did Why Because he feared the Lord. So then if a man be employed in way of Love and Mercy to himself he doth not make his Employment a shooing-horn to his own Preferment 'T is enough for me my Masters work is done saith he neither doth God use to pay them al their wages here whom he employes in mercie to themselves But as the Merchant if he have to deal with a stranger for a less Commodity he paies him down presently but if with a friend for some great priced Commodity he takes time and doth not pay down his money presently So if God have to do with a stranger as Nebuchadnezzar he wil pay him wages presently but if God deals with a friend whom he employes in mercy to himself then he doth put off his ful payment til afterwards He doth Gods work without any great noise or notice of himself like Christ He lifts not up his voyce in the street and as the Angels in Ezek. 1. His hands are under his wings he hath four hands to work with but they are not seen they are under his wings Let your Light so shine before men saies Christ that they may see your good works not your selves and glorifie your Father not your selves As it is with the Fisher so with him he shews the bait but hides himself he holds forth the word of Truth but not himself though he have four hands to work with yet they are all under his wings hidden but saies Jehu Come and see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts This is another difference If God do use and Employ a man in a way of Love and Mercy to himself he is willing to be used and contented to be laid by and to 〈…〉 more Another man is not so if he have been used 〈…〉 â—ng he thinks he must be used in other things and 〈…〉 cannot bâ—ar it that God should lay him by and use anoâ—â— Thus iâ— was with Sâ—ul he could not be conteâ—◠〈…〉 should use David But when God told Eli that he 〈…〉 and his House by he answered Good is the Word of 〈◊〉 Lord for he was a good man and one whom God had â—sed 〈◊〉 Love and Mercie to himâ—elf and so when God had done wiâ—h him he was conâ—ent thereâ—â—th He thâ—t is â—red and eâ—ployed in way of Love and Mercie to himself wil do the Work oâ— the Loâ—dfully though he do his own works by halfs Caleb did his own work by halfâ— and the Work of God â—ully for he was used in Mercy to himself and others Jehu did the Work of the Lord by halfs and his own work fully for though he was uâ—ed in Mercy to some and Judgment to others yet not in Love to himself When God doth use a man in a way of Judgment he hath ordinarily more skil at pulling down and destroying what is mans than in setting up and building what is Gods But when God doth use him in a way of Love and Mercy to his own soul he hath a dexterity in and a heart to the setting up of what is Gods witness Jehu on the one hand and Nehemiah on the othâ—r hand How is it therefore with thee Hast thou a skil at pulling down what is mans and no skil nor heart to set up what is Gods Hast thou been employed and used in Gods Service and have you done your own work fully and Gods work by halfs Art thou not contented to be laid by and that God should use another Doest thou make a noise in the work and thy hands not under thy wings Hast thou made a goodly outward Bargain of the Lords Work and his Service as a shooing-horn to thine own ends Hast thou not grown in Experience Faith and Holiness by this work but in Pride rather Hast thou not been very tender of the Name of God in thy Service nor been acquainted with Gods Design nor thine heart drawn out the more to love the Lord Then surely God hath not used or employed thee in Love and Mercy to thine own soul But if thine heart have been drawn out with Love to God by thy very Service and Employments and thou hast been in some measure acquainted with Gods Design in that Service and hast been very tender of the Name of God and more willing to hazard thy self than to defile his Name and hast grown in Grace by the exercise of thy Gifts and hast made no Bargain of the Lords Service but hast had thy hands under thy wings and hast not done Gods Work by halfs and now after all art contented that God shall lay thee by and make use of others then surely the Lord hath used and employed thee in a way of Love and Mercie to thine own Soul and therefore why should'st thou be discouraged in this respect Certainly you have no just cause or true reason for it Quest But suppose that the Lord either shall not use me in his Service or if he do that difficulties and oppositions press in upon me or that I meet with no success in my work according to my desire what shall I do that I may be able to bear up my heart against all discouragements in this kind Answ 1 First In case that God do not cal you forth to any work or special Employment Then Consider that you have now the more time to mind your own soul and to attend to your own Condition Some are so employed that they have not time enough to pray read meditate examine their own hearts and to look into their own Condition yea though a mans work do lie in the Ministry 't is possible that he may so mind his publick work as to neglect his private But now if thou hast no publick Employment or Service then you have the more time for to spend upon your own soul the more time to converse with the Lord in private and to look into your own Condition And if you be not called forth to work and yet are willing to work you shal be paid for that work and service which you never did As some men shal be punished for those sins which they did never commit in the gross act because they were willing and had a desire to commit the same so some shal be paid for that work and service for God which they never did perform because they were willing to have done the same Now is it not a great mercy to be paid for that work which I never did Such is the Priviledg of al those that are not called to Service and yet are willing to it Answ 2 Secondly In case That you are employed in Gods Work and Service and difficulties press in upon you Then Consider That the greater the Difficultie is the greater shall your Obedience be in carrying on the Work and the more you do follow after Dutie and redeem it from the hand of Difficulty the greater shall your Comfort and reward be when all is done And the more that any Service Work or
Vessel that your heart may not be too big for your business nor your work too big for your heart But your self par negotio being like the Ant or Pismire that doth rather abound in Pectore in the Breast ubi animus est where the mind lies than in Ventre in the Belly ubi stercus est where the dung lies and if your Estate be great to account your self Gods Steward not his Treasurer and if it be little to study rather how to give an account of your little than to encrease unto much These are excellent things in regard of your Callings and Estates As for your Recreations and outward Mirths It is an excellent thing for a man so to be merry as he may not grieve for his Mirth afterwards to have your part and share in the Saints breakings as wel as in their rejoycings so to rejoyce in the Creature as not to forget the Creator so to rejoyce in the Servant as not to forget the Master so to rejoyce in your Inn as not to forget your Home so to recreate your self as you may not take pleasure in your pleasure but to rise from this Table with an appetite not with a glut and to be a bungler at the best Recreation and to make al your Recreations as so many Engagements to serve God the more freely and cheerfully These are excellent things in regard of your Mirths and Recreations As for the Works of God and his Dispensations It is an excellent thing for a man to know what Gods Design is yet to admire where you cannot understand to praise God for his Judgments as wel as for his Mercies for his Hel as wel as for his Heaven and though the vial be powred out upon your Relation yet to bless God and at least to be silent remember Aaron And in al Gods dealings stil to make a good and candid Interpretation for that wil argue your Love to God which wil argue his Love to you for that which ends in your Love to him came from his Love to you These are excellent things in regard of Gods Works and Dispensations As for Truth and Error It 's an excellent thing for a man so to mind the Truth of the Times as he do not neglect the Power of Godliness and so to mind the Power of Godliness as he do not neglect the Truth of the Times an excellent thing for a man so to mind new Truth as not to lose old Truth and so to keep the old Truth as not to neglect new Truths And in al times to stand free from the Monopoly of an Opinion for it is the property of an Error to monopolize the man and to engross his thoughts words and actions but he that placeth his Religion in one Opinion hath no Religion in Truth though his Opinion be true Good therefore it is to stand cleer and free from these Monopolies These are excellent things in regard of Truth and Error As for your Death It is an excellent thing for a man to desire to die and yet be contented to live to desire Death for the enjoyment of God and to be contented to live for the Work of God to give up your daies to God as an act of your Faith which you have received from him as an act of his Love to say in truth if my Father have any more work for me to do I shal live longer if his work be done I am willing to go home to my Father though I ride home behind the worst Servant that he keeps in his House An excellent thing it is to die standing or kneeling to die on that ground where I should live and to live on that ground where I would die These are excellent things in regard of Death Now excellent things do become those that are the Seed the visible Seed of Christ Are you therefore the visible Seed of Christ then these excellent things do become you for his delight is in the Saints and such as excel in Vertue Now therefore as you do desire to answer unto Christs delights O labor more and more to excel in vertue And thus I have done with this great Argument Christ in Travel the greatness of his Travel his Assurance of Issue and his delight and satisfaction in the sight thereof Christ shal certainly see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied and if you do not yet see the issue of his Travel accomplished on your Soul yet stay wait and expect for saith the Text He shall see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied and in due time you shal see it too and be satisfied Wherefore wait on the Lord and again I say Wait on the Lord. FINIS M R Bridge's New Works viz. 1. Scripture-Light 2. Christ in Travel 3. A Lifting up for the Down-cast c. THE GOOD MAN'S PEACE Sermon I. PSALM 42.11 Stepney April 16. 1648. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I will yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God IN these Words ye read of the sad Discouragements of a gracious Spirit with those Remedies that he applied and used against them The Discouragements are exprest in Two Words under Two Similitudes Cast-down Disquieted As a man is bowed or cast down under the weight of some heavy burden so art thou cast down O my soul saies David And as the Sea in the time of a storm is much disquieted so art thou also disquieted wiâ—hin me O my Soul The Remedies that he useth against these Discouragements are Two Self-Reprehension and Self-Admoni ion First He doth chide himself for his diffidence and distrust in God Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me He chides and rebukes himself for it Secondly He doth admonish and call upon himself for to wait upon and hope in God Hope thou in God Why First Because I shal yet be delivered For I shall yet praise him Secondly Because Salvation belongs unto him alone He is the health of my Countenance Or the Salvation of my Countenance Thirdly Because he is in Covenant with me and I with him He is my God The health of my Countenance and my God I begin with the former part of this Verse wherein you may observe these Three things First That there is an inward Peace and Quietude of Soul which the Saints and People of God ordinarily are endued with This is implyed Secondly It is possible that this Peace may be interrupted so far as Gods People may be much discouraged cast down and disquieted Thirdly That the Saints and People of God have no reason for their Discouragements what ever their Condition be VVhy art thou cast down and why art thou thus disquieted within me thou hast no reason for it The latter of these being the main is that indeed which I specially aim at But because the two former will give the better rise unto this
to her Verse 13. Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die I have not found thy Works perfect So that though your Grace be weakened and that by your own sin insomuch as all seems to be ready to die yet there is a Promise belonging to such a condition and therefore no just cause or reason for Discouragement though much cause of Humiliation Object But I am not discouraged at the weakness of my Grace because of mine own guiltiness only but because of its likeness and similitude unto common Grace I know that it is a contradiction to say That a little Grace is no Grace at all but my little is so little that I even fear that it is none in truth If the piece of Coyn that I have be little yet if it be Gold it is well but if it be little and a Counter too then what am I the better Now so it is that I fear my little is but a Counter and not true Grace indeed therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ No For though your Grace be never so smal yet if it be good Coyn and not a Counter then you have no reason to be discouraged in this regard Now to satisfie you in this scruple I 'le tell you what smal weak little Grace will do and not do in opposition to common Grace It will not oppose much Grace the least Spark of fire will not oppose the flame or resist the flame Water will because Fire and Water are contrary and so false Grace will oppose the highest degree of Grace saying What need you be so strict and precise You may go to Heaven with less ado but the least degree of true Grace wil not oppose the highest It loves Examination it loves to examine and to be examined for it is sincere and sincerity is much in examination it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it holds up all its actions to the Sun and light it doth love the work of examination false counterfeit common Grace doth not so It is very inquisitive after the waies of God and after further Truths As the man that climbs up into the Tree first gets hold on the lower Boughs then on the higher and so winds himself into the body of the Tree till he comes to the top So doth a Christian do he begins with the lower then unto higher and so to higher discoveries at the first therefore he is most inquisitive What shall I do to be saved saies he and again Lord what wilt thou have me to do False and common Grace is not so It is much in the work of Humiliation it grows in a waterish place Now suppose that two Herbs be much alike the one soveraign and the other naught and it be told you that the soveraign good Herb grows in a waterish place and the other on a Rock will you not easily discern those by the places where they grow Thus it is here the weak Grace of the Saints grows in a waterish place it is much in Humiliation but the common false Grace of Hypocrites grows on a Rock As a weak Christian is very apt to rest upon his own doings so he is much in doing and in the work of Humiliation most It works according to the proportion of its own weakness it staggers at the Promise yet it goes to the Promise it doubts of Christs Love yet it doth run to Christ it stumbles yet it doth keep its way it is ignorant of Christ and not so forward in the knowledg of Christ as it should be yet it is laying of the foundation Heb. 6.1 It is the fault of a weak Christian that he is alwaies laying the foundation yet he is laying of the foundation though it works weakly yet it works according to the proportion of its weakness but the common false Grace doth not so It is willing to learn of others For saies a weak Christian I am but a Babe in Christ and therefore why should not I be willing to be carried in others Arms The less I can do the more I will receive as the strong Christian is much in doing so must I be much in receiving It is not thus with that false and common counterfeit Grace But as the Naturalists do report and write of the Lyon That he wil not eat of any Prey but what he hath hunted down himself other Beasts will Aelian de Animal they wil prey upon what is killed by others but the Lyon King of the Beasts is so proud that he wil not eat of that which is killed by another So men that are strong in Parts and Gifts and have no Grace withal will not eat of that which they do not hunt down themselves if they hunt it down then they wil close therewith else not A strong-graced Christian will and a weak-faithed Christian will but he that hath Parts and Gifts alone cannot rellish that so well which is brought to hand by another .. It is very sensible of it's own weakness A weak Christian is weak and he doth feel his weakness and is very sensible of it not a man in all the world Deo placet fides infirma modo nobis non placet fidei infirmitas Austin saith he that is more weak than I. Now ye know that if a Lady or Queen come to an House she hath a great Train attending upon her and though ye see her not yet if you see her Train you say she is there still Such a great Queen is Grace though a man have never so little of it yet it brings a great Train with it and though you see it not yet if you see the Train will ye not say surely the Grace of God is here Thus now it is with you that are weak in Grace these Seven things and a far greater Train than these you may see in your lives and therefore certainly you have no just cause and reason for your Discouragements in this respect Object O! but yet this is not the thing that doth pinch with me I hope through mercy the Root of the matter is in my soul that this great Queen of Grace hath taken up her lodging in my heart but yet I am exceeding weak in Grace and very feeble still some are weak in Grace because they are but new Plants new Converts lately brought home to Christ and are yet Babes in Christ and so they have excuse for their weakness but I profess that I have been converted a great while yet I am weak I am an old man or woman yet I am weak in Grace I am an old Professor and yet am weak in Grace therefore I am thus disquieted have I not just cause and reason now Answ No For though it is a shame for an old man to go in Coats or to be carried in the Arms like a Babe as every weak Christian is and though Christ will upbraid men of their slowness and dulness that have long
Temple when they came out of Babylon ye shal find That so long as they went forth in the strength of outward Powers the Command of Cyrus and the like they were much hindred and the Enemies then caused the Work of the Lord to cease but when the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Haggai Zechariah Zerubbabel and others to build then they went on and prospered Why Because they went forth in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord not in the strength of mans Command or of their own Abilities Answ 3 Though the Work of the Lord be carried on not by Might nor by Strength but by the Spirit yet this Spirit doth not alwaies breath and work alike Christ sent out his Disciples for to preach to cast out Devils and by the Spirit of the Lord they did preach and cast out the Devils yet they had not then received so great a measure of tâ—e Spirit as afterwards when he breathed on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost yea and though he did thus breath upon them when he left them yet they did not then receive in so great a measure of the Spirit as afterwards for they were still to wait for the Promise that is the Spirit Acts 1. so that though God wil carry on his own Work by his own Strength and by his own Spirit yet the assistance thereof is not alwaies alike somtimes it is more and somtimes it is less even where it fals in truth and power Answ 4 But though the Spirit doth not alwaies work alike yet if God cal you to any Work or Service you shal have so much assistance as is needful for you only you must know that Dabitur in hora it shall be given in that hour it shal not â—â—e cold and stale by you but when you come to use it then it shal be given out unto you more or less but sufficient Before Moses came to his work he complained of want of Abilities his stammering Tongue and want of Elâ—quence c. but when he was warm at his work and was engaged in it then we read of no such Complaints Gods Call is our Wal and Strength Go in this thy might saith God to Gideon and what Might was that the verse tels you it was the might of his Call for saies the Lord in the next words Have not I sent thee Judges 6.14 Our Might then is in Gods Call not in our own Abilities and a little warm assistance is better than much cold and stale ability Object 3 But I fear the Lord hath not called me to this Work but that I am an Intruder into the Work of the Lord because I do want Abilities Answ 1 Nay But if the Lord do somtimes cal a man first and doth furnish him with Abilities afterward then you have no reason to make such Conclusions Now ye know how it was with Saul God did first call him and then he gave him another Spirit he had not that other ruling Spirit before he was called to rule but after So the Apostles were first called to their Office and then Christ did furnish them with Abilities Who hath made us able or meet Ministers not of the Letter c. When were they made meet or able what before they were called No but afterwards Gods Call is not like to mans mans Call doth alwaies presuppose abilities Gods Call doth somtimes bring them Answ 2 And if Gods Porters whom he hath set to keep the door of Opportunity do judg you able then are you to rest in their Judgment A large and effectual door is opened saies Paul God hath a door whâ—ch when he calls a man to work he doth then open to him this Door is kept by certain Porters whom God hath appointed to keep the same and if they judg that you have abilities then are you to rest and acquiesce therein for though I am to judg of mine own Grace and not another yet others are to judg of my Gifts and Abilities and not my self Some wil judg oâ— their own Gifts and of others Graces this is evil but in reference to work and external Service others are to judg of mine Abilities and not my self as I am to judg of mine internal Grace and not another Accordingly Luther counselled Spalatinus who having many sad thoughts of leaving his Ministry This is saith Luther to him a Diabolical Temptation and you know not now why you are afflicted with it we which are Spectators know it better therefore you ought rather to trust us than your self who in the Lord before the Lord yea the Lord by us doth exhort you to go on in your Work unto which he hath called you So say I now to you you doubt of your Call because you do want abilities but do those Porters judg you able who are set to judg then are you in this case rather to rest in their Judgment than in your own Now Gods Porters have judged you meet for his Work and have opened the door of Opportunity to you and therefore you have no reason to be thus discouraged in this respect only remember this That the weaker your Legs are the faster you must hold on the hand of free Grace Object 4 O! but I fear that I am not called to this Work but that I am an Intruder because I meet with so many difficulties in my way Answ 1 Do you meet with Difficulties in your way What vertue or vertuous Action is there but hath some stone upon it Nulla Virtus sine lapide there is no vertue but hath some stone or other that is rouled upon it As Christ himself had a stone rouled on him so every Work of Christ and Truth of Christ and way of Christ hath one stone or other that is rouled upon it Yet ye must know that there is a Pearl lying under that Stone and the heavier the stone is the more precious is the Pearl the harder the Nut and Shell is to crack the sweeter is the Kernel Nisi ipse elevasset lapidem non inventa fuiâ—â—â— sâ—b eo haec margarita Hâ—b Proverb and in due time Christ wil send his Angel to roul away the stone from your Work and his Service and that before you are aware When the Women said as being at a stand and not knowing what to do Who shall roul away the stone Then did the Angel come and rouled it away for them before they were aware of it Peter had the Brazen Gates opened for him when he came to them they did not stand open before but when he came at them then did they open to him And if you go on in your way and work which God doth lead you to the Brazen Gates which are now shut against you shal then open to you if I say you go on in your work in way of Faith as following the Conduct of the Lord. Answ 2 And if Gods cleerest Call to a work have alwaies been followed with the greatest
go no further depart they are the forsakers So in the way to Heaven Professors let out together and some find the way long further than they thought of we wil go no further say they and we wil have no more Light but say the other God willing we wil on and on they go Which of these two sorts are the Apostates Those that wil go no further they think not so but the Lord knows the truth that those that wil go no further are they that leave and forsake the other I wil give you one Scripture for it it is in Numbers 14. there were certain Spies went into the Land of Canaan and they brought an il report upon the good Land And the Children of Israel murmured against Moses verse 2. whereupon Moses speaks unto them and saith at verse 9. Only rebel not against the Lord the words in the Septuagint which Greek the new Testament follows are Only be not Apostates against the Lord. So that in Septuagintal Language those that rebel against Light revealed and wil go no further are called Apostates Now indeed this kind of Apostacy alwaies goes with the Sin against the Holy Ghost but not the former alwaies for we do not find that the Pharisees were guilty of the former for they did not profess the Gospel So that the Essence of this sin doth not consist in Apostatizing or back-sliding from the Profession of the Gospel and the Power thereof Fourthly Some think that this Sin doth consist in final Unbelief and impenitency But final Impenitency and Unbelief Altissiodorensis Lib. 2. Tract 30. in Sentent Desperatissimos convertit Deus August Sic homo potest penitere de finali impenitentia Altissiodorensis ibid. is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost for by final Unbelief and Impenitency they either understand that Impenitency and Unbelief which a man lives and dies in or that which he purposeth to continue in to the last The latter cannot be the Sin against the Holy Ghost for many have purposed to continue in their Unbelief to their death and yet have been converted and pardoned And the first cannot be the Sin against the Holy Ghost For 1. The Jews whom Christ spake unto did then commit this Sin and yet they had not continued in it to their death 2. Final Unbelief is rather a Sin against the Son but the Sin against the Holy Ghost is distinguished from that 3. Our Savior saith Those that commit this sin shall not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Not in this world If therefore final Unbelief or Impenitency be this sin then Christ should threaten that he that dies in his sin shal not be forgiven whilst he lives 4. If a man sin against the Father or Son and die impenitently in that sin he shal not be forgiven either in this Life or in the Life to come but herein the Sin against the Holy Ghost is worser than the Sins against the Father or the Son and therfore it cannot consist therein 1 John â— 16 5. The Apostle saith There is a sin unto death I say not that you pray for it Doth he say that we must not pray for a man and for the forgiveness of his sin when he is dead 6. It is that sin for which there lies no remission but a man may sin such a sin whilst he lives for if any man sin wilfully there remaineth no sacrifice for sin and wilfully a man may sin before his Death 7. It is such a sin as a man may know anothâ—r man is guilty of whilst he lives for saith the Apostle There is a sin unto death I say not that you pray for it but final Unbelief and Impenitency is not known til death 8. Our Savior saith He that speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven but a word may be spoken against the Spirit long before a man dies and therefore surely this sin against the Holy Ghost doth not consist in final impenitency and unbelief final unbelief and â—mpenitency is not this Sin against the Holy Ghost 9. For then al wicked men living under the Gospel and dying impenitently should sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost Blasphemia in spiritum sanctúm ca â—se vidâ—â—â— qua quis destinâ—ta malitia contra proprium animi sui sensum spiritâ— sancti gratiam et virtutem deique gloriam oppugnat Luc. Brugen in Math. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom in Math. 12. which is false You wil say then What is this Sin against the Holy Ghost and wherein doth it consist Secondly Affirmatively It is that wilful sinning against God whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and blaâ—pheme the proper and peculiar work of the Holy Ghost and that after he hath been convinced thereof by the Holy Ghost 1. I say It is a wilful sinning against God and so the Apostle speaks saying If any man sin wilfully after he hath received the knowledg of the Truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 10.26 So that the sin for which there is no sacrifice and of which there is no remission is a wilful Sin Now a man is said to sin Wittingly Willingly and Wilfully Wittingly in opposition to Ignorance Willingly in opposition to Force and Constraint Wilfully in opposition to Light Knowledg and Reason and so he that sins against the Holy Ghost doth sin for saies the Apostle If any man sin wilfully after he hath received the knowledg of the Truth or after the acknowledgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 2. He that commits this Sin doth also oppose and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost for it 's called here Dicere verbum contra spiritum sanctum est verbis impugnare Deum sanctificantem Cajet in Math. 12. vide sixt Senens in locum a blasphemy and a blaspheming of the Spirit as distinct from the Father and the Son Now the Work of the Father is to Create the Work of the Son to Redeem the Work of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie and therefore he that sins this Sin doth oppose and blaspheme Holiness and Goodness and so these Jews did for when our Savior Christ did cast out the Devil that unclean Spirit they said he did it by the power of the Devil calling the work done a work of the Devil and did oppose him therein Yet this is not all For 3. It is that Sin whereby a man doth maliciously oppose Peccatum in spiritum sanctum dicitur illud quod ex certa malitia sit quod solent distingui tria genera peccatorum peccatum in patrem ex infirmitate humana peccatum in filium ex ignorantia quod patri appâ—opriatur potentia filio sapientia peccatum in spiritum sanctum ex malitia quia bonitas attribuitur spiritui sancto Altissidorens Lib. 2. Tract 30. in Sent. Scot. in Sent. Lib. 2. Quest 2. and blaspheme and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.26
that you may be humbled yet that the Lord should keep you from this Sin this unpardonable Sin for which there is no Sacrifice nor no remission O! what Mercy and what Grace is this Object 1 But I am afraid I have sinned this Sin and the truth is I have often feared it and my reason was and is Because my sins are so great so exceeding great Answ Great say ye How great man I have sinned against my Light I have sinned against my Knowledg I have sinned against my Conviction and therefore I fear I have sinned the unpardonable Sin But I pray for Answer did not Adam sin against Light when he eat the forbidden Fruit Did he not sin against his Knowledg against Conscience yet he sin'd not against the Holy Ghost though he brought al the World under Condemnation by his Sin for the Lord himself came and preached mercy to him The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head And I pray did not Jonah when he run away from God sin against his Light and did he not sin against his Conviction and against his Knowledg yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and wonderfully delivered him Possibly this therefore may be and yet not a Sin against the Holy Ghost It is true indeed that those who sin against the Holy Ghost do sin against their Light Knowledg and Conscience but whoever sins against Light and Knowledg though he sins greatly doth not sin against the Holy Ghost Object 2 O! But I fear that I have sinned this Sin for I have fallen foully into gross sins Answ That is ill But I pray did not David sin so were they not great gross and foul sins that David fel into such as one of your civil moral men would abhor yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and Nathan said from the Lord The Lord hath forgiven thee Object 3 O! But yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin for I am much declined I have lost my former acquaintance and communion with God I have lost my former heat and affections to good and in Duty and I fear upon this account that I have sinned this great Sin Answ Be it so yet did not the Church of Ephesus lose her first Love yet this Church of Ephesus did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost Why For the Lord saith unto her Repent and do thy first Works she could not have repented thus if she had sinned this Sin Object 4 O! but yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin because that I have sinned directly against the Spirit I have quenched I have grieved I have resisted the Spirit the Spirit of the Lord hath come and fallen upon my heart in preaching and I resisted and grieved it the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen upon my heart in Prayer and I have grieved that therefore I fear I have sinned this great Sin that shall never be pardoned Answ This is ill too But those that you read of in Acts 7. resisted the Holy Ghost yet they did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost for then Stephen would not have prayed for them And indeed Beloved if every resisting of the breathings of the Spirit and grieving of the Holy Ghost were the unpardonable Sin what godly man would be free A godly man is more properly said to grieve the Spirit than a wicked man If an Enemy strike you you are angry if your Friend strike you ye are grieved If a wicked man strike at God he is angry with him if a godly man strike at God God is angry and his Spirit is grieved because he is a Friend Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption So that thus far possibly a man may go and yet not sin this Unpardonable Sin Object 5 But I am afraid that I have sinned this great Sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost because I have not owned but denied the Truth the Work of the Spirit is to enlighten and to lead into Truth and I have not owned but denied the Truth rather therfore I fear that I have sinned this great Sin against the Holy Ghost Answ This is evil very evil I remember a Speech of Godteschalchus worthy to be written in Letters of Gold Timeo veritatem negare quia metuo à veritate negari I am afraid said he to deny the Truth lest I should be for ever denied by the Truth that is Christ But I pray did not Peter deny the Truth when he denied Christ and did he not do it again and again and did he not do it openly with Scandal and did he not do it after Admonition and did he not do it with Cursing and Swearing and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned and took him into his bosom and made him a blessed Instrument in the Church Thus far yet a man may go possibly and yet not sin this Sin Object 6 O! But I am afraid yet that I have sinned it for I have been an Opposer of Goodness I have been an Opposer of the People of God and I have been a blasphemer therefore I fear I have sinned this Sin Answ This is ill indeed But I pray tel me Was not Paul an Opposer and Blasphemer of the Saints and Waies of God and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for I did it ignorantly saith he I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor but I obtained mercy for I did it ignorantly Object 7 O! But I have sinned and I have done it maliciously and therefore I fear I have sinned this same dreadful Sin Answ This is yet worser But what mean you by that word Maliciously Peccatum ex malitia quandoque dicitur peccatum ex habitu puta quando ex malo habitu quis est intemperatus vel gulosus et sic non loquimur in proposito alio modo dicitur quod procedit ex passione tamen deliberate et scienter puta si quis invideat c. nec sic loquimu◠in proposito sed vocatur peccatum ex malitia proprie quando movetur quis non ex habitu nec passione nec ignorantia sed ex mera libertate voluntatis Sc. quod sic placet et hoc modo dicitur peccatum in spiritum sanctum Aureol in Lib. 2. Sent. Dist 43. Art 1. A man may be said to sin ex malitia or maliciously three waies saith Aureolus Either because he sins from some evil habit and so al wicked men sin yet they do not al sin against the Holy Ghost Or because a man sins out of anger passion or evil wil against another so Paul sin'd when he persecuted the Church of God he was carried out with a malicious spirit against the Saints and People of God yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost Or else because a man is moved to sin not
Deus vult à suo templo exulare Ita est sed ulterius addo quod vitrum quam expeâ—s est coloris propâ—ii tam facile refert alicnoâ— quibuscunque enim liquoribus imbuitur statim concolor efficitur sub hoc igitur typo voluit Deus à suo obsequio arcere eos omnes qui non servant unam vivendi rationem sed in diversâ— studia seruntur et nunc hos nunc illos mores imitantur Mendoza in Reg. 1. Cap. 1. pag. 300. what a blessed fâ—anâ—e of heart is this fixed Spirit Surely it is that Grace wherein God is much delighted An unsetled Soul God cares not for nor for any Work or Service that is done by him We read of hundreds and thousands of Vessels of Gold Silver and Brass that were in the Temple but not of one Crystal Glass or Vessel why so saith one but because that is of a brittle fragile and uncertain Nature which as it hath no color of its own so its apt to receive the color of any Liquor So iâ— an unsetled man and unconstant whom God cares not for in his Temple and Service Who cares for the Service of a Fool or regards the Prayers Desires or Pâ—titions of a Fool If a Fool knock earnestly at your door you say to your Servant Go not to the door it is the Fool that knocketh and if a Fool com and speak to you you regard not what he saith Now an unconstant unsetled Soul is a foolish Soul It is the property of a Fool to be alwaies a beginning he begins a good work and then he leaves it off then he begins another and he leaves off that Stultus semper incipit vivere the Fool doth alwaies begin to live And the same word in the Hebrew and Scripture Phrase that signifies an Unconstant man signifies a Fool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stultus insipiens varius mobilis levis inconstans and if ye look into Eccles 5. ye shal find that the Sacrifice of Fools is called so upon account of Unconstancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Unsetledness for saies Solomon When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed ver 4. And therefore if an unsetled man pray and knock at Gods door he wil say Let him alone regard him not 't is that unsetled Fool that unconstant Fool who is off and on to and fro in my Service God hath no pleasure in Fools and an unsetled unestablished soul is a Fool in Scripture Language surely therefore he is so in the eyes of God But if a man be fixed and established the Lord delighteth in him Ut venti in autumno arbores non tollunt sed folia secum in auras ferunt sic tristia leves tamen mentes movent fortes et in pietate firmas non evertunt Origen Homil. 13. in Numb Maximum malae mentis indicium sluctuatio Sen. and in al those Works and Services that are done by him Establishing Grace is a great Mercy 5. And it is also the Character of a good and gracious person whereby he is distinguished from the ungodly of the World A good man lives and dwelleth at the sign of a setled Conversation he is planted by the Rivers of Water Psal 1. the wicked are as the Chaff that are driven to and fro not setled not planted It is true indeed that a moral civil man may be naturally of a fixed Spirit serious staid and setled in his Moralities but though he be setled in what is Morally good yet he is also setled upon his Lees in what is Spiritually evil setled in prejudice against the Saints and against the Power of Godliness setled in his neglect of the Sabbath c. and though he be of a fixed Spirit and temper Naturally yet that fixation doth not arise to any high or great matter It 's an easie thing to cast up the Account truly Virtus est circa difficile bonum sed in parvis opeâ—ibus constantem esse non est difficile Aquin. where the Sum is smal Morality is a smal Sum. When did ye hear of a Boat cast away in the River the narrow Waters 'T is the Ship that puts to Sea that doth make the Shipwrack smal Boats seldom miscarry in the narrow Waters Now the Civil Moral man doth trade in the narrow Waters and he boasts that he doth not miscarry some make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience but as for me saith he I walk constantly evenly and these many yeers have made no Shipwrack of my Profession as others have done But I pray what is the reason He never put to Sea he never yet did lanch forth into the great Ocean of the Gospel he trades in the narrow Waters of his own Righteousness and therein he is exact and constant But now take a godly gracioâ—s man and he doth abound in the work of the Lord and ye◠〈◊〉 â—â—shed in it according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies aâ—ounding in the Work of the Lord Why For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Surely therefore it is a great Mercy and blessing to be setled in the Truth and established in the good Waies of God a Mercy for a Nation a Mercy for a Church a Mercy for a Particular Person to be thus established And therefore In the Second place It is worthy of al our Prayers which is the Second Part of the Doctrine for saith the Doctrine It is a great Blessing and worthy of all our Prayers to be setled and established in the good Waies of God First It is that Mercy Grace and Blessing which we al need Man in his best estate or according to the Hebrew Expression Man in his most consistent and setled estate is altogether vanity Man at the best is a poor wavering and unsetled Creature yea saith the Scripture God saw no stability in his Angels and therfore if we do naturally labor under such instability we have al need to pray and to pray much for this Grace of Establishment Secondly It is God only who doth give out this Grace it belongs unto him alone to establish Nations Churches and Persons 1. He is able to establish those who do come to him for it Rom. 16.25 Now to him that is of power to establish you c. 2. He is willing to do it 2 Thes 3.3 But the Lord is Faithful who will establish you and keep you from evil 3. He is engaged to do it for he hath promised to do it as hath beâ—n proved already and it is his Prerogative 2 Cor. 1.21 Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God As for a Land or Nation it is the Lord alone tâ—at doth settle it He looseth the Girdles of Princes and maketh them to wander or stagger
like a drunken man Job 12.25 Again He girdeth their Loynâ— with a Girdle verse 18. He speaketh the word and it standeth fast who said to Solomon and so to al the Princes of the Earth If thou wilt walk before me in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and wilt keep my Statute â—and my Judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy 〈◊〉 as upon Israel for ever 1 Kings 9.4 5. As for a Church it is â—e alone who doth settle and establish it Psal 87 â—â— â—â—â—â—â—d of Zion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shal establish her And as for a â—â—â—icuâ—â— person â—t is God alone that doth settle him both in hâ—â—â—â—â—wâ—rd and Spiritual Condition In his outward Condition Prâ—â— 15.25 The Lord â—â—ll destroy the House of the proud â—ut he will estâ—blâ—sh the â—â—rder of the Widdow And in his Spâ—â—iuaâ— Estâ—â— and Condition 2 Thes 2.17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ hâ—â—â—elf and God our Father comfort your heart saith the Apostle and establâ—sh you in every good word and Work and Psal 90.17 the Psalmist doth address himself unto God for this saâ—ing Establish thou the Work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it And if it be so great a Blessing to be thus setled and established if we have so great need of establishing Grace and it belongs unto God alone to work it then surely it is not only a matter worthy of our Prayer but our Duty also to say and pray with the Psalmist Stabâ—ish thou O Lord the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it And thus you have the Doctrine cleered in the Parts thereof If it be so great a Mercy and Blessing to be setled fixed Applicat and established in the Truth and good Waies of God then what cause have al thoâ—e that me now established to praise the Lord and say I was a poor unsetled person but through Grace I am now setled The more unto lâ—d the Times are and men in the Times the greater is the Mercy to be truly fixed and established Hath the Lord therefore setled your heart in these unsetled Times O! then give thanks unto the Lord and say My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Object O! but I cannot find this fixation of spirit in my soul nor that stedfastness in my life as I desire and therefore I cannot praise the Lord as I should Answ It may be so Yet know that there is much difference between variety of Grace and Instability of Spirit The exercise of various Graces is a great Blessing Instability of Spirit is a great Evil Ye may exercise one Grace which you did not exercise before and you may perform one gracious Work which you did not before yet this no instability of Spirit You must know also That there is a kind of shaking which is consistent with this true Setledness and Establishment of heart Ye see how it is with the Ships in the Harbor and with those Ships which lie at Anchor though they be not driven and tossed up and down with the Waves of the Sea yet in the time of a storm they do move and are shaken So it may be with thy soul Though thou hast cast Anchor within the Vail and art come into thy Harbor yet thou maist be somwhat moved and shaken But though you be in some measure shaken yet you are not tossed up and down as those that are not at Anchor and therefore O! what cause have you in these unsetled Times for to praise the Lord If Establishment be so great a Blessing what a sad Condition are those in that are not established not setled not fixed either in their Judgments or Lives Not a Mountebank come to Town but they must run to him for some of his Salves not a wandring Star appear but they must go to him for some of his Light These are those unlearned and unstable souls these are those that are laid out for a prey unto Satans Instruments as Satan goes up and down seeking whom he may devour so do his Instruments and there are a People that through the just Judgment of God shal be a prey unto them and who are those but these unlearned and unstable souls Some again are unsetled in their Lives and Practices somtimes they are for God and somtimes against him somtimes for his Service and somtimes against it These are those that are contrary to al men and to themselves These are those that are like to Ephraim whose Righteousness is like the morning dew fading and vanishing And both these are as the Picture or Map in the Frame which you may carry from one Room to another hang it in this room and it suits wel with it carry it into another Room hang it up there and it suits wel with that and whatever Room you hang it in it can comply therewith whereas if it be in no Frame only glewed or plaistered to the wall ye cannot remove it without tearing of it So in this ease Take a good and gracious fixed Soul and you may sooner tear him than remove him from the Truth or the good Waies of Christ but an unsetled person is for every Room and for every Company carry him into one Company and he can comply with it carry him into a second third or fourth he can comply with al Why but because his heart is unfixed not established But wo unto him for he is upon the Road to Apostacy Instability is the high way to Apostacy O! the sad condition of those that are not established Quest What shall we do then that we may be established It is a Mercy and great Blessing for a Nation Church and Particular person to be sâ—tled What shall we do that in all these respects we may be established Answ I As for a Nation or Châ—â—â—tian State It must first settle Religion such a Naâ—ion can never be setled til Religion be setled for Religion is the main Mâ—st and if that be not strengthened al the Tackling wil be loose Esai 33.23 The Tacklings are loosed saith the Prophâ—t they could not wel strengthen their Mast they could not sprâ—â—d their Sâ—â—l and Deut. 28.9 it 's said The Lord shal câ—mâ—â—â—â—â—e Bâ—â—ssing upon thee in thy Store-houses and in all that th usâ—â—â—t â—â—aâ—â— hand unto and he shal bless thee in the Land which the Loâ—d thy God giveth thee verse 8. Yea The Lâ—â—â—d shâ—◠〈…〉 if thou shalt keep the Commandemâ—nt oâ— he Lord 〈…〉 walk in his Waies v. 9. And all the peoplâ— of thâ— Earth sâ—â—â— be afraid of thee verse 10. And if ye look inâ—o thâ— Book of the Kings and Chronicles ye shal observe that in the latter Daies of he Kingdoms of Israel and Judah before theâ—â— Caâ—â—â—â—ty these Kingdoms were unsetled only upon
Doctrine Page 325 3 If you do beleeve then see that you walk answerable thereunto ibid. Sermon XIII Means against Discouragements Page 327 DOCT. Faith is the Help against all Discouragements Page 328 For your better understanding consider 1 What is Hope ibid. 2 That Faith quiets the heart in sad times ibid. 3 It is the day of all the Saints to trust in God especially at that time ibid. 4 What there is in faith and how faith can do it ibid. Quest 1. What is it to trust in God ib. Answ 1 To trust in God is to rely on God for help c. ibid. 2 He that trusteth in God doth trust unto him for some good thing that lieth out of sight Page 329 Quest 2. How may it appear that Faith will quiet the soul Page 330 Answ It is proved several waies out of Scripture ibid. Faith gives free access to God Page 331 There are three Vails in Scripture 1. Of Obscurity 2. The Vail of covering guilt 3. A Vail of shame Page 332 Quest 3. How may it appear that when discouragements arise Faith must then be exercised and then especially ibid. Answ It was Davids case and the Scripture is express for it ibid. Quest 4. What power hath Faith to allay discouragements what is in faith can do it and how doth faith do it Page 333 Answ 1 Faith gives a man the true prospect of things past present and to come And all Discouragements arise because men do not see things as they are ibid. 2 True saving Faith sees that in God and in Christ which answers all our fears Page 335 3 Faith puts the Soul under Gods Commandements to answer all Objections Page 336 More briefly of saving Faith 1 It is the proper work of Faith to resign our wils unto Gods wil. Page 337 2 It is the proper work of Faith to apply a suitable Promise ibid. 3 True faith will not venture without Gods Call Page 338 4 True faith sees the hand of God in every dispensation ibid. 5 True faith looks on both sides of Gods Dispensation and of our own Condition ibid. 6 Fath sees one contrary in another ibid. 7 It is the work of true faith to engage God to suffer ibid. Application Then if discouragements arise exercise your faith ibid. Quest Will every faith quiet a mans heart ibid. Answ Negatively For There is a feigned and uneffectual and there is an unfeigned and effectual faith A counterfet faith will not quiet a mans soul c. ibid. Quest How then shal a man exercise his faith that he may bear up against all Discouragements Page 339 Answ 1 You must be humbled for your unbelief c. ibâ—d 2 Go not to God without Christ Page 340 3 Trust in the Lord himself and not in your own duties ibid. 4 Trust in the Lord before you do act in your business ibid. 5 Trust in Jesus Christ before you trust in the Promise Page 341 6 If God give you a Promise never let it go though you see nothing but the contrary ibid. Object I fear I should presume and tempt the Lord ibid. Answ To doubt after so much experience were rather to tempt the Lord Page 342 Quest If God give me a Promise and I see no performance how shall I not be discouraged Page 343 Answ Either it is thy Duty to beleeve on Christ or not if not why dost thou beleeve at all If it be thy Duty why shouldest thou not rely on him ibid. Be of good comfort for 1 If you want assurance in God look on Christ Page 344 2 If you want assurance turn your eyes from those Objections that invade your faith ibid. 3 Beleeve that you do beleeve Helps for Faith Page 344 1 God never leads his People to any great mercy but he puts the sentence of death on all means that tend to it ib. 2 It is a great sin to limit Gods mercy as to limit his power ibid. 3 When God gives a Promise he somtimes trieth whether we will beleeve or not ibid. 4 God often times fulfils one Promise and denieth another ibid. 5 When we see nothing but what is contrary to help then is Christs time to help Page 345 6 Be your Affliction ordinary or extraordinary you must trust to God for mercy ibid. 7 Questions to ask a mans own Soul to encourage us Page 346 8 Consider frequently and seriously what a blessed thing it is to trust in God Page 347 It is reasonable to wait on God For 1 He waited on you for your Repentance ibid. 2 You have waited on men wil you not wait on God ibid. 3 When you give over waiting deliverance may come to your shame Page 348 4 If you give over waiting you lose all your former labor ibid. 5 If you wait on God he will not alwaies forget your work of Faith Page 349 The Sin against the Holy Ghost ON Matth. 12.31 32. THere are two Arguments in the words Page 353 1 The largeness of Gods heart in forgiving sins to men ib. 2 The unpardonableness of the sin against the Holy Ghost ibid. I had rather speak first to the former but to prevent Objections from some distressed soul I shal fiâ—st speak to the latter Page 354 For opening the words Quest 1. Whether the Jews our Savior spake then to did then sin against the Holy Ghost ib. Answ Some think No But I rather think Yes for the Reasons in the Text. ibid. Quest 2. Is there any so giveness of sins in the world to come ibid. Answ It is an unusual Phrase noting the eternity of misery Page 355 DOCT. The Sin against the Holy Ghost is an unpardonable sin Page 355 The Truth opened by the enquiry into two things 1 What the Sin against the holy Ghost is ibid. 2 How this sin is unpardonable beyond other sins ibid. For to say what this sin is ibid. I answer Negaâ—ively and Affirmaâ—â—vely ibid. 1 Negatively It is not that sin whereby men do barely deny the Deity of the Holy Ghost c. ibid. 2 Nor is it every opposition to the work of the Holy Ghost c. Page 356 3 It is not necessary that every man who sins against the holy Ghost should be an universal Apostate as iâ— is ordinarily thought ibid. There is a two-fold Apostate Either one that declineth from the profession of the Truth Or one that rebels against the Tâ—uth revealed and wil go no further cleered by an example Page 357 4 Final Vnbelief and Impenitency is not the sin against the holy Ghost neither that a man lives and dies in nor that he purposeth to live in to the last for many have so purposed to live yet have been converted ibâ—d 1 The Jews did then commit this sin yet they had not continued in it to their death ibid. 2 Final unbelief is rather sin against God the Son ibid. 3 If final unbelief be this sin then Christ should threaten that he which dieth in his sin should not be forgiven