a God hath so much mercy in him but out of a sense of it to us which many cannot finde so when our motives to hate sinne grow more raised more spirituall these are additions of the same degree So in Prayer when we finde our prayers to grow more spirituall as in that part of Prayer Confession when more spirituall corruptions are put into our confessions and so in like manner stronger grounds of faith put into deprecation and petitions for pardon more enlargednesse to thankfulnesse more zeale to pray for the Churches when we go on to pray with all prayer more as the Apostle speaks Ephes 6. 18. Or in obedience when we abound more and more in the work of the Lord as Rev. 2. 9. it is said of that Church that their last works were more then the first so as the boughes are laden and we are filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 1. Thirdly when the fruits and duties we performe grow more ripe more spirituall though lesse juycie that is lesse affectionate and though they grow not in bignesse nor in number that is we pray not more nor longer yet they grow more savoury more spirituall more compact and solid It is not simply the multitude of performances argue growth When one is sick and his body is decayed he may be lesse in duties but it is the spiritualnesse the holinesse of them One short Prayer put up in faith with a broken heart is in Gods eye more fruit then a long one or a whole day spent in fasting even in the same sense that the widows mite is said to be more then they all cast in Luk. 21. 3. Young Christians performe more duties at first and oftner then after as young stomachs eate more and oftner As in nothing Sermons so in performing duties some will note more words but not more matter because with lesse understanding young Christians performe more duties and withall spoile more duties young Carpenters make many chips But the more spirituall your performances grow the more fruit there is to be esteemed that there is in them It is not the bignesse of the fruit or juycinesse of them for then crabs were better then apples but the relish it is that gives the commendation And it is the end you have therein that puts this relish into them when your ends are raised more to aime at God and to sanctifie him more and to debase your selves in a sense of your owne vilenesse and emptinesse and unability and when your obedience proceeds more out of thankfulnesse and lesse out of the constraint of conscience As the greatest growth of wicked men is in spirituall wickednesse in which the Pharisees grew and sinners against the holy Ghost doe grow when yet it may be they leave more grosse evils so the greatest growth of grace is in spirituall holinesse in sanctifying God much in the heart and worshipping him in spirit and truth Fourthly when a man grows more rooted into Christ that is the true growth and that which makes the fruit to be more in Gods sight and esteeme therefore Eph. 4. 15. we are said to grow up in him that is to live the life we lead more out of our selves and in Christ as when for the acceptation of our persons we are emptied of our owne righteousnesse so for strength to performe duties we are emptied of our abilities seeing without him we can doe nothing So when for acceptation of our performances when we have done them our hearts have learnt habitually to say more and more with the Apostle Not I but Christ in me when we interest Christ more and more in all we doe as the efficient and also the finall cause And therefore I observe when growth of grace is mentioned it is still expressed by growing in the knowledge of Christ So 2 Pet. 3. 17. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ as if to grow in grace without him were nothing as indeed it is not So in the Ephesians we are said both to grow up in him and for him Philosophers did grow in morall vertues but not in Christ so doe Civill men and others Temporaries doe duties from him but yet as in themselves as the Ivie that hath sap from the Oake but concocts it in its owne roote and so brings forth as from it selfe To doe one duty sanctifying Christ and free grace in the heart is more then a thousand young Christians it may be doe more works but not as works of grace and the more men think by duties to get Christ and Gods favour the more in duties they trust and so they become as works of the Law but the more dead a man grows to the Law and to live to Christ and Christ in him and the more free grace is acknowledged in all trusted in above all the more Evangelicall our works are and the more to God for that is the end of the Gospell to honour Christ and free grace the more we grow We are of the Circumcision sayes the Apostle who rejoyce in the Lord Jesus worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 4. As these are the surest signs of true grace so of true Growth Fifthly the more we learne to bring forth fruits in season the more fruit we may be said to bring forth For the seasonable performance of them makes them more All the fruits in their season how acceptable are they which out of season they are not In the first Psalme a righteous man is said to bring forth his fruits in due season and in the Proverbs Words in season are as apples of gold and pictures of silver In Ezek. 41. they are said to bring forth pleasant fruits in their moneths as in reproving he is not so much to reprove as to reprove in season to have our senses exercised to know fit seasons and to consider one another to provoke to love as it is Heb. 10. Young Christians doe more but more out of season and the devill abuseth them putting them upon duties when they would be at their refreshings at their callings he deceiving them with this that holy duties in themselves as alone simply compared are better then to doe any thing else when as the season adds the goodnesse to our actions Thus to recreate thy self at some seasons is better then to be a praying A righteous man orders his conversation aright Psal 50. and order gives a rectitude a goodnesse to things Sixthly when we grow more constant in performances and more even in a godly course and setled in spirituall affections without intermission it is a signe we grow It argues that our inward man is more renewed day by day when we can walke closely with God a long while together A righteous man is compared to the Palme tree whose leafe never fades Psal 1. whereas other trees bring forth by fits And by fits to be much in duties is not a signe of growth but
cannot be supposed that in every act a man hath such a distinct thought of recourse to Christ but at the beginning and entrance of greater actions he still hath such actings and exercise of faith And also often in the progresse he reneweth them and in the conclusion when he hath performed them he doth sanctifie Christ in his heart by ascribing the praise of all unto him If in the second place the question be Whether every true beleever doth from his first conversion thus distinctly and knowingly to himself fetch thus all power from Christ and doe all in him The answer is 1. That to all beleevers this principle of having recourse to Christ for acting their Sanctification may haply not presently be so distinctly revealed as it hath been to some this indeed is common and absolutely necessary to all beleevers to constitute and make them such namely that their faith should have recourse to Christ and to take him for their Salvation in the large and generall notion of it as it infolds all under it that is to be done to save them and thus many more ignorant doe when yet they have not learnt explicitely in every particular that concerneth their salvation to have frequently a distinct recourse unto him it is probable that these very Disciples of Christ who yet savingly beleeved had not this particular principle of bringing forth all their fruit of holinesse in Christ as their root untill this very time and Sermon whereby Christ enformed them in it so clearly revealed to them nor till then so clearly apprehended by them for ignorant they were of and negligent in having recourse to Christ in many other particulars and making use of him therein which are of as much concernment as this They had not so distinctly and explicitely as would seem put their prayers up in Christs name Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name John 16. 24. Neither had they so frequently exercised faith on Christ in all things as they had upon God Therefore John 14. 1. he calls upon them Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2. Many sorts of principles beleevers hearts may secretly have been taught which also habitually they practice and yet they may be exceeding hidden and latent in them in respect of their own discerning them as was the case also of these Disciples John 14. 4. sayes Christ The way namely to heaven ye know and yet ver 5. Thomas sayes How can we know the way and then ver 7. Christ sayes of them againe that They knew him and the Father and yet ver 8. Philip again saith to him Lord shew us the Father speaking as if they were ignorant of him for Christ rebukes him ver 9. and tels him he had both seen him and his Father Those principles of Atheisme and unbelief as those sayings in the heart that there is no God c. of which the Scriptures speak so much they are the principles that act and work all in men that are wicked and carnall and are the encouragers and counsellers to all the sins committed by them and yet they are least of all discerned by them of all other corruptions for they are seldome or never drawn forth into distinct propositions or actually thought upon but doe lie as common principles taken for granted and so do guide men in their wayes And thus it is and may be long with some of the contrary principles of faith they may act all secretly in the heart and yet not be discerned untill called forth by the ministery of the Word or some distinct information when it comes more distinctly to clear such a practice to them Neither 3. is union with Christ presently cleared up to all beleevers which whilst it is darkly and doubtfully apprehended by them Christs communication of his grace and strength to them in every action remains doubtfull also and is not discerned by them Of these Disciples Christ sayes John 14. 20. That in that day namely when they received the Comforter more fully of the promise of whom he there speaks they should know that they were in him and he in them But not so clearly was this as yet apprehended by them and so likewise that intercourse betwixt Christ and them both for grace and comfort c. was not so clearly discerned by them though continually maintained by him in dispensing all grace and power to them And yet 4. in the mean while take the lowest and poorest beleever and he doth these five things which put together is really and interpretatively a bringing forth their fruit in Christ though not in their apprehensions 1. In that their hearts are trained up in a continuall sensiblenes of their own insufficiencie and inability for any good thought or word as of themselves for poverty of spirit to see their own nothingnesse in this respect is the first Evangell grace Mat. 5. 1. and and if the contrary would arise in them to think through habituall grace alone received they were able of themselves to doe good it is checked soone and confuted by their owne experience both of their owne weaknesse being sure to be left to themselves as Peter was when confident in his own strength as also by those various blowings of the Spirit in them as he pleaseth with which when their sailes are filled they are able to doe any thing but when withdrawn they lay wind-bound though all habits of grace be hoyst up and ready and not able to move of themselves Now this principle of self emptinesse habitually to live by it no carnall heart in the world hath it or doth live by it And 2. for this assistance they are trained likewise up from the first to have a continuall dependance from a power from above without which they find they are able to do nothing to come from God and from the Spirit of Christ with a renunciation of themselves which implicitely is the same with this immediate intercourse with Christ and is really equivalent thereunto though they hit not at first haply on the right explicite notion thereof as having not been taught it by the Ministery of the Word or other wayes in that distinct manner that others doe and yet in honouring the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them they honour Christ who sends that Spirit into their hearts even as in honouring the Sonne Christ sayes that we honour the Father also although our thoughts may sometimes more distinctly be exercised towards one of the three Persons more then to another And thirdly when they are once taught from the Word that it is the duty of a Christian and part of the life of faith to live thus in Christ and to bring forth all in him and so come distinctly to apprehend this as requisite to a right bringing forth of fruit then their hearts instantly doe use to close with the truth of it as being most suitable and agreeable to that holy frame of their own spirits which
are Evangelically wrought to glorifie Christ all manner of wayes that shall be revealed there is an instinct a preparednesse in their faith to make Christ their All in all as any particular comes to be revealed to them wherein they ought to exalt him in their hearts and so this being once revealed to be one way whereby they are to honour him if they have gone on afore in a confidence on their own graces henceforth they doe so no more yea they humble themselves as much for so robbing Christ of glory or neglecting of him in not having had that distinct recourse to him as for any other sin And 4. though haply after all this yet still their union with him is not cleared to them and so their communion with him herein as must needs doth still remain dark also they therefore neither discern that they have any true communion with his person nor can say how strength comes from him yet having bin thus taught to fetch all from him as was formerly explained they do in a continuall renunciation of their own strength deny all offers of assistance from any other strength as namely that which their gifts and parts would make even as they deny unlawfull lusts or by-ends and they still have their eyes upon Christ to work in them both the will and the deed and so by a faith of Recumbencie or casting themselves on him for strength in all such as they exercise towards him for justification Gal. 2. 16. they live by faith on the Son of God and have thereby such a kind of faith a continuall recourse unto him Upon which acts of true faith being exercised by them towards him He as he is pleased to dispence it moves them and works and acts all in them although still not so sensibly unto their apprehensions as that they should discern the connexion between the cause and the effect nor can they hang them together that is to say know how or that this vertue doth come from Christ because their union with him is as yet doubtfull to them and also because the power that worketh in Beleevers is secret and like that of the heavens upon our bodies which is as strong as that of physick c. yet so sweet and so secretly insinuating it selfe with the principles of nature that as for the conveyance of it it is insensible and hardly differenced from the other workings of the principles of nature in us and therefore the Apostle prayeth for the Ephsians That their eyes may be enlightned to see the power that wrought in them Eph. 1. 18. 19. Yet so as 5. their soules walk all this while by these two principles firmly rooted in them both 1 That all good that is to be done must and doth come from Christ and him alone and 2 That if any good be done by them it is wrought by him alone which doe set their souls a breathing after nothing more then to know Christ in the power of his resurrection And having walkt thus in a selfe-emptines and dependance upon Christ by way of a dark recumbencie when once their union with him comes to be cleared up unto them they then acknowledg as they Es 26. That he alone hath wrought all their workes in them that they are nothing and have done nothing and though before this revelation of Christ as Christ said to Peter What I doe now thou knowest not but thou shalt know so they knew not then that Christ had wrought all in them yet then they know it and when they doe know and discern it they acknowledge it with the greatest exaltation of him they having reserved even during all that former time of their emptinesse the glory for him alone staying as Joab did for David till Christ come more sensibly into their hearts to set the crown of all upon his head This I thought good to adde to clear this point lest any poor souls should be stumbled Doct. 4. In the most fruitfull branches there remain corruptions unpurged out The 4. Doct. is That in the most fruitfull branches there remain corruptions that still need purging out This is taken but as supposed in the text and not so directly laid down and I shall handle it but so far as it makes way for what doth follow What shall I need to quote much Scripture for the proof of it Turn but to your own hearts the best will find proofs enough of it Reasons That God might thereby the more set forth and clear unto us his justifying grace by Christs righteousnesse and clear the truth of it to all our hearts When the Apostle long after his first conversion was in the midst of that great and famous battail chronicled in that 7. Rom. wherein he was led captive to a Law and an army of sinne within him warring against the law of his minde presently upon that wofull exclamation and outcry there mentioned Oh miserable man that I am c. he falls admiring the grace of justification through Christ they are his first words after the battail ended Now sayes he there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Mark that word Now that now after such bloudy wounds and gashes there should yet be no condemnation this exceedingly exalts this grace for if ever thought he I was in danger of condemnation it was upon the rising and rebelling of these my corruptions which when they had carried me captive I might well have expected the sentence of condemnation to have followed but I finde sayes he that God still pardons me and accepts me as much as ever upon my returning to him and therefore I doe proclaim with wonder to all the world that Gods justifying grace in Christ is exceeding large and rich And though there be many corruptions in those that are in Christ yet there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ that walk after the Spirit though flesh be in them And this at once both clears our justification by Christs righteousnesse alone and also magnifies and extols it It clears it therefore how doth this remaining of corruptions afford to our Divines that great demonstration against the Papists that we are not justified by works nor are those workes perfect which they so impudently affirme against their own experience even because corruption stains the best and our best righteousnesse is but as a menstruous cloth And as it clears it so likewise it extols it For how is Grace magnified when as not only all the sins and debts a man brought to Christ to pardon at first conversion are pardoned but after many relapses of us and provings bankrupt we are yet still set up againe by free grace with a new stock and though we still run upon new scores every day yet that these should still be paid and there should be riches of love enough and stock enough that is merit enough to hold out to pardon us though we remained in this mixt condition of sinning to eternity this
rootes as Lebanon that is grow inwardly in habituall grace in the heart and then outwardly spread forth their branches and so grow in the outward profession of Gods wayes and truth and externall holinesse in their lives Neither fifthly is it a growth meerly in bulk but also in fruitfulnesse and therefore he compares them to the Olive and the Vine so in that place of Hosea which are of all trees the fruitfullest and most usefull to God and man Judg. 9. 9 13. But yet sixtly trees have a flourishing time of it but for some while during which although they may be thus green and fruitfull yet in their age they wither and rot and their leaves fall off and their fruit decayes The holy Ghost therefore as preventing this exception to fall out in the Saints growth he addes Psal 92. They bring forth fruit still in their old age When nature begins to decay yet grace renewes its strength which if it be wondred at and how grace should grow and multiply the soile of our hearts being a stepmother to it From me sayes Christ is thy fruit found ver 8. of that 14. of Hosea It is God that gives this increase and I will be as the dew to Israel ver 5. The reasons why Christians doe thus grow are drawn First from Christ his being our Head and we his members Now although clothes though never so gorgeous grow not yet members doe This similitude the Apostle useth in two places to expresse the growth of the Saints Ephes 4. 15 16. and Col. 2. 19. where he saith Christ is a head from whom the whole body grows up to him in all things Now the consequence of this reason will many wayes appear First if no more but that there might be a conformity of the head and members it was meet we the members should grow for we are predestinated to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8. Now Christ did grow in wisdome Luke 1. ult and 2. 40. and 42. and therefore so must we But secondly as he is our Head he hath received all fulnesse to that every end that we might grow even to fill all in all Ephes 1. ult Now we are empty creatures at his first taking of us Joh. 10. 10. I came sayes Christ that they might have life and not only so much as will keep body and soul together as we say but that they might have it more abundantly Why is grace called life and of lives the most excellent but because it containeth all the essentiall properties of life in it Now the main properties of life are to move and grow The Stars they have a moving life but they grow not the Sun increaseth not for all its tumbling up and down as snow-balls doe Plants they have a growing life but they move not out of their place but in Grace there is both It is an active thing and it is a growing thing also and because the more it is acted the more it grows therefore its growth is expressed by its motion Yea thirdly as his fulnesse is for our growth so our growth makes up his fulnesse even the fulnesse of Christ mysticall though Christ personall is full without us therefore the stature that every Christian growes up to is called Ephes 4. 13. The stature of the fulnesse of Christ In like speech to this Eph. 1. 23. it is said that his body is his fulnesse and Eph. 4. 13. the growth of these members is said to be the fulnesse of Christ so that as Christ should be an head without a body if he had no members and his body a lame body if he wanted any of those his members so it would be found a disproportioned body as it were if any of these members should not grow to that stature God hath appointed them So that as there will be plenitudito partium a fulnesse of parts no member lacking so also plenitudo graduum no degree of growth wanting in any part that so Christ who filleth all in all may be fully full And as there would be a deformity if any one should not grow as to have a withered member were a dishonour â—o the head so to have any one grow in immensum to too great a stature would breed as great a deformity on the other side therefore he addes that every member hath its measure The hand grows according to the proportion of a hand and so the rest and so in the 13. ver he hath it that there is a measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that every one attains to The second reason is taken from God the Father Who first hath appointed as who shall be members so also what growth each of these members shall attaine to therefore it is called an increasing with the increase of God Col. 2. 19. Other parents appoint not what stature their children shall attaine to but the Lord doth that when they meet in heaven there may be a proportion in the body as all Christs members were written in Gods book so the growth of them also Secondly he hath promised that they shall grow therefore it is said Psal 92. They so all bring forth fruit in their age to shew the Lord is faithfull which respecteth his promise for faithfulnesse is the fulfilling a promise Thirdly God the Father hath accordingly appointed meanes to that end principally that they might grow As first Eph. 4. it is said he hath given gifts unto men not that they may be converted only but also to build them up for the edifying of the body of Christ he speaks as if that were one maine end Therefore the Word is not onely compared to seed that begets men but to milke also that so babes may grow and to strong meat that men may grow and thus that all sorts of Christians may grow So also Sacraments their principall end is growth and not to convert but to encrease as meat puts not life in but is ordained for growth where life is already 2. He gives his Spirit which works growth in the hearts of his people and by him they have a nutritive power conveyed from Christ For it might be said though there be never so much nourishment if they have no power to concoct it still they cannot grow therefore the Apostle says that there is an effectuall working to the measure of every part Eph. 4. 16. the same power working in us which raised up Jesus Christ from death to life Eph. 1. 19. The last reason is taken from the Saints themselves they could not otherwise enter into heaven which I take from that place Except ye be converted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven He speaks this to his Disciples who were converted before but saith Christ unlesse ye grow there being a farther measure appointed you of my Father you cannot enter into heaven There is therefore as great a necessity to grow as to be borne
the first leaps more but goes as fast afterward Fifthly it is not increasing in outward professing and a seeming forward but especially in inward and substantiall godlinesse the other is but as increasing in leaves but in growth there must be a bringing forth more fruit When the root strikes not deeper downward and farther into the earth but spreads much upward in the branches this is not a true growth though look where there is more rooting there will be more spreading also above ground Growth it lies not in this That men should thinke of me above what I am indeed 2 Cor. 12. 6. Many at first grow into so great a profession as they cannot fill up and grow up to all their dayes make bigger cloathes then they can grow to fill As they say of Elephants that the skinne is as big at first as ever after and all their life time their flesh growes but up to fill their skinne up True growth begins at the vitalls the heart the liver the bloud gets soundnesse and vigour and so the whole man outwardly this heart Godlinesse is the thing you must judge by And yet sixtly even in inward affections many be deceived even there the party for Christ in appearance may be greater then in truth So often in a young Christian there is a greater army of affections mustered but most of them but mercenaries his affections are then larger his joyes greater his sorrowes violenter then afterwards More of his heart joynes in duties at first but afterwards though lesse yet more spiritually and truly The objects being then new draw all after them not onely Spirit or that new principle of grace is stirred then but flesh also The unregenerate part becomes a Temporary Beleever for a time hath a work upon it per redundantiam as an unregenerate man hath who is a Temporary which work on the unregenerate part doth decay as in Temporaries it doth and grows lesse not onely godly sorrow is stirred to mourne for sinne but carnall sorrow being awakned by Gods wrath joynes also and so makes the streame bigger Infidelity it selfe like Simon Magus for a while beleeves Whilst the things of grace are a wonder to a man as at first they are presumption joynes and eekes out faith a great party in the heart cleaves by flattery as the phrase is in Daniel and for by-ends which after some progresse fall off and faint in the way and those lusts that over and above their true mortification were further cast into a swoune begin againe to revive All this was resembled to us by the comming of the Children of Israel out of Egypt when by those plagues in Egypt and Moses his call not onely the Israelites but even many of the Egyptians were wrought upon and began out of self-love to feare the Lord Exod. 9. 20. and so a mixed multitude it is said went out with the Israelites Exod. 20. 38. to sacrifice to the Lord but ere long as Numb 11. 4. this mixt multitude began to murmur and to fall off So at a mans first setting out at his first conversion mixt carnall affections the unregenerate part through the newnesse of the objects and impression of Gods wrath and heavenly ravishments are wrought upon and goe out with the new Israel to sacrifice but after a while these fall away and then the number is lesse but the true Israelites may be encreased Hence it is that young Christians if they know their hearts complain more of hypocrysie and old Christians of deadnesse So in times of peace presumption eeks out faith and makes it seeme a great deale which in times of desertion and tryal falls off and then though the beleeving partie be lesse yet more sincere When the fire is first kindled there is more smoke even as much as fils the house but after the flame comes that contracts all into a narrow compasse and hath more heat in it So it is in young Christians their affections which Christ compares to the smoaking flax their joy in duties their sorrow for sinne their love of God is more but exceeding carnal the flame after though lesse growes purer and lesse mixt with vapours of corrupt self-love Seventhly we must not measure our bringing forth more fruit by one some kind or sort of duties but by our growth in godlinesse in the universall extent and latitude of it as it takes in and comprehendeth the duties of both callings generall and particular and all the duties of a Christian Thus it may be when grown up we are lesse in some sort of duties then we were when we were young Christians Haply we were more then in praying in fasting and reading and meditating yea spent the most if not the whole of our time in these But because now we spend lesse time in these we must not say therefore that we are fallen or decayed for there are many other duties to be done besides these which haply then we neglected but now make conscience of So that take all sorts of duties in the latitude of them and we may be growne more and do bring forth more fruit Perhaps we bring forth lesse fruit of some one kind then afore but if we be filled with all variety of fruits of the first and second table of our generall and particular callings this is to bring forth more fruit Men at their first conversion are necessitated often for to spend their whole time in such duties wherein they immediately draw nigh to God Paul then spent three whole dayes in fasting and prayer And then we allow them to doe it because their estates require it they want assurance and establishment they see grace to be that one thing necessary and therefore we give them leave to neglect all things for it they are new married to Christ and therefore they are not to be pressed to war the first yeare as I may so allude as for young marryed persons it was provided in Leviticus and parents and masters are to give allowance to such then in their travell of their new birth to lye in and not to be cruell to them in denying them more time then ordinary So also when they are in desertion which is a time of sicknesse and in sicknesse you allow your servants time from their work as the Church when she wanted her Beloved Cant. 3. 2. no wonder if she leaves all to seek him As your selves when you want a child or a servant you cry him in every street and leave all to find him as he left ninety nine to find one lost sheep And they then come new out of prison out of their naturall estate and out of the fresh apprehension of the wrath of God and therefore no wonder if they run so fast to haste out of it and salute none by the way stay to doe no businesse but when once they are gotten to the City of refuge then they fall about their businesse and callings againe Hence young Christians are
him company and usually some new one God leading us through varieties of sweet truths to chew upon one this day and another to morrow and these have an exceeding purging vertue in them they keep the purging issue open even as those that have issues made in their armes or legs use to have a pease or some such small thing to lie in the orifice of the issue to keepe it open and so doth such a new truth with spirituall light discovered still keepe the purging issue of sinne open and drawes out the filth and keeps the heart so sayes Salomon Pro. 6. 21 22 and 24. observe the coherence there and it is as if he had said Keepe this command fresh in mind and it shall keep thee God useth also the examples of others as meanes to provoke a man to purge himselfe Example of those that have been Professors and falne away they provoke a man to set fresh upon this worke lest that the like sins should prevaile against him also and cause him to fall Therefore the Apostle when he heard of Hymenaeus and Philetus their fall 2 Tim. 2. â—9 Let every one sayes he that calls upon the name of the Lord make this use of it to depart from iniquity And it followes If you purge your selves from these ye shall be vessels of honour It follows upon that occasion Examples of holy men To heare very holy men speak what victory over lusts may be attained here doth much provoke another to purge himselfe who else would content himselfe with a lesser degree So Phil. 3. 17. In the last place there are many inward workings upon the heart whereby God goes on still to purge us First by a further discovering of corruptions unto us either a greater filthinesse in the evils we saw afore or to see more of them and by what one sees to suspect more God never discovers lusts to his but to carry them away he stirs the humours to purge them Thus when David saw his sinne he sets anew upon cleansing himselfe in the 19. Psal comming new from taking a view of his heart and having seen such volumes of corruptions so many Errataes in all that he did he cryes out Who can understand his errors and withall Oh cleanse me from secret sinnes He then saw secret evils and suspected more then as yet he saw and this made him cry out Oh cleanse me and so to use all means and to goe to God to cleanse him So when in the 15. Psal God let downe a light to let him but see the corruption of his nature afresh that he was borne in sinne and had no truth there more falshood then he could ever have imagined Oh purge me sayes he upon it Secondly he sets the heart on work to make it a businesse to get ones lusts mortified more and more and not to rest in the measure attained Phil. 3. 1. Paul forgot what was behind he did still desire to have more fellowshig with Christ in his death and sufferings in the death of sinne when a mans heart is set upon the worke as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came into the world for as David who took up a resolution I said I would look to may wayes so when a man hath said unto himselfe I will grow in grace as they say I will be rich 2 Tim. 6. and so looks at it as his businesse being as much convinced of this that he should be more holy as he was at first that he was to be new borne when growth of grace is as much in a mans eye as getting grace at first was and as great a necessity made of the one as of the other This conviction many want and so take no care to grow more holy and more pure Phil. 3. 15. If any be otherwise minded sayes the Apostle that there is no such absolute necessity of going on still to perfection God shall reveale it to him God doth reveale and set on this upon every godly mans heart at one time or another and so goes on to purge them And this is also expressed to us 1 Pet. 4. 1. For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh let us arme our selves with the same mind namely to mortifie our lusts for it follows He that hath suffered in the flesh that is hath mortified his lusts hath ceased from sinne That same arming there is Gods putting into the mind a strong and invincible resolution to go through with this worke when he armes and steeles it against all difficulties all encounters This is meant by arming us with the same mind That as Christ looked upon it as his businesse why he came into the world even to suffer for us so for us to look upon it as our businesse to crucifie our lusts When therefore we intend all our indeavours upon this worke and mind nothing in comparison pray for nothing more receive Sacraments for this purpose and heare and performe all other duties with an eye to this prosecute this businesse as the main when God hath put such a resolution into a man and preserves it then he goes on to purge him Thirdly God doth it by drawing the sap and juice of the affections of the heart more and more into holy duties and into obedience when that intention of mind as our morning thoughts and the like which we formerly spent upon vanities are now drawn into prayer and holy meditations then lusts doe wither and when our care is how to please God more and our hearts are more in the duties of obedience then doth corruption shale off more and more and thus by diverting our intentions doth God worke out corruptions And looke as the Sun doth draw up the sap out of the root so doth Christ draw out the heart at some times more then at others to holy duties and unto communion with himselfe in the duties this killeth sin and causeth it to wither namely by taking away the sap that is that intention of mind which doth usually nourish it Thus 1 Pet. 1. 22. We purifie our hearts by obeying the truth Fourthly by bringing the heart more and more acquainted with Christ his Sonne which is the Fathers work to doe for none comes to the Son but whom the Father draws Now how many soules are there who have gone puddring on as I may so speak in the use of other meanes and though in the use thereof Christ hath communicated some vertue to them yet because they did not trade with him chiefly in those duties they have had little in comparison to what afterwards they have had when he hath been discovered to them as that great ordinance who is appointed by God to get their lusts mortified Afore this they have washt and washt but they have washt without sope untill Christ hath been thus revealed to them and the vertue of his death and rising againe which is compared Mal. 3. unto Fullers sope c. In the 13.
Zach. 1. it is said that God opens a fountaine to the house of David for sinne and for uncleannesse that is for the guilt of sinne and the power of sinne Now by that opening is not meant the promise of sending his Sonne into the world to be crucified but the discovery of him to beleevers after his being crucified For Chap. 12. 10. he is supposed to be crucified already for they there see him whom they have pierced therefore that opening there is meant the discovery of him to his people and him to be the great ordinance of cleansing them Now the more distinctly a man understands Christ and how to make use of him who is already made Sanctification to us the more easily he gets his lusts purged such an one that trades immediately with Christ will doe more in a day then another in a yeare for seeing that the power of purging us lies immediately in him and that he is the purging drug which mingles it selfe with the Word and all meanes else and sets them all aworke therefore the more of him we have and the more immediate application we have of him to us and of his power the more recourse our hearts have to him the more our lusts are purged as it is in drugs or minerals if the infusion and steeping of them in liquors will worke how much more if the substance of them be taken downe inwardly and immediately now this comes to passe as God doth goe on to open our faith to see him and know him and to be acquainted with him for so the Apostle expresseth it Phil. 3. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection The more we look upon all means else in the use of them as ineffectuall without him the more power we shall find from him Fiftly by assuring the soule of his love and shedding it abroad in the heart and by working spirituall joy in the heart doth God also purge his people And to work all these is in Gods power immediately and solely I am Crucified with Christ Gal. 2. 20. And how by beleeving that Christ gave himselfe for me and loved me This deads a man to the world makes a man crucifie that which Christ was crucified for and this makes a man hate sinne the more he loves Christ or apprehends his love And it doth this in a double relation or respect not onely because sin so displeaseth him nor onely as it is contrary to his will but because it did afflict him so much once and because to take sinne away was the intent he came into the world for so 1 John 3. ver 4. although a beleever is said to mortifie sinne upon this consideration indeed that it is the transgression of the Law yet much more upon this other because Christ was manifest to take sinnes away and the more assurance I have of another life and a better and of being like Christ hereafter the more a man purgeth himselfe to be fit for that condition He that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure so in the 2. ver of that 3. of John The more joy a man hath in Christ the more deaded he must needs be to the world the one eats up the other for the ground of all sinne is but the love of pleasure now if I find it in God and Christ it deads me for seeking it in the world For Omnis vita gustu ducitur All life is maintained by a taste of some sweetnesse Now when the sweetnesse of sin the relish of it is spoiled by the taste of a greater it must needs die and abate and though that sweetnesse from God doth not alwayes remaine in the present taste and relish of it yet it leaves such an impression behind it that whatever a man tasts after it hath no relish with him in comparison still he sayes the old is better and though the taste of one sinfull pleasure may take us off from another yet none but a contrary pleasure doth kill the sinne and the pleasure in it CHAP. III. The tryall of Mortification and that first by Negative signes or such as argue much corruption yet remaining unpurged out I Will now come to that third thing which was propounded namely Helps whereby you may discerne what progresse hath been made in this work And as I said at first that my purpose was not so much to handle Mortification in the common place of it as onely growth therein So those things I shall now deliver about discerning the measure of it I intend them not so much for Signes of mortification as Rules whereby we may judge how this worke goes forward in us and how far we are still short in it And first I will handle it negatively and give you such symptomes as argue much corruption a great deale of humours yet remaining to be purged out Such as argue little proficiency in this worke though such as withall true grace may be supposed to be in the heart 1. When a man doth magnifie and sets a high price upon worldly and carnall excellencies and pleasures is much taken with outward things and carryed away with them Or when though we restrain our selves from the eager pursuit after them yet if in your eyes and opinions they seeme glorious and goodly things and oh we secretly think the enjoying such a pleasure the obtaining such an excellencie or such or such a condition of life accommodated with such and such conveniences and circumstances would be so great an addition of happinesse to us this argues a green heart much want of mortification though truth of grace be there These Apostles to whom Christ spake this Parable of the Vine and unto them especially how were they affected and transported with a trifle Even that very night that Christ was to be attached they strive for precedencie and who should be the greatest amongst them Luk. 22. who should be chiefe of that noble order And it was such a precedencie which they affected as Noblemen have in Kingdomes as appears by the following words they shewed themselves but Gentiles in it as ver 25. Christ insinuates who stand upon their blood and their outward priviledges It was not for nothing Christ tels them in this Parable they needed purging but the reason was they were but children yet and babes in Christ now in their minority and were not weaned from rattles and trifles Christ was not yet crucified not they so throughly crucified with him as they were afterwards The holy Ghost had not yet come upon them as fire to burne up their lusts and to consume this their drosse That other Apostle Paul who sayes of himselfe that he was borne out of time in comparison to them had attained to a greater measure he glorying in this as his highest title that he was the least of the Apostles This magnifying of outward things in our conceits and opinions is indeed but knowing things after the flesh as the Apostle speaks 2
of that he had spoken in the former verses from the 12. verse and goes on to speak of it and exhort to it Thus in like manner Gal. 5. 24. it is called crucifying the flesh with the lusts not one lust but the flesh the whole bundle the cluster of them all and in that it is called crucifying it implys it also for of all deaths that did work upon every part it did stretch every nerve sinew and veyn and put all the parts to paine and this going on to mortifie sinne is called Rom. 6. The destroying of the body of sinne of the whole body It is not the consumption of one member of the lungs or liver c. but it is is consumptio totius a consumption of the whole body of sinne so as every new degree of mortification is the consuming of the whole And therefore also Colos 3. where in like manner he exhorts to his growth therein he exhorts to mortifie earthly members every member And the reasons hereof are because First true mortification strikes at the root and so causeth every branch to wither For all sinfull dispositions are rooted in one namely in love of pleasure more then of God and all true imortification deads a man to the pleasure of sinne by bringing the heart more into communion and into love with God and therefore the deading to any sinne must needs be generall and universall to every sinne It is as the dying of the heart which causeth all the members to die with it for that is the difference betweene restraining Grace which cuts off but branches and so lops the tree but true mortification strikes every blow at the root Secondly every new degree of true mortification purgeth out a sinne as it is sinne and works against it under that consideration and if against it as sinne then the same power that works out any sinne works against every sinne in the heart also Now that every new degree works against a sinne as it is sinne is plain by this because if it be purged out upon any other respect it is not mortification Thirdly the Spirit and the virtue that comes from Christ which are the efficient causes of this purging out a sinne doe also work against every sinne when they work against any one and they have a contrarietie to every lust they search into every veyne and draw from all parts Physitians may give elective purges as they call them which will purge out one humour and not another but Christs physick works generally it takes away all sorts of distempers And whereas the Objection against this may be that then all lusts will come to be equally mortified I answer No for all lusts were never equally alive in a man some are stronger some weaker by custome through disposition of body and spirit and therefore though mortification extends it selfe to all yet there being an inequality in the life and growth of these sinnes in us hence some remaine still more some lesse mortified as when a floud of water is left to flow into a field where many hils are of differing height though the water overflows all equally yet some are more above water then others because they were higher before of themselves And hence it is that some sinnes when the power of grace comes may be in a manner wholly subdued namely those which proceed out of the abundance of naughtinesse in the heart as swearing malice against the truth and these the children of God are usually wholly freed from and they seeme wholly dead being as the excrements of other members and being as the nailes and the haire they are wholly pared off as was the manner to a Proselyte woman the power of Grace takes them away though other members continue vigorous And therefore of swearing Christ sayes What is more then Yea yea and Nay nay is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a profarie heart As when a man is a dying some members are stiffe and cold and cleane dead long afore as the feet whilst others continue to have some life and heat in them so in the mortification of a Christian some lusts that are more remote are wholly stiffe and starke when others retaine much life in them The second Question is Whether when I apply Christ and the Promise with the vertue of Christ for the mortification of some one particular lust or other and doe use those right means as Prayer Fasting c. for the speciall mortification of some one lust Whether that lust thereby doth not become more mortified then other lusts doe I answer Yes yet so as in a proportion this work of mortification it runs through all the rest for as in washing out the great stains of a cloth the lesser stains are washt out also with the same labour so it is here Therefore the Apostle in all his exhortations to mortification both Eph. 4. and Gal. 5. and Col. 3. though he exhorts to the putting off the old man the whole body of sinne yet instances in particular sins because a man is particularly to endeavour the mortification of particulars as it were apart and yet because in getting them mortified the whole body of sinne is destroyed therefore he mentions both the whole body and particular members thereof apart as the object of mortification And to that end also doth God exercise his children first with one lust then with another that they may make tryall of the vertue of Christs death upon every one And therefore Christ bids us to pull out an eye and cut off an hand if they offend us for mortification is to be by us directed against particular members yet so as withall in a proportion all the rest receive a farther degree of destruction For as a particular act of sin be it uncleannnesse or the like when committed doth increase a disposition to every sinne yet so as it leaves a present greater disposition to that particular sin then any other and increaseth it most in potentia proxima though all the rest in potentia remota so in every act of mortification though the common stock be increased yet the particular lust we aimed at hath a greater share in the mortification endeavoured as in ministring physick to cure the head the whole body is often purged yet so as the head the party affected is yet chiefly purged and more then the rest CHAP. II. Three Questions resolved concerning Positive Growth OTher Questions there are concerning that other part of our growth namely in positive graces and the fruits thereof As first whether every new degree of grace runs through all the faculties I answer Yes For as every new degree of light in the ayre runnes through the whole Hemisphere when the Sunne shines clearer and clearer to the perfect day which is Solomons comparison in the Proverbs so every new degree of grace runs through and is diffused through the whole man And therefore also 1 Thes 5. 23. when the