man draw a Geometrical line he marvels what he means to spend his time about such an idle thing when that he which drawes it knowes it is of great use Fourthly in degree that is in the generalitie of the growth when you grow in every part proportionable A natural man may grow in some parts but not in all parts As for example he may have a large capacitie of knowledge in Divine truth yet he hath but weak affections to God or it may be his affections are strong but his judgement is weak or it may be he is strong in both that is he knowes the good and after his manner of loving he loves the good but yet there is weakness in the will he will not yield any true unreserved obedience to God but it is not thus in the spiritual strength that is in the growth of the inward man for that leads him unto an universal growth in all parts Now in the natural growth we say it is not proper Augmentation except there be a growth in all parts as if a man should grow in one member and not in another as in the arm or legg we would not say that were a growth but a disease and that many humours in the body were met together that it were rather a sign it should be cut off from the body then a help unto the rest of the body even so the growth in the natural strength in any one part of the soul rather hurts then helpes that is it rather shewes the disease of the soul then the health of the soul but the spiritual strength growes in all parts so much for the first difference The second difference is in the beginning and ending of that strength that is it hath another Alpha and Omega for the strength of the spiritual man is wrought by the spirit and word of God as thus the principles of Religion being taught him out of Gods word hence there is spiritual strength secretly conveyed into the soul for I say no man can receive the spirit or this spiritual strength but by the Gospel therefore consider what the goodness is that you have and how you came by it whether it came by the Gospel or no if it did you shall know it by these particulars First Examine whether ever thou wert humbled that is examine whether by the Preaching of the Law you have had such a fight of sin that hath broken your hearts If thus in the first place you came by it it is a sign that it is the true growth for this is the first work of the spirit when it comes to change the heart of a Christian and to make him a new creature it deeply humbleth him Secondly Examine whether there hath followed a comfortable conviction and manifestation of Gods love in Christ which hath not onely wrought joy and comfort against the former fear but also a burning and affectionate desire after Christ and Holiness Therefore if the Holiness that is in you be thus wrought it doth proceed from the spirit for this orderly proceeding of the spirit doth make it manifest But as for the natural strength it hath no such beginning it is not wholly wrought by the word it may be he hath been a little humbled and comforted by the word but it is not throughly and soundly but it is a overly habitual strength of nature picked out of observations and example Again as the spiritual strength hath a different beginning so it hath a different end that is the ends of them are as far if not further different then the beginning for as the spiritual strength hath a different beginning so it hath a different end that is the end of them are so far if not further different then the beginning for as the Holiness that is in a gracious man ariseth from a higher well head so it leads a man to a more noble and excellent end then the natural strength for the end of a spiritual mans strength is Gods glory that he may yield better obedience unto God that he may keep touch with him and keep in with him that he may have more familiarity with him and more confidence boldness with him in prayer In a word that he may be fit for every good work But the end of the natural mans strength is his himself his own profit and pleasure his own good for as the rise of any thing is higher so the end is higher As for example water is lifted upon the top of some Mountain or high place because it may go further then if it were upon even ground so when a man is strong in the Inward man he is set up higher he hath another end that is to please God and not himself and thus much for the second difference The third difference is this he that is spiritually strong is strong in faith that is the strength of the Inward man is Faith but the strength of the outward man is but moral strength gained by the diligent improvements of nature Now it is faith that gives strength a man is not a strong man in Christ or in the Inward man that hath not a strong faith for faith it the only thing that makes a man strong that is which makes a difference between a spiritual man and a natural man for as Reason makes a difference betwixt men and beasts so faith make a difference between a holy man and a wicked man As for example take a Philosopher that doth excel in other things as in humane knowledge he goes before other men yet in matters of faith and believing he is as blind as a beetle and the Reason is this A Christian sees and doth all things by faith but the other onely but by the light of nature and this is the same that the Apostle speaks of Heb. 11 Of weak they became strong that is because they had faith and were strong in the faith and trusted and believed and hoped in God therefore they became strong that is they did that which other men could not do that wanted faith Sisera might do as great things as Gideon but here is the difference Gideon doth them all out of Faith the other doth them but from Nature and so Socrates may in worldly things be as wise as Paul that is as wise in understanding and in policie by reason of excellent natural parts but here is the difference Paul doth all things out of faith and Socrates doth not therefore the Apostle saith in the 1 Tim. 4. 10. We are strong because we trust in the living God that is we have a strong faith in God and that makes us stand out all the assaults of men and Divels I say this is that which make a difference betwixt us and the men of this world Diogenes may trample under his feet the things of this world as well as Moses but Moses by faith chose rather the things of another life then these
meditate power to love power to obey all above nature and a power to forsake life and libertie riches and honour pleasure and all things which no man will do except he have the Spirit Secondly as it gives a strength and an excellent qualitie above nature so it adds unto it holiness that is it puts a tincture of goodness upon all your actions it warmeth the gifts of the minde and puts the heart in a frame of grace many men have a kind of strength but they want holiness and sanctification with it Now a man is said to be a holy man when the soul is separated and divided from things that are contrarie to its salvation and happiness and joyned And then joyned and united unto Christ wholly and totally Then and not until then is a man a true holy man it is with a holy man in this case as it is with a spouse she is separated from others and united to her husband are joyned to the Spirit have holiness with it and separated from sin The vessels in the time of the Law they were holy vessels because they were appointed to Gods worship in like maner when the Spirit comes into the heart it sanctifies it and makes him a holy man by making him in all his aims and ends to pitch upon Gods glory And this can no man do till the spirit of Christ be his In Cant. 6. 3. The Church saith I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine That is because he is my husband and I am his spouse therefore I will labour to be like him in holiness And our Saviour prayeth for this holiness for his Disciples In Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is Truth That is the word is the means to work holiness in them when they want holiness they want all things for when profit and pleasure comes then the Spirit of holiness is as it were plucked from them but when they have the Spirit then they see the vanitie of these earthly things therefore it is that men are deceived with false and counterfeit wares because they want the Spirit of discerning but when the Spirit of God comes into the heart of a Christian then it shewes him the vanitie of these things and this he doth by enlightning the mind and therefore it is that they are kept from playing the Adulteresses with these things because they have the Spirit of discerning Now examine what strength above nature what conjunction of holiness have you with it what Spirit of discerning have you are not these things in you then you have not the Spirit The third sign whereby you shall know whether you have the Spirit or no is this examine when and by what means it came into thy heart This is the sign that the Apostle makes in Galat. 3. Did you saith he receive the Spirit by the work of the Law or else by Faith preached That is if you have the Spirit then tell me how you came by it how and by what means came he first into the heart But here all the Question is how a man may know whether the Spirit be come into the heart in the right manner or no. To this I answer That this you must know that the onely means to receive the Spirit into the heart that is the right conveyance of the Spirit into the heart is by the word purely preached That is when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit purely without the mixture of any thing of mans with it and further you shall know whether you have received the Spirit by the Preaching of the word by these two things 1. By the Antecedent 2 By the Consequent First I say you shall know it by that which went before I say if the spirit hath been brought into the heart by the word then there will be a deep humiliation wrought in the soul for sins And then Christ and the Spirit comes into the heart begins to cheer up the dejected sou and hereupon there will be a through change wrought in the whole man and it must needs be so because the nature of the spirit is first to pull down what mans corruptions have built And then to lay the foundation of the spiritual building Humilitie And then afterwards to rear the buildings of grace in the soul. As for example if you would know whether the plants receive vertue from the Olive or no Then you must know that first they must be cut off from their own stock and then they must be ingrasted into that and then see whether they have the fatness of the Olive and then whether they bear the Olive leaves So a Man that hath not received the the spirit by the word he shall see it by the ripeness of sin the corrupt branches the bitter fruit that comes and is brought forth by him But on the contrarie if the word by the spirit hath cut you down and humbled you throughly by the light of your sin and then ingrafted you into Christ by working in you a saving a justifying faith and if it hath made you fat and well liking in grace that you have brought forth better fruit then you could do before then surely the spirit came into the heart the right way and works in the right manner but as I said it will first humble you by the word as in Iohn 1. 8. The Spirit shall reprove the world of sin of Righteousness and of judgement First he will reprove them of sin to humble them Secondly of righteousness because they have not believed the all-sufficiencie of Christ. Thirdly of judgements that they might change their opinions that they might do those things and bring forth that as fruit is agreeable to Gods will Secondly consider the consequence that is look to the thing that followeth the spirit where it comes in Where the spirit comes it works a through change in the soul I call it not a bare change but a through change for as there may be a glistering shew of something like gold that is not gold so there may be a cessation and a change from sin but not throughly or heartily and so not at all for what will it avail Herod to forsake some and like of Iohn Baptist in some things well if he will not forsake all and like of Iohn Baptist in reproof of all In like manner what if you change your opinions of some sins That is what if ye esteem some sins to be sins indeed if you have no the like opinion of all whatsover you think of your selves as yet you never had the spirit Therefore if you would know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no in you then examine whether there be a through change wrought in you That is whether you do not esteem every sin to be sin but also what spiritual life you finde in you I say you shall know whether the holy spirit be in you by this
within I speake of those actions which are actions of mercy be you mercifull therefore as your heavenly father is for that is a sign that you have the same spirit that he hath when God cometh into the heart of any man he receiveth the spirit of the father And therefore as you would have a witnesse and testimony to your selves that you are the sons of God be you merciful There is a natural mercy I confess found in those that have not mercy indeed but this God accepteth not because such mercies are but counterfeit to the true mercy Labour to be merciful as God is to abound in mercy that every one may fare the better for you wherever you dwell and whatsoever you doe let all your actions be works of mercy so will God accept them and be ready to render mercy to you again INWARD STRENGTH The desire of a Christian. Text EPHES. 3. 16. That you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man THese words are a part and indeed the sum of that excellent and divine prayer that Paul made for the Ephesians the principal thing that the Apostle prays for is this that they may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man and this the Apostle sets down in such a manner that he answereth all doubts that might hinder the Ephesians from obtaining this gracious priviledge For first they might demand this of Paul you pray that we may be strong in the inward man but how or what means shall we use to get this strength the Apostle answereth to this and tels them the means to be strong in the inward man is to get the spirit that you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man Secondly but they might demand But how shal we do to get the spirit The Apostle answereth to this you must pray for him for your selves as I do for you for I pray that he would grant you the spirit that you may be strengthened in the inward man and thus you must do for your selves be earnest in prayer to get the spirit which he hath promised to those that ask it Thirdly They might demand but what should move God to give us his spirit and to hear our prayers To this he answers that the moving cause is the riches of his glory that you may be strengthened in the Inward man Fourthly they might demand yea but what shall we be the better for this strength if we get it To this the Apostle answereth in the verses following then saith he you shall be able to comprehend with all saints what is the length and the height the depth and the breadth of the riches of the love of God towards you in Christ. Now in that the Apostle above all other good that he wisheth unto them prayes for this that they may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man I gather this point That which is to be desired of every Christian and to be earnestly sought for is this that they may be strengthened in the Inward man I gather it thus Saint Paul was now to pray for some special good to the Ephesians and considering what might be most profitable and advantagious he makes choice of this above all other good things making it the sum and substance of his prayer that you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man I shall not need to prove this by any other places of scripture because the place in hand sufficiently proves the point as being the main scope and intent of the spirit of God in this place to shew the necessity of this doctrine of strengthening the inward man But for the fuller explaning of this point we will first shew you what this strength is and then wee will come to the uses There is therefore a twofold strengthening 1 There is first a natural 2. There is a supernatural Strength First I say there is a Natural strength and this is when a man is naturally strong or able either in the parts of his body or in the guifts of his minde as for example a man that hath a strong memory this is a natural strength or in other qualities of the minde or else when a man is strong in the parts of his body these are natural strengths but this is not the strength that is here meant Secondly there is a Supernatural strength and this is two fold The first is a Supernatural strength which is received from the evil spirit which is when Satan shall joyn with the spirit of a man and adds a Supernatural strength and so makes him to doe more or suffer more then otherwise by Nature he were able to doe With this spirit are all the enemies of the Church strengthened Paul himself before he was committed was strengthened by this spirit Some men have more then a natural strength to undergo torments and yet not to shrink at them but this is not the strength here meant But there is a Second supernatural strength which comes from the sanctifying spirit whereby a Christian is able to do more then naturally he could doe and this is the strength which is here meant in this place and with this strength all the Saints are strengthened that is this was the strength that Eliah Stephen Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the rest had this made them speak boldly in the name of Christ. But you shall the better understand what this strength is if you doe but consider the particulars which are these The first particular wherein this spiritual strength is seen is this if a man chearfully thrive under many afflictions that is when they can rejoyce under great troubles and tryals they have this strength as Acts 5. 41. it is said of the Apostles that they departed from the Councel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ he that bears some troubles hath some strength but to bear great troubles is required great strength that is to stand fast to Christ to profess his name as the holy Ghost saith in Rev. 2. 13. there where Satan hath his throne must needs be a great Supernatural work of the spirit The Second particular is this in the hour of temptation when the storms arise and the flouds lift up their voyce the heart is stablished being founded upon the rock so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it all Satans darts fall upon such a state as an arrow upon a rock the heart is fixed like mount Zion The third particular wherein this spirituall strength is seen is this when a man doth believe though hee have all reason and strength against him this is to be strong in the inward man but to go further that you may the better know what this strength is I wil give you a definition of it It is a general good disposition or right habit a temperature or a due frame of the mind wherby it is enabled to
Thus Sampson by the power of the spirit had power to use his strength And in the Acts 4 32 it is said that the Apostles spake boldly That is they had power for you must know that there may be habits of grace in the heart and yet want of power but when the spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to do Thus it is said that the spirit came upon Saul and he prophesied That is he was able to do more then before he could do and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action that is power to do yet is but then when the spirit seems to absent it self from the soul and this was that which the Apostle speaks of Heb. 12. 12. Brethren you have forgotten the Consolation That is your spiritual strength may lie hidden dead and forgotten but the spirit will return and then you shall finde good again The fourth way whereby the spirit strengthens grace in the soul is by giving efficacie and power unto the means of growth which is a special advantage for strengthening of the inward man for as he sets up the building and furnisheth the Roomes and gives power unto the soul to use them so that which makes all these effectual is this when he gives power and efficacie unto the means that are for the strengthening of the inward man Now you know that the word is the onely ordinary means to work new habits and qualities in us that is to câ—lâ—…s and beget us into Christ but if the spirit should not add this unto them namely efficacie they will never beget us into Christ Therefore this is the means to make all effectual that is it gives a blessing to the means of grace The word alone without the spirit is as I told you as a scabberd without a sword or bâ—t as a sword without a hand that will do no good though you should stand in never so great need therefore the Aâ—ostle joyns them together in the Acts 20. he cals it the word of his grace that is the spirit must work grace or else the word will nothing avail you Again prayer is a means to strengthen the inward man but it the spirit be not joyned with it it is nothing worth and therefore the scripture saith Pray in the Holy Ghoâ—t That is if you pray not by the power of the Holy Ghost you will never obtain grace or sanctification The spirit is unto the means of grace as rain is unto the plants that is as rain makes the plants to thrive and and grow so it is the spirit that makes the inward man to grow in holiness Therefore it is the promise which God makes unto his Church in Isai. 44. 3. He will pour water upon the dry ground That is the heart which was before barren in grace and holiness shall now spring up in holiness and grow strong in the inward man and this shall be when I pour out my spirit upon them Therefore you see how the spirit doth strengthen grace in the soul by setting up the building of grace in the soul and then by furnishing the Roomes with new habits and qualities of grace And then by giving power unto the soul to use those habits And then by giving a blessing unto all the means of grace The use of this stands thus If the spirit be the onely means to strengthen the inward man then it will follow that whosoever hath not the Holy Ghost hath not this strength And whatsoever strength a man may seem to have to himself if it proceed not from the spirit it is no true strength but a half and counterfeit seeming strength For a man may thus argue from the cause to the effect That that is the true cause of strength must needs bring forth strong effects And on the contrary That which is not the true cause of strength cannot bring forth the effects of strength so that no natural thing can bring forth the strength of the inward man because it wants the ground of all strength which is the spirit And therefore you may have a flash or a seeming power of strength such as the foolish virgins had in Matth. 25. which seemed to be strong in the inward man but it was but a feigned strength because they had not the spirit It is the spirit that must give you assurance of salvatiâ—n and happiness And I have chosen this point in regard of the present occasion the receiving of the Sacrament before which you are especially to examine your selves whether you have this or no which if you have not then you have neither strength in the inward man nor any right or interest unto Christ. for I may well follow the Apostles rule It is the sign of those that are Christs they have the spirit In the 1 Cor. 2. 10. The spirit searcheth the deep things of God which he hath revealed unto us by his spirit And in the Ephesians 1. You were sealed with the spirit of Promise and in the Rom. 8. That they should be raised by the spirit which dwelleth in them and again As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Thus you see that it stands you upon to examine your sâ—lves whether you have the spirit but above all places there are 2. places which prove the necessitie of having the spirit The one is this place which is my Text That you may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man and the other place is that which Saint Iohn hath in the 1 Iob. 3. 14. By this we know that we are translated from death unto life because we love the Brethren That is if we be united in the bond of love that is a sign that we have the spirit and having the spirit it is the cause that we are translated that is changed we must be changlings from sin to grace before we can be saved Therefore examine what effectual spiritual strength you have what spiritual love there is amongst you And so accordingly you may judge of your estates whether you have any right or interest unto Christ And that I may help you in this thing I will lay down some signs by which you may know whether you have the spirit or no. The first sign whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no is this if you have the sanctifying spirit you will be full of fire That is it will fill you with spiritual heat and zeal now if you find this in you then it is the sanctifying spirit and therefore Iohn saith of Christ in Matth. 3. That he will baptize them with the spirit and with fire That is he will baptize them with that spirit whose nature is as fire that will fill you full of spiritual heat and zeal and therefore it is said in Acts 2. that they had tongues
men that at such a time would have been hot and zealous where are the generation of these men surely they are all gone for there is no heat nor zeal left It is true we abound in knowledge that is we have the same knowledge that they had but we want their zeal and Spirit and we have the same gifts but we want their spirit Therefore let us now shew our selves to be in the Spirit that is to have the Spirit in us by our zeal against evil But you will say that many holy men that have the Spirit yet they are not so hot and zealous against evil but are marvellous mild and patient First to this I answer that holy men may have pits wherin they may be faln I say they may have dross as well as gold and hence they may be driven through a strong passion and lust not justly to scale sins aright whence ariseth remissness and neglect both in doing good and resisting evil But this in a regenerate man I call but a passion because it continues not for prayer and the Preaching of the pure word will recover this again that is it will recover his strength and make him zealous against sins But if you see a man what profession soever he makes of Christ that can wink at sin and not be moved at it and the word nor prayer do not kindle this holy fire in him Then plainly that man is a dead man there is no spark of holiness in him Therefore I may say to every such holy man as they were wont to say to Hannibal that he hath fire in him but he wants blowing so I say unto you if you have the spirit you have heat in you but if this heat do not appear at all times or at sometime it is because it wants blowing for when they have just occasion to exercise the strength of the inward man for Gods glory they will shew that they have zeal in them and are hot and lively to good and not dead in sin As for example this is the difference between a man that is dead and a man that is in a swoon the man that is in a swoon if strong waters and rubbing of his joints do not recover him it is a sign that he is dead so if the word will not work in you but you remain senseless and dead without spiritual heat in you it is a sign that you are more then in a swoon that is you are already dead in the Inward man It is said of the Adamant that it will not be heated with fire so I say of you if the word will not heat you when you are rubbed with it it is a sign that you are like the Adamant dead unto grace Secondly to this I answer that howsoever some men that are faithful are not so zealous it is true yet I say it is no good argument to say that because counterfeit drugs and wares have the same sent and smell that good wares have therefore they are as good or that the good wares have not the like It were better to say that they have the fame but the difference is in this that they have a false die and glosse upon them 〈◊〉 soâ—l say there is false and counterfeit zeal and there is a true zeal That is there may be a zeal without heat as a Painter may Paint the similitude and proportion of fire but he cannot give heat unto it or as there may be pieces of coin counterfeit as well as pieces of true Metal so there may be a counterseit fire as well as true fire So I say men may be sanctified and yet be mild and not of a hot and fierie disposition That is they do not so burn in the Spirit as others do It is not therefore good to conclude that it matters not whether you be zealous or no for howsoever it be true in him it may be false in thee And know also that this weakness is joyned with much holy zeal though it be not outwardly expressed for certainly as where true fire is there is heat so where there is the Spirit there is zeal Therefore examine whether you have heat in you if you have not you have not the Spirit The second sign whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this if you find that you are not onely able to do more then you would naturally do But you have also holiness joyned with it this sign I make of two parts because a man may do many things that carry a shew above nature and yet want holiness but if they be above nature and then have holiness joyned with them it is a sign that you have the sanctifying Spirit First I say it will make you to do more then you could do by nature that is it puts another manner of strength in you by which you are able to do those things which before you were not able to do As for example it will work in you a Patience above a natural Patience This we see in Christ himself when he was crucified he opened not his mouth he was like a Lamb That is he had more then natural patience also this is true in Paul Peter and the rest of the Saints also it works in us love above a natural love therefore it was said that Christ was full of love and had compassion on the multitude Again it works joy in a man beyond natural joy this we see in Paul and Silas when they were in prison they sang for joy And the Disciples in Acts 4. Rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ. Again it works in a man boldness above a natural boldness and therefore it is said in Acts 4. That they preached the word with great boldness That is with a boldness above a natural boldness And so Luther he was endued with a Spirit of boldness else he would never have been so bold in the defence of the Truth if he had not had another spirit in him Again it works in a man wisdom above a natural wisdom and therefore 1 Sam. 18. it is said of David that the Spirit of the Lord was with him therefore Saul was afraid of him And so Abimelech feared Abraham because he saw a great measure of wisdom and discretion in him Again it works in a man strength above a natural strength because to the strength of nature they have another added Again it will make you see above a natural sight Therefore it is said they shall not need to teach one another but they shall be all taught of God That is they shall see into the excellencie that is in God Therefore examine your selves whether you have the Spirit or no by this for if you have the sanctifying Spirit then you shall be able to keep down lusts to have power and abilitie to sanctisie the Sabbath power to pray power to hear power to confer power to
Christian like walking and holy conversation And this is the same the Apostle speaks of when he would assure them of their resurrection to life in Rom. 6. If you die with Christ you shall also rise with him again That is if your actions be the actions of the spirit proceeding from the inward man and have some resemblance of Christ then you shall rise again and live with him And in Rom. 8. he comes to the works of the spirit So many saith he as are led by the Spirit they are Sons of God That is they are led unto all holy actions and the duties of sons and then he comes in Galat. 5. unto the fruits of the spirit The fruits of the spirit are love joy and peace c. well then examine whether you have the spirit by the actions of the spirit and by the working and fruits of the spirit and by the teaching of the spirit For it is the Spirit which is the doctor of the soul that teacheth it all spiritual and saving knowledge and therefore the Lord saith you shall not need to be taught of any other for you shall be all taught of God that is mens teaching will never be effectual to work grace and holiness in you except God teach by his spirit Now you must know that there is a two fold teaching First there is a teaching of beast by man that they may be serviceable unto men by this to put men in mind of the spiritual teaching God hath put such a power in the creatures that they cannot chuse but they must do it there is a necessitie laid upon them by God in the very instinct of nature So when the spirit comes into the heart of a Christian it openeth another light in the minde and therefore the Apostle saith that you need not teach you to love for you are taught of God to love one another That is there is a necessitie laid upon you and therefore you must needs love I grant that sometimes a thief may be in the high way but it is for a bootie and a holy man may be out of the way That is slipt aside but here is the difference the one sets himself of purpose to do evil and the other is inforced unto evil unwillingly And you shall know the difference between these two in these 2. things If a holy man have gone besides the way as soon as the passion or temptation is overpast he will return again into the right way he will not go forward nor stand still but he will return But the other though in some sence he knowes it and is told he is besides the rule yet he cares not he will go on forward Therefore examine what fruits of the spirit you bring forth and what wayes you delight in Are you in the way of holiness do you delight to pray to hear to receive do you love God and Christ and the Communion of Saints Then it is a sign that you have the Spirit But on the contrary if you follow drunkenness and uncleanness and prophaning of the Sabbath in gaming and in sporting and idleness you never had the Spirit Again consider what are your walkes that is do you follow your old evil haunts now as fast as ever you did it is a sign that you have not the Spirit Again think not that it will excuse you to say that whatsoever your actions be yet you have good hearts for you must know that your hearts are far worse then your actions as I said before for if you had the Spirit it would not be idle in you but as it makes the heart holy so it sends forth holy speeches and actions in the life The working power of the spirit is excellently set forth in that passage between Eliah and Elizeus in the Kings It is said that Eliah cast his mantle about Elizeus presently he cries out let me go first saith he and take leave of my Father and then I will go with thee Eliah might well have reasoned thus with him what have I done unto thee or what have I spoken unto thee that thou shouldest thus reply unto me as if I tied thee unto the contrary Said I any such word unto thee that thou mightest not go But there was a necessitie laid upon Elizeus by the spirit to go with him and therefore he could not chuse but break out into these words That is the spirit now entred into his heart that he was not now his own man he must now go where the spirit would have him and do that which the spirit bid him and so we see in Act. 4. 20. when the Jewes came to Peter and commanded that he should not preach Christ unto them he answereth that he cannot chuse but he must preach Christ And in the beginning of the chapter you shall see the reason of it They had received the holy Ghost and they spake boldly Therefore you see the spirit is not idle but marvellous working and operative Therefore examine what power you have what actions you have and what fruit you bring forth But you may say that sometimes the spirit seems to be dead in the heart therefore it is not alwayes working To this I answer that the propertie of the spirit is alwayes to work and it doth alwayes work but he may sometimes withdraw his actions of growing as when a Temptation comes which before you have resisted but now you are taken with it then the spirit seems to absent himself by withdrawing his power but notwithstanding he works still for in the instant there is lusting and labouring in you against it and afterwards he gives you power to return again Again it is not alwayes thus with you but sometimes onely Thus much for the first use The next use stands thus if the holy ghost doth strengthen us in the inward man then let me above all things exhort you to seek the spirit because it will strengthen you in the inward man For what would a man desire either for the outward or inward man but if he have the spirit he shall obtain it Would a man be enabled to pray would a man be enabled to bear losses and crosses would a man master particular lusts is a man in bondage and would be set at liberty from sin is a man spiritually dead and benummed is a man spiritually affrighted with sin would a man walk as a Christian man ought to walk would a man be enabled to every good work would a man love in a word would a man do any thing that is holy and good Let him get the Spirit and he shall do these and much more Thus much for the general what the spirit can do for a Christian. Now I come unto the particulars what the spirit will do unto them where he comes and those I will reduce in these four particular things The first benefit is this which a Christian gets by enjoying
may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end for know that a man may desire grace but if the aim of his desire be for his own end the desire is sin the same that Simon Magus his was Therefore I beseech you not to defer put not off the opportunitie and remember what the Lord saith in Hebr. 3. To day if you will hear my voice harden not your hearts That is this is the day now have you the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your souls by it the word is near you well then light your candles by it you may now light them whilst the fire is here but if you will not now how will you do when the fire is out That is when you shall be either taken from the means or the means from you therefore labour to know the spirit and Judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is faith and the best means to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the word Preached That is the Preaching of the word is a means to get the spirit And therefore the Apostle said Received you the Spirit by the work of the Law or else by Faith Preached Gal. 3. That is you may know whether you have the Spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten â—aith by the Preaching of the word Our Saviour saith that The Tree is known by his fruit That is the branch cannot bear fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the root so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him we shall never get the spirit Therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and the drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soul and it will knit him fast unto the soul that it can never depart from it Faith will recover the spirit if it seem to want his power of working in the soul it will return him if he seem to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit seem to be scanted in it that is it will widen the narrow bottle of our hearts And you know what our Saviour said to men and women in the Gospel be it unto you according to your Faith Therefore if you would get the Spirit you must get faith in your hearts That is if you would get a large measure of the Spirit then get a large measure of faith for what is the reason that men thrive not in the Spirit but because they thrive not in faith The third means to get the Spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer that is to desire and pray earnestly for the Spirit is a means to get the spirit An instance of this we find in Elishaes servant he earnestly desires and prayes that the spirit 〈◊〉 Eliah his Master might be doubled upon him Not that he meant that he might have as much more again but that he might have a greater measure of the spirit then other of the Prophets and he did obtain his desire for he was indued with a greater measure of the spirit then other of the Prophets were Even so if you would but desire and pray earnestly for the spirit you might get him Solomon desired wisdom and prayed for it and he had it and that in a larger measure then those that went before him so if you would pray for the spirit you have his promise in Luke 11. 14. That he would give the holy Ghost unto them that ask him and this he doth speak by way of opposition If you that are evil can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit That is if a man or woman will be importunate for grace and the spirit as a childe will be unto the father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if he were my father and I were his childe then it is true he would give me his spirit But alas he is not for any thing I know neither my father nor I his childe To this I answer suppose thou be not his childe in thy own apprehension yet look back unto the 14. verse and see what importunitie doth Though a man would not open his door and give his neighbour that which he would have yet in regard of the importunitie of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have this do you though you may have a denial sometimes That is no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no denial and your importunitie will at last prevail with him And to encourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man That is as no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any railing to shame him he gives unto all men that come unto him that is without exception of persons without any by-respects freely and reproacheth no man That is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from coming to him or him from receiving him he might do but he will do neither And you know the promise made to the Disciples They must go to Ierusalem And he will after a certain time send the spirit but they must wait for him And this they did by constant prayer and they had the promise made good unto them for they had the Holy Ghost which came upon every one of them Acts 2. So if ye be constant in prayer what though for the present you get him not yet at last you shall have him thus much for this means If you would have the spirit you must pray and desire him earnestly The fourth means to get the spirit is to obey him and this you may do when you give him good entertainment that is when you indulge him with heavenly thoughts and do what he would have you to do out if you slight him That is set light by him and will not obey and be ruled by him you will never get him And this you do when you resist grieve and quench the spirit you resist that power when you resist the light which the spirit hath wrought in you That is when you fight against it against illuminated reasons and arguments This is a great sin You grieve the spirit when you mingle two contraries together That is when with the profession of Religion you joyn corrupt speeches and actions And you quench the spirit when you neglect the motions of the spirit and the means by which the spirit is got or increased or kept Nâ—w if you do thus you shall never get and retain the spirit But if on the contrary you love cherish and obey the spirit you shall have him and keep him The fifth means to get the spirit is this If you would get the spirit then you must wait upon those means
which are means for the getting of the spirit Neglect none of the means because you know not in which nor when the spirit will come it may be he will come now and not another time it may be he will breath upon you at such a ordinance and not at another In Acts 9. whilest Peter was Preaching unto them The holy Ghost came upon them that heard him So be diligent in waiting upon the means and the holy Ghost at one time or other will come Again he could have sent the spirit to Cornelius without the sending for Peter in Acts 10 But Peter must be sent for and he must Preach unto him and then he shall receive the holy Ghost Thus much for the means and for this time CHRIST the best INHABITANT Text EPHES. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith I Have chosen this Text by reason of this Sacramental occasion which doth represent Christs dwelling in us and it is the second head of Pauls Prayer The first was That they might be strengthened in the inward man This That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith Having in the former discourse opened the words I shall not need to adde any thing here The point hence arising is That it is a great prerogative of which all the Saints are partakers that they have Christ to dwell in their hearts The Apostle prayeth for it being directed by the spirit of God in his prayer and therefore we should esteem of it as of a great priviledge And as of that of which all the Saints are partakers because it is necessarie to salvation none are saved without it Now for the better understanding of it I will first of all shew you these two things 1. What it is to have Christ dwell in our hearts 2. What benefits we receive by his dwelling in them For the first what it is to have Christ to dwell in our hearts To this I answer That then Christ dwells in our hearts when as he works in them in another manner then he did before he hath other works and we see other effects then formerly First he shewes himself kinde and favourable to us inlightning giving comfort refreshing framing and ruling ouâ— spirits that beâ—ore he did not and he doth not in others he is said to dwell in the Temple because his eyes are upon it his ears are there open to hear the prayers of men his mercy seat is there T is true God fills heaven and earth yet he is said to dwell in the Temple because there he manifesteth his peculiar presence so the phrases of the Scripture are to be understood Go not up for God is not with you That is he will not assist you God dwells where he assists he dwells not where he helpes not That you may understand this consider these four particulars First where a man dwells he must come to the house and abide in it so Christ comes into the hearts of believers in whom he dwells and unites himself to them and their hearts to him And that is done by a double act of the Spirit First he humbleth and convinceth men of sin he makes some alive and us to be dead the way to life is death as the corn dies that it may live And this the spirit of bondage doth by putting an edge to the Law by making men desirous of Christ. Secondly the Spirit of adoption that unites us that perswades us that Christ is ours Love makes the union Faith is the agent in this union but it doth it by love as fire is said to heat though the qualitie doth it immediately when after sound humiliation we believe reconciliation with Christ there is a love to Christ then there is a union That is the first word he unites himself to the heart and it to him Secondly It is not enough for a man to come to the place to be conjoyned to it for a time but he must continue there else he dwells not there but is a stranger a dwell â—r must continue Christ abides with us for ever according to that everlasting Covenant which he hath made with 〈◊〉 Is 55. 3 He hath made an everlasting Covenant with us even the sure mercies of David He never seperates himself from us after he comes he continues for ever But it may be objected though Christ will not depart from us yet we may depart from him To this I answer that he will not suffer us to depart from him Ier. 32. 4. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them That is I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me we are knit together without separation he never departs from us nor we from him The reason why we continue in the state of grace is not because grace is of an unsatiable nature for it is a creature and may vanish as all other creatures do But it never failes because it is in Christ and supported by his arm of omnipotencie The light in the air may quickly perish but if the sun be ever with it it never perisheth â—o the water of a stream may fail but if there be a spring to supply it it never fails grace may perish as it did in Adam but men ingrafted into the second Adam can never fall because Christ is never severed from them we have his word for it he keeps us by his power There is an everlasting Covenant on both sides The Sacrament se ls this unto us That God hath made a Covenant that he will never depart from it and we set our seal by it that we will never depart from him Gal 5. 3. He that is circumcised is bound to keep the whole Law So he that receives the Sacrament is bound he engages himself to keep the Law of faith and he receives that oath when he was baptized Thirdly where a man dwells there he must delight else he is not said properly to dwell there a man that is imprisoned is not said to dwell in the spirit because he delights not in it Now Christ is said to dwell in us because he delights in us Esai 62. 4. Thou shalt no more be called forsaken but Hephsebah because the Lord delighteth in thee presence argues delight God delights in the Saints therefore he dwells in them he works in them that which is pleasing to them Artifex amat opus proprium He loves his own workmanship Thus First God delights in them as in those that are beautiful Cant. 4. 1 2 3. Thou art beautiful my Love thou art fair Thou hast Doves eyes thy teeth are like a flock of sheep which are shorn which came up from washing thy lips are a thread of Scarlet thy Temples like a piece of Pomegranate Secondly as one delights in a garden so God delights in them Cant. 4. 12. because he hath
debt And the strength of the argument is thus If Christ had not risen again but been still in the power of the grave and kept under by the enemy of our salvation the poor believer might have been justly afraid his debt had not been paid but Christ being risen and out of hold he is out of doubt As when the debtor sees the Kings Son that was his surety at liberty and in the Kings Court he fears not but his debt is paid so when the poor believer sees Christ set free from the power of the grave c. he knows God hath accepted the payment he hath made as sufficient for him Let us therefore look upon our selves as having a part in Christ and know whatsoever he did it was for us even for every true believer so that he rising again we rise again which being so it manifests that God hath accepted Christ his payment if any thing could hinder it must be death and the grave but Christ being risen they have lost their power and so none able to condemn Rom. 6. 9. Christ rose for us never to dye again and therefore that we should never dye eternally A third reason is taken from the sitting of Christ at the right hand of God which puts all out of question that he paid our debt when he laid down his life in that he is risen and ascended up to his Father Now God would never have admitted him to sit at his right hand had the work been unfinished but now being ascended to the right hand of his Father where he is advanced to the highest pitch of honour glory and Majesty and that in our Nature sitting in full authority King of heaven earth there for ever by his spirit to gather and guide all his children and quell the power of their enemies it is apparent that our Sureties payment is accepted so that now nothing can condemn a Believer not his conscience nor any thing else can condemn him and therefore he may triumph over all accusations In the fourth place add unto all this that Christ doth not onely sit at Gods right hand but so as that he also maketh intercession for every true beleever having not onely power but even the same good will and mind that ever he had to do them good consider this well whether thou beleeving needest to fear the face of any enemy whatsoever The poor man that was indebted to the great King For whom the Kings son was pleased to undertake and satisfie when he sees him come out of prison set at liberty in his fathers Court in greater honor and not onely so but highly favoured of the King his father and continually requesting him for that poor man What needs he now care for all his enemies He need not be affraid to look all officers in the face c. Is this the secure and happy estate of every true believer out of himself in Christ. Then see the necessity of using all those means and that constantly whereby Christ our Blessed Redeemer is pleased to communicate himself and this his grace unto us Faith is a special gift and grace and comes from God in Christ and Christ he comes onely in the meanes which are channels and conduit-pipes Therefore if thou wouldest have this grace and be strengthened and increased therein even as thou wouldest have thy soul thus dignified use carefully all the means As The word which is the Scepter of Christs Kingdome submit thy soul to it If thou wilt have an excellent spirit such a one as Ioshua had pray to God for it and take heed of grieving the spirit of God by continuing in the practice of any known sin which is as water that quenches the fire but rather cherish thy faith and put fuel unto it by constant consionable hearing reading prayer meditation receiving the Sacrament holy conference and watching over thy heart For if thou put fuel to thy faith and keep away that which may quench it thou shalt clearly see this blessed truth and find the power of faith in this that hath been said Therefore as thou wouldest have this confidence and comfort in thy heart and soul use the means for it The dilligent hand becomes rich in Gods ordinary providence and so mayst thou in this grace if thou use diligence there is no way else Therefore whilst thou hast time use the means give attendance to the word and all those heavenly meanes before mentioned It s true indeed Christ hath freed himself by dying rising again and bring at the right hand of God and this I believe saith the poor soul in the midst of his fears temptations and troubles of mind but how should I bee comforted in knowing that I am freed from all that danger and condemnation which my sins do deserve Yes upon this ground every beleeving soul and so thou if thou doest believe mayest be sure to be freed as Christ himself is freed and that even because Christ undertook and did all this for the poor believing soul and he had not done it but for him Esai 9. 6. Toâ—us a child is born to us a Sonne is given All he did was for us and for our Salvation so that if Christ hath any happiness thou believing in him mayest be assured of it as Christ himself All Gods intentions towards thee are founded in love else how should that be true Iohn 3. 16. God so Loved the world c. Christ also took all upon him for our sake even to redeem and save us he needed not have done it for himself for he was God in glory c. lift up therefore thy heart by faith and beleeve this and thou shalt find it true though we miserable wretches are unworthy of any such mercies yet is God worthy to be believed Look on Christ and consider who he is and reflect it upon thy self and if thou canst believe the Lord Jesus hath done all this for thy sake To help and strengthen thee to this First Consider Christ did it for us that believe as a surety we were all bannk-rupts in the law of God for want of obedience thereunto now Christ the surety of mankind comes and undertakes for us and hath done iâ— Hebrews 7. 22. He was made surety of â—a better testament Therefore think on him alwayes as thy Surety in glory Christ there is said to be a Surety of better things then the legal Rites were even of the New Testament wherein whatsoever is contained it is for us and there it is treasured up ask and thou shalt have seek and thou shalt find All he did he did as my Surety all the evil he took away and all the good he purchased it was for me A second means or help to strengthen thee if thou art one that art humbled for sin and desirest more and more to believe is to know that God hath bound himself and sworn to it and he is true though every man
where there is nothing so beaten upon both in Old and New Testament as that we should trust in God and not upon our selves and that this which belongs to every child of God that shall be saved is no conceit of impossibility but this faith belongs to every child of God therefore not impossible to be attained and this is plainly proved Gal. 3. 26. where it is said Ye are all the Sons of God by faith there is none the Son of God but by believing in the Son of God and Act. 13. 40. So many as were ordained to eternal life believed which shews that all such shall have this faith that is a true and a saving faith not the counterfeit faith of the world for it is a gift common to all Gods children without which a man cannot be a Son of God A third hindrance is a conceit that it is very hard and difficult though not impossible a man may labour will some say seven years and never attain thereunto But admit it be hard as it is indeed so to flesh and blood to which every good course is irksom yet consider that the first point in Christianity is to deny our selves and to go to Christ alwayes knowing that whatsover the first Adam lost the second Adam Christ Jesus hath it for thee Nâ—w Christ he hath bidden thee to take upon thee his yoâ—k and that is part of it even this conquering and triumphing faith and whatsoever belongs to Christs yoak it is easie Iohn 14 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me saith Christ where he commands thee to believe and Mat. 11. 28. Christ calls thee to come to him if thou be heavy laden and weary of thy sins Why shouldst thou then fear any thing when he can make all things easie to thee Go therefore to God in Christs Name he hath promised to give thee above all thou canst ask or think This conceit of difficulty in obtaining such a faith it belongs onely to sluggish and slothsul Christians who yet notwithstanding for the things of this world will sit up all night and ride and run through thick and thin Be not thou less careful and diligent for thy soul this faith this excellent thing will quit all thy pains if thou dealest not in thine own wisdom and strength but goest out of thy self and seekest it of Christ which if thou doest then shalt thou find it no hard thing but easie because God will give it thee in the use of the means if thou be constant therein Let not therefore this misconceit by any means hinder thee A fourth let or hindrance is a conceit that it is either needless or at least not of such absolute necessity but that a man may do well enough though he come not to such assurance and confidence in his faith as to insult and triumph therein And this is a conceit that hinders those that are more forward in profession then others and in the performing of some duties more careful yet go not home to God so throughly as they should but keep their souls aloof as it were from God but without this faith it is impossible for them to know whether they be elect or reprobates hypocrites or the true children of God indeed and therefore let such know it is of absolute necessity 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that they are in the faith saith the Apostle except ye be as reprobates Let not therefore any such conceit still possess thee but seeing this saith is of absolute necessity as the truth of Gods Word shews pluck up thy heart and go to God for it A fifth impediment is a conceit that this is the onely way to open a gap to all licentiousness but who are they that say thus surely none but Athiests that fear neither God nor man or else Papists that are blinded themselves and would blind others Oh that such learned men as many of them be should be so grossly ignorant of Gods truth Indeed they that have not this faith may open a gap to all licentiousness but no true believer that hath found this conquering and insulting faith for he is the most fearful man of all other to commit sin and before this a man never makes conscience of sin Act. 15. 9. and Act. 26. 15. when this once comes it opens his eyes and makes him pry into his own heart to see what a dunghil it is and so makes him labour to cast out all his filthy affections and sinful lusts and to endeavour after holiness and righteousness so far is this from making a man licentious for it is the very roâ—t from whence all holiness of heart and life flows and therefore let no man suffer this conceit to hinder him from seeking this faith We shall be kept to the possession of that salvation we once believed and hoped for if we could quite lose it again then must there be something stronger then the power of God but we know that cannot be for God onely hath power to consume all things from the earth in a moment with the breath of his nostrils and therefore there is nothing above his power O then in how blessed an estate are they above all the world whom the Lord hath pleased to set in such an estate as once to be assured of this faith and walk in it Beware therefore of conceits a conceit had almost made the Iaylor to kill himself Acts 16. 27. 2 Kings 7. 19 20. a conceit hindered the Prince go thou therefore by sound judgement from the Word of God false suppositions and conceits make men so differ as they do All conceits at last will fall on thy head and thou with thy false conceits as chaâ—t be blown away labour thou therefore for truth and right in all things that will be a Buckler which will defend thy head but make account the Devil will hinder thee herein what he can for he knows well enough if thou once get this thou wilt soon be gone out of his Kingdom Now come we to consider the means which God hath appointed to work this faith and encrease it in our selves which be indeed abundant but the main means of all is the lifting up the standard The preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ And therefore we are diligently to attend at wisdoms posts to hear Gods word Rom. 10. 14. It is that which opens the heart and so lets in Christ who by his spirit doth inable us from an inward light and power to say Lord I believe and therefore am assured of my salvation This faith leaves not a man with his sins about him to go on in the course of this world still doubting for he can tell how he came by his faith and it is not a common but a true substantial faith that will never fail when hee comes to stand most in need of it and is no conceit or bare imagination gotten by contemplation but a settled perswasion arising from Gods
should be the deeper yet know this till thou art in Christ all is abominable before God and but lâ—st labour Phil. 3. 5 6. Paul he had a zeal enough in him before he came to believe in Christ and not only a good meaning but thought he did more and better then others and for his righteousness towards man he was unrebukeable none could come neer him but after he came to see it was a hindrance for that it was without Christ and so made him to run so far out of the way and therefore we must cast off all our own righteousness before we can be in Christ. This Paul saw and that made him come to Christ and say that he counted all loss yea but dung that he might win Christ and be found clothed in that righteousness which is by faith in him which before he could not attain unto notwithstanding he might have stood upon his priviledges and have boasted of the excellent things he had done yet was he fain to cast away all his confidence in the flesh that is his prerogatives righteousness and zeal c. and so must we cast away all our own righteousness and goodness and fetch all from God and serve God according to his wil and not after ourown phantasies or the prescripts of man dealing also truly with every one we have to do withall 'T is not our own righteousness but the relying on it that hinders and keeps a man from faith without which all is but abominable even our eating drinking and whatsoever we do is odious before God untill we come to get this true faith to triumph over condemnation A man when he is naked in in himself is then the fitter to be cloathed with Christs robe every thing is then sweet to him and so he comes to desire and say Come Lord Iesus A fourth means is a poor spirit and beggarly that is such a one as hath neither comfort within nor without when nothing will now so comfort him as the thinking of his present estate will humble him And this will make a man poor indeed though he be never so rich and bring him with David to say I am poor and needy Lord help me Psal. 70. 5. This will let him see that he is a poor Lazer begging at the gates of God who is rich in mercy And it is a further degree to bring him to Christ and make Christ to enrich him That which hinders many from coming to Christ is that they are full enough these whatsoever they say in words they indeed cast off Christs righteousness because their spirits are not cast down to beg at Gods hand if they have children honour wealth and professions tell them of condemnation they are proud and think themselves well enough they will tell you that they hope to be saved as well as the best But let such know all fulness dwells in Christ none at all in us in the matter of salvation Get Christ first to raign in thee that thou mayest after come to raign with him in glory A fifth means is the fair free large and great offer of Grace made in the Gospel where are they now that say they would and so would indeed believe Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the world c. Here is a means to bring thee to believe indeed A strange thing that the Judge and partie offended should thus offer to every soul to whom the Gospel comes his Son that God himself should offer a pardon who would not strive with himself and sigh and groan yea even burst his heart in pieces to believe This is one of the specialest means of all to bring a man to believe that God himself the party offended should come and say here is my Son take him unto thee Labour therefore to get him lay fast hold on him and he will bless and comfort thee for ever If thou doest open thy heart and let him in he offers his son to thee to believe in And why Is it because thou art such a beautiful and great person c. No it comes from the love of his own heart and therefore it is free As thy righteousness cannot further it so thy sins cannot hinder it if thou lay but hold on it The offer is not onely to noble rich young c. But to all whosoever believes though never so mean poor old may take him go away with him and live with him for ever Many think they should have something of their own No God looks at his own love and so do thou that his love mercy grace may be magnified in thee Let us therefore stir up our sevâ—s and look and seek to God He will give his spirit to all his at one time or another A sixth means is to know that there is not onely a free offer but also a commandment to enjoyn us not to refuse and neglect Gods offer that is the greatest blessing that can be to have him come unto thee to raign over thee and subdue thy sin It is the spirit of God that would draw thy heart to believe open therefore and receive it Consider for this 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ And search thy heart to try if thou hast gotten such a faith God commands thee to believe and therefore it is not indifferent whether thou hast it or no or to think onely that thou hast it And this is a further means and that which leaves us without all excuse if we obey not A man oft times will do a thing upon command that else he would not do A Seventh means is to remember the fearful threatnings Ioh 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned because he hath not believed in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God God sees all is little enough we have such carnal hearts consider that well and it will awaken thee out of thy security and make thee see thou canst not tell what to do if thou dost not get this faith which except thou dost seek to God for and get even this that here hath been said shall stand up in Judgement against thee another day Now to encourage thee hereunto know this that God hath promised that though thou canst not do it yet if thou seek to him he will help thee Go to God therefore upon his promise if thou wouldest not have thy portion with the condemned Devils He that will not believe hath nothing to uphold him against the guilt of conscience then the which there needs no more He that hath the wrath of an infinite God to wrestle withall cannot but be condemned The care of this therefore ought to be above all other care for wife children or any thing else in the world whatsoever But you are very strict and hard may some possibly say If thou think strange of this think strange of God for here is nothing spoken but from
your hearts are estranged from God how much you have forgotten God He is your Lord your Master you must be his servants therefore renew it now and bring your hearts back again This is indeed the very renewing of the Covenant and a drawing near to God and it giveth strength unto you and makes the union more firm that is the more that we are perswaded that he is our Husband and that we have married our selves to him the greater is the strength of affection And you shall find it by experience every grace is strengthened and enlarged by this and every sin is abated and mortified and subdued This is done in the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood So that every Sacrament day a man renews his assurance he reneweth his union with God in Christ this is properly feeding upon Christ you are strengthened by it your hearts are more established in well doing there is more joy and more peace your faith is increased which encreaseth every grace you are more weaned from the world As when the heart of the wife draweth near to the Husband it is more weaned and alienated from strangers This I say is to eat the flesh of Christ and to drink his blood when withal you add a right application of all that Christ hath done for the enabling of you to the duties of godliness A FORM of GODLINESS NO GODLINESS VVithout the POWER 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away YOu know the point that we delivered to you in the morning out of these words That It is Godliness that is required of every man that is only acceptable to the Lord. We gave you the reasons of it and made some Use of it And before we come to the other point or to some further Use that we should make of this we will add a word or two to that which we prest in the morning that we should not content our selves with any thing but godliness For we are apt to be deceived in this case to mistake and to think that our common care of serving God and that moral vertues and civility are godliness But it is enough for you to know that the Lord accepts nothing but that which is more then nature that which himself hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit Aristotle himself though a Heathen man was able to say that natural vertues are very like the true they come so near it that there is nothing more like As natural meekness will do as much as the best moral meekness nay as much as any spiritual meekness stupidity will do as much as Christian courage and natural temperance and ability in a man to rule and govern himself There are many of these natural vertues which for the outside for I speak of that and for the shew for some kind of performance may go as far as those that are spiritual But there is a great difference between them because the one sort proceed but from nature and they look but to a mans self And you shall find they alway have this property they are done without difficulty without resistance without any reluctancy therefore they are not praise-worthy there is no thanks for any man to do such an action Indeed they are beautiful things as I told you then the flowers of the grasse the flower of the flesh is beautiful they are the works of Gods own hand for he hath wrought them in us but he himself must have the glory and not we That which we must look for is spiritual vertues spiritual graces which the Apostle exhorts us unto Add to your patience vertue to vertue temperance and brotherly kindness and then to all add godliness Godliness which makes a man look to God it hath alway the flesh to resist it it doth what it doth with some difficulty and reluctancy For the stream of nature is still running a contrary way This is that you must labour for therefore remember this rule that godliness is something alwayes above nature If therefore there be no more in you then what you have by nature or by education or practice be assured it is not right As you see it in the earth the earth is able to bring forth grass and some kind of flowers of it self but if you will have it bear corn and wine things of a more pretious nature there must be plowing and sowing and planting there must be some other seed cast into it then is found in the earth there must be some work of man upon it So it is with our hearts by reason of those engravings of the moral Law and the work of nature in us we are able to do much we are able to bring forth many excellent flowers we are able to do many things that are very good and beautiful though they be not spiritually so But that which is godliness that is it which must be wrought by a supernatural power there must to follow the metaphor be plowing and sowing that is no man living hath this thing which we call godliness in him but it must be wrought after this manner First there must be a plowing of the heart he must be humbled he must be taught to know that he is a child of wrath a man that never hath had any of this plowing that hath never been thus humbled in the sence of sin and the apprehension of Gods wrath he may be assured that he hath nothing in him but nature he hath nothing in him that is of a supernatural work that is the work of the sanctifying Spirit he hath nothing of that yet wrought in him for that is never done without plowing Again this is not all for a man may be plowed he may have quick and sharp terrors of conscience and yet have no feed sown there may be harrowing you know where there is no fowing It was the case of Iudas and Achitophel and so it is the case of divers others and therefore we must go further there must be seed thown into the heart by the hand of God by the sanctifying spirit that is after a manâ— heart hath been thus hurried he must come home to God by Christ and have his heart calmed by the assurance of Gods love When he is thus united to Christ by faith after he hath been humbled then the Lord soweth seed what seed The immortal seed of his Word which by the operation of the sanctifying Spirit of God works that in the heart which is above all natural principles Now when this is done there is a crop which God is delighted in a crop pleasing and acceptable to him For we shall never bring forth fruit to the spirit till the same spirit hath sown our hearts with these spiritual and supernatural graces This onely I add that when I have exhorted you not to content your selves with moral vertues that you may know in a word what this
godliness is That it is first a thing that is alway exercised with reluctancy alway with difficulty you shall alway find a contrary stream of corrupt nature running against it you shall alway find the flesh rebelling against it And secondly it is alway wrought with plowing and sowing And if you find not these two in your selves be assured that that which is in you is not godliness So much for this first Consectary or Use that we draw from this doctrine Secondly we must exhort you from hence now to do the thing and exalt God for God in your hearts to be godly men to use the phrase of Scripture to make him your God and to have no other gods before his face You will say What other gods Not to make your riches your god as covetousness is called Idolatry not to make your belly your god Now that is but a part for the whole that is to make no kind of creature your god nothing in the world not to make the praise of men your god c. Now what is it to make these things a mans god It is to exalt these things for God in a mans heart when you place your summum bonum in any of these that if they be taken from you you think your selves undone and if you enjoy them you think your selves well and in a happy condition In a word it is to do the same to these that you should do to God When a man shall think well I live in credit among men I have a good estate I am at liberty and all things go well with me I am now well and if I be put off from this condition if my estate be taken away if my credit with men be taken away then I am undone when a mans heart is thus affected with these things he makes them his God for he gives them that which is proper to God to think that these things can make him happy or miserable Therefore you shall observe that the phrase of Scripture Ro. 3. 10. is that they have not the fear of God before their eyes That is a man that doth exalt God in his heart he looks upon God altogether he is alwayes before his eyes That is he thinks himself happy so long as he hath his favour he fears nothing but the loss of that therefore whatsoever he doth he hath still his eye upon God As when a man fears any thing he will be sure to have his eye upon that because that is the thing which he thinketh can do him good or hurt So I say when a man hath God before his eyes when he feareth him altogether when he dares do nothing without his warrant this is to exalt him for God Contrary to this was Davids miscarriage 2 Sam. 12. Thou hast saith God by Nathan to him cast my commandments behinde thy back Indeed David did it out of infirmity upon a special temptation but when a man shall do it in his general course that he shall alwayes cast God behind his back this is not to exalt God for God in his heart but to cast him away And a man is said to cast him away when he is not still observing of him when he is not alway seeing what his will is and what his commandments are Therfore we should labor to do what the Psalmist prayeth for that the Lord would turn away our eyes and our hearts and affections from regarding vanity that is from receiving any thing into our hearts which is vanity that so our hearts may be placed upon God altogether to fear him to delight in him and nothing besides This is the thing we ought to do to the Lord and this is Godliness this is to exalt him Now to do this we must do two things First To look for all from God And then the second will easily follow we shall be ready to do all for God I say to do this effectually First We must learn to know God aright to have our hearts so filled as it were so satisfied and contented with him that we need to look for nothing else When a mans heart looks upon God as an adaequate object as the main principle of his happinesse that the having of him is essential and substantial to his happiness and he looks upon all other things but as accessories onely he cares not how other things go he hath learned so far to know God that his heart is fully satisfied with him he is content to have communion with him though he have him alone So that he looks upon riches and poverty upon honour and disgrace upon good report and evil report as upon things of smaller moment that if the worst befal it is no great matter because he hath the Lord. He that hath the sun-shine what cares he for a candle A man that seeth God and enjoyes him and is satisfied with him he regards not other things And then when a man sees God is this manner the second will follow he will be ready to do all for him for those two will follow one another As the yvie though it have no root of it self it cleaves fast to the tree and depends upon it Let a man be brought once to this to see that he hath nothing of his own and that God is all in all to him he will easily depend upon God and cleave to him but still remember that God be all in all That as it is said Col. 3. of Christ there is in him neither Iew nor Gentile but Christ is all in all to us That is we must make God all and he must be so in all things And in this we fail for the most part we can be content to have God for part but to make him our all to seek all our comfort from him all our happiness and to do it not onely in some things but in all things herein we come short But when we are able to do this to look upon God as all in all to us then we shall be ready to do all to him and that is the other thing that we must do to refer all to him to care for nothing but to please him to do all in sincerity to do it to the Lord. For otherwise it is not godliness you may do much but you may do it for by-ends for vain glory for self-respects but that which we exhort you now unto is to do it for the Lord in sincerity For the Lord hath a quick eye he observes narrowly whatsoever you do what ends you have in all your actions It may be you do much but if it be not done for him you have a reward indeed but this is not that which is acceptable to God For as it is said of the word of God Heb. 4. that it divides between the flesh and the spirit between the marrow and the bones What is the meaning of that that is it divides between the actions of the flesh and of the
spirit That when any man doth a business of the Lords the word discernes it because it is the word that cometh from the spirit So here when we do any business the Lord seeth how far the spirit hath a hand in it and how far the flâ—sh and he discerneth exactly between them though it be as near as the bone and the marrow As if he should say even as the bones and the marrow even as the joynts and the sinnews the eye of man cannot see into them yet the Lord searcheth the reins to the bottom he discerneth what of the flesh and what of the spirit is in every action And my brethren you should learn to do thus to your selves to judge your selves after this manner to consider in all the actions you do whether you do them in sincerity to the Lord for it is godliness no further it is something it may be which is good some moral vertues it may be or else an act of Religion and publick worship but it is not godliness except it be done for the Lord. Therefore you must do thâ—se two things 〈◊〉 him for God in your hearts look for all from him care for no comfort but what comes from him it is no matter what you loose so you have him you reckon him the main you reckon him essential to your happiness Other things if they be better or worse so it is it is no no great matter And again to do it in sincerity as to God Last of all if this be the thing that the Lord looks for from you then labour to excel in it because it is the best excellency you have for that in a man which is onely acceptable to God is certainly the best thing in him and the more he excels in such a thing the more acceptable Every man seeks after excellency why should we not labor to excel in this that is labour to be very godly to do very much for the Lord. Every man is ready to do something for some body he will do something for his friend for his Wife for his Children for his Prince for his countrey and it is well you should do all this but now look upon the Lord and see in how many respects you are bound to him more then to all these And think if I ought to do for all these how much more ought I to do for the Lord And therefore consider what you have to do and how much you are bound to him and labour to excel in godliness that is to do much for God A man will do much for himself he will devise what is for his own good he will project it and study it with solicitousness now a man is bound to love God above himself and therefore to do more for God then for himself This is a thing that is much forgotten among us and by those whom we call godly men they forget it they think not what they have to do for the Lord. You have many opportunities afforded to you remember that to be a godly man is as you have opportunities as to do much for God so to do much to him God observes what talents every man hath what occasions what hints every man hath to do him service what advantages what power he hath in his hand and he looks that all these should be improved for his advantage It is no better then thievery and robbery to take these from God and to bestow them upon your selves As you reckon it in a steward to be the greatest theft to turn his masters good and benefit to his own profit so when a man shall have an eye to himself in all these things it is an extream robbery of God for you knew you should use them all for God And the more you do for him for he sees it and observes it will recompence every man a hundred fold No man payes wages so as he doth but we will not stand to urge this because I would not be kept from handling that which is the main scope of this text Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof The second point that we would deliver to you it lies so plain that there needs no further opening of the text for the gathering of it it is this that Most men have but a form of Godliness though the Lord require the power of it We will even deliver it plainly as it lies It is a point that needs no proof and I wish it did I wish that it were not written in Capital letters in the fore-heads of most men that he that runs may read it For if we look about us we shall see a form of Godliness every where but the power and life of it is exceeding rare Our business will be rather to consider the cause of this disease What the reason is that the form of godliness is to be found frequently enough and the power and life of godliness is so rare and so seldom to be seen And we shall find these reasons of it First Men will have a form of godliness because there must be something to satisfie that conscience which every man hath For there is a natural conscience which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 2. 16. speaking of the Gentiles he saith this of them their thoughts accusing or excusing one another So that there is a natural conscience even in men that yet know not God aright Now that natural conscience must have something to satisfie it it will not be at rest else Now because men are unable to judge and discern aright therefore a form of godliness is enough for them they are quieted and satisfied and contented with that although they have not the power thereof it self Even as children you know are contented with counters because they do not know their worth Satan deals with us in this case as we do with them when they cry and are unquiet such flight things of no moment contents us though they be as empty and as beggarly as counters and rattles because men are not able to judge what the conscience will have something it must have to satisfie it he gives us that which is but a form which is but counterfeit that hath not the power and life of godliness and hence it is that men are contented with it Secondly Another cause why the form is found every where but not the power it is because the form of godliness is very easie but the power and life of it is very hard and difficult It is an easie thing to do the things wherein the shew and the form consists It is an easie thing to come to Church to hear the word to here prayers it is an easie thing to read a prayer every day in private it is an easie thing to have such a formality in serving of God these are things that are done with facility But come now to the power and life of godliness that mortifieth thy lusts that subdueth
we find it is powerful whereas the form is weak and powerless and inefficatious having a form of godliness saith the Apostle but denying the power So that if you would know whether it be right godliness indeed that you have consider whether it have the power of godliness or no whether it be strong in you for if it be weak and inefficatious that it is able to do little certainly it is not godliness And therefore you may know it by the strength of it it is powerful As you may see by all that which makes up godliness The Word of God is a powerful Word that Word that begets this godliness Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Thess. 1. 5. The Gospel came to you not in word but in power And St. Paul speaking of it in another place he saith It is the power of God to salvation I say it is a powerful Word that doth the thing for which it is sent It hath such a power to heal the soul of a man that is sick to death As we say of Medicines that they are good when they are powerful to do the thing that they are applied for So this Word is powerful to work this change to beget godliness So the Holy Ghost is a spirit of power and therefore Act. 10. 38. It is said that Iesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power That is wheresoever the Holy Ghost is there is much power accompanying of it therefore you have them commonly put together the Holy Ghost and Power Till you be indued with power from on high that is till you receive the Holy Ghost that shall make you powerful Even so certainly it is that as the Word and the Holy Ghost which make up godliness in the hearts of men are powerful and mighty so is godliness it self very powerful You will say powerful in doing what It is powerfull in bringing all into subjection to it it brings every thought and every lust and every unruly affection into subjection It is as a powerful Kingdom set up in the heart of a man for there is a Kingdom of Christ which is set up in the heart of the regenerate and he rules by his Scepter the rod of his mouth his word and that Kingdom is powerful to bring all into subjection As it is 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power That is the Kingdom of God whereever it is found whereever it is set up in a mans heart that is regenerate it not onely teacheth him what he shall do consisting in word but it powerfully ruleth there it brings all into subjection there it makes a man strong to bring down all his lusts to mortifie all his corruptions That as we say of a good rider he is powerful to master and to break the horse he is powerful to guid and to over-rule him Such a thing is godliness in a mans heart Let a mans heart be never so rebellions yet when this Kingdom comes it is a Kingdom of power it brings all into subjection So again it is powerful in enabling us to perform not onely to purpose and intend well but it enableth us to do also it doth not only breed in us good conceptions as oft-times men have but when the children come to the birth there is no power to bring forth So many times men have good purposes and desires but there is no power to bring them into execution But now this godliness enableth us to do to perform all that we purpose Again it enableth us to resist When a temptation cometh a weak man is not able to stand out the bankes are too weak for the stream they are not able to resist the billowes the tempest but godliness makes a man powerful to do all this The form is but weak it makes you able to desire or to purpose and resolve it may be but it doth not bring the thing to act it doth not overcome and overmaster your unruly lusts it brings not all things into subjection It enableth you to take good purposes to your selves but you have not ability to perform those good purposes They are in a weak heart like new wine in old vessels they are weak they last not they continue not there So it is where there is this form onely and no more men purpose well but have no strength to bring them forth And so again where there is but a form you are weak in resistance you are not able to stand out against temptations but when you are assaulted with sutable temptations agreeing with your own lusts when the occasion is present and the temptation is strong you are able to do nothing by way of resistance when there is but a form But where there is true godliness there is a power and ability You see these two things then It is true and not counterfeit whereas the form is counterfeit Secondly where there is godliness indeed there is a power but where there is a form onely there is weakness and no power I will but name the rest Thirdly Where there is true godliness there is substance where the other is onely there is but a shaddow of it You will say what is the substance The substance is that reality in every duty As for example to receive the Sacrament to receive it after a common fashion as men do it that come to it out of custom with some kind of slight and overly preparation but they fail in the substance the substance of receiving is to receive it with faith and love And so again to hear the word to hear it negligently in a common fashion is but the shaddow of hearing there is something like to hearing which carrieth a resemblance of it but the substance of hearing is to hear so as to practise to hear and obey to hear so that the word may work powerfully upon your hearts this is the reality and substance of it And so to pray in a customary manner is the shaddow to do it in an humble and holy fashion is the substance and reality Godliness if it be right it is substantial It is not a meer shaddow and resemblance But I can but point at things Again Fourthly Godliness wheresover it is indeed it goes through with the work it brings the thing to pass but where there is onely a form it sits down in the middle it gives over it holds not out Fifthly And lastly to conclude all the form is but partial but true godlines is total and universal it makes a man do every thing it makes a man able to suffer every thing Where there is but the form onely it makes a man but partial in the duties of godliness he is but here and there in it These things I should have enlarged but so much shall serve for this time and for this Text. A PATTERN OF Wholesome Words OR Pauls Charge to Timothy IN A Treatise on 2 Tim.
1. 13. being the sum of sundry Sermons Preached by the late faithful and worthy Minister of Jesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty Mr. of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometime Preacher of Lincolns Inne LONDON Printed by I. T. for Francis Eglesfield at the sign of the Marigold in St. Pauls Church-yard 1658. A PATTERN OF Wholesome Words 2 Tim. 1. 13. Keep a true pattern of wholesome Words IN this Epistle Paul speaks to Timothy as to a Minister After the salutation he addes two exhortations First To stir up those which were in him Secondly Not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Gospel verse 8. Next of all he adds this Exhortation Keep a true c. In the words as there are two parts so two points First The words of a Minister must be wholesome Secondly He must have a pattern or systeme of wholesome words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Original is have hold a pattern The words of a Minister must be wholesome The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that stands in two things First In nourishment Secondly In healing That is they must be such as will make a supply of that which is wanting and if any be fallen it will heal them They must be like Ezechiel his tree the fruit whereof is good for meat and the leaves for medicine Now that the words of a Minister may be wholesome four things are to be taken heed of First That there be no evil no poyson in them for first evil words corrupt good manners if in our ordinary talk there must be no evil much less when a man stands in Gods stead And besides they bely God in them for he spake them not Gods words are pabulum animarum the food of souls Now such as the meat is such is the complection so what food the soul feeds on such is the temper of it if on wholesome food a good heart if on unwholesome an evil heart Secondly They must be such as are not onely pleasing to the pallat and delightful to the taste as some Sermons that are neatly made which like musick tickle the ears for the present but leave no fruit behinde them but they must be good for substance Thirdly They may be such as go down to the Stomack and yet not breed good bloud and that is when the woâ—d is delivered in vain Phylosophy and in pythanology for these breed windy and flatulent humours whereas the words of ministers ought to be such as the holy Ghost speaks they must be full of spirit and full of power Fourthly They must take heed that they be not raw frigid and undigested but they must have heat and vigour As raw meat nourisheth not at all or very little so indigest words hinder nourishment Therefore Ministers must be like the furnace in Daniel seven times hotter then the rest Ministers are the salt of the earth if therefore they have lost their savour wherewith shall they season others if they be cold how should they heat others if dead how quicken others therefore Paul bids Timothy verse 6. stirre up the Gifts of God which are in him When therefore words are unfit and weak they hinder nourishment But some may say what positive rule will you set down that words be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wholesome words Conform them to Gods Word the purer the Word the wholesomer 1 Pet. 2 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word to grow thereby As it is true in Philosophy Nutrimor ex iis ex quibus constamus We are nourished of the same things of which we are made as the word of faith begot us so it must nourish us Now that is pure which is plenum sui and hath nihil alieni that is no other thing mingled with it as we say that is pure air or water that hath nothing mixt with it so that is the pure Word when no heterogenea are mixed but the Word onely either for substance or unfolded is delivered So Paul in this Text bids Timothy keep the true pattern of wholesome words which he had heard of him if these things perswade not I will add some Reasons First because Ministers are feeders of the people If thou lovest me feed my sheep The Word of God is the childrens bread and it is unlawful either to defraud them of it or to give them other instead of it Now there can be no feeding unless the meat be such as is fit for nourishment for otherwise it will not make them fat Ministers are the Stewards of the Word of God Now 1 Cor. 4. 2. It is required in a Steward to be faithful Now their unfaithfulness stands in two things First to the children when they rob them of their portion of the bread of life and salvation and become guilty of their blood Acts 20. 26. I take you to record saith Paul that I am free from the blood of all men as if he had said if I had spent my time in things that would not profit you I had been guilty of your blood Secondly They are unfaithful to God they are his flock feed the flock of God Acts 20. 28. Now what will God say when he shall come and find his flock starved suppose that a master give his servant provender and he either for idleness or turning it to his own advantage doth not feed his cattel but starve them will he not be displeased with him what then shall that great shepherd say to those Ministers who by idleness or turning it to their glory and advantage do not feed his flock 1 Cor. 3. 17. They that destroy the Temple of God them will God destroy Again they must be pure words no Heterogenea must be mixed And why because if there be it takes away the efficacy of the word it will not work because God delights not to work with it 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes c. as if he should have said that if the word be not sincere they cannot grow by it so 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me to preach the Gospel not in wisdom of words least the cross of Christ should be made of none effect that is if I had preached in wisdom of words none would have been converted and so Christ should have died in vain But may we not adorn it it will adde strength to it Saint Paul saith that it will do so in our own conceit but the foolishnesse of preaching is the strength of God unto salvation When the walls of Iericho fell down it was not the Rams horns that did it nor was it the water that healed Naaman but God that sanctified those plain means So God having sanctified the foolishnesse of preaching it is powerful to the conversion of many And if one speak with the tongue of an Angel if God did not sanctifie it it would not be effectual Secondly Because God is
jealous of his word which is the rule of his worship what jealousie is we may see by the Emperour who would not onely have his wife without fault but also without suspition of fault so God would not onely have his word to be without mixture but he would not have it to come nigh it and therefore we must consider that Ministers are Embassadors and interpretors First Embassadors and therefore ought to deliver their embassage as nakedly as may be they are interpreters and therefore the less they mix of their own the better it is so the more purely the word is delivered the better it is The Orators of Athens were then suspected when they began to speak besides the matter making excursions into florid expressions So there is a suspition in the Ministers when they mix their words with Gods God is not pleased with it Secondly Because the native colour of the word is best when it is without any other tincture if the face be fair enough what needs it painting other things since the fall being out of order there are arts to reduce them but the word is pure as being immediate from the spirit it is enough to adorn the word with it own ornaments it needs no beauty but it own it is best when it is steeped in it own liquor because whatsoever is added unto it doth not adorn it as conceits do an oration but detracts from it something as for men of a masculine virtue to be calamistrati est compti for them to be effeminate it doth not add but detract from their gravity so the word being of a Masculine Oratory when such light things are added it detracts from the beauty of it Thirdly Because words are pictures and characters of things Preaching is the Character of the word and the word is the character of Gods mind The word is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first pattern preaching the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made according to that pattern it must resemble that and the more the better the excellency of the picture is that it come as near the thing pictured as may be as our measures must be no bigger then the standard so must our preaching be equal to the standard viz. the word of God May we not adde something to it to beautefie it and make it acceptable to the ear and digresse from the standard a little It is not enough that it be either broader or longer then the word but as it must be like the word as for matter so for manner look what oratory you find in the Word that use and though you cannot reach it yet you must aim at it A Painter would have his Picture like the person pictured in every thing in the cast of the eye and colour of the face so must it be in preaching as in the Word there is no affectation you must square your preaching to that Fourthly Because we must abstain from the appearance of evil suppose the drink be never so good yet if it be muddy the stomack goes against it when the husks of meat gives a suspition of rottenness the eater is offended That therefore no offence be given we must deliver pure words as near as we may May we use no art nor author I speak not against the use but the abuse of them the coralaries and uses are these First If the Minister must keep a pattern of wholesome words whatsoever then is different from wholesome words must be abstained from and hence two sorts of words are reproved First When there is a tincture of error and falshood in their words that are not sound for Doctrine squinteyed words that speak not plainly but border on errour as when words tend to Popery and Arminianism this is the means to bring heresie into the Church for it comes into the Church as water into a ship that comes insensibly and by little and little but sinks the ship on a suddain and therefore it is said the envious man soweth tares in the night when none saw him whereas if he had sown in the day every one would have resisted him or at the least have taken heed of him Paul saith they come creeping into widdowes houses but it is secretly and unawars whereas if they did knock at the door and come in violently every one would have a weapon to keep them out so Gal. 2. 4. they come in privily to spie our liberty Therefore it is a true saying Principia Haereseos sunt verecunda the beginning of heresies are bashful and if they were not so promoted the endeavours of them that trade in heresie would not become so effectual for who will take poyson by it self but when it is mingled with milk and a fish will not take a bare hook but when it is baited for when so it is not easily discerned If one bring a plain piece of brass none will take it but if it be guilt and have the Kings stamp on it one may be deceived so when heresies are propounded in words that are not distastful many are deceived all deceit comes by similitude as we may say of virtue saepe latet vitium proximitate boni vice oft lieth hid under a shew of good so of truth falsehood often lieth under a likeness of truth It is an act therefore of prudence to discern between things that are alike for every one can discern between things that differ besides what reason is there that if the meaning be good the terms should be ambiguous when we see how ready people are to take things by the wrong hand and the most Orthodoxal writers have been mistaken though the Fathers have writ well yet how much have they been wrested by the Papists to maintain errors though indeed there be some fault in them Let us come to Paul whose words are without exception Peter saith many did wrest the word of God to their own perdition great need then is there that words should be plain easy and perspicuous therefore the fathers that lived presently after Pelagius admonished the people saying Cavete fibras virulentiae Pelagianorum take heed of the strings of the heresies of the Pelagians Hence may arise this question whether it be good to symbolize with our adversaries whether it be a good policie to be used that they do not flie further from us Such is not the policie of God but of Satan First mark Gods institution of the Church for the Jewes if he did ever appoint symbolizing with Nations How often in Leviticus would he not have them do many things because the nations did them when as otherwise they might have been done For what other cause did he command the Cananites to be slain man woman and children why else would he have the Kings burnt and their ashes cast into the brook Kidron and their names blotted out of mens memories if it were possible Therefore this course should not be affected because it
profitable delight in them above others and if we were truly thirsty and hungry we would do so A thirsty man stands not to look at the carving of the cup but drinks off the wine and a hungry man had rather have a good meals meat then hear a whole noise of musicians and he will not stand commending but he will fall to his meat though this be too little practised for many when the Word is delivered finde no relish in it but are ready to complain of the plainness and simplicity of the spirit which to do is to do as children that bites the nipples of the teats that gives the sweetest milk And this secondly shews their vanity for when they meet with a Sermon partly good partly not wherein Heterogenies are mixed for otherwise I know not how better to call them this is sure to go into their table books I mean not sound and wholesome points but pretty sayings and frothy matters and these are not unfitly compared to our sileing bowls that let all the milk run through but retain the hairs and that which is nought that sticks in them for how choise soever their eloquence is it is but as hairs in that case although they be flowers in an oration yet are they but weeds in a Sermon Thirdly To hold that which is good to retain and keep it in memory 1 Thess. 5. 21. The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hold it fast let it stay in your affections comprehend it when you have heard it keep it let it not slip away but practise it and this is to hold it Now this is done by recalling and by repeating the Word after it is delivered This is commended in Mary that shee laid up the Word in her heart she laid it as one that layes a thing up to have it to use against another time Why is this Word recorded if not to be imitated suppose they were the words of Angels are not Ministers the Angels of God So it is said that the Holy Ghost brought to the disciples mindes all the things that he had told them Now the Holy Ghost would do no unnecessary thing and doth not Christ speak as well to us as he did to them onely with this difference to them he spake immediately but to us by his Ministers What other was the fault of the first ground the seed lay on a while whilest the â—ower was by but after it was stollen away by the Devil because it was not repeated and wrought in the memory so when a Sâ—rmon is done if it be soon forgot as we have a natural proneness thereunto the Devil hath a hand in it and this hath brought Gods Judgements on many therefore take heed saith our Saviour how you hear Luke 8. 18 when Christ delivered any thing in publick the Disciples repeated it in private and came to Christ and asked him of such things they doubted of Act. 17. 11. The men of Berea searcheth the Scriptures whether these things were so which they had heard which they could not do without repeating Where there is a double duty performed First they did repeat it Secondly they tryed it To make this evident consider these four things First not repeating the Word of God after it is preached doth quench the spirit and that is sin 1 Thess. 5 24. Now it is quenched thus In the time of preaching for that is the time when the Holy Ghost breaths into our hearts as he did into Cornelius when he stirs up motions and we let them die and recall them not we quench and grieve the spirit for then it is a mercy of God to trouble us the time of healing being nigh if he step in as it was in the pool of Bethesda while the heart is soft therefore put in the plough and join with God for we must not be like those that are Sea-sick while they are on the Sea they are troubled but as soon as they get to shore out of the Church door they are well enough If God at any time breaths his Word into us we must do as Mariners do who because they have not winde at their call when it doth blow they hoise up sail and go on their Journey the Word and Spirit blow when it listeth therefore we must take opportunity to set our souls in the way of Heaven to recall the motions which have been stirred up in the inner Chamber of our hearts and to make use of them lest by often neglecting them the Spirit grow wearie and cease to strive any more It is despising of prophesie which is a pearl Mat. 7. 6. Christ will not have him admonished that before contemptuously refused it because he will have no pearls be cast before swine If admonitions be pearls then much more instructions if a private admonition be a pearl then sure publick instructions Now that is despising of prophesie which is made plain thus Suppose a man give another a pearl while the giver is by he looks on it and beholds the beauty of it but when he is gone he casts it away and trampleth it under his feet So it is if while the Word is delivering we attend to it and when Sermon is done reject it and look no more on it but cast it away is not this a despising of prophesie It is food of the soul and therefore not to recal it is as it were children to take meat of their parents hands and perhaps taste of it but after cast it away or it is as if sheep should tread their fodder under their feet So it is when the Word is delivered for it is the food of the soul to receive it and after to cast it away It will not profit us except it be remembred and hid in our hearts we shall get no good by it meat though it be eaten yet if it stay not with us it will not nourish us unless therefore we labour to gather something from it and retain it it will not breed succum sanguinem nourishment in us as it ought But this is much neglected of among men for as many go into Gardens some to see the variety of flowers some to smell of them but onely it is the Bee that fastens on them and gets Honey out of them So many come to Church some to see what variety the Minister hath some get sweetness for the time but onely they that do insidere notare lay them up and minde them get profit by them See this in other things let a man hear a Philosophy Lecture or Logick never so long if he recals not what he hears it will be long enough ere he be an Artist and are not Gods Ordinances much more to be respected Not respecting of it takes Gods name in vain and the Judgement of it is fearful viz. He will not hold him guiltless And that which is a taking of Gods Name in vain is plain thus The
those that are bruised reeds who complain with Paul that they cannot do as they would they are unable to pray and perform good duties as they would they find themselves still weak they are able to grapple with an easy lust but a strong one is too hard for them they are able to creep but not to run the way of Gods commandments Go to the word be conversant there and it will strengthen thee though insensibly as daily sucking makes a child battle though they see it not so if one be conversant in the word he will grow stronger by it and will make himself as a grey-hound comely to run and run apace not onely in plain wayes and like a child that cannot get up a pair of stairs but it will make him climb the craggiest rocks and will make him a victorious King able to overcome strong temptations as St. Paul said to the people when they asked him how they should do when he was gone he said I will commit you to God and his word of grace intimating that if they had that it were no matter whether they had him or no. Therefore if one have lost his first love his first beauty and colour let him go to the word and it will bring it again because it takes away the sickness that takes away the colour onely some cautions must be observed First It must be constantly read it is not enough when we are hindred of other businesses then to take a boâ—k in our hands by accident but it must be read constantly his is commanded the King who hath the greatest buâ—…s Deut. 17. 18 Ios. 1. 10. The word is commanded to be read day and night if we must read it day and â—ight the least that we can do is to read some part of it evâ—ry day The best way therefore is to bind our sâ—lvâ—s 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 privâ—te prayer so to reading for it is a part of the â—…rifice this is eviâ—â—nt in David that did edeeâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appointed food he had rather miss his meat thâ—n this Word he had rather keep a constant course in reading the word then in his appointed food Secondly It must be read with delight and meditation Psal. 1. 2 The blessed man delights in Gods Law and meditates in it day and night viz. he reads and doth delight in that he reads and meditates in it for both go together and therefore he is like the tree planted by the waters side that brings forth his fruit in due season but he that reads it without delight is as a dry tree that sucks no sap from the root and hence it is that meditating is put for reading Ios. 1. 8. Thou shalt meditate in it day and night and so I take all places to be meant where meditation is commended for want whereof a man is confused in those things that he most delights in and will be excellent in therefore the word must be read with delight Thirdly It must be read with prayer if we receive not our ordinary food without prayer much less spiritual why then should we read the word without it the means indeed hath a nourishing faculty inherent in it but yet we must pray or else it will not put forth his force the word bath a nourishing facultie going along with it whereby it nourishes but the holy Ghost must work and cooperate and unless he do so it cannot profit and this is the reason why many hear and profit nothing because the holy spirit works not with it and it works not because they pray not for it that so they may have it Luke 11. 13. God will give his holy spirit to them that ask him had we not need then to pray as David did Psal. 119. Lord teach me thy statutes and open mine eyes to see the wonders of thy Law he reads it but he knowes that prayer will fetch down the spirit pray then for it for that puts a nourishing faculty into the Word and the word nourisheth not without it If we do thus it will strengthen us if we be weak and heal us if we fall into a consumption of grace Fourthly It must be read or heard in faith that was the reason that it nourished not and why it did not strengthen because it wanted faith look what seed is thrown into baren ground it takes no root downward nor brings no fruit upward such is the word to an unfaithful heart but look what seed is sown in good soil and that is fruitful so is it with the word being heard with faith 1 Thes. 1 2. 13. It wrought in all those that believed as if he should have said it is believing of the word that makes it effectual otherwise it is as the shining of the Sun to blind eyes and falling of rain upon rocks Though they of themselves do lighten and be enough of themselves to lighten and make them fruitful yet the fault is not in the Sun nor the rain The word is a sword but faith sets an edge on it to divide between the marrow and the bones that makes it lively without which it is a dead word there is no life at all in it See it in particulars the word saith Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain did you believe this and seriously consider this that it is Gods commandement it would be effectual unto you to make you beware were that in Rom. 7. duly considered that the least sinne keeps on in the state of damnation it would make them look about them and try whether they were in the faith or no. If that in Gal. 5. were seriously considered that whosoever is in Christ hath crucified the flesh and the affections of it that if any lust be alive in us we are not Christians Were this well weighed it would make natural men know that they were in a damnable estate It is profitable therefore in reading of the word to joyn with it such disjunctions as these which follow either it is the word or it is not if it be then it is true or not true If true then infallible for so it is if it be the Word of God and thus ought we to build on it and guide our course of life by it Prov. 12. 13. if that were considered viz. That none should be established by wickedness then men would not get goods by inordinately and by unlawful means nor in an indirect manner if that 1 Cor. 6. 9. were considered that no fornicators nor adulterers shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven if this I say were believed and applyed in particular men would not continue in it nor rest tell they were washed and sanctified if threatnings in the word were throughly believed they would make us fear if the promises were believed they would make us rejoyce if the commandements were believed they would make us obey Concerning outward things if one bring another newes of any true good if he
think they feed when they do not the question may be what it is to feed them It consists in three things First Let every one feed his own flock it is best for the mother to feed her own childe while it is done by step-mothers its not so well done because they want natural love the opinion of propriety makes them more careful and that which is most remarkable is that the want of large wages doth not discourage from it and it is not substitutes and proxies that shall give account for the sheep but the shepherd himself Secondly Let it be frequently done not once a quarter or once a month The people are weak therefore they must be fed with a little and often line upon line precept upon precept for weak stomacks will not bear much at a time but it is best to give them often and a little hence it was that Paul 2 Tim. 4. charged Timothy before God and our Lord Jesus Christ to be instant in season See what Canons the Counsels have induced hence and thou shalt find to preach in season and out of season is to preach twice every Sabboth day when the people meet together for then it is seasonable to instruct them and not to let them go away without their food And out of season is as oft as opportunity is offered and the Minister is able Thirdly Let them be fed with convenient food let it be such as they can eat else they may die for all that Therefore it is not enough to preach unto them but to Catechise them to their capacity For want of this it is that Ministers though they have been diligent in preaching yet the people perish and are as ill at seven years end as before Now two things are required to make the food convenient the matter and the manner First The matter that their termes be not too high so that the people understand them not Secondly The manner some people are so weak that a continued course doth not profit them And it were to be wished that Ministers would do this teach them in a Catechizing manner For then many souls would be saved which die for want of knowledge Yet the people though they were ignorant they should not spend their whole life in Catechizing for these people are like narrow mouthed bottels pour water in drop by drop and they will receive it but if you pour it in by full streams it will fall beside So if the ignorant be taught line by line it will profit them when a continued course is too high for them it will not therefore the Minister must deliver the word in such manner as they can fittest receive it and this is laid upon their charge for they must instruct the people And if they find that this course doth not do it they must feed them with food convenient for them to express it by a similitude children are put to a nurse which should give them milk but if she spreads a table with wholesome meat constantly which is too strong for them and if their parents come and find them dead shall she be excused though she say it was not her fault for she provided meat for them So it is if the Minister provide wholesome meat on the table twice a Sabboth yet if the people perish because they cannot eat it he shall not be excused and therefore Ministers ought to consider the pretiousness of a soul and they must be careful that if the people perish it must not be for wants of knowledge they may preach to them and yet they may perish for Cathedram habet in Coelo qui corda docet He it is that sits in Heaven that turnes the heart onely they must inform the understanding The other five advertisements concern the manner First Their preaching must not be a general discourse but a particular And this is gathered from the text thus because general discourses fit not neither heal nor nourish but are like lightnings that break the air but light upon no particular subject if they do it is seldom so these general discourses make great shewes but men are not inflamed with them As if a Minister should find faith in a text and discourse of it but never apply it Ministers are fullones animarum the fullers of the soules and it is not enough for them to bring soap though it be of the best but they must apply it to scour the blots out of mens hearts and consciences They are builders therefore it is not enough to square the stones and bring profitable matter but application makes the building go forward and that is the laying of one stone upon another yea it is that wherein practising consists interpretation and application to expound and apply what else did Paul mean when he bad Timothy to divide the word to wit not to deliver it in gross but tell them in particular such a thing serves to cut down such a sin for when the word is applyed it is a searching plaister First to draw out corruption and then to heal I appeal to every mans breast if the word be not more effectual when it is applied for then men fall down and say that God is in them of a truth viz. you speak in the evidence of the spirit 1 Cor. 14. 25. If the matter be good and substantial it is no matter the Hearers may apply it therefore it is supervacaneous needless to do it This is all one as if a Chyrurgion should say to a Patient that hath a swelled arm I have prepared a knife and cannot he launch and cut his arm himself as this would be a folly in them so it is in Ministers to say so for it is as dear cutting off spiritual hands and legs as it is to cut corporal therefore it is not enough to bring good matter but they must press it on them not in a word or two or by intimation onely but to lay it on them with as full a hand and as seriously as they can and as perticularly as they can Men are so mannerly this way that they will be ready to lay admonitions on other mens consciences rather then on their own this thing will they say belongs to such a one but not unto me Heb. 13. 22. suffer the word of exhortation a while He speaks as a Physitian there to his patient suffer me to see the wound and to put a tent into it which shewes that there is a backwardness in our selves and therefore if Ministers will do any good they must apply the word home Secondly As they must apply so they must not misapply And this is gathered from the Text thus Physick if it be misapplied it will not heal And meat misapplied will not nourish And this misapplying of the Word may be double First General Secondly Particular First General when they give milk to them to whom strong meat belongeth and when they give strong meat to
themselves straightned in this opinion see 1 Cor. 2. 1. I came to you saith Paul not in excellency of speech or wisdom what wisdom doth he mean not Divine wisdom for that he had in aboundance but humane wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I came not to shew the testimony of God by it But I esteemed to know nothing among you but Christ and him crucified That is I accounted nothing else worth the knowing to this there are these liberties It may and ought to be studied as it prepares the understanding to deliver the Divine truth and therefore Students are to be exhorted to study it as a necessary help so that he is a Lay-man that wants it It may be used in preaching yet not in the substance and words of the Author for that is to mingle chaff with wheat It is certain all our weapons must be spiritual yet we may sharpen our weapons at the forge of Heathen Writers they may have an influence into our Sermons as the Stoicks say When we give hey unto our beasts we look not for hey again but for fruit wool and milk So we must not utter them in the same words but digest and turn them in succum sanguinem that the understanding may be strengthened and then we may deliver them the better The Israelites must not put the jewels that they took from the Egyptians into the Temple in the same manner but melted So humane Writers may not be used in the same fashion we take them but melteâ— turned into another shape we may use them Paul is plain for it I came not in the excellency of speech or wisdom where two things are spoken against 1. the mingling of the Word with corrupt glosses 2. delivering it so mingled The fifth groâ—nd concerns humane elâ—quence and that is this we must not use the excellency or wisdom of words but deliver the word in the plain evidence of the spirit and of Power That is that there be no mingling of humane learning with divine mysteries in shewing the testimonies of God though the words be pure matter we may not set an excellent stile upon them but plainess which becomes the gravity of it The word may be delivered in an high still yet so as pearls that it may shine in its natural brightness otherwise it rather beautifies the speaker then the word I appeal to the consciences of men if in these deliverances it doth not sapere aliquid humani and though we think not so at the first yet many on their death beds have said it If this seem to slight see the Apostle I came not saith he in humame wisdom that is in tricks of wit and in the thirteenth verse which words we speak not in the words that mans wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth He was not onely careful that his master was found but that his words were also plain 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me to preach the Gospel not in the wisdome of words And what can be meant by this but that curiousness of stile which rather weakens then strengthens the work To this there is this liberty that when we cannot well express our selves otherwise when some sentence taken out of an Author will more pithily express our mind we may use it onely these cautions observed The phrase must not be light or metrical speeches that it stand not upon paranomasias and verbal conceits that it do tickle the ears and move laughter or poetical allusions as the hire of a whore might not be brought into the temple though it was silver because of the baseness of the thing whence it was raised so though they be as fit as others yet they must not be brought into sermons because of the base ground whence they were raised Let it not be done frequently or with affectation but occasionally when we meet with it and so that ordinary people may know that it comes by the way the better to express our mind In this case it is not meet the Author should be named for if it be to express our minde the naming of the Author is needless See the ground of this liberty 1 Cor. 15. 34. where when the Apostle would use that frame of words or expression which came into his mind he is silent touching the Authors name And if the Apostle out of a Poet why may not we out of some other express our mind Let not the words be light but full of gravity fitting the matter in hand It must not be done frequently but seldom It is not alwayes convenient to name the Author Christ useth this in his preaching Sometimes he took a proverb to express himself and sometimes alludes to such sayings among the Jewes and if we take short speeches to express our selves more pithily we do no more then Christ and Paul did The sixth ground is concerning the use of unknown tongues and it is this That the word is not to be spoken in an unknown tongue 1 Cor. 14. halfe a chap. spent in the proving this Whence I gather that to an auditory of Schollars a man may speak a sentence in it own words because to them it is known onely this must be observed that it be not vainly done as in quoting Scripture in Latine sometimes when English would serve to express it better 2. Upon the same ground I gather that to an auditory of Common people we may not use a Latine phrase or sentence because to them it is not known It is true indeed we may not speak a whole sermon in Larine but some words we may use Where God absolutely forbids a thing he forbids it not secundum majus minus but altogether But we interpret it afterward Notwithstanding that is not to be done for 1. It is idle and needless why may not English alone serve it is an idle word and if that be at no time to be spoken much less in preaching the Gospel 2. It is usually done out of ostentation For when men hear them they think they do it to shew their learning and so do it out of vanity if the auditory be mixt a Latine word may sometimes be used if wholly Ignorant then not at all By this you may see how far we may go in using humane sayings Now the using of them in other cases as for ostentation and vain glory or such like is not to be done I will adde some reasons and answer some objections 1. Reason We may not do it because ordinary quotations of Fathers not in some named Cases have the nature of a confirming testimony though we intend it not yet the nature of the work is such though it be not intentio agentis yet if it be conditio operis it excuseth him not as if a man swear and say I thought it not it excuseth him not if we quote Saint Augustine it is as much as if we quoted Saint Peter or Saint
Christ said to his Disciples Let these sayings c. that is these works mark what I have done what you see you have an experiment of my power and then he gives the reason For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men c. but they understood not these sayings You will say how could this be understood it seemeth hard Let those sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men As if he should have said remember now you have an experiment of my power and Godhead let it be a means to strengthen you for the dayes will come when your faith will be put to the tryal when I shall be delivered into the hands of men when you shall see me crucified and then you will be ready to stagger and waver in your hearts Therefore now when you see an experiment of my power and ability lay it up in your hearts that you may be stablished in that day So in divers places in the Psalms David took that course when he was in trouble and fear and perplexity he brings out of his Treasury ancient things pledges of Gods love and so he recovered himself So if a man can but get hold of a promise of God he may work himself and wind himself into the Armes of God for this is like a rope or a line taken out from him if a man take hold of it by Faith and depend upon it That is the power of the Word of Truth Isay 50. 9. I said not to Iacob seek my face in vain but I the Lord declare faithful things I declare faithful words So when God I say hath given a man a promise that he will not leave him nor forsake him First there is in every promise of that nature there is a spiritual truth in it and in the heart of a man that is a believer there is a spirit of Faith likewise and these two know one another Now the spirit of Faith in the man meets there with the spirit of truth and power in the Word in regard it comes from God these joyn together and draw a man close to God So though a man see not God yet he rests his soul and stayes upon him because he leans on that promise As as a Mariner at Sea that casts an Anchor that holds the Ship he sees not the Anchor that falls to the bottom yet he knows the Cable will hold it safe the Ship may tosse the length of it but no further So the Anchor that the soul hath in the promises of God it is fixed now though a man see him not stand by and strengthen him in the tryal yet he hath the Word of truth for it And these promises though it be a long time ere they speak yet at such times as these then they speak Before then they are sealed up and it is not known perfectly what treasure is in them whether they be empty or any thing worth but when there comes a day of tryal now is the the time the Lord hath made such promises for such a day And here I must give you a caveat concerning this means If you will be strong in the Lord make not haste that is the phrase that is used he that believeth maketh not haste That is he gives the Lord liberty he lets him move round in his sphere he is not ready to snatch deliverence out of his hand but let the Lord take his own leisure for then he will do things best And this is an item that must be understood The Lord notwithstanding those promises that are plentifully made for the safety and preservation of his yet many times he deferres the fulfilling of them to the last cast Many times he will use all that liberty that he hath left himself for indeed therefore it is left he may use it when it seems good in his eyes I mean a liberty in regard of the means how he will help and of the time when he will help us but further we know he hath left himself no liberty but hath bound himself and it is impossible he should deceive us if we rest and rely on him for this and cast our selves in the armes of God Nay we make no question as long as we have the promise of God and keep our hearts and our faith close cleaving to that we are sure the Lord in his own time will remember us and come to us to deliver us Remember that which is said Psal. 9. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Therefore if it belong to him let us take heed that we ascribe it to him not to be strong in any other Even as the making of any thing in Art belongs to such and such a Trade shoos to a shoo-maker there are none makes them but those of that trade and so for other things so Salvation belongs to the Lord there is nothing in heaven or earth that can work salvation but he all the help that is done in the earth he doth it himself Now the onely way for a man to make him his friend that is able to work it is to ascribe it to him to acknowledge it belongs to him that he hath been the doâ—r of it from the foundation of the World and so will continue this blessed trade and gracious manner of working and doing for his So much now for the fift means be strong in the Lord. A sixth means is this Wee must likewise compell and work our hearts to take this cordial you have it Rom. 8. 28. We know saith Saint Paul that all things work together for the best to those that love God I say let us have this perswasion in our hearts ready that all things shall work together for the best therefore they shall not hurt thee Now he saith they work together that is to be marked the Apostle saith not that this or that thing alone worketh for good to the servants of God As now there are divers ingredients in a receipt if a man take one or two or three they may poyson and kill and be deadly but altogether being tempered by the Physician are a preservative and save life So if a man stay Gods leisure as before I said to adde one thing to another to do that he hath to do as well as that he hath done when you put all together and make the up shot of all you shall see and acknowledge it for the best David saith It was good for him to have been in adversity Now certainly whatsoever hath been true in regard of the time past hath been true for the present then as now It was as true for David when he was in adversity to say it is good for me to be afflicted as well as after when he was come out of it to say it was good that he had been for if it were not good then it was never good Therefore in regard of this the assurance
and through temptation it will vanquish and subdue corruption and bring him on his knees and so he falls flat before the Lord In such a case I say a man that hath his corruption subdued though it were a tryal tentimes greater and more sore yet he may live upon better terms with the Lord and more comfortably then another man with a lighter cross As it falls out many times in the time of War and hostility between two Cities or Nations the weaker part in the time of War indures and sustains more inconvenience and blood-shed and loss of men then after the full conquest is made especially if the government of the Conqueror be moderate and just as it is sometimes So as long as a man stands out with God in pride of spirit and will not yield he lives far more uncomfortably then when he is truly humbled and subjected to God Thirdly and lastly these general and greater afflictions may be born more comfortably and a less may more disquiet and trouble the heart because when a man hath been afflicted but in some one thing or a few things and hath many outward contentments and comforts yet remaining to him this is the usual course of men in such a case they think when their spirits are bruised and wounded with grief of heart they have lost such a friend they have lost part of such an Estate or credit then presently they fall to other things that are left them and they think to make themselves whole there when they have lost their contentment in one particular they enjoy they think to make them whole and to supply it with the outward things that remain This succeeds not because the wound that is made in the spirit by the loss of that whatsoever it be thou art crossed with it may be the anger of the Lord is mixed with it it may be the arrow of the Lord sticks in thy soul. Now if that be thy case all the outward application of comforts of the world will not do the turn Onely that hand that strook the arrow in our side is able to pluck it out of us And we see nothing more frequent and usual in the world men as long as they have other things to solace themselves with to set their delight on they never go to God If a man go to God for comfort it is as it were because he shuts every door else against him he hath no passage else that he must needs go that way or no way Therefore as long as God affords men the things of the world to solace and comfort them they do their utmost to seek it there but when God takes away all things and strikes away every prop that he hath nothing to rest on as the Dove that Noah sent that had no rest for the sole of her foot till she returned to the Ark this forceth a man of necessity to the Lord. Now though the wound were ten times more grievous and heavy coming to the right Physitian the Lord that made the wound he can cure it and comfort a man again If a man have but a scratch with a pin if he have an unskilful Chyrurgion the wound goes on to ranckle more and more and at last it costs a man his life On the other side if a man have a wound that is dangerous if he go to one that is skilfull this man recovers and lives in the world So many times many men live with disquiet minds they go to the world and seek to be whole there they seek their Physitian there and make the wound that is made worse and the latter end is worse then the beginning But now though a man be never so empty of comfort and be struck down and the hand of God be never so heavy upon him if he go to God and seek to him the Lord is able to make him a comfortable man again and to revive his spirit and bring him again from the grave So we see that objection fully answered that though we be not able to stand under lighter afflictions we may be able and strong enough to bear greater So much for this time THE LAVV OF SIN and GRACE COMBATING Rom. 7. 23. But I see another Law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members THat which is to be done for the solemnity of this day which hath been most profitable and necessarily set a part by the Church for the rememberance of our deliverance from the Gun-powder Treason I leave it to be performed by another We have now pitched upon a text which will serve for our particular use This day indeed puts us in mind of a great Treason which was intended against the whole State both of Church and Common-wealth and this will put us in mind of a Treason within us Now it is true that these outward Treasons and when we hear of Wars and rumours of Wars such things as are terrible to us every man is ready to be affected affrighted with things of this nature change of state loss of goods abreption of life these things are naturally terrible to us the very hearing of them But this now is a War within which is much more dangerous and concerns every one of us to be affected with a thousand times more for it is a deadly War a War that devours the soul the other destroys onely the body this is a War which kills us with an everlasting death when as the other is onely the loss of a temporal life And this is a War which is for the most part forgotten and not minded for it is a fight that makes no noise it comes not with the sound of drums and trumpets it carrieth along with it no terrible appearance hence it is that we think of it but little Now what do we serve for that are the watch-men of your souls but to stir you up to a mindfulness of this War to sound an allarm to you and if you will be stirred up to work your deliverance well if not we have delivered our own souls and he that perisheth his blood shall be upon his own head In this Chapter in the verse before my Text the Apostle Paul triumpheth in that liberty which he had through the grace of God I delight saith he in the Law of God concerning the inner man though I find many temptations to the contrary But when he had exprest that triumph he comes now with another caution which he expresseth in these words that I have read But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the Law of sin that is in my members That is I find in my self a strong inclination a strong habit of sin carrying me violently to that which is evil Now this he sets forth by these properties First he calls it a Law Secondly he saith it is
dare I do this and sin against God That is there was a certain Law within him that came with a prohibition that would not suffer him to do it Again it punisheth and rewardeth as the other if we do well and resist the other it refresheth us with joy unspeakable and glorious if we do not obey it it breedeth remorse within us As we see in David when he had sinned in cutting off the lap of Sauls garment his heart smote him Now it is said to be the Law of the mind because it wonderously enlargeth the mind to see the wondrous things contained in the Law of God it enlighteneth the mind We are renewed in the spirit of our mind to see those things that others see not to see the secrets of God You may read over the Bible an hundred times and yet know nothing except you have it in the spirit of your minds Again it not onely reveals these truths to you that are regenerate but likewise it puts a strong inclination into your minds to do them And therefore it is a part of the Covenant Ier. 32. 40. I will put my Law into their hearts that they may fear my Name that is I will so ingraft it in their hearts that they shall not onely know my will but they shall have a strong inclination to do it they shall be careful to please me and fearful to offend me Yea not onely so it doth not onely enlighten us and give us a strong inclination to do it but when we come to the performance it gives us ability to do it Other men have good desires and good motions and purposes but when they come to the birth they have no strength to bring forth New purposes are in them as new wine in old bottles or as new pieces to old cloathes When a man hath an old nature still though he have good desires and now and then new purposes and resolutions yet they abide not there they are not fruitfull there but this Law doth not onely put good intentions into a man but when they come to the performance it gives the deed as well as the will He works in us both the will and the deed also Now as this is a Law you see and such a Law of the mind So likewise it is a Law that makes resistance for that is intimated in these words Warring against the Law of my mind that is it resists the Law of sin and fights against it In a regenerate man there is a certain strong habit a certain strong inclination which is called the spirit or the regenerate part which runs in a contrary course to the Law of sin and whensoever the Law of sin assaults us this makes resistance and carries us a contrary way Only this is here carefully to be observed that we be not deceived herein For this objection may be made Is this proper onely to regenerate men There are many men besides that were never acquainted with this work of regeneration yet such a man finds resistance in himself he finds something in himself that opposeth this Law of his members For there is a natural conscience in a man there is another Law which is like this Law of the mind and it makes resistance in the natural man as well as it which is spoken of Rom. 2. 15. the Apostle there speaks of the Law written in the minds of the Gentiles having not a Law they do the things that are written in the Law being a Law to themselves c. So that you must know and mark that in a man that is yet but a meer natural man that is not yet regenerate there may be a very strong resistance of that which is evil yea he may make conscience of many things in secret it may make him keep a constant course in the performance of many duties when no eye seeth him There is a certain vigor and strength in the natural conscience which shews it self upon occasion and yet it differeth much from that Law of the regenerate part which fighteth against the Law of sin You will say how shall we know it Because this is a matter of great moment therefore I will shew you the difference in these five things First of all when the natural conscience the law that the Apostle there speaketh of which sheweth the effect in the conscience when that strives against the Law in the members it is no more but the contention of that one part of the soul. There may be a light which discovers that which is evil which may cause a man to approve of that which is good but this light is kept within the compass of the conscience and goeth no further it doth not enlighten the whole soul. As you may see a spark of fire may lie in a dark room which you may see there but it doth not enlighten all the room as a candle doth when it cometh After this manner there may be many sparks of truth which may lie in the conscience of a natural man there he seeth them and observeth them but they do not enlighten the whole soul that is this light is not shed into the rest of the faculties the will and affections are not wrought upon by it therefore the contention is onely in the conscience and that part of the soul. But now in the fight of the regenerate it is quite otherwise there every faculty all the faculties fight in their courses as it is said the stars fought against Sisera A man fights against it in his judgement in his understanding in his will and affections That is a man that is sanctified he is enlightened to looke upon sin with another eye then before When he looked on his beloved lust before he looked on it as one that which was pleasant and profitable to him now he looks on it as poyson as an enemy as a thing contrary to him so that he fights against sin in his judgement And while a man fights against sin in his judgement though it may sometimes transport him yet so long as his judgement is right I say when that is set right there is a continual fighting against sin for it is one thing to know and approve but when the bent of the mind is set against sin then when the passion is past he returns again and goes on in the wayes of godliness And then as he fights against this Law in his mind so likewise he doth it in his will as Saint Paul saith I do the things that I would not as if he should say my will stands fâ—â—m though sometimes I am transported And so Ioshua I and my house will serve the Lord. That is there was a fixed constant mature resolute will to do that which was good So David oft we shall hear him say I have sworn to run the wayes of thy commandements And as in the mind and will so likewise in the affections the affections fight
Jesus Christs that is to do it with all intention to do it with all earnestnesse so the word signifieth to do things as a man would do them for himself Therefore you shall see the Apostle using the same if you take the word in the former verse I have no man like minded who will faithfully the word in the Original is naturally care for your matters that is when a man takes care for the things of Christ as he would take care for his own things for a man naturally looks to himself and his own matters So to seek the things of Jesus Christ is to do them after that manner and that consists in these three things To do it 1 Willingly 2 Diligently 3 Faithfully First A man must do it willingly as you know when a man hath any thing to do for himself he doth it with willingnesse this the Lord requires at our hands to be willing to do them which is much more then to do them As the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 8. 10. It is expedient for you who have begun not onely to do but to be willing a year ago It is a greater matter to do things with an inward willingnesse and an inward propensnesse of minde then to do the things themselves Therefore that condition is required Iude 3. we are exhorted to contend earnestly that is that you do it with much intention of mind to contend earnestly as a man that is in an argument contendeth or as a man that is wrestling after this manner you must contend for the common faith For you must know that it is not enough for a man simply to do a thing but he must do it with such an intention as is required Therefore Titus 2. God hath purified to himself a people zealous of good works that is a people not onely ready to do them but such as are earnest and desirous to do them when a man is inflamed with a strong and earnest affection to do a thing So we see in Rom. 12. 11. among the exhortations there be ye fervent in spirit or as the word is burning in spirit An example of this we have in the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 11. 18. you shall there have an expression of his own minde in taking care for the things of Jesus Christ. I am cumbred daily saith he and have the care of all the Churches The word in the Original is it lies upon me as a continual burden It is not a thing that I take up now and then by fits but it is a thing that lies upon me alwayes I am daily cumbred saith he or I daily take care for all the Churches My soul is distracted for so the word is likewise in the Original my thoughts are as it were upon the rack when I think upon the things that belong to the Churches And then he saith Who is offended and I burn not that is when there is any disadvantage to the Church when I see any man stumble it is not a thing that I look lightly upon but I take it to heart I am burned with grief that is it takes a deep impression in me Therefore you must not think when you come to do any thing for Jesus Christ to do it as of necessity but you must think and plot with your selves as about your own businesse you must seek for occasions and when you see a door opened to go in at it for to have abilities and not to use them to have opportunities and not to employ them it is another manner of matter then we think it is for not onely thorns and bryers but unfruitfull trees are appointed for burning and cowardlinesse in doing duties deserves a curse as well as the not doing them Therefore Iudges 6 Curse ye Meroz because they came not out to help the Lord against the mighty A man must not sit still and say if such a thing had come in my way I would have helped the Lord but you must go out and seek occasions this is to do it with willingnesse and propensnesse of mind Therefore the Apostle Rom. 15. 12 I â—aused the Gospel to abound from Ierusalem to 〈◊〉 â—â—r I was exceeding ambitious to preach the Gospel not where Christ had been preached c. that is as an ambitions man whether he be young or old is never well but is alwayes seeking all occasions for his honour and preferment so saith he I was ambitious to preach the Gospel every where therefore I caused the Gospel to abound that is the thing you must consider that it is not enough to do these things but to do them willingly there is that necessity put upon you You shall see what an accent and Emphasis David puts upon it 1 Chron. 29. 14. 〈◊〉 I thank thee that thou hast put 〈◊〉 the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people to offer willingly he repeats it five times as it he should say this is all in all that they 〈◊〉 willingly So that therein it is seen that a man doth that he doth for God with a perfect heart when he doth it willingly when he doth it otherwise it is done with an hypocritical and unsound heart That is the first thing we must do in seeking the things of Jesus Christs we must do them with much intention of mind wiâ—◠〈◊〉 willingness and forwardness Seâ—… As we must do them willingly so we must do them diligently many a man will say it may be I do the things 〈◊〉 I do them with all my heart willingly but now this is another condition that you do them diligently Rom 12 11. be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in doing serâ—… and in Chap. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—eâ— him 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 the like may 〈◊〉 oâ— all duties For you must know that God observes the manner of doing things as well as the things Therefore Revel 3. he saith I know thy labour The word in the Original is such labour is a man takes in harvest I know how thou sweatest at the work so I say it is not enough to do the things except you do them diligently You will say What is it to do a thing diligently It is to do it with all our might Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy might that is all the strength a man hath he is to improve it and to imploy it upon the Lord and his businesse For you must know every man hath a different strength one man hath more authority more wit more liberty of speech then another As every man hath a different strength so he must bestow all his strength one man may do much more then another and yet he may do the thing he doth exceeding remissely and negligently Another man that doth a great deal lesse yet doing it diligently putting forth his whole strength he doth a great deal more therefore the Lord requires that every man should do what is his proportion Look how much thou goest beyond another in thy might so