withdrawn What a receptacle for the devil and lusts will thy heart be if the Spirit absent himself As smoak comes out of a chimney so will corruption come out of thy heart As sparks out of a blown fire so will evil motions come into thy heart when corruption is blown with temptation Thou art unwilling and backward to good it must be the Spirit wich must stirre thee up To this purpose you have a passage in the Prophet Isaiah He wakeneth me morning by morning Isa 50.4 sayes he thou hast need to be awakened and excited by the Spirit of God day
thus it was with Paul There was given to him a thorne in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure And so Peter when he fell in denying Christ his desertion was cautional Matth. 26.70 that he might not depend upon his own strength as he had most foolishly done for after-time 2. There may be a desertion which is probational that is to try some grace which God would have exercised and thus Job he was not afflicted for sinne but God did thereby prove him and try him in his faith and patience 3. There is a desertion which is penal and that is for sinne when God leaves a man to himself and thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 5.3,4,5,6 because she hearkened not and opened not to Christ therefore he withdrew himself Art thou therefore deserted by the Spirit of God why remember that desertions are not alwayes penal though I confesse they are most often so and it is most suitable to that humble and penitent frame of heart that should be in a deserted soul to judge himself smitten and forsaken of God for his sin but sometimes they are cautional and sometimes probational Posit 6 Be rather industrious how to procure the Spirits returne when he is withdrawn then to pore upon thy misery in the Spirits absence It is the fault of many Christians they rest contented in fruitlesse and doleful complaints of their losse but do not put forth industrious indeavours to recover what they have lost It was not enough for Joshua to lie upon his face at the defeat at Ai Joshua 7.10.11 but he must stand upon his feet and finde out the cause and endeavour to make up the breach There are some professors who by whining and complaining think to excuse their idlenesse and spiritual sloth Thou hast lost the Spirit do not so much pore upon thy losse as to think what thou must do to recover the Spirit again Which that thou mayest do follow these directions 1. Cleanse thy conscience from the allowance of any known sinne make thy heart clean and so fit for Christ and his Spirit will come unto thee let thy heart be like that roome Christ came to eat the Passeover in Luke 22.12 an upper roome a furnished roome and a swept roome let thy heart be prepared and swept with the besome of sanctified grace from the allowance of sinne and this will be a means for thee to recover the Spirit again 2. Go unto God by prayer which is the universal remedy for all spiritual distempers Is any among you afflicted let him pray saith the Apostle James James 5.13 Let the affliction be what it will prayer will be a means to deliver thee Prayer is injoyned by God as a means to receive the Spirit of God Luke 11.13 And it will speed because it is Gods ordinance 3. Do not only pray but bewaile thy condition in prayer Spread thy complaints before the Lord and say Lord how is my heart a cage of uncleane birds a receptacle for sinne and the devil This is the best that my heart is now fit for I who once had my graces fresh and floâ—…ishing how are they now like the withered grasse on the house-toppe that once had the imbraces of an everlasting arme but now am I forsaken of the Spirit I was once like a field whom God had blessed and like unto the Cedars of Lebanon casting forth my roots and pleasant branches But now I am as a tree of the forrest which brings forth nothing I once was as a fruitful vine in the vineyard of Christ but now am like unto the mountains of Gilboa upon whom neither the rain nor the dew falls thus bewaile thy self in the presence of the Lord and it may be when he sees thee with tears in thy eyes and thy petitions in thy hand he may returne unto thee Though he hath forsaken thee yet he will not forget thee though he hath cast thee down yet he will not cast thee off for ever He will not cast away his people if thou forsakest not him labour therefore by prayers and tears to recover thy fall Position 7 Look upon it as a more grievous judgement to have the sanctified and sanctifying motions of the Spirit withdrawn then to have the comforts of the Spirit withheld This is a fault among many Christians especially among those who are troubled in conscience all their complaints are for want of assurance and comfort and I do not know whether Christ be mine or no into this channel all their sorrow and grief runnes And therefore it is much to be feared that rather self-love then love to Christ is the ground of many such complaints as many make when they say they are deserted whereas it is a more sad judgement if thou wantest the quickening and exciting motions of the Spirit then if thou wantest the witnesse and comforts of the Spirit it 's more sad to have the Spirits gracious motions with-held then to have the Spirits comforts withdrawn Position 8 Another position is this that the common gifts of the Spirit may be imparted when the saving gifts of the Spirit may be with-held It was thus with many in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.7 The Apostle tells them They came behinde in no gifts 1. Cor. 3.1 and yet as to grace he tells you they were carnal and walked as men Position 9 Consider that the Spirit in its motions and workings may be really withdrawn from a man when he in his own apprehensions thinks he fully enjoys them It may be with a man in this case as with Sampson it was told him that the Philistines were upon him Judges 16.20 and he aworke out of sleep and said I will go out as at other times before and shake my self and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him He knew not that his strength was gone Thus you may be left of the Spirit and you may not know it and the reason is partly because the departures of the Spirit are gradual You cannot discerne a mans growth because he grows by little and little As it is with our natural growth so is it also with our spiritual decayes and partly because the heart is very deceitfull and carelesse and negligent to search and try how it is with the soul And therefore let this lie upon your thoughts you may have the Spirit in its motions withdrawn from you when yet in your apprehensions you may be perswaded that you possesse them Application of the Doctrine by way of consolation I shall conclude this point with a few words of comfort lest peradventure there may be some which may be troubled and perplexed about what I have delivered concerning the withdrawings of Gods Spirit Vse 1 Thou Oh Christian who complainest that the Spirit is withdrawn from thee remember this though the Spirit be withdrawn yet it is but a gradual not a total
withdrawing it is but in some things not in all in some motions and in some asistance not in other some The Spirit is never totally witdrawn from godly men the presence of the Spirit is not withdrawn though the comfort and assurance of it may be Vse 2 It is with a soul in this case as it is with the herbs and trees in winter the whole sap is not gone but retired into the root Let this be thy comfort that the departures of the Spirit they are temporary not eternal the Spirit is onely gone for a season Isaiah 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thâ—e for a moment It is but in a little wrath and for a little while That which Christ said of his person to his Disciples I will go away but I will come again the same may be said of the Spirit though he may be withdrawn yet after a while he will returne again Vse 3 Thou sayest the Spirit is withdrawn but it may be it is a sensible not a real withdrawing My meaning is this it may be thou apprehendest it to be so when in relity it is not so for of all men the godly they are most apt to have suspitions of their own hearts and of their own estates Gen. 44.2 Thou mayest have as Benjamin a golden cup in thy sacks mouth a pledge of Joseph's love and thou mayest not know it Out of thy belly may flow a fountain of living water and yet thou mayest not know it even as Hagar when she was ready to die for thirst had a well of water by her and yet knew it not therefore it may be it is but a sensible not a real withdrawing It is with the soul in respect of the Spirit of Christ as it was with Mary Magdalen who when she was speaking with Christ knew it not but asked Christ whither they had carried him John 20.15 Vse 4 Consider that Jesus Christ may depart from you not out of hatred but out of trial to see whether thou wilt follow him As a Mother will sometimes run into a corner and hide her self from her childe but it is not to leave her child shiftless but to see its love whether it will seek after her or not So Jesus Christ he may sometimes leave you and withdraw his Spirit to see whether you will follow hard after him account the motions of his Spirit worth seeking after And thus I have briefly given you an account of the withdrawings of the Spirit of Christ from ordinances and from our souls I have shewed you both the cause and the cure of this miserable estate The Lord give you understanding in all things SERM. VIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 1. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh HAving lately treated of the misery of those from whom the motions of Gods Spirit were withdrawn I am now to treat of the happinesse of others who walk after the motions and guidance of the Spirit which I shall do out of these words Walk in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Which words are an Apostical direction or caution being intire in themselves and therefore I shall handle them without reference to what goes before or what follows after The method I observe shall be this First I shall explaine the words Secondly divide them then deduce some observations and lastly make application of all 1. In the explanatory part there are four things to be unfolded 1. What is here to be meant by the Spirit 2. What is meant by walking in the Spirit 3. What by not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh 4. How can it be said that men shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Quest 1 What is meant by the Spirit Answ 1 In general it doth denote the whole divine essence distinguished into three persons God is a Spirit John 4.24 i. e. a spiritual Essence 2 Cor. 3.17 Answ 2 More particularly it notes the third person in the blessed Trinity 1 John 5.6 Answ 3 By Spirit is understood the gifts of the Spirit Luk. 1.15 Quest 2 What is meant here by walking in the Spirit Answ 1 For answer hereunto there is something must be paraphrased upon as conducible to the explaining of it As first Gal. 3.2 Verse 25. Gal. 5.18 there is mention made in Gal. 3.2 of receiving the Spirit Secondly of living in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 Thirdly of being led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 And fourthly of walking in the Spirit and that in the words of my text Now by receiving and living in the Spirit is set out to us the first implantation or work of Gods Spirit on us in our regeneration And by the other two phrases of being led by the Spirit and walking in the Spirit these two are one and the same and set out to us the progressive work of the Spirit upon the soul in the work of sanctification so that he that would walk in the Spirit must follow the motions and instructions of it Therefore if you would walk in the Spirit you must not follow the impulses of your own spirits Quicquid somniant Fanatici volunt esse Spiritum sanctum Melanchton they follow the instinct of their own spirits Of such Melanchton speaks that they think their own dreams as Canonical as Gods Word and thereby are so far from abolishing the lusts of the flesh that they gratifie the lusts of the flesh The genuine sense therefore of these words of walking in the Spirit is to walk after the Spirit and so it is an expression of the same importance with those words in Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is if we follow the motions and instructions of Gods Spirit then may we be said to walk in it Quest 3 But what benefit will accrue hereupon Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Answ Now before I answer this particular I must give you caution The Apostle doth not say you shall not have the lusts of the flesh for you know that he which doth most follow the motions and directions of the Spirit in his practice he finds in himselfe the workings of corrupt nature whilest you have this natural body you will have these lusts of the flesh in you But saith the Apostle Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Now by the lusts of the flesh you must not understand it in a limited sense of the sinne of incontinency or uncleannesse which elsewhere is truly called the lust of the flesh but you are to take it in a comprehensive sense for all those corrupt and irregular inclinations to sinne which are in the nature of man Now when the Apostle saith you shall not fulfil these lusts his meaning is not that you shall not
sinne but that you shall not act sinne with such a strong and full consent of the will nor with such deliberation as unregenerate men who want the Spirit of God Quest 4 How can this be true that if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh whereas experience tells us that set a man walk never so exactly and be never so spiritual yet that man he shall yield to and act the lusts of the flesh and those corruptions which are hid in his nature will break out in his life Answ I have two things to give you by way of answer hereto 1. Though it be true that a man walking in the Spirit shall have the lusts of the flesh yet it is as true that a godly man so walking shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and the reason is this There is a difference between the acting and between the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh a godly man when he sinnes he acts the lusts of the flesh yet he doth not fulfil it because when he sinnes he doth not sinne with such a full consent nor with such a deliberate and compleat act of the will as wicked men do Sinne carries wicked men with more force and violence and with a more deliberate act of the will so some Interpreters resolve this difficulty 2. Others answer it thus Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is say they eatenus whilest you imbrace the Spirits motions Musculus in locum sinnes motions shall not prevaile so farre as you hearken to the Spirits good motions you shall not be overcome with the sinful motions of your own corrupt nature or of the devil You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh so it is in the original and so it is translated in the singular number from whence Criticks shew that in that one sinne of nature there are many sinnes contained all the sinnes in the world being in the womb of original sin In the whole verse you have three parts 1. A duty injoyned Walk in the Spirit 2. A benefit annexed You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh 3. The certainty of having this benefit This I say c. There are two observations I shall note from the words Doct. 1 That it ought to be the special care of Beleevers to walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Doct. 2 That those who walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit they shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh In the opening of the first Doctrine there are several queries I shall dispatch Querie 1 Why must a beleever walk after the guidance of the Spirit of God and what are the reasons hereof Reas 1 Because it is a great part of the Spirits office after converting grace to excite and move the heart to more grace and to guide a man in the way wherein he should walk Thus it is expressed by the Prophet Isaiah Thine ears shall hear a word behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turne up to the right hand and when ye turne to the left Isa 30.21 As the starre was to the Shepherds Mat. 2.9 or as the fiery Pillar to the Israelites in their passage thorow the Wildernesse So is the Spirit to Beleevers to guide them in the way which is everlasting Therefore if thou walkest not after its motions and guidance thou doest as much as in thee lies to put the Spirit out of office Reas 2 Therefore oughtest thou to walk after the guidance of Gods Spirit because the devil he will be suggesting evil motions to thee he goes up and down compassing the earth not to do good but evil Job 1.7 1 Pet. 5.8 He walketh about seeking whom he may devour And not onely the devil but thine own spirit is a false spirit prompting and provoking thee to sinne that as the furnace casts out sparks and the Chimney smoak so doth thy spirit sinful motions therefore what causehast thou to follow the motions of the Spirit of God There are also many erroneous men Many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 Many seducing spirits and corrupt teachers are gon out into the world Believe not every spirit saith Saint John for many false Prophets are gone out into the world such which pretend they have the Spirit and are teachers of truth but indeed are broachers of errour A tempting devil without us an evil heart of unbelief within us and seducing teachers abroad in the world how should they make us to prize and to follow the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Reas 3 Because the delusions and enthusiasmes of false teachers are so handed and suggested that they seeme like the motions of the Spirit And therefore is the Apostles caution to the Thessalonians Be not so soone shaken in minde neither by Spirit nor by Word nor by letter as from us that the day of Christ is at hand 2 Thes 2.2 Now if you ask what is meant here by the words Be not shaken in minde by any false spirit Learned Interpreters answer Sclater in Loc. by Spirit that is by revelations instincts and inspirirations that are pretended to come from the Spirit of Christ It was a wicked blasphemy in that wretched Impostor Mahomet to give out that those dead fits that came upon him by his falling sicknesse were raptures from the Spirit of God and that the Dove which he had taught to come feed at his eare was the holy Ghost which did from God reveal unto him the Laws which are set down in the Alchoran by which the pure Mahometans are deluded to this day And therefore seeing the devil hath helpt men in these dayes to such artificial dresses for their wicked errours and the devil himself seems so like an Angel of light we have the more need to walk after the guidance of the Spirit Reas 4 Another reason why you should walk after the motions of the Spirit is because that in so doing you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and this is the reason laid down in the text which because it will come pertinently to be handled in the second Doctrine I therefore wholly wave the handling of it here Querie 2 How we may know the Spirits motions from the natural motions of our own consciences Answ To resolve this point I shall lay down five markes or differences whereby we may know the one from the other 1. The Spirit when it moves a man to good it doth not onely excite him to it but doth also assist him in the doing of it Rom. 8.26 2 Tim. 1.7 Therefore the Spirit is said to help our infirmities making intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered The Spirit of God it is a Spirit of power to enable us in good duties as it excites so also it assists in what it moves to But though
natural motions from conscience may put a man upon the doing of a good thing Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor yet it cannot give any power for its performance it leaves thee like Ovids Medea that saw good yet would not do it Natural motions to the soul are as Pharaoh to the Israelites who moved them to make brick but gave them no materials Natural conscience moves to duty but conveighs no power to do it withal therefore you read that the law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8 3. weak as to justification thereby there being no power in man to fulfil it 2. Virtutis amore non formidine poenae 2 Tim. 1.7 The Spirit it moves a man to do good more out of the lovelinesse and beauty that is in holinesse then out of fear of hells torments Hence we read that God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde we do not do things meerely out of fear of hell but out of love to God and holinesse So the Apostle Paul sayes he As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God for ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.14,15 Ducuur à spiritu non trahâ—tur The Spirit of God makes a man do a thing as a childe out of love to his father and not out of fear this is the effect of the Spirit of God But now the motions of natural conscience to good are not out of any excellency a man seeth in the good he doth but meerly out of feare of punishment he seeth damnation if he doth otherwise 3. The Spirit of God moves a man to do good in things not only good for the matter but to make conscience of the end why he doth such a thing that he be sound in his aime and therefore sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 17. We have received the Spirit of a sound minde that is the Spirit it puts a man not only upon the doing of a good duty but makes him have a sincere end in the doing thereof But the natural conscience it rests in the duty in case it be done though done never so corruptly Prov. 7.14 As the harlot Solomon speaks of who had sacrificed and paid her vows though her end was most abominable and base viz. that she might the more uncontrolable play the harlot she first playes the hypocrite and then the harlot 4. The Spirit of God moving men to do good it regulates them in the manner of doing good the duty it must be done with affection with love with faith fervency and composednesse of minde but natural conscience moving a man to duty takes no farther care so it be done not how it be done it may move to prayer and to hearing but never moves to take heed how these duties are done 5. The Spirit of God moves a man so powerfully that it carrieth him to do good notwithstanding difficulty and danger and neither shall hinder him in its performance The Spirits motions are like unto new wine in a barrel that wanting vent is ready to burst holy motions will break forth into holy actions Wicked men are sick till they act their wickednesse and cannot be satisfied till they have done sinfully But those who have natural motions to good they go no farther but rest in them and never bring forth good accomplishments Balaam he had a good motion Num. 23.10 oh sayes he that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end might be like unto his What a heavenly ejaculation was here it was a very good wish but yet it was a lazie one he wisht to die the death of the righteous but yet would not live the life of the righteous he would not practise what he prayed for Natural motions in men freeze between their lips they only deâ—re but never break out into the acting of duty Difficulties do discourage natural men from following their good resolutions with constant practice and the sluggard will not plow because of the cold Prov. 20.4 Querie 3 How may we know the Spirits motions from Satanical delusions The devils suggestions they are like unto the Spirits motions and there have been men in all ages which have taken phantastical illusions for the Spirits motions therefore to difference the one from the other Consider 1. That the motions of Gods Spirit are alwayes agreeable to a written word the words prescript and the Spirits motions are correspondent the one to the other You have both joyned together by Solomon I will poure out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 1.23 So the Prophet Isaiah My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Isa 59.21 The motions of the Spirit of God they are alwayes suitable to the Word of God To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to them it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 and therefore all that are contrary they are the delusions of the evil spirit 2. The motions of Gods Spirit in men are not now to foretell future events but they are holy motions pressing to duty Therefore the Papists who boast of a prophetical Spirit and of foretelling things to come and your starre-gazers and sooth-sayers who pretend to tell future contingent events telling you this party shall prevaile this moneth and that party another moneth these are diabolical delusions and not from the Spirit of God who since the Canon of the Scripture hath been established refers us to the Word as a rule of our obedience 3. The Spirits motions where ever they are they stirre up grace and keep under sinne they stir up grace and therefore we read of the assisting exciting and supplying work of the Spirit those motions which stirre up sinne and cherish corruption are diabolical Rom. 8.13 Therefore saith the Apostle Paul If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if 〈◊〉 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Motions from the Spirit of God they are holy motions exciting grace and depressing sin Micah 2.11 And therefore it is said if a man walk in the Spirit and do lie that is if a man will pretend a message from the Spirit of God and yet Prophesie of wine and strong drink that is by his Doctrine incourage drunkennesse or any sin that man lies he comes not from the holy Spirit but from the devil SERMON IX At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh A third Querie I Proceed now to a third thing to be enquired into and that is How we may know the
digge into it how quickly will the stench thereof take away the sweetnesse of the flowers though our natures seem not to be so bad as they are yet if the devil do but rake into them then will it appear what we are The heart of man may be compared to a tinder-box the corruption of nature to the tinder in this box now let but the devil strike flint and steele together that is suite a temptation to our corruption and how soone are we set on fire Christs nature it was like Iron it would not take with the sparks but the devil he tempts us and our natures are like tinder to the temptation What cause have we therefore to be humbled and greatly to be abased in the rememberance of the receptivenesse of our natures to take in the devils suggestions 5. Be humbled for that antipathy that is in our natures against the Spirits motions Our natures in innocency they were like the rivers of Egypt before they were turned into blood they were then the proper element for fish to live in but being once turned into blood all the fish die In innocency thy nature it was the proper element for the motions of the Spirit of God to be in but when thy nature was turned into blood by degeneration then the Spirits motions depart The words following my Text set out the contrariety of our natures Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit by Spirit is not meant the regenerate part but the motions of Gods Spirit corrupt nature warres against Gods Spirit in its motions and workings There are three expressions in Scripture which set out the enmity of mans nature against the Spirit of God As Isa 63.10 Acts 7.51 Heb. 10.29 1. A vexing of the Spirit 2. A resisting of the Spirit And 3. A doing despight to the spirit of grace Now all these expressiotions they denote the very height of enmity and that the nature of man it carries a deadly enmity to the Spirits motions Vse 2 I come now by way of instruction to lay down some inferences that may be drawn from this Doctrine and they shall be of two sorts First I shall lay down some general positions Secondly some particular directions about the Spirits motions Position 1 That the motions of the Spirit they are free and voluntary they are in whom and in what measure the Spirit pleases John 3.8 The winde blowes where it listeth that is the Spirits motions are imparted to whom God pleases The Spirit of God it is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 it is a holy Spirit if you regard the effects of it but a free Spirit if you regard the grounds of its working And therefore the Apostle James sayes he Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth James 1.18 The Spirit of God it is a free agent Position 2 No man doth enjoy the Spirits motions alwayes alike That as the Sunne in the firmament though it be alwayes there yet it hath not alwayes the same influence so the same Spirit it is not alwayes in the same measure in regenerate men As it is with the winde in the aire sometimes it is calme at other times it is boysterous thus it is with the Spirit in the hearts of the godly they have it not alwayes in the same measure Posit 3 That men do more walke after the motions of the evil spirit then after the motions of the good Spirit It is a note which Divines commonly gather from Verse 19. and 22. following my Text where it is said that the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19,22 and there he layes down a catalogue of them But when he comes to speak of the works of the Spirit he doth not give them that name but calls them the fruits of the Spirit to let us know that men do more walke after the flesh then after the Spirit The wayes of most men are rather to follow manifestly the guidance of the flesh then of the Spirit Eph. 2.2 And so the Apostle speaks of men Who walk after the course of this world and according to the Spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience not according to the motions and suggestions of the holy Spirit of God Posit 4 That there is more fruit and profit to be found in walking after the motions of Gods Spirit then after the sinful motions of the evil spirit And this I gather from the variation of the phrase when the Apostle makes a catalogue of the workes of the flesh and of the Spirit sayes he The works of the flesh are manifest but the fruits of the Spirit are c. Gal. 5.19,22 To let you know that there is no fruit nor profit in sinne and therefore sayes the Apostle elsewhere Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Sinne brings forth no fruit but sorrow and shame sinne it is a work of the flesh it is the devils drudgery sinne is a work and it is a work of the flesh and there is no profit in it but there is fruit in the Spirit to let you know that if you imbrace the Spirits motions there will fruit and profit redound unto you thereby He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 There is no profit in following the flesh but much in following the Spirit Luther hath a good glosse upon that of Paul Let us cast off the work of darknesse and put on the armour of light Rom. 13.12 Sinne is called a work of darknesse and if you regard the antithesis grace should be called the work of light but it is not called so it is called the armour of light not the garment but the armour of light now why is the opposition carried on so unevenly it is sayes Luther for this reason sinne is called a work of darknesse not armour to note that there is no force in it against the wrath of God but grace it is called the â—rmour of light that as armour is for ornament and defence so grace it is that which beautifies the soul and keeps you from the wrath which is to come I shall conclude this particular with that of the Apostle Paul to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace there is peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come much profit to a man which walkes after the Spirits guidance here but everlasting life and happinesse hereafter SERMON X. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 8. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Come now to the particular directions touching the motions of the Spirit of God Direct 1 1. When the Spirit of God suggests holy motions
into your mindes leave not these motions till you have brought them into actions holy motions should be backed with holy resolutions which also should be followed with holy actions It is the fault of many Christians they let good motions die in their breasts and so they come to an untimely issue Daniel 1.8 That of Daniel is for our imitation He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself He did not rest in the bare motion and purpose but he made it his request he joyned endeavour to his resolution but as for us how may we as I before told you take up the complaint of Job Our purposes are broken off even the thoughts of our hearts Job 17.11 Holy motions they should be followed with holy resolutions and accomplished with holy performances 2. When the Lord vouchsafes you the motions of his Spirit you must not conceive that you have the Essence or the Person of the Spirit this is the errour of the Familists and no lesse then blasphemy for want of a distinction between the motions of the Spirit and the Person of the Spirit their opinion is this that there is in a Beleever not only the graces of the Spirit but the Person of the Spirit but this is nothing else but to make humanity the Deity For the clearing hereof let me exemplifie it by a comparison The Sunne that is in the firmament we use to say that it is in such a house or such a window but when we say so we do not mean that the body of the Sunne is there but only that the light heat or influence of the Sunne is there So though the Scripture tells us that the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3 16. Spiritus Dei habitatin nobis quia regit gabernat saâ—ctificat Paraeus or Spirit dwells in us the meaning is not as if the Person of the holy Ghost were in us but only the motions and graces of the Spirit are there And therefore in both those expressions You are the Temple of the holy Ghost and The holy Ghost dwelleth in you there is saith Paraeus a Metaphor 3. Take heed that you mistake not the Spirits motions for Satanical illusions I gave you the characters before how you might know the Spirits motions from the devils delusions I shall only hint this to you which is an infallible rule That all motions that are not consonant to a written Word they are from the devil not from God Prov. 1.23 Isa 59.21 I gave you two Texts of Scripture wherein the Spirit and the Word were joyned together therefore see that all your motions be according to a written Word Direct 4 4. Take heed of beleeving every one that sayes he is inspired by the Spirit There are many high-flown Teachers in these dayes who indeed are Masters of errour yet would be thought the Disciples of truth that say they are inspired when none else are beside them But as the Apostle John saith Believe not every Spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 2 Thes 2.2 that is every corrupt teacher but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world They are called Spirits because they pretend with such confidence to have the Spirit Now that you may know such men I shall discusse this Question Quest How you may know men who pretend to have the Spirit when indeed they have not Answ 1 Such men who only pretend to have the Spirit they are always proud of the gifts of the Spirit their conceited opinion of having the Spirit raises their mindes to a high degree of pride This is a certaine rule that they who are truely inspired of the Spirit 1 Cor. 7.40 they are alwayes humble thus it was with Paul I give my judgement sayes he and I think I have the Spirit of God Paul he knew he had the Spirit yet would he speak in humility not boastingly and insultingly as many did And so at another time sayes he 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a man caught up into the third heaven and heard words which it is not lawful for man to utter Now who was this man it was none but himself it was his modesty that made him speak in a third Person therefore those who boast of the Spirit and are vain glorious it is an argument that indeed they have not the Spirit of Christ which is a Spirit of meeknesse and of humility Answ 2 Those that so cry up the Spirit as to cry down ordinances and the Ministery they have not the Spirit of God In the time of the New Testament when vision and inspiration were in use yet then the Spirit would not teach men immediately but did referre them to an outward Ministery Acts 8. A famous instance you have hereof as I noted before in the Ethiopian Eunuch who being reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Esaias the Spirit would not interpret to him the meaning hereof Acts 9.6 but bids Philip go and expound it So Paul when Christ revealed himself to him he would not teach him himself but bids him go to Damascus and there it should be told him what he should do The like example we have in Cornelius Acts 10.5,6 the Spirit would not teach him immeditely but bids him send for Peter and he should tell him what he ought to do By these examples we see how the Lord hath honoured the Ministery of the Word And therefore those who cry up the Spirit so as to cry down the Ministery as expecting to have the immediate teaching of the Spirit doubtlesse they have not the Spirit of God Answ 3 Those who pretend to the Spirit and yet boast of the effects of the Spirit rather in future Revelations then in present motions to holy duties are deceived by a Satanical delusion There are many in these dayes that will take upon them to tell you future contingent events but this can be nothing else but a delusion of the devil because the gifts of the Spirit in foretelling future events is now ceased and doth not remaine in the Church It is true I deny not but that the devil by a special manifestation from God may tell a future event but I am sure your Astrologers cannot by the help of the starres Thus the devil appeared to Saul in the shape of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. â—9 and sayes he To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me the Lord also shall deliver the Host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines Now how came the devil to the knowledge of this but by a special Revelation from God the Lord permitting it for the
delusion of wicked Saul Or else the devil may know future events by that great knowledge which he hath in Scripture-Prophecies those Prophecies which are dark to us the devil may know them and therefore we read in History that the devil hath told the events of Wars Thus the devil in the Delphick oracle told Alexander that both the Caldean and Grecian Monarchies should be under his government the devil told him so So that if men shall take upon them peremptorily to tell future contingent events I may confidently say it comes from the devil not from God Direct 5 Another direction about the Spirits motions is this Bring your selves under all advantages whereby you may gain the Spirits motions There are three advantages which I would commend to you 1. Be much in holy discourse with good company conversing with those who have the Spirit about spiritual things is a likely advantage for thee to gain the Spirits motions What Christ did whilest he was upon earth that will he yet do by his holy Spirit You read when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus Luke 24.15 communing and reasoning together that Jesus drew neere and went with them Christ will draw neere to those by the motions of his â—pirit who are discoursing about holy things 2. Give due attendance to the ordinances of God they are that poole which the Angel at certain times will move It is a Text worthy of observation which you read of in the Prophet Isaiah where the Lord sayes Isa 30.20,21 That thy Teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine ears shall hear a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Mark the connexion you shall see your Teachers and in seeing them shall heare a voyce that is of the Spirit The ordinances are they which convey the Spirit in its motions to us and to this purpose I may accomodate that of the Prophet Zachariah Zech. 4.12 where it is said that the two Olive-branches did empty themselves of the golden oile by the two golden pipes and so it ranne into the Candlestick This Candlestick is the Church the oile is the motions of Gods Spirit and these motions they runne through ordinances they are those golden pipes which convey the Spirits motions into your hearts It is with the motions of the Spirit and holy ordinances as it is with the blood and Spirit and the veines and Arteries for as these convey the blood and spirit to each part so also ordinances convey the graces and comforts of the Spirit to each believing member of Christ Waite upon the Preaching of the Word and then waite also upon prayer that will be a means whereby you shall obtaine the Spirit Christ he makes this an incouragement to prayer Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to you children how much more sayes he shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Go therefore to God in prayer and that will be a means to bring the Spirit into thy heart 3. Be much alone in holy meditation Christ could tell you that he was alone and yet sayes he I am not alone because the Father is with me So you if you are alone in meditation yet you will not be alone because the Spirit will be with you in its holy motions That as Isaac when he went forth to meditate Gen. 24.63,64 it is said that then he saw Rebeccah that mercy he so long prayed for so may I say to thee be much in meditation and the Spirit which thou hast prayed for shall be given in unto thee 1 Kings 19.12 As Eliah when he was in the mountaine he perceived that the Lord was in the still voice so will the soul at last perceive that though the holy Spirit is not in the strong winde of boisterous passions yet he will be in the still voice of holy meditation Direct 6 Look more after the holy motions of the Spirit then after the ravishing comforts of the Spirit and the reason is this because you more need the Spirits motions then the Spirits comforts you may go to heaven without comfort but you cannot go to heaven without grace though it be the ravishing work of the Spirit which makes my life comfortable yet it is the holy work of the Spirit which makes my soul saveable The sealing work of the Spirit whereby I cry Abba Father gives comfort but the Sanctifying work of the Spirit whereby I mortifie the deeds of the flesh Romans 8.13,14,15 is the ground of that comfort Direct 7 And lastly take heed that you do not mistake moral perswasions for the Spirits motions This is a very useful rule Men are apt if they have a good motion to intitle it unto the Spirit whereas there may be a thousand good motions in thy minde which may meerly come from moral perswasion Meere nature may make a Reprobate go farre how do you read of flashes of joy in Herod he heard John Baptist gladly of pangs of fear and horrour in Felix and fits of sorrow and grief in Judas yet all these came from the force of moral perswasion and were not saving workings of the Spirit That you may not be mistaken about moral perswasion I shall give you four differences between it and the Spirits working 1. Moral perswasion it may move a man to do good but it never changes the affections And therefore you read of those 2 Thes 2.10 That did not receive the truth in the love of it Which intimates that men may receive the truth in the motion of it and yet not in the love of it Eph. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence are those expressions Of speaking the truth in love or doing the truth in love whatsoever you do you must do it in love Now moral perswasion may move you to do a good act but it never draws out your affections in love to the things you do 2. Moral perswasion presses men to do good but it gives them no power to do the thing it perswades to Moral perswasion may give a man an eye to see what is to be done but the Spirit it gives not only an eye Rom. 3.26 but a hand also and helps us in the doing of that good whereunto it perswades 3. Moral perswasion moves men to do good more out of hope of reward or fear of punishment then of love to grace or holinesse it looks more at what God gives then what he requires and hath more respect to the reward of grace then to grace it self 4. Moral perswasions they are partial perswasions they move a man to some kindes of good but not to all good to good that may be easily done but not to difficult duties to outward but not to inward good but the Spirits motions they are universal there is no good act but the Spirit it moves a man
be we were not to have any lusts of the flesh in us But secondly that if you walk after the Spirits motions you shall not yield to the motions of sinne with so strong an inclination and bent of the will as wicked and unregenerate men do so you shall nor fulfill the lusts of the flesh Before I come to handle the Doctrine I shall premise these particulars 1. This benefit here annexed may be understood either preceptively or promissively either as a precept what you should do or as a promise what you shall do And the Translators of the Bible it seemes were at a stand how to render these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza renders them ne perficite preceptively fulfill not the vulgar ne perficietis you shall not fulfill Which our translatours followed but as you may perceive put also the other rendering and reading in the Margin But it is not material which way you take it 2. This promise for so it seems to be taken it is not to be taken absolutely but conditionally my meaning is this God doth not promise this absolutely but upon this condition If you walk in the Spirit on this condition you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 3. It is not said you shall not have the lusts of the flesh for what man is there which hath them noâ— but you shall not fulfil them 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We read in our translation the lusts of the flesh but it is in the Greek The lust of the flesh in the singular number Now what may be the reason that though the Word be in the singular number yet it is read in the plural For this reason because the sinne of nature though it be but one Masse of sin yet it hath many sinsin the womb of it and there may be this use made of the translation That though the sinne of nature be but one yet seminally there are all the sinnes in the world contained in it 5. Touching the benefit annexed there is no cause of doubting to be left in your mindes that this benefit shall not be yours if you perform the condition Do you walk in the Spirit and God will keep you that you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and this I draw from the Apostles Assertion in these words This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh This I say as if the Apostle should say This is that which I have to speak unto you in the name of the Lord that if you walk in the Spirit you shall not fulfill c. Now having premised these particulars the Doctrine is this Doct. That Walking after the guidance or motions of the Spirit is an especiall means to keep men that they shall not yeeld to the lusts of the flesh with so strong and full a bent of the will as wicked and ungodly men when they sin against God This is a very fruitfull point the promise is not to be taken absolutely you shall not fulfill them at all but comparatively you shall not sin as wicked men do you may sin but you shall not regard iniquity in your heart as the phrase is Psal 66.18 you shall not commit sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.9 as wicked men do who make a trade of sin In the handling of this point I shall onely dispatch this one thing to shew you how the wicked do sin and fulfill the lusts of the flesh that all godly men which walk after the guidance of the Spirit shall not so sin 1. They who walk after the Spirit they shall not sin so wilfully Heb. 10 26. nor so voluntarily as wicked men do If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Godly men they do not sin with so strong a bent of will as wicked men do sin they do and they sin with their wils too but there is much resistenice in the will against the will it is not a full consent of the will nor a full bent and tendencie of the heart and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul The evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7.19 Paul he tels you he did evil but he tels you also that he did not will the evil he did A godly man he sometimes yeelds to sin as to an usurping Tyrant but never as to his naturall Lord. Wicked men they will the evil they do but godly men will the good they do not Wicked men they sin with all their will because there is no part of their will regenerated Psal 50.19 Impii delectontar impiâ—tate bellâ—m inâ—…cunt perspectâ—e veritati uti sccit Saul Abab Julianus Apestata Arrius alii quorum exceranda est memoria Beza Rom. 7.14 1 King 21,25 and therefore sayes the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Thou givest thy self to speak evil It is remarkable that variation of expression concerning Ahab and Paul Ahab it is said of him that he sold himself to work wickednesse but of Paul it is said that he was sold under sin They were both sold but there is this difference Ahab he sold himself but Paul was sold he did not sell himself Ahabs act was a voluntary act he sold himself but Paul was sold under sin it was not voluntary but against his will 2. Those who walk after the Spirit they do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh so impudently as wicked men do Wicked men they commit wickednesse before the Sun and are not ashamed therefore sayes the Lord by his Prophet Jer 6.15 Chap. 8.12 Were they ashamed when they had câ—mmitted abominations nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush Thou hast a whores forehead sayes the same Prophet thou refusedst to be ashamed Jer. 3.3 The wicked they have cast off shame and therefore sayes the Prophet Zephaniah The unjust knoweth no shams Zeph. 3.5 they will not be ashamed when they have done wickedly as that whore she findes a young man Pro 7.13,14 and she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him I have peace-offerings with me this day have I payed my vows Thus wicked men they sin impudently and are not ashamed when they have committed abomination but the godly they do not so sin Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed saith the Apostle And Ezra Oh God our iniquities are increased I blush and am ashamed to look up Ezra 9.6 The godly they do not sin so impudently as wicked men do 3. Neither so boastingly as wicked men ungodly men they boast in their ungodly deeds and therefore sayes the Psalmist to Doeg Why boastest thou thy self in mischief oh mighty man Psal 52 1. It seems Doeg did not onely kill those innocent Priests but boasted of his villany and wickednesse Hence it is said
doctrine I shall premise a few particulars to be considered of 1. This conflict between the flesh and the Spirit it was not found in innocency then there was an harmony between the motions of Gods Spirit and all the powers and faculties both of soule and body God made man upright 2. This conflict it shall not be found in a state of glory for then thou shalt be all Spirit and no corrupt flesh for then the flesh shall be utterly abolished 3. This opposition it is not found in infancy it is true there is a corrupt nature in infants sinful motions in children but there is not that which we call actual opposition because they cannot exercise neither grace nor sin 4. This conflict it is not found in the state of unregeneracy while a man is wholly unregenerate he hath no saving motions in him and there cannot be an opposition but where there are two contraries 5. That the time of this life is the time how long this conflict shall last it cannot be ended untill this life be ended untill thou castest off the body of flesh thou shalt not be rid of the motions of sin 6. That even in the most holy that are there will be this conflict between the flesh and Spirit and those who have most grace are most sensible of the contest of the flesh against the Spirit 7. That even regenerate men do more often side with the motions of the flesh then close with the motions of the Spirit they are more in sin then in obedience more in imbracing sinfull motions then in entertaining divine motions some gather this from the Apostles vatiation of speech when he sayes The works of the flesh are manifest but he doth not say so of the fruits of the Spirit intimating that mâ—n are apt to close with the flesh rather then with the Spirit 7. These motions of corrupt nature they do not only reside in the inferiour part of man as the concupiscible faculty exciting to gluttony and lusts and irascible to envy and wrath but also in the superiour part though the Papists would make us believe otherwise The more noble and rational faculties of man are become corrupt thou art become vain in thy reason and in thy imagination thy understanding is tainted and thy will rebellious thy affections displaced thy superiour faculties are defiled Now having laid down these particulars I come to raise the Doctrine which is this Doctr. That the motions or inclinations in our natures to sin do ever conflict or warre against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing us to good I shall not dilate upon the proving of this point it is written legibly in the Word and engraven in every mans experience Therefore in the handling thereof there are several Queries I shall dispatch and then shall give you the use Querie 1 Wherein consists this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 1 In stirring up in the heart motions to sinne when the Spirit disswades from sinne Thus the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.5 he speaks it in the name of the regenerate sayes he When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the law accidentally did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Not only in unregeneracy do motions arise from corrupt nature James 1.7,14 contrary to Gods Spirit but in a regenerate man Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed that is by original sinne and thus Paul he speakes of himself as converted Rom. 7.23 sayes he I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members the Apostle he calls sinne a law because it had a force over him and brought him into captivity the law of his members did warre against the law of his minde by provoking him to sin Answ 2 By quenching and stifling the good motions of the Spirit that presses us to good The Spirits office is not only to testifie to us our graces and to evidence to us our interest in Christ but also to excite and stir up holy motions in the heart Now the flesh it doth what it can to quench all these good motions Rom 7.19 hence it is that Paul complaines of himself that the good he would do he did not and the evil he would not do that he did and this arose from that corruption of nature which in the whole Chapter he complaines of and herein chiefly consists the opposition that is between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 3 By inturrupting you when you are about good duties if the flesh cannot prevaile with you to make you not do it will labour to make you misdo duty herein is the great sinfulnesse of it To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 saith Paul but how to performe that which is good I finde not as if he should say I have alwayes an evil nature within me which is interrupting me and debilitating me that I cannot do the good I would herein consists the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Querie 2 How doth the flesh oppose the Spirit and provoke to sinne the Spirit disswades from sinne the flesh intices to sinne Now what way doth the flesh take to intice to sinne so as thereby to conflict with the Spirit Answ 1 In general the way and manner which the flesh takes to oppose the Spirit it is very sly and subtil Hence is that of Paul Rom. 7.11 sayes he Sinne taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me by sinne he means not actual but original sin the sin of nature is very subtil to deceive as will appear 1 By the names the Scripture gives to the sin of nature They are called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 There is great deceitfulnesse in sin according to that exhortation of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 2. The sin of nature it is deceitful as appears by the experience of Gods people Rom. 7.11 Sinne taking occasion saith Paul by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 3. Because this sinne of nature it is that which makes the heart deceitful above all things and desparately wicked Jer. 17.9 Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale the heart is deceitful and is very subtill therein Answ 2 In particular there are seven wayes by which corrupt nature intices men to sin 1. By varnishing over sinne with the colour and paint of grace As a light woman may sometimes dress her self in modest attire that so she may not be suspected so thy heart may varnish over sinne that thereby it may the sooner deceive thee As it is usual that the beautiful face of grace by the corruption of our hearts may be smeared over with deformity as that tendernesse of
watchfulnesse hereby he kept under the sinful workings of corrupt nature and a little care will not serve the turn but we must be as vigilant as wrestlers or fencers who are very ready to beat down their adversaries before them 6. And lastly be skilful in the Word of righteousnesse and this will be a great means to keep the flesh from prevailing over the Spirit As Christ did to the devil so must thou do to the devil of thy flesh It is written sayes he do thou come with a written Word against the devil and thy own heart be so skilful in the Word of God that there may no temptation offer it selfe to thee but thou mayest draw arguments out of the Word against it we ought to be very careful to use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and sheath it in the bowels of sinful flesh And if this course were taken in this particular you would be lesse pester'd with a tempting devil and corrupt heart then you are Vse Vse he use which I shall make from what you have heard shall be of comfort to dejected consciences me thinks I hear many a godly man say Wo is me I have a sensible experience in my own soul that my evil heart hath all those evil properties you named and my soul bears me witnesse I use those means you prescribed I do keep off from occasions of sin I watch and pray against sin and yet God knowes I cannot keep under a naughty heart To any man that in the sincerity of his heart and sense of his sinnes doth make this complaint I have four words of comfort 1. Thou must never expect a total extirpation of the corruption of thy nature whilest thou livest here only a partial suppression Corrupt nature will be in thee That as those beasts mentioned by Daniel their dominion was taken aâ—cay yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Dan. 7.12 so the dominion of sin is taken away sin shall not reign over you but yet the life of sin remaines the body of death will live in us as long as we live in the body Corrupt nature it will live in thee though it shall not reign like unto that tree mentioned by Daniel whose branches were cut off Dan. 4.15 yet the stump remained in the earth thou mayest lop off actual evils yet remember the root will remain that as it is with Ivie which growes on a wall it cannot be rooted up untill the wall be pulled down so untill thy body be pulled down sin in thy nature which is as Ivie gotten into the wall cannot be gotten out We have a promise made to Gods children that sin shall not have dominion in them but no where it is said that sin shall have no being in them while they are in being here 2. There is great difference between yeelding to the corrupt motions of thy nature to sin and between fulfiling the lusts of the flesh I know there is none of us all but do in some things yeeld to the motions of the flesh but yet all do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh thou mayest imbrace the motion thy sinful heart stirres thee up unto yet thou mayest not fulfill the motions of sin the Scripture gives you this difference Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof godly men may commit the lusts of the flesh but they do not make provision for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou doest not provide for sin as a man for his family because he would have them live thou art not a Caterer for sin therefore bear up thy heart with comfort though sin be in thee yet thou shalt not perish for it Thou who hast used all means and yet findest the flesh prevailing against the Spirit consider that strong and potent motions to sin do not alwayes argue sinnes strength but sins weaknesse rather that sin is decaying then in its full strength It is observed that dying things they strive and struggle with most strength a bird a weak creature yet if you pull off its head with what strength will it flutter this doth not argue that the bird is gathering strength but that its strength is departing it may be thus with thee thou hast strong motions to sin and thou discernest it it may be sinne is now playing its last game Lusts in the Scriptures are said to be crucified now it is with sin crucified as it was with the wicked and impenitent thief he was bound and nailed hand and foot and yet he raved and raged so it is when lust is dying yet it may be raging and as we see in the taking of Physick when it is first taken it will make a man more sick then the disease made him not that a man is indeed worse but only from the Physick searching his body thus it may be with thee sins struglings is Gods giving of thee Physick and though it be strong yet in the end God will make it tend to the purging out of evil humours out of thy soule 4. If corrupt motions be strong in thy soule then bend the strength of thy heart in prayer to God for the subduing of these corruptions If a Virgin that was ravished did not cry out by the law she was accounted guilty and consenting the more the devil and thy corruptions do attempt thee the more earnestly must thou pray and cry to God for help Complain upon those frequent incursions which corrupt nature and the devil makes upon thee and flying unto God for help and succour thy soul shall never perish for thy iniquity Sermon XV. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the last Question and that is How you may know when motions to sin do arise from the flesh or when they come meerly from the devil and so are purely diabolical Before I answer the Question I shall first shew of what use it is Secondly premise some positions about it and then give you the resolution to this Question There is a threefold use of this Question 1. It is needful to know it because unregenerate men when they are tempted to sin they lay all the fault upon the devil and none upon their own hearts These men when they put all their sins upon the score of Satan they do not give the devil his due Thus Eve she laid all the fault upon the Serpent Gen. 3.13 The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat Though David was of another mind for he when he was tempted and stirred up to sin in his numbering of the people and that by Satan yet he doth acknowledge 2 Sam. 24.17 I have sinned and I have done wickedly It is natural to men when they are tempted to
rather then charge it upon our selves There are three things which men usually lay the blame upon Either upon God the devil or else upon other men 1. Upon God and so did Adam The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat Gen. 3.12 thus he layes the blame of his fall upon God himselfe if thou hadst not given me this woman she had not tempted me and I had not eaten 2. Others say the blame upon the devil and yet if there were no devil to tempt us weshould tempt ourown selves and indeed neither the one nor the other is to be blamed God is never to be blamed though the devil be sometimes to be blamed the Apostle James tells you that God tempts no man James 1.13 And the devil sometimes is not to be blamed James 1.14 because thy own nature is a tempter to thee so the same Apostle declares that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised Lust conceives sin the devill may be the Father to beget sin but the flesh is the mother which conceives nourisheth and bringeth forth sin and the reason is this because the devils suggestions could do no harm were it not for our vicious inclinations The devill came to Christ but he found nothing in him the devil shak't the bottle but it was a Crystal glasse of pure water there was no mud in it but thou though thou hast a fair appearance yet if the devil do but rake into thy heart the mud of thy corruption doth quickly appear 3. Again some there are who will lay the blame of their sinne upon men and thus did Aaron when Moses chode him for his Idolatry Exod. 32.22 Thou knowest the people sayes he that they are set on mischief he would fain shift off and excuse his own wickednesse by laying it upon the people yet this would not serve his turn for God charges the sin upon him Nothing is more natural then to excuse and hide our sin Job 31.33 and therefore it is said that men cover their transgression as Adam if thy heart were not in the fault examples of sin would rather provoke to detestation then imitation Others there are who will lay the blame upon the badnesse of the times whereas if thou hadst not a bad heart thou wouldest be good in bad times if thou hadst a good heart the worse the times were the better thou wouldest be and therefore lay the blame of thy sin where it ought to be upon the naughtinesse of thy evill heart Vse 3 Of exhortation doth the flesh lust against the Spirit oh then joyn with the motions of the Spirit against the flesh though thou art a godly man and sin shall not damne thy soul yet it may wound thy conscience and will eclipse thy comfort And though thy sirs cannot as to damnation huurt thee who art a childe of God yet they may hurt others As Tostatus oâ—seves upon the 1 Chron 21.1 where it is said That Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people Observe it is not said that Satan stood up against David but against Israel and the reason is this David was a publick person and the devil knew if he could provoke him to sinne Israel should smart for it and therefore the devil in tempting David stood up against Israel so that if thou art a publick man and the devill get thee to yield to sin others will be hurt by it Vse 4 Lastly you who are regenerate remember that you carry flesh and blood about with you you have the flesh lusting against the Spirit and there is a repugnancy in your spirits to the holy Spirit of God go home therefore and complain of the contrariety and naughtinesse of your hearts Gen. 25.22 and say as Rebecca when she had two babes strugling in her womb Why am I thus thou hast an Esau and a Jacob within thee nature and grace evill motions strugling against good motions go unto the Lord and say Rom. 7.24 Why am I thus and with Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Now proceed to the second part of the conflict the Spirits lusting against the flesh the flesh began the onset first because there was flesh in us before the Spirit but the Spirit doth undertake the war and as the flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the flesh Before I draw out the point I shall clear one Scripture which seems to contradict this which is in Ephes 6.12 where it is said that we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darknes of this world against spiritual wickednes in high places This place may be renonciled with the Text two wayes First when the Apostle sayes we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers the words may be understood not simply or absolutely but comparatively and if you take flesh and blood there for corrupt nature then the meaning is this that we do not only wrastle with flesh and blood corrupt nature within but we have also the devil without against whom we are to stirre But the more likely reconciliation of this place is this it is said in the Text that we do warre with the flesh and in the Ephesians that we do not warre with the flesh now though the same word be used in both places yet it is used in a different sense and that you may know how it is used in both places â—ake these three acceptations of the word 1. Flesh and blood is sometimes taken for corrupt nature and so is that saying of Christ to be understood Matth. 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee 2. Flesh and blood is taken for the natural body of man so it is used in 1 Cor. 15.50 1 Cor 15.50 Flesh blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God that is as now we are living in the world as our bodies are now natural corruptible mortal bodies they are not capable of the glory and happines of Heaven 3. Flesh and blood it is taken for wicked men in Scripture and so it is taken in Ephes 6.12 Isay 66.16,23 Ier. 25.31 Zech. 2.13 Gal. 1.1 We wrastle not against flesh and blood that is not so much against wicked men as against the devil the ruser of the darknesse of this world and thus you have the reconciliation of these places The flesh lusts against the Spirit that is the motions and workings of Gods Spirit they do oppose the motions to sin of corrupt nature so that
rebuke a man for sin of nature 2. Natural conscience as it doth not reach to sin of nature so neither to the nature of sin My meaning is this natural conscience it never conflicts against the nature of sin but only against the punishment of sin it rebukes not a man for sin under this consideration that it is against a holy God and contrary to a holy and pure Law it is the punishment of sin and not the nature of sin which natural conscience relucts at not because sin defiles the soul but because sin destroyes the soul not because sin blots out the image of God but because sin keeps men that they shall not see the face of God not because God hates sin but because God punisheth sin But the regenerate they do not only through the Spirit conflict with the sin of their nature but with the nature of their sin with their sin not as destroying their soules but as defiling their soules not as tormenting the conscience but as polluting the conscience not as damning the soul but polluting the heart A natural man may be afraid of sin as a childe is afraid of a fire-stick not that it feares to handle it because it will colly his hands but because it will scorch his fingers It is a main difference for a childe of God would abstain from sin because of God not only because of hell The godly would not offend against the purity holinesse authority and goodnesse of God and therefore abstaines from sin The natural man as Augustine saith metuit ardere non metuit peccare is afraid to burn in hell but is not afraid to sin 3. Natural conscience may conflict with sinne yet it comes farre short of the Spirits conflict because it reaches only to open and grosse sins not to secret and small evils Cursing it is so execrable an evill that a mans own heart wil tel him of it Eccles 7.22 as the wise man sayes Oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast cursed others natural conscience will not so often check thee for secret and bosome-sins as spiritual pride wandring thoughts in holy duties and emptinesse of minde but a renewed conscience when the Spirit of God comes by it to convince of sin it reaches to secret sins it reaches to the very motions is well as to actions and thus it was with the Apostle Paul sayes he Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 whilest original sin did work but in its motions before they were acted the Apostle was sensible of them And so Hezekiah a good man it is said that he humbled himself for the pride of his heart for the lifting up of his heart as in that no man could accuse him of These are the differences between the conflict which natural conscience hath against sin and that conflict which the Spirit hath against corruption Vse 1 If this be so that the Spirit doth as well lust against the flesh as the flesh against the Spirit in regenerate men Then first see the reason why regenerate men do not live so sinfully as the wicked do It is not as if good men had better natures then bad men for the best man on earth yea the most glorious Saint in heaven had as bad a nature as the worst man on earth The true reason is this because a godly man hath the Spirit to warre against the flesh he hath the Spirit to conflict with corruption Gal 5.16 and therefore he acts not sin as wicked men do If ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1 John 3.9 and according to this is that of the Apostle John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God He cannot sin it is not to be taken absolutely but comparatively he shall not sin after that manner and in that measure with those circumstances as the wicked do because they are born of God have a seed of grace remaining in them this is the reason why godly men live not as the wicked do The godly have another kinde of spirit in them then the meer natural man hath he hath the Spirit of Christ whereas the other hath only the spirit of the world Vse 2 Learn to blesse God seeing thou hast so bad a nature that thou hast the Spirit within thee which is able to suppresse the workings of corrupt nature All you that are begotten again by the immortal seed of the Word that have the Spirit to keep under your corruption what evill would you not do and what good would you not leave undone if the Spirit were but withheld from you what will that man be that wants the Spirit will he not be an habitation for swarms of lusts and a cage for every unclean bird if thy heart be not a storehouse for the Spirit it will be a workhouse for the devil if it be not Christs garden wherein he sowes the seed of grace it will be the devils seminary wherein nothing but sin will thrive and grow oh therefore blesse God seeing thou hast such an evill heart that thou hast the motions of the Spirit to warre against the motions of the flesh 3. Pray unto God that his Spirit may do its office in thee thou needest not pray thy heart to tempt thee to sin but the Spirit needs intreaty to do its office in thy heart do thou every day put up that request of David Lord withhold not thy Spirit from me seeing every day I have sinful motions let me every day have the motions of thy Spirit seeing every day Satan perswades me to sin let thy Spirit every day perswade me to good Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to the third difference touching this conflict A third difference Of this conflict in an unregenerate and a regenerate person and that is in regard of time concerning which there are these particulars to be handled 1. The time when this conflict begins 2. The time of its continuance 3. The time how often this conflict comes 1. The conflict between natural conscience and sinne may begin assoon as ever a man hath light of nature whilst a man is in an unregenerate estate Rom. 2.14 The Apostle tells you that the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law that is natural conscience it carries the force of a Law with it and hath power over them so that they shall not break out into many evils contrary to natures light so that the time when a natural conscience may conflict against sin may be whilest a man is in the
gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity But the time when the Spirits conflict begins is not till God brings you into the state of grace 2. Touching the time of duration how long this conflict continues it lasts but a while it is but a transient rebuke given in by conscience like unto a flash of lightning in a mans face it comes suddenly and is suddenly gone just so is that opposition which is in a mans natural conscience either jovial meetings or sensual delights will quickly deface obliterate and extinguish the impressions of natural conscience But on the contrary the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict untill the regenerate part in some measure hath got the victory over that lust which it doth oppose it stayes with a man all his life-time from the first day of his conversion to the last day of his dissolution 3. The conflict of a natural conscience it comes but seldome it checks a man but now and then by fits and starts as the Apostle Paul speaking of the Gentiles shewes Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their consciences between whiles accused them for so the words are to be read the opposition in the unregenerate it is not a constant opposition but the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict in the godly and as it continues long so it comes often hardly can a godly man be tempted to a grosse sin but the Spirit will cast in a crosse suggestion to that sin this is the third difference whereby the conslict of the Spirit may be known from the conflict of a natural conscience 4. It differs in regard of the principle A fourth difference between the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and that conflict which is only between a natural conscience and sin Gen. 4.13 or moving cause from whence this conflict arises as 1. The opposition that is in a natural conscience it arises from a principle of slavish fear but the opposition that is in the godly from the Spirit it comes from a principle of love to God and hatred to sin it appears thus Cain he cries out Oh sayes he my punishment is greater then I am able to bear He complaines not that his sin was greater then he was able to bear but of his punishment A wicked man that opposeth sinne from a natural conscience may be compared to a thief that refuseth and abstaineth from stealing not out of any hatred of theft or out of any love to justice but only because he is afraid of being hanged for his theft even so it is with wicked men they abstain from sin and acting of sin meerly out of slavish fear of hell and condemnation not out of love to God I may further exemplisie it thus you know there is this difference between a Collier and a cleanly man a Collier will not touch charcole if they be burning coles but he will touch them though they be black coles but a cleanly man will not touch them neither as they are burning nor black coles Wicked men will forbear sinne because it is a cole of fire but the godly will reluct at sin because it is a black cole they love God and they hate sin and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul What I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Rom. 7.15 He doth not say the evil I would not do and the evil I would fain forbear but the evil I hate that I do Divines gather thence that a godly man conflicts with corruption out of a hatred to corruption not because he feares the punishment but hates the sin wicked men reluct at sin but it is not because they hate the evil of sin but because they fear the punishment thereof as Balaam he would not curse the people yet it is said of him that he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 though he feared the punishment yet he did not hate the sin Godly men reluct at sin from a principle of hatred thereof and there are four spiritual principles from whence the conflict of a godly man arises 1. Because that sin it is against a holy God and this was Josephs principle How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39 9. 2. Because it is the breach of a holy Law thus Paul What I hate sayes he that I do Rom. 7.16 if then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good as if he should say I oppose sin out of the consent that is in my conscience unto ths Law that it is good 3. Another principle upon which the godly oppose sin is a hatred to the very nature of sin it self and thus David professes of himselfe that through the precepts of God he got understanding Psal 119.104 and therefore hated every false way 4. He opposeth sin out of love to Jesus Christ seeing that Christ died for sin they will labour to die to sin as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.14,15 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 5. The fifth difference is this the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and the conflict between natural conscience and sin differ in regard of the event and issue thereof and there is a fourfold different event and issue 1. The issue of the conflict of a natural conscience and sin is this that it leaves a man unquiet and the sin unmortified Matth. 27.5 and this was the very case of Judas his conscience told him that he had sinned in betraying his Master and thereupon he was so troubled that he went and hanged himselfe yet notwithstanding his sinne remained unmortified but it is contrary with the Spirits conflict that not only quiets the minde but mortifies the sin and therefore you finde the Apostle after he had been speaking of the Spirits conflict with the flesh Gal. 5.22 telling you That the fruit of the Spirit is joy and peace this was the issue of the conflict of the Spirit it will not only quiet the minde but kill the sinne Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live 2. Another event of the conflict of natural conscience is that the unruly affections of a man they are too hard for a natural conscience to oppose and subdue Wicked men will many times contend with sin but mark the issue and you shall finde that the strong inclinations of their hearts to sin do overcome them I shall give you three instances hereof in Saul Pilate and Pharaoh As for Saul his conscience told him that he did ill in pursuing David 1 Sam. 24 17. and his conscience constrained him to confesse that David was more
you will say though I have them in my house yet I never buy nor sell by them you may say they are only in my bag not in my scale but sayes God Thou shalt not have them in thy bag lest it be a temptation to thee to bring them from thy bag into thy scale So the Israelites were commanded not to eat swines flesh Levit. 11.7,8 Levit. 11.7,8 Now you shall read in Isaiah 65.4 how the Lord blames the Israelites for two things They eat swines flesh sayes he and the broth of abominable things are in their vessels God did onely forbid the eating of swines flesh and yet here he condemns the broth also And why but because the eating of the broth might be a temptation to them to eat the flesh also therefore take heed that you minister no occasion to the flesh lest you be intangled thereby An example you have of this related by Augustine of one Allipius Aug. Confes lâ—b 6. cap. 8. that was drawn by importunity of friends to be present at the Gladiatory games of the Romanes but being there resolved to shut his eyes all the while that so though he was present in body yet he might be absent in heart but upon a great shout the people gave at the fail of one of the Combatants he opened his eyes and became an approver of that bloody and barbarous spectacle and therefore take heed of yielding to occasions of sin 3. If you would not have the flesh prevaile against the Spirit roll not sinne in your thoughts and contemplations rolling of sinne in the fancie and speculation is that which weakens the Spirits motions and workings and doth strengthen the motions of sinne in thy heart Ezek. 23.19 This the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of in Chap. 23. and verse 19. She multiplied her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth bodily uncleannesse is caused by contemplating the sinne in ones minde and is the way to fence thy heart against the Spirits motions 4. If you would have the Spirit prevail resist and conflict with your lusts timely do not stay too long before you beginne to conflict many times men stay so long before they beginne Principiis obsta c. that they are vanquisht before they fight Be ready therefore to oppose sin in the birth do as Pharaoh who would not let the children of the Hebrewes grow to men of yeares but killed them assoon as they were born so deal thou by thy sinnes 5. Cherish and entertain the Spirits motions Intus existens Pâ—ohibet alienum whensoever you finde them disswade you from sinne let the motions of the Spirit be within and they will keep the motions of the flesh without 6. Entertain no Treaty with sinne if you parley with sinne you have reason to suspect the conquest the flesh is a mortal enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui deliberant desciverunt and you must either kill or be killed There is no Treaty of Peace to be obtained betwen the flesh and the Spirit this combate is of such a nature that there is neither a Treaty of Peace nor a cessation of armes all your life-long It is a notable observation if you compare the first of the Galatians verse 16. Gal. 1.16 compared with Acts 26.19 with the twenty sixth of the Acts verse 19. In the Galatians you there read the story of Pauls conversion and sayes he Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood that is with my corrupt heart what dangers I should meet with and what hazards I should go through and in the Acts where you have Paul relating the same story to King Agrippa he sayes Oh King I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision To note sayes a learned man that consulting and debating with flesh and blood it is a kinde of disobedience to the heavenly vision though thou doest not yield to the flesh yet it is a kinde of disobedience to consult with the flesh and therefore never enter into a Treaty with thy sinne 7. Resist sinne impartially that is every sinne and do this in sincerity if thou wilt hate the garment spotted with the flesh then also thou wilt hate the flesh Herod did many things but left not his Herodias Serm. XVIII At Lawrence Jewry London Januar. 5. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the cause of this conflict whence it is that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and the Apostle assignes the reson these being contrary the one to the other The words need not much explaining only the saying of the Apostle when he tells you that the flesh and the Spirit are in the same man and that these are contrary the one to the other Touching which I shall lay down this conclusion That contraries may be found in the same subject It is true that contraries cannot be in the same subject in an intense and highest degree but they may be in a lesser and lower degree and thus it is here The Apostle tells you of the flesh and the Spirit in the same regenerate man Contraria non possunt esse in eodem subjecto in gradu intenso and of these being contrary the one to the other that is not in the highest but in a more remisse degree In the highest degree they cannot be found because in heaven there is perfect grace without sin and in hell there is all sin and no grace but on earth we are partly sinful ann partly gracious and therefore these two contrarieties being in a regenerate man in a more remisse degree they may be very fairly consistent These two are contrary the one to the other it is impossible to conceive a more bitter opposition and direct contrariety between any thing in the world then between the flesh and the Spirit there is not more contrariety between light and darknesse between heaven and hell fire and water then between the flesh and the Spirit Contrariety it is more then enmity enemies may be reconciled but contraries never indeed one contrary may expell another but one contrary cannot be reconciled to another water may quench fire but it cannot be reconciled to fire and light may expell darknesse but they are not to be reconciled The contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit consists in this that whatsoever good the Spirit wills the flesh wills and what good the Spirit excites to the Spirit disswades from this is the contrariety and this is the cause of the conflict in regenerate men Doct. The Doctrine is this That there is a mutual and irreconcileable contrariety between the flesh and the Spirit between nature and grace in the hearts of regenerate men I call it a mutual contrariety because it is not a single opposition the
so much doth he joyn in opposing resisting quenching and grieving of the Spirit Thus I have done with the double conflict between the flesh and the Spirit and the double cause of this conflict These are contrary the one to the other Sermon XX. At Lawrence Jewry London Januar. 19. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now come to make entrance to the double consequent of this double conflict which carries also a double reference The flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good ye would and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh so that ye cannot do the evill ye would The words they are not much difficult and therefore I shall not say much in their explication Augustine understands these words so you cannot do the things you would that is you cannot do the good you would Musculus understands it of both joyntly you cannot do the things you would As if he should say The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and so you cannot do the good you would and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh so that you cannot do the evill you would The Doctrine is this from the first part of the consequent The flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good you would Doctr. That the corruption of the flesh even in regenerate men doth oftentimes divert them from and disturb and interrupt them in their holy performances To confirm this point you have not only the testimony of the Apostle that it was so with other men but also his own experience Rom. 8 18. Rom. 7.21 you have him complaining that to will was present but how to perform that which is good I finde not that when he would do good evill was present with him I shall branch out this Doctrine into two parts and shall shew that this corruption of nature in reference to good hath a double mischievous consequence or effect First it hinders a man from the doing of good Secondly it hinders a man in the doing of good These are the particulars I shall insist upon and shall now begin with the first That corrupt nature hinders a man from the doing of good To illustrate this there is a fit embleme in that History mentioned in Gen. 38. concerning Tamar Gen. 38.27,28 who had twins in her womb Pharez and Zarah now the History mentions that Zarah did first put out the hand and the Midwife tied a scarlet thred about his finger but Pharez strugled with Zarah and so got out first Divines accommodate this History to this purpose that a godly man may like Zarnh set on for the doing of duty but corrupt nature like Pharez hinders the birth of Zarah Corrupt nature hinders regenerate men from doing of good That which I shall now do shall be to shew you what are those politick devices of mans nature that hinder him from the doing of good and there are these twelve stratagems which corrupt nature uses to this end 1. The flesh hinders us from doing of good by perswading a man that he is above the use of duty this is a suggestion which comes from proud fantastical nature Duties saith the foolish Familist they are but fleshly formes and but for the inferiour rank of Christians not for those that are growne up to a tall stature and are people of a higher dispensation Corruption doth often make this plea for the neglect of the use of duty and this was seen to work in the dayes of the Apostles as the Apostle Paul speaks Are there not contentions among you 1 Cor. 1.12 sayes he whilest every one of you say I am of Paul and I of Apollo I of Cephas and I am of Christ here the Apostle doth not only blame them that cried up parties among the Apostles but condemnes a fourth sort also which said they were of Christ and why should the Apostle condemne such why the meaning is this the Apostle condemnes Enthusiasme these were so farre from crying up Paul or other of the Apostles that they were all for Christ that is they were for Revelations and Inspirations now the Apostle condemnes those that so cry up Christ as to decry an ordinary Ministery And to antidote you against this infection of corrupt nature I shall give you these three particulars 1. That in the most glorious times of the Church the Word hath promised that duties and Ordinances shall be of use among Believers Thus S. John speaks Rev. 11.15 Revel 11.15 compared with verse 19. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever and in the nineteenth verse it followes The Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was sate in his Temple the Ark of his Testament That is there was to be Gospel-Ordinances even in the purest times of Gods Church after Antichrist should be destroyed yet then there should be a Temple and within it the Ark of Gods Testament meaning Gospel-Ordinances 2. The Scripture tells you that the strongest Christians are to be conversant in the duties of Religion and thus the Apostle Paul to the Romanes Rom. 15.14,15 he tells them that he was perswaded that they were full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another neverthelesse sayes he I am bold to put you in minde as if he should say though you are full of knowledge and goodnesse yet I must put you in minde of your duty The strong had need to be exercised in duties and Ordinancs 1. To have their judgements confirmed in knowledge and belief of the truth 1 John 2.21 I have not written to you because you know not but because you know the truth 2. To have their memories strengthened in the remembrance of the truth Jude 3. I will put you in remembrance though you once knew this 3. To have their affections more excited to the love of the truth 2 Pet. 1.12 3. Untill you come to heaven you must be conversant in the use of duty You read of the Israelites that all the while they were in the wildernes the Lord sent them Manna from heaven but when once they came to Canaan then Manna ceased so whilest you are in the wildernesse of this world you must be fed with the Manna of Ordinances but when you come to heaven then and not till then will Ordinances cease only the heavenly Jerusalem had no Temple Rev. 21.22,23 Rev. 21.22,23 And therefore the more abominably unthankful are all they who make no other use of their so long living under Ordinances but proudly to professe themselves above Ordinances 2. Another stratagem which corrupt nature hath is a pretence of urgent and extraordinary affaires and occasions
of God but what doth he blame Rom. 7.25 not the devill or the world but it is sin which dwelleth in me And in the 25. verse he sayes With my minde I serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin It is the flesh which carries the force of a law whereby we sin in the service of God and therefore oh man do not blame the devill or the world but thy own heart 3. Another Position is this that the corruption of the flesh interrupting of us in duty it is manifest and violent both in secret as also in publick duties thy heart will be violent against thee when thou art alone between God and thy own soul as also when thou art in publick your own experience will contribute to the truth of this What roving mindes and what distracted thoughts are you haunted with in your secret retirements Yea also in publick duties how hard is it to bound the thoughts and to compose the minde to lay a restraint upon devotion 4. That a mans heart and corrupt nature is more apt to interrupt him in extraordinary duties then in common and ordinary duties A man therefore shall be more haunted with evill thoughts upon a solemn fast-day then upon an ordinary day did you ever set your selves upon the solemn duties of examination and meditation if you did you have found your hearts have more troubled you in those duties then in reading hearing and praying and the reason is this because those duties that are more solemn are most conducible to a Christians growth in grace and therefore in those duties nature will be most indefatigable to disturbe and interrupt you and the devill will not fail to set thy heart at work to disturb thee in those duties whereby his Kingdome is battered and assaulted 5. That the lesse men do prepare their hearts for duty the more they shall be disturbed by corrupt nature in duty Greonham in his observations takes notice of this What is the reason that Christians can never pray without distractions nor hear without wandring thoughts Oh man sayes he take my experience didst thou prepare more for duty thou wouldest be lesse distracted in duty Physick doth the body little good if it be taken on a full stomack and if the body be not prepared so it is with duties and Ordinances they will do thee little good unlesse thou doest first prepare thy selfe for them Posit 6 6. That the flesh interrupts us more in those duties which others perform then in those which we perform our selves A Preacher when he is preaching a Sermon he hath lesse wandring thoughts in preaching then he himself would have if he were a hearer and why but because at such a time his minde is busied in thinking of the matter he hath to deliver to his Auditors And so for any of you suppose you were praying in a company you would be lesse apt to be distracted in that duty because popular applause a respect to the company among whom you pray they binde your thoughts that they runne not astray lest you should be confused in the duty whereas if you did joyn in duty then you would be more carelesse and distracted and therefore you whose lot it is never to preach or pray in publick do you look to your own hearts for the flesh is more apt to interrupt you in those duties wherein you joyn with others thâ—n in those which you your selfe perform Posit 7 7. That in the corruption of the flesh in duties it may be more violent after a long standing in Religion then it did appear to be upon your first conversion At a mans first conversion happily he could pray and not be distracted but have his love his joy and his delight and all his soul taken up with the service but in processe of time and after some continuance in the wayes of Religion he may begin to grow flat and formal perfunctory accustomary in all his performances and this was that which Augustine observed Many at first conversion they will pray with much feeling and fervency but afterwards with coldnesse and deadnesse losing that vigour and warmth of affection which they found in themselves at first conversion Posit 8 8. That there is not a duty in all your life-time which you perform unto God but there is some evill tincture of the flesh cleaves to it though the duty is good in it self yet there is some evill in it as it comes from thee Prayer is good and hearing is good but these duties as they passe through the vessel of thy defiled soul they become defiled inso much that God might justly charge even upon regenerate men the sins of their holy duties When I would do good Rom. 7.15 sayes Paul evill is present with me It is true the natural motions of the flesh may be pared off but still there is a sinful tincture which cleaves to thy duties It is observable that the ceremonial law which you read of in the 28. of Exod. v. 38. Exod. 28.38 where you read that Aaron was to have a plate of pure gold upon his fore-head when he went into the holy of holiest that he mighe bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel And this notes sayes a Divine that Jesus Christ our fore-runner he is gone into the holy of holiest and he by his intercession and sitting at the right hand of his Father weares that plate of pure gold upon his fore-head and there beares not onely the iniquity of our lives but the inquity of our holy things and if this were not so and did there not a viciousnesse cleave unto all our holy duties then we might commend some duties to God without the mediation of Jesus Christ but because there is no duty can be done without a tincture of evill cleaving to it therefore you cannot stand before God in the best prayer that ever you made nor in the best service that ever you performed We have need of a Christ a Mediatour not only for our sins but also for our duties Posit 9 9. That it is the most difficult thing in the world to keep the minde so close to duty that the flesh shall not interrupt you in its performance As Eliphaz reasoned with Job Job 15.12,13 so may every man with his own heart Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doth thine eyes winke at that thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth Thus may every man reason with his own soule and say Why doth my heart carry me away when my spirit would keep close to God Augustine hath an excellent note upon 2 Sam. 7.27 2 Sam. 7.27 Dixit se invenisse cor suum quasi soleret fugere ille sequi quasi fugitivum August Nihil est corde meo fugacius Bernard Posit 10. upon Davids words I have found in my heart to make a prayer unto thee as if David
have a seed of grace remaining in them 3. Wicked men they do not so clearly discerne and sensibly bewaile the interruptions of the flesh as those who are godly do 4. The wicked they shall never be rid of the evil workings of the flesh neither in this world nor in that which is to come Sinne in this life shall hinder duty and in the world to come they will cast off duty But the godly though pestered with the flesh yet they shall one day be rid of the flesh And thus I have finished the first part of the double consequent Sermon XXV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now to proceed to the second reference of these words and that is the Spirits conflicts against the flesh so that men cannot do the evil they would And the observation is this Doct. That the Spirit of God keeps regenerate men oftentimes that they shall not do the evil they would In the handling of which Point there are three particulars in the doctrinal part that I shall insist on 1. I shall shew you how the Spirit doth keep a man from doing the evil he would do 2. Wherein consists this work of the Spirit 3. How you may know the difference between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping a wicked man from sinne and the renewing grace of the Spirit in keeping regenerate men from evil 1. How doth the Spirit keep a man from doing the evil that he would do To this question I shall give you five particulars by way of answer 1. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by enlightening his judgement and making him to see the evil of sinne in its nature and the danger of sinne in its event Thus you read in Job 36.9 Job 36.9 He sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded here is the inlightening of their judgements and then it followes in the tenth verse He openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity verse 10. vers 12. and in the twelfth verse If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and shall die without knowledge The sinne of nature it is described by a state of ignorance to note that a man without the Spirit is blinde and cannot see those evils which he commits the Spirit therefore enlightens a man and hence you read Acts 26.18 that the Apostle Paul was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God See 2 King 6.15 intimating that there must be first the opening of the eyes and the enlightening of the judgement before there can be a rescuing from sinne 2. The Spirit keeps a man from sinne by setting conscience on work to check and rebuke a man when he is tempted thereunto Conscience is Gods Officer and mans Overseer and were it not for a natural conscience a wicked man would commit all imaginable evills every wicked man would commit every sinne that he had opportunity to act Now as sinne wounds the conscience after commission so conscience checks for sinne before commission It is conscience which is as an iron gate and as a brazen wall to keep thee from many evills which otherwise thou wouldst run into And therefore Ioseph consults with his conscience How can I do this great wickednesse and this kept him from committing folly with his Mistresse 3. Another way whereby the Spirit keeps a man from sinne is by infusing into a man a principle of grace and holinesse repugnant to that principle of sinne which is in the nature and thus the Apostle John tells you that Whosoever iâ— born of God doth not commit sinne for the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is born of God hath a renewed nature and a new principle put into him contrary to the sin of his nature 4. The Spirit keeps a man from evil by calling to his remembrance some particular passage out of Sctipture against that sinne unto which he is tempted To this purpose David speakes that he had hid the Word of the Lord in his heart Psal 119.11 that he might not sinne against him This is the way whereby the Spirit fortifies the heart against sin you have it often mentioned in particular cases Solomon gives this counsel to his sonne that he should keep his words Prov. 7.1,5 and lay up his commandments and that to this end that they may keep thee from the strange woman and thus David Psal 17.4 saies he By the Word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Thus Augustine reports of a young man who was given to wantonnesse and it pleased God by bringing this passage to his remembrance Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse it pleased God to make this a meanes whereby he left off his dalliance and wantonnesse ever after 5. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by possessing the heart with an awe and dread of the presence of God when he is tempted to evil Fear the Lord and depart from evil Prov. 37. the wise man joynes them both together to let you know that when the heart is possessed with the fear of God it keeps a man from evil And thus Solomon in a parallell place speaks to the same purpose Prov. 16.6 Prov. 14.16 that By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil An awefull fear of the great God is a good preservative gainst sin Quest 2 The next question is Wherein this worke of the Spirit in keeping a man from sinne consists And for answer hereto in the general it consists in three things 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne 2. In regard of the time and place where sinne would be committed 3. In regard of the manner of sin 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne so the Spirit keeps a regenerate man that he shall never commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost not but that there is the seed of that sinne in the godly as well as others this you have fully proved by John in 1 Joh. 5.18 1 Joh. 5.18 After he had been telling that there was a sinne unto death and saies he I do not say ye shall pray for it he tells you after in the eighteenth verse We know saith he that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That is shall not prevaile over a godly man to sinne this sinne unto death grace in the hearr will keep a man that the wicked one shall not so touch
duty p. 244 245 Education may restraine from evil p. 283 F Fervency and Frequency in duty p. 62 Fulfill lusts of the Flesh what p. 110 Flesh the meaning of it p. 121 How the Flesh opposeth the Spirit p. 120 Slavish Feare p. 176 177 G Spirit of God our Guide p. 82 Why we must follow the Spirits Guidance p. 83 84 We have more sin then Grace p. 191 H Health must be preserved p. 51 52 Humiliation for corruptions p. 144 Our corruption hinders us from doing good p. 208 I Jesus Christ a faithful High Priest p. 66 Inobservancy of the Spirit p. 92 93 Indulgence of sinne p. 118 Inticements to sinne p. 127 128 129 Inability to do good pretended p. 217 Of Interruptions in holy duties p. 231 232 K How godly kept from doing evil p. 262 c. The holy Spirit keepes us p. 265 We are not able to keepe our selves p 277 Gods keeping of us implies our care ibid. L Lusts of the Flesh p. 109 Of seeing Little sinnes p. 129 M Moral perswasions what p. 13 105 Sevcral Motions of the Spirit to good p. 45 Evil Motions of the heart p. 47 Misery of those from whom Gods Spirit is withdrawn p. 71 How we may know the Motions of the Spirit from the Motions of our natural conscience p. 84 85 Common and saving Motions of the Spirit p. 88 Our natures receptive of evil Motions p. 94 Mortification p 150 Mourne for corruption p. 251 N Great is our Need of Gods Spirit p. 70 Of a Natural conscience p. 175 176 Necessity of Ordinances p. 208 O A childe of God may Often commit the same sin p. 41 Avoid Occasions to sinne p. 149 Of Opposition of sinne by the godly and wicked p. 169 c. Of Original sinne p. 205 257 Of necessity of Ordinances p 209 Omission of good damnable p 228 P Pouring out of the Spirit in latter dayes p. 14 Pretending to have the Spirit p. 101 102 Potency of the Flesh p. 133 134 R Repentance a work of the Spirit p. 31 Motions of the Spirit in Reprobates p. 89 Rejoycing in evil p 113 Why corrupt nature remaines in the Regenerate p. 266 967 A Regenerate man doth not sin as he did before p. 134 144 Of Restraining grace p. 276 S Sons of God what it implies p. 2 Spirit of God withdrawing p. 6 Spirit of God works mediately p 16 17 Saints may fall into those sins which are contrary to their graces wherein they are most eminent p. 37 38 Signes of the Spirits withdrawing p 60 61 62 Sin causeth the Spirit to withdraw p 73 74 Sin brings no good fruit p. 97 How the Spirit is in us p. 100 Suppresse the first stirring of sin p. 147 148 Sense of sinne p. 202 203 204. Succeslesnesse in duty whence p. 226 Sincerity accepted p. 259 T Spirit of God keeps us from yielding to Temptations p. 28. Gods Spirit withdrawes but for a time p. 77 V Good unseasonably done p. 50 W Withdrawing of the Spirit p. 6 Wrong six fold to Gods Spirit p. 7 Withdrawing of Spirit from the Word p. 18 Symptomes of the Spirits withdrawing from the Word p. 23 24 Reasons of the Spirits withdrawing p. 32. Christians are weak to do good p. 69 Of walking in the Spirit p. 80 Of wearisomnesse in holy duties p. 238 We must watch our hearts p. 254 Wicked men restrained p. 271 272 c. Wicked men may abstaine from sinne and yet not upon gracious grounds p. 286 287 c. FINIS THE Christians Directory TENDING To guid him in those severall conditions which Gods providence may cast him into Digested in severall SERMONS BY The late faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Minister of Laurence Jury LONDON Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldsmiths Row in Cheapside 1653. TO THE READER Christian Reader THe experience which the World hath had of the worth of the works of this Reverend Author renders a commendatory Epistle needless to any thing of his Our business therefore at present is only to put this peece likewise into thy hands and according as we promised at the first to assure thee that it is genuine having been faithfully compared with and corrected by Mr Loves own notes Yet thus much we shall say of it that it cannot but be singularly useful unto Christians in regard that it contains directions how to carry themselves in the various and severall conditions they shall be in in this world whether their condition be afflicted or joyons whether they buy or sell or what way soever they make use of the world here is excellent advice and counsel for them And so beseeching the Lord to accompany it with his blessing and make it profitable to the souls of his people in him we rest Thy faithful Friends Edm Calamy Simeon Ash Jer Whitaker Will Taylor Allen Geere A CHRISTIANS DIRECTORY 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing of it for the fashion of this world passeth away I Have chosen this place of Scripture intending through Gods assistance to make many Sermons upon it being a Text that affords us so much variety of matter but I shall not stand long upon any one particular Doctrine because I would gladly end it in some convenient time This Text may well be called A Christians Directory to guide and direct him in his ordinary course and walking through all the various mutations vicissitudes alterations he may meet withall here in the world whatsoever his condition be here is matter of advice and Counsel for him If he meets with crosses troubles and afflictions then his duty is to weep as if he wept not if he meet with a gale of prosperity with an affluence and confluence of all outward happiness then his duty is to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not If he be a Tradesman and by buying and selling and trading in the world he gets a great estate then his duty is to use his wealth so as if he possessed it not And least these particular cases and directions should not reach every mans particular condition therefore the Apostle gives this generall rule to all that have any thing to do in the world whether in one kind or other that they that use this world must use it as not abusing of it because the fashion of this world passeth away Here you see what work I have cut out to you which will afford abundance of matter I shall only at present make a short entrance into the first direction the Apostle here gives to those that meet with crosses and afflictions in the world namely that they that weep be as if they wept not There is some disagreement in opinion amongst interpreters touching the scope of these words Pareus thinks this Text hath a special reference to
mariage though it be intensive also to all sorts and conditions of people in the world yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition A man in a maried estate must look to meet with cares and crosses and troubles as the Apostle intimates in the next verse but one to my Text Vers 3. and therefore he gives this advice you that are in a maried estate and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the same why you must weep as if you wept not you must mourn regularly and moderately suppose you meet with troubles and afflictions as a froward wife or if you have a good wife yet no Children by her or if you have they are bad Children or if they be good they die God takes them away from you or if they live they take pernitious courses and are a grief and sorrow and vexation to you why in all these or the like conditions you should so moderate your sorrows as to weep as if you wept not And truly beloved the scope of the Chapter caries the sence this way and from hence I might note to you Doct. 1 1. That a maried life exposeth a man to a great many crosses and troubles either unsutableness of temper and constitution between man and wife the having of bad Children or no Children or Children or wife die these and many more afflictions do sometimes happen in a maried estate 2. From hence I note that people ought to take heed what ever troubles they meet with in this condition that they be not cast down with over much sorrow and grief but I only hint these things by the way And though I believe this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall estate yet because the Scripture is large and speaks in generall terms that he that weeps should be as if he wept not c. therefore I shall rather chuse to handle it in this sence that whatsoever crosses troubles losses or afflictions befalls any men here below they should mourn and wâ—ep as if they wept not that is so regulate and moderate their sorrows that they should not be inordinate or excessive in the same and the Doctrine I shall observe from hence is this Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they be not immoderate or excessive in worldly sorrows either for the meeting with any crosses undergoing any troubles or the losing of any comforts here in the world Whatsoever afflictions you meet with or whatsoever comforts you part with you should take care your sorrows be not immoderate and inordinate In the handling of this it may be I may come near the bosoms of many of you some of you it may be are troubled for want of trading that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths others troubled for losses some for crosses and afflictions some for outward others for inward troubles why in all these conditions you must weep as if you wept not you must have a care of immoderateness and excessiveness in all your sorrows Before I shall discuss those quaeries I intend about this Doctrine I shall first lay down three conclusions concerning it Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall sensibleness of any crosses or afflictions you meet with Beloved God would not have you stupid and insensible under his hand this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not doth allow of naturall sensibleness of any crosse or affliction that befalls us God would have none to be stoically insensible of heart Con. 2 2. Take this Conclusion that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and crosses at one time then they are at another It was the case of David at one time when Absalom was dead he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33 Oh Absalom my Son my Son oh Absalom would to God I had died for thee my Son my Son And yet at another time when his Child was dead in the 2 Sam. 12.20 He riseth up and anoints his face and eats bread and takes patiently the hand of God upon him the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate sorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his stroaks upon you to make your burdens heavier and your bondage greater God deals with us as a Father deals with his Child if the Father sees that the Child beares his corrections kindly he will give him the lesse but if he be stubborn and frets and takes on it will not make the Father lessen his stroaks but to give him more and more so if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in these afflictions he layes upon us it is the way to have them alleviated but if we repine and murmure against God and are immoderate in our sorrows this is the way to have them increased Queries I come now to the Queries which I promised to handle and they are these three 1. When peoples sorrows are immoderate and excessive for worldly afflictions 2. Why a Christian should take heed that his sorrows be not so 3. I shall give you some considerations to allay excessiveness and immoderateness in sorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world For the first Quest 1 First When may a Christians sorrow either for the meeting with any crosses or afflictions Signes of immoderate sorrowing for worldly afflictions or the losing of any comforts here in this world be said to be immoderate Answ I shall lay it down to you in these five particulars 1. Then is your sorrow inordinate and excessive when it laies you under great indisposition of heart to the performance of religious duties when it makes you unfit and indisposed to holy duties and especially these two hearing the word and private prayer First When it indisposeth you for hearing the word of God as in Exod. 6.9 Moses spake unto the Children of Israel but they hearkened not unto him for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage The people were so grieved and over-pressed with sorrow that what Moses spake to them from the Lord they did not regard it because of their afflictions and great bondage Now if ever any sorrow or crosse went so near thy heart as to disturb thee and indispose thee to the hearing of Gods word that hath been an immoderate sorrow And therefore it is a great sin and greatly to be reproved in those that when any of their nearest relations are dead they are so dejected with sorrow as not to come to Church in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward which is very usuall with a great many In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4 The Lord commanded there that there should none be defiled for the dead amongst his people There was a custom amongst the Heathen when any of
their friends were dead in token of lamentation and sorrow they would make their heads bald and shave the corners of their beards cut their flesh and the like but God prohibits his people the doing of these things as shaving their heads cutting the corners of their beards and the like When the duties of Religion as hearing the word is interrupted by your sorrows for any worldly cross then look upon it as an irregular sorrow Secondly When your sorrow indisposeth and keeps you from private prayer then it is inordinate as in Psal 77.3,4 my spirit saith Asaph is over-whelmed within me and I am so troubled that I cannot speak When troubles do so stop mens mouths that they cannot pray or make known their wants to God then it is an inordinate sorrow and you women especially that are naturally more tender and apt to grieve then men do you look to it if your sorrows have been never so small yet if they have interrupted and kept you from hearing the word of God and from private duties they have been excessive and immoderate So Mal. 2.13.14 We read of women that covered the Altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out c. 't is not meant of godly but of worldly sorrow women so grieved for the churlishness and unkindness of their Husbands to them that they covered the Altar with teares c. Now God regarded not such services because when sorrow is excessive for affliction there is then little or no sorrow for sin 2. Your sorrows are then inordinate when they swallow up your comforts in the present mercies of God which you do injoy Thus it was with Ahabs sorrow in the 1. Kings 21.4 you read there that Ahab was grieved and sore displeased because he could not have Naboths Vineyard and the Text saith he went home and laid him down upon his bed turned away his face and would eat no bread though Ahab was a King had a goodly Palace and had Vineyards enough of his own yet because he could not enjoy Naboths he could take no pleasure nor comfort in those he had Thus good old Jacob did so excessively mourn for Joseph who in his thoughts was dead that though all his Sonnes and Daughters came to comfort him yet he refused to be comforted but said he would go mourning to his grave The losse of one Child did swallow up the comfort of all the other eleven Sonnes Gen. 37.35 If the sense of the present sorrows and afflictions you lie under be so great that they swallow up all the mercies and present comforts you injoy then are your sorrows inordinate Some people are so over-whelmed with a few light afflictions that they forget the many great mercies they injoy many men that are worth ten thousand pound if they should lose but one thousand pound it would so trouble them that they would take no comfort in all the rest 3. When your sorrows for worldly losses or crosses put you upon sinfull shifts and wicked courses to make up and repair your losse again then look upon it as an immoderate sorrow 1 Sam. 28.6,7,8 Thus Saul when he was in great trouble and perplexity of mind and could not tell what to do then he went to the witch at Endor for help which did declare his sorrow to be immoderate Look to it you that have met with great losses in the world and undergone great afflictions and crosses if these have made you run to sinfull courses to repair your losses or lighten your afflictions then your sorrow hath been excessive as it may be you are in debt and not able to maintain your self and Family by your Trade and therefore you will betake your self to sinfull shifts and deceits as false weights false lights false measures or the like to repair your losses if it be so your sorrows are immoderate 4. Then your sorrows are immoderate when you do so grieve for your own trouble and afflictions as to carry no compassion in your breast towards the afflictions of others when thy Family losses do so afflict thee that all the publick losses of Church and State do not at all affect thee when thy own private and personall afflictions do so trouble thee that come what will to the Church or Kingdom wherein thou livest thou carest not when thou canst shed a flood of tears for thine own misery but not a drop for the misery of the Church of God then are thy sorrows inordinate and irregular 5. When you are so sensible of your own afflictions as to think no bodies afflictions are so great as yours then are your sorrows irregular When you are like these in Lament 1.12 that say come and see if there be any sorrow any affliction like unto mine wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me When you shall say never did any man lose such an Estate as I have done or such a loving Husband or Wife or Children as I have done never did any undergoe such troubles and crosses as I have done then are your sorrows immoderate But I shall shew you hereafter that there are others that have lost more and suffered more and undergone greater afflictions and have greater cause to complain then you but thus much shall serve for the first Query Quest 2 I come now to the 2d why Christians should take heed of this distemper of being immoderate and excessive in their sorrows for any affliction Answ 1. Because immoderate sorrow for the things of the world does proceed from evill causes And 2dly does produce evill effects First It proceeds from evill causes and those are 1. From an immoderate love to the things of the world that in the want and for the losse whereof you do too much grieve it is a sign you did too much love in the enjoyment of it Gen. 37.35 When Jacob supposed that his Joseph was slain he so exceedingly mourned for him that though all his Sonnes and Daughters rose up to comfort him yet he refused to be comforted and said I will go down into the grave unto my Sonne mourning And why did Jacob thus mourn for him but because he loved him more then all the rest it was his immoderate love to him that made him sorrow so immoderately If your hearts be glued to the things of the world you cannot part with them but with a great deal of vexation and sorrow If thy sorrow be excessive for the loss of any thing thy love was immoderate towards it in the injoyment of it John 11.35.36 when Christ came to Lazarus and he being dead Christ wept then said the Jews behold how he loved him his weeping for him did manifest the greatness of his love to him not that his love was excessive I do not say so yet this we may see from hence that grief in the want of mercies proceeds from love in the enjoyment of them 2. This immoderate sorrow proceeds from a murmuring discontent at the dealing of Gods providence towards
you there is a clashing between Gods will and yours as if God did not so well know how to deal with you as you do with your selves else you would quietly submit to his will 3. Another evill cause from whence this immoderate sorrow ariseth is ignorance both of the vanity of temporall things and the reality of spirituall things we discover thereby that we think temporall things to have more worth in them then indeed they have and spirituall things lesse But 2dly As it proceeds from evill causes so it produceth evill effects there are these five evill effects that immoderate sorrow produceth as 1. It prejudiceth your naturall health 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And Solomon tells us a sorrowfull spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 so saies David in Psal 31.10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my bones are consumed 2. It is a blemish to Religion for a Christian to be excessive in his sorrows for the joy of the Lord should be his strength A godly Christian hath alwayes cause of joy unspeakable and full of glory therefore it is a blemish to Christianity to see a godly man overpressed with worldly sorrow it is an aspersion upon Religion for a godly man to hang down his head for the losse of any outward things as if he had no greater concernments to look after no joy nor comfort nor happiness to look after but here in this life 3. It exceedingly indisposeth the heart to holy and spirituall duties it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word and prayer Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage c. Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak 4. Excessive sorrow imbitters those sweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy a thousand mercies are buried under the excessive sorrow for one affliction as in Gen. 37.35 the place before quoted Jacob did so extreamly mourn for Joseph his youngest Sonne which he supposed to be dead that though he had eleven Sonnes and many Daughters and all of them came to comfort him yet he could take no comfort in any of them but resolved that his gray hairs should go down to the grave in mourning for him this one excessive sorrow for Joseph did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy So Esther 5.13 though Haman was admitted to the greatest intimacy familiarity with the King yet all this availed him nothing so long as he saw Mordecai sitting at the Kings Gate in this regard many men discover a temper much like the Hedg-hog which as naturalists tell us hath this property it will gather a great many apples or such like fruit upon his bristles and then go to a Hedge and eat them but it is so mournfull a Creature that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way it will so vex and trouble him that he will throw down all the rest So many men if they meet but with one cross or affliction it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy and take no comfort in any of them 5. Excessive sorrow for worldly crosses provokes God many times to send heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you suffered As I told you before a stubborn Child that blubbers and cries and murmurs under the Fathers corrections will fare the worse and have the more blowes for it so the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions the more crosses and troubles we are like to have And thus I have done with the second question why Christians should take heed of immoderacie and excessiveness in worldly sorrows We come now to lay down some considerations whereby to allay your sorrows but I must leave that till the afternoon I shall onely for the present make a short application of what hath been said and so have done Vse Vse Is it so that Christians should not be excessive in worldly sorrows but weep as if they wept not then this reproves those that can mourn for every crosse that befalls them but yet cannot shed a teare for any sin they commit Many men complain of small inconsiderable troubles and affliction but yet never complain of their sins and corruptions these never trouble them nor come near their hearts they can mourn for that which can but at most prejudice the body and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and destroy their soules 2. I beseech you beloved take heed of being lavish of your teares for worldly crosses or afflictions it is pitty to wash a foul Room with sweet water I must needs tell you teares are too pretious to shâ—d for every trifle it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to wash away your sins for though it is Christs blood alone that can wash away the guilt of sin yet your teares may much conduce to wash away the filth and power of sin When you mourn for worldly crosses then weep as if you wept not but when you mourn for sin mourn as much as you can Be like yee before the Sun that will soon melt and convert into water you that are the Children of God know that you have greater things and of higher concernment to bestow your teares upon then any outward troubles you have daily failings and many sins and corruptions unmortified and unsubdued and the losse of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for your sorrows never run aright but when they run in this Channel when your tears run into the Mill-pond to grind your lusts and corruptions to consume and weaken them then are your sorrows right and regular Lastly Let me intreat and advise you not to mistake in reference to your sorrows to think you do mourn and grieve for sin when it is only for outward afflictions Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are so sad and mournfull and weep so much will be ready to say it is for their sins and failings and corruptions that are too strong for them or the like when indeed it is only for some crosse or outward trouble they have met with therefore do not mistake that sorrow to be for your sins which is onely or especially for some outward affliction you have met with SERMON 2. WEe come now to the third Question which I shall spend this whole Aftemoon upon and that is this to lay down to you 12 considerations whereby to allay and keep under immoderateness and excessive sorrow for any worldly crosses or afflictions and how to keep our selves in the frame and temper of spirit which the Apostle here enjoyns us namely to weep as if we wept not I told you in the morning God would not have us stupid and insensible of his hand in any affliction but yet as we should not be stoicall so neither must we be excessive in our sorrows I have
in this particular I shall handle this case of conscience concerning it wherein appeares the difference between a man that hath only a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand upon him and one that mournes and grieves immoderately and excessively betwixt a kindly grieving and a passionate venation of spirit and this I shall doe in these six following particulars Answ 1. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse a kindely grieving for worldly crosses it will rather animate and quicken the soule to religious duties then any way indispose and interrupt them and therefore it is that you so often finde weeping joyned with prayer and supplication in Scripture thus it is said Iacob wept and made supplication and in Jer. 3.21 Hos 12.4 A voyce was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel so in Ier. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them So in Judg. 2.5,6 it is said the children of Israel at Bochim lift up their voyce and wept and sacrificed to the Lord. All which places shew that that sorrow which is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand will quicken and encourage the soule to duty rather then indispose him but now on the other side excessive sorrow renders a man unfit for prayer reading hearing the word or any other holy duty As in Psal 77.4 Asaph was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he could not speak And Exod. 6.9 then is thy sorrow immoderate when it interrupts thee in the performance of holy duties 2. Where there is onely a kindly grieving and a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is kindled in that mans heart a sympathizing and fellow-feeling of other mens troubles that man will carry compassionate bowels towards other men that are in trouble as well as themselves Job 30.25 saies Job did not I weep for him that was in trouble was not my soule grieved for the poor but now where sorrow is immoderate you will so think upon your own troubles that you will not pity any that are in the like condition with you 3. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is retained in that soule a fence of those many mercies you doe enjoy as well as of the afflictions and sufferings you doe endure naturall sensiblenesse of afflictions does not take away the comfort and enjoyment of present mercies there is a sense of mercies enjoyed as well as of afflictions endured But now in immoderate sorrow the very sense of your trouble and crosses doth take away and imbitter all your former or present mercies As in Numb 16.12,13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the wildernesse Pray marke for there is much of Gods mind in this place the Land that these men speak of here is the land of Aegypt where they were under bondage and slavery and yet when they met with afflictions in the wildernesse they forgot the bondage they were delivered from in Egypt but said it was a Land flowing with milke and honey immoderate sorrow for afflictions doth quite take away all sense of the mercies you doe enjoy 4. Where there is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet the heart This you may see verified in Hannah in 1 Sam. 1.18,19 she was grieved for a child but what then She prayed and said Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight so the woman went away and did eate and her countenance was no more sad After she had poured forth her heart in prayer to God she was comforted she went her way and was no more sad Then is your sorrow right when going to God upon your knees will quiet your heart Or 2. When a promise from God will comfort you thus it was with David in Psal 119.50 saies he This is my comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickned me that is the word of a promise So in Vers 92. Vnlesse thy law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction And in Verse 107. I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy word Then is your sorrow moderate when either a prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet your hearts and then are your sorrows immoderate when under any affliction all the promises in the Bible cannot quiet you nor any prayer to God comfort you And thus it was with Job in Job 9.16 saies he If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkned unto my voyce And therefore beloved look to it you that have met with many worldly crosses and troubles and never a prayer could comfort you nor promise quiet you it is an argument that your sorrows were immoderate 5. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness of worldly crosses there that soule does notwithstanding all his afflictions justifie God and condemn himself acknowledging his own sin to be the cause of all crosses This you have an instance of in Lamen 1.18 In all the evill that is come upon us the Lord is righteous and in Dan. 9.14 the Lord is righteous in all that is come upon us for we have rebelled and done evill in his sight So David Psal 51.3 I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me then is your sorrow right when you can justifie God and take shame to your selves But now where sorrow is vexatious and excessive there a sinner flies out against God and rather justifies himself there the finner accounts God very severe and cruel in his dispensations and murmures against him thinks ill of him and of his wayes and in this condition was Job once Job 16.17 He breaketh me with a tempest and multiplieth my wounds without a cause he blamed God and justified himself which declared his sorrow to be immoderate and excessive You have a notable passage for this in Esay 8.21 it is said that when God shall bring afflictions and trouble upon the Land then they shall curse their King and their God and look upward they shall be so overcome with sorrow as that they shall curse God and justifie themselves so in Prov. 19.3 saies Solomon the foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretieth against the Lord. 6. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness under the hand of God there will be an aptness to hearken to comfortable counsel from the word of God to bear up the heart under afflictions and therefore it is said Job 33. when God laid afflictions upon him he opened his ears to counsel when you are so tamed by afflictions that you will hear the voice of the rod and the voice of the word and hearken to any counsel that is tendered to you to bear up and support your spirits then is your sorrow regular and such as God allows of but now where sorrow
is inordinate that man is not fit to receive any instruction from any friend that goes about to comfort him Thus Asaph in Psal 27.2 when he was overwhelmed with sorrow his soul refused to be comforted they are then like Rachel that would not be comforted Matth. 2.18 In Rama was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they were not The women of Bethlehem did weep and mourn and would not be comforted which did evidence their sorrow to be immoderate When no promise in the Bible no comfort nor support from the word will ease and quiet the heart this shews that such a spirit is too much overcome with sorrow vexation and grief for worldly crosses And thus I have done with the first caution to take heed when you are over much grieved for worldly afflictions that you do not then say it is only a naturall sensibleness of the hand of God upon you and no more Caution 2 2. Is it so that we must not be immoderate in our sorrows for worldly crosses but must weep as if we wept not then take heed ye do not judge that to be a mourning for sin which is only for outward troubles And beloved the reason why I give you this caution is because of that aptness and propensity there is in people when they have lost Husband or Wife or Children or Estate c. and are extreamly troubled and dejected If you aske them why they mourn and grieve so much they will answer it is for their sins and will say what will you not give me leave to mourn for my sins it is my sin that is the cause of all my grief and sorrow and teares and I hope you will allow me to do so yes mourn for your sins in Gods name Case 2 but because men are apt to deceive themselves in this particular I shall therefore handle another case of conscience concerning this How you may discerne when a man doth excessively sorrow whether he doth weep rather for his afflictions then for his sin rather for his troubles and worldly crosses then for his corruptions and offending and sinning against God I shall give you 4 plain discoveries of such a man 1. Then a man doth grieve under worldly crosses Discoveâ—ies of men that mourn rather for sin then for affliction rather for his sin then for his afflictions if so be that man did grieve and mourn for his sins before ever he was afflicted It is an Argument that your grief is rather for sin then for affliction if when you were in prosperity sin did break your heart and you could then have no rest nor quietness within you by reason of your sins and thus David did mourn for his sins when he did water his couch with his teares for defiling of Bathshebah for he had then no affliction or crosse lay upon him and yet David did roar in the disquietness of his soul and he had no rest in his bones by reason of his sin When David sate upon the Throne in worldly glory and prosperity yet then could he lie in the dust in spirituall shame and this before the Child was sick And therefore if upon examination you finde that you did weep and mourn for your sins and corruptions before ever you had this or any other crosse lying upon you then you may conclude that your sorrow is more for sin then for worldly afflictions but now when a man shall pretend to grieve for sin and yet that mans sins never troubled him all his lifetime before his corruptions never grieved his heart nor troubled his conscience before this showes it is more for afflictions then for his sin that such a man mourns and weeps Discov 2 2. Then a man mourns rather for sin then for affliction when he takes more care to remove his sins from his soul then his afflictions from his body VVhen thou canst make it the great request of thy soul and the care of thy heart rather to have thy sins removed then thy afflictions Hosea 14.2 Oh Lord take away all iniquity and receive us graciously they did not say Oh Lord take away affliction although they had many then upon them but say they Lord take away the iniquity of thy Servants and receive us graciously but he that desires rather to have his troubles removed then his sins it is a sign he does not mourn for sin but for affliction Thus Pharaoh when the Judgements of God were upon him when the Thunder and Hail came and the froggs and lice Exo. 9.28 and murrain of Beasts c. saies he to Moses intreat the Lord that there be no more mighty Thunderings and Hail he desired Moses to pray to God to remove the plagues from him but never desired that his sin and the hardness of his heart might be taken avvay You that can cry out oh Lord take avvay this crosse or this affliction from me but never pray to have your sins removed and your corruptions subdued this is an Argument you mourn for affliction more then for sin 3. If vvhen the committing of a sin and the removing of an affliction stand in competition together you would rather have the affliction continued then commit a sin this shevvs you grieve for sin rather then for affliction As for instance vvhen a man is brought to a lovv condition and a great decay in the vvorld his Trade fails and his stock is spent if that man be more troubled for his sin that brought him into that condition then for the affliction it self then he vvill not commit a sin to repair and make up his losses though he did knovv that the committing of such a sin vvould do it and so in any other case as I have read a story of a Noble man whose Sonne and Heire was supposed to have been bewitched and being advised by some to go to a Witch to have his Sonne helped and unbewitched again he answered no by no means for he had rather the Witch should have his Sonne then the Devill But if you make no conscience to commit a sin to avoid or remove an affliction if you will break the hedge of a command to avoid a little foul way of affliction it is a sign that you mourn for your crosses and afflictions more then for your sins and that you never grieved so much for your corruptions as you have done for your corrections Job 36.21 so those that in their distress go to VVitches and VVizzards and Fortune-tellers as Saul did to the vvitch at Endor shew that they grieve more for affliction then for sin 4. If you mourn for sin the true joy that ariseth from the forgiveness of sin will swallow up the grief that comes to thee through any worldly crosse or affliction and will likewise make thee to undergoe them with patience That man grieves for sin most who when his sin is pardoned grieves